Little House on the Prairie: Apple Pie in the Orchard

"Ma was busy all day long, cooking good things for Christmas. She baked salt-rising bread and 'Injun bread,' Swedish crackers, and a huge pan of baked beans, with salt pork and molasses. She baked vinegar pies and dried-apple pies, and filled a big jar with cookies, and she let Laura and Mary lick the cake spoon."

- Little House in the Big Woods, Laura Ingalls Wilder

Disclaimer: The pictures you are about to see in no way actually represent the weekend our families spent together recently. The photos look so peaceful. Let me assure you that thirteen children running around the yearly hoopla that we call "Grandma Camp" is anything but. So, being the thoughtful and dutiful daughters that we are, we dumped our kids in our saintly mother's lap and ran as fast as we could to the orchard, or more appropriately: Heaven.  It was an idyllic setting for an apple-themed feast in honor of Laura Ingalls Wilder and Ma's dried apple pies.

We baked a homemade apple pie...

. . . set the table with these lovely thrift store finds, mixed with our ma's precious china . . .

...monogrammed apple placecards, using a gold permanent marker...

. . . And hung words in frames from the trees . . .

(We used some fall-themed words because this seemed like a perfect feast for apple harvest time)

Wouldn't you like to join us for a slice? They are very reasonably priced, after all :)

Finally, I would just like to bid adieu to Mrs. Wilder.  I want to thank her for the quiet moments this month when I have read to my little ladies about Charlotte the doll, and felt thankful for the simplest things. For the way I have seen their eyes light up when we talked about maple candy. Mostly, for the excitement in their eyes that started in mine many years ago. There's some sort of magic in her books that snuck into my heart as a child, and I haven't been able to let it go after all this time. 

Now, I hope you will stay with us in the coming month as we venture into a land of fairies and marvelous mischief: Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream."

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Little House on the Prairie: Words of Wisdom

"There is no comfort anywhere for anyone who dreads to go home."

“The true way to live is to enjoy every moment as it passes, and surely it is in the everyday things around us that the beauty of life lies.” 

“A good laugh overcomes more difficulties and dissipates more dark clouds than any other one thing.”  

That Mrs. Wilder was one smart lady. We have had such a lovely month re-reading her beautiful works. My daughters have been enthralled with "Little House in the Big Woods," and "Little House on the Prairie." But my second little lady came to me with the BFG and asked me to read it to her today (Mind you, she only knows how to say approximately 4 words, but BFG is apparently one of them) And so I can see, it is time to move on.

(And no, July will not be 'The BFG' month.)

Check back tomorrow for our farewell to Laura Ingalls Wilder from the Apple orchard.
See you soon!

Little House on the Prairie: Rustic Bread

"With yeast cakes, Ma set the sponge for light bread that night, and she put the dried apples to soak for pies."

- The Long Winter, Laura Ingalls Wilder

I get a bee in my bonnet sometimes to find "THE ULTIMATE..." cupcake, pie crust, etc. etc. A few years ago, rustic bread became my quest. And you know what? Most of those recipes are horrible!!! Not because they make horrible bread; they make amazing bread. But they take too much effort for one loaf. And this is coming from someone who really really loves her bread. So after weeks of heating up my house, baking on stones, spritzing water into 500 degree ovens, I threw up my hands in defeat. Not worth it. Not worth it at all. Until now....

This bread is MAGIC! It requires no kneading (I usually use a stand mixer anyways, so it was no big deal to me either way,) but the magic truly lies in the outcome: airy, soft, chewy bread surrounded in that buttery crunchy crust that is completely irresistible. I cannot tell you enough about how much I love this bread (And I swear by my thighs: I know bread.) The one negative is that you have to plan a day ahead. It is "18 hour bread," after all. But roughly 17.75 hours of that title are consumed in you sleeping, eating breakfast, etc. So here is the link to the recipe from the New York Times & Sullivan Street Bakery:

18 hour bread

 Try it with some butter and homemade apple butter.

I should have never doubted Erika's second son. For some reason we were discussing this bread a while back (before I tried it), and he spoke of it in very reverent tones, assuring me of its magical qualities. I think if there is any bread in this world that commands that kind of awe in a ten year old boy, it is worth a try.

As a note, I do not own one of those fancy cast iron pots; Le creuset has failed to show up at any of the garage sales I frequent. So I used a cast iron skillet and domed foil around it for the first 30 mins, and removed it afterward. It worked like a charm. You can also use a dutch oven if you have one of those collecting dust in the garage. 

Also, I used bread flour :)

Happy eating!!!

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Stuff and Nonsense

Rattlebridge Farm
2805

My Romantic Home
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Little House on the Prairie: A Vintage Bedroom for Little Girls

"Bedtime for little girls!" Ma said cheerfully.  Not even Baby Carrie was sleepy yet, but Ma took them all into the house.  She told Mary and Laura to get to bed, and she put Baby Carrie's little nightgown on and laid her in the big bed."

~ Laura Ingalls Wilder, Little House on the Prairie

The middle of June is sacred around here.  It's not a religious holiday, but it might as well be:  It's the Parade of Homes.  When I try to describe my love for this observance to my husband, his eyes blink with fear as he imagines all the projects I'll have for him to "help" with when I finish my tour.  I know several women who don't enjoy "parading" because it makes them dissatisfied with their own homes.  I couldn't feel more differently.  I delight in thoughtful floor plans, delightful decorating, posh living, and the fact that at the end of the day, I don't have to clean their thousands of square feet or pay for it.  It's vicarious living at its best.

Yesterday I saw a room that made my heart stop in its tracks.  I have sons, not daughters, but when I showed my boys the pictures of the room, even my 11-year-old said, "Oh, Mom.  That's the girls' room of your heart, isn't it?"  Yes, son.  Yes it is.  Every girl needs a room like this, whether they are six or sixty, living in a castle or in a house on a prairie.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did . . .  

{Interior Design by Maryann Mathison}

 

Here is a view of the beds as you enter the door.  I would call this room "shabby chic," but the term doesn't seem to do it justice.  I like to think of it as "sentimental with vintage elegance."

I love the smooth crystal of the chandelier against the rough slats of the shutters.  

The perfect contrast.

Here is an adorable little message center for the girls hung at their height.  

And the mini dress form is about as cute as it gets.

The framed and painted door is such a simple touch, but I think it makes the room.  That muted blue hue paired with the crystal knob and the sheen of the glass makes a simple closet simply beautiful. 

This framed christening gown ALMOST makes me want to have another baby.  

The inclusion of the baby photograph with the dress is my favorite part.

The detailed corbels and French frame on this vanity are stunning.

This picture makes me think every book deserves to be wrapped in linen and ribbon and lace.

This little girls' room has an ensuite bathroom that is just as lovely as the bedroom.  Each girl has a side of the bathroom with her own sink, vanity, and chandelier.  This is the "pink" side of the room.

And this is the "blue" side of the bathroom.  I'd be pleased as punch with either. 

 

May your June be full of parades---especially of the "home" variety!  

(More parade favorites coming soon!)

Linking to:

Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage

Fridays Unfolded at Stuff and Nonsense
Inspiration Friday at At the Picket Fence
Home Sweet Home Friday at The Charm of Home

Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home

Vintage Inspiration at Common Ground

Saturday Night Special at Funky Junk Interiors
Weekend Bloggy Reading at Serenity Now 
Tutorials and Tips at Homestories A to Z

Little House on the Prairie: Lemonade Bar

'Is your lemonade sweet enough?’ Mrs. Oleson asked. So Laura knew that it was lemonade in the glasses. She had never tasted anything like it.

~ On the Banks of Plum Creek, Laura Ingalls Wilder

It is roughly, oh, 8 MILLION DEGREES here right now! Cool lemonade is a welcome respite from the unrelenting heat all around us---even if we made the mistake of setting this up outside. 

I made a couple of carnival booths for a birthday party recently, but they work perfectly as lemonade stands too, so I set up a "Lemonade Bar." I started by pureeing a bunch of fruit and pouring it all into mason jars.

Then I printed these letters onto packing paper using the free font "Showboat":

Then I strung jute through them...

(You could hang this from your patio, or even from two dowels stuck in the grass)

And I printed the name of each fruit or mix-in on more packing paper

 (Again, with the showboat font) and wrapped each paper around the corresponding jar...

I made some delicious lemonade, 

added some fresh mint and vanilla syrup to the spread, 

and we all had at it!

 

My favorite combo was Strawberry Mango lemonade with Mint leaves.

This was a ton of fun. 

You might even end up with a lemonade server if you wait around long enough :)

I can't recommend this enough---especially for a 4th of July party.

Best of luck!

Linking Up:
Tutorials Tips and Tidbits at StoneGable

Thriving on Thursdays at Domesblissity
Transformation Thursday at The Shabby Creek Cottage 
Treasure Hunt Thursday at From My Front Porch to Yours 
Foodie Friday at Rattlebridge Farm
Strut Your Stuff Saturday at Six Sisters' Stuff
Weekend Wrap Up at Tatertots and Jello 
Tip Me Tuesday at Tip Junkie 
Tutorials and Tips @ Homestories A to Z 
Tuesday's Treasures @ My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
Cowgirl Up! at Cedar Hill Ranch 

Little House on the Prairie: Real Things Printable

Lest you think that we have dropped off the face of the planet, I thought I'd pop in to say hello and impart a little gem of wisdom from Mrs. Wilder.

I will be back tomorrow with all sorts of fun stuff to share, but until then I wish you all of what is real :)

Little House on the Prairie: White Chicken Chili

"Bean porridge hot, bean porridge cold

bean porridge in the pot, nine days old

Some like it hot, some like it cold

Some like it in the pot, nine days old."

- On the Banks of Plum Creek, Laura Ingalls Wilder

I want you to know that America's Test Kitchen has almost NEVER steered me wrong. And this recipe is no exception.  This is PRIZE WINNING chili. I have literally won a prize in a chili cook off for making this. It is DELISH! And I concede that Laura Ingalls Wilder probably never ate this particular kind of chili, but I can almost guarantee she would have loved it. Everyone else I know does. Enjoy! 

White Chicken Chili
Very slightly adapted from America's Test Kitchen

3 cans Cannellini Beans, rinsed and drained
1 16oz can White Hominy
2 Cans Chicken Broth
salt
6 Bone in, Skin on Chicken Thighs (The cheap kind- yay!)
1 TBSP veggie oil
2 onions
4 Jalapenos, de-seeded
6 Cloves Garlic
4 tsp. Cumin
2 tsp. ground coriander
1 bunch of fresh cilantro
2 TBSP drained jarred pickled jalapenos, chopped fine

1. Puree 1 can beans with the hominy, a can of broth, and 3/4 tsp. salt until totally smooth. Pour in crock pot.
2. Pat the chicken dry and salt and pepper both sides. Heat oil on med high heat til just smoking in a large skillet, and add the chicken breasts to the pan, skin side down. Cook them there for 5-10 minutes, or until the skin gets nicely browned and crispy. Take them off the heat and when you can handle them, take the skin off and throw them in the crock pot.
3. Pour off all but 1 TBSP of grease from the chicken pan. Finely chop the onion and jalapeno. I like to throw them in the food processor. Then add them to the pan with 1/2 tsp salt and cook til golden. Mince the garlic, and add along with the cumin, and coriander. Cook just 30 seconds more. Add HALF of this mix to the crock pot, and reserve the other half.
4. Add the rest of the beans to the crock pot, and cook on low for 4 hours or until the chicken is cooked through. Take the thighs out and shred the meat, discarding the bones. Put the chicken back in along with 1/2 of the cilantro you have chopped and the other half of the onion mixture, and your pickled jalapenos. Mix it all up and garnish with remaining cilantro, avocado, lime, and sour cream. OR none of that. My family loved it just plain too :)

Bonus: It travels well!
Wouldn't you love to find this in your lunch pail?

Little House on the Prairie: Mason Jar Lanterns

"But in the east the sky was pale and through the gray woods came lanterns with wagons and horses, bringing Grandpa and Grandma and aunts and uncles and cousins."

-Laura Ingalls Wilder

So, I promised my dear Erika that I would handle last night's post, and promptly fell asleep. So I now have to apologize both to her (for being a lame sister,) and to you (for the lame picture I took of this craft.)

Nighttime is apparently not a good time for light. Go figure. Anyways, I wanted to make some cute lanterns, but I have a problem: where I live, if you light a match over a bathtub, somehow a forest catches fire.  So this is my solution.

I filled Pint size jars with about 1/2 cup sugar and a flameless candle (I found mine at Costco- 9.99 for 24 of them) and because they don't need oxygen, I got to use my CUTE little antique vintage lids on the jars. :)

Then I used about 3 feet or so of jute string and tied it like so:

And I hung up our lanterns! So easy, and the girls thought it made the evening very special. Best part? Nothing to blow out, no wax to clean up, and I can use the jars for Ma's homemade preserves when the time comes.  Have a lovely Sunday!

Linking up: 

Craftomaniac - Not just a Housewife -