Mountain Walk...

With an ongoing dog respiratory virus in So Cal.. we have been avoiding dog parks but poor Prince needs a bit more exercise.. so today we took a drive up the mountain to give him a bit of a run in the woods

I love it up there.. the views and scenery are stunning.. 

and we always end up driving by Big Bear Lake in the attractively named Fawnskin

Prince was all smiles too. 

Maybe we will take another drive up there when the snow comes

Love and Hugs

Phoebe x

Solutions...

When you have an exuberant.. tree loving.. ball eating.. daft dog… .

and a handy man hubby..

You get a stress free Christmas…

 

Love and Hugs

Phoebe x

In the Kitchen ~ Baked Apple Pie Rings

The Christmas baking has started at the Blue House. 

This year I have decided not to go crazy with the amount of sweet stuff I make. I must be honest I get more enjoyment out of the creating than the eating...although an occasional tasty treat with a nice cup of tea in the afternoon is something I look forward to. Last year I baked quite a lot.. but much of it was given away as gifts.. If I get the urge to splurge again this year..I will probably to the same again.

So this week.. as well as my usual bread baking... 

I have made incredibly easy Chocolate Chip Fudge Crinkle Cookies 

which MrD said were the "Best Ever"

and the more complicated Apple Ring Pastries...which my daughter sent me the recipe to try. 

Not that the recipe for the pastries was difficult..in fact its very straight forward..but man I found it fiddly. Clumsily threading strips of ever thinning puff pastry through an ever decreasing hole in an apple slice was was challenging.. but they turned out pretty well tho not quite the perfectly neat original recipe. But they tasted good. I think next time, I should use a bigger hole or maybe just a bigger apple!

1 box puff pastry sheets
2 apples
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 beaten egg
juice of 1 lemon

Powdered sugar for dusting

• Thaw puff pastry
• Preheat the oven to 400°.
• Peel and core the apples.
• Slice into rounds.
• Use a 1-1/4 inch-diameter cookie cutter to open the core slice a little larger.
• Place the apple slices into a bowl, cover with water, and add the juice of 1 lemon.
• Unfold the puff pastry and roll it until it is slightly larger.

• Cut the puff pastry into ¾ inch strips.
• Mix the cinnamon, sugar, and nutmeg in a shallow dish and set aside.
• Pat the apple slices dry with a paper towel and dust them with a bit of cinnamon sugar.
• Wrap strips of the puff pastry(3-4 strips/apple ring) around each apple ring.

• Brush the wrapped apple rings with egg wash on both sides.
• Sprinkle the rings with cinnamon sugar.

• Bake for 20-25 minutes until puff pastry is flaky and light golden brown.
• Cool for 10 minutes and dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Love and Hugs

Phoebe x

Early Morning Coffee on the Front Porch...

 Love and Hugs

Phoebe x

And the Lights Went On...

The decorating is done... the lights went on for Mum... so Christmas is well and truly underway.
Its time for card writing.. present wrapping and baking cookies...

 We are sipping hot chocolate.. peppermint coffees and eggnog...

Listening to Sinatra, Buble and Crosby...

And making sure we relax by the fire every evening and watch a Christmas movie.

I have planned for this.. my favourite season.. all year..

 and I aim to make it stress free and enjoy every second... 

(my organizing lists are a huge help!!)

So far...I think I have got off to a pretty good start.

How are your plans coming along? 

Love and Hugs

Phoebe x

Whats for Dinner ~ Meal Plan Monday

 
Good morning from the Blue House..

Everything is starting to look very festive here.. and last night we managed to get most of the Christmas lights switched on in memory of my dear mum. Im afraid that half the tree lights fused... but MrD will get them sorted after work today.

The movie season is well underway... and we watched a couple over the weekend.  I’m always on the look out or ideas on what to watch..

Christmas baking gets underway this week... and I have a few new ideas and a couple of old favourites on the list. 

The menu this week is quite straight forward. The crock pot is being well used... and I get a night off from the kitchen on Saturday as we are going for a drive in the mountains and eating out. 

Have a great week... and I hope you are enjoying the start of the season 

Weekly Plan - 4th December 2023

Monday              Chicken, Roasted Potatoes, Parsnips, Carrots and Cabbage

Tuesday              Skillet Sausage, Potatoes and Peppers, with Poached Eggs

Wednesday         Slow Cooker Pork in Mushroom Sauce, Vegetable Rice

Thursday            Crockpot Spaghetti

Friday                 Sausage and Mushroom Pizza

Saturday             Dinner Out

Sunday                Leftovers

Where Have The Years Gone?

This weekend... Im thinking of this beautiful lady I was blessed to call Mum..

Nineteen years since God suddenly called you home.. so quickly I didn’t get to say goodbye. The last words you said to me will stay with me forever..

“I love you.. I’m proud of the way you are bringing up the kids.. please keep going to church you are going to need them.. see you in a few days!”

For a incredibly hard working, brutally honest, determined woman who “said” she wasn’t religious and found it hard to say ‘Love’.. yet showed it for her kids.. grandkids, family and friends with every fiber of her being… it was mind blowing. It was the first and last time she said the words love and proud towards me..

Well mum .. I can say I have always loved you .. I have always been proud you are my mum and I am so grateful for the life you gave me.. the lessons you taught me and the love of family you instilled in me.

I will love and miss you always mum … 

Until we meet again.. xxx