Fall - what's in it for me? Lots.

According to the calendar we're officially two days from Fall.  The weather doesn't feel that way but here in the central valley it won't for another 6 weeks or more.  It's hard to not push the season into being by lighting the candles and shopping for Halloween costumes online.  Here are a few other things I look forward to...

My new Lands' End peacoat.  I've always wanted a peacoat but have just never bought one.  This year I did and I can't wait to wear it.  I will look a bit different in mine than a size 4 black woman, however.

 

It gets darker earlier which means the kids are ready for bed earlier.  The clock still runs the house but it's nice to have kids want to get snuggly in their pj's at 6pm.

Pottery Barn catalog pictures

Gold Canyon candles - the best candle ever made.  This is mulled cider, the perfect fall scent.

Old Navy men's jeans.  For me, not for Chris

Dell Osso Farms

www.pumpkinmaze.com

Pumpkin apple bread.  PUMPKIN APPLE BREAD!!

Great recipes are meant to passed around & this one is the best I've ever tasted - moist, etc. Will make your whole house smell like autumn!!! *Chris's Aunt Missy passed this along to me a few years ago and I've made it every October and November ever since. It is requested by all I've shared it with!

I add about a cup of chopped walnuts to the batter cause I love walnuts w/apples & pumpkin & also sprinkle chopped walnuts on top of "topping".

I double the topping. I pour 1/2 batter into the loaf pan -sprinkle one serving of topping & pour rest of batter & then put second serving of topping on top of that - killer!

For topping:

1 Tbs all-purpose flour

5 Tbs sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 Tbs unsalted butter, softened (I use "salted" just cause I don't have "unsalted" in my house usually)

For bread:

3 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp salt

2 tsps baking soda

1 1/2 tsps ground cinnamon

1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp ground allspice

1 (15-oz) can solid-pack pumpkin

3/4 cup vegetable oil (I use 3/4 cup butter instead - wonderful!!!)

2 1/4 cups sugar

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 Granny smith apples, peeled, cored, and chopped (2 cups)

MAKE THE TOPPING: Blend together flour, sugar, cinnamon. Melt the butter in the microwave and pour into the dry mixutre. Mix with a fork.

MAKE THE BREAD: Put a rack in the middle of oven and preheat oven to 350F. Butter two 9 X 5 inch loaf pans. (I just spray "PAM" into pans.)

Sift together flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and allspice into a medium bowl. Then add oil(or butter), sugar, and eggs in a large bowl. Add the pumpkin. Add flour mixture, stirring until well combined. Fold in apples (and walnuts if using nuts).

Divide batter between buttered loaf pans. Sprinkle half of topping evenly over each loaf. *Remember, if you double the topping, do batter, topping, batter, topping. So yummy to have that topping the middle, too.

Bake until a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center of bread comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes.

Cool loves in pans on a rack for 45 minutes, then turn out onto rack and cool completely, about 1 hour.

This bread is meant to be SHARED!!! Make for your neighbors, your coworkers, your family. The only downside to this is it will be requested every year!


What are some of your fall favorites?