Halloween Ideas from my TODAY Show segments

Reminiscing about these old TODAY Show Halloween segments!  I'm going to pull some of these ideas back out this year!

Click here to watch this segment with fun ideas for decorating for your Halloween celebration.

Or if you are looking for new ways to carve your pumpkin, check out this segment:

Guest Recipe Post: President Roosevelt's Granddaughter's Recipes for Pumpkin "Yum" Cake and Chipotle Pumpkin Hummus

As the fall season is marked by Autumn at the Arboretum, the garden debuts a new miniature cookbook, "Dallas Arboretum Pumpkin Festival Recipes," filled with delicious pumpkin inspired dishes. The idea for this collection came from Chandler Lindsley, the granddaughter of Eleanor and President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Each recipe was carefully selected and tested by Chandler Lindsley and many Dallas Arboretum volunteers. We hope you enjoy!

PUMPKIN “YUM” CAKE

Ingredients:

1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin puree

1 (5 oz.) can evaporated milk

1 ½ c. sugar

3 eggs

1 t. cinnamon

½ t. ginger

1 box Golden Butter cake milk

2 sticks butter, melted

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix pumpkin, evaporated milk, sugar, eggs, cinnamon and ginger.

Oil a 9x13 pan, or spray with cooking spray and pour batter into pan.

Mix cake mix and butter and drop over pumpkin mix.

Bake for 45 minutes.

CHIPOTLE PUMPKIN HUMMUS

Ingredients:

1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 T. lemon juice

¼ c. tahini

1 c. canned pumpkin puree

½ t. chipotle chile powder

3 T. olive oil

¼ t. salt

Pepper to taste

Roasted pumpkin seeds, to serve

Directions:

Add chickpeas, garlic, lemon juice and tahini in a food processor and blend until smooth. Add pumpkin and chili powder. Process until well blended.

With the food processor running, drizzle oil until hummus reaches desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper.

Top with roasted pumpkin seeds and serve with pita chips, crackers, or fresh vegetables.

We love taking our annual trip to The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden's Autumn at the Arboretum, one of the Southwest’s largest fall festivals, featuring the nationally acclaimed Pumpkin Village with four storybook themed pumpkin houses, fall foliage and plenty of events. The festival runs from Sept. 20 through Nov. 26, 2014. For more information on Autumn at the Arboretum or any of the events, call 214.515.6500 or visit http://www.dallasarboretum.org/visit/seasonal-festivals-events/autumn-at-the-arboretum. Be sure to take your camera!

Postcard from Memphis

Justin and I just returned from our first trip to Memphis and we loved it!
I had a book signing at the Woman's exchange of Memphis, the most delightful shop run entirely by volunteers.  They have a sewing room that is famous for it's darling baby clothes.  I bought this little outfit for my nephew for his Christmas Portrait.

After the signing, we checked in to the River Inn and watched the gorgeous sunset. 

It was breath-taking!

The entrance portico at Graceland.

On our second day, we went strait to Graceland. I must say that it exceeded my expectations!

The digital tour was incredibly well done and it was full of personal anecdotes and stories that really made the house come to life.

The dining room with it's antique mirrored top - I love this because I could always check my lipstick! ;)

A detail of Pricilla and Elvis Presley's wedding China. 

Downstairs in the tv room, the fireplace surround was mirrored when it was re-decorated in the 1970's.  I love that this look as come back!

The tour states that Elvis's mother designed the poodle wallpaper in her powder room.  

The best part of the tour?  Seeing Elvis use his "TCB" logo (I'll call it a monogram!) everywhere, even on his plane!  The plane is amazing!  It is a part of the tour and worth taking the time to walk through.  

After an amazing lunch at Central BBQ (THE BEST!!!), we went to the Gibson Guitar Center on the advice of my friend Pat Kerr Tigrett.  Pat organizes an amazing Blues Ball Fundraiser every year in Memphis that is the party of the year!  If you are not in Memphis during the Blues Ball, sign up for a tour of the Gibson Factory.  It was really neat to watch the workers in action. You do need to sign up in advance. They sell out! Also, shoot for a tour before 2pm because many of the workers head out.

Sun Stuidos

After a little bit of shopping in the Gibson Factory Store, we got the news that our flight was delayed due to weather so our charming host for the day, interior designer Ken Cummins whisked us off to Sun Studios for a great visit.  Their guide was so enthusiastic about the history of music in Memphis and told wonderful stories about the Million Dollar Quartet - Elvis, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis.

Our favorite coffee shop and snack spot along the way as Cafe Eclectic.  It was charming and offered this little tidbit of advice on it's chalkboard. 

Looking for more on Memphis? I love this article from the amazing Julia Reed.

I'd love to hear about your favorite spots in Memphis!  Please leave a comment and let me know what you love about this amazing city!

Top Ten Fall Candles

Friday Favorites

Happy Fall Y'all!

Name your poison! 

Never heard of "Cape Dutch Style" decor?  Get ready to re-decorate once you fall in love with this gorgeous home!

This molded baking pan makes the most adorable gingerbread men (and women!) Even I could make these!

I obviously have the holidays on my mind - Loving these cutie cutie cute Christmas jammies for the littles!

Loving Jan Showers new line of rugs.

Use the code FALLSALE for up to $100 off on your Club Monaco purchase this weekend.

Perfect gift if you are being hosted for Halloween!

Great Gift with Purchase at Macy's right now!

Pumpkin ideas for your front door.

Guest Recipe Post for Apple Galette from Alicia Wood of The Lush List

I'm thrilled to have Alicia Wood's recipe for Apple Galette on the blog today!  Check out Alicia's new blog The Lush List!  It was born out of her love of cooking combined with the food allergies she deals with at her house.  

All of the beautiful fall apples have me thinking about apple pie. This Apple Galette or Rustic Apple Pie is a family favorite.  Our food allergies necessitated a few changes to my baking routine.  Gluten free baking can be intimidating but with the right ingredients, success possible.  Chef Lena Kwak developed Cup4Cup in the kitchen of French Laundry.  It truly is just that and has worked in every recipe I’ve tried.

This recipe only needed one change and a one tiny addition to result in the great treat we had always enjoyed.

Ingredients for crust

2 c of Cup4Cup

1 tsp Kosher Salt

2 sticks very cold butter (diced right before use)

¼ c and 2 tbs of ice water

**Note: If you use traditional flour, delete the 2 tbs of water.

Ingredients for filling:

1 c well packed brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp nutmeg

Zest from 1 orange

2 of your favorite apples (I used Honeycrisp but Granny Smith is great, too!)

Place the flour and salt in your food processor.   Pulse it 3-4 times to mix.

Take the butter from the refrigerator and quickly dice it.

Place the butter cubes in the food processor and toss to coat with the flour mixture being careful with the sharp blades on the bottom.

Pulse the mixture until the cubes are about pea sized.

Add the ice-cold water through the top of the food processor while it is running.

Let the mix until the dough begins to come together but is not yet one big ball.

Turn it out on to a well-floured pastry board or sheet.

Separate into two sections and form into a disk.

Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Just before you roll out the crust, preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl.

Zest the orange over the mixture, combine and set aside.

Remove from plastic wrap and roll out on to well-floured pastry board.

Roll out in to a 10 inch circle.

Transfer to a parchment paper lines baking sheet.

Slice your apples into 1/8” slices.

Add to sugar mixture and toss.

Arrange them in a circular pattern on the crust leaving 1 ½ inch border of crust uncovered.

Gently fold the pie crust over the apples.

Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes.

Some of the sugar may come out of the crust. If so, just scrape away from the edges with a spatula.

Transfer to a wire rack to continue to cool.

Serve warm with ice cream or spiced whipped cream.

This is a great dessert and holiday breakfast pastry as well!

Hope you enjoy one of our family traditions!

Digital Bespoke from bell'Invito - Discount Code for Ya!

What a treat!  If you follow me on Instagram, you saw a sneak peek at a charming breakfast event I attended last week for the launch of bell'Invito's Digital Bespoke Line.  It was gorgeous - gold and pink everywhere!  

 Here is where you luck out!  The fabulous team at bell'Invito wants you to order from their new site so they are offering a discount code for my readers.  yay!  I'm always thrilled to pass on a discount!

Here ya go - Use PromoCode  KIMBERLYWHITMANDB for 10% off any personalized Digital Bespoke Item until 10/31/2014. Enjoy!