A Recipe (and other ramblings)

Okay, I need to tell you about our weekend in Auburn. But first I want to share this apple pie recipe with you. I LOVE it. My mom has made it my whole life, and it comes from the Junior League Magic cookbook - the old school one with different colored pages and recipes from a typewriter. I tried to be all super-bloggy and take pictures to go along with it. Not because I know how to operate a camera (because that is not the case:)), but because I really enjoy recipes with pictures so I can follow along and make it and feel like I am doing it right. And, I am a sucker for seeing a recipe on a blog and making it almost immediately!

Now, you don't have to make this. I won't know. But, you will be sad if you don't - and don't be scared by the name. I don't even like sour cream!

Sour Cream Apple Pie:

Ingredients: 2 tablespoons flour, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1 egg (slightly beaten), 8 oz. carton sour cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 2 cups very thinly sliced apples, 9-inch deep dish pie shell (unbaked)

Crumb Topping: 1/4 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 stick butter (melted)

First, I sliced up the apple. Made very easy by this handy apple peeler/corer/slicer. I saw it a few years ago while teaching about Johnny Appleseed to second graders. So easy! I used to let my students use it, and then we would take the skins to the turtles in the courtyard. Oh, memories. Maybe I could improvise and have Turner give it to Gordon (who he now refers to constantly as "Cordie" - close enough).

I cut up 6, because I am making these pies for our Thanksgiving feast at Mother's Day Out. One will surely not be enough - these women don't play - so I am doing 2. I would cut up 3 apples if I were making one pie, knowing there might be some leftover apple in the end.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Sift flour, sugar, salt and nutmeg into a large bowl.

Do people still sift? Just wondering.

Stir in beaten egg, sour cream, and vanilla.

Fold in apples; spoon into pastry shell.

I poke little holes in the crust to "let it breathe" - I am such a chef.

Bake for 15 minutes. Lower heat to 350 degrees and bake 30 minutes longer.

Mix crumb topping ingredients.

Melt butter in microwave

I have learned to use a taller bowl and mix dry ingredients together first. Then, pour in the butter.

Sprinkle this onto this partially baked pie

Remove pie from oven. Reset oven to 400 degrees. Sprinkle pie with topping and return to oven.

Bake 10 minutes longer or until topping is browned. Cool slightly on wire rack before serving.

Voila. If this chef could make it, then you can too!

Delicious. Trust me.

And what were the boys doing while I was doing by daily ritual of waking up and baking? Ha.

John Burke was jumping, which is his favorite pastime. And Turner was shirtless, due to an unfortunate incident with oatmeal COVERING his clothes.

I kept hearing him say "No, Duck!" and open and close the fridge. This is why!

I laughed so hard when I saw this that I snorted and it really freaked him out!

Turner has a froggy voice right now because he and Burke Burke were sick this weekend. Well, Friday at school, I forgot to put John Burke's baby food in his bag. Turns out I did put it in, and someone with little hands dumped his bag out in the car, but that is beside the point. Anyway, his teachers put rice cereal in his bottle. He threw up immediately after drinking it.

Fast forward to the car ride to Auburn. I gave him a bottle, and he spit every bit of it back up. Great that it happened in Chelsea, and we had a friend in the front seat - so I felt bad for the wonderful spit up smell all the way down. Oh, well. He was totally fine after that.

T with his friend Mary

The next day we woke up and tailgated. Turner had so much fun playing the football, and John Burke enjoyed being held by anyone that would pick him up. He is not picky!

And we went to a book signing of God and Football by the famous Chad Gibbs (a college friend - can't wait to read it).

Then, we went back to the house and our angel Amy Hand (a dear friend from college) watched the kids at the house so we could enjoy the game! So. Fun. Gorgeous and exciting and a relief not to have to watch and entertain little munchkins the whole time!

And, none of this:

Heath had to do something at church on Sunday, so we decided to come home after the game. We got home and went to bed. I woke up around 1 and checked on the boys. The baby was peacefully sleeping, but Turner was standing in his bed saying, "Momma, eat." What?! I walked over to the bed and saw throw up. Ughhhh. I picked him up and then he threw up in my hands. That is a mother's love by the way - it was so so so gross. But, I had to be strong for his little pitiful, terrified self. (Then I ran to the sink and gagged). He took a bath and watched some Sesame Street while I did laundry, wiped everything with Clorox wipes and then sprayed Lysol everywhere.

Then Heath got up and made a pallet on the floor and they "slept" there the rest of the night. Needless to say, we didn't sleep any and Sunday we stayed around here so Sicky could recover. Luckily, Slumpy never got any worse. Still don't know if he started it, or if Turner got it somewhere else and Slump missed it. I don't care - as long as it is gone. Meanwhile, Kate's mom had it, and so did Heath's sister, her husband, and Heath's dad. Terrible. Oh, and we passed it to sweet Amy who babysat. Sorry isn't even enough!!

So, yesterday we laid low around the house. Here is an action shot that sums up our day.

Also taken from my phone

Luckily today we are back in business!! War Eagle!!

P.S. - I have been meaning to share this for a few weeks. A couple of weeks ago my diagonal neighbors (who I had never met), had a truck FULL of pumpkins in their driveway. I put the kids down for a nap, and then wandered over there to see if it was a joke. I thought surely it was, since Halloween is over. Nope. They were decorating with them. And before I knew it, they offered and quickly "decorated" my yard for me. Heath's response when he came home from work was so funny. "Why all the pumpkins?" Good question. And I have left them there - part out of rebellion against our Homeowners Association and part because they will notice if I throw them away. Hope they make you laugh - we are nothing if not Thanksgiving festive!!

These plus these

equal 18 total!! Jealous?