A Day in the Garden

When I think of gardening, I think of beautiful landscapes with gorgeous flowers, hummingbirds and butterflies fluttering about and long walks through peaceful surroundings. While I may never achieve a garden of this calibur myself, there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy the flowers.

What I have learned through the years is that being outside makes me feel a certain level of comfort that I don't achieve elsewhere. Not sure if it is the fresh air or the sunshine, but I really dig it - no pun intended. Living in the Valley of the Sun, I have adjusted my gardening expectations and figured out what works and what doesn't. Delicate flowers don't survive the heat, only the hearty ones do. The little labels on the plants at the garden shop that read 'full sun' - yep, those are the ones for me! 

Our new family promise of eating healthy has prompted the idea of growing our own vegetables. Again, we still need to aware of what will survive and what won't and when to plant, since our spring season here is so very short. Years ago when the kiddos were small, I successfully grew enough lettuce to feed the neighborhood. Haven't been able to replicate that exactly, but I have learned that the secret is raised garden beds. DIY is in my blood and tackling the project of building raised beds for our new garden seemed to be a pretty simple project. Fellow blogger, Ana White, had some amazingly simple plans on her blog and the project took an afternoon.

Now we're growing lettuce and various herbs again! I just love the way everything tastes when it is freshly grown. I have become more creative in the kitchen, incorporating fresh veggies and herbs whenever I can. Who knows, maybe I will sharpen my cooking skills as a result of my gardening.

Cauliflower - all the rage

A few nights ago, my dear sweet friend and I treated ourselves to an afternoon away - first stop - pedicures, next stop - wine and appetizers. I absolutely love spending time being pampered - it doesn't happen often enough (I know, we all say that), but most of all I love spending time with my sweet friend. So, this was quite the afternoon. We shared some amazing laughs and some amazing wine and we were introduced to a very decadent spin on cauliflower. Yes, friends, I said cauliflower. The best way to describe it is a delicious, creamy cauliflower au gratin, but so much more - heavenly.

Over the weekend, I found myself searching for a copycat recipe. Beware, this could be a very slippery slope. I never found THE recipe I was looking for, but oh my, I found so much more! 

Cauliflower Au Gratin

Creamy Cauliflower Au Gratin - yumminess beyond belief. 

Ingredients:                                                           Topping:

1 head cauliflower, cut in pieces                            1/4 cup parmesan cheese

5 Tablespoons butter                                               2 Tablespoons butter

1/4 cup flour                                                           1/4 cup bread crumbs

2 cups milk

1 1/4 cups grated gruyere cheese

1 Teaspoon salt

1/2 Teaspoon pepper

Steam or boil cauliflower until tender but firm, about 5 minutes. Drain and place pieces in 2-quart casserole dish. In saucepan, melt butter and add flour. Cook about 1 minute, until thickened, whisking continuously. Add milk, cheese, salt and pepper, stir until melted and thickened. Pour over cauliflower. Top with parmesan cheese. Mix bread crumbs and melted butter and sprinkle on top. Bake at 375° for 20 to 25 minutes. 

Cauliflower Pizza Crust - compliments of A Sweet Pea Chef

For the pizza crust:

1 large head cauliflower (to make 3 cups cauliflower rice)
1 egg
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp garlic powder
2 tbsp parmesan, shredded
3 oz goat cheese

For the toppings:

For The Pizza Toppings:
1 boneless skinless chicken breast
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp garlic powder
handful baby spinach
3-4 oz fresh mozzarella, sliced

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Turn the cauliflower into rice using a food processor.
Grate enough of the cauliflower to produce 3 packed cups of cauliflower rice.
Lay out the "rice" evenly on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Roast the cauliflower to soften it before creating the crust so place this into the oven and roast for 20-25 minutes, tossing every so often.
Once the rice is tender and beginning to turn golden brown, remove the rice from the oven and transfer into a clean, thin dishtowel or cheesecloth.
Wrap up the rice and twist the towel to squeeze any excess moisture out. Be careful not to burn your hands.
Place the drained rice into a mixing bowl, along with the egg, dried oregano, 1/4 tsp,. kosher salt, garlic powder, grated parmesan cheese, and crumbled goat cheese. Mix this together until fully combined.
On a clean, new sheet of parchment paper, pour the rice mixture out and form into a small rectangle.

Keep the dough about 1/3 of an inch thick and try to mold it to be as even and as flat as possible.
Once the crust is fully formed, place back into the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the crust is firm and golden brown.
At this point, top with whatever normal pizza toppings you prefer.
Once you have your toppings, place back into the oven and bake until the cheese is melted, about 6-8 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to sit for 5 minutes before slicing into quarters using a pizza cutter.

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Walnut & Caulifower Tacos

Ingredients:

INGREDIENTS

1 head cauliflower, small, chopped

1 cup California walnut pieces, chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

¾ cup onion, minced

2 teaspoons garlic, minced

½ cup water

¼ cup tomato paste

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin, ground

1 teaspoon oregano, dried

½ teaspoon salt, or to taste

Preheat oven to 475ºF. Coat cauliflower with 1 tbsp. olive oil; place on a baking sheet and roast for 25 to 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Reduce oven temperature to 350ºF and toast walnuts for 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Add to pan with cauliflower. Heat remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes more. Stir in water, tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, oregano and salt; cook until mixture is thick and excess water has cooked off. Stir in cauliflower mixture.
Spoon mixture into warmed tortillas and top with cabbage, cheese, walnuts and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.

Walnut & Cauliflower Tacos

Who ever knew cauliflower could be this good?

Living Free

As the weather starts to turn, the days get longer and the sunshine is warmer, something deep inside us changes ever so slightly. For me, I long for days spent in the sunshine in the garden or poolside with our friends, long summer nights and short trips up north to cooler weather. But mostly, it is just a break from the long reality of the school year. Even though the boys are getting older, our family is still on the cycle started long ago in kindergarten - up early for school, homework and projects, studying for quizzes and tests. Sure, there's an occasional day off here and there and both fall and spring break, but nothing speaks to the soul of a child like summer vacation. 

For most of us Phoenicians, we dread the heat of summer. When the boys were much younger, my girlfriends and I would sit and try to scheme up new ways to keep everyone entertained inside - there was the library, the mall, the movies - Good ol' Harkins kids movie passes - and when we were brave enough, we'd pack everyone up for the public pool or SunSplash. Now, most of our kids are entertaining themselves. With video games and SnapChat, streaming shows and group texts, I can honestly say it's been years since the words "I'm bored" were uttered. 

Now, I find it quite the opposite. With the window closing on how many actual weeks are left before graduation, it's the parents now that are trying to find ways to connect - buying just a little bit more time. I'm not embarrassed at all to say, I'm one of those parents. Can I learn to play FortNite or the latest racing car game? Maybe. Am I yearning to have them around the table just a night or two a month to spend some time together? Sure. With all the excitement coming, I want to enjoy, honestly. 

But I find myself wanting to hit pause just a little bit and enjoy the present. Maybe swing a little.

And just like that, it's almost Spring

Did I shut my eyes for too long? How is already almost spring? With each passing year, the time seems to fly by much faster. The kids grow taller every year, I shrink a little bit every year and all those "little moments" seem to be like fleeting butterflies in the wind. In just a handful of weeks I will be watching my oldest walk across stage and collect his diploma and then we will start the whirlwind of preparing for move-in day for college. I still remember him as a little guy, my little guy, who wanted so badly to spend time with me. Now, I stand and look up at him and my heart pangs just a bit. How did he grow up so quickly? And with my second just footsteps behind him, I feel the time racing by. I am nearly dwarfed by both of them, they are so very tall and so, so handsome. Yes, I know I am biased. I am their mother, I have a right to be. My goal this year has been to create some lasting memories. Not that we don't have handfuls of them already, but I wanted this year to be special in some way. 

Yesterday, Lent began. And even though I am all about creating fun times for all of us, I realize I must do some things for myself too. A dear friend invited me to join the 40/40 challenge. 40 straight days of exercise during the 40 days of Lent. Sign me up! So far, this week, we've logged nearly 10 miles of walking and feel great. Early morning sunshine this time of year in Arizona is simply beautiful, so we are soaking it up. Walking during the week and hiking on the weekends. Maybe I'll even splurge and get some new kicks! 

Years ago, the boys and I would decorate for Spring and for Easter. Even though I've been flying solo in the decorating department for quite some time, I see the smiles when they come through the door because they know the chocolate bunny and skittles are right around the corner. Of course, the Easter baskets are a thing of the past, but we still manage to let a few chocolate bunnies sneak by! How about you? Favorite Easter tradition? 

The freezer is full, for now...

I've always tried to stay on top of things, but as the years are flying by I'm finding myself falling behind more often. Housecleaning - yep! Falling behind - seriously behind. But then, who likes housecleaning. When my boys were still toddlers, I met up with an old college roomie and as we sat there watching the littles play, I commented on how clean her house was. She smiled and said, "oh my friend, there is a difference between clean and picked up." I must say, this has stuck with me now for over a decade. And yes, my house is picked up, but please don't check my baseboards, or look too carefully at my windows! Who has time for that? Life is busy!

One thing I do find myself sticking to is a plan I created years ago, of freezing meals ahead of time. I think the first time I actually did this was when I was expecting my second child. I planned out, prepared and froze about six meals that could be popped into the crockpot and voila - we had dinner all prepared. Now, the "plan" has changed dramatically over the years since I found that feeding growing boys was an all the time process. One year, long before Pinterest, I collected recipe cards and sat at night choosing what everyone would like - voting along the way. After a while, it was easy to see what recipes were the favorites and those were the ones we used. Stuck to the plan!

Then Pinterest was born! I grew up watching my mother, aunt and grandmother in the kitchen, creating one great recipe after another. But when I discovered the world of Pinterest, I was able to see everyone else's mom's recipes, too. I started pinning all the time, creating one board after another! And then last spring, one of my dear friends introduced me to the Instapot. She was shocked when I told her I was still using a crockpot - I just didn't know enough - obviously. Now, I understand.

Once I got the hang of things, I was using this marvel for everything. Need 12 baked potatoes - no problem - have 12 minutes? Need rice - no problem! Want hard-boiled eggs - again, no problem. My favorite is the fact that when I need dinner in a hurry, I can just place my frozen meal straight into the Instapot, add 5 - 10 minutes of extra cooking time and I have dinner! No sweat!

Last weekend, with kids back in school and time moving at what seems like warp speed, I figured it was time to spend a day getting the freezer loaded. Listed below are some of our favorites. Enjoy!

Sweet BBQ Chicken

4-6 chicken breasts                      1/4 cup vinegar                     1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
12 oz bottle BBQ sauce               1 teaspoon garlic powder     1/2 cup brown sugar

Mash all ingredients together around chicken in ziploc bag. If you are using a crockpot, take your meal out the night before and store in the fridge, then cook on low for 4-6 hours the next day.

If you are using your Instapot, the exact cook time depends on how large the chicken breasts are, although 12-14 minutes for 4 to 6 breasts has always worked well for me. Remember, the Instapot has to be set to high pressure. Put the lid on and set your valve to sealing. Set the pot to manual, high pressure and 12-14 minutes (for 4-6 breasts). It will take about 15 minutes to come to pressure and begin counting down the actual cooking time. When it is done cooking, turn off the Instapot and let the pressure release naturally for 5-10 minutes before moving the valve to venting and releasing the remaining pressure. 

Cilantro Lime Chicken (makes 2 meals)

8 chicken breasts               4 Tablespoons olive oil               2 limes, juiced
2 cups cilantro                   1 large bag of frozen corn           4 minced garlic cloves
2 teaspoons cumin             2 cans black beans, rinsed

Combine all ingredients, split into 2 gallon size bags. Cook in your crockpot on low for 6-8 hours, on high for 4-6 hours. Serve with hot tortillas.

**You can use the same instructions for the BBQ chicken here with your Instapot.

Tex Mex Casserole (makes 4 meals) ***A favorite, although not cooked in the Instapot!

4 chicken breasts, cooked & shredded              8 cups cooked rice               2 cans Rotel tomatoes
2 taco seasoning packets                                   2 cans drained corn              2 cans drained black beans
1 small can olives, drained                                6 cups cheddar cheese         Green onions, diced

Mix together ingredients in bowl, except cheese. Divide into 4 pans (I use foil pans), top with cheddar cheese and olives. Thaw overnight and bake at $350 until heated and cheese is melted. Top with fresh green onions, if desired. Serve with sour cream, salsa and chips.

Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole (makes 4 meals)

10 cups cooked rice                     4 cups cooked chicken               4 cups chopped broccoli
4 cans cream of chicken soup     4 cups cheddar cheese

Combine all ingredients together well and separate into 4 gallon-size freezer bags. Thaw overnight and dump into a greased casserole dish. Sprinkle with cheese, if desired. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

A couple of our other faves are Taco Soup (there are multiple versions of this on Pinterest), Chili - I make a batch with browned meat and without, and Calzones. These are easy to make and great to stock your freezer with. And have you experienced the "I'm so starving" when the kids get home from school? Well, I have. Here are some quick and easy snacks to make up ahead of time, that really hit a home run with my kids:

Smoothies (I cut fresh fruit up and pop into snack size bags and stick in the freezer). Kids can take these out, throw it into the blender, add some milk, juice, water, or water and in less than two minutes, they have a yummy snack. Add a bit of protein powder or some nuts or seeds for an extra pop of energy.

Pretzels (so easy to make) - I do the twisted pretzel sticks, the traditional pretzels and pretzel bites. You can make batches of these ahead of time and freeze. Just take a few out ahead of time to thaw and there's another yummy snack, with a side of fruit, or some peanut butter or yogurt for dipping.

Peanut Butter & Jelly Bars - My kids actually go nuts for these! Easy to make, too. In one of my earlier posts, I included this recipe. Try them, if your kids are PBJ fans, they will love these!

I'm sure there is much more out there to discover. I've also yet to use my Instapot for breakfast recipes - maybe I'll try some of those soon, too.

'Til next time......

Puppies!!!

And there I was just minding my own business and I stumbled upon a post from a high school friend titled "Puppies!!!" Those that know me well, can attest to the fact that there are two things in life that make me absolutely gush - 

babies and puppies. I should add that puppies of any kind I find adorable but lab puppies make me want to own a farm with lots of land 

so I can have about 12 dogs running around.

See the porch? There would be dogs there. 

See all the green grass? There would be dogs there, too. 

But I am still a city girl and must try to remain composed and not bring home every single dog I see. Also, I kinda' like my husband 

and I don't want him to run away and leave us! 

So, we talked about it...well, it was more of a question "you know my friend with the puppies?" that led to the hubby looking up from dinner and saying "um, yeah????" Then, the look - maybe you know the look - Oh, here it comes.... and I quickly followed with a series of "here's why it would be great" comments. And just like that, the very next day - we had a new puppy!

Just tell me, how do you resist this?? I fell instantly in puppy love!

Such a cutie!

Project Weekend!

Maybe it's because I grew up around lots and lots of projects as a kid, or maybe it's because I was lucky enough to get my parents' creative genes, 

but I almost live for "project weekends." 

Creating something out of nothing always inspires me to do more. 

Much to my husband's dismay, I'm collecting quite a bit of lumber. Stacks of it here and there, and projects in several different stages strategically placed around the house, yard and garage. 

And lumber isn't all I am collecting.....somehow these chairs ended up here, too. Oh, I wonder how that happened? Sure to be followed by other pieces of furniture soon - all needing some love.

Mason jars keep appearing, too. 

But who doesn't love a mason jar? 

Especially when you can do something really creative with it.

With several boutique shows coming up, we're busy building and having fun! We can't wait to share some of our favorite project pieces with you!

Stay tuned! 

The Blessings of Christmas

Each and every year, like many families - we look forward to Christmas. With the house filled with the aroma of fresh baked cookies and the cheery red decor, it feels warm and inviting. Friends stop by to visit, family get-togethers are plenty and everyone's spirits are lifted. 

It is a time for us to reflect on the year, spend quality time with family and be thankful for all the blessings that we have. As our boys have gotten older, some of the traditions have been replaced with new "more modern" ones, but the real meaning of Christmas still rings true in their hearts. 

For years our home has been dubbed "that" house with all the lights. When the boys were very small, my husband bought me a reindeer for the front yard. I was so happy to have that little reindeer in front of the house, slowly moving his head from side to side. Up until last year, that reindeer was still in our yard. The boys referred to him as "Grandpa Reindeer." When we moved, we chose a corner house with a large, grassy front lawn. We moved in on March 3 that year, and I was already planning the Christmas lights. We aren't the Griswold's - 

but there are LOTS of lights! 

It is a major production to hang all of them, but the neighbors always stop by every year commenting on how nice it is to see the lights and 

how much they enjoy them. 

While the boys work outside, I work on the interior of the house - where I have the most fun. Decorating the house with tiny "Christmas stories" is my favorite thing to do. And this year I mastered the home-brewed gingerbread latte to make decorating even more enjoyable!

Taking the chill out of the morning air near the fireplace, wrapping presents and listening to Christmas music - this is how some of my weekends were spent. 

Here's hoping your holidays were blessed with moments you will 

cherish for years to come!

Happy Holidays!!!

Off to Market....

For weeks now I have been looking forward to my first "holiday marketplace." I know it sounds silly, just days ago there were little ones parading in full costume through the neighborhood in search of bucketfuls of candy. Yet, I am still finding myself anticipating the joys of the season. Yesterday morning, coffee in hand, I marched off to the Believe Marketplace. Such a friendly, inviting place to be and I was really wowed by the variety and craftsmanship.

First, let's talk about the tree when you first walked in......

Just wow!!! It was amazing - and they were raffling it off - seven foot tree complete with all these beautiful trimmings. Some lucky person in at that marketplace won this gorgeous tree, delivered right to their home! Kudos to the Glittered Rack for this beauty!

And to welcome you on to the grounds, there was music (vintage truck was a super cool hit with my boys) and a 'farmhouse inspired' booth with some pretty incredible pieces. I was especially fond of the large Farmhouse sign!

After only a few minutes, I suddenly became aware that there was so much to see and unfortunately, we were limited on time, so we had to scurry through some booths. We stopped for coffee (to fuel the journey) and we were able to see each and every booth. We ended our shopping at the bookstore, which was packed but had such a great variety of goods - everything from ornaments to jewelry. We found several Christmas gifts there. I especially loved the booth with all the signs right at the entrance - there were so many to read and they were all amazing. In another booth, we saw a giant Jenga set and Yard Yahtzee - such fabulous ideas!!

And if you happen to be a pillows and blankets gal like I am, The Sheet Lady's booth was a big hit. On one of the displays, she had these chunky throws - one touch and I was in heaven - so incredibly soft! Amazing quality and craftsmanship again and the large pillows - especially the ones that were flannel checks were perfect for the holidays. LOVED this booth!!!

As our morning came to a close, we picked up various cards advertising upcoming markets. The strategy is forming since many of my favorites from this show will be present and some of the upcoming shows. So excited to go again!!!

A Season of Thanks....

It was such a beautiful day yesterday and we were looking forward to a night of Trick or Treaters on our doorstep, so I decided to take the lab full of boundless energy for a walk. We walked to the park and down to the bus stop where all the little kiddos waved and yelled "PUPPY" - she thoroughly enjoyed the attention, believe me. We rounded off our walk at the mailbox which was chopped full of the assorted goodies we normally see. But something caught my eye, a rather thick envelope. So I opened it to find two neatly folded pieces of gift wrap in red and blue, along with a note card embellished with the American Flag. Reading through the materials I discovered that this was sent from The Wounded Warrior Project, and contained stories that touched my heart.

Once the candy has been eaten and the last pumpkins taken away, most minds settle directly upon the next holiday - Thanksgiving - but let's not forget there's one in between. Veteran's Day is Saturday, November 11th this year, with Friday being recognized as the federal observance. My flag will be flying high that weekend. I've already made plans to take the boys and their grandparents on a picnic down on the State Capitol grounds. It's been nearly a year since we've toured the memorial to the USS Arizona, and my parents haven't seen it since it was renovated and all the new dedications were placed. My stepdad being a Navy Veteran, I thought this would be a nice way to honor his service to our nation.

Long fly our flag in this great nation! And a heartfelt thanks to all those who have served so tirelessly and bravely for our freedom!

Baking Days!

I woke up hungry today, and hungrier than usual. My routine morning cup of coffee didn’t quite cut it for me. After snacking on some fruit and yogurt, I realized my hunger was a lovely combination of the typical “I need food to survive” and “I’m craving something.” I was brought up in a house where the motto was Food is Love and I think I’ve done a fair job of instituting that same motto here in our house. The rising of the cravings, especially the fall cravings tend to lead to loaves of bread, muffins, cookies and pies for sharing, and the occasional “experimental dessert.” With the temperatures slightly dipping, I find myself more likely to turn the oven on and create some surprises for my family.

While searching for things to bake, of course I stumbled upon the fall favorites: pies – oh glorious, pies!!! I recently watched one of those short little videos on making some pretty amazing pie crusts – you know one of those that make it look SO EASY. Perhaps after a trip to the apple farm I’ll try out one of those fancy crusts. But in scouring my recipe box, I found my favorite – pecan pie. So delicious, so decadent.

My favorite recipe comes from Sally’s Baking Addiction. She tells the story of trying to perfect her pecan pie, and finding that her grandmother’s recipe is the best one of the bunch. Well, Sally, yes – I have to agree. Wonderful recipe…….

Ingredients:

Pie crust

2 and ½ cups chopped pecans (Sally uses only Diamond of California)

3 large eggs

1 cup dark corn syrup

½ cup packed dark brown sugar

1 and ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

¼ cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

½ teaspoon salt           

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Adjust the oven rack to the lower third position and preheat the oven to 350°F. Roll out the pie crust onto a lightly floured surface, to a 12-inch diameter circle. Place the dough into a 9x2 inch pie dish. Tuck it in with your fingers, making sure it is smooth.

Spread pecans evenly inside pie crust. Set aside. In a large bowl using, using a wooden spoon, whisk the eggs, corn syrup, brown sugar, vanilla, melted butter, salt and cinnamon together. Once combined and thick, pour evenly over pecans in pie crust.

Bake the pie for 45-50 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned. You may want to place a pie crust shield on top of the pie, after the first 20 minutes of baking time, to prevent the edges from browning too fast. Remove the pie from the oven and place on a cooling rack.

And for those of you gals that love your crock pot, in my search for new recipes, I found this at Spicy Southern Kitchen. 

Yes! CROCKPOT PECAN PIE!!!

Ingredients:

1 refrigerated pie crust

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup dark corn syrup

1/3 cup melted butter

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 and ½ cups chopped pecans

Vanilla ice cream for garnish

Spray the inside of your crock pot with cooking spray. Place pie crust in crock pot and mold it to fit the shape of the crock pot. Please note, the recipe is easier if you have a round crock pot instead of an oval one, but this didn’t stop me.

Stir remaining ingredients together, except pecans, until mixed well. Stir in pecans next. You may want to leave a few pecans to arrange on top of the filling to make it look pretty.

Pour filling into the pie crust. If you did reserve some pecans, gently place them on top of the filling. Cover the crock pot and cook on HIGH for 2 and ½ to 3 hours.

Serve warm with ice cream!

And of course, there’s pumpkin – Pumpkin Soufflé – that is! Courtesy of Delish.

Ingredients:

3 sweet potatoes

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Large pinch of kosher salt

4 egg whites

And for the topping:

¼ cup finely chopped pecans

¼ cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons flour

2 tablespoons butter, melted, plus more for the ramekins

½ teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and poke holes in all potatoes with a fork. Roast under tender, about 50 minutes and let cool completely.

Scoop out flesh from potatoes and transfer to a food processor along with cinnamon, brown sugar, vanilla and salt. Add egg whites and continue to process until smooth.

In a large bowl, mix all crumble ingredients until well combined.

Butter two small ramekins and divide batter evenly between the two, smoothing the tops. Sprinkle each with crumble topping. Bake until puffy and completely set, about 38-40 minutes. Serve immediately.

Now, are you hungry too??? I'll be in the kitchen!!!!

The Outside Air

There’s just something about being outside in the fresh air – the cool breeze, the scent of the pine trees, the crispness of the air itself. It’s not often that city girls like me get to experience being out in nature, but when I have the chance, I take it! Being a “boy-mom” has given me more opportunities to experience the great outdoors, although as a college student I was quite the adventurous type. I even taught my first lab how to swim in the Black River, during a camping trip nestled in the fields near the San Carlos Reservation. Snow camping along the Mogollon Rim – did that too – again, I was young and adventurous. It was cold, I won’t lie and I can honestly say I can live the rest of my days without trying that again.

With sons in Scouts, there’s always an outing planned – a very large percentage of them, overnights in tents! Of course, they’ve done far more “camping nights” than I have. One of the boys spent 13 days at Philmont in New Mexico, hiking for 11 of those days with all his belongings strapped to his back in a 50 pound external frame pack. Now that’s roughing it. Over the years, though, we’ve acquired “necessities” to make the family camping experience a bit more enjoyable. After our last trip to the Colorado River, I realized how important the jet boil is to camping. I honestly LOVE it!! I bought two more - so convenient, especially for backpacking trips.

On this weekend's adventure, the trees of the forest slowly turning to fall seemed to beckon us to hours of wandering – finding a path through the thick pines, discovering all that nature has to offer. The simplicity and beauty of it all is amazing! Gone is all the bustling, the traffic, the noise and all you can hear is the wind whistling through the treetops and birds chirping happily - like something out of a magazine. I think most boys have an explorer within them, at least mine have always proven this to me! When they were little, they would find a favorite rock that would accompany them back from their outdoor adventures. For each of them, the collection grew - there were smooth ones, and round ones, colored ones and rough ones. A year ago or so, some of those little stones fell out of a box from under one of the beds, and so many memories came rushing back. As I watched them explore, I saw the "stone hunting" begin. Every once in a while, one of them would stop, stoop and tuck something into their pocket. It’s fun to see that some things haven’t changed much – they just dig deeper in the woods for their treasures.

Of course camping requires shelter and since we are not RV campers, this always involves packing up the SUV with a tent. When our boys were young we purchased our first “family tent.” I remember the first time we assembled (struggled is more appropriate) this tent. The other scout families commented on how large it was, nicknaming it the “Taj Mahal”  - the following year, we showed up at one of the campouts, minus the poles to hold that tent up – and had to drive into town and purchase another tent. Do you think we went small? No way – go big or go home, right? So now we have these two sizeable tents, which about four years later has worked out just fine! You see, with boys that are six footers (and then some), and my husband and I not exactly height disadvantaged, these two tents have come in handy.  Thanks to Pinterest, not only for the amazing “camping hacks” that I now incorporate into our trips, but to this really great idea….room for everyone!!  

And how do you wrap up a really great camping adventure? S’mores over a campfire, that’s how. I’ve never been a fan of sticky, gooey marshmallow but a s’more is a different story. And the roasting part is always fun! The crackling of the campfire and the laughter that usually accompanies someone's marshmallow falling into the flames - surely memories to be tucked away along with the stones.

As the weather is Arizona cools off and the northern part of the state revels in all its glory, hopefully more weekends will be spent wandering in the woods and enjoying the beauty nature has to offer!

'til next time.....