Wednesday, October 24, 2012

pumpkin cheesecake bars

My husband is the inspiration behind this new dessert. 

He recently asked me to make a dessert that "has cream cheese and something with that pumpkin stuff in it." Knowing that he loves cheesecakes and sour cream pies, here's what I came up with . . .


These Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars rival that of the famous Pumpkin Gooey Buttercake! I know, hard to believe, right?! But its tart (slightly sweetened) topping, creamy and rich pumpkin cheesecake filling, and shortbread crumble bottom is just that . . . . so DELICIOUS!

Friends and family have given it great reviews! I love hearing "Did you make this?" and "This is my favorite pumpkin dessert, ever!"  Comments like those make baking extra fun!

TIPS . . You can prepare and bake this dessert in a 9-inch square pan or a 9-inch glass pie dish. For a casual evening of entertaining friends, I recommend preparing and baking it in a 9-inch glass pie dish. It makes for a special presentation, especially when giving the slice a light sprinkling of powder sugar or PUMPKIN PIE SPICE. 


Here's what you'll need . . .

Crust
1 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, diced
1 cup pecan halves (about 4 ounces, optional)
3/4 cup old-fashioned oats

Filling
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup canned pure pumpkin
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

sour cream topping
1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation
for crust
Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter 9x9x2-inch baking pan. 
Using on/off turns, blend first 4 ingredients in processor until coarse meal forms. Add pecans; using on/off turns, process until nuts are chopped. Add oats; process using on/off turns until mixture is moistened but not clumping. 
Press 3 1/2 cups crumbs onto bottom of prepared square pan. 
Transfer remaining crumbs to lined baking sheet. Bake crumbs on sheet until golden, stirring once, about 10-12 minutes. Cool crumbs. 
Bake crust until golden, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and set out to cool while preparing filling. 
Maintain oven temperature.

for filling
Blend all ingredients in same processor until smooth. 
Spread filling over warm crust; bake at 350°F until set, dry in center, and beginning to rise at edges, about 20 minutes. 
Remove from oven, and let cool.

for topping
Mix all ingredients in small bowl. Spread evenly over cooked pumpkin filling. Set on a rack to completely cool.  
Sprinkle crumbs on top; gently press into topping. 
Cover; chill until cold, about 2 hours. Cut into squares. 
Keep chilled. 
Can be made 2 days ahead. 





bon appetit!



LET'S STAY in touch!




Friday, October 19, 2012

It's Halloween 'at Home'

My recent trip to Colorado kick started the Fall season for me. After enjoying and admiring so much Fall inspiration and beauty . . . I jumped right into decorating for Halloween and Fall after arriving home (forget unpacking and laundry!).

Half of my home is filled with the warmth of Fall . . . pumpkins, bushels of wheat, bundles of Indian corn, twinkle lights, and barren vines winding up staircases; and the other half is decorated for Halloween. As I grow older and appreciate the glories of Fall even more, I find it harder to share my home with Halloween, BUT my little ones LOVE it . . . and so it will remain a big part of my October decorating for many more years (smile).

I thought it would be fun to share a FEW Halloween decor photos from my home . . . 


~ Halloween isn't Halloween without candy corns ~
A few of my holiday favorites on display . . . 
paper straws, rock candy and candy corns!

~ I LOVE flour sacs, especially when they have prints! ~ 
  

~ Alex bought me this elegant bistro fluted pedestal bowl by TAG  ~
It's quite beautiful brimming with white pumpkins~
and ONE orange pumpkin makes this centerpiece POP!
 

~ I fell in love with this black feather wreath when I saw it! 
I knew the perfect place for it ~
 

 ~ Little pumpkins make a simple and elegant place setting ~
 


~ Burlap BOO banner
Another Colorado find at my favorite shoppe . . . Vandel Antiques

~ My favorite Waverly pillows find a cozy spot on our sofa ~
 

~ Although I have a large Folk Art collection, not all my pieces are displayed 
every year, BUT this one makes a debut EVERY year. 
It's one of my favorite pieces. ~

~ My favorite Colorado find . . . Velvet Pumpkins ~
Their tops are REAL pumpkin stems!
 

 ~ Another Folk Art favorite ~

I typically add a few Fall touches to my main Guest Bath as well. 

~ You can even find Fall inspirational reading material (smile) ~

~ and a petite pumpkin tower on the bathroom counter ~ 


Well, that ends my Halloween tour . . . 


Thanks for stopping by!













Monday, October 15, 2012

apple toffee crisp

We brought these beautiful apples home last weekend from our apple picking venture.

~ Braeburn, Winesap, and Red Delicious ~

I bought these pretty ruffled mini pie plates while in Colorado, 
and I couldn't wait to use them for this simple dessert. 

With several pounds of apples to enjoy, and endless apple dessert ideas . . . It was hard to choose what to make first, but with creamy Vanilla Bean ice cream in the freezer . . . the answer became clear . . . Apple Crisp! 

An apple crisp is a simple dessert of fresh chopped or sliced apples that are generously sprinkled with cinnamon, nutmeg, and sugar . . . topped with a crumble topping of oats, brown sugar, and lots of butter (and a few more ingredients) . . . . and then baked to perfection.  

When I decided to make Apple Crisps, I thought of ways to make it extra special. Although a dollop of Vanilla Bean ice cream ~ right out of the oven ~ is all you really need . . . I wanted to make the APPLE FILLING special.

Should I add cranberries, I thought? It was a possibility, that is, until I saw a jar of toffee bits in my cupboard. "Ah ha! That's it!" And so I added toffee bits to the apple filling. 

The toffee bits added a warm caramel flavor to the apple base. Yum!  It's simply a delicious Fall dessert!

~ Apple Toffee Crisp ~

~ Did you notice the gooey caramel apple base under the crumble topping? ~

Here's what you'll need . . . 5 pounds McIntosh, Macoun, or Braeburn apples 
* I use a combination of apples
2 cups of Toffee bits
Grated zest of 1 orange 
Grated zest of 1 lemon 
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice 
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice 
1/2 cup granulated sugar 
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg 

FOR THE TOPPING
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 
3/4 cup granulated sugar 
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed 
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 
1 cup oatmeal 
1/2 pound cold unsalted butter, diced 

Preparation Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9 x 14 x 2-inch oval baking dish. 

Peel, core, and cut the apples into large wedges, or cubes. Combine the apples with the zests, juices, sugar, spices, and toffee bits. Pour into the dish. 

To make the topping, combine the flour, sugars, salt, oatmeal, and cold butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until the mixture is crumbly and the butter is the size of peas. Scatter evenly over the apples. 

Place the crisp on a sheet pan and bake for one hour until the top is brown and the apples are bubbly. Serve warm. 




bon appetit!








Thursday, October 11, 2012

rustic fall harvest pizza

I dream up new recipes and ways to re-invent old ones all the time; and there are certain times of the year, like the Fall, when I feel more inspired to create new dishes.


And here's my latest . . . a rustic Fall Harvest Pizza! It's so simple, yet so delicious! I truly believe that when you carefully pair the right foods, spices, and herbs . . . that even the most simplest of foods can make the most amazing dishes; and this dish is a great example of that!

Imagine with me . . .   


a light, flavorful crust 
generously laden with a rich & flavorful roasted garlic Alfredo sauce
topped with grated fresh mozzarella,
crispy pancetta,
more mozzarella . . .
and then after cooling for a few minutes, 
a sprinkling of fresh Parmesan shavings

There's something magical about adding Parmesan shavings at the end,
after the pizza has had a minute or two to cool.
Not only is its texture superb, but its salty bite gives this Fall Harvest pizza
just the right finish.




Pizza dishes are known for their versatile nature; their topping possibilities are endless. So why not seize Fall's best vegetables and herbs . . . and introduce them to a creamy, rich sauce,  fresh cheese, and salty, crispy pancetta?!

And for a more rustic appearance, don't stress about whether the pizza dough forms a perfect circle. Instead, stretch it out . . . and let the dough take its own odd shape. 

Serve atop a wood board, add a small pumpkin or two, linen napkins . . . and you have a festive dinner. 


Here's what you'll need . . .
home-made or store bought pizza dough
mozzarella cheese, shredded
4 ounces of pancetta, chopped and cooked
5 ounces shaved Parmesan
bunch of fresh thyme
olive oil 
* Spicy Italian sausage would be a great addition to this pizza!

Preparation
Prepare pizza dough. Par-bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 8-10 minutes. Allow to cool.
Dress par-baked crust with desired amount of Alfredo sauce.
Sprinkle lightly with mozzarella cheese, and evenly distribute roasted sweet potatoes, butternut squash, and pancetta.
Sprinkle with more mozzarella cheese.
Bake for 10 t0 12 minutes. Cool for 1-2 minutes, and then generously sprinkle with fresh shaved Parmesan.
Enjoy!



bon appetit!




Monday, October 8, 2012

apple picking

APPLE SEASON is here!

September and October are THE months for apple picking and harvesting, so we ventured north-east to Mile-high Oak Glen in the foothills of the San Bernardino Mountains, known for its apple farmers, plentiful apple orchards, pumpkin patches, and berry farms that make this hamlet a harvest haven.  Along with hayrides and apple cider pressing, there are so many fun activities to be had by all!

Here's a peak into our day . . . 


~ Along the way ~


~ This was the first orchard we visited. It was my favorite because
it's one of the smaller orchards, and felt like a mom-and-pop farm. ~
Most of my photos were taken in this orchard.

~ 100+ year old apple trees surround a beautiful white house that's 
nestled on this farm ~


~ This farm was quite stunning with arbors covered in climbing roses,
creek beds lined with cobble stones, bird baths, and vibrant flowers at your feet. ~

~ A peak through the arbor ~

~ This charming white house is nestled in the midst of this orchard ~


~ Croquet, anyone? ~
~ Yes, we played a game or two . . . and it was so much fun! ~ 
~ It brought back so many childhood memories ~

~ Lots of smiles for me as I watched my little ones play croquet ~

~ My little guy was so focused ~

~ So determined! And it didn't matter that the mallet was as tall as she was ~

~ And we picked apples! ~ 

~ Wooden crates were nestled under the trees to hold the not-so-perfect apples.
These apples are turned into compost for the garden ~

~ Stayman Winesap apples, known for their sweet juciness ~

~ This is one of my favorite photos ~
~ The sunlight peaking through the branches & leaves was so pretty ~
  
~ A few not-so-perfect apples on their way to the compost bin ~


~ A real scarecrow loomed over the property's garden ~
~ He was doing a great job, because the garden was quite bountiful ~ 

~ The orchards also had chickens, roosters, and pigs ~

~ Large pots of flowers were every where ~
~ I love vibrant Black-eyed Susans this time of year! ~

~ So many varieties to choose from ~


~ My sweet Charley picking her first apple! ~

~ And here it is! ~

~ My gentle Ford picking his first apple from a low lying branch ~

~ And my baby girl's first apple ~
~ With determination, she finally pulled it off ! ~

~ Lauren insisted on carrying her own FULL bag ~
~ She dragged it across the orchard's floor most of the time ~


~ Daddy is sorting through our apples, picking the very best ones to take home ~

~ Roses every where! ~

I have plans for the beautiful apples we brought home! 
Stay tuned for photos and a new APPLE DESSERT recipe later this week.

It's not too late . . . plan a trip to your local orchard!



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