Easy Cinnamon Roll Apple Pie

/ Jodi / 53 Comments

cinnamon-roll-apple-pie-1

When my sister-in-law posted one of those amazing Tasty Videos on Facebook for a Cinnamon Roll Apple Pie, I just knew I HAD to try it!

cinnamon-roll-apple-pie-3

We love apple pie.  We love cinnamon rolls.  Who doesn’t??!!  Putting them together to make an EASY apple pie = Winner!

cinnamon-roll-apple-pie-2

If you struggle with making homemade crust or are looking for a new twist on traditional apple pie, this is an easy and super yummy semi-homemade version to try.

I made it for a birthday brunch yesterday when the family came over to celebrate hubby’s upcoming birthday.  After gorging ourselves on smoked sausages (that hubby smoked himself in his Pit Barrel Cooker we got him this past Father’s Day), Spinach, Feta, Bacon & Roasted Red Pepper Egg Casserole, Warm Biscuits and Sausage Gravy (homemade by our oldest son), and a fresh berry fruit salad, we waited a little while before eating this.  But when we did….. thumbs up all around!

I tweaked the recipe up a bit to assure the apples would be fully cooked without overbaking and drying out the cinnamon rolls.  It turned out wonderfully amazing!  And the smell……..  can you even imagine the wonderful smell?!?!

Hope you will give this delicious treat a try.  (Thanks for sharing Terri!)

Cinnamon Roll Apple Pie

Ingredients:cinnamon-roll-apple-pie-3

  • 6 cups peeled, cored, and thinly sliced tart apples
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 Tbsp butter
  • 3 Tbsp flour
  • 2 cans Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C.

Melt 1 Tbsp butter in large skillet, add apple slices, sugar, and cinnamon.  Cook on medium heat for approximately five minutes until tender.  Add flour and stir.  Cook one more minute until thickened.

Roll out each cinnamon roll in one tube until flat and thin using a small amount of flour to avoid sticking to rolling pin and counter.  Layer on the bottom and up sides of pie pan to form bottom crust.  Add the cooked apples.

Roll out each cinnamon roll in second tube until flat and thin, and layer on top of apples to form top crust.

Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.  Remove foil and bake for another 5 minutes.

Allow pie to cool and drizzle with icing from one tube of cinnamon rolls.

Enjoy!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Golden Sparkle

/ Jodi / 23 Comments

frosty-oak-leaf

The golden morning sunlight
on the frosty fallen oak leaf
sparkles more beautifully
than any diamond I’ve ever seen.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Endings and Beginnings

/ Jodi / 32 Comments

autumn-leaf

The wind has picked up a determined strength.
And the cheerful orange leaves are all but lost.

The hours of daylight have grown shorter in length.
The morning’s dew has turned into frost.

Autumn’s time is growing near her blissful end,
And winter is waiting for her turn to shine.

Snowflakes and icicles will soon impend.
and warm crackling fires under woolen fleece blankets will be so divine.

One season’s sad retreat
makes room for the next’s joyful beginning.

Goodbye Autumn – it’s so bittersweet
as we prepare to welcome winter’s first inning.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Pumpkin Banana Chocolate Chip Bread

/ Jodi / 33 Comments

pumpkin-banana-chocolate-chip-bread-1

What do you do when you have over-ripe bananas and a half of a can of leftover pumpkin puree (from making Chewy Pumpkin Cinnamon Chip Cookies – which Hubby has officially declared his current all-time favorite cookie!)?

pumpkin-banana-chocolate-chip-bread-2

Well – you make wonderfully sweet and delightful Pumpkin Banana Chocolate Chip Bread of course!

Have you ever thought of combining pumpkin and bananas in a yummy sweet bread?

Wowza!  Pure blissful deliciousness!

pumpkin-banana-chocolate-chip-bread-3

If you are looking for a lovely Autumn sweet bread to enjoy with your morning coffee, afternoon tea, or to curb your after-dinner sweet tooth, look no further.  And how fun is it to make four mini loaves instead of one big loaf so you can keep one (or two) and share the others as sweet surprises for friends or loved ones!  To me, that is more than half the joy in baking…. creating something I can share to make someone smile and brighten their day and tantalize their tummy.

Make this bread to share as a Thanksgiving hostess gift or guest’s sweet surprise.  Or just make it to enjoy!  I’m betting you will!  Warm from the oven, a slice with some melting salty butter is just about heavenly!

Pumpkin Banana Chocolate Chip Bread

  • Servings: 4 mini loaves
  • Print

Ingredients:pumpkin-banana-chocolate-chip-bread-1

  • 3/4 cup softened butter
  • 1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 1/4 cups pumpkin puree
  • 3 mashed ripe bananas
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 cups chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cream butter and brown sugar with electric mixer on high approximately 2 minutes.  Add eggs and continue mixing until light and fluffy – 1-2 more minutes.  Add pumpkin and mashed bananas.  Mix well.

Add dry ingredients:  baking soda and powder, cinnamon, salt, and flour, and beat just until blended.   Remove from mixer.

Stir in 1 cup of chocolate chips with wooden spoon or spatula.

Pour into 4 greased mini loaf pans.  Sprinkle tops with remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips.

Bake for 40 mins or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Cool 10 minutes in pans and then remove loaves to cooling rack to completely cool.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

CharlieDog the Character

/ Jodi / 25 Comments
charliedog-watercolor-character-10x12-arches-300lb-cold-press

CharlieDog Watercolor Character – 10 x 12

I stayed up very late the other night watching election coverage.

It was so nerve-wracking, I had to do something besides watch predictions and “paths” and the shock of the reporters as they announced each state’s decision and electoral numbers.

I wanted to do something pleasant and think pleasant thoughts.  The happiest thing that came to mind is our sweet grand baby who is due any day now.  As I thought of her, I thought of stuffed animals and cute animal characters.  I thought of soft, cuddly teddy bears.  And then I decided to create a teddy bear like stuffed character of Charlie, our furry adopted boy.

In the wee hours of the night/morning, CharlieDog was born on a 10×12 sheet of Arches 300 lb cold press.  He has chubby chipmunk cheeks and curious cherubic eyes.  His chunky belly is plump and soft and snuggable.  He has one ear up on alert for Cliff the Mailman or Mike the UPS man or anyone delivering pizza!

Art has become such a calming, stress-relieving outlet for me.  If anyone out there thinks they would love to draw or paint or create, but feels they aren’t “artistic” enough or don’t have any formal training, or have never tried, or whatever your reasons might be – just do it.  Don’t let your mind tell you that you can’t.  I would have said that a year ago.  Do it for the joy.  Do it for you – not anybody else’s approval or praise (that part was/is a struggle for me that I am getting much better at).  Do it to create your own kind of beauty.  Do it for peace and love and goodness – for yourself or someone your share it with.

Focus on things that make you happy, bring you peace, express joy, demonstrate love.  Small acts change the world.  Be your own kind of beautiful.  Make your own kind of art or sing your own special song.  Do your thing!  Be you!

#FocusingonPeace

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

The Color of Bliss

/ Jodi / 34 Comments

autumn-leaves

If I had to choose
a color
to describe
Bliss,

I believe it would be
the color of maple leaves
in the Autumn sunshine
dancing in the breeze.

They delight my senses
with their bright
and joyful display.

Until Spring…

when the color of Bliss
is again the color
of the maple leaves

even though that color has changed.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

 

Focusing on peace.

Tranquil Trees in a Serene Scene

/ Jodi / 37 Comments
Tranquil Trees & Peaceful Mountains - 7x9 Watercolor in Prussian Blue & Panes Gray

Tranquil Trees & Peaceful Mountains – A Serene Scene Watercolor in Prussian Blue & Panes Gray – 7×9

Today I wanted to paint and share something peaceful…
tranquil…
serene.

On a day in the U.S. that is likely not to be.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

A Taste of Italy in the ‘Burgh

/ Jodi / 37 Comments

murante-girls

What a fun evening we had with friends this weekend when we had the privilege of enjoying a private dining experience at Merante’s special upstairs kitchen where “Mamma” Maria and her long-time assistant, Linda, made us feel like family around the Sunday supper table!

  • murante-marie-and-linda

What a unique experience this was!  Merante’s is a quaint Italian gift shop in the Bloomfield neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where beautiful gifts from pasta bowls and fine ceramics (and even the game of Italy-Opoly) are sold and cooking classes and Italian-themed events are hosted.

My sweet, long-time (Italian!) friend, Mary, found this little gem and invited a group of friends (several months in advance, which is necessary due to its popularity) to bring a few bottles of wine and dine Italiano style (complete with clear plastic covered dining table cloth!).

murante-kitchen-table

Are you ready to see all the amazing food?!
A special thanks to Mary and Jill for sharing their iPhone photos with me to feature here.

I may have forgotten to bring my camera…
my iPhone may have been down to 3% battery…
and I may have been a bit too tipsy on red wine and sweet red sauce to take clear photos, but they were awesome to share!

We arrived at 6 pm and climbed the stairs to the “apartment” above the shop.  We were escorted to the parlor where wine glasses and cork screws awaited our unloading of a “few” bottles of BYOB wine.

merante-wine

An amazing array of appetizers was served…
Seriously enough for a meal, and we could have been done!

There were stuffed mushrooms…

murante-stuffed-mushrooms

and stuffed tomatoes (MY FAVE!).

murante-stuffed-tomatoes

There was succulent shrimp…

murante-shrimp

and there were spicy meatballs.

murante-meatballs

There was a cheesy quiche…

murante-quiche

And the most divine version of Caprese with sweet roasted red peppers and plump mozzarella.

But this was only a teaser of what was to come!

murante-caprese

After a few cheers and intros, we moved into the kitchen where we began with the most amazing bowl of Stracciatella – an Italian soup that is made from a simple but flavorful chicken stock kept at a delicate simmer until  a creamy mixture of eggs, Parmesan cheese and Italian parsley are whisked in to form the “little threads” that take the place of pastina.  Grandma’s polish version was called “Egg Drop” soup.

murante-soup

This may have been my favorite course, if it weren’t for the next, which was the pasta course!  Gnocchi alla Sorrentina is Maria’s handmade ricotta gnocchi gently turned with her creamy, dreamy red sauce and topped with tiny bits of fresh mozzarella and fresh basil.  THIS was absolutely my favorite course!

murante-gnocci

As if we weren’t absolutely full-bellied by now, the main course was served next.  Mary chose the juicy, tender roast tenderloin of pork, which was surrounded by a ring of seasoned roasted root veggies.  My favorite was the fresh beets!

murante-pork-roast-and-roasted-vegetables

And because you get to also pick a vegetable (since cauliflower, beets, butternut squash and green beans are not enough!), we also had rosemary roasted potatoes.

murante-potatoes

In true Italian style, the salad was served next (last before dessert), which is completely opposite of how most American restaurants serve salad first.  And this salad….  OMG…. if I weren’t so full, this may have won for my favorite course!  We had the most amazing Apple, Pecan, and Gorgonzola Romaine Salad with tart dried cranberries drizzled with tangy balsamic vinaigrette – a perfect combination of sweet, salty and crunchy…Yum!

murante-salad

It was then time for dessert.

First, Maria placed an overflowing tray of Italian cookies in the center of the table.

murante-cookies

And, as if that wasn’t enough, a beautiful parfait of chocolate hazelnut gelato, shipped fresh from Italy, was served to each of us with a cup of freshly pressed and sweetened Espresso.

murante-hazelnut-and-chocolate-italian-gelato

I still can’t believe we ate all that food…

I can’t believe how sweet Maria and Linda were…

I can’t believe how reasonable the whole experience was!

And all of the leftovers were packed up in “to go” containers for us to continue to enjoy!

I couldn’t even bring myself to each a cookie that evening, but oh how glorious did the chocolate dipped biscotti taste the next morning with my coffee!

The only thing better than the amazing food was the wonderful fellowship of friends!  If you live in, or are ever planning to travel to the Pittsburgh area, what a treat it is to enjoy this special dining experience at Merante’s!

One day, I will actually get to visit Italy…

Until then, I will visit Maria at Merante’s and experience a little taste of Italy in the “Burgh!”

Cheers and Ciaos,
Jodi

 

 

 

\

Lap Doggin’: A Charlie Guest Post

/ Jodi / 47 Comments

charlie-closeup

Hi Friends –

Happy Sunday!  It’s me – your buddy, Charlie – back with a guest post.  I hear some of you have been missing me!  😉

Let’s talk laps today.

Mom is always trying to coax me to sit on her lap in the evening.

She begs…
she pleads…
she bribes…
she pretend cries…

PUULLLLLEEEEZZE!  Sheesh!

I’m just not a fan!

I much prefer to sit in my own seat – especially when it is lined with my favorite soft, chenille blankie.  I am, of course, within close enough range where Mom is very welcome, and even highly encouraged, to scratch my chin and belly and rub my ears.

I do, however, like to sit on the laps of guests that come to our home…

especially those that aren’t particularly fond of dogs and don’t understand how amazing doggie kisses are.

These are the laps I am particularly drawn to…
so I do choose to jump into those laps.

Even when they push me away.
Even when Mom says “Down Charlie!”
Even when Dad says “No Charlie!”

A dog’s gotta do what a dog’s gotta do – right?

I wholeheartedly believe my purpose is to teach all humans that dogs are wonderful and doggie kisses are the best!

We all need a purpose – and until someone comes up with a better one.  This is mine!

Woofs & Wags,
Charlie

Charlie is an adopted dog with brown eyes and a white-tipped tail who brings joy and laughter to his family and friends.  Charlie is a gifted writer, raving food critic, cat, chipmunk, and donut lover, and exceptionally photogenic model.  Some of his best friends are Mike theUPS Man, Cliff the Mailman, and ANYONE who delivers pizza to the house.   If you would like to read more guest posts by Charlie, simply type “Charlie” into the Search box at the top right hand corner of this link: thecreativelifeinbetween.com.   If you would enjoy a companion like Charlie, please consider pet adoption.

Autumn’s Golden Glow

/ Jodi / 50 Comments
Autumn's Golden Glow - 9x12 Watercolor Painting

Autumn’s Golden Glow in New Gambouge and Cadmium Yellow – 9×12 Watercolor Painting

Along our usual lunch time walk, Charlie and I pass a house we refer to as the one ‘where the kids live. ‘

There are not many little ones that live on the street we walk on (much to the dismay of the sweet kiddos that recently moved into this home).

But when we do pass this home, if we are lucky and the kids are home and out playing, they come running to visit us.  What a joy that is for both Charlie and me.

When the family first moved in and Charlie was newly adopted, he would cower when they came running.  These day, he looks for them with anticipation when we pass.  What a difference a year makes.

This watercolor painting is my very loose interpretation of the beautiful trees that line the street in front of “the house with the kids.”  It was such a beautiful sight this past week that I had to take a picture with my phone as I knew I wanted to paint it.

Soon all the leaves will be gone, but this day they glowed golden in the Autumn sun.

Wishing you a day that is bright and golden and glowing.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi