pumpkin everything

in honor of  all hallows eve.....all things pumpkin...

happy, happy halloween my pretty pumpkins!

Scripture of the day:

'The righteous will never be uprooted, but the wicked will not remain in the land.' Proverbs 10:30

small spaces

'Small rooms or dwellings discipline the mind, large ones weaken it.' - Leonardo Da Vinci

my decorating these days is focused around living in small spaces, and I found that I LOVE it! It is much more challenging to make things work in a tiny space but yet so rejuvenating!!

here are some of my favorite small spaces below that are inspiring ideas for my own small space:  

happy monday everyone!

...stay tuned later in the week,  I will be posting some of my dream designs!

Scripture of the day:

'Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.'  2 Thessalonians 3:16 

table for two!

my sister gave me the idea of doing a post on "meals/cooking for two"

..and I thought it was great! so here are a few of our favorite recipes, please share your own! I could really use some new ones! 

so cooking for two (with LOTS of leftovers):

Fusilli with Italian Sausage and Arugula

what you need:
4 ounces whole-wheat pasta, such as shells or fusilli
4 ounces hot Italian turkey sausage, removed from casing
2 cloves garlic, chopped
4 cups arugula, or baby spinach
1/2 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup finely shredded Pecorino Romano, or Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

the prep:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta 8 to 10 minutes, or according to package directions.
Meanwhile, cook sausage in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until cooked through, 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in garlic, arugula (or spinach) and tomatoes. Cook, stirring often, until the greens wilt and the tomatoes begin to break down, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; cover and keep warm.
Combine cheese, pepper and salt in a large bowl. Measure out 2 tablespoons of the cooking liquid; drain the pasta. Whisk the cooking liquid and oil into the cheese mixture; add the pasta and toss to combine. Serve the pasta topped with the sausage-arugula mixture.

Lemony Asparagus Pasta

what you need:
4 ounces whole-wheat penne pasta, (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
3/4 cup whole milk
2 teaspoons whole-grain mustard
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced fresh tarragon, or 1/4 teaspoon dried
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided


the prep:
Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Cook pasta for 6 minutes. Add asparagus and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the pasta and asparagus are just tender, about 3 minutes more. Drain and return to the pot.
Meanwhile, whisk milk, mustard, flour, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Whisk in the milk mixture. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly, and cook until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in tarragon, lemon zest and juice.
Stir the sauce into the cooked pasta and place over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce is thick, creamy and coats the pasta. Stir 1/4 cup Parmesan into the pasta until combined. Serve the pasta topped with the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan.

BBQ Portobello Quesadillas for 2

what you need:
1/4 cup prepared barbecue sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons tomato paste
1 1/2 teaspoons cider vinegar
1/2 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, (see Note), minced, or 1/8 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper
1 tablespoon canola oil, divided
1/2 pound portobello mushroom caps, (about 2 1/2 medium), gills removed, diced
1/2 medium onion, finely diced
2 8- to 10-inch whole-wheat tortillas
6 tablespoons shredded Monterey Jack cheese

the prep:
Combine barbecue sauce, tomato paste, vinegar and chipotle in a medium bowl.
Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add onion and cook, stirring, until the onion and mushrooms are beginning to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to the bowl with the barbecue sauce; stir to combine. Wipe out the pan.
Place tortillas on a work surface. Spread 3 tablespoons cheese on half of each tortilla and top with one-fourth (about 1/2 cup) of the filling. Fold tortillas in half, pressing gently to flatten.
Heat 1 teaspoon oil in the pan over medium heat. Add the quesadillas and cook, turning once, until golden on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes total. Cut each quesadilla into wedges and serve.

Smokey Mustard-Maple Salmon

what you need:
1 1/2 tablespoons whole-grain or Dijon mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika or ground chipotle pepper (see Notes)
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Pinch of salt
2 4-ounce skinless center-cut wild-caught salmon fillets (see Notes)

the prep:
Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a small baking sheet or baking pan with foil and coat with cooking spray.
Combine mustard, maple syrup, paprika (or chipotle), pepper and salt in a small bowl. Place salmon fillets on the prepared baking sheet. Spread the mustard mixture evenly on the salmon. Roast until just cooked through, 8 to 12 minutes.

Quick garlic grilled skinless boneless chicken breasts

what you need:
2 Skinless boneless chicken breasts.
2 T olive oil
1/2 t Kosher salt
1 t garlic powder
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 t pepper

the prep:
Preheat grill on high. Clean and oil grates. Trim breasts well. Mix all other ingredients in the oil and then brush on both sides of breasts. Then, place over high heat with smooth side down. Initially about 8-10 minutes then flip about every 5-6 minutes until internal temp of 165 minimum.

Turkey, Corn, and Sun-dried tomato wraps

what you need:
1/2 cup corn kernels, fresh (see Tip) or frozen (thawed)
1/4 cup chopped tomato
2 tablespoons chopped soft sun-dried tomatoes (see Shopping Tip)
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 1/2 teaspoons red-wine vinegar or cider vinegar
4 thin slices low-sodium deli turkey (about 4 ounces)
2 8-inch whole-wheat tortillas
1 cup chopped romaine lettuce

the prep:

Combine corn, tomato, sun-dried tomatoes, oil and vinegar in a medium bowl.
Divide turkey among tortillas. Top with equal portions of the corn salad and lettuce. Roll up. Serve the wraps cut in half, if desired.

Mini Biscuit Breakfast sandwiches

what you need:

Pillsbury® Grands! mini frozen buttermilk biscuits (from 25.1 oz bag) 1 egg, 1 tablespoon milk, 1 teaspoon butter, 2 slices bacon, crisply cooked, cut into halves,1 slice (1 oz) Cheddar cheese, cut into quarters

the prep:
Heat oven to 350°F. Bake biscuits as directed on bag. Cool slightly, about 5 mintues
Meanwhile, beat egg and milk in small bowl with fork until well mixed. In 7 or 8-inch nonstick skillet, heat butter over medium heat until melted. Add egg mixture; cook, stirring occasionally, until eggs are desired doneness and still moist
Split biscuits horizontally. Layer cooked eggs, bacon and cheese on bottom halves of biscuits; top with biscuit tops.

Breakfast Potato Bites-To Go!

what you need:
1 package of pre shredded potatoes (I used simply potatoes found next to the eggs in the grocery store)
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 finely chopped onion (optional)
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

the prep:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and thoroughly grease a mini muffin pan (you may need more than one, I used 1 plus 5 mini muffins). Pour potatoes into a bowl, add the salt, garlic powder and onion, stir to combine. Pour in the egg and give it another stir, then add the cheese and mix it all up. Spoon into mini muffin tins and bake for 20 – 25 minutes or until golden brown and tops and edges begin to get crispy. Eat warm, or cool and freeze into individual packs and heat for about 20 seconds in the microwave. Yay, and breakfast is make for the whole week!

blueberry buttermilk flapjacks

what you need:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon butter, melted, plus more, softened, for skillet and serving
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 cup blueberries, plus more for garnish
Pure maple syrup, for serving

the prep:
Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Whisk together buttermilk, eggs, vanilla, 1 tablespoon butter, and 2 tablespoons oil; whisk into flour mixture. Fold in blueberries. Set batter aside.
Heat 1/2 teaspoon butter and remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Pour in 1/3 cup batter. Cook until small bubbles form, about 3 minutes. Flip; cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter, adding butter as needed. Serve with butter and syrup; garnish with berries.

**saved the yummiest for last, these pancakes would be perfect for a lazy saturday morning!

have a great weekend!!

Scripture of the day:

'I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.' Galatians 2:20

daydreaming

daydreaming- is a short-term detachment from one's immediate surroundings, during which a person's contact with reality is blurred and partially substituted by a visionary fantasy, especially one of happy, pleasant thoughts, hopes or ambitions, imagined as coming to pass, and experienced while awake.

some people think of "daydreaming" as a time-waster, not using our time wisely, etc....I disagree.  I have always had quite the imagination, even as a little girl, but I'm not ashamed. I think it's important.  It gives us something to work towards or look towards, or can simply be an "escape." Daydreaming in itself can give us HOPE, and there is NOTHING wrong with that!

so "daydream" on...

...sharing some of my own fun "daydreams" today, all the simple things I love! It is so much fun!

all white. 

cozy nook

hammock swinging

sailing

yes, please!

sunshine :)

pillows...enough said. 

the cutest thing. 

dreaming of the future

pink tulips

ballet

tea party... (preferably in London... with Kate and William?)

wrinkly puppy-could just squeeze him!

baby chick pool par-tay

counting blessings.

being crafty (definitely dreaming with this one!)

traveling.

books, books, books!

 old antique bench? perfect spot for daydreaming. 

relaxation.

what are YOU daydreaming about today?!

Scripture of the day:

 ^'Therefore, be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.' Ephesians 5:15-17