Halloween Pumpkin Style!

Every holiday that rolls around, Lo gets crafty!

A couple of years ago, I made these awesome be-dazzled pumpkins from foam pumpkins and jewel stickers, and of course, glitter!

This year, I was introduced to my new friend, Mod Podge. How have I never used this before?!! It's awesome!

I was inspired, of course by Pinterest, to transform a boring foam pumpkin to...a timeless, classic-book page masterpiece!

I collected my materials: mod Podge, foam paint brush, foam pumpkin, and a book I was ready to tear apart (enter library book sale and a falling apart copy of DRACULA was $0.30!) How fitting for a Halloween pumpkin!

All the supplies ready over newspaper :)

The beautiful result! You can even tell the pages are from Dracula!

I love the result. Don't you?

What's Cooking? Tortellini with Pumpkin Alfredo Sauce!

On a whim a few weeks ago I bought the latest issue of Food Network magazine. There were a few recipes that looked yummy and I was determined to actually cook one. How many times have I bought a magazine only for it to sit there with no recipes cooked from it? Not this time! 

I'd never made an alfredo sauce from scratch, but oh my goodness, it was so easy! (And tasty too!)

Tortellini with Pumpkin Alfredo Sauce 

(adapted from Food Network Magazine, also accessible here. Mostly I changed portions based for 2 and what I had in the house).

What You Need:

• salt
• 1 9-ounce package cheese tortellini
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 cup canned pure pumpkin
• Pinch of nutmeg (the original recipe had freshly grated nutmeg, but that's not practical for me!)
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
• Freshly ground pepper

So few ingredients, so much yum!

What You Do:

1. Cook tortellini according to directions on package..

2.  Heat butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pumpkin and nutmeg and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute. Stir in the cream and bring to a low boil. Reduce the heat to medium low; simmer, stirring, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in parmesan cheese and cook until thick, about 1 more minute. Season with salt and pepper.

Butter and pumpkin smell so good together while cooking.

The sauce is coming together!

3. Add the tortellini to the skillet and toss with the sauce. 

It smelled amazing.

4. Serve with a yummy Cesar salad! And, dinner. Delicious.

This is fall goodness on a plate!

We will definitely be making this recipe again this fall. It was so easy and fast (about 20 minutes total) and so delicious. Joe was also a fan.  Later in the week I made a plain alfredo sauce to go with some other pasta with the leftover cream. I think I prefered the pumpkin version. Thanks, Food Network!

Full Text:

Tortellini with Pumpkin Alfredo Sauce 

(adapted from Food Network Magazine, also accessible here. Mostly I changed portions based for 2 and what I had in the house).

What You Need:

• salt
• 1 9-ounce package cheese tortellini
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 cup canned pure pumpkin
• Pinch of nutmeg (the original recipe had freshly grated nutmeg, but that's not practical for me!)
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
• Freshly ground pepper

What You Do:

1. Cook tortellini according to directions on package..

2.  Heat butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pumpkin and nutmeg and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute. Stir in the cream and bring to a low boil. Reduce the heat to medium low; simmer, stirring, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in parmesan cheese and cook until thick, about 1 more minute. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Add the tortellini to the skillet and toss with the sauce. 

4. Serve.

Last Weekend's Update

Wow have I been busy. Between my cousin's wedding, our first anniversary and school, ay, I haven't had a free moment to say hello to the bloggy-blog world.

This past weekend, we were happy to share our "wedding date" weekend with my cousin Richard and his beautiful bride Cynthia. Here are some photos from the wedding. It was a great way to kick off our first-anniversary weekend by watching others we love make the same commitment!

Joe and I started by meeting some family members for drinks up at the Top of the Mark bar at the Mark Hopkins in San Francisco.

Drinks at the Mark Hopkins Hotel

Sisters & Cosmos

Paul decided he didn't need to wear a tie since Joe showed up without one!

We were unable to snap any photographs at the ceremony, due to the fact that it was at gorgeous Grace Cathedral and the ministers at this church did not allow any. They were serious too, I saw a minister talk to at LEAST two people about it in the middle of the ceremony. It was a beautiful service, and it was nice to hear some of the same readings that we had at our wedding a year ago. :)

The reception was down the street at the Renaissance Stanford Court Hotel on Nob Hill. The food was amazing (maybe the best we've had at a wedding this year and we've been to FOUR!) and it was decorated the way maybe I wish I could have gone back and done our decorations! Oh, Cynthia, you and I have such similar, classic taste!

Loved this display on the escort card table!

Cocktail hour!

I loved the centerpieces! A perfect height to carry on conversations around the table!

Cake table! Oh wow those cupcakes were delicious!

Photobooth + Wine = Bizarre Scrapbook Page

Me with the handsome groom (my cousin Richard!) and his wife Cynthia!

Cousins! Kristen, Richard, me, and my sister Kim

Family! Teri, my mom, Richard, Kristen, my auntie Betty, me, Kim and Doug.

Looking good at the reception!

We had a blast at the wedding and possibly came home with a napkin full of cupcakes. Cynthia, Richard, if you're reading this it was Kristen's idea :). Joe and I hope you are having a fabulous honeymoon!

What a great way to kick off our anniversary weekend! 

Weekend Recap: Fleet Week!

Fleet Week is always one of my favorite times of year. It comes in October which, if you know San Francisco, is "summer" here. (One of the reasons we got married in October, but that's next week's post!) :)

I've gone to the Fleet Week Air Show in years past with my sister's family and enjoyed the show on the Marina Green. Joe and I have continued the tradition (save last year when he was in Las Vegas for his bachelor party!) We park our car at his aunt's house in the Marina district and walk down to the Marina Green with the Golden Gate bridge to the east of us and a view of Marin county to the north of us. A picture perfect place to watch the Navy's amazing Blue Angels do their demonstration flight.

Even the million visitors in San Francisco this weekend could deter us from our Saturday adventure. Joe was so excited to use his new camera lenses to get some close ups of the planes. We got our picnic lunch from Safeway on our walk down to the Green. We found a great spot, set up our chairs and enjoyed our afternoon on the grass with the Air Show. Enjoy some pictures from our fun day!

Ready for the Blue Angels!

Aww, Joe the budding photographer.

Marine photographers enjoying the air show

Hiking back to the car through San Francisco's Marina

What's Cooking? Chicken & Broccoli Pasta

When there's half a rotisserie chicken and some broccoli in the fridge, what are we having for dinner? Chicken & Broccoli Pasta with Pine Nuts!

It sounds so simple, but it's so good! My sister came up with this recipe years ago (and where she got it from, I have no idea.) I don't even use a recipe, it's that easy to make! But I will share with you what I used tonight to make our yummy dinner!

Easy dinner from leftovers? Yes, please!

Chicken & Broccoli Pasta with Pine Nuts

What you need:

1/2 Rotisserie chicken

about 2 cups of broccoli florets

a handful of pine nuts

chicken broth

olive oil

crushed garlic

balsamic vinegar

pasta (usually I use farfalle, but tonight I had spaghetti noodles so I used those)

parmesan cheese ( I didn't use this tonight)

(Most of the ingredients don't have measurements, I just use what looks good and add from there.)

What to Do:

1. Toast pine nuts in pan. (Don't burn the first batch like I did, those things are expensive!) Then set aside for later. Meanwhile boil water for the pasta in a separate pot.

2. Put olive oil and garlic in the pan and add chicken broth, vinegar and broccoli. Let simmer.

3. Shred chicken and place in the pan too. Let simmer and thicken. Add more broth and vinegar as needed.

4. After pasta is done, mix everything together and add pine nuts back into the dish.

5. Serve with a sprinkle of parmesan and enjoy!