Four Fall Favorites

There are so many things to love about fall!  I’m sure you have a list of your favorites as well.  It’s hard to narrow it down but here are four of my fall favorites for decorating and entertaining.

1. Book Page Pumpkins:

I made this easy book page pumpkin last year.  We received such good feedback on it that I thought it was worth reposting again this year.  It’s a cute pumpkin that can be brought back year after year.  For instructions, click here.  Note the bittersweet that I added around the base of the pumpkin.  I’ll talk more about this later on in the post. Couldn’t be easier!

2. Pumpkin Lattes:

If you’re craving a Pumpkins Spice Latte from Starbucks but don’t want to spend the money, you can try this home-make version from Farm Girl Gourmet.  

Note: If you keep the milk and coffee to 2 cups and 1/2 cups respectively, you can play around with the amounts of the other ingredients to suite your taste.  I  prefer the following: 2 c. 2%milk, 2 tablespoons pureed pumpkin, 2 tablespoons sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice and 1/2 c. strong brewed coffee.

I prefer this homemade version to Starbucks.  So yummy!  One for you and one to share!

3. Pumpkin Pie Cake:

If you’re intimidated by making pie crusts, you may want to try this spin on the Pumpkin Pie classic.  It’s a crowd pleaser in my home and we look forward to it every fall.

Ingredients:

1 (30 oz.) can pumpkin pie mix

1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk

3/4 cup sugar

3 eggs

1 box yellow cake mix

1/2  cup melted butter

1 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

Beat together pumpkin pie mix, evaporated milk, 3/4 cup sugar and eggs.  Pour into a greased  9 x 13 inch pan.  Sprinkle yellow cake mix powder over above and pat down lightly.  Sprinkle with pecans.  Drizzle melted butter over top.  Bake for one hour at 350 degrees. Enjoy!

4. Bittersweet:

Bittersweet is great for adding high impact with very little effort.  We’re fortunate in our part of the country because it grows wild on the sides of the road here in October.  If you’re not lucky enough to have it growing near you in the fall, you can purchase it here.  You need no decorating ability to add this stuff to your mantle, a shelf, chandelier or anywhere else that may need some freshening up.  Just have fun with it!  When it’s time to decorate for Christmas,  I simply throw the bittersweet into my compost pile.

Hope you give one of these ideas a try!  And of course, feel free to share your favorite fall recipe or decorating tip!

Elizabeth