It is chillier and chillier in the mornings. The leaves are turning color and the days are shorter. It is an awesome time of year -  probably my favorite time for food. The flavors of autumn are spicy and robust, warm and comforting. It is a great time to try new combinations and new spices and ingredients. Try switching Chinese Five Spice powder for the cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, or apple pie spice in your favorite recipe. The addition of star anise to the rest of the “normal” autumn ingredients can push it over the top. Brown the butter rather than just melting it, use bourbon or brandy instead of water or milk in cake…there are a lot of ways to taste Fall!

I just want to take a minute and talk about things that look real but aren’t. The image above is a bowl I found at a local thrift shop. I was pretty excited because I love Depression glass and I want more pink than I have now. I use it for a number of things; decor, table setting, and photography props for my blogs.

Anyway I brought it home and when I compared it to my vintage Depression glass it was not the same. It lacks color, luster, and weight. The differences aren’t obvious until you get it next to the real thing. This was a knock-off, made in the past 10 years from an old mold. It looks the same but it isn’t.

There are a lot of things in life that are like that. Ethics, beliefs, people; we think we are getting the real thing and end up with a pale imitation. We need to be careful in our own lives to always be real.

But we do the same with food. Artificial flavors, artificial colors, skimmed milk….It isn’t until we taste the real food that we realize that we have been duped into eating a poor imitation for years and years. Next week on Baking Delights it is going to be pumpkin week. I will be previewing some of the posts tomorrow, but I want to say that this year, in this season of bounty begin to try the real. Instead of buying canned beets buy fresh and roast them rather than boiling. Buy a pie pumpkin and make your own puree (and I am going to show you how to do that),  spend some time at the Farmer’s Market or other source and buy local, buy fresh, and buy real. The flavor is intense and you will discover a whole new level of taste-bud nirvana.

Ready for a little surfin’? Here’s some recipes to get you in the mood for Pumpkin Week!

• Pumpkin Spiced Cream Cheese Breakfast Rolls from Picky Palate
• Pumpkin Hazelnut Donuts from Canelle et Vanille
• Roasted Butternut Squash, Sweet Potato and Maple Soup from Evil Shenanigans
• Brown butter is the new black, or at least the new vanilla. Check out this list of brown butter links from CakeSpy.
• Impossible Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes from Baking Bites
• Neopolitan Pound Cake from Culinary Concoctions by Peabody (totally not pumpkin, spice, or autumn, but amazing none the less!)
• Sweet Potato, Corn, and Jalapeno Bisque from Everybody Likes Sandwiches
• Maple Pecan Ice Cream from Closet Cooking
• Pumpkin Butter from Fun Foods on a Budget
• Sugar Pumpkin, Feta, and Cilantro Quesadillas from Epicurious

Just a reminder to check out Baking Delights Flickr group. There is some amazing imagery there ….add yours to it so it will be MORE amazing!

image:marye audet

surfing image: Cori who is an amazingly talented blogger and photographer!

Post from: Baking Delights

As we move into October it is time to start thinking about cookies and other Holiday baking. 50 Best Cookies and 50 Best Cookies Scene 2 are both good places to start. Remember that you can easily freeze cookie dough OR baked cookes and they will be fine for the holidays. Start picking up extra baking supplies so you will have them on hand when you want them.

• Chocolate Espresso Sandwich Cookies
• Boston Cream Pie Cake
• Salsa Chicken Enchiladas
• Chicken Apple Sausage
• Black Bottom Mini Caramel Cupcake Bites
• Orange Creamsicle Cupcakes
• Triple Threat Brownies
• Mushroom Ricotta Ravioli
• Fruit Pizza
• White Chocolate Ice Cream

Post from: Baking Delights

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

Post from: Baking Delights

But I am blessed, I love my house (even if I don’t love the location) and my family is awesome. If you didn’t see the pictures I did of Kyrie this week (I posted on facebook) here is a sampling of the absolute cuteness…..

She was playing dress up with the hatbox. My mom’s favorite hats are in that box…along with gloves and scarves and purses…When mom was alive it was not allowed to be opened too much but now I let Kyrie dress up with it… She is quite the ham in front of a camera..but Oh! so photogenic.

So the other big news for the week was that my authors copies of the cookbook came in. It was weird seeing my name on a book.

Are you ready for some blogsurfing?

The Daring Bakers Did Dobos Torte this month. One more time I didn’t get to it. I believe that it is going to be time for me to step out because it is hard for me to commit to doing anything right now and will continue to be until my medication levels out… Anyway..I looked at a lot of them..but the one I liked best was from Canelle et Vanille.  Just beautiful!

Lori, from Recipe Girl, did some awesome Fig Bruschettas with Gorgonzola and Honey

Plum Frangipane Tarts from Veron at Kitchen Musings…

Donna made Key Lime Cheesecake at WayMoreHomemade

Pistachio Petit Four Cake from A Whisk and a Spoon….

And that’s it for this week.  Have  great weekend!

images:marye audet

Post from: Baking Delights

Here it is.  Presto Pasta 108.  You won’t believe the visual feast you are about to experience.  We have gotten some of the most amazing dishes ever.  If you are hungry now? No worries, you will be by the bottom of the page.  Ready?

Elizabeth at Blog from Our Kitchen was the first one in the gate with this Skyliner Chili over pasta.  It looks amazing…and now I am hungry for Chili Mac.

Melissa, at Alosha’s Kitchen, submitted one of my favorites. Beef  Stroganoff.  I love this stuff.  I could eat it all day..and then waddle back for more.

How about something really fast? Sarah at Taste My Plate presents her recipe for In a Flash Singapore Noodles. I am getting the chopsticks ready right now.

Abby at Eat the Right Stuff certainly has created the right stuff with the Chinese Spagetti. Just wow.  Doesn’t it look fantastic?

Restless Chipotle joins Presto Pasta Nights for the first time with this Spring Pasta. Fresh, delicate, and local.  Yum.

Purplesque offers Color Me Green Pasta. Spinach, goat cheese…all the good stuff.  This is also Purplesque’s first entry into Presto Pasta!

RedVanilla has a pasta addiction that seems to rival mine.  Her entry for this week is Tomato and Mushroom Linguine in Cream Sauce.

Juliette from A Little Foodie created a Roasted Vegetable Puttenesca.

Alice created Fried Laksa Noodle on Bits of Taste.  The recipe sounds wonderful and her photography skills are intense.

Next is a dynamic duo, Kerri and Stephan from Dinner Diary.  They have submitted this luscious Pork Ragu. Can’t you just smell it?

Ready for something spring-like?  Deb from Kahakai Kitchen sent in this Spagetti with Shaved Asparagus.  Mmmm.  I love asparagus.

Nic created an amazing combination at Lemon and Cheese.  Spaghetti with Cream and Scampi Sauce.  Another delicious spring pasta meal!

And now, for something completely different.  You know, one of the  things I absolutely love about Presto Pasta Nights is that there is so much variety in the submissions.

Haalo,  who blogs Cook (almost) Anything Once,submitted a Farfalle con Tonno di Coniglio – Farfalle with “Rabbit Tuna.  Quick, easy, and it looks amazing.

Ching writes the blog, Little Corner of Mine.  She created this Stir Fried Whole Wheat Spagetti with Pork that makes you want to lick your screen.

Kristin made a Tortellini Vegetable “Lasagne”.  Looks perfect, quick, easy and delicous.  Check it out at Sogkonnite Living.

Are you still hungry? Check out Leslie’s recipe for Angel Hair Pasta Soup on My Asian Kitchen.  Looks very filling and yet light.

Kait at Pots and Plots submitted a great looking Rotini and Cheese Primavera.  She said she hoped it wasn’t too late but even if it had been how could I resist this?

That’s it for this week.  Wasn’t it an incredible round up?  A big thanks to everyone who participated.  Now..how in the world do I choose which to make for lunch?

Next week’s round up will be hosted byKatie at One Little Corner of the World .  You can enter next week’s round up by contacting both her and Ruth: sprange (at) hometel (dot)com and  ruth (at) 4everykitchen (dot) com.    If you have never participated before you can see the Presto Pasta Nights guidelines here.

Images are the property of the various participants and are used by permission.

Post from: Baking Delights

Anyway I get to host PPN 108..Can you believe it? ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHT!  One hundred eight weeks of yummy pasta.  So, put your pasta thinking caps on, and please make me look good here.  Daring Bakers, you DO have a pasta dish for PPN 108, as I recall!

I have been working on a star shaped ravioli recipe, and I am hoping to share it for PPN 108.  We’ll see what happens this weekend.

How to enter? Simple!

Just create your pasta dish.  Blog it and send me a link, your name, blog, and image (no bigger than 400px, please) to maudet8816ATaolDOTcom.  CC a copy to RuthAT4everykitchenDOTcom.  That’s it!  Easy!

So, let’s recap.

• Pasta
• Next Friday, April 10
• Be here or be uncool

Now…today Ruth is hosting Presto Pasta so you better head over there for your carb fix.  Three different mac and cheeses? Wow.

image:Presto Pasta

Post from: Baking Delights

How fast do the weeks go by at your house? They have flown by this summer. In fact I realized that I needed to start thinking about what I am doing for Christmas this year, LOL!

Chris left last Wednesday on schedule. Sad, but it was such a nice visit. I miss him but I am so proud of the man he has turned into. I was worried there for a few years.

It is almost the 4th of July. Picnics, parties, fireworks…you have to love it!What plans do you have?

I saw these cupcake pops at Carly’s Kitchen and I thought that they would be awesome decorated for 4th of July. What a great, non-melty centerpiece!

Mmm…it is cherry season and is there anything better than Cherry Clafoutis? Maybe, but I don’t knwo what it is…Check this especially nice one out from Mandy at Fresh From the Oven.

Tanna, at My Kitchen in Half Cups is a fellow Dallas area resident. One of the absolutely wonderful things about summer in Dallas is that bread dough rises in about 2 minutes. Check out the soft garlic knots. These would be perfect in a basket on a 4th of July picnic table surrounded by steaks, grilled shrimp or brisket.

If you are tired of deviled eggs as a picnic staple, consider tea eggs from Barbara at Winos and Foodies. Just different enough to get you some well deserved attention.

Remember, at least if you are my age, the themed parties in the 60’s? One of the big summer themes was a Hawaiian Lu…Lo… ..oh heck..I can’t spell this morning..a Hawaiian BBQ. Check out this Hawaiian braised pork from Persnickety Palate.

On the same not…mmmmm…Grilled Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken Sandwiches. Drool.Pish Posh Cooking is a new blog to me. I will be back. ..Sound like Arnold don’t I?

I have been unable to participate in the Royal Foodie Joust for several months now. Sigh…blogging and life is hard for me to keep up with. But I love seeing what everyone else is doing.. Valli at More than Burnt Toast has some Apricot Ginger Scones with Apricot Honey Butter. This is her entry into the joust and it looks amazing. Good Luck Valli!

James Tay…I mean Dharm has entered the Joust with an equally scrumptious looking Poulet d’Abricot

Maybe it will be a tie. Good luck Dharm!

Dana always is doing something cool at Dana McCauley’s Food Blog. She posted about cupcakes in a jar…what a great idea! That would be awesome for sending for lunch, you know? Or little 4th of July table decorations…or…. make a label on a tooth pick with guests names on them and stick the sign in the cupcake as place-cards? Yeah..I love things that inspire my own creativity.

Speaking of Cupcakes, the Cupcake Hero Deadline is Monday June 30. The theme seems to be Melons. YUMMY ! I can’t wait to see what they come up with. Get baking this weekend and send your entries to April at Abby Sweets.

Tomorrow is the Daring Bakers Reveal. Now, I don;t get online on Sundays but I have my post set to publish and I CAN tell you this was an amazing item. Be sure to check out all of the….well you will find out tomorrow…that all of the Brilliant Daring Bakers Baked.

Have a great weekend!

Post from: Baking Delights

The deadline is quickly approaching for the What to Do with Leftover…Eggs event. I all ready have a couple of participants and I am telling you they look DELICIOUS!

I can’t wait. If you need to review the details they are all right here.

Remember…the 21st is the last day to get your link to me.

C’mon, let’s see what ya got!

Post from: Baking Delights

I sent out a plea for favorite recipes last week. I thought it would be fun to see what the bloggers at b5 eat. Apparently they are all dieting, or very very busy because there was not a lot of response.

However the responses I did get were awesome. Many thanks, you guys!

Starting with ME, because I want to, one of my favorite recipes is for these almond and rose scented doughnuts.

Jennifer at Tree Hugging Family posted these awesome instructions for making candied flowers. She also posted a review of one of my favorite cookbooks, here, and a link to a recipe from it.

Heather on Chocolate Bytes posted a truly droolworthy recipe for zucchini cake. I snagged the picture to show you have incredible it was…but you need to check out the recipe…you will want to add it to your files.

Heather also does the Food Bowl, a pet blog…And she has a great recipe for dog biscuits. I mean, I try to keep my dog eating quality foods too! How about some cat treats, Heather? Actually, I am seriously looking for a recipe for horse treats.

*Heather is quick ont he draw..She is still holding out on the horse treats but the cat treats are here! 

Peggy, also from Tree Hugging Family has links to greening your Easter Basket.

Post from: Baking Delights