21 Day Fix Update

You guys! Remember when I told you I had started Beachbody and the 21 day Fix??? Well I am now almost 2 weeks in and things are going amazing. I have started a "Team Busy Mama" Facebook Group that all of the gals can post their progress, share recipes and yes even post "sweaty selfies".

This journey to better health has truly been a blessing. Not only am I in the best shape of my life but I am helping others as well. We are there for each other for support and accountability. Two of the most important tools we need to continue this amazing journey in life. I have lost 4 lbs in the last 10 days, this program is for real. The containers that come with the "Fix" help you with healthy eating and portion control. Not only are you exercising and eating right, but you are also eating better than you ever have. Oh and what other "diet" can you eat things like cookies, chocolate and wine????

I tell you what, if you do this with us, if you commit to your health, you will not be sorry! Message me for details, the sale ends at the end of the month and you don't want to miss you!

Fall Cookie Favorite, Pumpkin Spice Cookies

Yesterday, it finally started to really feel like fall weather here. Fall makes me happy, and when I'm happy, I like to bake. I've been making quite a few apple desserts lately, and so I thought it was time to make something with pumpkin.

These Pumpkin Spice Cookies are pretty fabulous, and I made them fairly large, big enough so that one was enough for each of my grandchildren to enjoy.

I think that one of the delights of baking is the way the kitchen smells so heavenly when something good is in the oven. These cookies smell like fall itself, and should do just the trick if you need a yummy pumpkin treat fix.

I live near a wonderful market that sells fresh spices by weight, so I was able to go buy my fall spices that I need for my baking. They are super fresh and less expensive when you buy them this way. Who wants to open that bottle of pumpkin pie spice that has been sitting around for years because you only use a teaspoon or two of it every season?

So, if you are looking for a great cookie recipe, try these, soft and yummy glazed cookies, Perfect with a glass of milk on a chilly fall day.

Recipe for Glazed Pumpkin Spice Cookies

Ingredients:

2-1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup canned pure pumpkin
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For glaze:

2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Spray cookie sheet with baking spray, or line with parchment paper.
Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl. Beat sugar and butter in a large bowl until well blended. Beat in pumpkin, egg, and vanilla until smooth.
Gradually beat in flour mixture. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto prepared cookie sheet.
Bake for 10-12 or until edges are firm. Cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then remove to wire rack to cool completely. Drizzle glaze over cookies.

To make glaze, combine powered sugar, milk and vanilla. Stir until smooth.

Makes about 18 large cookies.

Apple Bread Pudding

 Sometimes I think my favorite thing about fall is the desserts. I mean, who can resist all the apple, pumpkin, and other flavors of the season??

Not me, so yesterday while in the kitchen, I made one of my very favorite desserts, Apple Bread Pudding. I love making bread puddings of all kinds, and apple flavor is one of my grandchildren's favorites.

And of course, that vanilla bean ice cream on top of it is a little piece of heaven.



 Making bread pudding is so easy, and you probably have all the ingredients in your fridge and pantry.
Adding an apple to the basic recipe, will make your kitchen smell delicious. The mix of apple and cinnamon coming out of the oven is one of my favorite fall scents.



 I usually make bread pudding in a casserole dish. But I found these cute heart shaped baking dishes at less than half-off at World Market. I couldn't resist them!

Recipe for Apple Bread Pudding:

Ingredients:

6 cups stale bread, torn into bite sized pieces
2 cups milk
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup of chopped apple pieces

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly butter a 9x9 glass baking dish, or 6 ramekins.

Put bread pieces in medium bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, vanilla and cinnamon. Add the mixture to the bread. Mix together well. Add chopped apples.
Mix apples into bread mixture. Let this sit for half an hour, giving the bread a chance to absorb all the milk.

Place bread mixture in glass baking dish. Bake for 35 minutes, or until top is golden brown, and knife inserted into center comes out clean.

Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Serves 6.



I originally posted this last October, and it's truly one of my all-time favorite fall desserts, so I thought I'd share it again.

Kielbasa Vegetable Soup

I'm really not quite sure what's up with the weather here in Seattle. Normally by this time of year, we have cooled down with cloudy skies and drizzles of rain. Instead, we have been having 80-plus degree weather. And because I like those gray skies, I am more than ready to welcome in fall.

To at least make me feel a little bit like fall is coming, last night I made some great tasting soup. This hearty Kielbasa Vegetable Soup is packed with sausage and veggies, including potatoes, corn, onion, carrots, and celery.

 One of the things I love about making soup is the fact that you can be free to substitute other ingredients if you don't quite have everything on hand. Whatever veggies you choose to put in this soup, they will go beautifully with the rich broth. And the Kielbasa sausage lends a delicious flavor, and makes this meal very filling.

Recipe for Kielbasa Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
8 ounces fully cooked Kielbasa or Polish sausage, diced
1 small onion, diced
6 medium all-purpose potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
2 cups frozen, whole-kernel corn
2 cups chicken stock
1 celery stock, diced
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1-1/2 cups milk
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, plus extra cheese for on top of soup

Directions:

In a large soup pot, cook kielbasa and onions in olive oil until lightly browned. Transfer to a plate and wipe fat from pan.
Add potatoes, corn, chicken stock, celery, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper to pan.Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer, cover, 15 minutes until vegetables are tender.
Add milk, cheese, onions, and sausage. Cook, stirring over low heat until cheese is melted and soup is heated through.

Makes 6 servings.

White Chocolate Fudge & M&M’s® Captain America Superheroes Shield Recipe

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone.

Superheroes have fully taken over my house! My son is all about the superheroes in movies we watch. He has toys, towels, clothing, shoes, the list goes on of all the hero themed items we own. I must admit that I love every moment of it! I am a super hero fan Mom. My favorite is to sit down and watch a movie with him while eating movie snacks.  I have let him watch a few of the older marvel movies and now all the cool ones coming out those as well. We love Captain America with his cool outfit and save the day hero attitude. We are looking forward to watching on DVD Captain America: The Winter Soldier while we eat one of our top favorite movie snack M&M’s®.

My son has been asking for a Captain America shield to go with his other Captain America toys so we decided to head to Walmart to check out the toys while we shopped for dessert. I have been waiting all summer for September to arrive so I can make my favorite dessert ever, fudge! I am making a "winter" theme fudge to celebrate Captain America 2 The Winter Soldier available now on Blu-ray and DVD. To keep in theme with my son getting a shield toy to complete his hero look I plan to make the white chocolate fudge shaped into mini shields and decorated with M&M’s® to look like the Captain America pattern. Of course the Mom in me wanted to add a bit of a healthy kick to a sweet treat so I bought dried blueberries and dried cranberries to add to the red and blue theme of our dessert. We found so many M&M’s®  it was hard to decide which ones to get. There are so many varieties they have their own shelf!

I had to get myself a Captain America shirt to match my son of course!

I am excited to be making the first official batch of fudge for the season. I enjoy making themed fudge to celebrate fun things in life. Fudge is a tradition in my family that my Mom started. Anytime I make fudge I always try to make it just like hers in the flavors and texture. Good fudge is amazingly delicious and you only need a small amount to enjoy it. The perfect indulgence for a movie night at home.

Add dried blueberries and dried cranberries to white chocolate fudge recipe

White Chocolate Fudge & M&M’s® Captain America Shields

1 Party Size bag of M&M’s®
3 cups sugar
3/4 cup  butter or margarine
5 oz. can evaporated milk (about 2/3 cup)
12 oz bag of white chocolate chips
1 jar  (7 oz.) Marshmallow Creme
1/2 cup dried blueberries
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 tsp.  vanilla

Line rectangular pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides. Bring sugar, butter and evaporated milk to full rolling boil in 3-qt. saucepan on medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook 4 min. stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

Add white chocolate chips and marshmallow creme, stir until melted. Add dried cranberries, dried blueberries  and vanilla; mix well. Pour mixture into pan evenly coating the bottom of pan. Let fudge cool completely before cutting into circles with cookie cutter. Organize the party size M&M’s® to separate the red and blue M&M’s®  from the other colors. Arrange red and blue M&M’s®  in circle pattern. Cut red M&M’s®  in half to make star shape in middle of shield.

You can use a coupon to save $5 when you buy Captain America: The Winter Soldier on DVD and 2 bags of M&M’s®  Candies.

Check out what other families are creating with M&M’s®  and Captain America: The Winter Soldier at the Heroes Eat M&M's site. Take the Quiz there to see which M&M’s®  you are. I was Yellow, what are you?
#HeroesEatMMs #CollectiveBias

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