I really don’t even know where to start. So many things to chat about today, so many pictures to share…ehhh! Ok, so I may be jumping the gun a tad with today’s fall inspired picnic, but I just cannot help myself. The leaves are really starting to change here in the mountains and the mornings are crisp. Like extra crisp. Like 30 degrees and frost CRISP. Basically what I’m trying to say is that fall is here and I am embracing it. My family is as well, and so is Smucker’s, who have partnered with the National Parks Conservation Association to bring awareness to all the beautiful National Parks our country has to offer. I mean, how cool is that?!? Clearly, I was super excited to be part of this, seeing as I love hiking, I live in Colorado and my backyard is literally a national forest. Can you say perfect or what?!? I brought my family along on this post and we all took a HUGE family hike. We headed over to Aspen with mom, dad, Brendan, Kai, Red, Max (my cousin who is currently living with my family)…and of course Blake too (Creighton, Trevor and Asher were there in spirit, Trevor and Asher met us over in Crested Butte). We hiked the West Maroon Creek trail from Aspen, CO to Crested Butte, CO and made a fun weekend out it. My brother Kai, stole my camera for the entire hike, so all the gorgeous photos you see are courtesy of that guy…he’s kind of best. Now the picnic and all the food you see??? That was all me!! And yes, it did take me all day to set up that table, but I kind of loved every minute of it! Also, just a little sidenote, since we traveled a little ways to take our family hike, I actually made the picnic at home the next weekend where we enjoyed the picnic right in our own backyard… and this time, little Miss Asher got to join! Much easier than carrying this huge spread you see on a twelve-mile hike…I’ll leave that for the pros! GEEK FACTS
Total recreation visitors to the national parks in 2014: 292,800,082…whoa baby. There have been almost 13 billion visitors to national parks since 1904…too many zeros to count. The most visited national park in 2014 was Great Smoky Mountains National Park…good old Smoky Mountains. 🙂 George Washington Carver, a scientist and inventor who devised over 100 uses for the peanut, is commemorated at 2 national parks: George Washington Carver National Monument in Diamond, MO and Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site in Tuskegee, AL…cool dude. You can visit President Jimmy Carter’s boyhood peanut farm and learn all about peanuts at Jimmy Carter National Historic Park in Plains, GA…who knew??? not me. Yellowstone National Park was established by Congress as the nation’s first national park on March 1, 1872…it’s always cool to be the first.
National parks contain:
At least 247 species of threatened or endangered plants and animals…aww, sad… lets keep um safe! 🙂 18,000 miles of trails…better get my hiking shoes on. The world’s largest carnivore, the Alaskan brown bear…scary. The world’s largest living things, Giant Sequoia trees…whoa! cool. The highest point in North America, Mt. McKinley (just recently renamed Denali) at 20,320 feet, in Denali National Park…that’s high. The lowest point in the Western Hemisphere, Badwater Basin in Death Valley National Park, at 282’ below sea level…how low can you go?
So while my family and I had so much fun hiking through the national forest/parks, my favorite part was creating this fall harvest peanut picnic spread using Smucker’s Natural Peanut Butter (which is made from only the best fresh roasted peanuts and adds an unprocessed, robust peanut flavor to all my favorite recipes!!)! It was pretty easy to come up with a peanutty fall spread, actually it was hard to decide on just what to make! Originally, I had like ten recipes set out for this post, but then I rationalized with myself and figured maybe, just maybe, I didn’t need THAT much food in my picnic. Sometimes I can get a bit carried away…whoops! Also, Smucker’s Natural Peanut Butter is available in five varieties (creamy, chunky, honey, reduced fat and no salt), so you know I had a REALLY hard time not wanting to use all five. So much to try, so many possible recipes combos! AHH! I am excited. Can you tell?? Sorry, you know I really love peanut butter and especially good peanut butter that’s good for me too! But let’s talk about these recipes. There are six total. Yes, six recipes in one post! I know, I know. I am overwhelmed too, but let’s just go through these nice and slow.
one, Warm Peanut Cider. I know this may sound odd, but apple and peanut butter is the best snack ever, so naturally, cider with the slightest hint of peanut flavor is also the best thing ever. Trust me on this…so good. two, Peanut Butter, Apple and Cheddar Croissant Sammies with Peanut Granola. Yum, yum, YUM. That’s honestly all I have to say about these. It doesn’t get better than peanuts on a flaky croissant with chunky peanut butter, cheddar cheese, thinly sliced apples and some crunchy homemade peanut granola. Best peanut butter sammie ever… no really… best ever. three, EASY Peanut Butter Pumpkin Seed Granola. I mean, do I really need to explain this? Just try stopping at one handful, you can’t it’s addicting…but it’s cool cause this is like so totally healthy – yes. four, Thai Grape Quinoa and Peanut Salad. I adore these flavors so much. Thai and peanuts go incredibly well together and the grapes add a nice, sweet little crunch. Eat this warm or cold, either way is delicious and very healthy. five, Peanut Butter Chocolate Acorn Cookies. How fun and festive are these?!?! I just love them! Of course they’re perfect for popping, one by one, into your mouth. So cute and also so very easy to make. You will love these for fall entertaining. six, Chocolate Peanut Butter Kisses. This. oh this recipe. it’s my favorite. it’s simple. it’s amazing. it’s a crowd pleaser. it’s perfection in a cute little chocolate cup. Plus, those kisses on top…they make me smile. Honestly, this recipe will change your world. MAKE IT. I also had lots of cheese, grapes, apples and pomegranates for picking. It was seriously the best picnic, and I have to say, I was pretty proud of my spread!! And those blankets?? Aren’t they cute?? I ordered them just for this picnic! I love setting a beautiful spread! Do I have you feeling fall yet?? Are you ready? Is it picnic time?!?!? Please say yes! Cause below are my six recipes that I am so in love with, and I hope you will be too! Let me know if any of you have your own picnic or even if you just make a recipe! I would love to hear about it!! OK, that’s it. Enjoy all the photos and recipes!
And happy Sunday from my big and crazy fam to yours! 🙂
