Homemade Holiday Wreath

I would like to put it out there that this post is not about food. I know. But hear me out.

I saw a blog post on the cutest wreath idea and immediately felt compelled to make it. And after one trip to Spool, a craft night with friends, a couple slices of fig-pine-nut-basil-gorgonzola pizza, and my first ever watch of White Christmas, I had my very own.

I might have to make one for every season.

This wreath really was a snap to make. And raiding the scraps bin at Spool meant that it was inexpensive too. All together, this little puppy put me back about $10. And if you already have a lot of scrap fabric of your own, you're ahead of the curve!

Just a side note that I didn't use thumbtacks, as the directions on the blog post I found suggested. Instead I used long sewing pins (the kind with the little balls on top) — they hold really nice! 

Okay, now back to cookies. I promise! 

Gingerdoodle Cookies

When did Christmastime come around? I was barely keeping up with Thanksgiving, and then suddenly I had mere weeks until Christmas. And I'm not sure why I continue to be impressed each year about how quickly time flies...but I digress.

A great, snappy cookie to add to your holiday line-up are these Gingerdoodles. Soft, chewy, and spicy, with a little extra love. The cinnamon-sugar, groovy kind of love. Hence the "-doodle" portion of their name.

These cookies feature a motley crew of flavors — cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and molasses. But the coating of sweet on the outside softens the spice a little, distinguishing these treats from your average gingerbread treat.

Gingersnap Pumpkin Pie

Happy Thanksgiving! What a wonderful time for us to be reminded of all that we have to be thankful for. And this year in particular, I have so much gratitude. I'm so very thankful for:

• My wonderful husband, who I have so enjoyed being married to. Even though we lived together for a few years, there's just something that's a little different now. After all, we put a ring on it!
• Family and friends, especially after seeing the outpour of love and support for our wedding. Our hearts are so full!
• Employment. Enough said.
• My health and my family's health. May we always feel so great.
• Having a well-equipped kitchen! And it might sound funny, but I'm thankful for having the curiosity to continue experimenting and cooking. It's nice having a hobby that will nourish my family! 
• Gingersnap pumpkin pie. It's just so simple; and so good! 

Too obvious of a transition there? Anyway, let's talk about this pie. There is about a month's time each year between Thanksgiving and Christmas where pumpkin pie is relevant. So you've got to maximize on it while you have the opportunity.  

But PIE. Pie can be a little daunting. If you start to get hung up on crust and fillings that need to "set up", you might talk yourself out of making one. But this pie? This pie is a beginner's pie if there ever was such a thing — namely because I've eliminated the traditional dough crust (I was never a huge fan anyway) and replaced it with a gingersnap crust. That means you get a little dose of spicy goodness with each bite you take. (And it also lowers the calories, which is always welcome in my book!) 

Cranberry and Dried Cherry Relish

Turkey time is quickly approaching, and I'm sure that a lot of you, like me, have recipes swirling around in your head in preparation. Here's a simple addition to your Thanksgiving table — and it might just be the simplest item to prepare for the big feast.

Homemade cranberry sauce is a bright, sassy, classic Thanksgiving condiment that is a snap to whip up. Yes it's available in jars and cans. But if you have cranberries and about 30 minutes, you've got great homemade side that is lower in sugar and higher in nutrients than the stuff on the supermarket shelf. Just saying!

There are a ton of recipes out there, so my recommendation is to pick one that accommodates your tastes and uses your favorite flavors. This year, I adapted a basic Martha combination, but in previous years I've also experimented with adding fresh ginger, orange, and spices. Be as traditional (not a cop out!) or as adventurous as you want to be, and get to it!

Roasted Poblano Chicken Enchiladas

I know I'm supposed to be telling you all about my plans for turkeys and potatoes and stuffing of sorts. But what if I just wanted to tell you about these dreamy enchiladas instead? What then? Is that food-blogger blasphemy the week before Turkey Day?

I've always been a rebel.

Well, actually, no I haven't. In fact, when I was getting close to graduating from high school, my dad said to me, "Don't you ever want to get in trouble to see what it feels like? You can get detention if you want!"

So maybe I follow the rules. But there's something that feels a little badass when I'm charring a poblano pepper over an open flame. Yeah, that's right. I meant for that to burn. I meant for the alarm to go off, and for my husband to have to wave a pillow in front of the smoke detector.

Marinated Roasted Red Peppers

These roasted red peppers are the color of autumn here on the east coast. I know this for a fact because we went on a beautiful little hike this weekend on the Wissahickon Valley Trail (part of Fairmount Park). We were amazed that the trail was still within Philadelphia's city limits!

Rather than say goodbye to warmer weather, longer days, and fresh veggies from the garden, I'm determined to preserve at least one of these three things.

Late summer and early fall are actually peak season for these sweeter, more colorful beauties — they flourish in the cooler fall weather after a summer of battling the hot sun and little rain. They also take longer to ripen than green bell peppers — hence their later peak.

Fancy Hasselback Potatoes

Elegant. Fancy. Downright classy.

No, I'm not describing the Real Housewives of New Jersey.

What's with all of these horrible Jersey shows anyway? I lived there for the first 18 years of my life and never met people who looked or acted like any of those broads! (For the record, I shamelessly DVR RHONJ each week.) Okay, and Jerseylicious too. Ahem.

By now you may have guessed that I was describing Hasselback Potatoes. These hot little numbers fulfill the potato's role as a reliable side dish, but also add a little panache to your plate. They're crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and full of flavor.

But don't thank me for this one. Thank the Swedes instead! Apparently this is an old Swedish recipe — their version of the baked potato. Leave it to the Swedes to gussy up a starch.

On Apples

Without a doubt, October is my favorite month of the year. I love the smells, tastes, sights, weather, activities, clothes, and colors. And the apples. Apples, apples, apples.

Since I moved to Philly 6+ years ago, I've wanted to go apple picking at a cute little farm called Linvilla. They have pick-your-own all summer long — and I always manage to wait until prime apple picking season is over to decide that I want to go. Sad trombone.

This year, I was finally on the ball. And the stars aligned with perfect weather the first weekend of October — apple picking weather if I've ever seen it! Here's a few pictures from our adventure.

Isaac Newton? No. Just Brad. With a beard. But I think he was having a moment with the apples. Spiritual, I tell you.

Action shot. We picked mostly Stayman-Winesap apples. Coincidentally, this breed of apple originated in Kansas, just like my husband. Stayman-Winesaps are crisp and have a coarse texture and a spicy, wine-like taste. They keep well in the fridge and are great for eating fresh and for baking with. Okay, I'm done now with the history lesson now.

Slightly Sweet Cornbread

In my last post I promised you a cornbread recipe. I know — the suspense has been killing you, right? Well take a deep sign of relief because the time has come. 

Oh, and I want you to know that every time I type "cornbread", I'm actually thinking "caaawnbread." Ya'll.

I don't know about you, but I like texture in my cornbread — gimme some corn, jalapenos, bacon, whatever! This is a simple, sweet cornbread recipe that you can add mix-ins to as desired — I made it with spicy ribs, so I kept it simple. And delicious (duh).

Dr. Pepper Ribs

In an effort to send my husband into age 32 with a smile on his face and a happy belly, I made him a "birthday feast" last night (this is just what I like to call it — I thought it sounded more fun than "birthday dinner"). I try to mix it up from year to year, even though I'm pretty sure that he wouldn't complain if I made him a rib-eye and mashed potatoes each birthday. A simple man, Brad is. I, however, am less simple — typical. So for this year's feast I wanted to try something different.

At about the same time that I was looking for inspiration, I came across a recipe for Dr. Pepper Ribs on a blog called Homesick Texan. Never having made ribs before, I said "yes please!" and decided to go for it, adapting my recipe from HT's.

As always, I'm a firm believer in starting with high-quality, fresh, and local (when possible) ingredients. I buy most of my non-poultry meat at Martin's in the Reading Terminal Market — great prices, knowledgeable butchers, and I have never once been disappointed with a purchase!