Unproductive turned Productive

I started out the day feeling very unproductive. I decided to get motivated and cook something delicious or be creative and craft or sew. Well, I ended up doing all three. I roasted a chicken rubbed with fresh rosemary-thyme butter and filled with fresh herbs, lemons, and garlic (to be used later for chicken and rice soup). I sewed three pillows, 2 from burlap and 1 from red gingham fabric, and made a rustic candle holder (made from coffee can, hot glue, and twine). Oh and not to mention this is my second post of the day and when I'm finished, Joe and I are going to Anthony's Bistro. Needless to say, I am feeling much better about my use of this rainy day. 

My Most Beloved Cookbook

The small print to the right of the image reads, 

"250 recipes from the celebrated New England Farm Stand

Market that helped bring authentic flavorful food back to America's table."

I want to share my favorite cookbook with you because it has so many amazing recipes to offer. It is the HayDay Country Market Cookbook, by Kim Rizk. As I have said before, I would love to have a little cafe of my own someday, and these recipes resemble the style of cuisine I would offer. I borrowed it from a friend and was frantically copying recipes, knowing I would soon have to return it. I then decided to look on Amazon.com to see if I could find an affordable copy for myself. Well, I was in luck because I found a brand new copy for $2. Because it was so inexpensive, I purchased a second copy for my sister, Jade (PepperRose), for $3. I was shocked at the deal I got. I have used this book countless times and continue to look at it thoroughly when I am bored. You would think I would have it memorized by now. 

The recipes in this book are very simple, seasonal, and healthful. As the cookbook states, "Hay Day evolved a sophisticated farm stand style of cooking." Some of my favorites are Banana-Berry Muffins (which I shared with you in a previous entry), Vidalia Onion Dip, Roasted Chile Peppers con Queso, Shiitake Mushroom Barley Soup, Buttermilk Ranch Potato Salad (a must try), Pork and Apple Chili, Couscous-Vegetable Lasagne, Old-Fashioned Apple Crumb Cake (another must try), and many many more. This cookbook will be one that gets handed down to my children, hopefully for generations to come. It's that good!

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

I want to share a few of my favorite things from my home with you. I have learned over the last few years, that if you see something you love, buy it!! Especially if there is only one. If you buy one or a few things at a time that you truly love, everything will come together. I am only 26 and obviously don't make a lot of money, but over the past few years that I have wanted to start making my home my own, (even though its really not mine and I still rent) little by little I have started quite a collection. If you make purchases this way, I find you will never get bored of these items. I think they will fit your personality and you will build your home around them. If you decorate your home all at once with one style, you will grow sick of it.  Most of the items in my home also tell a story. I like to buy handmade, local items, vs. cookie cutter mass produced items. 

Wooden paper towel holder from my Grandma's old kitchen

Pine white shelf given to me by mom

       Antique shutter with many layers of paint

Antique Shop

$6

Wooden painted flower box

Antique Shop

$10

White bench given to me by mom

Vase
Antique & Variety Mall

$12

Pine Armoire
Antique & Variety Mall

$99

Wire Basket
AppleJack's Orchard

$5

Mirror 
Wal-Mart

$24

Antique Pine Dresser
Three Birds Cottage

$120

Handmade Amish Basket 
Amish Road Stand

$15

Handwoven Accent Pillow
Dartbrook Rustic Goods

$29

Enamel Milk bucket from Holland
Owls Head Mountain Quilt Shop

$20

Italian Asolo Dinnerware
William-Sonoma 

Chritmas gift from mom and Joe for the past 2 years

(they are really pricey)

YUM ! Homemade Apple Poptarts

I have Loads of Apples on hand and my boyfriend, Joe, wanted something sweet. He asked if I could make homemade apple poptarts. I googled homemade poptarts and found this recipe. I'm glad I did because I found many other delicious recipes from the same blog. They taste much like a mini apple pie and are sooo delicious. I cant wait to switch the flavors up with strawberries, blueberries, brown sugar and cinnamon, peach, etc. I hope you try this one!!


Recipe (Culinary Concoctions by Peabody)
For Pie Crust
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup butter, softened
3 tbsp. cold water


For Filling
Jam (your choice)
Apple filling recipe below


For Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
milk to thin


*try using different flavors for the glaze such as, maple syrup, orange juice, or vanilla extract

 Sprinkles (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Add shortening and butter and blend with a fork, pastry cutter, or your hands. Blend until mixture is fairly coarse. Add water, 1 tbsp. at a time, gently mixing dough after each addiction until dough forms a ball.
2. Place dough on a lightly floured surface and roll into a square/rectangle. To about 1/8 thickness. Cut out long strips about 2 inches wide and 3 inches long. Repeat until dough runs out.
3. Take one pie crust rectangle and lace 1 tsp. of jam on top. Cover with another piece of pie crust and crimp all four edges. Repeat with the rest of dough. Place Pop-tarts on a baking sheet with parchment paper, and bake for 7-8 minutes.
4. While pop-tarts are baking, make glaze. Place powdered sugar in a bowl. Pour milk slowing until it has a consistancy of really thick syrup. 1/2 a tbsp. to 1 tbsp. might be enough.
5. Once pop-tarts are done and cooled, top with glaze. Sprinkle and decorate with colorful sprinkle


Apple Filling
3 Apples
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (use whatever spices you would like, I just had this on hand)


Dice Apples and and mix all ingredients in a pan. Cook over low to medium heat until mixture become a think sauce (I had to blend mine in the magic bullet to make it smooth). Let mixture cool before filling the dough.

Lovely Rooms

Unknown

Country Living

Country Living

Coastal Living

Country Home

Country Home

Home & Garden

Katrin Cargill Interiors

My new favorite website!

Thanks to Decor8's Blog, I came across the online store Car-Moebel. They use the most beautiful color schemes and staging. Just one problem. I would love to make a few purchases, however, its a foreign store that doesn't use English on their web page and I have no idea what anything says. What is a girl to do? Well I figured I would at least post some of their photos for your viewing pleasure. Don't you want everything??

(All Images: Car-Moebel) 

How lucky am I ???

I am verrrrrrry lucky!! I have the best boyfriend in the world! He came home from work with an American Eagle shopping bag filled with a sweater that I have been drooling over for the past few weeks. It was expensive and I really wanted it, but had no money. So he surprised me. He nevers fails. I love him with all my heart!! Here it is....

AE Cable Knit Studded Sweater