Signs That Autumn is In The Air

People either can't wait for autumn to come or they love summer so much they aren't ready for autumn. There doesn't seem to be a group in the middle. I love it when signs of autumn are in the air.

First sign is that the nights are cooler and I don't have to spend hours watering every day. I love that.

Another sign is leaves are turning. Part of this is the dry conditions, but there are some 

pretty fall leaves already.

The cats are coming in more in the evening instead of doing whatever it is they do outside all night.

I feel like turning on my oven and baking again.

The sunrise is later and the sunset is earlier.

Apples are getting ready to pick.

It is craft time with friends. We always find so many fun crafts to do in autumn.

I need a blanket when going outside to drink my coffee.

Pumpkin flavors are everywhere. People are ready for pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin bread, pumpkins for autumn decor, pumpkin cream cold brew, pumpkin beer, and pumpkin pie.

For those of us that are retired teachers the signs of autumn in the air are no first day of school nightmares, no busting the budget on school supplies for the classroom, but a quieter, slower season to sit in the garden, sip a hot beverages, and watch the leaves turn.

Ten Tips To Help Prepare for the Autumn Season

I think my friends are split in half. Half are crying sad tears as the weather gets cooler and the leaves start to turn. The other half are like me waiting to buy mums for the porch, pulling out the heavy socks and sweatshirts, and sitting around the fire pit in the evening to warm up.

Whichever side you are on, here are some tips to help you prepare for this upcoming season:
1. Match your warm socks in your drawer so can reach them as needed.
2. Make sure there is wood ready for a fire in the pit out back.
3. Dig out the  "Sweater Weather" candle and light it. (favorite scent from Bath and Bodyworks)
4. Review your Pineterest board "Pumpkin Everything".
5.  Find the harvest flag purchased 80% off last January.
6.  Buy school supplies just because they are there.
7. Plan a Sunday dinner that will use the Crock -Pot.
8. Start taking pictures of every leaf that turns or falls in your yard.
9. Store the flipflops.
10. Buy Mason jars to prepare for canning, whether you can or not. I am sure there is a craft that can be created using those those jars.

Christmas Baking: An Inland Empire Girl Tradition and Keepers from the Recipe Box

At holiday time each year I do baking as gifts for family, friends, and neighbors. Some years I do a variety of cookies. Other years I mix it up and do breads and candies. This week-end I did holiday breads. The biggest reason I chose the following breads is because I still had a bumper crop of rhubarb and zucchini waiting in the freezer to be used. I love being able not only to give people homemade bread, but also home grown produce!I started with a recipe I haven't used very often. After JEJ did a taste test he decided it was a keeper. These Fresh Rhubarb Loaves combine tart rhubarb, the fragrance of nutmeg and other yummy ingredients to create a loaf that can be served at breakfast, brunch, or as a snack.



Fresh Rhubarb Loaves
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg ( I use a bit more nutmeg from the spice bottle)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/3 cups finely diced rhubarb
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon


Cream together the butter and brown sugar. Add the egg and beat until well blended. To the flour add the soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. With the mixer on low, combine the four mixture alternately with the buttermilk. Blend in the vanilla. By hand stir in the nuts and lastly the rhubarb.

Pour batter into two greased and floured 9x5x2 inch bread pans. Sprinkle the mixture of sugar and cinnamon on top of unbaked loaves. ( I skipped this and just sprinkled them with white sparkling sugar when I took them out.) Bake at 350 for 40-50 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely before removing from pans.



I also made Zucchini Bread Plus which is posted here. The delicious Pumpkin-Chip Bread was the third recipe I mixed up and it can be found here. All three of these recipes are found in the Best of Friends, Etc. Cookbook by Darlene Glantz Skees.

Pumpkin Pie Muffins: A Keeper from the Recipe Box

I dug out my pumpkin recipes today. I don't know if it was seeing that pile of pumpkins in Kellogg Saturday that inspired me. It may have also been a trip to Starbucks this morning on my way to a teacher inservice that did it. The pumpkin spice latte was a perfect way to start the day. Here is one of my favorite pumpkin recipes.

Pumpkin Pie Muffins
2 cups flour
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 teas. baking powder
1/4 teas. baking soda
1/2 teas. salt
1 teas. cinnamon
1/2 teas. ginger
1/4 teas. cloves
1/4 teas. nutmeg
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 eggs, slightly beaten
3 tablespoons molasses
1 teas. vanilla
3/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts
3/4 cup dates ( or raisins)

Preheat oven to 400. Grease or paper a 12 cup muffin tin.
In a large bowl, stir together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg. In another bowl, stir together pumpkin, butter, buttermilk, eggs, molasses, and vanilla until blended. Make a well in center of dry ingredients; add pumpkin mixture and stir just to combine. Stir in nuts and fruit.
Put batter in cups and bake 20-15 minutes. Remove muffin tin on rack to cool. Cool five minutes before removing muffins from cups. Store in airtight container. These also freeze well. These are very moist and a perfect treat for a Saturday morning with a friend, an after school snack, or a breakfast companion with coffee or tea. Enjoy!