impressing a visiting dignitary - homemade chicken soup

peg had to entertain a "very important guest" today

[which is some random guy in town to do a seminar]

dad requested a home-made something...

Homey Chicken Soup

4 over-sized chicken boobs go in crock pot for a few hours 

(or you can do it in the stove it you want)

with 1 quart of chicken broth (don't do bouillon- has a fake taste)

peg: it makes your house smell all naughty 

like you've been cooking all day...

meg: that's important

once the boobs are cooked through, take em out of the broth

and set em on a plate until they are all "chilled out."

peg: you do this cause they need to be chilled before you cube em...

and i like chunks better than mushed crap...

take your veggies:

1 large onion (or larger- cut in 1/2 in slices))

3 or 4 large carrots (or 3-4 cups of diced)

3-4 cups celery (diced)

peg: i would even make em cute [carrots]- score the sides 

and slice em so they look like flowers...

[optional] add-ins:

red or green bell pepper,

or really anything you like...

... put all the cut stuff in the now heating broth,

ms. dash for seasoning, salt and pepper to taste

peg: and my taste is always heavy on the pepper...

after the veggies are softened a bit, add:

1 pound frozen Ream noodles (in the freezer section)

while that is softening,

you are cubing your chicken.

add that when you are done and let it get happy for a while.

soup freezes well and can be left on low in a crock pot until needed too.

peg: and i serve it with rolls and homemade jam if i have it.

meg: you would.

baked beans for a crowd - kicked up

my assignment:

baked beans for about 150 people....

i called the booth [my mom]

knowing she would have the recipe for a crowd.

she did.

[sorry mom, i changed it just a bit...]

baked beans for 25
[kicked in the pants]

1 #10 can of pork and beans

1 lb of bacon (yes, a pound)

1 large yellow onion

1 large green bell pepper

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup ketchup

enough tapatio (or hot sauce of your choice)

to make you shimmy...

[i just added the heat and lessoned the sugar and grease, for my taste]

the bacon gets cut in 1 in strips and crisped up.

i drained most of the fat, 

but kept just a little to saute both the finely chopped onion and pepper...

it goes in a slow cooker or roaster oven with all the rest o the goods 

for about 3 hours on lowish.

big hit, mom.

lucky we had a little leftover to eat again today!!

~posted by meg~

bright ideas - centerpiece idea

• bright idea! •

this one is stolen from this cute blogger.

i will be using it as part of my table decor this year.

my ever-growing collection of traditions will be adding this one:


you get the idea...

i am thinking everyone gets a few to write on...
let em live on the table...

love it.

i am grateful for creative bloggers with bright ideas!

loaded baked potato soup

doesn't the fall just make you want to curl up and eat soup?

we think so. here is one of our favorites:

its what we call: a "buy and lie"


loaded baked potato soup
("buy and lie" version)

12 cups water
3 cups bear creek creamy potato soup mix
3 large potatoes (baked previously)
1 bunch green onion
1 pint sour cream
2 cup grated cheddar cheese

1/2 lb bacon fried crisp

S&P to taste

bring water to a boil and stir in soup mix. reduce heat to simmer for 5 min. or until soup thickens. add cubed baked potato, green onion, sour cream and cheese and stir gently (chunks are good in this soup.) salt and pepper to taste. it will be very thick and creamy. serve in bread bowls with a little green onion and/or sour cream on top if you are feeling fancy.

sumpin pumkin G-I-V-E-A-W-A-Y!!

what you could win:

yes that would be the most adorable apron you've ever seen!
(made, of course, by—the booth ladies—)

what we are looking for:
creative pumpkin ideas
it could be a recipe-type product, a decoration-type product, ya know...
just a little...
sumpin pumkin.

the rules:

1) on YOUR blog, post the idea/recipe/whatever comes out of your brilliant head...

2) on THIS POST, leave us a comment with a link to YOUR blog and we will all go check it out and steal your idea!

3) we will randomly select from those who comment to find the winner of our first giveaway and we will feature the blogs and recipes that we love right here on {the booth}.

Good Luck!

the giveaway will end on Nov 15th, be sure and pass it along!

Need a new pumpkin recipe?

"Do you have any new pumpkin recipes for Thanksgiving?
I would like to try something different this year."

-K B

North Salt Lake, UT

a recipe for you.... and a give away too!!

here is a quick one to start.
we like to call this one "buy & lie" because it is
semi-homemade and so easy but very tasty and always a hit.


easy pumpkin mousse pie
(buy and lie)

1 pre-baked pumpkin pie from the grocery store bakery
1 8oz tub of cool whip

into a large bowl scoop out the filling of the pumpkin pie. be careful to scoop only the filling, leaving the crust in tact.
add the cool whip and wisk together completely. spread “mousse” into the pie shell and refrigerate. top with additional cool whip if desired.


















































this mousse filling is great in crepes or as a mousse on it’s own.

secrets & tips: the recipe also works very well with sugar free pumpkin pie and sugar free cool whip. awesome. husband said i scored with this one!

last minute halloween decor ideas!

this gem of a gift box slash table decor slash whatever you want it to be
comes from this crafty blogger:

check her site to get the templates for the shoe.
i wish i was having a witch-only halloween party...


candy corn cupcakes! so so cute and easy.
stolen from this blogger.

and one from me:
get a white pumpkin!


i think they would look so great on a porch with a candle inside,
or you could paint them to look like ghosts,
or you could be like this little designer/blogger
and polka dot them as part of your fall decor around the house or porch!
so cute!

OH! and here is an article i found
about how popular white pumpkins are this season!

a little pumpkin sumpin sumpin

foto by m @ askthebooth

found this perfect recipe that would be great for any
fall gathering, party, shower,
or just a bored and cold afternoon.

pumpkin whoopie pies w/ cinnamon creme filling

ingredients:
3c flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 1/2-3 Tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp nutmeg
1/4tsp cloves (optional, but recommended)
1c granulated sugar
1c brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2c canola oil
1/2c applesauce
3 cups pumpkin puree
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

directions: line two baking sheets with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray. in a large bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and spices. set aside.

in a separate bowl, whisk sugars, oil and applesauce together. add the pumpkin puree and whisk to combine thoroughly. add the eggs and vanilla and whisk until combined.
add flour mixture over the pumpkin mixture and stir until completely combined.

scoop batter onto a cookie sheet in heaping tablespoons, about 1 inch apart. bake at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

foto by m @ askthebooth

cinnamon cream filling

ingredients:
1 (8oz) pkg cream cheese (i used light/neufchatel), softened
6Tbsp butter, softened
3-4c powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1-1 1/2Tbsp cinnamon

directions: cream butter and cream cheese together so there are no lumps. (getting the cream cheese softened is the key). stir in vanilla and cinnamon. stir in powdered sugar 1 cup at a time. if you wanted to be real intense, you could even sprinkle the tops of the cookies with powdered sugar or powdered sugar mixed with cinnamon.

made about 2 1/2 dozen whoopie pies
(using 2 cookies per whoopie pie)

secrets and tips: i didn't actually use vanilla cause we didn't have any (shh... its ok). and a trick my granny taught me: cool your cookies straight on the cold counter. they will cook faster and then you can frost and eat them sooner.

innovatively sweet

here is a trick to make your fall guests smile a hint
around halloween party time...

+

+

= party in your mouth!!


"Snickers" Mix:

1 candy corn
+
2 plain [halloween colored] m&ms
+
2 peanuts
=
snickers!


or try:

1 candy corn
+
2 peanuts
=
payday!


or try

2 candy corns
+
2 plain [halloween colored] m&ms
=
3 musketeers!

and were it me...
i would serve it in a small dish like this,
or if you had a crowd,
put it in a bigger bowl with note cards
(the size of long bookmarks) with recipe directions...

you could also serve this in little holiday muffin cups (paper soufflé cups) or bags...

to purchase:
think Smart n Final, Party Places, or the "cute section" of Target or Walmart