Sunday, October 29, 2017

Monday, October 23, 2017

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars

Sweet Martha!  Don't you just love to find a recipe that says....... make me??  Well Miss Stewart shared this yummy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars.  Now if you are a chocoholic, this is for you!  (I could not even get a picture before my family was devouring these bars)


Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon pumpkin-pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 package (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
2. With a stand or electric mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed until smooth; beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Add pumpkin puree and mix well. The mixture will look somewhat curdled. Reduce speed to low, and mix in dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.
3. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake bars for 35-40 minutes or until edges begin to pull away from sides of pan and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached.
4. Cool bars completely in pan. Cut into squares and serve.
Enjoy!

Sunday, October 22, 2017

Tuesday, October 17, 2017

Let's celebrate...

FALL....


Even though we don't have fall in the south, it is definitely in the air.

Sunday, October 15, 2017

Friday, October 13, 2017

The House of Hawthorne

Reading a series often engages you with the characters in the previous novels. Kristi Ann Hunter has done a delightful job writing about the Hawthorne House. Having read each of the previous books in this series, it was easy to follow the lives of Hawthorne house characters.   Each book is memorable and entertaining. The characters well written, humor and misunderstanding defining each of them.

An Inconvenient Beauty is the last in the series. Griffith, Duke of Riverton, first born and deeply entrenched with his role as Duke, finds all of his siblings married and well situated.
 
Isabella Breckenridge, put in a situation to help save her family from financial ruin, becomes engaged in a difficult position.

Griffith, seeking a logical bride, is drawn to the beautiful and mysterious Bella. Isabella, harboring secrets and selling her honor, finds it difficult to turn down Griffith's attentions, but desires to release him, feeling she doesn't deserve a duke, a man who valued his integrity above all else. Struggling with her insecurities and disobedience, Isabella learns she must put her faith in God to lead not only her family, but her own life as well. 

I found this to be a delightful read, full of wit, romance, heartbreak, family loyalty and a satisfying conclusion. Ms. Hunter has a beautiful way of weaving words to bring the scenes to life. I totally enjoyed this book. 

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher. All views expressed are my honest opinion.

Monday, October 9, 2017

Fall Harvest Cake



Fall Harvest Cake 
1 1/2 cups of sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 Tsp cinnamon, 2 Tsp baking soda, 1/2 Tsp salt, 1/4 Tsp nutmeg, 1/4 Tsp ginger, 1 cup oil, 1/2 Tsp vanilla, 4 eggs, 16 oz pumpkin, 2 cups flour, 1 large peeled and chopped apple, 1/2 cup chopped pecans, 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

DIRECTIONS:  

1.  Mix together sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, spices, oil, vanilla and eggs
2.  Add pumpkin and stir well
3.  Sitr in flour - 1/2 cup at a time
4. Stir in apple and nuts

Pour into a well greased and floured bundt pan.


Bake 60 minutes at 350 degrees - let cool till only slightly warm



 I found this wonderful recipe on Bernideen's Tea Time Blog.  It is such a great cake for Fall.  The batter appears a bit runny when combined, but when baked, it turned out perfectly.  You can top with confectioners sugar.
Enjoy!

Sunday, October 8, 2017

Tuesday, October 3, 2017

A fun quilt destination

Plans were made. All the preparation for the trip fell into place. My hubby and I were to take a trip to the Midwest for his business. He asked me if there was someplace I'd like to visit along the way. The first place that popped into my mind was in Hamilton MO.
 
It was only three or four hours further north, and I knew we would never be that close again.

We traveled two days to our destination. Parked the travel trailer for the overnight stay and business my hubby needed to take care of. But as we plugged into power, smoke began to rise inside the trailer! We lost power for our fridge and water. Sadly, we must head back home. Take care of the damages.

Maybe one day we'll travel that way again. I hope so. It sounds like such a fun quilt destination. Have you ever been there?

Sunday, October 1, 2017