Two Recipes and a Bath for Scout

Today is Sunday. You know what that means: New recipes! While dinner was cooking, I got the urge for an appetizer. (Is anyone surprised? I couldn't wait the 40 minutes for dinner. Shocking.) I wanted something sweet but still appropriate as an appetizer. I knew our kitchen didn't have much, so it was time to create something new. Turns out, this appetizer is perfect for the holidays! (Plus, it's easy, which will be great for those

Cranberry-Almond Crackers

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds
• Triscuits (I use Triscuits or Trader Joe's "Woven Wheats" because they are real food - no artificial ingredients and minimal processing)

Stir the cream cheese, cranberries, and almonds in a medium bowl. Form the mixture into a rectangle, square, or round shape and place on a plate. Refrigerate until ready to serve with crackers.

We loved this quick little appetizer. The flavors blended perfectly, and the cranberries and almonds lent excellent textures. We may add this treat to our little holiday dinner this Sunday!

The dinner I just couldn't wait for involved a huge butternut squash I bought yesterday at Whole Foods. I've actually never cooked with a fresh butternut squash, so it was time to hit the Internet for a new recipe. I opted for a fairly simple pasta that resulted in lots of dishes for Terry. 

Butternut Squash Pasta

I found this recipe online (check it out here), and we really liked it. I added a handful of chopped walnuts for some crunch, and we have plenty of leftovers for the week. The dinner itself was a bit more work than I had expected, but I'm glad to have another seasonal recipe under my belt!

In other news, our poor little kitten has been super itchy over the last few days, and Terry and I decided to try giving him a bath today. Our hope was that his skin was just a little dry or something. I've never owned a cat, so I had no idea what to expect, but it was a pretty pitiful experience. 

Before

After

He was NOT happy with us! The poor little guy tried desperately to get out of our arms, but we gave him a good scrub and got him all cuddled up and dry. And then...we discovered a flea! NO! Poor little guy! So the rest of the evening has been spent searching the rest of his fur and hoping there was only one. We'll be calling our vet tomorrow to figure out the best plan of action. Ahhh, the joys and sorrows of pet ownership.