Life With The Crew

Recipe for the Weekend - Apple Cream Cheese Bites

We are having a little celebration party tomorrow and I needed to make small, single serving desserts that could be eaten without utensils.  I was thinking about the menu while I was on my run the other morning, trying to keep in an Autumn theme, and came up with this idea.  They are like little one bite apple pies, just yummy!  And so simple to make because I totally cheated and used store bought phyllo dough cups from the frozen section.  You could be adventurous and make your own dough and bake them in mini muffin tins, but I like the lightness of the phyllo.

Apple Cream Cheese Bites

(I filled 36 phyllo cups, but of course it will depend on what size cup you are using)

1.  Mix the following together:

-3/4 block of cream cheese

-1/4 cup of white sugar

-1 egg

-2 tablespoons of honey

-1 teaspoon cinnamon

2.  Peel and dice two apples and add to filling mixture.

3.  Preheat oven to 350.

4.  If using phyllo cups, place them on a cookie sheet and fill each cup to the top with mixture.  The filling is thin, so make sure that you get some apples and liquid into each cup.

5.  Bake for about 20 minutes or until set and/or slightly tanned on top.  Not all of mine darkened on top.

 

Let cool a couple minutes, then pop one in your mouth!

 

Hump Day Give-A-Way 11.13.13

I decided that we need to have a little more fun around here and Wednesdays are always a long day for me, so each Wednesday I will be giving away something to one lucky winner!  Just check out the post and leave a comment below.  The comment can be anything, just saying hello, commenting on the featured item, or whatever you have to say.  I'll assign a number to each comment and then for now, do it the old fashioned way of pulling them from a hat.  

The first give-a-way is for one 100% pure beeswax ornament.  My husband used to make beeswax candles and ornaments that we sold at a local farmer's market and holiday craft show.  We still have all of the molds and some wax, so hopefully we'll get back to making them someday.  I love the way that they smell and the fact that they are all natural, just beeswax.  No colors or fake fragrances added.  The round ornament has a classic fruit design that looks great hanging in a kitchen.  It is about 4 1/2" round.  The second ornament is a basket with ivy design that is 5"x4".  I like hanging them in the window (they do  not melt from the sunshine).

 

If you would like a chance to win ONE of them and have them brighten your day, please leave a comment below.  Since it would be nice to have someone other than my mom or mother-in-law competing for these (LOL), please share this post to spread the fun!  Yes, it will decrease your chances of winning, but the more the merrier!  The contest closes tomorrow morning at 7am and I will announce the winner by noon.  CONTEST CLOSED

(If you don't win and you are interested in buying one, they are $5 plus shipping.)

Sharing a post by millstreammidwife

Its a little too early for me to be thinking about Christmas this much, but I really like what she has to say.

http://millstreampocket.wordpress.com/2013/11/12/the-elusive-best-christmas-ever/

Thankful Tuesday - 11.12.13

Today was a good day.  I am thankful for...

-the first dusting of snow that made everything look beautiful, even the wood pile

 

-a good long run with my husband and babe.  I need to make myself a neck warmer - it was cold!

 

-a nice outing with my babe to the arboretum.  I was hoping that with the dusting of snow,  I would be able to get some pretty pictures. 

(I loved these colors!)

(It was a blustery day and all of the grasses were blowing in the wind.)

(They had this awesome pumpkin and gourd display which my babe liked looking at.)

(This pond is my favorite spot at the arboretum.  I saw a couple of gold fish - I wonder what happens to them in the winter?)

(My happy babe.  I am so thankful for her!)

I am very thankful that I am able to be a stay-at-home mom so that I can have these wonderful moments with my child.  I felt very lucky and a little guilty to be strolling around the arboretum today while most people, including my husband, are at work.  Some moms really love their profession and so choose to work, but my profession is to make my babe happy.  That is the best job I can think of.

 

What I'm Loving Right Now...

My husband for sending me flowers because it was one of those days around here.

This totally simple dough recipe that I have used to make calzones, pizza, and bread sticks.

 

Wearing handknitted hats, thick sweaters, and my favorite boots.

 

This fabric combination, especially the soft tweety bird flannel, that is waiting for my next project.

That my baby girl has at least 11 teeth, can take 5 steps by herself, and has started her rock climbing moves on the steepest part of the twisty stairs.  

 

This awesome basket from Ten Thousand Villages that holds a ton of toys, is decorated with upcycled saris, and provides a job for women in India.

 

The fact that right now a rabbit just hopped through my kitchen while the dogs are napping and I can hear snoring on the baby monitor, but I'm not sure if its my babe or my dog.  The crew drives me crazy, but sometimes they make me smile too!

Sharing Products That I Love...

I have decided to join several affiliate programs in the hopes that I might make a little bit of money to support my "job" as a stay-at-home mom and blogger.  If you are unfamiliar with affiliate programs, this is how it works.  When someone clicks on the company's link from my website and purchases a product, I get a small commission on that sale.  I will only join affiliate programs for products that I have used and think that other parents would like.  

My first affiliate link is with Boba, which makes awesome baby carriers.  There are lots of different styles of baby wearing/carrying products and I have a sling and mei tai also, but the Boba is my go-to carrier.  I literally use it every day.  It has held my daughter tight in the back of a pick-up taxi in the Virgin Islands and kept her snug and quiet during the plane ride.  It was been to two weddings, on numerous errands around town,  and on daily dog walks around the neighborhood with my crazy Corgis.  It kept my babe snug on my back when we hiked halfway up Mt. Washington in New Hampshire.  I chose Boba over other carriers because they offer a carrier made with organic cotton and that is an important factor for me.  It is designed to carry small babies all the way up through toddlers and it is machine washable, which is a definite must have!

So if you're in the market for a new carrier and want to help support this newbie blogger, check them out!  If this was way too much advertising and it turned you off, I apologize, but I have to support my new organic fabric addiction somehow!

 

 

 

"F" is for Friday

 

"F" is for furry friends

(Lanai will do anything to escape Maizie the marauding rabbit)

 

"F" is for Funky Chicken Tunic

(fabric is cluck cluck and polka ott red by Monaluna)

 

"F" is for a fast run this morning, free from the baby stroller

(I was so super fast that a camera couldn't capture me!)

 

"F" is for fast and simple food - Quinoa Tomato Bake

 

I was low on time for dinner and so threw this together.  

-Cook 1/2 cup quinoa and 1/2 cup millet in 2 cups water

-Saute a bag of frozen spinach or a bunch of fresh with one large onion

-Mix the grains with the veggies and add one large can of diced or pureed tomatoes, a small container of ricotta cheese, and 1/2 can of black olives (I sliced them).   Add spices, salt, and pepper to taste - I used basil, thyme, and parsley.

-Pour into a large casserole dish and top with shredded cheese; I had cheddar on hand.

-Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.

 

"F" is for foolish moms who let their children play on step stools

 

"F" is for fun weekends - hope you have one!

 

Thankful Tuesday - 11.5.13

Today I am thankful for:

-Family

and

-Food

We went "home" this weekend to visit family in the town where both my husband and I grew up.  The church that my parents attend and that I grew up in was holding their annual "Let's Give Thanks Dinner" and I figured it was a good time to take my daughter back for a visit.  The church members sign up to bring a dish and there was a lot of good food to eat - especially the desserts, which definitely had a pumpkin theme.  Everyone there was thrilled to finally meet the granddaughter that my parents have been talking about for a year now.  My daughter went on her first "hay" ride (no hay because one of the kids in the church is allergic - don't get me started), which was pulled by my dad with the church riding mower.  She didn't cry even though she was surrounded by large, screaming children, so it was a success, though I can't say that she enjoyed it.  Next year she'll love being pulled around by grandpa. 

Then we went to my husband's parent's home for a while.  We were greeted by the smell of homemade banana bread baking in the oven - what a nice way to start a visit!  And it tasted just as good as it smelled.

We also celebrated several birthdays and I made an apple pie with the fresh apples and cranberries that we picked up in Maine last week.

Today is our CSA pick-up day, so I am thankful that we have a local farm who provides us with fresh, organic produce, even through the winter months.  (yes, I am not thrilled about the tatsoi that we will get today, but the chickens will enjoy it)

I am also thankful that we have access to raw milk.  I have it every morning with my homemade granola and I missed it last week when we were traveling.  A lot of people do not have access to raw milk, so I am lucky that I live in a state that allows it and that I live in an area that has multiple raw milk producers.  I used to be a skim milk girl, but now that seems like white water!  After I got my chores done at naptime (laundry and cleaning the cat boxes), I made myself a cup of hot chocolate.  Luckily the babe was still sleeping, so I could enjoy it all by myself.  

What are you thankful for today?  

Frosty Morning

I knew it was cold this moring, but was surprised when I looked out and saw this big icicle.  Guess the warm colors of October are over and the barer, frosty feelings of winter are moving in.  

I'm going to need lots of tea to warm me up today.  I also think some peanut butter chocolate chunk cookies are on the agenda!  Have a sweet week!

Recipe for the Weekend - Apple Spice Muffins

I wanted to make something with the apples that we picked up in Maine and I also wanted something with Fall spices in it.  At first I was looking for a gingerbread recipe and I found this recipe for Pear Gingerbread Muffins, so I decided to substitute apples for the pears.  I then realized that I didn't have any molasses, so I used maple syrup instead.  I also added a streusel topping.  The result is a yummy apple muffin with a crunchy topping.  Enjoy with a cup of hot tea!

The changes I made:

-Substituted 1/2 c. maple syrup for 1/2 c. molasses

-Substituted 1 apple for 1 pear

-I added 1/2 cup of walnuts to the batter

-For the streusel topping I combined 2 tablespoons of the following:  butter, brown sugar, oats, quinoa, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.