I'm coming to you from a cold and snowy, yet sunny town of Philip! Last night after being home for an hour from our Rapid City shopping excursion, it started to snow. I mean it was snowing, completely white outside! Yes, I'm ready to put up the Christmas tree and start playing Christmas tunes at work but this snow business is way too early.

I made a phone call to my mom this morning says, "Don't worry! We only got three inches! I think you can still make it out here!" I'm really looking forward to having my family visit us and the small, but warming town of Philip. I realized though while walking to work this morning, this town doesn't have snow plows. They use rather larger skidsteers! And, they don't do a very good job of clean the roads in town, let's just say they only do two giant strips down the middle of the road and call it good! The town must be lacking snow removal funding this year, it's just a guess! But, this is what I dealt with this morning!

Besides the snow, there have been a few other things that have happened since I last blogged.

1. I won a turkey through the town drawing!
2. We went shopping in Rapid City.
3. I baked on Saturday, only because we were gone yesterday!
4. Did I mention I won a turkey?!?!

So to elaborate on my list of happenings. Yes, we went to Rapid City yesterday. I THINK I got everything for my Thanksgiving cooking plan. It's going to be a feast! Later last week, I talked over my game plan with Grandma and she informed she was going to buy pies instead of make homemade ones. And, after I got off the phone with her and told Dustin, he had a hard time pondering on the thought of eating store bought pies. So Grandma, I know you are reading this but I'm making semi-homemade pies and you don't need to worry about it!

With us spending money yesterday and Sundays are usually my day to bake, I decided to do it on Saturday. I made pumpkin creme pies. They are ubber delicious! It's like a pumpkin bar with cream cheese frosting but only better. Since Thanksgiving is upon us, I'm going to share my recipe because if you are thinking out of the box this year on desserts, I suggest to bake these.

Recipe: Pumpkin Creme Pies
Ingredients:
FOR CREME PIE:
1 cup Brown Sugar
1 cup Sugar
1 cup Vegetable Oil
1 can Pumpkin (15 Oz.)
2 whole Eggs
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
3 cups All-purpose Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1 Tablespoon Cinnamon
1 teaspoon Ground Ginger
½ teaspoons Salt
½ teaspoons Ground Nutmeg
¼ teaspoons Ground Cloves

FOR FILLING:
1 package Cream Cheese Softened (8 Oz.)
1 stick Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature
1 package Powdered Sugar (16 Oz.)
3 drops Vanilla Extract
2 dashes Cinnamon

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Pumpkin Creme Pies: Beat together brown sugar, sugar, oil and pumpkin. Add eggs one at time, mixing well after each addition, followed by the vanilla.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together the dry ingredients.
4. Slowly incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined.
5. Cut 3 inch squares of parchment paper, about 24. Using a pastry bag with a round tip, or a big zip top plastic bag with one corner snipped, squeeze out concentric circles of batter, starting from the middle and working outward until the circles are about 2 inches in diameter. (Note that the squares allow the baker to move the square while keeping the bag in the same spot. Just squeeze for easy circle making!)
6. Transfer each square to a baking sheet. Bake for 11 minutes, or until firm, and cool on a rack.
7. Cream Cheese Filling: Beat together cream cheese and butter. Add powdered sugar, vanilla and cinnamon. Frost flat side of half the pies and top with another piece.
8. Enjoy right away, or chill overnight. These keep very nicely in the fridge for at least a few days.


Anyways, I think that's about it! I hope the weather gets a little bit warmer so we aren't having a completely cold winter. I wouldn't mind it because it would give me a reason to cuddle up with a cup of coffee, or hot coco, or maybe apple cider (depending on the day), and watch Christmas movies! Have a wonderful day and I'll be back soon to tell you something interesting again!

Good evening everyone! I hope you guys have experienced beautiful weather today. For me, not so much! Currently our temperature gauge tells me its 41 degrees out and I don't think it peaked 50 today. It was a chilly one here in Philip!

However, I have something to share with you that warmed me up today and hope to warm your hearts up too. Dustin and I have been together for four years today! It's amazing how the years go by and the laughter, smiles, tears, joys, and arguments we have shared will keep on continuing. Not many realize that we just met out of the blue at a rodeo dance. Now, how fitting is that?

I know it's lame to say that we are having our anniversary but its a date for now that we can share together until we are united in marriage. And I know we have been engaged for a while, but we wouldn't have any other way. I think I would be a basket case if we didn't wait so long. We are still learning to adapt to one another and we'll just keep learning. I think waiting has helped us grow into a unit and sort things how before we convert to being one.

So anyways, Dustin and I very excited to being tying the knot in June after two long years of being in engaged. We have been blessed with such wonderful families who have supported us through these past four years. Let's just say I'm happy to become Mrs. Koepke. I just need to work on my new signature because nothing like Thissen!

To remember the past four years, here is a photo collage of Dustin and I and the many memories we have shared!

Well I hope we have warmed your hearts tonight! I would like to mention that I have had wonderful role models to show me what a true loving relationship is, and that's my parents! I have been fortunate enough to have been brought up in a wonderful family and know the true meaning of love!

It's the seventh day of November and we've all got to experience the weather change. Early in the week, Dustin and I have faced much cooler temperatures and fortunately, here in Philip, this weekend has been amazing! I pondered after having 70 degree weather this weekend, why did we winterize our house so early? We could had our windows open and turned off the heat. To tell you, this house isn't the most efficient place to heat. We have been keeping our eye open for a new rental house and have found a few, so there might be a possible move in the next couple months for us.

This brings me to my next pondering question. Why is there such a thing called Daylight Savings Time? It really cramps my style! I appreciate a little light until 7 p.m. and currently it's 6:50 p.m. and pitch dark. Let me back up, it was dark at 5:00 p.m! That's just wrong! I've always battle with this subject because it really throws off your sleeping schedule and hello, what woman doesn't like her sleep?!?! Thank goodness I like watching the news every morning because my favorite news station (The Early Show) told me tips to ward of Daylight Savings Time!

Okay, it's Sunday and I'm not going to let you down. I baked today! Yay! I accomplished my S'more bars today and let's just say they are spectacular! I've had 7 already...well not really but I'm okay with making it my primary diet for the week!

So my third and final pondering question is, why is it unhealthy to eat raw baking dough? I relived my childhood and licked off the beaters from the mixer. It's just such a sham letting something so good go to waste. I know the health risk but I want to reassure you, I haven't eaten a whole log of cookie dough from Wal-Mart in years! I think my immune system can handle a little raw egg.

Here's the delicious recipe that I conquered today:
S'more Bars from the Pioneer Women's Tasty Kitchen
Ingredients:
1 cup Butter
¾ cups White Sugar
¾ cups Brown Sugar, Packed
2 whole Eggs
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
2-½ cups All-purpose Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
½ teaspoons Salt
2-½ cups Mini Marshmallows, Divided
1-½ cup Semisweet Chocolate Chips
6 whole Graham Cracker Sheets
4 Tablespoons Butter, Melted
1 whole Milk Chocolate Bar (1.55oz)

Directions:
1. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.
2. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture. Stir in 2 cups marshmallows and chocolate chips. Spread into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking pan.
3. Combine crumbled graham crackers with melted butter. Sprinkle on top of the cookie dough. Sprinkle on candy bar and remaining 1/2 cup marshmallows. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack. Cut into bars.
Note: these do not require refrigeration, but they are easier to cut if chilled.

So now since you know my pondering questions, I'm still thinking about the Thanksgiving meal that my family is going to feast on. I think it will be based off all Food Network recipes since that's how Dustin and I like to roll! I don't have any new recipes in the work so this coming week might come as a surprise for both you and I! Don't fear, I won't let you down!

Well I hope you have a wonderful transition with this nasty time change too! On a positive note, enjoy this weather as long as you can. I checked the forecast today and they have chances for snow showers next Monday here. I'm always in the mood to build a snowman in November since I've had Christmas fever for awhile now!

I have asked myself this question several times in the past couple days, hours, and even minutes, "Where did October go?" It's not possible that November is already here. It's only November 3rd and I feel a lot has happened but there really hasn't been much going on. Yesterday (Nov. 2), I voted for the first time in my life! It was truly a great experience exercising my freedom.

Our Halloween update: 12 kids vs. 150 pieces of mini candies for me!

Now I know I told you that I would have recipes up of my cheesecakes yesterday, but I have been busy and my body hasn't caught up to me. Oh dear, I wonder what I'm going to feel and look like when Daylight Savings Time occurs!

So I'm going to keep this short. Here is a recipe that I tested out on Monday, my Oreo Cheesecakes!

Ingredients:
12 oreos
2-8oz. pkg of cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs

Directions:
1. Line muffin tin with foil liners. Preheat oven at 325 degrees.
2. Place one oreo in each liner. Mix cream cheese, vanilla and sugar on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs. Mix well. Pour over oreos, filling 3/4 full.
3. Bake for 25 minutes.
4. Remove from pan when cool. Chill!

I encourage you to try with different kind of oreos. I tried mint and they are sure minty! These are a fun and easy dessert to make. I like to make these just for the fun and veg out on them for a week or so! I do hope to make my Smore Bars this weekend so that recipe will be next. Hope everything is going well in your area! Yay for baking!