Delighting my husband

Although we celebrated our anniversary a couple days ago in Estes Park, I wanted to do something special for Q on our real anniversary day. He treated me to so many goodies, that it was now my turn to delight my husband.

I've been wanting to do this since we've been married, and I finally remembered to do it this year. This unity candle was lit as we ate our dinner tonight. I placed it on a plate covered with foil. 

I placed this card on his empty plate so that he would see it right away when he walked in. As he opened up the envelope, he placed it close to his nose to smell it. I like to seal special cards like this with one of my scented lotions. He loves it! The card was made using two pictures that his brother took of us last summer. I cut them out, leaving a white border, then glued them to black card stock. After cutting the edges with decorative scissors, I glued it onto the front of a blank card. The layered flowers were put together using the metal brads, then glued onto the card. I used a black calligraphy pen for the writing. 

We enjoyed a Mexican meal by candle light and violin music. I asked him yesterday what he wanted for dessert today, and he requested that I make blackberry pie. I've made pies lots of times, but never a berry pie. It turned out well, so I thought you'd enjoy the recipe. With leftover pie crust, I cut out hearts and placed them all around the edges of the pie. Then using a pastry brush, I spread egg white over the crust and topped it with sugar. Yum!!!

Blackberry Pie

pastry for two-crust pie

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, if desired

6 cups blackberries

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon butter, if desired

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Make (or buy) pastry of your choice.

2. In large bowl, mix sugar, flour and cinnamon. Stir in blackberries. Spoon into pastry-lined pie plate. Sprinkle any remaining sugar mixture over blackberry mixture. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Cut butter into small pieces; sprinkle over blackberries. Cover with top pastry that has slits cut in it; seal and flute. Cover edge with foil to prevent excessive browning; remove foil during last 15 minutes of baking.

3. Bake 35 to 45 minutes or until crust is golden brown and juice begins to bubble through slits in crust. Cool on wire rack at least 2 hours.