Quick and easy - but still HOMEMADE - No Bake Cookies!

Y'all, today I want to share one of my favorite recipes, No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies.  It's a favorite because the end result is so yummy, but it sure doesn't hurt that it's quick and easy to boot.  And not to mention - no baking required!!  I got this recipe some years ago from a dear friend and former co-worker, Donna.  Donna is just about one of the sweetest women I've ever had the pleasure of knowing and calling my dear friend, so it's fitting that she's the one who gave me this to-die-for sweets recipe.

Burt's Pumpkin Farm & The Cumming Country Fair and Festival all in a weekend... Oh and Zoo Atlanta too!

In the year of 1492 when Columbus sailed the ocean blue... and who knows how the rest goes? Just glad they didn't have GPS back in those days or ole Columbus wouldn't have missed his mark by two or three oceans and most of us would agree that was a good thing. Geez, he really was no where close to India. Well happy Columbus Day everyone, hope you all had a fabulous weekend!

Sorry my post is a little late, Lindsay and I like to have one out by Friday or Saturday if possible, but this weekend was a busy one for me. I actually got around to doing some of those Autumn activities I mentioned when I last blogged. You can read about those here. Anyway, I thought I'd share some of the highlights/pictures from my weekend, we hit up 2 of the 5 places I mentioned – Burt's Pumpkin Farm and the Cumming Country Fair and Festival. And we're headed to Ellijay next weekend for some apple picking so my list is close to being checked off.

Fall Delights

In keeping with Catherine's post from last week about her favorite Fall things to do in the greater Atlanta area, I thought this week I would share some images I've been hoarding that are giving me oodles of inspiration this season as I start to decorate our home.  It doesn't hinder me in the least that we won't be getting cool weather for a few (to maybe even several) weeks, thanks to our mild Georgia weather.  I mean, I guess colorful leaves would be more fitting if I needed a sweater, but hey! you go with what you got.  ;o)

Most of these images are also featured on the "holiday decor" board of my Pinterest page, so if you want to follow me there, please do!  You can find me here.

My Top 5 Autumn Activities

Ahh Fall... brings about cooler weather, football, festivals, 'warm the soul' kind of food such as chili, and the aroma of those cinnamon brooms you buy at the grocery store fills the air. Of course, it helps that everyone is a little giddy knowing that the holidays are right around the corner which means a much needed break and more time spent with family and friends is on the way.

Who doesn't love Fall? It's my favorite time of the year!

Below is my Awesome Autumn Activities List and despite my cheesy title, I think you'll find this list is a 'cornucopia' of fun Fall things to do if living in the state of Georgia. ;) OK, that whole sentence was cheesy, but I just couldn't help myself. Anyway, I drafted an activities list for summertime (see that post here) and thought I'd do something similar for the cooler months. I hope you enjoy! :)

Burt's Pumpkin Patch

There are many great pumpkin patches to visit in Georgia, but this one has been around since I was a kid and it's my favorite for a number of reasons. One being that it's set in such a pretty location, the North Georgia Mountains. You have to drive over an hour to get there from Atlanta, but it's worth the trek because you really feel like you're out in the country, and you are! The mountains surround you as you walk through hoards of gourds. Ha! Seriously, there are thousands of these big, orange fruits sitting around - yes, pumpkins are actually classified as a fruit and not a vegetable. Burt's pumpkins really are beautiful. They come in all different sizes too, some of their big boys are around 150 lbs! Once you pick out your pumpkin and load it on to your wheelbarrow, you can buy some pumpkin baked goodies, take a hayride, purchase some indian corn, or bale of hay for your Fall decorations... what ever tickles your fancy. We took my daughter last year when she was around 9 or 10 months old and now that she's walking I can't wait to take her back!

Colorful Co-Ed Baby Shower

Wes grilled and Staci marinated this pork roast.  Yum!  Colorful hurricanes are from One King's Lane.  Y'all know how I love that site!  (And if you don't, check out my previous post on the ever-so-fabulous OKL here).

Happy weekend everyone!  Here in Georgia we are still experiencing gorgeous summery-fall weather (I made that word up, but I think it fits nicely), just perfect for heading outdoors and having some fun.  Just this morning, my son and I enjoyed watching my husband play tennis with his men's ALTA team.  It was beautiful out there (made even prettier by a Zing-Zang bloody mary).  And while my little one naps, I am itching to get back outside and tackle a little gardening.  But before I do that, I wanted to share some pics from a little soiree that my hubs and I co-hosted a few months ago.  This was an evening shindig we hosted alongside Staci and Alex (another couple we are close friends with), and it was for our dear friends Matt and Heather.  (Side note: Staci, Heather, and I have co-hosted a baby shower together before - it was a nautically-themed coed bash for friends expecting a little boy; you may remember that post, found here).  The reason for this particular party (besides having a swell ol' time, naturally) was to celebrate the then-upcoming arrival of Matt and Heather's little girl.  I am proud to report that at this point in time, their little pink bundle has arrived safe and sound, and she is now doing well and even sleeping through the night (almost!).

Pasta with Tomato and Almond Pesto from America's Test Kitchen

I'm on a recipe sharing kick and this week I want to share one from a public broadcasting TV show that my husband and I love. It's called America's Test Kitchen and you can find it on your PBS channel. I believe they've been on air for over 10 years now, but if you've never seen this show, then I highly recommend you catch an episode. They always demonstrate a recipe or two, but as the name suggests, they also test out different cooking equipment - blenders, specialty knives, toasters, etc as well as test various products. They also do blind taste testing on coffee blends or various peanut butter brands to see which one the audience prefers most. Needless to say, it's really interesting, very educational and the recipes you'll get from them are awesome!

 

Georgia on My Mind...

Hey y'all!

I hope that all our readers are having a wonderful Labor Day weekend.  (To reminisce on the meaning of the holiday and some other fun bits related to Labor Day, you can peruse my posts from last year here and here).  And on a side note, I simply cannot believe that a year has gone by since I wrote those.  It's so trite but so true - time flies when you're having fun, and it flies faster and faster the older you get...

True to the times a'flyin' thought, my family just returned from a wonderful week-long getaway to St. Simon's Island, Georgia.  I've been to this special place many times over the years, both with family and friends.  It's one of those places I hold near and dear to my heart.  This time, we stayed in the beautiful High Tide Cottage and loved it so much, we can't wait to go back and stay here again.  It's right on the beach on the southern side of the island, just up from the pier.   

Isn't she gorgeous??

A Couscous Recipe That's Quick and Easy and Oh So Tasty!

I've got a really simple couscous recipe that I thought was worthy of sharing with our readers. It's so easy, can be prepared in under 10 minutes, and is excellent served either warm or cold!

All you need are the following ingredients:

(Note I've doubled this recipe so it can be shared with friends, cut ingredients in half if serving 4 people or less.)

• 2 boxes of 'parmesan flavored' couscous (I like the Near East brand)
• About 15 - 20 cherry tomatoes, quartered
• Green onion, I dice the entire bunch
• 1 yellow pepper, diced

 

The Hostess Gift That Keeps on Growing!

Two years ago, I was given a lovely baby shower by some very dear friends of mine. I've been friends with most of these girls since high school, actually some of the friendships go back to our elementary days. Needless to say, we're all tight so when they offered to throw a shower for me, I knew I had to give them a hostess gift that would be special. I wanted to give them something unique, something that required a little thought and effort. Now, most days I doubt my creative abilities, but I must say I really love the idea I came up with and better yet, it was all mine. :)

So this is going to sound random, but I love succulents. You know, those plants that are water-retaining and do well in dry climates. The most common of them are aloe and agave but my favorite succulent would be the Hens and Chicks. I found this description of them on the website, About.com. The article was written by David Beaulieu who gives a much better description then I could...

Hens and chicks plants are mat-forming succulents that produce clusters of rosettes. The parent rosettes are the "hens," and the smaller rosettes that spring from them are the "chicks" or "chickens.

Love the vibrant green color of these Hens and Chicks.

A Vintage, Patriotic Ice Cream Social

Happy Friday, readers!  I hope that each of you are having a wonderful summer and enjoying time soaking up sun, fun, and time with family and friends.  We have been having a great - albeit very busy - summer 'round our parts.  However, never too busy to enjoy plenty of time at the pool! 

As some of you know, my son turned one earlier this season.  Like most parents, we are pinching ourselves and saying "where did the time go?"  (Not on the sleepless nights though... let's be real here).  We have enjoyed watching our little baby turn into a toddler... little boy?  (say it ain't so!)  In fact, we decided to have two parties to commemorate his turning the BIG ONE!