Off the box Apple Pie

Apple Pie Time...

1 pkg refrigerated pie crust (Pillsbury, is what we had on hand)

Then we just followed the apple pie recipe on the box.  We went the easy way, didn't think out of the box and I'm glad we did.  The pie was really pretty good, considering we didn't make our own crust!  Not soggy at all!

3/4 cup sugar

2 tbsp flour

3/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp nutmeg

1 tbsp lemon juice

6 cups (6 medium) thinly sliced apples

Lay first layer of pastry on the bottom of 9 inch pan.  Heat oven until 425 degrees.  In large bowl, combine everything but the apples and lemon juice.  Toss spice mixture with apples and lemon juice.  Spoon into crust-lined pan.  Top with second crust.  Seal edges and pinch.  Cut slits in top to vent (we made the letters "L" and "S").  Bake at 425 for about 40 to 45 min or until apples are tender and crust is golden.  Yum.
Sending Love,
Twin A

Measuring

Licking the apples.

Note the big guy's cinnamon beard.

Ice cream and cheddar cheese along with the pie anyone?

"THE" Chocolate Chip Cookies

 Rain again in NY, what to do?

Make cookies!

These are the BEST chocolate chip cookies on earth.  No messing around here.  In our family, these cookies are the only way to go.  Dunk a few of these soft, but chewy warm cookies in a glass of cold milk and you will never look at another cookie the same.  This is the first time I made them with my littlest little, while my big guy was napping.  She is at the grabbing everything stage, so keeping the cookie dough in the bowl and out of her grasp was a challenge.  These are Grandma & Grandpa's favorites too!  They don't even mind if the kids touched, licked or poked at every one, these disappear very very fast.  I suggest giving in and just doubling the recipe from the get-go.

This recipe is not a huge secret, it is off of the back of the Chipits chocolate chip bag.  We do not have that brand down here, must be a Canadian thing.  It is WAY better than the Tollhouse cookie!  Sorry to offend.

"Yay" & "Ding" timer went off!  Cookies are ready!

Cream together 1 cup butter, 1 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup sugar.  Beat in 2 eggs and 2 tsp vanilla.
Combine 2 cups flour, 1tsp baking soda and 1 tsp salt.
Stir in 2 cups of chocolate chips.  (Add 1 cup chopped nuts, if you are into that kind of thing).
Bake at 375 degrees for 10 to 12 min on an un-greased cookie sheet.

Big Brother got up just in time for warm cookies & milk.

I think they were a hit, don't you?

Sending Love,
Twin A

A mighty fine pot-luck.

Okay, so we've been busy with life.  Had friends over last week and made my yummy "magazine chicken", red cabbage and spicy sweet potato wedges.  Didn't take any pictures, but believe me, it was good.  Will post the recipes next time I promise.  Our evenings consisted of a couple of art projects, and some frozen pizza & tuna sandwich dinner nights and one scrounge around in the fridge & dig out something edible feat.

Fall Leaves

Friendly Ghost Family (thanks SD Mamas for the idea!)

Of course I was chosen to be the foot!xxoo

I did manage to remember to take pictures of us making "Moons" since my big little is in LOVE with the Moon.  We talk about it every morning, noon & night.  Reading the book "Goodnight Moon" until we have it memorized and the cow jumps over it and the old lady whispers "hush".
Here is us using store bought pie dough, cutting circles with a glass ("_ircles Mama"), filling them with some strawberry jam, folding them over and making "pinches".  Baked them until they were brown and crispy.  Thought these might be fun to bring to the park the next day for a picnic, but they didn't last the night.  The M_O_O_N_S were just too good.

On Sunday we had a BBQ potluck to attend, so I made two new salads to try.  Both really yummy.  Again, no pictures of the actual food that we brought, I barely had time to get us out of the house on time and in the car in one piece.  CONFESSION: I showed up at the "event" with my shirt on not only inside out, but backwards.  Gotta love that Mommy-brain.  So, no there are NO photos of the salads I made, nor the dessert.  Use your imagination.


The first was a Waldorf Salad.  Since it is the fall and apples are in season, I thought it would be a nice change.  This recipe was adapted from the The Food Network.


1/2 cup toasted walnuts
1/2 cup plain yogurt (I used greek yogurt)
2 TBSP mayo
Minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tsp honey
1 lemon zested and then juiced
fresh ground black pepper
2 large crisp apples
2 ribs celery chopped
1/4 cup golden raisins
1 head Boston lettuce

Whisk the yogurt, mayonnaise, parsley, honey, and lemon zest in a large bowl and season with pepper.  Halve, core, and cut the apples into 3/4-inch pieces, leaving the skin intact. Add the apples, celery and raisins to the bowl, and sprinkle with the lemon juice; then toss with the dressing. Cover and refrigerate if not serving immediately.  When ready to serve, toss walnuts into the salad. Arrange the lettuce leaves on a large platter.  Spoon salad on lettuce.  Enjoy!

The second was a Cucumber Salad.  Sounded like a "pickled" type that my hubby likes.  This recipe was also adapted from the The Food Network.  It was still tasty the next day.  I actually made this up the night before the BBQ.

3 large cucumbers sliced very thin

1 TBSP salt

1/2 cup water

3 TBSP apple cider vinegar

1 tsp sugar

paprika, as much as you wish for flavor & color

minced green onions

Place sliced cucumbers in a bowl. With your hands, mix the salt into the cucumber.  Cover and let stand for at least thirty minutes.
The Dressing: While the cucumbers are marinating, prepare the dressing which consists of water, vinegar, sugar and paprika.  Squeeze out all the juice from the cucumbers AND RINSE WELL to remove excess salt.  Mix the dressing into the cucumbers.  Sprinkle the green onions over the cucumbers.  This will keep for several days in the fridge.

We also brought Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Squares which I knew would be a hit with the kids at the BBQ, young AND old.  I should have made these earlier in the day so they had a little more time to cool and set up.  I ended up bringing them in the pan that I baked them in.  If you want to be able to remove them from the pan and serve them in squares, make sure that you allow them enough time to cool completely in the fridge.  So so so good.  This was a recipe that I had gotten when I worked at FCH in Boston.  A really good fake-out and perfect bake sale treat.

2 rolls of re-fridge slice & bake cookie dough

3/4 cup sugar

two 8oz pkg softened cream cheese

1 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

Grease and flour a 9X13 pan.  Spread 1 roll of dough on bottom of pan (don't worry if it seems thin, do as best as you can without leaving holes).  Cream together sugar, cream cheese, vanilla & eggs.  Pour on top of 1st layer of cookie dough.  Press 2nd roll of cookie dough out flat on wax paper to a 9X13 shape. Place on top of cream cheese layer.  I "flip" it over, don't worry if it is a little messy, it is very forgiving.  Bake @ 350 degrees for 35 to 40 min.  Cool, then refrigerate completely.  Cut into squares.  Serve with plenty of milk!

Sending Love,

Twin A

Have fun out there on the trails.  My littles are loving their hand-me-down ride (thanks Toronto crew)!  We LOVE NY in the fall.

Spicy Chili over Corn Waffles

We spent our Sunday morning at the annual Ithaca Apple Festival.  The whole of downtown was closed off and the streets were filled with fun and families.  Apples, pumpkins, fun finds, shopping and of course fair food.  "We" I mean me, forgot to put the battery in our camera, so not a lot of pictures.  We used Daddy's phone once we remembered it had a camera, so the quality is okay.  At least we got to capture our big little's first caramel apple.  Heaven sent!  Mama and the little little wore our fall sweaters and were super cozy.

When we got home, I had already put some chili on in the crock pot.  Which made our house all warm and toasty.  It also left a tiny bit of time right before dinner to do a little experimenting.  A friend of mine told me about a Waffle restaurant downtown where her hubby ordered chili over a corn waffle.  Sounded pretty good to me and our big little is addicted to corn muffins right now.  We all know how crumbly and messy they can get, so I thought it would be fun to try at home.  I pulled out the old standard Jiffy mix, not sure if you can get it in Canada.  Followed the directions on the box to make the waffles and not the muffins.  In an effort for full disclosure, please be aware that it took me two boxes of mix to make 3 and a half decent waffles.  Sure wasn't easy with my waffle iron.  By the end though, we had a good result.  I would suggest that you plan ahead for a few "sticky" waffles.  Make sure to spray your waffle iron!
Sending Love,
Twin A

This recipe is adapted from "The Rest of the Best" book, from the Best of Bridge Series.


6 oz italian sausage links
2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped green pepper
8 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb ground beef
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
2 TBSP chili powder
2 TBSP brown sugar
1 TBSP ground cumin
3 TBSP tomato paste,  I just use a whole small can, no waste!
1 tsp dried oregano
S&P to taste
2 Bay leaves
1 1/4 cup red wine (merlot) or beef stock
2-28 oz cans of whole tomatoes with juice, chopped
2-14 oz cans kidney beans, drained

For the top:  sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, chopped green onions
For the bottom: corn waffles (worth the effort!)  xxoo

Heat large pot over medium-high heat.  Remove casings from sausage.  Add sausage, onion, green pepper, garlic, beef and jalapeno to pot.  Cook until meat is browned.  Stir to crumble.  At this point, if you are making this ahead, transfer to a crock pot.  Add everything else to the pot.  Bring to a boil.  Cover and reduce heat and simmer for one hour, stirring occasionally.  Uncover and cook for 30 min, stirring occasionally.  If using crock pot, cook on high until bubbling, then reduce to low.  The longer it simmers the better it is!  Discard bay leaves.
To serve: Pour chili over corn waffle, garnish with sour cream, cheddar cheese and green onions.  Serves 8-10.

Baked Apple Pancakes

Last Sunday, we went as a family of four to pick apples.  Out of the many varieties that the farm grows here in Upstate New York, we chose the Empire, for it's crispness.  None of us here like the overly sticky, mushy apple.  With over nine pounds of apples that our toddler picked off the trees, we had to come up with something different to make.  Although, after a week of munching on the apples, remember 9 pds, we only had THREE left.  Amazing, but true.  My big little and my hubby snacked the week away in fresh crispy apples!

This morning we made some Baked Apple Pancakes, adapted from The Company's Coming by Jean Pare Series.  It was surprisingly yummy and easy, even with my big little "tap, taping" the eggs and mixing.  A couple of extra minutes in the oven wouldn't have hurt either, but we were hungry!
Sending Love,
Twin A

For the apple part:
2 tbsp butter
2 apples, thinly sliced, no need to remove peel
3 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon (we used more!)

For the batter:
3 large eggs
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup flour
2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt

In microwave melt butter in a 9x9 inch pan.  Tilt pan to cover edges and bottom with melted butter.  Lay apple slices in pan.  Sprinkle with first amt of sugar and cinnamon.  Return to microwave and cook for about 1 min or until just starting to soften.
Beat eggs in bowl.  Add milk, flour, second amt of sugar and salt.  Beat well.  Pour over hot apples.  Bake in 450 degree oven for about 20 min until puffed and edges are browned.  Serves 4.

The serious cinnamon sprinkler.

The egg tap-tapper.

Baked.  What is up with that left corner!?!

A drizzle of NY maple syrup and a side of crispy bacon.

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Oh the days when you could go to a restaurant and order an appetizer and enjoy it without having to worry about spilled milk, opened sugar packets and finger painting with ketchup!  If that is a foreign concept, then make this for dinner tonight!  Enjoy it in your own kitchen, where your kids can be as loud as they want, without getting withering glances from the surrounding tables.  I serve this dish "deconstructed" to my big little.  Remember to reserve some "sauce" on the side to dip pieces of chicken, carrots and lettuce into.
Sending Love,
Twin A

This recipe is adapted from "The Rest of the Best" book, from the Best of Bridge Series, or as we lovingly refer to it as "the brown book"  since the cover is of course brown!

The Sauce
3/4 cup hoisin sauce
1 1/2 tsp rice vinegar
1 TBSP honey
2 TBSP water
Juice from one lime
2 tsp sesame oil (I used olive oil because I had it on hand, worked fine)
1 large garlic clove minced
one inch of freshly grated ginger

The Wraps
2 Boneless chicken breasts (make it even easier by using leftover roasted chicken or stop by the store and get a rotisserie chicken!)
1/3 cup grated carrot
2 green onions, diagonally sliced
1 cup dry steam-fried noodles
1/2 cup peanuts (optional, I usually put them on the side)
1 head iceburg lettuce, separated into whole leaves, core removed

In a saucepan, mix sauce ingredients, heat until blended.  Remove and set aside to cool.  Poach chicken in small amount of water.  Cool.  Shread each chicken breast into bite size pieces.  Toss chicken, carrots and green onion with sauce.  Let stand 15 min.  Add noodles and peanuts.
To serve:  Fill lettuce leaves with chicken.  Tuck edges in and enjoy!

Yum, "_ettuce" Mama!

The horses outside our kitchen window this evening.  Can you spot the "fall" in the distance.

Spinach, Tomato & Garlic Tortellini Soup

It has been raining "Lions & Elephants" (way more than just "Cats & Dogs") here this week, so we decided to hunker down at home this morning with some new pals.  We decided that soup was the order for the day, and this is a yummy and quick one too!  Nice.
While I was busy preparing the lunch for the littles, my Mommy friends kept the kids busy with an impromptu art project!  Take a few paper plates, some bingo dabbers and throw in some squished feathers and it is just enough time to keep the toddlers entertained and get this soup to bubble!  Thank you friends for a cozy, fun, play morning.  Ta-Da!
Sending Love,
Twin A

This recipe is adapted from "The Rest of the Best" book, from the Best of Bridge Series, or as we lovingly refer to it as "the brown book"  since the cover is of course brown!

1 TBSP butter
8 cloves of garlic minced
4 cups chicken broth
1 pkg of cheese tortellini
1 can of diced tomatoes with the liquid
1 big bag of pre-washed spinach
10 fresh basil leaves, chopped
grated parmesan cheese

Melt butter in large saucepan.  Add garlic and saute for 2 min.  Add broth and boil.  Add tortellini and cook for about half the time the package directs.  Add tomatoes with their liquid, reduce heat and simmer.  Cook until pasta is tender.  Stir in spinach and basil, cook until wilted.  Serve in bowls with parmesan cheese.  Also great with fresh bread and butter!