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Charlotte’s Simply Delicious

The current issue of Simple & Delicious is loaded with fabulous recipes from Pesto stuffed Chicken to Apple-Almond Muffins and Wheat Berry Salad. The magazine has mouth-watering desserts and easy 5 ingredient fixes for the Christmas holiday to save your shopping time for ‘merrier’ things. It also happens to contain the latest publication of my cousin Charlotte!

Charlotte is an accomplished novelist and has a series of imaginative books in the works, starting with the published The Elemental Rise of Shade. And although she has the cool artsy life of pouring herself into her writing, she doesn’t spend all of her time in front of her typewriter. (Okay she uses a computer, but somehow the typewriter sounds more romantic, am I right?) Anyway, she also happens to be a solid recipe developer and has had several published recipes. Most recently in the December/January 2016 issue of Taste of Home’s Simple & Delicious. (On stands now!)

If you turn to page 67 of the magazine you will find a cute picture of Charlotte herself and a delicious Spinach-Basil Lasagna, a healthy version of an Italian classic full of flavors like feta and Parmesan and good for you baby spinach. As if that wasn’t outstanding enough it is also health conscious with only 229 calories per serving. (Which also happens to be 1/9th of a 13×9 inch pan, so a good size serving!)

For years Charlotte has made many tasty recipes including (but not limited to) a baked potato pizza and pepperoni pasta salad that have been printed in books and periodicals. Lucky for you, I have access to her culinary genius and will be posting some of her recipes in the future! In the meantime you can check out her developments yourself; I found my mini-magazine near the check-out of my local grocery store.

Happy Birthday Charlotte!

Noah’s First Birthday!

Our little baby (our young buck) finally turned one. I knew with his birthday being so close to Thanksgiving that I did not want to continue a harvest theme… which lead me to think about what else was seasonal. Here in the northern midwest, hunting season is well under way. Perfect! Time to take the mounted rifle off of the wall.

It’s kind of a tradition to go big on the first birthday. I really don’t know why, because they’re not going to remember it. But the rest of us do. Actually, using so much of our hunting and camping stuff made it pretty easy and a lot of fun. We set up camp, starting with the front porch.

Welcome to Camp Noah

We had a small chili cook off in the lodge (aka ‘the dining room’), which was tasty and very appropriate (at least for the hunters I know). There were four entries, and I am sorry to say I did not get a good picture of them… but you can just picture four pots of chili. And the winner went to (dramatic pause) my sister, aka ‘the chef’ because it was really good. (I voted for her chili and I had an entry myself!) I also thought it was a good idea to use all of the cast iron I could find in my cupboards to set the table with toppings and sides for the chili.

Camouflage was everywhere- even on the S’more inspired cake.

I love dressing for the theme.

We set up camp in the living room.

Using our undecorated Christmas tree was a nice touch (thanks mom). We also tried to camouflage the TV, with a deer.

I saw this really cute photo op on Pinterest. So naturally I had to replicate it. (Side note: If you are new to my blog, I have a big thing about photograph opportunities at the parties I host.) And now that I have a blog I love to post the pictures all over the internet, because that’s the kind of friend/mother/daughter/sister/aunt/wife I am.

Happy Birthday Noah! We love you!

Happy Thanksgiving!

There is so much to be thankful for… Have a happy and safe Thanksgiving!

Love,

Sadie

Thanksgiving Desserts

It’s hard to believe that Thanksgiving is only two days away! Last year at this time I was almost to my due date with my fourth child. In fact, I went into labor on the night of Thanksgiving. (I really just wanted to sleep.) But this will be my little turkey’s first Thanksgiving dinner and I’m so excited. (Although that is the first time I’ve ever called him that. I’m just really getting into the holiday.) To top off my excitement we have been enjoying our first snow fall of the year. The chill in the air declares the season!

I thought it would be a good idea to share some suggestions for the holiday, and as I was compiling a list of ideas… it became very clear where my priorities lie. The following are some tried and true sweet treats I can suggest without hesitation that you could proudly serve your family. At least I will be serving most of them to mine.

A classic rustic dessert: Sweet Potato Pie

A tasty twist on a long time favorite: Maple Pecan Pie

It’s a sweet bread, actually being served with dinner: Cranberry-Pecan Pumpkin Bread

A decadent family tradition: Pumpkin Cheesecake

It’s just the best: Mom’s Apple Pie

Okay, this is not a dessert but I had to add it because I will be eating this goodness during the parade and food preparation so it clearly evokes the day: Smoky Cheeseball

Happy Baking & Making!

Remembering Aunt June

My family has a marina business just off of the Detroit River. Every year growing up, at the end of the boating season on the second Sunday of September, my grandpa would throw a large party with a live band (or in later years a DJ) with food and refreshments for all. The boaters loved this celebration, but I think the grandkids loved it even more. To me it ended up being more of a family reunion, with distant aunts and cousins gathering together sometimes from far away places like California and New York. I remember my Great-aunt June coming to Michigan for visits at some of these family gatherings. I was struck by how she wore her hair longer than my grandma, and the other two of my grandmother’s sisters that I knew. She was warm and endearing with a very gentle way and a great laugh.

My grandmother had 5 siblings. Her sister Kathleen and brother Bud died before I ever had a chance to meet them. But I feel very blessed to have known the four sisters I did. Donna (my grandmother), Esta, June and Shirley (as shown below) had amazing wit. They could find the humor in anything and often did. I loved watching them together. Since June and Esta lived far away, when they came to to town it always seemed special. It was always as if no time had passed, the love and laughs… like they had never been out of each other’s company.

Aunt June was an extremely talented artist. My father told me about baskets she would weave out of porcupine needles. He shared a time with me when Aunt June made his family’s Christmas tree look like a dream from tinsel, a surprise when they woke up like something out of a holiday story book. And I am fortunate to have one of her many paintings hanging in my home, where it has for many years like when my grandparents lived here.

My dad told me that he always remembers how nice she was, how he never heard her say an unkind word about anyone. Aunt June was considerate of animals too. I was told a story about how once when she was outside with a relative of mine that a bee stopped on the pavement in front of them. Her response was to the effect of “He ran out of gas.” Then she placed a piece of candy next the bee, of which it partook and flew away. Isn’t that mindful? It makes me want to be a more thoughtful person too.

She leaves behind her many loving nieces and nephews, her sisters Shirley and Esta, son-in-law Ron and daughter Nancy. Aunt June you are well loved and I am glad to say one day we will see you again.

Erica’s Sprinkle

When you have your first baby, you are given a party where gifts are bestowed upon you like rain. It’s called a shower and it is supposed to set you up in preparation with the things you and your newborn will need. Of course, by the time the next baby comes around you (most likely) still have all of the major items you need, plus experience so the transition is much easier. However, isn’t fun to celebrate the new baby anyway? And what mother wouldn’t mind a couple new onesies, stocking up on diapers and a few new outfits! Enter the “Sprinkle,” a gathering in honor of a mother-to-be (again) and the new baby. It is especially fun when the first born was, as in this case, a girl and the next arrival is a boy. Because it’s fun (and honestly refreshing) to add a little blue to the waves of pink. The theme of this party was woodland. The cake looked like a log and was adorned with forest animals.

It’s perfect for this time of year, when there is a little chill in the air… and we can bust out the lumberjack inspired flannels.

Mom and dad (and uncle) to-be.

The restaurant is a rustic lodge inspired eatery with open log beams and buffalo plaid covered stools. The centerpieces, made by Aunt Rachel and Uncle Ryan (from a fallen tree right in their back yard), were like something you could find along the edge of a picture perfect forest.

The cake wasn’t the only place the little woodland animals showed up.

True to a hike in the woods, everyone got to take home a couple varieties trail mix.

We can’t wait to meet you Maxwell!

Something

You know that scene in Somethings Gotta Give, when Diane Keaton is sitting at her desk in the bedroom of her Hampton’s home? …There is French cafe music playing in the background and all of her creative juices are flowing. I Love that. Sometimes I think I could write a play, or at least a few scenes; like the Pixar Shorts of a play. I’ll act the whole thing out in my head. There have been times when it seems so funny I can actually make myself laugh out loud. And I’ll think “this is really good.” But two days later I can’t remember a single word. And I think I should have written that down. What’s up with that?

And why don’t I have a really cool desk in a spacious room with tons of natural lighting and 10 foot ceilings… at my house in the Hampton’s?

Tailgating Season!

So I’m not the biggest football fan, weathering the elements in the parking lot over a hibachi and a cooler. My husband is a big football fan, so I don’t mind going to an occasional game, but mostly I prefer watching them from the comfort of my home. However, I am a fan of the hibachi, or a grill, and any reason to get together with family and feast!

The Grill
By the time I got to my camera most of the food had been cooked.

I really do like the idea of loading up the back of a truck or what-have-you with a to-go party. A few years ago I saw an inspiring photo from a Paula Deen magazine with a nostalgic pick-up truck full of baskets and trays holding sandwiches and drinks with coordinating plaid blankets and thermoses full of soup. It was a vision I wanted to create with my own family… in the comfort of my parents back yard, around a large bonfire pit, where we were sure to keep warm and there is plenty of space for the kids to run around (and a nearby bathroom). So began a new tradition.

Things I never knew I’d love about a minivan… reverse folding seats!

This year we had kind of an East Coast seafood theme, which I was really excited about because it is out of the norm for me. But being that I’m not a huge fan of seafood in general (it’s a work in progress) we had a steak option.

Steak

Cheddar Biscuits

Not pictured are the baked by grill potatoes, grilled broccoli and pumpkin lattes. However, I did manage to snap a photo of dessert…

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Sometimes I feel like there aren’t enough days in a week. We should really do this more often.

Harvest Season at The Orchard

As far back as I can remember we would take a family trip in the Fall to visit a good sized orchard in the southeast corner of Michigan. My mom still tells the story of the blustery day they first walked into the large barn structure with a huge warming fire roaring in the (now closed) stone fireplace. It has grown into quite the attraction since the earlier years since we used to go, complete with bouncy house, tent sales and music shows. And sadly I think they do most of the apple pressing for the cider on weekdays, not on the weekends while the kids are out of school and we actually have the chance to go. I loved watching the apples get crushed through the viewing window, while the bees were buzzing everywhere. But the donuts and cider still taste the same, and the country store still sells local homemade treasures. They offer a huge variety of Michigan made jams, jellies, candles, honeys, and more. They still make a corn maze, where you can get lost in dried stalks grown over your head. I take my children on the hay ride, where they bring you out to pick a couple of apples right off of the tree, just like I did as a kid. And you can feed the farm animals, like goats, right out of the palm of your hand, jump in large bales of hay, ride a pony, and pretend you’re driving an immobile tractor. I love getting my kids to farm country.

Dinner Club – Fall Soup

It had been a while since our last dinner club gathering. Summer is so full, then school it was starting… But I missed it, and was ready for it to begin! You might remember that we had put cuisines from all around the world in the drawing and at the last dining event had drawn Israeli cuisine. But to get back into the swing of things, I sent out a simple invite for a soup swap. It seemed timely and seasonal, and a nice way to fall back into the groove. It was a small and intimate group this time, 7 out of our now baker’s dozen, 13. It was so good to see everyone again around my dining table, and so great to try some new things! (If you are new to my blog and would like some background information, click on Dinner Club.)

I apologize for the photography, my dining room has very little natural lighting to begin with, let alone in the evening. Because this is supposed to be like my version of a Girl’s Night Out, I make no apologies about the paper plates. (The last thing I want on my night out is a large stack of dishes…) So the place setting was kept simple. (Although for the picture it might have been nice if I had soup in the bowl. Hindsight…)

But how beautiful is the centerpiece from the remaining flowers in Holly’s garden! After the first Dinner Club, we added this assignment. It’s essential.

I divided the assigned tasks into 3 soups, 1 bread, 1 drink, 1 centerpiece, and a dessert. I was assigned bread. And I am slightly embarrassed to say I took the easy way out (just this once). Although there are no rules one has to follow, in theory I’d like to challenge myself a little more. But hey, let’s be real… sometimes I’m just happy the house is ready for company and I’m dressed. So I bought the loaves at the store and the pumpkin cornbread was a box mix from Trader Joe’s. There. I said it.

Fun dinner drinks is another thing I love. Catie made a great version of a recipe she found on-line with organic apple and pear juice with ginger ale, garnished with organic apple slices. (I hope I haven’t made my friends feel like if they’re bringing something to my house that it has to be organic…) Honestly, the pictures do not do it justice. It was so refreshing and delightful!

How cute are the rustic apple slices to garnish the drink! They were fun to eat or add to the drink.

How cute are the rustic apple slices to garnish the cup! They were fun to eat or add to the drink.

We had trio of really delicious soups for supper. Rhonda (aka my mom) brought GG’s Beef Stew. It’s a tomato broth hearty and rustic stew, full of beef, potatoes, and carrots. It’s a family favorite where the meat and vegetables are perfectly tender -and never disappoints. Tara brought a scrumptious Autumn Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup from Once Upon a Chef. It was a gorgeous bright orange seasonal soup that I want to eat every day until December. It had a warm curry twist that I fell in love with. Molly brought a creamy cheesy Asiago Bisque from Chef in Training. Asiago Bisque! Need I say more? It had potatoes and bacon and every bite was better than the one before.

My setting ending up looking like this.

We could have served the soups one at a time, like separate courses, but then I couldn’t have gone back and forth with spoonfuls of each one. And since they were all hot and ready to go, why not? A fall feast fit for a queen! (I really wish I was a better photographer.) But we didn’t stop there… We had to have dessert! Bailey the youngest member of our group made a white cake with a cream cheese frosting. I am also proud to say I did contribute something from scratch, Chocolate Brownies from Three Sister’s Bake.

I had a great time as usual, and I can’t wait for our next get together! This time we will stick to the plan and try Israeli cuisine. For the recipes to any of the soups click on the name of it, highlighted in red. They are all worth it. For photography tips, ask someone who knows!

Sadie's Nest

Snippets

Charlotte’s Simply Delicious

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Noah’s First Birthday!

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Happy Thanksgiving!

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Thanksgiving Desserts

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Remembering Aunt June

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Erica’s Sprinkle

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Something

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Tailgating Season!

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Harvest Season at The Orchard

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Dinner Club – Fall Soup

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