Ready for Fall!

Although fall was nowhere near this orchard...we tried to get there early but even still - 105 is hot! We thought it would be fun to start an apple picking tradition at the Date Creek Ranch...did I mention that it was a little hot? Anyway...it was fun, and we picked our fill of apples and some pears too! And everyone who has eaten "Ade's Apple Almondies" agrees that we should continue our tradition!

ADE's APPLE ALMONDIES
So in a total Marthat Stewart Moment...my attempt to use the above mentioned apples and incorporate them into "mom school" (my other Martha Stewart endeavor) Laina and I made our friend Adrienne's apple almond bars...ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS! (recipe follows)

ADE's APPLE ALMONDIES

2 C flour, plus 1/4 C

1/2 C sugar, plus 3/4 C

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt1 C butter

1/2 C sliced almonds

2 egg yolks, slightly beaten

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

4 med. cooking apples (hand-picked in 105 degree heat from an orchard in the middle of the desert), peeled, cored, and thinly sliced

Almond icing:

3/4 C powdered sugar

1 Tb. milk

1/4 tsp. almond extract (I went a little "light" on this)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stir together 2 C flour, 1/2 C sugar, baking powder, and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until it resembles pea size pieces. Stir in the almonds and egg yolks with a fork. Press a little more than half of the mixture in the bottom of an un-greased 9x13 pan. Set aside. In another bowl stir together the 3/4 C sugar, 1/4 C flour, cinnamon and nutmeg. Toss in the apples and stir to coat. Arrange evenly over the crumb crust. Sprinkle remaining mixture over the top. Bake for 35 minutes. Cool and drizzle with almond icing.

Summers end
When I think about summer...all I will see are these images...this is how we spent our summer....at our neighborhood pool with good company...seriously...like every day we came here. I finally brought my camera just for a few memories...now why didn't I take a picture of that pretzel with cheese (that might also have been the way I could describe my afternoons...at the pool with a pretzel with cheese). Laina learned to swim and next year we're going for the deep end (where Indy prefers to spend most of his time now).

Menu
Okay so something other than 'fotos' (my blogging sister insists...) before I launched into photography...my other day job was in the field of dietetics - and until recently I analyzed menus for the Northern Arizona Senior Centers. I'm pretty psycho when it comes to menus and anyone who knows me, knows I like my entire month planned out...and really really like to only grocery shop once a month, however I haven't quite mastered that part (at least not in keeping within my budget :)...so blogging sister...here is this months menu, remember we have "big" cooking days and "little" cooking days...I try to keep it even..

• machaca burritos/fiesta salad
• steak/potatoes/peas
• funky sandwiches (egg/tuna?) and cut-up fruit
• stroganoff/corn?green beans?
• creamy asparagus pesto chicken pasta salad/fruit
• salmon/rice
• bbq chicken pizza (friday night food!)
• chicken nuggets? (must be date night)
• maggiano's chicken rigatoni/salad
• philly cheesesteaks
• mediterranean pizza (friday night!)
• dutch hutspot (sausages and smashed up veggies)
• chinese chicken salad
• meatloaf/potatoes/green beans
• artichoke chicken/pasta
• fry bread pizza (friday night!)
• rosemary pork chops/rice/peas

You'll notice that it doesn't quite add up to every day cooking...(that's where I sneak in little cooking days or leftovers) I find that I need to leave space for switching and nights when Matt shows up late...that usually ends in cheese crisps for everyone!

Granite Mountain
Fun, playful and never a dull moment! I think my favorite photo has to be the organized chaos of everyone just picking a spot in the field and sitting down...after all I told them to "pick a spot"...just thought it would be a little closer!

Little Angel
Oh my goodness...is she not to die for (excuse the pun!) seriously - I thought I'd died and gone to heaven...she was absolutely the sweetest little thing at 5 days old...her dad would have to agree and was a good sport about the wizzin' (I posted the last picture for him).

Baby Albums

10x10 Newborn Coffee Table Style Book. A timeless book capturing all of your infants precious moments. Available only with the baby and belly plan or in a portrait collection.

Family Albums

Introducing my new family albums. This 20-page 10x10 coffee table style book has a clean and classic look that won't look dated in a few years time. This album is only available in the portrait collections.