Autumn Vegetable Soup

As I mentioned yesterday, as part of my (so far great!) attempt at remaining active, I will be posting a autumn recipe everyday in November. In December I will be updating daily with cookie recipes. :) 

As we enter into these colder months, one thing I think of is the image of sitting by the fire with a nice hot bowl of soup watching the leaves fly by, or the snow fall. Soup is usually my go to meal since it is relatively easy to make. Here is a recipe I found for autumn vegetable soup. Here is what you need:

2 Tbs. olive oil 
3 medium carrots, cut into medium dice 
1 large yellow onion, cut into medium dice 
2 medium cloves garlic, minced 
2 cups 1/2-inch-cubed peeled butternut squash (about half a 2-lb. squash) 
1/4 tsp. ground allspice 
Pinch cayenne pepper; more to taste 
Kosher salt 
1 quart lower-salt chicken broth 
1 14.5-oz. can no-salt-added diced tomatoes 
4 sprigs fresh thyme 
2 cups lightly packed, coarsely chopped kale 
1 cup lower-salt canned chickpeas 

Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the carrots and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add the squash, allspice, cayenne, and 1 tsp. salt and stir to combine. Add the broth, tomatoes with their juice, and thyme. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the kale and the chickpeas and cook uncovered until the squash is tender and the kale has wilted, about 10 minutes more. Discard the thyme springs before serving. Season to taste with more salt and cayenne.

Credit: Fine Cooking

Just a Note

Why hello there! There isn't a formal entry today, I just wanted to just drop a note and check in on everyone after Halloween night. My night really just consisted of dinner in costume (pictures tomorrow!) and an evening of the Halloween movies (Michael Myers that is!) This is truly the only night you will ever see me watching those kinds of movies. I just feel I have to be a little freaked out on Halloween. 

I also wanted to make sure that I got on to wish all of you a happy and healthy November. Just wanted to let you all know that everyday in November, I will be posting one holiday (mostly Thanksgiving) recipe that will maybe inspire you this year! Welcome to the holiday season! Excited yet?

<3 Ashley

What did you do for Halloween? What are you looking forward to this holiday season?

Calling All Bloggers!

Hello there. Hopefully everyone made it through the night and Sandy's wrath okay. I know power has not been completely restored back home, but people are working hard to get things back to where they were a few days ago. Just saw the pictures of NYC and was shocked by all the damage! Thoughts and prayers to everyone who has been so greatly affected by this storm.

Now we blaze onward with today's business. I love seeing all of your blogs and reading about all the great things you do and all of your fantastic ideas. I would love to see some more blogs! If you have a blog or know of any great blogs that you would like to share, just drop a comment! I am always looking to follow more and become even more involved in the blogging community.

Also, on a semi-related, semi-not related note I have resuscitated my Tumblr account! So if anyone has a Tumblr, follow me here and I will definitely follow you back! Thanks!

<3 Ashley

Read any good blogs lately?

Fun Things to Do For Halloween

Just days away from Halloween, the east coast in currently being smashed by hurricane Sandy. Luckily I have moved to western PA, so I won't feel it as hard. We are just experiencing some rain at this point. Everyone else who is living in these harder hit areas, please be safe and smart. 

I will carry on with the topic of today's blog entry: Halloween. I know where I am, both location wise and age wise many do not really know how to celebrate anymore since an age seems to have been put on going door-to-door in costume asking for candy. Here is a list of a few ways to celebrate this year:

1. Haunted House

Going through a tour at one of these haunted house attractions or something like Field of Screams (for those of you in the Lancaster area!) can be a good way to get a good fright for Halloween. Grab some friends and go through it together and see who the scaredy-cat is in the group.

2. Horror Film Marathon

Personally, I always go this route. I love the horror film genre (only the good, non-gorey stuff!) Go for the classics like "Frankenstein" or "Dracula." My personal favorites are the movies in the "Halloween" series. You can run as fast as you want, he'll always walk faster!

3. Costume Party

Throw a good, old-fashioned costume party with some friends! I love seeing all the scary, creative, and hilarious costumes people come up with. You can have a costume contest for the scariest, most creative, and worst costumes.

4. Ghost Tours

Whether you're a believer or not, a ghost tour can be really fun. While this is something that you might have to put in reservations for months in advance (Gettysburg ghost tours fill up fast!) they are historically informative and maybe you will even get lucky and experience something!

...and for those of us college students.....

5. Dorm Trick-or-Treat!

Don't let anyone stop you from dressing up and getting that candy! Organize a trick-or-treating event on your floor or, if you can, your whole building! You will get that Halloween experience we grew up loving and it is also a great social opportunity. If you live in a large dorm like I do, you don't know everyone. This is a cool opportunity to see everyone!

I have yet to decide how I will be spending my Halloween night but, I assure you, it will probably be one of the above or a bit of everything. :)

<3 Ashley

How will you spend your Halloween?

It's Friday!

...and you know what that means...PINS! Here before you are the pins that caught my special attention this week. :)

Fashion

Shoes

Accessories

                                                Beauty

Home

Food

Travel

Humor

Remember that you can follow my boards on Pinterest and see everything that is still pinworthy but just doesn't make it to my "Pins Of the Week." Follow here.

Have a great weekend!

<3 Ashley

Fall Faves

Getting this entry out of the way early today since I have a couple of papers to finish, one more class later, and tonight is Nightmare in the Quad! I have to go down for that early to help with costumes and makeup. Picture it: Last night. My dorm. 2 hours of me learning how to make someone look like a zombie. I feel like I might be prepared now! Hopefully I can go through Haunted Holland (my dorm's haunted house!) I have heard it is actually pretty creepy since it is set up in the tunnels under the quad. Spoooooooky!

Since we are well in to the autumn season I will embrace all cliches and announce to the masses what autumn means to me and why I find it to be an absolutely lovely season in this top 5 list.

5. Riding Boots

I love a good boot! It just doesn't feel right wearing them any other time of the year. 

4. Scarves

As I have stated before in the a blog post dedicated entirely to the scarf, I find them to be essential at this point in the year both aesthetically and for warmth. Fashion and function!

3. Leather Jacket

I like these because they aren't too heavy (not like a big winter coat!) They are more appropriate for the crisp, not so freezing weather that comes with autumn. Plus now, you can get them in so many colors!

2. Pumpkin Spice Latte

Really...what kind of human would I be if this wasn't on the list? I am not a massive flavored coffee fan but I would do some crazy things to get my hands around a warm cup of this! Starbuck's PSL is my Klondike Bar!

1. A Great View

Pitt in fall! I get to walk to class like this? I'm okay with that I guess. :)

Basically, I have just painted for you a picture of my ideal autumn moment. What I would be wearing, drinking, and looking at. I love this season so much; it's just so beautiful.

<3 Ashley

What are your favorite this about autumn?

A Little Housekeeping

Good evening/morning (depends on where you are!) 12:15 AM here!

I would just love to let you all know, and I think many will be proud of me, I have a new organization system for this blog. Often, I do not know what to write about and feel like I have to write something just to keep things up and current. I also often fall off the face of the earth and ignore the blog completely for long stretches at a time. NO MORE! :)

I have a new planner (as provided by the university) and have taken to filling up the calendar with entry topics and fun ideas for the coming months. Get excited for one cookie recipe a day in the month of December! This will definitely go into effect after Halloween. I will try my best for the rest of the month to keep things up, but November 1st is where you can definitely expect me to be 100% attentive to this blog.

Also, I am playing with the idea of a new look for the site. Any cool suggestions or design tutorials that you know of? So excited for the changes to come as we wind down this crazy year.

If you have any questions, comments, concerns, gripes, qualms, suggestions, or cheesy jokes please feel free to contact me!

<3 Ashley