Fall Recipes (Part 1 of Many)

Fall is hands down my favorite season.


The cooler weather, the colors, the leaves, the clothes (scarfs and sweaters and jackets, oh my!), the food, baking, and drinks (pumpkin, apples, cinnamon, maple...these are a few of my favorite things). I love it all. To the point where it may be a problem.


So to celebrate the first weekend that really feels like fall to me, I made a breakfast worthy of the season I love oh-so-very-much.

Apple Cake


I love (I really need to come up with an adjective for "love") apples. Hot apple cider, apple pie (make it with some apple spice wine and you will never look at your grandma's homemade apple pie the same), apple crisp, the list goes on and on, but this is one of my favorites, courtesy of my granny's recipe box. Also, note, once again, the trend of turning a dessert into a breakfast, that reigns supreme in my house.

Recipe


Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour rectangular cake pan.



Add to large mixing bowl and beat:
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 sticks butter2 eggs
Peel six medium apples, dice into small pieces, and add to bowl. 

Mix together:
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon

Add dry ingredients to apple mixture and mix well. Can add chopped walnuts if desired.

Bake 30 to 40 mins at 350.


Pumpkin Spice Latte


If I love apples, then I am obsessed with pumpkin. I also have an addiction to coffee, which means I am one of those really annoying people that counts down the days until the first Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte of the season. But as all of my fellow Pumpkin Latte Anonymous members know...this is not always very easy on my wallet. I would therefore like to present my homemade version of this fall staple.


Recipe (for 1 serving)


Brew 1-2 cups of expresso (I will be able to do this one day I hope) or strong coffee.


In saucepan, combine:
1 cup milk
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
1 Tbsp sugar


Heat, constantly stirring, until mixture begins to steam.


Add to milk mixture:
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
Dash of nutmeg


Bring mixture to a boil. Remove from heat. Whisk mixture thoroughly, add to expresso/coffee in your mug o' choice. Top with whipped cream and cinnamon sugar if desired.


Warm apple cake and a pumpkin spice latte on a beautiful, cool Sunday morning? You'll never look back at summer.