Skip to main content

#firstdayoffall

We have had an awesome time this weekend with our great friends Kira and and Nat this weekend, who are visiting from the D.C. area. 

While the boys started football round 1 (Redskins game), Kira and I headed west to Malta, Illinois to the Jonamac Orchard for apple picking.

Talk about a great First Day of Fall activity.


Chicago lent us a gorgeous 67 degree fall day. Ripe for the pocking were Early Fuji, Gala, Thompson, and apples.


Based on their sweetness and our desire to bake pies this afternoon, we stuck to Early Fujis for baking, and some delicious Thompson apples for snacking at home.


We though a peck of apples would do it for our dining purposes. We totally overestimated this. A peck got us 57 smallish apples. After making 3 deep pies, we still have 31 apples left over. 


It was our first visit to Jonamac Prchard and it was pretty fabulous for a family day. In addition to a great store with gifts, jarred goodies, and kettle corn, there was a line 50 deep for their donuts. We didn't stay to try them, but clearly everyone knows something we don't and we'll have to grab some on the next trip. 

There are also lots of kids activities, including a bounce pillow, hayrides, corn maze, huge playground area, petting zoo, snack stand, pumpkin patch, and live country music. After dark, there is the Haunted Corn Maze that I'm looking forward to taking my teenage nieces and nephews. 

Fall was totally in the air today and I'm so glad we took our short drive west!


Visit Jonamac Orchard:
19412 Shabbona Road
Malta, IL
www.jonamacorchard.com




Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meat Sauce 

Raise your hand if you LOVE washing dishes? Yes? Then this recipe isn't for you. Because dinner is done in one pot. Set it and forget it while you change into something more comfortable after a long day. Ingredients: 1 lb. ground beef 1/2 onion, diced 2 c broth or water 3 c (24 ounces) pasta sauce (marinara or tomato sauce recommended) 1 lb. any pasta (I used whole wheat high protein spaghetti) 2 T Italian Seasoning 1 t Onion Powder 1 t Garlic Powder 1/2 t salt 1/4 t black pepper Instructions: Set your pot to "Saute" and cook the ground beef, breaking up with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Add the onion to the ground beef and they will cook together. Once it is cooked through (about 4-5 min), do not drain out the fat. **If you prefer to use frozen meatballs, skip the above steps, start with the meatballs in the bottom of your pot, then go from here:  Mix in all seasoning (Italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper) Layer in ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Instant Pot Chicken Marsala

Day two with my Crock-Pot Express (CPE), aka Instant Pot. Tonight, we are making Chicken Marsala, one of The Captain's favorites. Since I'm preparing to get back into the 21 Day Fix starting on January 15 (with the new 80 Day Obsession plan!), I'm going to enjoy the chicken and green beans only, while the rest of the family will have egg noodles with their chicken. I found a simple enough recipe on Pinterest that I'm going to adapt to work for our family's tastes a little bit better. Here is the plan: Ingredients: - 2 lbs chicken thighs, boneless, skinless - 1 T olive oil - 1/2 t garlic powder - 1/2 t salt - 1/4 t black pepper - 1/2 yellow onion, diced - 1 pint sliced baby Bella portobello mushrooms - 1 c Marsala wine - 1/4 c chicken stock or broth - 1 T minced garlic Instructions: - Set device to “Sauté” and add oil. Allow to heat for 1 minute. - Season chicken with salt, pepper, and garlic powder - Add chicken to pot and sear meat for 3 ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Easy Guide: How to Address Envelopes for Wedding Invitations

So often I receive questions about how to address envelopes to guests with various professions and relationships. Here is a little quick reference guide I've put together for future use. To a Married Couple Mr. and Mrs. Albert Hampton A married couple with the same last name should be traditionally listed as Mr. and Mrs. followed by the male's first and last name. It is not incorrect to also list a married couple as "Mr. Albert and Mrs. Samantha Hampton". To a Married Couple That Use Different Last Names Mr. Ryan Paxton and Mrs. Marion Parker When space permits, list both members of the couple on the same line. Each should be recognized with their own salutation and last name. To an Unmarried Couple Living Together Mr. Hunter Allen and Ms. Anna Peterson List the male's name first and both names should be listed on the same line. To a Same-Sex Couple Ms. Salina Redding and Ms. Georgia Browning You can include either member of the couple'...
Post a Comment
Read more