Autumn!

 I really love this time of year!  My neighbor has wonderful apple trees in her backyard.  For our annual Halloween block party I picked apples from the neighbors yard and sticks from my own yard to make these seasonal caramel apples.

 Baked a batch of (flat) snicker doodles and topped them with pumpkins....mmmm!

 I burn this candle on Saturdays...but it's not bring the Dawgs any luck.

 Of course I made a huge batch of my caramels...http://athomeingeorgia.blogspot.com/2008/10/my-most-prized-recipe.html, you can click the link if you would like to make my most prized recipe. 

 Massachusetts is beautiful this time of year!

 Made some yummy pumpkin granola.  This was my first time making granola.  It's easy!

My local goodwill is full of the most amazing fun things.  One day I walked in and they had tons of old Ball jars for $1.  I bought them all!  For a fun fall treat I made a pumpkin scrub.

Pumpkin Scrub

1 cup brown
1/2 cup white sugar
1 TBSP pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Italian Pasta!!!

 This is my Italian friend and neighbor.  She is such a good cook!  Barbara has taught quite a few good recipes.  This past week when the kids were in school she invited over to her house for a day of pasta making.  Look at her posing with her killer pasta rolling pin.  My hands, shoulders and arms hurt sooo bad after all that rolling!

 Ravioli is really fun to make.

My dinner was so good.  Sweet Barbara bought me the cutters I need to make this after I move this summer while she was in Italy.  So nice!  Well I can't wait to make this again after I move.  Oh, she also showed me how to make tortellini and spaghetti noodles.

Garlic Capital Of The World...

 We went to Gilroy, California...the garlic capital of the world.  They grow 90% of the world's garlic in this valley in California.

 They sold all sorts of Christopher Ranch products...Christopher Ranch is my FAVORITE.  I want to go back at the end of this month to Christopher Ranch for the Garlic Festival.

MMM..the goodies I brought home.  I am going back to stock up so I can take lots of these things with me when I move.  We are moving AGAIN!!!!!  I know I have only had my things in my beautiful California home for 9 months...What the...  It's all good though, it's just I need a break.  This will make 5 different homes in 23 or 24 months.

Double Digits!

Today Madi turns 10 years old.  I love my girl so much!  I made a lemon cake with cream cheese icing; sprinkled with fresh blueberries.

Follow Your Nose To The Stinking Rose

WE WENT TO THE STINKING ROSE!!! I have been wanting to go there so bad. It's a garlic restaurant located in the North Beach (Little Italy) area of San Francisco.

90% of garlic is grown right here in California. Christopher Ranch is the largest producer of garlic too. I buy everything Christopher Ranch...all kinds of garlic and pesto. Christopher Ranch is located in the valley just a few hours south of me in Gilroy. I want to go to Gilroy in July for the Garlic Festival. So it's Christopher Ranch who supplies the 3,000 pounds of garlic used each month to The Stinking Rose. See the connection?

We wanted to make sure we found The Stinking Rose and Parking before our reservations...we found it easy and got easy parking too. So we walked around parts of China Town and Little Italy.




Mr. Garlic?

This was the most fun place to eat.

If you are in San Francisco I highly recommend The Stinking Rose. All you have to do is follow your nose to The Stinking Rose!

UGA/UT

Steve found this picture last week...it's his favorite. We had driven up to Knoxville, TN for the Georgia game. It was October in the Smokey Mountains and hotter than Haiti. Look at Madi growling...it was HOT and heck getting a headache from all that god awful orange. I need to print this out for Steve and frame it for his desk at work.

Look at these YUMMY green grapes. I saw the recipe online...roll your grapes in lime jello powder and freeze. We ate a few pounds of grapes in one night.

Orange Creamsicle Cookies & Laundry

I made the MOST DELISH orange creamsicle cookies. The middle school is having a bake sale today so that was the reason for making such a wonderful tagged treat. For extra cuteness I put them in a fun cake box my friend Amber turned me onto.

I think I have the cutest laundry room. It makes going in there to do laundry almost a pleasure. I was on Pinterest today and sweet Shannon from Bless Our Nest had pinned this perfect printable and I pinned it off of her...so thanks for finding this Shannon.

Basketballs....

We are taking snack to tomorrow's basketball game. So I made the yummiest iced sugar cookies...my Grandma Kiehl's recipe. I juiced them up by sliding the cookies into clear bags and stapled basketball ribbon to them. Ben and Madi are so excited to share these tomorrow.
The 4 little feet that I made...they are getting big.

Bring On The Hearts

It's hard for me to believe it's already February. Usually January drags on. But I think because it's been in the 60's everyday here in California it seems like Spring instead of Winter.



Well I made another dishtowel...this one with a patchwork heart on it.









My kids this morning. They are funny. Madi wore her new heart shirt I made her. I love the colors.

I stitched the 'LOVE'.

Also for the kitchen I crocheted a couple of Valentine themed wash clothes. Madi picked the white one to use today...she likes it best.

A couple of weeks ago I went on an all day super fun shopping trip to San Francisco with other wives from the base. Oh my gosh are there some fun stores there! I love kitchen stores. In one of them I must have spent an hour. I did buy that fun Eiffel Tower cookie cutter there. Perfect huh?!?

This is what I made for dinner last night. YUMMY! Tonight we are having Double Mushroom Soup. I have been enjoying trying out some new recipes. If the soup is good I will share the recipe.

Happy New Year!

We are excited for tonight! 2011 have been very exciting. We were on the go. We lived in 3 different houses...4 months in Megatrium, 4 months in Epyonghansasong and 4 months here in this house in CA. Hopefully we will only live in 1 house in 2012. Wishing for a GREAT 2012.

Yummy Frosty

One pan down two to go. We are taking these to all our Christmas parties. I found the idea on Pinterest. Even the middle schoolers get a Christmas party on Friday...I am so excited. I was afraid when Ben started middle school this fun stuff might be over but his teachers said "Bring it on!"

Dinning Room & Cranberry Sauce

Finally, we hung something on the walls in our dinning room. The fact that my mother-in-law is coming for Thanksgiving was the push I needed to get things done. I love the peg rack look and it only cost $12. Now I can even change things out for holidays or seasons, fun!

For my centerpiece I have a small quilt I made with an antique dough bowl I got from a flea market in Germany. I remember the older women I bought it from said it belonged to her mother-in-law. After the Berlin Wall fell the family went over to the Dresden area to clean out the house and bring it all closer to Wiesbaden/Frankfurt. I have my German treasure filled with white pumpkins, crows and one of my stitcheries.

This is my first time ever making my own cranberry sauce. LOVE IT! Not only is it the prettiest thing I've seen jarred but it tastes so good.

Aunt Bonnie's Cranberry Sauce

Wash 3 cups fresh cranberries removing stems

Sir together 2 cups water and 2 cups sugar in deep saucepan

Heat to boiling; boil 5 minutes

Stir in cranberries

Bring to boil and boil rapidly 5 minutes.

Cool and place in jars-refrigerate 8 hours

The other day was my cousin Michelle's birthday. Bonnie sent out these fun throw backs to start the celebration that morning. Here I am with Michelle and our stunning Aunt Bonnie.

This was the same day. We were going to a wedding. This is my cousin Michelle and I with our Great Grandma. Ha I am the one with the hat and purse...oh my. Next I need to make some of my Grandma's mustard pickles!

Zucchini Crisps/H4

These zucchini crisps are soooo good I have made them as a part of our dinner the last two nights. I found the recipe here. You just slice your zucchini, toss it in olive oil, then toss in a mixture of 50/50 panko and parmesan cheese. Bake at 400 for 25 minutes. Even Ben and Madi love them.

My friend Amber made the cutest trick or treat pillows the other day. Instead of holiday themed, I wanted to try something different...an 'H' and a '4'. I remember Pottery Barn selling these for more than I would pay...these were practically free.

Jack

My new "Jack".

The pattern was in the fall Create And Decorate. As soon as I saw Jack I new I had to make him.

Madi in her new spooky skirt. I got the fabric for 3,000 won in Korea, so about $2.75 a yard...my local quilt shop is selling this new Micheal Miller line for $10.50 a yard. I love when I score a good deal. I am glad I bought the 3 yards I did while I was in Korea.

Madi and her friends all stitching up some Halloween designs.

This week I have been diligently working on my Christmas cards. My goal is to be done by this weekend.