Living in a Cereal World

Wow, has it really been two weeks? I guess the holiday season busy-ness has already started. I've been writing blog entries; I just haven't had a chance to post them. So let's start with my birthday cake. Actually, let's go back a second. It all started in early October when I found this year's Thanksgiving apple pie (separate entry to follow😋). I thought it only made sense to serve a pumpkin cake alongside. As you may know, sometimes my birthday falls close to Thanksgiving. And in those years, leftover birthday cake is one of my dessert contributions 😁. So I was all set to make a pumpkin cake until I read the October issue of Better Homes and Gardens and found this  Double Apple Bundt Cake . (Actually, it's mini-Bundt cakes in the magazine, but I wanted a whole cake.) Looking back,  I've   made   several cakes in the apple/pear family, and maybe I should try something else...? But it was worth it, as usual. You can't go wrong with a Dorie Greensp

I am a chocolate procrastinator. This cereal came out in what, January? And I didn't buy it until July. And then I didn't open it until September. Today I'm finally getting around to reviewing it. To be fair, I had a shaky summer. A lot of things to prioritize, etc. To also be fair, you know chocolate cereals aren't my most favorite thing, so I was probably holding off subconsciously.😁 So why did I even buy this one? I suppose it's because I liked the  other   flavors and didn't think this one would be that chocolatey. And it isn't. The  multigrain flakes have a subtle cocoa powder-ish flavor by virtue of being packed with the actual chocolate elements. The oat clusters also look more chocolatey than they taste. This is not a complaint, though. I'll slowly be eating this cereal mixed with others when I'm in the mood for a hit of chocolate.

Although, if you ask me, they should have gone ahead and called it "Honey Vanilla Almond." I mean, they're right there on the front of the box, prominently sticking out of the flakes. On the other hand, inside the box there's not an overwhelming amount of nuts. Okay, Quaker, point taken. When I tried this the first time I appreciated the understated flavor: a little honey, a little vanilla, but mostly oat-y. As of this morning, I still do. It was a nice base for some blueberries. Now that I've had  both flavors a few times I'm finally getting used to the thick, grainy flakes and not pouring too much. I could use some more clusters but that's a minor quibble. Overall, this gets a 👍.

I know I should be getting back to the cereal reviews but this was right on my tongue and I wanted to share it:  Autumn Sweet Potato and Mushroom Soup . I mean literally, I just ate the leftovers for lunch. A while back I made a Sweet Potato and Quinoa Soup and while I loved it, not everybody *cough*mom*cough* likes the texture of quinoa. So I when I came across this soup I jumped at the chance to try it--yes, even with the blended mushrooms. It sounds weird, but it works. Imagine savory mashed sweet potatoes. Now add vegetable stock and reheat. That's basically it, and it's delicious. I won't lie, it's work to dice those potatoes and later transfer everything to the blender (someday I will get an immersion blender) but it's worth it . 😋 ********* Also one of my least favorite tasks? Grating carrots. Also totally worth it? These muffins: They're called  Oatmeal Muffins with Blueberries , so just don't tell anyone about the carrots. 😉 They're