Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween from the McPumpkin Heads!

Recipe # 3

Happy Halloween! Here's a recipe that's so easy, its SCARYYYY!

Pumpkin Bread Recipe

Original recipe makes 1 - 9x13 inch cake

Ingredients
1 (18.25 ounce) package spice cake mix
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Generously grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.

In a large bowl, mix together the spice cake mix and canned pumpkin until well blended. Spread evenly into the prepared pan.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool and serve, or store in the refrigerator. 

This tastes even better the next day! 

It is so moist and amazing. You can add frosting if you desire but SO not necessary....I have added chocolate or butterscotch chips to it

(From the Director of B.S.)

Yuh-UM!!!

Helpful Tips: Caffeine Commitments and VolunCheers

Have you ever sat down with your cup of coffee wanting nothing to do with anything then all of a sudden the caffeine seeps into your blood and you realize that you've just joined a book club, environmental committee, AND just spent $300 at target.com?  If so, you have experienced caffeine commitments.  

Have you ever been at a bar with a few friends and/or coworkers and, like most evenings out on the town, after a few drinks you go home and the next day you wake up with a headache and a text message asking "You're still coming to help me move this morning, right?" or "Hope you're ready to help me build that new fence this afternoon!".  If so, you have experience VolunCheering. 

I'm sure you can agree that too much of a caffeine or drunk buzz can make you commit to things you probably wouldn't commit to if you were sober....

Helpful tips:

1. Drink alone.  

2. Count to 50 before you commit. Usually you will be too wired or too tipsy to ever get to 50 because you'll get distracted.  

3. Place your cell phone or any social networking device somewhere where you can't get to them.

4. And of course pray that your friends are drunker than or more wired than you are in they won't remember that you ever committed!

5. Finally, if you can't get out of the commitment (and you really shouldn't try) bring a flask.....

Recipe # 2

This is a recipe that everyone has loved EVERYTIME I've made it.  I have to give full credit to Elizabeth Hart for this one.  Thank you Elizabeth!

Chocolate Chip Cinnamon Banana Coffee Cake (aka TOTAL DELICIOUSNESS!)

Ingredients:

½ c. butter or margarine

¾ c. sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 ¼ c. banana – mashed (about 4 medium bananas)

½ c. sour cream

2 c. flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

½ c. chocolate chips (I use Ghiradelli Milk Chocolate Chips.  If ½ c. is not enough, you can always use more chocolate!

Sugar-Cinnamon mix:

½ c. sugar

1 T. cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°. 

In small mixing bowl, cream butter and ¾ c. sugar together.  Beat in eggs and vanilla.  Stir in mashed banana and sour cream. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture.  Combine the sugar and cinnamon mix in a small bowl and set aside. 

Grease and flour a Bundt pan.  Take 1 tablespoon of cinnamon and sugar mixture and sprinkle at the bottom of the Bundt pan.  Spoon half of batter over the sugar and cinnamon.  Sprinkle another tablespoon of cinnamon and sugar mixture over batter.  Sprinkle ½ c. chocolate chips over cinnamon to form the middle layer.  Top with remaining batter.  Sprinkle another tablespoon of cinnamon and sugar on top of remaining batter.  Bake at 350 degrees for 38-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.  Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.

Finding Humor in Yourself

Throughout the years of my life I have certainly learned how to laugh at myself.  By being able to laugh at one's self and finding the humor in certain situations, I believe he or she is able to live a happier life.  

Here is an example of me laughing at myself (not necessarily during the actual time of when the photos were taken).  Sometimes it takes time for the actual situation before it is funny to you and/or others...days, months, even years!

I kept these ID's for the single most important purpose: conversation starter.

And now introducing....

I'd like to introduce a very important person in my life.  This amazingly beautiful woman is my Director of Blog Support. She is, more importantly, my aunt :)  She is definitely one of the most funniest, strongest, most caring, and most personable people I have EVER met.
Di will be helping me keep this blog positive, happy, funny, and interesting.  Trust me, I'll need her!!

Say Hi! to Di!  The Director of B.S.!!

Recipe # 1

I found this original recipe in "Fix it and Forget it" Crock Pot Recipe Book, but I don't FULLY follow recipes unless it is baking. So technically this is MY recipe ;)


Chicken Delicious McCoy Style

4-6 Chicken Breasts
1-2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
Paprika
Onion Powder
Celery Salt
Tarragon
1 Can of Cream of Mushroom
1 Can of Cream of Celery
2 Cans of Cream of Corn
1/3 Cup of White Wine
Grated Parmesan Cheese

Season chicken with AS MUCH of the spices as your little heart desires. Place in bottom of crock pot.

Mix Soups, Corn, and Wine together.  Pour over chicken.  Sprinkle parmesan cheese over soup, corn, wine mixture.

Cook on Low for 8 hours.  OR if you plan on being home you can switch Hi and Lo every hour if you don't have 8 hours.  I switched Hi and Lo (every hour) for 6 hours and the chicken came out perfect.  

I also made Roasted Garlic Baby Red Potatoes (mashed potatoes...instant) to place under the Chicken Delicious McCoy Style