Author: jennifer

Golden Wheat

Dishes, Happy Finds

Last night I made a quick trip to my local thrift store looking for something specific.  Naturally, I didn’t find it, but I did find this:


It was the pattern that made me stop.  A picture of golden wheat on each plate:


My mind’s eye automatically pictured a few treasured pieces of vintage Madeira linen I had at home.
This wheat pattern I have in a set of four placemats.  The detail on them is intricate and lovely.  I marvel that someone spent countless hours placing each stitch by hand.


But this is the piece the china reminded me of most.  A Marghab piece in the New Wheat pattern.  Breathtaking.


In my ultimate Thanksgiving dreams I would have 30 of these placemats to serve Thanksgiving dinner on.  The pattern is so simple and sophisticated.  I love it.

And so I stood there, pondering the china, reflecting on the timeless symbol of golden wheat and how aptly it communicates appreciation for simple things:  for sustenance, for harvests, for the beauty of the earth.  I turned one over.


22 karat gold!  Usually I’m not interested in gold, but my heart quickly made an exception.  I counted the pieces.  Twenty-eight in all.  Twenty-eight pieces of china for $18.  They came home with me.


Later that night I stood at my kitchen sink and carefully washed each piece.  I noticed how the gold has largely washed off many of the dinner plates, leaving only a hint of the shine that once graced each rim.  I noticed stains on a few, and scratches on the wheat image in some places.  I couldn’t help but wonder about whose Thanksgiving table was graced, obviously many times, with these beautiful pieces.  I wondered at the memories the plates held, the family recipes they’ve seen, the conversations held around that table.


Part of me felt sad for whatever twist of fate sent this lovely stack of dishes to the thrift store.  Did someone pass away?  Did enough of them finally break that they no longer were used?   Why did no one want them?

My sister-in-law serves Thanksgiving dinner on her grandmother’s china.  Each year they are carefully washed by hand and stored lovingly.  I watch this ritual take place in honor of a wonderful woman, and feel a twinge of envy that no such heirloom will ever be mine.  I envy the act of remembrance it represents, not the dishes.  I look at my newly acquired china and wonder why no one wished to do the same with it.


I wish to.

My heart whispers a silent “thank-you” for the twist of fate that brought this treasure to my home, for the chance to use them tomorrow.  There aren’t enough for the large group we’re expecting, but we will use them for dessert.  The thought makes me smile.  It means that tomorrow night I get to stand again at my kitchen sink to carefully wash them as I reflect on the memories of the day.  Tomorrow these plates begin a new journey, gathering memories at my kitchen table to be carefully stored away until next year.

The thought makes me smile.  And would you believe there’s even sunshine outside?
Life is good.

Jennifer

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Pumpkin Roll

All Things Pumpkin, Desserts



A classic pumpkin dessert, the pumpkin roll is always one of our favorites.  It tastes as good as it looks and people love it.

Ingredients:

3 eggs, beaten well 2/3 cup pumpkin 3/4 cup flour 2 tsp. cinnamon 1 tsp. ginger 1/2 tsp. nutmeg 1 tsp. baking powder 1 Tb. lemon juice Mix all ingredients together for 2 minutes.  Like a cookie sheet with parchment paper (or wax paper sprayed with cooking spray).  Spread batter over paper.


Bake at 350 for 12 minutes.  Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar and roll up in parchment paper to cool.


Doesn’t it look beautiful?


When the roll has cooled completely, mix up the filling:

8 oz cream cheese, softened 4 tsp. butter or margarine 1 tsp. vanilla 1 cup powdered sugar Carefully unroll the cake and spread the cream cheese mixture over it.


Re-roll the cake, this time removing parchment paper from the bottom of the cake as you roll.


Wrap roll in parchment paper or wax paper and then wrap it in aluminum foil.




Place in freezer.  Thaw in refrigerator before slicing.   (Note:  I was losing daylight fast, so I sliced mine before it was fully thawed, which is why the center of the roll is lighter in color.  When it is fully thawed, it all looks as pretty as the outer layer looks in these pictures.)


Enjoy!
Hopeful Homemaker

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Pumpkin Ice Cream Cake

All Things Pumpkin, Desserts

I whipped up this ice cream dessert for my son’s birthday party on Saturday and it did not disappoint.  The pictures aren’t great; it’s difficult to photograph your food while also feeding a group of hungry ten year old boys!  By the time I got the camera out it was getting a bit drippy.


With a gingersnap crust and layers of pumpkin ice cream, caramel, and vanilla bean ice cream, everyone loved it.  It’s a fun alternative to a traditional cake, and perfect for the season.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups crushed gingersnap cookies 2 Tb. sugar 1 tsp. ginger 6 Tb. melted butter 1.5 quarts pumpkin ice cream (I used Dreyer’s) 1.5 quarts vanilla bean ice cream (Dreyer’s again) 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 cup plus 3 Tb. Karo syrup 1/4 cup butter 1 tsp. vanilla To make the crust, combine crushed crackers, 2 Tb. sugar, ginger and 6 Tb. melted butter in a small bowl and stir until combined.  Press onto bottom of cheesecake pan and bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.  Remove from oven and cool completely.

When crust is cooled, scoop 1.5 quarts pumpkin ice cream over crust and spread evenly in the pan.  Put pan in freezer.

To make the caramel, combine sweetened condensed milk, 1/2 cup sugar and Karo syrup in small saucepan.  Cook until soft ball stage (about 5 minutes).  Remove from heat and add vanilla and 1/4 cup butter.  Stir until butter is melted.  Allow to cool.

Spread cooled caramel over pumpkin ice cream.  Spread 1.5 quarts vanilla bean ice cream over caramel and place cake in freezer to set for at least 2 hours.

To serve, remove sides of pan for easy slicing.  Enjoy!


Have a great day!
Hopeful Homemaker

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