Pumpkin Patch!

Fall with children would not be complete without a trip to the pumpkin patch! It's even more perfect when you go with your cousins. We were able to visit a beautiful pumpkin farm when we were in Iowa-Blaise and the girls loved it! 

Road Trip!

Several weekends ago, we piled into my grandparents RV with my parents and took a very long road trip up to the northwest corner of Iowa to visit my brother and his family in Sioux Center. They recently moved there so Matt could be a professor at Dordt college- teaching painting, drawing, and art history. Being in the RV made the 10 hour trip much more bearable with a baby; Blaise was able to move about some, eat and get his diaper changed with out us having to pull over. 

It was so good to see my brother, Becky and the girls again. Iowa was much prettier than I had imagined it to be, there were much more trees and hills than I had pictured. Sioux Center is a very small town (population 6,000) but it was still quaint. And though there were plenty of hog farms around, the smell wasn't terrible. Corn fields and farms abounded too. 

Bella critiquing art in the studio 

Professor Matt in his office (he has quite the collection of root beer bottles!) 

Here're my adorable nieces at breakfast! Becky is an amazing cook, she made delicious meals for us ranging from fresh brisket and potato soup to hot baked oatmeal. Mmmm They are able to buy most of their meat and produce locally, and even get fresh milk from a cow! We're so happy for them. 

Carmel Apple Cheesecake

I saw this recipe in September's Cooking Light and couldn't resist making it. It proved just as tasty as it looked/sounded!

From September 2008 Cooking Light: This creamy cheesecake showcases fall flavors. Granny Smith apples lend a pleasant tartness, but you can substitute Rome, Braeburn, or your favorite apple variety. Make this cake the night before your gathering.

Yield 16 servings (serving size: 1 cheesecake wedge and 1 tablespoon topping)

Ingredients

CRUST:

1 cup graham cracker crumbs, about 8 cookie sheets (I used cinnamon)

1 tablespoon egg white

1 tablespoon water

Cooking spray

CHEESECAKE:

1 3/4 cups sugar

1/2 cup light sour cream

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 (8-ounce) blocks 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened

1 (8-ounce) block fat-free cream cheese, softened

4 large eggs


TOPPING:

1/3 cup sugar

3 tablespoons water

1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons half-and-half

1 3/4 cups thinly sliced peeled Granny Smith apple (about 8 ounces)

Dash of nutmeg

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. To prepare crust, combine the first 3 ingredients in a bowl; toss with a fork until moist. Press mixture lightly into bottom of a 9-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 6 minutes. Remove from oven; cool on a wire rack. Wrap outside of pan with a double layer of foil. Reduce oven temperature to 325°.

3. To prepare cheesecake, place 1 3/4 cups sugar and next 7 ingredients (through fat-free cream cheese) in food processor; process until smooth. Add eggs, 1 at a time; process until blended. Pour cheese mixture into prepared pan. Place springform pan in a large roasting pan; add hot water to larger pan to a depth of 1 inch.

4. Bake at 325° for 1 hour or until cheesecake center barely moves when pan is touched. Remove from oven; let stand in water bath 10 minutes. Run a knife around outside edge of cheesecake. Remove pan from water bath; cool on a wire rack to room temperature. Cover and chill at least 8 hours.

5. To prepare topping, combine 1/3 cup sugar, 3 tablespoons water, and lemon juice in a small, heavy saucepan; cook over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves, stirring frequently. Cook 4 minutes or until golden (do not stir). Remove from heat. Add butter to pan; gently stir until butter melts. Stir in half-and-half. Cool slightly.

6. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add apple to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Stir in sugar mixture and nutmeg. Serve topping with cheesecake.

(OR Instead of making the sauce you could just saute the apples in melted carmel candy then pour on the cake)

Nutritional Information

Calories:256 (33% from fat)

Fat:9.5g (sat 5.6g,mono 2.7g,poly 0.7g)

Protein:7.6g

Carbohydrate:35.8g

Fiber:0.4g

Cholesterol:79mg

Iron:0.6mg

Sodium:268mg

Calcium:59mg

Three Months!

Blaise is 3 months now! He's so much more aware and alert-smiling, babbling and laughing more and more. When David comes home from work and says hello, Blaise will give him a big smile. So precious!  He has rolled over from his belly to his back and holds his head up for much longer. He weighed around 14.5 lbs on his 3 month mark. Here are few pics from the last month....

Reading a truck book with daddy

Yes...he's eating! These nursing tanks are great!

Playing in the exosaucer

Uncle Paul couldn't believe how much he'd grown since August!  

I love my hands! 

hiding in the warm laundry

chilling in the carseat

Airplane!

A Healthy & Simple Dinner

Mmmm, this is a new favorite recipe and I wanted to share it. Alisa, a friend from church, made it for us after Blaise was born. It's also in the Simply in Season cookbook. Healthy and delicious!

Black Bean & Sweet Potato Burritos

Ingredients:

3 cups sweet potatoes,diced (usually one large sweet potato makes this much)

1 small onion diced or chopped

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 cups cooked black beans (one can)

1 tsp ground cumin

3/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

8 tortillas (I use whole wheat)

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

sour cream & salsa

Preparation:

Saute sweet potatoes until tender. If they start to stick, add a little water. Add black beans, onion, cumin, cinnamon, salt; cook until heated through. (Last time I added a little brown sugar too which was tasty-of course!;)

Divide bean mixture & cheese among tortillas and roll up. Place in a 9x13 pan. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 20-25 min.

Serve with salsa, sour cream, and/or avacado. Also great with rice and corn on the cob!

Enjoy!