Easy as Pie

Maybe it's just the right time of year...but lately I am so enamored with pies. Mostly my experience with making pies involves using pre-made pie dough and pie filling bought at the grocery store. We used to live in a small apartment complex where one of the girls there would make pies and give slices of pie to people in the apartment. They were always so delicious and ever since then I have really wanted to start making pies, really making pies. Where everything is from scratch.
So I have this huge long list of pies I want to make, and here is one more that looks delicious! Although this one looks too easy to count towards my goal of making pies from scratch.

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups cold milk
• 1 package (3.9 ounces) instant chocolate pudding mix
• 2-3/4 cups whipped topping, divided
• 1 package (4.67 ounces) mint Andes candies, chopped, divided
• 1 chocolate crumb crust (9 inches)
• 1/4 teaspoon mint extract
• 2 drops green food coloring, optional

Directions

• In a small bowl, whisk milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set. Fold in 3/4 cup whipped topping. Fold in 3/4 cup candies. Spoon into crust.
• In another bowl, combine extract and remaining whipped topping; add food coloring if desired. Spread over pudding layer; sprinkle with remaining candies. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or until set. Yield: 8 servings.

Remembering Grandma

I remember my Grandma making Dixie Salad when I was little...all I really remember about it is that it had pomegranates and was delicious. My Grandma lived in Southern Utah, so it was an authentic Dixie Salad.:) A couple years ago, we decided to have our own little family Thanksgiving dinner and we tried our own version of Dixie Salad, which was pretty good, not quite like I remembered, but it was still really good.
I just found this recipe on Studio 5 from Becky Lowe, who happens to remind me very much of my grandma. It made me smile that she would make this salad which also reminds me of my grandma. :) I had to share it with you! I sure miss you Grandma.
One thing I love about this salad is how versatile it can be...I'm not a nut fan, so I leave the nuts out and we added grapes and bananas when we made it. But you can put whatever fruits you like! Or nuts, or whatever. If you need to bring a salad or a side dish to Thanksgiving dinner...you should try this salad. It doesn't disappoint! You can even watch a video here that shows how to seed a pomegranate, or to get some other crazy salad ideas. :)

Dixie Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 cup pomegranate seeds (about 2 pomegranates)
• 2 cups chopped apples (about 2 medium)
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 2-4 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Method:

Whip cream with sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form.

Combine pomegranates, apples, pecans (and any additional desired fruit). Gently fold in whipped cream. Garnish with a few pomegranate seeds. Serves approximately 8

NOTES:
To reduce fat, reduce or eliminate nuts. There are many additions to this basic salad created in Utah's Dixie. Some like it ‘pure' and use only the products found in Southern Utah; others add drained canned fruit cocktail, mandarin oranges, sliced bananas, grapes and fruit of their choice. Adjust the portions and ingredients to suite your taste preferences.

To seed the pomegranate (with as little mess as possible), cut a cross in the base of the pomegranate down to but not into the seeds. Carefully pull the cross open, breaking the pomegranate in half. Gently break sections away from each half, pulling the skin back and turning the pomegranate inside out; gently nudge the seeds from the exposed section. Work over or in water, dropping the seeds into the water as you go. The pithy membrane and bits of skin will float to the surface of the water and can easily be skimmed away leaving intact the juicy kernels.

Later in pomegranate season the skin becomes dry and the fruit is hard to break open. Place the pomegranate in water to soak before following directions above.

Christmas in Utah

*photo found here

I was recently talking with a friend about how much I missed Utah this time of year. I didn't realize how much I missed Utah until Christmas keeps getting closer and I keep thinking about all the things in Utah that I love this time of year and I won't get to participate in. My friend didn't grow up in Utah and commented how she didn't think there was that much to do there, which led me to wonder if there really was a lot to do or if I was just being sentimental and silly. I started a list of things that I love about Christmas in Utah...and keep adding to it! I'll list it here and hopefully if you are in the area, you can enjoy a few of these awesome things!
I have not personally done all of these things on my list, but some of them I have wanted to do forever and just never had the opportunity before.

Festival of Trees
BYU Celebration of Christmas
The Forgotten Carols
Savior of the World
Nutcracker Ballet
Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert
Riding Trax to downtown SLC
Sledding and building snowmen (nowhere here to go sledding and I hear it rarely snows :(..)
Temple Square Lights
Sub 4 Santa/Giving Tree
First Presidency Christmas Devotional
Santa in my favorite mall
Thanksgiving Point drive through lights
SPanish Fork Christmas lights
Polar Express
Messiah Sing-in (I've heard these are common throughout December in the Provo/Orem area)
Jon Schmidt Christmas concert
Kurt Bestor Christmas concert
Ryan Shupe and the Rubber Band Christmas concert
Peter Brienholt Christmas concert
Carriage rides in downtown SLC or at Thanksgiving Point
A Christmas Carol Play
The 100 Hours of Christmas on FM 100, now they play Christmas music constantly after Halloween I think? It used to be just the 100 hours leading up to Christmas day, I think now the 100 hours of Christmas are commercial free or something. :)
Downtown SLC Holiday Windows (look for a map of the windows on this website after Thanksgiving)
Candy Windows in downtown Provo (I'm actually not sure they do this anymore--anyone know? We tried to see them last year and while there were a few windows decorated, there were no candy ones...)
Living Nativity Pageant in Provo
Ice Skating, (also in the past there has been an ice skating rink at Gateway Mall although I'm not sure if they do that every year?)
Awesome decorations all over cities/stores/BYU/the library in Provo, etc...
Midway Creche Exhibit

There you have it! I hope you find something that interests you and have fun for me since I won't be in Utah until after Christmas! If you have other things you love about Christmas in Utah, feel free to let me know and I'll add it to the list!

Turkey Placemat

I think this Turkey Placemat is so darling! It would be such a fun project to make for your family, and it looks like it was bought at some boutique! Love it!

Trouble

*image found here

I'm pretty sure if I were make this recipe, it would be trouble...but oh I wanna try it!
This recipe was featured on Studio 5, compliments of the Prudence Pennywise blog.

MAPLE GLAZE DONUTS

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 4 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 cup mashed potatoes (I use 1 cup boiling water and 1/2 cup instant mashed potato flakes or buds)
• 4 and 1/2 cups flour, DIVIDED
• 2 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• pinch of nutmeg (two quick shakes)

Method:

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat eggs until frothy. Add sugar and beat well. Add buttermilk butter, vanilla. Stir in mashed potatoes. Sprinkle exactly 3 and 1/2 cups flour, plus powder, soda, salt and nutmeg over the dough. Stir until just blended. The dough will be extremely sticky. Line a dinner plate with waxed paper. Sprinkle 1/2 cup flour on top of waxed paper. Gather sticky dough up and press onto waxed paper; sprinkle the top with remaining 1/2 cup flour. If you need to pat atop a little more flour to be able to work with the dough, go ahead and sprinkle/pat it on top but DO NOT mix it in. ( You can refrigerate dough for a couple of hours at this point if you want, but not for too long or the dough will turn black from the potatoes.) Let the dough rest on the plate for five minutes. Meanwhile, heat large heavy pot with 1 inch of oil until oil is about 375 degrees. Turn donuts out onto flat floured surface. Pat the dough into a square only slightly larger than the plate. The dough should be about 1/2 inch thick. (Do not knead in the flour that have you sprinkled on the donuts. It will cook away on the outside, promise.) Cut donuts with donut cutter, or use the top of a prescription pill bottle for donut holes. Holes are the best in my opinion. Fry donuts until pale golden brown, turning once. Drain on paper towels. Cool for five minutes before glazing.In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat eggs until frothy. Add sugar and beat well. Add buttermilk butter, vanilla. Stir in mashed potatoes. Sprinkle exactly 3 and 1/2 cups flour, plus powder, soda, salt and nutmeg over the dough. Stir until just blended. The dough will be extremely sticky. Line a dinner plate with waxed paper. Sprinkle 1/2 cup flour on top of waxed paper. Gather sticky dough up and press onto waxed paper; sprinkle the top with remaining 1/2 cup flour. If you need to pat atop a little more flour to be able to work with the dough, go ahead and sprinkle/pat it on top but DO NOT mix it in. ( You can refrigerate dough for a couple of hours at this point if you want, but not for too long or the dough will turn black from the potatoes.) Let the dough rest on the plate for five minutes. Meanwhile, heat large heavy pot with 1 inch of oil until oil is about 375 degrees. Turn donuts out onto flat floured surface. Pat the dough into a square only slightly larger than the plate. The dough should be about 1/2 inch thick. (Do not knead in the flour that have you sprinkled on the donuts. It will cook away on the outside, promise.) Cut donuts with donut cutter, or use the top of a prescription pill bottle for donut holes. Holes are the best in my opinion. Fry donuts until pale golden brown, turning once. Drain on paper towels. Cool for five minutes before glazing.

Maple Glaze
Notes: This makes enough for half a batch of donuts, in case you want to make some powdered sugar donuts or plain sugar.
Combine 2 cups powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons maple extract and about 4 tablespoons cream (or milk) until smooth.

Make it and Love it

I think this shirt looks so cute! I'm not usually a fan of big embellishments on my clothes, but I like this one. Find info on how to make your own here!
I think this beautiful Cranberry Cake looks so delicious! And to me it screams thanksgiving because of the cranberries! Find the recipe here!

I got both of these ideas at Make it and Love it--I love this website! You should check it out!

Give Thanks

I came across a really cute turkey tutorial today, this picture doesn't show the whole thing...that picture was too big for my blog, but go here and see the finished result and find instructions! So cute!

I think this garland looks so pretty and fun to make. Find instructions here.

I would love to make this turkey with my little boy--how fun and easy!

Shutterfly Christmas Cards!

Since we have moved away from friends and family this year, I am really anxious to send out Christmas cards! I guess hoping they will be returned, and that a little bit of my lonesomeness from missing Utah will be eased. Plus it is so exciting and fun to send and receive Christmas cards! It helps you feel the Christmas spirit when you send cards to friends and family.
I have found that Shutterfly has some great options at great prices! I'm not sure how I'm going to choose just one!
No matter what style you are going for--they have it. I'm more of a simple yet elegant sort of person, but they have more trendy, fun designs too. They even have options for you to include more than one picture in your card.

I love how the stars frame the picture in this card! Love it!
Shimmering Stars
I love the simplicity of this card--mainly a picture on the front with space inside for you to write whatever you want!
Holly Frame

I love red, and I love snowflakes. This makes a beautiful combination!
Elegant Lace Snowflakes

This one to me is elegant--maybe because of the black and white. I also love the "oh holy night" script since that is a great Christmas carol.
O Holy Night

This one is beautiful! Red, stars, belief...there is so much to believe in that we are reminded of at Christmastime.
Believe in Magic

The best part about Shutterfly Christmas cards is that they have an amazing offer for bloggers to get 50 free holiday cards! For information on signing up, go here! Thanks Shutterfly for a great Christmas gift!

Thinking Ahead...

...to December! I saw this amazing Advent Calender on my friend Chelsea's blog and love it! Just had to share. :) Go check out the amazing photographs of the ornaments!

Also go here if you need ideas for Holiday Traditions!

Feathers

It's that time of year we get to think about feathers...or at least turkeys, and they have feathers. :) Once upon a time I made a dream catcher and recently have been wondering how I did that so I could make another one. I was happy to find this tutorial to make your own dream catcher!
I have feathers hanging from the one I made long ago, and I think you should definitely add some to yours if you make one!



I love this cute turkey applique on a t-shirt! Do you think if you used different fabrics it could be cute for a boy too? This one is definitely girly... Find the info on how to do this here.
Enjoy your feathers!