Spooky Apple Teeth Kid Craft

We recently finished an apple theme curriculum in our homeschool and celebrated by making some spooky apple teeth. Perfect for fall and Halloween, we enjoyed this easy fall food craft and yummy snack.

Directions:
1. All you need for this activity are some apples, peanut butter and some mini marshmallows.
2. Wash and dry your apples, cut the apple into large wedges scooping out the seeds.

3. Take each wedge and on the outside of the apple, cut a wedge lengthwise but make sure you don't cut     all the way through.
4. Now in the wedge, put some peanut butter and place the mini marshmallows in two rows, making           some nice pearly white giant teeth for your spooky mouth!

If you aren't going to enjoy right away, I would toss the cut apple slices in lemon juice so the apples don't turn brown.

Cozy Fall Feeling

Fall is my favorite time of year. We have the house decorated and the spicy apple scent of candles is in the air. Fall in southern California feels like summer and we still wear shorts but things begin to change.

Cooler evenings and the light changes hanging lower in the afternoons. The fall garden is changing. Summer crops come out and our cooler weather crops spring to life.

I love to cook this time of year more than any other. With cooling weather I turn my oven back on and enjoy baking and trying new recipes. I envy those wearing jackets and slippers as we are still warm but soon we will get cool temperatures and I think nothing makes a house cozy like a crisp day and the oven on with a delicous meal cooking inside.

I love the colors of fall. The warm hues just speak to me. Warm glow or orange and gold lights and fall decor is my favorite decorating theme of the year.

Did you happen to check out the fall snack mix recipe? Warning!! It is addictive.

Super Simple Fall Snack Mix

This sweet and salty super simple fall snack mix is so GOOD! And so easy. You will love how easy it is to make this 3 - ingredient fall snack mix.

No cooking, no oven, so measuring. Five minutes and you can begin to devour the goodness fall treat.

Super Simple Fall Snack Mix

Prep time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

1. One bag of Traditional Chex Snack Mix
2. One bag of Brach's Autumn Mix
3. A bag of pretzel sticks

In a large bowl, pour entire bags of Chex mix and autumn mix and two cups of pretzel sticks. Toss to mix and you are done. Store in a sealed container for freshness.

This is the perfect fall treat for movie night, Halloween, to give as gifts or hostess gifts.

Check out our Rice Krispie treats monsters recipe too!

How To Stretch Your Laundry Detergent To Save Money

I am going to share how to stretch your laundry detergent to save money. 

First in a new series of home keeping frugal tips, is a simple way to save money on laundry soap.

I am on a mission to spend as little as possible on all my cleaning supplies and am going to share weekly in this series, new recipes to save money on cleaning products and updates on all my old, but still awesome, homemade frugal recipes for cleaning products.

I love to save money by making my own laundry detergent, but maybe you don't want to go that far, you get a great buy on some laundry detergent or you love the smell of your favorite laundry soap brand. Here is how you can still use store bought but make it last longer.

First, buy a bar of Fels Naptha or Zote Soap in the laundry section or do like me and buy it for pennies at the dollar store. Sometimes they have Zote three for a dollar. Can't beat that.

After you use some of your detergent or by pouring some into another container you will have space to add your diluted soap. Take a two cup measuring cup or anything with about two cups of hot water and just drop the bar in the water and let sit for about 15 minutes until the water is nice and white and milky.

Now just pour that two cups of diluted soap into your detergent, shake well and you have stretched your detergent by at least two cups. If I have a large bottle like above I will pour half into another container and dilute by four cups.

This really stretches your detergent, making laundry soap last longer while still washing your clothes wonderfully and saving you lots of MONEY!

Stay tuned for next week's new cleaning recipe but check out our frugal tips page  too for many other money saving tips.

10 Yummy Pumpkin Recipes

I love PUMPKIN !! All the pumpkin spice recipes make me want to bake up a pumpkin storm. Here are some of the best pumpkin recipes from Pinterest.

1. Spiced Pumpkin Cupcakes three ways from Sally's Baking Addiction
2. Healthy 3 Ingredient No Bake Pumpkin Fudge from The Big Man's World
3. Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte from Live Simply
4. Kahlua Pumpkin Spice Martini from Home Cooking Memories
5. Pumpkin Spice Dutch Baby Pancake from Just A Taste
6. Easy Pumpkin Spice Cake Recipe from Divas Can Cook
7. Pumpkin Spice Latte Mug Cake from We Are Not Martha
8. Easy Pumpkin Granola from Moms Need To Know
9. Triple Chocolate Pumpkin Bundt Cake from A Dash Of Sanity
10. Halloween Pumpkin Brownies from Barbara Bakes
11. Oh and now my easy homemade pumpkin pancakes

I want to make so many of them but one I know I will make is the Pumpkin Spice Latte Mug Cake cause you can make it quick in the microwave and just one serving just for me. Visit the recipe page for many more delicious recipes.

Crock Pot Banana Bread

Now here is an easy crock pot banana bread recipe you have to try. Wondering, can you bake in your slow cooker? Why yes you can. And I am loving this way to bake in the crock pot without heating up the kitchen.

I made this banana bread in the crock pot in my smaller round crock pot so if you have a large crock pot adjust the recipe.

Crock Pot Banana Bread

Recipe by Elaine Lewis

Prep time: 20 minutes
Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• dash ground nutmeg
• 1 beaten egg
• 3 mashed ripe bananas or you can use dehydrated
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/8 cup plus a tablespoon cooking oil
• handful chopped nuts
• generous splash (optional) mini chocolate chips

Cooking Directions
This is for a smaller round crock pot. First, take a square of foil and press in down into the bottom of the cooker with sides extending up the sides of the slow cooker. Spray with non stick spray. Turn crock pot on high.

Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl. In medium bowl mix eggs, bananas, sugar and oil. Add to dry ingredients. Stir just until moistened. Fold in nuts and chocolate chips. Spoon batter into foil lined crock pot.

Cook on high for about an hour to an hour and a half. Slow cooker temperatures vary so widely that you just need to check periodically with a toothpick until it comes out clean.

The Future Of My Blogging

Sitting here with Mr. Pumpkin Head pondering the future of blogging. 

My laptop died and because I needed a new dryer, I held off and used an old computer of my daughter's. Finally, I ordered a new laptop and it was so beautiful and shiny but lo and behold, the space bar did not work. Can you believe that? Clearly no one checks these things before shipping.

So now I will look for a computer good for blogging. I am in the range of less than $800, preferably less than $500. If you can suggest a good laptop you are happy with for a reasonable price, please let me know in the comments.