Month: October 2018

Monster Pops

Those who know me, know that I’m not really a Halloween fan. Do I love adorable kid costumes? Yes. Do I like to be scared? No. If it were up to me we would just skip to Thanksgiving and have intermittent costume parties throughout the year. However, I do like to send in treats to my kids’ seasonal classroom parties. Usually, I like to follow the KISS method (Keep It Simple Stupid). My check list goes something like this, (in order of importance):

  1. Will it taste good?
  2. Is it cute?
  3. Is it realistically easy enough for me to do?

If it checks the criteria, it’s usually a no brainer- no need to keep digging.

Tada! I found these on Lilluna.com! (And you can get all of the details by clicking on the link.) So cute! So simple. I love that it’s not gory or scary… And who doesn’t love Rice Krispy Treats?  You can buy the melting candy already colored, and pre-packaged Krispy Treats. (Also, FYI it’s great for those peanut free classrooms!) This year I was in charge of the snack for both of my elementary schooler’s parties. So I get to use this twice! Bonus!

So, just in case you were looking for a last minute idea… This here, highly recommended! (I just wish I had thought of it…) 😉

Loving Lately

Serendipitously, I’ve been reading books containing other people’s quotes. While reading a Pete the Cat book to my son, we came across this nugget:

“To begin, begin.” -William Wordsworth

There is so much wisdom in the simplicity of that! Regardless of the situation, just start; you’ll work your way through it… I love that. And I saver the moments I just want to dwell on someone’s words (hoping the wisdom is also sinking into my children). Of course, the book of Proverbs is a great place to start.

“A soft answer turneth away wrath; but grievous words stir up anger.” Proverbs 15:1 KJV

Infinite wisdom. Choose your words wisely!

…So much choice to be had.

 

And some people just seems to really get why;

“The pen is mightier than the sword.” -Edward Bulwar-Lytton, 1839

The whole notion that hope is worth living for… It’s powerful. Inspiration is priceless. Faith. The belief you are meant for more. Purpose…

 

Inspiring, right?

Undoubtedly, words do more than inspire. There really is nothing like someone saying the perfect thing, the moment you needed to hear it. There is so much comfort and healing in compassion, understanding, and kindness. There is so much to be said for timeless wisdom, the words and truisms that get passed down from generation to generation. And often it doesn’t have to be lengthy and drawn out; just to the point.

“If you cannot explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” -Albert Einstein

Genius.

Thankfully, there are also humorous writings, often my personal favorites. Things can be serious, my family often (not always) tends to deal with such things with comedic relief; like Fried Green Tomatoes and Steel Magnolias. I’ll never forget years ago while my father was having a heart attack, his chronically painful knees gave out at the bottom of a set of stairs entering the garage. I was a mess at the time, hating to watch my dad suffer and in shock by the fall. Then he looked at me and quoted Tommy Boy, “Could’ve done without that.”

I envy people who have the strength to take things in stride.

Image courtesy of lifehack.org

This week I was reading, Tea at the Mary Jackson House by the Milford Historical Society. In it are a variety of citations and facts that I think I enjoyed reading even more than the recipes… well, they probably enhanced one another. Anyway, one of the informative quotes that stuck out the most was this:

“Things not to be forgotten at a Picnic… A stick of horseradish, bottles of mint-sauce, salad dressing, vinegar, and made mustard, pepper, salt, good oil, and pounded sugar. If it can be managed, take a little ice. It is scarcely necessary to say that plates, tumblers, wine glasses, knives, forks and spoons, must not be forgotten; as well as tea cups and saucers, three of four teapots, some lump sugar, and milk, if this last-named article cannot be obtained in the neighborhood. Take three corkscrews. Beverages – three dozen quart bottles of ale, packed in hampers, ginger-beer, soda-water, and lemonade, of each two bottles; six bottles of sherry, six bottle of claret, champagne a discretion, and any other light wine that may be preferred, and two bottles of brandy.

Isabella Beeton, Book of Household Management, 1861

I chuckled out loud at the ‘beverages’ part. How many people were going to that picnic? Because it sounds like a plan to survive the prohibition. It’s good to laugh.

“A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.” -Proverbs 17:22

Image courtesy of Instagram @oak73

 

There really are so many great sayings. I wish I was full of them. And I’d really like to be able to say it to you the moment you need it…

In the meantime, I can share other people’s goodies.

Image courtesy of boomsumo.com

 

Featured Image Courtesy of resilientapp.com

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Apple & Brie Pie

For more than one holiday, my sister and I have wrapped a small round of brie (to bake) in puffed pastry. Before it’s wrapped, we top the brie with walnuts, dried cranberries, and honey. It’s served with (buttery) crackers, and it’s amazing. One could lighten it up by serving it with some apple slices or celery… You do you. Naturally, due to my butter inclination, it lead to that would make a good pie.

2 – Pie Crusts, homemade or store bought

5 medium Apples (up to 7 small), peeled and sliced about ½ inch thick

Juice of 1 Lemon

1 Tbsp Flour

2 Tbsp granulated Sugar, plus more for sprinkling

3 Tbsp Brown Sugar

1/2 tsp Cinnamon

1/8 tsp Nutmeg, freshly grated

1 Tbsp Honey

1 sprig fresh thyme, finely chopped (or small leaves striped from stem)

1/2 cup dried Cranberries

5 oz. Brie cheese, diced into ½ inch cubes

2 oz. White Cheddar, shredded

1/2 cup Walnuts, chopped

1 Egg white + 1 splash water, for egg wash

Preheat the oven to 375º.

Blind bake 1 pie crust in a baking dish 10-12 minutes. (Blind bake means to pre-cook the crust, without filling using pie weights, rice or dry beans in parchment paper set on top of the crust.) Set aside.

Meanwhile, place apple slices, lemon juice, flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, thyme, and cranberries in a bowl.

Gently toss until all is mixed well. In the pre-baked crust, evenly distribute apple mixture and brie pieces. Cover the apple and brie filling with an even layer of shredded cheddar cheese. Next place an even layer of chopped walnuts over the cheese.

Carefully lay the second pie dough (in a pattern or not) over the top of the layered pie filling.

Side note: My inspiration for the diamond pattern came from the latest issue of Martha Stewart’s Living Magazine:

(If you do not have a pattern, cut a few slices in the top of the dough to release steam.) With a pastry brush (or spoon), lightly cover the pie dough with the egg wash, and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, until cheese is oozy, crust is browned, apples are softened but still a little firm, walnuts are toasted, and flavors are melded.

Let stand 10-15 minutes. Serve warm.

…Or at room temp.

…Or for breakfast the next day.

…(Because I can easily eat cheese, crackers and fruit for breakfast. Same thing?)

Loving Lately

I was a teenager when the first 24 hour superstore, Meijer, came to our hometown. It was a marvel, unprecedented and life-changing. You could buy anything, groceries and a poster; a bean bag and a gold fish; a movie and an air popper popcorn maker. And the best part was that it was open all of the time! Maybe a Friday night football game victory lead to a celebratory cheeseburger at the local McDonald’s… And then you remember that you were supposed to grab donuts and juice for your little sister’s slumber party! Gone were the days that your hometown grocery store that closed by 9 (on a late day) was your only lost opportunity. Just drive over to Meijer! You couldn’t miss it, the store was gargantuan and the parking lot was lit.

Kids these days will never know what a world of opportunity that opened up. It didn’t matter if you worked the night shift, you could still stop at the store on your way home from work. And, the rural nocturnal people finally had a destination complete with cafeteria. Be that as it may, it is 2018 now and there is only one name you need to know, Amazon.

From the comfort of my easy chair in my non-judgmental (and quite acceptable) pajama wearing living room, I can order just about anything I want; products even my neighborhood Meijer may not carry, and it will be delivered to my doorstep in about 2 days. (I am certain that within a few years that too will seem archaic, because those little drones (or devices I have yet to imagine) will have it delivered in “30 minutes or less, or it’s free!”) But for now, with a little planning, I’ve got it made.

This week alone, I ordered my middle schooler’s mask and accessories for his Drift costume (whatever that is),

Za’atar and other organic spices not found at my local grocer,

the Cash and Carter Family Cookbook, because obvi,

as well as, ahead-of-my-usual-game Christmas gifts and other miscellaneous items… Because, yeeaaahh! I don’t know why it took me so long to get on board? But currently my Prime floodgates are wide open… and at the moment, I am loving my Amazon.

Featured Image courtesy of Silver and Rust

Fall Forward

I love fall. To me, it’s the most exciting time of year. I love the chill in the morning air after the long hot summer days. I love the hustle and bustle of back to school. I loved it as a young girl, the anticipation of knowing I was going to see my friends again after summer break. You could feel it in the air. I loved the football games, oversized sweaters, and hot drinks. I loved mom’s pot roast and apple pie. Some things never change. There’s a comfort in that. When Owen and I got married in early fall, I think it had more to do with planning a honeymoon around Labor Day, a three day weekend. I remember my uncle remarking at my wedding, what a beautiful time of year it was to be married with all of the changes in the season. It was a notion I really hadn’t put much thought into at the time, but I think about every year now. For a homebody, it’s a perfect time of year for the excitement of what lies ahead in the warmth of our home: stoking fires, baking pies, early nights under big blankets. After the fast pace of trying to take advantage of every outdoor moment in summer, it’s a reprieve for the body and mind.

Tahquamenon River, courtesy of Ryan French

I really can’t say that we’ve slowed down this fall as much as I’d like to. We’ve been doing some autumn projects. My baby boy (who is actually my oldest) is growing up. This year he traded his old bunk beds and little desk for (what looks like to me to be) an adult apartment. If I think about it too long, I could get sappy and emotional… But, somehow the seasonal change helped me through it. It seemed more exciting, like a good time for preparation. I tell you what, Fall is medicinal.

Old bed

New bed

Old Desk

New Desk

It also helps that he kept a Lego pen box on his desk. I mean, I can only handle so much change at a time. I realize he is in middle school. I remember putting away the Barbies… I think it’s a good time to bake a therapeutic pumpkin bread. (I couldn’t have enjoyed that as much in the summer… See?)

This weekend we moved the dock at my parents cabin, to make way for winter changes.

The Cabin, Courtesy of Ryan French

And I spent some time with my favorite people.

My dad and sister, courtesy of Ryan French

It warms the heart, right? The stability during the inevitable change. The togetherness. And look at all of the autumn color! I love it. Enjoy your Fall!

Featured image courtesy of my brother-in-law, Ryan French

New Lights

Allow me to illuminate…

Let me shed some light on the situation…

I’m already out of witty puns. (Which is probably a good thing.)

Anyway, you might remember that a few weeks ago, I was cooking in the shadows. Some of you were so supportive, I feel like I owe it to you not to leave you in the dark. (Okay, I had one more.) For any readers just joining- our kitchen light, the ugly fluorescent thing it was, burned out. I’m actually glad it did, because I wanted to replace it from the moment we moved in. But you know how it goes, it worked- and there were other projects… So there it stayed. Then as luck would have it, the thing stopped doing its’ job and forced me to replace it. Sounds easy when I type it out… but it was so much more complicated than that! First of all, obviously, I love being in the kitchen. It’s where I spend the majority of my awake time. One of my favorite things about my house is that I can be with my family when they’re doing homework, watching TV, playing games, etc., while I am in the kitchen. (Another thing is that I have enough cupboards to accommodate my bundt pan collection, not that this has anything to do with picking out a light…) The point is, the kitchen is important to me. I enjoy cooking and baking… and I just wanted the light to be perfect.

The fluorescent monstrosity after the burned-out bulbs were removed.

I have, what I believe to be, an unusually difficult time making decisions. I don’t know, maybe everybody does? (Some people, not to mention names – Joanna Gaines- make it look so easy.) I surveyed these popular farmhouse industrial lights, that are really great. But my kitchen was built in the early 2000’s when Tuscan kitchens were the thing. Which is fine, because I like warm woods and I’m pretty traditional… but all of the new kitchens that look great with the “Fixer Upper” farm style lights are white on white (white cabinets with white counter tops). They’re beautiful, just not what I’ve got (and a kitchen remodel is not happening right now). So, it was hard for me to picture, because I’m one who needs to see it. When I would search for pictures of kitchens of my era, a lot of the lighting already looked outdated. Next, although my house has many traditional elements, the previous owners did some very nice contemporary upgrades. I actually like those too, because I like everything (which plays a part in my decision making problems). Since there is such an open concept in my home, I don’t want to clash elements with a fixture too old school. Then, there is the added consideration of the adjacent light over the kitchen table; they have to match, or at least get along. (Blah blah blah… it’s all very boring, I know.)

Original kitchen table light, moved to dining room

Originally, the light over the kitchen table was a long line of what looks like wax candles (that are actually not). It’s a pretty light… that looked better over my dining room table. After several texts and scouring the internet, my mom helped me pick out a new light (pictured below). I loved that it had a traditional feel- that was still up-to-date with the urban industrial farmhouse trend. The oiled bronze finish complimented the coppery tones in my countertops, and didn’t fight the black iron railings of the nearby modern stairway. However, the length was not adjustable and I did not like how the directness of the light was limited to only what lied underneath. Meaning, it was like a spot light for the table… or if we replaced the table with a chair, we could have done interrogations.

First attempt, spot light

The matching island light was three lights, identical to the pendant light over the table. In theory, it was perfect. In reality, it was not happening. The real issue wasn’t that when the old rectangular box above the stovetop was removed, there wasn’t an electrical box. And it wasn’t that the ceiling would now need patching and paint. It was that the length of the light this fixture was also not adjustable, and wouldn’t work over my gas range. (Sad face and sigh.)

So we sent it back.

The silver lining was that for as long as my husband has known me, I have wanted a pot rack. (I’m an old soul type, who would dream about babies, fireplaces, pot racks, and sculpted bakeware… I love what I love.) But I was concerned about a couple things… One, undoubtedly being, that even with a 10 foot ceiling, I needed to make sure that after the length of a mounted rack and hanging pans, I had room to stir in my biggest pot. Clearly, I need to cook! Second, I was concerned about the amount of light that would actually shine through. After cooking for weeks by lamplight, I wondered about how much glow would be obstructed by hanging pots and pans. I want to see what I’m doing!

My pot rack! Now for more hangable pots…

The solutions were easy with a little more thought. (And the fallback that they too could be returned.) I liked the look of the pendant over the kitchen table, so I found a wider style with an open top (less like a spotlight) on a chain (adjustable). For the island, I found a pot rack (also adjustable in length) with lights open to viewing, positioned above the pots, and with the pot hooks spread farther out than the lights- as to not block them. (I also intend to get the popular Edison bulbs, in the near future.) Overall, the fixture gives the space a kind of old world feel, and the credibility of a real working kitchen that I find charming without rivaling the contemporary aspects of my home. The styles of the two lights were not identical but complementary… they work… I can see in the morning and at night… I’m happy.

The light fixtures

I’d like to thank my husband and father-in-law who spent much of their recent weekends hanging lights, and taking them down, (and taking them to UPS), and installing electrical boxes and weight bearing structures… Thank you.

Loving Lately

I’m a mess this week, a walking inconsistency- like the weather in Michigan. I don’t know if I should turn on the heat or the air conditioning. Should I take a nap or go for a walk? I want to bake and lounge reading a book. (I really should vacuum out the crumbs in my car.) The only constant is that I am 2 years behind on discovering more fine stuff. I finished Parks and Recreation on Netflix, it was a good show. And I just read Molly On the Range by Molly Yeh, food blogger and creator of My Name is Yeh. So. much. fun. Who knows what I might discover last next? So exciting- and I’m sleepy, all at the same time.

Image courtesy of Pinterest

I finally got my haircut. I have mixed feelings about it. It’s fine… but, I have discovered that I can still put it into a pony tail- which is a comfort and an annoyance. I really wanted to be more mature than that, but not so much that I didn’t cover up my gray.

Image courtesy of birthdaywishes.expert

In other news, my friend Pinterest, who knows me so well, has randomly selected vintage pictures of things like Volkswagen Beetles and Fiats, etc., to post on my feed. How did they know? I love them! They’re happy. Not like the boho-chic park it at Venice Beach VW’s, like classic carefree vintage I want to go on a road trip, drink an espresso, and ride a Vespa. Whatever. I’m digging it.

Image courtesy of thefancy.com

Of course, I’m always into food. How cute are these (very thematic) black and white donuts by the aforementioned Molly Yeh?

And how great is this Volkswagen Beetle playing peek-a-boo behind this wall? (…I’m sure it’s a phase.)

Image courtesy of Pinterest

So the graffitied wall is a little out of character, but the shiny turquoise vintage bug still makes me want to buy a new pair of high heels in a primary color! (But seriously, who am I trying to kid? A pair of fuzzy Ugg slippers are so much more pragmatic.)

I’m going back to bed… or getting a cup of coffee.

Featured image courtesy of blogcelianeri.wordpress.com