Swedish Apple Pie...

 In a recent blogpost I mentioned how I made a Swedish Apple Pie and a couple of you asked for a post of the recipe! Well in the spirit of giving here it is... I may or may not have touched up my manicure for this...

Peel and slice as many apples as you need, I slice them into the baking dish I'm using so I know I've got enough... I usually make this into a pie plate but I took it to a dinner at friends so I needed more than usual.....

Once you have enough apples toss with 1/2 tsp Cinnamon & 1/2 tsp sugar (you can just eyeball it).. Mix and put back into the baking dish...

In a seperate bowl mix 1 Cup of Flour & 1 Cup of Sugar.. 3/4 (1 stick and half) I used more since I was making more.... and 1 egg.

Pour melted butter into the flour mixture and stir quickly so you dont scramble the egg.. mix well and it will look like the picture below...

Pour the buttery sugary glob mixture on top of the apples, try to distribute as evenly as possible... and bake 350 for 1 hour....

Prepare yourself for the amazing smells about to come from your kitchen... and this is the end result!

If you having a dinner party or supposed to bring a dessert to a group gathering or even Thanksgiving Dinner... this recipe is sure to impress! Simply top with vanilla ice-cream and indulge... I'm not sure where I got this recipe and I realize that this is really more of a cobbler than a pie... however I like to call it a pie, it makes me feel like I've accomplished more! Between apples, cinnamon & butter you really can't go wrong and this recipe has it all! I hope you enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving!

~Swedish Apple Pie~

• As many apples as needed (peeled & sliced)
• 1/2 tsp of Cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp of sugar (less if apples are really sweet)

Mix put in the baking dish. 

Top

• 1 Cup Flour
• 1 Cup Sugar
• 3/4 Butter (melted all the way)
• 1 Egg

Mix, pour over filling and bake for 1 hour at 350

Gift Guide For The Guys...

Gift Guide For The Guys... by hchdesigns on polyvore.com

It's that time of year! Time to get shopping! Ya know, you would think that buying gifts for our guys would be easier... but honestly it's so hard.. My husband he seriously is the greatest however whenever he wants something he plans on buying it himself ... which to me is like "seriously??!"... I love surprising people.. actually I love surprises just in general... so when I can find a present for someone and it's not something they told me they wanted it almost makes it better... like I get extra points or something for finding a gift he'll love that wasn't on his list... It's a complex I'm pretty sure...

My husband has been really into hunting these days, so for our Anniversary I thought (all on my own) of getting him a hunting cookbook... Found a perfect book and with my very proud self I ordered from Amazon and boom! I was a gift giving GENIUS!! Eat your heart out Santa.. Then the thought occurs to me... Uh oh, the confirmation email... Seth is going to see it.. Nah... I think "he never checks his email and I'll just delete it when I get home before he sees it... and that was the end of that... Not even 30 minutes go by and Seth is in my office (we work together and yes I made an online purchase at work... I know I'm a terrible employee... blah blah blah...) Seth is in my office and asks "did you buy me a book?" to which I'm like "seriously? How did you know that?" "I got the email while I was on break"... dang it, stupid technology...  "Uh, well yeah.." to which he responds, "well I thought it was fraud so I canceled it... " Cue look of disbelief... So then I had to go back in and reorder the same book and then tell Seth to disregard the confirmation email... Ugh... trying to surprise my guy is hard work! That my friends is why we now have separate Amazon accounts... he loved the book by the way and was looking at something similar that morning without my knowledge... #worldsgreatestwife that apparently is challenged in the art of surprising her man...

So I've created three different sets of gift possibilities for the guy in your life, hopefully it will aid to inspiration... if you want to see the individual item details simply click on the picture... Do you have any gift giving bumbles?  I'd love to know!  Good luck and happy shopping!

Be The Leading Lady Of Your Life...

Be The Leading Lady Of Your Life...

Lately I must confess, I've been behaving like the "best friend"... I've been down on myself for lack of blog posts and lack of outfit pictures... we're getting real here folks! It's not for a lack of wanting, oh the desire has been there but find myself thinking thoughts like "get it together Hope".. and "can you really do this?" To which I say, "what the?" I've got a real grown up life going on and when that happens.. well.. sometimes the inspiration doesn't always flow.. ya know? But beyond that I've allowed myself to think about me not as the leading lady but someone who is off to the side... not cool.. 

It's not a good thought pattern and it sneaks in so quickly, in this world of beauty, trends and fashion statements those are all amazing but a complete waste if I'm not thinking of myself in the real light... a positive light...  "in the movies there is the best friend and a leading lady, you I can tell are a leading lady but for some reason you are behaving like the best friend..." 

It's true.. and when I realized this I'm inspired to change..has anything changed in my circumstances? Obviously not since there is a video up there and not pictures of me trying pose.. posing is hard work... however my attitude has gotten a nice swift kick in the behind... exactly what it needed... Everyday is a red carpet moment and wherever you go it is your runway... you are the leading lady of your life... and when you  believe it, others will too...  What do you do when you hear those thoughts that bring you down or say you aren't amazing? I have ignore it and listen to the voice that says "you're beautiful, you're amazing... you are strong and that when you smile it shakes the world... " That's the voice I have to listen to and if I can't hear it then I remember what I've heard before... because all it takes is just a second of quiet and you'll hear it.. that positive voice that says.. "You're amazing..." It's what completes any look and makes me be the most beautiful version of myself... that my friend is the necessary accessory to any outfit! 

My Pinterest Christmas Wishlist...

Christmas Wishlist... by hchdesigns featuring DeLonghi

Black top / Hunter knee high boots, $145 / Sole Society bootie boots / BaubleBar multi row necklace / Tinley Road faux fur loop scarf / Tildon scarve / DeLonghi kitchenware dining / Sugar Paper Gold Stripe Notebook / Porcelain cup / Hot Tools Big Bumper 1 1/2" Prof. Spring Hair Curling Iron #1102 US..., $72

It's officially now feeling like fall is over and winter is almost here.. where I'm getting cozy on the couch with a blanket, hot cocoa & happily pinning everything on Pinterest... I'm not sure what it is about this time of year that makes me glued to the visual buffet that Pinterest is, but wow.. it's a problem.... One of my favorite ways to use "this wonderful waste of time"  is to create a Christmas Wishlist! My family loves this, it gives a visual for what I like... You know that phrase a picture is worth a 1,000 words.. yeah...I kinda think mine are worth a little bit more... As my good friend Karen would say... "I need a Pintervention"....


So, I designed a little board of a few things on my Christmas list and since it's two weeks away from Thanksgiving... yeah I know.. cray cray....

One of the great things about Pinterest is it's availability to anyone... I usually start creating my wishlist right around November and when I've got a few items, I email the link to my family and voila! Instant visual wishlist for anyone and it's instantly updated when I add new things, they can see my style,preference and I can make a note on what size to order! No one wants to return something because of it being the wrong size...awkward... 

This year I'm all about coffee, green & scarves... I honestly can't get enough... Oh gosh, that faux fur scarf? I think I need it in my life, it's gorgeous...  Hunter rain boots, sigh... need I say more? Ok.. we've all decided they're amazing.. and what would an honest to goodness Christmas Wishlist be without a sweater? I never need a reason for more sweaters.. but I'm thinking, a relaxed tee, that sweater, leggings & those hunters... Holy moly it's a perfect look for overeating and hiding the evidence... uh.. not that I ever do that... All I'll need then is spiked hot chocolate.. Which did not make it on Pinterest wishlist.... but hey, there's always next year...

Feel free to follow along for the fun here...