KELLEY SAYS: We recently found ourselves in the gift shop at Chateau Elan in Brasselton, Ga., near Atlanta while celebrating the engagement of our daughter and our future son-in-law. While checking out the gift shop, I found a jar of Pumpkin Pecan Butter (Fairywoodtogo@aol.com, 678-278-5460). It reminded us of a brioche I made for our own wedding.
BARRY SAYS: Still one of the best things you've ever made, and that is saying something.
KELLEY: It was good, but finding the pumpkin butter inspired me to try to think of something similar, but not quite as labor intensive. I imagine you could use a different brand or even type of butter if you wanted.
It was made with pumpkin, unsweet apple juice, sugar, pecans, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, lemon juice and pectin. The shop is actually next to the winery and they offer wine tastings and other specialty items.
BARRY: It's a good marketing tactic as we came home with some of each and a nice bottle of port made there, as well.
KELLEY: I thought the butter could be the base for a delicious, quick and easy fall appetizer.
BARRY: And, you were right. It's hard to imagine anything simpler. I guess I could have simply eaten it out of the jar with a spoon. Oh, wait. I did do that.
KELLEY: Anyway, we toasted some crostinis from a locally sourced bakery, and topped them with brie, thinly sliced green apples, the pumpkin butter and bacon bits, also locally sourced. Pretty simple, but lots of wonderful flavors.
BARRY: Kelley also made a pot of onion soup, which paired nicely with the crostinis.
KELLEY: It was very simple.
Pumpkin Apple CrostinisPumpkin Apple Crostinis
1/2 loaf of artisan French baguette
Pumpkin Pecan butter
1/2 green apple
3 slices bacon
1/2 brie
butter
Cut a loaf of bread into crostinis, lightly butter and toast in the oven. Cut the brie into small pieces and place on the crostinis and put them under the broiler for about a minute to soften the cheese. Place a thin slice of apple on each, followed by dollop of the pumpkin butter and bacon bits and serve.