apple pie in a jar a.k.a apple butter

 

i FINALLY made it to the apple orchards this season! there is the cutest place called the apple bin around the corner from my house & they have acres + acres of apple trees. i got a huge buschel to get through the season (okay, more like the week) of baking with freshly picked apples! they even sell fresh apple cider, so i treated myself to a gallon of that too. wait till you see all the apple recipes i have in store for you! drinks, pies, more pies & this apple butter. it literally taste like apple pie in a jar & you can put it on just about anything. toast, pancakes, waffles or if you are anything like me.. a giant spoon! it is very easy to make, but a bit of a lengthy process so i would even suggest doubleing the recipe & gifting mason jars full of apple butter to friends! next i am off to the pumpkin patch tomorrow to purchase WAY too many pumpkins for the porch. it is an obsession & i can't get over how whimsical the white pumpkins are, they look like they come straight out of cinderella. have a great weekend, i hope you find yourself at an apple orchard or pumpkin patch too.

p.s. look at that shiny knife rack! i have been dying to have my collection of shun knives on display & peg + awl makes the coolest magnetic rack out of reclaimed wood. i just need one more knife for that last spot! i was scared we were going to crack the backsplash installing it, but we bought a stone/granite drill bit & it worked out perfectly!

ingredients

  • 4 pounds apples, peeled & chopped into cubes
  • 2 cups fresh apple cider (no-sugar added)
  • 3/4 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

directions

  • in a pot add the apples, cider, brown sugar & sea salt. simmer for 20 minutes until the apples have softened.
  • pour mixture into a blender & add the cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, vanilla & lemon juice. puree until smooth.
  • add mixture back to the pot & cook in the oven at 250 degrees for two to three hours. stir every half hour.
  • remove from oven & let cool before placing into weck or mason jars.
  • refrigerate for up to two weeks.

caramelized brussels sprouts + pancetta

 

this weekend i am going to be painting just about every room in the new home! i am quite excited to see how all the colours i picked will look. i stuck with warm grey paint tone's from farrow + ball's line of estate emulsion paints! but since getting the home ready will be keeping me quite busy over the next few weeks, i decided to get my thanksgiving menu ready early! so i have teamed up with wayfair to share with you one of my all time favourite thanksgiving side dishes. i mean, pancetta!? it really doesn't get much better then that. i never grew up eating brussles sprouts, so i never had any negative feelings towards these little guys. i actually love them. there is so much you can do with them! cook them in chicken stock, toss them in browned butter or go the sweet route & use apple cider. this is such a quick & easy one pot side dish to put together which is very important when preparing a whole thanksgiving feast! the less dishes to wash in the end, the better.

you can find some fun thanksgiving decor, tablescape ideas & serving bowls, up on wayfair!, i even got a few items for the house too. okay, a few is an understatement.. i am starting to become best friends with the UPS guys. anyways, wish me ALL the luck with painting! i am sure going to need it once i finish one wall & see there is three more to go.

ingredients

  • 2 pounds brussels sprouts, trimmed & halved
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 pound pancetta, diced
  • 2 cloves of garlic, sliced
  • 2 medium shallots, sliced
  • 2 teaspoons quality balsamic vinegar
  • sea salt & cracked black pepper, to taste

directions

  • in a large pot of salted boiling water, add brussels sprouts. blanch them for two minutes & immediately submerge them into an ice bath. this will keep those sprouts bright & vibrant throughout the rest of the cooking process. set aside.
  • in a sauce pan over medium heat add the olive oil & pancetta. cook until the pancetta is browned & crispy. remove pancetta but leave the fat to cook with.
  • add the garlic & shallot, cook until translucent. about 5 minutes.
  • toss in the blanched brussels sprouts with the balsamic vinegar, salt & pepper. cook until tender, about 10 minutes.
  • add the pancetta back in & pour into desired serving dish.

this post was created in partnership with wayfair.ca for the pass the dish campaign! you can see the rest of the menu here: appetizer | main | side dish | dessert. 

PUMPKIN SPICE MATCHA LATTE

 

FALL IS HERE! like, for reals fall & we no longer have to pretend. i know most of us have been celebrating fall since the first of september, but now we can drink those pumpkin spice lattes judgement free. no more haters saying "um, you know it's still summer right?". so let us celebrate the arrival of the best season ever with a matcha twist on a classic pumpkin spice latte. because we all love green tea lattes & we all love pumpkin lattes, i took this as the perfect opportunity to create a mash up of the two. i am all about creating not so basic pumpkin spiced drinks & treats this season. this drink contains aiya matcha's cooking grade matcha powder which helps the matcha stand out even when combined with other flours. also, this drink includes real pumpkin puree because i know some pumpkin spiced lattes cough starbucks don't actually contain any pumpkin. the matcha creates a gorgeous earthy green hue colour & i even topped it with some matcha infused whipped cream. i hope you enjoy this all season long cozied up at home in sweaters & blankets galore. happy first day of fall friends!

ohhh right & about that exciting news... WE BOUGHT A HOUSE! yay for being a homeowner. a new season & a new home makes for the best month ever. it is a gorgeous centry home in a small town that reminds me of starshallow. i can't wait to show you guys it once i am done painting & decorating! i've already picked out some gorgeous farrow + ball paint & wallpaper, beautiful delta brass faucets, modern cedar + moss lighting & the funkiest bathroom wallpaper from trustworth studios. okay, i don't wanna give all my designs away so you will have to wait a few more weeks! i hope you are as excited as i am:)

xo

ingredients

for the matcha pumpkin spice latte
(makes two servings)

  • 2 1/2 cups of whole milk (can substitute almond, soy or rice milk)
  • 1/4 cup of pure pumpkin puree
  • 3 tablespoons raw sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 ounce espresso
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons aiya matcha powder (cooking grade blend)
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

for the matcha whipped cream

directions

for the matcha pumpkin spice latte

  • in a saucepan over medium heat add the milk, pumpkin puree, raw sugar, vanilla, espresso, aiya matcha powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg & cloves.
  • bring to a simmer, whisking constantly to froth the milk.
  • pour into mugs & top with fresh matcha whipped cream + a dash of cinnamon.

for the matcha whipped cream

  • in a cold mixing bowl add the whipping cream, aiya matcha powder, sugar & vanilla.
  • whisk until stiff peaks are formed & set aside in the fridge until ready to use.

like what you see? get it here. mauviel copper sauce pan | ramekins | mugs | flatware | linen | wooden spoon

this post was created in partnership with aiya matcha you can find the cooking grade matcha powder that i used here. thank you for supporting the brands that help  me do what i love!