Merry Everything from The Auer family!!

This is the art we used for our holiday card this year, drawn by our lovely and talented daughter, Darian.

Black & White Cake

This is the cake I made this evening using another one of my new Wilton Checkerboard cake pans. (They were a Christmas gift from my Dad & Carol) It is supposed to be a checkerboard cake, but it didn't quite work. It still looks cool, but it is my first try.

I made my favorite whipped buttercream frosting using the new Red KitchenAid I got from my Mom & Warren.

Not perfect, but still pretty awesome and DELICIOUS!

Apple Pie

Just because it was so good!

Easy Apple Pie

Ingredients

• 1 (9 inch) deep dish pie crust
• 5 cups apples - peeled, cored and thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 6 tablespoons butter

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C.) Arrange apple slices in unbaked pie shell. Mix 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over apples.
2. Mix 1/3 cup sugar with flour; cut in butter until crumbly. Spoon mixture over apples.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until apples are soft and top is lightly browned.

Purple Christmas Duck

I made this duck for the office holiday party. It's a duck because I wanted to use the new cake pan my Dad sent me for Christmas. It's purple because that is our company color.

Pumpkin Soup

I actually cooked down two small pumpkins to make my own puree for this soup.
It came out super fresh and delish!

Ingredients

• 6 cups chicken stock
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 4 cups pumpkin puree
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 5 whole black peppercorns

Directions

1. Heat stock, salt, pumpkin, onion, thyme, garlic, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes uncovered.
2. Puree the soup in small batches (1 cup at a time) using a food processor or blender.
3. Return to pan, and bring to a boil again. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for another 30 minutes, uncovered. Stir in heavy cream. Pour into soup bowls and garnish with fresh parsley.