The weather around here lately has been well, wet. Everything it seems is soggy, from sweet smelling cedar mulch tossed around the trees, down to my socks on my feet. Not the kind of jogging weather, picnic weather or leisurely outdoor dining weather. Inevitability when people think of Seattle, they think of rain, and well coffee maybe. We have heard it all since moving here, “it rains 9 months out of the year there” “the clouds will make you depressed.” Now there are not many fun and overly exciting things to do in the rain by any means, but we do have one advantage from all you sunnies out there.

Seattle winters graciously give you perfect baking weather. The kind of weather that makes you want to run from the cold moist mess outside to your kitchen; after all it is the warmest room in the house. I love coming home, turning on the oven, flaming up the stove, even if only for a cup of late afternoon tea. This past weekend a bunch of my favorite girls and I did just that, baked to our hearts content. The ladies came over around six with aprons in tow and rolling pins in hand ready to mix up some delicious apple pie. A dear friend of mine is a chef and came along to teach us girls a thing or two about pie. We mixed, rolled, giggled, peeled a bushel of apples, all the while tuning our ears to Ella Fitzgerald Christmas tunes. Thank you Seattle for setting the mood for bake nights.

You need to try this pie recipe, go on, that’s an order! The crust is ever so flaky and slightly sweet. It’s par-baked to perfection, allowing it to set before adding the juicy cinnamon kissed apples, which by the way are drenched in apple cider, swoon! This is my new favorite pie recipe and am willing to bet it will become a favorite of yours as well.

The Best Apple Pie
Recipe from Deadra

Pie Dough

• 1 stick cold unsalted butter cut into pieces
• 3-4 T cold water
• 1 1/4 cup unbleached all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 t sugar
• 1/4 t salt

400 oven. It is important the butter is very cold! Place the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor (or this can be mixed by hand). Process for about 10 seconds to blend. Add the cold butter and pulse 6-10 times until the flour and butter look like crushed crackers and peas. Transfer to a large bowl and sprinkle a T of water at a time and “fluff” the mixture until it comes together but is not too wet. Knead and chill the dough. Roll the dough and place in pan. Be careful to not pull or stretch the dough as this can cause holes or shrinkage. Pre-bake the crust for about 10-15 minutes until firm to the touch and very so slightly golden brown.

Apple Pie

• 6-7 med baking apples (granny smith or something tart mixed with a few sweet)
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 T lemon juice
• 1/2 t ground cinnamon
• 1/8 t allspice
• 1/2 cup apple cider
• 1 Large egg yolk

Toss your apples peeled and cored and cut into the sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon and allspice. Heat a pan with a little butter once warm add the apples and let simmer a
few moments. Add the apple cider and cook until the apples are tender. If you have too much liquid and your apples are done remove the apples but leave the liquid and thicken with cornstarch slurry. Cool slightly and add to your prebaked crust. Cover with your remaining pie dough and brush with egg and bake about 15 minutes until top crust is golden.

Images: sammyw

Growing up in Arizona, I never felt the pressure to claim a season my favorite. More or less because only 2 seasons exist in Arizona, chilly and sweltering hot. Now you see in Arizona ‘chilly’ means jeans and a sweatshirt and ’sweltering hot’ means well…sweltering hot. Upon moving to Seattle a year ago I have been able to witness first hand 4 whole different seasons, I am so amazed and delighted by each one that I feel compelled to declare my loyalty to one.

Winter has its charm, the cold days that entice to you retreat home, cuddle with your hunny under a warm blanket with cup of peppermint tea in hand. To simmer a big pot of chicken soup and with a bowl of that and some warm bread you are somehow completely satisfied. Winter gives you the chance to put up a ton of little twinkle lights, place a woodsy smelling tree in your home and a douglas fir wreath on your front door. Winter is a time when families come together, families from all over come together to celebrate Jesus, it’s a magical time of memories, life, generosity and love.

Spring has cool nights and days where the sun is really trying to earn back your trust by seducing you with its warmth. And there’s the fact it’s staying around long enough to see 5pm. Spring has the flowers, the cherry blossoms that bloom in early April that litter its pale pink petals on the very ground you walk on. Then of course there is the bulbs a plenty, the tulips, daffodils and crocus’ that seem to somehow show there glowing faces overnight in a way we only wished we looked in the morning. Not to mention the produce spring brings you, delicate lettuces, crisp sugar peas, asparagus, fiddleheads and cherries that never seem to make it from the market to your kitchen, almost demanding to be devoured right away.

Then along comes Summer in all of its glory. Summers here are long awaited, anticipated and enjoyed to the fullest. It’s a time the rain goes on vacation and the sun takes center stage. A time when the grass is green, the windows in every apartment are wide open, hoping to catch a moment of the cool breeze. Summers are a magical time here, a time where it is pretty hard to find something to put you in a sour mood. Picnics under a cool shaded tree, the sundresses, the berries, the ferry rides like I said it’s pure magic. The problem with loving Summer is that you know it’s a short lived romance, only lasting a few short months before a hard, complicated break up takes place, causing you to put away the cute sandals you bought especially for the season and the sunglasses you just had to have.

Before you know it Fall is here and the days get shorter and the nights longer, as almost putting you in a sleepy daze to help you cope with the sudden, rude, uninvited departure of Summer. The leaves begin to fold into themselves and fall to the ground in a crispy crunchy brown pile. You begin to layer, warmer socks, jacket, dare I say gloves and a hat! Soon you begin to see the root vegetables at the markets, carrots, baby potatoes, parsnips, and then there are the pumpkins. The pumpkins come out with there bright orange, as if trying to put you in a better mood with it’s mere presence. The pumpkin I have to say is one of my favorite parts about fall. Pumpkins can be made sweet or savory, elegant or unfussy. I have long wanted to roast my own pumpkin, but never had the time nor willpower to actually do it. Roasting it’s succulent seeds sufficed me for years. Until this very fall at the farmers markets the small, gorgeous, sugar pumpkins were piled high in a old brown wooden crate and I decided to give it a go.  And I am so glad I did. Maybe I am still an Arizona girl at heart since I am still finding it ever so hard to choose a season, or maybe it might just take a while.

Alas, I know we are 2 weeks away from Christmas and I am just now pulling out the pumpkin!? I know I am late, but I blame it on November, has anyone seen November, I think it skipped town on us – or maybe that’s just the way I feel. So it’s December and I am making pumpkin bread.

Pumpkin Puree
Recipe from Martha Stewart

• 1 sugar pumpkin (3 1/2 to 4 pounds)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Snap off the pumpkin’s stem and halve the gourd lengthwise. With a spoon (or your hands), remove seeds and rinse for roasting. Place pumpkin halves cut-side down on a large rimmed baking sheet. Roast until tender, about 1 hour. When cool enough to handle, scoop out cooked pumpkin flesh; discard skin. Transfer pumpkin flesh to a food processor (or blender in my case!); process until smooth. Set a colander in a large bowl and line with a double-layer of cheesecloth. Place pumpkin puree in cheesecloth. Cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator to drain, at least 4 hours.

Images: sammyw

I’ve had my nose buried in this book for the past couple weeks.

Something about the cool weather of fall has gotten me in the mood to bake bread; it’s sort of romantic I guess. Cold, rainy, windy outside only to retreat inside our cozy warm little apartment with the smell of fresh yeasted bread baking as you walk through the door. Well friends those recipes are to come, but this one I wanted to share with you today is as simple as it gets.

We woke up later than normal Saturday (after 9 eek!) and this was the perfect thing, simple ingredients and done in 25 minutes. Not to mention only one dirty pie plate later breakfast was served. This is a mix between a pancake and a popover, just lovely with your morning coffee, not to mention the smell of the cloves will send you in a fall frenzy; that is if your not there already.

Apple Pancake Sam
recipe from The Tassajara Bread Book

• 2 tbsp. butter
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 med. apple, sliced into wedges
• 2 tbsp. brown sugar
• 1/2 c. flour
• 1/2 c. milk
• 3 eggs
• Ground cloves
Put butter into 9 inch round pie plate, heat in 400 degree oven for 10 minutes. Don’t brown. Squeeze lemon juice over apple slices and toss with brown sugar. Set aside.Combine flour, a pinch of ground cloves, milk and eggs; whisk briefly. Batter will be lumpy. Remove baking dish from oven. Pour in batter. Arrange apples in circle around dish. Top with the remaining lemon-brown sugar mixture. Bake until firm and puffy. Dust with ground cloves. Serve with warm syrup. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.



Images: sammyw

I am always searching blogs, magazines, cookbooks you name it for new and different seasonal dishes, but sometimes you gotta resort back to what you know. Here’s a look at some of my favorite fall yummies…

This cream cheese pumpkin bread was a huge hit with my hubs.

Or how about this Farfalle with roasted butternut squash, pancetta and sage? It’s squashes galore here in Seattle.

Mmm I remember these muffins, perfect to bag up and bring to your friends and neighbors.

Caramelized Brussels sprouts make a perfect side dish to any dinner.

Forget the pasta when you can have Garlic & Shallot Spaghetti Squash.

This caramel apple dip is crazy good, trust me.

And if you make nothing else do yourself a favor and make these, they are my favorite and I promise they will quickly become yours as well.

Images: sammyw

Rain, warm socks, soup, farmers market, flowers from my hunny sitting on the kitchen table, reuniting with old friends…hope your weekend is delightful as well.

Rustic Potato Chowder
recipe adapted from 101 cookbooks

• 8 to 10 slices bacon
• 3 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 onions, diced
• 3 shallots, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, diced
• 4 cups unpeeled new potatoes, cubed
• 2 t salt, divided
• 1 T Dijon mustard
• 4 cups organic milk
• 1 cup Gruyere cheese, grated
• freshly ground pepper
• fresh chives

In a large pot cook the bacon according to package instructions, until browned and crisp. Cool and chop into small pieces. Set aside. In the same pot add the extra-virgin olive oil, onions, shallots, and garlic. Saute for 5 minutes, or until the onions start to get soft. Add the diced potatoes and teaspoon of salt and saute for about two minutes. Now add the mustard and milk. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 25 minutes, or until the soup thickens and the potatoes are soft throughout. Whisk in the Gruyere cheese, another teaspoon of salt, and a couple pinches of pepper. Garnish with the bacon, fresh chives.

Image: sammyw