Home Improvement Weekend

1. Top I made, 2. Second top I made, 3. New Bathroom floors, 4. Pink Sewing Room, 5. Tea & Cookies, 6. Sugar Cookies.

This weekend was a busy one doing stuff around the house and whatnot. We have been in our condo for about a year and a half now and we are still not done doing everything we want to do. We were really gung-ho in the beginning, but then we got tired and ran out of money, you know how it goes. Then of course, I change my mind a lot. I've painted the kitchen twice and I feel another change on the way... I really like color, so I pick out all these colors and then I freak out because I feel like there are too many colors going on. So basically right now most of our interior walls are a really light blue/green, which I love. Our living room is light pink, the same color I just re-painted my sewing room this weekend. I love it. The room was blue and gray before. Now it feels so nice and warm and inviting. Which is good since I was trapped up there for five hours yesterday while we got new carpet installed on our staircases. It was a ugly beige before and now it's a dark gray. It is my firm belief that all carpet is hideous, however, it was our only option for the staircases. Speaking of ugly flooring, we also removed the beige linoleum in the bathrooms with some pretty white lacquer-ish flooring. Thank God that is gone and the transformation is almost complete.

Being trapped upstairs wasn't a complete waste of time though. I hung out with my kitties, made two tops, had tea and cookies, and watched countless episodes of "A Haunting" on the Discovery Channel.

Sadly, there was one casualty during our home improvements this weekend. While I was removing everything from the walls before we started painting, an antler on my fake deer head slipped from my hand and shattered on the ground. I will have to get a replacement when funds permit, but this one was a gift from Aaron and he even spray painted it pink for me. It was a sad day. RIP my deer.

Cookies 101: Chocolate Chip

My husband, the cookie monster, decided he wanted some chocolate chip cookies this weekend while we were grocery shopping. Chocolate chip cookies are a dime a dozen, but they are not all good. I made some a couple of months ago (out of a random baking book) that were really sugary and sweet. This time I made Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies from the Martha Stewart Cookie Cookbook. They turned out perfect and I didn't have to add or change anything- But since Sunday was Grandparents' Day, I stuck some walnuts and raisins in a few for my Grandpa, who enjoyed them very much.

Mini Pies + Praline Apple Bread

 
I LOVE PIE. I can't say it enough. These little mini pies are perfect because you can just make a few and you don't have to feel guilty about making and eating a whole pie, not that I do that.... I just used store bought pie crust to make it super easy, rolled it out thin, cut it with a round cookie cutter, filled it up, pinched the edges with a fork, sealed it with egg whites, and baked for about 10 minutes!. Super easy and not to mention, super cute. Of course.

The Praline Apple Bread was made at the request of my mother. The recipe came from her Taste of Home magazine. Pretty much every week my mom has some new food item she wants me to make for her. This bread did look so good though, and easy enough to whip up. I don't know if my loaf pan is too small or what, but I usually have too much batter, so I made my grandpa his own little loaf with the raisins he requested. It turned out really moist and yummy. My mom said it is the best thing I've ever made... but like my banana bread better.

Praline Apple Bread

1 cup sugar

1 cup sour cream

2 large eggs

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/4 cup finely chopped granny smith apples

1 cup chopped pecans

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

In a mixing bowl, beat together sugar, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla on low speed until combined.

Stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add to sour cream mixture, beating on low speed until just combined. Stir in apple and 1/2 cup pecans. Pour into greased 9x5x3 inch loaf pan. Sprinkle with remaining chopped pecans and press lightly into the batter.

Bake in 350 oven for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cover loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes of baking to prevent over-browning. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 mins.

In a small saucepan, combine butter and brown, stirring constantly until mixture comes to a boil. Boil for 1 minute. Remove bread from pan; drizzle top with brown sugar mixture. Cool completely before eating. Makes 1 loaf.