Happy Halloween

So can I say, I've always loved Halloween but oh my it is a pain.  I am exhausted!  But we all had fun and it is all over for another year!

Millie was an elephant.  Isn't she the cutest?

Owen was the Incredible Hulk, which we thought was so fitting.  I wonder why we thought encouraging the negative behavior we are often upset about was a good idea.  But he was kind of awesome, so oh well.

 

 

Brooke was Cleopatra.  Here she is practicing her "Egyptian walk".

Again, how cute is that elephant?

 We went to the Boo at the Zoo.

 I made Ghostly Sheperd's Pie.  My favorite Halloween dinner!

 

 We carved pumpkins.

 

 We made Halloween marshmallow pops and introduced our kids to Michael Jackson's thriller and tried to demonstrate moonwalking which we are both awful at.

 

 Pictures with friends.

 

Can you tell my kids are excited about the candy?

 

 

Happy Halloween! Thank goodness it is over, I'm tired!

Delicious!

So when we were in Utah, I saw my sister in law's Our Best Bites Cookbook and I remembered hearing people talk about that website before.  So I looked through the cookbook and everything looked so good. So when we got home I checked it out and I've gotten a little carried away. So far (keep in mind we've been home little over a week) I've made Cheesy Tortellini Bake, Black Bean Soup, Southwestern Cobb Salad, Apple Cider Floats (seriously, so good), Pumpkin Pie Milkshakes, Buttermilk Pancakes, Buttermilk Caramel Syrup, Caramel Apple Cider, and Apple Cider Doughnuts.  Everything has been soooo good.  My favorites are definitely the pancakes, syrup, and apple cider floats.  And I will say, while the doughnuts were delicious they were enough trouble and work that I probably won't be making them again soon. So if you haven't checked it out, do- such great recipes! And if you happen to want to get me a little gift- I'm kind of dying for that cookbook right now!

Pink Lemonade Cheesecake

As most of you know I love me some cheesecake. So for mother's day this year, Reid made me my all time favorite, Pink Lemonade Cheesecake. Isn't it beautiful? When we were first married Reid didn't get the whole garnish thing, and as much as I tried to convince him that pretty food tastes better, I think he garnished the cheesecake because he knew I would appreciate it and I did. It was beautiful! But most importantly it was delicious! Here's the recipe if you're interested:

Pink Lemonade Cheesecake
Graham Cracker Crust1 1/4 Cups graham cracker crums
3 TBLSP sugar
1/4 cup melted butter
In a small bowl stir together crumbs, sugar, and melted butter. Stir till well combined. Press crumb mixture evenly onto the bottom of a greased 9-in. springform pan. Set aside.
Lemonade Filling
24 oz. Cream cheese
3/4 cup sugar
5 tsp cornstarch
4 eggs
1 egg yolk
3/4 cup frozen pink lemonade concentrate thawed
2 tsp vanilla
2 drops Red food coloring
In a large bowl combine cream cheese, sugar, and cornstarch. Beat with an electric mixer till smooth. Add eggs and egg yolk, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in lemonade concentrate, vanilla, and food coloring. Pour the cream cheese mixture over the crust.
Bake at 350 for 15 min. Lower the temp. to 200 and bake for 1 hour and 10 min or till the center no longer looks wet or shiny (this has taken up to an extra hour at our house). Remove the cake from the oven and run a kinfe around the inside edge of the pan. Turn the oven off; return the cake to the oven let it chill, uncovered overnight.
Lemonade Glaze
1/3 cup frozen pink lemonade concentrate, thawed
4 tsp lemon juice
1 Tblsp cornstarch
1 drop red food coloring
Lemon Slices
In a small saucepan stir together lemonade concentrate, lemon juice, cornstarch and food coloring. Cook and stir till thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 2 minutes more. Pour over cheesecake. Garnish with lemon. Chill till serving time. Enjoy!