Easy Roasted Pumpkin

 Let me just tell you.... this is FAR better than ANY can pumpkin you will ever buy! EVER! Roasting this pumpkin is REALLY, REALLY easy!!!

First you are going to need to go buy yourself a pumpkin, not a regular orange pumpkin like you would make a jack-o-lantern, but a light orangy yellow one. (I am not sure of it's exact name, my dad gets mine for me from a local stand.)  It looks like this:

(Sorry I had cut it!)    

You will need to cut your pumpkin in half, and clean it out really well.  While you are cleaning it out, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Once it is all cleaned out turn it skin side up on a baking sheet and bake until a fork can go through it easily. (1/2 of my pumpkin took around an hour, and the other 1/2 took a little longer.)

Once it is done flip it over, and allow it to cool a little. Once it has cooled a bit, take a spoon and get all that yummy meat off the skin. Place it in a strainer and allow the water to drain a bit off of it. My pumpkin yielded about 11 cups of pumpkin and it's pre-cook weight was about 4-5lbs. (I will share what I do with it later!)

You can either freeze it, or use it for all those yummy baked goods that use pumpkin!

I am going to share this over at Kim's Blog... Savvy Southern Style and WOW us Wednesday! I Promise, once you make pumpkin this way to use, you will NEVER go back to buying canned!!

-Leanne

Fall Mantle

     I have to admit that this IS my most favorite time of the year! From around September 1st until December 26th, I am the happiest. I LOVE the colors, the smells, all the activities, the warm days, and crisp, cool nights. I also love all the decorations that make my home feel more warm and inviting. This time of year also seems to be more centered around family!  I started working on the mantel area around the first of September, and today got to where I really smile when I look at it! I think the addition of the mums and lantern, along with the pumpkins we bought this weekend make everything just like I would like them. (I do already have ideas in my head for next year, though!)
        
                                                 
                                                        

The large empty picture frame was made by my Papa, I just have not found the right picture or element to go in it yet!  (I do think next year I would like to add some white lights to my garland.)

This cute couple was also cut out by my Papa, and Mama painted them. The "Family" sign was a $5 find at a local bookstore.  Something about Mr. and Mrs. "Farmer" just says fall and harvest to me.

Fall subway sign and some wooden acorns from Hobby Lobby.

These mums were a gift today from church, LOVE THEM!! The lantern is a find from back in the spring at Target. 

I also have 3 pumpkins to the left of the hearth.  (I am going to be looking for round baskets to put my mums in.. hopefully at least by next year!) 

          Thanks for Stopping by!

                                                -Leanne          

Met Monday @ Between Naps on the Backporch

       

A Day in the Fall

 WOW! It has been SUCH a long time since I blogged! LOTS going on... we have moved 3x in the last 2 years, and I am one worn out mama! We are also now homeschooling 3 of our 4 children... which keeps me VERY busy!

This weekend has been fall break for my oldest, meaning we had a little time as a family to do somethings. We decided to take advantage of Friday, and take a trip about 40min. north of here to the Hendersonville, NC area.  We got up early, so that we could pack as much in as possible since our day would be over at 3:30pm.... football season and our oldest had to be back for the game and all the pre-game that goes along with it for the players.

We visited a roadside farm for apples, pumpkins, mountain cabbage, and some rocking on their porch. We also did lots of riding and looking at leaves, had a picnic, and ended the day at the Carl Sandburg Home in Flat Rock, NC.  Here are a few snip- its from our day to enjoy!



Grandad's Orchard




Beautiful Arkansas Black Apples... YUM!!!



Two of the cutest pumpkin pickers around!



Discussing which pumpkin we will take home.

Pictures of the Carl Sandburg Home and property:

                                                                                       -Leanne

BRRRR!!!

Well, I think we skipped fall and went straight to winter! It is 50 and has been raining most of the day today. I am planning Chili for dinner and cornbread.

I have to say, I have not done a lot to blog about this week! I am busy cleaning out and purging. We are hoping to have a family bonfire tomorrow night with the kids, they LOVE to cook weenies and marshmallows, and make s'mores. I also hope to do some more work on the guest bath and laundry room and get them finished.... the mess REALLY gets on my nerves!

I hope all are having a good week! I should have LOTS to blog about after the weekend!!! :)

PIGGY FLU!!!

GUESS WHAT! For my daughters 6th birthday she has got the "piggy flu!" Yep!!! Seems it is going around in her kindergarten class, and lucky us! (NOT!) Seems as of now she has given it to dear old mom.... THANKS Sweetheart!! All 6 of us are on Tamiflu.

I did have a somewhat productive day, though! (Before I started feeling BLAH about 2 hours ago, and running a fever!) I made a HUGE crock pot full of vegetable soup, which we ate on at 2 meals... and there is still PLENTY to have another meal. I also made 2 loaves of Amish Friendship bread... they both made the house smell SO YUMMY, and with the weather outside here today, it officially was FALL!!!!

It might be a few days before I post again.... this little piggy germ has 6 of us to run through. Just say a prayer!!

Oh, that is a pig my dear baby is trying to feed! Thought I would make and attempt to be funny!!

Well, my mom and I picked "Princess Priss" up at school on Friday, and headed north! When we got to the orchard, it was drizzling and you could see more rain coming over the mountains... really pretty! The temperature was already starting to change and it felt like fall!!

The kids were SO excited! Ben wanted to pick cookies, go figure, he is 2! We visited Sky Top in Hendersonville, NC. It is an orchard that sits on the top of a small mountain, and has been there a while. It has breathtaking views! There is a small "store" that you enter the orchard thru that sells already picked apples, jams, jellies, honey, cider, and doughnuts.... YES doughnuts! (THEY WILL MAKE YOU SMACK YOUR GRANDMA!!!)

The 2 older ones got a peck basket each for my mother and I, and Ben just joined us in his stroller taking it all in. We picked apples, and yes, ate some. (My mother wants to taste before she picks, and the kids just follow along!) I picked a whole peck, and my mom about 1/2 that. We then went over to area where some sheep and goats were and the kids picked apples off the ground and fed them.

Before we left the kids played on a swing set, and had an apple cider slushy. We then met my dad at Cracker Barrel for dinner, and came home

On Saturday it was COOL and RAINING! It REALLY felt like fall, and I LOVED IT! We made apple bread... SUPER EASY... applesauce, and I cooked come soup for dinner. Today the apple theme cooking theme continues with our lunch. I am fixing pork chops, sauerkraut, sweet potatoes, and more apple sauce for us.

This REALLY is my time of year! The house just feels SO welcoming, and smells so nice! I am also making memories with my kids that will linger in my heart forever!!

OH, as soon as I can figure out how, I will post some pictures! :)

Fall

Well, it seems that the weather around here...MAY be changing a bit! YAY! I am SO tired of this hot weather, and so ready for bonfires, hot cider, and a fire in our fireplace at night. This is my FAVORITE season, the colors that paint the landscape around here are usually BEAUTIFUL.

Today, we are doing a usual fall "field trip" for us. THE APPLE ORCHARD!! I am SO excited! Hubby is not going, as he and our oldest will be on their way to the youth fall retreat with the church youth group. SO, my mom is going to brave it with me and the 3 "little kids." We are going to pick some apples, take a hayride, drink some cold cider, and maybe eat an apple doughnut! I am looking forward to coming home and making all sorts of fall treats with the apples, I have "googled" and got TONS of ideas. I talked it up on the way to preschool this morning, and the little ones are excited, too!

I will figure out how to post pictures and write all about them tomorrow!