Top of the Morning to you!

Did I mention that my lovely niece, Trisha, is doing a TON of geneology for our family tree and just recently discovered that we are a wee bit Irish??!! 

Well that certain explains my love for ...




and this ...




I remember as a child scouring our yard for these ...





For a short time I had a sweet redhead named Ginger ...



Which brings me to what's for dinner tonight ...






We're celebrating my daughter's birthday tonight, and one of her FAVORITE meals is corned beef and cabbage.  We usually only make this on St. Pat's day, since that is when the price of corned beef is a bit more reasonable, but given this is her special day and the fact that she's worth every penny, we're splurging and making her favorite dinner. 

And for dessert her favorite PIE from Village Inn!!





But the sweetest thing I'm looking forward to enjoying tonight is ...

Yep ... my grandson Jonas!  He's more fun than a box of Lucky Charms!!

Happy Birthday To My Daughter!

My "baby" turns 37 today.  HOW and WHEN did THAT happen??!!!  Trust me ... when someone tells you to seize the moment and enjoy - DO IT !!!  Time is fleeting!  And while I would LOVE to take all the credit for the AMAZING woman my daughter has become, I will give her SOME credit for her fabulous hard work and successful career, her embracing motherhood 110% (she is the BEST mom Jonas could ever hope for), her sense of humor and love of family.  She is who I want to be when I grow up!  Happy Birthday, sweetheart - love you more than macaroni and cheese!!!

What a PRIZE !!!

Talk about excited!!  I received this AMAZING prize in the mail on Saturday.  I want to give a HUGE shout out and thank you to Joe Rotella and the entire gang at Create N Craft  (http://www.createncraft.com) for sending me this amazing product.  Can't wait to give it a try. 

With it I will be able to create personalized books, albums and journals with ease! Your Story is a thermal book binder with unmatched versatility and is perfect for creating unique gifts, memory books, and a host of paper crafting projects. The package prize included the following:




12″ YourStory book binder / laminator machine

12 – 9″ x 11.5″ Laminating Pouch 3mil

12 – 4.5″ x 6.5″ Laminating Pouch 3mil

1 – Paper Trimmer

1 – 8.5″ x 11″ Binder-Black Leather Texture Portrait no window

1 – 8″ x 8″ Binder-White Linen Texture w/window

1 – 4″ x 6″ Binder-Black Linen Texture no window

1 – 8.5″ x 11″ Binder-Brown Leather Texture Landscape no window

1 – 12″ x 12″ Binder-Black Leather Texture no window

1 – User Manual






Again, thank you so much Create N Craft for SUCH a generous giveaway event.  I truly appreciate it! 

Baked Pumpkin Doughnuts with Maple-Cinnamon Glaze

I am definitely going to try this recipe THIS weekend ... pumpkin - maple AND cinnamon?  OH MY GOODNESS, but these sound DELISH!!!  And they are baked, so not "as bad" as they could be. GRIN! 







Here's the link to the recipe:  http://www.tasteandtellblog.com/2011/09/baked-pumpkin-doughnuts-with-maple-cinnamon-glaze/


Hope everyone has a FABULOUS weekend!

New Look for an Old Chair!

I'm not sure where I stumbled across this blog, but I saw this project and fell IN LOVE with the idea.  The author indicates that a similar chair was done with stickers about in Better Homes and Garden's 100 Decorating Ideas for under $100. The chair was all white, very chic, and quite lovely. This chair is more bold and fun! A piece of furniture that says "hey look at me!"





BEFORE PHOTO:




Kids' foam stickers. Not subtle but handy...and fun!











Give the whole thing a good coat of primer.




Then comes the paint...satin finish...two coats.





I'm in love with this chair !



Complete tutorial here: http://sweetgrace.typepad.com/the_inadvertent_farmer/2010/01/painting-an-antique-old-oak-chair-a-fun-craft.html

Prehistoric Fruit?

My grandson's dinosaur halloween costume got me thinking about this exotic fall fruit ... Dragon Fruit.  Okay, so technically dragons are not dinosaurs - but they MUST be from the same genetic group, right?  GRINNING. 

When cut open, the fruit reveals a scoop of sweet pulp speckled with tiny black seeds (similar to a kiwi).




It's even a variety of Celestial Tea!



Dragon fruit looks so summery. Who’d think this exotic tropical charmer is a fall fruit—not to mention the fruit of a cactus?  It's lightly sweet and pleasantly crunchy. Depending on the species, the skin is textured like dragon’s flesh.  Dragon fruit is now grown in California and Florida, making it more available in U.S. markets.  Depending on the species, the skin ranges in color from hot pink to red. There is also a yellow variety that has a more spiky, dragon-like texture. The flesh can be white, pink or magenta and has tiny, edible black seeds similar to those in kiwi fruit.

The fruit is a bit of a tease. The exterior looks resplendent but the flesh is on the mild side: like a watermelon that is only mildly sweet. The flavor comes up best when the fruit is chilled. Some varieties (look for the yellow skins) are more tart, which makes them more refreshing.   Whenever something is exotic and seasonal, it’s reason enough to bring it to the table. The arresting-looking dragon fruit may not taste as luscious as the homely mango, but it’s crunchy and interesting. Or, in the word most used to describe dragon fruit, it’s exotic.


How To Eat Dragon Fruit: dragon fruit should be refrigerated, unwashed, for up to 5 days, and served chilled. To eat dragon fruit, just wash and peel it. Refrigerate cut fruit in an airtight container.


Dragon fruit is very nutritious, delivering B vitamins, calcium, carotene, fiber and vitamin C. The typical dragon fruit has 60 calories, reflecting the low sweetness level.

So quit "dragon" your feet and run to the supermarket to try a taste of this exotic fruit!



Resource: http://blog.thenibble.com/
 

Dyno-mite!!!

Doesn't this remind you of how much fun it used to be picking out that perfect costume for Halloween?  This was Jonas' first pick and he was so tickled with his choice!  Can't wait to see him in it and hear him go "ROAR"!!!!

The Best Egg Salad



Egg Salad Sandwiches ... the stuff my childhood memories are made of.  Although my mom's version of egg salad was as simple as it got ... hardcooked eggs, smashed with a fork, add heaping tablespoon of miracle whip and put between two soft pieces of white bread.  White bread ... remember white bread?  What every child's sandwich was made of when I was a kid. Unless you were lucky enough to be spending the night at grandma's house, where she still made bread from scratch. There was no such thing as 9 grain bread.  You pretty much just had the one choice - unless mom was thinking healthy and got a loaf of Roman Meal bread, but that was as eccentric as it got. And the only brand of white bread I remember having was Wonder Bread.  You just can't find bread that "soft" anymore.   And this was also back in the day when they didn't worry about keeping things refrigerated.  (Memory: there was NOTHING like the taste of a bologna sandwich with miracle whip after it has sat in your Elvis lunch pail for four hours - seriously - it tasted GREAT!)  Oh, but I digress.  We were talking about egg salad, weren't we??!! 

Anyway ... here's my absolute favorite recipe for egg salad:

One 3 ounce package of cream cheese with chives, softened

2 Tablespoons butter, softened

3 Tablespoons finely chopped celery

4 Tablespoons mayonnaise (the real stuff - not miracle whip) (more or less depending on how "wet" you like your egg salad)

1 tsp. grated onion

1 tsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. horseradish

1/2 tsp. lemon juice

Salt and papper to taste, and a dash of garlic powder for good measure.

6 large hard-cooked eggs, peeled and chopped fine

Combine cream cheese and butter; stir until smooth. Stir in celery, mayonnaise, onion, sugar, horseradish, lemon juice, salt, pepper and garlic powder.  Fold in eggs.  Cover and chill for an hour or more.  When ready to serve, let stand at room temperatur for about 10 minutes before making sandwiches.  If mixture seems too dry, add a bit more mayonnaise. 

Yet another version I make of egg salad does use Miracle Whip, adding 2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish, and a squirt of prepared mustard to my smashed eggs, then adding some dry dill weed to the mixture as well.

And mom also used to make egg sandwiches out of uneaten deviled eggs, which she made using the same ingredients as her egg salad (grin).  But deviled eggs deserves their own blog post, so expect to see that sometime soon.

So what do you put in YOUR egg salad?

Rocky Mountain High (Fall 2011)

My son and his wife went hiking in Colorado's Golden Gate Canyon State Park this past weekend.

He shared some photos with me this morning, and they literally took my breath away.  Each one is a panoramic thing of beauty.  So go grab a cup of coffee, put your feet up and enjoy each photo of this magnificant area.



With Heartfelt Sympathy

A really good friend of mine lost her husband suddenly yesterday afternoon.  While he had been ill for quite a while, things had been going along just fine ... until they weren't.  It is never easy hearing those words that someone you love has died ... or that someone you care about has lost a loved one.  It happens to all of us at some point. My friend is fortunate in that she has a wonderful and loving family and a multitude of close friends to help her through this tragic and vulnerable time.  My heart goes out to her and I hope she knows that I am here for her.

It can be tough to know what to say or do when someone you care about is grieving. It’s common to feel helpless, awkward, or unsure. You may be afraid of intruding, saying the wrong thing, or making the person feel even worse. Or maybe you feel there’s little you can do to make things better.  While you can’t take away the pain of the loss, you can provide much-needed comfort and support. There are many ways to help a grieving friend or family member, starting with letting the person know you care.   I found these helpful suggestions ...




Practical Help

There are many practical ways you can help a grieving person. You can offer to:


Shop for groceries or run errands


Drop off a casserole or other type of food


Help with funeral arrangements


Stay in their home to take phone calls and receive guests


Help with insurance forms or bills


Take care of housework, such as cleaning or laundry


Watch their children or pick them up from school


Drive them wherever they need to go


Look after their pets


Go with them to a support group meeting


Accompany them on a walk


Take them to lunch or a movie


Share an enjoyable activity (game, puzzle, art project)


 
The Grief Process
 
The better your understanding of grief and how it is healed, the better equipped you’ll be to help a bereaved friend or family member. 


There is no right or wrong way to grieve. Grief does not always unfold in orderly, predictable stages. It can be an emotional rollercoaster, with unpredictable highs, lows, and setbacks. Everyone grieves differently, so avoid telling the bereaved what they “should” be feeling or doing.


Grief may involve extreme emotions and behaviors. Feelings of guilt, anger, despair, and fear are common. A grieving person may yell to the heavens, obsess about the death, lash out at loved ones, or cry for hours on end. The bereaved need reassurance that what they’re feeling is normal. Don’t judge them or take their grief reactions personally.


There is no set timetable for grieving. For many people, recovery after bereavement takes 18 to 24 months, but for others, the grieving process may be longer or shorter. Don’t pressure the bereaved to move on or make them feel like they’ve been grieving too long.


If anyone wants to share what has helped them through the loss of a love one, I would love to hear your kind words. 

Oh How Pinteresting!

Just loving all the seasonal photos I'm finding on Pinterest. Each and every one is so unique and lovely.

And if you want to view my growing list of "pins" you can access my boards on Pinterest here:  http://pinterest.com/lillianchild/



Cardmaking Fun

I noticed that I haven't posted many card creations recently, so here's a few. 

Spiked Apple Crisp Shooters

Shooters and tapas seem to be ALL the rage in dining and entertaining - smaller portions but ALL the flavor! Here's a fabulous recipe idea for entertaining this fall ... wouldn't your guests get a kick out of these yummy apple crisp shooters? And get the kids involved by replacing the butterscotch schnapps with butterscotch ice cream topping.





Apple Crisp


4 medium tart apples, chopped (about 4 cups)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup butterscotch schnapps

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker oatmeal cookie mix


Cream Layer and Topping

1 cup whipping cream

1 tablespoon butterscotch schnapps

1 tablespoon powdered sugar

Caramel topping, if desired

Heat oven to 375ºF. Spray bottom only of 8-inch square pan with cooking spray. In large bowl, toss apples, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and 1/2 cup schnapps. Spread in pan.

2 In medium bowl, mix melted butter and cookie mix. Spread on top of apples.

3 Bake 40 minutes.

4 Meanwhile, in chilled medium bowl, beat whipping cream, 1 tablespoon schnapps and the powdered sugar with electric mixer on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form.

5 To serve, alternately spoon warm apple crisp and cream mixture into small glasses. Top each with caramel topping. Serve immediately.
 
Makes 10 shooters!

Iowa Machine Shed Baked Potato Soup !!!

My husband and I love driving over to Des Moines for fun "day trips" since it is only a 2 hour drive away.  We have SO MANY "favorite" places to stop for breakfast/lunch/dinner that it's hard to choose each time we go!  But one that stands out above the rest is the Iowa Machine Shed.  Go and check them out here:  http://www.machineshed.com/locations/desMoinesLocation.html




They are famous for their Chicken Fried Steak- just be aware that it's enough for two! And the cinnamon roll - it may be the largest you've ever seen! Dinners are served "family style", accompanied by fresh breads and rolls. The their Iowa Chop may be the best pork you've every tasted!








They have a simply fabulous baked potato soup ... VERY rich, but oh so worth the calories for a special treat.  Here's the recipe.



Ingredients

2.5 pounds red potatoes, skins on, cut in bite-size chunks
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup diced celery
1/4 cup Fleischmann's original corn oil margarine
1 quart milk
3 cups water
4 Tbsp. bacon bits
1 cup chicken broth
3/4 cup wondra flour
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup parsley
1 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions

Boil potatoes in water to cover (without salt) for 10 minutes.
Drain and set aside.
Saute' onion and celery in 1/4 cup margarine in 5-quart heavy pot over medium heat until celery is tender.
Add milk and 3 cups water.
Heat over medium-high heat until very hot, stirring frequently ~ do not let soup boil. (It's helpful to use an instant-read thermometer to keep track of temperature ~ aim to keep it under 212 degrees.)
Add 1/2 cup butter to soup. Mix chicken broth, Wondra flour, salt and pepper and add mixture gradually to the hot soup while stirring.

Stir constantly until soup bubbles gently and becomes thick and creamy. Constant stirring prevents the milk from scorching, an irreversible mistake. Stir in potatoes, parsley and whipping cream.

Garnishes: green onions, bacon bits, shredded cheese or croutons

FALLing in Love!

carved pumpkins

colorful gourds

hot cocoa with marshmallows

candy corn

scarecrows

apple picking

jumping into a pile of leaves

squirrels hiding nuts

knitted scarves

harvest moon

crisp mornings

bonfires

spooky costumes

football games

comfy quilts

howling winds

scented candles

hay rides

warm sweaters

homemade soup

apple cider

popcorn balls

canning tomatoes

school carnivals

pumpkin patch
apple doughnuts

thankfulness

a bowl of chili

movie nights

county fairs and blue ribbons

turkey and dressing

pumpkin pie

cinnamon rolls

hunting season

crockpot meals

apple butter

bobbing for apples

puzzles

tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches

cranberries

"It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown"

roasted pumpkin seeds

flannel sheets

reading by the fire

casseroles

cinnamon sticks

These are a few of my favorite things ... !!

I fought the law, and the law won!

I just had to share this adorable pic of my grandniece, Avlyn.  The expression on her face is just priceless!

Fall Has Arrived!

For me, fall doesn't begin until we've gone to the apple orchards for the annual AppleJack Days in Nebraska City.  It's a fabulous family event with go-cart races through town, fresh kettle corn made in these HUGE iron kettles, and EVERY possible apple treat imaginable!  There are 3 different orchards in the Nebraska City area and we try to hit each one as they all offer something different in the way of apple goodies.  I think my favorite apple is a Jonathan apple, as it is both sweet and tart and WONDERFUL for making apple butter ... and here's my favorite fast and easy recipe for this annual treat.

Microwave Apple Butter

Ingredients


8 cups (about 9 medium) apples, cored, peeled and quartered
2 cups fresh apple cider
1-1/2 cups sugar
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon allspice

Directions


In 3-quart microwave-safe casserole dish, combine apples and cider. Microwave on High for 12 to 15 minutes or until apples are tender, stirring twice during cook time. Transfer apple mixture to blender or food processor , and process until smooth. Return apple mixture to casserole dish. Stir in sugar, cinnamon, cloves and allspice; mix well. Microwave on High for 25 to 35 minutes or until thickened and dark brown, stirring once halfway through cooking. Cool (mixture will thicken as it cools). Pour into sterilized jars; store in refrigerator. Makes 4 cups.


And now is also the time when the family starts asking for my infamous apple crisp ... which is a Land 'o Lakes recipe that I've used for years.

6 medium (6 cups) apples, peeled, cored, sliced  (I like to use Jonathan apples)
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 cup quick uncooked old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold butter


Directions:  Heat oven to 375°F. Place apples into ungreased 9-inch square (2-quart) baking dish.  Combine brown sugar, oats, flour and cinnamon in medium bowl; cut in butter with pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle sugar mixture over apples. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until apples are tender and topping is golden brown. 

SPOILER ALERT!!  Okay, while this basic recipe is good, I ALWAYS kick it up a bit by DOUBLING the topping ingredients and adding THREE + teaspoons of cinnamon!  And be prepared to loosen your belt a notch or two because this treat is memory making goodness!  Serve it warm with a heaping scoop of ice cream (my kids like cinnamon ice cream with this!) and/or fresh whipped cream (and NOT the kind out of a tub or can - beat up some FRESH whipped cream - you'll be glad you did!)
 



Canvas and Cocktails

Last Saturday evening, my family and I were walking in the Cherry Creek district of Denver on our way to have dinner at The Cherry Cricket (here's their link:  http://cherrycricket.com/site/?phpMyAdmin=9mS-kJDz%2CLAsr%2CInVnyBOzZtE15), where they make the most incredible burgers with toppings you can't even begin to imagine.  Peanut Butter??!!  I hear from those who have had this on a burger that it is REALLY incredible.  My combination was cream cheese and green chili ... YUM! 

On our way to dinner, we passed this place and my daughter-in-law said that one of her friends had been here and that she had a fantastic time.  It's one of those "why didn't I think of that" type of places!  Imagine yourself sitting with friends, sipping on your favorite cocktail and creating art ... it just doesn't get any better than that.  And they promise that even in you don't have a lick of talent for painting, that you will walk out with something you will be proud to put on your wall at home.  What fun this would be!!







And here's their website ... take a look at the gallery and see the fun projects that have been made.  I do so wish we had one of these here in town!  http://www.canvasandcocktails.com/