Caramel Apple & Pecan Pie

Pie Dough:
• 1 1/4 cup(s) all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon(s) kosher salt
• 3 tablespoon(s) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 2 tablespoon(s) cold vegetable shortening
• 3 1/2 tablespoon(s) ice water

Pecan crumble:
• 2/3 cup(s) all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoon(s) (packed) light-brown sugar
• 2 tablespoon(s) granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon(s) ground cinnamon
• 2/3 cup(s) pecan pieces
• 5 tablespoon(s) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Apple Filling:
• 1/2 cup(s) granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoon(s) cornstarch
• 1 1/2 teaspoon(s) freshly ground nutmeg
• 6 (1/2 pound each) Apple Slices
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) grated lemon zest
• Confectioners' sugar (optional)

Vanilla Whipped Cream:
• 1 cup(s) cold heavy cream
• 2 tablespoon(s) confectioners' sugar
• Scraped seeds from 1/2 split vanilla bean
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Directions
1. To make pie dough: In a medium bowl, combine flour and salt. Add butter and shortening, tossing gently until all pieces are coated with flour. With a pastry blender, cut in butter and shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, drizzling over flour mixture and tossing with a fork just until dough begins to hold together. Turn dough out onto a smooth surface and gather into a ball. Wrap in plastic; flatten into a disk. Refrigerate 1 hour.
2. To make salted pecan crumble: In a food processor, combine flour, sugars, salt, cinnamon, and 1/3 cup pecans; process until pecans are ground. Add butter and pulse until mixture is crumbly. Transfer crumble to a medium bowl; add remaining 1/3 cup pecans and, using your hands, crumble and squeeze mixture to form larger clumps. Refrigerate until ready to use.
3. On a lightly floured surface or between 2 sheets of waxed paper , roll out dough into an 1/8-inch-thick 12-inch round. Fold in half and ease gently into a 9-inch pie pan. Unfold dough, letting pastry overhang edge. Trim overhang to 1 inch. Fold under and flute or crimp edge. Refrigerate shell. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
4. To make apple filling: In a large bowl, combine sugar, cornstarch, and nutmeg until blended. Add apples and zest; toss until apples are evenly coated. Remove pie shell from refrigerator and spoon apple filling into it, mounding filling in center of pie. Sprinkle crumble evenly over top of pie, gently pressing into place; place pie on a baking sheet.
5. Bake 1 1/2 hours, or until filling is bubbly and topping is golden brown. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Dust top of pie with confectioners' sugar, if desired. Serve with vanilla whipped cream.
6. To make vanilla whipped cream: In a large bowl with a hand-held mixer, beat heavy cream, confectioners' sugar, and the scraped seeds from 1/2 split vanilla bean until soft billowy peaks form.

The Living Christ Wall-frame

Pictures for the mat:
1. Take picture out of the bag.

2. Number pictures 1-13 with pencil on reverse side.

3. Find pattern on how to cut pictures. If you trace the pattern onto the picture use crayon, not pen or pencil, because you can wipe the crayon that is left after cutting. You can also use a ruler to measure while cutting, which makes it unnecessary to trace the pictures.

4. Cut pictures being careful to cut straight and not cut too much. When in doubt leave extra on height and width - it is easier to overlap than to have gaps. Scissors work but it is easier with a paper cutter.



Mat
1. Take mat out of frame and set aside.

2. Carefully place pictures on mat as you cut them to make sure they fit.

3. Use the glue stick to glue the reverse side of the mat- all over.

4. Glue back of the pictures before gluing them down- gluing both the mat and the back of the picture creates a more permanent bond than just gluing one side.

5. After all the pictures are placed and glued, carefully wipe with a paper towel to remove any glue residue, being sure not to move pictures out of place.

6. Let sit at least 10 minutes for glue to dry. (Good time to get a treat.)

7. Clean glass with paper towel and Windex. Let dry.

8. Get out "The Living Christ, The Testimony of the Apostles."

9. Center on mat, tape from behind, put in frame.

Slogans about Tidyness

Here are some slogans that can be helpful in reminding family members to be more diligent in keeping order:

“Don’t put it down, put it away;”
“Have a place for everything and keep everything in its place;”
“Put the house to bed before you go to bed;”
“Pick up is part of play;”
“Pick up as you pass;”
“Leave any area better than you found it;”
“Don’t put 25 pounds of stuff in a 5 pound room;”
“Clutter attracts more clutter—dejunk.”

Slow Cooker Pepper Steak

I got this recipe from my good friend Jennie Plastow & I like it so much that I had to share. She served the Pepper steak over Coconut Rice but I used seasoned rice & it was really yummy too.

The dish can be eaten fresh or it freezes quite nicely so double your batch and just freeze the leftovers. Thaw, then warm it in the microwave.
2 pounds beef sirloin, cut into 2 inch strips
garlic powder to taste
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cube beef bouillon
1/4 cup hot water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 large green bell peppers, roughly chopped
1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes, with liquid
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 teaspoon salt

Sprinkle strips of sirloin with garlic powder to taste. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the vegetable oil and brown the seasoned beef strips. Transfer to a slow cooker.

Mix bouillon cube with hot water until dissolved, then mix in cornstarch until dissolved. Pour into the slow cooker with meat. Stir in onion, green peppers, stewed tomatoes, soy sauce, sugar, and salt.

Cover, and cook on High for 3 to 4 hours, or on Low for 6 to 8 hours.

Overnight Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal

Ingredients:

2 large eggs
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup salted butter, melted
1/2 cup applesauce
1 small apple, grated
1 1/4 cups organic milk
3 cups old-fashioned oats

NOTE: Applesauce cuts down on the fat in the recipe and also adds more flavor. If maple syrup is scarce, substitute honey or agave syrup in its place.

Method:

Butter a 2 quart baking dish.
In a large bowl, whisk together all ingredients, except the oats.
Fold in oats and combine well.
Transfer mixture into the buttered baking dish and spread evenly around. Cover tightly with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic directly on top of the oat mixture. Refrigerate overnight.
In the morning, preheat oven to 375°F (I have Danny do this when he gets up to shower). Unwrap oatmeal and place in oven. Bake for about 30 minutes until oatmeal is set and browned on top.
Serve hot with more milk or cream.

7up Biscuits

Yep, that's right, 7up biscuits. All I know is that these were the best biscuits that I've ever made - hands down! They were light and fluffy. They only have three ingredients - quick and easy!

2 cups Bisquick
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup 7-up
1/4 cup melted butter

Preheat oven to 450.
Cut sour cream into biscuit mix, add 7-Up. Makes a very soft dough.

Sprinkle additional biscuit mix on board or table and pat dough out. Melt 1/4 cup butter in a 9 inch square pan. Place cut biscuits in pan and bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown

Inexpensive way to transfer Vinyl

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I was working on a vinyl project when I came across this tutorial for using GLAD Press n' Seal Multipurpose Sealing Wrap to transfer your vinyl pattern. It worked like a charm! It costs around $3.50 and it's about 23 yards long and 11 inches wide.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind BEFORE you follow the instructions below.

NOTE: The vinyl used is for indoor use. I rubbed down the wrap on top f each cut and lifted a little bit the top corner of each letter with a spatula before attempting to remove the vinyl from the mat. I agree that it is not the easiest way of transferring vinyl, specially with very intricate cuts, but it is very inexpensive and works with very simple cuts.

Apply the Glad Press n' Seal Multipurpose wrap to the front of your vinyl cut (sticky part of the wrap facing down).


Rub the Press n' Seal wrap over each of the letter with an old credit card.

Carefully remove the backing of the vinyl. The vinyl letters stick to the Press n' seal wrap.

Apply the letters to the surface. You may want to use a ruler to make a guideline so that your letters are straight.

Press the letters with your fingers or an applicator so that the adhesive vinyl stick to the surface and remove any air bubbles.

Peel the Press n' Seal wrap off the letters and you are pretty much done.

"Purr-fect Cinnamon Rolls"

1 c. warm milk
1/3 c. melted butter
2 eggs
1/2 c. sugar
1 t. salt
4 c. flour
1 T. yeast

Put warm milk, sugar and yeast into your mixer and mix for a minute until combined. Let the yeast grow until foamy and bubbly (about 5-10 minutes). Then add the eggs, butter, flour, and salt and combine until smooth and mixted together. Let dough sit in the bowl until it has doubled in size (about 1 1/2 hours). When it has doubled, put a small amount of flour on the counter and pour the dough onto the counter. Roll dough out until it measures 16 inches x 21 inches.

Filling:
1 c. brown sugar
1 1/2 T. cinnamon
1/3 c. melted butter

Melt butter and spread on dough rectangle. Mix brown sugar and cinnamon together and sprinkle all over buttered dough. Roll up and cut into 16 equal rolls.

Place rolls on greased cookie sheet 4 across and 4 down. Cover w/ greased plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled in size (about 1 hour). Bake at 400 for 10-12 minutes.

Frosting:
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/4 c. cream cheese
1/2 t. vanilla
1/8 t. salt

Frost 1-2 minutes after finished baking.