Trying a new recipe. I think I'll adjust the spices next time.

My wife cooked one up Halloween 2014, and we still have bags of "whatever" it is in the freezer.

I don't ask, she doesn't tell...but I'm keeping an eye out for this years special batch of Christmas cookies.

We both grew up in Texas - there will never be "pumpkin" in our chili - but in consolation, you'll probably out live us!

I'll be cooking it all up. It is absolutely delicious because the RG concocted it. How can you go wrong with such ingredients as raw brown sugar, prosciutto, and herbs like sage and marjoram? It is very highly seasoned.

BTW the chili was so very good. I wouldn't hesitate to make this recipe again.

But the majority of what's left will go for:

--blueberry-pumpkin loaf
--pumpkin loaf with chocolate chips
--pumpkin loaf with raisins and walnuts
--pumpkin-cranberry, and as I mentioned above, pumpkin cornbread.

The loaves of which I speak are small--only about four" long and 1.5" wide. I plan on giving 2-3 to each person in one of my classes, and larger loaves for friends and work colleagues.


Cher

one of the locally-owned burrito places delivers now, so the husband gets a chicken mole burrito and i get an asada burrito bowl. i'm pretty excite about it.

...because that's all that is left to eat in the house. Packed and ready to fly the red-eye.

See's ya on the right coast!

and brought my fabulous pasta salad. Recipe below.

Pasta Salad
1 jar Mazaretti Sweet Italian Dressing. This is the most important part, and if you can’t buy this where you are, you’re totally screwed. I have never been able to find any other sweet Italian dressing out there.

1 box tri-colored Rotini. Cook according to box directions.

1 red bell pepper, 1 green bell pepper, 1 orange or yellow bell pepper. Chop.

1 cucumber, peeled, internal seeds scooped out, and diced.

1 green zucchini, diced. Don’t peel.

A stalk or two of celery, diced.

About a quarter cup of chopped RED onion. I know, they are really purple but they’re called red onions. This is totally optional, and I often leave it out as a lot of people don't care for onion, but I just love the little bite it gives to the salad.

The volume of veggies should be the same as the volume of cooked pasta.

You can do all the veggie chopping while the pasta is cooking. When done, rinse very well with cold water, then pat dry. Do several good twists of a pepper grinder. If you don’t have a pepper grinder, go out and buy one. It’s well worth the investment. Sprinkle with Kosher salt. I hope you already have Kosher salt, if not go out and buy that.

Now dump in all the veggies. Now dump the jar of sweet Italian dressing over everything and mix well.

Best, best pasta salad ever.

I currently live in New Mexico, and I cannot get the Mazaretti Sweet Italian dressing here, and they won't ship it to me as it needs to be refrigerated. So I smuggle it in from Kansas when I can. Older son is driving in for Christmas, and he'll be here Monday. I told him I need another three jars of the stuff.