SIMPLE WAYS TO INVITE FALL INTO YOUR HOME!

KEEP THINGS TIDY. All the most adorable decorations in the world won’t feel cozy and inviting if they’re surrounded by clutter. It’s generally better to spend your time tidying up and just put a few decorations out here-and-there than it is to have a ton of items that are partially buried under piles of stuff.

MAKE YOUR TABLE A FOCAL POINT. A few pretty place mats or a tablecloth along with an autumn centerpiece can go a long way in making the entire kitchen or dining room feel cozy!

BRING THE OUTDOORS IN. Display garden produce. Whether you buy a squash at the store or a friend gives you a zucchini from her garden, use those items as decorations until you cook with them!

Decorate with leaves, sticks, and pinecones. Grab a clear vase and put a few things like pinecones, leaves, acorns, and sticks inside it to display! Better yet, if you have young children at home then put an empty vase or jar on your coffee table and let your kids fill it with the outdoor treasures they find.

FOCUS ON SCENT. Light a candle. Nothing says autumn like a warmly scented candle! It takes two seconds to light and makes a huge difference in the feel of the room!

Use your crock pot. Sure, you can make chili or spaghetti sauce on the stove. But if you put the same ingredients in the crockpot in the morning, your house will smell amazing all day long!

Bake something. Whether you make muffins from scratch or use prepackaged cookie dough, putting something sweet in the oven will invite everyone to gather around and enjoy the warm coziness together. Try the recipe below!

 

FALL RECIPE: PUMPKIN GINGERBREAD

“Wonderfully flavorful and fragrant bread for the holidays” 

  • 3 cups sugar
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 4 eggs
  • 2/3 cup water
  • 1 (15 ounces) can pumpkin puree
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease two 9×5 inch loaf pans.

In a large mixing, combine sugar, oil and eggs; beat until smooth. Add water and beat until well blended. Stir in pumpkin, ginger, allspice cinnamon, and clove.

In medium bowl, combine flour, soda, salt, and baking powder. Add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture and blend just until all ingredients are mixed. Divide batter between prepared pans.

Bake in preheated oven until a toothpick comes out clean, about 1 hour.

Enjoy!