Are you like me, always looking for a vegetable dish that your kids will eat?  After all, there is only so much salad, potatoes, and carrots a girl can eat. I'm also a big fan of getting kids to at least try a new dish while they are young and impressionable. It helps broaden their horizons...or taste buds, or whatever. I just don't want my girls to be picky adults. I want them to be willing to try new things!

So in my quest to find new vegetable dishes, I decided to try roasted cauliflower. I'm a fan of roasted broccoli, so I was immediately intrigued. I decided to add some flavor by adding grill seasoning to lend a barbecue style flavor--and all the kids loved it!

Here's what you need:

1 head cauliflower, chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 tsp grill seasoning (I used spicy Montreal steak seasoning)

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. In a large bowl, toss cauliflower with olive oil. Sprinkle with seasoning. Spread on parchment paper in a single layer. Roast for 30-40 minutes, or until tender and starting to carmelize around the edges.


Makes 6 side dish servings.

Happy Menu Planning Time!!


This week has been nuts. My husband was sick--and then he gave his germs to me. Love the man, hate the germs. I also sold some kids things at a consignment sale--love that we can get rid of some old toys and clothes--less clutter is better (she says overlooking a huge mess of toys in the bonus room...

But anyway, we've enjoyed Carolina fall weather this week--which means that we didn't break 80. I know--some of you are rolling your eyes, but it was nice that it isn't so hot an humid! Anyway, we're shifting gears to more fallish food--and loving it!

Monday: Slow Cooker Roast, Bread, Carrots
Tuesday: Chicken Nuggets, Salad, Bread, Mediterranean Roasted Corn


Wednesday:Spaghetti with Dressed Up Sauce

Thursday:  Breakfast for Dinner, Fruit


Friday: Parmesan Pepper Sausage Pasta, Salad (We didn't have it last week)



Saturday: Hamburgers
Sunday: Homemade pizza

What are you eating this week?

It's officially fall this week, and it's a really crazy week, so I'm celebrating with more slow cooker meals!

It's the week of the consignment sale that I sell my outgrown kids' stuff at, so I'll be needing some quick go-to meals, with drop-off, pick up, and actually shopping the sale.

Here's the plan for the week:

Monday: Hamburgers,Salad,  Barbecue Roasted Cauliflower (hoping to share this recipe with you soon!
Tuesday: Crockpot Beef Stew, Bread


Wednesday: Mexican Egg Skillet
Thursday: Crockpot Chili, Apples


Friday: Leftovers
Saturday: Parmesan Pepper Sausage Pasta, Salad


Sunday: Italian Chicken Rollup, Salad


What are you eating this week?

How to Make and Iced Pumpkin Spice Latte in your Keurig




This is the time of year to obsess over Pumpkin Spice Lattes. Everyone seems to craving it, tweeting it, commenting on the nutritional value (or lack thereof), or making it. I am no different. I love the taste of pumpkin, and I love coffee. The only problem: Carolina weather doesn't really lend itself to hot beverages all fall long. Last week, the temperatures were hovering around ninety, and it was pure sticky outside.

Couple that with my frugality (Starbucks is how much??) and the fact that I'm the only coffee drinker in my house, and I had a problem.

So what's a pumpkin-loving girl to do? Make her own recipe of pumpkin spice latte mix, freeze it, and then brew her favorite coffee with her Keurig over the ice cubes! The result: refreshing, cool pumpkin spice heaven!

Here's what you need for the pumpkin spice latte mix:

2 1/2 cups water
2 cups dry non-fat milk
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp molasses
2 tbsp vanilla
2 tbsp pumpkin spice (homemade or not)
dash pepper
1 can pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)

Microwave the water for 2 minutes. Whisk all ingredients except the pumpkin together until dissolved. Add pumpkin, and use a blender or immersion blender to combine well. 


Pour into ice cube trays. Freeze overnight.


When you're ready to make the coffee, add 8-10 ice cubes to a large mug. Brew a k-cup over the ice cubes. The Pumpkin Spice Latte Mix will make about 9-10 cups of coffee (depending on how pumpkin you like your coffee).


Add whipped cream and another dash of the pumpkin pie spice if you desire! Enjoy a frosty pumpkin spice latte even if the weather doesn't seem much like fall!

Are you ready to start another week? One way I prepare my mind for the week is to plan out our meals. It doesn't always go as planned, but it does help me focus.


Do you struggle to menu plan? It helps to have a list of "go-to" meals, meals that are easy, yet everyone in the house loves. It helps if those meals are healthy, too. Of course, if you have picky folks in the house, or children whose tastes seem to shift from week to week (my eldest daughter, for example), then the task becomes harder...but not impossible. My strategy: always have at least one healthy item on the plate that you know your picky one will eat. Fruit is a good bet in my house. Then, have a "thank you bite" policy. Everyone has to take a bite (or 2, or 3). No one can reject a dish without trying it. After that, anyone can  reject the dish. However, no dessert will be offered for those who do not eat an acceptable amount of food on their plates.My philosophy is that I have spent time to make the dish (or someone else has). It is only polite to try the dish. This will help your child handle meals in social situations, too--maybe you will avoid embarrassing temper tantrums at someone else's house.

Anyway, here's the plan for this week:

Monday:  Tacos with hidden veggies, fruit

Tuesday: It's a fundraiser night for Lil Bit's school at Chick-Fil-A and open house night, so we'll be doing a rare weeknight dinner out.
Wednesday: Spaghetti with   Dressed Up Sauce
Thursday: Hidden Veggie Nachos (using leftovers), Honey Spiced Applesauce


Friday: Breakfast for Dinner, Fruit


Saturday: Dinner with friends. We're contributing Baked Beans

Sunday: Italian Chicken Rollup, Salad


What are you eating this week?

Are you decorating your house yet for fall? I'm starting to ease my way into fall decoration. I've brought out my fall box, but haven't gone all out yet. Part of that is that it's still in the 80's to 90's around here every day.


But I've been wanting to make a fall-ish sign as the basis for my mantel design, and I decided on one with pumpkins and apples, but no traditional fall colors--just neutral gray and white.

First, select your wood. I took a 1x6 board that was once a part of some steps in our garage--pretty beat up, but still pretty smooth. I took some white chalk paint (Annie Sloan pure white) and painted a base coat, and let it dry.


Then I created the text on my silhouette. The arrows I had in my library--not sure if they came with my Silhouette, or if I got them free. The font is Titiana. I had everything rotated to maximize the size on my Silhouette Portrait.


I cut the letters and arrows out of clear contact paper. I've found that contact paper works great as a stencil. I arranged my text and made sure that all the contact paper was sealed down. Then I painted the whole thing with dark gray chalky finish paint (Americana Decor Relic).


Once everything was dry, I removed the contact paper to reveal my beautiful letters, but I wanted it to look antiqued. So I took some sandpaper and sanded it down, focusing my attention on the edges, where wear would naturally occur. I did not wax it because I liked the chalky look of this piece, but you could if you wanted more gloss.


And that's it--a simple early fall decor item for your home.

Want to Check Out More Silhouette Projects?

My Silhouette Challenge buddies and I are all sharing projects on our blogs today, so peruse the projects below for a wealth of Silhouette inspiration!
1. The Moberg Family // 2. Sandpaper and Glue // 3. American Honey // 4. Weekend Craft // 5. Grey Luster Girl // 6. From Wine to Whine // 7. Cutesy Crafts // 8. Practically Functional // 9. Home At Eight // 10. McCall Manor // 11. Dragonfly & Lily Pads // 12. Adventures in All Things Food // 13. Create it. Go! // 14. Please Excuse My Craftermath... // 15. The Outlandish Momma // 16. The Sensory Emporium // 17. My Paper Craze // 18. unOriginal Mom // 19. My Favorite Finds // 20. Architecture of a Mom // 21. Black and White Obsession //