.go make this, now.

Or tomorrow. Or for Thanksgiving. Or next month. Really, whenever, but make it. Pumpkin Lust Cake. Yeah, it has lust in the title of the recipe, you know it's good. This dessert is to die for. I have had a "cake" just like it (I feel like they are more a pie than a cake) made with chocolate pudding so when I saw this recipe on Pinterest I knew it would be a winner. Pecan crust, pudding, cream cheese and cool whip; yes please.

Kristy at Sweet Treats & More posted the recipe so you can check it out over there. It is super delicious as it is but I have a few alterations in mind to make it even better next time I make it. I will, of course, let y'all know my recipe when I get it down. The great thing as well is that you can use any flavor of pudding you prefer. I will say though, the pumpkin spice pudding is pretty boss. Get it while you can!

XO

.more falliciousness.

As much as I love the ripe and succulent berries that summer brings, fall is truly my favorite time of year. I love the weather, the clothes, the impending holidays. And of course the food! Whether it's seasonal squash or just warm, hearty soups, cooking during the fall months is my favorite time to cook.

When I saw Oh She Glows' post on mushroom millet soup I knew it was perfect for a cool November evening. I followed her recipe, found here, with the exception of using quinoa rather than millet. I also added some crumbled goat cheese just before eating. The man added hot sauce to his. And we added some cheesy garlic toast.

As a mushroom lover I was very excited to try to recipe, and it was pretty tasty, but my soup didn't thicken up quite the way I thought it would. I'm not sure what exactly I did wrong. Too much liquid perhaps? Next time I make it I will try more mushrooms and less liquid. Also, Angela over at OSG is a vegan but I have to say, I think the soup would also be very good with some shredded chicken added in at the end.

XO

.a little something delicious.

A couple weeks ago when we had a long weekend in Virginia we were fortunate enough to spend the last night with the man's parents. It was great to see the fam, Tyler loves her grandma and grandpa! While there  my mother-in-law made a super tasty soup that Brian and I both loved so, of course, I got the recipe!

Cream Cheese Chicken Soup serves 8
1 small onion, chopped
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
3 cups chicken broth
3 medium carrots, cut into 1/4 inch slices
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup milk
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, cubed

In a large saucepan, saute the onion in the butter. Add the chicken broth, carrots and potatoes. Bring to a boil then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the chicken, salt and pepper; heat through. Combine the flour and milk until smooth, add to the saucepan. Bring back to a boil, cook for 2 minutes until thickened. Reduce heat. Add the cream cheese, cook and stir until melted.

The man and I added some avocado (cause you really can't go wrong there) and green onion and I made some Sister Schubert rolls. This is such a tasty and warm meal for a fall day.

XO

.you'll fall for this.

Har har. Cause it's fall. Get it? I'm awesome.

Anyways, a few weeks ago the man, bebe and I headed to Wintergreen, Virginia to meet up with friends. Brian and his friend, Dennis, competed in the Tough Mudder, which was awesome. We ate at the Devils Backbone Brewing Company one night and although I did not get any beer or wine (booooo!) I did eat the most quintessentially fall meal I've ever had. I mean, they call it Fall gnocchi! And it was delicious, at that. I decided that I absolutely must recreate this dish. All I had to go on was the meal description but it's all fairly simple ingredients so I felt confident I could nail it.

Boy, did I! Obviously my dish isn't exact but it's pretty tasty regardless. I used whole Brussels sprouts, rather than petals and store bought gnocchi. Potato gnocchi is on my bucket list to make but the wee one isn't allowing me quite that much free time yet. Next time I make this I'm hoping I can make my own gnocchi. Y'all know I'll tell you all about it when I do! The measurements on the veggies are approximate. I kind of just threw in as much as I thought looked good. I also added some skillet steak at the end, pretty good, but not as good as the flank steak I had at the restaurant. I need to work on my steak cooking abilities, for sure.

Recreated Fall Gnocchi serves 4
1.5 cups carrots
1 cup Brussels sprouts
1.5 cups cherry tomatoes
1.5 cups butternut squash
2-4 cloves garlic
1/3 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper for taste
1 small box of potato gnocchi

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Prep all the veggies and chop them into bite size pieces. The Brussels sprouts take the longest, peeling the outer layers off. Mince the garlic. Add together and toss with the olive oil and salt and pepper. I did this in a large tupperware container. It made it much easier to make sure each vegetable was coated!

Place in a thin layer on a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes. After the veggies are roasted cook the gnocchi according to the package. Mix together.

You can eat it like this or add whatever protein you desire. Enjoy!

XO

.operation blog november.

Those of you on my Twitter are already aware of this but for the rest of you, my November goal is to get this little ol' blog cooking again! I've missed it! Miss Tyler is getting better and better, which gives me time to plan, cook and write. I'm very happy about that.

So, for my coming back meal I have something pretty damn tasty to share.

I bought an acorn squash last week, with plans to just cook it the classic acorn squash way- roasted with butter and brown sugar. But I have already shown y'all that recipe. So, I think we should switch it up. I also have some goat cheese in the fridge. Yeah, I think you know where I'm going with this.

The tartness of the goat cheese and the sweetness of the squash is a pairing I will never get tired of. I found it best to rake all of the squash from the rind and mix it with the goat cheese before eating. It was delicious! I served it with pan fried tilapia and corn.

Goat Cheese Stuffed Acorn Squash serves 2
1 acorn squash
2 ounces goat cheese
Olive oil
1 Tablespoon butter
Garlic salt, chili powder and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cut the acorn squash in half and remove the seeds. Place 1/2 Tablespoon of butter in each half, drizzle with olive oil and season with garlic salt, chili powder and pepper. Bake for 40 minutes, then place 1 ounce of goat cheese in each half. Bake for another 10 minutes.

XO