Welcoming Fall ♥

Hello Friends!

 

I'm taking a break from the Café today to welcome in the wonderful season of Fall!

 

Fall is my favorite season.  I love that scent of burning leaves drifting through the air and the changing colors on the trees. I love that the mornings are chilly because I can be more cozy. I need socks to keep my feet warm.  My coffee tastes better on a crisp morning.  My mind starts to think about the holidays and I have an urge to bake.  I don't do a lot of baking in the summer because it's too hot.  By September I'm ready to get back in the kitchen.  Besides, the oven warms the house so why not make some pumpkin bread?

 

 

 

 

The other morning I went to the garden center and picked out my mums and a nice fat pumpkin for my doorstep!  Just look at those colors!

 

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Bringing out the decorations is always fun.  Such a nice change from Summer.  I got this little lady last year when we went apple picking.  She's right at the front door to greet you! We will be going apple picking next week and I'm hoping to get her a boyfriend for the other side of my door.  I think she needs some company!

 

 

Do you like my new Fall garden flag? My son picked it out! : )

 

 

Ok, I may be jumping the gun a little bit with Halloween décor, but once the pumpkins come out I can't seem to help myself.  This is our Halloween tree.  Isn't it adorable? I love the little ghosts, pumpkins, and witches! My son loves the cotton clouds though the tree. 

 

For the record I have no candy corn in my house yet! : )

 

And speaking of....this guy is officially a second grader! Here he is on his first day.  When he flashed me the two fingers I thought he meant "peace".  Turns out the two was for second grade. I guess I needed more coffee that morning : )

 

According to him, second grade is a breeze. I hope he always keeps this attitude!

 

It's a big year for him.  He'll make his first Holy Communion in May. 

 

The temperatures are finally getting cool.  In fact, it's actually quite chilly in the morning which I really love.  Last week I dug out some of my warm & cozy long sleeve shirts.  Going through the pile I realized that I must have an unconscious obsession with stripes! Practically every shirt I own is striped or solid black!

 

 

Pumpkin spice lattes are back! Yay!!!!! 

 

Lately, breakfasts consist of oatmeal or toast with peanut butter and bananas.  Comfort food on chilly, dark mornings! I light a pumpkin spice or Autumn leaves candle and wait for the sun to come up. Looooove it!

 

I have little jack-o-lanterns scattered throughout the house, like these ones in the kitchen.  I love Fall to have a little whimsy!  I'm not a fan of the scary stuff.  I prefer happy pumpkins!                                   

 

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The other night I made a big pan of apple crisp! We served it warm with vanilla ice cream and it was so good.  The first apple crisp (or pie : ) of the season is always the best!

 

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It got me thinking of all the things I love to make in the Fall and I thought I would share just a few of my favorites that I have on the blog:

Baked Apple

I got this recipe out of Susan Branch's book of Days that sits on my counter.  I like it for breakfast but could easily be a dessert! What a treat!

Apple Swirl Cake

My Mom's recipe for Apple Swirl Cake is the best! You put orange juice in the batter!

 

Yum~

Cranberry Cobbler

I baked this in my Dad's cast iron skillet.  It came out perfectly!

Chicken Pot Pie - Buttery crust on the outside - creamy deliciousness on the inside! One of my favorite things in the world to eat!

 

Shaking up the apple crisp by adding the last of the summer raspberries! So good!

Chicken Pot Pie & Apple Raspberry Crisp   (perfect combo for a chilly Fall night : )

Butternut Squash Risotto

This butternut squash risotto also has dried cranberries in it.  It's so worth all that stirring! I served it as a side dish to chicken and broccoli, but I think I could easily have made it my main meal!

Cinnamon Sugar Apple Skillet Cake

 The apples, cinnamon, and sugar get all sticky and sweet.  It's soooo good!

Gingerbread Waffles

A perfect Sunday breakfast on a blustery Fall morning.  I serve with hot apple cider and sliced granny smith apples drizzled with honey.  This is THE start to a stay- in- your- PJ's- all- day- kind of a day! (geez, I love those days, don't you?)

After School Apple Snack

The first time I saw this was in Martha Stewart's Everyday Food Magazine.  It's so simple, yet so delicious.  Melted cheese and a sliced apple on a toasted English muffin.  My son loves this as an after school snack! If we are home on a weekend he'll eat it for lunch!

I hope you all are enjoying these early days of Fall!

 

I'll be back in the Heartfelt Home Café soon!

 

See you there! xo