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This time of year always brings up so many memories of growing up. I love fall – sweaters & sweatshirts, forests of fiery leaves, crisp, cool air, breezy, sunny walks, the smell of fires and apples and baked goods, and, of course, pumpkin carving. When I see an intricately carved jack-o-lantern, I always picture my grandpa on the back porch at my grandparent’s house creating jack-o-lantern masterpieces. My Poppy was an avid jack-o-lantern champ! I’d eventually end up raking leaves into huge piles and jumping around in them but he’d emerge from his huddled position over the pumpkin and I was always in sheer amazement at how he had come up with yet another piece of pumpkin perfection. Their house was the last house on the block and everyone from the entire neighborhood – and I’m sure beyond – always came out to the vast array of faces – silly and scary alike. Oh, sigh, childhood snapshots in time that I miss so very much.

This year, as I started to wish so badly that I could recreate one of his masterpieces just one more time, my mind started to wander to the reason why we have this strange tradition. Ever wonder why we carve faces into pumpkins?

A little easy research and I’ve found myself thoroughly educated on the subject. In short, carving jack-o-lanterns was an ancient Celtic practice on a holiday called “Samhein,” a holiday reserved to honor the memory of deceased family and friends. The jack-o-lanterns would be lighted by burning lumps of coal and placed in the windows and doorsteps of the homes on the last day of harvest. Now, I was surprised to find that it wasn’t actually the pumpkin that the Irish used, but rather hollowed out turnips, gourds, or potatoes.

When the Irish began to immigrate to North America, they brought this tradition along with them. Turnips weren’t so plentiful in our part of the world, but pumpkins definitely were and they were found to make for much more elaborate jack-o-lanterns. While the actual traditions of Samhein was buried along with our ancestors hundreds of years ago, you will still find most houses glowing brightly this week with their very own homemade jack-o-lanterns welcoming home their little trick or treaters.

My research has also given me a few pumpkin picking tips that need to be shared. A couple of things to keep in mind when pick out your pumpkin is that you will always want to make a trip to a pumpkin patch – it’s so quaint and rustic, you almost always get a hayride out to the pumpkin patch out of it! Plus, you will always get the freshest pumpkin when you pick it straight from the vine. A farm stand would be the second best choice to pick up your pumpkin b/c they were picked locally and you know they haven’t endured abuse during a long trip to the supermarket. Try to sit the pumpkin upright when it’s still attached to the vine to make sure that it sits level. Make sure that the stem is still attached to the pumpkin; pumpkins that are ready for harvest should have dried, brittle stems that are easily broken from the vine. Make sure your pumpkin has a vibrant orange color and is free of bruises and scaring, soft spots or any signs of mold. Carry your pumpkin by the base and make sure to store it in a cool place until you are ready to carve it.

This year will be my first year without my Poppy’s Pumpkin Patch, so, I’m attempting to make him proud and create a couple of my own tonight. I found a few pumpkin design books for $5.00 each that I downloaded straight to my computer – pretty fancy, huh?! They are unbelievable – you won’t be disappointed. So, wish me luck – I hope to make my Poppy proud!

Jack-o-lanterns aren’t the only things that pumpkins are good for! For the very best in Fall fare and activities, visit Pumpkinfest with Simplicity Gourmet today!

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Your choices are unlimited when it comes to your wedding and reception. Each choice and decision you make speaks of your individual taste. Guests love to see those unique individual touches as they unfold throughout the wedding. They are what make each wedding and couple unique! Could you imagine if all weddings were a cookie cutter of the previous one….snore, snore, boring!

If you choose to ride to the ceremony in a limo with your bridal party, you are not limited to leaving the reception in the same limo you arrived in. Be creative and put your final signature on the big departure as husband and wife. This is the beginning of your new life together, so make a statement and make it yours! There are so many choices! Vintage car, hot air balloon, helicopter, horse and carriage, boat, trolley, sleigh in the winter, dog sled, snowmobile, golf cart, motorcycle, scooter, tractor, or even a 4-wheeler.

No matter what your choice, you can bet when you put your unique signature on your departure, you will leave a lasting impression that your guests will talk about. Have fun exploring all the possibilities!

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The best time to begin picking the flowers that will become your bouquet is after you have chosen your dress. You want to make sure your bridal bouquet compliments and enhances your dress. This will be determined by the style, intricate details or lack of details and formality of your dress. Once that decision is made you can begin picking flowers for your bridal bouquet!

Like most of the components in your wedding, the way to get started is to look at pictures. You probably won’t know exactly what your style is or the exact flowers you want. But look, look on the web, look in bridal magazines and browse the wedding bouquet gallery we built just for you!

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Have you ever wondered what a “Parsnip” is like? I’m sure you’ve seen parsnips as you meander through the produce deparment. I”m even more sure, you always quickly think to yourself: What recipes would I use parsnips in? What are the health benefits of them? What are they like? Well, wonder no more! I think that a lot of people are intimidated by the way parsnips look and therefore, shy away from them – which makes me very sad for them. Don’t judge a book by its cover!

Parsnips have a nutty, peppery, sweet flavor that you just won’t find in any other veggie. They are good pretty much any way that you want to make them: roasted, baked, fried, sautéed, mashed, and they are awesome in deserts (a lot like it’s cousin the carrot).

Parsnips have historically been the favored vegetable for Europeans over carrots and potatoes. They were introduced to America in the late 16th century but sadly come in a dismal third to carrots and potatoes to the American taste buds. Parsnips are a root vegetable, resembling a creamy white carrot but are considered far more nutritionally superior. They are beneficial for lowering cholesterol and loosing and maintaining a healthy weight. They are low in saturated fat, sodium, and cholesterol. They are high in dietary fiber, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Folic Acid, Manganese, and Potassium.

Parsnips are at their best in the winter after the first frost – the cold turns their starch into sugar which gives them their sweet flavor. They are available at your grocer from late fall through early spring – so, for many of you out there, it’s prime time for parsnips in your area! When you get your parsnips home from the store, it’s best to wrap them in a moist paper towel and store in a dark location in your fridge. They will keep for two weeks or longer, making them an ideal vegetable to buy in bulk!

I have 3 Parsnip Side Dishes and 1 Parsnip Dessert that I absolutely LOVE and I’m going to share them here with you today. Of course, I cook all my food on stainless steel bake ware and waterless cookware, if you need any adaptations to these recipes, feel free to email me anytime: ksnyder@simplicitygourmet.com. I hope you enjoy these special Parsnip recipes as much as my friends, family, and I do.

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My family went on a camping trip this past weekend!  I have not been camping in 12 years, yikes!  Needless to say, I was a little nervous about the whole experience.  I had thoughts like: “How am I going to keep the tent clean?” “How do I keep the insects out of my tent?” “I don’t want hot dogs and smores every night (though the smores were pretty darn good), what we will eat?” “What if I freeze?” “How much bug spray is too much?” ”How sanitary are the bathrooms, wait, are there bathrooms?”  Ha, laugh if you want but these are seriously the thoughts I had.

Before I had a total melt down, my husband reassured me that everything would be fine! Did you gals get that he said fine, not good, but fine.  So, I took a deep breath and told myself I will go and do this for the sake of my family.  This did not prevent me from making a list of things to bring that fit on a legal pad piece of paper. If I was going, I was going to be prepared! That’s my motto, Prepare to be Prepared…just kidding…well, not really…

It was cold, ok, that one was actually a rational fear…I think I actually froze one night! On the whole, though, it was one of the most enjoyable times I have had with my family in a really long time.  To be away from TV and Video Games, and get back to the roots of everything was really nice.  It makes you realize how beautiful this earth is and how beautiful family is. Needless to say, yes, I “Wanna Get Away” and go camping again with my family!

With that said, let me share with you some AWESOME camping recipes to keep you from starving or having to eat hot dogs each night. This will add complete simplicity into your cooking and make it eatable at the same time. I hope you and your family enjoy them so very much and remember, cherish these special moments together and create memories that will last a lifetime!

Camp Fire Muffins

6 Oranges & 2 Pkgs. Muffin Mix, any flavor

Directions:
Cut oranges in half and scoop out orange segments (it is the hollowed peel shells that you need, but keep the fruit for use with fruit salad or juice). Prepare the muffin mix according to package directions. Fill the orange peel cups half full of batter. Wrap each one loosely with heavy duty aluminum foil. Place in hot coals and make certain the batter side stays up. Cook 5 – 10 minutes, until muffins are done.

Camp Pocket Dinner

Ground Hamburger or Chicken, Potatoes, sliced, Carrots, sliced, Worcestershire Sauce, Foil Bag, Garlic Powder, Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:

Season meat with garlic, salt & Pepper to your tastes. Shape the meat into a patty, slice potatoes and carrots and toss Worcestershire sauce, garlic, salt & pepper. Place the veggies over the meat and wrap in a foil bag. Cook on the coals until the meat is done and the veggies are tender.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Cake Donuts, Pineapple Slices, Butter, Brown Sugar

Directions:
Take a large square of aluminum foil. Cut a cake donut in half. Lay a pineapple slice on the donut half. Put a few dollops of butter on. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Put other half of donut on top and seal tightly in foil. Lay on coals for about 10-15 minutes. Open carefully as it will be very hot.

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So…we’ve finally made it. Noon last Saturday was go time! Of course, we both had a whole slew of things on our minds that we wanted to partake in but we just weren’t really willing to risk any stomach issues to do it. But…there was one thing that we both just had to have…one thing that our love never waned from…can anyone guess what that would be? You’ve got it…Cheez-Its! J

Check out our veteran advice on how to break an extended fast today!

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As I write this, I am both saddened and exited to say that we only have four days, three hours, and 44 minutes left on our juice fast. This week, Jenna and I both are taking a deep look into the inner workings of our fast and making our lists and checking them twice of everything, spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically, that we have learned and are taking with us for the rest of this weight loss journey.

 Find out our fasting insights and weight loss total now!

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I found an article on wedding registry and I thought I would share it.

1. Give your guests plenty of options
Telling your guests what to buy and where to go isn’t much fun for them. But giving them a choice in stores and in products makes them a cheerful giver. Choose more items than necessary to provide more options and don’t limit your interests down to one store. Put a little bit of fun into the mix by signing up with very different types of stores like REI, The Home Depot or even a lingerie store.

2. Let your relatives be as kind or as cheap as they want to be.
It’s their choice. Some relatives may go all out to buy you something you really want. Others will think your value is limited in dollar amount. Some relatives simply cannot afford an expensive gift as much as they may love you. Taking into account everybody’s circumstances is important. So be sure and buy plenty of inexpensive gifts.

3. Plan for early shopping and late gifts.
It is customary to open registration, at least in one store, a short time after the engagement is finalized. This allows friends and family to purchase preliminary gifts for engagement showers and other pre-wedding events. Eventually you will open more registries with different stores and these ordinarily are good for one year after your wedding ceremony. This allows for late presents including as honeymoon registry gifts.

4. Don’t invite people to buy for you.
This seems like common knowledge, but a lot of people are in the habit of sending bridal registry information on wedding invitations, or on special cards printed up by bridal websites. This is not polite and encourages the idea of “soliciting gifts.” The polite way to announce a bridal registry system is through word of mouth.

Another acceptable way might be to include a subtle notation on the bridal shower invitations, since the future bride and groom do not send them personally. Another prolific way to spread the news is via a website. The important thing is, that newly weds do not directly ask for presents.

5. Say Thank You!
It’s only good manners to say thank you after receiving a gift. All the more so should newlyweds be appreciative when it’s precisely the gifts they wanted. So sending thank you notes is a very important practice-and yet one that can easily be forgotten in the midst of wedding nerves. Always remember your manners in this most elegant time period.

http://www.wedding-web-site.com/bridal_registration_etiquette.shtml

Check out this registry… www.simplicitybridalregistry.com

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