9.29.2017

Apple Crisp

September is apple everything while October is all about pumpkins.To me, September is "Pre-Fall" and as soon as it arrives, I start making recipes that have apples in them.
  Both Kevin and Kate's favorite dessert is Apple Pie or Apple Crisp.
I have a yummy Apple Pie Recipe and a delicious Mason Jar Caramel Apple Pie with struessel topping recipe that I make, but I hadn't perfected my Apple Crisp recipe....until now.

I want you to know that I have tried out & tweaked almost 10 different Apple Crisp recipes. They were good, but they weren't THE ONE. They weren't blog worthy. I would adjust ingredients, measurements & baking time and I FINALLY perfected it to a recipe that is blog worthy and one that is now my official Apple Crisp recipe that I will make forever and ever.
Here is what you need:
Filling:
4-5 large Granny Smith apples peeled and sliced
3 Tbsp butter, melted
2 Tbsp flour
1Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
Drizzle of Caramel syrup 

Topping:
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup oatmeal
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt 
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup butter, melted


Directions:
 Peel the apples...

Slice the apples & set aside.
In a bowl, combine the melted butter,  2 T flour,  lemon juice, vanilla extract,  brown sugar, ground cinnamon & salt:

Stir it together.
Then, put the apples in a gallon zip lock bag and pour in the mixture. Shake the bag so that all the apples are coated:
Pour apples into an 8x8 baking dish:
Drizzle with caramel syrup:

Now it's time to make the topping. In another bowl, addbrown sugar, flour, oatmeal, cinnamon, nutmeg,  salt & baking powder.
Stir together & then add the 1/3 cup of melted butter: Mix until combined:

Add the topping on top of the apple mixture:
Bake for 30-35 minutes at 375 degrees....when it's done it will be nice & golden brown
Let it sit for at least 10-15 minutes before you serve it.
I always serve my Apple crisp with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.
Part of this recipe comes from my Grammy's Apple Crisp recipe that was in her recipe box that was from Muriel in 1937. I changed the topping up & added the caramel.
I have a feeling I will be making Apple Crisp a lot this Fall....I've made it 3 times this month!
I'm really proud of this recipe and hope you love it as much as we do!

Here are some other apple recipes you might like as well:
Mason Jar Caramel Apple Pie:


Caramel Apple Cider Cookies:


Let me know if you make any of these apple recipes
In just a few days it will be October which means pumpkin everything!

9.27.2017

What's Up Wednesday :: September 2017

It's the last Wednesday of the month, that means it's time for our What's Up Wednesday Link Up!

Link up with  me, Sheaffer & Shay the LAST Wednesday of each month so we can read about What's Up with YOU!

Here we go!
What We’re Eating this week.....

Monday:
 I had a Women's Dinner for our church, my family had leftovers :)

Tuesday:
Chicken Fajitas
My favorite way to make Chicken Fajitas is in the Crock Pot...but I am working on converting it to the Instant Pot...stay tuned!

 Wednesday:
Fiesta Stuffed Bell Peppers


Thursday:
Teacher of the Year Dinner for my girls 2nd grade teacher!
My family will be having leftovers again :)

Friday:
Rehearsal Dinner for my niece's wedding! 

This week I made my Salted Caramel Brownies for my Ladies Bible Study.

I am also making Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins for an easy after school snack for my kids! 
Because it's September....Apple season! I have also been making Apple Crisp on a weekly basis for the past month.
I will be blogging my recipe later this week...stay tuned...it's a good one :)


What I'm Reminiscing about.....
Since my niece is getting married this weekend and since  Kevin and I celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary last month, I am reminiscing about our wedding. 
We watched our wedding video earlier this month...oh my gosh...it's so funny to see how weddings have changed in the past 15 years. Do people even get married in churches anymore? I think the last church wedding we went to was over 5 years ago!
My niece was one of our flower girls and it's so fun because now our girls will be her flower girls!
 What I'm loving.....
This hairdryer...
So many of my friends have been talking about how awesome it is, so I decided to try it. And, yes...it is amazing! It gives my hair volume and dries it so quickly! Love it!
You can get it HERE

What We've been up to.....
September has been a fun & busy month!
 We started off September in Lake Tahoe for Labor Day Weekend:
 A great way to end summer...boating on the lake with friends!

The weekend after that Claire turned 9 and we had a Hawaiian Luau Party.

 Kevin and I went to the wedding of one of our former youth group kids.
 It was a beautiful winery in Lodi
 We had a blast....I love weddings!
I got my dress last year HERE. It's one of my favorite dresses!

We had a chili cook off  the weekend after that with some friends from our kids Elementary School. Love these ladies!
This past weekend both girls were in a soccer tournament & we had 7 soccer games...busy, but fun!
I am one of Claire's coaches this year and I am having a blast!

What I'm Dreading.....
 The weather this week....in the 90's!!!
Gotta love "Fall" in California.

 UGH.
 I just want to wear Jeans & Booties.
#thestruggleisreal

What I'm Working On.....
 Grading math tests, lots and lots of grading!
 #teacherlife
#alwaysgrading

What I'm Excited About.....
My Rodan + Fields team is having a REVERSE CHALLENGE and I want to offer YOU a chance to win the GRAND PRIZE of $100!!
 


The summer sun can do a number on our skin, whether we protect ourselves or not. If you’re ready to get rid of those sun spots and freckles, brighten your complexion and want to even out your skin tone, then this is the CHALLENGE FOR YOU! Reverse will help “clean the slate!” Not only will you get beautiful skin, you’ll also have a chance to win $100 AND a FREE regimen of your choice!!!
 
Here’s how it works:
The Reverse Challenge runs from October 1st – December 31st and ANYONE can play, regardless if you are a new or existing preferred customer.
Here's how it works:
1. Purchase a Reverse regimen from me now through September 30th.
2. Send me your “before” picture before you start your regimen so we have a baseline to measure your progress - it won't be shared publicly!
3. Use the Reverse regimen as directed for 60 days!
4. Send me your “after” pic by Jan 1st so that we can compare your results!
My team will privately view the submitted photos and the person with the best results WINS $100!!

From there, if you choose to - we can submit the winning results to Rodan + Fields corporate for a chance to be published and receive a FREE regimen of your choice! If you don't love your results, we will send it back for a full refund!
Now is the time to prep your skin for Fall and get it glowing for the upcoming holiday season! Message me today to get started and you’ll save 10%, plus get free shipping!
 Email me at:  melissa_larson17@yahoo.com

Not interested in Reverse? We still have deals for you....Maybe you are interested in another regimen or lash boost! 
My back to school special ends this weekend!
You get $20 cash back, free shipping and a FREE eye cream ($60 value!)

Let's get your skin ready in time for the holidays! 
We have products for all skin types.

If you want to know what products are best for your skin, take my solutions tool HERE.

Email me to get started or if you have questions!
melissa_larson17@yahoo.com


What I'm Watching........
EVERYTHING!! LOL!
It's Fall TV Premier Week!

 I posted my favorite shows & new shows that I am going to try on THIS post.
Bring on Fall TV!!!



What I'm Reading.....
I finished Into the Water
It was just okay. I liked Girl on the Train so much better.

Last week I started The Zookeepers Wife but have only read a few chapters.

I am in a Bible Study and we are reading Present Over Perfect.
 Loving it so far.

September has been a slow reading month for me...Back to School always slows down my reading...I'm just too tired at night. Hoping to read more books next month :)



What I'm Listening to.....
Love Pandora's Top Hits and one of my favorites is Look What You Made Me Do by Taylor Swift.



When I first heard it, I wasn't a fan. But since it has been played over 100 times, it is growing on me & I like it! 



What I'm Wearing.....
Unfortunately I am not wearing Fall clothes consistently yet.
It is still in the 90's. Boo!
We had a couple days last week where it was in the high 70's/low 80's so I did wear jeans!
I will be wearing this a lot:

  Shirt // Pants Stitch Fix //  Flats!

I can't wait for bootie season!
I love these booties
They come in 3 colors...black, tan & darker brown:
I got them at the Anniversary Sale this summer.

I also LOVE these...They come in 4 colors and are under $80.
Jeans & Bootie Season is the best season! 


What I’m doing this weekend.....
My niece's wedding!!!!!
Kate & Claire are flower girls and Luke is the ring bearer.
We are all so excited for her big day!


What I'm Looking Forward to next month.....
Decorating for Fall. I am weird and don't decorate for Fall until October 1st.
It's still so hot here in September, so I wait until October to decorate.
It just doesn't feel right having pumpkins out when it's 90 degrees.
I really should live on the East Coast where there is a real Fall.


What else is new.....
Backyard renovations are still in full swing...now that the outdoor bar/kitchen is finished, Kevin has moved onto building the outdoor living area & it's coming right along....it's going to be amazing.
 There will be a full roof on the structure....Can't wait for shade in my backyard!


Question of the month is:
What TV Show are you most excited about this Fall?
THREE WORDS....THIS IS US!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 Did you watch it last night?
Also, did you see the news about Fixer Upper?
ALL THE TEARS.
I made this graphic last night & posted it on IG last night.
I'm having fun making these :)
+++++++++++++

If you are new to my blog, thanks for stopping by!
Feel free to follow along! 
You can find me on Bloglovin, Facebook & Instagram

Can't wait to read about What's up with all of YOU!

LinkWithin

Blog Widget by LinkWithin