Cider Sauce

 

    One of the things that makes me so happy, is to take simple ingredients in my house and use them in a new way. I do not know why but I get such joy from that. This is how I feel about this cider syrup. I have made a pear sauce leftover from the roasted pear sauce I made. But really this can be make with both pear and apple juice. With the cost of maple syrup going up and up, I have been looking for ways to replace it.

     What I really love about this, is I can make several cups, fill small jars and freeze them. Then I just pull some out as I need it. Make sure you heat it up to melt butter. We love this over pancake, oatmeal and ice cream but as you can see above, I made hazelnut stuffed pears and drizzle the sauce over them. It is a good thing xox

Cider Sauce

4 cup of cider or leftover juice from the roasted pear sauce

1/2 cup of evaporated cane, rapadura or sugar 

3 TBL butter

pinch of salt

Put ingredients in a sauce pan and cook over medium-high heat, until it is reduced by half. Now taste the syrup, because all juices are not the same and your palette is different then mine. If it is too sweet add a little fresh lemon juice. If it is not sweet enough, add a little more sugar and cook a few more minutes.

You could add: a vanilla bean, ginger, orange juice and zest or spices.

Silhouette Pumpkin

Well now that I am done with my baking issue, I thought I would post a week of autumn corners, today is a silhouette pumpkin. I got a fake white pumpkin at Michel's. Also black acrylic paint and a fine-tipped paint brush.

I printed up on card-stock a 5x7 of the silhouette below (just click on picture and save). I carefully cut out the face and using double sided table, taped it to the pumpkin.With a pencil I traced around the face. Then with the fine-tipped brush, painted over the pencil line.

   

I just filled in with paint. It took about five coats, but I am thrilled with my pumpkin.

Hey, I will probably not have time to do much, but I am going to San Diego next week for a couple of days. Is there any must see shops in the area? I know were are going wine tasting in Temecula one day. Thank you for any recommendations xoxoxo

 

My Baking Issue

 

 

  

Well it has taken me a year and half (I say with a red, embarrassed face), but I finally have a second issue of my petite-magazine. It is a baking issue. It all came about because my girls were saying, there is all this wonderful information on your blog but we do not have a book. Since baking seems to be one of their favorite activities, I decided to do a baking issue. It is a compilation of recipes from the blog, but not all of them. I did not want the issue to be too big, but it does have some of our favorites. I also included any of the post were I talk about the recipe. So you have the information, as well as the recipe. I did add four new recipe that are not on the blog. An Over-night Blueberry Breakfast Cake, Sweet Potato Biscuits, Cider Cake and Scottish Oat Tails. There is a total of 21 recipes and the issue is 35 pages. I did a PDF file, you can download and also an actual soft-covered book. Which I have ordered and am really happy how it turned out.

I wanted to say something about the price of the book, after a conversation with a friend. The book is much more expensive then the PDF but this is not my cost, but the cost of actually printing. Believe me, I tried to do this book as cheaply as I can. I hope you enjoy this baking issue and it inspires you to bake more. I hope I have fixed all the grammar problems. Grammar is not my strength, as you know reading this blog. I had a few friends help me and look it over. Thank you Mom, Paula and Angie for all your help. But if I missed something, please forgive me. There is a preview of the petite-magazine at my store. I would love feed-back xoxox

Banana Coco-nib Bread

It is that time of year, we are filling our freezer up with lots of unbaked items.  I was gifted with some coco-nibs. I wanted to find a way to really highlight them. I like the flavor of the bananas with the roasted earthiness of the coco nibs. Now I, personally would like this bread with just the coco nibs and no chocolate but they are not sweet and I did not think my family would like the bread with only the nibs, So I added some chopped chocolate to sweeten things up a bit. Actually the crunch of the nibs with the creamy chocolate go really nice together. 

I made two small loaf and froze one loaf unbaked. I will bake it frozen, it only add 5-10 minutes more. Enjoy!

Banana Coco-nib Bread

Wet:

3 ripe bananas

1 cup evaporated cain or sugar

2 eggs

1 TBL vanilla

1/4 cup mild flavored olive oil

1/4 cup melted butter, cooled 

1/2 cup buttermilk

 

Dry:

1 cup all purpose flour

1 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt 

~

1/2 cup bittersweet chopped chocolate or chips

3 TBL coco nibs 

Pre-heat oven 325 ˚F

In a large bowl, sift together dry ingredients.

In another bowl mashed bananas and sugar together. Then add the rest of wet ingredients. Stir together and add to dry ingredients. Stir in chocolate and coco nibs. Grease one large or two small loaf pans. Pour batter in pans and bake 45-55 minutes. until center inserted with a skewer and  comes out clean. Let cool 5 minutes and then remove from pan.

Autumn in a Box

 

Happy First Day of Autumn !!!!!

Chloe and I were inspired to make an autumn in a box by Bloggedy blog blog. It is a nice way to remember what we love and look forward to the season. As we find or think of things, we will add them to our box. Thank you for the idea Loopy and Saucy !!!!!

In our box we put, acorns, cinnamon sticks, tea cup (for tea), candle, straw, leaves, knitted bag, mushroom, apple, pumpkin, deer, berries, dried corn, seed pods and pine-cones.

Fish Creek

 

The weather as of late is cold in the morning and warm in the afternoon. We are trying to get out and enjoy the sun, while we still have it. We went on a beautiful nature walk in Poulsbo, at fish creek.

 

SweetPea

My Chloe has been needle-felting since she was 6. She really loves it and is really good at it. I am always looking for ways to inspire her, but I rarely see books on the subject that we both really love. So we were thrilled with Sweet Needle Felts by Jenny Docherty. It is full of really fun ideas that are not to too involved. I thought her directions were easy to understand, Chloe even learn a few new techniques. 

This is Sweetpea (Chloe's nickname) that Chloe made for me. Isn't she the sweetest. I just love her Chloe, well done xoxoxox

                              

Merryville Sketchbook

  

Oh, you must go check out A Happy Miscellany's Sketchbook 's. Mrs. Stagg has made the most charming sketchbook from an old book. She copied it onto fabric and sewed the book together. Here part two. This really looks like an interesting fall project and a wonderful way to inspire anyone with their sketchbooks. Thank you Mrs. Staggs for the fun inspiration, Mrs. Clarice Fox-Hughes xoxox

Fall Inspiration

 

I am slowly setting out my fall decoration's and have been surfing the net for inspiration. I though I would share and hopefully you will be inspired too xoxox

 

Nesting Place fall wreath, stunning !!!

 

Bienvenue Candy corn Garland  

 

I have to make these bell jars, Watch The Wind Blow By, part one, part two

   

Also Marie has this fantastic idea for reusing a popcorn tin !!!

 

These fabric pumpkins have so many possibilities. Here is another tutorial.

 

SallyJean's list of fall inspirations.

For more inspiration go to The Inspired Room

Produce Mercantile

 

I love this time of year. The harvest, the overabundant bounty, the larder filling promise of plenty. I have been setting bowls around my pantry brimming with ripe red tomatoes, ruby plums, sweetly perfumed peaches, earthy potatoes, spicy apples. My pantry has been calling to me, to come shopping and create something luscious. Cooking like this is sooo effortless.

PS. I wanted to say I know my blog has been neglected lately and I am sorry. I have been busy working on a project and am almost done. Thank you fo being so patient with me. Have a yummy weekend and make a produce mercantile in the corner of your kitchen  xoxoxox

A Tiny Shop

I just had to share the most wonderful postcard I bought from A Tiny Shop. I am soooooo in-love with these. They seem to have a Susan Branch feel but in a cleaner, simpler way. Plus I have to say I was very impressed with the printing. I have not always been happy with the quality of the printing of everything I have ordered lately. But Alice has done an amazing job. I also got recipes cards and a little notebook. I knew I had to share them with you xoxoxo