bake off

Aw man guys, this weekend was great. It delivered. I am satisfied. Much relaxation was done, but the highlight was, as Alli dubbed it, PUMPKINFEST 2K12 (pronounced "two-kay-twelve", of course). With two sugar pumpkins and a few baking accessories in tow, I made my way over to Alli's house Saturday afternoon. A few hours later I emerged with three different pumpkin dishes and a sense of supreme Fall happiness.

And, of course, a full stomach!

They were so pretty, I couldn't help but draw them all. 

I'd never made pumpkin pie from an actual pumpkin, but it was surprisingly easy! Just a little more time consuming, and the final product was just a little more textured. I can't find the recipe we used, but I substituted half the heavy cream for a quarter cup of very strongly brewed chai tea, for some spice. These awesome piecrust cutters came in handy for some simple decorations.

Do you like pancetta, fontina cheese, brocollini, pumpkin and more pie crust? If so then I really highly recommend this crostata recipe from Dramatic Pancake. I ended up using pumpkin instead of squash, premade pie crust and threw in a lot more fontina than they called for... but that's because I'm lazy and also I love cheese. It's seriously so delicious, rustic and tasty and makes the kitchen smell AMAZING.

Alli made this black bean & pumpkin soup, which was also so tasty. We sat around in the kitchen while this finished up and ate cheese and whipped up some hand made whipped cream for the pies. The soup is hearty and perfect for a dark fall (or winter!) night. 

Are you still in pumpkin mode? It's a hard habit to kick for me until Thanksgiving is over.