cold weather cooking

fall and winter make me want to get back into the kitchen. summertime is too hot to be in front of the stove... plus i would rather be drinking in the beer garden at the brown lantern ;)

i've never made a stew before and saw giada making this one day. looks so easy and really yummy.

then i saw this lovely picture on the sunset magazine website... recipe here.

and what better to finish either of these off with? something pumpkin of course, 'tis the season! these come from paula deen. and can you believe it, the pumpkin bars DO NOT have butter in them. shocker! i guess there is oil, but paula manages to add butter to everything.