I’ve been blogging…really I have. It just hasn’t been here. I have been fervently trying to keep up with all the newbie bloggers who have submitted applications for adoptions in the Adopt a Blogger program. I literally have an inbox stuffed full of people who are looking for someone a little more experienced to adopt and mentor them so they can get a feel for what blogging is really like. I am running into a problem though… mentors? I have a serious shortage of mentors to help these great, new bloggers out! I hate to see us not pulling together and helping out the newbies, so if you get a chance, please take a look at the blogs currently up for adoption and consider becoming one of their mentors.

I have at least 100 more people to add, with new bloggers applying each day. Spread the word and keep sharing the gifts you have so that Adopt-a-Blogger can continue to be as successful as it has been in the past! And don’t worry… do you think you don’t have enough time or talent to give what it takes to be a mentor? I guarantee you, you do!

I didn’t really have anything else to blog about today, aside from the begging, so I’m going to bore you with some pumpkin carving and Halloween pictures. I also know that it is now officially past Halloween and pumpkin seeds are sooooo last month, but that’s not going to stop me from sharing a very basic Oven Roasted Pumpkin Seed recipe with you! Simple, basic and good enough to bookmark until next year!

Recipe: Basic Buttery Oven Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

• 1 1/2 cups pumpkin seeds, pulp removed, cleaned and patted dried from a fresh pumpkin
• 2 Tablespoons butter, melted (do not use margarine)
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Toss cleaned, whole pumpkin seeds in a bowl with melted butter and salt. Spread the seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes so both sides get toasted.

The post Begging and Pleading (Recipe: Oven Roasted Pumpkin Seeds) appeared first on Dine and Dish.

So, guess what? I’ve got some news to share with you! Adopt-a-Blogger is officially up and running on it’s very own site! Yep… The blog mentoring program that us foodies have come to know and love has moved from Dine & Dish to it’s very own space out in Internet land.

What does this mean for those of you who are anxious to participate in Adopt-a-Blogger? It means lots of great things!

• You’ll no longer have to wait for the launch of a new session. We are going to have adoptions all the time. Almost every day, as long as there is a need, new bloggers will be up for adoption.
• I am no longer Miss Matchmaker. As much as I loved matching all the participants up, I know that only YOU will know what kind of blogger will be the best match for you. the process is simple, new bloggers fill out a short questionnaire that gives us a little bit of insight into their blog and then the experienced bloggers come along and make the choice of who they want to adopt.
• We’ve expanded into areas beside food blogging! I am more excited about this than anything because I truly believe in the power of having a mentor and belonging to a community. Why should only foodies get to participate in Adopt-a-Blogger? Now bloggers from Lifestyle and Parenting to Craft and Design to whatever else may be out there get to participate! If you know bloggers outside of food blogging who you think would like to participate, please spread the word.

I hope you’ll add Adopt-a-Blogger to your RSS feed, or even better…get the newest adoptee information right in your email box! Adopt-a-Blogger is on Twitter and Facebook too, and I’ll have the newest adoptee information there as well.

I’ve updated the pictures for this Zippy Chicken and Mushroom soup, which is my absolute favorite soup, and since it is Fall and soup weather, I wanted to remind you of the recipe. Enjoy!

Recipe modified from the Oct/Nov 2007 issue of Taste of Home magazine.

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Zippy Chicken Mushroom Soup

Zippy Chicken Mushroom Soup

Author Dine & Dish

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound fresh mushrooms chopped
• 1/4 cup each chopped onion celery and carrot
• 1 can of whole kernel sweet corn drained
• 1/4 cup butter cubed
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 5-1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• Pinch dried tarragon
• 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
• 3 cups half-and-half cream
• 2-1/2 cups cubed cooked chicken
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
• 1-1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

• In a Dutch oven or large stock pot, saute the mushrooms, onion, celery, carrot and corn in butter until tender. Stir in flour until blended. Add the broth and seasonings; mix well. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
• Stir in the cream, chicken, parsley, lemon juice and salt; heat through (do not boil). Yield: 11 servings (2-3/4 quarts).

The post Have You Adopted a Blogger Today? (Recipe: Zippy Chicken Mushroom Soup) appeared first on Dine and Dish.

You all are an amazingly talented group of people. I have enjoyed reading through your blogs this past week and trying to make compatible matches. I hope I succeeded and you all get as much possible out of your mentor/mentee relationship! As I was looking through some of the “newbie” blogger sites, it reminded me of one thing. Remember how awkward and not so cute you felt in high school? Now, when you look at high school girls you are amazed at how beautiful and sophisticated they all look? Our group of newbie bloggers is just like that. When I first started blogging, it was awkward and took me awhile to figure it all out. These newbie bloggers are sophisticated and have beautiful blogs! I am very impressed.

Before I get on with with the matches, I need you all to head over to Michele’s blog, Life Lightly Salted. Michele is giving away a brand new digital camera in a giveaway especially for newbie bloggers. If you have had your blog up and running for less than a year, you are eligible to enter. Michele has all the details and requirements. How cool is that? Thank you so much, Michele, for being such a huge supporter of Adopt a Blogger!

Now, for what you have been waiting for… Mentors, meet your new blogging babies! (After the jump)

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Read More

The post Adopt a Blogger #3 – Welcome to the Family(and a Camera Giveaway!) appeared first on Dine and Dish.

I cannot walk into a pet store when there is a pet adoption going on. I know my limits, and resisting sweet little puppies and kittens, dogs and cats is not something I can do.

Let me tell you a little story to go along with this. I was very pregnant with Kelly, my 2nd child, when my husband and I decided to take to visit a PetSmart during one of their Saturday pet adoptions. I walked in and immediately was drawn to this big, fat, slobbery bulldog. I don’t know what it was about him, but he pulled me in with his sad eyes. Bulldog’s aren’t usually the kind of dog I go for. I’m more of a Golden Retriever / Lab girl, but there was something about this bulldog that made me HAVE to have him. I sat there, petting this big hub of love and felt such a tug on my heart… he needed a home and from the look in his eyes, I was meant to be his mother. Knowing that such a thing couldn’t happen (I had a 15 year old cat… adding a dog to the household would kill her!) I sat there on the floor at PetSmart and bawled. Seriously. Cried my eyes out. I even named the dog Tubby. I reluctantly left the store without a new dog in hand… but my heart ached and ached for him.  I have a soft spot for animals, and when I am in a place where pets can be adopted, I want to take each and every one of them home.

Now, comes the point of the post. Look at that sweet little puppy up in the picture…awwwww…isn’t she just precious? Imagine that she needs to be adopted and you just happened to walk into the pet store where she was at. Can you leave without taking her home? Look at that face….so sweet. Now, pretend like she is one of the few newbies who are still looking for someone to adopt them for the Adopt a Blogger 2 event. You’ve walked into Dine & Dish…have seen their hopeful faces…can you turn away? I didn’t think so.

We have room for a few more experienced bloggers. Please let me know if you would be willing to mentor one of these talented new bloggers. Let’s show them how wonderful and giving this food blogging community is! Trust me… adopting a blogger is far less work than bringing home a new puppy and as I’ve said before, they come already potty trained. (Details of Adopt-a-Blogger can be found HERE.

Thanks!

Kristen

PS – A HUGE thanks to Lalaine over at The Cook Mobile for donating the wonderful badge for the Adopt-a-Blogger event. I love it! Lalaine is one of the many newbies up for adoption this go around! Let’s lend a hand and offer up our support as they navigate the world of food blogging!

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