October love

Hi there,

Meet Cora

and Mabel

and Bessie

These cute girlfriends are from The Pioneer Woman's new cookware line at Walmart. I have wanted one of these charming cow creamers fOrEvEr! The first one I saw was during a French Club field trip in high school. We ate at a charming French restaurant in Lyons, CO called La Chaumiere. 

Google tells me it went out of business in 2008. I don't remember the food, but I remember the white tablecloths, beautiful dishes, and the adorable white cow creamer on the table. I've wanted one for my kitchen ever since, but the ones I would occasionally find were not the right size or just not cute enough. So I'm just delighted with the PW's version, now at home with me, Steph, and Suz.

The French Club field trip senior year was a 4-hour bus trip to the Denver Art Museum, followed by a stop at the landmark Mexican restaurant, Casa Bonita, a place with average Mexican food, but spectacular entertainment. The behind the scenes video brings back memories of a haunted cave, mariachi bands, sopapillas, and cliff divers! That place is still in business! Have you been there?

Another October weekend, another pumpkin dessert:

Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake (Paula Deen)

Cake:

1 yellow cake mix

1 egg

8 Tbls butter, melted

Filling:

1 (8 ounce) pkg cream cheese, softened

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

8 Tbls butter, melted

1 (16 ounce) box powdered sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the cake mix, egg, and butter, and mix well with an electric mixer. Pat the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 9 x 13 baking pan.

To make the filling:  In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter, and beat together. Next add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and mix well. Spread pumpkin mixture over the cake batter and bake for 40 to 50 minutes*. Make sure not to overbake as the center should be a little gooey.

Serve with fresh whipped cream**.

*I turn off the oven after 50 minutes and let it bake another 5 or 10 minutes while the oven cools down.

**Mix 1/2 pint Heavy Whipping Cream with approx 1/4 C powdered sugar at high speed with whipping attachment.

xoxo Tammy