Satisfy My Sweet Tooth

Some signs of the seasons changing are blatantly obvious.  Others are more subtle and require careful observation to notice.  Here are some of my favorite things about summer changing to fall:

~The colors of the leaves as they change from bright green to yellow to blazing orange and red.

This is my favorite tree in our neighborhood

~The smell and the crunch of the leaves that have already been shed.  Even with your eyes closed, the sound of the leaves crunching under your feet and the distinct earthy smell of the dry leaves is a sure sign that cooler weather is here to stay.

~The crisp cool air that puts some extra pep in your step as you find yourself scurrying back inside as quickly as possible to chase away the shivers.  Somedays in the spring/summer I feel guilty staying inside when I “should” be enjoying the nice weather outside.  Fall allows me to lose that guilt because in the Midwest, no one can fault you for staying in the warm comfort of your home.

~Tall fall boots:  functional and fashionable.  What’s not to love?

~Dates with my husband.  A simple drive to enjoy the fall colors, a trip to a pumpkin patch or an apple orchard and I’m one smitten sweet tooth.

~Snuggling under a blanket with my cat.  I get so giddy at the idea of curling up on the couch with my favorite Restoration Hardware blanket and allowing my cat to cast her spell on me.

 (Restoration Hardware blanket)

You know the spell where she nuzzles into me and gazes longingly into my eyes as hers get heavier and heavier until she finally succumbs to the draw of a catnap.  It is virtually impossible not to get drowsy myself watching her peaceful and limp little body.

~Pumpkin cookies!  This is a pretty classic recipe and my mom made them every year, but only in the fall.  So it can’t officially be fall in my mind until I have had these cookies!  They are so soft and not too sweet.  I like to add a little crunch and extra texture by adding nuts and/or chopped dried dates to the cookies.  And the brown sugar frosting tastes like maple and adds the most beautiful sheen to top off these classic fall cookies.

add pumpkin and vanilla

add dry ingredients

add nuts and/or dates, if using

drop onto cookie sheets

bake the babies

for the frosting, melt together brown sugar, butter and milk

after cooled for 10 minutes, add vanilla and powdered sugar

frost cookies immediately

I had a cute little one to help clean my spatula