When I sat down to write about fall/winter care for our birds in the backyard –with special attention to not feeding the squirrels too – little did I know that one would actually become a guest in my home! My son, Kyle, has come home with stray dogs for years. When I received a call from him with a new rescued pet, the last thing I thought was it would be a baby squirrel. Aptly named “Squirrel!” this little one instantly became my “grand-squirrel” and I couldn’t have been more in love!
Until Kyle could arrange for Squirrel! to go to an animal sanctuary, he fed him formula, kept him warm and clean, and introduced him to apples and nuts. This little guy had quite the personality too. We found out that Squirrel! preferred pecans, or rather, would only eat pecans. When we would hand him any nut other than a pecan, he would sniff it and throw it back in disgust. Seems our little squirrel friend was turning into the “Fresh Squirrel of Bel-Air.” Well, Squirrel! did have quite the “rodent life” for the few days at our house complete with maid, nanny and private chef services (aka Kyle.)
Now that our little visitor has taken up residence at the animal sanctuary, let me get back to our feathered friends. We know it is more challenging for birds to find water and food during this time. Here are a few easy suggestions to keep our winged-friends plump and happy:
- Tube Feeders with perches can be used for both small and large birds.
- Hopper Feeders are convenient because as you can clearly see when a birdfeed refill is needed.
- Birdbaths should be placed in an open space. This prevents feline- predators from hiding and pouncing on our friends. You can add a heater to keep it more “bath” than “rink” during our coldest days.
- Natural Birdseed is abundant! Sit back and enjoy your Pine, Birch, Maple and Oak trees as they supply cones and seeds that many birds love.
- You can’t go wrong with sunflower seeds and suet to keep a variety of birds happy – even better – a wild bird mix will cover all of the bases.
Ok, I have to admit, I found a new appreciation of furry little squirrels (oh Squirrel!, I do miss you...) So I have added some things to my backyard to feed these guys too. There are feeders just for squirrels – the one I have actually makes them work for the nuts and seeds – which keeps the forager in them really happy. The key to having any squirrel feeding station is to have it far removed from your birdfeeders. Be sure to keep birds and squirrels fed, but apart so there are no backyard food-fights!
Chat with a Dyson Engineer all day on Sunday, November 2 for expert answers to your Dyson questions. Discover the engineering, power, and innovation that separates this brand!
Growing up I loved Halloween. I usually wore some store bought costume with the plastic mask that made it impossible to breathe or see and headed out on a quest to collect as much candy as I could. Where I grew up, Trick or Treating was always the last Friday night of October, which was great because I loved getting up on Saturday morning not having to worry about going to school, dumping all of my Halloween candy on the floor, which I would devour piece by piece, and watching Looney Tunes and Smurfs cartoons.
But as I got older I stopped dressing up. I avoided costume parties throughout my adulthood believing I was too old to play dress-up.
Then I had kids. And slowly over the course of the last 8 years I have once again embraced the fun & fantasy that Halloween brings. I start early decorating the house. I own more Halloween decor than I do Christmas - and each year the display gets bigger!
A graveyard of ghosts welcomes visitors outside the home....
A pair of mummies greet our guests inside the front door and our buddy "Skell" hangs out watching tv with us every night. At first I told myself it was for the kids. But I realize that with each year, I anticipate Halloween as much as they do.
Usually we dress up as a family: one year Ghostbusters, another year Top Gun, with the occasional Star Wars, Harley Davidson or Minecraft character thrown into the mix.
This year, sadly, I am working the night of Trick or Treat and won't be dressing up... BOO! While it bums me out, I am already looking forward to next year... and with a year to think about it, I hope it will be the best Halloween yet! I have just gotta’ make sure to ask my boss for the night off! Lol.
HAPPY HALLOWEEN! Are you ready for trick-or-treat night? I thought I was but some of the candy seems to have disappeared. I wouldn't know ANYTHING about that. As soon as I’m done blogging with you, I’ve got to hightail it over to the supermarket for another surplus of candy. What’s on my list? Reese’s cups, Snickers bars, and Pay Days—all the favorites I had when I was a kid. And I think I’ll pick up some tootsie rolls in honor of my mom…those were her favorites!
Speaking of candy, I saw something on Facebook about trick-or-treating in the 70s (when I was a kid!) and it brought back so many memories. Back in those days, we didn’t have pumpkin pails to hold our candy, we used pillowcases. And, our costumes were homemade…well at least mine were because I was such a big kid. None of the store-bought costumes fit so I remember taking a white sheet, drawing circles on it, and cutting out the eyes myself to be a ghost. And then one year, I was a clown. I used my older brother’s shirt and pants…I rolled them up at the ankle, my mom sewed pompoms on my shirt, and I had white clown makeup. Many years later, I went to a fundraiser in Philadelphia and I was a Keystone Kop complete with the billy club and bucket hat. I loved that costume.
If you’ve got kids or grandchildren who are of the trick-or-treating age, have so much fun tonight. Or if you’re handing out candy, try and keep a few pieces for the kids, okay?
We’ll be into November when I see you Sunday on In the Kitchen with David.The holiday months are HERE, foodies. Can you believe it? In honor of Thanksgiving, our theme in November is Pies and Sides. Everyone loves the classics, but in case you’re looking for something fresh and different this year, we have plenty of ideas for you, starting with Oatmeal Pie.
Place the oven rack on the lowest position of the oven and preheat to 350°F.
Whisk together the flour, oatmeal, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a medium-size bowl. Set it aside.
Whisk together the eggs, sugar, corn syrup, molasses, melted butter, vanilla in a medium-size bowl until well mixed.
Pour the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients and whisk until the mixtures are evenly incorporated. Pour the batter into the unbaked pie shell.
Bake for 40–45 minutes, or until golden brown and a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack. Best served at room temperature.
I hadn’t heard of oatmeal pie before we tested this recipe. This idea came from our girl Andrea, a chef on our In the Kitchen with Davidteam who helps bring all our recipes to life. This recipe is one of her fiancée’s favorites and is now one of her favorites, as his family makes it every Thanksgiving. I love that it’s a hearty enough pie to serve for breakfast, but sweet enough to be a tasty dessert.
Foodies, I really hope you can join us this week AND next for In the Kitchen with David. The gentlemen in the photo above are part of the Clef Hangers, an a cappella singing group from my Alma mater, the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. And, on November 9, they’ll be here in our QVC kitchens serenading us with some Christmas carols! I was part of the Clef Hangers back in the 80’s and I’m honored that they’re coming. I know I’ve got some throwback pictures of me with the choir in my blog before their visit….I’ll see if I can dig those up and share them here in my blog.
Your blog question today iswhat’s your family’s signature dessert? Do you make something out-of-the-box like Oatmeal pie? Or are the classics—like carrot cake, apple pie, or brownies—the specialties in your house? Nana’s Nanner Pudding was one of the specialties in the Venable house for many years...and still is. I don’t care what season it is…there’s never a wrong time to eat banana pudding.
Happy Halloween! I posted the “Halloween Rules” on my Facebook page…did you read these yet?
Whatever you’re doing—or whatever you’re being tonight, have fun. And be safe!!
You’re Home with Jill is back this Wednesday night and we have two hours together! Join me at 6pm ET for a holiday decorating mini-series, a brand-new recipe, and this fabulous DIY project:
These elegant gourds were inspired by something I saw in one of those home décor magazines. I have a love/hate relationship with said magazines, by the way. I swear I get at least five in the mail a week. But, of course, I can’t just toss them in the recycling. Instead, I find myself leafing through them to get ideas and then creating my own designer rooms in my head.
In this case, the leafing worked to my advantage. Here’s how you make your own spray-painted gourds...it’s super easy.
You will need:
Gold spray paint
Silver spray paint
Drop cloth
Then:
Spread all the gourds out on the drop cloth. I split the quantity in half, putting gold at one end of the cloth and silver at the other.
Starting with the underside of each gourd, spray the surface of each gourd lightly, going back and forth a few times.
Let them dry for 1-2 hours.
When completely dry, turn them right side up and spray the top and side surfaces.
Again, let them dry and then decorate as desired.
Wouldn’t that look elegant on your dinner table? Or better yet, a side table so it wouldn’t get in the way of conversation? I’ll share a recipe for your holiday table in my blog on Tuesday, as usual. And remember…I’ll see you for You’re Home with Jill on Wednesday at 6pm ET.
After four years of proudly representing StriVectin on QVC, it seemed time to take our relationship to the next level (LOL)! But, seriously, you've all been so supportive of my StriVectin passion on camera, I felt it was time for you to learn a few facts about my off-camera life.
1) I was born in the Philippines. My parents worked for the Peace Corps, and I was their love child number four. I lived in Micronesia, Malaysia, and the Marshall Islands for the first five years of my life before we settled as a family in Massachusetts. This is part of why I'm fascinated by all people—and drawn to this people-loving business of raising self-esteem through great skin care.
2) I'm a singer/songwriter and have co-produced and released over six albums! As a girl born in the 60s, raised in the 70s, and coming of age in the 80s, my influences include: Joni Mitchell, Carly Simon, Annie Lennox, and Suzanne Vega, reflecting those musical time periods.
3) I've written a book: Home Shopping Diva...Lessons, Lyrics, and Lipstick! It's my New York coming-of-age story as an artist in search of her true voice and true love—all while juggling a passion for cosmetics. This brings you to the point in my life where I magically find myself before the cameras of QVC for StriVectin (and it's a fun, yet poignant read).
4) I live in NYC with an Aussie. Yes, my husband is from Australia, and we live with a 15-lb, yellow tabby cat named Roy. Roy was rescued from a Times Square deli and is now more popular on Facebook than I am!
5) My favorite role of all? Giving back to my parents. In 2004, I was my father’s companion as he battled cancer. In 2010, I moved my mother with Alzheimer’s into my building, and then, in 2013, onto my floor. So, when I'm not sharing the benefits of NIA-114 with you all on QVC, I'm probably watching one of mom’s favorite movie musicals in my pajamas, two doors down, in absolute heaven. The photo on the top page of this blog is of Mom and me watching Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in Top Hat!
So, thank you friends for taking the time to get to know me a little bit better. Please, don’t ever hesitate to reach out if you have any questions. I'm honored to be part of your life and so thankful for your support of StriVectin and of all things Meg.
What do you get when you put Jane Pauley, Diane Keaton, Robin Roberts and 8,000 women in one convention center?
Okay, so I’m not sure, but it’s what just happened in Philly last month, and it was fabulous!
It was the Pennsylvania Women’s Conference and I was thrilled to be invited as a part of the QVC Sprouts program, along with my fitness bud; Albany Irvin. With us, more than 60 QVC women at director level or above got to take part in the day, which included seminars regarding social media, branding, stress management, and philanthropy, just to name a few.
The fact that QVC has that many women with a high level influence over the direction of the business is a testament to what an awesome company I work for. In fact, when I think about it; I would say the majority of the people in power around me are women. And they are awesome. The conference was just about how all of us, in power, or not, can live our best lives.
I loved having the chance to meet so many viewers one-on-one in the “QVC closet”—our booth at the conference. It was your dream closet…more than 700 square feet of awesome fashion, stylists, and products where women could come for fashion advice and find out about the QVC sprouts program that helps entrepreneurs get their products on QVC.
My responsibility as a speaker at the conference was to host half hour round tables with budding inventors, and answer their questions about getting their products to retail. It was so interesting to hear the struggles they have faced and help clear up some of the mystery behind getting on QVC. It truly made me realize how exciting it can be to see your creation make it on the air, and these talented women were giving blood sweat and tears to get there.
Which isn’t unlike what I have done; though in this case the product is me. It took years of working in news and discovering who I really am to see that QVC was the place for me. And then it took months of auditions and prayers and intense soul searching to make the leap from one coast to the next to follow this path. Then the real work began. Years of working in the middle of the night while raising young children and fostering a relationship with my husband. No matter what you do for your career, it’s not just a job. It’s what takes you away from your kids and family and keeps your focus for a large percentage of your life. That’s why the PA Women’s conference was so impressive; all these women, many in high-powered positions, all eager to find balance and improve not just their professional lives but their personal lives as well.
Being a part of the QVC crowd at the conference really reminded me that I have been blessed with a platform on the air and online that can help women realize their dreams. I hope you get one step closer each day to realizing yours.
1 cup chopped nuts, of your choice (I generally use walnuts)
Blend cake mix, pudding mix, water, eggs and vegetable oil in a large mixing bowl on medium speed for about 4 minutes. Hand stir in coconut and nuts. Pour into 2 or 3 greased and floured 9-inch layer pans (depending on if you want a two or a three layered cake. I made two this time. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Remove from oven and allow the cake to cool in the pans for at least 15 minutes then remove and completely cool on a rack or a counter top.
Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting
4 Tablespoons butter
2 cups flaked coconut
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 teaspoon milk
3-1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Melt the butter in pan. Add coconut; stirring constantly over low heat until golden brown. Spread coconut on absorbent paper to cool. Stir together 2 Tablespoons of the butter with the cream cheese. Add milk and powdered sugar alternately, beating well. Add vanilla; stir in 1-3/4 cups of the coconut. Frost cake and sprinkle with remaining coconut.
Today I decided to try something new in the kitchen. (After visiting Alberti and hearing how he does blogs on his recipes, I thought I would try it too).
I saw a number of videos on YouTube about making pizza crust with cauliflower, so I decided to try it! I looked at a number of different versions, decided what I needed, and went to the grocery store.
So then I put all of the ingredients together as you see here. Ignore the chicken, I changed my mind on that! I started by cutting up a while head of cauliflower and "riced" it in the Vitamix. (This was my first time trying it. I did a half at a time, next time I would do a quarter at a time).
I put the riced cauliflower in the microwave for 8 minutes.
Then I mixed in 2 cups of grated cheese, mostly mozzarella and a little Parmesan. I added 2 eggs, some onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
Next I mixed it up into a dough-like consistency and put it on an oiled cookie sheet.
I used a large spoon to smooth it out flat like a pizza crust, and put it in the oven at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes. (Next time I would use parchment paper and leave it in longer so it would be a little bit more done).
I took it out and put a store bought pizza sauce, red onion, red and green pepper, green olives, and cheese on it.
I put it back in the oven for about 12 minutes. I didn't think it was browned enough and put it on broil, got distracted, and burned the edges!! But it was still good!
It set up a little more pizza-like as it cooled and became easier to pick up and eat. I have to say, I am surprised....it was really good! I'd show you another picture now, but it's all gone! :)
This is a great alternative for pizza if you want to have lower carbs, or are gluten free :)
The forecast for most of the country will be chilly this Thanksgiving. A great way to chase away the cold is to wrap your hands around a cozy cup of cocoa in front of the fireplace. This cocoa beats store bought any time!
Enjoy!
Fireside Hot Cocoa
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 pinch of salt
1/2 cup of water
3 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
marshmallow cream (aka fluff) or marshmallows
In a medium saucepan mix cocoa, sugar, cinnamon, salt and water. Bring to a slow boil, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute.
Stir in milk and heat until hot (do not boil). Remove from heat. Add vanilla and mix with a whisk until frothy. (Can use hand mixer for this step).
Pour into mugs and top with marshmallow cream or miniature marshmallows.
And if you like Peppermint Patties, you could even add a little mint extract.
Last week, I had the most amazing time as the QVC remote team and I headed to Los Angeles for our premiere show with Ellen DeGeneres, to launch her seasonal home collection created especially for QVC, E.D. On Air! It was non-stop fun from beginning to end and I wanted to share a few notes and behind the scenes photos with all of you who have already embraced Ellen and her wonderful new home decor items, and to thank you so much for your positive feedback and support! (By the way, I am LOVING the E.D. products I have received so far, and they look fantastic in my home! Apparently, I am not the only one. I noticed on QVC.com that several of them already have 5-star customer reviews!)
Friday, October 24th was the day of the debut show on Ellen's set, at Warner Brothers Studios in Burbank. Our remote team arrived several days earlier to meet with Ellen's team. This is such a unique undertaking, combining the talents of our broadcast team with Ellen's team, who are all involved with producing her daytime show. Since we are doing a QVC show with Ellen on her own set, it requires a lot of teamwork and coordinating lots of elements to pull this off. There were so many talented people involved with the production, from producers to directors, to set designers, to lighting and sound engineers, to wardrobe, hair and makeup pros. Plus lots of other people....it was well-orchestrated insanity backstage when I arrived at around Noon on the day of the show. My amazing hair and makeup stylist, Dina, came with me on the trip... and was there for nearly every moment to make sure I looked just fabulous! A big thank you to Dina!! We had our own, very posh green room backstage at the Ellen Show at WB.
I met with our QVC producers and director, as well as with Ellen's executive producer and then, it was time for rehearsal! As soon as Ellen and I spotted each other, we gave each other a BIG hug and then...we were OFF...running through the entire show. Ellen told me she was so excited to be launching her new line on QVC...that she had been working really hard on it for two years and had been very much involved with every aspect; the designs, the colors, the actual items themselves. They are inspired by things she loves in her own life, things she has in her own home, themes that she loves, like animals, natural elements, clean, classic lines and colors, and vintage pieces that incorporate modern technology like her flocked trees and wreaths. She could not WAIT to show the QVC audience all of these beautiful things and tell them why she chose them for her E.D. collection!
Rehearsal was a BLAST. We were all laughing through most of it, but Ellen and I told each other we were both saving some surprises for the live show. Oh my gosh, was THAT an understatement!! Soon, the live studio audience was in place, and as with every Ellen show, it was a dancing, FUN party atmosphere throughout the set! Everyone was on their feet and SO excited for the show to begin! A huge roar went up as Ellen stepped out on stage to do her monologue, which was hilarious, of course. Then it was my turn to come out and join Ellen at the famous chairs to begin our show. Now, I have to tell you, this was not my first show with Ellen, and in the past, she has somehow managed to get me to not only eat cat food on live TV, but PRETEND to drink shots of whiskey with her throughout another show we did, and PRETEND to get more and more tipsy. Working with her is how I imagine Ethel felt working with Lucy...you just have to GO with it and have FUN!
So, I knew she would have some shenanigans up her sleeve for our E.D. On Air show as well, and boy was I right! She tried to decorate me in Christmas lights and wrap me up in a throw blanket. She had me spelling all sorts of words with her Marquee Lights. She had me nearly on the floor with our gift wrapping challenge (Did you see that awful job she did wrapping the wooden candle holder?) Of course, Ellen is always funny, practically everything she says is funny. But I got HER a few times too, I am proud to say. Both of us laughed a lot...and so did the audience both in studio and at home. But there were serious moments too, as Ellen described why she was most proud of the pieces in her debut collection. The E.D. On Air collection of candles, lighting, holiday decor, linens and more is beautiful, and of the highest quality...and THAT is no joke!
The customers were definitely shopping in between the laughter, as much of our inventory dwindled as the show went on. Everyone in the studio audience received a $100 QVC gift card. As the show ended, Ellen gave me a high five and a big hug, saying how thrilled she was that our customers loved her products and that she couldn't wait to show all of us what she has planned for Spring of 2015. She is an amazing person, just the same off camera as on. I am so glad to have her as part of our QVC family and I thank you for giving her such a warm QVC welcome! I hope you will be equally as welcoming to Ellen's backup guest, our friend Taniya Nyack, who is an interior decorator and design expert who you may have seen on shows like “Designed to Sell” on HGTV and “Restaurant Impossible” on the Food network. She will be the guest for our QVC E.D. On Air shows that air from our studios in West Chester. She is wonderful, and we have our first show together on Thursday, November 6th at 8pm ET.
One last note: a couple of days after I returned to PA, the most gorgeous arrangement of dozens of golden yellow, red tipped roses arrived for me at QVC Studio Park.
Yes...WOW...they were from Ellen...along with a lovely note, which I will treasure always. Thank you Ellen, for making life so much nicer in so many ways.
Love, Carolyn
PS- For those who weren't able to watch all of the fun with Ellen, here is a short clip from the show!
Everywhere you look in the month of November you see the gorgeous warm shades of yellow, orange and red leaves falling to the ground. November’s birthstone Citrine does a marvelous job at capturing that warm fall feeling.
There are very few true yellow gemstones. The name citrine is derived from the French word "citron" meaning lemon. Lemony, brisk, zesty sunshine hues draw you in and give you that warm, cozy feeling. If you are drawn to canary diamonds, maybe citrines can warm your heart and captivate you with their hue.
This gem rates a 7.0 on the Mohs hardness scale which makes it a very wearable and hardy stone.
Citrines were a favorite gem used by the ancient Romans. It also found favor with Hollywood starlets and was worn in huge carat weights by Greta Garbo and Joan Crawford.
Citrine's color is thought to radiate positive energy. It is known as the 'success stone', since it is believed to promote prosperity and abundance, especially in situations involving business. Citrine has actually earned the nickname of 'the merchant's stone', owing to the fact that many businesses will keep citrine in their cash registers for good fortune.
Citrine is representative of loyalty, friendship and faithfulness. And you November babies are definitely those things... as a matter of fact, it sounds like a description of my MA - she's a November baby too!
Enjoy your special day and your special birthstone!
Everywhere you look in the month of November you see the gorgeous warm shades of yellow, orange and red leaves falling to the ground. November’s birthstone Citrine does a marvelous job at capturing that warm fall feeling.
There are very few true yellow gemstones. The name citrine is derived from the French word "citron" meaning lemon. Lemony, brisk, zesty sunshine hues draw you in and give you that warm, cozy feeling. If you are drawn to canary diamonds, maybe citrines can warm your heart and captivate you with their hue - and of course their affordability!
This gem rates a 7.0 on the Mohs hardness scale which makes it a very wearable and hardy stone. If properly taken care of, and kept from sharp blows or scratches, you citrine should last a lifetime. You can clean it with almost any jewelry cleaner or even plain soap and water and a soft brush. Just make sure to dry thoroughly.
Citrines were a favorite gem used by the ancient Romans. It also found favor with Hollywood starlets and was worn in huge carat weights by Greta Garbo and Joan Crawford during the Art Deco period.
Citrine's color is thought to radiate positive energy. It is known as the 'success stone', since it is believed to promote prosperity and abundance, especially in situations involving business. Citrine has actually earned the nickname of 'the merchant's stone', owing to the fact that many businesses will keep citrine in their cash registers for good fortune.
Citrine is representative of loyalty, friendship and faithfulness. And you November babies are definitely those things... as a matter of fact, it sounds like a description of my MA - she's a November baby too!
Enjoy your special day and your special birthstone!
I hope everyone has been enjoying the great new product we have had available this fall season so far. In today’s show we have a great new sweater & a great new Active pant, new this season. We also have some great new colors available on some long-time customer favorites. Our most popular Denim & Co. pant, the Original Waist Stretch Pants with Side Pockets, is now available in a new color, raisin brown. And our Plaid Button Front Vest with Sherpa Lining is available in claret red, new today.
What colors are you looking for this fall?? I know I’ve been gravitating towards greys layered with a pop of color. What color would you love to see in your long-time favorite Denim & Co. item?? What fresh new fall colors are you looking for in a top, or maybe in a bottom?? It could be a fashion color or a great new basic…We would love to hear what your go-to color is this season.
Living on the west coast, I never really had any cravings for “comfort food” beyond the occasional burger. My main staple foods were salmon, grilled chicken, spinach and kale – I know what you’re thinking – a little boring. Well, the change of seasons on the east coast certainly has me HUNGRY and feeling extra creative in the kitchen. I decided to try out a chicken pot pie and invited Lisa over to help me eat it!! Together we ate more than half of it!! I paired it with a simple kale salad which you’ll see in the pictures below. We thought it was a good combo – I hope you do too!
Happy Eating!
First, I looked up a great recipe and got these Ingredients from the grocery store:
1 lb cubed chicken breast
1 cup sliced carrots and parsnips
1 cup frozen green peas
½ cup sliced celery
1/3 cup butter
1 small chopped onion
1/3 cup all purpose flower
1 ¾ cups chicken broth
2/3 cup milk (I used skim)
¼ teaspoon celery seed
Salt and pepper to taste
2 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust
Then I followed these instructions for preparation, since it was my first time I was really careful and followed it exactly!
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees
In a saucepan, combine the chicken, carrots, peas and celery. Add water to cover and boil for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, drain and set aside.
In a Saucepan over medium heat, cook onions in butter until soft and transluscent. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and celery seed. Slowly stir in chicken broth and milk. Simmer over medium heat until thick, while stirring with a whisk. Remove from heat and set aside.
Place the chicken mixture in bottom pie crust. I used my TEMPTATIONS pie dish which fit the mixture perfectly! Pour hot liquid mixture over. Cover with top crust and seal the edges. (I used the extra cut offs to form a leaf…call me ambitious!) Make several small slits to allow steam to escape.
This wasn’t part of the recipe, but you can scramble an egg and brush on the pie crust to give it a glazed look like I did!!
Bake for 30-35 minutes until the pastry is golden brown. Coco was the best assistant in the kitchen…she watched the pie cook the ENTIRE time!
How many of you grew up eating sweet potato pie? If you hail from the South, I bet you’ve eaten a pie or two yourself…in one sitting. But, if you’re not a Southerner, sweet potato pie may sound a little strange. Sweet potatoes? In a pie? Well, this North Carolina boy can tell you there’s nothing strange about it. In fact, if you like pumpkin pie, I’ll bet you’ll love Wednesday’s recipe…especially since we gave it a sweet, nutty, crumbly topping.
1 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp maple syrup
3/4 cup evaporated milk
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
Crust:
1 9" frozen deep-dish pie crust
Streusel:
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp butter, room temperature
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Maple Glaze:
4 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup light brown sugar
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Place the sweet potatoes in a medium-size saucepan. Cover the potatoes with water and boil until tender, 10–15 minutes.
Place sweet potatoes, brown sugar, maple syrup, evaporated milk, spices, and vanilla in a food processor. Cover and process until smooth. Add the egg and process until incorporated.
Pour the filling into the pie crust and place the pie on a cookie sheet. Bake for 20 minutes.
While the pie is baking, make the streusel topping. Combine the brown sugar, flour, butter, cinnamon, and walnuts in a small bowl. Remove the pie from the oven after 20 minutes and add the crumbled topping. Bake the pie for another 20 minutes.
Let the pie cool completely. Just before serving, make the glaze. Melt the butter in a small saucepan and then stir in the brown sugar until dissolved. Stir in the maple syrup. Serve the sauce warm, drizzled over slices of the pie.
Foodies, you won’t regret adding this dessert to your holiday spread this year. I recommend making this a day or two before your gathering and whipping up the glaze while you have your loved ones clear the table. By the time it’s ready, the table will be clear and—with a little luck—you’ll get out of the cleanup altogether!
Your blog question today is what’s the most unusual pie you’ve ever had? Was it a seafood pot pie? Mince meat? Shoofly pie? I’ll see you Wednesday at 8pm ET for In the Kitchen with David.
Kitchen Chronicles is the right name for this blog post….because our kitchen has developed its own story during a 24 year journey with my family - not just the past two weeks of demolition and installation. Here’s my sweet Mother in our kitchen in 1990, just after we moved in. As you can see, it had dark cabinets and butter yellow counter tops. It’s such a shame that you can’t see the pebbled harvest gold linoleum - not really!
Shortly after we moved in, Will put primer on the cabinets to seal in the dark stain and then a nice fresh coat of white paint. We changed the walls to a deep sage green and Will replaced the old linoleum with a new pattern, white with small black diamonds. Then for my 40th birthday, Will gave me wood floors! Who wants wood floors for her birthday? Easy answer, me!
Our thought was that when the appliances started to die we would re-do this wall of our kitchen. The microwave stopped working a couple of months ago and the dishwasher is on it’s last legs! So we called Bob and Charles who we always call when we have a project and they put us in touch with Melanie, at Excelsior Kitchen in Butler, NJ. She came to the house to get a feel for our look and style and to measure dimensions. She came up with a great initial plan that we tweaked together. Our kitchen is really on just two walls. The first wall is pictured above. The second wall, to the left of the first, holds the refrigerator and a larger cupboard that serves as the pantry.
Melanie introduced some nice visual interest to the first wall. Pushing the sink out a few inches and placing a decorative hood over the stove broke the flat, monotenous lines of the old kitchen. Varying the lines and forms of a room can make it look bigger and more pleasing to the eye.
We have a soffit above the cabinets. That’s how kitchens were done back in the 70’s. Melanie wanted to know if the cabinets could go all the way to the ceiling to gain some extra cabinet storage space. We weren’t sure if the soffit was hollow, but I knew how to find out…YES!
Box heaven…..view from the sunroom into the kitchen.
Progress!!
This past Saturday morning, the painters came.
Because there’s so little kitchen wall to paint. We wanted it to be cheerful and perky! Benjamin Moore’s Dill Pickle was just right!
So that’s where we are today….this week the stone counter top, electricity, and lighting will be installed. Then the ceramic tile backsplash will go up. I’ll be sure to post more photos along the way!
If you have insights or helpful hints for someone thinking about re-doing their kitchen…please share!
My family has a tradition of “pitch-in” brunch when we’re all gathered together at holiday time. It’s a casual way to feed everyone, and everybody is responsible for a dish.
I like to make mini frittatas and serve them with fresh berries. Tonight is Temp-tations final TSV of the year! It’s an “18-pc Bake & Serve Set” including their “first ever” platter (perfect for serving a turkey) — and you’ll have a choice of Old World or Floral Lace.
This easy recipe starts with a base of 8 eggs, 1/3 cup of milk, and 1 cup of cheese. You can change up the ingredients to whatever you like or happen to have on hand.
8 eggs
1/3 cup milk
1 cup swiss cheese
1 package turkey bacon cooked and chopped
1 cup chopped mushrooms
1 cup chopped asparagus
1 medium onion chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 12-cup muffin pan with non-stick spray.
Sauté mushrooms, asparagus and onions in olive oil until soft (about 5 minutes) and remove from heat. Whisk eggs and milk together in a bowl. Add sautéed vegetables, bacon and cheese; salt and pepper to taste. Stir until completely mixed.
Pour into 12-cup muffin tins.
Bake for 20-25 minutes. Place mini frittatas on a platter and serve!
We are excited to announce an amazing Today's Special Value® offer featuring the Clarisonic Mia 2 Sonic Facial Cleansing System--paired with a Fresh Soy Cleanser and a bonus Luxe Cashmere Cleanse Brush Head! This is the last Clarisonic TSV of 2014 and the best opportunity to try Clarisonic out for yourself or to pick up the perfect give for someone special in your life. Be sure to tune in on Saturday, November 8th to learn more. Softer, smoother, more radiant skin is only 60 seconds away!
If you have any questions about how Clarisonic works, which is best for you, or would just like to talk, post your questions here! Dr. Robb and the Clarisonic team will be here all day on November 8th to answer your questions and would love to chat!
