Mom's Apple Pie

I absolutely love pie, especially my mom's apple pie. Her pie has a tart Granny Smith apple filling and a yummy cookie crust. My sister, Molly, is known for requesting one of these pies entirely for herself. It is that good! Lucky for us, it is super simple to make. Perfect for your Thanksgiving dessert!

Thanksgiving tradition idea...

In our family we run a 5k for charity the morning of Thanksgiving. It's a nice way to give back and to get ready to chow down the rest of the day!


Mom's Apple Pie

Ingredients:

Apple Core Peeler
6 Granny Smith Apples
One stick melted butter
One large egg
One cup flour
One cup sugar
One tablespoon cinnamon


Directions:

Cut and peel apples and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.

Mix the rest of the ingredients together. They will be like a thick paste. Spread over apples and bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees. Enjoy!

Andy's Charcoal Roasted Turkey

Want a twist on your Thanksgiving turkey?  Try charcoal roasting it!  My husband, Andy, is in love with his charcoal grill.  It came as no surprise that the first time we hosted Thanksgiving dinner, he insisted on taking our turkey to the grill.  It was a huge hit and has since become a staple at our Thanksgiving table.  Cooking your turkey on the grill will also free up your oven, a huge bonus.  We hope you'll try it!

Roast turkey here...

Andy's Charcoal Roasted Turkey

Turkey
Salt
Pepper
Butter
3 carrots, rough chopped
4 celery stalks, rough chopped
1 large onion, rough chopped
Handful Italian parsley
Handful fresh sage
Handful fresh thyme
Wood chips (hickory preferred)
A full bag of charcoal
Large aluminum foil pan
Tin foil
Oven thermometer (optional)
Instant read thermometer

This is similar to roasting a turkey in your oven, but you are imparting smokey charcoal flavor. Pick a bird that fits on your grill with the lid on. Last thing you want is to go to put the lid on the grill and it doesn't close.

Prep the turkey by removing the neck and gizzard. Stuff the cavity with carrots, celery, onions and parsley, sage, and thyme. Generously, salt and pepper the bird all over and under the skin and in the cavities. Place the bird in the foil pan.

Prepare a charcoal grill for indirect grilling. Two piles of red hot brickets on either side of the grill (around 30 or so brickets per side). Situate the grate so the handles where there is a gap is above the coals. This will allow you to add charcoal easily. The foil pan should be able sit in the middle without getting direct heat from the charcoal. Soak a large bowl of hickory wood chips in water for at least 30 minutes.

Place the pan on the middle of the grill. Add several large handfuls of the moist wood chips to the charcoal. Place the lid on the grill with vents open on the lid and underneath the grill.

Every 20-30 minutes add a couple handfuls of charcoal and moist wood chips. Your goal is to maintain a temperature of about 350 degrees. Use an oven thermometer to check. The less you take the lid off the better.

After 1.5 - 2 hours stop adding wood chips when it has a nice golden smokey brown color and occasionally start adding a few pats of butter to the top of the bird. After a stick of butter, continue to baste the bird with the juices. Also lightly tent the breast with tin foil at this point.

Cook to an internal temperature of 165 degrees in the thickest part of the thigh and breast. Depending on the size of the bird this might be 3-4 hours total cooking time. Remove from heat and let stand for 30 minutes before carving. Make gravy with the drippings.

Link to Weber grill
http://www.target.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/p/weber-one-touch-silver-kettle-grill-black-22-5/-/A-13034658


 

Mystery Bags

Every Halloween I give little treats to Jack's classmates and friends. This year I decided to disguise them as "Mystery Bags." I'm not really a crafter, but these bags put big smiles on little kids faces.

Contents of bags: Sweet and salty pretzels, a witch's cauldron cup w/ straw, and a Halloween note decorated by Jack

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

My friend made these cookies for me on a chilly fall day years ago. I've made them every year since. Try them. They are a slice of heaven.




Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 cup butter
1 1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup pumpkin
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
Chocolate semi sweet chips

Directions:

Cream butter, sugar and egg together. Add vanilla and pumpkin then mix. Put baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt in another bowl and mix together. Add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture. Add flour. Add half a bag of chocolate chips, or more if you like. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-13 minutes until no longer doughy inside. I have to say it, enjoy!

Alphabet Memory Book

Here is a fun way to create a collection of memories for your child while making a real world connection to the alphabet.



How to:

1. Take pics of your kid in costumes, with their favorite toys, books, people, or locations that represent each letter of the alphabet. See my examples.

2. Then write or type a page for each letter of the alphabet with room for your child's picture and the word that describes the picture. You can use markers, glue and construction paper, or you can create a professionally printed book online.

You can't mess this up. Enjoy and have fun with it!

Bag Lady

When I was little my mom used to call me a bag lady.  I wouldn't leave the house without my stuff.  Not much has changed, except now I have to fit a whole family's worth of stuff in my bag.  I don't mess around with comfort, durability and versatility.  Check out these bags that are all that and more...



Sunday Bag

www.blvdbags.com



Goods

www.baggu.com



Clutch * Wallet * Pencil Case

www.blueq.com



Full Moon Party

Last year we started a tradition to throw a "Full Moon Party" with our family and neighbors. My son and I tracked the moon phases and planned our party for the last full moon of the summer.

We made the invitations ourselves using blank postcards. He was 2 1/2 at the time, so he basically scribbled all over, and I wrote the words to describe his drawings.

We also planned the menu together. Hot dogs on a stick, hamburgers, chips, and banana melts (recipe to come!).

We set up our camping tent, the fire pit with a rack for grilling, brought out the flashlights and got cooking.

The party was so simple really, but everyone had a complete blast. This party idea is great for any age, but if you do have children, let them help you every step of the way. Especially over the summer when they always need something to do!

Banana Melt Recipe

Bananas
Chocolate Bars
Peanut butter chips
Marshmallows
Graham crackers
Chopped walnuts

Slice the bananas lengthwise. Fill with chocolate pieces, peanut butter chips and marshmallows, etc. Wrap in tinfoil and grill until the contents melt slightly. Open tinfoil and crumble graham cracker crumbs on top. Grab a fork and dig in!