All the Other Stuff From Halloween

As promised, here are some pics of the rest of our weekend!

Isn't my husband creative?!


Showing his Raider LOVE!


I really like this one:) The picture doesn't show it, but this pumpkin is super warty!


Yep, we dressed the dogs up! Here's Laney-bug and Abby-saurus Rex!


And as for the YUMMINESS we enjoyed this weekend...

First of all, it has become our new tradition to have chili at my parents' on Halloween! This year I decided to contribute to the chili fest, so I whipped out my crock pot and assembled this:

Turkey and Tomatillo Chili with Chipotle and Cilantro
3 small dried chipotle peppers
2 tsp olive oil
2 lb extra lean ground turkey
1 cup sweet onion, diced
4 garlic cloves
1 1/2 fresh tomatillos, husks discarded and skin rinsed
1 bay leaf
1 tsp cumin, ground
1 cup cilantro leaves, roughly chopped (I omitted this because neither of my parents like cilantro, but I think it would be a fantastic addition!)
2 cans low-sodium white kidney beans. rinsed and drained
1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
sea salt and pepper to taste
1 cup low-fat cheddar cheese, grated
fat free sour cream

1. Soak peppers in 1/2 cup boiling water until softened, about 15 minutes. Cut peppers in half and discard seeds and stem. Reserve soaking liquid.
2. In a nonstick pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add turkey and onion and cook until meat is no longer pink. Drain and discard fat and transfer to crock pot.
3. Blend garlic, chopped chipotle peppers and 1/4 reserved soaking water in a blender until finely chopped. Add tomatillos and remaining water and blend until smooth. Pour mixture into crock pot, add bay leaf and cumin and stir until combined. Cover with lid and cook on low for about 4 hours.
4. About 15 minutes before serving, place cilantro and 1/2 cup cold water in blender and puree until finely chopped. Stir into chili mixture. Add beans and corn, cover and continue to cook for another 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm with a sprinkle of cheddar cheese and a dollop of fat free sour cream (if desired).


Beware this is a sinus clearing dish! And might I suggest making some cornbread muffins to go alongside this chili. I'm just sayin'...

And then I baked this Honey Walnut Pumpkin Bread that Whole Foods has been taunting me with as the recipe sat in my inbox all week! I am not exaggerating when I say Chris and I polished this off in about 36 hours flat! It's that good!!


And finally, the new recipe for baked apples I made Saturday didn't even compare to my normal recipe, so I won't even bother to post it. You win some, you lose some I suppose:)

Next on the list is roasting my hubby some pumpkin seeds! YUM!