Pumpkin Patch Photos

We just got back from visiting the local pumpkin patch with our friends Laura and Jordan and their adorable kiddos. It was the perfect weather for roaming around the farm and seeing the hundreds of pumpkins and plenty of farm animals. We wandered around and chatted and I took some great pictures of the pumpkins using Instagram on my iPhone.

I have been obsessed with Instagram lately and recently found another great app, called Diptic. This app only costs $0.99 and offers so many great options on creating collages with your photos. The best part about this app is how easy it is to create photo collages, save them to either your photo file or Instagram, and then upload them to your email or blog. It is so fun to use and easy easy easy! I took all of the pictures tonight using Instagram with the Toaster filter and then added them into a few different collage layouts in Diptic. I love how Diptic allows you to change the size of photos, use either a black or white border, and round the edges of the pictures. I just love how these collages turned out!

Pumpkin Pie Bites

Sunday afternoons are perfect for baking and that is exactly what I have been doing today. It is cold and rainy outside and baking something pumpkin is the perfect fall treat and just the comfort food I needed.

These pumpkin pie bites were featured on my blog in September as part of my book club menu. I did not have time to make them then, but still wanted to put this recipe on my list of 'must try recipes'. This recipe was super easy (uses pre-made pie crust) and has built in portion control (bite size pumpkin pie instead of eating the whole pie). If you need an easy to make bite size treat for your next party, try these! Or just make a batch for yourself and have a few each day for a delicious fall treat... enjoy!

Adorable Pumpkin Craft

Do you ever encounter an idea or a project and wish you would have thought of it before someone else did?! Well, that is exactly what I thought when a friend made this adorable pumpkin for me. 

This pumpkin craft only requires a few supplies and the result is perfection! This pumpkin was made from a piece of dryer vent that has been spray painted orange and formed into a pumpkin shape. Then a few artificial leaves were adhered (a hot glue gun works best) to the top as well as a cinnamon stick and raffia. This diy project is super simple and very affordable. I love the unique look and who would have thought that a dryer vent would be the perfect crafting material?! I plan on making a batch of these next year as hostess gifts and last minute party decorations for all of the events and gatherings in the fall. Enjoy!

Delicious Pumpkin Dip

I adore anything pumpkin this time of year and love new recipes that use canned pumpkin puree in new and delicious ways. This pumpkin dip is so simple and really delicious!

I love that this recipe only needs 6 ingredients... so simple! I served this dip with cut up gala apples and vanilla wafer cookies. If you need an easy fall recipe for your next party or family gathering, try this super simple delicious pumpkin dip! It is so good!

Cooking with My Dad

This weekend my Dad is visiting from Salt Lake and we always have a tradition of cooking dinner together. With the fall weather here, we wanted to try a new chili recipe and ended up making White Bean Chicken Chili from the Taste of Home website. It was delicious and so easy! Of course we couldn't have dinner without dessert, so I just finished making us Pumpkin Whoopie Pies from Rachael Ray's magazine... oh my, they were amazing!

I love spending time with my dad as we cook together, watch football, and just enjoy each others' company. The perfect way to spend a Saturday!

Pumpkin Favorites

Fall is by far the best time of year for baking and decorating, and pumpkin is the perfect common denominator for both! The flavor of canned pumpkin puree in any recipe is just about perfect and pumpkin can also make adorable decorations for the home and for parties. Here are a few of my fall favorites when it comes to pumpkin:

• Pumpkin Pound Cake - from "Sing for Your Supper" blog

• Pumpkin Treat Bags - adorable favor bags for parties

• Pumpkin Spice Pancakes - from "Dashing Dish" blog

• Pumpkin Party Cooler - perfect drink display for parties

Book Club Menu

I am getting ready to host book club next month and I can't wait to put together a delicious menu for the girls. I love hosting our book club meetings because I feel like I have the perfect set-up for our gathering... we have a huge comfy couch that sits about eight people and a great ottoman for the trays of goodies and wine glasses. Here is the delicious menu I will be preparing for our book club gathering:

• Red Sangria - I love the combination of wine and brandy and it is so beautiful

• Seven Layer Greek Dip with Pita Chips - a new twist on the perfect dip for snacking

• Baked Parmesan Tomatoes - a new twist on caprese salad and oozing with parmesan cheese

• Pumpkin Pie Bites - the perfect fall dessert and bite size makes them even more adorable

 

I am really looking forward to discussing this month's book club selection, Those Who Save Us, with all of the girls. This book has been a great read and very thought provoking and I am anxious to see if the other girls enjoyed the book!