Sunday, September 5, 2010

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Here is a recipe I made this morning for church. It is my own creation...I just sort of combined a bunch of recipes and this is what I came up with. I received lots of compliments, even from those who are not big fans of pumpkin. Give it a try...you won't be disappointed!

Pumpkin Streusal Coffeecake

For the cake:
1 package of yellow cake mix
1 Cup of pumpkin
3 eggs
3T of Vegetable oil
1/3 cup of water
1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice

For the cinnamon filling:
1/3 cup of brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon of cinnamon

For the Streusal (the BEST part):
1 Cup of flour
1 Cup of packed brown sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons of cinnamon
1/2 cup of butter (1 stick), softened

Do this:

Combine all the cake ingredients (by hand or mixer) until combined and pour 1/2 of the batter into a greased 13X9 pan. Combine the cinnamon filling and sprinkle over the cake batter in pan. Carefully spread the remaining cake batter over cinnamon filling. Combine the streusal ingredients with your hands until the consistency of soft sand. Spread evenly over the top of the cake. Bake in a 325 degree oven for 30 minutes to start. Test with a toothpick. If not done keep testing in five minute increments until it comes out clean. You do not want to over bake. I think mine took 40 minutes total. Remember you may see a few crumbs from the topping thats fine...just no mushy cake! Serve warm or cold....either way it's sensational! Happy Autumn baking!!!

Saturday, September 4, 2010

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Today I had my first official "Fall" Apple. Now if you love apples like me you know exactly what I mean when I say "Fall" apple. Now throughout the year you can find apples, usually Red Delicious, Yellow Delicious, Fuji...to name just a few. But come early September, Apples take on a whole new dimension! You meet such beauties as Honey-crisp (my personal favorite), Roma, Stayman and Granny Smith. All these little lovelies only add to my obsession with fall! So in honor of the small, lovely and yet never understated apple...I give you....the Recipe for Butterscotch Apple Biscuits. Enjoy!!!

You will need:
3 Granny Smith apples
4 tubes of buttermilk biscuits (the small ones that sometimes come in four packs)
1 Package of Cook and Serve (not instant) Butterscotch pudding
1/2-3/4 Cup of sugar
1/2 t of cinnamon
1 Stick of Butter (you can use marg. but butter makes everything taste better.
Pecans or raisins if you so desire

Now...
Separate the biscuits and place them in a lightly greased 13X9 pan. Peel the apples and cut into slices. Place the apple slices throughout the biscuits. Mix the pudding, sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over biscuits and apples. Melt the stick of butter and pour it over all. Pop it in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes to start and keep an eye on them not to over bake. Each oven is different. Just make sure they are not doughy. You can serve immediately...which I recommend... with a dollop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Super easy and Super good!

So...here's to fall apples and all the yummy recipes that are waiting to be made with them.

Friday, September 3, 2010

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I love aprons, but I REALLY love vintage aprons. While doing a Google search for vintage aprons, I came across this really neat Etsy Shop that sells homemade aprons. They are super cute and would make a great gift if you or someone you know loves aprons. Check it out if your interested.


While Aprons kind of became less of a norm after the 50's they are making a comeback...and with good reason...who doesn't like to keep their clothes looking nice!
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Get ready for fall baking! In order to pay tribute to the pumpkin, today I am going to share with you one of my most requested recipes. It never fails, is super easy and yields a wonderfully fluffy and soft cookie that is to die for! Bet you can't eat just ten (forget one!). Clink the Link below to be a partaker of the goodness.



Here's my Pumpkin Tip of the day
If you're planning on making beef stew anytime this year, have you considered serving it in small hollowed out pumpkins? It is such a great idea and looks so festive! For an extra special touch you can even replace the circular piece you cut out for the opening (with the stem) back on after you fill the pumpkin with stew. This will delight your family and friends as they remove the stem to find steamy beef stew. Now that is pure Autumn comfort!

Below is a recipe/picture of what I just mentioned. This is not my beef stew recipe, I just put it here because I know a lot of people like to SEE what they are making! Also I noticed that you actually bake the stew right in the pumpkin as opposed to just filling it. There are so many versions, but you get the idea!


Thursday, September 2, 2010

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This is my Ode to the Pumpkin!

How do I love thee let me count the ways!
From Pumpkin pie to cookies you fill my Autumn days.
In the center of my table or perched upon my porch,
You shine in brilliant shades of orange, like a flaming torch.
In many shapes and sizes, none distort your beauty...
I should fill many a book if I told what you mean to me.
I wait for three long summer months for you to arrive upon the scene,
And when at once you get here, I can't help but dance and sing,
So beautiful little pumpkin, whom I've anticipated all year long,
In my humble opinion you can do not wrong!


And tomorrow in honor of this lovely little creature I will post some of my favorite pumpkin recipes. And by the way I won't hold it against you if you dislike or despise the pumpkin in any way.
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The table is the center of our home. We do everything from eating to school to artwork there. I have a big old farm table that I love and a trough much like this one in the center. Mine isn't as full as this, but now that I have this idea, I will be trying to get this same look. I love old rugged pieces of wood. They has so much character and they are so rustic and charming. Don't you just love all the colors in this center piece? I don't think I will ever tire of looking at this. So what are you all doing for your fall decor...Please share!

So I really LOVE fall. No surprise there! I saw this picture and I thought to myself...I could picture myself here, walking down this road, holding hands with my hubby. I imagine we're both wearing our favorite fleeces and talking about why we love this time of year. We were married in the fall (albeit that it we had a huge snowstorm on our wedding day...that's NY for you) and our wedding was decorated for fall, complete with a stone path and white bridge...just beautiful. So fall has a lot of really good memories for me. A cozy fire, a good book, the kids laughing and jumping in the hay, Fall Apples (one of life's simple pleasures) and of course a really good cup of coffee. Everything is just better with coffee and don't you forget it. There is nothing like waking up in the morning and feeling that "Fall chill" in the air. For me there is nothing cozier than fall colors...I could wrap myself in their warmth for the next 50 years and be just fine. So on that happy note...I will continue on down the path with my hubby and a picnic basket complete with a cozy fall blanket to sit on...Fall...there's nothing quite like it.

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Hey Mom and Wife...how are ya? Let me ask you a question...and be honest with yourself. When was the last time you felt like you weren't good enough? When was the last time you compared yourself to some other lady? When was the last time you criticized your looks or compared yourself to some other woman who was "prettier?" When was the last time you compared your situation to someone else's and felt "jealous?" If we're honest....we all do, and in fact I was guilty of it just last night. Seems so "high school" right??? Well let's face it...we women can be a bundle of emotions sometimes! Our poor husbands need a road map to work their way through our complicated emotions so they don't make a wrong turn! Two things on this point...our emotions can be really great at times. It's what makes a Mom want to fix a boo-boo, fix a great meal, hug a friend in need, kiss our hubby or just do something really unexpected and thoughtful...just "because." On the other hand they can be deceiving, conniving, inconsiderate, selfish, overly emotional and at times just flat out "neurotic." These are all TOXIC emotions and not unlike a container of poisonous chemicals they should have a hazard sign on them. They should be avoided at all cost. A quote I once read said something like this..."Acid does more damage in the vessel in which it's stored then to the vessel on which it is poured." Let's face it...when we don't keep our emotions in the right place it affects everyone....starting with you and working right down the line to all the people in your life. They are like a poison poured out on the ones you love! Sounds really gross and scary doesn't it. Just trying to keep things in perspective. Having said that, I want to share with you some thoughts on some of the emotions that trouble all of us women at some time or another. I will always point you back to the Bible, because I believe with all my heart that every answer to our problems can be found within it's pages. It never changes...UNLIKE our emotions. Put on your gas mask and follow me for a few minutes as we explore some of the "toxic emotions" that plague all of us at times...watch out....this "ain't" gonna be pretty!

1) Jealousy-No...not the "J" word! If you're a woman...I know you've had to battle this ugly emotion. It often rears it ugly head at the worst and most inopportune times. One minute your fine the next minute your examining your every flaw with a high-powered microscope. Suddenly how you look isn't right, what you do isn't good enough and on and on it goes. Let's grow up shall we? Myself included. First of all Psalms 139 says "We are fearfully and wonderfully made." Now which one of you reading this has the guts or audacity to look at God and say...."What were you thinking? Why have you made me thus (remember Job said that)? Do we really think that we know better than God how we should have been made? Obviously, unequivocally NO! I'm not going to give you or myself a bunch of "fluff" here. God knew exactly what he was doing when He made you and I...and let's not forget that He did it with a purpose and plan in mind. For you and I to get so caught up in silly things like looks or lots in life is nothing more than foolish. Consider Christ....God in flesh....come down to live among sinful men and he didn't even have "place to lay his head." He was born in a manger among smelly cattle and died on a rugged cross among two thieves. Now if anyone ever had a right to complain it certainly could have been our Lord, but He was always more concerned with others than himself. If we are becoming to preoccupied with comparing ourselves to others and what we have or don't have...consider Christ and get more concerned for others. "A man wrapped up in himself makes a very small package." That's free and I can't even remember who said it...but they were right. Let's have the right attitude! When we find ourself all distressed about things that don't mean a thing on this earth anyway....Consider! Not What...but whom....and that is Christ.

2) Insignificance-All of us want to feel important. Nothing wrong with that...in the right perspective. We all want to be commended for a job well done or congratulated when we accomplish something. However, like most emotions when not kept in check we will always find ourselves feeling like we are a failure. Now from a worldly perspective this is completely understandable. There is always someone who does something better, faster, smarter etc...than us. However if we are children of God our perspective should be "out of this world." We are not looking for the praise of men...in fact many times this leads people up the ladder of vanity...only to fall. We are looking for the Lord's approval! Consider this...God doesn't look on the pastor of the biggest church with more favor than the pastor of a congregation of 10. He looks at the heart! Yes, he may give some a bigger sphere of influence, but God is looking for quality of work not quantity. He sees a faithful and willing heart...and he will reward you thusly. Maybe sometimes you feel like all you do is chase kids, fill cups, change diapers, break up fights, play judge and jury to sibling disagreements...but it's not insignificant! Being a Mom and wife is the most rewarding job there is and far to many ladies don't give themselves the credit they deserve. Now this doesn't mean there aren't things we all need to work on...I know mine! Don't spend all your time looking for worldly approval...seek the Lord's approval and spend your time making yourself "spiritually" significant.

3) Bitterness-Now here's an emotion everyone has had battle with at one time or another. We all have been wronged at some time. Maybe we have had a bad life growing up or disagreements with those around us. Bitterness is sometimes one of those things that can settle in and make itself at home, before we ever realize it came in the front door. Bitterness is like putting on a pair of glasses with the lenses painted black to read a book. You won't be able to see anything properly and after a while it's going to really mess up your point of view. That's what bitterness does. It makes everything in life distorted and after a while everything in life is seen through that distortion. The only sure cure for this is...1) Confess your sin of bitterness and 2) forgive and make things right. Now I know that sounds easy, but it's not easy to do...and you know it. Forgiveness is necessary and it is the first step in getting bitterness out the door. Now if you really want to give bitterness the boot, take whatever it is that you can't change and leave it at the Lord's feet. Let Him deal with the mess...He'll do much better than you! Don't try to pick up again all the things you can't possibly understand with your earthly mind...let God deal with it for you.

So that's it ladies. Some simple things to ponder and consider. Don't live a defeated life held captive by toxic emotions! There is a great freedom in the truth of God's word!

"Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." II Corinthians 10:5