I Heart Fancy Flours

While I was poking around the internet today I came across Fancy Flours, my new favorite baking website. Their decorative muffin liners are just the cutest ever and they have a pretty decent selection.





Equally as terrific is their selection of vintage wedding cake toppers and baking embellishments. I so can't wait for the next party I have so I can order up some goodies from there!

French Macarons and a Lovely Blog

I am so obsessed with Aran's blog, Cannalle et Vanille, and while perusing this afternoon, I came across her ridiculous recipe for chocolate macarons with salty peanut butter filling(not to be confused with the icky, saccharine sweet coconut macaroons we Americans are used to). I am so praying my butt off that a miracle will occur and I will be successful at making this recipe. Here's a gander at the loveliness:



Go here for the recipe. If you score a good batch, shoot me a line and some photos; we'll compare notes!

Deep Dish Pumpkin Pie Bars

Fall is around the corner. While I mourn the loss of summer, there is something about fall that really warms my heart. One of my absolute favorite treats are these deep dish pumpkin pie bars. The basis of the recipe came from the Eagle Brand Cookbook, but I made some changes that I feel definitely improve upon it!

After my little sister graduated college, she came to live with me for a few months. She made plans with some of her friends to go camping in Vermont for a week. Being the oldest, a bit doting, and totally old fashioned for my age, I packed her a large vintage metal tartan picnic basket with sandwiches, cookies, and these wonderful bars. While at the time my sister found my gesture to be somewhat lame and embarrassing, she credits it for encouraging her to learn how to cook and bake herself.



Ingredients
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 cup cold butter or margarine, cut into small pieces
2 cup chopped nuts
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin (2 cups)
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated milk)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. In medium bowl, combine flour and sugars; cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in nuts. Reserving 1 1/2 cup crumb mixture, press remainder firmly on bottom and halfway up sides of greased 13x9-inch baking dish.
In large bowl, combine pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, salt and vanilla; mix well. Pour into prepared dish. Top with reserved crumb mixture. Bake 55 minutes or until golden. Cool. Serve with ice cream if desired. Store leftover covered in refrigerator.