Notes from the October kitchen

Hello again Reader,

October was all apples, pears and sweet potatoes around here, and now Thanksgiving is just around the corner. If you're starting your list, my Thanksgiving recipes are all in one place.

Whatever season it is where you are, let's recap the month.

The one everyone baked

These apple oatmeal muffins with a crunchy top more than doubled their visits this month. They were the biggest climber on the blog 🍎

One reader said: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Excellent! I love how these muffins don't have a huge amount of sugar in them. I added more apples, made them twice already. They'll be a fall staple at our house now.

Close seconds:

A pumpkin apple crumble cake, two fall favorites in one pan.
My pumpkin pie with a graham cracker crust. No rolling pin, no stress.

Fresh out of the oven

Slice of vintage sweet potato pie with cream and cinnamon.

An old-fashioned sweet potato pie, silky and warmly spiced, ready for the holiday table.

A 3-ingredient apple dump cake for when you want dessert in the oven in five minutes.

Spiced red wine poached pears on whipped cream.

Red wine poached pears, an elegant make-ahead dessert that's easier than it looks 🍷🍐

Old favorites, new tricks

I regularly tweak old recipes with new photos, tips and answers to your questions.

All-butter shortcrust pastry crimped in a white pie dish.

My perfect shortcrust pastry (pâte brisée), the one I use for pies and quiches all season.

Soft, cakey chocolate whoopie pies with a fluffy filling.
Maple pumpkin muffins with no refined sugar.
A pear frangipane tart with almond cream and a graham cracker crust.

The savory side

Two wedges of roasted pumpkin on a white plate with herbs.

Easy oven-roasted pumpkin was the second most-visited recipe this month, and it's the simplest fall side you'll make.

My homemade empanada dough, made with butter or the traditional lard, was my most-clicked recipe on Pinterest. Fill it with my freshly updated Argentine ground beef empanadas 🇦🇷

Straight from the comments

This was DELICIOUS!!! I'm not sure what you meant about storing the leftovers because we didn't have any. 😆

— A reader, on the pork carnitas tacos.

From our kitchen table

Highlights of what my VA and I made this month.

I made this classic potato salad a few times for family barbecues. There's not one without it.
My VA made these cinnamon scones with the most luscious glaze.
If you like step-by-step videos, the glazed apple muffins reel is on my Instagram.

Most-used in my kitchen this month

🥧 This simple white pie dish that goes well with any holiday pie.

🫙 This ground cinnamon; I'm a bit obsessed with it.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

Coming up in November

Holiday apps, from brie bites to stuffed dates.

Two more desserts fit for a celebratory table: tiramisu in cake form and quick caramelized pears.

Plus the usual weekend baking ideas, tips and more. Watch your inbox 🥳

• • •

Thanks for reading; it means more than you know 🧡
The oven's never really off around here, so if something in this issue sparked a thought, hit reply and share it with me. I personally read every message. Stay inspired, happy baking, and I’ll see you in the next one.