R.I.P Thrift Store.

Oh heyyyy, it's been a busy weekend, but *mostly* good stuff. I say *mostly* because my beloved thrift store- the one where I find gems like vintage Adidas track pants- closed for good. I know people say that if you want the best stuff, you've gotta go to the thrift stores in the expensive suburbs, but ahem, the opposite is true. Gems include finding a Longchamp tote, Burberry kids clothes, and a Gucci purse. RIP, Unique. 

The main event of the weekend was my best friend Shanna's wedding. I'm not going to spill the beans too much with photos, but man alive, no detail went unnoticed and it was a beautiful day!

We opted to take a family walk on Sunday at a local nature preserve.

When little brother tries to follow dad and big brother on the fallen tree and falls off. 

So speaking of autumn, spaghetti squash is one of the staple seasonal items, but I get a lot of questions about what to actually do with it. I personally don't care for the ol' cover it with marinara. I prefer an Alfredo sauce. A chicken Alfredo sauce. A chicken Alfredo sauce with spinach!

Heeeeeere we go!

Chicken Spinach Alfredo Sauce

-3 tablespoons butter

-3 tablespoons olive oil

-1/2 cup flour

-1 8 oz block Neufchatel cream cheese

-5 cups 1% milk

-1/2 cup shredded/grated Parmesan cheese

-2 tablespoons Italian seasoning

-1 teaspoon ground black pepper

-2 cups cooked shredded or diced chicken

-1 bag fresh baby spinach

#ChickenSpinachAlfredoSauce

In a large pot over medium-high heat, heat butter and olive oil. A quick "why" here- obvs butter tastes amazing, but olive oil has heart healthy fats. I split the difference! Once butter is melted, whisk in the flour. Next whisk in the cream cheese. You will be rolling your eyes at this point, doubting that this will EVER become creamy Alfredo. 

Whisk in 1 cup of the milk, letting it fully incorporate into the flour/cheese blob. Whisk in the remaining milk. Stir continuously until the milk begins to bubble up and boil. Boil for one minute, then turn heat to low. Sauce will be thicker at this point. Stir in Parmesan, Italian seasoning, pepper, chicken, and spinach. 

How easy, right? Makes six generous servings. Per serving: 400 calories. One cup of cooked spaghetti squash is only 75 calories, so all things considered this is a super hearty meal with an appropriate amount of calories!

On strike #2

You guys, trying to make GG crackers might be the blogger death of me.

Okay maybe I'm a little dramatic. I've had two fails so far, so maybe I need to play by baseball rules and go for third before I officially quit.

After a week of 80 and 90 degree temperatures, yesterday's cool rain was so nice.

Exactly how nice, you ask? NICE ENOUGH FOR A FALL SCENTED CANDLE, BABY!

I'm so basic- you already kno-ow! Yesterday while my awful crackers were baking, I busted out the construction paper so my oldest and I could make some Halloween decorations.

"Hey Mom, will you make an exit sign for the trick or treaters?"

"NOOOOOO! Not like THAAAAAT! Like a road one!"

Yep.

Those spooky spiderwebs on the bottom of the door? Authentic! I'm not paying for fake spiderwebbing.

I'm throwing a repost at you today since those crackers didn't turn out. I'M NOT BITTER, I swear. Tonight's dinner is one of our cool weather staples- chili. Chillllllaaaaaaayyyyyy! We eat it probably every 10 days. It's been years since I posted it but every time I bring it to an event or work potluck, it gets great feedback. So, get your fall candle/Frankenstein/witch pumpkin/Exit sign on and check it out.

Slow Cooker Chili -1 lb extra lean ground beef -1 large yellow onion, diced -1 can pumpkin puree -2 cans mild chili beans -2 cans petite diced tomatoes with chiles (like Ro-Tel) -1 teaspoon salt -1 teaspoon pepper -1 teaspoon dried parsley -1/2 teaspoon onion powder -1/2 teaspoon garlic powder -Dash of hot sauce (if you want it mild, omit- if you want medium heat, go for a tablespoon) -2 cans hot water #SlowCookerChili

In a large saute pan over medium high heat, cook ground beef + diced onions until beef is no longer pink. Pour into slow cooker and add all the rest of the ingredients. Stir to combine. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

The pumpkin- yes, weird ingredient, huh? But trust me- it adds a creamy smooth texture and a huge amount of vitamin A without making it taste like pumpkin. No one has ever been able to guess it's in there.

Okay, my oven is calling...hope I won't be calling strike 3 next time you hear from me!

Baptism Sunday AKA Get Your Eat On

This past Sunday our church pastor baptized both our girls.

Whew.

After that giant step in Christian faith had been accomplished, my parents hosted our families for a lunch feast. 

The babes often hold hands now which is pretty much the sweetest thing ever. Also, you bet I'm saving this photo for when they're 13 years old and bickering. 

Fun fact- my grandparents on my mom's side passed away in recent years. Their names were Margaret and Alan, though everyone- even non-family- called him Poppy. When I saw this dress online at Nordstrom I knew I had to have it as it was the "Margaret Poppy Dress." In the tiniest of ways it made me feel like a part of them was there for it all. 

After some naps were had by most of us, it was time for dinner. Mac helped me raid the garden for these gems:

I'm going to tell you something SERIOUSLY CONTROVERSIAL about my husband. 

He doesn't like tomatoes or zucchini. 

Gaaaaaah. 

That's like 95% of my garden. However, I accepted the challenge to prepare it in a way that he finds palatable, or even tasty. 

Italian Roasted Vegetables

1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes

2 zucchini or summer squash, sliced ~1/4"

2 small or one large sweet onion, sliced into ~1/2" thick pieces

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/3 cup bread crumbs (plain or Italian)

2/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lay out veggies on a large rimmed sheet pan. Drizzle olive oil, toss to coat, then add seasonings. Roast for ~25-30 minutes, stirring once or twice. Once they're starting to brown a bit, crank up the heat to a low broil. Sprinkle bread crumbs, then mozzarella, and returning to broiling oven. Keep a close eye on them as the bread crumbs and cheese will get nice toasty brown in only a few minutes. Remove from oven and serve!

#italianroastedveggies

Gah! Roasty goodness!

The verdict? My husband- unprompted- said he really liked it. Winner winner, literally we ate chicken and veggies for dinner. 

A great way to end a perfect day!