Butternut Squash Soup: Liquid Gourd Tastes Great!

"This soup tastes like Christmas!", exclaimed our friend, as we sat down to dinner that night. I had made up an entire batch of the soup just that morning and now my husband and I watched, amused and slightly shocked, as our dinner guest proceeded to eat ALL of it. I'm not exaggerating. An amount that should have lasted a couple of days had been consumed in one meal. 

"That is the best soup I have ever, ever had.", he said. And I sat there, experiencing a mixture of overwhelming pride in my work followed by the realization that my almost-two-hours worth of kitchen-slavery had been gulped down in less than twenty minutes. I felt like a little kid who told her friend, "Sure, I'll share my Snack Pack at lunch with you!" - only to find her friend has eaten the whole dang pudding cup! Do I revel in the joy I brought my friend or do I mourn the loss of my long-awaited treat? Catch-22, my friends, Catch-22...

Homemade Chicken Stock

Okay, so I admit it. Whenever I make chicken soup, or anything that needs a chicken-broth-like-substance, I typically reach for the bouillon. I know that you purists out there are going all judgie-mc-judgerson on that statement right now, but it's true. Bouillon is fake, I get it. But it's just so quick and easy! And, I mean, it's already right there in my cupboard.

Yet there are those days... you know the ones I mean. Those days when you're all chilly and sniffly and the wind outside is harsh and blustery and you need some hot, silky, rich chicken soup and nothing, nothing is going to cut it but the real deal. 

Trail Mix Cookies

I have been baking oatmeal cookies for years now and slowly they have morphed from boring ol' oatmeal raisin to the masterpiece now set before you. By taking my tried-and-true oatmeal cookie recipe and adding something as simple (yet brilliant) as my favorite trail mix, I've created this bangin' little treat that'll make even the most decadent dessert self-conscious. #PossibleOverstatement 

I've made these cookies for parties, I've packed them up in cute little boxes and given them away as gifts, I've used the excuse that they're riddled with oatmeal then scarfed down 3 or 4 for breakfast. (Don't judge me. I said they're riddled with oatmeal people, what more do you want from me?)

Roasted Root Vegetables

This time of year, I like to make (and my husband enjoys eating) hearty and savory meat dishes. I've paired these meat dishes with all different types of sides and have found that roasted root vegetables comes up a winner every single time. Not only does this pan reflect the colors of fall, the vegetables used are also some of the most notable flavors of fall. Root vegetables, like carrots, sweet potatoes and parsnips, are best when enjoyed as warm and soothing dishes during the chilly, blustery autumn months. 

Pumpkin Pocket Pies #Octoberismyfavoritecolor

I grew up LOVING pumpkin pie. Like, to an almost absurd extreme. My birthday is in July and instead of asking for a frosted cake like all of the other normal kids, I demanded pumpkin pie. With candles. At my birthday party. (No wonder my RSVP list was always so thin...)

In fact, I just turned 30 this past summer and when I told my mother I wanted pumpkin pie for the 25th consecutive year in a row, she sighed and asked when I would out-grow that request. To which I replied, "NEVER!"

We ride together, we die together. Pumpkin pie for life.

Now that I've got that Bad Boys reference out of the way, let's move on to these beautiful little babies...

Unanswered Prayer: Why I Don’t Believe In It

Photo from ovuline.com

Yesterday was apparently National Baby Loss Day, which I didn’t even know existed until I saw a slew of posts on my Twitter account. Since I didn’t catch these posts until right before it was time to hit the sack, I had to wait until today to give my contribution. So forgive me for being late, but I too, have something to say.

The History of Pizza!

LauriPatterson/iStockphoto.com

This week I'm hungry for pizza - probably because I'm calorie counting again, using the MyFitnessPal app on my phone to help me out. Since I've got pizza on the brain but am not willing to waste the calories on scarfing a slice, I figured I'd feed my brain instead. 

A Half-Dozen Reasons Why EGGS Should Be On Your Plate

Photo from crossfitinfinitestrength.com

Eggs. These little guys have been misunderstood, under-appreciated and are all too often grossly mistreated by devious adolescent vandals. (Ever have anyone launch a few cartons at your house during Halloween? It smells TERRIBLE.)  

Just a few generations ago, people firmly believed that eggs were really bad for you due to their cholesterol levels. But the shell on that myth has been scrambled, my friends. Physicians have whisked through the dietary studies and now we find that eggs really can't be beat.

Okay, no more egg yolks, I mean jokes! Let's get cracking into my list here... (That was the last one! Promise!)

Veggie-Full Omelet: GOOD Morning!

My favorite thing to order when going out for breakfast is a nice, big, fat omelet. Which I realize places me in a category along with millions of other breakfast goers. But regardless of my cliché choices, omelets are awesome! And it turns out, they're super easy and very inexpensive to make for yourself right at home.

Crock Pot Dinners: BBQ Chicken Thighs

That Busy Girl and some chicken thighs: A Love Story.

Oh, Chicken Thighs, how I love thee; let me count the ways... I love chicken thighs so much because they're inexpensive, have delicious flavor and are easy to prepare. I've cooked them several different ways but this recipe, by far, is the most simple and delicious! 

Muesli: Granola's Older, Sexier Brother

Can a breakfast cereal be sexy? Try it for yourself and see!

 I actually have no idea which is older, granola or muesli, I just thought that title sounded funny. But I do know that muesli was first created about 100 years ago, when a Swiss physician discovered the health benefits of consuming a diet rich in raw grains and fruit. During the health food craze of the 1960s, muesli popped up in the United States, but even today it still lives in the shadow of the ever-popular granola.

How to Make a Burlap Wreath

The coveted burlap wreath! We've liked it on Facebook, we've followed it on Twitter, we certainly pinned the heck out of it on Pinterest and now That Busy Girl is bringing you her version. Hold on to your butts.

Italian Turkey Sausage Chili #awesomesauce

During the fall, making up a big pot of chili is a no brainer. I love chili; it's hearty, a little spicy and gives me an excuse to also eat a bunch of bread (gotta sop up the juice with something, right?)

For this particular chili, which was literally tonight's dinner, I decided to change things up a bit. I substituted Italian turkey sausage instead of ground beef, and threw in a can of white kidney beans along with the typical red beans, just for kicks.

Lightly Crusted Tilapia: It's What's for Dinner

I absolutely love tilapia; in fact, it's typically my go-to-pick when creating a recipe using whitefish. Tilapia is light, mild, never "fishy" and best of all, it's pretty cheap! 

I have used tilapia in the background of several dishes, like fish stew or fish tacos, but sometimes you just have a hankerin' for a nice fish filet as the main headliner. Using a minimal amount of ingredients, and paired with a simple vegetable, this lightly battered and pan-fried fish tastes great, looks impressive and is pretty quick and easy to prepare.

Egg Bagels: What the Angels Eat for Breakfast (Because They're Quick & Delicious... and Angels are BUSY!)

Looking for a quick, simple, delicious, satisfying, stay-with-you-all-morning-but-won't-weigh-you-down kinda breakfast? Yeah, I was too. Until I put bagels and eggs and brie and capers together - and my brain exploded.

I'm obsessed with capers and brie. Obsessed. If capers and brie were a celebrity couple, I would be their number one stalker. I'm not kidding, with restraining orders and everything. We'd be tabloid gold.

But thankfully capers and brie are just simple food items, and in real life, I'm not that creepy. 

The Virgin Mary Shelf: Turning Random Stuff into Decor!

The Virgin Mary Shelf. Um... what??

Two years ago my husband and I moved into a quaint suburban neighborhood where all of the little brick homes and manicured lawns look exactly same. Shortly after moving in, we discovered that our neighborhood was built in the early 1960s and that all of the original inhabitants were either Italian or Polish and, like, REALLY Catholic.

Hence, the Virgin Mary Shelf… or at least, that’s what I call it. We noticed this little effigy hidey-hole on our first tour of the home with our realtor. When the realtor pointed it out, I said under my breath, “…and this is where they kept The Blessed Mother…” – and I’ve been calling it the Virgin Mary Shelf ever since. For two years I’ve decorated my walls, my mantle and anywhere else I could place décor, but this little area has remained empty. For two years I've been staring at this odd and off-putting space wondering WHAT IN THE WORLD to do with it. I was at a loss.