honey-phyllo pumpkin pie

Yesterday we hosted the first holiday meal in our home in four years. FOUR YEARS. The remodeling project, which I've mentioned here on occasion, is taking a very long time. However, the kitchen portion of it is nearly finished, so we were long overdue for a holiday gathering. And as the aspiring hostess with the mostess, I don't think anyone was more excited than me. I poured over recipes, starched napkins, glittered leaves, and made my best attempt at creating a memorable occasion. (Mom obligingly created the lovely centerpieces for the table.) It didn't exactly go off without a hitch -- I spilled part of the pumpkin pie in the oven, reinforcements were needed to get the mashed potatoes and gravy ready in time, and, most unfortunately, Mom was too ill to participate -- but we still had many things for which to be thankful. Including this pumpkin pie.

pumpkin cupcakes

THIS is why I got a new camera. Pretty picture, right? And let's be honest, we know it has nothing to do with my skills as a photographer because -- seriously -- I don't have any yet. That's OK though. Apparently, if you buy the right equipment and can manage to avoid a case of the shakes when you press the shutter button, a beautiful picture will magically appear.

Sorry, by the way, that it has taken me a month to figure that out. The camera and I went through an interesting "getting to know you" period. When the 40D showed up on my doorstop, I promptly brought it inside and placed it, unopened, in the middle of my floor. It stayed there for a week, in the company of its accessory friends, before I even dared to begin the long, uphill climb of the real photography learning curve. So far I've basically only figured out how to turn on the camera and the external flash. Fortunately, those two things, coupled with knowing how to compose a shot, were enough to get a few blog-worthy photos.