Living La Vida Holoka


Spooky Good Pumpkin Spice Fruit Dip

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Thank you to FruitBouquets.com for sending me Halloween treats in exchange for this post. No other compensation has been received. The opinions stated within this post are 100% my own.


Halloween will be here before we know it.  You know what’s spookier than the holiday itself?  Showing up to your next party empty-handed!  Whether you’re the “hostess with the mostest” or heading to a costume party, don’t gather without bringing something ghoulishly good to the table!  Don’t worry!  I’ve got a couple tricks and treats to show you today that will save you from making such a monstrous mistake!

Dips are one of my favorite party foods.  You can’t go wrong with dip!  Sure, you can have your chips and salsa, hot and cheesy dips, and crudite platters.  Those are good, but Halloween is all about sweets!  Since it’s also Pumpkin Season, I decided to create a Pumpkin Spice Dip that’s perfect for Halloween, pumpkin spice lovers, and even Thanksgiving!



I am a total pumpkin spice lover!  Really, I love pumpkin-anything!  This easy dip has quickly become one of my favorite pumpkin recipes!  It’s made with pumpkin puree, homemade marshmallow fluff, and cream cheese.  So good!  It’s delicious to dip into with graham crackers or Nilla Wafers, but I really love it with fruit!  Want to make this Pumpkin Spice Fruit Dip even tastier?  Serve it with a Fall fruit arrangement and some chocolate-covered monster strawberries from FruitBouquets.com!

FruitBouquets.com recently sent me the CUTEST Halloween arrangement!  It was made with strawberries, chocolate-covered strawberries, chocolate-covered apples, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, and Jack-o-lantern and candy corn pineapple.  There was even a Halloween balloon attached to the fruit bouquet!  Chocolate-covered strawberries just happen to be my favorite, so I was delighted to also receive a box full of their Monster Berries™!  Everything was so good with this pumpkin fruit dip!



Spooky Good Pumpkin Spice Fruit Dip
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Ingredients
  1. 1 cup mini marshmallows
  2. 1 tsp. light corn syrup
  3. 8 oz. Neufchatel cheese, softened
  4. 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  5. 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
  6. 1/2 tbsp. pumpkin pie spice
  7. 1/2 tbsp. honey
  8. Fruit, for dipping
Instructions
  1. Using a double boiler method, melt the mini marshmallows over a low flame, stirring continuously.
  2. Once the marshmallows have begun to melt down, stir in the corn syrup.
  3. Continue stirring until the marshmallows are completely smooth and melted.
  4. Working quickly, add the marshmallow mixture and Neufchatel cheese to a mixing bowl.
  5. Mix on low speed until smooth and combined.
  6. Next, mix in vanilla, pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, and honey.
  7. Spoon dip into a dish and serve with fruit.
  8. Keep covered in the fridge until serving.
Living La Vida Holoka http://www.livinglavidaholoka.com/



My favorite fruit to eat with this pumpkin spice dip was definitely the chocolate-covered apples. It was such a delicious combination of Fall flavors! Again, all of the fruit in this arrangement was so fresh and delicious!

FruitBouquets.com guarantees same day delivery (with orders placed before 11AM)!  Of course, it’s recommended to order ahead of time. Check out all of the Fall arrangements that FruitBouquets.com has to offer. Pair a FruitBouquet with this dip for a ghoulishly good Halloween treat!

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What’s your favorite kind of fruit dip?

DIY Halloween Fairy Garden

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I was provided product samples free of charge from Oriental Trading in exchange for my honest opinion. No other compensation was provided for this post.


I love having a garden, but I have to admit that by the end of the summer I’m kind of “over it.”  At the beginning of the season, I can’t wait to watch our garden grow.  I’ll make a morning routine out of picking berries off our bushes and gathering vegetables in our garden.  But by this time of year, I’m no longer rushing outside in the morning.  In fact, if a squirrel or rabbit ends up in the garden, I’m not as eager to go chase them out.  

Then, it always happens.  We make the decision to rip out the garden for another year and I begin to miss my morning routine.  The disappointment really sets in when I have to buy a tomato from the store.  It’s just not the same as picking one right from the backyard!  

The only thing that’s left to grow in the garden is winter grass that we’ll plant and turn over in the spring.  So I’ll just have to wait another year for my gardening excitement to return once again.  

Or will I?


Outdoor gardening season might be over, but it doesn’t mean you need to put your gardening tools away just yet!  Not when we can do some indoor gardening! I love making fairy gardens and terrariums. They’re a great way to add color to your home and get creative with different objects and plants.  

With Halloween up ahead, I decided to make a creepy fairy garden and work it into my Halloween decor this year.  What better way to make a Halloween fairy garden than in a pumpkin?!  This project was so easy to make with supplies from Oriental Trading!

SUPPLIES

  • Diorama craft pumpkin
  • Hot glue gun
  • Natural moss
  • Halloween figurines
  • Moss foam rocks
  • Stretchable spider webs
  • Creepy ants
  • LED string lights

STEPS

  1. Heat up your hot glue gun.  Then, begin gluing moss onto the bottom of the pumpkin.
  2. Position the Halloween figurines inside of the pumpkin.  Then, glue them into place.
  3. Cover a couple of moss foam rocks with stretchable spider web.  Glue them inside of the pumpkin, as well.
  4. Add an extra creepy touch to the moss rocks by gluing a couple of ants on top.
  5. Next, carefully cut or drill a small hole into the back of the pumpkin, towards the bottom.  This hole will be used to string the lights through.
  6. String the end of the lights through the hole.  Twist and turn them around the inside of the pumpkin.
  7. For a fun touch, glue the lights around the outside of the pumpkin’s opening.  Hide the glued spots by adding an ant on top.
  8. Turn on the lights and display your Halloween fairy garden!



Even though this fairy garden has a few creepy touches inside of it, you have to admit that it’s kind of cute! You can make your own Halloween fairy garden as creepy or as cute as you like!  

Gather the supplies you need to make this fairy garden on Oriental Trading and get started on this spooktacular Halloween garden idea!

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If you like this Halloween project, you might also like these:

Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese Braid

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This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #SavorPumpkinSeason #CollectiveBias


It’s officially my favorite time of year!  This time of year, summer starts transitioning into Fall.  You can feel it in the air!  The sun goes down a little sooner and the streets start to get a little quieter at night.  Then, Fall begins and that familiar chill in the air returns.  It’s that chill that has me so excited to celebrate the return of hoodies, Fall activities, and Pumpkin Season!

Even though there are still a few days left of Summer, I have to admit that I’ve already made up my Fall bucket list.  There’s just so much that I want to do during the Fall!  Here in New Jersey, it seems like my favorite season is never long enough to cram in all of the activities we want to do!  So we try to fill our weekends with hiking, pumpkin picking, apple picking, canoeing, and more!  

The return of cooler weather also allows me to do so much more baking!  What goes better with a freshly baked homemade good during the Fall than a Pumpkin Spice Caffè Latte? Now, Starbucks® makes it so much easier to enjoy everyone’s favorite Fall beverage with their limited edition Pumpkin Spice Caffè Latte K-Cup® pods!


Like most Fall-obsessed girls, I usually count down the days until Starbucks® releases the Pumpkin Spice Caffè Latte again.  Thankfully, now I won’t have to wait in line at Starbucks® to get my Pumpkin Spice Caffè Latte fix!

The Starbucks® Pumpkin Spice Caffè Latte K-Cup® pods (6 ct) are made in two easy steps.  First, add the Pumpkin Spice flavor packet to your mug.  Then, insert the coffee pod into your Keurig® and brew.  Stir until the flavor packet contents have dissolved and enjoy a creamy Pumpkin Spice Caffè Latte at home!


I celebrated the return of Pumpkin Season and the Starbucks® Pumpkin Spice Caffè Latte by baking up a Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese Braid.  This braid will wow your guests at all of your Fall celebrations!  Despite its pretty presentation, you’ll be surprised how easy it is to make!  

Start with a store bought crescent dough sheet.  Then, whip up a pumpkin spice cream cheese.  Top that with a caramel infused pumpkin puree.  Overlap strips of dough until a pretty braid is formed and bake until golden perfection!  It’s the perfect recipe to pair this Fall with a Pumpkin Spice Caffè Latte!


*Be sure to check out ShopRite private label products when you shop for these ingredients*

Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese Braid
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Ingredients
  1. 1 crescent dough sheet
  2. 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
  3. 1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
  4. 1/3 cup sugar
  5. 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
  6. 2 tbsp. caramel sauce
  7. 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  8. 1 egg white, beaten
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Spray a 9x13 baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
  3. Spread crescent dough sheet out in the baking sheet so it touches each corner.
  4. In a large bowl, cream together softened cream cheese, pumpkin pie spice, and sugar.
  5. Spread cream cheese mixture down the center of the dough sheet.
  6. In another bowl, mix pumpkin puree, caramel sauce, and vanilla extract until fully incorporated. Spread the pumpkin mixture on top of the cream cheese.
  7. With kitchen scissors, cut the ends of the dough up towards the filled center in 1-inch strips.
  8. Take an end strip and begin overlapping each strip until a braid forms.  Tuck in or trim ends.
  9. Use a pastry brush to lightly brush on the egg wash.
  10. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until dough is completely cooked through and golden brown.
  11. Allow to cool before serving.
Notes
  1. Pro tip: Make a batch of the cream cheese filling to spread on a toasted bagel!
Living La Vida Holoka http://www.livinglavidaholoka.com/


The Starbucks® Pumpkin Spice Caffè Latte K-Cup® pods (6 ct) allow you to embrace all of the flavors of the season with real pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg. I definitely wanted to play off of those flavors to make a recipe that pairs perfectly with this beverage.  It’s pumpkin spice and everything nice!

You can celebrate Pumpkin Season with Starbucks® Pumpkin Spice Caffè Latte K-Cup® pods (6 ct) found in the coffee aisle at ShopRite stores.  While you’re there, stock up on canned pumpkin to whip up my delicious Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese Braid!


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What’s your favorite pumpkin spice treat for Fall?

Slow Cooker Asian-Inspired Meatballs {SoFabFood Post}

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Want to mix up your weeknight menu with something a little sweet and spicy?  Try this Slow Cooker Asian-Inspired Meatballs recipe on SoFabFood today!

 

Don’t you just love slow cooker season? Set it, forget it, and come back to a warm meal that’s fully cooked by dinnertime!  I’m celebrating slow cooker season on SoFabFood today with my easy Slow Cooker Asian-Inspired Meatballs recipe.  

Last week, when I asked my husband what he wanted for dinner, he replied, “Can you make those meatballs you made not too long ago again?”  When I asked him which meatballs he meant, he said he wanted this recipe. Easy enough!

Basically, all you need to make this dish is a couple bags of frozen meatballs, teriyaki sauce, and sweet chili sauce.  Dump it all in a slow cooker and let it go!  The first time I made these meatballs, we had them over rice. This last time, we had them over rice noodles.  Both are equally delicious!

Get the full recipe for this easy, slow cooker dish on SoFabFood today!  Your weekly menu just got a whole lot tastier!

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