Candy Pumpkin Faces

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Create a ghoulish Halloween candy face with a variety of candy, but be sure to warn children not to eat the candy on the face. Perfect for little ones who are too young to carve yet.

Tools and Materials:
Good & Plenty
Miniature marshmallows
Twizzler licorice bites (Black)
Gummy teeth
Licorice wheels
Candy corn
Neapolitan licorice
Ball pins
Glass canisters
Scissors
Small pumpkin

Halloween-Candy Face How-To
1. Secure the candy to the pumpkin with ball pins that match the color of the treats so they aren't too noticeable. Tip: Chewy candy is easier to bend and snip.

2. Place pumpkin on glass canisters or reuse large glass jars for candy.

Resources
The glass canisters we used in this segment can be found at the Container Store.

From The Martha Stewart Show:

http://www.marthastewart.com:80/article/pumpkin-candy-faces

Veggie Cheese Enchiladas

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion
• Salt
• 12 ounces mushrooms, quartered
• 3 cups salsa, store-bought or home-made
• 6 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  
• 12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
• Sour cream and avocado for serving (optional)
  

Directions

Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and season well with salt. Cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring rarely until browned, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, add 1/2 cup of the salsa and mix until well combined.

Heat the oven to 375 degrees F and arrange a rack in the middle. Wrap the tortillas in damp paper towels or in a microwave-safe plastic bag and microwave until soft and heated through, about 45 seconds.

Spread half of the remaining salsa in the bottom of a 13 by 9-inch baking dish. To make an enchilada, put 2 tablespoons of the mushroom mixture and 1 tablespoon cheese in the middle of a tortilla. Roll up and arrange, seam side down, in the prepared dish. Repeat to make 12 enchiladas.

Cover the enchiladas with the remaining salsa and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake until the filling is heated through, cheese is melted and starts to brown, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter and serve with sour cream and avocado.

My son is not a big mushroom fan, but he loved these! A great way to get your kids to eat their veggies. I'm thinking about trying green peppers next time, maybe a little garlic for fun. I topped mine and my husband's with some jalapeno peppers but left those off the kiddo's. Super delish!

No Crust Mini Quiche

Ingredients:
1/2 cup chopped, cooked broccoli
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
butter for greasing tins
5 eggs
8 ounces milk

Divide veggies and cheese into two buttered 12 cup nonstick mini muffin tins. Combine eggs and milk, season with salt and pepper, then pour mixture into tins. Bake at 350 degrees until browned and puffy, about 15 minutes

Homemade Macaroni & Cheese

I think this is just about the best homemade Mac N Cheese ever! That blue box stuff almost ruined Macaroni and Cheese for me for life until I had some good stuff at a restaurant. It was like gourmet Macaroni and Cheese, no joke. So we went looking for a recipe that would do the humble dish some justice. Now when I have a little extra time to make dinner, and I'm searching out comfort food, I bake this (modified from a Barefoot Contessa recipe). What is your favorite comfort food?

Ingredients:

• salt
• Vegetable oil
• 1 pound elbow macaroni
  
• 1 quart milk
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 12 ounces Gruyere, grated (4 cups)
  
• 8 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated (2 cups)
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 1/2 cups prepared bread crumbs (I use Panko)
  

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain well.

Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it. Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a large (4-quart) pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or two more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyere, Cheddar, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and stir well. Pour into a 3-quart baking dish.

Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, combine them with the fresh bread crumbs, and sprinkle on the top. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.
Makes enough to feed my family for two meals.

To Buy Organic Produce?

Sometimes it's difficult to know whether you should really spend the extra dollars for organic produce, especially when the selection is poor. But according to the Environmental Working Group (EWG) there are 12 foods that should be purchased as organic because they are prone to contamination with pesticides.
These are:
peaches, apples, sweet bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, pears, imported grapes, spinach, lettuce and potatoes.

They also have a list of 12 other foods that are not so necessary to purchase organics because they regularly don't have any detectable pesticide residues.
These are:
onions, avocados, sweet corn, pineapples, mangoes, asparagus, sweet peas, kiwi, bananas, cabbage, broccoli, and papaya.

Good info to keep in mind if your market doesn't have a large selection of organic produce, or if you're trying to keep your bill down. I recently found an organic head of lettuce that was hydroponically grown, and came in a cool package that included the roots for longer lettuce life. Aside from how cool it looked, though, it didn't taste very good and was very limp. So, I guess the taste factor is another consideration!

Staying on Track While Working at Home

Working from home is such a blessing to me. I am home whenever my family needs me, and I can work around my son's schedule. Sometimes that means working really early or late, but that flexibility is priceless. However, it's not without its...distractions! Here are a few tips to staying on track:

*Making Lists: Write it down! Make a list of your goals, chores or task for each day. This will help you stay focused. As you complete each task, cross it off the list! Seeing all the things you've accomplished can help you feel like you've met your goals and help motivate you for the next day.

*Don't procrastinate: Avoiding an unpleasant chore or job does not help you reach your goal. In order to stay motivated, you must work on that job to finish it. If you procrastinate you may feel rushed at the last minute. Just get it done, and move on to something more fun.

*Exercise: A good, brisk walk around the block or a run on the treadmill can help clear your mind and think well during the day. Yoga, pilates, whatever you enjoy. Exercising can give you energy, too. You will feel better and be more ready to tackle your list.

*Eat right: Eating right can also help you stay motivated. Junk food can make you feel sluggish and all you will really want to do is take an afternoon nap. Eat a healthy breakfast and drink plenty of water. Vitamin supplements can also help keep you energized throughout the day. (Ask me about some great ones!)

*Do not stress: Putting yourself under stress each and every day is not healthy, nor will it inspire you. Stress can put you in a greater danger for depression and other health issues.

*Get enough rest: Moms know that sometimes sleep is hard to come by, especially when you are taking care of infants or sick children. Sleep and adequate rest is important, though. With a good night's sleep, you will feel more energized and motivated throughout the day. If you cannot seem to get the sleep you need at night, try to rest during the day while the kids are napping or try to take a quick rest during your lunch break.

*Reward yourself: Rewards can be a huge motivator! Even if you reward yourself with a new book, trip to the library, or thirty minutes of quiet time, you will be more likely to reach your goals with rewards. I especially like to take time for a facial mask, one of my favorite TV shows, or even that fantastic pair of shoes I've been eyeing.

Using Tea Tree Oil

*Note: This article does not replace medical advise.

Tea Tree Oil or Melaleuca Oil is an essential oil with a fresh, camphoraceous odor. It is taken from the leaves of the Melaleuca alternifolia treewhich is native to the northeast coast of New South Wales, Australia. The oil has beneficial medicinal properties (including antiseptic, antifungal, and antibacterial action), and is also believed to have beneficial cosmetic properties. Tea tree oil is usually used diluted, as reactions are common with pure tea tree oil.

20 great ways to use Tea Tree Oil (or Melaleuca Oil)

For Health

1. Use a dab to treat acne.
2. An anti-fungal for treating Athlete’s Foot, eczema, various yeast infections, etc.
3. An antiseptic to be used on cuts and burns.
4. An anti-viral: it may lessen the symptoms of colds and flu. Try using a few drops in the bath.
5. Add to a vaporizer to loosen chest congestion.
6. Add a small amount to shampoo to destroy head lice.
7. A small amount added to your bath can help with persistent body odor.
8. Treating sinus infection.
9. For dandruff and itchy, dry scalp.
10. In the form of aromatherapy, tea tree oil is used to treat colds, persistent coughs, acne, toothaches, and sunburn.

For Cleaning

11. To create an all-purpose cleaner, combine 2 teaspoons of tea tree oil in 2 cups of water in a spray bottle.
12. Another version would be 14 ounces of water with 1 ounce of Murphy’s oil soap and 10 drops of tea tree oil.
13. Mix the above solution with kosher salt to scrub bathtub and bathroom tiles.
14. Add a few drops to dishwasher dispenser, then fill with a green dishwashing soap.
15. A few drops added to each load of laundry leave your clothes smelling cleaner.
16. Control mold with a tea tree oil/water spray.
17. Remove mustiness with that same tea tree oil/water spray.
18. To keep germs at bay, spray it on high chairs, car seats, and other high traffic spots.
19. 15 drops in a quart of water can be an effective insect repellent.
20. Be sure to take some with you when hiking and camping to put directly on insect bites or blisters.

Reference: http://planetgreen.discovery.com/food-health/tea-oil-nature-noncrude.html

Wordless Wednesday

National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. There's lots of great information on their website including: patient assistance, disease information, and breast cancer in the news. You can also find a mammography center near you. Some of the info from their site:
Did you know?
~Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the United States, aside from skin cancer.
~According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), an estimated 192,370 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed among women in the United States this year.
~Today, there are about 2.5 million breast cancer survivors living in the United States.
~Not all breast cancers are alike - there are different stages of breast cancer based on the size of the tumor and whether the cancer has spread.

For more info and resources, check out the site here: http://www.nbcam.org/

Fantastic Foods--You are what you Eat?

The right foods can help you feel good and look good, too! Check these out:

*Walnuts--high in antioxidants, essential fatty acids. Beneficial for heart and inflammatory skin conditions

*Green apples--probiotic and improve digestions. Pectin helps cholesterol levels

*Kiwi--seeds are high in alpha linoleic acid (essential fatty acid) great for cardiovascular health

*Carrots--high in beta-carotene, and fiber helps stimulate digestion

*Coconut oil--high in lauric acid, a fatty acid with antibacterial properties. Helps balance metabolism, repair liver. Also for skin, has moisturizing properties.

*Ginger--warming, great for digestion and nausea. Natural decongestant.

Of course, none of this information is intended to diagnose or treat any illness, or replace your doctor's advice!