I found some more cool Pumpkin Topiaries to get you all in the mood to makes some. These are all on http://www.bhg.com/ with simple directions. To see my original post of Pumpkin Topiaries click here I just can't get enough of these ideas...I love them.This one is so cool!
I love the idea of using White Pumpkins!

I love to see your comments I want lots and lots and lots of them So tell your friends that I am in desperate need of comments today! I will even take a one word comment as long as it is a nice word :) He he he he

Here is the yummy Orange Roll Recipe we made the other day.

HALLOWEEN MANTLE DECORATION IDEAS

I entered the Martha Stewart Blog Contest the other day and I forgot to add a link back to her site so here it is. http://www.themarthablog.com/2008/09/how-to-create-your-own-blog-let-us-show-you.html Go ahead and enter the contest it should be fun.

My daughter Emily wanted to learn how to make our favorite Thanksgiving foods this year. She said to me.."Mom you know how on Thanksgiving you, grandma, Tiff , Aunt Liz and now Madeline all get together in the kitchen and prepare all the food...I want to learn how do it with just you". Wow what a nice thing to have a daughter ask to be with me in the kitchen! I was amazed that my cute 17 year old almost 18 year old wants to be a part of the "kitchen crew" on Thanksgiving. I jumped at the chance to be with her in the kitchen today to teach her how to make Homemade orange rolls, homemade pumpkin pie ( from canned pumpkin and made from scratch pie crust ), candied yams and mashed potatoes. Emily really got into it and is quite profecient in the kitchen these days. I taught her how to make Grandma Billie's piecrust, what it should feel like, how to roll it out, not to touch it too much or it will make the crust tough. (All these tips and tricks have been passed down from generation to generation...)

We had a feast today and everything turned out perfect!! I took some pics so you can see her in action as well as the final result. Scrumpchalumpcious is all I can say. Emily has the makings of being a great cook someday. There is just something so soothing to the soul about traditions and especially around the holidays. Being in the kitchen with all the women in our family laughing, chopping, rolling out dough, adding a pinch of this and a pinch of that, oohing and ahhing over all the scrumptious food that we make together..It seems it is a right of passage this year for Emily as she will turn 18 in November and now wants to join in with all of us gals in grandma's kitchen for Thanksgiving!!.....It just makes my heart sing :)

We really had a great time in the kitchen today and we also got to share our meal with two of her friends so that made it really special as well.

Beautiful Sunday.

I was looking through my notebook of tear-outs from magazines that I have collected over the years and noticed how many photos I have torn out that have large accessories in them. I do love big bold things in rooms instead of lots of little nick knacks or whatever you want to call them. In looking around in my house..... I actually don't have anything that I would deem a Large or Big accessory item but I do want some! Take a peek at this red horse with wings hanging on the wall in this room...I think it is from an old gas station or something like that. I also just love the big barn looking door that slides open. How fun is that. or how about the large urn, the big garden tools, the large round orbs....OOOOHHH I want some!!...but have any of you priced large items lately? Holy Manoly they are very expensive. I guess that is probably why I don't have any large items in my house yet.

Do these photos of fall dining outdoors make you wish you could transport yourself into these pictures!! The way the photographer shoots these phtos makes you feel like you are missing out on the party! I personally do not know one person that has put on a shin-dig like any of these But I want to do one and would love to attend any others!!! I would love to entertain like this...have a huge group of people over and have the table set so it would just feel like you have been transported to another place and time...... An escape from reality...... Pretending you are in the South of France or the vineyards in Napa Valley, California instead of just in your own backyard.

I do own gold goblets like these! I got them at this really chic place called Walmart for about $2.00 0r $3.00 a glass! I thought it was such a score! Then they also had these adorable fall leaf looking salad plates for about the same price and I bought twelve!! Hoping to have a fall dinner for friends but I have yet to have the shin-dig.

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Apple Crostata

For the pastry (this recipe will yield enough pastry for 2 tarts)
· 2 cups all-purpose flour
· 1/4 sugar
· 1/2 teaspoon salt
· 1/2 pound (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, diced
· 1/2 cup ice water
1. Put all of the dry ingredients in the bowl of a food processor, fitted with the dough attachment. Pulse 2 or 3 times to combine.
2. Add the butter all at once and pulse 12 to 15 times, until the butter is the size of peas.
3. Add a 1/4 cup of the ice water all at once and pulse the dough until it begins to come together around the blade. If the dough doesn't come together, add a tablespoon of ice water at a time until the dough comes together.
4. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface and knead it a few times until you form a smooth ball. Divide the ball into two pieces and flatten each piece into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap. If you're making one tart, place one disk in the refrigerator for an hour and freeze the other disk. Otherwise, if you're making two tarts, refrigerate both disks of dough for an hour.

Filling:
· 4 or 5 McIntosh apples
· grated zest of a small orange
· 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
· 1/4 cup sugar
· 1/4 teaspoon salt
· 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
· 4 tablespoons (1/2 a stick) cold unsalted butter, diced
· 1 egg, beaten with a tablespoon of water
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
3. Peel the apples and quarter them. Cut each quarter into three pieces. Toss the apples with the orange zest and set aside.
4. On a well-floured surface, roll your disk of dough into an 11-inch circle. (If the dough is too hard from being refrigerated, let it sit for a few minutes.) Once you've rolled out the dough, fold it into quarters or roll it around a rolling pin and transfer the circle to the prepared baking sheet.
5. Pile the apple mixture on the dough, being sure to leave a 1-1/2 to 2-inch border all the way around.
6. Combine the flour, sugar, salt and cinnamon in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture is crumbly. Pour the topping into a bowl and, with your fingers, work the butter until the topping starts to hold together. Sprinkle the topping on the apples.
7. Brush egg wash over the border of dough. Carefully begin folding the border up and over the apples. The dough should partially cover the apples all the way around.
8. Once you've folded the dough up and over, brush the egg wash over the dough.
9. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown. The apples will be tender.
10. Enjoy!

Recipe from Ina Garten