What to do with a bag of apples?

Hey, friends!

This beautiful fall weather is bringing the last of the garden and orchard goodies our way. A coworker of mine gave me a huge bag of organic golden delicious apples a little while ago, and I had no idea what to do with all of them! I realized that I am the exact opposite of creative when it comes to eating apples. I have always eaten them like they're going out of style, but I needed to use them up a little faster than that! After searching lots of different sites and blogs for apple ideas, I found one that I wanted to try: oven-dried apple chips. I don't have a dehydrator in my newly married state, and I don't really have the money to go out and by one, so I was excited to see an oven-friendly version of the recipe. Here's how I made my own batch.

Oven Apple Chips

You will need:
Apples (any kind--some kinds tend to brown more than others, so be aware of this)
Parchment Paper

Wash apples. Set your oven for a very low setting. (I used 225 for my first batch and about 200 for my next batch. They seem to do a little better at a lower temperature, but both temps worked.) Lay a single sheet of parchment paper on each cookie sheet. Cut out apples using a knife and cutting board or mandoline.

It took a little practice, but it wasn't very difficult at all to cut the slices as thin as I wanted them. With this project, the thinner the better. There's no need to be too perfectionistic, though. This is not a very picky project. I left the core intact, just making sure that all of the seed bits didn't make it into the oven. I like the way the core leaves a pretty star in the center of each slice. On the other hand, it would work just as well to core the apples before slicing or as you go. Whatever works for you!

As soon as you have one or two apples sliced up, pop them onto the parchment paper and in the oven they go!

This picture is of my very first batch. I ended up using only the top rack for the rest of the batches. It turned out that the bottom pan was too close to the heat source. They turned brown and tasted burnt, so I did my best to learn from my mistakes. I cooked these pans for a little over two hours to get them to the point of crispiness I was hoping for.

They actually turned out really well! It's a fairly low-maintenance project, but you would definitely have to have some time at home to make a multi-batch version of this recipe feasible. The good news is, it only takes a couple of apples to do one pan of chips, so you can do as few or as many pans as you'd like!

If I do another batch, I think I'll try moving the bottom pan closer to the top one and see if that helps keep the crisps from overcooking.

Thanks for reading, guys!

Happy cooking!

Big News!

Hey, friends!

I'm sorry I haven't posted in ages... We have started a whole new adventure. Austin and I found out just before the semester started that we are pregnant! We are so excited, but it's made life a little more crazy than usual. Between full-time school, part-time work, and full-time incubating, I've been one tired mama! I finally put up my last post after leaving it in draft mode for a couple of months. I promise I'll finish it eventually. :)

Meanwhile, I've been having lots of fun pregnancy adventures! All-day-long morning sickness and drowsiness have not been very fun, but other things have been! My first prenatal appointment was Friday. It was absolutely wonderful. We got to hear our baby's tiny, little heartbeat, which was incredible. Everyone says it's an amazing experience, and it is. I couldn't help tearing up a little bit.

I am just over 13 weeks along, and I'm getting to that cute-but-awkward stage where pants are too tight but maternity clothes are out of the question. I was lucky enough to stumble onto Megan's amazing pregnancy blog--DIY Maternity--soon after I found out I was pregnant, and I have bookmarked half of her tutorials to try later! I finished my first project, easy maternity pants, and it was very successful! I didn't really take enough pictures to write up a tutorial, but I thought I might do a step-by-step how-to.

Start out with a pair of pants (jeans, cords, etc.) and a piece of jersey fabric in a similar color. I had an old t-shirt that was ready to be upcycled, so I used that. My pants were on clearance at a thrift store, so they were just $4. Not bad, right? Most maternity pants are sooo expensive!

Step 2 involves cutting off the extra fabric. I removed the belt loops and the thick portion above the pockets. The zipper also has to be removed. Be careful not to cut out any bits that are holding things together! After you've done all that, machine sew the zipper area shut. You don't want an awkward hole there!

Step 3 is measuring out your elastic and jersey material. You need the jersey to be twice as wide as the elastic, but hey need to be the same length--about two inches less than the distance around the waist of the pants you're using. This means you'll be stretching the elastic to fit the jeans while sewing, but it is worth it. This way, the elastic is tight enough to comfortably keep your pants up.

Notes: As I said, view the tutorial here to see Megan's full photo how-to. She used a thicker elastic, so I followed her lead. Mine was a 3 inch elastic, and I feel like it's perfect. It doesn't cut into my growing belly the way many waistbands do, but it holds up the pants without a problem. I imagine a thinner elastic would work just as well, but Megan seemed to think it would cut into your belly. That is exactly what I don't want, so I followed her advice. :)

Step 4--Sew! Separately sew the elastic and jersey into continuous circles. Fold the jersey (pretty side out) over the elastic. Keep the pants right side out as you sew the elastic on. The tutorial I used sewed the jersey and elastic onto the pants at the same time, so I pinned them in place in a few places around the waist to make sure everything would be evenly stretched. Sew around the waist, flip the waistband up, and you're good to go!

It should look something like this:

I'm on my own today, since Austin is at work, so these are the best I could do picture wise. I wanted to show off the final result, though!

The thick elastic waist is surprisingly comfy! My growing belly is picky these days, but I really liked these!

I'm sorry this picture isn't better! I just wanted to capture the whole look.

 All in all, I'm really pleased with the way they turned out! I still have lots of elastic left, so I might have to try it again on another pair of pants. :)

In the upcoming weeks, I'm hoping to do some clothing tutorials, more on decorating on a budget, a few favorite fall recipes, and pregnancy updates.

Before I sign off for the day, here's my first belly shot! I can't believe I'm 13 weeks along and haven't taken any. It's the best I can do on my own, but enjoy!

Thanks for reading, guys!

Decorate for Less

Hey, just-marrieds!

Moving into a new home is like sitting down in front of a blank canvas--all the walls are empty! Every room brings an opportunity for your own style to decorate it! It can be overwhelming, but it can also be fun! The hardest part about decorating when you're a newlywed is usually the budget. I'm usually overflowing with ideas of what to do to our little apartment, but the funds are not always there for my ideas. The good news is that I have a few tips for all of my friends who are decorating on a budget (like me). Hopefully they come in handy!

Clearance
Utah happens to be an area where crafting is very popular, so there are countless craft stores to visit. Take time to visit some of the stores in your area. I promise it's worth it! One of my favorite stores (for clearance) is Hobby Lobby. I found these steals there...

I love this frame! Our wedding photos look adorable in it.

The hanging decoration and picture frame in this
picture are both from Hobby Lobby. The picture is
our first kiss outside the temple. :)

This frame is from H.L. too. I love that it's square and stands
by itself but could also be hung on the wall.