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November 6, 2018 By Melinda 4 Comments

Countdown to Christmas Cookies!

Yes, I have to admit that I am one of those people who starts to listen to Christmas music early in the season. For this reason, and many others, I was more than excited to take part in my friend Kristen’s, from Ella Claire Inspired, Christmas Cookie Recipe Exchange!

I decided to not just share a cookie recipe, but a tradition as well. This tradition has not just played a role with my own family, but one that I fondly grew up taking part in myself.

What is it you ask?

The Countdown to Christmas Cookies of course!

My two sisters, brother, and I always received little treats on the days leading up to the Christmas holiday. Beginning on December 1st we would wake up to a cookie and a small treat. As a child it was something that I always looked forward to and knew that I would one day incorporate into my own holiday traditions with my children as well.

In Christmas’ past, I have placed the cookies and small Christmas treats in a small white paper bag. I hung them on a piece of twine in the playroom for the children to be greeted with in the morning.

Very soon, this tradition will be making its appearance again and I for one am looking forward to it!

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Countdown To Christmas Cookies Recipe

Ingredients

2 sticks of unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups of granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp of Pure Vanilla Extract
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 cups of All-Purpose Flour

Method

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees
Place butter in a bowl and beat until smooth.
Add the sugar and mix until combined.
Add eggs one at a time mixing well
Add the vanilla, salt and baking powder and mix
Mix in the flour one cup at a time and mix just until the ingredients are combined.
Divide the dough into 3 discs and roll each one out.
Freeze for 10-15 minutes and cut out your cookie shapes.
Bake 6-9 minutes.

Please be sure to visit my amazing friends, who are also joining me on this cookie exchange, for more holiday inspiration and delicious cookie recipes.

{MORE COOKIES FROM THE EXCHANGE}

The Perfect Soft Gingerbread Cookies by Ella Claire | Classic Sugar Cookies by Nina Hendrick Design Co. | Plaid Sugar Cookies by Craftberry Bush | Buttery Shortbread Cookies with Icing Sugar by A Burst of Beautiful | German Chocolate Cake Cookies by City Farmhouse

Cranberry Orange Walnut Tassies by Inspired by Charm | Eggnog Gooey Butter Cookies by Julie Blanner | All Natural Orange Almond Cookies by Tidbits | Choco-mallow Peppermint Cookies by Summer Adams Designs | Nutella Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies by Love Grows Wild

Paleo Chocolate Cranberry Cookies by Nesting with Grace | Raspberry Gingersnap Sandwiches by anderson + grant | Christmas Tree Gingerbread Cookies by Rooms for Rent | Large Thumbprint Cookies by So Much Better with Age | Rum Balls by Tidy Mom

Countdown to Christmas Cookies by House 214 Design | GF + DF Gingerbread Sugar Cookies by Zevy Joy | Christmas Shortbread Cookies by Boxwood Avenue | Double Chocolate Christmas Cookies by Nest of Posies | Almond Sugar Cookies by My Sweet Savannah

M&M Peanut Butter Cookies by Sweet C’s | Rustic Granola Cookies by Farmhouse on Boone

September 28, 2018 By Melinda Leave a Comment

Authentic Autumn Home Decorating

One thought that I have when it comes to the home is the idea of an authentic home vs. a “decorated” home. It comes up more I think when the seasons begin to change and I start to see all of the new seasonal pieces filling the shelves in stores that I frequently shop.

Truth be told, I used to fall into that second group, of a “decorated” home, when it came to decorating my home for the seasons. I would pick up pieces here and there with not much reason behind them, other then I liked it. That was the problem, my only reasoning for putting it in my house was that “I liked it”. The bottom line was that just because I liked something didn’t mean that I should be putting it in my home. When we put everything we like in our homes we end up with a “hodge podge” feeling and a house full of stuff. There needs to be intention behind what we are choosing for our homes.

I realized that I wanted my home to feel authentic and real and not just”decorated” anymore when it came to the seasons. But, how was I supposed to do this? I discovered that using materials, pieces, and details that created the feeling of the season in my home would have it feeling more authentic and real.

On a side note, I do want to explain that there is no right or wrong when it comes to decorating your home for the season. Why? Because when a piece is authentic to you then it is right for you and your home. As long as you stay focused (and don’t stray from your path) and have intention behind what you are choosing your home will feel real and authentic to you.

If you want to get started and learn how to decorate your home for the autumn season in a real and authentic way I am offering a workshop, “Twelve Days of Simple Autumn Decorating” that will start Monday, October 1, 2018. It is perfect for any home, any budget, and any decorating ability. This is live and in real time, so we are in this together everyday for 12 days! Learn more here!

November 13, 2017 By Melinda 6 Comments

Old-Fashioned Gingerbread Cookies

The “Tastes of The Seasons” series is continuing into the holidays. I am honored to take part in this series, created by Ella Claire, with 15 other talented bloggers. We are sharing some of our favorite cookie recipes that are sure to have you in the kitchen baking for friends and family in no time.

Let’s get started!

Old-fashioned gingerbread cookies are a staple at this time of year. I generally make one batch of the dough (this recipe makes a lot)and bake small amounts throughout the season. I use them for gifts for friends and treats for the children.

The activity that we enjoy the most with these cookies is preparing a special plate of treats for Santa on Christmas Eve. Different colors of icing and fun embellishments make for some fun creations!

Gingerbread boys and girls make up all of the ornaments on what I call the “kitchen tree” that sits in a corner of our kitchen. It is a living tree and a small version of the one that stands in the living room. The gingerbread boys and girls hang on the tree branches with holiday red ribbons as simple decorations.

Old-Fashioned Gingerbread Cookies

Ingredients and Method Below

Please be sure to visit my amazing friends, who are also joining me on this tour, for more holiday inspiration and delicious cookie recipes.

{MORE COOKIES FROM THE TASTE OF THE SEASONS SERIES}

Cranberry Orange White Chocolate Chip Cookies by Ella Claire | Pecan Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Cookies by A Burst of Beautiful | Cinnamon Cookies by Zevy Joy | Gingerbread Houses by Miss Mustard Seed

Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti by anderson + grant | Paleo Double Chocolate Chip Peppermint Cookies by Nesting with Grace | Chocolate Crinkles Cookies by So Much Better with Age | Cranberry Rosemary Butter Cookies by Nina Hendrick Design Co.

Gluten Free Coconut Fudge Bites by City Farmhouse | Maple Sugar House Cookies by Finding Home Farms | Honey Nut Rugelach by Love Grows Wild | Red Velvet Oreo Cheesecake Cookies by Nest of Posies

Mexican Spicy Chocolate Cookies by Maison de Pax | Coconut Shortbread Cookies by My Sweet Savannah | Old Fashioned Gingerbread Cookies by House 214 | Cinnamon and Sugar Lattice Pie Crust Cookies by Craftberry Bush

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October 9, 2017 By Melinda 5 Comments

My Mother’s Thanksgiving Bread

I was inspired to start filling our home with tastes and aromas from the past. It is always a simple pleasure to cook these recipes and one that fills my heart to the fullest.

There are recipes that you make only during certain times of the year, aren’t there? One that holds true for me is my mother’s Sally Lunn Bread recipe from her Pepperidge Farm Cookbook.

As a child, and even still today, more often than not The Pepperidge Farm Cookbook could be found sprawled on a counter in my parent’s kitchen. My mom cooked many of our family week night dinners from the recipes that filled that book.

There were other recipes in the cookbook that only found their way onto the family table for special occasions. Sally Lunn Bread was one such recipe.

“Sally”, as my siblings and I called this bread, would take center stage on a crystal cake stand on the beautifully dressed Thanksgiving table. We would all fill our holiday plates with a healthy slice of “Sally” and more often than not sneak a second piece.

On the rare occasion that we did have “Sally” leftovers we would toast slices for breakfast the next morning. Spreading pats of butter on top and enjoying every bite as it melted.

My mom surprised my sisters and I one Christmas with a gift she found on eBay. She had found three original versions of the cookbook that played such a large part of our family meals growing up.

And do you know what? It wasn’t Thanksgiving time, but “Sally” was still the first recipe I made from that book.

Sally Lunn Bread Recipe

Ingredients

1 cup milk
1/3 cup sugar
2 t salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1/2 cup warm water
2 packages of yeast
3 eggs well beaten
4 – 4/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

Method

Heat your oven to 350 degrees. I use the dough hook for my mixer when making this recipe.
In a mixer, combine 1 1/2 cup of sifted flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Blend until mixed.
Scald the milk then add the butter. Remove from the stovetop and cool down until lukewarm.
Add the milk & butter mixture along with the water to the dry ingredients. Blend together.
Next add the eggs and 2 1/2 cups of sifted flour to the mixer and beat on high for 2 minutes.
Add remaining 1/2 cup of sifted flour if needed.
Cover; let rise in a warm place, until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
Stir down the dough, pour into a well-greased 10-inch-angel food cake pan.
Cover, let rise in a warm place, for another 30 minutes.
Bake in a hot oven (350 degrees) for 30-40 minutes until brown on top (depending on your oven).

*You can also use 2 well greased 8-inch-square cake pans

August 30, 2017 By Melinda 9 Comments

Apple Crisp And A Hello To Autumn

I am truly honored to be taking part in the “Tastes of the Season” series with some of my talented and inspirational blogging friends. We will be sharing some of our favorite seasonal recipes over the coming months. Each feature in the series will focus on a different recipe theme. Today, we are all sharing a favorite apple recipe. Let’s get started!

Doesn’t apple picking seem to always make its way onto your autumn “to-do list”? It usually falls somewhere in between hay rides, pumpkin picking, and bonfires. I know it does on mine!

Once autumn makes its entrance, apple picking is one of my favorite activities to do with our family. We have been embarking on this little “field trip” since our first child was born almost 14 years ago. I still look forward to this time of year and making our way out to the same orchard year after year filling our bags to the rim with fresh apples.

Now, what to do with all of those apples once we get them home always seems to be another story. There are only so many apples you can eat in a day!

When my husband and I were married in 2000 and I became a “Real McCoy”, one of my bridal shower gifts was the McCoy family cookbook. It may not look like much, but what it holds inside those now worn pages are family recipes passed down from generation to generation.

One of those recipes is Grandma Louise’s apple crisp. I love it because it is a family recipe that has been made throughout past autumn days. Another reason I enjoy it is that it only requires ingredients that I always seem to have on hand. Always a winner in my book!

I always feel a sense of joy when I see our children eating this special dish. Knowing that generations before gathered around the table at this same time of year and enjoyed the same dish is a special connection to the past. I hope you and your family enjoy it as well.