Black Bean Pico Dip

This is a very filling dip - it could be lunch with a few tortilla chips, or even served as a side dish.

I started out with black beans from my crock pot - cheaper than canned. 

I added in 1 large diced avocado, some fresh mild pico de gallo (store bought), and about a third cup of Raspberry Chipotle marinade.  Just stir it all together gently.  The marinade was a splurge at around $3.50, but I have most of the bottle left over so I can make this again a few times.  

I "taste tested" it right away and it's wonderful, but chilling it for an hour or two helps the flavors develop.  This will go great with the enchilada dinner we are having tonight to celebrate Scout's Halloween birthday. Cupcakes and Halloween haul for desert!

Thank you for the recipe, Elizabeth!  

Gina

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Sewing nostalgia

I dug this pattern out today from my collection of two patterns.

This ca. 1966 pattern has sentimental value, as I have made it several times.  It belonged to my mother, who also made several of the dogs, and at least one of the mouse. 

My friend is having a boy, and I thought I would make a soft doggie for her sweet baby.  I found the flannel at JoAnn's and had the rest of the supplies at home - soft fuzzy fabric to line the ears,  buttons for the eyes, scraps for the nose and the "bags" of the hound-dog eyes, and a piece of satin ribbon for a collar.

He found a home in a $1 basket from Dollar Tree with a couple of smallish baby toys and of tissue.  I tucked in a sweet card, too.  I hope she loves her baby's new puppy dog!  It was a labor of love and a sweet way to spend an hour or two on a quiet afternoon. 

Gina

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Sugar Bananas! Sweets this week
and

Fall Honey Butter

Another recipe from a co-worker, this one is from Dani at The Good Life , who found it in her bloggy travels.  We will be slathering this on biscuits, muffins, and bagels this Fall.  I made a double recipe.

Fall Honey Butter

2 sticks butter, at room temp

1/2 c. powdered sugar

1/2 honey (from my mom's bees in Brenham!)

2 t. pumpkin pie spice

 Whip well using whisk attachment in mixer; or just use your muscle!

 I am storing mine in a little lidded container for the fridge.

Most of it is destined for this:

 Pumpkin bread!

I have no idea how long this keeps, but I would guess a couple of weeks.

Gina

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and

Pumpkin Love

I took the boys to the pumpkin patch at a local church.

They were out of school and we just needed a break from the grind.

I really love all these colors.

I let each of them pick out their own pumpkin to decorate however they want - but usually they just leave them plain on put them on their bedroom dressers. 

It was fun to gather some fall beauty for our home.

Gina

RIP Joe Roborovski

The hamster finally met his maker after suffering (apparently) and lingering in his cage looking ill for about a week.  I really have no concrete diagnosis for his death, other than maybe old age. 

Bubbie hadn't been paying a lot of attention to Joe; I was the one feeding him and cleaning his cage.   Once Joe stopped running around so much, just sleeping all of the time, Sugar didn't even notice the cage anymore.  And now it sits empty, in the garage, listed in the classifieds for sale.

I hate that he suffered; I watched him have a seizure or two at the end.   I also hate that I had to scoop him out and toss him into a grocery sack.  Then clean the cage.  But most of all, that my kid didn't seem to be sad at all.  For some reason, this bums me out.

Gina

Words of welcome

I had a great time shopping the clearance and sale items at Kohl's. Today I found these vinyl signs marked from $30 to $9!  I have been wanting something in vinyl to pretty up a very plain mirror in the dining room.  

This mirror belonged to hubby's mother.  It's leaded glass, very heavy.  I would never in a million years repaint it, but adding a little vinyl to it is just the ticket!

I had to cut the words out and place them on the mirror with tape to get them right where I wanted.  I used a ruler to make sure they were centered on all sides, then off-set them a little.  I wasn't aiming for perfection, but once you put them on, they are on. 

  

It's hard to photograph a mirror.  I think it conveys the message I want for my home, especially for the holidays ahead!

Gina

My dinner companion

My little dinner companion at Rudy's last week; everyone else was either working or camping, so it was just us two!

 He loves soda almost as much as he loves BBQ.

 Zoning out...full of both

 Hello? Bubbie? You still there?  Don't forget, you also have desert!

 

 

You're so funny, I love being out with you!

Gina