Colonial Williamsburg in the Fall!

Fall is a great season to spend time in Williamsburg.  Take a look at Colonial Williamsburg in the Fall.  Enjoy!

Celebrate the Fall Season in Colonial Williamsburg! Please click the photo to see photos of Colonial Williamsburg in the Fall.

Brioche French Toast

I am always looking for different and inspiring recipes along with great photos to really inspire me to try the recipe.  I have found this unbelievable site called Sunday Suppers.  I tried this amazing recipe for Brioche French Toast, please click here for the recipe.

Photo Courtesy of Sunday Suppers &  Karen Mordechai

Behold the Pumpkin!

Autumn brings so many wonderful things, one of them being pumpkins.  There are so many varieties of pumpkins, shapes and sizes. There are also many colors to choose from, just not your standard orange pumpkin.  Here are a few ideas of unique pumpkins.

Cooking with Michael Chiarello!

Celebrated Chef Michael Chiarello has so many interesting italian dishes, no matter what season.  Thanksgiving is a time for family and friends.  This Pumpkin Risotto with Pumpkin Butter certainly adds a different touch to your Thanksgiving menu.  Give it a try!

Ingredients

Serves: Serves 6 as a main course.
For the pumpkin puree

1 small pumpkin, 2-3 pounds (preferably a Sugar Pie pumpkin)
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp finely chopped rosemary
Finely ground gray salt
Freshly ground black pepper

For the risotto

7 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup minced yellow onion
1 Tbsp minced garlic
Finely ground gray salt
Freshly ground pepper
3 cups Arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 Tbsp NapaStyle Pumpkin Butter
1/2 cup finely shredded Fontina cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp finely chopped rosemary

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Cut the pumpkin in halfcrosswise. Trim about 1/2 inch off of the rounded end of each half so you canstand it upright on a cutting board. Working with one half at a time and using a sharp knife, cut downward toremove the hard shell.  Remove the seedsand chop the pumpkin into 1/2 inch chunks.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. In a bowl toss thepumpkin with the olive oil, rosemary, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.Spread the pumpkin in a single layer on the baking sheet. Roast the pumpkin,stirring one or twice, until very soft and beginning to brown, about 40-50minutes.  Remove the pumpkin from theoven and transfer to a food processor. Process until smooth. You should have about 1 1/2 cups puree.

In a saucepan bring the chicken stock to a bare simmer andkeep hot over a very low flame.  In  a wide, deep saucepan combine the olive oil,onion, garlic, and two teaspoons salt over medium heat.  Cook until the onion sizzles, then reducethe heat to low. Cook the onion, stirring occasionally, until soft andtranslucent, about 10 minutes.  Add the riceand cook, stirring, until the rice is hot, about 2-3 minutes.  Add the wine and raise the heat to mediumhigh. Simmer, stirring often until almost all of the wine is absorbed.  Begin adding the hot stock one cup at atime, stirring often and adding more stock only when the previous addition hasbeen absorbed. Adjust the heat as needed to maintain a steady simmer. Cook forabout 8-10 minutes and stir in the 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree.  Continue to add the stock in one cupadditions stirring until the rice is creamy and al dente, about 10 more minutes,you may not need all of the stock. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter,pumpkin butter, cheeses, and rosemary into the risotto, mixing them inthoroughly. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve at once

A red house in the country and pumpkins!

It seems like summer was just here but  now it is on its way . . . there is nothing like a country house and fall decorating.  If you have a stoop over your door, place some small size pumpkins over the door and there you have a statement that it is Fall!  Enjoy .

Simply place some gourds on your table and you have an amazing center piece!

Pumpkin Pie with some added flavor!

Sometimes it is nice to take an old fashioned recipe and twist it a little bit.  Here is a pumpkin pie recipe but with some added flair!   Pumpkin pie with Maple Whipped Cream... enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1  recipe Basic Pie Pastry

Filling:

• 1 cup(s) (packed) brown sugar
• 2 teaspoon(s) ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon(s) ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon(s) ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon(s) salt
• 1 pinch(s) ground cloves
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 can(s) (16-ounce) solid-pack pumpkin
• 1 can(s) (12-ounce) evaporated milk
• 3 tablespoon(s) molasses

Pumpkin-Seed Brittle:

• 1/4 cup(s) granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoon(s) water
• 1/4 cup(s) unsalted pumpkin seeds

Maple Whipped Cream:

• 1 cup(s) heavy cream
• 1/4 cup(s) pure maple syrup
• 2 tablespoon(s) confectioners’ sugar

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Directions

1. Pie Pastry Shell: Prepare our Basic Pie Pastry. Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Freeze pie shell 15 minutes. Line shell with foil, covering rim. Fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake 20 minutes, then remove foil and beans and bake 8 minutes more, or until light golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
2. Filling: In a large bowl, mix together brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt, and cloves, breaking up any lumps of brown sugar. Add eggs and pumpkin and whisk until smooth. Add milk and molasses. Stir until well blended. Pour filling into pie shell. Bake 45 to 55 minutes, or until filling is just set. Cover edge of pie after 20 minutes if crust is overbrowning. Let cool completely on wire rack. Serve at room temperature, or refrigerate to serve cold.
3. Pumpkin-Seed Brittle: Line a baking sheet with foil; butter foil. In a saucepan, cook sugar and water over medium heat, swirling pan occasionally, until sugar melts and syrup is amber-colored. Stir in pumpkin seeds; cook 1 minute, stirring. Immediately pour mixture onto prepared baking sheet, spreading with a fork; cool completely. Break into pieces.
4. Maple Whipped Cream: In a bowl, with an electric mixer on high speed, beat cream, maple syrup, and confectioners’ sugar until soft peaks form.
5. Garnish pie with whipped cream and brittle.

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Unique Center Piece Idea for your Fall table!

It is that time of the year when you want to change your centerpiece of your table to fit the season.  Here is a great idea for your centerpiece... simply find one of your favorite containers, such as a galvanized bucket and fill with dried magnolia leaves!

Time to pick the figs!

Here in the south the figs are ripened and ready to be picked for your favorite recipes. They add such a terrific taste and texture to salads. Here is a very simple recipe for those fresh figs.

Early American Floorcloths WMUR ABC Chronicle Interview

Broomstick Placecards for that holiday table!

If you are having a gathering for the upcoming fall season, here is an idea for place cards - broomsticks!  Simply get a small dowel and tie rafia on the end and place the name card around the broomstick.

Add a princess pumpkin and some bittersweet to your fall decorating!

Just by adding some bittersweet can make all the difference!

Inspired to design your living room!

Soon Fall will be upon us, for those of you in New England, it probably has started to creep in. How I miss the Fall season in New England, there is nothing like it. Although, Fall arrives later here in the South, I am still inspired to decorate on the same time schedule as if I were in New England.

Pumpkin dessert bars!

It is that time of the year when we all crave the crispness in the air, warm comforting foods and the smell of pumpkin bread. Try this recipe for that special dessert in the fall season!

Fall decorating idea for your front door!

What an interesting idea to compliment your front door for the upcoming Fall season.

Trick Or Treating Ideas!

Found this great idea for a Trick or Treat bowl by Martha Stewart. Simply carve out the pumpkin inside and carve your saying and fill with tissue paper and then add your Halloween treats!

Fall decorating ideas!

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