Yummies: Hey Pumpkin, you sooo yummy...we heart you!

Mmmmmm...it's that time again!

Crispy air (well kinda...not really in LA it's weird here...global warming anyone?), snuggly clothes, fireside kisses and the warmest most welcoming comfort food ever..that can only mean 1 thing.....

Wooo hooo...It's pumpkin time!

Not only are pumpkins suuuper yummy and make the most amazingly tasty treats and decadent desserts but they are uuuber healthy for you too.

They are chock full o' vitamins and great for your skin and health!

Done and pumpkin-y done!

Pumpkins are filled to the brim with Vitamin A, C, Zinc...along with potassium and carotenoids which are said to have great anti-cancer properties. Can you say all hail the Great pumpkin?!?

OMG!!!!! Speaking of the Great Pumpkin....

Remember every year around this time you (well we) would gobble up our dinner as fast as we could and smoosh on the couch to tune in to "It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown"? We just found out it was from 1966! That means when we were watching it when it was over 20 years old and we still hearted it!!!

There are sooo many great ways to use the pumpkin for the goodness of you and your loved ones tummies... Our favorite are the sweet ways ...well maybe a couple of savory but come on...what good are the holidays if we can't eat the sweets! (ok...ok.. yes family is good too but pumpkin ice cream and pie? Um..yeah...exactly!)

So, let's get on with it!

Pumpkins would be nothing with out pumpkin pie!

Miss Paula Deen, the Queen of excess butter and sugar dishes out one heck of a pumpkin pie!

It's TDF and super easy and fun to make...well not easy, easy but crazy worth the time.

What goes great with pie? Yuppers....ICE CREAM! ooops..sorry to yell, but you know how much we heart ice cream.

We found a stupendous recipe at Williams Sonoma to DIY the best pumpkin ice cream ever!

It's soooo good you won't know what hit you.

If you are pressed for time or just rather eat it then worry about making it, Ben and Jerry's came out with a pumpkin cheesecake ice cream that will make your toes curl!
Just don't read the calorie count...it ruins the fun.

One day in NYC last November my bf and I were walking arm in arm...swoon...and popped in the local Starbucks for a quick pick me up and snack and walked out with a super big culinary surprise.

In our hands we held the most delicious pumpkin scone ever!

It was so good that our bf who hates all things squash couldn't wait to go the next day (and the next) to get another.

And now, lucky t.w.h.-ers we bring you the actual Starbucks recipe of the tdf scones.

Here is another variation...just in case.

If he hasn't asked for your hand in marriage yet ladies...he will after he eats your tasty treats. You're welcome! Invite us when he does!

Need a faster, easier and packaged way to win over that someone special?

William Sonoma has an amazing pumpkin bread in a bag. Just add a few simple things to the mix and voila! The keys to a heart.

Wanna jazz up that bread you have at home? Put down the butter and jam and run to your nearest Crate and Barrel or Dean and Deluca to pick up some pumpkin butter and spread a lil love on that dry toast.

Or you can make your own!

P.S. It's super good on english muffins...not that we had 2 or 3 today with TJ pumpkin butter or anything...

Not all things pumpkin have to be sweet...some are so savory...so delectable, you will be in culinary heaven

Oh hello Pumpkin Ravioli in Sage Butter Sauce. How are you? Reeeally Good...we know!

Cuz you are from the wondrous Dame Martha Stewart.

Yes Por Favor...or shall we say Yes Por Flavor ;)

Another delish dish ala pumpkin is like a cashmere blanket on a super old day....or like a warm kitten sleeping on your tummy.

Cream of Pumpkin Soup with Cinnamon Croutons....Uh huh...you read that right!

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)

• 3 tablespoons margarine, softened
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 slices whole wheat bread
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 (14.5 ounce) cans veggie broth ;)
• 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F(200 degrees C). Combine butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Spread butter mixture evenly over one side of each bread slice. Place bread, buttered side up, on a baking sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until bread is crisp and topping is bubbly. Cut each slice of bread into 8 small triangles or squares.
2. Saute onion in butter in a medium saucepan until tender. Add 1 can veggie broth; stir well. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes.
3. Transfer broth mixture into the container of a blender or processor. Process until smooth.
4. Return mixture to saucepan. Add remaining can of broth, pumpkin, salt, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and ground pepper; stir well. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally..
5. Stir in whipping cream and heat through. Do not boil. Ladle into individual soup bowls. Top each serving with Cinnamon Croutons.

But not all pumpkin recipes are made to be eaten...some are made for your gorgeous face.

The enzymes and vitamins in the bright squash are insta brighteners, healers and moisturizers.

Glow like the goddess you are gals!

Ugghhh..I want to go to a pumpkin patch now...grab a few globes of orange and carve like there is no tomorrow...(that sounded super violent!...I just meant carve fun faces...no, seriously...my PMS isn't that bad)

the amazing pumpkin gutter

P.S. Pumpkin seeds are craaazy good for your too and a really yummy way to snack. Go here for a great recipe for an easy peasy snack.

DIB

xoxo t.w.h.

Yummies: My girl likes to coffee all the time..coffee all the time...coffee all the tiiiiimmmmee! (Hello?!?! Eddie Murphy anyone?)

OMFG we looovvveee coffee, as I am sure you know by now... in fact most of our bonding (along with our 3rd Musketeer, N.Y.) has been done in coffee shops around the globe.

But this is not a post about the great coffees, or coffee presses (which we super heart and are tres chic!), or espresso makers or brands of, or even how to make a cup o' joe...this is a post about coffee in general...because the gorge Miss Me covered all of that in her stupendous coffee post.

We heart coffee and all things with coffee....Ahhhhhh...yuummmmmm...coffee essence....

Now before we go on about the deliciousness of coffee and it's many yummy flavored yummies, many of us are worried about the pesticides in coffee and how cultivating coffee used with pesticides affects the environment...well here are some muy interestante factoids for you...

1. Although it is said that the pesticides used to protect the bean from, well pests, is not likely to ever end up in your cup..due to the crazy process the beans go thru (heating to 400 degrees, taken out of it's shell...) But we gals at T.W.H. do not care what they say... we heart Organic and the more Organic we all buy, the cheaper it will get and the better off the world will be.

2. Buy Fair Trade Sustainable Coffee, it will be as Organic as possible and is grown so purely by environmentally conscious farmers using socially progressive practices (ooohhh such big words!) to cultivate the beans.

3. Buy "Traditional Coffee"...coffee grown in Yemen, most of Ethiopia, and most of Sumatra Manhelding is as innocent and as pure as it gets because this is where coffee was birthed and grown before the evil pesticides and chemicals were introduced..and it's still made the same way.

FYI...most of our huuuge coffee conglomerates have Organic and Fair Trade coffee...so you can enjoy a cup or 4 with a peaceful mind...

Coffee Bean is the most socially conscious of all the big guys...yay! Ice Blendies with a heart!

Starbucks is putting a social effort into their business too...but they have a ways to go...keep it up guys...

But our fav (as mentioned before) is Intelligencia...they do the coffee industry right... with Organic and Direct Trade practices...they literally live for coffee and honor the countries they get it from...read more about how wonderful they are here...

Now that we can feel a wee bit better about our massive coffee indulging (addiction)...let's get crackin'...

Once upon a time, a young girl worked in a grocery store selling coffee and her boss came in with a case of bottles filled with chocolate colored liquid..."Is it cola?" she asked...

"Kind of" her boss answered..."It is coffee cola"

And that was it...her obsession began with coffee soda, she drank it every day and even poured it over ice cream for a delish coffee soda float...until it was taken off the market and she was heart broken...

Well little girl...here you go!!!!

Java Pop is the worlds first and maybe only organic, fair trade coffee soda...YES PLEASE!

You have to taste it...it's totally refreshing and super yummy...pour over vanilla ice cream and you are GTG!

MMMMMM...ice cream....

What better way to enjoy ice cream than with a pure coffee ice cream. As huge and loyal fans of anything coffee and anything ice cream, we were suuuuper excited to try Haagen-Daaz's coffee ice cream from their new line called Five.

With just 5 ingredients they created an unbelievable coffee ice cream...(OK...t.w.h...put down the spoon...step away from the Haagen- Daaz...yes we know it's the best coffee ice cream you have ever tried....)

Don't want the hassle of buying a java jolt...or need to stay away from the Haagen Daaz?

Have no fear...Coffee Nips are here!

These little creamy coffee flavored candies are like having the best cup of coffee (with cream and sugar of course) all wrapped up in a cute yellow wrapper.

Soooo yummy! Oh and P.S. they last forever! Woo hoo!

So we were driving by a Sonic Burger OK we were totally pulling in for their amazing fries) and saw this gorgeous sign hanging in the window...Mocha Chip Java Chiller...WHAT??? Yup!

It was TDF...real ice cream blended with espresso and chocolate...Done and (diet) done!

The only problem is making sure our car doesn't try to trick us and steer itself into the driveway when we pass it again...yeah it's a diet killing car.

Now, the only other thing that can make a cup of coffee taste even better on a slow starting, turtle pace moving morning is with a slice of Bittersweet Bakery's amazing Chocolate Chunk Coffee Cake.

It is totally TDF and guess what? We found a recipe pretty close to Bittersweet's...you're welcome!

Here it is....

Cake:

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup sour cream

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup chocolate chips

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Struesel:

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp. unsweetened cocoa

3/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, chilled, and cut into small pieces

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1/2-1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease a tube pan (also called an angel food cake pan). In a large bowl, beat sugar and butter at medium speed until lightened in color and well-combined. Add eggs, vanilla, and sour cream, beat until mixed well. Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt and mix until just combined. Mix in chocolate chips and nuts by hand. Scrape batter into pan.

For the struesel: In a medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and cocoa. Using a pastry cutter, two knives, or your fingers, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the nuts and chocolate chips, then sprinkle on top of the batter.

Bake for 50-60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Place on rack for 10 minutes. Carefully turn cake out on to rack upside down, then using another rack placed on the bottom of the cake, re-invert to right side up. Allow to cool completely.

But if you are a coffee purist and just want it straight up and hot in a cup...these fantasmic heart shaped cups will make your coffee taste even better!

OMG how cute are these?!?!?

Hello? Anyone? Xmas is coming up :)....just sayin....

And if you just want good ol' fashioned coffee but need your fix fast...and RIGHT NOW...ooops hee hee...

Starbucks new Via line of instant coffee will save your day

.

We did the taste test and were totally duped!

Please note...this is not your mom's Folgers instant coffee...

Via's little to go packets are filled with fine coffee powder and can be mixed in hot or cold water and taste delish!

So enjoy Mother Earth's eye opening gift...how ever you want...

xoxo t.w.h.