"I started photographing my domestic world and writing not just about what I had made,
but why I made it, examining the thoughts that accompany creativity and the act of making."
Jane Brocket from The Gentle Art of Domesticity p. 189 UK edition

Monday, September 28, 2015

Recipes and Reveling


Pumpkin Pie Spice Latte

Mix Pumpkin Base Mix
2 cups pumpkin puree
1 1/2 cups 90 calorie vanilla almond milk
1Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

Prepare coffee you enjoy.  I use decaf Via.

In a mug pour 1/2 cup 90 cal. almond milk and froth.

Assemble latte:
In another mug put about 1/3 cup warmed base mix.
Add hot coffee leaving room for froth.
Pour in froth.
Sprinkle with pumpkin pie spice.
Enjoy :)  

 I tried to make froth with unsweetened almond milk and was not successful, but the latte is still good using unsweetened almond milk [depending on your sweet tooth :)],  just be sure to put a sprinkle of pumpkin spice on the top of the coffee.
My recipe results in about 3 1/2 cups base mix which can last in the fridge "awhile" depending on how rapidly and how many lattes you make.  If you choose to freeze the base mix, I suggest you use an ice cube tray to do so.  Realize that freezing separates the almond milk so your latte will be a different consistency when you warm the base mix before assembling your latte.


Crockpot Beef Minestrone Stew/Soup

Gently Saute:
 1/2 chopped medium yellow onion
two sliced cloves of garlic and
crumbled 1 lb. lean ground beef 

Add:
1 Tablespoon dried crushed Italian seasoning/sprigs of basil and rosemary
 1 cup raw juliene carrots
about 2 cups green beans
about 2 cups cooked rinsed red kidney beans
about 2 cups diced tomatoes
make sure you have  at least two cups liquid  and simmer in crockpot
add more water if you want soup
salt and pepper to taste

Just before serving you can add cooked macaroni or enough liquid to simmer the dry macaroni  until it softens...but don't let it turn to mush!


Friday night I went for an overnight campout with a nice group of folks at Oregon's [near to our house], Mc Iver State Park.  A little brown salamander was at our camp site to welcome us!


I brought Minestrone Beef stew to heat on this campfire.  It was delicious
 [without macaroni :)]


When I drove in our driveway after camping, I spotted the pretty red maple tree on the other side of our non existent front pond.  I felt sorry for the blue heron I saw swoop down toward the pond the other day, but at least the creek still has water in it.


Then when I stopped by the garage to drop off some camping gear I saw these lovely branches.


I headed off to our once a month church art group and took along this booklet I have been working on. I want to learn how to do better lettering.


See the pretty coaster above the book?   Meredith sent me four she made several years ago, and I love using them.


I borrowed plastic leaf rubbing plates from my granddaughters and used them like stamps with ink...now whether to splash some color washes on them...and or write verses around or on them...it is fun to contemplate and experiment...


Although I had come down with a cold by the time the eclipse was to take place, I hopped in my car with a box of tissues at my side and drove [along with at least 30 other cars] to Revenue road to try to get some photos of the eclipse with Mt. Hood in view as well.


I could not figure out how to get my Panasonic Lumix camera to manage the twilight.


In this the eclipse was nearly complete.


In this the eclipse was receding.


We had guests and I wasn't able to go out and try to photograph the biggest brightest moonrise of the year, tonight, but after our guests left, I was sitting in my favorite chair in the living room.  I looked out the window and saw the moon two hours after it had cleared our horizon.  On a whim I took out my camera, activated the zoom and got this view...through the window!

Do you have any recipes you want to share with me, or any reports of your reveling?

XX
Gracie

22 comments:

  1. I missed the lunar eclipse in UK. It was at 3am & I needed to sleep to make sure I could get on with my studies the next day. Got a deadline. Camping looked fun. Perhaps cold?

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  2. Love the look of your minestrone stew one of my favourite things about the cooler weather is soups/stews so I will be giving it a go. What a beautiful art leaf booklet I was thinking that would make a stunning notebook, I make lists for everything. Have a good week.

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  3. This post made me happy, Gracie, so many nice things under one roof - the beautiful tree, camping, soup, that notebook and the moon.
    Amalia
    xo

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  4. Sounds like a great weekend and some good shots of the moon. Night shots are hard. Hope you are getting over that cold now. Take care, Tammy

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  5. Gracie, this was a lovely post. I'm not a coffee drinker but that latte sounds good anyway. Anything pumpkin is good, right? I am in awe of the books you make. The thought, time and love you put into them showing of your love for God blesses me whenever I see a page you've done. Thank you. I hope you're well on the way to recovering from your cold. I'm off to get my flu shot this morning. I always dread it but I really don't want the flu either! Have a lovely fall day my friend.
    Blessings,
    Betsy

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  6. I will definitely try the latte recipe! I've always wanted one! Thank you! :)
    The moon looked so beautiful! I'm glad you could go and take pictures of it!

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  7. Thanks for sharing your recipes, Gracie. I usually have one Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks each year, just as a special seasonal treat. It would be nice to make them at home instead. Your camping looks very nice, the trees there are very pretty this time of year. I enjoyed seeing your photos of the eclipse. We watched too but I had to go in early because the bugs were bothering me. I hope your cold is better soon. Have a good week.

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  8. I have tried so hard wiht pumpkin - soup, wine, pie, muffins etc. I just can't get to like the taste, so un-American! We had good views of the moon at the weekend too, I like that it was the same moon that you were looking at - makes me feel connected to the world. Jo x

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  9. I am sitting here thinking that some hot soup would be very nice right now! YUM. I think your shots of the supermoon/eclipse are quite nice! Makes me wish I had watched it. McIver is one of our favorite parks! We like the fish hatchery, forest, the Clackamas River--and of course, the horses (and their riders) you often see there. You live in such a lovely area Gracie.
    Blessings,
    Aimee

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  10. What a neat post, my friend! I'm so impressed with your Autumn camping! We'll have to check out McIver SP again.. I haven't been there since I was 18 years old. LOL! I must be the only one in the world that hasn't tried the pumpkin spice latte of fame.. smart of you to make your own recipe! I need to get some fall leaf photos.. they are starting to get glorious. Missed you at swimming! Get well fast, my good friend. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  11. Hello Gracie - lovely photos. The latte looks delicious as does the stew. Your leaf book is lovely as well. I did look out at about 3am at moon but it was not red at that point - was so tired so went back to bed and missed it. Today I went to Sugarcraft Class and then for lunch with two friends from the class. I am preparing for another card class. Hugs anne x

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  12. Those recipes are so perfectly autumnal - soup and pumpkins, just what I want to eat right now. Thank you for sharing them. The lunar eclipse happened at 3am here so I didn't get to see it. x

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  13. Greetings Gracie, thank you for sharing such wonderful recipes. I love the leaf art book you created. It's very pretty. The picture you snapped of the eclipse is amazing!

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  14. Your stew looks so good! I also enjoyed seeing your photographs it must have been wonderful seeing the moon light on Mt Hood too. I hope your cold is getting better. Sarah x

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  15. Those shots of the moon are just beautiful, Gracie. And your soup looks delicious. I made some vegetable beef soup here and I'll be eating it everyday til it's gone. What a good idea to bring your soup camping. What a perfect meal to eat outdoors on a cool evening. I hope you're feeling better. Take good care of yourself. xo

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  16. Your blog is filled with yummy things today Gracie. I think your coffee and soup sound delicious. I am so glad you had a grand time camping and your moon shots are so wonderful. It has been cloudy here so even if I love the moon I wasn't able to see it.
    Hugs to you,
    Meredith

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  17. Your last shot of the moon is great! The camping trip looks fun, and you are indeed starting to get some lovely fall colors!

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  18. Wonderful recipes Gracie-- count me in for the crockpot soup! Your camping trip looked to be wonderful- lovely photos. Your book is gorgeous-- the leaves are so pretty!!!

    Your captured some great images of the awesome moon:)
    Love
    Vicki

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  19. I will have to try your Pumpkin Spice Latte recipe. I can get pumpkin puree here in Glasgow, and should be able to approximate pumpkin pie spices. Your photos of the eclipse are amazing! My daughter was so sorry she missed it, but I think she would have been unable to stay up, or get up, in the middle of the night here. Thank you for your good wishes for us. It has been quite a challenging week here, but God is at work, as always. Your blog and your outlook on life are always so uplifting to me. Love to you!

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  20. Lovely Gracie and I do so love the moon xo

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  21. I missed this entry when you posted it, but that pumpkin spice latte really caught my eye! That's a pretty coffee cup you have there too. Love that. Pretty pictures, as always! ♥

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  22. Beautiful photos. That Latte looks and sounds delicious! I love your book. XOX

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