So this pie in a jar thing has been making the rounds on a few blogs. I first saw it here, but also here and here.

I wanted to do pumpkin pie, which I didn't see anywhere else. I was taking a chance, because I wasn't sure it would work, but they came out beautifully. They came out of the oven all puffed up, but flattened out as they cooled, so the lids went on with no problem.

For the crust I used the shortbread crust recipe in The Joy of Cooking, which is a crumbly crust, perfect for patting into the jar as it doesn't roll out well. It's supposed to be a pre-baked crust, but I didn't bother and it cooked through just perfectly along with the pumpkin filling. 

For the filling I used the recipe from Eagle Brand, which is my favorite pumpkin pie filling. It's so easy, just requires a few ingredients (pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt), and comes out perfect every time. I really like its custard-y texture.

Two crust recipes and one pumpkin recipe was enough for a dozen pies. I used the tiny, four ounce Bell jars. Just pat the crust into the jar, keeping it even with the top of the jar, don't go over! Fill them with about a third of a cup of the filling, just a little under half an inch from the top. Bake at 400 degrees for 35-38 minutes. 

I think I always want to eat my pie from a jar now. 

Here's what I've done so far. Made some cupcakes for a mini-shower for my sister, with the help from two sisters-in-law:

Filmed my brother playing a new song in the bathtub. The flashes are me, taking pictures. I get to be a guest on his podcast later this weekend.

UPDATE: Okay, Cary took his video off YouTube, so I'll have to load it myself, but I'm headed for the mountains this morning. I'll re-post it when I get back! In the meantime, enjoy a cute puppy!

I’m noticing a trend here at HeyLucy. Weekends seem to be full of good cooking lately. I’ve been stocking my freezer pretty regularly now, and since the weather really turned this weekend, it’s a comforting feeling to know that now on those chilly evenings when I get home from work I can pop something really delicious in the oven and have a nice warm dinner. Saturday night Mr. Heylucy and I made albondigas soup, and doubled the amount of meatballs so we could stick a bunch in the freezer. I love soup season! Hopefully Mr. Heylucy will start chopping wood and we can sit by the fire and eat soup. That is one of my favorite things about cold weather.

I also did a little baking this morning. Since starting my healthy eating plan earlier this year, I haven’t done much baking, but I thought it was time for a treat, so I made some bread pudding with a loaf of brioche. I thought I’d savor the last of the summer berries, and added fresh blueberries and strawberries. Oh my, it was so delicious and decadant.

Here it is before baking:

And after baking (I wish I had smell-o-vision for you):

It was crispy on the top and custardy underneath, and even though I thought I was a little stingy with the berries while I was making it, there really were plenty, since they sort of melted into it everywhere. Yum.

I worked on some things for the shop too, but didn’t finish as much as I would have liked. Still, there are a few things listed and more well underway. I finished my second book, but didn’t have time to take pictures, so it won’t be there before tomorrow night. I really hope to have a few more pincushions with matching needlebooks added by the end of the week, as well as three little chicks. Meanwhile, I tidied up a sock monkey I made ages ago and added some finishing touches to her outfit, so she is looking for a good home:

And I really like this cushion cover I made. I’d like to make more of these, with different animals and colors:

The bunny is stenciled and quilted. I love toile, but I think it might not be quite as stylish as it once was, so I think this gives it a nice little modern twist. The gardening scenes in this particular pattern made me think of Peter Rabbit. I hope I didn’t give these two gardeners nightmares by superimposing a giant bunny on them. He’s coming to eat their cabbages!