News from the Nest, September 11

Good morning, friends.

September 11 is always a somber day here in the U.S. At the same time; it is a day to honor the bravery of our firemen and policemen. Maybe more than the image of the planes flying into the two towers, the image of firemen and policemen rushing into those burning buildings is what will always be at the forefront of my mind. Today and every day, it’s a great day to honor their oftentimes unsung heroism and service.

This will be a busy but short week here at the N + N. I’m getting a new computer, which is exciting (and expensive!) But, it will take days to transfer the almost 2 TB of data I have on this old workhorse to the new kid in town. I’ve intentionally timed this transfer to when I’ll be out of town anyway; I’ll be heading to Pittsburgh to attend the bridal shower of a dear friend’s daughter.

That said, while I can answer messages from Friday through Monday, I will not have access to all my files until (fingers crossed) Tuesday. I still plan to publish a Newsletter next Monday, as I will get most of that done beforehand (again, fingers crossed). God willing, and the creek don’t rise, this computer switch should not affect the readers of N+N. You will have access to everything, I just won’t.

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A little housekeeping: several of you have asked how to quickly access the list of books I have been publishing at the end of every month. These requests made me realize that I needed to make that list of books more easily accessible. To that end, I’ve added a link to the Nourish + Nestle homepage.

So, if you type ‘Nourish and Nestle’ or ‘nourishandnestle.com’ in your browser search bar, you’ll get to the N + N homepage. Scroll down a bit (as I see it, you’ll scroll through the first two sections of the homepage), and you’ll come to the section with my happy mug smiling at you! There you will also find a link to the list of books.

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New on the Blog

• Chocolate Covered Oreos are the quick and easy-to-make treat you didn’t know you needed! I sent them to our son, who lives clear across the country in San Diego. I’m always looking for treats that will travel well, and these fit the bill perfectly, even in the heat of August. The chocolate dresses up the ordinary Oreo, and then the sprinkles take the whole shebang to the next level! And there are so many great sprinkle options for just about any occasion; truly, the sky is the limit. And while I’m not a white chocolate girl, these will work with white chocolate for a different look.

• When I conducted the last survey at the beginning of the year, there were many requests for home decor posts. Once again, I always strive to make this blog useful and informative, so I’ve added more home decor posts. I recently published this post on turning a corner cupboard into a bar cabinet and this post on painting exterior brick. This week, I published the most recent post on tips for decorating bookshelves. An interior decorator friend of mine shared her treasure trove of tips, which I’m sharing with you! Her tips made quite an improvement in my bookshelves.

From the Knit Studio

• This Knit Argyle Baby Blanket is a reversible pattern, which looks just as lovely on the back as on the front.

• An assortment of knit projects that would make great gifts. This post also includes free, printable gift tags.
• Organize all your planned knit projects, patterns, and yarn inventory in one knit organization journal and organizer. The yarn inventory section of this organizer alone has been a lifesaver for me. Nab the free printables to help with your knitting organization.

From the Kitchen

• This easy plum jam can be made shelf-stable through water bath canning, refrigerated, or frozen. No matter how you store it, it will be one of your favorite jams as the flavor of the plums really shines.

• From sweet to savory…this tomato jam…oh my! It has a depth to it from melting the tomatoes slowly in dark brown sugar, a little tinge of smoke from the paprika, and a little earthy bite from the bits of toasted cumin, and is a perfect tomato jam recipe for canning. 

• This Apple Spice Bread is having a moment! And for good reason. Bake some loaves for yourself and then a few mini loaves for your friends, neighbors, or family. It is a nice, slow walk into fall without going full pumpkin spice.

• Along the same lines, Baked Apple Donut Holes are a sweet breakfast treat that will make you the most popular person in the house or office.

• I’ve just reminded myself that I need to make more of this Gorgonzola Cheese Spread. It is a family favorite.

• Don’t forget your best four-legged love! These 3-ingredient Dog Treats are the favorite of many a dog lover.

From the Arts + Crafts Studio

• I had never ‘built’ a piece of furniture before, and this was an easy way to start! Purchased legs made my console project super easy. I made this six years ago, and it still holds a place of pride in our home.

• Raid the oyster pile behind your local fish store to make these Oyster Shell Clusters for the price of glue and a styrofoam ball.

In the Garden

• More ideas for your Fall-themed container gardens and window boxes.

In the Home

• Ideas to make your kitchen more sustainable and eco-friendly.

• How to clean vintage linen, lace, and embroidery.

• One of my most handy kitchen tools is the Measuring Equivalents Chart! Download this free chart, laminate it, and post it inside your cabinet door. I refer to this chart multiple times a week.

A Few Fun Finds

Some of these links may be Amazon affiliate links and I may earn a small commission off of the sale of these products to help defray the costs of operating this site, but the price you are charged is not affected. You can see my full disclosure policy here.

• Honestly, the very last thing I NEED is a quirky bunny lamp. BUT, I’m just a little smitten with this lamp. I first saw it on Wayfair and couldn’t justify spending $126 for it, but then I found it on Amazon for $54.99, which I perceive as a sign from the universe that I should probably get it.
• While I love the first lamp more, I also found this one, which is a little bigger and cheaper. So now, I have to make a decision, which will paralyze me for the better part of the day.
• You don’t realize you need pop-up Toothpick dispensers until you visit a friend who has one!

Well, dolls and doll gents…

My to-do list is long and my days are short. If all goes as planned, we’ll be chatting again this time next Monday. If not, send search parties!

Hugs,

Thanks for making my day by SHARING!!