Posts from the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

Apr 17

Top 10 Easter Centre-pieces

This Easter we have put together our top 10 picks for Easter centrepieces. Each one celebrates spring with their bright colours, floral choices, and accessories such as nests, bunnies and eggs. We hope you find some inspiration here for your table this Easter! Read more

Mar 25

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Cooking Secrets from moms’ Moms | Recipe 1: Maria’s Dutch Applepie

When I was a little girl Saturday was baking day and my mom used to alternate for years between delicious fluffy cake and the best apple pie in the world. She still bakes that pie on a regular base and since I don’t live in Holland with her, I miss out big time. I begged her to share the wealth, so here is my moms apple pie recipe.

Applepie from Holland with love,

ingredients crust:

300 gr. regular flour (of 150 gr. regular flour + 150 gr. whole grain for a equally tasty, but slightly more healthy option)
200 gr. melted butter (or margarine for a healthier option)
160 gr sugar or brown sugar
1 kg (2lb) apples, a sour type like Granny Smith, peeled and cored and cut in small squares (1/2 inch)
1 egg
sprinkle of salt

ingredients filling:

50 gr sugar
2-3 teaspoons cinnemon
75 gr raisins
1 kg (2lb) apples, a sour type like Granny Smith

Preheat Oven: 180 gr C

Instructions:

Soak raisins in lukewarm water for 15 minutes, pat dry with paper towel
grease pie springvorm with some butter and sprinkle some flower over it
add softened butter in mixing bowl and mix in the sugar
mix in flour, salt and 2/3 of the egg (at the end I knead the dough by hand)
filling: in a separate bowl mix apple pieces, sugar, cinnamon and raisins
Use 3/4 of the dough to cover the bottom and sides of the pie pan
Add the filling, press gently into the pan so its tightly filled
Use the rest of the dough to roll and cut into strips to decorate the top of the pie of add some flower and crumble to create a crumbled pie crust
Use the remainder of the egg to lightly brush the strips on top of the pie.
Bake in pre-heated over at 180 Celsius for 75 minutes and leave standing for an hour to cool down before removing the xx.

Tips

feeling a little nutty: add a handful of chopped walnuts when mixing together the pie filling
Add a thin layer of jam or marmalade to the top of the pie after it has cooled down!

I wish all Canadian bakers good luck and enjoyment of this recipe from the Dutch kitchen.

Maria

Mar 4

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Easton’s Elephant Nursery | Baby Boy Nursery

Gone are the days of “room in a bag” and Disney-themed wall paper. Nowadays, parents are opting to roll up their sleeves and spend time designing and assembling their little one’s nursery with the same consideration and taste as the rest of their home. Traditional pastel paint colours have made way for “grown-up” colour schemes and decor. Wallpaper with cartoon clowns and jungle animals has been replaced with modern graphics and sophisticated floral prints. Hand-sewn quilts, vintage artwork and “upcycled” furniture are all the rage, meaning parents-to-be are spending an awful lot of time perusing garage sales, scouring Pinterest and throwing themselves into the DIY revolution. Today we feature baby Easton’s nursery.

Submitted by Susie Clarke Read more

Feb 18

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Letter Art | Get crafty with your walls

After I finished my wallpaper storage solution behind the door of my office, I moved on to the walls, which were a clean slate. I envisioned a collage of frames (to come on a later post), but I wanted to break it up with something more organic. I LOVE vintage lettering from old store signs but they are quite expensive. So I asked myself how I could do a DIY solution. This idea was inspired from the pom poms I made last spring with my kids. Super easy to do, you can customize the font and letter you want. Here, I have chosen to do the first letter in my company logo and I love the results. This would be fantastic for a kid’s room using their initials. Happy DIY’ing!

By: Janet Read more