Weekend Recap

Our weekend was finally! spent at home, running errands, and doing holiday related activities. Friday night was spent celebrating Bry's application completion to UNC. He'll be applying to a bunch of other schools in the next few weeks as well! I cannot wait to have this process behind us and looking forward. We are so ready for a new city to explore and new job situations. Saturday was costco run/christmas shopping, followed by massive amounts of football watching. Sunday we finished decorating around the apt. and did our cards.


We signed, sealed, and will deliver all of our christmas cards this week!


We pulled out our little silver Christmas tree, circa my 4th year in college. It was decided that we won't get an actual tree this year. A curious cat and a mess of tree needles, left alone for a week, doesn't make for a good combo.


I also attempted these wine bottle decorations, from good housekeeping. I didn't make them into candle holders but used wrapping paper and ribbon in gold and brown to keep the look consistent.


I made this delicious! apple bread, taken from Southern Living.

Here is the Recipe:

Prep: 20 min.; Bake: 1 hr., 6 min.; Cool: 1 hr., 10 min.; Cook: 5 min. Sour cream is the secret to the rich, moist texture of this bread. There's no butter or oil in the batter—only in the glaze.

Yield: Makes 1 loaf

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans, divided
1 (8-oz.) container sour cream
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups finely chopped, peeled Granny Smith apples (about 3/4 lb.)
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake 1/2 cup pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 6 to 8 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring after 4 minutes.

2. Beat sour cream and next 3 ingredients at low speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes or until blended.

3. Stir together flour and next 3 ingredients. Add to sour cream mixture, beating just until blended. Stir in apples and 1/2 cup toasted pecans. Spoon batter into a greased and floured 9- x 5-inch loaf pan. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup chopped pecans; lightly press pecans into batter.

4. Bake at 350° for 1 hour to 1 hour and 5 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, shielding with aluminum foil after 50 minutes to prevent excessive browning. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack.

5. Bring butter and brown sugar to a boil in a 1-qt. heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly; boil 1 minute. Remove from heat, and spoon over top of bread; let cool completely (about 1 hour).

Note: To freeze, cool bread completely; wrap in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil. Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.