There are only so many days left until the corn season will be behind us. I wanted to take advantage of this opportunity to have fresh locally grown corn for as long as possible. Fresh corn on the cob is my simple and easy way to enjoy it. At other times I like to make Corn Chowder. A hot bowl of this soup filled with chucks of sweet corn kernels, creamy potatoes, crunchy bacon bits, and melted cheddar cheese is a delicious combination for a hardy fall soup. If fresh corn is not available, frozen corn can be substituted and can be made anytime of the year.
A simple and delicious dessert to make this fall season is Poached Pears. Serve it as is or with whipped cream, chocolate/caramel sauce, ice cream, or a sprinkling of nuts and honey. These are wonderful combinations. Make it a day ahead and store the pears in the refrigerator with the syrup until ready to serve.
While I was preparing the pears and prepping the ingredients to be added to the pot, the scent of cinnamon, vanilla, and citrus filled the kitchen. Fall was in the air. It intensified as the pears slowly simmered over the hot stove. For the rest of the day, my house had a lovely sweet scent as if I’ve been busy baking all day. I discovered this Poached Pears recipe in Baking With Julia cookbook and have been using it for many years.
The change in season is upon us and with it comes the new routine and activities. The kids are back in school and signed up for soccer this fall. I have begun the cleaning process in the garden and around the yard while Bill tackled some of the miscellaneous repairs and unfinished projects in and around the house. The days are full and the list of things to do is unending. Finding some quiet time to yourself to unwind… with a hot cup of coffee and a good book to read is always an excellent idea.
After the last photo of this Plum Cake was taken and some of the precut pieces were shared with the family, the temptation to sample another little piece was definitely on my mind. And of course, I gave in repeatedly throughout the day until only some crumbs and a piece or two were left. This is a sweet-light cake with a slight tartness from the addition of plums. A simple and versatile cake to pair with coffee or tea for breakfast, slice a piece for an afternoon snack, or serve it as an after dinner dessert. Before serving the plum cake, sprinkle it with confectioners’ sugar or top it with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream. Simply delicious!
I hope you are enjoying the warm weather and soaking in the long summer days. It has been awhile since my last post, and I hope to get back into the swing of things after the summer break. I’ve been posting on Instagram @whitegunpowderliftstyle, of our daily happenings and thoughts if you want to check it out and follow us there. If you were to ask me about my summer, “busy” would describe it. But, if you were to glance at my bare calendar with a few penciled in reminders it would contradict what I just said. The daily life has been filled with mostly little things that come in waves depending on the weather or who one of my kids is in contact with. There was one big travel plan for Bill and our daughter, Grace, to explore the country of Turkey and Greece in July. After much thought, we decided to cancel it with so much uncertainty and unrest happening in that part of the world. Staying close to home felt like the right thing to do this summer.
This blog post is a follow up to my last year’s blog post, Summer (teen) packing list…destination Cape Cod. My intention was to put it together and share the photos my daughter, Hannah took on her trip to the east coast. Soon after she came back, life had a way of changing things and it was put off and shoved on a shelf {in a computer file} to collect dust for over a year until I came upon it recently. I hope you enjoy this follow up post of the beautiful beaches of Plum Island and a visit to a favorite lighthouse in Gloucester, Massachusetts.
