• Pumpkin bread
    Baking

    Pumpkin Bread

    Pumpkin bread made with sweetness, spice, and olive oil satisfies the need for simple and delicious baked goods that can be enjoyed throughout the day.  A thick slice is perfect with morning tea or coffee and even with a seasonal lunchtime salad, which is how I have been eating it lately.  While I won’t be ready for pumpkin pie (or rather my strawberry pumpkin tart) until Thanksgiving, this pumpkin loaf recipe keeps me inspired with cinnamon, nutmeg, and all the cozy spices. Olive oil lends both moisture and a lovely, nuanced flavor to the bread, but feel free to spread some butter on top for extra deliciousness.  When selecting an…

  • Pumpkin tomato soup in a whole pumpkin
    Food

    Pumpkin Tomato Soup in a Whole Pumpkin

    A roasted pumpkin serves as the bowl and a key ingredient for this creamy soup. Instead of carving a jack-o’-lantern, try carving a soup bowl this autumn for a dinner that makes an irresistibly seasonal presentation.  Fire-roasted tomatoes keep the soup bright, and while I add cream, it can be omitted or substituted with a non-dairy alternative toward the end of cooking.  Everything is cooking directly in the whole pumpkin before being blended smooth, and Gruyère-topped croutons take it over the top. Recently my mother gifted me a beautiful plate with wintry oranges reminiscent of the clove-studded ones she would make each holiday season.  She continually has gifted me a…

  • Floral arrangement in a pumpkin
    Living

    Pumpkin and Flower Centerpiece

    Now is the time of year when my garden blooms with the most beautiful autumn flowers, and the pumpkins at the market are irresistible, so I decided to turn gathered stems into this seasonal centerpiece. Overflowing with lavender, snapdragons, marigolds, chrysanthemums, and more, it’s lush enough to make a vibrant Thanksgiving centerpiece, particularly if made in multiples. As we head deeper into fall, my home will be filled with differently colored heirloom pumpkins, particularly those that tend toward blue and gray – though I also have my eyes on a gorgeous pinky-peach Galeux d’Eysines. Traditional varieties like the sugar pumpkin will certainly make their way into the mix as well…

  • Pumpkin Butter Wontons
    Food

    Pumpkin Butter Dessert Wontons

    Even though the weather may let us go pumpkin picking in our shorts, we are squarely in autumn, and menus everywhere are celebrating the season with pumpkin spice items ranging from chai to doughnuts. At home, the menu has become pretty pumpkin-filled as well. This weekend I used homemade pumpkin butter to make dessert wontons that turned out so deliciously I just had to share them with you Quite a few of my loved ones look forward to pumpkin dishes but pass on ones with a heavy dose of pie spices, so I tend to use just enough to bring out the natural flavor of the star ingredient. Adding some…

  • Maple Pumpkin Crumble
    Baking

    Maple Pumpkin Crumble

    Satisfy your autumn cravings with a new take on the seasonal fruit crumble. The crumb layer that tops this maple pumpkin dessert is tasty, generous, and made without a bit of butter. As for the filling, it’s sweetened only with maple syrup and much lighter than a traditional pumpkin filling. If you’re like me and enjoy sweets on the regular, seasonal crumbles are probably high on your list of go-to desserts. From time to time, they need a little shake up though. That’s where the olive oil based crumb and lighter approach to pumpkin come into play. As you know from my chocolate chip olive oil muffins and some dessert…