[Things We Adore Sunday] Baking Frenzy, Beds, Pendleton Portland Collection, The Arrival of Autumn

This is a special edition of Things We Adore Sunday. Today, I am going to write what I am thankful for, and then follow that up with some things I adore. I wouldn't want to leave you hanging like that.

I have literally been on my feet all day. I woke up at 8 am, went to the grocery store to get some heavy whipping cream, then proceeded to bake for 12 hours straight. Yes, 12 hours. I took a one-hour break to run (on my feet) and shower (also, standing). I even ate standing up. This cannot be healthy, but it was a small glimpse into what my life would be if I decided to turn South by San Francisco into a real, full-fledged business. And it scared the crap out of me. Still, I loved it too. I was covered in flour, had blackberry juice stains on my fingers, and apple splattered all over my apron. I didn't stop to clean up until the end, I just kept stirring and mixing and pouring and boiling and whipping (by hand, of course) and molding about three dozen mini pies and a batch of cookies.

These are the cookies I made. They're bomb. Peanut butter is the best.

It was glorious.

What did I bake, you ask? Well, consider this the start of the Things I Adore List, because I adore each and every one of these recipes. They remind me of my childhood or of living in San Francisco or of family gatherings on the Jones River Bend in Tennessee.

Things I Adore:
1. Baby Banana Cream Pie (so cute!)
2. Peanut Butter Cream Pie (childhood in a pie crust)
3. Blueberry Lemon Curd Pie
4. Pecan Pie with Sorghum
5. Date-Pecan Pie
6. Apple-Pear Pie
7. Strawberry Mint Pie
8. Blackberry-Nectarine Pie
9. Lemon Chess Pie
10. Peaches and Cream Pie (my favorite pie of all time)
11. Peanut Butter Cookies
Yes, I really baked all of these today. My brain hurts.

Other Things I Adore
12. Looking at photos of beds. I am trying to imagine myself finally relaxing today. I do love a nice bed. Like this one:

via Fuck Yeah Domesticity

13. The Pendleton Portland Collection. I've always loved Pendleton's scarves, but if I could wear that outfit below, I'm pretty sure I'd kick some major ass. And that bag. Oh, dear. In love. 

via Honey Kennedy 

14. Red work pants. I've been dreaming of wearing this outfit to an interview or a conference for weeks. How can you not notice someone who is wearing an outfit that fantastic? The colors are so fall, and I am so ready for autumn to begin.

via The Glitter Guide

15. Speaking of autumn, I ADORE Autumn. I can't wait for all the fall flavors: pumpkin, cinnamon, root vegetables, deep-flavored chutneys, kale, (vegan) stew. I've been collecting recipes that I cannot wait to unleash on friends and family as soon as this Bay Area heat wave disappears. This Mango Chutney-Ginger Baked Tofu with Cranberry Basmati Rice fits the bill perfectly.

Recipe and Photo via A Dash of East

Okay, time to collapse in my bed and dream of autumn leaves and pumpkin pound cake. So happy to be off my feet again. Poor babies! I might just have to get them a pedicure tomorrow.

[Food and Drink Wednesdays] Mini Peanut Butter Cream Pies

My latest project was making a dozen miniature peanut butter cream pies with the recipe I found in the White Lily Cookbook from somewhere around the 1970s-ish. It's super easy to make. All you need is your basic crust rolled out into muffin tins, peanut butter and powdered sugar (about a 1:2 ratio), pudding (use Jell-O heat & serve or make yours from scratch), and whipped cream topping. Super simple, super comforting. 

From the White Lily Cookbook

Making the pudding: be sure to cover it with plastic as it cools to avoid a film on top

For the whipped cream, you'll need heavy cream and powdered sugar

Then whip that stuff together

The peanut layer on the bottom is just natural creamy peanut butter and powdered sugar pressed into the pastry

The final, adorable product: crust, layer of peanut butter, layer of pudding, layer of whipped cream. Some chopped peanuts on top would be amazing.