Fall wedding food favors.

Caramelized Spicy Pumpkin Seed Favor

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 2 cups raw whole pumpkin seeds, washed and dried
• cooking spray
• 2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons white sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, stir together 3 tablespoons of sugar, the cumin, cinnamon, ginger, and cayenne pepper, and set aside.
3. Place the pumpkin seeds on the prepared baking sheet, spray them with cooking spray, and sprinkle with salt to taste. Bake the seeds in the preheated oven until lightly golden, 20 to 25 minutes.
4. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, and stir in the toasted pumpkin seeds along with 2 tablespoons of sugar. Cook and stir the seeds until the sugar forms a coating on the seeds, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir the caramelized seeds into the bowl of sugar-spice mixture, toss to coat, and let cool.

Nutritional Information 

Amount Per Serving  Calories: 117 | Total Fat: 4.8g | Cholesterol: 0mg

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Caramelized-Spicy-Pumpkin-Seeds/Detail.aspx?src=etaf

To turn this yummy treat into a wedding favor:

Use a small brown paper bag or a plastic cone bag tied with colored raffia.  These are available at your local hobby store.

Stamp the small paper bag or a tie on tag with your Initials and give to your guests as a nice edible treat.

Daring dress in black and red.  Soft and feminine yet mysterious.  A hard combination to find.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/53271131/picadora-wedding-dress?ref=tre-4c95256e2c528eefe72d7150-7

So excited to have my Misty Morning bouquet featured on the Front page of Etsy!

Traditional vs. Non Traditional

I say both of these styles are great if they reflect the bride. I can't imagine my uber conservative friends rocking fuchsia at their wedding. Just not going to happen. They love the crisp whites and soft pinks. I'm cool with that. My not so conservative friends (of which I only have a few) would not only rock the hot pink but would throw in a matching pink stripe in their otherwise blond hair. LOVE IT!

I am consistently amazed at how many people feel that they must fit into the "typical" box.  Do what you are!  Do not apologize for loving anything or anyone.

An authentic life.

I think that every person I know has at some point struggled with being true to themselves. I know I have. Keeping up with the Joneses is the American way. It is a very hard habit to break. I am trying to remember what makes me feel happy and fulfilled is not necessarily popular or even socially accepted; and that is okay. For years I have hid behind nice material things. The brand new house and cars, big diamond rings, the newest and greatest. You know what... Not one of those items makes me feel good about me. The "success" is a joke. I now have to work a 9-5 job to keep up with this crap when all I really want to do is raise my two year old and be creative. I have a thousand ideas that I don't have the time to attempt.

This post is a reminder of what not to do. If you are living your life authentically already than I admire your bravery.

My goal is to enrich my life with wonderful friends and family and build a business that makes the people I interact with happier.

Tell me what makes your life authentic or what makes it difficult to be true to yourself.