Creamy Butternut Squash Soup

1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed into 1/2 in. pieces
2 carrots, diced
1 onion, diced
3 cans chicken broth
1/2 tsp salt
2 T butter

Put squash, carrots, onion, broth, and salt in saucepan. Simmer for about 40 minutes uncovered, or until squash is very tender. Pour everything into a blender, including butter, and puree until smooth. Serve with fresh cracked pepper. Yummy!

Sweet Fall Chex Mix

Yum! I'm making this for our road trip, but I plan to make it for our fall party and as fall teacher gifts in cute bags also!

4 c. Corn Chex
2 c. Wheat Chex
2 c. Pretzels
1 c. cashews
1 c. raisins
6 squares white chocolate baking squares
Candy Corn

Mix first 5 ingredients in bowl. Melt white chocolate in bowl in microwave, stirring every 30 seconds. Drizzle melted chocolate over mixture, stirring while dong this so that everything gets coated. Lay out on wax paper to let chocolate harden. Once hardened, mix together with candy corn.

Fall Off the Bone Ribs

1 slab of pork ribs

Dry Rub:
1 T paprika
1 tsp each of salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, seasoned salt
1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper

Favorite BBQ sauce

Pat dry rub onto ribs and rub with your fingers so it really gets into the meat. You can do this ahead of time, or right before you cook them. Wrap tightly in aluminum foil and set on a baking sheet. Cook for about 3 hours on 300 degrees. Take out of oven, brush with BBQ sauce, and grill on low (about 300 degrees). We cut ours in half and do it with the rib rack. Grill for about 25-30 minutes, or until the sauce has formed a nice carmalization. AMAZING! They will fall of the bone when you eat them.

Owl Cake Pops

Aren't these the cutest little owls you've ever seen?? I helped my mom make them for a shower she was giving.

Make cake pops into an oval shape. Use candy coating to put 2 chocolate chips for the ears. Refrigerate for a while until completely set. Dip in brown candy coating. Use white and yellow candy necklace pieces for eyes, orange sprinkle for nose, pink flower sprinkles for feet, and brown mini M&M's for the wings.

Crockpot Shredded Chicken Tacos

This is super simple. The chicken pretty much shreds itself in the crockpot.

4 chicken breasts, thawed
1 packet taco seasoning
1 jar salsa
1 can corn, drained
1 can black beans, drained
1/2 block cream cheese
tortillas
taco fixings

Mix up chicken breasts, taco seasoning, salsa, corn, and beans in crockpot. Cook on LOW for 7-8 hours. About 20 minutes before you eat, mix in cream cheese or until all cheese is melted in crockpot. Shred chicken and stir before serving on tortillas.

Apple Cake Pops

My friend, Debra and I made these the first day of school for all the teachers.

Death by Chocolate Cupcakes

For chocolate lovers only! These cupcakes are decadent and rich.

Cupcake Mix
1 box chocolate fudge cake mix- you will also need eggs, vegetable oil, and water to make cake mix

Mousse
1 box chocolate mousse mix
1 c. cold milk

Dark Chocolate Ganache
1 bag dark chocolate chips
1/2 c. heavy cream

Drizzle
3 squares white chocolate

Mix cupcakes according to box directions using eggs, water, and oil. Bake at 350 degrees for about 12-15 minutes or as soon as a toothpick comes out clean.

Mix mousse mix with cold milk for about 4-5 minutes until it gets fluffy. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes before using so it can set a little more.

With a sharp paring knife, cut a little cone out of top of cooled cupcakes. Cut off pointy tip of cone. Using a small tip, fill middle of cupcake with small amount of mousse, then replace top of cupcake.

To make ganache, make a double boiler using saucepan and a small glass bowl. Fill the saucepan with water about 1-2 inches then place glass bowl in pot but it should not be touching the water when boiling. Melt dark chocolate and heavy cream until smooth.

Dip tops of cupcakes in melted ganache not letting wrapper touch the chocolate. (Some of the tops of my cupcakes were falling in, so I had to just spoon it on top and spread it around.) If dipping works for you, go for it!

Place cupcakes in freezer for about 5 minutes just to let ganache harden up and set.

Microwave white chocolate drizzle for 20 seconds at a time, then stirring until all is melted. Pour drizzle in small baggie then cut a tiny hole in corner of bag to drizzle on top of cupcakes.