I love to bake year-round, but my inspiration to tie on my apron spikes as the days shorten and there becomes a nip in the air. I love flipping through the holiday cookie magazines as I wait in line at the grocery store with my pound of sugar and bulk bag of dried fruits and nuts. I love that my to-make list seems to grow endlessly by the day, as I add a pumpkin gingerbread recipe and quinoa pudding here and there. I love filling the house with the aroma of nutty granola and buttery pie crusts. I love tying shimmering ribbons around cellophane wrappers and dropping a sweet something on the porch of a dear friend.
For the past several weeks, I’ve been anxiously awaiting for Thanksgiving Break to arrive so I could get into the kitchen and do what I love most…
Monday night, my mom made dinner for a few of our girlfriends. I was happy to take care of the dessert.
Cranberry, Pistachio & Ginger Blondie Cake
Recipe courtesy of the Blue-Eyed Bakers.
A tasty – chewy, yet moist– cake it was.
Though, I think I liked the festive ingredients the most.
I learned most of my knowledge about baking from my mother. I let her take over the main dish, a savory fall galette.
Squash Walnut Galette
Recipe courtesy of In Praise of Leftovers. Ironically, these photos are the leftovers I ate for lunch.
Roasted butternut squash and homemade whole-milk ricotta cheese
… plus parmesan and a sprinkling of thyme.
My mom is a master in making flaky pie dough. We aren’t afraid of butter around here.
Walnuts & pepitas add the perfect crunch!
I also made our friends a sweet treat to take home with them because no meal is complete without chocolate!
Fancy Fall Chocolate Bark
Recipe courtesy of the Blue-Eyed Bakers.
A mixture of bitter + semisweet chocolate w. dried cherries and apricots, salted cashews, crystallized ginger, golden raisins and a dusting of fresh orange zest.
I’ve barely made a dent in my list. Thanksgiving pies are up next!
‘Tis the season of sugar and spice,
Hillary
I feel like I am gaining weight just reading this post. Delicious! Thank God holidays are not every day!
Delicious recipes and gorgeous pics as usual! You are right in your element today cooking up a storm – love it. Happy Thanksgiving!
Baking is my favorite! That chocolate bark looks amazing! :-D
Um, where do you live, because I would love to be your neighbor. :-)
I’m loving the first recipe; I’m a huge pistachio fan.
Hehe… just wait, I have another pistachio recipe coming your way :)