Tis The Season!

Jenny Steffens is the apple of my eye (as you can see here). As I wrote yesterday, the winter time does really bring so many great things. Those things are also know has Holiday Parties, Holiday Decor, and tons-o-food. I LOVE what is done here with the dessert bookshelf. And the dessert's don't look to shabby either!

Bite-sized pumpkin pies

C'mon. This is pure genius. Any pie that I have ever enjoyed, will now be made in this size. If your having Thanksgiving by your place, this is perfect for the kiddies! Thank you One Charming Party for this brilliant idea!

Via One Charming Party Blog:

We filled a small shortbread tartlet shell (purchased at a local grocery store) with a bit of pumpkin pie mixture. These shells are about 2″ in diameter. The exact baking time and temperature will depend on your pie recipe, but ours didn’t take long at all to bake. Watch your mini pies carefully in the oven so the bottom of the shells don’t burn. When you’re ready to serve them, add a tiny dollop of fresh whip cream. Yum, just the right size.

Fall Entertaining

Since I discovered the web page of Jenny Steffens, I have been hooked. She is the answer to so many of my entertaining prayers and I was so eager to share her Fall Harvest Dinner Party post with you!

Yesterday was the first day of Fall - I had to run to the farmer's market to pick up some of my favorite heirloom pumpkins, squash and gourds.

Here is a fun seasonal table setting for your next Fall Dinner Party.

Whether it be fresh flowers or farm fresh pumpkins - have something from nature as your centerpiece.
 

When your guests arrive, offer them a glass of wine, then this hunk of cheese, crackers and cashews is the perfect light start.
 

Roasted Butternut & Apple Soup

1 butternut squash
2 sweet apples (not granny smith)
2 tablespoons of salt & pepper
2 tablespoons of olive oil
3 tablespoons of butter
1 yellow onion
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 cups of vegetable stock
1 cup of apple cider
1/4 cup of cream

Peel and cube the squash and apples.  Place them on a baking sheet, toss with olive oil, salt & pepper and roast them in a 425 degree oven for 15 minutes until the squash is soft.  In a stock pot, saute the garlic and onions in butter until soft.

Add the squash and apples to the onions along with stock and cider.  Cook for 5 minutes until bubbly.  Puree the mixture in a mixer or food processor.

Serve hot and garnish with cream, salt & pepper.

For the entree, I served a steak with a simple wine and mushroom reduction.  A light salad of field greens is a good compliment to the indulgent steak.

Steaks with a Mushroom Wine Reduction

4 - 8 oz. Strip Steaks
2 tablespoons of olive oil
Salt & Pepper
2 tablespoons of butter
2 cups of mushrooms
1 cup of red wine
2 tablespoons of heavy cream
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard

Coat the steaks liberally with salt & pepper.  In a saute pan, heat the olive oil and sear steaks on each side for 3 minutes.  Place the steaks on a baking sheet and put them in a 450 degree oven for 3-5 minutes, depending on thickness of steaks.

In the saute pan used with the steaks, lower the heat and saute the butter and mushrooms.  After 2 minutes, at the wine, scraping the pan to get all of the bits off of the bottom.  Add in the cream and dijon and simmer the sauce until slightly thickened.  Pour over the steaks to serve.

This apple crisp is the perfect finish to a Fall Harvest Dinner Party... with ice cream, of course.

Get the recipe for the Apple Crisp click here