• Apple Pie in a Jar

    A couple weeks ago we took our annual trip to a beautiful orchard in Northern Virginia for a fun day of apple picking. This year we chose Hollin Farms. We’ve been to Hollin Farms several times for strawberry picking, but it was our first time there for apples, and it turned out there was a LOT more in season than just apples! The farm is about 45 minutes from Washington DC and goes straight through Virginia wine country. There are several great wineries to stop at for a glass, or just a scenic picnic. But hey, apple picking is way more fun after a few glasses of vino, wouldn’t you agree? We came home…

  • Apple Rose Tart

    We went apple picking last week and brought back a small bag of apples. Then a few days later we hosted lunch for some friends, and our friend Michelle left an even bigger bag of apples she’d picked for us. What to do with all those apples? We tried apple cider, apple butter, and of course, good old apple pie, but our favorite was this Apple Rose Tart. Apple Rose Tart Ingredients: Makes 5 mini pies. 5  apples, thinly slices (use a madolin slicer) 1 pie crust (pre-made or using my favorite recipe here) 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup granulated sugar 4 Tbsp melted butter 2 tsp lemon juice 1 tsp…

  • Cool Online Finds: iPod Nano Watches

    This year I’ve been trying to buy all my Christmas gifts early to avoid the craziness in the malls and stores around town.  Instead of burning gas and losing patience in stores I’m doing as much shopping as I can online. And I love it!!  This find is a little like my marriage, the perfect union of a tech-geek and a fashionista, and let me tell you, it works!   You can buy these awesome Hex bands at shophex.com for $24.95.     If you want to add a retro twist to your future-tech watch, check out the Griffin Slap wristband. Remember those slap bracelets from the early 90’s? Well,…