Whatcha Working on Wednesday

Good morning, my friends! I'm so glad you're back to see what I've been working on this week -- just in time for Whatcha Working on Wednesday:

A long-awaited paint/prim job for our living room end table

A little spray paint makeover for a gaudy Christmas Tree Shop find

Some in-progress fall and Halloween-themed salt dough ornies

A fall-themed display for the dining room table

Another fall-inspired arrangement for the living room

And that's about it.

I've also been tackling some seasonal cleaning and organizing projects around the house, but those are neither interesting nor inspiring. And, sadly, they're the kinds of projects that no one really sees or appreciates. But they so need to be done! We've also got two headboards and a dresser to paint so that we can make the switch from crib to bed for Brendan. (I only wish there were just a few more hours in the day!) Maybe those projects will be done for next week. We'll see...

I'll be back on Friday for the latest installment of our Back-to-School Recipe Pool -- with something pumpkin-y and surprisingly good to share. I hope you'll join me then ... and maybe share a favorite (or two) of your own. It's been such fun so far!

Have a lovely day and thanks, as always, for stopping by. I so enjoy reading your comments. It's been wonderful to see so many new faces (mixed in with the already treasured ones) around here lately. Welcome!

::: little bits of fall :::

Happy Monday, my friends!

I'll be back later in the week for Whatcha Working on Wednesday. In the meantime, here's a sampling of the little bits of fall that are scattered about our house these days. Enjoy!

Back-to-School Recipe Pool: Week 5

Let the weekly recipe swapping fun begin!

{If you'd like to submit a recipe, simply publish your post and link to it below. If you don't have a blog but would like to share a recipe any way, please leave it in the comments section. Feel free to grab the recipe pool photo above and don't forget to check back and browse over the weekend. One last tidbit: If you'd like to learn how to include a printable recipe link with your post, check out this tutorial. It's easy! And so helpful for anyone who'd like to print out your recipe without having to write it down or cut and paste.}

Apple season and autumn are most definitely in full swing in Midcoast Maine. And it's positively w-o-n-d-e-r-f-u-l for a fall-loving gal like me. I really love this time of year. It's been such fun finding ways to use the 17 pounds of apples we picked last weekend. That's right, my friends. Seventeen pounds. So far, so good. I'm working my way through a stack of new apple-themed recipes. And no one's complaining yet.

My offering for you this week is very much in keeping with this new autumnal (and very apple-y) vibe. It was most definitely a fast favorite around these parts. Which is always a good thing. I hope you'll have the chance to enjoy this new treat too.

Delicious Caramel Apple Bars

(based on a recipe from Recipezaar)

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup wheat flour
2 cups oats
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/4 cups butter, melted

2 cups coarsely chopped peeled apples

1 1/2 cups caramel ice cream topping
1/2 cup flour

Preheat oven to 350º. Grease a 15 x 10 cookie sheet. In a large bowl, combine flours, oats, brown sugar, baking soda, and butter. Mix until crumbly. Press half of mixture into prepared cookie sheet. Set aside remaining crumbs. Bake for 8 minutes and then top with chopped apples. Set aside.

In a small saucepan, combine caramel and flour. Stir constantly and allow to boil and thicken for 2-3 minutes. Pour caramel over apples and top with reserved crumbs. Bake for 20-25 minutes and cut into bars when cool. Store tightly covered.

(CLICK HERE FOR PRINTABLE RECIPE)

Have a lovely first fall weekend, my friends! Thanks, as always, for stopping by. I'll be back on Monday with some fall décor photos. Just in case you like to plan ahead...

Welcoming Fall, Apple-Picking Style

Happy Fall, my friends!

We spent our last almost fall weekend enjoying some truly gorgeous weather here in Midcoast Maine. Sunday was also our first-of-the-season apple picking day at Rocky Ridge Orchard. It's one of our favorite fall traditions. And, as always, we had a fantastic time. You just can't beat wagon rides, apple picking (and sampling), homemade pumpkin or apple cider donuts, Smiling Hill Farm milk, and a stroll through the pumpkin patch. It was a lovely way to end a very busy week, while gearing up for more of the same this week. It's just been crazy around here!

And, as you may have guessed, my Back-to-School Recipe Pool offerings this week will most certainly be apple-themed. I hope you'll check in to see what that's all about on Friday. Perhaps you'll even share a few of your own recipe favorites. (Hint. Hint.)

In the meantime, I hope to finish up some fall decorating to share with you all before then. Though, in reality, I think that's mostly wishful thinking on my part. But a girl can dream, right?

Enjoy these new seasonal beginnings and have a lovely fallish day, my friends. I hope to see you all again soon....

Back-to-School Recipe Pool: Week 4

Welcome back, my friends! It's time to start swapping recipes!

As always, I hope you'll discover something new and/or share something special from your own kitchen. I have truly enjoyed this weekly collaboration thus far and I love that so many of you have shared, browsed, sampled, and commented. Thanks to everyone for making this little idea something to anticipate and enjoy every Friday.


{If you'd like to submit a recipe, simply publish your post and link to it below. If you don't have a blog but would like to share a recipe any way, please leave it in the comments section. Feel free to grab the recipe pool photo above and don't forget to check back and browse over the weekend. One last tidbit: If you'd like to learn how to include a printable recipe link with your post, check out this tutorial. It's easy! And so helpful for anyone who'd like to print out your recipe without having to write it down or cut and paste.}


Not surprisingly, fall has truly been in the air here this week. We've had some cool nights and chilly days. And we've even begun to see the very beginnings of the tell-tale reds, oranges, and golds that make this forthcoming season so brilliantly beautiful. We've also begun to crave those warm and hearty comfort foods that everyone loves this time of year.


And so, this week, I'm offering up two of our restaurant-style favorites:

Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana
(based on a recipe from Recipezaar)

1 lb Hot Italian sausage
1/2 lb. bacon, diced
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 qt. water
2 (14.5 oz.) cans chicken broth
2 large potatoes, thinly sliced and bite-sized
2 cups chopped kale or Swiss chard
1 cup light cream
salt and pepper to taste


Sauté Italian sausage in a large stock pot. Drain excess fat and set aside. Sauté bacon, onions and garlic until the onions are soft. Add water, chicken broth, and potatoes. Boil gently until potatoes are tender. Add sausage and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add kale and cream. Heat through and serve.

(CLICK HERE FOR PRINTABLE RECIPE)

Honey Wheat Outback Bread
(based on a recipe from Recipezaar)

To bread machine add:

1 1/2 cups warm water
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup honey
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups wheat flour
1 T cocoa
1 T sugar
2 tsp. instant coffee
1 tsp. salt
1 T yeast

Start the dough cycle on your bread machine. When the cycle is done, allow dough to rise for about an hour. Shape dough into 8-12 mini loaves and allow to rise again for 15-20 minutes. Bake on a greased cookie sheet at 350º for 20-25 minutes.

(CLICK HERE FOR PRINTABLE RECIPE)

Have a lovely weekend, my dears! And thanks, as always, for spending a measure of your day here with us.

Harvest Swap Goodies

How wonderful it was to return home from a morning's worth of errands late last week to find a box filled to the brim with these fabulous fall goodies! It felt like Christmas in September.

(You can click on the photo above for a closer look.)

Kathy/Palmetto Prims truly spoiled me with a lovely collection of handmades and special add ons. I am thrilled with everything ... and I can't wait to find a place for all of these new prim goodies. Oh, the fun...

Thanks again, Kathy, for being such a sweetheart. You made my day...

Back-to-School Recipe Pool: Week 3

Happy Friday, my fellow fall-loving friends! Let the recipe swapping begin!

{As always, if you'd like to submit a recipe, simply publish your post and link to it below. If you don't have a blog but would like to share a recipe any way, please leave it in the comments section. Feel free to grab the recipe pool photo above and don't forget to check back and browse over the weekend. I'm sure there will be something here to strike every one's fancy...}

This week's pick is our newest breakfast and snack time favorite ... just in time for autumn:

Harvest Pumpkin Apple Bread
(based on a recipe from Recipezaar)

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup wheat flour
3 tsps. cinnamon
2 tsps. baking soda
1 1/2 tsps. salt
2-3 cups sugar (depending on how sweet you like your bread)
15 oz. pumpkin puree
4 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup apple juice, water, or apple cider
2 large apples, peeled, cored, and diced

Preheat oven to 350º. Spray two 9x5 loaf pans with Pam. Combine flours, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in large bowl. Set aside. In another bowl, combine sugar, pumpkin, eggs, oil, applesauce, and juice/water. Whisk until well-blended and then add to dry ingredients. Stir until just moistened. Fold in apples. Spoon batter into prepared pans and bake for 65-75 minutes.

(CLICK HERE FOR PRINTABLE RECIPE)

Thanks for stopping by, reading, commenting, and/or contributing a family favorite for all of us to share this week. The more, the merrier -- especially this time of year as we start craving those cool weather kitchen comforts. There's always room for at least one more go-to recipe!

Connor and Michaela start Parks & Rec soccer bright and early tomorrow morning. And -- just like that -- our autumn schedule is underway. Which means that our maiden apple picking trip to Rocky Ridge Orchard must be just on the horizon as well. There's so much to anticipate and enjoy this time of year, isn't there? How lucky we are!

Have a lovely almost-fall weekend, my friends ...

Whatcha Working on Wednesday

Happy Whatcha Working on Wednesday, my friends!

Todd and I have finally finished our latest joint project: a prim-inspired toaster cover! I am so excited about this particular collaboration because it turned out exactly the way I envisioned. Another piece of the kitchen puzzle is happily in place. Now if we could only find the time to start refinishing/painting the cabinets and walls ...

I've actually been working on quite a few crafty things lately, but most of them are for an upcoming swap. So I can't share a peek just yet. But I can show you some salt dough bowl fillers I've been working on for fall. They still need to be sealed, but they're done enough to give you an idea. Have I mentioned how much I love salt dough? It's such a versatile (and inexpensive) medium!









That's it for today, my friends. I hope you'll join me right back here on Friday for our third installment of the Back-to-School Recipe Pool. As you know, I'd love to have you. So get those favorite fall recipes ready ... and enjoy this late summer sweetness while you can.

Thanks for stopping by!

Back-to-School Recipe Pool: Week 2

Happy Friday and Welcome Back, friends!

Are you ready for the latest installment of our Back-to-School Recipe Pool? I sure am! As always, if you'd like to submit a recipe, simply publish your post and link to it below. (I'll leave MckLinky active until Sunday ... just in case you need a little extra time to leave your link here with us.) If you don't have a blog but would like to share a recipe any way, please leave it in the comments section. Feel free to grab the recipe pool photo above and don't forget to check back and browse over the weekend. I'm sure there will be something here to strike every one's fall-loving fancy...


I'll get things rolling this morning with two recent Shaw family favorites. One is sweet and one is spicy. Both were big hits here this past week:

Chocolate Oatmeal Chews

(based on a recipe from Recipezaar)

3/4 cup butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup wheat flour
1 1/2 cups oats
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
1 cup chocolate chips

In a large bowl, cream butter, vanilla, and sugar. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients and add to sugar mixture. Stir well to combine until crumbly. (I used my hands for this step.) Set aside 1/2 cup of these crumbs. Press remaining mixture into a greased 9x13 pan. Sprinkle with chocolate, marshmallows, and reserved crumb mixture. Bake at 350º for 20-25 minutes. Cut into bars when cool.

(CLICK HERE FOR PRINTABLE RECIPE)

Buffalo Chicken Ranch Dip

(based on a recipe from Recipezaar)

1-2 chicken breasts, cooked, cooled, and chopped into bite-sized pieces
16 oz. reduced fat cream cheese, softened
1 cup reduced fat ranch dressing
3/4 cup red hot sauce (any favorite chicken wing sauce will do)
shredded cheddar, for sprinkling on top

Combine the cream cheese, ranch dressing, and hot sauce. Stir in chicken pieces and pour into a 9" pie plate. Sprinkle with shredded cheddar and bake at 350º for 20-25 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips and celery sticks.

(CLICK HERE FOR PRINTABLE RECIPE)

Thanks, as always, for visiting. And an extra special thank you in advance to anyone who's contributing to the pool this week. I so appreciate your contributions and browsing! Fall is just getting underway ... so get your favorite recipes ready, my friends, and join us here again next Friday for our latest collaboration.

Have a fabulous end-of-summer holiday weekend!

First Day Photos

Hello, friends ... and Happy September!

We've certainly jumped into the school time routine with gusto and great excitement around here! And a fair measure of exhaustion as well. Connor started 3rd grade on Monday and has been full of smiles and stories ever since. Michaela had to wait until yesterday to have her turn. Fortunately Kindergarten Mini Day was worth the wait. Today was even more fun. And next week will mark the beginning of all-day Kindergarten. As expected, she is just bursting with excitement, enthusiasm, and stories galore. Needless to say after-school snack time and dinner time have been full of talking and sharing. Which is always so lovely. We are all getting used to the new routine and everyone is sleeping very well at night -- thanks, in large part, to the irresistible combination of school time busyness and crisp September air.

Here's a glimpse at every one's First Day smiles. As well as a shot of my almost Birthday Boy, just for fun:









Thanks, as always, for spending a few minutes of your day here with us. I'll be back on Friday (Brendan's 2nd Birthday!) with the latest installment of our Back-to-School Recipe Pool. I'd love to have you join in! And thanks again to Linda, Kris, and Sherri for getting us off to such a lovely (and delicious!) start.

See you all soon...