In My Kitchen {Granola}

I made this today...it is a combination of a couple different recipes, and I think it turned out really yummy!

4 cups rolled oats

1/2 cup wheat germ

1/2 cup ground flax seeds

2 cups coconut

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup olive oil

1 tsp vanilla

Mix all together and spread on a baking sheet

Bake at 325 for 30 min, stirring every 10

Let cool

Add sunflower seeds and dried cranberries

*there are so many things you could add in...the sunflower seeds and cranberries happened to be what I had on hand*

Gift Exchange~

I have met some of the most amazing women here in "blogland".

There is a group of us, that have created our own special little place in this cyber world, where we share our hearts, families, decorating ideas, recipes, trials...it's all fair game...we are a group of "friends" from all across the country, some have met and some have yet to meet.

We have done some wonderful gift exchanges.  This year I was gifted by my friend Emily...and it is so amazing to think that we have never hugged each other in person, or even chatted on the phone....but by each thoughtful gift that arrived in my package, it was obvious, Emily "gets" me :)

The "theme" of our boxes this year was...china, handmade, food/beverage, french, favorite things and London wall....here are my gifts!

the wrapping alone was beautiful!

this picture Em found at an antique store, I love her!

this sweet little dish fit the "china" theme

2 of Em's favorite things, and mine too....Cafe du Monde coffee and Ferrero rocher!

the COOLEST french award plaque she found

and for handmade...Emily makes jewelry and sells on Etsy...she made this necklace for me!

Emily, thank you so much for each special gift you chose for me...I adore each and every one!

I am a little obsessed with.....

My new Jonathan Adler mug from Starbucks!

♥LOVE♥

Meeting a Blogger Friend~FINALLY!

When I knew my son and I were heading to Boise, there was NO way I was going and not getting to meet my friend Catie.

 You see, Catie and I met blogging over 2 years ago, we have emailed and commented, but until my trip was booked had never even talked on the phone.  When Catie found out I was coming she offered for Powell and I to stay with her and her family.  I truly felt as if I have known Catie for years, and so my answer was a resounding "YES"!

Getting off the airplane and seeing Catie and her children waiting for Powell and I was like getting to see an old friend...we hugged as if it had been years (2 in fact :)

After our BSU tour, Catie picked us up and we headed back to her house. 

We laughed, chatted, and caught up with each others lives.

On Saturday, we headed to Powell's Sweet Shoppe...seems like the perfect destination for an aspiring dentist...don't ya think??

After that we had lunch and went to Catie's favorite thrift store.  Catie always finds the BEST stuff there, so I was so excited to see what treasures I could find!

(we took these pics in the thrift store because we had a group of friend holding their breath WAITING for pics of us together:)

Later in the day we went for a walk to visit the ducks.  Catie found 2 abandoned duck eggs during the spring, took them home, hatched them, raised them, and released them back to the ponds where she found them.  I have seen video and heard stories of how Pip and Papito KNOW Catie when she gets to the ponds...but to see it in person was so 

heartwarming....

(even Powell had to see this in person, and he could NOT believe it!)

We had such a fun relaxing visit...Catie and her family made us feel so welcome in their home...

(Marian, Emily, Powell and Ned) 

I know that if Powell ends up going to BSU, I will not have to worry one bit about him, knowing that Catie is just a phone call away!

I am a little obsessed with.....

THESE!!

I know if these were on my bookshelf I would definitely read each of these classics!

I have seen these at Anthropologie...but Amazon's price is terrific!

Shutterfly Promotion for Bloggers!!

Bloggers get 50 free holiday cards from Shutterfly....sign up!

  I used to be one of those people, that HAND MADE all of my cards...while I love a handmade card, the time and expense got to be a little too much.
Over the past few years the look of the photo card has changed as well...photo paper has taken a step aside, and cards printed on stationary quality cardstock have moved in...and I LOVE this trend.  I think it really makes for a classy holiday card.

I have been scouring the sites looking for a design for our Christmas cards this year and found
Shutterfly has some great choices for Christmas Cards...AND right now they have a special promotion for Bloggers!

If you sign up and create a blog post they will give you 50 free cards!  There are so many great choices...from simple and elegant, to fun and whimisical...I am sure you will find a style perfect for your Holiday cards too!!

Here are some of my favorites....

Modern Damask Red

Full of Love

Glitter Glamour Joy

So...head on over to Shutterfly and sign up!

Book Tree

Real Simple

Love this!!

I will be digging through my bookshelves looking for the books to make this!

(Catie...this is screaming your name!)

Do You Ever??

Make Egg and Potato Burritos for dinner?

Growing up my Mom made these for us all the time!  I remember even taking them in my lunch to school :)

My fondest memory though, was growing up in California and going to a Dodgers Game...my Mom would make a big batch of these (she would add in sausage or bacon too), wrap them in foil, and we would take them to the game.  I never cared if we bought food from the concessions stand when we had these...who would??

Everyone in my family now loves them too!

Now this is {repurposing}...LOVE

??Got Pallets??
Stumbled across this on another blog...

I LOVE this idea....so cool

it is from HERE

{jelly roll pans function as drawers!}

Halloween 2010

In My Kitchen {Pumpkin Scones (JUST like St*arbucks!)}

My friend Catie has a FABULOUS scone recipe, but when it came to making these I just didn't know how to incorporate in the pumpkin...so I found a recipe on line, and tweaked it a little...and the result is AMAZING!!

So...here you go!!

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• (I used 1c whole wheat and 1cup all-purpose)
• 7 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 6 tablespoons cold butter
• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
• 3 tablespoons half-and-half
• 1 large egg

Mix together dry ingredients, cut in butter (I used my food processor) set aside

Whisk pumpkin, egg and half and half, then fold into dry ingredients.

Turn onto a lightly floured board...seperate dough in half.  With each half shape into a circular mound :) and cut into 4 pie like pieces (this recipe made 8 scones)

Bake at 425 for 14 -16 min

Cool, and then make a glaze of 1c powdered sugar and 2 T milk (half and half)

These are not dry, very cake like....really delicious!

My name is Dawn, and I am addicted to PUMPKIN!

Once the kids go back to school, it really feels like fall kicks in for me...

and nothing says "FALL" like PUMPKIN!

I have shared my love of Pumpkin Spice Lattes HERE..which I now make on my own..thank you very much!

I just made the MOST delish Pumpkin Cupcakes with Maple Frosting...recipe HERE

I eat Pumpkin Oatmeal...a recipe I found in Clean Eating Magazine, DELICIOUS!

I have made Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies,

 and this week I have made (TWICE)

 Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

(how cute are these cupcake papers by Wilton?  I found them at Walmart:) 


So...what about you, do you love pumpkin too??

Ciao Bella Italia!

I have been blessed with two trips to my beloved Italy~

Both trips were at almost the exact time of year...the end of October.  So every year at this time...my heart aches for this beautiful place...the history, the people, the food!

Our first trip was in 2002, and we toured the Tuscan Countryside, wine tasted, had cooking lessons, olive picked, went to many wonderful cities and stayed in countryside  Villas...a dream come true trip.

My second trip was in 2005 with my sweet Mom.

I encouraged my Italian Mom to go see this beautiful country.  She had never left the U.S. before, so this was a very exciting trip for her.

We decided to stay in Roma (Rome) for the whote 8 days and make a day trip by train to Florence, one of my most favorite cities~

The Coloseum, the Vatican, the Parthenon, the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish steps...

be still my heart♥

Oh David...how I love thee!

Oh my sweet Italia...we will see each other again one day~

♥Ti amo Italia♥

A Harvest Birthday Dinner Tablescape~

This last Sunday I hosted a Birthday dinner for my Mom and Stepdad~

The tablescape is my take on the PB table I posted about in my previous post

As much as I love all the white...my home is more about color...I am inspired by the colors in "tuscan style" decorating, and at this time of year it is abundant!

I know, I know, my Boys let me know, I forgot an "E" in celEbrate! :)

I just had to share my roasted chickens. 

 Anne mentioned in a recent post about the simplicity and comfort of a Sunday Roast...and shared this 

Herb Roasted Chicken with Lemon and Sage 

recipe from House Beautiful...so I thought I would give it a try.

As I was flipping through my House Beautiful magazine I also found this recipe

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Maple Frosting

(image House Beatutiful)

...so I made those too...these were sooo delicious...a MUST try!!  

...and I also saw this recipe

Broiled Mushrooms in Tamari Butter

(image House Beautiful)

...so I made those too!

Delicious...I made wild rice and bread to accompany it all!

A perfect Havest Birthday Dinner!!

Love this tablescape!

I love this Fall tablescape

I have a "thing" for antlers anyway...and seeing them mixed in with these pumpkins is

sooo lovely!

I love this one just propped up on some old books~