Ode to Autumn

Ode to Autumn

Two really big items on our moving check-list were checked off this week: my husband received his official orders and our passports arrived! Next we have to apply for Visas and Tourist Passports (yes, we have to get TWO!)

With the Autumn Equinox this Saturday, I decided to dedicate today's post to Fall and share with y'all some of my favorite things about this season. Fall is my favorite time of year. It is so much more romantic than Spring, I think. It is the beginning of "cuddling weather," cozy nights by the fire, hot cocoa, and sweaters. (And football!)The air is so crisp and smells so fresh! The beautiful bright reds, oranges, and yellows make me happy. And the food of fall just warms your tummy as well as your heart.

Two of my favorite foods of Fall are Pumpkin Bread and Starbucks' Salted Caramel Mocha. When I first tried this drink, I fell head-over-heels immediately! Salted Caramel? What a genius idea! So when I ran across this Pumpkin Bread with Salted Caramel Drizzled Pumpkin Buttercream by Jessica, over at A Kitchen Addiction, I nearly fell out of my chair. A recipe that combines two of my favorite fall flavors? Oh, yes, please. 

So here are the ingredients:

• 1 C all-purpose flour
• 3/4 C white whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp allspice
• 1/8 tsp cloves
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 C brown sugar
• 1/4 C granulated sugar substitute
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 C low-fat plain yogurt
• 2 tbsp canola oil
• 1 1/4 C pumpkin puree

Now, first let me admit that I did change a few of these items in my version. I didn't have any canola oil. I only buy vegetable and olive oils, so I substituted with vegetable oil.

Also, I don't like sugar substitutes. For some strange reason, they always leave a bad after taste in my mouth. So for the "1/4 c granulated sugar substitute," I used regular granulated sugar. It worked just fine. However, I will note that the sugar substitute Jessica uses makes this recipe much healthier.

Finally, I didn't have any plain yogurt in the fridge. All I had was vanilla-flavored yogurt, so that is what I used. Again, it worked just fine. Using the plain yogurt would probably help make the other flavors of the bread stand out better.

Ok, the directions. First, preheat your oven to 325f. Grease and flour a 9x5 loaf pan.

Then whisk together the flours, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, salt, baking soda, and baking powder until well-combined. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, using an electric or stand mixer, beat eggs until creamy. Beat in brown sugar and sugar substitute on medium speed for one minute. Add in vanilla, yogurt and oil. Beat until well-combined. Add flour mixture and pumpkin, beat until just combined. Scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.

Spread batter into prepared loaf pan. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow bread to cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing it to cool completely on a wire rack.

I love that she uses low-fat yogurt in this bread. It is good for you and takes out some of the fat! This bread turned out to be so fabulously moist and full of flavor! 

Alright, so next it needs some frosting. Jessica includes a lovely Pumpkin Buttercream frosting recipe on her blog. I have always like cream cheese frostings so I used Rachael Ray's Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting. And then topped it with Jessica's Salted Caramel Drizzle (which, by the way, I could make a whole batch of and eat by the spoonful. Yum.)

Caramel Drizzle:

• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1/4 tsp salt                  

In a small saucepan, stir together brown sugar and water. Dissolve sugar over medium-high heat. Continue heating until caramel turns dark brown and starts to boil, making sure to stir constantly to avoid burning. Add butter and salt. Stir to combine and remove from heat. Continue stirring for another 1-2 minutes to cool the caramel somewhat before drizzling over the top of the frosting

Isn't it beautiful? Doesn't that caramel drizzle make your mouth water?

 Needless to say, this loaf didn't last long. This is a recipe I will be making again and again! (By the way, it is an excellent breakfast food. Perfect with coffee.)

 Now what goes better with a hot cup of coffee and a sweet treat? A good book, of course. Or poem. And what better one than this by the brilliant John Keats reflecting the beauty of Autumn in England.

To Autumn by John Keats

Seasons of mists and mellow fruitfulness,
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run;
To bend with apples the moss'd cottage-trees,
And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;
To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells
With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,
And still more, later flowers for the bees,
Until they think warm days will never cease,
For summer has o'er-brimm'd their clammy cells.

Who hath not seen thee oft amid thy store?
Sometimes whoever seeks abroad may find
Thee sitting careless on a granary floor,
They hair soft-lifted by the winnowing wind;
Or on a half-reap'd furrow sound asleep,
Drows'd with the fume of poppies, while they hook
Spares the next swath and all its twined flowers:
And sometimes like a gleaner thou dost keep
Steady thy laden head across a brook;
Or by a cyder-press, with patient look,
Thou watchest the last oozings hours by hours.

Where are the songs of spring? Ay, Where are they?
Think not of them, thou hast thy music, too-
While barred clouds bloom the soft-dying day,
And touch the stubble-plains with rosy hue;
Then in a wailful choir the small gnats mourn
Among the river sallows, borne aloft
Or sinking as the light wind lives or dies;
And full-grown lambs loud bleat from the hilly bourn;
Hedge-crickets sing; and now with treble soft
The red-breast whistles from a garden-croft;
And gathering swallows twitter in the skies.

Check back soon for my next try at a British recipe: a full English breakfast! Sounds yummy, right??