Pasta Salad - Warm for Winter

When I think of Pasta Salad I think of BBQs during the Summer, cold and crisp and awesome during the height of the heat.  
This one, with the "salad" moniker sounds really interesting for winter.  

Yield: 4
Serving Size: 2 cups

Ingredients

• 3/4 tsp. coarse kosher salt, divided
• 1 lb. bow-tie pasta
• 1 small head radicchio, shredded
• 1 small fennel bulb, sliced thin
• 2 pears, peeled, cored, and chopped, ¼" pieces
• 2 parsnips, peeled and chopped, ¼" pieces
• 1/4 cup, plus 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 cup toasted walnuts
• ½ cup bleu cheese crumbles

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400° F.
2. Add water to the pasta maker maximum fill line. 
3. Stir in ½ tsp. of the salt and pasta. 
4. Microwave on high power 8 minutes. 
5. Remove from microwave; drain, set aside.
6. Meanwhile, on the UltraPro Oven Plate, arrange radicchio, fennel, pears, and parsnips in a single layer. 
7. Drizzle with 1 tbsp. of the olive oil; sprinkle with salt. 
8. Microwave on high power 3 minutes. 
9. Remove from microwave. 
10. Place UltraPro pan in oven. 
11. Bake 7 minutes or until vegetables are tender. 
12. Remove from oven; set aside.
13. In a large bowl whisk together oil, vinegar, garlic, and remaining salt. 
14. Stir in pasta, vegetables, and walnuts; top with bleu cheese. 
15. Serve warm.

Deep Dish Apple Pie

This is definitely going to be a regular in my house if hubby has anything to say about it.
He is always asking for an Apple Pie ... and this one is so easy to make I'm sure he will be asking for it often.

Yield: 8
Serving Size: 1 cup

Ingredients
For the filling

• 7 large Granny Smith apples, cored and peeled
• 6 tbsp. chilled butter, cut into pieces
• 5 tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tbsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp. coarse kosher salt

For the topping

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 sticks chilled butter, cut into pieces

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. 
2. Cut apples into ½″ pieces.
3. In the UltraPro 2-Qt. Casserole Pan mix together apples, butter, flour, cinnamon, sugar, and salt until well combined. 
4. Microwave on high power 8 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, make the topping. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, and cinnamon. 
6. Cut in butter pieces with a pastry blender, or rub butter and flour mixture between fingers until coarse crumbs form; set aside.
7. Remove pan from microwave. Sprinkle topping evenly over top of apples. 
8. Place pan in oven. Bake 12 minutes, or until topping is golden brown and filling is bubbly. 
9. Remove from oven; 
10. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
11. Serve warm, or at room temperature. 
12. Refrigerate, covered, up to three days.

Small Business Saturday Tomorrow

I just wanted to remind you that tomorrow is 

Small Business Saturday.

As a Tupperware Consultant

I too, am a Small Business person.

To celebrate, Tupperware has an awesome deal for you!

This is a GREAT deal if you are looking at any of the Ultra Pro pieces (I love mine .. microwave or OVEN or both!) and have shared some great recipes using some of the Ultra Pro pieces.  I'm sure I will be sharing more as the days go by.

Tupperware has a great deal for you, starting TODAY!

During Black Friday through Cyber Monday, online customers enjoy FREE shipping with each order of $75 or more. 

AND they will be adding some online exclusives at savings of 25% – 65%! 

PLUS, Black Friday through Sunday, online customers can add the Tupper Mini Salt & Pepper Shakers, and on Monday they can add a set of two Small Wonders® Bowls, for just $2! 

All offers are while supplies last.

I hope you will join in on the fun

and get some wonderful Tupperware

from my Tupperware Site

Thank you for your support.

Kat

Black Friday Weekend

Just wanted to stop into your little spot in the world, via this little window and say HELLO.  Hope you have all recovered from the Thanksgiving food coma!
Every year I say we will have less food ... and every year we have even more on the table.

I also wanted to let you know, if you didn't already know, from my Tupperware site you can get FREE shipping through Cyber Monday on all orders over $75!!!!

I know fantastic right??
Lots of great deals and you don't have to fight the crowds.

Sure hope you stop by and check out the great deals and get the FREE shipping.

Thanks for stopping ... Don't miss the Ultra Pro sale (unbelievable) for today.  You wont be disappointed.

Happy Thanksgiving 2016

I just wanted to take a quick second and wish each and every one of my readers, as well as those stopping by for the first time, here in the United States, a very 

I hope you get to spend time with friends and family around the Thanksgiving dinner table to share the good things in life.

I hope you all have plenty to eat (sorry Mr Turkey but it is your day) and have a great nap, once the tryptophan kicks in, or your teams win in at least one of the 3 football games today.

Oh and be nice .. no talking politics .... its a day for family, friends and good thoughts, not  politics.

I'm going to be spending time with friends and family too, so I will catch up with you soon.  Maybe we can share stories after we all wake up.

Cranberry Pecan Topped Cheese Log

I know when we have the holidays, even though there is always a ton of food when we sit down for dinner, we always have "snacky" or "picky" foods or "nibbles" before while the turkey or roast cooks.

This one sounds wonderful and easy and looks "fancy" and I bet would go over really well with a nice before dinner cocktail.

Yield: 4
Serving Size: 2 tbsp.

Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh cranberries
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp. water
• 10.5-oz. log goat cheese
• ¼ cup pecans, chopped using Chop ’N Prep Chef
• baguette or crackers for serving

Instructions

1. Combine cranberries, sugar and water into 2-cup Micro Pitcher. Invert 1-cup Micro Pitcher over top to cover ingredients.
2. Microwave on high 1:30–2 minutes.
3. Stir to combine ingredients. Mixture will thicken as it cools.
4. Pour cooled mixture over log of cheese and top with chopped pecans.
5. Serve with toasted baguette or crackers.

Stuffing Bread Pudding

Are you ready for Thanksgiving dinner?  Are you having a big turkey and all the fixings or are you going to someone else's house for this holiday?  Do you have a favorite dish for Thanksgiving?

Personally I think you must have stuffing with Turkey, but then again, I don't think we have ever had a roasted turkey without stuffing of some kind.  

I know that many people "stuff" their Turkey or Chicken and call it Stuffing.  Others put onions or oranges or herbs or any combination of these inside the bird and have their stuffing made in a separate container and call it dressing.  I have done both, but still call it stuffing.

Yield: 8
Serving Size: 1 cup

Ingredients

• 1 small onion, minced
• 2 ribs celery, strings removed, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 stick butter, melted
• 2 loaves Italian or sour dough bread, crust removed
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 tsp. celery salt
• 1 tsp. freshly cracked black pepper
• 2 tbsp. fresh sage, chopped
• 2 tbsp. fresh thyme, chopped
• 2 tbsp. fresh parsley chopped

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400° F.
2. Cut bread into ½″ cubes; set aside.
3. In the bottom of the UltraPro 2-Qt. Casserole Pan, stir together onion, celery, garlic, and 2 tbsp. of the melted butter. 
4. Microwave on high power 4 minutes. 
5. Remove from microwave.
6. In a large bowl, mix together vegetables, remaining butter, bread cubes, egg, chicken stock, celery salt, pepper, and herbs until well combined and moist; 
7. Transfer to the same UltraPro pan used originally.
8. Microwave on high power 3 minutes. 
9. Remove from microwave; place pan in oven. 
10. Bake 10 minutes or until golden brown on top. 
11. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

This one sounds like a great base recipe that would be good just as it is or that you can "tweak" for your personal favorites and still be able to use these directions.

I can see adding a little diced apple or some raisins with the rest of the ingredients noted here and have a fabulous side dish.  I could also see adding some sausage if you like the spicy addition.  

Let me know if you try this one as is or if you are "tweaking" it as well.

Cowboy cookies with pecans and chocolate chips

I love having gifts at the ready for when I'm going to someone's house for the first time.
These make great housewarming gifts, teacher gifts, your mail person ... or just for you to have when the "need" arises for some cookies fresh out of the oven.

Yield: 25 cookies

Ingredients

• 1 1/3 cup flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• ¼ tsp. table salt
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped pecans

To make cookies

• 1 stick unsalted butter, melted
• 1 egg, lightly beaten

Instructions

1. Layer ingredients in order listed in Spaghetti Dispenser. 
2. Seal until ready to bake or gift.

To make cookies

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Pour contents of Spaghetti Dispenser into medium bowl.
3. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in melted butter and egg. 
4. Stir until dough comes together.
5. Press dough into balls, about 2 tbsp. and place on cookie sheet lined with Silicone Wonder® Mat. 
6. Bake for 8–10 minutes or until lightly browned and just beginning to set. 
7. Let cool slightly and remove from baking sheet. 
8. Repeat with remaining dough.

I'm going to put together a few for my pantry, for those winter weekends when you really don't want to go out in the super cold but would rather sit by the fire with a cup of cocoa and a cookie.  Sounds like a great plan right?  Cowboy Cookies are a real treat.

Super Stocking Stuffer #HolidayGiveaway Hop 2016

I love this time of year.  I love the Holiday Season because of the love and friendship that seems to be first and foremost this time of year.  And of course I love doing Giveaway Hops, especially now, because you get all kinds of ideas for different gifts.

With that, I welcome you to the 

Hosted by 

The Kids Did it

and 

The Mommy Island

This hop starts today and runs through Nov 30th

so check out everyone's post and get your entries in!

I'm sure there will be some awesome prizes for everyone.

For my prize, 

I was looking for something different.

When I saw AquaBots, I thought these would be perfect.

They were new to me and I thought maybe new to you too.  

There were fish and Seahorses and this one, 

a Jellyfish!

I just thought it would be perfect for a younger child, but not under the age of 3.

Lets face it they all want a pet, 

but most aren't quite old enough

to take care of the pet.

It's just too much work for young kids with all the other things they need to learn.

Now they can have a Jellyfish pet with fear of it dying.

Comes with its own bowl and batteries.  And don't worry about having to replace the batteries all the time, it shuts off after 3 minutes.  Tap on the side of the bowl and it wakes up to swim again.

It can be used for a tool about ocean life or to just watch 'cause it's "cool".

I will be sending out this prize so I need to limit this to US readers.

Disclaimer:
The Kids Did it, The Mommy Island and the rest of the bloggers in this hop are not responsible for any sponsor who does not fulfill their obligation in regards to the prize won.

Veteran's Day 2016

Today is Veteran's Day
Today is the day we should be thanking those individuals who served as soldiers, some of whom gave all, for our freedom.

Some have made the military their career.
Some have served in the military for education purposes.
Some have served because it was their belief that it was their duty to give back in this manner, to acknowledge those who gave them the ability to live in the land of the free.



To all those who serve, or have served, we owe them a debt of gratitude for what this nation stands for....freedom.

Although we should be thanking them every day, I ask you to acknowledge them today.  
When you see a veteran, please thank them for their service.

Some of those who have served have given the ultimate sacrifice, they did not make it home alive.  

We can no longer say thank you to them, but their families are left to continue on.  We can be there for them.   

I have shared this before, but I do believe it should be shared every year.  Those that serve are not forgotten when they give the ultimate sacrifice defending us.  Those that have answered the call of freedom but have fallen before returning home, are honored for responding to that call with the Angel Flight.

Office in a Case

I was recently contacted by the founder of Excolere Ltd, a UK company, about a new product they were introducing.  

www.officeincase.co

When I was looking at the website, I thought this is a fantastic idea.  My first thought was this would be perfect for anyone doing direct sales from home, but had limited space.

There would be no more working at the kitchen table to enter your orders, send out emails, and more.  
I can see this for school work as well.  
There's just so many ways to make this set an awesome addition to anyone's space.





The really interesting thing is the desk and chair fits in here!

That's right, it fits in this case!  Can you believe it?  


Check out the video here.




If you are in thinking this is a great idea and would be something you could use often, if not every day, you will want to check out all the product details at Office in Case.


Oh and something else Sinan shared with me....they have an Giveaway going on for someone to win this awesome product! Doesn't this sound good?  
You know it does and you can enter here.

Here are some of the specifics for the Giveaway:

• No purchase necessary.
• Worldwide eligibility. 
• 18 years or older.
• One entry per email address with be accepted.
• Contest ends on November 29, 2016 at 12am EST.
• Winner will be chosen at random and will notified via email within 3 business days.
• If the winner does not reply within 48 hours another winner will be selected.
• Prize value: $299.