what a hoot!

i made these cupcakes for a cake walk at church tonight...


i had been wanting to try one of the cute designs from this cookbook that i got last christmas! just didn't have much reason to make fancy cupcakes yet... but this seemed perfect!

and guess "whoooose" putting the sequel cookbook on my wishlist for christmas? :) (haha, corny i know - i just couldn't help one more owl joke!)

can't believe october's almost over!
now it's time to start working on thanksgiving recipes!
got any you'd like to share? any favorites y'all have every year? :)

mmm. mmm. good.

if you'd like some fall goodness (and you're a fan of pumpkin flavored things), you should totally try these Pumpkin Blossom Cookies. OH. MY. WORD. they are so yummy and pumpkiny. (is pumpkiny a word? probably not.) :)



PUMPKIN BLOSSOM COOKIES
i found this recipe here
(makes about 40 cookies)

4 Tbsp. butter, softened
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice*
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 (11 oz) bag Hershey's Candy Corn Kisses, FROZEN

*original recipe calls for 1/2 tsp. ginger, 1/2 tsp. nutmeg. i only had pumpkin pie spice and it worked great :)

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 F.
Step 2: Unwrap 40 candy kisses and place in a bowl and put in the freezer (otherwise the candy will melt immediately when placed on a hot cookie).
Step 3: Cream together butter, sugars and oil.
Step 4: Stir in egg, vanilla and pumpkin.
Step 5: Add flour, cinnamon, spices, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Mix until completely combined.
Step 6: Place dough in the freezer for about 10 minutes to firm up.
Step 7: Using your hands, roll the dough into large teaspoon sized balls and roll each cookie in a small bowl of white sugar. (if the dough gets warm, place back in the freezer for about 5 minutes).
Step 8: Place sugar rolled balls onto lined cookie sheets (I used foil and it worked fine, she suggests parchment paper if you have it). Bake for 10-12 minutes.
Step 9: As soon as you pull out the cookies from the oven, press a candy kiss in the center of each cookie. Move them to a cooling rack and place in the freezer for several minutes.
Step 10: Try not to eat them all at once :)



Personally, I am a fan of pumpkin flavored things -- muffins, pie, chai (i think it tastes kind of like pumpkin pie) -- and I thought these were DELICIOUS! The taste of the warmed candy corn kiss mixed with the pumpkin cookie is like a fall party in your mouth! :) But I also tried some plain and they were yummy too - so if you can't find the kisses you could make just the pumpkin cookies by themselves. :) Let me know if you try these yummy treats, or if you have another fall recipe that you love! Happy Fall!

Phew!

To say we've been busy the last couple of months is a total understatement.
I am not sure I've ever been this busy. In my life! :P

We house/dog sat for friends, had back-to-back weddings that included a trip to Kansas, a trip to Wisconsin and a visit from family, my husband is taking 21.5 credits this semester that includes 1 night class, we have church, we do AWANA every Thursday, Ben plays on an Ultimate Frisbee team (and I'm their biggest fan!) and we are just all around BUSY. I've also had 3 different jobs in the last 2 months (that's a different story!) and we are WORN. OUT.

But we have been having some fun mixed in with all the craziness as well.

We took a day-date to Madison and ate at one of our favorites - CHILIs, :) and walked around their big mall (WAY bigger than our mall here!) holding hands and doing some shopping. We have been dying to get a dog, but our apartment rules are no pets... so while we are waiting, Ben built me this adorable dog at the build-a-bear store :)



We got to dog-sit for Atticus who quickly became one of our favorite dogs and only made us want a dog even more! We had lots of fun taking him around in the CR-V, taking him on walks and we even walked around Pet Smart looking for a treat for him at the end of our stay. (Did I mention we really want a dog? haha).


We got to be a part of Adam and Abby's wedding. Ben was a groomsman. It was a beautiful wedding and we had fun staying with friends in Kansas and visiting with people we love.


We were also part of Ryan and Charissa's wedding. I was a bridesmaid. My family flew up for the weekend to come to the wedding and we got to see more friends that we love as well. And we got to meet baby Hannah Myers - who is SO precious!!


Now it's getting a little colder (35 degrees this morning - BRR!)
I'm staying busy subbing most days, and Ben's staying busy with all his classes. We are trying to make it through to Christmas, and are longing for a nice break!! :)

So that's a little update from the Graves. :) Happy Fall!!!