Frito Pie is one of those amazing recipes that you just know you're going to love.  Fritos tend to make most every snack or appetizer (even dessert) super crunchy, salty, and good; so this recipe, which I tweaked a bit from the original Buffalo Chicken Fritos Chili Pie, ended up having appeal with the wing-loving side of the family.  You can make it as spicy as you'd like... just adjust the hot sauce ratio!



For this version of the dish, you'll need the following ingredients:

• 1 cup chicken broth 
• 2-3 cups shredded, cooked chicken breast (I like mine tender from the slow cooker)
• 1/4-1/2 cup hot sauce
• 1/4 cup half and half
• 1/8 cup unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup Mexican cheese blend

• Sliced, fresh leeks (bottom white portions only)
• Ranch dressing to taste
• optional: fresh diced tomatoes and lettuce
• 1 bag FRITOS® Original Corn Chips for serving 

If you haven't given any thought to what you will be making for this year's Halloween party, you are not alone. Sadly, I wait until almost the last minute every year. Thankfully, there are some really cool products out there to make it easy, like the Brach's Candy Corn, Peeps Pumpkins, and the new Pillsbury Orange All-Star! Cake Mix.



Seriously, if it's orange, I'm trying.  So, we put together this fun cupcake featuring, of all things, candy corn crumble!  Here's how we did it:

1. Prepare the cupcakes as instructed on the package.



2. Make up a marshmallow frosting, like this one we used here from Martha Stewart.  Top the cooled cupcakes with the frosting.

3. Crumble up about 2/3 cup of candy corn in a blender (we used my Ninja) and top the cupcakes right away with the crumbles!

If you wait to use the candy corn crumble, it will all stick together into one horrible blob.  You can try blending it up once or twice to free the crumbs again, but you can't do this more than a time or two or you end up with one giant candy corn blob.


This was a deliciously simple way to use candy corn on a cupcake in a way that's a bit less obvious.  They turned out very pretty and colorful! You could also add one of the Peeps pumpkins for a fun kid's party treat!


We served these cupcakes with some low-calorie "Witches Brew", which is ironic, since the cupcakes are obviously NOT low calorie.



To make the brew, we put 1/4 cup or more whole fresh frozen cherries in the bottom of a plastic Aladdin Mason tumbler.  Add 1-2 drops of food-grade blue coloring and fill to the top with Sparkling ICE Flavored Water (Black Raspberry).


This was yummy and fruity and bubbly -- like a cauldron!

What snacks will you be serving this year? 

This is our first year filling out the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). This important form gives my daughter access to a variety of federal student grant and loan options, such as the Pell Grant and Perkins loan. While I filled it out over 20 years ago, a lot has changed since then. See what's FAFSA changes you should be aware of right away!

FAFSA Changes The Date

Unlike previous years, in which you filled it out in the spring of the year you hope to attend college, the FAFSA is open October 1st for the next year. So, for the 2020-2021 school year, you would want to start applying October 1st of 2019. That's now! Get your form in as early as you can. Aid from colleges that are determined by the information received on the FAFSA is usually first-come, first-served. Kids will be competing for need-based scholarships at schools much earlier this time around.

FAFSA Changes The Requested Information

Do you know what tax information you'll need to include on this year's FAFSA? Read carefully, because for money requested for ths  2020-2021 school year, you'll use your 2018 tax info. That's right... if you filled out last year's FAFSA, you also used 2018 info for that one, too. As the changes roll out, you'll be able to use the previous year's tax info for the following year's school year.

Confusing? It's actually very simple, since most people have their tax info handy for that time period. You simply carry over some key info from certain lines of your form, and you're good to go! These FAFSA changes are actually quite convenient.

Here are some frequently asked questions regarding the FAFSA changes:

I made a lot of money in 2018, but now my financial situation has changed. How do I qualify for the money I should get?

FAFSA requires 2018 info for the  2020-2021 school year. You can't get around this. But you can put your application in and then speak to your school to make an independent determination of aid. Most financial aid offices are authorized to work on your behalf to make sure federal aid accurately reflects your need. So put the app in and give you school a call right away.

I'm helping my child fill out the FAFSA. Do we each need our own FAFSA ID?

Yes. The student will need to have their own ID, and the parent helping will also. You should both set up your own ID's here. You'll have passwords and security codes unique to each of you.

The FAFSA asks for schools to be listed, but my child doesn't know where they are attending yet. What do I do?

Since the FAFSA needs to be filled out so much earlier, it's likely that your child hasn't figured out where they want to go. The form allows for up to 10 schools to be listed, so you could either list all of the schools you think you might be interested in OR you can list at least one in-state school and then come back and add schools as you get more information. 




(Note: To be considered for state aid, you'll want to be sure to list an in-state school, even if you don't plan on attending. Each state will also have their own requirements for order of school listed. Be sure to check to see if your state requires anything in particular.)

How long does it take for FASFA to be processed?

We did our FAFSA on October 2nd, the second day it was available for the  2020-2021 school year. By the next weekday, we were notified that it was accepted sent on to the schools on our list. Schools should have your information within a week, although they may not begin working on your aid package until their own timelines. You will at least be able to see your EFC (Estimated Family Contribution) at the time you submit your FAFSA. This information is helpful when using online calculators that estimate your net cost for admission.

Have any other questions about the FAFSA changes? See the FAFSA website. 

This post is part of a partnership with The Children's Book Review and New Shelves Books. Opinions are my own.

This week, I have the fun of telling you about a new kids book called "Matt Monroe and the Haunted House Written" written by author Edward Torba. This book is designed for midde-grade readers or anyone who likes a nice spooky scare that's age-appropriate for kids 9-12.

 A haunted mansion. A community at risk. A group of teens with mysterious abilities. Strange sightings at the Payne mansion and baffling incidents in the countryside place the community of Kingston on edge. Did opening the portal to Paragon draw evil entities to Kingston? In facing this new threat, Matt Monroe soon realizes he is not the only one who has secret talents. Many of his companions have hidden abilities which are exposed as Matt and his friends confront a terrifying, ethereal foe. 



All Points Press put out this book, and it was a good-sized read for a kids book. It was very engaging and had both light horror and mystical, high fantasy elements. For this reason, it should appeal to anyone who likes a good "whodunnit" but can handle a slight bit of peril handled very appropriately.

Parents should know that this book deals with abilities and things not quite of this world. It features missing kids, and there is an after-life element that creates the "haunted house" we see in the title. It's all very mild, kid-friendly, and yet engaging enough for older teens to enjoy it, too.

Above all, this is a book with strong character development, a relatable series of events that kids can look at and go "oh, yeah! that happened to me" and then it takes off into some pretty imaginative scenes. The author remembers what it's like to be a kid, and it shows. If you're looking for a way to get your child to read, Matt Monroe and the Haunted House may be it!

This book is full of scenes depicting the power of teamwork. If you haven't read the first book in the series, it may feel a bit rushed in the beginning, since so much has already happened. This book can be enjoyed as a stand-alone, however, with the author doing a good job of providing enough backstory to give you an idea of how everyone got to be here. For double the fun, read both books!

Learn more about the book and author on the author's website. Or buy the book from Amazon! 


Wanna Win? Enter For A Chance To Win A Matt Monroe Series Gift Basket! 

One (1) grand prize winner receives: 

• A copy of Matt Monroe and the Secret Society of Odontology (Book 1) 
• An advanced reader copy of Matt Monroe and the Haunted House (Book 2) 
• Dental supplies! 

Two (2) winners receive: 

• A copy of Matt Monroe and the Haunted House (Book 2) 

Two (2) winners receive: 

• A digital copy of Matt Monroe and the Haunted House (Book 2) This digital prize is open to worldwide entrants 

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Giveaway begins October 1, 2019, at 12:01 A.M. MT and ends October 31, 2019, at 11:59 P.M. MT. Open to international addresses and the legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia, who are eighteen years of age or older in their state or territory of residence at the time of entry. Void where prohibited by law. New Shelves Books is responsible for prize fulfillment.