A Room for T

Teresa's room is now complete. She calls it her "purple room" and loves to show it off to everyone who visits.
She is not quite ready for the shoe theme I had planned, though. Whenever she sees a pair of shoes (no matter how tiny they are), she feels she MUST squeeze her toes into them! These shoes are then left in random places all over the house. So, the baby shoes I had planned to display are still tucked safely away for now.



I'm honestly not sure if I saw this ribbon curtain idea somewhere or if I thought of it on my own. I hung a white sheer curtain behind it to hide the window, but still let in natural light.
It is fun to channel my inner girly-girl when decorating for my daughter. I never thought a little sister to two brothers could be so tough and yet so girly at the same time!
Next up . . . transforming our former baby room into our new main floor office. Goodbye Rockettes blue and hello Caravel Brown!

Vanilla

The first batch of vanilla is complete! I started giving honey bears of it away in late July with little snips of beans to help it finish. It really works well in baking and anywhere else you would have a use for vanilla. (I bet it would also make a tasty drink, but I haven't tried that yet.) :o)
I have just started a new batch with the used Mexican beans and new Madagascar beans. I hope they can get along and make more delicious vanilla!

Crock Pot Applesauce

My aunt shared apples with me this weekend, so I have started up the applesauce factory again! Medium or large apples are perfect for making Crock Pot Applesauce. Just peel, core, chop, and throw in a few additional ingredients in the morning. You'll have warm applesauce by suppertime!
Crock Pot Spiced Applesauce
12 cups peeled & chopped apples
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup water
1 T. lemon juice
dash nutmeg, optional
Pour apples into slow cooker. Pour in sugar and cinnamon. Mix with apples. Stir in water and lemon juice. Top with nutmeg. Cover and cook on low for 5-7 hours or High 2 1/2-3 1/2 hours. Mash gently with a potato masher or stir for a chunky sauce.

Here's mine a couple hours into the process. My family loves this and it makes the house smell so good!

FYI

I heard back from Holly. "Survivor" was filmed on the Pacific side of Nicaragua--in case you were like Landen and still wondering!
I am ordering a 2011 Time for Kids Almanac for Landen for Christmas. Even with his 2010 edition spiral bound, some pages are starting to come out again. Of course, those pages contain his FAVORITE map!
Sometimes my kids can be a little careless with their books and things, but there is definitely nothing wrong with LOVING a book to pieces!

A Cake for a New Baby or a Jewish New Year!

Yesterday I attended my dear friend Deb's baby shower. She and her family will welcome their sixth little blessing at the end of this month. My friend Cathy had a fabulous idea. What does a mom of six need more than anything? We couldn't arrange for more hours in a day or make sure that little boy will give his mom a full night's rest from the start, so Cathy thought of the obvious. FOOD. Not only did the guests bring delicious food for Deb to take home, but Cathy made a fabulous brunch for us, too.
I just love cooking with Cathy. She's a Jersey girl. She moved out here to the midwest, fell in love with a South Dakota farm boy, and now she's settled amongst us farmers. Her specialty is Italian--yummy, real Italian food. Yesterday we sampled her frittata and bruschetta.
Since baking is my specialty, she asked me to bring a coffee cake. I tore out a recipe for Jewish Apple Cake from Relish magazine recently and couldn't wait to try it. Being a Catholic German, I have to say it was the first time I ever knowingly followed a kosher recipe! I was so happy when Cathy told me it was just like the cake her Grandma, who lived in a primarily Jewish neighborhood, used to make for her.

Jewish Apple Cake
6 cups peeled and thinly-sliced Granny Smith apples (about 3 large)
1 1/2 cups + 5 T sugar, divided
4 tsp. cinnamon
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 T baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
4 eggs
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup orange juice
2 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350. Grease, sprinkle a little sugar, and flour in a Bundt or tube pan. Combine apple slices with 5 T sugar & cinnamon; set aside. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and set aside. Beat eggs with remaining sugar and brown sugar. Add oil, orange juice, and vanilla; beat well. Gradually blend in flour mixture and mix until well blended (about one minute).
Pour 1/3 batter into the pan. Top with 1/2 the apple slices, draining off any liquid. Pour in 1/2 the remaining batter and top with rest of apples. Top with remaining batter, making sure the apples are covered.
Bake 55-60 minutes, until the top turns golden brown and a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let cool 10 minutes in pan. Turn out onto a wire rack and let cool completely.

The hardest part was taking this beautiful cake out of the oven and not being able to slice into it until the next day! I hope you like it as much as we all did.