cranberry apple crisp

Cranberry Apple CrispIf you love a good fruit crisp then you have got to try this twist on a classic cranberry and apple recipe. It’s got all the standbys…tart fruit, check – cinnamon, check – oats, check. But what this one has that many others do not is an extra crunch in the topping (from nuts no less) and a little zing from some orange zest in the filling. It is without a doubt one of my favorite crisps to date.

Cranberry Apple CrispCan we talk about how unreal it is that Thanksgiving is just around the corner? When I was a kid November felt like an eternity because as we all know the official countdown to Christmas couldn’t start until Thanksgiving dinner had been served. As an adult things feel rushed, like we are trying to zoom straight to December 25th, without even a pumpkin left out for turkey day. Don’t get me wrong, I love both holidays… I just wish this one was savored a tad more. What could be better than food, people we love and more food? Not much if you ask me.

Cranberry Apple Crisp Cranberry Apple CrispI have yet to decide what exactly I am bringing for our Thanksgivings (we are lucky, we get to celebrate twice on separate days). But a fruit dessert is almost always on my roster. This crisp would make a wonderful addition to anyone’s table!

Enjoy!

brandyjsig

 

 

cranberry apple crisp
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • For the topping:
  • 1cup rolled oats
  • ¾cup all purpose flour
  • ⅔cup brown sugar
  • ¼tsp kosher salt
  • 6tbsp butter, melted
  • 1.4cup chopped walnuts (optional)
  • For the filling:
  • 5 large apples peeled, cored and sliced into ¼" thick slices
  • 1½cups fresh or frozen cranberries
  • ⅔cup granulated sugar
  • 1tbsp cornstarch
  • 1½tsp cinnamon
  • 1tsp orange zest (optional)
Instructions
  1. Preheat an oven 375ºF. Grease an 8X8 baking dish.
  2. To make the topping mix all topping ingredients in a medium bowl. Press the ingredients together gently with your fingers until small clumps form. Place bowl in freezer while you make the filling.
  3. For the filling place apples, cranberries, sugar, cinnamon and zest in a large bowl and toss together. Dump into the prepared dish and spread evenly.
  4. Gently press the topping on top of filling evenly. Place in the oven for 60 to 70 minutes or until the crisp is bubbly and topping is a little golden. Cool for 20 minutes and then serve with vanilla ice cream.

recipe slightly adapted from Once Upon a Chef

“http://prettyplainjanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/cranberry_apple_crisp_pin.jpg”>Cranberry Apple Crisp
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tooth ferry and crew

Sorry for the posting fail. We are away and the internet is not quite as in tact as I hoped. (Plus I am on vacation and not stressing so I sort of tried once and then said whatever.) There are posts set to go for this week and I will get them up, eventually…

Halloween this year was chaotic, cute and fun. Just as Halloween should be, right?! It is quite the whirlwind weekend, one that is well worth it once you see those littles in their costumes. This year we went with a tooth fairy theme since Jettie really wanted to be a fairy (and specifically the tooth fairy after she learned what she actually was). I am obsessed with how dreamy her dress turned out.. and that tooth, oh that tooth! That is one snuggable molar! (Thanks to my mom for Bing’s wonderful costume!)

halloween_2015_2A few outtakes to show the true side of Halloween.

tooth fairy costumeSticky and I threw on our costumes for the afternoon trick-o-treating. Our tradition is to hand out candy as opposed to taking the kids door to door. Jettie loved being in charge of the candy-handing-out this year. And Bing, well..he mostly just got mad because we wouldn’t let him eat his weight in candy.

tooth fairy costume

Another fantastic year in the books! (We still get asked if we are the spaghetti house – I am not sure we will ever top that costume.)

xo,

brandyjsig

 

 

 

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#ppjhalloween

Our family costumes are hitting the blog later today but for now I wanted to share some of the fabulous readers who tagged #ppjhalloween! You guys have no idea how much I enjoy seeing all of your creativity and ADORABLE kidlets. It especially warms my heart to see some PPJ costumes DIY’d – you guys ROCK!

There is no way possible I could ever pick a favorite. They are all far too fabulous:

#halloween2015 #ppjhalloweenThanks again to everyone who tagged #ppjhalloween! You have made a holiday I already love even more fun!

xo,

brandyjsig

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holiday iced coffee

Holiday Iced CoffeeThis recipe has been popping up in my various social media feed for weeks now (probably longer since I feel deja vu whenever I see it). And every time I think…wow, that sounds yum. There is absolutely nothing there that would make that not yum. I was 100% correct.

The “official” image says to freeze coffee cubes and throw some Baileys and vanilla vodka on top. While that is definitely a delicious drink, I knew I would need a little half & half in order to avoid becoming “too festive” after my delicious cocktail consumption. But by all means, if you can handle your alcohol go for the no half & half route.

Holiday Iced Coffee Holiday Iced Coffee

Don’t you just want to reach in the screen and take a sip? Where is that technology anyways? I saw a man tattoo 3D nipples onto a lady the other day (on tv, not in person). If we can do that surely we have the technology for instant beverage consumption via blogpost?!

Holiday Iced CoffeeSince we are on the subject of nipple.. I mean, cocktails.. let’s talk about what you and your family like to drink over the holidays. Can be virgin or full of the hard stuff – doesn’t matter. I simply want to know what everyone’s traditions are. I alway make sangria at my family’s Thanksgiving. (Playing with a recipe now that I hope becomes postable soon.) And never has a tree been trimmed in our home without some spiked eggnog. Jettie loves homemade hot chocolate. (Who wouldn’t?!) Bingham has yet to enjoy any beverage past water but we will work on him. Anyways..what are you guys drinking?… Hopefully this soon!

Cheers!

brandyjsig

 

 

5.0 from 2 reviews
holiday iced coffee
 
Prep time
Total time
 
Serves: 2 drinks
Ingredients
  • frozen coffee cubes (pour cooled coffee into ice cube trays and freeze)
  • 6oz Baileys Irish Cream
  • 2oz vanilla vodka (if you only have plain throw a tiny splash of vanilla in drink)
  • 6oz half&half
Instructions
  1. Fill 2 small glasses with coffee cubes and top with cream, vodka and half&half. Sip slowly and enjoy.

Holiday Iced Coffee
Posted in brunch, cheers!, recipes | Tagged | 11 Comments

costume considerations

If you are anything like me you are frantically wrapping up costumes for tomorrow. The kids are pretty much done – Sticky and I’s ensembles have some work to be done but I know that somehow, someway things will come together. They always do.

Just like last year, we have a family costume and then Stick and I need something for a fantastic Halloween event we attend at the Wassenberg Art Center. Last year’s was far too fabulous and easy – making finding one for this year extra difficult. We landed on something easy, I am not certain how fabulous it is yet though. (We and you shall see.) Here were some of our runner-ups for consideration:

Halloween Couples Costumes

June and Johnny Cash – serious contenders that I am glad we decided against since it was done in our small community just last weekend. (It’s like wearing the same dress, you don’t want to show up wearing the same costume as someone else!) /The Kissing Sailor – I love, Love, LOVE this one… but we weren’t sure everyone would get it unless we were in the kiss pose all night. As much as I love kissing my man that’s not exactly practical. (But I still love it.)/Pinata – this is one is a little “everywhere” at the moment but I think it’s adorable and very doable for anyone. The other person doesn’t even have to be a piñata. They can simply be the party goer with a blindfold and a stick./Running with Scissors – this one I wanted to post for the sheer fact that I think it is funny and brilliant! Seriously, these two OWN Halloween in that get-up!

Please share ALL your costume fun by tagging #PPJHalloween! I will be sharing some of my favorites!

xo,

brandyjsig

 

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