Honeycrisp apple sauce

The best apple sauce I ever had was from a bake sale I stumbled upon. It was farmland in every direction, and I suspect those apples went straight from a backyard tree into the jar. I've wanted to try making apple sauce at home ever since. This recipe from The Pioneer Woman is a pretty good place to start. I had to modify the recipe a little because I have only one small pan at the moment and only so many apples will fit in it. It makes a delicious apple sauce, and fills the whole house with the fragrance of cinnamon-y lemons and apples. Yum!

Happy Halloween!

Photo credits, second from top to end: Michael Styne; Navin; Yuriy Kuzin; U.S. Army.

Classic Birkenstocks for small feet

Kids' Birkenstock® Arizona sandals at J.Crew

If you have small feet and want to try the Birkenstock trend, J.Crew now has kids sizes in stock (larger sizes backordered) in the Arizona style with 'midnight sand' (dark brown) synthetic uppers. One reviewer said they wore size 5.5, so I assume they got the size K3. Do they run large, then? I think they at least run wide. Here is another source for size 35 in women's with 'golden brown' synthetic upper.

Orange cran-apple kale salad

Flipping through magazines, I came across a recipe for "Kale Salad with Oranges, Cranberries, and Maple Toasted Walnuts" in this month's O Magazine that sounds delicious and thought I'd give it a whirl. And then I forgot the walnuts. Instead, I substituted in chopped Honeycrisp apples. You could use any apple variety with a good crunch. After making the version below, I'm certain that maple-y chopped walnuts would be like freshly whipped cream on a pumpkin spice latte - not absolutely necessary, but totally worth having to clean the extra appliances and dishes.

The perfect vintage relaxed t-shirt

J.Crew Garment-dyed Pocket T-shirt in 'warm chicory'

After browsing the t-shirt selection at five stores, I have found the perfect relaxed tee in a vintage feel cotton. The J.Crew Garment-dyed Pocket T-shirt is currently available in nine colors down to a size XXXS. It's slouchy and not too long. And guys, it's made in Los Angeles! Size up one, two, even three sizes to get a slouchier, more relaxed fit.