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Really Good Cider Mulled Wine

Recipes

Friday
Sep / 20 / 2019
Comments 0

Homemade and really Good Cider Mulled Wine #apple #cider #mulled #wine #fall #cocktail #recipe

This Cider Mulled Wine is my latest fall go-to. It’s a delicious way to warm up on a cool autumn day, plus it will make your kitchen smell incredible.

Here on Inspired by Charm, I’ve shared a delicious mulled wine AND a tasty mulled cider. Today, I’ve combined the two to create this fabulous Cider Mulled Wine. It’s the best of both worlds!

Cider Mulled Wine:

One of the things I associate with crisp autumn days is mulled cider. It’s always on my fall bucket list. Even though the official start of fall for those of us who live in the northern hemisphere is still a few days away, I’ve just checked that item off my list by whipping up a batch of this Really Good Cider Mulled Wine. (For more of my “Really Good” recipes, click here.)

What I love about this recipe is that it requires only a few ingredients, and most are things you’re likely to have on hand. Plus, if you don’t count the mulling time, everything comes together in mere minutes.

Let me walk you through the recipe and share a few of my tips for a Really Good Cider Mulled Wine.

Side note: The adorable “Forever Fall” are unfortunately no longer for sale.

How to Make Cider Mulled Wine:

Here’s what you’ll need.

a bottle of dry white wine: I used Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc. It’s a staple at my house so I typically have a couple of bottles on hand.
fresh apple cider: The fresher the better. Pick it up at a local farm stand or farmers market if possible.
mulling spices: You can use what you like best. I like making my own. You can get my recipe here. If you don’t have mulling spices, some cinnamon sticks, cloves, and allspice will work just fine.
apples and oranges: You could get away not using these, but I think a few slices are the perfect finishing touch.

You can make this recipe on your stovetop or in a slow cooker. I chose to use my stove because I’m always looking for an excuse to pull out one of my Staub Cocottes. This particular one is new to my collection. It’s the ideal size for this recipe.

To get this recipe going, pour the apple cider and the wine into your cooking vessel of choice.

Then, add the mulling spices. You’ll want to put them in a bag like this one. This keeps the spices contained while infusing all of that delicious flavor into your cider and wine. As I mentioned above, any mulling spices will do. If you’d like to make your own as I did, you can find my recipe here.

The next step is to set the burner or slow cooker on low and let the spices mull in the cider and wine mixture for about 2 hours. I realize that seems like a long time, but it’s essential for getting all of the wonderful flavors from your mulling spices.

The added benefit is that while it simmers, your kitchen will smell amazing…like when you walk into Williams-Sonoma! That smell is one of the reasons I enjoy serving this recipe when I have friends and family over to my house.

Just before ladling it into mugs, toss in sliced apples and oranges. I put in a couple of cinnamon sticks for aesthetic purposes as well. (I found these longer cinnamon sticks on Amazon. Their size makes them great for a cocktail garnish.)

You can keep this warm on the stove (or in your slow cooker) for up to two hours.

I love this recipe as is, but if you want to give it an extra kick, feel free to add a splash of spiced rum, brandy, or bourbon.

That’s it, my friends! I hope you will find lots of reasons to make this Really Good Cider Mulled Wine during the cooler months ahead.

Want more fall cocktail recipes? You’ll love these too:

Really Good Cider Mulled Wine:

Really Good Cider Mulled Wine

| Prep Time: 5 mins | Cook Time: 2 hrs

Did you make this recipe? Leave a review!

This Cider Mulled Wine is my latest fall go-to. It's a delicious way to warm up on a cool autumn day, plus it will make your kitchen smell incredible.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons mulling spices*
1 750 ml bottle dry white wine I used Sauvignon Blanc.
4 cups apple cider**
1/3 cup honey
1 orange sliced
2 apples sliced
Additional cinnamon sticks for garnish

Instructions

Begin by filling a spice bag with your mulling spices.
In a heavy-bottom saucepan or a slow cooker, add the bagged mulling spices, wine, cider, and honey. Mix to combine. Cover and cook on low for 2-3 hours. Remove the bagged mulling spices and discard them.
Before serving, stir in the orange and apple slices. Serve immediately or keep covered and set on low (warheat.
If desired, add a splash of spiced rum, brandy, or bourbon just before serving. (I usually don't do this because I think the depth of flavor is delightful as is.)

Recipe Notes

*You can get my recipe for Homemade Mulling Spices here. You could also substitute your favorite mulling spice blend. Alternatively. you can use a couple of cinnamon sticks, five whole cloves, and five whole allspice.

**Feel free to add another cup of cider if you want more apple flavor.

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Moody Fall Mantel Decor

Interiors

Thursday
Sep / 19 / 2019
Comments 18

Unique ideas for Moody Fall Mantel Decor #fall #decor #mantel #decorating #ideas #vintage

Inspired by a vintage painting from an antique store, this moody fall mantel is a fun example of unexpected and non-traditional autumn decor.

Even after blogging for more than 10 years, I am always humbled by your love and comments. I will never be able to express how much your kind words mean to me. Yesterday, when I shared my Fall Living Room, I was immensely touched by your responses to the post. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!!

As promised, today I’m going to tell you more about my moody fall mantel decor. I could have included this information yesterday, but I had too many pictures, plus I felt like the mantel deserved a bit more attention.

This year I decided to try something new with my fall decorating. As I just wrote that, I realized I didn’t style the mantel for fall last year. I did, however, give it a spooky chic Halloween look.

The inspiration for this fall’s mantel came from two places. First off, I spotted this vintage painting last year while antiquing. There was something about it that intrigued me and made me bring it home. I hadn’t yet found a spot for it, so I thought I’d give it a try on the living room mantel. It fit perfectly!

Someone on Instagram messaged me yesterday and said, “LOVE .. but to be honest, don’t get the portrait over the mantel.” I don’t get it either; I just like it. And that’s probably all that matters. The great part about decorating is that we get to experiment to our heart’s content. In another two months, everything on my mantel will come down and be replaced with things for the holidays. I will admit that all of these decor changes are a bit anxiety-inducing for me since my decorating attempts are on the internet for anyone to see. Of course, sharing my decor is one of the purposes of this blog!

Okay, back to the mantel. While the painting provided the initial inspiration, a trip to a Roxanne’s Dried Flowers gave me more inspiration. This fun shop is located in the Strip District in Pittsburgh. Every time I walk in there I feel inspired. (Roxanne’s Dried Flowers is a brick-and-mortar business, but it does have an online shop in case you’re not local.)

With colors from the painting and my living room decor in mind, I picked up a bag full of goodies at Roxanne’s: bearded wheat bundles, blue vases, a variety of feathers, small tea light cups, a beautiful fern, and a unique vessel for it.

I arranged all of the items on the mantel and was pleased with how things were coming together but knew it needed something else.

A few days later I stumbled across a collection of gold and glass candle holders in the clearance section at Target. I think they were close to 80% off. What a steal! I thought the touch of gold and glow of candles would be the perfect addition to my fall mantel.

I also picked up this unique match cloche at another local shop, Von Walter and Funk. Not only is it a practical way to light the fireplace and all of those candles, but it’s also a beautiful decorative item.

I wanted to tie in some of the burgundy and red colors from the painting, so I pulled inspiration from myself. (Go figure!) and decided to resurrect one of my old fall DIY projects. All I did was wrap embroidery floss around a bundle of the wheat. I love this simple technique and thought it would give the mantel arrangement the color I was after. (You can find my full Color Wrapped Wheat Tutorial here.)

For a final touch, I tucked in a few of my velvet plush pumpkins that fit the mantel color scheme. I didn’t want the decor to scream “fall,” but I did want to incorporate a conventional autumn element.

With the addition of the pumpkins, clearance candle holders, and colorful wrapping on the wheat, my fall mantel was complete!

I think it turned out well. It’s moody, cozy, vintage, fresh, and masculine AND it speaks to the season. On top of that, when the candles are lit, it has an almost magical quality. What do you think?

The live fern was a fun way to give a nod to the final days of summer. Temperatures are still in the high 80s here, so it’s not feeling fall-like. (As some of you may know, I love to include a green or botanical element in my designs.) I also thought the fern added a woodsy/spooky element, which seemed especially appropriate for the season. Now, if I can just remember to keep the fern watered, it should last me through the season.

And that’s it! I hope this post gave you an idea of how this moody fall mantel decor came together. If you have any questions, please post them in the comments below.

Do you like to try new things with your decor, or do you stick with what you know and love? How will you create a moody fall mantel in your home?

Spooky Fall Mantel Decor Sources:

Artwork: Vintage
Wheat Bundles: Bearded Wheat in Natural Black
Blue Containers: Calhuna. Container
Feathers: Roxanne’s Dried Flowers (not listed)
Fern: Roxanne’s Dried Flowers (not listed)
Fern Urn: Roxanne’s Dried Flowers (not listed)
Small Gray Tealights: Roxanne’s Dried Flowers (not listed)
Brass Candleholders: Target (no longer sold)
Jar of Matches: Match Cloche (Smoke)
Velvet Pumpkins: Plush Pumpkin

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Vintage Modern Fall Living Room Decor

Interiors

Wednesday
Sep / 18 / 2019
Comments 55

Vintage Modern Fall Living Room Decor Ideas #fall #decorating #decor #ideas #livingroom #vintage #modern

It’s a new season, which means it’s time to give my decor a bit of a refresh. Come take a peek around my vintage modern fall living room!

Not only am I sharing a look into my living room decorated for autumn, but a few of my blogger friends are joining in on the fun for another Seasons of Home collaboration. Once you’ve finished here, please check out all the links at the end of this post. The beautiful fall living room decor is an inspiring feast for the eyes.

Vintage Modern Fall Living Room Decor:

For some reason, I always like to give my decorating styles a name. Given my use of vintage finds and new treasures, it seemed like vintage modern was the perfect descriptive phrase for my latest fall living room decor.

As you will see, I didn’t go “in-your-face-fall”. There aren’t a bunch of pumpkins, gourds, or splashes of orange. It’s more of a subtle seasonal vibe. As much as I LOVE classic fall, I decided to challenge myself to do something different, and this is what I came up with.

Side note: I will provide as many sources as possible for the items in this space. Visit the end of the post for a complete list.

Many furnishings in the space will look familiar. Shortly after Christmas last year, I replaced the furniture in this room, and I’ve been loving it ever since. The two sofas make this space function exactly how I had hoped. You can sit on either to watch the TV or gaze at the fire. (I’ll be so excited when the temperatures drop enough for me to light it for the first time this season.)

I did swap out the sofa pillows because the lavender and mauve ones I had in spring and summer just didn’t seem to fit for fall. I often get pillows at HomeGoods, but surprisingly this time I found exactly what I wanted at Target. In general, I prefer down-stuffed pillows over poly fiber-filled ones. However, these new ones will be perfect for the season, and the four largest ones are pretty cozy.

I also picked up another pennant pillow from Fabric Scout Studio! This Pennsylvania pennant goes great with the pillows I got at Target!! (You might remember I used a pennant pillow in my One Room Challenge Bedroom Makeover and in my apartment bedroom Christmas tour.)

You might have noticed that I switched around the artwork a bit in the living room. In the last month or so, I’ve visited a lot of antique and thrift stores in search of vintage art. One of my latest collections is this display of vintage paint-by-numbers. Most of the paintings are recent finds, but you might recognize the one that hung above the kitchen sink in my Pittsburgh loft apartment.

I don’t know why, but at the moment I’m slightly obsessed with them. It’s been exciting to hunt for them when I’m out antiquing.

If you’re very perceptive, you may have noticed that in the photo above, this view of the room looks a little different

First, there is no longer a closet on the right side of the room. It was removed during my recent kitchen remodel. Behind the paint-by-number grouping is my new pantry. My carpenter did an amazing job matching the wall paneling. He cut every grove by hand and matched the spacing of each panel. I was impressed!

You can get a sneak peek of my new powder room on the left. I will be sharing that space next week. (What’s holding up the reveal is the placement of the hand towel bar. I’m not sure where to put it. And, since the wall is papered, there is zero room for error. Jesus take the wheel!)

On the opposite wall, I hung two vintage panoramic photos. One shows a military troop; the other is of a family reunion here in Pittsburgh. They’re both from the early 1900s. I was so lucky to find them.

Fall Living Room Decor Mantel Decorating:

I likewise decided to try something different on my fireplace. (I wrote a separate post all about my mantel decor. You can find that here.)

Last fall I found this vintage portrait of a man smoking a pipe. It was love at first sight. Not only is it in excellent condition, but I thought it was so well done. I loved how vibrant the colors are and knew it would be a fun addition to this room. I figured I’d just hang it on the wall, but before I did I tried it on the mantel.

I don’t think he will hang there forever, but that painting sure makes for a unique mantel. Once the art was in place, I needed a few things to dress it up.

One of the stores I love in the Pittsburgh Strip District is Roxanne’s Dried Flowers. (You can shop their website if you’re not local, but it’s well worth a visit if you ever find yourself in this part of Pennsylvania.) I stopped in a few weeks ago and picked up a slew of goodies, including wheat bundles, vases, containers, tea lights, and a fern.

I arranged all of the items on the mantel and then added gold and glass candle holders I’d found in the clearance section at Target. What a serendipitous find! I think they work wonderfully here.

I also wanted a way to incorporate the red and maroon colors from the painting, so I recreated one of my past DIY projects and wrapped embroidery floss around a few pieces of the wheat. (You can find the full tutorial for the original project here. It’s still one of my all-time favorite fall crafts.)

For an overtly fall touch to finish off the mantel, I did incorporate a few of my velvet pumpkins. It was great fun to experiment with a different look! I especially like it when all of the candles are lit. Again, I’ll share more details about my moody fall mantel tomorrow or Friday.

Again for more details on my mantel, visit this post here.

Oh, and I also JUST found this vintage wood chest which I placed beneath one of the windows. I got it the day before I shot these photos so I didn’t have a chance to style it, but I think it’s an excellent fit for this room. (At least until the holidays when I will need to move it to put up my Christmas tree.)

And that’s it, my friends! I’d say this space is ready for a new season. (Did you spot Frankie?)

Now I’m curious: What do YOU think? Do you like this non-conventional approach to fall decorating or do you miss all the pumpkins and orange gingham?

As I mentioned above, you will find even more fall decorating inspiration by clicking through all the beautiful fall living rooms linked below.

Happy Decorating!

EDITED TO ADD: I did end up adding some flowers to the brass vase on the coffee table. I couldn’t find the perfect blooms when I originally shot this space. The two photos below were a day later.

Fall Living Room Decor Sources:

Sofas: Ravity Sofa in Hailey Linen
Ottoman: Leather Topped Ottoman
Sideboard: Hughes Kelly Sideboard
Large Knit Pillow: Knitted Pillow in Ivory
Maroon Lumbar Pillow: Woven Stripe Pillow in Berry
Gray Blue Pillow: Windowpane Pillow in Blue
Pennant Pillow: Fabric Scout Studio
Throw: HomeGoods
Round Mirror: Umbra Wall Mirror
Bar Cart: Libations Bar Cart
Gold Coupe Glasses: Pryce Gold Coupe Glasses
Brass and Marble Lamp: Sphere + Stem Table Lamp
Mirrored Tray: Grant Mirror
Wall Sconces: Black Swing Arm Sconce
Rug: Buffalo Plaid Rug

MANTEL DECOR
Artwork: Vintage
Wheat Bundles: Bearded Wheat in Natural Black
Blue Containers: Calhuna. Container
Feathers: Roxanne’s Dried Flowers (not listed)
Fern: Roxanne’s Dried Flowers (not listed)
Fern Urn: Roxanne’s Dried Flowers (not listed)
Small Gray Tealights: Roxanne’s Dried Flowers (not listed)
Brass Candleholders: Target (no longer sold)
Jar of Matches: Match Cloche (Smoke)
Velvet Pumpkins: Plush Pumpkin

VINTAGE ITEMS: Paint-by-Number Artwork, Panorama Photos, Brass Pitcher

Seasons of Home Fall Living Room Decor:

Ella Claire | Inspired by Charm | Handmade Farmhouse | Rooms For Rent

Julie Blanner | Craftberry Bush | Zevy Joy | My Sweet Savannah

Boxwood Avenue | Dear Lillie | Nina Hendrick Design Co. | Maison de Cinq

Keeping it Cozy | French Country Cottage

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Pumpkin Pull-Apart Bread

Recipes

Tuesday
Sep / 17 / 2019
Comments 17

You'll love this delicious Pumpkin Pull-Apart Bread recipe! #pumpkin #pullapart #bread #loaf #pumpkinspice #dessert #recipe

This Pumpkin Pull-Apart Bread makes a delicious fall treat. Packed with pumpkin and spices, you can serve this dessert recipe for a brunch/breakfast treat or as a special dessert. Topped with a cinnamon glaze, this seasonal bread will have everyone coming back for more.

If you are a fan of pumpkin and pumpkin spice, you’re in for a treat today. Not only am I showing you how to make this Pumpkin Pull-Apart Bread, but I’m back with my Tastes of the Seasons friends who are all sharing a pumpkin-inspired recipe. With some sweet and some savory ideas, there’s a recipe for everyone.

After sharing my recipe with you, I will link up all of my friends so you can continue your hunt for the ultimate pumpkin-inspired treat! If you’re looking for more of my Tastes of the Season recipes, click here.

Pumpkin Pull-Apart Bread:

Back in 2013 (which is hard to believe was six years ago), I made a Lemon Pull-Apart Bread. I’m a bit embarrassed to link it here as my photography and blogging skills have improved greatly since then. I made this Lemon Pull-Apart Bread for an Easter get-together, so the process was somewhat rushed. I don’t even have pictures of it pulled apart.

Anyway, ever since I made that recipe several years ago, I’ve been wanting to try other varieties. I came across a recipe for this Pumpkin Pull-Apart Bread in Taste of Home magazine a few years ago. After some recipe testing and a few modifications, I’m thrilled to share this delicious fall recipe with you.

How to Make Pumpkin Pull-Apart Bread:

This is a yeast-based recipe. Although I realize that might scare some of you off, let me assure you that working with yeast is easier than you might think. I’ll admit it takes a tad more time due to the rising process, but it’s worth it.

You begin by preparing the pumpkin dough and letting it rise.

Once it’s ready, you roll it out on a floured surface. Then you top it with a pumpkin and spice filling and sprinkle that with brown sugar and cinnamon.

Next, it’s time to create those pull-apart layers. First, cut the dough into five 12×4-inch strips.

Then, stack the strips together and cut them into five 5×2.5-inch pieces.

Finally, transfer the stacks to your prepared loaf pan.

It sounds complicated, but it’s quite simple. I took pictures along the way, so I hope those help you see what to do.

You’ll want to let the dough rise one more time before baking. Get ready for your kitchen to be filled with the scent of pumpkin and spice. It’s so good!

Once the loaf is cooled, drizzle it with a cinnamon glaze. Your Pumpkin Pull-Apart loaf is now ready to be devoured!

Pumpkin dough layered with more pumpkin, cinnamon, spices, and brown sugar … what’s not to love? After making this recipe, I was reminded why I love pull-apart bread so much. It’s hard to beat flakey layers packed with delicious seasonal flavor.

You can see all of that pumpkin and spice goodness baked between the layers. Yes, it tastes as good as it looks!

Enjoy this Pumpkin Braed? You’ll love these pumpkin-inspired treats:

I hope you enjoyed this delicious Pumpkin Pull-Apart Bread recipe. Want more? Be sure to check out all of the pumpkin recipes linked below!

Happy Baking!

Pumpkin Pull-Apart Bread Recipe:

Pumpkin Pull-Apart Bread

Servings: 8 servings | Prep Time: 20 mins | Cook Time: 35 mins | Rising Time: 1 hr 40 mins

Did you make this recipe? Leave a review!

5 from 2 votes

Ingredients

3/4 cup milk
1 package active dry yeast
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
3 tablespoons butter melted
2 tablespoons sugar
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups all-purpose flour

Pumpkin Filling:

1/2 cup pumpkin puree
3 tablespoon butter melted
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Filling Topping:

3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Cinnamon Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 pinch kosher salt
1-2 tablespoons milk

Instructions

Add the milk to a small saucepan. Heat until just warm (105-120 degrees F). In a large bowl, combine the warm milk and yeast. Stir to dissolve. Set aside for about 10 minutes.
To the milk and yeast mixture, add 1/2 cup pumpkin puree, 3 tablespoons melted butter, sugar, egg yolk, and salt. Beat with a mixer on medium until just combined. Add half of the flour. Beat on low for about 30 seconds. Scrape the bowl as needed. Beat for 3 minutes on medium. Then stir in the remaining flour.
Shape the dough into a ball; then place in a greased bowl. Cover with a tea towel and let rise in a warm place for about 50 minutes. The dough should double in size.
Spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan with baking spray. Set aside.
Turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface. With a floured rolling pin, roll the dough out into a 20x12-inch rectangle.
In a medium bowl, mix 1/2 cup pumpkin puree, 3 tablespoons melted butter, cinnamon, kosher salt, nutmeg, and ground cloves. Spread this over the dough. Sprinkle evenly with the filling topping of brown sugar and cinnamon.
Cut the dough into five 12x4-inch strips. Then, stack the strips together.
Cut them into five 5x2.5-inch pieces. Transfer the stacks to your prepared loaf pan. Let rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes or until it about doubled in size.
While the loaf rises, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Bake for about 35 minutes or until golden brown. (If needed, you can loosely cover the bread with a piece of foil to prevent over-browning.) Cool for about 15 minutes; then remove from the pan.
In the meantime, prepare your cinnamon glaze by whisking to the powdered sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt. Add as much milk as needed, one tablespoon at a time, to create a glaze that can be drizzled.
Transfer the loaf to a serving dish, and drizzle with the prepared glaze.

Tastes of the Season Pumpkin Recipes:

Deliciou Pumpkin Pecan Coffee Cake by Ella Claire & Co. | Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Roll Hack by Craftberry Bush | Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal by Tidy Mom | Moist Pumpkin Bread by Happy Happy Nester

Pumpkin Cake by Julie Blanner | Pumpkin Streusel Muffins by French Country Cottage | Gluten/Dairy Free Pumpkin Thumbprint Cookies by Zevy Joy | Pumpkin Smoothie by Town and Country Living

Pumpkin Pull Apart Bread by Inspired by Charm | Pumpkin Cookie Butter S’mores by Nest of Posies | Best Pumpkin Pie by anderson + grant | Pumpkin Bruschetta by My Sweet Savannah

Baked Pumpkin Spice Donuts by Jenna Kate at Home | Pumpkin Smoothie Bowl by Tidbits | Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins by My 100 Year Old Home |Keto Pumpkin Muffins by Summer Adams

Pumpkin Cupcake Mason Jar Triffles by Home Made Lovely | Favorite pumpkin Spice Sheet Cake by Handmade Farmhouse | Healthy Pumpkin Bread with Chocolate Chips by Boxwood Avenue | Pumpkin Lasagna by The Chronicles of Home

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Bourbon Cherries

Recipes

Monday
Sep / 16 / 2019
Comments 8

These homemade Bourbon Cherries are a delicious and easy-to-make treat. You can use them for garnish on a cocktail, serve them on a dessert bar, or gift them to special people in your life!

Bourbon Cherries

Last week, I shared my Pumpkin Old Fashioned recipe. If you saw that post, you may remember that I used bourbon cherries as a garnish for the cocktail. I promised that I’d share my recipe for Bourbon Cherries with you, so today I’m going to show you how to make them.

As I mentioned, I’ve been enjoying bourbon lately. I like to mix it with things, such as apple cider and cranberry juice, and typically, a cherry is an appropriate garnish. I’ve been using these Luxardo Maraschino Cherries, which I love, but I thought I’d try my hand at making my own. Instead of making sweeter cherries like the Luxardo, I opted for bourbon-soaked ones.

They are surprisingly easy to make!

How to Make Bourbon Cherries:

Start by prepping your cherries. Clean them, remove the stems, and then remove the pits. I used this cherry pitter, and it made the job easy.

Once your cherries are ready, pack them in mason jars. You’ll need 4 or 5 pint-sized jars. (As you’ll see, I had extra cherries so I ended up with 6 jars.)

Now, it’s time to make the bourbon syrup. In a medium saucepan, heat the bourbon and sugar just until the sugar dissolves. Let the syrup cool for 15-20 minutes and then pour it over the cherries.

What bourbon should you use for Bourbon Cherries?

You can use whatever bourbon you like best, but I recommend something that isn’t top shelf or super expensive. My favorite bourbon is Four Rose Single Barrel. I also like Bulliet. Bulliet is a bit lower in price, so that is what I used for these cherries.

If you want your syrup to have a seasonal flair, add some cinnamon sticks and oranges. I kept my cherries neutral because I didn’t want any additional flavors to limit my use of them in future cocktail making.

And that’s it! Put lids on the jars and pop them into the refrigerator.

I recommend waiting at least one week before serving the cherries. You can store them in the refrigerator for up to one year.

While these cherries pack a punch on their own, they also make the perfect cocktail garnish. They aren’t as sweet as a Luxardo or traditional maraschino cherry, but I think you’ll find them just as delicious. Plus, it’s great to say that you made them!

Cocktail Recipes to Use Bourbon Cherries:

Whether you plan to keep them for your cocktail making adventures or give them as a gift, I hope you enjoy this recipe for Bourbon Cherries!

Cheers!

Bourbon Cherries Recipe:

Bourbon Cherries

| Prep Time: 20 mins | Cook Time: 5 mins

Did you make this recipe? Leave a review!

These homemade Bourbon Cherries are a delicious and easy-to-make treat. You can use them for garnish on a cocktail, serve them on a dessert bar, or gift them to special people in your life!

Ingredients

3 1/2 cups bourbon
1 cup sugar
4 cups sweet cherries pitted and stems removed

Instructions

Add the bourbon and sugar to a medium saucepan. Simmer on low heat until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and cool for 15-20 minutes.
Divide the cherries into mason jars. You'll need 4 or 5 pint-sized jars.
Pour the bourbon syrup over the cherries until it completely covers the fruit. Put the lids on tightly and store the cherries in the refrigerator. I recommend waiting 1-2 weeks before serving the cherries.
These cherries can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one year.

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Pumpkin-Inspired Fall Recipe Card Printable

Life

Friday
Sep / 13 / 2019
Comments 2

2017 Fall Pumpkin-Inspired Recipe Card Free Printable #printable #recipecard #fall #pumpkin #recipe #card #printables

Download and print these free pumpkin-inspired fall recipe cards. Double sided, with ample room for instructions, you’ll have a place to save your favorite fall recipes.

Pumpkin-Inspired Fall Recipe Card Printable

Autumn. It’s the time of year for pumpkins of all sizes, foliage radiant with color, … and fall recipe cards from IBC!

These fall recipe cards made their debut on the blog in 2017 when I posted about my Butter Pecan Cupcakes. What a tasty treat those cupcakes are – regardless of when you make them! You can find the recipe here. Cupcakes aside, to help organzine things better here on the blog, I’ve decide to give these printable recipe cards their own dedicate post.

That post includes a photo of the Butter Pecan Cupcakes recipe written on one of these fall recipe cards. As you can see, the cards are generously sized with spaces for the recipe name, how many it serves, the total time it takes, and whose kitchen it comes from.

In case you’re new to IBC, I started offering free printable recipe cards in 2016. Since then I have created three annual collections of recipe cards, which can be downloaded and printed on cardstock.

These original designs are my gifts to you. They’re a way of saying thank you for following Inspired by Charm and joining in my decorating, cooking, entertaining, and DIYing adventures.

For these fall recipe cards, I went with a plethora of pumpkins. And in keeping with the other cards in the 2017 collection, they have a watercolor look.

I think these cards turned out beautifully. The back is different from the 2017 spring and summer recipe cards, but I hope you like it.

If you like these fall recipe cards, you’ll love these too:

The download is free, so you can print as many as you like.

Download Printable Fall Pumpkin Recipe Cards Here:

You can access the download in the IBC Printable Library which can be found HERE.

If you’re new to Inspired by Charm, you can get instant access to this library by SUBSCRIBING HERE. Once subscribed, you will instantly receive an email that contains a link to this download.

Already a member of the IBC Mailing list? You can find the password to to access the library at the bottom of the latest email from Inspired by Charm.

As always, if you use any of my printables, I would love to see them! Be sure to share them on Instagram and tag @inspiredbycharm.

Enjoy these fall recipe cards and the beauty of autumn! It’s my favorite season.

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Roasted Brussels Sprouts Recipe for Fall

Recipes

Thursday
Sep / 12 / 2019
Comments 0

These Roasted Brussels Sprouts with apple, cranberries, and pecans make a tasty fall side dish. #sidedish #fall #recipe #roasted #brusselssprouts #apple #cranberries

Roasted Brussels sprouts are a favorite of many folks. For fall, you can easily ramp up this tasty side dish with apples, cranberries, and pecans!

If you would have told me back in elementary school that one day I’d love a Brussels sprouts recipe, I would have told you that you’re crazy. Flash forward 20 years, and now I order Brussels sprouts almost every time I see them on a menu. They are also in my rotation of foods to fix at home.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts:

Several years ago I shared this recipe for Roasted Balsamic Brussels Sprouts. It’s still my usual way of preparing them. However, sometimes I like to mix things up and try something different: hence, this roasted Brussels sprouts recipe for fall. (In case you’re interested, you can see how I served this seasonal dish in my recent fall table decorations post. Just click here.)

With the added flavors of Honeycrisp apples, sweet dried cranberries, and crunchy pecans, this recipe is sure to be a hit with your family. Pair these roasted Brussels sprouts with your favorite meat for a weeknight dinner or double the recipe and serve them as a side at your next holiday feast.

Let me show you how to make them!

How to Make Roasted Brussel Sprouts:

Begin by preparing your Brussels sprouts. Simply cut off the ends and slice them in half.

After tossing them on a baking sheet, drizzle them with olive oil. (You can find my olive oil pitcher here.) Then sprinkle them with salt, pepper, and creole seasoning. I love this particular creole seasoning and use it on so many things. If you don’t have it, cayenne pepper is a wonderful alternative.

At this point, I like to mix up everything with my hands. It’s the easiest way. I then arrange all of the Brussels sprouts cut side down on the baking sheet. I like to brown the cut side, and this placement ensures that happens.

Next, pop the Brussel sprouts in the oven for about 15 minutes. After you remove them from the oven, toss in the apples, dried cranberries, and pecans. This time you’ll want to use a spatula to mix everything. (There’s no need to arrange the Brussels sprouts cut side down this time since they’re already browned.)

Roast for another 10 minutes and remove from the oven!

Then transfer everything to a serving platter and drizzle with red wine vinaigrette. You can use your favorite homemade recipe or a store-bought version. I’ll be sharing my recipe for Red Wine Vinaigrette with you in the coming days. Stay tuned!

And with that, your Roasted Brussel Sprouts for Fall are ready!

The flavor combination in this recipe is s-o-o-o good. I love the sweetness and tartness of the apples and cranberries with the bit of crunch from the pecans. No one will be able to say no to this Brussels sprouts side dish.

Give this Roasted Brussels Sprouts Recipe a try! I can’t wait to hear what you think.

Looking for more Fall-inspired side dish recipes? Try these:

Roasted Brussel Sprouts Recipe:

Roasted Brussels Sprouts for Fall

| Prep Time: 10 mins | Cook Time: 25 mins

Did you make this recipe? Leave a review!

Roasted Brussels sprouts are a favorite of many folks. For fall, you can easily ramp up this tasty side dish with apples, cranberries, and pecans!

Ingredients

1 pound Brussels sprouts trimmed and halved
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon Creole Seasoning* (I like Tony Chachere's)
1 cup sliced apple I used Honeycrisp.
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup red wine vinaigrette** homemade or store-bought

Instructions

Begin by preheating your oven to 400 degrees F.
Place the prepared Brussels sprouts onto a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and then sprinkle with salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Toss the Brussels sprouts with your hands to make sure they are evenly coated. Then arrange them cut side down onto the baking sheet. Roast for 15 mintes.
Remove from the oven and mix in the sliced apple, dried cranberries, and chopped pecans. Roast for an additional 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven and transfer to a serving platter. Drizzle with red wine vinaigrette. Serve immediately.

Recipe Notes

*I really enjoy this creole seasoning. If you don't not have this on hand, cayenne pepper is a great alternative. I would use about 1/4 teaspoons. Adjust to taste.

**I will be sharing my Homemade Red Wine Vinaigrette recipe with you soon.

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Pumpkin Old Fashioned

Recipes

Wednesday
Sep / 11 / 2019
Comments 4

Cheers to fall! This Pumpkin Old Fashioned is a seasonal take on the classic libation. Made with real pumpkin, maple syrup, and bourbon, it has all the flavors you love and expect in a fall-inspired cocktail.

Pumpkin Old Fashioned:

This past week I brainstormed a few drink ideas to take advantage of the flavors of fall. Autumn seems to come and go so quickly, so I’m starting now to create as many of these seasonal cocktails as possible. I’m kicking things off today with the Pumpkin Old Fashioned that debuted in my post on fall table decorations. In case you missed that post, click here.

Two or three years ago I decided to learn how to appreciate and even like bourbon. Why? Well, have you ever seen a movie or TV show where the actor pours a shot of bourbon from a beautiful decanter into his/her rocks glass and takes a sip? I’m not sure why, but I’ve always thought that was so cool. That’s the reason (albeit a silly one) I wanted to like bourbon.

While I’m not at the point of drinking it straight up, I have developed an appreciation for bourbon. It all started when I created this Cranberry Bourbon cocktail. During the holidays it’s still a go-to in my home.

I’ve also come to like Old Fashioneds. I even shared this Cranberry Old Fashioned recipe last year. It’s a delicious cocktail for the holidays!

How Do You Make a Pumpkin Old Fashioned?

The first requirement is a good bourbon. There are lots out there. After sampling a few, I found I prefer Four Roses Single Barrel. It’s a bit pricey at $40 a bottle, but I enjoy the taste. I also don’t drink it very often, so it lasts a long time.

The remaining ingredients in a classic old fashioned are sugar (either a sugar cube or simple syrup), bitters, sometimes water, and an orange peel and cherry to garnish.

For this Pumpkin Old Fashioned, however, there are a couple of substitutions and an addition:

Instead of sugar, we’ll use maple syrup
Instead of classic Angostura bitters, we’ll use black walnut bitters.
And we will add a bit of pumpkin puree.

The process of making a Pumpkin Old Fashioned is pretty simple. In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine the bourbon, maple syrup, pumpkin purée, and bitters. Shake vigorously.

Add ice to a rocks glass; then strain in the cocktail mixture.

Then squeeze an orange peel over the cocktail to release the oils, Also rub the orange peel around the rim of the glass.

You can garnish this old fashioned any way you choose. I like to throw in the orange peel and add a homemade bourbon cherry and a cinnamon stick.

A Few Notes About Making a Pumpkin Old Fashioned:

I recently made homemade bourbon-infused cherries. That’s what I used in my cocktail. You can find the recipe here. If you prefer not to make homemade cherries, these Luxardo Maraschino Cherries are amazing. I love them. They come with a hefty price tag, but they are worth it.

Also, if you’d like, you can use classic Angostura bitters. I think the black walnut bitters work well in this recipe because of their nutty flavor, but use what you have. (Because I’m weird about drink ingredients, I now have more bitter flavors then I will ever need.)

In my opinion, Finding Home Farms has the best maple syrup. Pure/real maple syrup is a must in this cocktail. Do not use maple-flavored syrup, such as Aunt Jemima or Mrs. Buttersworth’s.

You can find the gold cocktail picks I used here and the gold cocktail shaker here. The glasses are vintage.

Now that we’ve taken care of these things, it’s time to sip your Pumpkin Old Fashioned. Although my description is detailed, this cocktail is simple to put together.

Want more fall cocktail recipes? You’ll love these too:

I think you’ll agree that this Pumpkin Old Fashioned is both beautiful and delicious! In case you haven’t yet become a fan of bourbon, just add a little more maple syrup or a splash of water.

Cheers, friends!

Pumpkin Old Fashioned Recipe:

Pumpkin Old Fashioned

Servings: 1 cocktail | Prep Time: 5 mins

Did you make this recipe? Leave a review!

5 from 1 vote

This Pumpkin Old Fashioned is a seasonal take on the classic libation. Made with real pumpkin, maple syrup, and bourbon, it has all the flavors you love and expect in a fall-inspired cocktail.

Ingredients

2.5 ounces bourbon (I prefer Four Roses Single Barrel)
2/3 ounce pure maple syrup* (I prefer Finding Home Farms)
1 tablespoon pumpkin purée
1-2 dashes dashes black walnut bitters**
Orange peel, cinnamon stick, and a bourbon cherry for garnish

Instructions

In a cocktail shaker with ice, combine the bourbon, maple syrup, pumpkin purée, and bitters. Shake vigorously.
Add ice to a rocks glass, then strain in the cocktail mixture.
Squeeze the orange peel over the top of the cocktail to release the oils; then rub the orange peel around the rim of the glass.
Garnish with orange peel, cinnamon stick, and a bourbon cherry***.

Recipe Notes

*Use real maple syrup. Adjust the amount to suit your preferred level of sweetness.

**Standard Angostura bitters work well here, too.

***My recipe for homemade Bourbon Cherries will be posted soon. I will update this recipe with a link once that post is up.

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Old Meets New: Colorful Fall Table Decorations

Interiors

Tuesday
Sep / 10 / 2019
Comments 36

Colorful and Chic Fall Table Decorations and Fall Dining Room Decor Ideas #fall #table #decorations #diningroom #ideas #decor #tablescape

My dining room table is set for fall! I hope you enjoy seeing how I combined old and new in my fall table styling as you gather a few ideas for your own fall table decorations.

Have you started planning your table decorations for fall? Are you excited about the prospect of adding fall flair to your home’s eating area? If so, today you are in luck. My Seasons of Home blogger friends and I are back to share our fall table decorations!

Fall Dining Room Decor and Table Decorations:

We are giving you a peek around our dining rooms and hopefully sharing some inspiration for you to decorate your own. As usual, I’ve linked all of my friends at the end of this post. Once you’ve checked out things here, be sure to take a look at their lovely dining rooms and table decorations!

I am one of those people who relishes styling a table. It is great fun to start with a blank canvas and create a beautiful and unique tablescape. Although I’m pleased with how this table turned out, I struggled with it at first. So, instead of just showing you the finished product today, I thought you might be interested in my process, that is, how everything came together. Sound good?

As you may know from my fall kitchen tour, I recently completed a major kitchen remodel which also affected my dining room. As these photos show, other than the table and chairs (and a fabulous new chandelier), this room is empty. It also happens to be white.

Sidenote: If you’re looking for any sources for items seen in the post, I’ve linked up whatever I could below.

Fall Table Decorations – New Finds:

I’m always on the lookout for interesting and one-of-a-kind table decorations. Many of the items in my fall tablescape came into my life through chance or happy coincidence, although a few intentional details at the end did bring everything together.

While I was at HomeGoods about a month ago, I spotted this plaid tablecloth. I’m a sucker for plaid, and I love the colors in this one. The orange, tans, and single maroon/plum stripe in this plaid are gorgeous (though it is hard to compete with the plaid tablecloth I used last fall).

I happened to have these plum-colored napkins from two years ago. (You might remember that I used them for the fall table decor in my Pittsburgh apartment.) The napkins bring out the maroon/plum stripe in the tablecloth, so I knew they’d work perfectly.

Speaking of napkins, I also found these adorable mouse napkin rings. You know that I like to include a quirky element on my table, and these little guys were it. You don’t notice them until you get up close.

The ceramic and black pumpkins are other items I’ve had for a couple of years. (The white pumpkins came from HomeGoods and Grandin Road and the black pumpkins were from West Elm. Unfortunately, the Grandin Road and West Elm ones are no longer sold.)

I’ve used these pumpkins time and again – I love their modern, chic aesthetic. Because the large black chandelier is such a statement piece in this room (especially given the minimal decor), I wanted a way to pull black into the table decorations.

That’s also why I used this matte black flatware from Target and the black pillar candles, also from Target.

Because I can’t seem to get enough gold (and it works perfectly for fall), I created an arrangement in this gold vase. (I got it at Target a couple of years ago.)

The other new element I picked up for this tablescape are the pumpkin paper placemats. After selecting the tablecloth, I bought the placemats intending to use them here.

Fall Table Decorations – Old (Vintage) Finds:

Lately, I’ve been doing a lot of antiquing. With so many great stores in the Pittsburgh area (A post about my favorites is coming soon.), I’ve spent hours exploring them. I’ll admit that at times it can be tedious and often I come home empty-handed, but when I do find a treasure, I’m overjoyed!

I called this post “Old Meets New” because I used several of my thrifted finds for this table. These weren’t items I specifically bought for this fall table, but they ended up working beautifully!

These drinking glasses might be among my most recent favorite finds. Besides wanting to tie in the black of the chandelier as I previously explained, these glasses were a big reason I decided to bring black into this tablescape. With their gold filigree, they also inspired some of the gold elements.

I was lucky enough to score a set of six for $10 at an antique store that had them marked 50% off.

I found these wood bowls last summer. I think natural wood is an excellent choice on a fall table, which is why I decided to use them here. Coincidentally, they work beautifully with the floor. That wasn’t intentional and it’s not critical; it’s just something I noticed as I was editing these photos.

With all of the above items in place, I had one more purchase to make the morning I photographed my fall table decorations. I visited Neighborhood Flea (a little monthly flea market here in Pittsburgh) where my favorite local flower farm, Pisarcik Flower Farms, has a booth. I was hoping they would have some coordinating blooms, and to my delight, they had just what I needed. I combined a few different bouquets to create this arrangement.

While at the flea market, I noticed that another seller had these adorable little plates. I assume they were once used for salt, butter, or even caviar. I thought they’d make a great addition to my table and could be used for a pat of butter.

And finally, a small brass mouse (another thrifted object) sits next to my flower arrangement for still another unexpected and fun element.

Per usual, I created a few treats to go with my table. The first is a Pumpkin Old Fashioned. Recently, the Old Fashioned has been my go-to cocktail, so I had to try out a version for fall.

I was happy with the flavor combination on this one. It looks festive, too! You can grab the recipe for this delicious fall-inspired Pumpkin Old Fashion here. Cheers, friends!!!

Another thing I’m loving is Brussels sprouts. I’m glad they are making a comeback since folks have figured out a way to cook them so that they are delicious! Roasting is my favorite method, and that’s what I did here.

For a fall twist, I mixed them with sliced Honeycrisp apples and dried cranberries.I love the sweet element with my Brussels sprouts. You need to give this recipe a try. They would be delicious for any week night dinner or even Thanksgiving. You can find the recipe here.

My Old Meets New Colorful Fall Table is now complete! How’d I do?

Want more fall dining room decor ideas? Check out these ideas:

Fall Decor Ideas for Your Dining Room
Fall Entertaining In the Kitchen (Pumpkin Shaped Cheeseballs!)
Fall Style in the Dining Room (my Pittsburgh apartment)
Chic and Colorful Outdoor Fall Tablescape
Colorful Fall Entertaining Ideas
Fall Cork Leaves: DIY Table Decorations
Fall Dining Room Decor and Entertaining ideas (at my old House)

As you can probably tell, this tablescape didn’t come together instantly. I didn’t have a clear plan, and I struggled a bit. I had to make a few last-minute trips for goodies, keeping my fingers crossed that I’d find what I needed.

I’m not sure if sharing my process has been helpful, but I hope it’s encouraging and somehow inspiring. Tablescapes, like other types of decorating, take time. It’s important to know, however, that if you buy what you love, somehow it all has a way of looking fabulous together. Try new things, use what you have, but most importantly: have fun!

Okay, friends, I think that’s a wrap for today. Thanks for sticking with me.

Fall Table Decorations Sources:

Dining Room Chandelier: Radcliffe 30″ Round Bare Bulb Chandelier (Oil-Rubbed Bronze)
Dining Table: Gracehill Dining Table
Dining Chairs: Davin Chair, White
Paper Placemats: Pumpkin Placemats
Mouse Napkin Rings: Gold Napkin Ring or Set of 8 Napkin Rings
White Dinnerware: Hue White Dinnerware
Wine Glasses: Edge Red Wine Glasses
Pillar Candle: Unscented Black Pillar
Gold Candle Holder: Gold Candle Dish
Black Flatware: Matte Black Flatware Set

Items No Longer Sold: plum napkins, gold vase

Vintage Items: black and gold glasses, brass mouse, small decorative plates, wood bowls

Seasons of Home Fall Table Decorations:

If you’re looking for additional fall table decorations and dining room decor ideas, be sure to visit my friends below. They’ve all created beautiful and stylish spaces. Enjoy!!

Ella Claire & Co. | Dear Lillie | Zevy Joy | Rooms for Rent

Inspired by Charm | Craftberry Bush | Maison de Pax | Julie Blanner

The Handmade Farmhouse | French Country Cottage | My Sweet Savannah | Maison de Cinq

City Farmhouse | My 100 Year Old Home

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Cinnamon Apple Cheesecake Bars

Recipes

Monday
Sep / 9 / 2019
Comments 5

These Cinnamon Apple Cheesecake Bars are a delicious fall dessert recipe. #apple #cinnamon #cheesecake #bars #dessert #recipe #fallbaking #apples

These Cinnamon Apple Cheesecake Bars are a delicious dessert for fall (or any time of the year). With their graham cracker crust and cinnamon, apple, and cream cheese filling these bars give you the yumminess of cheesecake without all the work.

Cinnamon Apple Cheesecake Bars Recipe:

In recent years, it seems that pumpkin spice has become one of the top flavors of fall. As much as I love all things pumpkin, I’m also a huge fan of cinnamon apples and apple cider. That’s why I decided to make these cheesecake bars that are loaded with cinnamon and apple flavor. If you want a break from pumpkin, I think you’ll love these as much as I do.

Lately, I’ve been having so much fun baking. (Perhaps it’s because in my new kitchen I finally have a full-size oven after going without one once for more than a year.) If I didn’t have other things on my must-be-done list, I’d bake for days straight. As it is, I’ve been planning out multiple recipes, shopping, and then baking 4 or 5 things in succession. I crank up my music, clear off the countertops, and get to work. It’s been pure pleasure! I don’t even mind the dishes.

My latest creation is these Cinnamon Apple Cheesecake Bars. Let me tell you how to make them.

How to Make Cinnamon Apple Cheesecake Bars:

Recently, when I’ve made bar cookies or certain cakes, I’ve started by lining the pan with either aluminum foil or parchment paper. This makes removal from the pan so easy. However, if you plan to eat your cake or cookie bars straight out of the pan, you can skip this step.

Next, make the graham cracker crust and press it into the prepared pan. This crust in this recipe is a pretty standard one, except for the cinnamon.

While the crust bakes and then cools, prepare the cheesecake filling. Soften the apples first by cooking them in a skillet with a little butter. Set them aside to cool.

Then whip up the cheesecake batter by combining cream cheese, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and cinnamon.

Fold the cooled apples into the cheesecake mixture and then pour it onto your graham cracker crust that’s also been allowed to cool. Bake for 35-40 minutes.

The hardest part of this recipe is waiting for it to cool before diving in. Let the cheesecake bars cool on the counter for about an hour and then chill them in the refrigerator for another 3-4 hours.

Before serving I like to dust the top of these bars with cinnamon. I recommend using a shaker like this one.

And that’s it, my friends. Your delicious Cinnamon Apple Cheesecake Bars are ready to be devoured! Yum!!

I bet you can almost taste these bars. Fall apples in a creamy cheesecake filling on a crunchy graham cracker crust, all with a hint of cinnamon spice. What’s not to love?

This is an easy and fun recipe your family and guests will enjoy throughout the season and beyond. Happy baking!

Looking for more fall-inspired apple recipes? Try these:

Cinnamon Apple Cheesecake Bars Recipe:

Cinnamon Apple Cheesecake Bars

Servings: 24 bars | Prep Time: 20 mins | Cook Time: 50 mins | Cooling Time: 4 hrs

Did you make this recipe? Leave a review!

Ingredients

Crust:

2 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup butter melted
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Filling:

3 medium apples peeled, cored, and chopped (about 3 cup(I used 2-Granny Smith and 1-Honeycrisp.)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese softened
3/4 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon plus extra to garnish

Instructions

Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees Then, line a 13x9-inch baking pan with foil. Coat the foil with baking spray.
In a bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, butter, sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Pat the crumb mixture into the prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes; then cool on a wire rack.
While the crust cools, prepare the filling by cooking the chopped apples in butter in a large skillet. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until the apples are tender. Allow the filling to cool.
In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs, vanilla, and cinnamon. Then gently fold in the apples. Pour this filling over the crust.
Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until set. Let the cheesecake bars to cool on a wire rack for at least one hour. Then cover them and refrigerate for 3-4 more hours before serving.
The foil can be used to lift the bars from the pan. After cutting the bars, sprinkle with a little cinnamon to garnish.

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Blackberry Pear Pie

Recipes

Thursday
Sep / 5 / 2019
Comments 6

Fall meets summer in this Blackberry Pear Pie. Rich in color and flavor, this delicious dessert perfectly blends the best of both seasons.

Blackberry Pear Pie

Yesterday I shared my fall kitchen decor, which includes lots of ideas and inspiration for fall decorating. In that post, I also teased you with this amazing Blackberry Pear Pie. I’m excited to bring you the recipe today.

Even though “fall” unofficially starts after Labor Day, I realize that for many folks it’s a bit early to dive into a pumpkin pie when the calendar says it’s still summer. To remedy the situation, I decided to merge the two seasons. By taking a bit of summer (blackberries) and a bit of fall (pears), I’ve created one dessert that you can enjoy now or when autumn officially arrives.

As you will discover, this pie is a lovely combination of flavors and colors. It’s inspiring me to create a cocktail with the same flavor profile. Wouldn’t that be yummy?

How to Make Blackberry Pear Pie:

I started things off with my go-to pie crust recipe. You can use your favorite recipe or even opt for store-bought.

Inspired by Charm’s Go-To Pie Crust recipe can be found here. Lately, I’ve been skipping the food processor and instead using a pastry blender to incorporate the flour into the butter. I then use my hands to mix in the iced water. I like being able to feel the dough to get the perfect texture.

Once the crust is made, it’s time to whip up the filling. Just stir together the prepared pears, blackberries, cornstarch, orange zest, and salt. I used Bosc pears. I prefer them for baking. Anjou also work well.

With everything ready, it’s time to assemble the pie.

This ruffled pie dish is my new favorite. I love it because the edge is so easy to finish. Simply trim off the excess dough, leaving about a 1/2-inch hanging over the edge of the dish. Then, tuck that excess 1/2-inch under, and you have a beautifully clean edge.

Pour the filling into the pie shell.

For a festive fall touch, I cut out leaf shapes using some of the remaining dough*. I used these cookie cutters. I also love these cutters (which I own but wasn’t able to find in my baking supplies).

*You will only need about 2/3 of the dough. You could use the leftover dough to make my Cinnamon Sugar Pie Crust Cookies or even a small Berry Crostata.

Once all of these shapes are cut out, place them on top of the pie filling. Brush the pieces and the edge crust with a mixture of egg yolk and cream. Then sprinkle everything with coarse sugar.

I love coarse sugar on pastry. Not only does it add an extra touch of sweetness, but it adds a little sparkle, too.

The pie is now ready to go in the oven. As with most pies, I start at a higher oven temperature and then lower it during the baking process.

This particular pie got slightly dark on top because I accidentally set my oven to 475 instead of 425. (I guess I’m still learning out to work my new range. Oops!)

If you notice that your pie is getting too dark, loosely set a piece of aluminum foil on top. This will slow down the browning. Remove it when you’re happy with the color.

And with that, your summer-meets-fall pie is ready to enjoy!

Want more blackberry and pear recipes? Try These

I love this combination of flavors. To take it over the top, serve it warm with ice cream. Yum!!

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do. Happy baking!

Blackberry Pear Pie Recipe:

Blackberry Pear Pie

| Prep Time: 25 mins | Cook Time: 1 hr 30 mins

Did you make this recipe? Leave a review!

5 from 1 vote

Fall meets summer in this Blackberry Pear Pie. Rich in color and flavor, this delicious dessert perfectly blends the best of both seasons.

Ingredients

1 recipe Inspired by Charm's Go-to Pie Crust*
5 cups peeled cored, and chopped pears (I used about 6 Bosc pears.)
2 containers (6 ounces each) blackberries
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1-2 teaspoons grated orange zest
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons cream or milk
Coarse sugar

Instructions

Begin by preparing your pie crust. (I've listed my go-to recipe below. You can use your favorite recipe or even store-bought crust.)
To make the filling, in a large bowl stir together the prepared pears, blackberries, sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, orange zest, and salt.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Then, on a lightly floured surface roll out 1 disc of your prepared pie dough into a 12-inch circle. Transfer the dough circle to your pie pan. Trim off any access dough and save. Crimp the pie dough edges or tuck them under for a clean look.
Roll out the saved dough and about 1/3 of your second disk of dough. Use cookie cutters to cut out leaf shapes.
Add the filling to the pie shell; then arrange the dough shapes onto the filling.
In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and cream. Brush over the dough. Sprinkle with coarse sugar.
Place the pie on a baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes at 425 degrees Then, reduce the temperature to 325 degrees Bake for 60-70 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.** Place the pie to a wire rack so it can cool.

Recipe Notes

Inspired by Charm's Go-To Pie Crust recipe can be found here. Lately, I've been skipping the food processor and using a pastry blender to incorporate the flour into the butter. I then use my hands to mix in the iced water.

* You will only need about 2/3 of the dough. You could use leftover dough to make my Cinnamon Sugar Pie Crust Cookies or even a small Berry Crostata.

**I should note that my crust is a little dark because I accidentally had my oven set at 475 to start. I typically start baking my pies with a small piece of aluminum foil on top to prevent over-browning. If your crust is getting too dark, I recommend doing the same.

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Simple Fall Decorating Ideas for the Kitchen

Interiors

Wednesday
Sep / 4 / 2019
Comments 54

Simple Fall Decorating Ideas for the Kitchen #fall #decor #decorating #kitchen #ideas #autumn

Add a touch of autumn to your home with these simple fall decorating ideas for the kitchen. From decor to fresh flowers and sweet treats, you can dress up your kitchen for the season in no time at all.

After sharing the big reveal of my kitchen remodel with you last week (Click here if you missed it.) I’m back with another tour of my kitchen. It’s a bit different this time, however. My Seasons of Home blogger friends and I are back for another year of inspiring seasonal decor ideas.

We are kicking off our 2019 season by sharing fall decorating ideas for the kitchen! After you’ve checked things out here, be sure to take a look at everyone’s festive fall kitchen space. I’ve linked all of them at the end of this post. A special shout-out to the amazingly talented Kristen of Ella Claire and Co. for organizing this fun blogger event!

Since we are in the early days of “fall” (According to the calendar, it’s actually still summer), I added just a few simple fall-inspired decorations to my space. These easy ideas will work whenever you decide to start decorating for autumn. Implement them now, or pin a few for later reference.

Fall Decorating Ideas for The Kitchen

Let me walk you through my Fall Decorating Ideas for Your Kitchen!

Kitchen Sources: If you’re looking for a full list of kitchen sources (appliances, paint, lights, tile, etc.), please visit this post here. If you’re looking for a source list of decorative items that appear in this post, please scroll to the end of this post.

Add Colorful Blooms and Fall Foliage

The first thing I did was buy a bunch of flowers. Lately, I’ve been picking up flowers from a local flower farm (Pisarcik Flower Farm, if you are local). They grow the flowers they sell, and you can’t beat their beauty. The colors, shapes, sizes, and varieties are incredible. I’m a huge fan of their dahlias.

However, because of my schedule, I ended up shooting my kitchen on Labor Day and couldn’t get my blooms from Pisarcik Flowers. Fortunately, Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods were open so I was able to get what I needed.

I mean, how gorgeous is this collection of flowers just sitting in my sink!? Gah!

I prepped all of these flowers and put together little arrangements which I spread around the kitchen. Lately, my go-to vessel for easy flower arrangements is one of the inexpensive white pitchers I’ve found at HomeGoods. I love that the pitchers typically have a small opening at the top (which makes arranging super easy). Plus, white goes with any flower and any season.

In my pantry, I used this small ironstone creamer. It’s amazing how much life and color a small botanical element gives a space. To me, it’s just lovely.

Decorate with the Harvest

I also took advantage of the seasonal harvest. Since it’s still a bit early, the selection of pumpkins is limited. I made do with apples, pears, and squash! I grew the spaghetti squash and butternut squash in my garden. How’s that for inexpensive decor!?

I found this basket at a local shop, House15143. It’s one of my new favorite shops here in Pittsburgh.

Since I had so many apples, pears, and squash, I ended up filing up bowls and baskets with them. This is not only a great way to decorate for the season, but also a subtle reminder to bake up something delicious. (Like my Aunt Maybe’s Apple Strudel!)

I also added some faux pumpkin to the shelves in my pantry. (Faux works when the real harvest isn’t ready.)

I’ve had these brass (West Elm) and white (HomeGoods and Grandin Road) pumpkins for several years now. They are some of my favorite fall decor. I make use of them every year.

Baking Something Seasonal

Speaking of baking, since I knew you were coming, I decided to whip up a pie! Because I had pears aplenty, and summer blackberries are still available, I combined the two to create this amazing Blackberry Pear Pie. (You can find details on the recipe here.)

Boy, is it delicious! Just as summer gradually melds into fall, it perfectly blends flavors of both seasons. (Of course, this recipe will be equally wonderful later in the fall if it’s still too hot for baking where you live!)

I served up my pie on this vintage wooden tray I found at a local antique shop a couple of years ago. I love using aged wood like this for fall. It reminds me of barns and crates of pumpkins.

I also picked up this gorgeous tea towel at another fabulous antique shop: Vintage Revival. The color combination is unique and so pretty! And the towel features pears, which couldn’t have been more perfect with my pie.

Add Functional Decor that Feels Seasonal

On my custom work table, I decided to set up a cocktail station. I thought this was a great way to show how seasonal decor doesn’t need to be something literal like a pumpkin or an apple. Here, golds, wood tones, canned bourbon cherries (I’ll be sharing this recipe soon!), and a splash of bourbon create the feeling and look of autumn. I probably wouldn’t leave this up all the time, but it’s a fun display for guests.

For those of you who follow IBC, this set-up may remind you of my Apple Cider Sidecars. I made them last year, and they have become a must-make fall cocktail around here. I think you’ll love them, too!

You could create a more permeant installation by setting up a bar cart or using a small countertop area or shelf to create your cocktail moment.

Some useful items like matches and cinnamon sticks in pretty containers also make great decor.

I also set out my favorite “Forever Fall Mugs”. You may remember last year I made hot apple cider in them. They are from a local shop, Lily and Val. Unfortunately they are not available this year. (Though they do have lots of other cute goodies!)

Incorporate Unique or Quirky Elements

Finally, I don’t believe any space is complete without a few unique, personal, or even quirky elements. Let me show you what I mean.

In my pantry, I’ve displayed this set of salt and pepper shakers shaped like football players. (How perfect for fall!? I found them at a local antique store.) Not only are they cute, but since I shared them on Instagram a few weeks ago, it’s been fun how they sparked a conversation about what people thought they were upon first glance. Those thoughts included sumo wrestlers and maidens with big buns in their hair. Love it!

As I also mentioned when I shared my kitchen reveal, I’ve started a collection of vintage metal trays on the wall in my pantry. While the designs vary, several of the plates are specific to Pennsylvania. They include images of the state flower and names of towns/cities in the Keystone State.

Finally, I’ve been adding to my collection of vintage brass animals. This pig, which I recently found at a flea market, is the perfect bit of bling on my range. What do you think?

And with that, I’d say my kitchen is ready for the start of a new season. I hope you picked up a few simple fall decorating ideas for YOUR own kitchen!

Want more fall decorating ideas? Check out these ideas:

Fall Decor Ideas for Your Dining Room
Fall Entertaining In the Kitchen (Pumpkin Shaped Cheeseballs!)
My Favorite Fall Decor Ideas
My Favorite Fall Recipe Ideas

It’s been a pleasure showing you around my new space. I hope you enjoyed this fall tour. Again, if you want to see more of my kitchen or have questions about finishes and selections, visit this post here for all the details.

Fall Kitchen Decorating Sources:

Cocotte: Staub White Pumpkin Cocoette
Olive Oil Pitcher – Spanish Oil Pitcher
Ruffled Pie Dish: Emilie Henry 10 Inch Ruffled Pie Dish
Cinnamon Sticks: Williams Sonoma Cinnamon Sticks
Matches: Paddywax Jarred Matches
Knife Block: Zwilling Pro Holm Oak Knife Set
Candle: Moss Scented Candle
Cloche: Small Glass Candle Cloche
Rosemary Tree – Live Rosemary Topiary Tree
Wall Clock: Brass Kennedy Clock
Flour and Sugar Glass Canisters – Montana Glass Canisters
Mixing Bowls: Mason Cash Mixing Bowl
Utensil Holder: Large Marble Utensil Holder
White Dinnerware: Hue White Dinnerware
Glassware: Tour Highball
Wine Glasses: Edge Red Wine Glasses
Cocktail Shaker: Gold Cocktail Shaker
Coupe Glasses: Pryce Gold Rimmed Coupe Glasses
Coffee Cups and Saucers: Set of 8 Aspen Cups and Saucers
Dish Soap Dispenser: Marina Soap Dispenser in Gold
Hand Soap Dispenser: Seasside Soap Dispenser in Gold
Plate for Soaps: Rectangular Appetizer Plate

Items No Longer Sold: white ceramic pumpkins, brass ceramic pumpkins, brass acorn, wood / silver flatware, living rosemary tree

Vintage Items: salt and pepper shakers, tines, wood bowl set, glass rolling pin, cutting boards, metal trays, small wall art, gravy boats, tea towels

That’s a wrap on sources. If I missed anything, please let me know in the comments below.

Seasons of Home Fall Kitchen Decorating Ideas:

Now, before you click away to enjoy more of your day, don’t forget to visit a few of my blogger friends’ kitchens below. There’s seasonal inspiration galore!

Enjoy!

Ella Claire & Co. | Julie Blanner | Inspired by Charm | Craftberry Bush

Boxwood Avenue | French Country Cottage | Zevy Joy | Jennifer Rizzo

My 100 Year Old Home | Home Stories A to Z | Keeping it Cozy | Happy Happy Nester

Maison de Pax | Maison de Cinq | My Sweet Savannah | Rooms for Rent

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Pumpkin Cake with Crumb Topping

Recipes

Monday
Sep / 2 / 2019
Comments 10

This Pumpkin Cake with Crumb Topping is a delicious and easy fall dessert recipe. #pumpkin #cake #crumb #topping #fallbaking #dessert #recipe

This Pumpkin Cake is an easy recipe for when those pumpkin spice cravings hit. With its crunchy crumb topping, this delicious cake will quickly become your new go-to fall baking treat!

Did you know that pumpkin spice season begins on the morning of September 1!? I’m not sure how it is with other folks, but I’m already excited about celebrating all things fall. While I’m still soaking up every ray of sunshine, the warm weather doesn’t stop me from also savoring yummy autumn goodies such as this Pumpkin Cake!

Pumpkin Cake:

Over the years, I’ve shared a variety of delectable pumpkin-based recipes. Some of my favorites include Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls, Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal, and Frosted Pumpkin Cookies. I’ve been wanting to add a quick, no-fuss pumpkin cake to the collection, and this easy recipe is it!

My favorite thing about this recipe is that you can put it together in under 15 minutes without the use of a mixer. (Win-win!) That means clean-up is almost as fast as the preparation!

The resulting Pumpkin Cake is moist and packed with the fall pumpkin spice flavor that so many of us love! And don’t get me started on the crumb topping! You don’t need frosting when you have a crumb topping as good as this one.

Let me walk you through the recipe for this easy Pumpkin Cake with Crumb Topping.

How to Make Pumpkin Cake:

Start by preparing the crumb topping on the stove. This comes together with brown sugar, butter, vanilla, salt, and flour.

Once it’s mixture is ready, transfer it to a sheet of wax or parchment paper and allow it to cool. (Don’t make the mistake I did of letting the topping sit in the pan. It will stick to the pan and be a bit of a challenge to remove.)

While the crumb topping cools, prepare the pumpkin cake batter by mixing the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another. No mixer is required!

Then add the wet ingredients to the dry ones until everything is just combined. As with any cake, be careful not to over mix.

Traditionally, this recipe is made in an 8-inch square baking pan, but since I don’t have one of those, I used one of my favorite 8×10-inch baking dishes from Staub. I have this baking set and I used them constantly! I adore the quality of Staub products.

With the batter in the pan, break the cooled topping into chunks/crumbs and evenly sprinkle them on top.

Now, you’re ready to bake! Once your cake cools, dig in!

You can serve this Pumpkin Cake warm, but it will be equally tasty in the next day or two. Just store it in the pan covered with plastic wrap.

Enjoy this Pumpkin Cake? You’ll love these pumpkin-inspired treats:

This Pumpkin Cake with Crumb Topping is truly that simple. My dad and his wife visited my house (to check out my new kitchen) a couple of days after I made this cake, and they gave it rave reviews.

Happy Baking! And Happy Pumpkin Spice Season!

Pumpkin Cake with Crumb Topping Recipe:

Pumpkin Cake with Crumb Topping

| Prep Time: 20 mins | Cook Time: 45 mins

Did you make this recipe? Leave a review!

5 from 2 votes

This Pumpkin Cake is an easy recipe for when those pumpkin spice cravings hit. With its crunchy crumb topping, this delicious cake will quickly become your new go-to fall baking treat!

Ingredients

Topping:

2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups flour

Cake:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

Begin by preparing the topping. In a medium saucepan, cook the brown sugar, butter, vanilla, and salt over medium heat, stirring constantly. Stir until smooth. Remove from the heat and then whisk in the flour until smooth. Transfer to a sheet of wax (or parchmenpaper. Cool completely.
Next, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Spray an 8-inch square baking pan (or 8x10-inch rectangular baking pawith cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt.
In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, brown sugar, oil, eggs, sour cream, and vanilla. Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture, whisking until just combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Then break the cooled topping into chunks/crumbs and sprinkle on top of the batter.
Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

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Bayberry Kitchen Remodel Reveal

Interiors

Thursday
Aug / 29 / 2019
Comments 208

Bayberry Kitchen Remodel Reveal - Kitchen Makeover Kitchen Design #kitchen #makeover #remodel #traditional #modern #country #design #decorating

Hello, friends! The day is finally here. It’s been almost 6 months since the start of my kitchen remodel, and it’s time for the reveal! I hope you’re as excited as I am!

Now, before we get into it, I need to tell you a few things.

First off, in this post, I’m going to focus on the kitchen. My entryway and powder room were also included in the remodel, but I’ll share those in a future post.

Secondly, the dining room still needs some love. (This room was also altered as part of the kitchen remodel.) I plan to get a new dining room table, chairs, and buffet and also style it. My budget needs time to recover, however, so I will work on the dining room piecemeal as time goes on.

Finally, this is real life. Styling is not 100% complete and things aren’ t exactly the way I’d like them. However, I think the space is beautiful in its current state, and it’s time to share it as is.

If you’re new to IBC and wondering what the kitchen looked like before, check out this post here. I will include a few before and after shots at the end of this post.

Also, I am going to create a short video tour of the space. The video is not included in this post but will be coming soon. (I’m working on a Fall Kitchen Tour with my Seasons of Home Blogger friends next week. I will likely include it there.)

All sources will be linked at the end of this post.

Bayberry Kitchen Remodel Reveal

Now with those items out of the way, let me show you around with a slew of images. Then we’ll chat.

I’m in LOVE. It was a long process, but I couldn’t be more pleased with the transformation.

First, let’s talk cabinets. I opted for custom cabinetry. The doors are inset shaker fronts with a little detail to make them a bit more interesting. The doors and drawers are soft close. I adore this feature.

The cabinets in the kitchen are painted Sherwin-Williams Egret White SW 7570 (Emerald Urethane Trim Enamel – Satin). The cabinets in the pantry are Sherwin-Williams Sage SW 2860 (Emerald Urethane Trim Enamel – Satin).

The cabinet knobs and cabinet pulls are from Rejuvenation. The refrigerator pulls and dishwasher pulls are from Emtek.

There are some fun cabinetry details. Let me show you!

One is this set of doors to the left of the refrigerator. The doors not only open but slide into the cabinet. There is a light built into the shelf that automatically comes on when the doors open. This is where my microwave lives.

There’s also a bifold door to the right of the sink. I haven’t decided what treasures to store in there. Currently, it’s home to my paper towels, some dishes, and my toaster.

With walnut stained interiors, the cabinets were designed to look beautiful whether the doors are open or closed.

Just below that cabinet is my trash bin which is on a sliding door.

As you might have noticed, I also opted for a panel front refrigerator and dishwasher. My kitchen isn’t huge, so I didn’t want to break up the cabinetry with appliances. (Read more about the appliances I selected here.)

I chose to have glass front doors in two places. There’s a lower cabinet in the dining room and an upper cabinet on the opposite side of the fridge. I love the tile detail behind this upper cabinet that extends down to the countertops. This tile matches what’s on the opposite side of the room.

The countertops are gorgeous. I went with HanStone Quartz. This particular color is Montauk. (More information on my countertops can be found here.)

Because my kitchen is fairly narrow, a big island wasn’t feasible. Instead, I installed a work table. This pieces was custom built for the kitchen.

Small but mighty, this has already been a handy piece in my kitchen. I did want to note that this piece will change slightly. The top is currently a finished piece of poplar. However, I wanted a walnut butcher block top to make it a bit more functional. The tops will be swapped out soon.

I chose a farmhouse/apron style sink, and I’m in love with it. This particular sink is from Bocchi. The durability of the fireclay is perfect for me. (You can read more about it here.) For my faucet, I selected this unlacquered bridge faucet from Rohl. It might be one of the nicest things I’ve ever owned. I gave it a little polish for the photos, but I plan to let the brass age into a beautiful patina.

The window above the sink was enlarged to allow for more light to enter the kitchen. Previously, there was only a single window; now there are two!

Above the windows, there are two brass picture lights. I wanted something different from the standard pendant light. There is an identical picture light above the pantry sink.

The workhorse in my kitchen is the Wolf range. This thing is a beast. I’ve done a lot of baking over the past couple of weeks, and it’s been a joy to use this appliance. It’s dual fuel. – The range is gas and the oven is electric. To me, it’s the best of both worlds! Above the range, I have a range hood from Zephyr. I never thought I would get excited about a range hood, but it works beautifully.

In case you missed it, between the sink and the range is the dishwasher.

On the wall behind all of that goodness is floor-to-ceiling subway tile. This was a feature I knew that I wanted in my kitchen, and I’m so pleased with how it turned out. (Additional details on the tile and grout can be found here.)

Before the remodel, the long wall had two doors. (Well, it was one door and one panel that looked like a door but didn’t open.) To make room for the range, the doorway was bricked up and a new Dutch door* went in its place. I’ve long been a fan of Dutch doors, especially when they’re in the kitchen. The dutch door hardware is from Emtek.

And if all of that wasn’t enough, I added a butler’s pantry to my kitchen. This area had been a full bathroom. I decided to remove the full bath and replace it with this butler’s pantry and a small powder room.

I’m so glad I did because this is such a fun space. It might be one of my favorite details of the remodel.

As you can see, it’s mostly used for storage, but it has fun and stylish features as well.

One feature is a built-in coffee maker which freshly grinds beans to make coffee, cappuccinos, lattes, etc.

The cabinet makers even built this adorable shelf so I have a space to be my own barista!

There’s even a sink in this space. This is the round undermount sink from Bocchi along with a matching unlacquered brass faucet from Rohl.

Open shelves provide lots of space to store kitchen goodies and collections. There’s likewise this fabulous drawer for storing cutting boards and baking trays. Love this!

Right now I’m testing out this gallery wall of vintage metal trays. I’ve been collecting them for a few years and thought they’d make a fun art installation.

The walls in the kitchen, pantry, and dining room are painted Sherwin-Williams Snowbound SW 7004 (Emerald Interior – Satin). The trim is Sherwin-Williams Extra White SW 7006 (ProClassic Semi-Gloss) right out of the can.

You’ll notice that the floors in the kitchen are new. As part of this remodel, I chose to have new hardwood floors installed in the kitchen, entryway, pantry, and powder room. They were integrated into the existing hardwood floors in the dining room and living space. Now the first floor is entirely hardwood. They turned out beautifully. The floors are red oak with Bona Dark Walnut stain.

I did want to point out several changes made to the dining room too. The most significant change was the addition of these three windows. This had been a solid wall.

The windows flood the room and the kitchen with light. The sun rises on this side of the house, so the mornings are especially magical.

I also installed this fabulous chandelier. It’s the Radcliffe 30″ round chandelier from Rejuvenation. It brings in a modern element to the space. I’ve had my eye on it for a while now. I was thrilled to be able to use it in this room.

The French doors are also new. While the size of the doors is the same, the window panes are much larger which allows in even more light.

I now have Phantom Screens on both of these doors and the dutch door. I will be doing a post on them, but they are virtually invisible. They are hands down the best screen doors if you want a seamless look and an unobstructed view.

Finally, let’s look at a couple before and after pictures so you can see where we started.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

BEFORE:

AFTER:

BEFORE:

AFTER:

BEFORE:

AFTER:

And there you have it, my friends, Bayberry Kitchen is complete … mostly. Ha!

Before I go I need to give a shoutout to my fabulous designer Katy Popple. (You can read about why I decided to work with a designer here.) The overall design ended up being this beautifully collaborative effort. Katy provided amazing guidance, assistance, and a voice of reason throughout the entire process. I’m so thankful for her great eye and enormous skill set. Thank you, Katy!! If any of you are in Pittsburgh and need a designer, check out her website here. She comes highly recommended.

Avanti Construction was my contractor. I highly recommend them as well if you are in the Pittsburgh area. I will definitely be using them again.

I’m not sharing a full breakdown of the budget for this entire project (or sharing the budget at all.) However. I did want to mention that roughly 93% of the budget came out of my pocket. As a blogger, I have an excellent relationship with many fine brands and several brands offered me products to include in my space. I wasn’t paid to use their products. I chose the brands myself and was honored to include their products.

I’m certain I will do lots of follow-up posts because there is a lot more I want to share about the space and the process. Stay tuned for those. Also, if you have questions, please leave them in the comments below, and I’ll do my best to answer them there or create a follow-up post with more details.

Finally, thanks to all of you for joining me on this fun (perhaps once-in-a-lifetime) journey. It was a joy to take you along on the adventure. As I said, there will be several follow-up posts and, of course, a look into my new powder room and updated entryway will be coming soon!

Until then, I hope you enjoy seeing my remodeled space and creating your own happy place!

Bayberry Kitchen Remodel Sources:

CABINETRY:
Cabinets and Work Table: Bauman Custom Woodworking
Countertops: HanStone Quartz – Montauk
Pulls for Drawer – Mission Bin Pull in Oil-Rubbed Bronze
Knobs for Doors – Ball Cabinet Knob in Oil-Rubbed Bronze
Pulls for Refrigerator / Freezer – Emtek Keaton 18″ Appliance Pull
Pull for Dishwasher – Emtek Keaton 12″ Appliance Pull

PAINT COLORS:
Kitchen Cabinets: Sherwin-Williams Egret White SW 7570 (Emerald Urethane Trim Enamel – Satin)
Pantry Cabinets: Sherwin-Williams Sage SW 2860 (Emerald Urethane Trim Enamel – Satin)
Wall Paint: Sherwin-Williams Snowbound SW 7004 (Emerald Interior – Satin)
Trim Color: Sherwin-Williams Extra White SW 7006 (ProClassic Semi-Gloss)

APPLIANCES:
Range: Wolf 36″ Duel Fuel Range with 6 Burners
Range Hood: Zephyr Monsoon Insert
Refrigerator: Sub Zero 36″ Integrated Refrigerator
Dishwasher: Bosch 24″ 800 DLX Panel Ready Dishwasher
Wine / Beverage Cooler: Zephyr Presrv Duel Zone French Door Wine and Beverage Cooler
Coffee Maker: Bosch 800 Series Built-in Coffee Machine
Kitchen Sink: Bocchi Classico 30 – Farmhouse Apron Front Fireclay Sink in White
Pantry Sink: Bocchi Sotto 18R – Undermount 18″ Round Bowl Sink in White*
Kitchen Faucet: Perrin & Rowe Georgia Era Bridge Faucet in Unlacquered Brass
Pantry Faucet: Perrin & Rowe Georgia Era Single Lever Bar / Food Prep Faucet in Unlacquered Brass

LIGHTING:
Kitchen / Pantry Over Sink Lights: Hip Roof Shade Picture Light (Old Brass)
Overhead Pantry Light: Eastmorland Semi-Flush (Old Brass Finish, Opal Shade)
Dining Room Chandelier: Radcliffe 30″ Round Bare Bulb Chandelier (Oil-Rubbed Bronze)

FINISHES:
Casing Molding: Casing #G3166 Poplar Contemporary Casing
Base Molding: Base #G3266 Poplar Contemporary Base
Pulls for Drawer – Mission Bin Pull in Oil-Rubbed Bronze
Knobs for Doors – Ball Cabinet Knob in Oil-Rubbed Bronze
Pulls for Refrigerator / Freezer – Emtek Keaton 18″ Appliance Pull
Pull for Dishwasher – Emtek Keaton 12″ Appliance Pull
Countertops: HanStone Quartz – Montauk
Tile: Walker Zanger – Cafe 3×6 in Milk
Grout: Mapei – Warm Gray
Windows: Integrity by Marvin
French Doors: Integrity by Marvin
Dutch Door: Simpson Doors
Dutch Door Hardware: Emtek
Flooring: Red Oak with Bona Dark Walnut Stain

ACCESSORIES:
Rosemary Tree – Live Rosemary Topiary Tree
Dish Soap Dispenser: Marina Soap Dispenser in Gold
Hand Soap Dispenser: Seasside Soap Dispenser in Gold
Plate for Soaps: Rectangular Appetizer Plate
Wall Clock: Brass Kennedy Clock
Flour and Sugar Glass Canisters – Montana Glass Canisters
Olive Oil Pitcher – Spanish Oil Pitcher
Dining Table – Gracehill Dining Table
Dining Chairs – Davin Chair, White
Mixing Bowls: Mason Cash Mixing Bowl
Utensil Holder: Large Marble Utensil Holder
White Dinnerware: Hue White Dinnerware
Glassware: Tour Highball
Wine Glasses: Edge Red Wine Glasses
Knife Block: Zwilling Pro Holm Oak Knife Set
Dutch Oven – Staub Cast-Iron Dutch Oven in Basil
Artwork, Cutting Boards, Salt and Pepper, Wood Bowls: Vintage

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Aunt Maybe’s Apple Strudel

Recipes

Tuesday
Aug / 27 / 2019
Comments 22

Make Apple Strudel at home with this delicious and easy recipe. #homemade #apple #strudel #fall #baking #dessert #puffpastry #recipe

This delicious and easy Apple Strudel (created by my Aunt Maybe) is one of my favorite dessert recipes. While it’s fabulous for fall, you can serve it any time of the year. Once you make it for your family and guests, I’m sure they will agree.

Well, my friends, it’s an exciting day here on Inspired by Charm. Not only am I sharing one of my favorite recipes for Apple Strudel, but I’m also collaborating with my Tastes of the Season blogger friends. During the fall and holiday seasons, we come together to share a collection of delicious recipes to help inspire your seasonal recipe making.

We are excited to kick off the season with a collection of apple recipes. As I mentioned, I’m sharing my Aunt Maybe’s Apple Strudel. At the end of this post, there are links (with images) to 18+ more fall-inspired apple recipes. I want to make them ALL! I so admire this group of bloggers and their wonderful ideas. There’s something for everyone, so be sure to check out the full list of recipes.

Apple Strudel:

Last year we did a similar round-up of fall apple recipes. You might remember that I made Apple Streusel Cake. (It’s delicious, by the way, and it makes a great breakfast sweet or dessert.) I had intended to make Aunt Maybe’s Apple Strudel recipe last year, but I failed to get the recipe in time. So, this fall I was bound and determined to make it.

A couple of years ago, my Aunt Maybe (Her name is May, but we’ve always called her Maybe.) brought this Apple Strudel to a Christmas get-together. Her husband, my Uncle Dan, and their children had always raved how delicious it was. It only took one bite to know how right they were. With such a marvelous combination of flavors, I’d say it’s crazy delicious.

I also love how quick and easy it is to make. Let me walk you through the recipe.

How to Make Apple Strudel:

The hardest part of this recipe is peeling the apples. If you can do that, you’re golden.

This apple strudel recipe starts with puff pastry. You can make your own, but I think the frozen variety is equally good. You might as well save yourself the time and trouble.

Once thawed, I like to roll out the puff pastry dough to make it 15-20% larger. This allows you to fit in all of the apple filling.

Speaking of the filling… In a medium saucepan, mix together diced apples, sugar, butter, cornstarch, spices, and water. Cook this for about 7 minutes or until the mixture becomes a sauce and starts to thicken.

Once the apple filling is cooled, divide it evenly between the two puff pastry sheets. Spread the filling on the middle third of the puff pastry.

To make the apple strudel a bit more decorative, use a knife to cut lines (about 16 or so) into each outer third of the puff pastry, forming strips. Then criss-cross the strips onto the filling. (You’ll need to add a bit of water to the end of each of the dough strips to seal them.) It’s a simple method, but it creates a beautiful effect.

Once everything is assembled, brush the apple strudel with an egg wash and pop it into the oven for 35-40 minutes.

Let the strudel cool slightly. While it cools, prepare a glaze by whisking together the butter, confectioner’s sugar, vanilla, salt, and milk. I recommend starting with about 2 cups of confectioners’ sugar and then adding more to create a glaze that is the desired consistency.

Drizzle the glaze on the warm apple strudel; then dig in!

I am not exaggerating. It is SO-O-O GOOD!

And yet it’s simple to make, isn’t it? The frozen puff pastry dough makes it easy. Of course, this apple strudel is delicious in the fall, but this is a recipe you can fix any time of the year. As I said, we have it for Christmas, and it’s such a treat.

I sincerely hope you enjoyed this homemade apple strudel recipe and will give it a try this fall. I have a feeling you’re going to love it as much as we do.

Looking for more IBC apple recipes? Try these:

Want even more? Then check out all of the wonderful (and beautiful) apple recipes listed below. My Seasons of Home blogger friends and I have been busy baking for you!

Homemade Apple Strudel Recipe:

Aunt Maybe's Apple Strudel

| Prep Time: 20 mins | Cook Time: 40 mins | Total Time: 1 hr

Did you make this recipe? Leave a review!

5 from 7 votes

This delicious and easy Apple Strudel (created by my Aunt Maybe) is one of my favorite dessert recipes. While it's fabulous for fall, you can serve it any time of the year. Once you make it for your family and guests, I'm sure they will agree.

Ingredients

4 large Granny Smith apples cored, peeled, and diced
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup water plus extra for sealing the dough
1 package (2 sheets) frozen puff pastry thawed
1 egg beaten

Glaze:

1 stick unsalted butter melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2-3 cups confectioners' sugar

Instructions

Begin by preheating your oven to 375 degrees F.
In a medium saucepan, combine the apples, sugar, butter, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and water. Stir to combine. Cook for about 7 minutes or until the sauce just starts to thicken. Set aside and allow the apple mixture to cool.
In the meantime, unfold your puff pastry onto a lightly floured surface. Use a rolling pin to make each puff pastry sheet about 15% larger in size.
Place half of the cooled apple mixture down the middle one-third of one puff pastry sheet.
Use a sharp knife to cut horizontal strips along both the left and the right outer thirds of the puff pastry. (Make about 16 strips on each side.)
Lightly moisten the ends of all the strips with water. Then fold the strips over the top of the apple mixture. To create a braided look, first fold over a strip from the left, then a strip from the right. Continue left, right, left, right until all of the strips are in place.
Seal both ends with a little water.
Repeat this process with the rest of the apple filling and the second puff pastry sheet.
Transfer both strudels to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.* Brush with beaten egg.
Baked for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Allow the strudel to cool slightly.
In the meantime, prepare a glaze by whisking together the butter, vanilla, milk, kosher salt, and confectioners' sugar. Start with 2 cups of confectioners' sugar. Add more to create a glaze that is thick but still can be drizzled. (If the glaze becomes too thick, add a bit more milk to thin it.)
Slice and serve warm.

Recipe Notes

*Once the strudel is filled, moving it to the lined baking sheet can be a bit tricky. Just be quick and careful. If you prefer, you can assemble the strudel directly on a parchment-lined baking sheet to avoid having to move it. You will just need to use two baking sheets.

Seasons of Home Fall Apple Recipes:

Apple Cinnamon Streusel Muffins by Ella Claire & Co. | Puff Pastry Apple Strudel by Inspired by Charm | Apple Crumb Pie Bars by Tidy Mom | Stovetop Applesauce by Tidbits | Apple Cheesecake Tart by Rooms for Rent

Gluten/Dairy Free Apple Crisp by Zevy Joy | Apple Pie Chocolate Chip Cookies by Anderson + Grant | Easy Apple Dumpling Dessert by Happy Happy Nester | Gluten Free Apple Fritters by Home Made Lovely | Sheet Pan Apple Crumble by My Sweet Savannah

Salted Caramel Apple Tart by Shabby Fu Fu | Cinnamon Apple Bread by Julie Blanner | Apple & Blackberry Topped Waffles by French Country Cottage | Sugar Free Apple Butter by Farmhouse on Boone | Puff Pastry Apple Pie by Jenna Kate at Home

Apple Walnut Bread by On Sutton Place | Apple Cake with Homemade Caramel Sauce by Town and Country Living | Mini Apple Pies by My 100 Year Old Home | Apple Scones by Boxwood Avenue

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Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies

Recipes

Monday
Aug / 26 / 2019
Comments 1

These Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies are the perfect fall dessert! #pumpkin #brownies #pumpkinspice #fall #baking #dessert #recipe

Pumpkin cheesecake sandwiched between layers of brownie makes these Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies a fall dessert recipe that everyone is sure to love.

It might seem a bit early for fall baking, but I couldn’t resist whipping up a batch of these tasty Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies. My goal here is to get some recipes out to you as soon as possible so you’re able to enjoy them now as well as later when we move into fall. (Of course, I’m also still savoring all things summer. I hope you’re celebrating whatever season makes your heart happy!)

Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies:

Speaking of autumn, I have to tell you that the weather here in Pittsburgh was wonderful this past week. After a few big storms, the humidity is gone, the days have been in the high 70s, and the nights have been in the mid-to-low 60s. I wish it would stay like this.

As much as I’m savoring every minute of late August, I will admit that these chilly nights (A blanket is needed while snuggling on the couch.) have me anticipating the glories of fall.

And baking up a batch of these Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies didn’t help this yearning for fall. The aroma of chocolate and pumpkin spice was downright heavenly.

I’ve always loved the combination of chocolate and pumpkin so you know these Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies were a winner in my book. I think you’re going to adore them, too! Let me show you how to put them together.

How to Make Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies:

They’re pretty easy. Start by making a basic homemade brownie batter. Combine chocolate, butter, eggs, sugar, and flour. This mixture is fairly thick which is necessary to create the brownie and pumpkin cheesecake layers.

Next, whip up a quick pumpkin cheesecake. You’ll need cream cheese, sugar, pumpkin, and lots of delicious fall spices, including cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.

With both of those assembled, you’re ready to layer.

First the brownie batter, then the pumpkin cheesecake, then more brownie batter.

Once everything is layered (I’ve shared some tips on how to do this in the recipe below.), the brownies are ready for baking.

Friends, as I mentioned previously, the smell of these Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies baking is mouth-watering. If you weren’t ready for fall before you started baking these, you will be after they come out of the oven.

Allow the pan of brownies to cool after baking. Then slice the brownies into bars for a tasty, rich, and creamy fall treat.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies for the fall baking win! I think you’re going to fall in love with these as I did. Enjoy the recipe and happy baking, dear friends!

Looking for more pumpkin-based treats? Try these:

Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies Recipe:

Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies

Servings: 24 brownies | Prep Time: 15 mins | Cook Time: 50 mins | Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins

Did you make this recipe? Leave a review!

5 from 1 vote

Pumpkin cheesecake sandwiched between layers of brownie makes these Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies a fall dessert recipe that everyone is sure to love.

Ingredients

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate chopped
1/2 cup unsalted butter cubed
4 large eggs
2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Pumpkin Filling:

2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1 cup pumpkin puree
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 13x9-inch baking pan with baking spray. Line the pan with parchment paper and then spray again. (The parchment paper is optional, but I find it helpful in removing the brownies once they're baked.)
In the microwave, melt the chocolate and butter in 30-second intervals until smooth and well blended. Stir between each interval. Cool slightly.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, and salt. Stir in the vanilla and chocolate mixture. Gradually add the flour to the chocolate mixture and stir until just combined. This batter will be thick.
Spread half of the batter evenly in your prepared baking pan.*
Next, prepare the cheesecake mixture by beating together the filling ingredients until smooth. Softened/room temperature cream cheese is essential. I also recommend using a hand or stand mixer for this process to achieve a smooth filling.
Using an offset spatula, spread the cheesecake filling over the batter in the pan. Then add the remaining brownie batter over the filling. Spread to completely cover.*
Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the filling is set and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for at least one hour; then refrigerate for an additional hour. Cut into bars.**
Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

Recipe Notes

*The batter will be thick. This is important to keep the layers separate. I find it easiest to use a small offset spatula to spread the batter. If the batter sticks to the offset spatula, spray it with a bit of baking spray. This process does take a little patience. Continue to use the offset spatula to spread the pumpkin cheesecake filling as well. For the final brownie batter layer, I find it best to microwave the remaining batter for 15-30 seconds. This will make the batter thinner, allowing you to spread it more easily. **This recipe makes 2 dozen large brownies. If you cut the bars smaller, the recipe yields 3-4 dozen.

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Create Your Happy Place Giveaway

Life

Friday
Aug / 23 / 2019
Comments 18

Vintage Home Decor Ideas - Decorating your home with antique finds. #vintage #home #decor #decorating #antique #styling

As promised, I’m back with another Create Your Happy Place Giveaway! Today’s lucky winner will receive a $100 Etsy Gift Card!

Thank you so much to everyone who entered my recent HomeGoods giveaway. The two winners have been emailed. I also listed their names at the end of this post.

If you’re new to the Create Your Happy Place Giveaway, the details are below.

How the Giveaway Works:

Every other week I will be hosting a giveaway here on Inspired by Charm. To make things easy for everyone, I will continue to use this web address. (Be sure to save it your favorites!) View this post every two weeks and enter to win the newest giveaway.

I’ll be using a Rafflecopter form to collect entries. (See full giveaway details below.) Just follow the prompts for entry. Don’t forget to take advantage of bonus entries if you wish. It’s that simple!

I’m also going to use this bi-weekly post to give you a peek at behind-the-scenes goodness here on IBC. This week I wanted to show you some of my latest antique finds.

Antique Home Decor Ideas:

As you may have noticed, I’m trying to incorporate vintage pieces into my decor. While this is something I’ve done in my past homes, I’m especially enjoying my antiquing forays as I furnish Bayberry House.

Here’s a look at some of my latest finds.

I’m sure it won’t come as a surprise to hear that I’ve been looking for goodies to fill my new kitchen. I’ve been on the hunt for vintage cutting boards and utensils. Recently, I found these cutting boards, a brass spatula, a brass tray, and this beautiful vintage painting. (I used a 3M command strip to hang the art.)

I’ve also been collecting vintage metal trays to display on a large blank wall in my pantry. It’s grandma chic, but I’m sort of digging it. What do you think?

Speaking of my pantry, I stumbled across this small brass crown when I was searching for something else on Etsy. I’m thinking it will look cute with a plant tucked inside, and it should do well next to the window.

While we’re on the subject of brass . . . I’ve also added a few more brass animals to my collection. This pair of pheasants (I believe), immediately grabbed my attention. I think they will be great for fall decorating.

I also snagged this bunny. It fits perfectly under a cloche that I had. I shared this on Instagram, and so many of you were loving this idea. It still amazes me how special and interesting something can feel just by placing a cloche over it.

You might remember from my bedroom makeover that I have a thing for vintage paint-by-numbers. I’ve been keeping my eye out for them so that I can create a gallery wall of sorts in my family room. I need one more, and then I’ll start hanging them.

Another vintage goodie I scored lately is this pharmacy measuring beaker. When I spotted it, I thought it could be repurposed as a flower vase. I think I was right!

I also bought this pumpkin pie plate and these retro blue, orange, and maroon tea towels. The color combination is so beautiful and fresh for fall.

I’ve been loving all of these finds plus the other cutting boards I bought, a little brass whale, and a few small items I didn’t photograph.

Inspired by my antiquing success, I wanted this week’s giveaway to enable one of you to do your own antiquing. That’s why I thought a gift card to Etsy (which has thousands of vintage treasures) would be the perfect prize!

Create Your Happy Place Giveaway:

Today I’m giving away a $100 Etsy Gift Card to ONE lucky Inspired by Charm reader!

Enter to WIN:

To enter this giveaway event, input your email address in the box below to join the Inspired by Charm Mailing List*. That’s it! Bonus entries are available for follows/shares on social media.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
This giveaway is open to readers in the United States. You must be 18 or older to win. Void where prohibited. This giveaway will end at 11:59 pm ET on Thursday, September 5, 2019. The winners will be randomly selected and contacted by email. All previous Create Your Happy Place Giveaway winners will be listed below.

And that’s a wrap, my friends. Thank you to each of you for following along. It’s a joy to share my ideas for creating a happy place.

Be sure to join me back here on Friday, September 6 for the next Create Your Happy Place Giveaway!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Create Your Happy Place Giveaway Winners:

Week 1: Lauri and Monica M.
Week 2: You are here. To be announced on Friday, September 6

*Your email address is used solely for the Inspired by Charm Mailing List. Your email address will never be sold or used in any other way. I send 2-3 emails per week. Want to enter the giveaway but not join the mailing list? No problem. Once the giveaway ends, click “unsubscribe” at the bottom of any email to be removed from the list.

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Butterscotch Blondie Recipe

Recipes

Monday
Aug / 19 / 2019
Comments 4

This Butterscotch Blondie Recipe is one of my favorites! You're going to love it too! #blondie #recipe #butterscotch #dessert #bars

We all need a good blondie recipe in our lives. This Butterscotch Blondie recipe is the one for me. It makes a delectable handheld treat or a legendary dessert when served with ice cream.

You may have noticed that I’ve been sharing a lot of recipes this past couple of weeks. After being without a functional kitchen for five months, I was itching to get in there again and play. For those of you who visit IBC for design inspiration, thanks for sticking with me.

Blondie Recipe:

I’ve been wanting to make and share a blondie recipe for quite some time, so I’m excited to bring this one to you. I have long been a butterscotch fan. As a kid, one of my favorite treats was a Butterscotch Dilly Bar from Dairy Queen. I can still taste it in my mind.

There’s something about butterscotch that makes me think of fall. The flavor is one of those comforting ones that wraps itself around you. It’s rich. It’s creamy. It’s classic.

With crisp autumn days around the corner, today seemed like the right time to share this recipe. During the inevitable hot Indian summer weather between now and then, you can serve this up with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream. That way you get the best of both worlds.

How to Make This Butterscotch Blondie Recipe:

If you’ve ever made brownies, the process for blondies is pretty much the same … minus the chocolate, of course.

You simply combine the dry ingredients and then the wet ingredients, and then you mix them all together.

What’s great about this recipe is that you can incorporate whatever mix-ins you like. I chose butterscotch chips, however, you could add nuts, chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, dried fruit, . . . The sky is the limit.

I mixed most of the butterscotch chips into the batter but saved a few to scatter on top once the blondie recipe was baked.

Even though this might sound odd, before I cut the blondies for serving, I sprinkled them with a little flake sea salt. Salt is the perfect complement to butterscotch. Trust me on this one.

If you’re hesitant to sprinkle on sea salt, just try it on one blondie. Then you can add it to the rest once you realize how fabulous it tastes.

Pack up these butterscotch blondies and serve them as a delicious handheld treat. Or to make them even more memorable, plate them and top with a scoop of ice cream and a drizzle of butterscotch sauce.

Enjoy!

Looking for more butterscotch recipes? Try these:

Butterscotch Blondies Recipe:

Butterscotch Blondie

Servings: 16 bars | Prep Time: 10 mins | Cook Time: 25 mins | Total Time: 35 mins

Did you make this recipe? Leave a review!

5 from 2 votes

We all need a good blondie recipe in our lives. This Butterscotch Blondie recipe is the one for me. It makes a delectable handheld treat or a legendary dessert when served with ice cream.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter melted and cooled
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 eggs lightly beaten
1 1/4 cups butterscotch chips divided
Flake sea salt to garnish
Optional: ice cream and butterscotch sauce

Instructions

Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a baking pan with baking spray, line it with parchment paper, and then spray the parchment paper with baking spray.
Tip: You can use two metal butterfly clips to hold the parchment paper in place. Clipping them to the long sides of the pan.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and kosher salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and brown sugar until combined. Add the vanilla and eggs and then stir to combine. Fold in the flour mixture and stir until almost combined. Gently fold in one cup of the butterscotch chips.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Scatter the remaining butterscotch chips over the top. (I also saved a few chips to add to the top once the blondies come out of the oven.)
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the top is light brown. You can also check for doneness by inserting a toothpick near the center. The toothpick should come out clean.
Allow the blondies to cool in the pan. Remove from the pan and sprinkle with a little flake sea salt. Then slice and serve.

Recipe Notes

These blondies are delicious on their own. For an over-the-top dessert, serve the blondie warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of butterscotch sauce.

Adapted from The Pioneer Woman

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Apple Cinnamon French Toast Casserole

Recipes

Thursday
Aug / 15 / 2019
Comments 5

Topped with apples and sprinkled with cinnamon, this French Toast Casserole is a delicious breakfast or brunch recipe you can prepare the night before and bake in the morning for a no-fuss and delicious meal.

Apple Cinnamon French Toast Casserole:

I hate to admit this, but as the end of August approaches, I’ve started to crave fall flavors, such as apple, maple, pumpkin, and cinnamon. Anyone else? Last weekend I had overnight guests, so I decided to make this Apple Cinnamon French Toast Casserole.

It was the perfect breakfast and transition from summer to fall. It has a freshness thanks to the apples but also a touch of fall flavor due to the cinnamon and nutmeg.

What I especially love about recipes like this French toast casserole is that everything is assembled the night before, allowing you to just pop it in the oven in the morning. This way, as the host, you don’t feel rushed and are free to enjoy a cup of coffee with your guests.

How to Make This French Toast Casserole:

To make this dish, start with a loaf of French bread. You can get this at most grocery stores. (I’m a fan of the French bread from Walmart. I find that it works well for almost any French toast recipe. I also love it for my Berry Stuffed French Toast.)

For this recipe, you simply slice the loaf and layer the bread in a 13×9-inch pan, slightly overlapping each piece. The bread is then topped with freshly sliced apples. You can use your favorite variety or whatever you have on hand. I used Honeycrisp.

Next, you create a custard by whisking together milk, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt. Pour that over the bread and apples and then top the entire casserole with a sprinkling of cinnamon and sugar.

That’s it, my friends. Cover the casserole dish with aluminum foil and pop it in the refrigerator overnight.

I find that this casserole can brown quickly in the oven. (You’ll notice in my photos that a piece or two got a bit brown.) I’ve learned to bake it covered for half the time and uncovered for half the time, but do what works best in your oven.

Top with a sprinkle of confectioners’ sugar and serve with maple syrup for the perfect finishing touch!

I ended up serving this Apple Cinnamon French Toast Casserole with Brown Sugar Bacon. This is my absolute favorite way to make bacon! I went very light on the brown sugar since the casserole is sweet. I also paired the French toast with a bowl of seasonal berries. It was such a delicious little morning treat and so simple to put together.

More of my favorite breakfast treats:

If you have overnight guests coming soon, print out this French Toast Casserole recipe (and my bacon recipe) for an easy and delicious morning. Enjoy!

Apple Cinnamon French Toast Casserole Recipe:

Apple Cinnamon French Toast Casserole

| Prep Time: 10 mins | Cook Time: 1 hr 10 mins | Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins

Did you make this recipe? Leave a review!

5 from 1 vote

Ingredients

1 loaf French bread cut into 1-inch slices
5 apples peeled, cored, and sliced
3 1/2 cups milk
10 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Topping:

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon sugar
Powdered sugar and pure maple syrup for serving

Instructions

Begin by spraying a 9x13-inch baking dish with baking spray. Arrange the slices of bread in the pan, slightly overlapping each slice. Layer the apple slices over the bread. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, and ground nutmeg. Whisk until well blended. Pour this mixture over the apples and bread.
In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon and sugar. Sprinkle over the casserole. Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Bake for 60-70 minutes or until set. (Bake for 30 minutes covered; then remove the aluminum foil to finish baking.) Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving. Serve with pure maple syrup.

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Really Good Pimento Cheese

Recipes

Wednesday
Aug / 14 / 2019
Comments 9

My recipe for Really Good Pimento Cheese! #pimento #cheese #recipe #dip #spread #appetizer

Creamy and packed with flavor, this Really Good Pimento Cheese makes a delicious party dip, topping for crackers, filling for a sandwich, and so much more!

This past weekend my mom and her husband visited me in Pittsburgh. Anytime my mom visits my home I like to welcome her with a snack and wine. This time I decided to whip up this Really Good Pimento Cheese to serve with crackers and vegetables.

Really Good Pimento Cheese:

I’ve made a lot of tempting appetizers here on Inspired by Charm, but sometimes I like to keep things simple. What’s not to love with the classic veggies and dip?

Usually, when I serve vegetables, I make a batch of my Really Good Veggie Dip, It’s hands down my favorite veggie dip. And while it would have certainly been enough on its own, this weekend I wanted to add in a little something else. Hence, this Really Good Pimento Cheese!

This is your basic pimento cheese recipe, but it includes a few extras to make it … well … really good!

You can find all of my “really good” recipes here. They are a collection my tried-and-true recipes that everyone seems to love.

How to Make Pimento Cheese:

In case you didn’t know, pimento cheese is easy to make. Just toss all of the ingredients into a bowl, mix, and serve!

To make my pimento cheese special, I do a couple of things. First, I freshly shred the cheese. Pre-shredded cheese has a powdered coating on it to keep it separated. Freshly shredded is always better.

I also add jalapeños. If you remove the seeds and white inner pulp, there isn’t too much heat – just a nice, fresh crunch. However, if you prefer more heat, leave in the seeds.

Dried onion flakes, garlic powder, and a dash of hot sauce complete the recipe.

How to Serve Pimento Cheese:

My favorite way to eat pimento cheese. as shown here, is on Ritz crackers. Fresh veggies also pair well with it.

Other ways to serve pimento cheese include:

between two slices of bread (Some people like to cut off the crusts.)
grilled pimento cheese sandwiches
on top of a hamburger
stuffed inside small hollowed-out peppers
stirred in macaroni and cheese

And the list goes on!

No matter how you decide to serve this Really Good Pimento Cheese, I think you’re really going to love this recipe!

If you liked this recipe, you’ll also love:

You can find and print the full recipe below. Enjoy!

Pimento Cheese Recipe:

Really Good Pimento Cheese

| Prep Time: 8 mins

Did you make this recipe? Leave a review!

5 from 1 vote

Creamy and packed with flavor, this Really Good Pimento Cheese makes a delicious party dip, topping for crackers, filling for a sandwich, and so much more!

Ingredients

1 block (8 ounces) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 jar (4 ounces) pimentos, drained and patted dry
1-2 jalapeños seeded* and diced
4 ounces cream cheese softened
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon dried onion flakes
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon hot sauce Frank's
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Place all of the ingredients in a bowl. Stir well until combined.
Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Recipe Notes

Serving options:
- With crackers and veggies
- As a sandwich between two pieces of bread (served cold or grilled)
- On top of a hamburger

*Add the seeds to the mixture for more heat

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Birthday Cake Cheese Ball

Recipes

Monday
Aug / 12 / 2019
Comments 9

A Colorful Birthday Cake Cheese Ball dessert recipe! #cheeseball #birthday #birthdaycake #cake #batter #dessert #recipe #funfetti

If you’re looking for a fun, unique, and delicious way to celebrate, this Birthday Cake Cheese Ball is the perfect sweet treat. Colorful and full of birthday cake flavor, this dessert cheese ball is a crowd pleaser!

Many of you know how much I love a cheese ball recipe here on Inspired by Charm. Well, recently, I realized I’d never created a dessert-style cheese ball. That needed to change immediately so today I’m sharing this recipe for a Birthday Cake Cheese Ball!

Looking for all of my cheese ball recipes? You can find them here.

Birthday Cake Cheese Ball:

I don’t know if it’s the same for you, but birthday cake ranks near the top of my favorite desserts. I’m sure it sounds crazy to some folks. However, I’m even a fan of the classic grocery store birthday cake. Serve it up with a scoop of ice cream, and I’m a happy human. Anyone else? (BTW, for me, it needs to be vanilla cake, vanilla icing, and vanilla ice cream.)

I suppose that’s why a birthday cake-inspired cheese ball seems like an excellent idea. Covered with sprinkles, it’s not only yummy but fun and colorful, too!

How to Make a Birthday Cake Cheese Ball:

The process is simple. Start by whipping together cream cheese and butter.

Next, beat in funfetti cake mix, extra sprinkles, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract, and almond extract. There’s just a touch of almond extract in this recipe, but I think it adds a depth of flavor. I personally love desserts with almond extract.

Once everything is incorporated, transfer the mixture to a sheet of plastic wrap. As you wrap it, shape it into a ball. Then, place the cheeseball in the refrigerator so it can firm up.

Before serving, roll the ball in a bowl filled with sprinkles. It’s at this point that the magic happens! The ball instantly transforms into this colorful sprinkle-coated beauty. What’s not to love!?

After that, your Birthday Cake Cheese Ball is ready to be served. I chose vanilla wafers and shortbread for serving, but feel free to use whatever cookies you like best.

In case you’re wanting more birthday, check these out:

Obviously, this Birthday Cake Cheese Ball is perfect for a birthday party. However, I think the classic flavor would make it a delicious addition to any get-together. And feel free to change the color of the sprinkles to suit your celebration. The options are endless.

And that’s it, my friends. A dessert cheese ball recipe dressed to impress. Your friends and family will be delighted!

Birthday Cake Cheese Ball Recipe:

Birthday Cake Cheese Ball

Servings: 12 People | Prep Time: 15 mins

Did you make this recipe? Leave a review!

5 from 1 vote

If you're looking for a fun, unique, and delicious way to celebrate, this Birthday Cake Cheese Ball is the perfect sweet treat. Colorful and full of birthday cake flavor, this dessert cheese ball is a crowd pleaser!

Ingredients

16 ounces cream cheese softened
1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
1 box (15.25 ounces) funfetti cake mix*
1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 cup rainbow sprinkles divided
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-4 drops almond extract
Vanilla wafers and shortbread cookies for serving

Instructions

In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese and butter until smooth.
Add the cake mix, confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract, almond extract, and 1/4 cup of extra sprinkles.

Recipe Notes

*The raw flower in cake mix may contain harmful bacteria. Before using the cake mix, microwave the mix until it reaches at least 160 degrees. This will take about one minute and 15 seconds in a standard microwave. I recommend stirring the mixture every 15 seconds while microwaving for best results.

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Loaded Veggie Ranch Dip

Recipes

Wednesday
Aug / 7 / 2019
Comments 6

This Loaded Veggie Ranch Dip is and easy and delicious appetizer. #ranch #dip #corn #recipe #appetizer #ranchdip

This Loaded Veggie Ranch Dip will become your new go-to party appetizer recipe. It’s quick to make and loaded with great flavor.

I don’t know about you, but I can’t get enough of really good dip recipes. They are especially great this time of year for taking to picnics and parties, or just when hanging by the pool. This Loaded Veggie Ranch Dip is officially one of my new favorites.

Loaded Veggie Ranch Dip:

If you’ve been following IBC for a while now, you’ll know that I have two pretty popular dip-style recipes: my Out-of-this-World Corn Dip and my Jalapeño Dip. I love both of those recipes equally, but for different reasons.

This Loaded Veggie Ranch Dip is basically the combination of both of those recipes put together; you’ve got the corn, peppers, cream cheese, sour cream, ranch, and a few other goodies. As you can imagine, it’s really good!

In fact, after I made this recipe again to photograph, I ended up eating it for dinner. Not all of it obviously, but enough to feel guilty about it afterwards.

How to Make Loaded Veggie Ranch Dip:

Honestly, recipes don’t get any easier than this. After you are done prepping and chopping up all the veggies, toss all of the ingredients into a bowl and mix to combine.

That’s it. Seriously.

I did want to note a couple of things, though. First, if you like things spicy, include a few of the jalapeño seeds. I ended up making this recipe two ways: 1) with the jalapeño seeds included, 2) with the jalapeño seeds omitted which made for a spicy dip that wasn’t overpowering. So, if you want less spice, just leave out the seeds and use only the green parts of the jalapeño.

Second, you can really use any type of chip you’d like for serving, but I think corn chips (Fritos) are the best. As noted in the recipe, when I took photos for this post I accidentally bought the Jalapeño Fritos. I thought they went especially well with this recipe!

Looking for more delicious dip recipes? Try these:

And that’s it my friends! You’ve been fully educated on this delicious Loaded Veggie Ranch Dip. I hope you’ll give this recipe a try. I’m certain you and your guests will enjoy it!

Happy Cooking!

Loaded Veggie Ranch Dip Recipe:

Loaded Veggie Ranch Dip

Servings: 8 | Prep Time: 15 mins

Did you make this recipe? Leave a review!

5 from 1 vote

This Loaded Veggie Ranch Dip will become your new go-to party appetizer recipe. It's quick to make and loaded with great flavor.

Ingredients

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese softened
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1-2 jalapeños finely diced (include seeds for added heat)
1 red bell pepper finely diced
1 can (2.25 ounces) black olives, chopped
2 cans (8 ounces) sweet corn, drained
1 package ranch seasoning mix
corn chips or tortilla chips for serving*

Instructions

Add all of the ingredients (with the exception of the chips) to a bowl. Stir to combine. Mix together until well incorporated.
Refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving. Serve with corn or tortilla chips.

Recipe Notes

Make sure your cream cheese is really soft before mixing. If not, mix the cream cheese with the sour cream and ranch until smooth before adding the vegetables. *Fritos are my favorite for this recipe. I also highly recommend the Jalapeño Fritos. I bought them by accident, however they paired really nicely with this recipe.

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Tuesday Tunes: Summer Folk Playlist

Life

Tuesday
Aug / 6 / 2019
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Summer Folk Playlist: Tuesday Tunes #folk #playlist #music #summer #americana

Looking for some new summer tunes? I’ve got you covered! Today I’m sharing a new playlist that I’m calling Summer Folk. It’s an easy, upbeat playlist that’s the perfect background for all your favorite summer activities.

I thought it was time for another playlist. I’ve actually been assembling this one for a couple months now. It finally came together when I heard the new music from The Highwomen. It’s an incredible talented group of women including Amanda Shires, Natalie Hemby, Maren Morris, and my absolute favorite, Brandi Carlile. They just released two songs: “Redesigning Woman” and “Crowded Table”. Naturally I had to include both on this playlist.

Summer Folk Playlist

There have also been a few new songs released by The Lumineers in their three-part EP series. “Gloria” is a standout favorite, but I also love their latest “It Wasn’t Easy To Be Happy For You”.

I wanted to create this playlist as a background soundtrack for my summer meanderings. I recently purchased three of these Sonos speakers. One for my new kitchen, one for my living room, and one for my family room. As you know, I use Spotify for all of my music needs and these speakers work seamlessly with the platform. They play music through your wireless rather than bluetooth so your phone doesn’t need to be near the speaker and noises from calls, texts, apps, etc. don’t play through the speakers. Clearly, I’m a big fan!

This Summer Folk collection is my go-to playlist when I’m putzing around the house, whipping up something in the kitchen, or hanging out on my deck or side porch. (I’ve placed the speakers near a window by the deck and porch so I can hear the music outside too.) It’s honestly been the best. All three speakers play at the same time, so I can here my music wherever I am in the house. To me, I love music like this to play in the background. It’s a combination of chill, happy, and homey.

If you enjoy artists like Mumford and Sons, Brandi Carlile, and The Avett Brothers, I think you’ll like this playlist as much as I do. You can use the widget below to listen or find it here on Spotify. If you like my music selection, be sure to follow along with my Spotify profile here.

If you liked this folk-inspired playlist, you’ll love these too:

And that’s a wrap on today’s Tuesday Tunes. I hope you enjoy and discover some new music through my playlists. Want more? You can find all of my Tuesday Tunes here. Happy listening.

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