{Recap} A Late Afternoon Picnic

Michael's parents have a little plot of land several miles north of town. Yesterday afternoon he drove out to work on a few things for the upcoming hunting season, and we went with him. The weather has been so nice here lately; the temperature has been less than 95 degrees and it's not even October yet! Which is pretty much the most we can ask for in our part of the country. There was no way I was staying indoors.

I packed up a few toys for Maylin, a book for me, her afternoon snack of green peas and applesauce, and threw a blanket into my tote. It was so nice to sit outside for a while. It's really been too hot here this summer to do much outside, so Maylin was loving "discovering" things like grass, dirt, and all the nature noises around us.

Then we ate a little afternoon snack. It was her first time to try a green vegetable. I started her with green peas, and she loved them. Of course, there really hasn't been any food she hasn't liked so far.

I love it when she leans in with that little tongue sticking out! All I have to do is say, "More?" And she is almost attacking me trying to get at the food.

Happy baby.

Pretty scenery.

Gorgeous September sky.

A good way to end an afternoon in the sun...with a nap. I can't get over those eyelashes. I hope you're able to step outside this season, even if it's only for an hour or so. Having an impromptu picnic was the perfect excuse for us.

{My Little Projects} DIY Autumn Banner

I was at the dollar store the other day buying ice trays to freeze Maylin's baby food when I ran across this package of felt leaf cut outs. I was impressed with the brightness of their color and the thickness of the felt. They were marketed as "table scatters," but in my minds eye I saw them threaded along a string and hanging somewhere in my house. 20 leaves to a package at $1? I snatched two.

When I got home I rummaged around my craft box {which is actually very sad as I am not a habitual crafter} and came up with a spool of jute rope. Bingo! I pulled out my hot glue gun and got to work. Here's what I did.

Supplies:

• 20 felt leaf shapes
• jute rope {length to your choosing}
• hot glue gun
• scissors

Look how gorgeous those colors are! I couldn't help snap a picture once I had them all laid out.

Get Craftin'

1. Choose the pattern you want for your leaves. There were more large red leaves than small yellow and green, so I chose to alternate red every other color.

2. Turn the leaves face down in the appropriate pattern. This makes it much easier and quicker when working with the hot glue.

 3. Place a small dot of hot glue on the tip of each leaf and quickly press the jute rope into the hot glue. After I glued all my leaves, I went back and "sealed" the jute to the leaf by putting another dot of glue over the jute rope in the same spot.

4. Lay flat to dry.

5. And hang!!

I'm really pleased with how this felt banner turned out, and it matches my Autumn theme in my living room perfectly. I'd say that was a dollar well spent.

{In My Kitchen} Charbroiled Avocado with Warm Red Onion & Tomato Salsa

Tonight, after an afternoon of Fall decorating and football, Michael and I were in the mood for a warm snack while we watched Sunday night football. {We like football in this house.}I'd bought a bag of avocados to use for baby food, but they were starting to get too ripe and I wanted to use them before they went bad. I love guacamole as a finger food, but it seems more like a summer dish to me. And after getting out pumpkins, hanging a Fall wreath, and lighting a spicy candle, I was craving a more Autumn-ish snack.

Enter the broiled avocado. Simple. Easy. Whole food. Delicious. Seasoned with a little salt and pepp, placed under the broiler, topped with warm diced tomatoes and red onions, and served with crunchy blue corn chips. The cold weather version of guacamole. Also, it's just one more way to savor September. :)
Here's how easy it is.

Charbroiled Avocado with Warm Red Onion & Tomato Salsa

Ingredients:

• 2 avocados, halved and pitted
• 1 vine ripened tomato, sliced
• 1 sliced ring of red onion, separated
• salt and pepper

Get Cookin'

1. Turn broiler on high. Wait for oven to heat, about 5 minutes.
2. On a baking sheet, lay out avocado halves, tomato slices, and the separated rings of onion.
3. Season avocado and tomato with salt and pepper to taste. {I'm always a little heavy on the pepper.}
4. Place baking sheet under broiler for approximately 8 minutes, checking every minute after 5 minutes to ensure food isn't burning. To get a good charred taste, wait until avocado flesh is browning and bubbling. Tomatoes and onion rings should be soft.
5. Remove from heat. Dice onion and tomato.
6. Fill the well of each avocado half with a spoonful of the tomato and onion salsa. Serve warm with chips.

That's all there is to it! If you're going to a football party and want to spice up regular ole guac, make sure you give this recipe a try! You could even empty the flesh of the avocado from the skin into a bowl, mix in the tomatoes and onion, and serve in a bowl for easy dipping if you're serving a crowd. It'll still be warm with that charbroiled taste.

Happy first day of Fall!

{In My Kitchen} Apple-Oat Muffins with Crumb Topping

Y'all. These muffins. These muffins may be the best thing I've baked in, like, a year.

The crazy thing is, I came upon this recipe by chance when I was digging through my recipe box last night for last minute supper ideas. I'm still trying to get my feet back under me from being gone for a whole week, and I haven't made it to the grocery store yet. I know you're thinking, "Muffins for supper?" But it was about the only thing I had the ingredients to make! Real life.

The good fantastic thing about it is that I discovered a Fall recipe that I will make every year for the rest of my life. Yes. They are that good. Moist, warm, cinnamon-y goodness with soft apples throughout and a crumbly topping to boot. If you're looking for ways to savor September this recipe is definitely a must. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, after-school snack, evening coffee, dessert, or yes, even for supper. ;)

Apple Oat Muffins with Crumb Topping (adapted slightly from The Pampered Chef)

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cup whole wheat flour, divided
• 1 1/4 cup quick rolled oats, divided
• 1 cup packed brown sugar, divided
• 2 tbsp flaxseed (perfect way to get that flaxseed in your diet!)
• 7 tbsp organic butter, melted, divided
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup chopped apple* (about 1 medium, or 2 small apples)
• 1 cup organic whole milk
• 1 egg, lightly beaten

Get Cookin'

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line muffin tin with paper liners or grease with butter.
2. For crumb topping, combine 1/4 cup each of flour, oats, flaxseed, and brown sugar in a small mixing bowl. Add 3 tbsp melted butter. Mix well and set aside.
3. Place remaining flour, oats, and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Mix well.
4. Stir in chopped apple.* Add milk, egg, and remaining butter. Mix until dry ingredients are moistened.
5. Divide batter among muffin tin. Sprinkle crumb topping evenly over batter, pressing down gently.
6. Bake 18-20 minutes, or until golden brown. 

*I didn't peel my apples and the muffins turned out completely fine. Apples were soft with no chewy skin. I'm sure it will be fine if you want to peel your apples just to be sure though. I was just short on time.

As I was typing this post I realized that these muffins would also be good with added walnuts or pecans, to give them just a little extra crunch. Or some raisins for extra sweetness. If you decide to try them, let me know! I'd love to read your comments!

{Savoring September} A Fall Book

One of the things I am most excited about in regards to having a daughter is I get to share with her several of my loves. One of which is Fall. {Another is Anne of Green Gables, but that's for another day.}

Fall has always been my favorite season, ever since I was a little girl. I love the crunchy leaves, the golden sunlight, the warmth of a cardigan. And let's not forget the blessedly cooler weather. I do live in the very Southern part of the US, however, so our cooler weather won't hit until mid-November. I try to live vicariously through other people who live in places with 4 actual seasons.

I'm being inspired by Sarah Mae and savoring September despite my frustration over the heat. Even though the temperature here is currently 93 degrees, I can still celebrate the beginning of Fall.

I took Maylin to the library and gathered up several books about apples and autumn. This one was a favorite for both of us. How could I not love a book that shaped like an actual autumn leaf, right? And it's a board book, which makes it so easy for Maylin to wrap her little fingers around the edges. 

The illustrations are a bit juvenile for my taste, although I'm sure Maylin liked the colors. For me, the part of this book that hooked me was the words. This was my favorite page. 

All the highlights of Fall, right there on one page. Now if that doesn't get you excited about September, I don't know what will. I hope you're enjoying this new season as much as I am!