Autumn Projects - Week 3

Here we are at Week 3 of our September craft/decorate-along. How did you do last week? I hope you got something accomplished towards the Halloween or Autumn season.

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"The lands are lit
With all the autumn blaze of Golden Rod;
And everywhere the Purple Asters nod
And bend and wave and flit."
~ Helen Hunt

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PORCH SIDE ENTERTAINING

~ Use bales of hay for seats for guests and toss fall-patterned tablecloths over them.
~ Sprinkle cinnamon inside a jack o' lantern for a delicious fragrance on the front porch.
~ For porch lighting in the evening, use apples and small pumpkins as votive holders.
~ Prepare your favorite chili recipe and serve it outside with an assortment of toppings!
~ Serve Hot Mulled Cider for a crowd ~ made in an automatic coffee maker right on the front porch. Here's a recipe:

HOT MULLED CIDER

1 gallon apple cider
1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup red hot cinnamon candies
4 three-inch cinnamon sticks, broken
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Prepare cider using a large automatic coffee maker. Substitute the cider for the water. Place the rest of the ingredients in the coffee basket and brew. Serve hot in tin or enamel mugs topped with orange slices. The fragrant aroma of this cider is sure to keep everyone gathered on the front porch.


(From one of my favorite books, 'My Front Porch... An Invitation to the Charm and Tradition', by Alda Ellis, with paintings by Sandy Lynam Clough. The copyright is 1999 by Harvest House Publishing. I highly recommend it!! If you can find it, it's worth owning.)

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"September: it was the most beautiful of words,
he’d always felt,
evoking orange-flowers, swallows, and regret."
- Alexander Theroux, 1981

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ANNIE'S OCTOBER HOLIDAYS LINK

I've always loved Annie's Christmas pages, as well as all the other great things she offers. Here's a link for her October Holiday pages. You'll find all sorts of information, puzzles, quotes and activities for TONS of holidays in the month of October. Enjoy!

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"There were three ravens sat on a tree,
They were as black as they might be.
The one of them said to his mate,
'Where shall we our breakfast take?' "
~ Anonymous

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This is one of my favorite muffins that my daughter, Jacquelyn likes to bake. I hope you like them as much as we do!!

JACQUELYN'S MAPLE MUFFINS
(Yield: 12 muffins)

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup sour cream
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

~ Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

~ In a large bowl combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder and salt. In another bowl combine milk, butter, syrup, sour cream, egg and vanilla. Stir into the dry ingredients until moistened.

~ Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 400 degrees for 16-20 minutes. Test with toothpick to make sure muffins are done. Cool for 5 minutes before removing them from pans, and finish cooling on wire racks.