Top Ten Things I Love About Autumn by Christine DePetrillo

10. I don’t have to mop at a sweat mustache inhabiting my upper lip. I love summer but hate sweating.

9. It’s much easier to walk The Werewolf. He likes that I’m home with him in the summer, but he’s not fond of walking through the ‘hood in the heat. Even though I always walk him at the cooler parts of the day for safety’s sake, he drags behind me in the summer. As soon as autumn hits, the bounce is back in his step and we can speedwalk again.

8. Pumpkin spice. I’ll admit it. I’m a fan. I’ll try anything with the label “pumpkin spice” splashed across it.

7. Foliage. The colors autumn brings to the trees always astounds me. No prettier paintbox than the one Mother Nature provides.

6. Fires. I like to burn in my outdoor fire pit in the summer, but autumn is the best time to gather around the toasty flames on a crisp night. S’mores also taste better in autumn.

5. Apple Cider. Non-alcoholic. Alcoholic. I love ‘em both. I don’t drink beer, but I love me some hard cider. Currently Cinnful Angry Orchard is my favorite, but I’m open to suggestions if you have one.

4. Witchy time. Autumn calls to my inner witch. Spell-casting, manifesting, card reading… all of it is more “tuned” for me in October.

3. Pumpkin pie. My favorite pie. I make it with a maple syrup-walnut-brown sugar topping that I could almost eat just by itself.  

2. Edgar Allan Poe. Autumn is the time I often reread some of my Poe favorites. The Raven and The Telltale Heart are at the top of the pile.

And the number one reason I love autumn in New England is MEN IN FLANNEL. While I don’t mind a man in shorts and a tight T-shirt, a dude sporting jeans, a flannel shirt, and work boots is always preferred. There’s something so… huggable about flannel, don’t you agree?

Why do you love autumn? Or why do you not love it?

Toodles,

Chris

www.christinedepetrillo.weebly.com

Better than Pumpkin Pie? Pumpkin Cheesecake! by Jena Galifany

Nothing says holiday to me like Pumpkin Pie. I’m not supposed to really have sugar in my diet but I’m willing to take a chance for Pumpkin Pie. Another great love of mine is Cheesecake. So imagine my joy when I came across this recipe:

Layered Pumpkin Cheesecake

Crust

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

¼ cup butter or margarine, melted

Cheesecake

4 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Heat oven to 300°F. Grease 9-inch spring-form pan with shortening or cooking spray. Wrap foil around pan to catch drips.

In small bowl, mix cracker crumbs and butter. Press crumb mixture in bottom and 1 inch up side of pan. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Cool 5 minutes.

In large bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed just until smooth and creamy; do not overbeat. On low speed, gradually beat in sugar. On low speed, beat in eggs, one at a time, just until blended. Spoon 3 cups of the cream cheese mixture into pan; spread evenly.

Stir pumpkin, ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg into remaining cream cheese mixture; mix with wire whisk until smooth. Spoon over mixture in pan.

Bake 1 hour 25 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes or until edges are set but center of cheesecake still jiggles slightly when moved.

Turn oven off; open oven door at least 4 inches. Leave cheesecake in oven 30 minutes longer. Remove from oven; place on cooling rack. (NOTE: I have found that if you don’t want the cheesecake to crack, leave it in the oven until the oven is completely cooled. The drastic temperature change is what makes it crack.)

Without releasing side of pan, run knife around edge of pan to loosen cheesecake. Cool in pan on cooling rack 30 minutes. Cover loosely; refrigerate at least 6 hours but no longer than 24 hours.

Run knife around edge of pan to loosen cheesecake again; carefully remove side of pan. Place cheesecake on serving plate. Store cheesecake covered in the refrigerator.

I would suggest making this wonderful dessert the day before. Top it with whipped cream and indulge.

_______________________________

I hope you will consider checking out my books available from Whiskey Creek Press and Red Rose Publishing. To see all of my books in one place, and read excerpts, stop by my WEBSITE.

Clive Hanson is destined to be a comfort to those traveling the rocky road of life. He does his best work on Christmas Eve.

Emily Ann Brewster wishes for one wonderful evening spent with a friend. What she gets is stuck in an elevator with a strange gentleman. And it's Christmas Eve.

What he does,and what she needs, is a miracle.

My short holiday story will lift your heart. At only $.99, it will make a great gift and a great way to begin your holiday season. Buy it at Red Rose Publishing. 

May you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving and a blessed holiday season!

Cheers!

Pumpkin Pie and Books

Autumn is one of my favorite seasons. I’m a diehard Summer fan, but still enjoy what Autumn has to offer, more specifically, its food.

I make pumpkin pie almost weekly during the months of October and November. Here’s my recipe, which has pleased an abundance of pumpkin pie connoisseurs over the years:

Crumble-topped Vermont Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients:

1 15-oz. can pumpkin

1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk (fat free works fine)

1 egg

1 ¼ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp each ground ginger, nutmeg, salt

2 tsp pure Vermont maple syrup (I make this myself. So much fun!)

1 pie crust (pre-made ones are fine if you don’t have time to whip up one from scratch)

¼ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

2 Tbsp flour

2 Tbsp cold butter (margarine is fine)

¾ cup chopped walnuts

Steps:

1.       Preheat oven to 425⁰. Use  a wire whisk to beat pumpkin, condensed milk, egg, maple syrup, ¾ tsp. cinnamon, ½ tsp. ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Pour into crust.

2.       Bake 15 minutes.

3.      While that's baking, combine sugar, flour, and remaining cinnamon. Cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in walnuts. Remove crust from oven. Reduce oven to 350⁰. Sprinkle topping mixture over pie.

4.      Bake for another 40 minutes. Cool. Serve warm or at room temperature. Refrigerate leftovers (if there are any!).

 

I also love pumpkin muffins, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin waffles, pumpkin bread, pumpkin spiced tea, and pumpkin soup, all of which I try to make throughout the season. You might think I’d get sick of pumpkin by the time winter rolls around, but strangely, I don’t. You can never have too much pumpkin!

I hope you try my pie recipe and it causes many rounds of yummy noises to emanate from your family members and friends. I find pumpkin pie is best served with hot apple cider and a good book.

Here are a book you may enjoy with your treat:

FIREFLY MOUNTAIN

Firefighter Patrick Barre is determined to hide away in the woods of Vermont. He's content to do his job, remodel his house, and enjoy the company of his arson-detection dog, Midas. Scars from the fire that destroyed his family keep him from letting anyone into his life.

Gini Claremont uses her camera to celebrate the beauty of life. Nature soothes her, while anger is dangerous for Gini--and anyone near her. If she doesn't guard her emotions, her surroundings could go up in flames. Living alone, keeping busy, and letting her family keep watch on her is best for
everyone.

When an arsonist declares war on their town, Patrick and Gini reluctantly band together to sift through the ashes, each holding a secret close to the heart. As the arson escalates, so does their mutual attraction. Will teaming up put out the fires, or start a whole new one?

Firefly Mountain can be found on Amazon along with all my other titles. Please visit my website as well here.

Happy Pie Eating and Reading,
Chris