Jolly Mom: Recipes | Crafts | Atlanta Mom Blogger | Brand Ambassador | Product Reviews

Thank you to Lori from Moms by Heart for compiling the best deals at CVS this week! For the full list, please make sure you stop by Moms By Heart!



















Olay Pro X Exfoliating Cleanser $10
-$5 ECB
-$2 from 9/26 PG - expires 10/31
Final Price: $3

Lady Speed Stick Stainguard $3.49 (2/$6.98)
-$3 ECB on two
-$.75 printable HERE, use two
Final Price: 2/$2.48 or $1.24 each

Crest 3D Vivid Whitestrips 10-ct $31.99
-$10 ECB
-$5 from 10/31 PG
Final Price: $16.99

Schick Hydro 3 or 5 razor $8.99
-$4 ECB
-$4 from 10/3 SS
Final Price: $.99

Oral B Pulsar, CrossAction, Stages power toothbrush $4.99
-$2 ECB (limit 2)
-$3 from 10/31 PG - good on all Oral B battery powered varieties
Final Price: FREE

Accu-Chek blood glucose monitor $14.99
-$5 ECB
-$9.99 mail in rebate in box
Final Price: FREE

Nature Made Fish Oil 60-100 ct $7.99
-$4 ECB
-$2 from October ALL YOU magazine
Final Price: $1.99

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment toasts the 45th anniversary of the five-time Academy Award®-winning The Sound Of Music with its highly anticipated Blu-ray Disc debut November 2nd. Starring Oscar® winner Julie Andrews in one of her most memorable roles, the film adaptation of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s musical follows Maria, a spirited young woman who leaves a convent and becomes a governess to seven unruly children. Her charm and songs soon win the hearts of the children and their father but when Nazi Germany unites with Austria, Maria is forced to attempt a daring escape with her new family.


Meticulously restored and re-mastered , The Sound Of Music 45th Anniversary Edition is presented with new 7.1 audio and offers BD-LIVE: Live Lookup ™ Powered by IMDb; Your Favorite Things: An Interactive Celebration featuring a Sing-A-Long, behind-the-scenes images, trivia and a location quiz; A City of Song with a virtual map of filming locations and interactive tour of the movie’s locale of Salzburg, Austria, and much more. Please visit the Official Sound of Music Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/vspink?ref=ts#!/TheSoundOfMusic .

Additionally, a limited edition 24-page book will be available only at Target and will include the film in both DVD and Blu-ray versions, plus feature trivia, rare photos, and more! More information can be found HERE.





The featured product{s} in this post were provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or pr company representing the company. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone. Please refer to this site's Terms of Use for more information.

On November 2nd families everywhere can experience “fantasmagorical” adventures, legendary sing-alongs and magical moments like never before as MGM Home Entertainment releases an all-new re-mastered version of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang on Blu-ray. Enjoy the fun of this family classic for the first time on Blu-ray disc with upgraded 7.1 DTS-HD master audio and new interactive games. An original version of the film on DVD will accompany the all-new re-mastered Blu-ray.


Based on the children’s book Chitty Chitty Bang Bang: The Magical Car by Ian Fleming, the film tells the story of an eccentric professor (played by Dick Van Dyke) who invents wacky machinery, but can't seem to make ends meet. When he invents a revolutionary car, a foreign government becomes interested in it, and resorts to skullduggery to get their hands on it. The all-time family classic evolves from there and viewers are taken on a magical ride with the professor and loveable motorcar.

The re-mastered version of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang on Blu-ray will feature special interactive features for families everywhere to enjoy from the comfort of their own homes, including an all-new “Toot Sweet Symphony” melody maker, “Remembering Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” with Dick Van Dyke, song demos from the Sherman Brothers and a featurette entitled "A Fantasmagorical Motorcar."






The featured product{s} in this post were provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or pr company representing the company. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone. Please refer to this site's Terms of Use for more information.

You guys may remember my rave review of the EcoAquarium or the Wallace & Gromit Rocket...both made by Wild Creations. Well, I am thrilled to announce Wild Creations new toy lineup, which includes really fun and interesting toys from British licensed lines Wallace & Gromit, Mensa, Natural History Museum, and more. Kids and adults will enjoy creating a human-sized bubble with the Mega Bubble, or testing the steadiness of their hand with the Buzz Wire Bomb, and even planning sneak snake attacks with the realistic RC Rattlesnake!


Wild Creations sent us the Jellyfish Lampquarium and it is beyond cool and...so realistic. There's vey little setup required. Just fill the tank with water making sure to fill it all the way to the top. Add a couple of drops of detergent to the tank...this actually minimizes bubbles and allow the "jellyfish" to move more freely. Then, add the three silicone jellyfish to the tank. Plug in the Lampquarium and turn the switch on. Prepare to be amazed. These look and move like real jellyfish. Lucas literally started at the Lampquarium for almost an hour the first day we put it together. Now, it sits on top of his dresser in his room. It's a really cool decoration that he loves to look at and it also provides a night light. We absolutely LOVE it! The Lampquarium would make an awesome holiday gift for kids of all ages really!


Other new Wild Creations toys you should check out!

RC Rattlesnake
Giant Retro Space Hopper
Tandem Space Hopper
Unpredictaball
Pocket Monocular
Hydrophobic Sand
Science Putty CDU
Buzz Wire Bomb
Solar Airship
Mega Bubble







The featured product{s} in this post were provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or pr company representing the company. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone. Please refer to this site's Terms of Use for more information.

There's a new Procter & Gamble promo I wanted to tell you guys about. It's called the Have You Tried This Yet? campaign and it is basically a showcase of P&G's most innovative and effective products. Combine that with great prices and you've got exceptional value too! For instance, have you tried the Bounce Dryer Bar? It is such a convenient little laundry product. Stick it in the dryer and forget about it for a couple of months. It softens your clothes and there's no need for dryer sheets! It's definitely a time saver...a minute here, a minute there...all sanity savers for busy moms!


Another P&G product that I LOVE are the new Febreze Home Collection products--esepcially the Flameless Luminary. LOVE. It offers such an elegant and convenient way to keep your home smelling wonderful. I also love the seasonal shades, which of course are great for this time of year.



Oh, and make sure to get your Sunday paper this weekend! On Sunday, October 31, P&G will distribute a P&G brandSAVER that features more than $113 in savings on the campaign’s featured innovative products. That way you can try out some of P&G's best and most innovative products!



If you happen to be in NYC, stop by the interactive Have You Tried This Yet? Pop-Up experience, which will be open to the public in New York City from now through the weekend. Located at 101 West 57th Street (near 6th Avenue), the Pop-Up will be open Monday – Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. and Saturday – Sunday, 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. and will offer free demonstrations and product samples from brands such as Tide®, Bounty®, Pringles®, Charmin®, Febreze®, COVERGIRL®, and Olay®, allowing consumers to experience first-hand the innovations and value each product offers.



P&G sent me a complimentary box of some of their new products to try out at home. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone. Please refer to this site's Terms of Use for more information.

One of my favorite childhood stories is Little Red Riding Hood. I mean, it's a classic. Everyone loves the story, right? Well, now that story has been updated...modernized...retold by Gail Carson Levine in Betsy Red Hoodie. You guessed it...in this version the little girl is wearing a red hoodie rather than a cape. Her name is Betsy and her mom has tasked her with taking cupcakes over to grandmas. Mom tells her to take the sheep with her, but her friend Zimmo the wolf also wants to tag along. Betsy is not so sure about this since she recalls that "Long ago a wold had eaten a grandma." Zimmo wins and heads to grandmas with Betsy and the sheep. There are some bumps along the way to grandmas and the end of the story is very different and much, much cuter than Little Red Riding Hood.


About the Book:
Betsy is finally old enough to take cupcakes to Grandma all by herself—with the company of her faithful sheep, of course. And although wolves aren’t good for grandmas, Betsy lets her best friend, Zimmo, come along too. But will Zimmo’s wolfish instincts make Grandma the tasty treat instead? In her second picture book starring the feisty young shepherd Betsy, Newbery Honor author Gail Carson Levine teams up once again with Scott Nash to put a hilarious twist on an old favorite. This reimagining of Little Red Riding Hood is sure to delight readers from little lambs to cupcake-loving grandmas.

Betsy Red Hoodie is also beautifully illustrated and the sheep in the book are hilarious! This book is honestly a must-read and a must-own! Also, make sure to check out Betsy Who Cried Wolf, which is a retelling of The Boy Who Cried Wolf.

For more information about Gail Carson Levine or her picture books, visit her website HERE.

The featured product{s} in this post were provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or pr company representing the company. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone. Please refer to this site's Terms of Use for more information.

The ghouls and goblins will be out this weekend for Halloween! Every young wizard will surely need a handbook to show them how to trap a zombie or even track a vampire, right? How to Trap a Zombie, Track a Vampire, and Other Hands-On Activities for Monster Hunters: A Young Wizards Handbook by A.R. Rotruck can help with that!


About the Book:
The Dangerous Book for Boys with a fantasy twist! Ever wonder how to:

• Improvise a wand?
• Capture a werewolf?
• Make a monster-catching net?

Why wait to be accepted into wizardry school to learn the answers? Packed with easy projects using everyday materials, this fact-filled activity book shows wannabe wizards how to craft unique creations such as their own wizard robes, play games such as vampire tag, master adventuring skills like mapping a monster-filled dungeon, and follow step-by-step instructions on how to "survive" almost any monster attack.

This is really a cute book that aspiring "wizards" and Harry Potter fans will definitely love! The book shows kids how to make so many cool things like invisible ink using lemon juice and salt or how to build a shelter using a blanket, a ball of twine, and a couple of sticks. More than fifty activities, games, and easy projects feature step-by-step instructions using everyday materials. Very fun book!

Buy it at Amazon.com for $9.32.




The featured product{s} in this post were provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or pr company representing the company. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone. Please refer to this site's Terms of Use for more information.

I want to thank all of you that have been voting for me and my Peachy Avocado Delight recipe {pictured above} in the BIG HIT Recipe Contest! Some of you have even been voting everyday...there aren't words to express how thankful I am for all of your support. You guys ROCK!  Today is the LAST DAY of voting. Winners will be announced tomorrow and the great news is that I am in 3rd Place right now! The prize for 3rd Place is $1,500, which would be AMAZING to win! 

So, this is my final plea for help...if you could take a moment to vote for me one last time today, that would be awesome! Thank you guys so much for your support!

Link up your giveaways!

Please make sure to link directly to the giveaway and list the name of the giveaway along with the expiration date. Don't forget to stop by Go Graham Go to link up over there as well!

Teaching a child to read has always seemed so daunting to me. That's why I believe as a parent...you have to have the right tools. Tools that will engage your child and guide the parent during the learning process as well. Learning to read should be fun and so should the learning tools. If you have a child that is a pre-reader or learning to read now, you have to check out the Now I'm Reading Series by innovativeKids. This is an award-winning series written by author and former teacher, Nora Gaydos. The series itself offers kids and parents a wide variety of learning tools that are both fun and effective!

The Now I’m Reading! books begin with a Pre- Reader level designed for ages 3+ and expand as the child’s literacy improves from Level 1 through Independent Reader. Each level offers 10 phonic storybooks plus 40 incentive stickers and a parent guide with tips and activities. Book titles include fun topics such as Animal Antics, Clever Critters, Snack Attack and Math Madness.



We were sent Playful Pals from the Now I'm Reading Book series and it is wonderful! I love that all of the books are neatly contained in a storage case. The books are small...think the size of a CD case and each book is contained in a sleeve...almost exactly like a CD storage case. It's really nice to have all of the books organized and neat and it is also perfect for travel. Also, at the end of each book you'll find comprehension questions which are wonderful...especially for parents who like me need guidance on how to best teach their kids to read.

To keep it fun and entertaining, the Now I'm Reading Series also includes lots of other products too. Check them out!

Now I'm Reading Play
Write It
Draw It Activity Book
Now I'm Reading Game





About Nora Gaydos: With more than 10 years of experience teaching kindergarten, first grade, and third grade, Gaydos has a comprehensive understanding of how beginning readers develop from pre-readers to independent readers. She’s an award-winning author, speaker, and does on-site parent and teacher workshops on reading and writing for kids– all in addition to being a mom herself.

Make sure to also check out the the innovativeKids website and Nora Gaydo's blog, which both offer lots of tips and helpful information!






The featured product{s} in this post were provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or pr company representing the company. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone. Please refer to this site's Terms of Use for more information.

VTech is one of my favorite toy companies because somehow they always know exactly how to combine fun and learning into a toy that kids will want to play with. Their new bath time toys are so innovative and cute while introducing babies and toddlers to important concepts such as math, music, colors, shapes, letters and more! There are four bath time toys in the line and they include Sing and Count Fish, Light Up Learning Turtle, Submarine Learning Boat, and Piano Play Octopus.

Sing and Count Fish – Ages 6 to 18 months – SRP: $9.99


• It's tubby time with the Sing & Count Fish!
• This cute little fish has a large reservoir to fill with water that, when the water's poured out, will play melodies and sounds.
• Press the 123 button to learn numbers and hear fun phrases and sounds.
• The mechanical spinning and flashing fins add to the visual appeal of this adorable little fish.


Light Up Learning Turtle – Ages 6 to 18 months – SRP: $14.99


• Splish, splash, have fun with the turtle in the bath! Children can sing, scoop and play with this light-up turtle toy sure to make bath time fun!
• The Learning Turtle teaches beginning facts on colors, shapes and animals with songs and buttons to help teach your infant the basics.
• Have additional fun with the turtle’s three friends, the crab, octopus and star fish that scoop, squirt and pour water


Submarine Learning Boat – Ages 9 to 24 months – SRP: $17.99


• The submarine's dolphin captain teaches children about colors, numbers, animals, animal sounds and animal characteristics.
• The dolphin also likes to play a fun game of hide and seek, asking toddlers to help find some of his animal friends.
• Each press of a button is rewarded with a squirt of water from the submarine's spout. Two different intensities of squirting add to the surprise and fun of this learning bath toy.
• Equipped with a water sensor, this little submarine knows when it's diving into the water for some wet and wild fun or if it's reached dry land for a little quieter play time.

Piano Play Octopus– Ages 12 to 36 months – SRP: $19.99


• Dive into the tub for a little musical fun with the Piano Play Octopus!
• This playful octopus teaches animal names, sounds and characteristics as well as instrument names as sounds on each of its five legs in the two modes of play.
• Add a little bubble solution and with the flip of a switch bubbles will be bouncing, dancing, twirling and popping all around you.







VTech provided me with one bath time toy for the purpose of the review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone. Please refer to this site's Terms of Use for more information.

For the perfect eco-friendly children's gift, I highly recommend Ruby Pinwheels. This cute online shop carries everything from baby essentials to gift sets to clothing for toddlers and kids. The best part? They do all the work for you! Ruby Pinwheels scouts out organic clothing and skin care products that are manufactured under fair trade conditions and provide you choices in content/ingredients, styles, and price ranges! Ruby Pinwheels sent us the outfit Lucas is wearing in the pictures below. Adorable, huh?!


The Organic Cotton Pumpkin Tee is obviously the perfect tee for this time of year! It is made by the company Kee-Ka and is made with 100% certified organic cotton. This is one of the softest t-shirts ever! Cozy, soft, and extremely well made. Ruby Pinwheels also sell this Tee in the Cupcake version too, which is just so precious {pictured below}. The Adventure Pants by Scout are also incredibly soft, but rugged all at the same time. They pretty much go with everything too! Dress them up or dress them down. Very versatile pants that will last through the rough and tumble of kids at play. They are made by Scout using certified organic cotton.

Besides the fact that Ruby Pinwheels does the "green" homework for you, I also love that they sell products in every price range. The thing about organic and eco-friendly is that they usually mean $$$$$, but Ruby Pinwheels has done a really good job of finding green products that are also affordable and that...I LOVE!







The featured product{s} in this post were provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or pr company representing the company. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone. Please refer to this site's Terms of Use for more information.

If you've been looking for a cookbook that features healthy recipes without being "diet" per se, you should check out "Cooking with Healthy Girl: Everyday Recipes Made Healthy" by Mandy Potter. Potter’s full-color cookbook contains such family favorites as Green Bean Casserole, with fewer calories and less sugar, fats, carbs and cholesterol than even the Campbell’s Fat-Free or Healthy Requestâ Cream of Mushroom Soup versions. Or Peanut Butter Cookies, made by Potter with just 3 tablespoons butter and ½ cup of sugar, compared to the Jif Peanut Butter Press Cookies that are made with ¼ cup of butter and 1 cup sugar.


Cooking with Healthy Girl is a really well designed cookbook. Each recipe lists nutritional information and even Weight Watchers POINTS. Most of all, I love that the recipes are recognizable and easy to prepare. They are healthy recipes that husbands and even kids will also love so that YOU don't have to eat something different than your family for dinner. I love the guidelines that Mandi follows when she creates a new recipe:

1. Healthy - decreasing the bad nutrients and increasing the good nutrients
2. Tasty - the recipe needs to taste the same or better
3. Good Portion Size - enough to make you fell full
4. Easy to Make - with two kids I have to make this quickly!!
5. Common/ Everyday Ingredients - ingredients you can buy at the local store and use until they are gone
6. Complete Dinner - pairing a side with an entree makes things a lot easier when trying to feed the family

Besides the cookbook, Potter shares tips and videos at www.cookingwithhealthygirl.com. The back of the book lists staples available in any grocery store and a four-week menu.

Buy It: Retail price: $29.99. Available at www.cookingwithhealthygirl.com, www.amazon.com, www.barnesandnoble.com.




The featured product{s} in this post were provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or pr company representing the company. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone. Please refer to this site's Terms of Use for more information.

I've seen Moon Dough and Moon Sand in stores, but had never tried it out and really didn't know much about either. For Lucas' birthday however, we purchased some Moon Sand for him and have been hooked ever since. Lucas loves the stuff and I love it because it literally never dries out. It also has the coolest texture and allows you to mold intricately detailed objects. It's just a very cool product! So when Team Mom gave me the opportunity to try out the Moon Dough Barn, I had to say yes!



So, what is Moon Dough you ask??

Moon Dough is essentially a molding compound...like Play-Doh but VERY DIFFERENT. The texture is so unique. Both Mike and I said it reminded us of the texture of cotton candy...in a way. What's cool about Moon Dough is that unlike Play-Doh...it never dries out. Ever. You don't have to store it in an airtight container or anything like that either. Just like the Moon Sand we purchased for Lucas, it also allows kids to mold intricately detailed objects. So, with the Moon Dough Barn, kids can make farm animals. Just put some Moon Dough into the Barn, turn the handle, and out comes 1 of 4 different animals. It's very cute and a lot of fun!


There's one thing about Moon Dough that you should keep in mind though. It...like all molding compounds...can be messy. Moon Dough, specifically has a tendency to flake into little bits. However, if you squeeze the Moon Dough and knead it for a couple of minutes before giving it to a child, it doesn't flake as much. We always play with at our kitchen table where we have hardwood floors and can easily and quickly clean up the mess LOL. Either way though...Moon Dough is definitely FUN and guaranteed to be enjoyed by kids {and parents too}!

The Moon Dough Barn retails for approximately $19.99 and can be purchased at major toy retailers across the country. For more information, visit MoonDough.com!




The featured product{s} in this post were provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer and Team Mom. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone. Please refer to this site's Terms of Use for more information.

Thanks to The Motherhood and Wendy's, I got the opportunity to attend a wonderful Atlanta event last week at a local Wendy's to try their new Pick 2 Menu. It was a really fun way to spend an afternoon--eating lunch with both old and new friends!

Plus, the Pick 2 Menu is fantastic. If by chance, you haven't heard of the Pick 2 Menu, here's how it works:


Choose one of their new half-size salads: Spicy Chicken Caesar Salad, Baja Salad, BLT Cobb Salad, or the Apple Pecan Chicken Salad. Then, you choose one of these seven menu items:

Bottled Water
Small Frosty
Baked Potato
Chili
Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger
Chicken Go Wrap
Small Beverage

There are 28 total menu combinations and all are about 600 calories or less--now THAT is something to rave about for sure! Total Price: $4.99!!!

I had the BLT Cobb Salad and baked potato. I was very impressed with the freshness of the salads and how filling the entire meal was. Everyone was raving about the menu...even my dear husband who is not the biggest health nut LOL. He had the Baja Salad and it was seriously delicious. I will be ordering it next time I eat at Wendy's for sure!



Now, one of you will be able to try out the Pick 2 Menu too!





This is part of a paid campaign. I received a stipend and Wendy's gift card for my participation. However, all opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone. Please refer to this site's Terms of Use for more information.

I was recently introduced to a wonderful children's book author named Jane Yolen. I am in love with her books! They are whimsical, funny, and cute. Most of all, I love that Yolen has written books that both boys and girls will love.

First up is "How Do Dinosaurs Laugh Out Loud?" written by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague. This book is part of the "How Do Dinosaurs" bestselling series and it will have preschoolers laughing out loud themselves as they go through the cute dinosaur themed jokes in the book. For example, What do you call a dinosaur sleeping in your bed?A Dino-snore! LOL

The book is presented in a fun lift-the-flap format and is very interactive. Very, very cute board book!

Up next is Elsie's Bird, a children's book also written by Jane Yolen. Elsie's Bird is a beautifully illustrated picture book about a little girl on a journey that we all can relate with. Finding one's place in the world.

About the Book:
Elsie is a city girl. She loves the noise of the cobbled streets of Boston. But when her mother dies and her father moves them to the faraway prairies of Nebraska, Elsie hears only the silence, and she feels alone in the wide sea of grass. Her only comfort is her canary, Timmy Tune. But when Timmy flies out the window, Elsie is forced to run after him, into the tall grass of the prairie, where she's finally able to hear the voice of the prairie—beautiful and noisy—and she begins to feel at home.

Last, but not least is my favorite Jane Yolen book that I received to review--Not All Princesses Dress In Pink. This book is for all of those little princesses out there who love to play sports, make mud pies, use tools, and basically love to get down and dirty all while wearing their crowns.

Not All Princesses Dress In Pink is filled with colorful and fun illustrations---depicting today's modern girl. It's a book all about girl power! Love it!!





The featured product{s} in this post were provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or pr company representing the company. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone. Please refer to this site's Terms of Use for more information.

This past weekend, it hit me. Thanksgiving is literally right around the corner. Sooner than that even. So, I sat down with a pad of paper and pen and started planning out our Thanksgiving dinner. We started hosting a few years ago and love every second of it. Well, mostly LOL. Anyhow, one dessert that always makes it onto the menu is my French Apple Tart. Everyone raves about it. It is delicate. Not too sweet. Truly delicious. The fantastic thing about this French Apple Tart is that while it looks impressive, it is super easy to make. You can even use premade pie crust and simplify the process even more. Just bake two round tarts instead of one large rectangular tart or...join the two round pie crusts and cut out a makeshift rectangle.Anyhow, I shared this recipe with you last year, but I just had to share it again for those of you who may have missed it and are searching for holiday recipes.


Ingredients
For the pastry:
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 tablespoon sugar
* 12 tablespoons (11/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, diced
* 1/2 cup ice water

For the apples:
* 4 large Granny Smith apples
* 1/4 cup sugar
* 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, diced small
* 1/2 cup apricot jelly or warm sieved apricot jam or preserves

Directions
For the pastry, place the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse for a few seconds to combine. Add the butter and pulse 10 to 12 times, until the butter resembles coarse meal. With the motor running, pour the ice water down the feed tube and pulse just until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a floured board and knead into a ball. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper NOT wax paper or you can use a silpat.

Roll the dough slightly larger than 10 by 14-inches. Using a ruler and a small knife, trim the edges. Place the dough on the prepared sheet pan and refrigerate while you prepare the apples.

Peel and core the apples and cut them in half through the stem. Thinly slice apples crosswise. Place overlapping slices of apples making rows on until the pastry is covered with apple slices. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of sugar and dot with the butter.

Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the pastry is browned and the edges of the apples start to brown. Rotate the pan once during cooking. When the tart's done, heat the apricot jelly and brush the apples and the pastry completely with the jelly mixture. Loosen the tart with a metal spatula so it doesn't stick to the paper. Allow to cool and serve warm or at room temperature.

TIPS:

1. If you can't find apricot jelly {which you probably won't--I have never found it}, then preserves or jam will work. However, you need to heat it and then press it through a sieve. You can skip sieving it IF you are extra careful and don't get any bits of fruit on the tart. You want the jam or preserves to act as a glaze so you don't want any chunks or bits of fruit!
2. You can also skip making the pastry dough and use premade pie dough instead. Either make the tart round and adjust your ingredients OR join two premade pie crust doughs together.
3. Make sure that you use parchment paper to line your baking sheet. Do NOT use wax paper--it WILL stick.

Adapted from Ina Garten's French Apple Tart recipe.