Catching up with the Kelnhofers-64

This week on Catching up with the Kelnhofers, we carved pumpkins (and made a huge mess), I’m sharing some great recipes to make with squash and showing you a quick and easy place you can find some gift ideas on SweetPhi.com.

We carved pumpkins this past weekend. They were very thick and very full with lots of guts. 

Ben is now running around yelling GUTS.

Something else that takes guts? Running a small business, especially in todays’ environment. It snuck up on me, but this past weekend I celebrated my 9 year SweetPhi business anniversary! 

As a thank you for being part of this wonderful journey, I’m doing some special giveaways in this post.

New on the blog:

• • Freezer butternut squash soup – this is a personal favorite of mine (and Ben’s!)
  • 9 year business anniversary – I cannot believe it has already been 9 years!
  • Catching up with the Kelnhofers – our family update from last week
  • Roasted squash and sweet potatoes – this is an older recipe that I re-vamped just in time for Thanksgiving
  • Whole wheat peanut butter cookie pizza – the perfect recipe to make if you’re cooking with kids in the kitchen
  • Love List – my weekly list of things to make me smile!
  • Squash Tots – a great recipe from a new cookbook!

Theme of the week:

 Tis the season….for squash!  Besides the soup and squash/sweet potatoes I mention above, here are a few more favorite squash recipes.

• Butternut squash gnocchi – the best fall comfort meal
• Squash burrata salad – only 5 ingredients!
• Spaghetti squash pesto “pasta” – a healthier alternative to pasta and a great way to sneak a veggie in!
• Squash cakes with coconut cream – a great vegan dessert if you have anyone with special dietary needs at your Thanksgiving table.

5 recipes to make this week:

I hope these recipes help you meal plan just a little bit by sharing some of the things I’m making this week!

• Eggless Applesauce Muffins with a Streusel Topping – these muffins are great to prep ahead and even better if you have anyone with an egg allergy/sensitivity.
• 5 Ingredient Freezer to Slow Cooker Honey Mustard Chicken – prep ahead and throw into a slow cooker – a super simple dinner.
• The Best and Healthy Instant Pot Baked Potato Soup – it’s soup season and this is one of my favorites!
• 5 Ingredient BBQ Chicken and Quinoa Bowl – super easy, only 5 ingredients and packed with protein
• Sprinkle Cookie Bars – these are so delicious and fun to make with kids!

What I’m making:

• Nick made my classic egg salad recipe – so good and a great quick and easy lunch to have on hand.

• We made grilled sweet potatoes again (I know, I know, I make them all the time…same with my quick pickled eggs!)

• I made a batch of freezer chocolate chip cookies because I was craving some cookies, and since I can make some and freeze some for later, they’re perfect!

• Ben wanted butternut squash soup over his other food! And then Frankie got to try soup for the first time and loved it, the soup goes great with a grilled cheese and some apples for a perfect fall lunch!

Reader Comments

If you’re from Wisconsin, you know how particular people are about their old fashioneds, so I always love to hear when people enjoy my recipe for a Wisconsin brandy old fashioned sour

• “This is excellent. Growing up in WI I find I miss these drinks now that I haven’t lived there fir years. I am in FL now. When I ordered one a long time ago a bartender laughed at me and said there was no such thing as a brandy old fashioned sour. I can make you an old fashioned, but I can’t sour it.I told him off but unfortunately at the time I didn’t know how to make one so I settled for a soft drink.”

Reader Recreations 

I love the creativity from this reader.  She took my recipe for pumpkin loaf and made it into muffins.  How delicious do these look!?

Things I’m Loving

• I’ve been eying this wagon since I was pregnant with the twins. Best wagon for multiple kids, we’ve been taking lots of walks and I love that I can take all three kids by myself!

Item from Amazon you didn’t know you needed

• Led votive candles – my mother in law is actually responsible for sharing this find with me a few years ago. They’re amazing for pumpkins or if you have kids and don’t want little hands touching flames!

What I’m Reading

• This book is taking me longer than I’d like because I just don’t have the time I’d like, but it’s really good, the story keeps unfolding – Anxious People by Fredrik Backman. 

Personal Stories

• Scenes from working at home with kids 

• We’ve been trying to spend time outside before it gets too cold, and it’s always funny – the kids run all over and we have so many leaves we’re trying to rake. Ben thinks we’re just making him big piles to jump in lol.

• Impromptu lunch date with Nick! We tried out Boo Boo’s Sandwich Shop in Milwaukee, and it was so good, definitely recommend for take out if you’re in the area. 

• Kids being goofs – Frankie accidentally got a cushion off the couch and Ben was trying to show her how to jump up and down lol.

• I got a set of stamps, and we had such a fun crafting time! 

Did you Know?

Did you know that you can find all of my past Catching up with the Kelnhofers and Love Lists posts under the ‘Life’ section on my website header?

If you’re ever stuck on gift ideas, the Love List posts always have some fun things suggested by me and my team.

Popular this week: 

• Most visited blog post: my recipe for freezer butternut squash soup – a personal favorite
• Most liked Instagram post: Ben making apple galettes 
• Most pinned image: this delicious beer brat and caramelized onion pizza pin
• Most viewed YouTube video: how to make homemade white peppercorn gravy
• Most purchased item: This children’s book – it’s just such a sweet fall story.

Have you done any fall activities this year?  I’d love to hear, so just leave me a comment below and let me know!