Wednesday, November 19, 2014

An Apple a Day


This fall we had a bumper crop of tiny apples 
from my two dwarf Macoun apple trees.


Whitey Bear supervises the harvest. 


I filled my vintage bushel basket with these delicious little apples. 


We are not the only ones who enjoyed the apple harvest -
here a Red-breasted Sapsucker dines on the apples left behind. 


He was quite tame and vocal - calling with a one-note
shrill cry in between bites of apple. 


Here he is giving me a quick glance to make sure I don't 
get too close. 

It was a thrill to see this colorful little apple thief. 


With my bounty I have been trying new apple recipes. 

Here is a delicious recipe for Apple Bread. 
It is very moist and deliciously spicy. 

Apple Bread

Beat 3/4 cup vegetable oil with 1 cup white or brown sugar and 2 eggs. 
Stir in 1-1/2 cups chopped, unpeeled organic apples, 1/4 cup chopped walnuts, 
and 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest, if you like. 
Sift together 1-1/2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 
1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. 
Add to apple mixture. Do not over-mix. 
Pour into a 9"x5" loaf pan. 
Bake at 350 degrees for approx. 50 minutes 
or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. 

Let cool completely before removing from pan and wrapping. 
Will keep in refrigerator for several days
or freeze for holiday gift giving. 


My Ramblin' Man gave this recipe two thumbs up! 


Coffee filters make rustic presentations. 


My vintage nut chopper came in handy
for this recipe. 


This was something my Grandmother would have used. 
It has a plunger with razor blades for the chopping. 

The bottom is fitted with a small, round, removable wooden disk
and the jar is a measuring cup. 

So low-tech, but very effective! 


Cut the apples into small dice for this recipe. 


My vintage spice rack gets a work-out this time of year. 
I keep my glass rolling pin on the top shelf 
along with my favorite shortbread mold.


*I made the Tea-dyed Tags
It was one of the first crafts I made for the blog.* 

Another, smaller shortbread mold hangs on the wall
with a nutmeg grater, loose tea holder, heart cookie cutters
favorite serving spatula, and hand knitted, fair-trade
I use mine as a hot-pad. 

Check out the link to help women in developing countries. 

Has anyone noticed how expensive spices are recently? 

Here is an excellent source of organic, low cost 
bulk spices and herbs:


My sweet little apples inspired me to add a simple
still life to my sketch pad.


I moved my enamel-topped kitchen desk in front of my hutch,
and set it up with my art supplies.


A feather brushes away eraser crumbs.


A simple remembrance of a sweet scene.

I love to draw - just for fun.

I want to develop my drawing skills a bit further
and need to practice.

With every creative endeavor, you must be 'in the mood'. :)

xoxo

I hope I have inspired you, Dear Friends, to enjoy an apple today!

xoxo

29 comments:

  1. Hello Karen,
    Pretty much under the weather last two days. Knew I didn't have it in me to make a regular supper, so made oatmeal. Substituted soy milk for cow's milk. Then cooked two apples & mixed nuts in Earth Balance margarine, and added cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, brown sugar, and -accidentally- some cumin. Added that mixture to the cooked oatmeal. Oh. Wow. Had almost a custardy texture. Who knew Apples would be perfect for Ray's supper on such a cold and windy evening?

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  2. sweet sketch! the apple bread looks awesome! so do the apples, themselves. i'd always help my mother peel, core and slice apples to be frozen for future crisps and pies. then we'd make applesauce from the peelings. :)

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  3. Lovely photos of your baking, apples, the bird, your kitchen and artwork. You had a busy day. I didn't know you were an artist. Great post!

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  4. What a pretty little bird. I don't think I've ever seen one but he sure is colorful! And I love apples and eat part of one every day. You are quite artistic. I've always wanted to make an art journal but I'm not that talented. Enjoy your evening! Hugs!

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  5. I'd say you had a bounty crop of apples this year…They are beautiful all piled in your apron and basket. The apple bread looks delicious and I am going to add it to my recipes for Thanksgiving…The Sapsucker is beautiful and certainly blends in well with the red apples….

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  6. Dear Karen,
    thank you for those wonderful pictures! You got a lovely apple harvest and I guess, it was lvoely to wwatch this wonderful Bird in the apple tree!
    The recipe for the apple bread sounds so delicious!
    I also love your kitchen, it looks so warm and comfortable!
    The drawing with apples is georgeous, such a wonderful memory!
    Wishing you a lovely week,
    take care my friend,
    sending Love and hugs and blessings,
    Claudia xo

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  7. Your apple bread looks delicious. Whitey Bear is so cute supervising the apple picking. That little chopper looks like it would be so handy. I imagine that your apple bread made the whole house smell good as it baked.

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  8. So lucky to pick up fresh apples from your own trees Karen! And when apple trees bloom, your yard must be fantastic! All recipes you tries look scrumptious, I'm sure of that. And this wonderful creature, the bird with the red neck, you took some great photos of it, so close!
    Happy weekend dear
    Olympia

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  9. Such a beautiful apple inspired post! All of your little kitchen details are so pretty and so well and carefully thought out, it all looks like a lovely place to bake and then stay a while afterwards too. xx

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  10. danke für die bilder,einen schönen donnerstag und liebe grüße von angie

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  11. Wow apple bread...delicious!!!
    xox

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  12. My fiancee loves apples - she would be in heaven here! I love those pictures of the red-breasted sapsucker. And apple bread - I've never heard of that but I would love to try some warm out of the oven!

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  13. What a beautiful bird!! So nice to share the bounty. I love it that you don't peel those small apples for the recipe. Sounds delicious. Enjoyed your fun vintage items.

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  14. The apples look delicious and so does the apple bread. I can't do any baking until my kitchen is finished. Love the little sapsucker, I've never seen one. We have many of the same utensils ... I have the same nut chopper and measuring cups ;) Have a great day! Wendy x

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  15. I loved this post! Thank you for the delicious recipe. I am always interested in presentation and those coffee filters are such a clever idea. Your artwork is super and I loved that set up photo too. All beautiful photos in fact. How neat to have your own apple tree.

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  16. Hi Karen, that bird is so pretty and colorful. I love apples and apple bread is something I never had before. I would love to try out your recipe for it. Have a nice day. Enjoy Thanksgiving too!

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  17. Good morning, sweet Karen! Mmmm... those apples look delicious and so crisp :) And speaking of delicious, your bread looks amazing! I will have to write the recipe down and try it sometime.

    Have a lovely day, dear friend! Hugs to you!

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  18. What a cozy visit with you today Karen! I love all your vintage kitchen things, including those measuring cups and that chopper (with razor blades, wow!). I am so picky about eating apples, I love them but they have to be good. A rather disappointing bag is going to be made into applesauce today. Ones you pick from your own trees must be wonderful. And that sapsucker is gorgeous. I've never seen one, such a colorful bird.
    Your drawing is very nice; creative endeavors are always so satisfying, don't you think?

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  19. Such a pretty post, Karen...the bread looks wonderful! I love the idea about the coffee filters...thanks for sharing! I love your sketch! How great that you take time to just draw...inspires me to do that!

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  20. What a huge crop of apples you have indeed. Makes me which I had an apple tree in my garden :-). The bread you made looks delicious. Lovely sketches!

    Madelief x

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  21. Such a lovely visit here with you today, Karen. Right at the start of this post I fell in love with your kitchen stove! As your post went on it became sweeter and sweeter with every photo.
    Your vintage cooking rack, chopper and measuring cups are darling! I once had that same chopper as it was my grandmothers. I haven't had it for years, though I wished I still did.
    Your little sapsucker is quite a beauty! What a gorgeous red head.
    I have never made a bread with apples. Your recipe will be a must to try. Living in the rocky mountains we do not have the best of apples. :)
    Sweet blessings to you, Debbie

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  22. That little tree is a beauty, I love little apples and cooked apple is divine.
    Merle.........

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  23. Apple and spice bread sounds like a lovely idea... I still have some small apples from my garden. Your drawing captures exactly that moment of the year.

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  24. Wow - you have some serious drawing talent Lady! Such a great way to capture a memory in an extra special way.

    That bread recipe looks so good too!! I have the yummiest apple crisp recipe I'll need to share some time, it was even published in a cook book...toot toot (that's me "tooting my own horn" Lol).

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  25. Yum on that apple bread, printing off the recipe as I type. - Your apples shots look so nice and I love your sweet white dog. Nice drawings too.

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  26. Dearest Karen,
    That brings back such fond memories and smells from our early childhood when apples were cooked or used for baking. This is the cozy time of the year; no doubt!
    Lovely photos and that Sapsucker is incredible; he/she have plenty of apples left for snacking on!
    Your drawing is lovely too.
    Enjoy whatever you like doing and stay cozy and warm.
    Hugs,
    Mariette

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  27. I can practically smell your apple bread, Karen! Oh my, what a nice treat. I loved the pics of the gorgeous bird, too. You are so talented with your drawing abilities!!

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  28. I love all your treasures...and how they help you with your baking. Reminds me of a country kitchen from the past! Love the way that apple bread looks. I will HAVE to try this recipe. Beautiful apples. Glad you did some artwork using them for inspiration.

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Thank you for stopping by! Your comments are important to me and are very much appreciated. xx Karen

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