As is per usual with weather in Texas, we went from highs in the 70s to highs in the 40s in a matter of days. So, all of us naturally started digging through our favorite soup recipes in order to prepare for the pending hibernation that cold, rainy weather brings. Some recipes, like our favorite Gumbo, are dang near perfect just the way they are. But butternut squash soup is a tricky one. Every recipe we've tried seems to lack something; it's too runny or too creamy or not spicy enough. Which left Shauna no choice but to play mad scientist and find the perfect blend of several recipes to create THE perfect butternut squash soup recipe.

So, cutting to the chase, because we know how frustrating it is to find a recipe online and have to scroll for days to the ACTUAL recipe. 

Shauna's Butternut Squash Soup
​2 TBSP olive oil
3 pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded, chopped
1 large yellow onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 TBSP fresh sage, chopped
1/2 TBSP fresh rosemary, chopped
3-4 cups vegetable broth
1 can coconut milk
1 TBSP curry powder
Pepitas (pumpkin seeds) for garnish (optional)

Heat olive oil in Dutch oven
Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes or until translucent
Add squash to the onions and cook for 7-8 minutes until soft
Add garlic, sage, rosemary, and broth. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add coconut milk and curry powder. Stir and simmer for 10 minutes.
Pour the soup in a blender in batches until smooth.
Serve hot and garnish with pepitas and fresh rosemary. 

That's it! Easy, peasy. What is your favorite soup recipe? Share with us here and we'll post all of your favorites on a future post. ​

Not surprising that our Holiday Cocktail post from last year was one of our most popular. I mean, when you are home with family for days upon end, there are only so many Hallmark movies you can watch before going bonkers. Truth be told, we never NEED an excuse to try a new cocktail, but holiday gatherings, family events and parties are prime opportunities to venture outside the cocktail box. Beyond the Moscow Mule, you might say.
​This year, we turned to our friends at The Spruce and their food and drink site The Spruce Eats for recommendations for our Holiday Cocktail round up and the selection didn't disappoint. Coffee drinks, cold weather drinks, festive drinks, there's a LOT to choose from. Our selections were strategic in that they go from morning brunch and coffee to after dinner in front of the fireplace. 

Nothing new and spectacular about bubbles and cranberry juice, but the addition of this garnish gives it a bright kick. 

This boozy smoothie is the perfect way to kick off Christmas Day. Plus Shauna's kinda partial to the name. 

A caffeinated jump start to your day, or as an after meal treat, this liqueur infused coffee drink is at its best whe made with dark roasted beans. 

It takes a little extra effort to make the cinnamon simple syrup for this cocktail, but it's worth it. Go ahead and make up a big ol batch to have with your tamales on Christmas Eve.

A lovely alternative to egg nog, this dessert cocktail is a dreamy end to a festive dinner. For a larger party, serve in shot glasses to give everyone a delicious dose. 

The first of our hot drinks, this spicy, fruity drink will warm your bones after a brisk walk or snowball fight. Let it simmer on the stove to fill your house with its spicy yumminess. 

Picture it: A roaring fire. Christmas Vacation on the TV. A pile of crumpled wrapping paper. A snuggly throw. The only thing missing is this classic cocktail, now warmed up for the longest winter night. 
​Enjoy responsibly, my friends. And best wishes for a happy and safe holiday! 

If you love puff pastry, tomatoes, and cheese, you’ll LOVE this tomato tart recipe. I found it in a magazine and tweaked it some to make it my own.
​Here’s what you’ll need:
1 puff pastry sheet, thawed
3-4 roma tomatoes, sliced
¼ cup fontina cheese, shredded
¼ cup parmesan cheese, shredded (you can also leave out fontina cheese and use ½ cup parmesan instead)
½ cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 egg, slightly beaten
¼ cup olive oil
1 tsp herbs de provence (or Italian seasoning)
½ teaspoon garlic
salt
3-4 basil leaves, chopped
Place oven rack on lowest setting Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper and unroll the pastry dough. Fold over the edges ½ inch and brush with egg. Using a fork, poke holes in the dough. Sprinkle dough with fontina and parmesan cheese. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes. While the dough is baking, spread out sliced tomatoes on paper towels and lightly salt. Let drain for 20 minutes. After that time, blot tomatoes with paper towels to extract what water is left. After dough is finished baking, take out of oven and spread mozzarella cheese on top. Place tomatoes evenly atop mozzarella. Add herbs and garlic salt to olive oil and whisk lightly. Drizzle oil on tomatoes and place cookie sheet back in oven for 15 minutes or until edges of dough are golden brown. Remove from oven and transfer to a cooling rack for 5 minutes. Place tart on cutting board and slice into four equal parts.
​Serves 4

We recruited the token male in the office once again to help us out with a post on that favorite fall past-time, tailgating. We are all big TCU fans here, but luckily this tailgate fare is Switzerland in its neutrality. Good enough for all fans. Mostly. Go Frogs. 

Disappearing Buffalo Chicken Dip
If there are two things we like more than anything, it’s dishes with “Buffalo” and “Dip” in the title. This super easy recipe screams “TAILGATE” and your friends will devour it!

​Stadium Meat and Cheese Tray
We feel like your tailgate food needs to represent what a tailgate is all about…the stadium! Check out this super clever, and really tasty, edible stadium by Sargento. Yes, THAT Sargento. 

When it comes to tailgate drinks, we know that beer and wine are king and queen. Throw in an assorted case of White Claw for the Millenials and you're good to go. But, seeing as how we ARE Horned Frog Fans and all, how impressed would your fellow tailgaters be if you whipped up one of these "Purple Cocktails that Don't Suck" courtesy of our friends at Cocktailpartyapp.com. Some are easy, some, not so much but all impressive. 

So, you’ve picked out food and drink for your tailgate party. How are you going to get from your kitchen to your tailgate? Might we suggest this little gem from Wayfair. It’s like your suitcase and your picnic basket had a baby.

We love these striped throws to throw down (ha!) on the table or tailgate as a place for all your yummy food. These classic rep stripe blankets from Wayfair make the perfect backdrop to your tailgate party. Or order several for your guests to wrap up in on that rare chilly football-weather day. Available in all the best game day colors.

If you’re going to really tailgate, your peeps are going to need somewhere to sit. Rather than pack up a ton of folding chairs, check out this contraption from Wayfair. It knocks out six birds with one stone. This foldable sports/camping bench will make your life and your friends and family think you’re a genius!

And for those awkward moments when there are too many party crashers that you don't know, a good ol' game of Cornhole is just the answer. Wayfair has a game with the school logo of pretty much any team you are cheering for so no one is getting left out of this party.
Have fun. Be safe. Go Frogs. 
​
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If you saw Shauna's Instagram story yesterday, you read that she has joined Weight Watchers to try to get back on track with her weight. For those of us with zero will power, it can be such a struggle to eat right and exercise. Having a system where you are held accountable AND where it is easy to count the calories (or, points) makes it so much easier. At the end of the day, we all just want food that tastes good and is good for you. Healthy eating doesn't have to be boring or tasteless, and when fresh produce is in abundance, there is so much to work with. 
In a moment of "I have nothing to make for dinner", Shauna pulled ingredients out of the fridge and made something that not only tasted amazing, but added up to only 2 points on Weight Watchers. We're firm believers that you can add pretty much anything to eggs or pasta and come up with an amazing meal. Considering eggs have ZERO WW points, well, eggs for the win all day. 

Spinach Tomato Frittata
6 eggs beaten
1 shallot, diced
1 large tomato, sliced
1/2 cup shredded cheese (we used gouda and swiss because that's what was in the fridge, but use whatever you love)
1 cup baby spinach (can also use kale)
salt and pepper
cayenne pepper (optional)
olive oil

Preheat oven to 400. In a cast iron skillet, saute shallots in olive oil until soft, 4-5 minutes. Beat eggs in bowl and season with salt, pepper and cayenne. Set aside. Add spinach to skillet and saute until just wilted. Add eggs and cheese to skillet. Top egg mixture with sliced tomatoes. Put skillet in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until center is just firm. Remove from oven and let sit 1-2 minutes before cutting. 
2 POINTS PER SLICE!!

Have a great Weight Watchers friendly recipe you'd like to share with our audience? Email us at info@shaunaglenndesign.com for the chance to have your recipe featured on a special blog post. 

This post contains affiliate links and we are compensated when purchases are made through these links

So, summer is in full swing. And if your entertaining menu is in need of a refresh, we've picked our top five cocktails from our friends from Williams-Sonoma to add to your rotation. Whatever your taste, citrus, bubbly, herbal, fruity, these cocktails are sure to please any crowd. Or just you and your bff on a random Wednesday night. Also shop our essentials in barware, accessories and gadgets also from WS and get 20% off your order with code FRIENDS.

All recipes from Williams-Sonoma. This post contains affiliate links and we are compensated for purchases made through these links.

So, Super Bowl on Sunday. I mean, the Pats again? Haven't they won enough? Isn't Tom Brady like a grandpa? A fairly hot grandpa, but a grandpa just the same. Honestly, it doesn't really matter who is playing, the commercials are what everyone cares about. And the halftime show. And how many different ways we can eat bacon. 
Fun fact #1: Super Bowl Sunday hold the record for the most avocados consumed on any given day. 
Fun fact #2: Super Bowl Sunday also sees an increase in the number of emergency room visits due to hand injuries. 
I'll wait while you put two and two together. 
So, pro tip, use a cutting board for that guacamole. We want you to save your hands for bigger and better things. Speaking of guac, substitute it for the avocado on top of this Crockpot White Chicken Chili for an extra kick. 

I know you can go online and see all the Super Bowl ads in advance but that is cheating. In my house everyone knows that you can chat away all you want during the game but silence is required during the commercials. So, if you come to my house to watch the game, just be prepared. Lots of shushing will be happening. And eating. I can't wait to try this Pickleback Chicken Wing recipe. I'm telling Jeff right now to not drink all the pickle juice. Or the bourbon. 

You can't have a Super Bowl party without queso. My favorite recipe is here, but I cheat to make it a little easier and substitute Velveeta queso blanco for the grated cheese, half-and-half and cornstarch. Really, it's just all about the chorizo. 

Here's another recipe I can't wait to try. Not your every day sliders, these are mini French Dip sandwiches with that awesome au jus. Pretty sure I can eat about a dozen all by myself. 

Now that we are completely stuffed, let's talk about the halftime show. Maroon 5 y'all! I'm so excited. I strongly encourage you to record it because you will want to watch it at least 2 times. Maybe 10 depending on how amazing Adam is. 
So, let's recap:
1. Don't cheat on commercials
2. Cutting board
3. Queso
4. Maroon 5 on replay
5. Cheer for whoever is not the Pats
#gocowboys