FOOD - APPLE BUTTER PUMPKIN PIE

Thanksgiving has always been a semi-sad and joyous time of the year for me.  Sad because I never get to spend it with my family (Hawaii it too far and expensive for a long weekend), but happy because I get to experience the holiday in cold weather with friends or with my boyfriend and his family like I did this year.  He's from upstate New York, so although its not a super long way for us, its difficult to bring a lot of food up with us.  This year I made an apple butter pumpkin pie, rosemary parker house rolls (recipe here), and salted caramel chocolate chip cookies.

The pie was definitely the star of three!

This picture does not do the pie any justice :(

What you will need:

- 1 9 inch graham cracker pie crust (I used store bought)

Pie filling:

- 1 cup apple butter (from here)

- 1 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)

- 3 eggs

- 1/2 cup sugar

- 1 tsp salt

- 2 tsp cinnamon

- 1/2 tsp ginger

- Pinch of fresh nutmeg 

- 3/4 cup evaporated milk

Crumble Topping:

- 1/2 cup flour

- 1/2 cup brown sugar (I used dark, but I would recommend using light)

- 1 tsp cinnamon

- 1/4 tsp salt

- 1/2 stick cold butter

Preheat the oven to 400°F.  In a large bowl or stand mixer whisk eggs thoroughly.  Add in pumpkin, apple butter, sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.  Add evaporated milk.  Pour in pie shell and bake for 10 minutes.  Lower heat to 350°F and bake for another 40 to 45 mins until the center is no longer giggly.  Cool at room temperature for at least 30 mins then transfer to the refrigerator.

While cooling make the crumble.  Combine dry ingredients.  Add cold butter and work with hands into small clumps.  Spread evenly onto a parchment paper covered cookie sheet and bake for 15 mins at 350°F.  Let cool and sprinkle on pie.

FASHION - WILDFOX: GRANNY'S CLOSET

I usually don't post about fashion stuff, but common... this collection totally speaks to me.

Wildfox always has really cool animal sweaters and edgy tees, two things I love, but now their new collection is pretty much everything I wish my closet could be.  Its called Granny's Closet, enough said.  The shoot for this collection is beyond fabulous and captures what I could only dream my life would be.  It involves lots of knitting, antique decor, and The Pill Book (I'm what your might call a hypochondriac).

Take a look at a few of my favorites and the whole thing here!

FOOD - APPLE BUTTER

This year was going to be my first year (finally) going apple picking.  I was SO excited, but then I found out that the apple harvest this year wasn't good enough to pick, and I was devastated.  I had been looking forward to homemade apple pies and apple butter all summer long, so I decided I wouldn't let a lack of apples get me down so I making apple butter any way!  Since I couldn't use apples picked by myself, I bought the apples and cider at the Union Square Farmers Market! (I was even lucky enough to score some free apple cider doughnuts!!!)

What you'll need:
- 5 or 6 large apples (if using smaller apples add a few more, I also like to use a variety of apples), peeled, cored and cut into medium sized pieces
- 1 cup of apple cider
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
- Half a lemon juiced
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- a big pinch of fresh nutmeg
- a big pinch of ground ginger

Turn on your slow cooker to high while prepping the apples.  Add all ingredients to the slow cooker and stir a little so that all the spices are distributed evenly.

Put the lid on and cook for 1 1/2 hrs or until the mixture is bubbling vigorously.  Mix a few times so it doesn't burn.  Change to the low setting and cook for another 7 hours with the lid slightly ajar.  At this time the apple butter should be a delicious dark brown, if its not, turn the heat back to high and cook another hour.  Jar and process to keep your apple butter delicious for a while or keep refrigerated up to 3 weeks.

Makes 5 to 6 4 oz jars.

Slightly adapted recipe from Martha Stewart.  Watch her helpful video here!

Enjoy!

PS. Latter this week I will be making an apple butter pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving!

Earl Grey was really excited for apple butter too!

DIY - HEART ELBOW PATCHES

This DIY was super easy and fun to do!  I love sweaters and blazers with elbow patches and have been lusting after a few online.  I didn't want to buy a new sweater, plus its more fun to remake an old one, so I googled how to needle felt and did it!

What you will need:

- Sweater (similar)

- Red felt (from Michael's, but any craft store will carry)

- Felting needle and foam block (kit from Michael's, online here)

- Fabric scissors 

- Tape

- Sharpie 

- Iron with steam function (or spray bottle)

How to:

Measure where your patches should go.  Place a piece of tape on each arm to mark the bottom of where the patch should go.

Draw two hearts on your felt and cut out.

Place the foam block in the sweater arm.  Position the heart about the tape.  Punch the heart with the needle in an up and down motion, keeping the needle very straight, and the punches as close to each other as possible.  

When finished with the needle punches, your sweater will look like this! (Left side - Outside, Right side - Inside)

Iron both sides of the patch with steam or a spritz of water on the wool setting.

Finished! Enjoy your new sweater!

DIY INSPIRATION - HEART ELBOW PATCHES

Guess what my DIY is going to be this week!

1//2//3

FOOD - BANANA BREAD

I LOVE banana bread! My grandma used to make it for my sister and me all the time growing up, and now either my grandma or my mom will make it for me whenever I visit home.  I have the recipe that they use (and make it all the time), but somehow when its made for me it feels like it tastes way better.  This recipe is by far the best banana bread I have ever had, its unbelievable moist, not too sweet, and super easy to make.  Here's the recipe, try it out!

Banana Bread 
(Makes 1 large loaf)

- 1 stick of butter (soft)
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 medium/large bananas (a little older/bruised works best)
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/4 cup flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In one bowl mash bananas with a potato masher, set aside. 

In another bowl or stand mixer, cream butter and sugar.  Next, add one egg at a time, beating well after each egg.  Beat in the mashed bananas.  Add flour, salt, and baking soda, mix only until flour is moistened.  Be careful not to over mix.  Add in walnuts.

Bake in a large greased loaf pan for 35-50 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool on a wire rack for a while, then cover before it is fully cooled.  This will give the top a really yummy texture.