Taylor's new look

Little Taylor had to get braces this week. Unfortunately, she inherited her mommy's teeth. Her x-ray shows a lot of teeth trying to come in and a little bitty space for them to come in to. We went for a consult on Monday, and ended up getting the braces put on Tuesday. She has been such a trooper. If you have never had braces, it is impossible to comprehend the discomfort you have at first. The sore teeth, the torn up cheeks from the brackets, the chapped lips from trying to manuver your mouth in an entirely new way since there is constantly something in there. AHHHHH... it made me ache for her. Anyway... she has been very brave, and if I do say so myself, is stinking cute with braces!

Pumpkin anyone?

our three pumpkins!
kara picking a pumpkin
sporting th UT gear in MIZZOU territory just befor the horns WON!

This weekend we had our 3rd annual trip to the local pumpkin patch. The girls really enjoy going. I think their favorite thing is the animal maze. The owner takes huge round bales or hay and lines them up to make a maze. Inside the maze are different cages with different critters. (peacoks, ducks, pigs, goats, chickens)Smelly... but they enjoy it. Kara was in awe of the little goat and stood on her own for about 15 seconds without realizing she wasn't holding on to anything! It was exciting. Of course, we picked a pumpkin to bring home.

I love the fall!

This has to be just about my favorite time of year. The weather is turning colder, the leaves are changing, and I just love a pot of hot soup or stew for dinner. Especially if I get couragious enough to make some homeade bread too! So... I had this idea... A soup recipe exchange.. I am going to post one of my most favorite soups every week. I challenge all of you to do the same. Between all of us blog readers, I am sure we could have a great number of yummy reicpes from this.

So... here is my first one... It is Rachel Ray's Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe... SO YUMMY!!!


Vegetable or corn oil, for drizzling, plus 2 tablespoons -- 2 turns of the pot in a slow stream
3 ears corn on the cob or 2 ears fresh-frozen cobs, defrosted
1 red bell pepper, split and seeded
1 pound chicken breast tenders
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning, 1/3 palm full
1 teaspoon cumin, 1/3 palm full
Salt and pepper
1 small to medium zucchini, small dice
1 medium yellow skinned onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 to 2 chipotle in adobo peppers (medium to hot heat level), chopped -- available in small cans in Mexican and Spanish food section of market
1 can stewed tomatoes, 28 ounces
1 can tomato sauce, 8 ounces
3 cups chicken stock, available in re-sealable paper containers on soup aisle
4 cups blue corn tortilla chips, broken up into large pieces
1 cup shredded cheddar or pepper Jack cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
Optional garnishes:
1/4 red raw onion, chopped
2 to 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro or parsley leaves
1 ripe avocado, diced and dressed with the juice of 1/2 lemon
Directions
Heat a grill pan to high and a soup pot to medium high. Drizzle oil on corn and place on grill. Add red pepper to grill with corn. Char vegetables 10 minutes, total, turning occasionally. Remove to cool, 5 minutes. Remove charred skin from the pepper.
While vegetables cook, dice chicken. Add 2 tablespoons oil to hot soup pot. Add chicken to pot. Season with poultry seasoning, cumin, salt and pepper. Lightly brown chicken on each side. Add zucchini, onions and garlic and chipotle peppers. Cook vegetables with chicken 5 to 7 minutes to soften. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce and stock. Bring soup to a bubble, reduce heat to medium low.
Scrape corn off cob and add to soup. Chop grilled red pepper and stir into soup. Add chips to soup in handfuls and fold in. Serve soup immediately with scatter of shredded cheese and a dollop of sour cream. Top with any or all of the suggested garnishes.

ENJOY!!

Wild Turkey (not the whiskey)

It rained pretty much all night last night, and still is drizzling a bit this morning. It is Fall.... Well, I look out my kitchen window this morning, and what do I see???? Wild turkeys taking a stroll through the yard.... You don't see this in the city.

This is literally right outside my back door

This is by our back fence