Welcome to another Monthly Scoop post! October is one of my most favorite months out of year and I can’t believe its come and gone already. Time is flying by! October was a month filled with a sense of fullness. John and I got to spend a lot of quality time together throughout the usual craziness of life, I spent a lot of time in the kitchen and less time on the computer (as you will see since there were less recipes posted this month than usual) and Thanksgiving recipes were completed! It feels like we are running full speed ahead into the holiday season and we are here and ready for it!

I finally got to turn the fireplace on this month and if you don’t already know, I’M OBSESSED. I love all things fall, winter and cozy. AND IT SNOWED. My heart is singing! That also means, the slow cooker was whipped out and soups were simmered. I started off soup season by making a batch of white chicken chili (still perfecting the recipe) and my Epic Tomato Soup Sauce, which is the perfect companion to a golden brown and delicious grilled cheese! Talk about a comfort meal right there. The slow cooker was put to use on some Thanksgiving recipes (coming soon!!) and a fall-apart-tender pot roast.

With October also comes Halloween. Last year, we had almost 200 trick-or-treaters! They came in by the tractor loads! We live in a small town, so this was nothing abnormal, but I was not expecting that many! This year was just the same it was so fun!

Hunting season is also upon us and John has already been out several times. If he gets a deer this year, we are looking forward to processing it all on our own since we got John this meat grinder last year for Christmas. It’s time to put that baby to use! I also have to admit, we both are wanting a Traeger Grill. We are definitely hooked on our smokers! Click here to see our current smoker set up.

October Recipes:

As I mentioned earlier, I spent more time in the kitchen this past month than on the computer, so there weren’t as many recipes as usual. But, that doesn’t mean the ones that were posted in October are any less delicious! Click on your favorite recipe below and get to cookin’! If you make any of my recipes, I’d love to hear from you! Shoot me an email, post a comment or share on social media tagging @kjandcompany or using #kjandcompany!

Monthly Favorites:

1. I was in desperate need of some comfortable shoes that were also cute and could be worn for work or play. I was introduced to these Keds shoes and I may never go back to anything else!! The mauve color is everything. Also seriously eyeing these boots because just look at how cute they are!
2. I’m slowly trying to switch over all of my beauty products to a more natural choice, and I have to say, I am pleasantly surprised by the Trader Joe’s Nourish Spa Shampoo and Conditioner! My hair has felt light and bouncy!
3. I realized something huge this month: I actually like to make coffee at home more than I like to get coffee…THIS IS HUGE. It is solely because of our Nespresso machine and this creamer that I keep a stock-pile of at least 3 bottles in our fridge. No joke.
4. John and I have also been binge-watching West Wing on Netflix and are hooked! 
5. MY MOM FOUND OUR OLD NINTENDO 64. Mario Cart is ON.
6. Fall time calls for warm, comforting candles. This one has always been my fav.
7. We finally had a Panda Express open on our side of town and I had never tried it before. Needless to say, John took me opening week and it was pretty darn tasty!

Next Month: 

Happy November and Thanksgiving month!! I love all things Thanksgiving so I am here for it! Make sure to check out the 2019 Thanksgiving Menu that went live – you don’t want to miss out on this bad boy! We are looking forward to hosting Friendsgiving this year again and celebrating Thanksgiving with family and friends. I’m die-hard dedicated to putting up the Christmas tree on black friday, so be ready for it!