pumpkin cream tarts with candied cranberries

last weekend we had our friend christmas get together

and I was bringing a couple of different food items and a dessert

I really had an urge to do something different

and I believe I found a wonderful, wonderful recipe

I was beyond excited to make tarts

out of all the desserts I've made over the years I had never tried tarts

and besides I wanted something other than a chocolate dessert:)

So during my late night internet search a couple of weeks ago

I found the winning recipe I wanted to try

pumpkin cream tarts with candied cranberries

courtesy of country living

I thought I'd share the recipe with you all because I loved them so much

making the tarts was definitely more fun for me

 I felt a little like I was "creating" more in the kitchen

rather than going through ..."my routine of baking"

I did take pictures as I knew I wanted to get back to blogging

plus I am such a visual person with recipes

I love to see pictures of what I'm making

and thought you may appreciate them as well

As a side note before I get started

most of my ingredients came from trader joe's

I know...

I go on and on about Trader Joe's

but I really believe that 1/2 the time the ingredients from there make all the difference

especially their ginger snaps

so throughout the recipe...I'll make note of which ingredients I think are best from there

step one

make the tart shells

one of my favorite parts about making the tarts are the beautiful tart tins

and how pretty they looked stacked together

I know...not part of my recipe {smile}

Preheat your over to 350

Combine the gingersnaps cookies crumbs {3 cups} with 2 teaspoons of cinnamon, and 1 1/2 sticks of butter in a large bowl...yes that much butter:)

so the gingersnaps are literally the best from Trader Joe's...I purchased the ones in the circular clear container because there was more in the container than the ones in the bag

I love their cinnamon as well

and absolutely love, love, love trader joe's butter....I like how their sticks are quartered size or you can use their awesome irish butter...make sure it's unsalted butter:)

Cover the bottoms and sides of eight 3 1/2-inch tartlet pans with removable bottoms with the crumb mixture. Transfer the tartlet shells to a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Cool completely.

They will look this color

step two

Make the cranberry topping: Bring 2 cups sugar and 1/2 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat. Add the fresh cranberries {1 cup} and cook until they just begin to soften. Remove cranberries with a slotted spoon to a small bowl and set aside.

Reserve cranberry syrup for another use.

I did use cranberries from trader joe's as well

and I added just a bit of orange juice to them as I cooked them

I couldn't help myself that I filled almost two ball jars up with the cranberry syrup

the color looked amazingly beautiful

and the syrup will be perfect for the pancakes I will make Christmas morning
or even for ice cream

 

***also when I made this recipe I doubled the recipe in order to make around 16 tarts so that's why I had so much syrup***

 

step three

Make the filling:

Fill a large bowl with ice and water and set aside.

Place the milk {1/2 cup and yes I always stress organic...organic milk is a must in my opinion} in a small bowl, sprinkle the unflavored gelatin {1 teaspoon} over it, and set aside.

Combine the pumpkin purée {1 cup}, 3/4 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons brandy, 1 1/3 Tablespoons cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon cloves, and 4 large egg yolks in large saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture begins to bubble and a thermometer reads 140 degrees F.

***again trader joe's has the best pumpkin puree...and talking with the check out person she told me that their pumpkin is fabulous for dog's coats...

so I've been adding a little to my sweet cadence's dish at night too***

Stir in the milk mixture, cook for 1 more minute, transfer the mixture to a medium bowl, and place over the prepared ice bath.

Stir occasionally, until cool — about 10 minutes.

Okay since I doubled the recipe it was taking longer than 10 minutes for me...I set it in the ice bath for about a 1/2 hour and it still wasn't cool so I resorted to the freezer for about 15 minutes 

 I was in a time crunch because the tarts still had to set for 6+ hours when finished

I got a little ahead of myself and started filling the tarts with the pumpkin mix after it was cooled and it looked like this

BUT...the recipe wanted me to fold the whipped cream I made into the chilled pumpkin mixture and THEN fill the prepared shells

so I literally had to scoop this mix out of 20 shells back into a bowl

and then I followed the directions which it said:

Fold the whipped cream into the chilled pumpkin mixture, fill the prepared shells, and smooth the tops.

GOT IT NOW!!! {smile}

so to make the whip cream...you need 1 cup of heavy cream whipped to soft peaks

I love to use my mixer because I can turn the setting on high and let it go

just to let you know

I added about 1 to 2 teaspoons {I can't remember how much} of my vanilla bean paste that I get from william sonoma... I love vanilla bean paste of vanilla extract because it looks prettier with the little flakes of the vanilla bean ~ love, love

pretty pretty!!!

but you have to do it quick or people like my husband keep trying my whip cream

Chill for 6 hours+ or overnight.

Top each tartlet with a spoonful of the candied cranberries and serve cold.

I personally thought it was pretty to drizzle a little bit of the cranberry syrup I had in the ball jars on the tarts after topping them with the cranberries:)

the recipe says it yields 8 tarts...

but I found it was probably more like 10 tarts
as I got 20 tarts from doubling the recipe

I hope you all enjoy

I'm actually going to be making more this weekend

just one batch this time:)

since Madison and Hayley weren't able to try one

plus I wanted to make some for my parents too

Happy Baking and Happy Holidays

Merry Christmas!

xo



intangibles

I probably have lost most of you by now...

Last night I actually did a quick blog visit looking for something on my blog

I wanted to find

and then I also found a post that i did 2 years ago this month of a video

when my youngest was 1 1/2

and I cried

that age is so sweet and I just miss it

even though I love the ages both of my girls are at right now too

it was just a reminder of how time just flies by

often before you want it to

I really miss posting on my blog

yes, I've said this before

but I really realized it more than ever last night

I miss reading my friend's blogs

I miss the connections I made with all of you

I miss many of things

but I just had to take a break from writing

sharing

posting

I just needed to live life for my family

some things are hard to say...

this past year has been wonderful for so many of things

but it also has been an extremely difficult year for my family too

that's hard to say

not just my immediate family

but also in my extended family

 and if I would have written

it would have been painful for me

that's why I stepped away

and of course because lack of time as well

I've really been off the wall busy with my family, kiddos, my business, etc.

I just couldn't make my blog a priority

 I chose to focus on other things

and I am happy with that decision

I wanted to look at my life and still appreciate the wonderful blessings

that I have no matter what

because I have so many blessings

that I'm just so thankful for

anyway,

I want to get back on track with sharing...

so as most of you know

Christmas is in my top 3 holidays of the year

the giving and celebrating family/friends is my favorite part of the year

and it also means that I have guaranteed time that my hubby is in town too:)

we have already had some wonderful christmas celebrations

a couple of weekends ago with my in-laws

this past weekend was Christmas with our friends

and i made pumpkin candied cranberry tarts

yes, I made tarts for the very first time
I loved it!

and I'm still pretty darn excited about it
although, it took me forever

I may just be going through a tart phase now
they are just so cute and pretty

obviously, I'm sidetracked with my tarts now

which I do plan on sharing the recipe because I loved it

both of the celebrations were wonderful

Christmas is one of my favorite holidays

it has been that way since I was a child

my sister and I always, always loved it

Miracle on 34th Street

and we would watch it almost on a daily basis

{almost}

yes, I've talked about that movie a lot on this blog in the past

my sis and i would watch it so much when we were younger

that I think my parents had to buy us 2 vhs tapes:)

we would literally wear this movie out:)

yes, "I believe"

and that only makes sense if you have watched the movie

So...

as I was going through my blog last night
I was reminded of my favorite quote in my very favorite Christmas movie

Miracle on 34th Street

I thought I would share it once again

 I took some Christmas photos of the girls yesterday afternoon

it was a blast

we had lots of fun

smiles

silly faces

dance moves to celebrate at the end of our little session

we all celebrated
the girls were great

actually fabulous

and wonderful

{that's because they were bribed with freezy ice pops}

we don't know how to get through a photo session without bribing in our family

just so you know...I am not above bribing to get photos :)

i almost put this picture on my virtual christmas card just to be reminded of all the silly things the girls and I do together

hopefully you will love this quote as much as I do

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

"Someday you are going to find that your way of facing this realistic world just doesn't work, and when you do, don't overlook those lovely intangibles. You'll discover those are the only things that are worthwhile."

and I found that quote true so much of this past year
hold on to those intangibles

Thank you everyone for your patience

and thank you to my fabulous friends that over the past couple of months kept asking me when I was coming back with my blog

it was just nice to hear your sweet words to me

it didn't go unnoticed

Happy Holidays!!!

"Whatever is good,

whatever brings you joy...

May it be yours during

this magical season and the

throughout the coming year."



first day

well it has been so long

i almost forgot my password to my blog

really...I did

and I miss blogging

and checking in on my blog friends

I've been a bad one back to you all this summer

but it really has been a great summer

with my focus going into family and business

 i was so inspired today by my little girl going to kindergarten

it may have just given me what i needed to start writing on the blog again:)

--------------------------

today was Madison's first day of kindergarten

and Hayley and I struggled during the day and in the morning

but Hayley and I stuck together for Madison

missed her

but had a great day ourselves:)

i had to drop some more paperwork at her school today

and we caught a quick glimpse of madison at lunch time

she was laughing and smiling...

just what I wanted to see

 Hayley and i walked out of her school

and she turns to me and says

"but mama...I just wanted to give her a hug'

I replied

"I know...me too"

as we both had a little cry back to the car again

then i had to make her smile for both of our sake:)

As Madison came home

Hayley gave her sis a big hug that melted my heart

Hayley said to Madison

"I really wanted to give you a hug today"

it just melted me

{waiting at the bus stop down the street}

I'm a proud mama today

of both of my little girls

Madison's kindergarten teacher sent home this lovely poem

I thought I'd share with you all

it brought tears all over again

but so true

First Day of School

Author Unknown

She started school this morning,

and she seemed so very small.

As I walked there beside her

In the Kindergarten hall.

And as she took her place beside

the others in the class,

I realized how all too soon

Those first few years can pass.

Remembering, I saw her as

She first learned how to walk.

The words that we alone made out

When she began to talk.

This little girl so much absorbed

In learning how to write.

It seems as though she must have grown

To girlhood overnight.

My eyes were blurred by hastily

I brushed the tears away

Lest by some word or sign of mine

I mar her first big day

Oh how I longed to stay with her

And keep her by the hand

To lead her through the places

That she couldn't understand.

And something closely kin to fear

Was mingled with my pride.

I knew she would no longer be

A baby by my side.

But she must have her chance to live,

To work her problems out,

The privilege to grow and learn

What life is all about.

And I must share my little girl

With friends and work and play;

She's not a baby anymore ~

She's in Kindergarten today.

summer wishes

 summer wishes...

about a month ago trying to fall asleep

i started thinking about summer wishes for the girls and I

{not excluding Bobby...but you all know he travels a lot by now}

so it's just mainly us

I started thinking...and dreaming

what i wanted out of summer

what would be good for the girls

what would be good for our family

and i came up with a few summer wishes...

summer wish #1

traveling more...

we all love to travel and since we are all going in all different directions

with different schedules

it has been on my heart to travel together

i was hoping for a trip for Bobby and I...just us

as well as a trip with all four of us

we hardly have much family time together with him home only a day and a half a week

and we all need some fun time together

time to relax and just go with the flow

our schedules are so jam packed each week

that we all need to take time away

where we don't have to plan

and can just wake up and figure it out each day for a week

ironically this summer wish is coming true

next post i'll tell you about the road trip Bobby and I took together

{it was absolutely the most relaxing trip we've had}

next month

with Bobby's rewards of traveling

the girls and i are going to tag along with him for a little over a week

to Cali

{we've never been to Cali so we are super excited about that}

and this project he is working on is so close to the beach

and you know our fondness for the beach

so we are super excited

and with what i do

i earned a trip to Atlantis in August

I still am in disbelief about how this all fell right into place

traveling more with my family has been on my heart for so long

and i'm so excited to have made it happen this summer

summer wish #2 

to continue to enjoy the small moments with the girls

right now...they are putting on a fashion show for me

in my high heels

 Madison just lined up my shoes for me because

she said and I quote

"your closet was a mess mama"

geez I have a hard time staying organized lately

I used to be organized

but now I call myself an organized disorganized person right now

and it is 9:30 in the evening and yes the girls are still up

i'm a morning girl so if they sleep in a bit later in the morning

happy dance for me

because that means an extra glass of coffee and more stuff I can get done before they wake up

small moment for the day

some of our blueberries are ripe

and the girls looooved being able to pick them

right from our yard

summer wish #3

to take deep breathes

many of them when i need them

summer wish #4

when I'm not working

to have a lot of fun with my family and friends

endless days at the pool

summer wish #5

to finally organize and clean out our closets

they are driving me crazy

summer wish #6

to find days where i use and cook with every single one of my herbs in one day

i swear it's the little things with me

i was doing a happy dance one evening when i realized

all in one day

i used my chives, parsley, cilantro, oregano, basil, and thyme

all fresh right off my front porch

{not all in one meal mind you}

but it was fun

and the roasted cauliflower with thyme on it was fabulous by the way

summer wish #7

to enjoy lunches a couple times during the month with friends

 it is an absolute necessity especially when I'm so blessed with the friends that I have

they are a treasure to me

lunches with my mom

we don't get to do much fun things together since my parents are always helping watch the girls when i have work

so it would be nice to enjoy lunch and dinner with them more often

summer wish #8

going to see the kids movies with the girls that come out this summer

we all love going to the movies and just don't do it enough

summer wish #9

being able to give all that I can with work and those i'm training right now

there is nothing that makes you feel better than to help others meet their goals

and become successful themselves

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm certainly ready for a great summer

and to make a conscious effort to making all my summer wishes become reality

xoxo

and thank you again for all your input with the photos from last post...

I am definitely going to be using your suggestions and top picks for my next order for business cards

i'm back:)

I know, I know

it's been almost a month since I have probably visited you

or even written on my blog

but a couple of things before I begin...

thank you
all of you that so kindly reminded me to get with it

and come back

and get back to normal
and do a stinkin' post

and write again

i'll be honest though

it's just been a little rough for me with a few things

and these past three months

{this is where I take a deep breathe}

have been the roughest
when things like that happen
I stop writing
because you don't need to hear it all

the verse that has lifted my spirits this past month

"Cast all your care upon Him; for He cares for you"
I Peter 5:7

and then I have focused on many many great things in my life
and I tell you what
even though these past months have been difficult

they have also been so very wonderful
I have close family and friends that are always there for me
my business has been very exciting

and this past month I finished earning my business incentive trip
 I'm going to Atlantis in August
{happy dance}
{happy dance}
{happy dance again}

so just so I honestly have been focusing on those good things

depositing into those

{not that this blog isn't good}

but I had to get away from a few things to really focus on some other things

I'm thankful for an amazing business, family,
and

amazing friends that live here and afar

friends threw the absolute best suprise weekend for me for my birthday

all you {my blog readers] have meant the world to me

and that's why I felt so badly about being away

the reason why it has taken so long to get back into sharing our life
is because I wondered...

 if it was too late to continue this blog

by being away so long
if i lost you all...

so i have a few things to share

of what good things we have been up too...

wonderful, fun times with friends and family

Madison graduated preschool

I cried, of course

because i was excited for her

but it always makes me feel like time goes by waaaaay too fast already

we are enjoying pool time
well just three days of it so far

 it's summertime

and this is my happy time during summer

I'm so happy that my hydrangeas are about to start blooming

and the rest of my flowers are filling out

 I do have something to ask your help with

 I would really love from you is your help and/or opinion

my friend is a fantastic photographer

and i needed to update my business pictures for

my business website

business cards

and any other marketing i needed pictures for

so she put together a fantastic business package for me

I wanted to do colorful

outdoor pics

to liven up my look and to also go with what i do

out of the pictures she took

i chose some of them to use on my blog

and some for my business

we also snuck in a family picture or two because we haven't had one in a bit

so what i would love, love your help with

is helping me decide

what photos should i use for my business website?

what are your favorites for my business cards?

I would love outside feedback

I like to have a couple of different business cards

using different pictures

so please choose your top 2 or 3 for business cards

so if you would be willing to choose your top three

i would be so appreciative:)

And by the way

Kristen was fabulously fabulously patient with me

if you know me well

you know i get nervous with photos

especially by myself

if i'm in a picture with family, friends, etc.

i'm okay

because I'm not the only one

i really struggled at times

and Kristen couldn't have done a better job of helping me through that

and being patient with me

If you live within an hour or so of me

and need family photos or business photos

I would definitely consider Kristen

so just to show you our family photos first

because of course that was the easier part for me

and yes...

 I really did wear color in these photos

no gray or brown:)

one.

two.



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ten.



eleven.



I think Kristen did a wonderful job

so her information is already on my sidebar

but click here to visit her website

if you are interested in her business packages just shoot her an e-mail

via her website

thanks in advance for your help

xoxo

next time i'll share with you a few of my summer wishes

for my fam and I

hayley's room redo

I'm a little belated in showing this

two months late perhaps

of Hayley's room redo

and I still don't feel like I'm ready to show the changes we made to her bedroom

her room really is pretty much done for now

except maybe some small changes here and there

okay the small change I'm hoping for sometime

is eventually adding white beadboard
when we can
and when Bobby is actually in town
{and willing to do it}

but for now...

her room is "done"

thankfully I downloaded Hayley's room pictures a couple of weeks ago
 I forgot my camera in Bobby's car when he was out of town
so i haven't taken pictures for weeks!!!

 however, I do have a little post of Hayley's room
after the redo
it'll be nice to have documented this down the road

but...I wish...

I wish...

I would have taken a before picture for you all too
I just got so consumed with getting it done before her birthday
I forgot all about taking the before picture

we had an old dresser in her room that i so happily put on Craig's list

it is not one I even want to refinish
look at
or really see again
it was a pain to clean
{that's why I say that}

she had a toddler bed in her room too
and some shelves
just not really put together after we changed her nursery to toddler

so how I approached Hayley's room redo...
i wanted it to feel like her own

she had been asking since early January that she wanted a "big girl bed" just like Madison

she was telling everyone...

my parents

Bobby and I

probably anyone who would listen:)
she is our talker in the family
non-stop talker as a matter of fact
that sometimes Madison even asks her to please be quiet for even a minute

 I thought her room redo would be the perfect birthday present from us

she gets so much from others

that I wanted to do something practical from us

and I was right because

she now loves to play in her room
and sometimes the peace in quiet when she is in there is worth it to me as a "mom"
whose husband is out of town pretty much every week

but i guess I "should say"
more importantly... I wanted it to feel like it was her space

actually I wanted some personal space a little bit too
just being honest here

since she had talked about wanting her big girl room to my parents

they said they had a bed I could refinish

so I did

and my parents wanted to get all of Hayley's bedding for her for her birthday
because they were on board with me
and once they get an idea in there head to help
there is no stopping them
that's just the way my parents are
i love them:)

 

literally

I refinished a bed and dresser

at no cost
already had the paint...just had to make the time

I also shopped around our own house to find a side table from Madison's room
{Madison now has a different side table as her birthday present in April}

and the display table under her shelves
used to be in our loft area that had our second tv and dvd player on

it is definitely much prettier in Hayley's room than in the loft

Bobby and I only purchased curtains and her new chandelier

which was actually refurbished...
not expensive at all
very similiar to the one in madison's room and our room

I wanted to share with you all that i shopped around my own house
because 'room redos" can be done
without spending any money or very little money

i'm by no means a decorating pro
but I have learned to shop my own home first before buying anything

since my first thought isn't always to buy something new
{unless i have a piece stuck in my head that I know I don't have}

I'll just wait until the time is right or until I come across what I'm looking for

with Hayley's room we wanted to keep her walls "the yellow" we painted her nursery

she loves yellow

and the color fits her...
since she is a sunshine girl

so we found some pretty white bedding to compliment her and her wall color

 I wanted her yellow walls to stand out rather than blend in

I asked Madison if I could take her pillow from her room for Hayley's
only because it wasn't going to fit Madison's new bedding anymore that she got for her birthday

she was so sweet and didn't even think about it when she said yes
I just explained she would have a new one very soon herself

I'm sure you are done with my rambling so I'll just get on to the pictures
it is so bright and vibrant for Hayley
it makes me smile every time i walk in her room
and she does too
...sometimes she even makes her own bed in the morning
well I guess that lasted about a month
but it was nice while it lasted:)
and to me any 3-year-old willingly making their bed is pretty good for anytime it lasts

yes I probably should have cleaned her frog container before I showed you pictures

when i was little I got two dolls from my Grandpa and Grandma M

 I gave one to each of the girls

and this one has always fit Hayley and her room

hayley's snuggly duckling sign from her Tangled birthday party I hung above her closet

and for Hayley's artwork because i never seem to have enough space on my

refrigerator...I thought I'd start hanging it in their room

so you can see I do actually have a fridge in my kitchen:)

and because Hayley is our dragonfly I had made her a dragonfly

when i was still pregnant with her

and it goes perfectly with her room now

white eyelet curtains with dragonfly clips on them

a picture of Hayley I took in our neighborhood last early spring

and a baby one of her

the shells in the jar are from our first family trip to the beach:)

and this bird cage was from my kitchen
hayley had asked for one just like Madison had
so it finally dawned on me to gift Hayley with this one

and that's it for the little walk through

two months a little late in showing you all
but i finally have it put together
if the pictures are edited a little funny
it's because my computer has a new screen and the lightening is really off on it to me

xo