In the coming New Year

Sorry I haven't posted in a while.

I have decided that 2012 is going to be a year of change for me. Throughout my life I have tried to do things for people and taken care of people and never really taken care of me. I have had a lot of people in my life that have been negative and somewhat hateful.  I have to start surrounding myself with positive energy, love and kindness. I believe that family is NOT whom you are related to through blood but with those that are caring and loving to you. I will be separating from those that are not loving, kind and caring of others and me. I have started this already.

I am very luck to have a loving husband and two wonderfully sweet children. I want them to have a whole and centred person for a wife and mother. I would like to have friends that are caring and kind around me. I already have some but wish more to be included into that circle.

I am going to work on me. I am going to leave the negative and bad in the past. I can’t change the people and things that want to be that way and am tired of dealing with it/them. I am going to focus on the positive in my life and surround myself with it. 

I need to put me first, when it comes to my health and happiness.

I am not going to stress about things I can’t control. I am Not going to be used anymore without receiving care and love back. I enjoy helping people and making others happy and I am going to continue this. Sometimes the littlest things you do for another person can make a world of difference to them. 

I hope that 2012 brings only good things and happy times into everyone lives!

Fall and Pumpkins!

Well this is my Favorite season! Fall has all the good stuff. The change of temperature, falling of the leaves, Thanksgiving, and my all time fav Halloween!

I was in the market this week and what do my eyes land on but sugar pumpkins!!! If you ever see them pick one up they are great for making anything that calls for "canned pumpkin". They are sweeter than your average jack o lantern pumpkins. I only use the sweet sugar pumpkins for cooking. I usually buy a few and steam them and put the puree in bags and freeze them. This way I can have fresh pumpkin pie/cheesecake/muffins really anything that takes pumpkin all year.

So today I thought I would share with you the simple steps of processing the pumpkin to use in any recipe that calls for "canned pumpkin".

These are my two beauties that I brought home! :) (I think I need to go and get a few more before they are all gone)
So to start all you need is a knife, spoon, steamer (either a plug in one or a steamer pot on the stove works fine) and some time.

Wash off your pumpkins so we don't have any dirt on them.

Then cut it in half and scoop out the guts. (if you want you can save the seeds and cook them up as a nice snack after)

Cut the pumpkin into small slices and pop it skin and all into the steamer. It took two steamers full for this pumpkin. I set my steamer for 40-45 min. This is pretty simple isn't it :)

Then you want to let the cooked pumpkin cool off and when that is done just take a spoon and scoop the meat off the skin and plop it in a bowl.

Doesn't it look good! And believe me it smells so good in the house right now :) It's so simple you will wonder why you bought canned pumpkin in the first place! Each pumpkin makes (depending on size) approximately two or so pies worth of pumpkin

Mmmm...now the only thing I have to figure out is what am I going to make with the pumpkin first :) 

Happy cooking everyone!

The Challenge won

OK I give up on the 30 day challenge. There is just too much going on in life right now to get it done. I will try it again some day :) Sorry for anyone that was following it.

30 Day Photo Challenge :day thirteen

A picture of your favorite band or artist.  Well at this time in my life I guess I would have to go with Danko Jones.

Here is a picture of him I shot at his last concert in Vancouver BC. He has a cocky attitude and a great stage persona. If you like rock and roll check him out :)

30 Day Photo Challenge :day twelve

A picture of something you love. That is easy :)

My Kids :)

30 Day Photo Challenge :day eleven

 A picture of something you hate. I hate that their are people out there that can and sadly do treat animals poorly to the point of killing them with out a second thought. It makes me sick!

I don't want to put up some of the graphic and horrible pictures that are out there of animal abuse so here is a image to stop the abuse.

30 Day Photo Challenge :day ten

A picture of the person you do the strangest things with. LOL My best friend and hubby would be the one to fit that bill :)