FriendlyIam

Annie and I both LOVE Halloween. Don't tell Santa, but it might just be our favorite holiday. {Both of our birthdays are within a week of the 31st...I wonder if that has anything to do with it?} I usually wait until October 1st to break out the decor, but this year we are leaving town a few days before Halloween, so I need to get my full month of spooky in a little early.   I decided to forego the traditional orange and black for my Halloween mantel this year, and went with black and white with a cute little pop of green : I won a print of my choice in a contest a few months ago, and I am so happy I chose this one! It makes me smile every time I look at it. It's called "Family Portrait," by The Dreamy Giraffe. S he still has it available in her etsy shop . Do you SEE that little monster baby?! OH. MY. GOODNESS. It seriously makes me baby hungry. {Yes, I'm nuts; I know this already.} This is a cute little felt spider I stuck onto the mirror with a piece of Sc...

If you're going to take the time to make one spectacular dish this Rosh Hashana...If you're looking for that one, mouth-watering, blow-your-socks off recipe...If you're willing to put your mind to it, and take the time to achieve perfection...I would truly encourage you to take the leap and bake your own challahs. It is the most rewarding experience, even if you've never baked before. And, it's not rocket science- I promise. I have posted a challah recipe before, this recipe is the same one, except that I have a added a divine, sweet, crumbly topping that is made using the tiny seeds found within the pod of a vanilla bean- in other words, real vanilla . Challah is pretty simple to make, but it is time consuming. The dough must be prepared first and allowed to rise for about 4 hours. Once it has risen, the dough can then be rolled and formed into individual loaves. The loaves must then be left to rise for another hour or two. Finally, the challahs are brushed with eg...

This time of year, I get many requests for unique recipes and suggestions when it comes to Rosh Hashana meals. Truth is, unique isn't always my favorite route to take. When it comes to the holidays, I tend to stick with my tried and true recipes, those that never fail me and always result in rave reviews... The chicken recipe below is a perfect example. Made with pumpkin, figs, cinnamon and red wine, I feel like its the perfect way to bring in the Jewish new year, introducing these wonderful, aromatic fall flavors. Also, any recipe that encourages me to drink while cooking, always makes me happy. This recipe can be prepared up to 2 days in advance, which is always a bonus. It is sophisticated, but simple to prepare, and I can assure you that the aromas that fill your home will make you want to prepare it over and over again. It presents beautifully, as it is sprinkled with toasted almond slices, and goes perfectly with golden rice, potatoes or couscous.  Let me know what you think....

For years I searched for THE perfect banana bread recipe , and this is definitely it for me. It's a little different from most banana breads...it has FIVE bananas in one loaf ! This means it has tons of banana flavor and is incredibly moist.  BANANA Banana Bread (adapted from allrecipes.com) 2 cups flour 1 tsp baking soda 1/4 tsp salt 1/2 c butter 3/4 c brown sugar 2 eggs , beaten 1-2 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp vanilla 2 1/3 c mashed over-ripe bananas (4-6 depending on size) Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease one 9x5 inch loaf pan In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients. In separate bowl, cream butter, brown sugar, and vanilla. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten ( do not over stir or it will be crumbly). Pour into loaf pan, bake for about 60 minutes, until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes in pan, then turn onto wire rack. Go bananas! -Tammy *Click HERE to...

My friends are always popping in to say hello and have a drink...This is a great recipe for a quick, 5 minute appetizer. I serve these toasty, salty pita chips alongside chummus and guacamole. I simply top the pitas with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of za'atar before toasting them in a hot oven. Za'atar is a Middle Eastern spice blend that I tend to use a lot in my cooking because of its sharp, nutty flavor. Za'atar is a combination of basil, oregano, thyme, and savory, sumac, along with toasted sesame seeds and salt. This spice works so well on the toasted pita because it lends to any flavor you may be pairing it with. This is a perfect example of a time when homemade just completely crushes the store bought variety...I keep bags of pita in my freezer just in case I need to quickly whip these up- everyone seems to love them, even the kids! Light, crisp and delicious- also a great accompaniment to wine and cheese. Homemade Pita Chips 4 pitas, split through the edge...

? Here's a quick and easy-to-follow  photo tutorial on how you can make your own Ghostie Boo Garland ! Tissues (2 for each ghost, layered) Cotton balls (4 for each ghost head) Floss or white thread (to tie around neck) Black marker (to make eyes) Embroidery floss (to string ghosties onto) Long needle (to poke through ghostie neck) Once all of the ghosties are strung, you can make "BOO" tags to hang inbetween each one, or you can leave it just as it is. I stamped the word "BOO" in black ink onto bright orange card stock. I cut a "V" shape at the bottom and used black chalk to distress the edges.  I then folded the top of the card stock over the string and stapled the paper together, close to the string , to keep it in place. That's it! Hang it somewhere spooky and awesome and you're good to go. Most importantly...  have fun ! -Annie *Click HERE to see the linky parties we participate in!* Also.... Momnivore'sDilemma Hall...

I was cleaning out the fridge today, about to throw away some carrots and apples  that didn't get eaten (shh.. don't tell my mother!) and I thought " Hey wait a minute, I can be crafty with these !" And... so can you ! All you and your little punkin's need to make some printed Jack-o-Lantern's  is an apple , a couple of carrots and some craft paint . Cut some shapes into the thick end of the carrot. I cut a triangle and a rectangle .  The long carrot stem makes these "stamps" really easy for small hands to hold when stamping. Slice off one side of the apple.  Don't cut too closely to the core or else your stamp will look like an apple instead of the pumpkin shape you are going for. Then, take the apple slice you just cut off and cut it in half to make a curved mouth .  You can keep it just how it is or make a few notch/cuts to make teeth . Spread some paint out onto paper plates, grab some white paper and get stamping! Super-easy, super...

I shared this recipe at Snips & Spice a little while back. If you haven't made them yet.... do it!  They are delicious! * * * * * I�ve been toying around with the idea of a plum cupcake for a while now, and decided this was the perfect chance to experiment. I have to say that I think these turned out really tasty. They have a plumb-perfect blend of sweetness {from the frosting} and tartness {from the filling}. You�ll need to plan ahead a little for this recipe�the plum sauce takes about 10 minutes to make and at least an hour to chill in the fridge before it is cool enough to use. { Plum Perfect Cupcakes } 1 white cake mix 3 fresh plums 8 oz cream cheese 1 cube butter, room temp 3 Tbsp prepared plumsauce (see below) 1 tsp vanilla 7-8 cups powdered sugar (approx 2 lbs) First, you will need to make your plumsauce filling. Cut fruit (with skin) from the pit of 3 fresh plums and process in a blender or food processor until the skins are chopped and blended in. Pour into small s...