JUST SIMPLE SOMETHINGS

Autumn's last fling....

Preserving Autumn Leaves

Try turning autumn leaves into decorative home accents.

The key to leaf crafts though is to keep the leaves from crumbling, curling or turning brown. On an ironing board place the leaves between two sheets of wax paper with the waxy side on the leaf. Cover with brown paper (like a grocery bag) and iron on medium heat. The iron will melt the wax onto the leaf, preserving not only its shape but its color.

"There are not more than five primary colors (blue, yellow, red, white, and black), yet in combination they produce more hues than can ever been seen”

~ Autumn Treasure ~

Summer’s glory, Autumn’s crown,

Casts it’s treasure to the ground,

Red and yellow, orange and brown,

Spinning, twirling, round and round,

Waltzing slowly to the ground,

One last curtsy, one last bow,

Then kiss the earth and make no sound,

Paper jewels on the ground…waiting to be found.

~Caramel Apple Yogurt Parfaits~

2 cups creamy vanilla yogurt

2 medium unpeeled apples cut into chunks

1/4 cup caramel topping

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped
pecans or walnuts

Reserve 1/4 cup yogurt for topping. Divide remaining yogurt among 4 (8-oz) glasses or dessert dishes. Spoon 1/2 cup of the apple chunks over yogurt in each glass. Top each with 1 tablespoon of the remaining yogurt. Spoon 1 tablespoon caramel topping over yogurt. Sprinkle pecans over each parfait. Serve immediately!

Join us over here for " Mosaic Monday ".

~Words for life's journey ~

Here's some inspirational quotes about life from a "giant of a man..."
Please watch this video and be blessed!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8ZuKF3dxCY&feature=related

10 minute pumpkin....

I found this pumpkin craft somewhere on the internet and I thought it was a clever idea for only ten minutes of my time.

I bought 20 inches of pumpkin material (45 inches wide) and cut it on the fold giving me two pieces. (One for you and one for a friend).

Grab a roll of toilet paper and sit it in the center of one piece of fabric. Tuck the fabric into the center hole of the roll (no need to glue anything)

Cut a piece of brown paper bag about 12 " long and fold accordion style.
Add some raffia, if you've got any, fold in half and push it into the center.
I added a piece of green plaid fabric for leaves.

And there you are!...a instant fall decoration!

This is a re-post from 11/09/09. I thought it was worth repeating.

Southwest Zucchini Boats

4 Servings Prep/Total Time: 25 min.

Ingredients:
4 medium zucchini
1 pound ground beef
3/4 cup salsa
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
Sour cream, optional

Directions:
Cut zucchini in half lengthwise; cut a thin slice from the bottom of each with a sharp knife to allow the zucchini to sit flat. Scoop out pulp, leaving 1/4-in. shells.
Place shells in an ungreased 3-qt. microwave-safe dish. Cover and microwave on high for 3 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Remove from the heat; stir in the salsa, bread crumbs, cilantro, chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper, and 1/2 cup cheese. Spoon into zucchini shells.

Microwave, uncovered, on high for 4 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
© Taste of Home

{My version}

I had 3 large zucchini so I decided to turn this recipe into a casserole. I added all of the above plus:
1 small can of corn
1 cup of brown rice ( cooked )
1/3 finely chopped pepper
1 can tomato sauce

I chopped the zucchini into small pieces and omitted the fresh cilantro. Didn’t have it…don’t need it!

Cooked @325* in a 13x9 glass dish until the zucchini was tender.

We really liked this....Enjoy!