Tuesday, November 20, 2012

dreams in color


Just a wee nail polish haul from this week. My mom picked out the yellow and the lavender. I love having a rainbow at my fingertips. Off for Thanksgiving break. Hope you're all having a wonderful week!

Thursday, November 08, 2012

pumpkin coffee cake


Fall is here, though you might not know it by the ridiculously warm weather we are having in SoCal. But fall means pumpkin time! I finally got to make something with pumpkin this past weekend. I decided to make a tasty looking coffee cake that I saw at Recipe Girl. It was pretty tasty (and my co-workers decimated it). It wasn't my favorite though. I think I wanted something more like a pumpkin cake and this is like a coffee cake with a layer of pumpkin pie filling in the middle. Delicious but not what I had been craving. I think pumpkin donuts or pumpkin cupcakes are going to be next on my list. 

What are some of you favorite fall recipes?

Pumpkin Coffee Cake
adapted from recipegirl.com

Yield: 12 servings
Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time: 50 min

CAKE:
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream
One (16 ounce) can unsweetened pumpkin puree
1 large slightly beaten egg
1/3 cup granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

STREUSEL TOPPING:
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup butter, softened slightly
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, optional
Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray a 9x13-inch pan with nonstick spray.

2. Prepare cake: Use an electric mixer to cream together the butter, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl; add eggs and beat well. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Mix dry ingredients into the butter mixture half at a time, alternating with half of the sour cream. In another bowl, combine pumpkin, egg, 1/3 cup sugar, and pie spice. Keep separate.

3. Prepare topping: Mix the topping ingredients together with fork or hands until crumbly. Set aside.

4. Spoon half of the batter mixture into the prepared pan. Sprinkle half of the streusel topping over the batter. Spread the pumpkin mixture over the streusel. Carefully spread the remaining batter over the pumpkin mixture. Sprinkle remaining streusel on top.

5. Bake 45 to 50 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Friday, November 02, 2012

weekend update: trick or treat

we had 3x this much candy and gave it all away

I can't believe that Halloween is over already. I feel like I look forward to it so much each year and then it goes by so fast. I had a really fun timing hanging with my friends and their baby while handing out candy. Then we watched Shaun of the Dead and Halloween while eating copious amounts of candy. I really can't think of a better way to spend the evening.

iris as a gnome

she is walking now so always in motion

I also went to a taping of Ellen this week, which was a lot of fun. They don't make you wait too long and the show goes by quickly. Ellen is always so positive and funny as well. I don't have any huge plans this week except for a knit night on Friday and a book signing on Saturday. The signing is for Jon Klassen at Gallery Nuceleus and that's on Saturday evening. I am a big fan of his so it should be really fun.

I am hoping to start a new book this weekend, too. I haven't decided which book just yet. I love it when I can start a new book though. There are always so many possibilities.  I hope you all had a great Halloween. Does anyone else have any good plans this weekend?

I'll leave you with the book trailer for Jon Klassen's newest book, This Is Not My Hat. Happy weekend!

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

dreams in color


Just a wee nail polish haul from this week. My mom picked out the yellow and the lavender. I love having a rainbow at my fingertips. Off for Thanksgiving break. Hope you're all having a wonderful week!
Read More


Thursday, November 08, 2012

pumpkin coffee cake


Fall is here, though you might not know it by the ridiculously warm weather we are having in SoCal. But fall means pumpkin time! I finally got to make something with pumpkin this past weekend. I decided to make a tasty looking coffee cake that I saw at Recipe Girl. It was pretty tasty (and my co-workers decimated it). It wasn't my favorite though. I think I wanted something more like a pumpkin cake and this is like a coffee cake with a layer of pumpkin pie filling in the middle. Delicious but not what I had been craving. I think pumpkin donuts or pumpkin cupcakes are going to be next on my list. 

What are some of you favorite fall recipes?

Pumpkin Coffee Cake
adapted from recipegirl.com

Yield: 12 servings
Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time: 50 min

CAKE:
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream
One (16 ounce) can unsweetened pumpkin puree
1 large slightly beaten egg
1/3 cup granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

STREUSEL TOPPING:
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup butter, softened slightly
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, optional
Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray a 9x13-inch pan with nonstick spray.

2. Prepare cake: Use an electric mixer to cream together the butter, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl; add eggs and beat well. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Mix dry ingredients into the butter mixture half at a time, alternating with half of the sour cream. In another bowl, combine pumpkin, egg, 1/3 cup sugar, and pie spice. Keep separate.

3. Prepare topping: Mix the topping ingredients together with fork or hands until crumbly. Set aside.

4. Spoon half of the batter mixture into the prepared pan. Sprinkle half of the streusel topping over the batter. Spread the pumpkin mixture over the streusel. Carefully spread the remaining batter over the pumpkin mixture. Sprinkle remaining streusel on top.

5. Bake 45 to 50 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Read More


Friday, November 02, 2012

weekend update: trick or treat

we had 3x this much candy and gave it all away

I can't believe that Halloween is over already. I feel like I look forward to it so much each year and then it goes by so fast. I had a really fun timing hanging with my friends and their baby while handing out candy. Then we watched Shaun of the Dead and Halloween while eating copious amounts of candy. I really can't think of a better way to spend the evening.

iris as a gnome

she is walking now so always in motion

I also went to a taping of Ellen this week, which was a lot of fun. They don't make you wait too long and the show goes by quickly. Ellen is always so positive and funny as well. I don't have any huge plans this week except for a knit night on Friday and a book signing on Saturday. The signing is for Jon Klassen at Gallery Nuceleus and that's on Saturday evening. I am a big fan of his so it should be really fun.

I am hoping to start a new book this weekend, too. I haven't decided which book just yet. I love it when I can start a new book though. There are always so many possibilities.  I hope you all had a great Halloween. Does anyone else have any good plans this weekend?

I'll leave you with the book trailer for Jon Klassen's newest book, This Is Not My Hat. Happy weekend!

Read More