Flowers are so pretty. My notifications are all mixed up!

Printesa, it’s from the NYT Cooking section and I’m not sure that I can link it. Maybe you can search for baked apples by Dorie Greenspan at NYT? It’s your basic baked apple recipe but she puts a bit of dried apple, crystallized ginger, 1/2 tsp honey and a pat of butter in the cored out section. She bakes the apples in a pie plate with I cup apple cider and 1-2 tsp honey, basting occasionally. She said to serve with heavy cream, whipped cream, or ice cream but I think I might like crème fraîche to cut down the sweetness just a bit. If you really want the recipe, follow me and send a message through Houzz. We can then exchange email addresses and I can forward the recipe.

Thank you Lisa! I found the recipe. I have one of her books as well,,maybe she has it there as well. We used to make baked apples, but with walnuts,, cinnamon and sugar. The one you mentioned sounds delicious. I might make some..I like fruits and any dessert that is not too sweet.

Glad you found it, printesa. We’ll find out together how it is. I haven’t had baked apple in years, but always enjoyed a brown sugar/cinnamon version probably similar to yours. I love ginger and the fact that it seemed an appropriate dessert for one (with leftovers for breakfast) drew me in. Chef was going to bake and ship us a chocolate bourbon pecan for Thanksgiving. She’s still baking it but is sending it to her twin :-(

That baked apple recipe sounds great. I do baked apples in the microwave as it’s so fast and easy, but I never thought of using apple cider as a base. I’ve done baked pears with ginger which is also a nice combo. I’ll have to try the apples with apple cider and the crystallized ginger. The bit of butter is a nice addition as well.

I’m the sort of person who doesn’t really use recipes unless it involves a leavening agent. Most of the time I look at ingredients and just wing it. I know I know…

I’m not a winger...I always forget something! I love cookbooks.....

I know my little one wants to do at least one if not two desserts..she was looking at recipes today:) When we were kids and we needed a quick cake, we would make an apple pain d'espagne cake (I think it's a sponge cake..first the whole apples that are cored are baked with sugar and butter and then the batter is poured on top and the baking continues)..easy, delicious and great with whipped cream

I hope your daughter will at least send you photos of the desserts:)

I use recipes as well..not much winging,,only for simple things like crisps or similar things like that..My mom knows how to wing it, even for cakes. I do change the recipes..usually cut the sugar in half because all the recipes I find are too sweet for me..even the girls got used to my not so sweet desserts and they find everything too sweet:))

Strictly recipes for me, but I am good at following directions. Chef is an inventor rather than a winger. Sure, no problem throwing together some pistachios, plums, honey and cardamom. I gave her an ice cream maker for her recent birthday. Her first attempt: chopped dates soaked in orange blossom water, crumbled halva, and a date-tahini-orange blossom swirl. Sending me pictures is her way of torturing me.

I missed a couple of days so didn't see the teapot...but I like jayapple's ideas...she had a couple of good ones, like possibly purchasing in January. The idea of completing a set really ups the longing, doesn't it?

The description of how to do the baked apple sounds good, even though I have been realizing I don't really care of apples too much anymore.

Sis mentioned yesterday Mom is v-e-r-y picky about food, all of a sudden. She normally is very unfussy about almost all things--it's part of the stoic farmer mindset, I think...

A woman who spoke at church this a,m., who has an unbelievable string of physical difficulties, was speaking about the mental pain being worse than the physical pain. I immediately thought of Mom. It was a good reminder to care not just for her body--drink enough fluids, do your exercises--but to care for her heart, for her mind. She is depleted...and probably deflated, now that her birthday is over, the planned visit by the other 3 was canceled, and it's getting colder as well.

DD's piano teacher told her more than once to not get old--it's no fun.

Lisa, the photos can make anyone drool. Even the kitty is tempted:))

It's great to have a knack for flavor combos. It looks like your chef definitely has that talent

She does indeed and is now directing some of the talent towards mixology. I have a few purely selfish reasons for missing her at xmas.

nothing selfish about missing the family, especially the kids..any reason is a good one:)

No, I’m going to miss the food that comes with the kid! Well, I am heartbroken the kid will be alone, but at least she’ll eat well.

Lisa, chocolate bourbon pecan pie is OH's favorite-I will be on the hook to make one next month for the holidays. For me it would be apple-him not so much. Luckily we agree on cheesecake.

We are wingers when it comes to cooking, but baking I follow recipes because I don't bake that often - it's just the two of us.

Chef sounds like the DD everyone should have...me, I have two sons and one is good at following recipes and knows about wine. The other...nada. I think my wing it tendencies are sheer laziness and also living a good distance from grocery stores with decent selections, for years. It was only about 10 years ago that shopping improved out my way...and even then it’s limited. So I got used to improvisation.

I have a large cookbook collection...ironically. I must easily own 30 cookbooks. I only reference one...the Joy of Cooking, the first cookbook I bought at age 20. Still have it. Think I gave a copy to both sons.

Other than that I have a collection acquired over the years, so some I used to use and are now mostly sentimental. Others are fantasy cookbooks...these are currently pulled off the shelf to make room for storage. The one on frozen stuff I should get into. I love frozen desserts. Lisa that concoction by Chef sounds great!

I do occasionally reference my cookbooks but the internet has kind of taken some of the fun out of them.

Lisa, we call the chocolate bourbon pecan pie, Derby Pie. I always made them when we traveled to KY for our friends Kentucky Derby party. They are delicious!

Lia, your flowers are very pretty and the runner is serendipity!

I too must follow recipes. Today for the first time I made beef stroganoff. We had made roast beef in the crockpot earlier this week. With the leftovers, I made the stroganoff. We had everything but the noodles, and had to go buy them. So it was a win-win.

Derby pie sounds like a winner...I may check that out for Christmas. I plan on baking up lots of treats to compensate for no visiting. :(

Yes Gls I was very surprised to find the runner...only $5 too...but I gave her a bit extra. It’s the exact colour way. So strange. Tomorrow is 3 F day. DIL needs a break.

Not much done today...long walk with neighbour, who is adjusting to her adult son and fiancé moving in while he teaches long distance to Montréal and writes his PhD. They have a large house...by my standards, and they are getting tons of free labour landscaping by them...but still I am sure it isn’t easy. We get used to our solitude.

SMH...I had Derby Pie many times when I showed horses in KY. I didn’t put the ingredients together, but now I’m more disappointed a pie isn’t heading our way. Our, well mainly DH’s, favorite cookbook is Good Housekeeping’s Illustrated Cookbook from the early 80s — great as a reference as much as for the recipes. Ours had completely fallen apart and we’d sort through loose, disordered pages to find a recipe. We’ll look what I got for him in perfect condition! He thinks his devoted wife scoured the country for this. Let’s keep eBay our little secret.

I'm not going to count the cook books we have..we collected too many in a short period of time..I admit that most of them are desserts since I love them and the girls do as well, but still..too many:) I haven't tried most of the recipes, but I should.

Lia, I’m not sure what’s harder - being isolated and separated from our children or combining households with adults that really are no longer meant to live together. Oh, the adjustments we’ve had to make. But I think it must be most challenging for the younger woman working, raising children, and now suddenly educating them. A toast to those bada$$ women.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!🎊🎁🎈🎉🎂

I tried scrolling back to double-check but couldn’t find it. Today it‘s official?

I love how you spread the celebrating out, but I hope you have a special day today too!

The Joy of Cooking is the book I use the most. I also keep all the scraps of paper I write a recipe on in there. It’s a great system 🙄 I work from a recipe, especially for cakes. My mother would always say put a “little” this or a ”little” that.

Enjoy your day Lia!!!

Happy Birthday Lia!!
Have a wonderful day! :))

Happy Birthday,, Lia. Have a wonderful day.

Lisa, I have that cookbook. It was a wedding shower gift in 1982, and it was my go to for years. There are a few recipes I used so often, that the book opens to them, even though I can wing them by now. These days my recipe inspiration come from Pin ter est.

Yes today is the official day! I’m glad I picked up my bouquet of flowers from my florist friend yesterday. And coincidentally an Amazon order arrived yesterday on my driveway so I opened it today, with two treats; some decaf earl gray tea and a book I’ve been wanting for a while, but had forgotten about it until I scanned all the way down my wish list.

Yes I’m good at treating myself… LOL.

Happy Birthday Lia! I love a Birthday Week 😀

I had about 30 or more cookbooks. I got rid of most of them when we permanently move down here to the beach. Lack of storage in the condo. But I still have about 10 of them. My mother is always was Better Homes & Gardens cookbook. And then one Christmas my sister-in-law gave me that cookbook in the updated version. But like Ladma, I use pin trest

Happy birthday, Lia!!! Keep the celebration going.

For you, a bunch of my favourite form of protea, pincushions. Happy birthday, Lia.

Happy Birthday Lia! 🧁🌺🥳

Enjoy your special day Lia. 💐

It’s a good day for tea on this side of the Gulf of Maine. Happy Birthday!

Have a great day, lia!

Happy Birthday, Lia! Enjoy your day!

Birthdays only come once a year so enjoy your whole day, Lia!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday, Lia.

Happy Birthday Lia. I thought of you earlier today while decorating our Christmas tree 🎄. All our ornaments are from vacations. When I hung one from Nova Scotia I thought of you. Soooo fun to hang and remember the wonderful memories of vacations past.

Happy birthday...hope you have a restful and peaceful day!

Happy Birthday LIA

Thank you, everyone! It was a low key day looking after 3F and B2. Only about an hour with both though to give DIL a break.

Yawn...falling asleep here.

A glass of rose hard cider and my new birthday book which arrived right on time. The rose is amazingly fragrant. That rose cider has been hanging around on the sideboard since the summer. Makes the perfect birthday drink. It’s a new decade, Hope it’s a good one.

By rose I mean the rose not Rose. Maybe if I dictate this and say Rose it will come out with an accent? No such luck. So it’s the rose that is fragrant and it’s the cider that is Rose. Just to confuse you all.

Lia, I was searching for rose cider and found a few, but nothing that looks like your bottle. I didn't know that there is such thing..I like rose wine, but even that I rarely drink it.

I am glad you are a nice time today. Enjoy the book and rose!

Omgoodness you guys move fast...lol I was almost caught up the other night, but was getting so sleepy and had to quit... now I see I have lots more to read. lol

I will try to get to it... but b4 that, I wanted to say... Lia,

Happy Birthday, Lia! I'm sorry your card will be late. I was staying home because we had travelled last week, but decided I really needed to get to the post office for stamps. I hope you enjoyed your day.