A Taste of Fall: Baking With Apples

Picking apples in the fall is a family activity that even teenagers can get behind. Who can resist a fresh, crisp apple just picked off the tree?  Every fall I bring out my favorite baking recipes and heat up the oven. This year I needed a recipe for a potluck and came up with a new one by piecing together several recipes. It turned out to be a keeper, and a huge hit. I've included this recipe (Caramel Apple Oatmeal Bars) and several more plus tips on which apples work best for baking in a new article here:
http://oldfashionedliving.com/Baking-with-Apples.html

I hope you and your family are enjoying the cool fall days!

~Brenda

Fall in the Garden and Orchard

A tangerine and russet cascade
Of kaleidoscopic leaves
Creates a tapestry of autumn magic
Upon the emerald carpet of fading summer.
~Judith A. Lindber

Yesterday was apple orchard day at our house and we had a wonderful time. We followed up with homemade pizza and it was the perfect cool, crisp afternoon for walking outside, and heating up the oven. I came home with Gala apples that are pefect for eating, and later I'll stock up on baking apples.  I think this year I'll try a couple of pies or cakes with caramel and apples.

The cool weather is a reminder that Fall is officially here and the garden season is winding down for most of us. I wrote an article last week for OFL with tips on ending your garden season on the right note. You'll find the garden tips here: http://oldfashionedliving.com/Fall-in-the-Garden.html

Next up is a series of articles with A Taste of Fall theme that I think everyone will enjoy.

Enjoy!
~Brenda

A Taste of Summer: Peaches

Peaches are a delicious summer fruit whether you grow your own, or pick them up for .99 cents a pound as I have been the last month or so. They are juicy and fragrant when ripe, and can be cooked or eaten fresh as a sweet or savory treat. 

Continuing our A Taste of Summer series on OFL, I share recipes and tips on peaches here:  http://oldfashionedliving.com/Peaches.html 

I hope you all are having a lovely Memorial Day weekend!

~Brenda

A Taste of Summer: Blueberries

You can teach a student a lesson for a day; but if you can teach him to learn by creating curiosity, he will continue the learning process as long as he lives. ~Clay P. Bedford

Many of you have children who have started school already; my daughter starts the day after Labor Day. We've been discussing lunches and she wants to bring hers this year. She isn't a fan of traditional sandwiches but loves granola bars, fruit and some raw vegetables. We decided a combination of all three would make a great lunch for her. 

Blueberries, today's featured A Taste of Summer fruit, are a perfect addition to lunches. Add them to salads, mix with other fruits, or serve them alone. The article I wrote for OFL has recipes and more tips on serving fresh blueberries here:  http://oldfashionedliving.com/Blueberries.html

~Brenda

A Taste of Summer: Squash

Several years ago we visited my parents and they gave us this large scalloped squash. I figured it would be too large to saute, but we took it home with the rest of the vegetables they gave us that year. I cut it into thin slices and sauteed the squash with onion. It was delicious, despite the large size, which isn't usually the case with summer squash. My daughter was especially tickled at the size of the squash, as you can see:)

The second article I wrote for our Taste of Summer series includes tips on storing and cooking summer squash with recipes and a link to our zucchini article from a few years ago. One can never have too many squash recipes, especially zucchini!  The article is here:
http://oldfashionedliving.com/Summer-Squash.html

I hope your harvest is coming in, and that you are enjoying the summer,

~Brenda

A Taste of Summer: Fresh Tomatoes

Fresh, homegrown tomatoes are one of my favorite summer treats.  A bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich on homemade bread simply can't be beat. There are hundreds of alternatives using cheese, herbs or other additions, but one ingredient that can't be replaced is the tomato.  Nothing tastes the same as a fresh tomato on a sandwich.  

I've written an article,  the first in a series I'm calling A Taste of Summer, on tomatoes. I've included simple, easy recipes and tips on choosing and storing fresh tomatoes.  I think you'll enjoy these recipes: http://oldfashionedliving.com/Fresh-Tomatoes.html

For those curious as to how my grandson is doing, I have a picture to share of my youngest daughter Emily and the newest addition to our family.  He is almost 6 months old now, and Aunt Emily is one of his favorite people. They both love summer, and laying in the grass:)

~Brenda

Summer Camping Recipes

It is the simple things of life that make living worthwhile, the sweet fundamental things such as love and duty, work and rest, and living close to nature. There are not hothouse blossoms that can compare in beauty and fragrance with my bouquet of wildflowers. ~Laura Ingalls Wilder

Some of my favorite summer memories are of camping trips we took with our children when they were small.  We cooked on the fire, played on the beach and visited many museums, Forts and historical places in Michigan since the kids were very young.  This year the price of gas has kept us home, plus my sons both work full time the entire summer which makes it harder to schedule vacation time. We're lucky we live in the country where we built a fire pit and can sit around it on cool evenings. I was thinking of our camping trips last week and put together an article on using pie irons.  Each of our kids has their favorite type of pie, and I shared the recipes here:  http://oldfashionedliving.com/Pie-Iron-Cooking.html .  

~Enjoy, Brenda