A Martha Story - Yes, THAT Martha

One of my very favorite places to visit and get inspiration from is in Southern California at Roger's Gardens in Corona del Mar.  Known as 'America's Most Beautiful Home and Garden Center', this place is truly magical and gets me into the spirit of Christmas like no other.  My mom and I have been going there for years and I must say that I just love this place.

And now on to my Martha story.  

Back in the early 90's (a long time ago, I know) my mom and I went to Roger's Gardens to see Martha Stewart and have her sign our books, oh yes we did.  There were so many people there and we couldn't find a parking spot until the event was almost over. 

We went into Roger's Gardens feeling sad and dejected and ran to the area where Martha was supposed to be just in case we might catch a glimpse of her leaving.  As we arrived at the back of the gardens, we turned the corner and THERE SHE WAS... just hanging out and chitchatting with her staff as they were dismantling the Martha display.  We were ELATED and could not believe our luck!   Mom and I had Martha all to ourselves and she signed our books that we had brought with us.  Let me tell you, it made our HOLIDAY!!    It's been fun to reminisce about that day each year when we go back and visit the gardens and poke fun at each other for not being the Martha lovers that we once were.  So fun and just one of the reasons why I love going to Roger's Gardens. 

click on the link below and then press the play button for a photo tour

Roger's Gardens Christmas Tour 2010

Thanksgiving at Mom's

Cutest Turkey's ever!

Leftovers!

Enjoy those leftovers!

Happy Thanksgiving 2010

Happy Turkey Day!

Edible Cornucopias

 Thanksgiving Cornucopias are a fun edible craft for your Thanksgiving table.  Using icing, attach candy Runts to a Bugle chip. I couldn't find the mini candy Runts I wanted to use so the larger candies had to suffice.  Thanks to Sugar and Indigo Girl for making these for our guests.

Family Favorite - Cranberry Jello Salad

Cranberry Salad has been a favorite of ours for years.  We l♥ve it!

Cranberry Salad

Serves 12-14
Cook in a saucepan until berries pop:
1 pkg. whole fresh cranberries
3 c. sugar
2 c. water

Add and stir until well mixed:
1 large box (6oz) cherry jello
1 c. chopped pecans
1 medium can crushed pineapple, drained

Pour into 9x13 pan.  Chill until firm.

Topping:

Whip together:
2 cups whipping cream
1/4 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

And then mix in:
8 oz. softened cream cheese
2 c. mini marshmallows

Spread on top of chilled jello and refrigerate until ready to eat.  TIP:  You can make the jello portion 2-3 days ahead and add topping the day you plan to serve it.

OC Beach Subway Art

I l♥ve this subway art.  Seriously l♥ve it! I grew up spending time at each of these beaches and man-alive was it fun.

The stories I could tell...the secrets I still keep. 

geezees.com

I can hardly wait to get there. The countdown has begun!

Love the Pie Party

Today I'm linking up my Double Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie to Tidy Mom's Love the Pie Party.  There are tons of great pie recipes already linked up...I am linky #100.  Check it out by clicking HERE. 

Pumpkin Pie Milkshake - Our New Thanksgiving Tradition

Contrary to the many dessert recipes that I post weekly on my Blog, I only make dessert for my family 1-2 times per week.

Honest. 

That doesn't mean my kids are happy about it.  They are constantly wanting to try out new recipes and old favorite desserts on a daily basis so today I indulged them and made this Pumpkin Pie Milkshake.  

After trying this for the first time, Mr. CHiPy declared that Pumpkin Pie Milkshakes will be a new Thanksgiving Tradition.  Oh Yeah.  Delish! 

Pumpkin Pie Milkshake

Recipe Adapted from Leigh Ann Wilkes
2 C vanilla ice cream

1 C milk

2 Tbsp sugar

1 large slice pumpkin pie, chopped and frozen (can be used unfrozen also)
1 tsp Pumpkin Pie spice

Combine ice cream, milk, sugar and spice in blender. Mix. Add in pumpkin pie, pulse to blend.  Optional:  Top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of nutmeg.

Fall Photoshoot

The  Charles C. Jensen Botanical Garden in Fair Oaks was the perfect place for my families' fall photo shoot.  This place was gorgeous and was filled with fall foliage. 

My babies are growing up too fast!

  

Me and Mr. CHiPy...I ♥ him!

I'm off to order our Christmas cards.

Thank you ERIN for another successful shoot!

The BEST Biscuits for Freezing

The BEST Biscuits

4 C flour
2 Tbsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp soda
1/2 C butter
16oz sour cream
3-5 tsp water

Mix dry ingredients in a bowl. Cut in butter until there are small well blended pieces. Add sour cream and water, mix well. Knead and roll out to 1 inch thick. Cut with biscuit cutter. Freeze individually on a cookie sheet. When frozen solid, place in a freezer bag to store. When ready to use, place frozen biscuits on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 425 for 15-17 minutes or until top is golden. Makes 16-20.

Apple Hill Getaway 2010

If you live in Northern California, you must visit Apple Hill in Placerville County which is about a 30 minute drive from Sacramento.

In past years we have visited Abel's Apple Acres.  This year we ventured further out and visited Boa Vista Orchards, High Hill Ranch and Fudge Factory Farm.

Of course we sampled caramel apple cider, apple fritters, and chestnuts that were actually roasted on an open fire.  Those nuts smelled and tasted so good that I purchased some to roast on Thanksgiving day at Grandma Sally's.  I can't wait to share those with her. 

Highlights of our get away:  Mr. CHiPy purchased a Blackberry Sour Cream Apple Pie to bring home. Little-man ate and ate and ate.  Little-big Girl and Sugar chose knitted pilot hats made out of yak wool from Nepal (oh, the jokes Little-man made about those hats!) and Indigo Girl chose Mega Death Hot Sauce made from the hottest ingredients known on earth (yeah, I don't get that one either), and caramel corn . 

And me?  I enjoyed  the time with my family. 

This time of year Apple Hill is beautiful and so much fun!  If you haven't gone yet, go.  I highly recommend it.

Copycat Recipe: Starbucks' Pumpkin Scones

Oh my my.  Another delicious scone recipe for you. Try it with my Starbucks' Caramel Apple Cider - click HERE for recipe.

Pumpkin Scones

2 cups all-purpose flour

7 Tablespoons sugar

1 Tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

6 Tablespoons cold butter

1/2 cup canned pumpkin

3 Tablespoons half-and-half

1 large egg

Sugar Glaze Ingredients:

1 cup powdered sugar

2 Tablespoons milk

Spiced Glaze Ingredients:

1 cup powdered sugar

2 Tablespoons milk

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ginger

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Scones Directions:

Preheat oven to 425˚F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Use a pastry blender or food processor to cut in the butter until the mixture is crumbly in texture and resembles coarse cornmeal.

In a small bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, half and half, and egg. Fold into the dry ingredients until barely combined. It is very important not to over mix the batter. At this point it should still be kind of dry and crumbly.

Loosely form the dough into a ball. Pat it into a 1-inch thick, 9″x3″ rectangle onto a lightly floured surface.

Use a sharp knife to slice the dough through it’s width into three equal portions. Cut each section diagonally to produce 6 triangular slices of dough. (Or, you can slice “X’s” in each section to form 12 triangles.)

Place each slice on prepared baking sheet and bake for 14 – 16 minutes, until the scones are golden brown.

Let cool completely on wire rack, and then continue with glaze directions below.

Sugar Glaze directions:

In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and milk until smooth. If it’s too runny, add more sugar. If too thick, add a little more milk until reaching desired consistency. Brush glaze over the top of each cooled scone. Let harden before proceeding to the spiced glaze directions.

Spiced Glaze Directions:

After the sugar glaze hardens, combine the spiced icing ingredients. Use a whisk to drizzle over each scone and allow to dry before serving.

Recipe Adapted from: Moms Who Think

Thanksgiving Place Setting Ideas on a Budget

Last night I was asked to share a few ideas about setting a Thanksgiving table on a budget. {The lighting was HARSH...not sure how to adjust my camera for that yet}

With the decorating talents and help of my two friends (THANKS DELLA AND STACY!), I set up three different Thanksgiving place setting ideas.  It was fun to talk about deals I've found at different area thrift stores, dollar stores, and other area discounters.  The green pear place setting featured paper plates and cup, a dollar store placemat, a thrift store tablecloth, fresh fruit and glass containers from WalMart.  Easy and inexpensive. 

One of my favorite thrifty ideas is to use fruits and vegetables in my decorating.  Pears, pumpkins, and squash are plentiful this time of year.  

Whatever your budget is, whatever your style is, you CAN entertain your guests for less and do it beautifully.

Give it a try.

Baked Apricots

Getting ready to sprinkle the topping on the apricots

I saw this "my very best side-dish" recipe on Richella's blog recently and decided to give it a try last night.  I served this sweet accompaniment to Herb Crusted Flounder with Basmati Rice.  Oh my.  It was REALLY good!  Richella was right, it would be delicious on top of ice cream.

Baked Apricots

2 15oz. cans apricot halves, drained

1 1/2 cups crushed Ritz crackers

1 stick butter, melted

3/4 cup brown sugar

Spray a baking dish with non-stick spray. Place apricots, cut side up, in bottom of pan.

Mix crushed Ritz crackers, butter, and brown sugar together. Sprinkle mixture on top of apricots.

Bake at 300 degrees 35-40 minutes.

Thanksgiving Banner FREEBIE

When I saw this idea, I knew I had to pass it along...

Check out Leslie's blog for 

FREE downloads and instructions.

(similar banners sell for $15.00+ on etsy.com)

Easy Double Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie

This is one of my 'go to' recipes when I need to make a delicious fall inspired dessert and I don't have much time.  It's easy to make, requires minimal ingredients and the end result is delicious!  This easy Double Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie is perfect for Thanksgiving entertaining.

Shown here on my kitchen counter drizzled with Salted Butter Caramel Sauce

Double Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake

Ingredients

• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
•   3/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1 (9 inch) prepared graham cracker crust
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Blend in eggs one at a time. Remove 1 cup of batter and spread into bottom of crust; set aside.
3. Add pumpkin and spice to the remaining batter and stir until well blended. Carefully spread over the batter in the crust.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes, or until center is almost set. Allow to cool, then refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight. 

Tonight is our Family Home Evening and I'll be serving this dessert with Salted Butter Caramel Sauce - my NEW favorite caramel sauce!!

Citrus & Vanilla Bean Cheesecake Squares

This is one of those recipes that works perfectly for entertaining.

Citrus & Vanilla Bean Cheesecake Squares
from: Cookie Mondays

CRUST:

*12 graham crackers (each 2 1/2 by 5 inches)

*3 tablespoons sugar

*5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

FILLING:

*2 bars (8 ounces each) cream cheese, room temperature

*3/4 cup sugar

*2 large eggs

*finely grated zest and juice of 1 medium citrus fruit (1 to 2 teaspoons zest and about 3 tablespoons juice) {this time I used blood orange}

*1 teaspoon vanilla extract

*1/2 vanilla bean, scraped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

1. Make the crust: Line bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil, leaving an overhang on all sides. In a food processor, blend graham crackers with sugar until finely ground; add butter and pulse until moistened.

2. Transfer crumb mixture to prepared pan, and pat in gently (wipe processor bowl clean, and reserve for making filling). Bake until beginning to brown, 10 to 12 minutes. While crust is baking, make filling.

3. Place cream cheese in food processor; blend until smooth. Scrape down the bowl well, and add sugar, eggs, zest & juice, and vanilla extract & bean; blend until smooth.

4. Pour mixture onto hot crust in pan; smooth top. Return to oven, and bake until set (filling should jiggle only slightly when pan is gently shaken), 30 to 35 minutes.

5. Cool completely in pan. Cover very loosely with plastic wrap; chill until firm, at least 2 hours (and up to 2 days). Use foil overhang to lift cheesecake out of pan. Cut into squares; garnish with citrus slices if desired.

Costco Product L♥ve

32oz. pump  $8.99 each

I recently purchased these products...Costco's NEW Kirkland Brand Professional Salon Formula Moisture Shampoo and Moisture Conditioner - Sulfate Free, Paraben Free, 100% Vegan, Gluten Free and "Safe for Color Treated Hair"

Have you tried them yet?  In my opinion they are fantastic!  I've been using both all month and from my first use, my hair looks and feels fabulous!   The shampoo and conditioner both have a very light citrus scent which I l♥ve. 

When I try a product that really wows me, I like to pass the recommendation along.  At $8.99 each, It's a bit more than I would usually spend, but I will definitely be splurging on these again and again. 

 You may want to give them a try.

Artichoke Bruschetta

Do you want a super easy appetizer that tastes FANTASTIC and requires few ingredients and little preparation? 

If so, this is the recipe for you.

Artichoke Bruschetta
Recipe from allrecipes.com - recommended by my friend Stacy.

• 1 (6.5 ounce) jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• 1/2 cup grated Romano (or Parmesan) cheese
• 1/3 cup finely chopped red onion (optional)
• 5 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 French baguette, cut into 1/3 inch thick slices

1. Preheat the broiler.
2. In a medium bowl, mix marinated artichoke hearts, Romano cheese, red onion and mayonnaise. Top French baguette slices with equal amounts of the artichoke heart mixture. Arrange slices in a single layer on a large baking sheet.
3. Broil in the preheated oven 2 minutes, or until toppings are bubbly and lightly browned.

♥By the way, I took this recipe to a party last month and it was gone in minutes.  The recipe was highly sought after.  To all my AMORRIS friends who requested it...here you go!♥

Give it a try!