Random Weekend: Pumpkin, Hydrangeas and Butternut Squash Oh My!

Happy Weekend! How was your week?

This weekend seems to be full of surprises,

and it's only just begun. Just a little bit of everything!

It's a glorious Fall day here!
Today I am busily painting away,
and trying as fast as I can to get a few projects finished up!

One you can get a peek over on Instagram, or actually two,
and since I'm not sure if the sweet friend I'm making it for,
has already seen it or not yet, I'm keeping
it a secret for now, and I'm crossing my finger's
she'll get it in time!

I know I've said it before, that I was a Summer girl
I couldn't help but not be, growing up in
Southern California! We were at the beach every day
during Summer vacation!

Now living in Arizona, we don't really do too much because of the heat,
if we do it's usually spending a day at the lake or the pool, but
 really some days are too hot to do much of anything.

That is until Fall comes, and we have this phenomenon,
 that happens this time of year!
Our cities fill up with, what were once called
"Snow Birds", to now the term being used is
"Sun Seekers"!

I actually like the new term, it's true!
The winter's here in Arizona, are very mild,
and since I am not a cool weather girl,
Fall has become my new favorite season!

If you are like me now, I can't get enough of Pumpkin, or Apples or Pears!

Salted Pumpkin Caramels from TheTartTart

My new found love is drying Hydrangeas!

via funkyjunkinteriors

When I saw this wreath, and couldn't get over how gorgeous it is! It's an excerpt
from this book! I have the Flower recipe book, I will do a review on one day!
I might just pick this one up to accompany it! (affiliate link)



Another one of my new found loves, is Butternut Squash!
If ever there was a comfort food, butternut squash is mine!
This recipe had my mouth watering right away!

 Roasted Butternut Squash and Bacon Pasta from A Hint of Honey 

or you might like to try my

Portabella and Butternut squash Crepes with a Creamy Parmesan Sauce 

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Until next time!

xo,

 

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The New Sugar & Spice by Samantha Seneviratne and Cazuela Cookie Bars with Maple Whipped Cream

Happy day before Fri-Yay! I'm wondering if some of you have noticed that I have been in a little baking rut. It's been almost two weeks since I posted a mouth watering baked good. I did bake a banana bread, because I had three overly riped bananas that were screaming at me, to use them, and my husband has been asking me to make some for awhile now, ok he's been asking for a long while. Did I ever mention, that I'm not particularly fond of bananas, hence my procrastination. Other than that, I just haven't felt inspired to bake anything. Never fear, with my most favorite time of year approaching, {I absolutely love baking for the holidays}, I feel the banana bread was giving me a little nudge, and then it was the day I received the book I am excited to share with you today, (affiliate) The New Sugar and Spice: A Recipe for Bolder Baking , that boosted my baking morale.  It was just the kick I needed to get started back on the baking track! The two main reasons why I was overjoyed to receive this book, was it is focused on spicing your baking up, literally with aromatic spices like Peppercorn & Chili, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Clove & Cardamom, Vanilla, Ginger, and Savory Herbs and Spices, and every recipe looked absolutely yummy!

In Puerto Rico, cazuela is a traditional pie usually made during the Christmas season. It is similar to a pumpkin pie but uses sweet potato, pumpkin, and coconut milk and usually contains no pie crust. This may also come as a surprise to you, but another food that I really am happy with a simple bite, is Pumpkin Pie. I don't know if it's the texture, or the flavor, but plain pumpkin pie isn't at the top of my list, but Pumpkin Cheesecake is. I chose this recipe for not only the pumpkin lovers, but {and I know I am not alone} for those of us who don't dislike pumpkin pie, but I'm just not that thrilled about it. I don't know if it was the coconut milk, the sweet potato or the nutmeg, but after only one bite, I wanted more. The combination of the coconut milk and heavy cream, layered with the sweet potatoe and nutmeg flavor, really enhanced the flavor of this almost pumpkin pie dessert. It's amazing how a few simple ingredients can turn the ordinary into the extraordinary!

3 Things I like About this Book

 

• There are several reasons why I choose my cookbooks, and it's not only just for the recipes, but a cook book must have provocative food photographs, and it must have stories that accompany the recipes that inspired them. I like to read the stories behind the recipes, it forms a connection, when I can picture why the recipe came to be, then it becomes engrained in my memory, causing the recipe to become a very memorable one for me. Take for instance the story associated with Casuela Cookie Bars, Samantah writes,

"When my father was growing up in Sri Lanka, he had a garden that sounds like something out of a fairy tale, complete with a wild pumpkin patch. The curly pumpkin vines grew with such vigor that space became an issue. The only solution was to train them to grow up the sides of the garage and onto the roof. The bright orange orbs would swell and sweeten on the roof, which I imagine was quite a sight! His prolific pumpkins were the inspiration for these bars."

• Each chapter is divided up into a Spice category like Peppercorn & Chili, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Clove & Cardamom, Vanilla, Ginger, and Savory Herbs and Spices. There isn't a recipe I wouldn't want to miss making because of their tantalizing flavors, for instance Sour Cherry Cheesecake Bars (fresh ground cloves), Cinnamon Hazelnut and Date Buns, or an exotic recipe like Fig and Fennel Seed Biscotti, I'm not a huge fan of black licorice, but I do however love Anise. After the introduction to the chapter, Samantha gives a brief history and description of each spice, as well as where to buy it and how to store it.
• What I really enjoyed about this book are the photographs are easy on the eyes, giving the reader a sensual visual of the recipes, that you can almost smell the fragrant spices, and taste how delicious each one is. The photographs are both very pretty to look at, and clean, not too distracting that showcase the ingredients in their simple and pure state! Very important to me as well as how easy it is to access the ingredients. Most of them I have in my pantry already, or an ingredient I would enjoy adding to it!

To read more reviews on (affiliate link) The New Sugar and Spice: A Recipe for Bolder Baking ; via Amazon, click the photo below.

Hardcover: 240 pages

Publisher: Ten Speed Press (September 8, 2015)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1607747464

ISBN-13: 978-1607747468

Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 1 x 10.3 inches




Cazuela Cookie Bars with Maple Whipped Cream (adapted)

Shortbread Cookie Base

3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

Filling

1 cup cooked or roasted sweet potato flesh
 (about 12 oz. from 1 med. sweet potato)

1 cup pumpkin puree
(not pumpkin pie filling)

1 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
4 large eggs

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a 13x9 baking pan.

2. In a stand up mixer, cream butter and sugar  on medium speed until fluffy, for 3-4 minutes. Add the salt and flour and beat just until the four is evenly moistened and the mixture is the texture of a coarse meal. Pour the crumbs into the pan and press down into an even layer. Bake until golden brown and set for 20-24 minutes. Let it cool, while you prepare filling.

3.Add the sweet potato, pumpkin, coconut milk, heavy cream, sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt to mixing bowl. Mix until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs and mix just until combined. Pour the sweet potato mixture onto the prepared crust, and bake until filling is set with a slight jiggle in the center 35-45 minutes. Cool for about an hour, and then cover and refrigerate it for at least 3 hours. Serve with a dollop of Maple Whipped cream.

To make Maple Whipped Cream.

In a stand up mixer fitted with a wire whisk, begin whipping 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream, until fluffy 3-4 minutes. Add 2 Tbls. Pure Maple Syrup, and 1-2 Tbls. sugar. Whip to combine. Do not overwhip.
 

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Until next time!

xo,

 

Please Follow Me Here! Thank you!

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Disclaimer: I received my copy of The New Sugar and Spice for review purposes from

 Blogging for Books but all opinions are my own.

All Things Pumpkin

Looking for a sweet pumpkin treat? Limited edition 365 Everyday Value® Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Sandwich Cremes fit the bill. And if you also live in a warmer climate like I do, 365 Everyday Value® Organic Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream Sandwiches are for you.

And don’t forget the 365 Everyday Value® Organic Pumpkin Pie Spice. Sprinkle it on your morning coffee, mix into your oatmeal or sprinkle on winter vegetables before roasting!

Get Cooking

Let me take a minute to acknowledge how good pumpkin pie is — so good — and how smart my dad was to insist on having it in August rather than waiting for Thanksgiving — so smart! Hungry for a slice? Check out these riffs on the classic with Vegan Pumpkin Pecan Pieor Pumpkin Apple Pie.

And let’s not forget the seeds. Cooking with pumpkin seeds should not be treated like an after thought during pumpkin carving parties. Roasted Pumpkin Seeds are a delicious treat, or take it a step further and try our recipe for Pumpkin Seed Pesto.

That’s just the start. Here are a few of my favorite sweet and savory pumpkin recipes.  

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

Pumpkin Chocolate Cake

Pumpkin Chile Con Queso

Creamy Pumpkin Brown Rice

Honey Walnut Pumpkin Bread

Turkey Pumpkin Chili

Pumpkin-Cream Cheese Truffles

Easy Spiced Pumpkin Refrigerator Cheesecake

And don’t forget Fido! Gluten-free Spiced Pumpkin Dog Treats are chock-full of ingredients that are good for your pup. Peanut butter adds tempting flavor that dogs can’t resist.

Source

Weekend Notes

Happy Weekend! 

I hope your week went well, and 

you are enjoying the cooler Fall temperatures, as I am! 

Yesterday afternoon was fabulous, and 

earlier this week we had a nice rainfall for about an hour! 

My rose bush is literally glowing in this Fall weather.

Today the girls and I are going up North to spend time with my family and
then head up 

to Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon 

to see if the leaves have changed their colors yet!
If we have time, on Sunday on the way home, we'll stop for
the Oktoberfest at Tempe Town Lake!

This is a quick post, as I am running late to get on the road,
but first I wanted to thank my dear, sweet and hysterically funny
bloggy friend, Benita over at Chasing Quaintness, for the
lovely gift,  she sent to me in the mail.
It absolutely made my day!

You can't help but smile when you see this!!!

Here are some links to read!
Wishing you all a Happy Weekend!

25 Pumpkin Recipes that don't involve Pie

Avoid These Nine Foods - I have a really hard time with Diet Soda!

5 Foods that Taste Better in October - I confess I've never eaten a Persimmon. If you have
would you eat it again?? Inquiring minds what to know!

These chemicals can affect your metabolism

Pumpkin-Ginger pound cake with Maple-Cheesecake filling

Happy Day before Friday! Hope you all are enjoying your short week this week! This week has been a fun and interesting one for me. The hubs and I joined a bowling league, I haven't bowled in at least 15 years. He is from a family of bowlers, and when we first got married, Nana loved to bowl, so we joined a league and all bowled together with his famly. I was a little rusty the first two games, but found I got back into the groove by the third. Tonight, I am checking out and joining one of the Rose societies here in the Valley, I don't know why I haven't sooner. Lindsay's coming along too! She really loves roses as much as I do.

Is anyone else excited for Pumpkin everything as much as I am?! Last week, I picked up my first Starbuck's Pumpkin spice Latte, and I knew Fall is fast approaching!

I am *SO* looking forward to cooler and crisper mornings, so I can throw open my windows to let the fresh air in!! I couldn't think of a better recipe than pumpkin poundcake to be my first pumpkin recipe for Fall! How excited I was to open my first can of pumpkin?! I'd be even more excited when I can can my own pumpkin puree, with my own pumpkins!

When I was making the filling with the maple syrup, it amazes me how perfectly sweet real maple syrup is! I am really going to enjoy a slice of this with my morning coffee. It can't be bad if it tastes so good, to have for breakfast, I mean, pumpkin is good for you?!

Pumpkin-Ginger Pound cake with Maple Cheesecake Filling and Glaze

 (adapted from FineCooking) 

Pumpkin Pound cake:

• 1/2 lb. (1 cup) unsalted butter, completely softened at room temperature; more for the pan
• 9 1/2 oz, (2 1/2 cups) cake flour; more for the pan
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. table salt
• 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup unsweetened pumpkin purée
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter ,melted   
• 2 tsp. grated fresh ginger 

Maple Cheesecake Filling:

8oz. cream cheese

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

2 Tbls. pure maple syrup

Maple Cream Cheese Glaze

4 oz. cream cheese

4 oz. unsalted butter

1 Tbls. pure maple syrup

1/2 pound of confectioners sugar 

1/4 cup of milk

1.) Pre heat the oven to 350ºF. Butter and flour a 10-inch tube pan or 12-cup bundt pan. Tap out any excess flour.
2.) Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg, and cloves; set aside.
3.) Using  a stand mixer, cream the butter on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the vanilla and the brown sugar, about 1/2 cup at a time. When all the brown sugar has been added, stop the mixer, scrape down the sides, and cream the mixture on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes.
4.) With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs slowly to the butter-sugar mixture, one at a time. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, increase the speed to medium, and beat for 1 minute. On low speed, add the pumpkin purée, melted butter, and fresh ginger. Beat until smooth.
5.)Using a rubber spatula, mix in half of the flour mixture, and continue mixing just until the flour disappears (don't beat or overmix). Repeat, adding the remaining flour mixture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and set it aside.
6.) Spoon half of the batter into the prepared pan, spreading it evenly with a rubber spatula. Spoon over top with the Maple Cream cheese filling, and then top the filling with the remaining half of the Pumpkin poundcake batter.
7.)Bake until the cake springs back when touched with a fingertip and a pick inserted into the center of the cake comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs clinging to it, 45 to 50 minutes. Set the pan on a rack to cool for 10 minutes. Carefully run a paring knife around the inside edge of the pan. 8.)Invert the cake onto the cooling rack and gently remove the pan. Let cool completely. Drizzle Maple Cream cheese glaze over top and serve, with Vanilla Ice Cream or fresh whipped cream.

As always I saved a slice for you! 

Wishing you all a wonderful rest of your week!

Until next time!

xo,

Sharing at these Parties!

Weekend Notes

Hello, and Happy Labor Day weekend everyone! September is one of my favorite months, Fall is in the air, announcing the end of Summer, like a breath of fresh air, especially living here in Arizona, it's still hovering around 100F, and I know Summer will linger here for a little while longer. I found out that my children also have a three day weekend next weekend, so instead of going up North this weekend, I will wait until next weekend, while my mother comes down for a family barbecue. Great news, I *finally* finished my paint project, and although it wasn't quite what I was envisioning, {I think the wood had it's own plan}, I really love how it turned out! I will reveal it all for you tomorrow!

via

. 8 Brillant Smartphone Photography Tips From a NatGeo Expert

. 10 Natural Energy Boosters

21 Things to do on Sunday to make your Monday suck less; I'm really going to do 3,4,and 5

 Pumpkin Snickerdoodle cupcakes with Pumpkin Cream cheese frosting by Seaside Baker

I hope you all have a beautiful weekend!

Until next time! xo,