September 30, 2014

BUTTERSCOTCH PIE FOR OKTOBERFEST


Saturdays are at times, filled with the activities of being parents and grandparents. This makes our lives so joyful! The Oktoberfests have begun in the great state of Texas along with the infamous Texas State Fair! 

After seeing our one and only granddaughter play in her volleyball tournament, we headed over to north Dallas for two festivals. We began our first stop in Dallas at this Parkfest! 



Of course, I take every opportunity to snap a memory photo of father and daughter! 
We still cannot believe she is now in high school......where have the years gone?



Miss Abbie enjoyed this huge pretzel! Well.....she was kind enough to share with all of us! 
"Pass the mustard, please!"



The manager brought us over a slice of their infamous Butterscotch Pie......oh my.....delish!


Then it was on to Addison for their huge Oktoberfest! 
Let's begin by a beer tasting! 


This handsome guy was certainly enjoying the sights along with a 
delicious looking roasted corn on the cob! 
I think he was on his way to get his stein refilled! 


This festival is fun and huge! Addison is a beautiful city close to Dallas! 


Beer steins for sale! 
Some of these are incredibly beautiful and tell a story in their carvings!
 Son#2 was fortunate enough to attend the real Oktoberfest in
 Germany a few years ago, so he has already started a small collection of steins! 



Oh, the aroma of Kettle Korn.......smells like the fair! 


They chose the beer.....I chose white wine! 


We saw this Crepe booth and made a mad dash to stand in line......hmmm...
strawberries and cream might be just what our heart desires! 


Unbelievably good! 


Strudel? Yes, please.....are we eating our way through Oktoberfest or what?


Wish I could do that......


Inside the festival tent, there was music, dancing, laughter and a whole lotta drinkin'!


A trio of German Gents! 


The darling and son #2 went on search of Brats and Sauerkraut!
 I was people watching while waiting on dinner!


The children had been patient enough....time to hit the rides and games. 
The atmosphere was just electric and exciting! 
It had been some time since we had visited a festival! 


Did you ever win a big bear at the state fair? 
Those carnies.....rather interesting and hard-livin' people! 
Always entertaining! 


Nick is so good....he took the children on any ride they wanted.
Oh my....this was the beginning...round and round...faster and faster....
after beer and brats.........

The darling and I decided we would do best keeping our feet on solid ground!


Round four I think.......


No one got sick....they walked a little crooked for a minute, but all was good! 
In fact....they rode this ride three times!

Nick asked me if I ever made Butterscotch pie? 
As a matter of fact, this was a speciality of Grandmother Grace.....
I make her recipe, but not often. So it seemed like the perfect time to remember Grandmother and serve up her version of this delectable pie! 


BUTTERSCOTCH PIE
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 T. flour
3 egg yolks (save the whites for the meringue)
1 1/2 cup water
2 T. butter
1 t. vanilla

Combine the dry ingredients in a saucepan. Add enough of the water to blend and make a paste. Mix in the egg yolks, and the remaining water. Cook on low to medium heat, stirring constantly until you have a thick pudding consistency. Remove from heat, add butter and vanilla. Pour into a baked pie shell. Top with meringue and bake at 375 degreed F.  for about 10 minutes until the meringue is brown on top. 

September 29, 2014

OLD-FASHIONED WHITE CAKE WITH CINNAMON SPICED APPLES

This is a darling little loaf cake that could be paired beautifully with your afternoon cup of coffee or tea. It is not overly sweet, which made it more like a muffin texture, than a fine white cake. You only need two apples to prepare this afternoon delight! You know what they say about an apple a day.........



OLD-FASHIONED WHITE CAKE WITH CINNAMON SPICED APPLES
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2/3 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 apples, peeled and chopped (sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon)







Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan.
Mix brown sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl.
Beat white sugar and butter together in a bowl using an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, until incorporated; add vanilla extract.
Combine flour, salt and baking powder together in a bowl; stir into creamed butter mixture. Mix milk into batter until smooth. Pour half the batter into the prepared loaf pan; add half the apples and half the brown sugar mixture. Lightly pat apple mixture into batter. Pour the remaining batter over apple layer; top with remaining apples and brown sugar mixture. Lightly pat apples into batter; swirl brown sugar mixture through apples using a spoon.
Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes.

**Estelle's Sweet Tip-sprinkle diced apples with a little sugar and cinnamon! 


September 28, 2014

ACCESSORIZING YOUR FALL WARDROBE

He likes football.....all day long.
Except for golf...he loves golf....in the morning.
Me...on the other hand.....could care less about football.
Unless it's The Aggies or The Cowboys or The Steelers!
Oh yes, The Saints....I forgot the NO Saints! 
I prefer shopping!
I adore fall clothes!
Sweaters, boots, cardigans, scarves, and jewels! 
I love inspiration that helps pull a statement outfit together!
What a glorious way to spend a Sunday afternoon!
My Style for Autumn! 
















September 26, 2014

PEACH BREAD PUDDING WITH BROWN SUGAR RUM SAUCE



It all started on Tchoupitoulas street in New Orleans......we were young and loving our independence. We experienced every out of the way local dining place that the tourists didn't know existed. We dressed in the high fashion of the 60's and thought nothing of walking down to Maison Blanche in high heels. We could dance until dawn and greet the morning with a Dixie Beer and a cup of red beans and rice. Thus began our experience with bread pudding....from Commander's Palace to the casual atmosphere of The Coffee Pot.....oh yes....we know our bread puddings and this one is, as they say...."the bomb!"




PEACH BREAD PUDDING
~Lone Star Steakhouse

2 cups fresh peaches, peeled, pitted and chopped
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/4 cups hot water
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups French bread, torn into small pieces




Brown Sugar Rum Sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 tablespoon rum



Preheat an oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
Chop the peaches and lightly mash them in a mixing bowl. Combine the sweetened condensed milk and the eggs; add them to the peaches and mix well. Stir in the hot water, melted butter, cinnamon, and vanilla. Stir the French bread into to the custard mixture until the bread is completely moistened. Turn the pudding into the prepared baking dish.

Bake until a knife inserted in the center of the pudding comes out clean, about 1 hour and 10 minutes.While the pudding is baking, combine the brown sugar, 1/2 cup butter, corn syrup, and rum in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes or until just slightly thickened. Let cool slightly. Remove the pudding from the oven and let it cool for about ten minutes before serving.
Top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Serve warm with the caramel sauce.

It's a Foodie Friday day!

http://designsbygollum.blogspot.com/

September 25, 2014

BLUEBERRY PANCAKES.....A TASTE OF MAINE

This is a beautiful time of year in Maine. The truckloads of pumpkins roll in from the countryside all over New England about this time. The local nurseries are preparing for Halloween with corn stalks, scarecrows and wheat sheaths. You will find most everyone decorating for the autumn season as soon as Labor Day is over.


When the cool mist rolls in from the ocean, it veils the entire coastline with fog....
rather magical I think!
This is one of our favorite inns to visit. 
Glen Close lived right down the road from this exclusive area of the cape and 
married right here!


You don't need to travel all the way to Maine to enjoy delicious blueberry pancakes for breakfast! This recipe is going to become a favorite of yours and in no time at all you will be ringing the breakfast chimes for your family to come running to the kitchen table!



These are made even more delicious by using blueberry syrup.
Our favorite is Wild Maine Blueberry Syrup from the Stonewall Kitchen!




1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  1/2 teaspoon salt
  1 tablespoon baking powder
  1 1/4 teaspoons white sugar
 1 egg
  1 cup milk
  1/2 tablespoon butter, melted
  1 cup fresh blueberries







In a large bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking powder and sugar. In a small bowl, beat together egg and milk. Stir milk and egg into flour mixture. Mix in the butter and fold in the blueberries.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

September 24, 2014

BLUE AND WHITE FOR AUTUMN




We all love the harvest color palette! Why not add touches of colors that you love? It's good to know that you can create a heart-warming display with a few of your favorite porcelain pieces. I adore blue and white among the vibrant orange pumpkins and bittersweet. 


Every fall, I make a fabulous pumpkin stew with harvest vegetables. 
It is a beautiful presentation to serve the stew in my french country soup tureen. 


It seems family ties grow stronger when sharing a beautiful dinner.


We tend to store away our heirlooms rather than put them on display.
What's hiding in your china cabinet that could be added to a few fall gourds and berries?


Mae Mobley makes everything more beautiful!


Embrace your own creativity


Using a single color, in this case, BLUE, as a theme, is a gorgeous way to elevate a room.



Savor the days of Autumn.....