A Busy Day

A little sneak peek.

I didn't realize when I posted the day (November 1st) for my update that Lydia would be home from school today, Monday AND Tuesday.  Plus toss Halloween and a party into the mix and you have a little craziness.

We are both having a fun day creating though.....even Hannah

(I think)

Happy Friday!  Hugs ~ Jenn xoxo

You are the "Apple" of my eye

“You wouldn't believe On All Hallow Eve

What lots of fun we can make, 

With apples to bob, 

And nuts on the hob,

And a ring-and-thimble cake.”

 ~Carolyn Wells

Can't you just smell them? Apple season is here!!  My mom brought over a giant piece of apple pie yesterday that I HAD to share with my family.  Don't tell them but I'm hiding a half a piece waaaay in the back on the bottom shelf in the fridge.  It's my treat for later.  Just thinking about it makes me happy.

I've been digging through my recipes and here's a bunch of my favorites to get you going.  They are either linked back to my blog or to what I've found to match the recipes in my book.

Now if I could just find a little time to get to the apple orchard before it's too late!

  

Apple Butter

Apple Sauce

Apple Muffins

Easy Apple Cake

PW's Apple Pie

Apple Crisp

German Apple Cake

~photo's courtesy to Country Living Magazine

Update Coming and Banana Roll Recipe

 

I am STILL working on that website update that I keep talking about.  I'm setting the date.  It will be on Monday, November 1st 8 p.m. sharp.  I'll be offering anytime primitives and a few early Christmas primitives.  Be there or be square!  (I think I just had an 1980's flashback from middle school.)

Can you believe we are coming to that time again?  Christmastime!  As in "deck them halls and all that stuff.  Santa Claus and ho-ho-ho, and mistletoe and presents to pretty girls."

Hang in there I am going somewhere with this.

This morning I was planning on making my usual banana muffins with the sorry looking brown bananas I always have left over.  Then I got the mail.  And I received this.  A postcard for Windles Log Cabin Antiques Christmas Open House.  A wonderful open house with lots of goodies.  Thank you Connie for passing along this lovely little gem a few years back."

Every time I visit Windles my friend Audrey asks me to bring her back some of their delightful banana rolls.  That got me thinking.  I can make a banana roll! 

So I did.

Although I think theirs is better.

But mine still taste pretty yummy.

Doesn't it always seem better if someone else makes it?

This is what I did....

Banana Roll


Cake:
Powdered sugar
3/4 C. all-purpose flour
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
3 eggs
1 C sugar
2/3 C. mashed banana (2 medium bananas)

Filling:
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 C. powdered sugar, sifted
6 T. butter, softened
1 t. vanilla extract
1/3 Cup Walnuts chopped fine (optional)
1/4 C. powdered sugar (optional)

Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease 15×10 inch jelly-roll pan and line it with foil, parchment or waxed paper. Grease and flour that and set aside.


In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda.

In a large bowl combine eggs and sugar; beat until thickened. Add banana; beat until well mixed.

Stir in flour mixture into egg mixture. Spread batter evenly into prepared pan, easing it carefully to the corners.

Bake for 10 - 13 minutes or until center springs back when lightly touched.

Immediately loosen cake from edges of pan.  I inverted the cake onto a kitchen towel lightly sprinkled with powdered sugar.  But you can lift off and invert onto another piece of wax paper.

Carefully peel off paper. Roll up cake if using a towel while hot, starting with 10-inch side. Cool completely on wire rack....about 1/2 hour - hour.

When cake is almost completely cooled, make the filling: beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until smooth.

When cake has cooled completely, (unroll cake if your rolled) and spread with filling.  I then sprinkled chop walnuts (anytime I can add nuts I do since they are so healthy for you but this is entirely optional).  Roll cake. Wrap rolled cake in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour.


When ready to serve, unwrap cake and place on a platter. Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired (sift the sugar through a small mesh strainer for a nice presentation). Cut into slices.

Pumpkin Days & Blackberry Nights

This past weekend we went to our most favorite pumpkin place in Ohio. 

"Pumpkin Farm" is located between Columbiana and New Middletown, Ohio.

We discovered it last year after leaving the "Christmas in the Woods" festival and now it's part of the tradition.

They have so many different kinds of squash (or is it squashes?)

It's hard to pick a favorite...just like penny candy only better!!!

I brought home that dark blackish green one down there with the really long skinny stem.

Stems are so important in the pumpkin picking process and you DON'T hold a pumpkin by it's stem!  (My momma raised me right.)

But if you happen to have kids or grandkids, like the 4 that were there....

Who seemed to enjoy ripping off the stems... (the cracking just breaks my heart).

You could stack them to make pumpkin mushrooms or carve faces into them for pumpkin people.

Just trying to keep it positive here.

Speaking about positive...

I know today is Wednesday and I keep forgetting to take pictures for Wednesday Cooking so last night I broke down and made this!!!!!

And I plan on making this again and again and again, for the rest of my life.  Amen.

I finally made it Doreen.  It is fantastic!!!

The recipe is from Vermont Harvest Folk Art's blog.

I have been wanting to make this since Doreen posted the recipe back in the middle of August!  (Her pictures are much more prettier than mine.)

I bought the blackberries freshly picked from an Amish farm and everything. Well....school started (math homework uggh!) and fall shows and orders.  Needless to say the blackberries went into the freezer until last night.  I'm sure glad I bought enough to make another 3 crisps!  I'm also sure that this would be just as tasty using frozen berries in the off season months.  I did double the crust just like Doreen said.  It is wonderful.  Go out and buy some berries, it will make you so happy!

Well that's it for me today.  I'm outta here!  Have a good one.

Jenn xoxo

Nesting Days.....

I love the gray muddy skies and the crisp autumn air on cool mornings.  It gets me inspired and the nesting urges begin.

Already this morning I have the crock pot stewing with Ham and Scalloped Potatoes (easy easy) and a few pumpkin head dolls have been made that need to be dressed but.....

 this afternoon I'm going on a search for frosty green pumpkins.  I just need them.  I do.  

 

 What are you doing on these lovely autumn mornings??