Salted Caramel Old Fashioned

We had this cocktail at The Old Talbott Tavern in Bardstown, KY (we did a camping road trip with friends and found this place while exploring the cute town - the Tavern has been there since the late 1700's!) and it was so good, I took a picture of the description so I can recreate it in the future. 

Bourbon, butterscotch liqueur, and spiced simple syrup. Glass partially rimmed in sea salt, the garnish seemed to be a frozen Kraft square caramel on a skewer (the description says 'chewy' but it was hard as a rock!). 

Ginny had the apple cider mule and loved it too...

I found a bunch of recipes online for spiced simple syrup, most have cinnamon sticks, cloves, and allspice  - this one I found at thespruceeats looks good. 

10.31.24: italian style frittata

10.31.23: Happy Halloween

10.31.22: Jen's charspookerie board

10.31.21: 🔥 week 44

10.31.20: braised short ribs in tomato bbq sauce 

10.31.19: succulent garden

10.31.18: hulless pumpkin seeds 

10.31.2017: Cathy's pumpkin seeds 


10.31.15: witch hat cupcakes

Doily "Spiderweb" Framed Art

Last minute decorating idea for Halloween - I know, I know, why do I always wait so long to share ideas so close to the holiday? I'll try to remember to show you this one again earlier in October next year!

I saw this in a storefront window while we were walking around Bardstown, KY last week, I happen to have a few doilies that my grandma crocheted and I'm so doing a take on this next Halloween. I will probably not add the leaves or shiny ghost, personal preference - but I enjoy the framed doily representing a spiderweb, with the giant plastic sparkly spider on it. Cute, right? 

10.30.24: blueberry coffee cake (lightened up)

10.30.23: crockpot macaroni and cheese

10.30.22: 🔥 week 44

10.30.21: roasted pumpkin seeds

10.30.20: brain hemorrhage shots 

10.30.19: sharpie art treat bags

10.30.18: mummy calzone

10.30.17: brain hemorrhage jello shots

10.30.16: mummy pretzels

10.30.15: spider lantern

MFIH: Crockpot Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta

My sis sent me this recipe she saw on FB so I made it for 'family feast', I only changed a couple things and everyone seemed to like it. Here's here review, recipe follows:

This week’s dinner was a delicious mix of chicken and bacon and ranch. I know this because the title was “chicken bacon ranch”. Haha. I loved the flavor of this, it reminded me a bit of a chicken bacon ranch pizza. I am hoping it was healthier than that. Lol. It did make me feel like perhaps it needed a vegetable in it? So the next day I had the leftovers mixed with steamed mixed vegetables and I have to be honest, I liked that even more. I don’t have a picture of the casserole, but I do have a picture of it the next day mixed with the veggies! Either way I found this one to be delicious!

next day with added veggies 

CROCKPOT CHICKEN BACON RANCH PASTA

• 2 lbs. chicken tenders
• 1 packet ranch seasoning
• 1 t. garlic powder
• 1 t. onion powder
• 1 T. Kinder's Buttery Garlic and Herb seasoning
• 1/2 t. black pepper
• 1 block (8 oz) cream cheese
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 bag shredded mozzarella cheese (about 2 cups)
• 8-10 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1 lb. bowtie pasta, cooked
• fresh parsley for garnish, optional 

1. Place chicken tenders in the crockpot and season with ranch seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, Kinder's seasoning, and pepper.

2. Add the cream cheese and chicken broth.

3. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours. 

4. Shred the chicken then stir in the mozzarella until melted and creamy.

5. Add the cooked bowtie pasta and toss until evenly coated in the sauce.

6. Top with crumbled bacon and garnish with parsley before serving warm. 

*my notes:

1. I put boneless chicken breasts in the crockpot along with seasonings and broth, cooked it on HIGH until the meat was falling apart. Removed the chicken from the crockpot and shredded, return to the crockpot and added the cream cheese at that point, cooked on low until the cream cheese melted. Continued with the rest of the recipe as written. 

2. I couldn't find Kinder's Buttery Garlic and Herb, so I got Kinder's Buttery Poultry Blend instead. 

3. I sprinkled grated parmesan on top when serving. 

FB recipe found under 'Recipes with Scotty'

10.29.24: TT uploading images to Cricut

10.29.23: 🔥 week 44

10.29.22: mummy pretzel rods

10.29.21: creamy grape salad

10.29.20: witch hat cupcakes

10.29.19: black cat string lights

10.29.18: bloodshot eyeball appetizer

10.29.17: Jen's easy spider cookies

10.29.16: brain hemorrhage drink

10.29.15: skeleton pretzels

Tip-sy Tuesday: Sleeping with the Bedroom Doors closed

I just read an article on BHG about why you should sleep with the bedroom doors closed at night: 

“We see time and time again the difference a closed door can make,” says Williams. Per FSRI’s Close Before You Doze campaign, a shut door can slow the spread of the fire by cutting off its oxygen supply. This small action can equate to a 900-degree difference between a room with its door closed and one with it opened. A shut door can also keep carbon monoxide levels at 1,000 PPM versus 10,000 PPM in an open room.

There's more info in the article you can find here if you want to read more. Click my link or copy and paste:

https://www.bhg.com/should-you-sleep-with-the-bedroom-door-shut-8746957?hid=7879d48acf87a229a7b0be6e6d995f43dafff8eb&did=19144570-20250827&utm_campaign=bhg-decorating_newsletter&utm_source=bhg&utm_medium=email&utm_content=082725&lctg=7879d48acf87a229a7b0be6e6d995f43dafff8eb&lr_input=07aa21da6fabac7b88a825cecc8ec705b02f551b7045da5bf8cf696d514e0c11

10.28.24: kid craft: painting pumpkins

10.28.23: words

10.28.22: root vegetable pasties

10.28.21: Mr. Bones and double dips

10.28.20: zombie brain cheese ball

10.28.19: spa day pumpkin

10.28.18: 🔥

10.28.17: devils food cupcakes with orange swirled frosting

10.28.16: pumpkin spice soap

10.28.15: tissue paper flowers

Kid Craft: t.p. jack o'lantern

Here's another quick easy kid craft for Halloween that the campground had for kids to make - you just color an empty toilet paper roll (or cut an empty paper towel roll in half) and stick on glow-in-the-dark eyes (or attach googly eyes, that'd be cute too).  

Click here for the other camp kid craft I posted last week. 

10.27.24: 🔥 week 43

10.27.23: MSTI banana bread

10.27.22: pasta, chicken, broccoli bake

10.27.21: Butterscotch bundt cake

10.27.20: TT: storing seeds

10.27.19: 🔥week 43

10.27.18: Tesha's pumpkin treat bags

10.27.17: candy corn cupcake

10.27.16: deer/trophy wife costume

10.27.15: mummy meatballs

🔥 Around the Campfire (week 43)

Dear Campers ~ 

Here's a quick recap in case you missed anything at camp last week:

Posts ~

10/19: 🔥 week 42

10/20: MSIH: lasagna soup

10/21: TT gluten-free cake mix

10/22: mummy calzone (repeat)

10/23: k-cup ghost (repeat)

10/24: kid craft: spiders

10/25: words (donut buddy)

That's it for this week! See you next week for more projects, crafts, recipes, whatever we can think of to make at camp - bye :)

Sincerely ~

Jill

camp counselor

10.26.24: words (pumpkin spice)

10.26.23: Halloween wine bottle candle holder 

10.26.22: painted rock snake

10.26.21: apple crisp w/caramel drizzle

10.26.20: pop tab earrings by Grace

10.26.19: bell pepper jack o'lantern

10.26.18: baby footprint ghosts
10.26.17: mummy cupcakes
10.26.16: 2 ingredient pumpkin spice cookies
10.26.15: no-sew trick or treat backpack

10/25 ~ Words

I'm dedicating this today to Janis, miss being with you on donut day!!! 

10.25.24: caramel apple cider cocktail

10.25.23: baby footprint art

10.25.22: dijon-fig sauce

10.25.21: fall owl wreath

10.25.19: mummy calzone

10.25.18: bat treat holder

10.25.17: Sarge's bat halloween costume

10.25.16: paper covered candle

10.25.15: cinnamon chicken with pumpkin polenta

 

Kid Craft: spiders!

We are camping and the office is doing free kid crafts for Halloween - I saw these spiders and thought they are so cute so I took a couple figuring Georgie will like making them. Then I realized I should share this with you in case you want any Halloween kid craft ideas. So easy - cut circles from cardboard and punch 4 holes on each side. Color the cardboard however you want. Attach small 4" zip ties to the holes for legs. I took a bad example picture in the office for reference before I thought to blog it so it isn't a great pic, but you get the idea right?

10.24.24: end of season roasted tomatoes

10.24.23: TT babies and paint

10.24.22: bottle display cabinet

10.24.21: 🔥 week 43

10.24.20: spooky eye makeup by Grace

10.24.19: MSIH: pumpkin pie twists

10.24.18: Lisa's tater tot casserole

10.24.17: chocolate covered owl pretzels

10.24.16: creepy black bobblehead bat

10.24.15: "App" halloween costume

K-cup Ghosts (re-run)

 This is from 2016, I forgot how cute this turned out! Here's the original post:

Start saving your k-cups!! I saw this idea on Pinterest (along with tons of other cute things to make with used k-cups - I'm sure I'll be making more things with them in the future) and immediately started saving the cups every morning. (In case you don't know, K-cups are the coffee pod things that go inside a Keurig one cup coffee maker.) They are just little white plastic cups, with a filter attached inside holding coffee grounds - after you've made your coffee just peel of the foil top and remove the filter and grounds, then rinse and dry the cup. After you've saved up a few of them you'll be able to make this super cute ghost garland in time for Halloween.

So easy - I just drew faces on the cups using a fat sharpie marker. Cut a few little slits around the hole that gets poked into the bottom of the k-cup when you make your coffee and stick a mini light strand bulb inside - continue for as long as your light strand is, or however long you want it. I did every other light bulb and it looks great... how cute is this idea?

10.23.24: halloween doormat

10.23.23: Brooke's Halloween pumpkin 

10.23.22: 🔥 week 43

10.23.21: skeleton pretzels

10.23.20: spiced cake with brown sugar caramel glaze

10.23.19: pretzel buttercream frosting

10.23.18: stick pumpkin art, and a pinecone bat

10.23.17: thank goodness for you candy jar

10.23.16: hanging felt bats

10.23.15: pumpkins on a bench 

Mummy Calzone

I've posted this before but the first time I posted the day before Halloween not giving anyone time to plan ahead, and then a year later which was in 2019 - after 6 years I thought I'd show you again, I love this one!

Unroll a tube of pizza dough and flatten evenly on a piece of parchment paper (I tried to do this on a baking sheet but until the calzone is formed it's bigger than the baking sheet and was too awkward to handle - so assemble it on the counter and then carefully transfer it to the sheet). Make cuts along the sides of the dough, I used a metal spatula as a guide to make the cuts even, about 3" in towards the center of the dough. Spread pizza sauce and whatever toppings you want - I just did cheese using a 5 blend shredded mix - then fold the cut sides up and over the toppings overlapping the pieces creating a mummy effect; brush with a little beaten egg (that helps it get golden brown when baked). Bake at 350' for 20-25 minutes. Remove to a serving plate, add 2 slices of black olives for "eyes",  cut into slices, serve with a side of pizza sauce if you want to dip (which I do).

Cute, easy, and tastes great!

Click here for recipe source  

10.22.24: TT tomato paste can tip

10.22.23: 🔥 week 43

10.22.22: char-spook-erie 

10.22.21: pumpkin vase

10.22.20: spiderweb eye makeup by Grace

10.22.19: orange pumpkins

10.22.18: Sarge's beanie baby costume (aka cutest Scottie costume ever)

10.22.17: crockpot tot casserole

10.22.16: paper covered letters

10.22.15: halloween nail art

Tip-sy Tuesday: GF cake mix

A quick little tip today in case you have any cake baking to do for anyone gluten-free - I have been having great success using King Arthur Flour Gluten-Free Yellow Cake Mix (nope, not getting paid to say this hahahha, I've just been pleased!) 

10.21.24: repurposing a chandelier

10.21.23: words

10.21.22: leaf window wreath

10.21.21: shepherds pie potato bowl

10.21.20: cracked sugar cookies

10.21.19: tissue paper pumpkin

10.21.18: 🔥 week 42

10.21.17: Michelle's crockpot caramel sauce

10.21.16: halloween door covers

10.21.15: black and orange cookies

MFIH: Lasagna Soup

A new camping friend sent me a recipe for vegan lasagna soup and I bought all the ingredients to make a gluten free version - but I ended up adapting it a bit so it isn't vegan anymore but tastes really good, and if you follow the vegan recipe I'm sure it will also be good! I made this for the "my family is hungry" meal this week and we have so many different tastes and preferences I asked how they wanted me to make this one and the majority picked my adding meat and using dairy. Thanks to Lisa for the inspiration - I will share how I made it and will link the recipe she sent. First up is my sister's review (Paige said this is her favorite of the weekly meals so far but didn't write a review) in her words, and the recipe will follow:

Have I mentioned that I love when my sister cooks for us? Cuz I really do. 

This week was lasagna soup. I normally wouldn’t think those two words go together. Lasagna and Soup- but in this case they do! This was kind of like a soup, but really more like goulash. Like runny pasta. I’m not making it sound very good, but it really was. The flavor was great, it had these scoops of cheese stuff on the top (I’m sure that’s the official name- “cheese stuff”) and it Was great! After I see the recipe, if it’s not too hard I would make it again! 

LASAGNA SOUP

• 1/2 pound lean ground beef 
• 1/2 pound ground Italian sausage 
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 T. olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 T. tomato paste
• 24 oz. tomato passata or marinara
• 1/4t. red pepper flakes
• 2 t. dried parsley
• 2 t. Italian seasoning (or combination of oregano and basil), more or less to taste
• 7 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 9 lasagna noodles, broken into pieces (note I used no-boil and added them dry)
• 2 cups fresh spinach leaves, chopped (optional)
• 10 oz. ricotta cheese
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese 

• In a large pot over medium-high heat, cook ground beef and sausage until browned. Season with salt and pepper as you cook. Drain grease and remove meat from the pot.
• In a large pot heat olive oil over medium heat. Toss in diced onion and sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add in minced garlic and cook for another minute or two.
• Stir in tomato paste, marinara sauce, spices, and broth. Return meat to pot.
• Bring to boil then add lasagna noodles (broken into 4ths) to pot
  and reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until noodles
  are tender.  Add spinach, if using.
• In a small bowl, stir together mozzarella, Parmesan and ricotta cheeses
• Ladle the hot soup into bowls, and a scoop of the cheese mixture on top. 

  

  
  NOTE: I did take one thing from the vegan recipe that I wanted to try, in that recipe it calls for red lentils to add more protein - I wasn't sure how it would taste so I made some in a small saucepan on the side and then added them into the finished soup. I couldn't taste or see them so not sure it made much of a difference in the recipe as written above. 

neither of our photos does this soup justice, the cheese melts into the
hot soup and makes it creamy deliciousness 

recipe found here at taste better from scratch 
The vegan lasagna soup recipe Lisa shared that was my inspiration can be found here at veganricha.com 

10.20.24: 🔥 week 42

10.20.23: turkey, rice and veggie dog food

10.20.22: cast iron skillet pizza re-run

10.20.21: Mac and cheese stuffed burger

10.20.20: TT: organizing fabric

10.20.19: 🔥week 42

10.20.18: apple crumb cheesecake pie

10.20.17: ghost windsock

10.20.16: make a Jack O'Lantern candy jar

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🔥 Around the Campfire (week 42)

Dear Campers ~ 

Here's a quick recap in case you missed anything at camp last week - actually we had an unexpected week of repeats...life got a little away from me!

Posts ~

10/12: 🔥 week 41

10/13: thru the years

10/14: thru the years

10/15: thru the years

10/16: thru the years

10/17: thru the years

10/18: thru the years

That's it for this week! See you next week for more projects, crafts, recipes, whatever we can think of to make at camp - bye :)

Sincerely ~

Jill

camp counselor

10.19.24: words (black cat)

10.19.23: chocolate chevron cake 

10.19.22: bacon jam re-run

10.19.21: TT- enchilada sauce

10.19.20: crochet cat basket

10.19.19: mummy meatballs

10.19.18: coffee filter ghost sucker wreath

10.19.2017: bloody handprint decals
10.19.2016: graveyard dirt cake
10.19.2015: halloween gingerbread houses

  

10/17 ~ Words

10.17.24: the amazing plumeria 

10.17.23: TT corner bed headboard

10.17.22: 10.17.22 

10.17.21: 🔥 week 42

10.17.20: panko crusted baked scallops

10.17.19: MSIH: chicken spaghetti

10.17.18: mini pumpkin diorama

10.17.2017: make a candy corn wreath

10.17.2016: paint a Halloween canvas

10/16 ~ Thru the Years

10.16.24: Halloween puppy chow

10.16.23: Halloween baggie wreath (re-run)

10.16.22: missed

10.16.21: beef and black bean enchiladas

10.16.20: popsicle stick rainbow by Brooke

10.16.19: german chocolate pie

10.16.18: white chicken chili

10.16.17: Ronda's October display table

10.16.16: burger salad

10.16.15: jack o'lantern gift enclosure 

10/15 ~ Thru the Years

10.15.24: TT freezing apples

10.15.23: 🔥 week 42

10.15.22: missed

10.15.21: crockpot ribs

10.15.20: black and blue jilly jam

10.15.19: tip-sy tuesday: layering mascara by Brooke

10.15.18: sequin pumpkin

10.15.17: birthday hat bottle topper

10.15.16: old bay knock-off recipe

10.15.15: kitten miniature pumpkin