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Pumpkin Latte

When fall comes around there is nothing more that I want than a deliciously warm pumpkin spice latte in my hand! Something about a spicy, hot drink just makes my day in the simplest way! (Plus it keeps you warm in chilly weather!) Usually the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte is a staple of my fall diet, so you can imagine my delight when I came across this recipe for homemade pumpkin lattes courtesy of Perfectly Imperfect.

Pumpkin Spice Latte

Ingredients for 2 servings

• 2 cups milk (whole, reduced fat or skim) or half and half
• 2 tablespoons canned pumpkin puree
• 1 or 2 tablespoons sugar, Stevia or Splenda
• 2 tablespoons (yes, tablespoons) vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (or your choice of nutmeg, ginger, cloves, cinnamon and allspice)
• 1-4 shots espresso or very strong coffee

Directions

1. Brew your espresso or strong coffee. If brewing strong coffee, use double the amount of ground coffee you would in your regular coffee.
2. Combine milk (or half and half), pumpkin, sugar, and pumpkin pie spices in a small saucepan. Heat until very hot, but do not boil.
3. Remove from heat and add vanilla.
4. Transfer to a blender (or a milk frother) and blend until frothy.
5. Pour 1 cup warm pumpkin milk mixture into coffee mug and add 1-4 coffee shots.

Tumblr Fan?

If yes, then you should check out my Tumblr account here! I’ve kept it for a while so there are tons of photos on there of pretty, quirky things that make me happy…. and who doesn’t need a little happiness once in a while!

The Perfect Bruschetta

If I could eat only one food for the rest of my life, it would probably be bruschetta…

Bruschetta is a delicious and easy precursor to any meal. Yet, I find that most places butcher this simple appetizer by drowning it in seasonings, or using too many ingredients, or (even worse) serving it on soggy bread. In my opinion, the perfect bruschetta has the following:

Lightly Toasted Italian Bread

Minced Garlic

Diced Tomatoes (without the seeds)

Diced Onion

Basil

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl with a splash of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Then spoon it onto the toasted bread. Simple!

Piece of Cake

Would you ever make your own wedding cake?

Personally I would be too terrified to attempt such a daunting task (especially with my very limited baking skills), but it seems like more and more people are taking it upon themselves to create their own little slice of heaven.

This coconut cake from Martha Stewart looks luxurious and delicious, and Southern Living’s amaretto cake is fun and light-hearted. Both were made from scratch, and with a little love (and a lot of really superb lighting) they came out looking sweet enough to eat!

Happy Weekend!

I don’t know about you, but to me this week seemed like the longest four-day week of all time.  It’s weeks like these that give us a reason to celebrate the week-end where we can catch up with people we love, watch a movie in bed, or sleep in. This weekend I plan on beginning my job search (gasp!), and doing a little of the aforementioned weekend activites. What are your plans for this weekend? If you’re like me, you will inevitably lose at least one hour of the weekend to aimless web browsing, so I’ve helped you begin by posting a few food and health-related things I’ve found this week:

Like everything that Smitten Kitchen does, this tart looks delish.

A fall-friendly margarita (for those of us who aren’t quite ready to let go of a summer favorite).

…and something to put said margarita on: I own these coasters from the hilarious Anne Taintor.

Soda-free is the way to be.

Finally, this dinnerware from Kate Spade is sure to make any healthy meal look fabulous.

Have a happy, healthy weekend everyone!

Pillow Talk

How much do you love these throw pillows?

They are the creation of British designer, Stephen Reed, and I just cannot get enough of them. They add personality and humor to any space, while serving a completely practical (and comfy) purpose. I truly  adore them.

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They speak for themselves.