31 October 2009
a flavour trip!
GLITTER PUMPKINS!
GLITTER PUMPKINS!
30 October 2009
the fruits of family trees
the fruits of family trees
29 October 2009
learn something new everyday!
learn something new everyday!
28 October 2009
pumpkin time
I must admit, baked goods in the fall are my favorite kind to bake! I think its because of all the delicious spices and pumpkin and apple flavor! so yummy! I am increasingly drawn to cupcake recipes. I like individual desserts (perhaps I have sharing issues?) and cupcakes are so darn cute. And they are not very common in London-town...So, I shamelessly decided to bake some in honor of Halloween and Autumn's arrival. (One does not willingly make cupcakes when one lives alone. It is, literally, a recipe for disaster...). This is a good recipe for impulse baking as well, because it calls for melted butter, not softened. (could be a dangerous thought)
Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (I doubled this because I love nutmeg.)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree (I used a 14-ounce can and it was still lovely and pumpkin-y)
Preheat oven to 350. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and the spices. In another bowl, whisk together the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar and eggs. Add dry ingredients and whisk until smooth. Then whisk in pumpkin puree.
Line the cupcake pan with liners and fill each about halfway with batter. Bake until tops spring back when touched and a cake tester comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes. Rotate the pans if needed. (I have one pan, so did not bother with that step.) Transfer to wire rack and let cool completely before icing.
Cream Cheese Icing
- 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
- 3 cups icing sugar, sifted
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Beat butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and sugar.
pumpkin time
27 October 2009
rules for my unborn son
rules for my unborn son
26 October 2009
farms from above
let's float up into the air in a cozy wicker basket with a blanket and a picnic. and then have a champagne toast when we land -- which happens to be a tradition dating back to the first ballooning flight from Paris in 1783, when farmers thought that demons were falling from the sky and ran after the balloon with pitchforks - so the pilots offered the farmers champagne to keep them from destroying the balloon!
farms from above
25 October 2009
08 October 2009
saves the waves
Save The Waves Film Festival
November 13, 2009
at the Victoria Theatre in San Francisco
Doors 7:00PM / tickets go on sale online in late October.
Featured films include:
> The Cove
> Lost Prophets
> All Points South - Best Short Film, NY Surf Film Fest
> Keeping Coast - Best Short Film, Cottonwood Creek Environmental Film Fest
> Devil's Teeth
saves the waves
07 October 2009
06 October 2009
05 October 2009
breakfast may be the best meal of the day
INGREDIENTS
- 6 slices day-old white or wheat bread
- 1 to 2 ripe bananas
- 8 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
- Honey, for drizzling
- 4 eggs
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon dark rum
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- Dash salt
- Butter or oil, for frying
- Powdered sugar, for topping
- Maple syrupfor topping
DIRECTIONS
1. Remove crust from bread. Lay bread out on counter and spread a thin layer of peanut butter on each slice.
2. Peel banana and slice enough to cover every other piece of bread. (You will be making 3 complete sandwiches).
3. Drizzle a small amount of honey on each piece of bread that does not have banana on it. (These are the tops).
4. Place honey drizzled piece of bread on top of a piece with bananas on it to make a sandwich.
5. Repeat until you have made 3 sandwiches.
6. In a shallow medium sized bowl, gently whip, by hand, the eggs, cream, vanilla, rum, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
7. Heat skillet to medium heat, around 350 to375 degrees F, or until butter melts and begins to sizzle.
8. Dip 1 sandwich at a time into rum batter and place into skillet. Cook until golden brown (about 3 to 4 minutes before turning) on each side.
9. Remove from skillet and cut in 1/2 diagonally.
10. Top with powdered sugar, butter and maple syrup.
SO, there's something for you to try next Sunday! Have a delicious week. xx
breakfast may be the best meal of the day
04 October 2009
roberta ridolfi
roberta ridolfi