Look who's 50 today.

Yes, my hubby is 50 today. So weird. I think he was 34 when I met him. We made him a Chocolate peanut butter cake with peanut butter frosting in the middle. A few friends came over for cake. I think he had a pretty good day. He went out with friends to watch the Red Sox & the Patriots tonight.

Cozy Autumn

New You tube video~The Fair

I filmed a little at the fair the other day. I started filming late. At times it was pouring out, so that didn't help. So it's just a quick video. Don't forget to subscribe if you haven't. I'd love some comment love. Thanks.

Wordless Wednesday~We got a camper

Tasty Tuesday~Creamy One-pot Pasta

Creamy One-pot Macaroni & Cheese

Active: 25 minutes
Total: 25 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

8 oz. cavatappi or other short pasta
1/4 cup whole milk
6 oz. extra-sharp grated cheddar
1/4 cup parmesan (1 oz.)
1/2 cup low fat sour cream
2 scallions, very thinly sliced
black pepper
green salad for serving

1. Bring large pot of water to a boil, leaving a 2-in. space between the water & the top of the pot. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, drain the pasta & return to the pot.

2. While the pasta is cooking, combine the milk, cheddar and parmesan in a large heatproof bowl and place over the bubbling pasta water (it's okay if the bowl touches the water), stir the mixture occasionally until the cheese melts. Remove from heat and mix in the sour cream.

3. Fold the sauce into the pasta. Fold in the scallions and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Sever with a green salad if desired.

Per serving: 472 cal, 20.5 fat (11.5 g sat fat), 57 mg chol, 437 mg sod, 20 g pro, 49 g car, 4 g fiber.

New England Minute~Topsfield fair

TBB Asls: Fall 2.0

1.Favorite Fall color: Burgandy/red or purple for Mums.

2. Apple cider hot or cold? Hot.

3. Caramel apple, yes or no? Yes.

4. Pumpkin donut or apple cider? Apple cider. I don't like pumpkin at all.

5. Long or short cardigan? Long.

6. Favorite Football or Fall party food? Mexican dip.

7. Orange or white pumpkin? White.

8. Hayrides or Bonfire? That's a hard 1, I like both, but I'd say Bonfire because I like to be warm.

9. Favorite Fall baked good? Apple caramel cookies.

 10. Most Anticipated Fall activity? My husband's birthday.

Nail Files. Week # 341

I got this polish at Ulta last week. I got an e mail about some coffee like colors for National coffee day. So I went & got this color. I don't drink coffee, haha. But it's very pretty. This is OPI infinite shine~Linger like Coffee. It stayed on pretty good & I didn't buy the top coat. I need to get that at Ocean State Job lot because I know they have it for like $3.

Wordless Wednesday~Our Fall decorations

Tasty Tuesday~Cheese Chicken, Broccoli & Rice Casserole

Cheesy Chicken, Broccoli & Rice Casserole (From Scratch!)

Yield: 8 servings

Prep: 30 minutes

Cook: 20 minutes

Total: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

For the Casserole

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 cups whole milk
• 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2 cups), divided
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 4 cups cubed cooked chicken (3-4 chicken breasts)
• 4 cups broccoli florets (about 1 pound)
• 2 cups cooked rice

For the Topping

• 2 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about ½ cup)
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup plain or Panko breadcrumbs or crushed Ritz crackers

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a 9×13-inch casserole dish.
2. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat and add the sliced mushrooms. Saute, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are cooked down and all of the liquid has evaporated. Transfer the mushrooms to a separate bowl.
3. In the same pan, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 minute, until the flour starts to brown a bit and smells nutty, whisking constantly. In a slow, steady stream, whisk in the milk. Allow the sauce to come to a simmer.
4. Once the sauce comes to a simmer, whisk in the cheddar cheese, adding a handful at a time and whisking until completely melted before adding the next handful. Season with salt and pepper and turn off the heat.
5. Add the chicken, broccoli, rice and cooked mushrooms to the sauce. Stir with a wooden spoon until everything is completely combined and evenly distributed. Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish.
6. In a small bowl, mix the melted butter with the breadcrumbs (or Ritz crackers).
7. Sprinkle the casserole with the ½ cup of shredded cheese. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture on top of the cheese.
8. Bake until browned and bubbly, about 15 to 20 minutes. Allow to sit for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

*I'm not adding mushrooms to mine. Not a fan of them.

From: Brown Eyed Baker.com

Stuff & Things

*My hubby's birthday is coming up & he is turning 50 & I'm not really sure what we are doing. It's on a Sunday, so that makes it hard, he'll be home. So we can't surprise him with a cake. We are going to make him a cake though. He said he didn't want a party & if I had a party he'd be paying for it, since I'm a stay at home Mom & have no $.


*I don't care that it's Fall. I know people seem excited, but I honestly don't get it. People like October & it's 1 of the months that I don't like. I'm glad that September went by pretty quick. I'm looking forward to hybernating until May. I feel like I'll get a lot done. Get caught up on organizing, letters, & destashing & get more crafting done. I've been doing more scrapbooking & I've been enjoying it. I've gotten rid of most of my magazines. I have 2 more to go through.

*I've been so achy lately from the cold weather. I want to start doing more self care things. Like soaking my feet in Epsom salt. I haven't done that in a while. Sometimes you feel so busy that you forget to take care of yourself. It's really important to make time to do things that make you feel better.