recipe: garlic-pumpkin hummus

We had a company potluck today, and even though I've sworn [after learning the hard way] that I wouldn't make something I've never made for a party, I did it. 

I wanted something different and fall-y... so, PUMPKIN duh! Even though I'm not a big hummus person, I decided to throw some of that together. 

If you have a blender or a food processor, it's hella easy and... good! [Even though I didn't find that out until the end of the party cuz I was too scared to try it ahead of time in case it sucked... then I'd have an excuse. "Oh man, I had no idea!"]

WHAT YOU NEED: 

-2 7.75 oz of chick peas

-1 cup of pumpkin puree

-1.5 tbs olive oil

-1 tbs tahini

-2 cloves/tbs minced garlic

-1/2 tsp ground cumin

-1/4 tsp cinnamon

-pita chips to eat it with!

WHAT YOU DO: 

1. Blend/puree the chickpeas and olive oil. 

2. Add in the pumpkin and do it again. 

3. Add in all the other ingredients. [FYI this is what tahini looks like. Kiiiinda weird, but smells delicious!]

4. Mix it all up, chill in in the fridge for a little, and BAM! Enjoy!

Seriously... how easy is that?! I had about two hours to work with this morning, and this took maybe 15 minutes!

BONUS: Pumpkin is an aphrodisiac... especially for guys. Hellloooooo office drama!
....I mean... what?!

love,
elizabethany

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last minute thanksgiving idea: pumpkin pie croissants

If you need to bring something to Thanksgiving dinner and have nothing to make, I'm about to save your life.

This will cost you well under 10 dollars, and take less than 30 minutes of your time.

Pumpkin Pie Croissants

What you need:

• Packages of crescent rolls [Each normally makes about 8, so plan accordingly depending on the amount of people at dinner. They'll probably want two!]
• One package of ready-to-make Jello brand Pumpkin Pudding [should make 3 packages worth of croissants]
  
• Cinnamon sugar to sprinkle

What you do:

1. Make the pudding accordingly. It only takes a couple minutes of mixing together the powder and water in a big bowl.
   
2. Open the crescent rolls and place them on a lightly greased baking sheet.
   
3. Spread the pudding over the croissant portions. Don't make it too thick, but don't go too easy on it either. My picture shows what I did, but I could have added a little more. [Normally about a spoon-full on each croissant]
   
4. Roll up the croissants
   
5. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar over the croissants as you like. [I say the more, the better, but it depends on how dessert-y you want it to be.]
   
6. Bake about 13 minutes at 375 degrees, as the croissant packages say.
7. Enjoy!
   

I've seen this recipe get more complicated with real pumpkin filling, spices, etc, but this is so easy! I couldn't stop eating them!

If you make them, let me know! Share a picture! Happy early Thanksgiving!

love,
elizabethany

PS: If you're not crunched for time/money, you could always try the Cherpumple! ;)

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pre-thanksgiving hangover 112410

Tweet It's the day before Thanksgiving, we all have to be at work, but we have nothing on our mind besides tomorrow's food, a few days off, and how the hell we're going to get everything ready in time. [Especially if it's your first time cooking dinner, like me! I'm a big girl now!]

So let's waste some time with the internet, shall we?

Thanksgiving themed-

• 10 awesome but different turkey recipes
  
• How to make a vodka infused turkey
• Indulge without adding pounds
  
• Thanksgiving friendly fashions
• The best deals this week, according to AOL.
• What arouses a guy on Thanksgiving?
  
• 10 reasons to be thankful you're single this week
• Easily decorate your Thanksgiving table
  

Random awesomeness-

• The 10 most beautiful women in sports
  
• The best husband reactions for Oprah's "Favorite Things"
• And Oprah's Favorite Things Gone Wild
  
• What your drink says about you.
• 20 weird things guys have said to girls in bed.
• Fall outfit ideas from the pros [to add to your style book!]
• Damn you auto-correct
  
• What goes well with you beer?
• Believe it or not, this is the most expensive house in the nation.
• This is the creepiest thing I've ever seen. Apparently he was arrested for hiring a prostitute. Can ya blame him?!
• Why the Simpsons rock at life:
• Grandma's think Photobooth is hilarious, too.
  
  
  
• Little girls can do the "Single Ladies" than most people
  
  
  

Have a FANTASTIC holiday and I will talk to you on Monday!

love,
elizabethany

nifty: the cherpumple- your thanksgiving dessert

Tweet This is going to be my first Thanksgiving "alone," so I've been doing quite a bit of research when it comes to recipes and things to make. For the first time I'm going to be able to make whatever I want to eat, and nothing more or less.

The one thing that I've never had on Thanksgiving that has caught my eye is the Cherpumple.

The WHAT, you ask?!

It's part cherry pie, part pumpkin pie, part apple pie, and part cake. And this is the magic that it becomes:


Don't you dare say that looks disgusting or "too much." YOU LIE!

For those of you who need to see it made from step 1:

And then for the ADD kids who'd rather see a quick bullet point "how to":

• - 1 8" frozen pumpkin pie
• - 1 box spice cake mix
• - 1 8" frozen apple pie
• - 1 box yellow cake mix
• - 1 8" frozen cherry pie
• - 1 box white cake mix
• - eggs and oil according to the cake mix
• - 3 tall tubs of cream-cheese frosting
• - 3 8.5" round cake pans

1. Bake pies according to instructions and cool to room temperature overnight.
2. Mix cake batter according to instructions.
3. For each layer pour about 1 1/3 cup of batter in the cake pan.
4. Carefully de-tin the baked pie and place it face up on top of the batter in the cake pan.
5. Push down lightly to release any trapped air.
6. Pour enough batter on top to cover the pie.
7. Bake according to box instructions.
8. Cool and remove from pans then frost it like you mean it.

Seriously- I will be making this for Thanksgiving. I don't care what my date says, it's happening. And yes, you can bet your bottom dollar that I will be posting that ish on here and probably have plenty of leftovers for whoever wants to meander over and try it for themselves.

Maybe this is my drunk tummy talking, but I still think it's safe to say that the Cherpumple will change my life and I will never have anything better than it in my mouth [no matter how hard the McRib tries].

BRING IT ON!

love,
elizabethany

watch: banned peta commercial

We all know by now that America lets very little controversy air on national television. It's not just sexual controversy, though... It's anything that may lead to a heated argument, pretty much.

NBC is banning this PETA ad on Thanksgiving Day:



That is one angry little girl. She said what was on her mind, eh!? At least she likes rainbows.

I'm pretty sure it would make me laugh if I was watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, waiting for Santa's appearance, and saw this rant. It'd totally be a "WTF" moment, but I don't see why it can't air!

I think it's terrible what happens to animals... But it's just how this ecosystem works. Sorry! If you don't want to hurt animals, don't. I'm going to remain stuffed after dinner thanks to that turkey, though.

As for America, the FCC, NBC, whoever... Lighten up, will ya?!

love,
elizabethany