meatless monday: dinner party style

Happy Monday! Today has turned out warmer than expected in the D. It is mercifully not as chilly as it was this morning, when my feet almost hurt when they touched the kitchen floor. Nope, today is balmy and coat-less; a no-stocking kind of day, when bare legs are happiest.

And I am happy recalling the success of a recent dinner party. Friday, I had my sister, brother-in-law and another couple over for a feast and some get-to-know-you conversation. The theme: make a dish (appetizer, entree, dessert) that tells a story about your relationship. My sister, made guacamole similar to  this, from her Rick Bayless cookbook:

The story was that my sister and her husband really bonded during their dating years over a mutual love of Mexican food...so much so, that they decided to honeymoon in Mexico!

I made butternut squash and cheddar bread pudding, the dish that--I am sure--convinced my hubs that I could actually cook. In hilarious "us" fashion, though, neither of us can agree on when I first made this revolutionary dish. He says we'd been married two years, I'm positive that it was during our first year of wedded bliss...*sigh* at least it's damn delicious:)

Our friends brought a pumpkin pie. Their story may have been the most precious--the pie had a small cookie-cut-out of a church on it, and it was to show that they'd been waiting to find someone who shared their faith-practice. It was so precious, so utterly without irony, and just plain sweet.

So, overall, a lovely dinner party! And with a meatless entree, no less. What about you? Do you have any go-to dinner-party dishes?

meatless monday: the first of fall

For meatless monday today, I am excited to share with you my dinner plans for tonight: spaghetti squash with tomato sauce!

To my husband's chagrin, I have fallen head-over-heels for this fun-to-prepare squash as a pasta substitute. Check out more yummy-looking recipes here and here. 

With the onset of fall, I've been thinking of all the wonderful culinary delights that are, in my Mitten-born head, quintessentially autumnal. Apple cider, for instance. Cider donuts. And all things pumpkin...

Now, I love a good pumpkin-spiced latte as much as the next girl...but it's not exactly in my budget these days to pick up a professionally made one just whenever I feel like it. So, this morning, in my pre-caffinated semi-genius, I figured out this homemade substitute:

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[so, that's 1 cup dark roast coffee (I use this French Roast), plus 1-2 tbs. Natural Bliss Creamer in Caramel, plus Pumpkin Pie Spice to taste, equals Faux-Pumpkin-Pie-Spice-Latte]

What about you? Do you have any clever, DIY recipes that taste just like "store bought"? Do tell!