Cakery Friday: Sally Albright's Apple Pie

When Harry Met Sally is one of my classics. It's Niki's absolute favorite movie ever. We knew that movie week had to culminate in one of the most famous movie/food scenes ever: with Sally Albright's Apple Pie... well, maybe not exactly a pie but a Charlotte. Sally, couldn't really make up her mind anyways.

Sally Albright: I'd like the chef salad please with oil and vinegar on the side, and the apple pie a la mode.

Waitress: Chef and apple a la mode.

Sally Albright: But I'd like the pie heated, and I don't want the ice cream on top. I want it on the side, and I'd like strawberry instead of vanilla if you have it. If not, then no ice cream, just whipped cream, but only if it's real. If it's out of the can, then nothing.

Waitress: Not even the pie?

Sally Albright: No, just the pie, but then not heated.



Instead of apple pie, I made mini-apple charlotte's. They are a {somewhat} healthy dessert option, especially if you opt to use whole wheat bread!

Gather all of the ingredients {bread not photographed}.


Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Peel, core and thinly slice 3 golden delicious apples.

Heat 1 tablespoon of butter, 1/4 cup sugar and 6 tablespoons orange juice in a deep pot over medium-high heat.



Add the sliced apples to the pot and cook, stirring frequently for 10 minutes, until the apples are tender but still maintain their shape.



Remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup of dried fruit *whichever type you prefer, {I used a mixture of raisins and dried prunes} along with 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon grated orange zest.



Melt 5 tablespoons of butter in a bowl. Pull out 16 slices of very thin sliced, firm, white {or wheat} sandwich bread, with crusts trimmed. I used Pepperidge Farm whole wheat bread. Using a small biscuit or cookie cutter, cut a circle from 3 slices of bread.





Brush butter onto one side of each circle and place the circle, buttered-side down, into each cup in a cupcake tin.



Cut the remaining bread slices into thirds and brush with butter. Line each cup with 9 bread rectangles placed vertically, buttered side against cup. The bread will extend over the top of the cupcake tin. {the photo below explains it better}.





Divide the apple mixture over the bread among the cups. Fold the bread over the filling, gently pressing to seal together. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.



Allow the Charloettes to cool in the pan on wire rack for 20 minutes. Lift them carefully from the cups using an offset spatula.



If desired, stir together melted ice cream with one tablespoon of rum {I mean, why not add rum?} and serve on the side.

For a printer friendly version of this recipe click here: Mini-Apple Charlotte's.htm

This will have all of your friends saying, "I'll have what she's having."

xoxo,

Ali

Harry Burns: there are two kinds of women: high maintenance and low maintenance.

Sally Albright: Which one am I?

Harry Burns: You're the worst kind. You're high maintenance but you think you're low maintenance.

Movie Week: Casablanca

The drama, the glamour and the war-time romance that is Casablanca is something you can most definitely capture at your next event. Bring Ingrid's grace and Humphrey's style back from Rick's into the present with these ideas via Style Me Pretty and Ruffle Blog.









A unique setting, a beautiful dress, and vintage-inspired hairstyle are just a few pieces you'll need to make your event the next iconic Academy Award winner. {Casablanca won the Oscar for best picture the year it was released}.

"As time goes by" your guests will be saying "Play it again Sam".....

xoxo,

Niki

Movie Week: Gone with the Wind

I'll never forget the first time I read Gone with the Wind. I was literally transfixed by the book, and then later, the movie. I've literally read it hundreds of times since, and it continues to draw me into its alluring world just the same each time. It must be genetic, since my mother claims she chose college at Emory just because of her "Gone with the Wind" fixation with Atlanta.

To bring Scarlett, Rhett, Ashley and the entire "Gone with the Wind" genre into your next event, is to throw a quintessentially Southern party. You might not be able to walk down the aisle at Tara Plantation, but location is key. I'd imagine that the charm of the deep South would be reflected in images such as these featured above via Southern Weddings {one of my favorites!}

These two dresses via Oscar de la Renta & Carolina Herrera are most definitely channelling Scarlett's signature style.


Of course, you wouldn't want to miss out on a matching "Just Married" parasol {which you can customize yourself at i do originals}.

And if this dosage of Southern hospitality was not enough for you, well then, "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn."

xoxo,

Niki

Movie Week: Breakfast at Tiffany's

Oh the drama, the glamour and the elusive vintage chicness of Breakfast at Tiffany's! What if you could capture all of that allure and sophistication, bottle it up and turn out the most enchanting, vintage/retro party?!

Here are a few ways to take some a cue from Audrey Hepburn and create an incredibly elegant event.

I found these ridiculously fabulous invitations from Made With Love. I would mail them with these vintage Audrey stamps.

Ooh la la. You will be ogling over this stunning engagement photo shoot by Axioo. The bride's name is coincidentally Tiffany, but wow, does Axioo do an amazing job of capturing the glamour of the movie in these shots.

Martha threw the Today Show wedding a few years ago and opted for a Breakfast at Tiffany's theme. Literally, the wedding was a breakfast at the original Tiffany's on Fifth Avenue. I've been fixated on this wedding forever, since I watched it live! The small details {Martha's signature} are so spot-on, I'm thankful for so many photographs! From the ghost chair and mini tiffany blue fondant cakes, to the gift favors {equipped with a DVD of the movie} and the dress up kit for guests {with Audrey's signature giant sunglasses and boas!}.... so glamourous.

xoxo,

Niki