Fall Favorite Recipe {Bavarian Apple Tart!}

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This has got to be one of my most favorite apple recipes to make in the fall. Several years ago, I made this dessert for my hubby to take into work, and when I got a phone call from one of his co-worker's, later that afternoon, asking me for the recipe, I was a little bit surprised!  Then again, I shouldn't have been.  It IS rather amazing, if I can say so myself.  

And... because it is my hubby's favorite now, too, I make it pretty often this time of year.  I promise you'll fall in love with this simple but decadent (rustic) dessert.

My sister asked me to bring something for dessert for Thanksgiving Dinner tomorrow, so of course I decided to make this one...for sure!  I apologize - the lighting in my kitchen isn't so great!

~ Bevy's Bavarian Apple Tart ~

1 cup all-purpose flour (sometimes, I use half whole wheat flour)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup cold butter

* Mix together with pastry cutter, or two knives,  until crumbly.  Press firmly onto bottom and up (1/2") sides of 8x12 baking dish.

12 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup white sugar

1 egg

1/4 tsp. each of vanilla and (pure) almond flavorings

* Beat together, and spread carefully over pastry.  Leave some of the crust showing.  This can be tricky.  I use a small icing spreader.

4 cups, peeled and thinly sliced apples  (SOMETIME:  You have got to try this recipe using Fresh chunked Peaches - Absolutely divine!!!)

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

* Combine and spread over cheese mixture.

1/3 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

* Spread over apples.

Bake at 425* for 10 minutes.  Then reduce heat to 375* and continue baking for 25 minutes.  Cool for 5 minutes then cut around the edge of pan with knife to loosen.  Cut in squares.  Great, served warm or cold!

:: Enjoy!  Especially with a large scoop of vanilla ice cream, a hot cup of coffee and of course, your soul mate.  It's great for a "FALLing-in-Love" sort of combination!! ;)

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Have a Blessed Thanksgiving!

Cup of Talk

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We were at some friends for dinner several years ago now, but I

often think about something my friend mentioned in regards to her family - of while she was a young gal and growing up.

She said that back when they had their dairy farm, AND... this obviously had to happen around

the cows schedule, but that their family would have what they would call:

COFFEE TIME.

This happened everyday at 10:30 am, and again at 4:30 pm in the afternoon.

This what they did. They would all sit down, as a family, around the table
and have a cup of coffee... and talk. Now, that they don't have the dairy farm anymore...one would think this family "ritual" might have changed and gone out with the farm...but, no!
It is a habit that has remained.

I love this!


Quality time; fellowship, talking together, over a good ole cup of hot coffee.
It just might be a good habit to start.

When have you had a good old cup of 'talk', lately??

Let's get together!!

My new mantra - or one, I've been trying to implement - is this:  Phone a friend, at ten!

Coffee and White Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake

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This recipe deserves - I mean, DESERVES - some serious raves!!!
 My kids couldn't stop eating it, but... I had to make them stop!!  lol.

So, over on Facebook, this week, I've been part of a 7-day black and white photo challenge.  
And, loving it!!!  It's been fun to dust off the camera skills...and shoot some frames.
This photo though - didn't turn out to be a favorite - but let me tell you, as I have already said it.....  This is one yummy coffee cake!!

Here is the recipe, again!!

:: Coffee and White Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake ::
 1 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup canola oil
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp. instant espresso
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup white whole-wheat flour (I used reg. whole wheat!)
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup white chocolate chips

STREUSEL
1/2 cup all -purpose flour
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup quick oats
4 T. butter, melted

Preheat oven to 375*.   In a medium bowl, mix the buttermilk, oil, sugar, espresso and vanilla together.  Stir in the flours, baking powder and salt.  Fold in the white chocolate chips.  Pour batter into an 8x8"  baking pan.
For the streusel: In a small bowl, mix the flour, sugars, oats and melted butter together.  Sprinkle the streusel topping over the top of the batter.  Bake 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean.

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I think it deserves a more delicious looking photo, don't you?   
So, here you go!!!  :)

I hope you get to make this and that you and yours enjoy it much as our family did - over here!!

Dear Kaitlin, Dave and family ... {and, for whoever else wants to read about our recent family vacation}

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UPDATED To ADD:  After you're finished reading here, you may just want to take a few moments and go read Kaitlin's version of our time together, as well.  Her post is ... well.... simply amazing! Her photos, her words, her heart - all of it are awesome! Click HERE!
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Dear Friends,

It is hard to believe it's been a week since we arrived to your home, in a different country (Canada!), to spend our family vacation-time, with yours.  I'm sitting here, tonight, in the quiet of an Eastern PA, Friday night, sipping on what seems like really "weak" coffee in my memories of our time together and I'm missing you.  I can't tell you - how many times we've mentioned your names since we're back home!

Our kids are all in bed, as I type - as yours probably are, as well!  Sound asleep - hopefully.  You smile at the memory of that first night - our kids so super-duper excited about spending time at friends they've just met and to have a sleep-over, for five sleeps in a row. :)  They could hardly settle - nor, when morning came could they stay sleeping longer than 6 - 6:30AM. 

The time was pure bliss for everyone.  Your humility... your selflessness through this whole time... simply amazing!

So many fun activities were planned.  And, some were not.  The weather played a HUGE factor on the events of our days.  Sunshine, MUD, Rain, SNOW!!  We had it all.  We spent time.. and oh the fellowship was sweet.  Hours of visiting.  Repeated and I mean back-to-back cups of coffee. Table games to be played and lots of laughter.  Gifts to be exchanged...

Did I mention the meals?  No - I haven't.  UHMMM...  DELICIOUS - in every way possible.  Wow!

Among the best of our memories were the interaction of "expressions"... meaning, What do you call this or that -and, oh!... well... we say it this way.  Etcetera.  And - our son - positively SURE that he was going to learn to speak Canadianese by the time our visit was over...  He didn't do too bad, eh?

We went shopping - fun!!!.  Toured the countryside; sightseeing historic places.  We found a Maple Syrup farm, to tour.  We helped put up firewood...splitting and hauling it into your basement.  We attended your church for Sunday (Easter!) Service and met some of your dearest of friends.  Discovering a doppelganger of one of our own dear friends - here in the states! Ha!! How crazy fun was that!?!?!  I just want to add... that meeting these friends of yours - was just an added depth to knowing you.  Another level of who you really are.  That was really neat to see!

We were so glad to have thought to bring all the snow clothes and winter boots for the kiddos.  Can we say - LIFE SAVER!!  - and thank you, thank you, thank you for the multiple usage of your washer and dryer.  Can we say, yet again, another LIFE SAVER?  Wow!!

Your home was such a sweet place of rest.  We felt so relaxed and at home.  Kaitlin and Dave! You both have a beautiful gift of hospitality. And, it was evident - the moment we walked in your front door.  We didn't want to leave.  You didn't want us to leave - either!!

It still seems so surreal that we were there - in your home, and with your family!  We are so glad we've made the journey...a friendship path that hopefully will come round full circle and that one day - you'll find you and your family, here in the States, visiting us!!  We love you!! and again... you are being missed greatly!!

These cups of coffee and bowls of ice-cream (with pretzels) just don't feel the same as we sit in our living room, here this evening...  :(

((sigh)) How to wrap this up...??

The hardest part of this whole thing is to now look through the many, many photos we took, on our vacation - and to figure on how to condense them to make this a reasonable length of post and to not overwhelm any other person reading this.

So - to be fair.  There is nothing left but to tell you I have a TON of photos... to browse through.  Don't say you haven't been warned. :)

I have tried to keep some semblance of our time spent with our dear friends - true to time and in order... but, really... that was near next to impossible.

Enjoy!!

Here is Kaitlin of Homemaker Design...

Holding a "welcome sign" that the kiddo's made for us... :)

We tried to get family photos...and this was our intent.  Kaitlin - took ours!  But - I can't find the photo - I'll update here, when I can!!

A typical moment ...in, of and during our visit.  GREAT FELLOWSHIP!!!

My most favorite of photos - but the saddest one, ever.  Saying Good-bye...

Heading home... stopping for some of that Canadian $5.00 and change per gallon of gas.. :)

So, we left Canada in a snowstorm and arrived home, seven hours, or so, later - to 70* weather, and kids happy to find their bikes.

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There is still nothing quite like home!!!

What a wonderful, wonderful time!  And, I'm truthfully still at a loss for words on how to end this post well...

It's not a "Good-bye" - rather, more like ... until we meet again!  Thank you, so much, again... for sharing your hearts and home with us!!  You are loved.

{Scott, Bevy, Caleb, Aubrey and Jayne}