Taco Stuffed Jack-o'-lanterns

The internet is packed with creative food ideas for Halloween night.

Some are a frightful delight. 

And then...

there are others that are just downright creepy. You know the ones... 


like the guacamole barfing pumpkins... 


and the skeletons with hot dog intestines...


or the blood-shot eyeball hard-boiled eggs - Eew! 


They get worse and quite possibly require a few shots of something devilishly strong to even consider eating.

This Halloween don’t scare your family and friends with ghoulish fare, treat them to a G-rated dinner approved for all ages.

These wickedly cute Taco Stuffed Jack-o’-lanterns substitute fresh bell peppers for taco shells. 


Stuffed with spicy beef, black beans and brown rice, they are a perfect when there’s no time to fix dinner before the kiddos head out for the evening. 

Assemble them the night before, then pop them in the oven while everyone’s getting into costume.

Happy Halloween from my haunted kitchen to yours.

Taco Stuffed Jack-o’-lanterns

4 servings

4 orange bell peppers

1 pound ground round

1/4 cup red onion, diced

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 - 2 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup cooked brown rice

15-ounce can black beans, drained

1 tablespoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend

Heat oven to 350 F.

Wash peppers. Slice off the tops and set them aside. Scoop out seeds and ribs. With a paring knife, carve jack-o’-lantern faces into the sides of peppers. Set aside.

In a large skillet, cook beef and onions until beef is no longer pink. Drain.

In the same skillet, heat oil over medium and cook garlic 1 to 2 minutes. Return beef mixture to skillet. Stir in cooked rice, black beans, chile powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Sprinkle cheese over mixture and fold in.

Fill carved peppers with beef mixture. Place tops back on.

Place peppers, standing up in a glass baking dish. Add a 1/2 cup of water to the dish. Bake for 20 minutes or until peppers are soft but still hold their shape.

Dining Room Reveal and Fall Tour

I thought about titling this post, The Breakup.

Because that’s essentially what I did.

After 12 years, I finally did it…

I broke it off with my home décor.

I’m not saying I never loved you, Tuscan Gold, really it was just me…

And, mister Red dining room, you’ll always hold a special place in my heart…

But it was just time. Time for a change.

Choosing a new paint color was the easiest part. 

Creamy neutral, you were right under my nose the whole time just hanging out in my laundry room and hallways...

Just waiting for me to notice you.

I decided to let you expand your horizons into the foyer, the great room, the kitchen and the dining room.

And you know what? I couldn’t be happier with the choice. 

The new neutral background makes the rooms brighter, feel more open, gives me a lot more options in terms of decorating.

I’ve fallen in love all over again.

Source list: gingham panels - Ballard Designs; buffalo check pillows, lamp, topiary and urn - The Butter Barn; table runner – HomeGoods; candle sticks, black linen napkins and pumpkin plates – Target; crocheted pumpkin – Galaxy Rose Crochet; and faux greens wreath – Found Our Haven.

My Love For Farmers Markets and a Butternut Squash Recipe

Can I tell you a secret?

I love farmers markets.

I love them as much as pumpkins, puppies and pizza.

I know, right?

My town is blessed to have a fabulous weekly farmers market that showcases a wonderful variety of locally grown produce, made-from-scratch baked goods, and handmade food products. 

It is the perfect outlet to meet farmers, makers and creators; sample delicious products; meet friends for dinner; and pick up some groceries.

The abundance of beautiful vegetables on display at farmers’ stands this month provided me with the inspiration to work on new recipes, handpicked for the season.

Butternut Squash, Sausage and Sage
This recipe relies on a spiralizer to create noodle-like strands of squash. If you don’t have a spiralizer, use a vegetable peeler to make long shreds of squash instead. 

Since you only need the top half of the butternut squash in this recipe, save the other half for another day and use it to make the Autumn Salad. Serves 4.

8 ounces spaghetti
Half of a medium butternut squash, about 12 ounces
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 ounces sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh sage leaves, chopped
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3/4 cup dry white wine
2 cups kale, chopped
1/4 half-and-half
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
2 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Cook pasta according to directions

Peel the butternut squash and spiralize on a thin noodle setting. Cut any very long strands in half.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add sausage and cook, breaking it up with a spoon until beginning to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic, sage, red pepper and cook, stirring about 1 minute.

Add butternut squash and toss to combine. Add wine and cook, covered, until the squash Is just tender, 3 to 5 minutes.

Add kale and toss to combine. Stir in cream and mustard and simmer until slightly thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Fold in cheese.

(Recipe adapted from womensday.com)

Can I tell you another secret?

I love you too!

Thanks for reading.

A Road Trip to Detroit's Eastern Market and West Village

Fall is the perfect time for a road trip! If you love farmers markets as much as I do, a visit to Detroit’s behemoth Eastern Market is in order this harvest season. Located at 2934 Russell St., in the heart of The D, the market has been nourishing the Motor City for over 125 years.

On Saturdays the bustling farmers market is the place to be. More than 200 vendors set up booths in the market’s 5 Sheds to sell fresh produce, meats, baked goods and locally made products. 


Freshly picked flowers are in abundance at this time of year, and with harvest season just around the corner, pumpkins and gourds will be making their entrance to the sheds soon.

Eastern Market is open year-round on Saturdays from 6 am to 4 pm. On Sundays through September, the market transforms from a traditional farmers market to an artisan market and features the work of local crafters, cooks, jewelers and musicians selling Detroit and Michigan made products. Sunday hours are 10 am to 4 pm.

Free parking (except for on Lions Tailgating Sundays) exists all around Eastern Market. Although it can be a little tricky to find a spot, especially at peak hours on Saturdays; they do open quickly. 

For those who have questions or are new to the market, a welcome center is located on the premises at 1445 Adelaide St. between Sheds 2 and 3. Visitors may pick up a map of the market, recipes and use the restrooms. Welcome center hours are Saturdays 7 am to 4 pm (year-round) and Sundays 10 am to 4 pm (June – September).

Holiday Markets

When it’s time to deck the halls and prepare those holiday meals, visit the Eastern Market during its holiday market season, Tuesday, Nov. 26 and Sundays, Dec. 1, 8, 15 and 22. The Tuesday market focuses on food vendors, and the Sunday markets feature Christmas trees, Michigan-made gift options including clothing, art, jewelry and beauty products.

The Neighborhood
After visiting the market, spend some time strolling the neighborhood which boasts several restaurants, cafes, meat and seafood markets, and a wine shop. 

No visit to Eastern Market is complete (in my opinion) without lunch or dinner at nearby Supino Pizzeria, 2457 Russell St. Once a tiny pizza joint with only a couple of community tables, the restaurant has been recently expanded and now features a spacious dining room and bar. There may be a bit of a wait for a table, so head there a little before reaching starving point, put your name and number on the list, then spend a little time exploring the area. The host or hostess will text you when your table is ready.

Supino’s hand-tossed, thin crust pizzas are available in two sizes 12” and 18”. While Guy Fieri of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, favored the City Wing Thing Turkey Pizza, I recommend the El Greco with feta cheese, spinach, onion and kalamata olives.

Sister Pie
While in the vicinity, head to Sister Pie, a charming and eclectic bakery located at the corner of Kercheval and Parker streets in Detroit’s West Village neighborhood. With a mission “to celebrate the seasons through pie,” the bakery specializes in nontraditional flavor combinations such as Blueberry Plum Balsamic, Salted Maple, and Sweet Corn Peach Streusel.

In addition to pies, the bakery serves cookies, breakfast items and lunch. Hours are Monday through Friday 8 am to 4 pm and Saturday and Sunday 9 am to 2 pm.

As the season shifts to cooler weather, carve out a little time to explore the food scene up north. Don’t forget your jacket and a cooler.  

How to Make Fabric Pumpkins

Pumpkins crafted from rustic burlap, glistening velvet, fuzzy felt and patterned fabric are cropping up all over at boutiques, art fairs and makers markets. Not only are they fun and easy to make, they can be customized to coordinate with any home décor.

Making fabric pumpkins is a great way to recycle. Use leftover fabric from other projects or visit thrift stores to find inspiration - think cable knit sweaters, wool blankets or a vintage plaid kilt.

Once you have your supplies, it’s time to create your own designer pumpkin patch. Happy decorating!

Supplies needed:
Fabric pieces
Pen and scissors
Needle and heavy-duty thread
Batting and dried beans
Assorted stems from pumpkins, dried
Hot glue gun/glue sticks

Lay out fabric. Using different size bowls as guides, trace circles onto fabric. The smallest bowl I used was 8” in diameter. Cut out circles.

With a needle and heavy-duty thread, sew a running stitch along the edges of a circle, gathering the fabric as you go. I added an extra stitch every few pleats, so I wouldn’t have as much to cinch at the end.

About 2/3rds of the way around the circle, add a handful of dried beans to give the pumpkin some weight. 

Next, add batting in small pieces  until the pumpkin reaches desired fullness.

Sew up the hole by making crisscross stitches from one side to the other.

Use a hot glue gun to attach stems over the stitches. Press stem down and hold for 30 seconds.

Marinated Tomatoes are a Savory Summertime Side

So versatile, marinated tomatoes can be enjoyed on their own, spooned over cheesy flatbread and grilled chicken, or mixed into warm pasta. Any type of small tomatoes will do, but I prefer heirloom for their flavor and array of colors. Mix up a batch and store them in a 20-ounce canning jar in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Marinated Tomatoes

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

¼ cup olive oil

3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1-2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 tablespoons fresh basil, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a medium bowl, add tomatoes. 

In a separate bowl, add remaining ingredients and whisk to combine. 

Pour dressing over tomatoes. 

Let sit for a couple of hours to allow the flavors to meld.

Cheesy Flatbread

Makes 2 flatbreads

One 8.8-ounce package of Naan flatbread

Olive oil

1 cup shredded Italian cheese mix

2 ounces mini fresh mozzarella balls, halved

2 tablespoons fresh basil, thinly sliced

Parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 400 F. Place Naan flatbreads on a baking sheet.

Brush with olive oil. Sprinkle half of the shredded cheese over each bread. Top each with 1 ounce of mozzarella balls.

Scatter fresh basil over each bread.

Bake for 12-14 minutes or until bread becomes crispy around the edges and cheese begins to brown.

Spoon marinated tomatoes over breads. Top with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

A Visit to the Pioneer Woman Mercantile

The threat of heavy rain and damaging wind across the plains states couldn’t dampen our spirits and plan to visit The Pioneer Woman Mercantile, located in the small town of Pawhuska, Okla., about an hour northwest of Tulsa. The Food Network star, Ree Drummond, and her husband, Ladd, renovated the 100-year-old building and opened “The Merc,” a general store with a deli and bakery on the town’s Main Street.

Ree Drummond's cookbooks are available at "The Merc."

The destination was just an extra 60 miles added to our already 1,500-mile road trip toward Santa Fe, N.M. So why not? How often do my husband and I get an opportunity to hang out in Oklahoma?

Luckily for us, The Merc wasn’t too far from our overnight stop in Joplin, Mo., and we were able to arrive on Friday morning just shortly after 9:30. They doors open at 7 a.m. daily, except Sundays. There was no line to get in yet, and we managed to get a parking spot right in front of the store.

Bakeware and cookware are on display at the general store. 

Inside the beautifully renovated General Store we found tables and tables full of kitchenware, home décor items, books, toys, and whimsical souvenirs. A boutique area included clothing, jewelry and accessories. There was even an assortment of flowy, peasant-style blouses just like the ones Ree wears on her show.

After about 30 minutes of perusing and purchasing in the store, folks were starting to pile in and tables in the deli were quickly filling. We decided to forgo a full breakfast and headed up the large wooden staircase toward the bakery. Lining the stairs were giant, black and white photos of the Drummond kids, the ranch and their animals photographed by Ree.

The Pioneer Woman Mercantile in Pawhuska, Okla. is filled with kitchenware, home decor, clothing and accessories. The building also houses a restaurant and 2nd floor bakery.

Upstairs housed the bakery and a large open area with leather couches and bistro tables, a good spot to kick up your boots and sip a cup of coffee and enjoy a pastry. We opted to share a warm, ham and cheese croissant and selected a strawberry cream cheese pastry for the road.

The bakery is a great place to relax with a book, cup of coffee and a danish. 

Hoping to catch a glimpse of Ree and Ladd, who are known to pop in now and then, we took one last look around The Merc before heading out. No Ree or Ladd in sight, but we did see Ladd’s father, Charles who was just hanging out and chatting with customers.

For those with a bit more time, tours of The Lodge on Drummond Ranch, where Ree produces her cooking show, are offered. Tickets are free but only available at The Merc on tour days.

 "The Merc" gave us a great opportunity to stretch our legs and take a break from driving. 

Although our visit to The Merc and less than desirable spring weather delayed our arrival in Santa Fe for a few hours, it was worth the stop and a welcome respite from the pounding rain we would endure the rest of the day. Now, which way to the Silos?

Vegan Spring Recipes from The Leaf and Seed

“It was the health benefits that made me give up dairy,” said Susan Herhold, chef and owner of The Leaf and Seed, a vegan food truck which will be making its Sylvania Farmers Market debut on June 4. 

Six years ago, Herhold became a vegetarian and shortly after that stopped eating dairy. "My health improved almost immediately. My asthma and migraines were not as bad, my cholesterol improved, and my skin cleared up. I have more energy too,” she explained.

To get started on a plant-based diet, Herhold bought cookbooks and began experimenting with recipes. “I have kids, so I needed to figure out how to make vegan versions of the things they wanted like tacos,” she said. “Soon after that, I had neighbors and friends asking me to make plant-based dishes for them, so I started a food service business.”

Leaf and Seed Chef and Owner Susan Herhold

Herhold took her cooking one step further when she and her husband decided to participate in a local VegBash event. “I wasn’t sure if this was for us, but I said, ‘We’re here; let’s see what happens.’ When I finally looked up from cooking, I saw that the line was out the door for my food,” she recalled. “That’s when I decided it was time to buy a food truck.”

In May of 2018, Herhold purchased a truck and began serving her scratch made, vegan comfort food throughout the area. 

Herhold’s advice to those who want to convert some of their recipes to vegan versions is, “Think of something you really love, like lasagna. Think about the parts you can’t have like the meat and cheese, then find plant-based substitutes for them such as using tofu for ricotta cheese,” she explained.

Here’s what we can look forward to from The Leaf and Seed this summer. “We always offer our nachos which are organic tortilla chips topped with black beans, cashew-based nacho cheese, local micro greens, lettuce, tomatoes, onion, salsa, guacamole and cashew-based sour cream. We usually offer a sandwich such as a burger or jackfruit sandwich. Our Rueben is really popular, and we usually make some type of burrito,” said Herhold. “We try to have a vegan dessert available as well such as lemon cake with lavender blueberry sauce, chocolate chip cookies, brownies or strawberry shortcake.

The Leaf and Seed’s weekly food truck schedule can be found on Facebook and Instagram. “We will be at the Sylvania Farmers Market on Tuesdays and at First Fridays in Sylvania,” said Herhold.

A special thank you to Susan for sharing three of her popular recipes which would make a delicious spring  brunch. “I encourage people to give up animal products for one day a week,” she said. “You’ll start to feel better.”

Tropical Fruit Compote and Veggie Tofu Quiche

Veggie Tofu Quiche
1 pre-made vegan pie crust, or your favorite recipe crust
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 red onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 cup broccoli, chopped
1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 pound firm tofu, pressed dry
1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 tablespoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1/2 non-dairy unsweetened, unflavored milk (Herhold prefers cashew milk)

Heat oven to 350 F. Add olive oil to large skillet, sauté all vegetables for about five minutes.

In a blender or food processor, blend tofu, milk and seasonings.

Add tofu mixture and veggies to a large bowl and mix well.

Pour mixture into crust and bake for 30 minutes or until firm. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Tropical Fruit Compote

Tropical Fruit Compote
1 can pineapple chunks
½ cup coconut sugar or white sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/3 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 can mandarin oranges, drained
3 medium apples, chopped
3 medium bananas, sliced
1 cup shredded coconut

Drain pineapple, reserving juice. 

In a large saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Whisk in the orange, lemon and pineapple juices until smooth. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly; cook and stir 1 minute longer. Remove from heat; set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the fruits. Pour warm sauce over fruit; stir gently to coat. Cover and refrigerate.

Top with shredded coconut.

Lemon Bundt Cake with Buttercream and Berries

Lemon Bundt Cake with Buttercream and Berries
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons lemon zest
½ cup vegan butter, softened
1 1/3 cups sugar
2/3 cup non-dairy milk, unsweetened
1 ½ teaspoons lemon extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup non-dairy vanilla yogurt

For the Buttercream and Berries
1 cup organic powdered sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
5 tablespoons vegan butter
Blackberries and raspberries

Heat oven to 350 F. Grease a Bundt pan.

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and lemon zest. Stir to combine and set aside.

In a separate bowl, beat together vegan butter and sugar until well combined. Stir in non-dairy milk, extracts and non-dairy yogurt. Add the liquid mixture to flour mixture. Thoroughly combine.

Pour batter into pan. Bake for 50-55 minutes, until cake is golden brown, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let cake cool for 10 minutes. Remove cake from pan and let it cool completely.

While the cake cools, make the buttercream. 

In a mixing bowl, mix softened butter with lemon juice. Add powdered sugar while mixing with hand mixer. Mix until light and fluffy. 

Pipe frosting onto top of cake in decorative pattern. Arrange berries on top of the buttercream. Refrigerate if not serving immediately.

Lemon Bundt Cake with Buttercream and Berries