Sunday, October 20, 2013

Excited Girls!

 I had some very excited girls this morning!
Now, what would these cute little girls be so excited for in October, do you ask?
 Halloween?  Pumpkin carving?  














 SNOW!!!!
We do live in Minnesnowta, you know!!  
 It did look a little odd today,
the bright orange pumpkins, we just got last night
next to the bright white snow
And the bright, still-green trees
(not for long)
But it brought a little more beauty and almost tranquility in the air

 Seemed like the perfect day to make some apple crumble...
(I'll give you my recipe at the bottom)
 And soup!
(click on "soup" for the recipe--it was great!)
I've never used Kale before, but it was really good in this soup.
It reminded me of the green stuff they put around salad bars for decorations
but it was really good in the soup, really, it was!
And sandwiches!!
I'd have been fine with just the soup,
but my meat and potatoes man needs a little more!



These are called:

 Italian Muffuletta

Italian bread
ham
turkey
salami
Swiss cheese
provolone cheese

chopped green olives
chopped black olives
6 Tbsp shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup Italian dressing
2 tsp fresh minced garlic

Mix the last 5 ingredients together
spread onto bread and layer the rest!


Apple Crumble

Bag of apples (we used Mclintosh)
peeled and sliced
2/3 cup sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp vanilla

mix and put in bottom of 9x13 pan

add crumble mixture:
1 cup flour
1 cup brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
2 cups oatmeal
2/3 cup melted butter

mix crumble mixture together and put on top of apples.
Bake 350 degrees 45 minutes




 

46 comments:

  1. I love the first snow of the season. And oh, those sandwiches look goooooood....!

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    1. It is always exciting---in December!!!! (not so much in October) Well, it was OK, because it has all melted now, except the roofs!

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  2. Haven't had snow here in North Texas, but we did have temperatures in the 30's this morning. The soup, sandwiches and apple crumble look and sound so good. I think I'll be trying these soon!

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    1. Look out!! It's been an odd year for weather, at least here in MN. It's melted now, so it's OK! It's always fun to try new meals, the soup was great!

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  3. Yay, snow! We have our first flurries predicted this week. We shall see.

    Kale... it is used as decoration! It's my favorite green. I eat it almost daily in season. Love it!

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    1. I knew it!! Must be cheap or something? I didn't even look at the price of it, I needed it, so I got it. Next time I'll chop it a little smaller for the soup I think. Do you eat it plain? Just has such a hard texture...not sure this veggie girl would like it plain....

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    2. My two favorite ways are as chips and sauteed. For the chips, heat oven to 250. Spme recipes say higher but I find lower heat and cooking longer keeps it from burning. Tear kale off ribs (the middle of the leaf) and into pieces (2-3 inches across). Coat with olive oil. Spread on cookie sheet with parchment paper underneath. Sprinkle with sea salt, my favorite, or your favorite spice blend. Bake, stirring every 10 minutes, until crunchy - not chewy, not burned. Cool and store in airtight container. Or, if you're like me, eat the batch in one sitting. :-)

      To saute, heat oil in pan, tear kale off ribs (you can eat the ribs but you need to cut them up and cook before adding the leaves to get them soft), and saute, stirring frequently until your desired tenderness. Sometimes I speed things up by putting a lid on the pan. I often cook mine right in with bacon, sausage or whatever breakfast meat I am eating and other veggies too if I want.

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    3. Thanks so much Nicole, I'm going to have to try both ways...what a healthy snack the oven way, I'd eat all of them in one sitting too!

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  4. Ok... OH MY GOSH! Doesn't that Snow know what time of year it is? I'm Snow not ready... even though I love love love to watch it fall. You're kids are too cute. That food looks de-lish! We are surrounded by Portuguese families around here and Kale is like a daily vegetable (esp in soups). It looks great.

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    1. I'm SNOW not ready either!! I made the girls put away all the flip flops and sandals in the basement before I let them take out the boots and hats and mittens!! It's a whole new mess!

      The kale really didn't have any flavor in the soup, more of a texture thing? I love veggies, but I'm not so sure about eating it plain...

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    2. Glad to hear that I'm not the only one whose entry way's still strewn with flip flops! We haven't had any snow "down" here but we did see some flurries in the [very cold] air this morning. Francis was intrigued! And not bothered at all by the arctic temps 'cause he was snug as a bug in his dino jammies.

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    3. PS. My countertop is COVERED with kale right now (we brought it all in from the garden) so Christine...? Want to come and get some? (Try roasting oy with with a little olive oil and sea salt sometime. Crispy yummy goodness!)

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    4. Mmmmmmmm, I'm going to have to start getting kale...is it nutritious? Is it filling? Sounds like a great WW snack!

      Katherine just took Simeon out with one pink mitten on...we need some boy mittens I guess...

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  5. Jamie Jo - your kids are just adorable, I loved their photo popping up when I followed your link here. Thank you for linking to the soup and for the very nice comment you left on my blog! I'm really happy to have found yours as well - so very nice to 'meet' you. I do love how the internet breaks down geography and brings people together.
    Snow -- wow, I'm really jealous...so fun!

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    1. OH, so nice to "meet" you too 9Peas! Like I said, I've been lurking for a while now but I just couldn't any more--your recipes are great! And those boys of yours and that sweet little pea girl, gosh I already love your family!

      Yes, the internet brings so many good Christian women together, I love it for that! Makes me so happy to live in these times.

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  6. The first snow fall of the season is always so exciting! Those recipes sound delicious! I am going to try that apple crumble soon! Thanks for sharing and have a great week.

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    1. The first snow is very exciting--in DECEMBER!! hahha! No, it was exciting, and it's gone now, which is more exciting!

      I don't like cooked apples...but my family told me it was a 10!! We rate our food 1-10! And it had a lot of crumble, which is the best part, right?
      You have a great week too my friend!

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  7. Very interesting. Kale, that is. Never have tried it but now I am intrigued. Next week...that soup is on my list. Your food looks so good too!

    That snow is crazy. We were out in it also. The first snow is always so cool..I think!..BUT MAN OH MAN..this is way too early.

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    1. I got the sausage at Sam's Club and it was the sausage and the fresh garlic that gave it the great flavor I think...the kale is for texture I think...and color? Fun to try new recipes. We have almost all new recipes to try this week! Tom helps me pick new ones.

      Yeah, the first snow is cool...in DECEMBER!!! Kids make everything great though!

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  8. Soup, apple crisp, and a snowy day= Love!
    Have a a happy week, my friend. : )

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    1. Yes the comfort foods for winter do make winter a little better...a little, very very little....

      Happy week to you too friend!

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  9. What?! It never snowed here! I didn't hear about any snow up your way either--but then, I haven't had the TV or radio on either. Wow! Maybe we'll get another Halloween blizzard!

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    1. Really? No snow down there? Hmmmmmm...usually it is the other way around! It's gone now except the roofs of the houses--yay!!

      I like the years when it doesn't snow til Christmas. cutting off October and November from winter, makes the next 6 mos go so much faster!! haha!

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  10. What cutie pies! And it's hard to believe it's already so cold there when it's still so hot here. At any rate, I think I'm going to be inviting myself over to your kitchen sometime soon. Yumm!!!

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    1. Gosh, that would be great! This would be the perfect meal to have friends over with!! If money (and cold weather) were not an option, wouldn't it be fun to have a blog party somewhere?

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  11. Yes! They waste perfectly good kale decorating salad bars! There are a bunch of different varieties, though. Last night I sauteed kale in olive oil with garlic. and a couple of nights ago I baked it in the oven to make kale chips. Yum!

    I can't believe you got snow already!

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    1. I knew it!! Kale must be cheap? I didn't even look at the price, I needed it so I got it...I have seen recipes for kale chips on the Food Network! I might have to try your recipe!

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    2. Oh, and the snow is gone now, except the roofs...yay!

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  12. My kids would be excited too. I would probably do what you did, cook comforting warm food!

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    1. I could make soup every day for our MN winters, which are like from now til June!

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  13. That's more than a little frost on the pumpkins!

    Your dinner looks good, Jamie. That looks like wedding soup. Did your kids eat olive salad?

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    1. Yes it is!! It's gone now except for the roofs--yay!

      The olive spread? Well...some did, some did not, some picked off the meat and cheese and at it, some ate the bread only....That's a loaded question!!

      Tom took the leftovers to share with his guys at work. (he counsels men in recovery)

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  14. so jealous of your snow! It's my favorite kind o' weather. The news is saying on Wednesday we might get us some :) I can only hope!!!!

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    1. You are crazy!! The kids do make it fun though, and it's gone now--yay!

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  15. Well, your weather is headed my direction and it sure looks like a SNOW sky this morning. We're supposed to get flurries and further north could actually get 1-2". Of course, I dilly-dallied this weekend and didn't go get more hay for my critters and I'll have to do it in the flurries.

    Apple crmble is one of my favorites - it's all about the crumble part. Put up another 25 quarts of cinnamon applesauce, 3 gallons of apple juice, and 21 pints of cinnamon apples this weekend. So, I should be appled out, but bring them on - we love them!

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    1. Ours is gone now--yay!! There's still some in shady spots, but that's it, it's very cold though!

      all those apples and apple things sound wonderful!! How fun!

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  16. Hi Jamie..Your blog posts make me smile everytime. There is a positivity in your blog and I love it. Your girls look so so cute :)

    In India kids are excited abt Diwali a lot... Its a major festival here.
    I am sure Halloween would be fun. I wish to experience snow once..It doesnt know here ... :)

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    1. Dear Monju--Thank you so much! I suppose the kids are pretty excited about Halloween, but snow, that beats our pretty much any holiday, except maybe Christmas.

      You are welcome in Minnesota anytime, we'd love to have you!!

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  17. Your posts make me smile, too! The food makes me salivate. As for snow...I can't imagine it yet as our leaves aren't even at peak yet....NEED ME SOME FALL!

    God bless you friend and enjoy!

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    1. We just met a family in church, from Rhode Island that recently moved here, their girls were very excited for the snow...they said they get snow, in Rhode Island, but never in October!! Welcome to Minnesota!!

      God bless you too Allison!

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  18. Thank you! You are so faithful at blogging. I think I have finally posted 20 posts in the last 3 days - all are pre-dated. I am only up to the end of August. I keep it up to date because this is taking the place of a photo album for our family. I will go back and print for the kids later. Anyway I just wanted you to know that even though I have not spent much time I the blog world the past 4 months I always check your blog. I am so thankful for your pictures. They offer so much hope and adorable distractions. We are all doing well down here in Houston just HOT. This isn't where I wanted to live and I get so much joy out of the adventures you have with your kiddos. The joy of the first snow of the season is something my kids can not relate to at all. I wish they could and maybe someday but for now I must enjoy through you. Thank you!

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    1. Oh, Neen, I feel so bad for you, wanting to be up here, to be home again.

      I will have to check out the new posts!! I bet those kiddos of yours have grown up so much!! Gosh, your family is beautiful! I hope you get to MN sometime and you can all experience snow together!! You'd probably get a great deal on tickets in the winter, most people go the other way!! haha! I'd love to meet you! Not sure we'd have room for so many, but if the floor is good, you are welcome!!

      God bless you Neen!

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  19. SNOW!! Oh my! All the food, my 9 year old boy over my shoulder is now drooling all over me and wants to come to your house... and he just finished breakfast!

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  20. It sure is pretty...up there :) And I loved seeing the adorable, smiling faces of the kids! Thanks for the yummy recipes...always looking to add more :)

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Thank you so much for stopping and commenting!