Good Ol' Granny Smith

During this season of Autumn fabulousness,

one of the fave flavors in our house is the glorious apple.We eat apples and peanut butter,
apple cobbler,
apple strudel,
apple sauce,
apple butter,
apple muffins,
and apples and cheese.
We eat them red and green,
gold and yellow,
and every shade in between.
Our Sunday dinner needed to be easy and fun,
due to the fact that my girls insisted that
it needed to include the Granny Smiths
that we picked up at the farmer's market a few days ago.
We are also big fans of cheese at our house,
and the apple and cheese flavors mix well.
Throw everything that you know
about grilled cheese
out the window
and embrace the ooey gooey goodness
that IS
"Granny Smith -n- Swiss"!You'll need :
1 gorgeous green tart Granny Smith Apple
(peeled, cored, and sliced thin)
4 slices of whole wheat bread (makes two sandwiches)
Butter or Olive oil
1/2 to 2/3 cup Swiss cheese
(we like ours uber cheesy)

Heat your skillet/pan/griddle to medium heat.
Lightly brush one side of each slice of bread with olive oil.
If you prefer, lightly butter them instead.
Put one slice of bread,
oil side down, on your skillet
and arrange the apples evenly on the top.
Spread half of the cheese on top of the apples
and lay the other slice of bread on top,
oil-side up.
Cook until the bread is golden brown and then flip over.
Cook until the other side is golden brown and the cheese has melted.

I know of one recipe that adds bacon bits.
How about making it as a panini?
Tomorrow's lunch for us?Trying it with cheddar cheese and red delicious apples^_^.
Enjoy!!

My Favorite Things...

I wait....
somewhat patiently...

all Summer long...
for the first day of September...

when big beautiful pumpkins will find their way to my home.You see dear friends,

Fall is my absolute,
hands down,
favorite season of the year.

Living deep in the woods
surrounded by vibrant yellows, oranges, and crimsons,
one can't help but feel full of life.

Thankfulness and peace abound
while stepping out on the front porch and breathing deeply.

Lets not kid ourselves Mamas,
another one of my favorite things to arrive in the fall?
The big yellow school bus!

This year was slightly bittersweet
as my littlest one blew kisses from her new big girl desk in preschool.
"Goodbye Mama!" she shouted with a smile
as I quietly left smiling,
choking back big huge Mama tears.
That lasted just a few minutes when I suddenly realized...
2.5 hours to myself?
Whatever will I do?
It was time to head home,
sip pumpkin coffee,
nibble on pumpkin bread fresh from the Farmer's Market,
and sew some of the new items that I have since added to the shops.
Stop by and check out a few of our fall goodies!

Back for Autumn...
our Half-Pint Pumpkin Muffin hat!
Also Available for purchase is our
Cooked Turkey hat
which was inquired about by the Martha Stewart show.
They are great for photo props
or durable enough for everyday wear.
My little one sports hers through the month of October
and then switches to the Turkey in November.
It is then followed by the Elf in December.

Yes,
she will eventually resent me for this act of child cruelty.
I'll take my chances^_^. For now,
I will cherish her toddler laugh,
tickle her little toddler piggies,
and find warmth in the way she cuddles my heart.Enjoy the stunning hues of Autumn as it dawns upon us.
Eat pumpkin until it is coming out your ears.
Relish the feeling of crackling leaves down your pants
from jumping in piles with your kids.
Go apple picking in your dorkiest overalls.
For these are a few of my favorite things...
minus the overalls.
Happy Harvest!