New Topping

Apple pie filling makes the perfect fall pancake topper! There's no need for syrup when you top fluffy pumpkin pancakes with this stuff! Here's my favorite pumpkin pancake recipe below:

Spiced Pumpkin Pancakes
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon each cinnamon, ground ginger, and salt
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
pinch of ground cloves.

1 cup milk
6 tablespoons canned pumpkin puree
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 egg

Combine dry ingredients. Combine wet ingredients. Fold everything together until combined. Melt some butter in a skillet over medium heat; pour in 1/4 cup batter for each pancake. Cook pancakes about 3 minutes per side.
Makes 8 to 10.

Treat for your feet!

If you're like me, your post-summer feet are showing signs of wear. Try this wonderful soak to regain baby soft heels.

Exfoliating Foot Soak
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup mouthwash
1 cup warm water

Combine all and soak each foot for 10 minutes. Dry thoroughly and exfoliate with pumice stone. The dead skin will fall right off!

Miracle Chicken

Well folks, it can be done...chicken that is! Forgot that lovely little whole chicken was hanging out in the fridge again? It's 4:00pm, which is too late to cook it, right? Wrong! Try this amazingly simple and delicious recipe for that bird. Here's the kicker...it only takes 1 hour!

Herb Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

 

1 whole chicken (3 1/2 to 4 pounds), rinsed and patted dry

coarse salt and pepper

1/2 bunch thyme

1/2 bunch parsley

2 leeks halved lengthwise (I used Trader Joes frozen, sliced leeks)

3 medium carrots, cut into 3 inch lengths

1 pound small red potatoes (bigger ones halved)

olive oil

1/2 cup dry white wine

 

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Season chicken inside and out with salt and pepper and place in roasting pan. Stuff thyme and parsley in cavity.

In large bowl, toss veggies with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Scatter veggies around chicken, arranging potatoes at edges of pan; pour wine into pan.

Roast until chicken is golden brown and juices run clear (165 degrees). Cook about an hour.

Crushed pepper

If you have a plethora of hot peppers in your garden, try making your own crushed pepper flakes. Trust me, these flakes will blow away their store-bought counterparts. We're talking not just heat but loads of flavor! Simply place peppers on a baking sheet and cook at 170 degrees all day. Turn the peppers often and take them out at night. In the morning or when cool, pulse in a food processor until finely chopped.
* Use cayenne peppers, paprika peppers, or any other hot peppers. If using larger peppers, quarter to ensure quick drying time.

Chicken Tip

Snag a few pounds of bone-in chicken breasts the next time you see them on sale. Once you're home, cut the breast meat from the bones. Now you have boneless skinless chicken breasts! Toss the bones into a pot with water, peppercorns, pieces of celery, carrot, and onion along with bay leaves and salt. Simmer for about an hour, cool, strain and freeze. Now you have chicken broth! Now that's a lot of bang for your cluck!

Sweet Endings

These little chocolate beauties are perfect for satisfying the after-dinner sweet cravings without the guilt. It's also a great opportunity to use up leftover chocolate chips, bars, and those assorted dried fruits and nuts languishing in your pantry!

Ingredients: good quality dark chocolate, dried fruit and nuts.
*My personal favorite combo is almonds and cherries.

Melt chocolate over double boiler till glossy and smooth. Add dried fruit and nuts.

Scoop out mixture onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Pop in the freezer for 10 minutes to set.
Store at room temperature or fridge in a sealed container.

Yard Sale

As school looms ahead (or has already begun) try having a yard sale this month. It's the perfect time as folks are home from vacation, looking for school clothes, and getting into fall nesting mode. Here are some tried and true tips from my sister, fresh on the heels of her very successful yard sale last week.

• If your schedule permits, try having your sale on Friday and Saturday to maximize traffic.
• Advertise on free sites such as Facebook and Craigslist. Be sure to offer specific details in your ad such as the sizes of clothing you have.
• Offer free coffee, bake brownies to sell, and have music playing to avoid awkward silence.  
• Make your signs all the same color and use plenty of arrows.
• After a certain time, have a "sale" where customers can fill a bag for a dollar or offer half off of everything.
• Yard sales are great for fundraising for charity, adoption, and sports teams- make sure your customers know this!
• Finally, when the sale is over, advertise a curb alert on Craigslist. You won't even have to haul anything away!