apples up! (Sandra's apple dip)

i gave you a little teaser of this tasty recipe a few weeks ago.

this is a dip for a delicious apple dip from my good friend sandra.

sandra is great to me in many ways.

one of those ways being the sharing of a bunch of awesome recipes.

let's begin.

sandra's apple dip.

as the kids call it.

'how to eat 3 pounds of apples in less than 36 hours' dip.

as i like to call it.

the recipe in pictures.

(and printed in words below.)

Sandra's Apple Dip

http://itsmejen.blogspot.com/

2 packages (8 oz) softened cream cheese

2 tsp. vanilla

¾ cup brown sugar

1 can Honey Roasted Peanuts

Mix first 3 ingredients together with a hand held mixed, until smooth. Add peanuts, and mix in by hand. Mix and chill for at least 1 hour. Serve w/sliced apples.

(now go. run to the store and get some honey roasted peanuts!! and anything else that you don't already have on hand.)

oh my. it's so simple.
yet so delicious.
i may need more.
right now.
it's hard to wait that hour for it to chill.
but worth each of the 3,600 seconds.

thank you sandra :)
for sharing with me. and letting me share here.

porch update!

it's been a while since the last porch update.

dave's been working hard any chance he gets.

between work, being a daddy, living life, and this lovely summer heat...

it's hard to build as much as he'd like to.

but he is doing awesome. (with the help of some great friends!!)

did i mention i love my handy husband??

i do. i love him a lot.

here are a few fun pics i like to call 'nail art'.

who knew there was beauty in nails?

this was in june. the roof goes up.

again, last month... feltpaper and shingles.

or a windstorm maybe ;)

and now to present day :)

can you see the little man?

hee. love him.

here's a close up ;)

decking!!

(love that little lady too!)

yay :)

we ate lunch out there yesterday.

on about 6 boards.

that is all we needed :)

go fish

working on our summer list.
a hop skip and a jump from our frontyard :)
we all caught a few...

and a few caught on tape...

slip n sliders

some days.

(ok most days.)

these are the only 2 little things that keep me going.

and this.

this helps too.

i hope everyone has a great weekend!

he said. she said. we said. reveal 3.

i bet you thought i forgot about this?
didnt forget. just put it to the back of my mind.
here is the last of the he said. she said. we said. series.
i know dave's glad.

dave's answers are in red.
mine in black.

-What do you love most about Dave?
I love that he loves me. He loves me all the time. Even when I am far from loveable. I love that he gave me the best 2 presents ever, because he loves me. That he supports me staying home and watching kids and running my little embroidery business, and this little blog... because he loves me. That he lets me pick out the movie, gives me scrapping and Bunco and girl time, and jogging time... because he loves me. That he will run out and get me Subway and cheetos or ice cream, because he loves me. That he lets me cry and laugh and complain and be silly and excited, because he loves me. That he doesn’t complain when I take pictures of our dinner, or ask him to answer questions for my blog, or obsess over whether or not all the doors are locked and the garage door is closed. I love that he has been, and still is my best friend... through everything since we were 17 years old.  The good times and the not so good times. There are plenty of both, and I love that I get to share them with him.

-What do you love most about Jen?
I love that Jen is the opposite of me and that she is the most thoughtful person that I know and I also love her creativeness.

-What one moment or experience still makes you giggle about Dave when you think about it still today.
Anytime Dave truly laughs makes me giggle. He has a great laugh, and I love it when it’s genuine. Though I don’t hear it a whole lot, it’s great when I do. Most of the time it’s during movies, or when Lilly and Cohen have one of their great conversations. But his laugh… the real one… that makes me giggle.

-What one moment or experience still makes you giggle about Jen when you think about it still today.
Her falling up the steps.

-What area of your relationship do you want to improve?

We are always growing together... here are just a few things I'd love to work on. 

1. Communication.  Talking things out and really listening to each other. 

2. I would like to grow spiritually together in our relationship.  

3. I wish I could understand him more. The way he thinks. The way his mind works.

Spending more just us time and communication.

-What is your favorite way to spoil Dave?

My favorite way is to cook and bake special things for him. Especially his favorites, like homemade noodles or homemade cheesecake. Also giving him alone time to do what he wants. It’s not my favorite… but I know he appreciates it as much as I appreciate my free time, so I really try to honor that. Time to work on the house, play sports, an occasional fishing trip. I really appreciate having him around, so sometimes it is really really hard for me to give that up. But I know he needs his own time to do things for himself. Just one of the things you do for the person you love.

-What is your favorite way to spoil Jen?

Surprises. Jen loves surprises (not really she hates them).  Any time that I can give her something or do something for her.

-If you asked Jen what her favorite way to be spoiled is what would she say?

My favorite way to be spoiled? Mmmm. There are a few things… getting to sleep in on the weekends, getting to cook and bake, going garage saling. Sometimes a trip to the grocery store on my own is a treat!

Me coming home from work early and her getting some alone time with no kids or hubby.

-If I asked Dave what his favorite way to be spoiled is what would he say?

I think Dave would say when I let him go fishing.

When my wonderful wife makes her homemade cooking.

thanks for playing along sweetie boy :)

our 4th

our 4th weekend was long.

and busy.

tiring.

but fun.

it started friday night.

red, white & boom at daddy's office downtown.

saturday.

breakfast, parade and lunch at erin's :)

then a 2nd birthday party at our neighbor's house for the rest of the evening.

sunday.

church.

our town's parade.

then back to our church for jumpies, silly bands,

2 orchestra concerts and 25 cent food.

with neighbors and friends.

then back to our front yard to watch fireworks with friends.

sparklers. blankets. random music.

and holding hands around the mock firepit. ha.

monday.

jog.

daddy worked on the porch.

lunch.

with creme soda.

and watermelon.

nap.

sears. new uses. goodwill. andersons.

home.

dinner.

crepes for dessert.

bike ride.

kids bath and bed.

embroidery.

blog.

hello couch.

bedtime is soon.

have a great week!

homemade cream soda.

i have to admit.

when i first stumbled across this recipe, i thought to myself...

"you can MAKE cream soda???"

and i answered myself.

"of course you can."

everything started in someone's kitchen.  right?

right.

and when i made it.

and tasted it.

i have to admit.

i did a little happy dance.

and i may have squealed a little bit too.

Homemade Vanilla Cream Soda

You will need:
2 cups sugar
1 cup water
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
a healthy supply of seltzer (carbonated/sparkling water), half and half (or milk), and cubed/crushed ice

step 1 Make syrup.

The first thing you need to do is make some simple syrup.
It's basically just a lot of sucrose crystals (table sugar) dissolved into water.

Put 2 cups of sugar and 1 cup of water into a small saucepan. Put it on the stove and crank the heat up to high. Stir it up until all of the sugar is dissolved. It will look cloudy, but let the solution come to a boil and it will automagically turn clear. Once it's clear take it off the heat and let it cool for about 5 minutes.

step 2 Add vanilla.

Now that your simple syrup has cooled down a little bit, stir in a tablespoon of vanilla extract.

Now use a funnel to pour your syrup into a storage container of some sort. I used 2 of the bottles I use for sugar cookie decorating.  You could also use a plastic dressing bottle. An old honey bottle. Whatever. Get crafty.

Store it in your refrigerator.   You don't want it to melt the ice in your soda, so it's best to chill it before use.

step 3 Mix it up. Enjoy.

Pour about an ounce and a half of the vanilla syrup into a 12 oz. glass. Add ice to preference, about 8 oz. seltzer (more or less to taste), and just a splash of half and half (or milk).

Stir it up and you're ready to enjoy!
If you want to get really crazy... make it into a float!!

Original recipe here.

p.s. I have searched and searched to give credit to the blog I found this on. I've been trying so hard to link back, and I'm sad I didn't do a good job remembering this one. They showed theirs in an adorable polka dot glass. If it was you, please let me know!  And I will keep searching..... i will find you.

Happy 4th!!

(and now i need to go make some more syrup for cream sodas!!)