Fall in Love with Fall by Alison Henderson

It's fall! To get you in the mood, I thought I'd share some of the glorious glass pumpkins one of the local artists here makes every year.

I've always loved fall. For most people spring is the season of renewal. For me it was always fall. I was one of those horrid, geeky children who looked forward to the new school year with anticipation instead of dread. Summer in Kansas City was hot, and no matter how many activities my mother signed me up for, summer was invariably boring. School was my thing, my purpose. The new school year brought a new teacher, a few new classmates, new activities, and new things to learn.

To me, fall also marked the beginning of the holiday season. No more long stretches with nothing to look forward to. September marked the start of school. My birthday is in early October. November brings Thanksgiving. And then there's Christmas. Who wouldn't love fall? It's four months of non-stop excitement!

I've also always loved fall weather. The cooler, crisper air used to energize me after the hot, humid dog days of summer. Now that we've moved to coastal California, things are a bit different. The days are shorter, sure, but September is historically the warmest month, and evenings are cool year-round. The natural changes of fall are much more subtle here. There are a few deciduous trees, but most plants look much the same. You have to look more closely to notice which plants are blooming and which are starting to settle down for the winter. We're heading into our second fall here, and I wonder how long it will take to adjust. Autumn has a different kind of beauty by the sea.

Alison
www.alisonhenderson.com
http://alisonhenderson.blogspot.com 

In Praise of All Things Pumpkin by Alison Henderson

I’ll admit it right up front—I adore autumn. The air is crisp and cool. The sky is blue. Even here on the California coast, a few trees and bushes turn golden. It’s also that wonderful time of year when I’m free to indulge my passion for all things pumpkin.

A few weeks ago, our local middle school held a fundraiser selling spectacular, hand-blown glass pumpkins. Some were fanciful in blue and silver, others remarkably life-like in orange with green veins. All were gorgeous. Since we’re still a few weeks away from our move into our new house, I restrained myself and didn’t buy any. It wasn’t easy.

However, as tempting as the glass versions were, the main attraction of pumpkins is the flavor. Pumpkin cookies, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin pancakes—I love them all! With only two of us left at home, I don’t do much baking these days, but that doesn’t mean I have to do without. A new shop opened down the street called Nothing Bundt Cakes, and the name says it all. They sell several sizes of bundt cakes with cream cheese frosting in a wide variety of flavors. This month the flavor of the month is—you guessed it—Pumpkin Spice. It’s fantastic, comes is a bundlet size that serves two perfectly, and I don’t have to wash any pans!

When I entertain this time of year, I love to serve pumpkin cheesecake. I’ve tried several recipes, but this one from The Food Network is one of the easiest and best.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Ingredients
Crust:
1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 stick melted salted butter
Filling:
3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1 (15-ounce) can pureed pumpkin
3 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
1/4 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

For crust:

In medium bowl, combine crumbs, sugar and cinnamon. Add melted butter. Press down flat into a 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.

For filling:

Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add pumpkin puree, eggs, egg yolk, sour cream, sugar and the spices. Add flour and vanilla. Beat together until well combined.

Pour into crust. Spread out evenly and place in oven for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours.

Enjoy!

Alison

www.alisonhenderson.com

http://alisonhenderson.blogspot.com