It hardly seems possible that we are in the last week of October. What on earth happened to summer? It seemed winter went on and on and now we're looking toward it again.
Life has been rather routine these days. I had a wonderful time with blogger Anno who came up to Lansing for lunch, enjoyed dinner with friends, went to a farewell dinner for a friend and had our WKAR retiree lunch. That, and an appointment with the Secretary of State's office to get my handicap permit and a long delayed skin check with the dermatologist (all is well), got me out of the house! Inside? I put up a few decorations (really cutting back this year) and have been prepping inventory for my upcoming sale.
I had a lot of small wreaths but when I took down the summer wreath on the front door, I realized I didn't have a "door-sized" autumn one and really didn't feel like a craft project to make a new one. But then I found a garland of Japanese lanterns, and voila! Welcome!
I always love the Lori Mitchell figures and this year most of them ended up in the kitchen!
I think my favorites might be the Wizard of Oz group.
But aren't these three cute too?
A few cats went up on the other kitchen shelf!
There were a two other Lori Mitchells that were added atop the china cabinet. I left up the other fall things and will until after Thanksgiving.
After Halloween goes down, I'll add a few more Thanksgiving touches, but for now I'm enjoying the little watercolors by my friend Kate that were added to the mantel.
I finally did get the Halloween tree up.
And just so I don't ignore the area where I sit most of the day, a couple of small prints and a wonderful card my friend Joan sent provide inspiration when the brain power is running low!
It's the season for bringing out collections and favorites, like the trio of "Vintage by Crystal" pieces on the left and the big pumpkin guy on the right, next to a framed card by artist Jacqueline Sullivan.
And what could be better than sipping tea in a Halloween mug? This is an Emma Bridgewater piece and it arrived in my mailbox from my friend Lin on a day when I dearly needed a pick-up!
Yes, that tea is being sipped with Apple bread. Several of you asked for the recipe in comments so here you go. It's a recipe that came to me back in the mid-1970s from a wonderful woman named Sharon with whom I worked during my brief stint as a bookkeeper at a dental clinic. (Fortunately, I later found my calling in a career that did not require math.)
Autumn Apple Bread
Preheat oven to 325 (F) and prepare pans with cooking spray or butter.
(I use four mini-pans because I like to make multiples and freeze it to give away or pull when I want it. You can also do the whole thing in a bread pan.) Baking times below.
Cream together 1 c. sugar with one stick of butter (1/2 c.)
Add: 2 eggs / 1/2 t. salt (I use less because I use salted butter) / 1 t. vanilla / and 1 teaspoon baking soda mixed with 1 Tablespoon of either sour milk OR lemon juice.
When mixed, add 2 c. flour.
Finally, add 2 c. chopped apples, 1/2 c. chopped nuts. (I make sure I have 2 c. of apples but usually end up with more nuts. You can also add cranberries, dried or fresh -- I wing it but I'd guess about 1/2 cup.
Divide into pans or one large loaf.
Add the crumble topping which you can make as you would a crisp topping using your favorite recipe. My original recipe only called for 2 tablespoons each of butter, flour and sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon. (I would use brown sugar and add oatmeal but you do you!) And it's NOT ENOUGH.
BUT -- I always make extra of my favorite crisp topping which riffs off an Ina Garten recipe with oatmeal, flour, brown and white sugar, butter, salt and I might add cinnamon. This makes a lot and I freeze what I don't use. Tip -- grating frozen butter helps mix it all in a little better.
The batter is very thick, almost like a drop cookie. Spoon equally into four mini-pans or one large bread pan. Bake at 325. For four pans, I go about 55 minutes and check at 50. I do the same for the big pan but it generally takes longer. Just keep an eye on it. Use the toothpick test -- insert and it should come out clean -- to be sure it's done.
Cool fully in the pan, though you can usually tip it out after about 15 minutes or so. It freezes well.
I find it cuts best when it is chilled in the fridge. It's a dense bread.
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