Pieces, pumpkin and parties

I feel like I need a second to catch my breath before I can even start writing! Shew! It has been one of those kind of weeks where you just start out running and try not to fall behind!

We're in the final days of a project we've been working on since last spring and with that comes a whole lot that still has to be accomplished and every day - less and less time.  It's overwhelming in moments, but at the same time, such a great feeling of accomplishment when you can cross some of the major items off the list.  One of those major items that I'm working on is designing an art gallery - which also happens to be something I've never done before :).  It's been slightly intimidating in that regard, but a fun challenge too.  I spent the majority of the day running from framers to photo labs and more framers trying to get all of the pieces finished before our loading date next Friday.  Tight timeframe, large images, large frames and a large quantity...you can only imagine the craziness :).  It will all come together and when it does...I'm going to enjoy a tall glass of wine while soaking it all in :).

For whatever reason, when work gets crazy, rather than spending my evenings in a comatose state on the couch...I bake.  That and the fact that fall is just around the corner and with it all of my favorite types of recipes...most of them including pumpkin :)  I've been following the Pioneer Woman for a few years now (as I'm sure do many of you) and when she recently posted a blog about chocolate chip cinnamon rolls...it made the wheels in my "recipe brain" spin.  Ohhhh the possibilities!!   I have a feeling that my co-workers will soon be tired of cinnamon rolls since I have a wide variety of ideas I want to try and they are my guinea pigs (and the way I keep from eating any of it myself!).  Last night I tried my first concept...a pumpkin pecan sticky roll.  I basically created a pretty standard cinnamon roll dough recipe - just changing up the liquid a bit in order to add in pumpkin.  I left it unsweetened (just a tablespoon of sugar) but added some good "pumpkin" spices like nutmeg and cinnamon.  Then, I made a simple caramel sauce using brown sugar and butter and poured that in the bottom of a well-greased 9x13 pan before sprinkling with chopped pecans.  I then rolled out the dough, spread a thin layer of butter over it and then sprinkled it with a mixtures of brown sugar, cinnamon and pecan pieces.  Roll, cut, place on top of the caramel mixture, brush a little butter on top, let rise in the pan an extra hour, bake....and viola!  They turned out better than I expected - and were a hit at the office too!  I would tell you what creation I've got coming up next...but I don't want to ruin the surprise (plus, if it bombs...then you'll never know :)).  I left my good camera at the office, so here's a quick iphone shot of the pumpkin pecan sticky rolls...

And last but not least (apparently I'm blogging in reverse tonight)...parties! :)  Last weekend I was supposed to go camping with a group of friends, but the weather decided not to cooperate.  No need to cancel camping when you can do it just as easily inside!!  I set up the tent in my living room and built the fort attached to it!  We had pigs-n-a-blanket, s'mores, caramel chex mix and loads more crap :).  We played games and watched movies...it was relaxing and fun (well, the party was....getting ready for it was pretty exhausting I must say!).  It's probably the last fort night I'll do for a while, but I'm sure it will be back again someday.  I think in my next home I need a room that's entirely dedicated to the fort.  No constant assembly and dissambly.  Boy that would be nice.