Recipes

Appetizers, casseroles, and delicious desserts all your guests will enjoy.

Party Themes

Looking to invite your friends over for a night of fun, these themed parties will entertain them till the party is over.

Traditions

Creative ideas for instilling your children with memories to cherish for a lifetime.

Design

Looking to redecorate or need some inspiration. These are my favorite looks.

Gifts from the heart

Nothing is more personal than when you make a gift and share it with your loved ones. Here are some creative ideas.

Look for love

My thoughts on love and why you should always look for it. You never know when or where it will show up.

Friday, July 17, 2009

How do you like them apples?

Apples are the source for many traditions. I remember Laura Ingall's bringing an apple to Mrs. Beetle on the first day of school.  Every year, students take a traditional field trip to an apple orchard such as Riley's Farm in Oak Glen, California.  Every Thanksgiving we sing the Johnny Appleseed song before the meal reminding ourselves to save room for a slice of Grammy's homemade Apple Pie.  

Johnny Appleseed Song
The Lord is good to me
and so I thank the Lord
For giving me, the things I need,
the sun and the rain and the appleseed
the Lord is good to me.




Apple Pie Recipe (mainly from Better Homes & Gardens with some minor additions)

1 Pie Crust (I use Trader Joes)
6 cups thinly sliced apples (Any will do...the above were made with gala apples from a neighbors tree)
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional)
CRUMB TOPPING
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup of finely chopped pecans (optional)
3 tablespoons of butter.
Use a pastry blender and cut the butter into the crumb topping ingredients until it resembles course bread crumbs.  

Preheat oven to 375˚. Place the defrosted pie crust in a pie-plate to bake.  Mix all the above ingredients together in a bowl and place them in the pie shell.  Add the sugar-crumb topping atop the apples, PRESS DOWN and criss-cross some the second piece of Pie Crust on Top.  I take any left over pie crust and add to the edges of the pie as well.  I like it thick and crusty =)

Bake for 50 minutes.  Scoop vanilla icecream and a warm caramel sauce if you can afford the extra calories.
Enjoy!

What traditions do you do with apples?



Monday, July 13, 2009

A Traditional Piece of the Puzzle

Putting together puzzles is an activity everyone can share.  Why not make it a tradition? Shutterfly makes it easy.  Simply upload a family photo, select the size you want...Viola! In 5-7 days you will have a puzzle.  Available in 252 pieces or 125 pieces.  If you are looking for an original gift to give to a child, upload a picture and and select from over 10 characters boys ad girls love.

See the Hannah Montana version on their website.

This year, we will begin this tradition at Thanksgiving where we have over 30 people to put the pieces together.  What traditions do you and your family participate in?