Fall has always been my favorite time of year! From the cool, crisp, foggy mornings to the festive Halloween celebrations. I am here for it all. Maybe because I was born in this great season, it’s a natural feeling of exuberance. Because fall is my feel-good space, I would love to share all my favorites for all things fall from food to local, family-fun outings. So, let’s get into it!
Favorite Fall Food
I feel like food is the perfect place to start when talking about Fall! I love cooking and baking, and Fall food is always like a big, cozy blanket; it warms you up inside and makes you feel safe. One recipe that everyone loves is my pumpkin spice muffins. As soon as Fall is in the air, my family and friends call in their requests and often buy the ingredients, because that’s how much they love these muffins. They are also perfect for those who aren’t big pumpkin lovers. This recipe is so simple and quick to make, so you must try it!
Pumpkin Spice Muffins: Yields: 12-16 muffins; Bake Time: 23 minutes.
Ingredients
½ Cup Vegetable Oil
3 Large Eggs
1 ½ Cups Sugar
1 ½ Cups Pumpkin Puree
1 ½ Tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 ½ Tsp Salt
1 ½ Tsp Baking Powder
1 ¾ Cups + 2 Tbsp Flour
For Cinnamon Sugar Coating
1 Tbsp Cinnamon
½ Cup Sugar
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Beat all ingredients together, stirring in flour last until smooth.
- Pour batter into lined muffin tin about ¾ full.
- Bake 23-25 minutes.
- Let cool slightly.
- Pour Cinnamon and Sugar into large Ziploc bag and toss.
- While muffins are still warm toss each into the bag of cinnamon sugar and gently shake to cover tops.
- Store in an airtight container.
While we’re on the subject of food, you can’t enjoy Fall without a nice bowl of soup! Although I love a good recipe, as a mom of three, sometimes I need something quick and simple, and this is where my favorite grocery store comes in handy. Trader Joe’s is the place to go if you’re looking for any delicious, Fall treats. They always carry the best in-season produce, anything pumpkin, and beautiful Fall flowers. My Trader Joe’s Fall favorite has got to be their Autumn Harvest Soup. It’s a tomato base soup with pumpkin and squash. You can eat it by itself or use it as a sauce for pasta. My favorite way to eat it is warm with a fresh baguette!
Smell Goods!
I don’t know about you, but when I think about Fall, the scents have me in a choke hold! I love walking into my home after a long day to warm scents of cinnamon and apples, or even something like tobacco and bourbon (we do live in Kentucky after all!). Sweet and spicy smells are always a great way to welcome the season. My favorite ways to fill my home with Fall essence are by keeping a cinnamon broomstick next to my front door (can be purchased at most grocery stores during Fall), stopping by Bath & Body Works to pick up a 3-wick candle from their hundreds of Fall options, or by conjuring up a good old simmer pot! If you’re unsure of what a simmer pot is, it’s just a pot of water on your stove, with added ingredients that you simmer on low, to fill your home with scented, seasonal, magic! Here’s my favorite simmer pot recipe –
Warm and Cozy Kitchen Simmer Pot
In a medium size pot, add:
4 cups water
4 cinnamon Sticks
2 Tbsp whole cloves
1 large orange, sliced
I apple, sliced
1 Tbsp Vanilla Extract
Bring mixture to a boil, then decrease heat to low and simmer. Add more water as the liquid decreases.
Family Fun
Fall is also a great time to go outdoors with the kids for some family fun. It’s not too hot or humid, and it’s also not freezing. The colors of the trees are changing and the colors of Fall, in nature, are so beautiful. Every year my family and I visit Cornucopia Farm. Cornucopia is located at 5444 N Rutherford Hollow Rd, Scottsburg, IN 47170. They have so much to offer for a full day of family fun. We usually start the day by visiting the animals! Cornucopia offers animal feedings, and our kids love to bottle feed the baby calves. We then move onto the giant tunnel slides, and in the Fall, they have a corn cannon and giant bales of hay for the kids to climb. We usually go on a hayride or get lost in the corn maze. Cornucopia also offers flower and pumpkin picking, corn hole, barnyard basketball, a kid’s play area, rubber duck races, a cow train and much more! My favorite part is the food! They are most known for their cider donuts and apple cider slushies! If you want a day of family fun, Cornucopia is a must visit.
If you’re in need of a family activity at home, the kids and I love making wax dipped leaves. First, we go outside and hunt for leaves. You want good sized leaves, various colors, and nothing too dry where they easily crumble. You’ll also need wax or parchment paper, beeswax, essential oils of choice, and a disposable tin pan. If you would like to make a garland, you will also need string and clothes pins. I usually get the beeswax pellets and pour them into the tin pan and place in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit to melt, I stir frequently and keep a close eye on it. This process shouldn’t take more than 10 minutes. Once it’s melted, I take it out of the oven and add in my essential oils. I like to use cinnamon and orange scents; you could also skip this step. I then cover my kids’ small tabletop with parchment paper and I have them dip their leaves, one at a time, into melted beeswax and then lay them on the parchment covered table to dry. Once they are dry, we take a string and use clothes pins to hang them, creating a garland in our front window. The beeswax preserves the leaves, the essential oils create a beautiful scent for your home, and they can last for multiple seasons. We usually don’t take ours down until Christmas time, and we only get rid of them, so we can keep doing this simple craft every year.
Movie Night
My favorite way to end a perfect Fall Day, is by cozying up on the couch with my husband, with a bowl of popcorn and a cup of apple cider to watch a movie. I have lots of Fall favorites, but my top 3 are Hubie Halloween, Dan in Real Life, and any of the Halloween Series Movies. My favorites for the kids are Monster House, Spookley the Square Pumpkin, and It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown. It brings in all the warm feelings of love and togetherness that Fall provides.
I could write and discuss all things Fall year around, that’s how much I love it! I’m so happy that the season has quickly approached us, and I plan on enjoying every second of it. I hope that this compound of my Fall favorites makes its way to you and serves you and your families well! Happy Fall, Y’all!
