Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Here's a little something for your pie hole!

I spent all day yesterday trying out a new recipe for Pecan Pie from Barefoot Contessa's latest cookbook - FoolProof! I went to her book signing recently and have my very own signed copy. Oh my! I thought it befitting to bake something from her book. The pie has a secret ingredient, Bourbon. Yum!

Everyone at Thanksgiving dinner tonight will be my guinea pigs :)  

Looks good, let's hope it tastes good! 

Today I am grateful for many things, good health, good job, a funny husband to plans on heading to Target at midnight for Black Friday and specially family and friends. I am also grateful that my sometimes unpredictable oven temperature worked great yesterday. Oh the small blessings!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving! 

I promise to add the recipe later, gotta go get ready.

Halloween Cake - Stabbed!!

 Take a stab at doing this easy Halloween inspired cake!

You will need:
half "ball" cake mold (amazon.com)

plastic knife from your local Halloween store
rolling pin

2" orange ribbon

chocolate cake mix
powder sugar
round 9" cardboard 

white store bought frosting plus red & yellow food coloring

white Fondant (find at your local cake supply store or amazon.com)

cake stand

Bake chocolate cake per cake box instructions. When cake is cool cut a thin layer for the base. Place base of cake onto round cardboard. This will help you move the cake to the pedestal later.

Then carve out the 'guts' to create a small dome and frost. 

 For orange frosting add 3 drops of red food coloring and 2 drops of yellow to the white frosting.

Add the remaining 'dome' piece of cake over the frosted layers.

Frost the dome and set the cake aside. 

The frosting will act as a glue when the rolled Fondant is placed over.

On a smooth surface sprinkle powdered sugar and roll out the fondant using a rolling pin. 

Roll to a smooth 10" round flat shape.

Carefully and with lots of patience place your flat fondant over the frosted cake. Try not to tear the fondant as it tends to dry out. Smooth out the fondant with your fingers so it covers all the cake. 

Then with a knife carefully cut the edges to leave a clean edge.

Carefully move your cake onto the cake pedestal.

Tie the orange ribbon around the cake. 

Take the knife and 'stab' the cake. 

The blood was made with a few drops of red food coloring and powdered sugar. Drizzle over stabbed area.

Happy Halloween!

Now have your slice and eat it too!

Malibu Vineyard Floral Photo Shoot

 A day full of bouquets! 

A recent and great photography opportunity came up for me to help a friend out with his company's flower website. The plan was to spend the day at a local Malibu vineyard, cielofarms.com and shoot lots of colorful roses in amazing settings. I put myself to the challenge and when creative minds put their passions and hearts to work beautiful stuff happens!

Website coming to you sometime this November look out for it!
30BOUQS.com

The 'models' were well behaved!

Here's a before & after shot. With overhead shots sometimes 'accidents' happen, like tennis shoes!

Our view.

Amazing texture.

Beautiful wood bench.

And then there's the macro lens shots. Love my new lens!

Vintage pics.

On Sunday I worked on some lifestyle shots.

I absolutely love the magenta and white roses!

Behind the scenes..at Cielo Farms - vineyard in Malibu, CA

The water well shed was built with beautiful recycled wood from another construction site's leftovers. I want one for my backyard please!

Men (attempting) to flower arrange :)

Even behind the scenes prep work was beautiful!

The picture taker!

The Team.

School's Out

Congratulations Andrew!

 Make the most of your summer before you head off to college in the Fall. 

 Sleep in, swim, hang out with friends, do nothing before everything is expected of you!

Make us proud.

xoxo

Aunt Patsy

Gluten Free Biscotti

Biscotti - meaning twice baked

A twice baked biscuit originating from the Italian city of Prato dating back from the 18th Century. In modern Italy they are also called "cantuccini"  (little nooks). These long narrow treats, are made dry and crunchy by cutting the baked loaf of dough while still hot and baking in the oven a second time. They also can be stored for long periods of time. Being very dry, biscotti are traditionally served with a drink, into which they may be dunked. In Italy they are typically served as an after-dinner dessert with a Tuscan fortified wine called Vin Santo.

Beyond Italy they are more frequently served with coffee, cappuccinos, lattes and black teas! In Spain they are commonly served with a small glass of sweet dessert wine such as a muscat or moscatell.

Although biscotti is commonly made with flour, eggs, sugar, pine nuts and almonds I decided to adapt a recipe for a gluten intolerant close friend of mine, and voila - delicious!

PISTACHIO CRANBERRY BISCOTTI

1-1/4 cups almond flour

1 tbsp arrowroot powder

1 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 cup agave nectar

2 teaspoons orange zest

1/4 cup dried orange flavored cranberries

1/4 cup pistachios

In your mixer combine almond flour, arrowroot powder, salt and baking soda.

Mix until ingredients are well combined. While mixing add agave syrup and orange zest until the dough starts to come together, about 1-2 min. Work in cranberries and pistachios and gently form a ball with your hands. Form the dough into a long log

Bake for 15 min @ 350 degrees, let the log cool for about 45min to 1 hr. 

Cut the log into 1/2" slices and place back onto the backing sheet.  

Bake for another 15 minutes and reduce the oven to 300 degrees.

Let them cool down to set.  

Enjoy!