pumpkin ginger custard {sms}

I cannot tell you when I last ate homemade pumpkin pie.  I believe pies eaten were by Mrs. Smith, Entenmann's, or ShopRite, which, while wonderfully spiced and smooth, still fall short of the real thing.

And that is why I fell in love with this custard.  I need the real deal.  It is silky.  It is smooth.  It is decadent, but only in the best possible way.  AND it is simple and fast to make.

{sms} jumbleberry jam

The thought of making preserves is a daunting one.  The problem of canning is what comes to mind immediately.  So with fear and trepidation, I tried this recipe, but with a caveat: make a small batch and skip the canning. That can wait for another day, week, year...

I jumbled blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries,

added a bit of Royal Gala apples for pectin,

(along with sugar, lemon juice and zest)

and boiled it all down for 15 minutes.

Voila!  Jumbleberry Jam!

Spread on La Brea bread with a layer of Nutella-

SUPERB!

I cannot believe how simple it was to make and am so glad I tried this one out. Margot of Effort to Deliciousness chose this week's recipe.  Thank you Margot!  You can find the recipe on her site here and see all the other bakers' jams here.

tropical granola {sms}

I've been dreaming of pina coladas and coconut cream pie. I am obsessed with the white flaky stuff.  Maybe it's the sweltering heat that's inducing my brain to be fixated on all things tropical.

With this week's Sweet Melissa Sundays' recipe,  I read "cherries and almonds" and imagined  "coconut, pineapples and macadamias."