Williams-Sonoma Pumpkin Loaf Pan

I lost my Williams-Sonoma virginity today. I have never ventured in there for fear of shameless running around and petting their handcrafted copper cookware and Kitchen Aid mixers. They were having a 15% off sale so it wasn't QUITE as $$$$ as expected.

I purchased a Pumpkin Loaf Pan and a Giant Cupcake Pan. Considering doing the Giant Cupcake for my brother's 21'st birthday on the 19th but may save it for

other occasions. I have something extra special in mind for his surprise.

Christien and I made the pumpkin bread recipe in the new pan and it turned out very well. Forgot to mention - bought their brand of baking spray. I, like a moron, didn't know the difference in baking vs cooking spray. Probably why my first pumpkin bread in class stuck to the pan so much. The baking spray worked stupendously and the bread was delicious.

We also cooked tie-dye cupcakes with butter cream icing, rainbow sprinkles and a cherry. Don't know what came over me today but all I've wanted to do is bake bake bake!

We dropped the cupcakes and bread off at his work so he and his coworker's Saturday night will hopefully be brightened with a bit of baked goods.

The recipe for the pumpkin bread is further down on my blog and the tie-dye cupcakes are under "Rainbow Tie-Dye Cake." It can be used for 8''x 12'' cakes, or 2 8'' cakes stacked, or cupcakes. Very moist, very colorful and aesthetically pleasing.

Vanilla Poached Pears

Ingredients

• 1 (750-ml) bottle white wine, Riesling or Viognier
• 1 cup water
• 5 ounces vanilla sugar, approximately 3/4 cup
• 1 whole vanilla bean, split and scraped
• 4 firm Bartlett, Anjou or Bosc pears, peeled leaving the stem intact

Directions

Place the white wine, water, sugar and vanilla bean and pulp into a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.

Core the pears from the bottom. Decrease the heat to medium low and place the pears into the liquid, cover and cook for 30 minutes or until the pears are tender but not falling apart. Maintain a gentle simmer. Remove the pears to a serving dish, standing them upright, and place in the refrigerator.

Remove the vanilla bean from the saucepan, increase the heat to high and reduce the syrup to approximately 1 cup of liquid, approximately 20 to 25 minutes. Do not allow the syrup to turn brown. Place the syrup in a heatproof container and place in the refrigerator until cool, approximately 1 hour.

Remove the pears from the refrigerator, spoon the sauce over the pears and serve.