Cold chilly, late autumn in Texas this year feels like…uhhh….summer in Michigan..O.k. I am a wimp but after all of the years of 100 degree summers I get cold when the temperatures hit 55F. If you want to make fun of me just remember when you are sweating at 80 degrees…I have a very long memory and I will get you back.
You have to love the flavors of autumn though; pumpkin, spice, butternut squash, spice, apples, spice….

Today’s blog surfing has some amazing recipes to spice up your autumn. Are you ready?

I saw this Caramel Pumpkin Pecan Bread Pudding recipe on the Southern Living Website and I knew that I was making it. I am, as you know, on a bourbon and pumpkin kick right now..so I added bourbon. You can certainly leave it out..but it is SO good with it.

Soaking the pudding overnight allows the flavors to blend before baking. This was an extremely moist, flavorful bread pudding, which by the way isn’t usually one of my favorites. I am thinking a steaming plate of this …a good cognac and a fire in the fireplace would be a great end …read more

These pumpkin muffins were awesome..there is just no other way to describe them. The pumpkin and browned butter worked together to add a beautiful color and an amazingly rich flavor. The ingredients list is long but it is easy to put together.

These are perfect for a breakfast, brunch, or snack. Moist, dense and spicy; pumpkin muffins are autumn in a hand-held package.
Next week is PUMPKIN WEEK on Baking Delights! If you ever wondered:

October seemed to hit and bring autumn with it all in a rush, didn’t it? The Crimson Maple out front has a tiny blush to the leaves and we have gotten massive amounts of rain. The raccoons wake me up nearly every night with all of their partying in the creek bed. I think it is time to put the flannel sheets on the beds!

The salad that I did for the church luncheon on Saturday was full of fall flavor. I used a bed of baby lettuces and arranged maple caramelized pear slices on one side and two wedges of …read more

Potentially there will be no Saturday Surfing this week. It may actually end up being Sunday Surfing or no surfing at all.  You see, I am busily catering a sit down dinner for 50….or 40….or 35. We aren’t sure.
I wanted to really bless a close friend and she was heading up a luncheon….so I offered to create magic if at all possible. I chose a Southwestern – New England Fusion menu and I will be blogging it over the next week or so.
This is Kyrie creating magic. My daughter Erin took the picture. One of my favorites…

Anyway….
The menu looks like …read more

I have like almost no time today. My life is insane right now. I know that I am absolutely going to wake up tomorrow morning and find out that it is Christmas Day and everyone is mad because I forgot.

Did you ever just really feel that flakey? Sigh. Here is a quick round up of all of the coolness this week.

Cranberry, White Chocolate, and Toasted Walnut Scones
Iced Mini Pumpkin Loaves with Molasses
Apple Salsa
Mini Sweet Potato Cheesecakes
Lemon Chamomile Pots de CreamThat’s it for this week. Hope you have an awesome weekend!

Image: Cori

Can I say it one more time? I love autumn! I don’t even like to call it fall. I love the changing leaves, the chilly breezes, the smell of crisp apples…
Which is why it seems so amazingly unfair that I have lived in Texas for most of my adult life. Lest this turn into another whine about the four states where I would prefer to hang my Calphalon pots we will move right along to the post for today..

If you make these small they are great appetizers. If you make them a little larger they are a breakfast roll. Either …read more

You know, there are some recipes that you just can’t make look good.O.k…so there are some recipes that OTHER people can make look good but I can’t. This is one of them.

Sigh, no matter how many images I take …it still..looks like…ABC food. You know, A-lready B-een  C-hewed? Yeah. So, if you are big enough to NOT judge a book by it’s cover then you will probably be treated to one of your new favorite comfort foods.

While it is no where near time for fall recipes yet, it is getting close and what is more autumnesque than the ultimate comfort food, macaroni and cheese?

You are drooling aren’t you?
Yeah…I am not talking about the stuff in a box.

I had an exhausting day of shopping yesterday and ended up getting home late, stressed and ready to tell everyone that if grazing was good enough for the horses it was good enough for them. I hate being rushed, and i hate running late, and I really wanted to make a good meal since we had been having alot of Desperation Casserole lately.
I made the Chicken, Onion, and Potato Gratin and it was superb. Had I not been in such a hurry I would have made it to serve the next day so that the gratin could soak up …read more