Cherry Almond Bars

I've decided to make Tuesdays "Tasty Tuesdays" here at Decor and the Dog.  Well, until I don't have my act together.  Then it will just be Tuesday. 

I'm kind of killing it in the kitchen lately.  I've been doing a lot of baking/recipe experimenting lately so I figured I'd share. 

My food photography skills will also amaze you.  Try not to be jealous. 

First up on Tasty Tuesdays is a favorite recipe for Cherry Almond Bars.  These things are ridiculously good and not super complicated.   Slightly messy but I associate messy with tasty.

Cherry Almond Bars

• 1 cup butter
• 2 cups suagar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 4 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. almond extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cans (21 oz each) cherry pie filling

Glaze

• 1 cup confectioner's sugar
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. almond extract
• 2-3 Tbsp milk

1. Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar and salt until light and fluffy. (I repeat it's so fluffy over and over.) Add eggs, beating well after each addition. Beat in extracts. Gradually add flour. 

2. Spread 3 cups batter into a greased 15x10x1 inch baking pan.  (I lined mine with aluminum foil because I hate cleaning baked good pans.)  Spread with pie filling. Drop remaining batter by teaspoonfuls over the filling.  Bake 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. 

3. In a bowl, mix confectioner's sugar, extracts and milk to reach desired consistency. Drizzle over top. My patience got the best of me and I added the glaze a little too soon so don't be me and actually wait until the bars cool.

4.  Enjoy! 

***The Pumpkin Parade continues!  

Check out today's great projects!  A Little Bite of Everything, A Swell Place to Dwell, NewlyWoodwards 

Also, my mom had a great question.  "Do you have to have a blog to link up?"  (Seriously. She asked.) You don't!  Just upload your pictures to a site like Flickr and link that way! 

DIY Pumpkin Bookends

Yay! It's Monday!

I've lost it. 

Okay, so I'm not exactly pumped for Monday but I am pumped to share with you my Pumpkin Parade project.  I whipped up these pumpkin bookends in approximately 62 minutes.  42 of those minutes were paint/glue drying time. 

I mentioned last week that I am teaming up with some lovely ladies to host a pumpkin parade plus link party (on Friday!).  

I shared my fall mantel a couple of weeks ago.   I decided it could use a little more fall in it's life.  I'm not big on things screaming HOLIDAYS!!! so I came up with this simple bookend idea.

These bookends are super simple to make.  Nate cut me some 1x4s to a size that seemed bookend appropriate.  I used wood glue to hold them together.

I gave them a quick coat of brown paint that I found in my basement paint stash.  It's embarrassing the amount of paint that is down there. 

I purchased two pumpkins from the dollar section at Target.  They were an atrosish gold.   I spray painted them.  Poorly.  Because I have zero patience. (They were pretty shiney and I should have ruffed them up a little.)  The dripped look is "in" now though. #trendfollower

When everything was dry, I placed the pumpkins on top of the bookends.  Done.  Just in time to watch the Amazing Race. 

I think these guys are quite charming. 

Remember to share your pumpkin projects with us right here on Friday, October 11th.  (That's this week.  Get to pumpkining! (that's a verb).)  It's a joint link party so your project will be seen on all of our blogs!  Anything pumpkin will fly. Crafts, recipes, etc.  I look forward to checking out your pumpkin-ness! 

Need some pumpkin inspiration?

That good looking group above is sharing their projects all week.  Be sure to check out their pumpkin wonderfulness! 

Monday:  Shift Ctrl Art, Primitive & Proper, Decor and the Dog (that's me!)

Tuesday:  A Little Bite of Everything, A Swell Place to Dwell, NewlyWoodwards

Wednesday: Boxy Colonial, Wills Casa, Cuckoo4Design

Thursday: Bliss At Home, Go Haus Go, Interiors by Kenz

Good Housekeeping Feature

Happy Friday!  I've been a little under the weather this week.  Nate knew I was ill when I told him I wasn't really into the internet.  I'm lucky that I have a cute nurse that has me almost back to well.

I thought I'd drop in quick and share that my craft room was featured over at Good Housekeeping last week! 

As you can maybe see from my screenshot above, my chevron wall is part of a slide show titled "DIY Wall Art: 8 Creative Ways to Decorate Your Space."  Very exciting! 

Head here to check out the slideshow.  The other projects are fantastic.  Thanks to Good Housekeeping for sharing one of my favorite rooms in our house!

Happy weekend!  Do you have big plans?  We are headed to Iowa City tomorrow.  It is my 5 year pharmacy class reunion/University of Iowa Homecoming.  We are hoping rain doesn't ruin our plans!