Sun brightens a patch of grass.
Dew shines like beads of glass.
Blue hugs limbs empty of leaves.
Nests are revealed among the trees.
Air invites inhales fresh and clean.
Birds fly in tandem, which can only mean
“Good morning.”
Tag: autumn
Pumpkin Patch Memories
Posting about pumpkin carving with pre-schoolers led me down a crunchy leaves lane of nostalgia. Decorating our house and preparing costumes weren’t our only Autumn traditions. Cherished were our drives to Ort Farms in Long Valley, NJ where we’d take a hay ride to the pumpkin patch, pick as many pumpkins as we could carry, and load up on apple cider, doughnuts, and honey sticks. After saying hi to the farm animals, we’d head home. Every year, Hubby got increasingly skilled at carving pumpkins. (Check out his haunted house below.)
Hon, what Fall traditions does your family share?
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Easy Kids Activity: Pumpkin Carving
It may seem obvious to say pumpkin carving is an easy and fun kids activity, but if you teach preschool (ahem, my wonderful new job), you might think pumpkins, knives, and carving don’t mix with ten super wiggly, touch-everything, curious two year-olds! What does work? Carving open a pumpkin and letting them feel and scoop out what’s inside.
Eight children reached right in, touching and exploring. (“Mushy, gushy!”) The textures were new to them–which showed on their faces–but they dug out the wet, stringy pulp and seeds anyway. Fun!
Two kids wanted nothing to do with this strange mess and backed away from the pumpkin. Funny!
Later in the week, my co-teacher managed to make use of time when the kids were sitting still. She carved shapes into a face. What a great way to learn!
At home, we carved pumpkins, also. It was a first for my daughter’s boyfriend from California. Hands on all around!
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Pumpkin Muffins
Holiday time is baking time, and my Pumpkin Muffins are done! The recipe below is the same one I’ve shared for Pumpkin Bread. These muffins are great for breakfast, snacking or dessert. No condiments necessary!
Happy baking, hon!
PUMPKIN MUFFINS (or BREAD)
Yield: About 24 muffins or 2 loaves.
2 1/2 cups sugar (I used about 2 cups.)
4 large eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree
3 1/2 cups flour (I used a combination of whole wheat and unbleached flour)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground allspice
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2/3 cup water
optional- 1 cup chopped toasted walnuts or pecans
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Beat first 11 ingredients at low speed with an electric mixer for about 3 minutes or until well blended. Add 2/3 cup water and beat until blended. Stir in the nuts if using and then spoon into baking cups.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes for regular sized muffins, or 30 to 35 minutes for mini muffins. Test centers with toothpicks and when they come out clean, they’re done. Cool in the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes; remove from pans and cool completely on wire rack.
Muffins may be well wrapped and kept frozen up to three months.
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Tarantula Territory
Quick Quiz
A sign says, “Please yield for tarantulas on the road.” What do you do?
a) Hightail it out of there and head to civilization or a mini mall?
b) Hike in moon boots or platform shoes?
c) Get super excited and keep your eyes peeled for large creepy-crawlies?
Hon, if you chose C, we’ll be very good friends! Two weeks ago, before a hike in Albuquerque, New Mexico’s Sandia Mountains, I asked a park ranger why tarantulas might be on the road. He said it’s mating season. Cool!
Did “Caution!! Watch for Snakes” catch your eye? Even though two exclamation marks follow “caution,” snakes took a backseat to the hopeful main event–spotting a tarantula. Unfortunately, my childhood friend Cindy and I didn’t spot any. Years before in New Mexico, I did.
While driving 60 mph along a flat highway on the Turquoise Trail, I screamed, “Stop the car!” Hubby wanted to know why, but I didn’t have time to explain.
A tarantula was crossing the highway and I needed to see it up close! It was bigger than my hand!
I tried to record the big, hairy, brown spider, so I grabbed the only thing I could think of–a pencil. I placed (umm, threw) it on the ground next to the enormous arachnid and snapped a picture. I know I’m talking to “seasoned” (read: older) picture takers when I say my camera took film. It wasn’t until I got the film developed that I realized the photo was blurry. Oh well! I’ll always remember that tarantula, who somehow knew he had enough time between cars to cross the highway. Cool!
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Autumn Apple Crumble
Thanksgiving is right around the corner, which means shopping, cooking and cleaning in preparation for Family and Feast. I have menus to plan, furniture to move and mattresses to blow up. My house will be crowded, but it’ll be filled with love, laughter and lots of food.
This easy Apple Crumble recipe was mentioned in my post “Fall Fete (Dessert and Decor).” I tried it out on Teen Daughter’s friends and parents and it was a hit! Thanks to the blog, Mama’s Gotta Bake, I have another way to sweeten up and serve autumn apples.
Happy baking, hon!
Autumn Apple Crumble
Ingredients:
7 large apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/4″ slices (I used a variety of apples)
2 teaspoons lemon juice (plus 1 Tablespoon to be used before baking)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg
Topping Ingredients:
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
3 Tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped small (optional, I didn’t use them in my recipe)
1/2 cup all purpose flour
pinch of salt
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Fill a large bowl with cold water and stir 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice into it. As you are slicing apples, put them into the bowl of lemon water so they don’t brown. When all the apples are sliced, drain them and put into another bowl.
3. Toss the apples in the 2 teaspoons lemon juice, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg until they are coated. Place apple mixture into a baking dish (About 2 quart-sized dish). Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, mix the Topping. Toss the oats, walnuts (optional), pinch of salt, brown sugar and flour until all are incorporated. Then, work in the butter by pinching it with your fingers until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
5. Sprinkle Topping mixture over the apple mixture and bake for about 40 -50 minutes, until the apples are tender when pierced with a sharp knife.
6. Best when eaten warm from the oven with a scoop of–what else?–vanilla ice cream!
Serves 8
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Fall Fete (Dessert and Decor)
I recently hosted a Fall Fete, or festive celebration.
Hon, you know how much I love a theme. And baking. Combining my favorite season with decor and dessert energized me more than usual. The morning after the Get Together, we drove through the stunning Lehigh Valley to visit one of our college daughters. I guess I was still buzzing from the night before because, when I ordered coffee with lunch, the Barista said, “Decaf for you?”
Look what I found at Trader Joe’s. I’d never heard of pumpkin trees before, but apparently that’s what those branches with real, mini pumpkins growing on them are called.
I couldn’t resist this Haunted House Kit from Williams-Sonoma. Orange icing inspired the Decorate-Your-Own-Cupcake Station. The flavor of the icing is…
…candy corn! And the Hershey Kisses aren’t chocolate, they’re pumpkin spice! So much yumminess!
You can bet I tried a little of everything!
Menu:
Pumpkin Muffins
Apple Crumble with Vanilla Ice Cream
Rice Krispie Treats (made with M & M’s and candy corn)
Crudites
Dried Fruit
Chips-n-Salsa
Drinks:
Hot Apple Cider
Hot Chocolate
Coffee and Tea
Wine
Pumpkin Muffin Recipe: click here
Apple Crumble Recipe: post under construction (source, Mama’s Gotta Bake)
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Autumn Haikus
Colorful and crunchy leaves make me nostalgic for the time when my children were little. If you read my recent post, 19 On the 19th (Happy Birthday To My Triplets), then you know I’ve been strolling down memory lane since September. Every year, we would
drive to the a country farm,
ride in a wagon,
pick pumpkins,
decorate our house,
carve pumpkins,
jump in leaf piles
and, of course, go trick-or-treating.
Topping off the holiday season was the best entertainment around, the elementary school Halloween show. Soon after Thanksgiving arrived and we feasted with extended family at our home. Heaven!
I recently came across my big kids’ third grade Autumn Haikus. I couldn’t wait to share them with you, along with a photo of each kid, all grown up now.
Do you and your family have favorite Fall traditions? Hon, I’d love to hear them.
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DIY Fall Wreath
A new session of After School Enrichment started and I’m so excited to be teaching two classes. One is called Creative Minds for 3rd to 5th graders. Last week, we made Fall wreaths inspired by one hanging at my local Michael’s.
Here’s what you need and how to make your own.
Supply list:
Foam wreath form, whatever size you want
Burlap, we measured 6 feet of burlap for each form
Coiled Wire, used to secure floral spray before gluing
Wire Cutters, we used two sizes, one to trim the floral sprays and one to trim the coiled wire
Hot Glue Gun
Floral Decorations, we used colored beads, leaves and floral sprays (leaves with fruit and berries)
Ribbon
Twine, knotted and looped for hanging
Steps:
1. Unroll burlap and guesstimate how much you will need to cover your wreath form.
2. Wrap burlap around wreath form, tucking ends in on what will be the back of your wreath, hot glue ends.
3. The floral sprays had long stems so I cut the ends off with a large wire cutter.
4. Use coiled wire to secure floral spray to burlap covered wreath form. We used a fairly long piece of coiled wire, wrapping it around spray stem in a criss-cross fashion and twisting in back of wreath.
5. Hot glue floral spray to wreath: We glued the spot where the coiled wired secured the floral spray and also under the leaves so they would lay flat.
5. Hot glue colored beads and individual leaves.
6. Tie ribbon and glue if needed.
7. Find the top of the wreath and create a hanging loop with twine.
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Purple Flower Power
In the Northeast, we are in between Autumn’s feast of colors and Winter’s crystal jewel box. Hon, here’s a shot of color. Call it a purple pick-me-up.
