10.31.2016

Monday Miscellaneous + A Winner!

Happy Monday & Happy Halloween!

I have some miscellaneous for you on this Halloween Monday!

{ONE}
This weekend we watched It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
We watch this every October. 
One of my favorite Halloween traditions :)

{TWO}
It rained all day yesterday.
We have been so busy every weekend in October that it was so nice to have a mellow day at home watching football, the World Series & just hanging out & pumpkins.
 And, of course carving pumpkins means pumpkin seeds! Yum!
That is my favorite part of carving pumpkins :)
My pumpkin seed recipe is HERE.

I also got my costume ready....our staff theme for teachers is 80's...here is a sneak peek of my outfit:
I can't wait to show you my full costume :)


{THREE}
Today our court is having it's annual block party for Halloween.
I am bringing my Crock Pot Turkey Meatballs (I need to blog these...so good!)
I am also bringing my Pumpkin Dip:
All you do is mix together:
 1 block of cream cheese (at room temp)
 2 cups of powdered sugar, 1 (15oz) can of pumpkin
1 T cinnamon, & 1 T pumpkin pie spice. 
Blend together. Keep chilled until you serve it. Serve with gingersnaps.
SOOOOO good. I could eat the whole batch. 

I am also making Zombie Eyeballs...

Zombie Eyeballs Recipe {here}
These are super easy to make & the kids love them!


{FOUR}
My Halloween Flash Sale ends TONIGHT at midnight! 
My Halloween Flash Sale is going on & ends October 31st.

For all my new preferred customers, get $31 cash back, 10% off your order and Free Shipping! 
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{FIVE}
Last Monday was my 6th annual Crock-tober post.
On that post I was giving away an Instant Pot & a $100 Amazon Gift Card.
I am OBSESSED with my Instant Pot!!!!
The winner is:
Susan
Congratulations! Leave me a comment or send me an email so I can get your prize sent to you!

Speaking of slow cookers, here are some of my Favorite Recipes using a Slow Cooker!

I am linking up with Erika & Andrea for their Let's Talk. The topic is Recipes, so I thought I would share some of my favorite slow cooker recipes in honor of Crocktober!
(If you click on the name, it will take you to the recipe)







Have a safe & fun Halloween!

10.28.2016

Thai Chicken Pizza

As you may know.....pizza is my favorite food. 
I could eat it everyday.
  At Christmas I got THIS pizza maker.
(It is also on sale HERE)
We have been making pizza for dinner a few times a month since we got it! 
I have been experimenting with different pizza toppings/recipes and there have been some REALLY good ones!
Once a month I share a new pizza recipe with you.
You don't need the pizza maker (you can use your oven) but I am letting you know that using this pizza maker gives your pizza an authentic pizzeria taste! 
I am planning on sharing a new pizza recipe every month.
Today's recipe is another one of my favorites....Thai Chicken Pizza!
Here is what you need:
 For the Sauce:
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons Red Wine Vinegar
1 teaspoons ginger
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon chili sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
2 tablespoons water

For the pizza:
1 pizza dough (I use pre-made dough from Safeway or Trader Joes.  I like Safeway's better because it so much easier to work with & tastes better! You can make your own dough, but when the pre-made dough is only $1.50, this is a no brainer!
 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 chicken breast, cooked & cut up into cubes or shredded
4 scallions/green onions, sliced thinly
14 cup white bean sprouts
14 cup shredded carrots
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro


Directions:
You are going to make your sauce, but before you do that, boil some water to cook your chicken.
This recipe just calls for 1 chicken breast, so you can boil it & then slice it into cubes.
Combine sauce ingredients in a small pan over medium heat.
Stir ingredients together & let simmer on low heat for 5 minutes.
After your sauce & chicken are done, take about 1/2 of the sauce & mix it in with the chopped up chicken:
Now, it's time to roll out your dough.
If using the Pizza maker, I split the dough in half and then roll out your dough on a lightly floured surface & then I put my dough on a piece of parchment paper. 
I cook it on the parchment paper for a few minutes because then I can slide the pizza off the parchment paper without messing up the crust or making all the toppings slide off. I like cooking it without the parchment paper because then it gives the crust a pizzeria taste! If I had a pizza peel, I wouldn't need to have the parchment paper because then I would have the pizza peel to transfer the pizza to and from the pizza cooker...but I don't have one of those yet.
Add the other 1/2 of the sauce to the dough:
 Sprinkle on the cheese: 
Add the chicken:

Add bean sprouts & chopped green onions:
Add shredded carrots:
Sprinkle on more cheese:
Bake in your pizza oven (or regular oven at 450 degrees) for 8-10 minutes 
(I bake mine on parchment paper for 5 minutes & then slide it off the parchment paper & bake it on the pizza stone)

Sprinkle fresh chopped cilantro over pizza:
Slice & Enjoy!
California Pizza Kitchen also has a Thai Chicken Pizza & they put chopped peanuts on top, so you could do that as well if you wanted a little crunch.
I like this pizza because it is different than your traditional pizza.

The sauce really makes it..it is full of flavor!
Yum!

I hope you like this pizza as much as I do!
We are having so much fun making our homemade pizza!
Here are the ones we have made:
In January I shared my BBQ Chicken Pizza Recipe {HERE}
In February I shared my Fig, Prosciutto & Arugula Pizza {HERE}
In March I shared my my Pesto Chicken, Sundried Tomato & Artichoke Pizza {HERE}
In April, I shared a Sweet Italian Sausage, Pepperoni & Bell Pepper Pizza {HERE
In May I shared my Pepperoni, Pineapple & Jalapeño Pizza {HERE}
In June, I shared my Margherita Pizza {HERE}
In July I shared my Summer Squash, Tomato, Pesto & Feta Pizza {HERE}
In August, I shared my Pineapple Chicken Luau with Bacon Pizza  {HERE
In September, I shared my Caramelized Goat Cheese & Pancetta Pizza {HERE}
  I love pizza & I especially love making pizza to go with the seasons!
I already know which pizza I am sharing next month :)

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My Crock-tober Giveaway also ends this weekend!
I am giving away an Instant Pot  and a $100 Amazon Gift Card

Enter HERE if you haven't already! 


Happy Friday!
Hope you have a GREAT weekend!

10.26.2016

What's Up Wednesday :: October 2016

It's the last Wednesday of the month, that means it's time for our What's Up Wednesday Link Up!

Link up with  me, Sheaffer & Shay the LAST Wednesday of each month so we can read about What's Up with YOU!

Here we go!
What We’re Eating this week.....
Monday:
Slow Cooker Korean Beef

Tuesday:
Dinner at our neighbors house to watch the World Series & the home opener for the Warriors.
We had Tri Tip Steak, Roasted Potatoes & Corn. I made cookies for dessert
Sea Salt Chocolate Chip Cookies:
 and Snickerdoodles:

 Wednesday:
Spaghetti with homemade sauce, Caesar Salad & Garlic Bread

Thursday:
Leftovers

Friday:
Friday Night Pizza Night

I also like to make some sort of after school snack/treat for the week.
This week it's Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins (again!)

What I'm Reminiscing about.....
Exactly a year ago this week we were in Disneyland.
 It was so fun to be there during Halloween Time.

Pumpkin decorations everywhere!
 The next time we go to Disney, I want to go during Christmastime! I've never been during that time of year before & heard it is awesome.

What I'm loving.....
Our new R+F product!!!! It launches for customers next Tuesday!
I've been using it for a couple weeks.
 Say goodbye to eye lash extensions.....
Get longer looking, fuller looking and darker-looking Lashes that are 100% natural and 100% yours!
It also works on eyebrows.
Send me an email if you want to be on my VIP list and get them as soon as they launch!
melissa_larson17@yahoo.com
I have a feeling these are going to sell out FAST!

What We've been up to.....
October has been BUSY!!!!!!!!
I was in Vegas the first weekend in October
 (You can read about my trip HERE)


The weekend after that, Kevin and I went to Colorado for my college soccer reunion.
I need to blog that trip....it was a BLAST! Here are some pics:

It was SO good to be back in Boulder!!! One of my favorite places on Earth.

Then this past weekend, Kevin & Claire were on a father daughter camping trip....Colorado football was in town playing Stanford, so Kate, Luke and I went to the game with my parents. Luke is obsessed with our mascot Chip.
 
This weekend, I am on the road again for Grammy's 105th Birthday. 
 Such a busy month it has been! Very fun, but busy!


What I'm Dreading.....
The Election. UGH. At least the debates are over.
Don't like either of them.
This is who I am voting for ;) Anyone else?
 I got my shirt {HERE}

 
What I'm Working On.....
Grading, grading, grading!
The homework, the quizzes, the tests....it never ends ;)
Gotta love the #teacherlife
 
What I'm Excited About..... 
I'm also excited about the amazing results our Reverse Regimen has!
Did you spend too much time in the sun this summer?
 Do you have sun damage, age spots or pregnancy melasma? I can help!!  
 I love seeing before & after pics when people use Rodan + Fields products! How awesome are these Reverse Results from Erin? She used Reverse for 6 months & now uses redefine.

If you are interested in becoming a Preferred Customer, our October special is going on until next Monday, October 31st.
For all my new preferred customers, get $31 cash back, 10% off your order and Free Shipping!
Email me to place an order: melissa_larson17@yahoo.com 

We have products for all skin types
 If you want to know what products are best for your skin, take my solutions tool HERE

 

What I'm Watching........
This is Us. Still majorly obsessed.

How to Get Away with Murder

Grey's Anatomy


The Voice....one of my former students is on the show!


Gilmore Girls....started watching it again from the beginning since the new mini-season comes out in a month!


I LOVE THIS SHOW.

 
What I'm Reading.....
Now that we are 2 months into the school year, I am getting back in the swing of things and I have had more time to read. After only reading 1 book in September, I am happy to report that I finished 4 books in October.

I finished Harry Potter:




I finally read Truly, Maldy, Deeply by Liane Moriarty.

I give it 3.5 out of 5 stars. Not my favorite book by Liane Moriarty. 
 
Finding Jake:
 This book was bruti-ful to read. I give it 4 out of 5 stars.

I just finished a Fall of Marigolds.

I read it in 3 days. LOVED it.
4.5 out of 5 stars.

What I'm Listening to.....
The Chainsmokers!
After seeing them in concert in Vegas a couple weeks ago, I am even more obsessed!
And, of course being back in Boulder last weekend, we heard them a ton! 

What I'm Wearing.....
 The weather is finally cooling off, so it's officially jeans & boots season!
Jeans // Sweater // Necklace // Booties

Jeans // Top Stitch Fix // Vest // Booties

What I’m doing this weekend.....
Going to visit my Grammy because it's her 105th birthday!!!!
Yes, you read that right....she is turning 105 years old.
AMAZING!



What I'm Looking Forward to next month.....
Soccer for the girls being over! I love it, but they each have practice 2 times a week, plus games.
I am ready for a break & not having to rush after school to get homework done & off to practice. I feel like a taxi most days since I am driving them around Monday through Thursday.

I am also looking forward to Thanksgiving! It's one of my favorite days of the year!

And, I love that November is when it finally starts feeling like Fall here in California.

It has been a really warm October...in the 80's & 90's all month long.
All our trees still have green leaves...when November arrives they finally turn orange & red and when the weather gets chilly. I haven't even worn boots yet this fall...just my booties & only 1 time so far because it's been so warm! I am looking forward to cooler weather!

Also in November, my college roommate & her family are coming our from Boston to stay with us like they do every year. We are all looking forward to their visit!

What else is new..... 
My new favorite kitchen "appliance"
I got it a few weeks ago & I am obsessed.
 
I am giving one away along with a $100 Amazon Gift Card. 
Enter HERE if you haven't already! 

Question of the month is:
What is your favorite Halloween memory/picture/tradition?
One of my favorite Halloween memories as a kid is carving pumpkins with my parents & sisters:
I also LOVED going Trick or Treating! I was all about the candy :) This was one of my favorite costumes as a kid...Smurfette. It was plastic. So 80's! Love it!!
As an adult, my favorite Halloween tradition having a Halloween party & our court party and trick or treating around neighborhood. Our neighborhood is such a fun place to go trick or treating.
You can see my Halloween Party posts HERE.
 
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If you are new to my blog, thanks for stopping by!
Feel free to follow along! 
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Can't wait to read about What's up with all of YOU!

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