Wyatt's Tank Cake

For Wyatt's 7th Birthday, he wanted a tank cake...so here it is!

Tasty Tarts

Look at these tasty little tarts for Thanksgiving dessert...your guests

 would feel so special with their very own.

Pumpkin, pecan and apple. Thanksgiving on a plate!

Snacks and Sweets

Snacks, aka starters, appetizers, hors d'oeuvres, are some of my favorite foods. They are usually pretty straightforward, not too fussy. They can satisfy cravings in one bite. Paired with a glass of wine or cocktail, they can be simply perfect.
Then, there are sweets. who doesn't like a little sweet. Weather it be chocolate, caramels, cookies or cakes, sweets are something  people always have room for.  They serve no other purpose but pure enjoyment!
Take these 2, throw in some good friends, a fun cocktail or glass of wine and you have one fabulous party! Who says you need a main course, fancy set table or the stress of getting it all to the table at once? Who wants to be stuck in the kitchen once your friends show up? No one!
Snacks and sweets are the perfect way to entertain.  3-4 savory items and a few sweets= a fun, casual party that requires no effort once your guests arrive! 

 Sweet and spicy nuts

 

Apple and cheddar crostata 

 

 Sun-dreid tomato jam crostini with herbed goat cheese...make extra 

for your 

guests to take home

 Lemon and Orange striped meringues. Sometimes I make something that surprises me. These fit the bill. Adorable and SOOO tasty. They taste just like a creamsicle and a bite of lemon meringue pie depending on which one you choose!

 Citrus meringues to-go. Who wouldn't want those? ;)

 Apple cider caramels. Yes, that's what I said. 

These blew me away....heaven.

 Chocolate snowball cookies. Rich, chewy and perfectly chocolatey.

A trio of desserts.

 

More Fall Goodies

Here are some more fall favorites...baked donuts (so good and not so bad for you), pumpkin coconut panna cotta and traditional baked apples. These apples turned out better than I ever could have expected! So delish...warm spices, tart apples and maple caramel. What's not to like!

 Mini Donuts

 Pumpkin coconut panna cotta

Baked apples

Gingerbread Cupcakes with Caramelized Mango Buttercream

Ok....I've had this recipe for quite a while. Don't know why, but I had never made them. We had dinner with some friends this weekend, so I made them for dessert. What was I waiting for?!?!? They were fabulous! The perfect fall dessert. Warm gingerbread spices with the lighter mango buttercream (ha! light buttercream!) Then, garnished with crystallized ginger. Btw, Wyatt, who is 6, loves crystallized ginger. Perfect little something extra for these new fall favorites.

Fall Cooking

Fall cooking is my favorite. I don't know if it's the change in the weather or the thought of spicy pumpkin or slow, rich roasted dinners, but I simply want to eat! I'm always hungry this time of year. I love getting into the kitchen and trying new fall recipes, and, of course, making some of my tried and true favorites. Here are 2 new ones I tried today: Butternut Squash and Fried Sage Tart and Pumpkin Doughnut Muffins. Both turned out fabulously good.

Butternut Squash and Fried Sage Tart

 

Pumpkin Doughnut Muffins

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Maple Marshmallow Cream...Yummmmm!

Nothing says fall like pumpkin.I love baking this time of year. Not good for the waste line, but definitely  good for the soul. These little morsels are divine!