Weak-In-The-Knees Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake

I hear that patience is a virtue. Have you heard that rumor, too? Does that mean if we don't have patience that we are virtueless? Certainly not. If we didn't have patience before, could it be acquired over time? Most definitely! I'm living proof. Let's just say I've come fashionably late to the patience party. Always better to arrive late that not at all, I say. So how does this relate to me and the kitchen? One word - baking. Now there's something that hasn't come naturally to me. The precision. The balance. The patience. So when I find a recipe that makes it look like patience and I are a whole lot better aquainted than we actually are, a recipe that is a "put-a-smile-on-the-family-faces" recipe, a recipe that slides right into the hustle and bustle of the busy holiday season, then I've got a recipe that makes me go weak in the knees! And all the better if it tastes so good that after one bite it makes me and my family sink down into our chairs, gleefully anticipating each and every bite to come (weak-kneed, of course).

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An Interview with Chef Neal Fraser ~ Roasted Squash and Chestnut Soup

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Not too long ago a family friend told Hubby about Chef Neal Fraser. He asked Hubby if he thought I'd be interested in interviewing the Chef. Hubby said he didn't think so. Hubby said no because he knew that not long before I had a less-than-appealing encounter with a chef that, well, left a bad taste in my mouth. I had said to Hubby that it would be a while before I would be willing to deal with any chefs again. It was one of those bruised ego moments that thankfully passed quickly, and I knew our family friend wouldn't offer up just anyone to me, so I decided to go ahead and inquire. I'm so glad I did, too, because Chef Fraser is an enthusiastic and passionate chef, who not only is working on realizing his dream location for his restaurant "Grace" in the summer of 2011, but he does a lot of philanthropic work, too. Take a listen to our chat, get to know Chef Fraser, and let him walk you through how to make his Roasted Squash and Chestnut Soup recipe! Tomorrow, I'll share with you my version of the recipe.

Chef Fraser, THANK YOU! We here appreciate you taking time out of your busy, busy schedule to chat with us. :-)

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Plum Frangipane Tart ~ Chef Gisele Perez ~ A Shared Recipe

Woo-Hoo!(I'm doin' a little happy dance!) My friends, you are in for a real treat! Today Chef Gisele Perez from Small Pleasures Catering and the blog painperdu is sharing her recent prize-winning recipe Plum Frangipane with you! Some of you may recognize Gisele's name from my interview with her a while back. It's so special to be able to share with you another one of Chef Gisele's recipes. Thank you Gisele!

Gisele created her Plum Frangipane Tart for a friendly food-bloggers cooking competition, which was part of a special food-blogging day that I was able to attend last weekend. About 60 food-bloggers had the pleasure of attending Patti Londre's Camp Blogaway Day Camp! And as always Patti, from Worth The Whisk, provided us with a day filled with learning and fun. And while I'm at it, a big bear hug for Bob Woods who hosted us for the day at his Viking Showroom in Baldwin Park, CA. What a treat it was to be able to sit amongst the beautiful Viking kitchen appliances and think about what my dream kitchen might look like some day! Thank you to Bob, and his staff for providing the perfect setting for all of us crazy kitchen fiends. To top it off, Mr. Woods and Viking provided the prizes for the winners of the cooking competition, which means Gisele won a lovely Viking hand blender. Congratulations Gisele!

Personally, I'm very much looking forward to this coming Sunday, Oct. 3rd, because I'll have a chance to try Gisele's tart again, but this time a fig version. Oh YUM! You, too, could taste it....Gisele's Fig Frangipane Tart will be available for tasting at the LA Helps LA event - tickets are still available if you'd like to join the fun. Raffle tickets are available, too, and you don't have to be present to win...come on you know you want to help out a good cause, have a chance to win some great prizes, and taste this wonderful recipe! Contact Gisele for tickets if you've got some time on Oct. 3rd between 3pm and 7pm. Hubby and I will be there. If you can't join us I guess you'll have to go ahead and give Gisele's recipe a try all on your own. It will be worth it. Enjoy!

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Day Dreamer Desserts ~ Fuji Apple Sake Zabaglione

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What a pleasure it is to have dessert-maker Josie Tavares visiting with me in the kitchen today. It's been a while since we've focused on any desserts here. With Fall in the air and the holidays not too far off, it's a welcome change of pace!

I've been getting to know Josie over the last few months, mostly through her blog, Day Dreamer Desserts, which, by the way, is pretty darn fantastic! There are a lot of clever ideas waiting for all of us there! Josie is a self-proclaimed "mad scientist" in the kitchen. I say, if her creative work and day dreaming about desserts is "maddness", bring on the white jackets! 

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Cindy Epstein Food Styling - Cool Summer Soup Series

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Have you ever wondered who makes food look so darn tasty in all of those food photographs you see in magazines and cookbooks? You would think it's the chef, or the photographer, who sets up the food for the picture, but most often it's not. This is where the food stylist walks in. Did you even know that job existed?

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