Showing posts with label Summer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Summer. Show all posts

Sunday, September 6, 2020

Reese Witherspoon's Summer Squash Casserole

Hello everyone!
Happy Labor Day weekend!
For most of us, Labor Day weekend is the time where we say goodbye to summer and hello to fall.
And Reese Witherspoon's Summer Squash Casserole is the perfect way to do so.
It's called a "summer casserole" but the squash and warm comfort food style make it the perfect way to welcome fall. 


You will need:
3 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
1 White Onion, Chopped
2 Garlic Cloves, Minced
1 and 1/2 Pounds of Yellow Squash, Sliced
1 and 1/2 Pounds of Zucchini, Sliced
2 Teaspoons of Salt
3 Tablespoons of Butter
24 Ritz Crackers
1 Cup of Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
2 Large Eggs, Beaten with 1/2 A Cup of Heavy Cream
1 Teaspoon of Sugar
1 Teaspoon of Salt
1/2 A Teaspoon of Freshly Ground Black Pepper
3 Tablespoons of Grated Parmesan Cheese
2 Tablespoons of Chopped Fresh Parsley


Preheat oven to 375o.
Lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the onion and satué for 3 minutes.
Add the garlic to the onions and satué 1 minute more.


Add the yellow squash and zucchini to the pan with the salt.
Satué for 8 to 10 minutes, or until just tender.


Transfer the squash to a colander to drain away excess moisture.
Add the butter to the hot pan to melt and remove the pan from the heat.
Place the crackers in a large zippered bag, seal, and roll over them with a rolling pin, or a juice glass on its side, to create coarse crumbs.


Transfer half of the crumbs, along with the drained squash, to a large mixing bowl.


Combine 3/4 cup of the cheddar cheese, the egg-cream mixture, and the sugar, salt, and pepper and gently fold the mixture into the squash crumbs. 


Transfer the squash mixture to the prepared baking dish.
Combine the remaining cracker crumbs with the melted butter, the remaining 1/4 cup of cheddar, and the parmesan.


Sprinkle the mixture over the top of the casserole.


Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle with parsley.
Enjoy! 


This casserole is super tasty.
If you grew up enjoying "funeral potatoes" you will enjoy this dish.
It tastes very similar but just a tad lighter.
How do you spend your Labor Day?


All my love,
Autumn

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Monday, August 3, 2020

3 Easy Homemade Popsicles

 Hello everyone!
We only have a few short weeks left to enjoy this nice summer weather.
And what better way to enjoy it than with a nice refreshing popsicle?
Today I am going to share with you 3 easy popsicle recipes!


Strawberry Lemonade


You will need:
Lemonade
Strawberries, Sliced


Place the sliced strawberries into a popsicle mold.
Pour the lemonade over the strawberries leaving 1/4 of an inch from the top.
Place a popsicle stick into the mold.
Freeze for at least 4 hours.
Enjoy!
I like to do a few raspberry lemonade popsicles as well.


Sparkling Berry


You will need:
Sparkling Water
Berries, I used Blueberries and Blackberries
Sliced Fruit, I used Apples


Place the berries and fruit of your choice into a popsicle mold.
Pour the sparkling water over the fruit leaving 1/4 of an inch of space from the top
Place a popsicle stick into the mold.
Freeze for at least 4 hours.
Enjoy!


Coconut Peach


You will need:
Coconut Water
Peaches, Sliced
Shredded Sweetened Coconut


Place the sliced peaches into a popsicle mold.
Pour the coconut water over the peaches leaving 1/4 of an inch from the top.
Place a thin layer of the shredded sweetened coconut on top.
Place a popsicle stick into the mold.
Freeze for at least 4 hours.
Enjoy! 


I love to whip up a batch of these popsicles and have them on hand for summer nights.
They are simple and lean towards the healthier side of treats so, it's a win-win.
What is your favorite summer treat?


All my love,
Autumn

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Sunday, June 28, 2020

My Fourth Of July Playlist

Hello everyone!
The Fourth of July is this weekend and I believe that no celebration is complete without a playlist.
I have playlists for just about everything and I thought it was about time I started sharing.
I take great pride and invest way too much time into them...
Without further adieu, here is my Fourth of July playlist.

I have a very unique taste in music so I will not be offended if you aren't a fan of every song I have included but, I am sure there are a few you can jam to this holiday weekend.
Are there any patriotic songs I missed?
Let me know!

All my love, 
Autumn

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Sunday, June 21, 2020

Patrioic Mixed Berry Pie

Hello everyone!
Can you believe the Fourth of July is next week?!
Where has the year gone?
Every year Erik and I make a mixed berry pie and decorate the top to look like the American flag.
We enjoy it with a scoop of ice cream and it really hits the spot after a Fourth of July barbecue.


2 and 1/2 Cups of Flour
1 Teaspoon of Salt
1 Tablespoon of Sugar
1 Cup of Unsalted Butter, Cold
6 to 8 Tablespoons of Ice Water


Prepare the pie dough.
Add 1 and 1/2 cups of flour, salt, and sugar to a food processor.
Pulse until combined.
Cut the butter into 1/2 inch cubes and add to the flour mixture.
Pulse until a dough begins to form.
Add the remaining cup of flour and pulse until the dough begins to crumble.
Transfer the dough to a medium-sized bowl and sprinkle in 6 tablespoons of ice water. 
Fold the water into the mixture until a dough starts to form. 


Add the remaining tablespoons of ice water if needed. 
Split dough evenly in half and shape into two discs. 
Wrap each disc in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. 


You will need:
1 Cup of Sugar
3 Tablespoons of Cornstarch
3 Cups of Blackberries
4 Cups of Raspberries
2 Tablespoons of Unsalted Butter, Diced


Prepare the filling.
In a large bowl, mix the sugar and cornstarch together.
Toss the berries in the mixture until well coated.


Preheat oven to 400o.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let stand for 5 minutes.
Roll 1 disc out on a clean floured surface into a 12-inch circle.


Transfer to a 9-inch pie dish and gently press over the bottom and up the sides of the dish. 
Cut off any excess dough.


Refrigerate the dough for 20 minutes before baking.
Pour the berry mixture into the pie dish and dot the top with the diced butter.


Unwrap the second disc of dough and roll it out to the same thickness as the first.
Using a star cookie cutter, cut out several stars in the dough. 


Place the stars on the top left section of the pie to resemble the stars on the American flag.


With the remaining dough, cut into long strips about 1 inch wide.
Place them horizontally across the pie 1 inch apart to resemble the stars on the American flag.


Brush the dough with an egg wash (1 large egg and 1 tablespoon of water beaten together) to get the perfect golden-brown crust.
Bake for 45 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the filling has been bubbling for at least 5 minutes. 
Let cool.
Enjoy!


This is the perfect summer pie all on its own.
Add the festive crust on top and you have a Fourth of July winner on your hands.
What is your favorite summer dessert?


All my love, 
Autumn

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Sunday, June 14, 2020

DIY Metallic Mountain Wood Cut Out

Hello everyone!
Summer is finally here and for us, that means cabin season.
Erik and I were both lucky enough to grow up with grandparents who own cabins.
Both of our family cabins are still around and in the summer we try to get up to them as much as possible.
I have been slowly adding a few of my own touches to my family cabin over the years.
I found a wood mountain cut out at Michael's and decided to dress it up for my next piece of cabin decor.


You will need:
A Wood Cut Out, Any Shape Works!
Paint
Paintbrush
Mod Podge
Metal Leaf


Paint the wood your desired color.
I couldn't decide between a navy mountain or an olive mountain so, I went with both!
I painted one side navy and the other side olive.
That way I can use it with different decor over the years.


Let the paint dry.
Apply additional coats if needed, I did three.
Once the paint is completely dry, start to apply your metal leaf.
I used silver leaf for the navy mountain and gold leaf for the olive mountain.
The instructions my metal leaf came with said to use a special adhesive specifically for metal leaf but I didn't want to spend more money so, I went with Mod Podge since I had it on hand. 
Apply a thin layer of Mod Podge to the area you want your metal leaf.
I found it was best to work in small sections.
Immediately apply the metal leaf onto the Mod Podge and using the backing paper gently rub onto the wood.


Once the metal leaf is secure carefully remove the backing paper.
Repeat until you have the metal leaf in all of your desired places.
I kept mine on the peaks of the mountain.


Use a soft brush to remove excess metal leaf.
Apply another thin layer of Mod Podge on top of the metal leaf to secure into place.
Let dry.
Enjoy!


I am very excited to take this up to my family's cabin this year.
The metallic accents will add a little glamour to our rustic cabin.
Which is just the way I like it. ðŸ˜‰
What color do you prefer?
Navy? 


Or olive?


All my love, 
Autumn

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Sunday, May 10, 2020

Trying Reese Witherspoon's Sun Tea

Hello everyone!
Happy Mother's Day!
Erik and I recently tried Reese Witherspoon's recipe for Sun Tea from her book Whiskey In A Tea Cup.
It's actually her grandmother Dorothea's recipe.
I thought it would be the perfect post in honor of Mother's Day!


You will need:
8 Black Tea Bags
1 Gallon of Water


Place the tea bags in a gallon-sized jar with a lid and fill with water, letting the tags hang over the lip of the jar.


Top with the lid and secure.


Set the jar in a sunny spot outdoors.
Let brew for 4 hours.


While the tea brews, prepare the simple syrup.


You will need:
1 Cup of Sugar
1 Cup of Water


Bring the sugar and water to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring until the sugar has dissolved.
Remove from heat and let cool.
Serve the syrup on the side so guests can sweeten their tea to taste.
The syrup may be stored in the refrigerator, tightly sealed for up to 1 month.
Enjoy!


It was a lot of fun to make tea in a unique way.
Brewing it in the sun made it feel more rustic.
We brewed ours over the weekend and enjoyed it with some barbecue.
It definitely got us in the summertime mood.
What is your favorite summertime drink?


All my love,
Autumn

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