Tuesday, October 30, 2018

Party in Your PJs #232: Start Prepping for Thanksgiving

3 comments:
Happy Tuesday!

Welcome to the Party in Your PJs Link Party, where your posts will be seen on two different blogs each week.






 Meet the Co-Hosts


Nina @ Grandma Ideas 

Lynda @ Reviews, Chews & How-Tos 

Lynda's Features!



Here we are at the end of the month - I don't know about you, but from Halloween through New Year's, it feels like a freight train of holiday prep whooshing through my life.  So, it's definitely not too early to start selecting a few good Thanksgiving ideas to try out, is it?

Fall Leaf Rubbing - Super Easy Kids Craft // My Bright Ideas



Pumpkin Place Card Holders // Rain on a Tin Roof




Make a Fall Chalkboard Embroidery Hoop Wreath // Our Crafty Mom




Why You Need a Cricut Maker // Create & Babble




 Make sure you head over to the other members of Party in Your PJs
 to see their features - we each pick our own!




All links are pinned to a Party Board...you can follow the board on Pinterest...feel free to follow the board, there is lots of inspiration to be found there.

Ok...let's party!

Rules -Link to post, not your home page
-Link to something YOU made, wrote or thought
-No Etsy or Business Pages
-Link Parties, Roundups and Giveaways welcome
- Don't Link and Run! Please visit other links, make friends, learn something new, leave a comment.



Tuesday, October 23, 2018

Party in Your PJs! #231: Spooky Banners

3 comments:
Happy Tuesday!

Welcome to the Party in Your PJs Link Party, where your posts will be seen on two different blogs each week.






 Meet the Co-Hosts


Nina @ Grandma Ideas 

Lynda @ Reviews, Chews & How-Tos 

Lynda's Features!



It's almost Halloween!  There is still a little time to whip up some quick decorations - this week, I'm featuring a few fun garland and banner ideas.


DIY Candy Corn Desk Decor ~ Smart Fun DIY




Easy Damask Halloween Banner ~ Sparkle Living




Pastel Halloween  Banner ~ Penny's Vintage Home




Spooky String Lights ~ Jennifer Perkins




 Make sure you head over to the other members of Party in Your PJs
 to see their features - we each pick our own!




All links are pinned to a Party Board...you can follow the board on Pinterest...feel free to follow the board, there is lots of inspiration to be found there.

Ok...let's party!

Rules -Link to post, not your home page
-Link to something YOU made, wrote or thought
-No Etsy or Business Pages
-Link Parties, Roundups and Giveaways welcome
- Don't Link and Run! Please visit other links, make friends, learn something new, leave a comment.



Saturday, October 20, 2018

Autumn Spiced Apple Sundaes #Choctoberfest

14 comments:

I was provided with Barlean's Butter Flavored Coconut Oil for this sponsored post as a part of #Choctoberfest.  
All opinions, photos and recipe are unsolicited and are my own.

Whew!  We have arrived at the last day of #Choctoberfest for this year, and it's been so much fun!

I have one last recipe to share - this time using Barlean's Butter Flavored  Coconut Oil.  Now, I use coconut oil a lot, but some recipes just need a good buttery taste to be just right.  Butter is great! But coconut oil has a higher smoke point (meaning you can cook with it at a higher temperature without it burning), so a jar of Barlean's in the cupboard is a great way to balance flavor, health, and ease of use.

Barlean's offers a full range of healthy supplements including probiotics and healthy greens (chocolate flavored!), and is a healthy source for superfood nutrition.  After trying the Butter Flavored Coconut Oil, I'll be looking into their other products.



Right now, we have a houseful of guests while my daughter, husband and two children are visiting, and it can be a challenge to come up with meals and desserts that everyone will enjoy and that won't take a lot of time to prepare.

This one met every one of those challenges!  Sauteed honeyed cinnamon apples, walnuts, mini chocolate chips, all over a scoop of salted caramel ice cream? Yes, please! If you like apple pie a la mode, you're going to love this.

Autumn Spiced Apple Sundaes
Serves 6
Sauteed Apples:
4 apples, washed, cored and cut into 1/2" cubes
4 Tblsp. Barlean's Butter Flavored Coconut Oil
1/2 tsp. Chinese 5 Spice Blend
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 Tblsp. honey

For each Sundae:
1 scoop salted caramel ice cream
Sauteed Apples
semi-sweet mini chocolate chips
minced walnuts

Heat Barlean's coconut oil in a large skillet or wok.  Add diced apples, and cook on medium heat, stirring often, until nearly soft.  Add spices, and continue cooking until soft, then add honey and stir to combine.  

Remove from heat and let the apples cool slightly.

Scoop ice cream into bowls.  Top with apples, then chocolate chips (they will soften nicely from the heat of the apples), and walnuts.

That's it!  The leftover sauteed apples can be stored in the refrigerated and enjoyed hot or cold.  

Try it as a topping for oatmeal or stirred into plain yogurt.  

They come together so quickly, you're going to want to keep it on hand throughout the Autumn months.

You can follow Barlean's on their social media to keep up with more recipe ideas, promotions and information about their line of products:


Also, don't forget to enter the Choctoberfest Giveaway this week to win a huge prize that includes an Instant Pot, cake decorating equipment and goodies from Forte as well as the rest of our sponsors!  This closes Sunday, October 21, so don't miss out!


Check out what other bloggers are sharing today for Choctoberfest:


Friday, October 19, 2018

No-Bean Chocolate Chili #choctoberfest

4 comments:

I think some version of chili is just about everyone's go-to meal - perfect for chilly days (see what I did there?), great for feeding  a crowd, and a very popular potluck dish to serve.

A couple of years ago, we started making this no-bean version at a time when I was having a lot of digestive issues.  It's also great with beans, of course, but the bean / no-bean controversy is real, and options are a good thing.

The cocoa added to the chili provides depth and draws out the flavors of the spices.  Give it a good long time to simmer - chili gets better and better the longer the flavors have to meld together.

It goes without saying that this is wonderful for leftovers and freezes, so make a lot!

No-Bean Chocolate Chili
Serves 8

1 onion, minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 Tblsp. bacon grease or coconut oil
1 lb. ground beef
1 lb. ground pork
3 Tblsp. chili powder
1 Tblsp. chipotle powder
2 tsp. dried cilantro
2 Tblsp. cumin
2 Tblsp. cocoa powder
1 tsp. coriander
1 tsp. salt
1 can tomato paste
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
2 1/2 cups beef broth
1 cup water

Heat bacon grease in a stock pot, and saute onions for about 10 minutes. Add garlic, and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds or so until fragrant.

Add ground meat and cook, stirring, until browned.  If necessary, drain excess fat.

Combine dry ingredients together in a small bowl, to create a spice blend.  Add to meat and stir.

Add tomato paste and tomatoes, and stir. Add broth and water.

Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook for at least an hour.

To serve, provide toppings: sour cream, shredded cheese, olives, jalepeno slices, red pepper flakes. Let everyone make up their own bowl as desired.  Provide crackers or corn bread to go along with it.



Don't forget to enter the Choctoberfest Giveaway this week to win a huge prize that includes an Instant Pot, cake decorating equipment and goodies from Forte as well as the rest of our sponsors!

Check out what other bloggers are sharing today for Choctoberfest:


Thursday, October 18, 2018

Aztec Soul Coconut Macaroons #choctoberfest

7 comments:

I was provided with Forte Chocolate for this sponsored post as a part of #Choctoberfest.  
All opinions, photos and recipe are unsolicited and are my own.

I have one more recipe to share with you using the Forte Artisan Chocolates I was provide to use in this week's #Choctoberfest celebration!

This time, I wanted to share something sweet - macaroons!  I decided to dip them into melted Aztec Soul chiles and dark chocolate to give them a hint of spiciness to go with the richness of the macaroons.

The Aztec Soul bar is very creamy, high quality chocolate and while the chile spice is there, it is not overpowering. Chiles and chocolate just go together like, well... chiles and chocolate!

These macaroons are pretty quick to make, just a little bit messy, and take some space in the freezer for a flat cookie sheet in order to set after dipping in the chocolate.  They store well in the refrigerator or freezer for quick serving, if you can keep them around long enough to need storing.

Aztec Soul Coconut Macaroons
Makes about 36 macaroons

2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 egg white
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp orange extract (or more vanilla)
1/4 tsp. salt
3 1/2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
2 bars Forte Aztec Soul bars (approx. 3.16oz total)

Preheat oven to 325F, and prepare a cookie sheet by covering it in parchment paper.

Combine sweetened condensed milk, egg white, extract and salt in a large bowl, and whisk to combine. Add coconut and stir until thoroughly coated.

Using hands, a small ice cream scoop or two spoons to make balls (about 1" in diameter), and set on parchment covered cookie sheet, making sure they don't touch one another. (You'll need to do this in two batches)

Bake 15 minutes, or until lightly golden.  

Cool on baking sheet for a couple of minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Repeat with the second batch.

When macaroons are completely cooled, melt chocolate in a microwave safe bowl for a few minutes until melted. Whisk to ensure complete melting.

Re-prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Dip the flat bottom on the macaroons into the melted chocolate and set on the parchment, chocolate side down (try not to move once you've set one down).  Continue until all macaroons have been dipped and placed.

Put baking sheet into the freezer, setting it flat, for at least 15 minutes, until the chocolate is firmed up and set.

Store macaroons in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer.


Forte has a Buy 3, Get 1 Free offer on their website - just use the code CHOCTOBERFEST2018 when you check out!

Follow Forte Chocolates on social media for more promotions and great ideas for enjoying unique and delicious chocolates: 



Also, don't forget to enter the Choctoberfest Giveaway this week to win a huge prize that includes an Instant Pot, cake decorating equipment and goodies from Forte as well as the rest of our sponsors!



Check out what other bloggers are sharing today for Choctoberfest:


Tuesday, October 16, 2018

Party in Your PJs! #230: CHOCOLATE!

3 comments:
Happy Tuesday!

Welcome to the Party in Your PJs Link Party, where your posts will be seen on two different blogs each week.

This week is #Choctoberfest so I am featuring chocolate recipes!  While you're here check out what this is all about an enter to win a great giveaway!

I have already shared a couple recipes and have a few more planned over the rest of the week:

Keto Bulletproof Mocha

Orange Jazz Butternut Pork Mole







 Meet the Co-Hosts


Nina @ Grandma Ideas 

Lynda @ Reviews, Chews & How-Tos 

Lynda's Features!

 Make sure you head over to the other members of Party in Your PJs
 to see their features - we each pick our own!




All links are pinned to a Party Board...you can follow the board on Pinterest...feel free to follow the board, there is lots of inspiration to be found there.

Ok...let's party!

Rules -Link to post, not your home page
-Link to something YOU made, wrote or thought
-No Etsy or Business Pages
-Link Parties, Roundups and Giveaways welcome
- Don't Link and Run! Please visit other links, make friends, learn something new, leave a comment.



Butternut Pork Mole Soup with Forte Chocolate #Choctoberfest

13 comments:

I was provided with Forte Chocolate for this sponsored post as a part of #Choctoberfest.  
All opinions, photos and recipe are unsolicited and are my own.

I have mentioned before how much I love mole - the savory chocolate sauce from Latin and Central America that I can never pass up when it's on the menu.  So, I knew, when I was accepted to receive some of Forte's Chocolate bars, that at least one dish I'd try was some sort of mole.

Forte chocolate's motto is "Celebrate Life Through Chocolate" and part of the way they do that is to showcase the many ways chocolate is perfect in savory dishes as well as desserts.  They make it easy to discover the goodness that chocolate brings to meals of all sorts by developing a line of chocolates called "Gusto" that specifically are meant for savory dishes. (They also are high quality chocolates that are delightful to eat on their own!)

These are just a few of the unique and delicous chocolate bar blends that Forte has created!

My daughter and her family are staying with us this month while they get settled in the area after several years overseas, so I've been having a lot of fun discovering new dishes to share with them.  It turns out that mole is something they've never tried!

My initial idea was to use the Aztec Soul bar to make this mole soup, but I was afraid it's flavor notes might get buried in the other spices, so I went for the Orange Jazz instead.  The result was amazing - the citrus notes added an extra depth to the earthy flavors of the mole.  We all agreed that this was a soup we'd make again - and soon.

Mole is not usually a soup, but a sauce used on pork or chicken, over rice or in a tortilla or stuffed in a poblano.  Adding the butternut squash and the Orange Jazz chocolate made this a really wonderful Autumn meal.

We used leftover shredded pulled pork - if you do not already have some cooked pork at ready, a couple pork loin chops, cooked and diced into cubes will work well.  

Orange Jazz Butternut Mole Soup
Serves 4-6


1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2" cubes
Cooked shredded or cubed pork
4 Roma tomatoes
1 onion
5 garlic cloves
1/2 can chipotle chiles with adobo sauce
1/4 tsp. allspice
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. fennel seed
2 Tblsp. cacao nibs
2 Tblsp. olive oil
1 Tblsp. brown or raw sugar
8 cups chicken or pork stock
1-2 bars Forte Orange Jazz Chocolate (or 1 bar Orange Jazz and 1 bar Aztec Soul)
Salt and Pepper to taste

Optional Garnish:
Mexican Crema or Creme Fraiche
Crumbled Manchego cheese
Fresh cilantro

1. Prepare butternut squash and set aside.

2. Cut tomatoes and peeled onions in half and lay on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle with peeled garlic cloves.  Drizzle with olive oil and roast 10-15 minutes until soft and slightly charred.

3. Combine roasted vegetables, chipotles with sauce, spices and cacao nibs in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.

4. Heat additional olive oil in a soup pot, and carefully add puree and sugar to the pot, stirring and cooking for about 5 minutes until fragrant.

5. Add butternut squash, pork and stock, and bring to a boil.  Lower the heat, cover and simmer at least 20 minutes until the squash is tender. (We simmered ours for nearly an hour without any harm - I like the longer time to meld the flavors well.)

6. A few minutes before serving, melt the Forte chocolate into the soup, stirring. It will thicken slightly with the addition of the chocolate.

7. To serve, ladle into bowls, and drizzle with the crema, sprinkling cheese and fresh cilantro on top if desired.



Forte has a Buy 3, Get 1 Free offer on their website - just use the code CHOCTOBERFEST2018 when you check out!

Follow Forte Chocolates on social media for more promotions and great ideas for enjoying unique and delicious chocolates: 



Also, don't forget to enter the Choctoberfest Giveaway this week to win a huge prize that includes an Instant Pot, cake decorating equipment and goodies from Forte as well as the rest of our sponsors!

Check out what other bloggers are sharing today for Choctoberfest:


Monday, October 15, 2018

#ChoctoberFest: Keto Bulletproof Mocha

7 comments:


We're kicking off a week of #Choctoberfest with a little something healthy!

My wife and I started eating according to the ketogenic diet at the start of September. The keto diet, as it is usually called, is a variation on the high protein, high fat low carbohydrate diet that first become popular through the work of Dr. Robert Atkins in the 1970s (although there are differences between the two, both in purpose and process).

Keto, put simply, suggests eating mostly fat, with a moderate intake of protein and lower proportion of carbohydrates. While many people still believe the old dietary guidance that demonizes fat—and saturated fat in particular—there is a great deal of research calling that association into serious question. (For a good summary of the science, try this New York  Times article.  For a much more thorough and detailed analysis, Nina Teicholz’s book Big Fat Surprise is a good choice.)

Keto depends on eating a significant amount of fat, which calls for a significant shift in the way most of us think about food. Meanwhile, you also need to reduce carbohydrates. Most sources recommend a maximum of 20 grams a day when getting started, then up to maybe 40 or 50 grams once you’ve entered ketosis.

To help get started with the day, many ketogenic diet books and online resources offer some variation on “rocket-fuel coffee,” coffee with rich quantities of butter, heavy cream and sometimes other fats such as coconut oil added.

The problem I had with these recipes is that the fat additions feel gratuitous. To my taste they contribute nothing to flavor or palatability—it’s just a mechanism to consume the fat. Something more was needed to turn the fat into a needed component of the recipe, so I set out to experiment.

After a few trial runs, I developed this recipe for keto-friendly mocha

You can make this with either heavy cream or full-fat coconut milk. The coconut milk lowers both fat and carbohydrate levels—it lowers carbs by slightly more, but that’s essentially a wash—but it also adds another flavor note that I like. Try it both ways and see which you prefer.



Keto Bulletproof Mocha
Makes 2 servings.

Make with hot coffee to ensure good butter melt and mixing.

Ingredients
2 cups hot coffee
4 tablespoons butter
½ cup unsweetened nut milk (plain or vanilla flavored)
1/4 cup heavy cream OR 2/3 cup full fat canned coconut milk
2 tablespoons cocoa
(optional) 2 scoops collagen supplement
2 teaspoons monkfruit sweetener

Place butter into blender. Softening or slicing it beforehand won’t hurt but isn’t necessary.

Pour coffee on top of butter to begin melting process.

Add dry ingredients, then add remaining liquids.

Blend until butter is melted and ingredients are well mixed, 20-30 seconds.

Macro-nutrient Information:
With heavy cream: Per serving: 42g fat; 5.5g carbohydrate; 11g protein
With coconut milk: 41 g fat; 3.5g carbohydrate; 11 g protein

You’ll find this recipe is amenable to a lot of variation.  You could try adding other spices such as cinnamon; topping with whipped cream; adding a splash of bourbon or rum for an evening cocktail if you're drinking alcohol; or serving with keto-friendly cookies.

Feel free to experiment, observing your own chosen keto limits.

Bonus: It’s a delicious mocha even for people not doing keto. Nothing about it tastes fake or unnecessary. It only takes a few minutes to put together and none of the ingredients are likely to be hard to find except possibly the monkfruit sugar, which can be ordered online if necessary, or replaced with sugar if you're not avoiding it.



Give it a try and let us know what you think!  Don't forget to check out these other wonderful Choctoberfest posts bloggers are sharing today, and enter the Giveaway for a huge collection of chocolate goodies!











Welcome to #ChoctoberFest 2018 with Imperial Sugar! (Giveaway)

1 comment:


This is one of my favorite weeks of the year - fall weather, Halloween, and because #Choctoberfest is finally here! Pulled together by Allison from The PinterTest Kitchen, this annual event is just amazing!  We're participating for the first time and from now until the end of the week, I am joining forces with over 100 other bloggers from around the world to post delicious chocolate recipes.

Every day, #Choctoberfest bloggers will be celebrating all things chocolate - milk, dark, white, bittersweet, semi-sweet, and cocoa! We are starting with a #Choctoberfest prize pack from our generous sponsors. Scroll down to learn how you can enter to win. One lucky winner will receive the following:

  • A 100-Piece Cake Decorating Kit from our blog sponsors The PinterTest Kitchen. This set includes a cake turntable, piping bags, piping tips, flower nozzles, scapers, and more.
  • An Instant Pot and a 40-Pound Case of Granulated Sugar from our gold sponsor Imperial Sugar. Imperial Sugar provides high-quality sugar and sweetener products and over 100 years of time-tested recipes. Sweet things happen when people come together in the kitchen, and that’s why Imperial Sugar has been at the heart of family traditions and celebrations for generations.
  • Coconut Oil and Chocolate Silk Greens from our silver sponsor Barlean's, your trusted source for chocolatey goodness superfood nutrition. Barlean's has a commitment to staying ahead of the innovation curve in providing the absolute highest quality product.
  • A Chocolate Gift Pack from our silver sponsor Forte Chocolates. You'll receive 12 of their most popular chocolate bars. With Forte Chocolates, you can celebrate life through chocolate. They also have a line of chocolate developed specifically to use in savory recipes.
  • A Chocolate Gift Pack from our silver sponsor Divine Chocolate. You'll receive one of each of their baking bars, a white chocolate bar, and their top 5 everyday bars. Divine Chocolate is the only Fairtrade chocolate company in the world that is owned by cocoa farmers. Their baking bars are also a delicious vegan option.
  • A Selection of Sprinkles from our silver sponsor Sprinkle Pop. Sprinkle Pop's bespoke sprinkle creations are one of a kind, just like you! At Sprinkle Pop, you can also order a custom sprinkle mix; there isn't a sprinkle mix that you can dream up that they can't create.


That's a prize pack worth over $400! Open worldwide, except where prohibited. Must be 18+ to enter (21+ in some locations). See terms and conditions for more details. To enter, simply follow our sponsors using the widget below. You can gain additional entries by following me and the other participating bloggers. A winner will be drawn on October 21, 2018 and contacted via email. Good luck!

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Don't forget to come back to my blog for more chocolatey goodness between now and October 20!

Check out our participating bloggers: 

  The PinterTest Kitchen 2 Cookin Mamas 27th and Olive A Day in the Life on the Farm A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures A Little Fish in the Kitchen addicted 2 recipes Amy's Cooking Adventures An Affair from the Heart April GoLightly At the Table with R and R Baking Sense Blade & Barbell Blogghetti Body Rebooted Books n' Cooks Bottom Left of the Mitten Canning and Cooking at Home Cheese Curd In Paradise Chef Sarah Elizabeth Cindy's Recipes and Writings Coconut & Lime Cook With Renu Cook's Hideout Cookaholic Wife Cookie Dough and Oven Mitt CopyKat.com Daily Dish Recipes Everyday Eileen Fairyburger Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice Family Around the Table Fix Me a Little Lunch Frankly Entertaining Frugal & Fit Get the Good Stuff! Growing Up Gabel Hardly A Goddess Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks Home Sweet Homestead House of Nash Eats Intelligent Domestications jenniferbakes JoAnn's Food Bites Join Us, Pull up a Chair Jolene's Recipe Journal Jonesin’ For Taste Karen's Kitchen Stories Kate's Recipe Box Kelly Lynn's Sweets and Treats LeMoine Family Kitchen Life on Food Life, Love, and Good Food Lisa's Dinnertime Dish Little House Big Alaska Long Distance Baking Maria's Mixing Bowl Moore or Less Cooking Must Love Home Norine's Nest Our Good Life Our Sutton Place OVENTales Palatable Pastime Prettysweetblog Red Cottage Chronicles Restless Chipotle Reviews, Chews & How-Tos Sarah Cooks the Books Sarah's Bake Studio Savory Moments Seasonal and Holiday Recipe Exchange Seasoned Sprinkles Seduction In The Kitchen Simple Family Crazy Life Simply Inspired Meals Snacks and Sips Soulfully Made Stephie The Happy Mom Sumptuous Spoonfuls Sweet Coralice Take Two Tapas Tampa Cake Girl That Recipe The Baking Fairy The Beard and The Baker The Food Hunter's Guide to Cuisine The Gingered Whisk The Heritage Cook The Mad Scientist's Kitchen The Olive Blogger The Pajama Chef The Redhead Baker The Saucy Fig The Spiffy Cookie The Weekday Gourmet This is How I Cook Trampling Rose Turnips 2 Tangerines Walking Fruitfully Wendy Polisi Wildflour's Cottage Kitchen Zesty South Indian Kitchen



I hope to see you checking in throughout the week!