Tag: Thanksgiving

pumpkin pie brûlée with a gingersnap crust

pumpkin pie brûlée

Thanksgiving is less than two weeks away, and there are some important pie-decisions to be made. For us pumpkin pie traditionalists, overly-complicated recipes using fancy ingredients are fine, but sometimes you just want the familiar and classic version. This ultra-creamy and smooth pie is just that: spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, dark brown sugar, ginger, and allspice, this dessert has a dreamy, custard-like texture and genuine pumpkin flavor. If you have never made a pie before, this should be your first, as it could not be easier to make. All the filling ingredients are simply mixed in one bowl, you pour it in the pan, and bake it. This year we tried something a little different and are excited to share our discovery that keeps the spirit of the original, while adding a little extra… flare!

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wild rice gratin with kale, caramelized onions, and emmentaler

wild rice gratin with kale, caramelized onions, and emmentaler

When we are not cooking, we love to hike when the weather is not too hot. There are many beautiful places to choose from around the Los Angeles area, and you don’t have to travel too far to escape the city. We can drive fifteen minutes outside of town, and find ourselves on private, serene trails lined with ancient oak trees, with sounds of running streams and fresh scents of sweet California sage filling the air. Some of our favorite spots are in Ventura, about an hour north of here, where the temperatures are cooler and long, winding trails overlook the Pacific ocean. Lately, since it has been way too hot for any of these activities, we have been busy at home working on new recipes for the blog. We have narrowed our list, picked the best of the best, and couldn’t be more excited to share this year’s Thanksgiving ideas with you. Allow us to start with number one: wild rice gratin with kale, caramelized onions, and emmentaler.

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pumpkin whoopie pies with maple marshmallow cream

pumpkin whoopie pies with maple marshmallow cream

Fall is our cat’s favorite time of year. As the weather starts to cool, she likes being indoors with us, watching the leaves change colors, listening to the soothing sounds of an occasional southern California rain (when we are lucky), and enjoying the cozy, fragrant aromas of freshly baked pies and hot apple cider. But most of all… Sylvia is obsessed with pumpkin! We gave it to her as a kitten, and now she loves it so much that we have to be careful saying the word around her. We’ll have to figure out something soon, because now she’s starting to catch on when we spell out P-U-M-P-K-I-N. This dessert—which features her favorite ingredient—caught our attention three years ago while it was circulating the internet with its extraordinary photo and dreamy title, and there is no excuse why we haven’t made it until now, especially with a name that is so appealing and fun to announce: pumpkin whoopie pies with maple marshmallow cream.

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