Autumn bucket list so far!

I love Autumn so much. anyone who has read even just a few of my posts will have realised my budding love for the season. There are so many things that you can do to get you in the mood, the possibilities are endless :-) here are a few of my ideas in my Autumn bucketlist:

• Go apple picking
• Go pumpkin picking
• Have a pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks
• Have apple cider
• Have the apple cider donuts and the Halloween donuts from Dunkin Donuts
• Drink Pumpkin-flavored hot cocoa
• Buy things from the Fall and Halloween collections
• Go to haunted house(s)
• Carve a pumpkin
• Make a pumpkin pie
• Watch all the horror and Halloween-themed movies in the cinema
• Read a Halloween classic like Dracula or Frankenstien
• Decorate the house
• Make a costume
• Trick-Or-Treat 
• Attend/throw a Halloween party
• Watch a classic movie like Dracula, Frankenstien, or the Wolf Man
• Watch Halloween
• Paint my nails a fall-themed color
• Buy fall candles from Yankee Candle
• Go on a hayride
• Take a walk in the woods
• Buy new decorations
• Buy a new sweater
• Buy new flannels
• Make s’mores
• play in the fallen leaves
• take wonderful Autumn pictures
• buy autumn fragrances

Autumn recipe: Spiced Autumn punch

spiced autumn punch

 

 

serves 16

ingredients:

• 2 oranges
• 8 whole cloves
• 1.5L (2 1/2 pints) apple juice
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 4 tablespoons honey
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 500ml (17 fl oz.) pineapple juice

directions
prep: 20 minutes
cook:40 minutes
ready in: 1 hour

1. preheat oven to 180 C / gas mark 4. Stud the whole oranges with cloves and bake for 30 minutes
2. in a large saucepan, combine the apple juice and cinnamon stick. Bring to the boil and reduce heat to medium and simmer 5 minutes.
3. serve hot in a punch bowl with the 2 baked clove-studded oranges floating on top.

I love this quick and easy recipe that gets me into the autumn mood very quickly. Its so simple and quite fast to do and would be great for parties or even just in front of the fire on an autumn evening.

enjoy :-)

all rights and credit goes to the creator of this recipe.

autumn recipe:roast pumpkins with apple and cinnamon

I love pumpkins, they really make up a large part of Autumn, especially through Halloween but I always seem to overcompensate and buy more pumpkins than I need (I know, who can have too many pumpkins). eventually I run out of ideas to carve into the pumpkins to make them scary for my visitors though so I love it when I have recipe's lying around where I don't just use the insides, I use the actual pumpkin itself. its a great way of recycling the pumpkin after Halloween is over as well as all of those wonderful pumpkin faces just get thrown in the bin.


Roast pumpkins with apple and cinnamon

ingredients
serves: 4

• 4 small pumpkins, tops sliced off and seeds removed
• 450g (16 oz. ) apple sauce
• 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• salt and freshly ground lack pepper to taste

directions
prep: 15 minutes
cook: 45 minutes
ready in: 1 hour

1.  preheat oven to 160 c/ gas mark 3. lightly grease a medium baking dish
2. in a small bowl, mix apple sauce, cinnamon, salt and pepper. spoon 1/4 of the mixture into the bowl of each pumpkin.
3. place pumpkins in the prepared baking dish. cover with aluminium foil and bake in preheated oven for 1 hour and 45 minutes, or until tender.

all rights and credit goes to the creator of this recipe. enjoy :-)

Autumn posts

I will be posting only Autumn posts from the end of August onwards. Feel free to leave comments of suggestions for blog posts of you want anything in particular :-)

summer/autumn recipes: cider apple muffins

CIDER APPLE MUFFINS

300g plain flour
125g brown sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
pinch of salt
3/4 tsp cinnamon, or to taste
tiny pinch of ground cloves
500ml apple cider
140ml flavourless oil, rapeseed or sunflower
1 egg
1 medium apple
Crumble Topping:

40g plain flour
50g brown sugar
25g flaked almonds
25g butter, melted
Preheat the oven to 200 C and line a 6 hole jumbo muffin tin (or 12 hole regular muffin tin) with paper cases or use squares of greaseproof paper, buttering the bases to keep the paper in place. Pour the cider into a saucepan and boil over a medium/high heat to reduce by a little over half and measure out 180ml of cider. Set aside to cool while you get the muffin batter ready. Combine the flour, sugar and nuts from the crumble ingredients in a small bowl and set aside also.
Place the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves and pinch of salt in a large bowl and stir with a whisk to combine ( I use a whisk to stir because I'm too lazy to sieve the flour). Peel, grate or finely dice the apple and put it in the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir in with a fork. Put the reduced cider in a large jug or medium mixing bowl, add the vegetable oil next to help cool the cider further before adding the egg (scrambled eggs are not good in this recipe!). Beat the wet ingredients together lightly, Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet mixture using a fork to combine the batter. Mix only long enough to combine overmixing will make the muffins heavy instead of light and fluffy.
Transfer the batter to the muffin cases using a tablespoon. Stir enough butter into the crumble ingredients to make a moist crumble and scatter generously over the top of the muffin batter. Bake in the oven until risen, golden and springy when pressed lightly in the centre. Large muffins will take 35-40 minutes and regular sized ones will take about 25-30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool a little before diving in.
The muffins are best eaten warm on the day you bake them, but you could store them overnight in an airtight tin and warm them in the microwave (or oven) the next day.
Makes 6 large or 12 regular muffins. 

I found this on http://eatdrinklive.typepad.com/eat_drink_live/much_ado_about_muffins/ 

Autumn/Fall mood

I know that its Summer and Autumn is still over a month away but I have so many posts for autumn filling up my drafts so I'm going to be posting early to help get more people into the Autumn/fall mood. Please leave comments of post ideas for any season if there is something that you would like me to post about. Subscribe via email to be alerted whenever I post!!!

Autumn/Winter recipe: hot chocolate

Best Ever Drinking Chocolate

This drinking chocolate tastes so luxurious and is made from the simplest of ingredients. Use a best quality dark chocolate bar for this, preferably organic, with at least 70% cocoa solids.

Ingredients

Serves : 3 

• 125ml (4 1/2 fl oz) double cream
• 125ml (4 1/2 fl oz) semi-skimmed milk
• 100g (4 oz) plain dark chocolate

---

Directions

Prep:1min  ›  Cook:5min  ›  Ready in:6min 

1. Break the chocolate bar into pieces in a small mixing bowl.
2. Heat the double cream and milk on the hob until it's nearly at a simmer, then remove from heat. Do not allow the cream and milk to boil.
3. Pour the milk and cream mixture into the bowl, and stir together with the chocolate until well combined. Pour into demitasses (small coffee cups) and enjoy!

Tip:

For an extra touch to your drinking chocolate, add a pinch of cinnamon to the bowl when you mix everything together.

i found this here

(all rights go to the person who made this recipe)

autumn recipes: blackberry and apple jam

In autumn, the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness, our minds turn to the making of blackberry and apple jam. Every jar, holding the memory of summer, to be opened and relished on short winter days. A straightforward and very satisfying recipe.

Makes about 1.5kg, serves lots

Takes 30 minutes to make, plus 1 hour cooling and 15 minutes for sterilising jars

INGREDIENTS

• 500g blackberries
• 500g cooking apples, peeled, cored and chopped
• Juice of 1 small lemon
• 1kg jam sugar

METHOD

How to make blackberry and apple jam

1. Put the blackberries and apples into a preserving or large pan with the lemon juice and 100ml water. Place over a medium heat and simmer gently for 10-15 minutes, until tender and reduced.

2. Pop a couple of saucers into the freezer to chill. Add the sugar to the pan and cook, stirring to dissolve. Bring to the boil and boil rapidly for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.

3. Put a teaspoonful of jam onto a chilled saucer for 1 minute. Drag your finger lightly over the jam. If it wrinkles, it has reached setting point; if it doesn't, boil for a couple more minutes, then turn off the heat and try again with another chilled saucer. Set aside to cool for 1 hour.

4. Preheat the oven to its lowest setting. To sterilise the jars and lids, clean and upturn them - lids off - on a baking sheet. Put in the oven for 15 minutes. Stir the jam, then ladle into each jar, seal and label.

Tip: Jam sugar has added pectin, which guarantees a good set. Store unopened for 6 months. Refrigerate once opened. You will need a few jam jars with tight-fitting lids.

I found this here

(all rights go to the person who made this recipe)

Autumn recipes: Baked fruity autumn pudding

Baked fruity autumn pudding

prep time: 20-25 mins

serves 4-6 people

This pudding is bursting with autumn flavours, and can be made up to a day ahead - just reheat in the microwave

ingredients

450g mixed autumn fruits- we used ripe plums, peeled apples, pears and blackberries

2 tbsp butter, plus extra for greasing

200g caster sugar

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

300g self-raising flour

140g shredded suet

zest 1 lemon 

Method

1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Cut 2 x 5cm-wide strips of parchment and lay them up the sides of a 1.2-litre pudding basin, making a cross on the bottom of the dish. Make sure there is some overhang to help you release the pudding when cooked. Grease again. Lay a square of foil and equal-size square of greased parchment on top of each other, folding a pleat down the middle.
2. To make the filling, chop plums, apples and pears into 1cm cubes and place in a bowl with the blackberries. Add butter, broken into bits, 125g of sugar and cinnamon. Stir and put to the side.
3. Sift flour into mixing bowl. Mix in suet, remaining sugar and zest. Add a few drops of water, working it through with a cutlery knife, then keep adding water until you have soft dough. Using your hand, bring the dough together into a smooth ball. Tip out onto a lightly floured surface. Tear the dough into ¾ and ¼ parts. Roll the larger portion into a rough circle, approx 20cm. Drop into the basin and press up the sides until you have a slight overhang. Tip the filling into the pastry case. Roll out the remaining ¼ to make a lid, then press the pastry edges together to firmly seal. Tuck the protruding flaps of parchment down onto pastry.
4. Put foil/parchment on top (foil side up), pressing and squeezing the foil round the edges to make a fitted lid. Tie string securely around the lid, making a handle with extra doubled-up string. Put in a deep roasting tin, then pour boiling water to 1-2cm below foil line. Cook for 2 hrs, topping up water level if it gets too low. Unwrap, release edges using parchment tabs and invert onto a plate.

 I found this here 

(all rights go to the person who made this recipe)

I recently tried this recipe as i am having major Autumn withdrawal symptoms. I love autumn,  it is my favourite season. In my opinion it is has the best of everything to offer us as a season, depending on where you live the weather isn't too hot or too cold, (it can be a little chilly i will admit but its not so cold that you want to stay in bed all day) and the colours, tastes and smells are to die for. The clothes that we get to wear aren't that bad either (aka fabulous, warm, snuggly jumpers/sweaters that you could wear all of the time if you could). 

autumn recipe: caramel shortbread

These more-ish slices are based on caramel shortbread but the apple gives them a lovely fruitiness. ...

Makes about 15 slices

Takes 20 minutes to make, 20 minutes to bake, plus chilling and cooling

INGREDIENTS

• 200g plain chocolate, melted
• 100g dried ready-to-eat apples, finely sliced
• 450g jar caramel toffee sauce (we used Merchant Gourmet Dulce de Leche, from major supermarkets), warmed to pouring consistency

• For the biscuit base
• • 110g butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
  • 40g caster sugar
  • 175g plain flour
  • 10g cornflour
  
  

  METHOD

  How to make toffee apple shortbreads

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan160°C/gas 4. Grease and line a 17cm x 27cm x 4cm deep baking tin. To make the biscuit base, cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Sift in the flour and cornflour and, using your hands, work to a dough. Place in the tin and use a glass tumbler to roll out flat and into the corners. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden. Set aside to cool.

  2. Scatter the apples over the base, pour over the caramel sauce and spread to level out. Chill in the fridge for 1 hour.

  3. Pour the melted chocolate over the caramel and apples, then spread evenly. Set aside to cool at room temperature for about 2 hours or until set. Remove from the tin and cut into 15 slices.

  
  

  I found this on here
  (all rights go to the person who made this recipe)

Autumn fever!!

Sweater Weather

I dream of opening my eyes to a sea of gold each morning, fluttered with scarlet kisses in cups of coffee. The sleeves hit the palms of my hands in the palm of yours. I skip from the bench to the lake, pulling you along with me. Night rolls in and we lock ourselves in the house, opening the windows to hear the rain while we watch Disney movies all night long. Apple cinnamon candles fill the room while you sleep and I kiss your cheek until your lashes flutter and your lips curl and the magic breaks the surface into reality. Then I wake, I really wake, to the summer breeze and lonely sheets and I dream of autumn. http://autumn-dreaming.tumblr.com/

I have to say that autumn is my favourite of all of the seasons and I have a case of the autumn fever! I don't really like summer all that much so I won't post a lot for it, sorry. Please message me for anything that you would like me to blog about :-)