Rotini Macaroni Salad

One of our family favorites comes from Bud's sister Judy.  It is a creamy spiral macaroni salad.

24 oz. bag of rotini macaroni cooked

2c. shredded carrots

1 diced green pepper

1 diced onion

1 can sweetened condensed milk

2 cups mayonnaise

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup white vinegar

salt & pepper

Cook and cool macaroni.  

Add carrots, onion, and peppers.

In another bowl combine sweetened condensed milk, mayonnaise, sugar, vinegar, salt and pepper.  Add to macaroni and cool.  This is really better the second day.

What a sweet creamy accompaniment to a meal!  

I'm linking to Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap.  Go over and check out the great recipes!

Fall Around My Yard

I love fall!  The mums are fantastic.

I have tried for years to grow mums.  I had a good start and then we dug up the front of the house for the addition.  I've planted some every year since.

Finally this year I had three small ones that came up for the first time, and three large bunches that are older and looking great!

The sedum is ready for fall.  There's the last red rose in the corner.

The Knock -Out roses are confused.  I know the photo is blurry, but you can see the new bud.  Don't think it's going to get a chance to bloom.

These pretty little impatients even survived the hard frost.

The purple coneflowers are ready for the snow.

And the burning bush is  turning red.

Here's hoping fall lasts a lonnnnnnng time!  All of these colors are much prettier than white!

Halloween Fun

Saturday we tailgated before the Iowa game.    There were two little punkins visiting us.

Chance didn't really know what to think about Clara.  He didn't really like anyone to hold her!

He did let Grandpa hold them both for a little while.

Oh, those silly bands!  Cael spent some time playing with his.

Payton played catch with Bud's nephew, Doug.  Then he went to the game with Grandpa.

It was an Iowa blowout!  Iowa 37 Michigan 6

Nate played his version of the bag toss game. (And had a great time avoiding my camera!)

Sunday night we had a few trick or treaters.

We had Mario and Luigi--

A cute little penguin--

And a ghastly creature with blood running down his face!

We enjoyed a supper of soup, salad, and dessert.  It was a good family weekend.

Yummy Mexican Lasagna

It's been awhile since I've posted a recipe.  You probably thought I forgot how to cook!  Cooking really hasn't been at the top of my list lately, but I was asked for this recipe recently, so I thought I'd share.  

I'm linking to Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap this week.  Check it out for great recipes.

Mexican Lasagna

1 lb. hamburger(I often use sausage)

1 small onion

3 T chili powder

1 T flour

1 cup water

6 flour tortillas

1 cup sour cream

1 can tomato soup

2 cups cheddar and/or mozzarella cheese

Brown hamburger & onion.  

Stir in chili powder and flour.  Add water and simmer until thick.  Cut up flour tortillas into one inch squares. 

 Stir together sour cream and tomato soup.  Spray a 9 x 13" pan with cooking spray then layer 1/2 tortillas, 1/2 hamburger, 1/2 sour cream mixture 1/2 cheese, then relayer.  Cover and bake at 350 for 45 min-an hour.

If I feel like making this healthier I use 95% fat free tortillas, lite or fat free sour cream, and 2% cheese.

Num-Num!!

Halloween Goodie Bags

We don't really do much for Halloween.  At some point I hope to see the kids all dressed up, but we usually don't see them on Halloween.  I don't really decorate for Halloween, but for fall instead.  Being in the country means we don't have trick or treaters either.  So, I decided to start a new tradition for our grandchildren for Halloween.  I made each one of them a goodie bag with his/her name on it.

(There are only five in the picture because I gave Chance his on Saturday.)

Of course Clara's had to have a little something "girly" on hers!

Because of all the fru-fru I put Clara's name toward the bottom.

You can see Nate and Payton's names on theirs.

So, I plan to fill them each Halloween and have them give them back to me before the next Halloween. 

I'm really not going to focus on candy, although I'm sure there will be some in there.

 I can envision sending them off to them when they are in college.:)

What Halloween traditions do you have?

A Fall Table Topper

  I LOVE "Gobble, Gobble" by Sandy Gervais fabric.   I had made a table runner last year and had some left over, so I came up with this table topper.

I decided to use a variety of quilting on it.  I straight line quilted the squares, used a fancy stitch on the cream border, and meandered around the outer border.  You can see all three styles in this close up.

Not a great photo, but photography is NOT my strong suit!!  Remember I'm a beginning quilter, so don't be too critical.

I love my house all decorated for fall with the rich brown, gold, green, and orange colors.  And the mums outside are gorgeous.  I'll have to get some photos before they freeze!

Thought for Today