Eat this: Whole Wheat Pumpkin Bread

John and I are trying to limit indulgent baked goods, so when I got a seasonal urge to bake with pumpkin, I turned to Eating Well. What I got was this delicious recipe that you should try if 1) you like baked goods that use whole wheat flour, 2) you don't like breads that are overly sweet, or 3) you just love fall.

Enjoy!

Happy Halloween from 20x200

Happy Halloween, friends!

This is "Powerpuff Girls" by Amy Stein, via one of my very favorite companies, 20x200.

Wishing you a spooky night and a great sugar high.

A Poem: Joanna Goddard Fall Challenge

Joanna Goddard recently started a series of Fall Challenges, during which she and her readers will do things like read more, watch tv less, and write actual letters.

This week, she suggests that we memorize a favorite poem. What a lovely idea. There was something therapeutic about reciting "The Owl and the Pussy-Cat" day after day in elementary school, and maybe, as a grown up, it would be just as nice. I would welcome having something beautiful in my head to combat daily to-do lists, running on repeat.

Here's mine:

Moon

Open the book of evening to the page

where the moon, always the moon, appears

between two clouds, moving so slowly that hours

will seem to have passed before you reach the next page

where the moon, now brighter, lowers a path

to lead you away from what you have known

into those places where what you had wished for happens,

its lone syllable like a sentence poised

at the edge of sense, waiting for you to say its name

once more as you lift your eyes from the page

and close the book, still feeling what it was like

to dwell in that light, that sudden paradise of sound.

--Mark Strand 

 What about you, what poem would you choose?

Thanks, Joanna, for reminding us to slow down a little bit and remember what's beautiful.

Image is "Sconset Beach" by David Armstrong, available at 20x200.com.

August

This lovely ode to August has me thinking about the coming month more than I was before I found it. In fact, I was thinking mostly about September, which only proves Zak's point. August is a means to an end - the ambiguous bridge between carefree summer and get-to-work fall.

At work, I'm thinking about September and how to prepare. At home, we're painting our townhouse. We're planning our careers. We are moving into new things.

For us, August means settling down. The buzz of our engagement and wedding has dwindled, and we've had time to recover. As August begins, my daydreams are divided by breezy beaches and October football games. I think of sand under my toes, but then I remember the crisp, alluring scent of autumn's air.

This is the month I spend a little extra time hugging Herbie, and I miss my little brother. I think of visiting Atlanta but can't be sure when it'll be. I read a lot. I remember that I wanted to make a really great Sangria before the season's end, but I think about picking apples to resurrect that cake from Cleveland.

August, you're open to interpretation, and I'm glad you're here.


p.s. Photo from August 2011 in Charleston.



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Being a Grown Up

Friends,

Grown-up questions have been plaguing my mind. It's exciting but also...strange.

1) New Condo Shopping - How do I know which mattress is actually the best quality? They all sound good, feel good, and look good to me. Come on.

2) How do I switch gears from grad student looking for cute furniture on the cheap to adult slowly collecting lasting pieces?

3) Do I have to shower before work?

4) Dare we tackle painting and flooring projects while trying to plan a wedding?

Send any and all advice my way. :)

 Today was the first really cold day and I promptly put Herbie in a jacket, which, by the way, he loves.

October!

October is for...

...cold weather. But I think of what I was wearing this time last year in Cleveland compared to what I'm wearing now, and I do a little happy dance.

...a film I really, really want to see. Elmo=Love. So sweet.

...good news. And this time, a little chicken dance.

...hilarious radio ads for getting chased by Chainsaws in the woods.

...remembering the potential of a good pair of tights.

...Pumpkin Beer, Pumpkin Cake, and Pumpkin Cornbread. Why not?

xoxo,

Lauren

Sept 23 = First Day of Fall

Friends,

My littlest brother is visiting for the week! Okay, he's way taller than I am now, but I stand by my nine years of seniority with unapologetic fervor. This weekend, we rode a tractor and picked a bushel of apples at Justus Orchard. It was so much fun! I had my hopes up for Hot Cider, but since the sun came out, I had Slushy Cider instead. I do not regret it.

Now I have just the excuse I need to revive last year's Apple Cake. I recommend you do the same. And if you need a few extras, take them from my refrigerator.

Happy Fall

What says Happy Fall better than a fresh apple cake?

Your house smells like cinnamon; your dog tries to get apple cores out of the trash; you have something delicious to give your boyfriend and co-workers.

I have been recommending this recipe to everyone I know. It's amazing.

I did the baking Monday night after work and errands to decompress, and John and I and all my Cleveland friends have been obsessed since. It's reminiscent of coffee cake and undoubtedly sinful, but totally worth it. Courtesy of Real Simple.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the dish

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup light brown sugar

3 eggs

3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the dish

1 teaspoon baking soda

3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

5 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into a 1/2-inch dice

1 1/4 cups coarsely chopped pecans

2 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract

Caramel Glaze (optional)

Directions

Heat oven to 325° F. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium-high, beat the butter and the granulated and brown sugars until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.

In another bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Using a wooden spoon, gradually add the flour mixture to the egg mixture. The batter should be very thick. Stir in the apples, pecans, and vanilla. Scrape the batter into a buttered and floured 9-by-13-inch baking pan.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack. Let cool for at least 10 minutes while you make the Caramel Glaze, if using. With a spatula, loosen the sides of the cake. If you want to remove it from the pan, invert it onto a baking sheet, then invert it again, right-side up, onto a platter. With a toothpick or fork, poke holes all over the surface. Pour on the warm sauce. BAM.

Enjoy. :)