Apple Maple Crumble Pie

As parents, Cory and I try to make relatively healthy choices when it comes to feeding our kids.  We're not perfect, of course (especially when it comes to ourselves!), but we try to make sure the girls eat right.  Taking into consideration Eloise's egg and peanut allergies, we are often tweaking recipes to make them "El Friendly" and using as many "whole" ingredients as possible (never margarine!).  This particular recipe that I'm going to share originally calls for white flour and sugar... but I revamped it my way.  And though it's still not necessarily "healthy" (we should never eat too many sweets!)... it is much better than the regular recipes you might come across.  And I wouldn't necessarily call this a pie... it's more of an apple crisp - but no matter what you call it... it's DELICIOUS! 

Read on for the recipe:

5-7 apples (I used Gala), peeled, cored and sliced
2/3 cup Maple Syrup
1/2 cup Butter, softened
1/4 cup Honey/Molasses Mix (I did half of each)
3/4 cup Whole Wheat Flour
1 pinch Salt
3/4 cup Rolled Oats

-Preheat oven to 375*
-Place the apples in an 8x8 glass baking dish.  Pour Maple Syrup over apples and gently toss.  (I also added a little cinnamon, nutmeg and clove just to spice it up a little for my liking - though the recipe doesn't call for it)
-Cream together Butter, Honey/Molasses
-Stir in Flour, Salt and Oats
-Sprinkle mixture over Apples
-Bake 35 mins.

Personally, I enjoyed this after it had been refrigerated overnight!  But it was yummy right out of the oven as well! Eloise didn't even want the apples, of course... just the crumble!  It would be great served with ice cream - I have an easy recipe for that to share another day!  (No ice cream maker needed!)

Let me know if you try this and if you enjoyed it! 

 The other day, we tried to have our own little "photography session" in our back yard.

That didn't work out so well.

Dinah was more interested in the grass than anything - 

when she wasn't covering her eyes from the bright sun!

 

 Eloise was a bit of a wiggle worm as well.

Perhaps we'll try again another day!

I'm still enjoying a few flowers from my Birthday Bouquet several weeks ago!

I truly love daisies!  Such a simple flower... but hardy, for sure!

I have a confession!

I bought myself MORE yellow daisies this past week to display in the living room.  I took a few flowers to my sweet Weezer's grave and brought the rest home to try to cheer myself up after the 1 yr anniversary of her passing came and went.  They didn't really help to cheer me up.  Oh well.   They're pretty and it was worth a shot.  Still miss her like crazy!

Love is a Reason to Celebrate

As I mentioned in this post...

My friend/cousin was recently engaged.  Being that she now lives across the country, we had to take advantage of when she was back in town to throw her a bridal shower!  Since she is planning her wedding to be 6 months from now, well, we only had a few weeks to pull things together.  Though we had to work last minute with booking a place (my mom's church basement!), it turned out VERY nice thanks to my mom and sister (and some other family, of course).  And I think my cousin truly was pleased and enjoyed the special time of celebration.  Here are some pictures to share!

(Please excuse the lack of quality.  I think the florescent lighting mucked up some good shots!)

Visiting with the Bride and Groom (to-be's) the day before!

Meghan finally meets Dinah!

 

Please join us!

(My NEW marker kept giving out!  But it turned out OK, I suppose!)

Eloise, the entertainer!

 The set up!

The food!

My niece playing one of the games... Eloise was trying to play too! 

 And a nice shot of the bride and her mom!

Another cousin of ours made the cake to go with our citrus theme!

 

Meghan was nice enough to let some of the little girls help open gifts!

Eloise opened a Pig chip-clip that oinked!

(That's my gift she was opening in the bottom left.. heehee)

 

Me and the beautiful Bride-to-be!

It is always wonderful to celebrate love with those you love!

My World

7 Months!

Not sure how it's even possible...

But here we are!

  

I just can't get enough of this sweet face!

 

 

Love.