Apple pie love....

Inspired by: Kristin ~ mainemomma

This past week, I baked my first pie from scratch using a recipe from The Pioneer Woman ~ Dreamy Apple Pie.  I'm not going to lie....rolling out the pie dough for the crust was brutal.  I knew it would take effort, but I had no idea it would be that tricky.  I broke it three times trying to move it into the pie plate.  In the end, I made my daughter look the other way and I just sort of man handled it.  I'm pretty sure that's not a kitchen term, but it's what happened.  Note to self....work on pie skills : )  

I put it into the oven without much hope and then out popped this little beauty with a golden crust.  I was reminded of my friend Kristin's words, "every pie is perfectly imperfect."  How true...And this was incredibly delicious, if I do say so myself.  I left out the pecans & hard sauce and loved it still.  Next up....pumpkin??

In the kitchen with my daughter....

She loves to help me.

And she loves to bake.

This day we made halloween cookies.

Pumpkins, spiders, and ghosts...

She decorated a few...

I decorated a few...

Halloween deliciousness...

{asparagus}

olive oil

fresh lemon juice

a sprinkle of kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

grilled

savored

A flurry of baking took place today....

This morning, while the snow fell gently outside, my little girl and I baked gingerbread men.  And then we tried our hand at homemade marshmallows....sticky, sweet, ooey gooey goodness!!    


Coconut macaroons and salted caramels.... 
A pomander (orange & cloves) sits in our window sill...
In the oven, apple spice ornaments are baking and the smell fills the house.  
Oh my!!  Glorious!!
  
Tomorrow we'll make spritz cookies and sugar cookie cut outs....
And snow angels and paper snowflakes....
We'll make hot cocoa and savor those marshmallows...


I'm loving this Christmas season.....


  






  

Welcome 35...

Today is my birthday! 

Ever inspired by my friend Kristin ( http://mainemomma.blogspot.com/2010/02/38-things.html) and her birthday lists, I decided to "wish big" myself this year!  So here goes...

35 things to do before I turn 36 (in no particular order):

1. renew my passport

2. bake a pie from scratch  (an apple pie with the help of my little girl ~incredible!)

3. make a blurb book

4. fully move into our home…ie hang up art work, print out photos to frame, finish painting, thrift store & antique finds

5. experience seeing my photographs hanging in a coffee shop, etc. ….somewhere in this city

6. purchase and learn to use a film camera

7. begin learning a foreign language

8. take a yoga class

9. learn to use the sewing machine my mom purchased for me YEARS ago

10. cook more / eat healthier

11. see a modern dance performance  ~ I'm due and missing it... (Passionate Puccini ~ Thank You Erica!)

12. more photographs of the kids and I together….

13.  flickr weekend meet up

14. visit the Frank Lloyd Wright houses in Chicago and Oak Park 

15. make snow angels in the snow

16. begin taking piano classes

17. take the train into Chicago with my husband and kids on one of our 

trips home to visit my in-laws

18. make homemade ice cream (especially coffee flavored…..YUM!)

19. have chocolate cake for breakfast

20. learn to take a compliment

21. read On the Road by Jack Kerouac

22.  watch Casablanca and The Sting…I know!  I know!  where have I been?!

23. sing louder ~ dance more

24. see Turandot performed

25. try to heal old wounds

26. watch Annie Hall again

27. learn to voice me opinion without qualifying it

28. buy a new pair of earrings

29. attend First Friday in our city (local artists)

30. go for more walks in the woods with my kids & husband…

31. buy fresh flowers for our kitchen table

32. renew my juggling skills

33. photograph my parents

34. more snail mail lovin’

35. more game nights with my husband & kids

……..and one to grown on…..

36. listen with my heart….

Welcome 35....I'm ready if you are!