My Taco Soup (with homemeade sour cream and Fritos) hit the spot too. Yes, it was 50 something, but rainy and windy so something warm still sounded good. I had roasted asparagus last week too. Prices went from $3.99/# to $1.39 in one week. Back up to $1.99 this week, but that's still "do-able" for now. Another couple of weeks and MAYBE we'll see some $.99 sales! Then again, maybe not this year with the fuel prices up so high. Stacy.......you should have brought your swimsuit and some steaks last Sunday.........it was 66 degrees here! I worked in the garden in shorts and tank top.....and I HATE to be cold... Deanna

Yum potato soup is my all time favorite... I have eaten the chicken chili and my husband even liked it but when it comes to chili...I want Texas Red..... Ingredients: 2 T veg oil 3 lb. coarse ground beef 2 med. onions, chopped 28 oz can whole tomatoes 12 oz good beer 6T chili powder 2 jalepenos 1 T cumin 1 T paprika 1 t cayenne pepper salt & pepper as you like it.... Directions: Heat oil in the pot, add the ground beef and brown a little. Add the onions and garlic and sauté until meat is thoroughly browned. Stir in tomatoes, beer, chili powder, jalepenos, cumin, paprika. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, 45-55 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and cayenne. Serve with onions, cheese.

We had our second football party of the year for the Huskers today. It was an early game (11:30) So had snacks and hardier things for lunch. Chili with toppings loaded potato soup little smokies with bbq sauce Cheese/salsa/hamburger dip spinach dip bacon tomato dip cheese, salami and crackers relish tray banana bread cantalope and watermelon popcorn seasoned oyster crackers candy corn with spanish peanuts pickles wrapped with cream cheese and dried beef various beverages We had my in laws over and a couple that are good friends of ours, they all helped with the food. We will have the same to watch more football tonigh. We had a good time, the huskers won, good conversation and the kids had fun playing with grandma and our friend Kathy. The girls just love Kathy and want to go over to her house and pay all the time. Now to start planning for the tailgate party Friday before the high school football party. Stacie girlsingardens

I'm thinking some kind of warm apples in a crockpot to spoon over cake and/or ice cream - I don't have a recipe but I'm sure someone would. Just a couple of other ideas - I haven't made the pumpkin trifle but I enjoyed it when my neighbor made it. Spiced Chocolate Budino Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis 3 boxes store bought chocolate pudding mix 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 small orange, zested 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes Candied Orange Peel, for garnish, recipe follows Make the pudding according to the package instructions. Add the cinnamon, orange zest, and red pepper flakes before chilling in a large trifle dish. Before serving, sprinkle the top with chopped Candied Orange Peel. Candied Orange Peel: 1 large navel orange 3/4 cup sugar Using a vegetable peeler, cut the orange part of the peel from the stem end of the orange down to the navel end, forming long 3/4 to 1-inch-wide strips. Bring a heavy small saucepan of water to a boil. Add the peels and cook for 1 minute. Drain and then rinse the peels under cold water. Repeat cooking the peels in the saucepan with fresh boiling water and rinsing under cold water 2 more times. Stir the sugar and 1/2 cup of fresh water in a heavy small saucepan over medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil. Add the orange peels and simmer over medium-low heat until tender, about 15 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the peels to a sheet of parchment paper to dry slightly, about 1 hour. Yield: about 10 candied peels Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle (Recipe Courtesy Paula Deen) ===================================================== 2 (14-ounce) package gingerbread mix 1 (5.1-ounce) package cook-and-serve vanilla pudding mix 1 (30-ounce) can pumpkin pie filling 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 1/3 teaspoon ground cardamom or cinnamon 1 (12-ounce) container frozen whipped topping (or whipped cream - whipped cream is better!) 1/2 cup gingersnaps, optional . Bake the gingerbread according to the package directions; cool completely. Meanwhile, prepare the pudding and set aside to cool. Stir the pumpkin pie filling, sugar, and cardamom into the pudding. Crumble 1 batch of gingerbread into the bottom of a large, pretty bowl. Pour 1/2 of the pudding mixture over the gingerbread, then add a layer of whipped topping. Repeat with the remaining gingerbread, pudding, and whipped topping. Sprinkle of the top with crushed gingersnaps, if desired. Refrigerate overnight. Trifle can be layered in a punch bowl. serves 15-20 My notes: 1. Cut ingred by half, this makes a large amt. (2004 to fit into my trifle bowl)