Gingersnap Cookies A few years ago, my mother-in-law had been visiting for a few weeks from a very rainy, cold Alaska. She enjoyed each and every crisp morning and warm afternoon, the smells and sights of the slowly changing leaves. It made me stop and soak up these dry days and sunny skies even more, to slow down and appreciate the gift of fall. I know the rain is coming. I know I am going to be Googling "dry destinations" in January. I know boots are about to become the footwear of choice. But good grief, we are spoiled in the Pacific NW. Fall is my happy place, and I am going to tuck this one away in my mind for a quick retreat when winter's Keep Reading
Butternut Bread Braid + Whipped Honey Butter recipes
Butternut Braid Bread After 2 years of home schooling my young kids, it finally hit me. We actually have to be home sometimes to do this school thing well. So, since September, we've cut back on our commitments to bump up our time at home. It's been (mostly) good. In addition to more reading, writing, and arithmetic, there have been other bonuses, as well. For example, it's forced me to stay on top of the laundry pile. I try to always show up for class wearing clean yoga pants (and holding a strong cup of coffee). Since we're home anyway, I've also been baking and making more of our food from scratch again. I can't remember the last time I bought Keep Reading
Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Swirl Bread (recipe)
Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Swirl Bread (recipe) Normally, I avoid doctors' offices like the plague. I have this fear of walking out with more symptoms than I came in with. But a few years ago, I was feeling really crummy so I finally headed to urgent care. It wasn't half bad! In fact, I was pretty pleased with the whole arrangement. Who knew urgent care could be the place to be on a Monday night?! The nurses apologized for the wait and asked if I needed anything. The waiting room was empty and quiet and stocked with current magazines. What is this, a medical spa?! I thought of my husband at home, putting four kids to bed and sank deeper into the Keep Reading
How to make pumpkin puree
I'm pretty sure I could live in a perpetual season of Autumn and be perfectly content. The crisp days and rainy nights, the bright colors and cozy flavors. I am crazy about all of it. While driving home yesterday, I stopped abruptly on the side of the road twice in the span of ten minutes. Each time, my five year-old daughter hollered from the backseat, "Did you forget something, Mama?" Why yes, I did. I forgot about that beautiful row of bright red trees and that farm stand that has perfect pumpkins for two bucks each. We turned the car around and drove back for a phone full of pictures and a trunk full of pumpkins. My kids accept this as normal Keep Reading
Pumpkin Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe)
Pumpkin Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting Last week my 5-year old son announced we should make a pumpkin cake. Not one to argue about such things, I started looking at recipes. A bunch of them were 2 or 3 layer jobs or had ingredient lists a mile long. Way more involved than I was interested in tackling on a Tuesday afternoon. Then I found this recipe from Bon Appetit and knew it was the perfect fit. Basic ingredients, simple steps, and we were eating cake about an hour after we started. Now that's my idea of a good time. The cake is dense without being heavy and moist without being greasy (So many pumpkin recipes start with 1 cup of Keep Reading
Pumpkin spice scones (Starbucks Copycat)
Pumpkin Spice Scones (Starbucks Copycat) Back in the old days, when my husband and I were DINKS (Dual Income No Kids, if you didn't know the lingo), Starbucks was part of my regular work routine. Tall latte, pumpkin scone. I'd fork over four bucks + change and happily be on my way. The old days had some serious perks. These days, my work uniform involves yoga pants (workout optional) and hooded sweatshirts (kid stains probable). Any coffee shop that doesn't have a drive-thru option is dead to me. Now I can make a good cup of coffee without setting foot outside my house. But man, it was hard to quit those pumpkin scones (which is unfortunate, as Keep Reading
Homemade Whoopie Pies
Classic Chocolate Whoopie Pies A few years ago, the front page of an Oregonian Food Day section caught my eye. Whoopie Pies. Hmmm. Apparently, they are the new cupcake (Remember when those were all the rage?). The article started out, London is in love with them. So is New York. San Francisco and Los Angeles are developing a serious crush, and Portland is next in line. For a snack that first gained its following in gas station convenience stores, whoopie pies have certainly come up in the world. It's not really a surprise. Though these portable snack cakes fall into the same category as Twinkies and Ho Hos, they aren't the same frightening wonders of Keep Reading