Fall Discoveries

It’s my last day! It’s my last day! It’s my last day! I am not feeling much better, but I have to suck it up to go into work, wrap things up, and most importantly, turn in my bathroom key. Otherwise I could be in big trouble! Bathroom keys are in demand.

I think I am going to try to have a nice dinner out with the hubby, but we shall see how I feel. I have a big weekend ahead, judging a cooking competition in Portland, ME, and I want to make sure I am healthy for that!

Fall is one of my favorite seasons, and I thought I would share a few new-to-me discoveries for this fall. Every year I look forward to some of the same fall traditions, but it is always fun to discover tasty new treats!

Homemade apple butter! Why have I waited so long to make apple butter? I had some just-okay apples from Smolak Farms, so I consulted a bunch of recipes online and decided to make apple butter with the peels on! I could say I did this for the nutrition in the skins, but really? I was just feeling lazy and didn’t want to peel 25 apples. 

So I made my own recipe. A whole bunch of apples, chopped into small pieces and tossed into the slow cooker, and lightly coated with cinnamon and our neverending supply of Grenada nutmeg, then covered with a cup of apple cider.

I put the slow cooker on low for 8 hours (no peeking!), and when I finally returned, it looked like this.

I let it cook down for another 2 hours, used my immersion blender to make it smooth, and this apple butter made the dreamiest topping for oatmeal for an entire week. Simply delicious, and ridiculously easy! I don’t know why I have never made my own apple butter before.

Other fall  discoveries? King Arthur Flour’s mixes, and in particular, their pumpkin cheesecake bars. These are SO amazing and easy to make. Just add a few ingredients to the packaged mix, and bake.

I also recently discovered Sam Adams’ Harvest Pumpkin beer. I am normally pretty set in my ways, loving Shipyard pumpkin the best of the pumpkin beers I have tried, but the Sam Adams pumpkin beer is quite delicious, lightly spicy and sweet without the overwhelming “potpurri” taste I get from some seasonal beers.

I am excited to spend the weekend in Portland where I am sure there will be plenty of Shipyard pumpkin beers, lots of great food, and fun. In addition to the competition, we are also celebrating my friend’s birthday with dinner and drinks out. I just hope it isn’t too cold up there! Wish me luck on my last day at my full-time job! I am starting to have the feeling that exciting things are to come!

Have you discovered any new delicious fall treats this year?