Saturday, November 16, 2013

A Garden and A Pie

I've been gathering stuff for Antoinette's garden for quite some time.  About a month ago, I found this perfect little trellis at the thrift store for $1.91.  I had to make a couple alterations, but now it's perfect.  I'm just going to show a few shots.  We will come back tomorrow for the actual story.


I cut the middle out to make a gate.  I took a couple of the cut pieces to raise the height of the trellis.

Here's Antoinette conversing with Dominique, who just happened to be strolling by.   Looks like Dominique is carrying the Coach bag.

Nikaya is waiting for her mom to finish, so she can ask if she can ride her bike.

Zahara and Kenaz are busy playing.

The garden area.  This is what Antoinette wants to tackle today.

This is the swing from one of the Disney Princess playsets.

The yellow sunflowers are from the thrift store, too.  I've had them for more than a year now.  I just stuck them in a styrofoam piece of packaging.  Tomorrow, I will do an actual story here in the garden.

And now for my latest dessert....Butterscotch Banana Pudding Pie

The crust is made from crushed vanilla wafers, pecans, and butter.  I had to bake it, and then while it was cooling, I covered the bottom with finely chopped toffee crunch candy bars.  It melted into the crust.  Once cool, I covered the bottom completely with sliced bananas.

I then made homemade butterscotch pudding for the first time, out of brown sugar, egg yolks, and a couple more ingredients.  I poured half over the top of the bananas.

Then I covered that with a layer of vanilla wafer cookies.  I topped that with the rest of the pudding.

Here is my homemade whipped topping.  I was quite pleased for my first time.

I put that on top of the second layer of pudding, and inserted vanilla wafers around the edge.

Here it is fresh out the oven.  Once cool, it had to chill in the refrigerator for 4 - 6 hours.  So I didn't get to try it until this morning for breakfast.  LOL!  It is pretty good, but very sweet.  I think next time I will make vanilla pudding, which is probably not at sweet as the butterscotch pudding.  



35 comments:

  1. That garden is so cute <3 !!! I love those details and the atmosphere is so calming and friendly :-) !! And that pie... that is so amazing! I could almost taste it while vatching those pictures :-D !

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    1. Karoliina - Thanks! Antionette is a chef and she loves using fresh vegetables and herbs in her cooking. I wish you were close by. I would bring you a piece of pie. It has to leave my house quick.

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  2. How lovely garden! I love everything! The garden's gate is just perfect.
    I will try this pie once, it looks very yummy :)

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    1. Rosemary Hill - So glad you like the garden. Antoinette loves it. The pie is yummy if you like sweet treats. I do recommend the vanilla pudding instead of the butterscotch though.

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  3. Nice garden! Can't wait for the story. You may have to go into business with those pies, girl.
    I wonder what it would be like with ginger snaps?

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    1. Grandmommy - You know I'm trying to figure out how to start selling baked goods. Right now I'm giving treats away to get people hooked. Then I will start charging in the future.

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    2. See if you can sell to a few restaurants...that oughta hook em!

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  4. The flowers are cute, but that pie is what really hooked my eye. Yum! I'm a serious foodie! ...and where did you find a coach bag for a doll. Smh...your dolls are too spoiled. lol

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    1. Sonya - I never imagined I would enjoy baking as much as I do. There was a Coach Barbie released a couple months ago. She came with the cute Coach bag. That's the main reason I bought her.

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  5. Hello from Spain: I love the bag that Dominique is carrying. The garden furniture is fabulous. You're doing a stunning garden. I like the white grille. Delicious cake. Keep in touch

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    1. Marta - The Coach bag is by far my favorite. Antoinette has a lot of work to do to get her garden producing, but she loves gardening.

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  6. This garden is simply amazing! Looks so real! And this gate! Everything look very good.

    Pie looks very tasty, will search for recipte:)

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    1. jewel snake - Thanks. Antoinette still has a lot of work to do, but she's up to the challenge. Let me know if you can't find the recipe. It's from a Southern Living magazine, July 2013.

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  7. Such a lovely crisp garden! It looks perfect for garden parties and other little get togethers.

    And that pie is pushing me a bit astray from my diet LOL.

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    1. Verona - Thanks. Yes, It's a great place to entertain her friends. Ooh, a garden party. That would be splendid. This is definitely not the pie for a diet.

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  8. Me and my dolls that garden are jealous! Those are too cute!

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    1. Ms. Leo - Oh yes, you are the gardener in this group. If Antoinette has any questions, I will send her to you.

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  9. Thanks for sharing the how-to on creating a doll garden. I look forward to reading/viewing the story to come ;-D

    Pop! Oh, don't worry. That was the button on my jeans blown off by the fifteen pounds I gained looking at your banana cream pie. No, don't feel guilty ... I am reminding myself that it would be too sweet for me. Yes, and I am NOT thinking about the chocolate cheesecake photo airbrushed by some artist working for Sara Lee that caught my imagination earlier today. Sigh. Winter brings out the worst food cravings ;-D

    Good luck with the baked goods sales!

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    1. D7ana - Don't feel bad. I'm been injured for a week, which means no gym, so I'm sure I gained some of the weight you imagined you gained. Hmmm? Chocolate cheesecake. Maybe I will do that next. I'm not selling baked goods, yet. I'm just happily giving them away.

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  10. My teeth ache just looking at that desert. Are you doing all desert recipes or will you being trying dishes as well?

    The garden looks great! I think making outdoor spaces are the easiest dios for me to do so that's why I like them so much.

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    1. Muff - I've been doing some regular dishes too, but baking gets me excited. The regular dishes just get eaten without any pictures.

      You are the greatest at outdoor spaces. I prefer indoor spaces. But Antoinette says she has a green thumb. We shall see.

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  11. Wow, that trellis looks perfects and I love how you used it in your garden dio, it seems so real! And the pie looks delicious... I guess it really was!

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    1. Rossetti - Thanks. I was so excited when I spotted that trellis in the store. Especially for less than $2. The pie was super sweet, but very good.

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  12. Love the garden Vanessa...but, the pie...it looks so good!!! James and I will never be able to eat it in this form, I would have to do some serious altering. But hey, you didn't bake it for us, huh? LOL!! You have many hidden talents my friend... luv...

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    1. Loretta - Thanks. I didn't even make this pie for me. But the banana pudding is one of my favorite desserts and the thought of making it into a pie with chocolate on the bottom had me intrigued. I've had 1 1/2 slices, and now I'm getting ready to dole it out to neighbors and friends. Then it's on to the next treat. I just bought a trifle bowl a few days ago, so I can't wait to make one.

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  13. The garden looks amazing! So many things one would find in a real garden!

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    1. V. - Thanks. Antoinette is so ready to get her vegetable garden done.

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  14. Love their yard! And beautiful pie - that sounds like me trying something for breakfast because I couldn't have it the day before. I thought you were done with the cookie. I said wow when I got to the end.

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    1. Kenya - Thanks. I like eating bad stuff for breakfast sometimes. It gives me a whole day to work it off. When did I say I was done cooking? I have only just begun. I want to make creme brulee next. Have you seen the price of vanilla bean pods? Scandalous.

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  15. Hola Vanessa, qué gran jardín, los postres se ven deliciosos.

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    1. lindaivette - Gracias. que tarta terminó siendo muy buena.

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  16. I think the garden is wonderful, it has a lot of details and it´s precious. The pie seems delicious, I love bananas!!! =)

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    1. Ana - Thanks. This garden is going to come in handy. if you love bananas, I think you would have enjoyed this pie. I know I did.

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  17. These cakes look delicious mmmmm!!

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    1. Farbield - This pie was very sweet, and very good.

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