holy moly! applely goey pizza

For dessert - nothing is better than toffee and apples....that is until - it turned into pizza.


Toffee Apple Crumble Pizza:

Pizza dough
Toffee sauce*1
Sliced apples
Crumble topping *2


*1- Toffee sauce: Use store bought or make your own. Caramelize 1/4 cup sugar, when it has a golden color and no lumps add 1/4 cup hot heavy cream (it will bubble a lot) and keep stiring until you have a smoth cream. Add a tbsp butter and mix until melted. keep in the fridge and if it's too hard to use, pop it in the microwave for a few seconds.


*2- Crumble topping: Same quantities (I've used 1/4 cup) of: cold butter, brown sugar, rolled oats, flour and 1/4 tsp salt and cinnamon. Mix with your finger tips until the mixture resembles coarse sand.
Crunchy, sweet, gooey, chewy, fruity, spicy... Really, what's not to like???

Fungus on your bun

Tonight's Dinner (If I didn't already have dinner plans!)

Ingredients:
1-1/4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
3/4 cup thinly sliced shallots
4 large portobello mushrooms, washed, patted dry and stems removed
1/8 teaspoon salt (optional)
1/8 teaspoon black pepper (optional)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons chopped basil
4 whole-grain hamburger buns
4 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/4-inch slices
2 jarred roasted red bell peppers, rinsed, patted dry and cut into strips

Preparation:
1. Heat 1/4 teaspoon oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots; cook 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and soft. Set aside.
2. Preheat broiler.
3. Drizzle each mushroom on both sides with 1/4 teaspoon oil; season both sides with salt and pepper, if desired. Place mushrooms gill-side-up on foil-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle garlic evenly among mushrooms.
4. Broil mushrooms 4 minutes per side. Remove from oven.
5. Combine mayonnaise and basil until well mixed.
6. To assemble burgers, spread both sides of each bun with basil mayonnaise. Divide cooked shallots and mozzarella slices evenly among bottom halves of buns; top with mushroom and bell pepper strips. Replace top halves of buns.

Nutritional Information:
Serving Size: 1 sandwich
Sodium 513 mg
Protein 13 g
Fiber 3 g
Carbohydrate 30 g
Cholesterol 18 mg
Saturated Fat 4 g
Total Fat 9 g
Calories from Fat 31 %
Calories 244

Exactly three years ago - a little light

A small flicker of hope - but three years ago this was my blog entry.

This little light of mine,

I'm gonna let it shine

This little light of mine,

I'm gonna let it shine

This little light of mine,

I'm gonna let it shine

Let it shine,

Let it shine,

Let it shine.

Posted 10/27/2005 11:44 AM

Since this entry, I have changed, molded, melted, formed and restructured myself. I wouldn't say there is a little light anymore. It's shining - and it's bright - and it's all because of you.

K

Fridays on the Cheap - Halloween Version

When the full moon is out and the wolves are howling- where should you turn? How about the dozens of scary haunted houses and hayrides located minutes from your home!




If you live in the Northern Jersey area, or perhaps even NY area - I have the low down :)




A MASSIVE Haunted House Inside A Real Prison! A lost world of crumbling cellblocks and empty guard towers stands behind the Eastern State Penitentiary's massive 30-foot high walls. This is the home of Terror Behind the Walls. Ranked as one of the 10 Best Haunted Houses in the United States by America Online, the Travel Channel and the New York Times. _Click Here for more info >>>http://www.terrorbehindthewalls.com/




http://www.hayrideofhorrors.com/





Haunted Hill FarmsVernon, New JerseyNorthern NJVoted Best New Jersey Haunted Hayride. Your adventure will transport you to a world of spooks and ghosts: where monsters lurk in the darkness waiting for you to venture past. A delightful mix of fright and fun for the entire family! Not recommended for small children 6 years or younger. For more Information, please call 973-764-4444.





Haunted Village at Dey MansionWayne, New JerseyHow brave are you? The actors of NJRF Players and Dunn-ley Productions challenge you to wander into the depths of insanity. Beware of the many creatures you nay unearth as you walk through the horrors of the night. The tour is PG13 and children under 15 MUST be accompanied by an adult. We dare you to let us scare you!



Nightmare Haunted Hayride and Haunted ManorVernon, New JerseyHaunted Hayride: In it's thirteenth year, our Haunted Hayride is sure to make your blood run cold with 50 live actors all anxiously waiting to scare the 'yell' out of you. Haunted Manor: The newest addition to the Halloween Spooktacular, the Haunted Manor is a frightening walk-through haunted house, with 13 uniquely bone-chilling rooms, featuring ghastly animated props and live actors.





Haunted Mill Historic Red Mill Museum Village Clinton NJNorthwest NJAs the moon rises and darkness reigns, the spirits summon the creatures of the SHADOWS to awaken from the perpetual slumber of death to feast on the fears and flesh of the living, those who are foolish enough to be at hand. Take heed of what lies “Beyond the Shadows”. Concealed in the gloom prowl the hunters and you are their innocent prey.The 18th Annual Haunted Mill will be taking place at the Historic Red Mill Museum Village in Clinton, New Jersey. Performances are scheduled for the evenings of October 17, 18, 24, and 25 from 6:00 pm to midnight. General admission tickets are available for pre-purchase starting October 10 at the Red Mill Museum Office from 9:30 am to 4:00 pm daily. The ticket window opens on performance nights at 5:00 pm. General admission tickets are night specific and are available for $20 each, and XpressPass tickets, good for any of the four nights and are $40 each. Both prices include the notorious haunted hayride and infamous walking terror trail.


Forest of Fear600 Rte. 17A Tuxedo, New York 845-351-5174 and 845-351-5171 New York StateFridays: Nightfall - 12:00 AM Saturdays: Nightfall - 1:00 AM Sundays: Nightfall - 11:00 PM - $20.00 Admission at the gate. Ticket sales end one hour before closing time. Featuring: The Slaughterhouse - Dare to survive the most terrifying sights through this 26 room Haunted House. Over 6,000 square feet of dark, turning, shifting passages. Who knows what roams these rooms? The Cemetery of Lost Souls - Continuous fiendish fire manipulations featuring The Burnmasters - Fireballs, Firespinning and Flamethrowing! Midway of Mayhem - Thrilling rides and games including the Tilt-a-Whirl, the Gravitron, the Scrambler and more! The Carn-Evil Macabre - Visit the Haunted Marketplace filled with foods and scary. The Forest of Fear is held on the NY Renaissance Faire site. 600 Rte. 17A Tuxedo, New York 845-351-5174 and 845-351-5171. Less than an hour from most parts of Northern New Jersey.





Headless Horseman - Hayrides and Haunted HousesUlster Park, NY, 845-339-2666New York StateHeadless Horseman Hayrides and Haunted Houses is located in Ulster Park, NY, part of the Historic Haunted Hudson Valley. The property incorporates over forty-five acres of naturally landscaped property that includes foreboding woods, surreal ponds, fruit orchards and more. It has been Named #1 Hayride in America by American Airlines Magazine, as well as #1 Haunted Attraction in the country by Haunt World Magazine, also receiving top ten national rankings from CNBC and AOL. Headless Horseman is a theatrical experience like no other! Every friday Saturday and Sunday in October as well as October 29th and 30th! About an hour and a half from most parts of Northern New Jersey, but well worth the ride!

Pump(kin) you up!!

My My I love pumpkin pie!!
However, I don't like how the pie stays with me throughout the winter (particularly on my thighs)
This recipe from Hungry Girl sounds delicious! I can't wait to make it...imagine every four slices of this healthier pie is really ONE slice of regular pumpkin pie....THINK HOW MUCH YOU CAN HAVE!!

	You'll need a springform pie pan for this recipe. You can usually find 'em cheapie-cheap at any supermarket, or click here to order one online. Ingredients: For Crust 2 cups Fiber One Bran Cereal ground to a breadcrumb-like consistency in a blender or food processor 1/4 cup light whipped butter or light buttery spread (like Smart Balance Light), melted & mixed with 2 tbsp. water 3 tbsp. Splenda No Calorie Sweetener (granulated) 1 tsp. cinnamon For Filling 32 oz. fat-free cream cheese, room temperature 1 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters Original) 1 cup canned pure pumpkin 1 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener (granulated) 1/4 cup light brown sugar (not packed) 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice For Topping 3/4 cup fat-free sour cream 1/4 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener (granulated) 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract Directions: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine all crust ingredients and mix thoroughly. Spray a springform pie pan (about 9" wide) lightly with nonstick spray -- make sure to get the sides as well as the bottom. Then evenly distribute c rumb mixture, using your hands or a flat utensil to firmly press and form the crust along the bottom of the pan. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine all filling ingredients. Using an electric mixer set to medium speed, mix until completely blended and lump-free. Pour mixture into the pan. Bake in the oven for approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes, until set. Allow pie to chill in the fridge for at least 3 - 4 hours (overnight is best). Once pie has chilled, carefully release and remove springform top. In a small bowl, mix all topping ingredients together until thoroughly blended. Spread topping evenly over the pie. Return pie to the fridge until ready to serve. Cut pie into 12 slices. MAKES 12 SERVINGS
	Serving Size: 1 slice Calories: 160 Fat: 3.25g Sodium: 579mg Carbs: 20g Fiber: 5g Sugars: 7g Protein: 15g POINTS® value 3*

LIFE IN THE FAST LANE

Some days I have no idea where the time went. It's like I'm a car driving down the highway at 80 miles an hour - and everything is just a blur. The billboards I pass, I cannot read. The people I pass are gone before I can even open my mouth to say hi. The days go by, and I look back at the calendar and I wonder where large chunks of time went.
Is this how my whole life will be? How do I make it slow down enough to experience it all? take it all in?

This week we are starting the Biggest Loser at work. What defines a loser? In this case, one who packs on the weight - and is now permanently carrying it around. That, in short, would be me.
This little (or alot) of weight is making me regret having to look for a wedding dress...which brings me to my first point. Time. Where has the time gone? I am worried that before I know it, it will be January and getting a dress will be impossible. Apparently, one has to order their wedding dress at birth in order to make sure it arrives on time.....