With today being the last day of September, it seems appropriate to wave goodbye to the summer, and welcome Fall with open arms. The Fall season inspires so many of us to don our boots and flannel checks, daydream of cool, crisp evenings and warm our homes with the fragrant scents of fall - pumpkin spice, apple pie, cinnamon and pine cones and so much more. While living in nearly 300 days of sunshine has certain perks, the anxious arrival of cooler temps sends me into what I refer to as “mastering fall trickery.”

For years now, the dear husband has watched the house get ‘dressed’ in fall attire in the first few days of September, all while the kids are still out back practicing cannon balls in the pool. The pumpkins adorn the fireplace mantel, the buffalo check pillows find their place on the sofa, the wax warmer scent of apple spice permeates through the house. It is the end of summer survival mode and the beginning of our “beautiful weather” months. True Fall begins when you can pull out your favorite pair of weekend jeans and wrap yourself in a flannel shirt. My favorite weather forecaster says we won't see these days for another few weeks, so I anxiously wait. 

I think this week, I'll sip some pumpkin spice latte and snuggle up with a favorite book and comfy blanket. Cheers to autumn.

 Until next time!

Back at the Bakery

Once I'm able to turn the calendar page from August to September and the days begin to get just a tiny bit shorter, my desire to bake again awakens. Hot ovens don't work well with temperatures edging past 100 here. Needless to say, there's always a long list of baked goods the family wants to see emerge from the oven: Peanut Butter and Jelly bars, Banana Bread, scones and muffins - (we can never keep muffins in the house).

The first batch of muffins on the list - Cranberry Orange. Yum! You can almost kid yourself into thinking these are healthy. 😉 My favorite recipe is from A Kitchen Addiction.

Cranberry Orange Muffins 

Ingredients

ü  2 cups flour

ü  1/3 cup sugar

ü  1/3 cup brown sugar

ü  2 tsp. baking powder

ü  1 tsp. baking soda

ü  ½ tsp. salt

ü  ½ tsp. cinnamon

ü  ½ cup milk

ü  ¼ cup orange juice

ü  ½ cup butter, melted and cooled

ü  2 eggs, room temperature

ü  2 tsp. vanilla extract

ü  zest of one orange

ü  1 ¼ cups cranberries

ü  coarse sugar for topping

Preheat oven to 350. Line muffin tin with cupcake liners. I love these.

Wisk together flour, sugars, baking powder, salt, baking soda and cinnamon.

In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, orange juice, eggs and vanilla. Add wet

ingredients to dry and stir until mixed together. Add in melted butter and stir.

Gently fold in orange zest and cranberries. 

Divide batter into muffin cups. Sprinkle with coarse sugar.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool completely on wire rack. 

Happy Baking!