A Season of Harvest & Giving Thanks

“How beautiful the leaves grow old. How full of light and color are their last days”. ~ John Burroughs

Oh Fall! How I love you! Anyone else feeling the the cozy vibes that only the crisp fall air and its radiant color can bring? Seriously! Michigan is absolutely bursting in vibrant color right and the spectacular hues never cease to amaze me!

We are thoroughly enjoying this season and wanted to share some of the fall inspo that has our fall decorating juices in high gear as well as some ahhhhmaaazing recipes to enjoy!!! And we would love to hear from YOU! What are some of your fave recipes, decorating tips and traditions you enjoy this time of year?

I have to say I’ve been enjoying a little more coffee than usual and feel slightly more productive {go figure!} but what I really love is my son Liam’s homemade masala chai tea. Guys, this is the real deal. A serious cup of coziness. The kind that calls you to hold the mug with both hands to warm up and has you take in the aromatic fragrance. Yep! This is THAT tea. The “recipe” varies from batch to batch but with Liam’s permission I will provide the basics for the “base”…

liam’s homemade masala chai tea

On the stovetop, bring water to light simmer and add black tea bags, cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon, ginger root “coins”, nutmeg & sugar to taste. Amounts vary depending on how much you want to make and your personal taste. Its easiest to make a “bouquet garni” of all the ingredients, so its easily fished out. We like 1/2 & 1/2 & honey in ours, too! And for an extra kick try using “Spicy” honey….yummmmmmm!

white chicken chili

Another “fall favorite” recipe is white chicken chili. It ticks all the boxes…quick, easy & delicious! Now with the shop in full swing and the schedules filling up with evening commitments, its nice to have a satisfying one-pot meal. I usually cheat and use frozen bread dough that I set out to thaw first thing in the morning and pop into the oven as soon as we get home. Then into the crockpot go a jar of Great Northern Beans (undrained), a jar of mild salsa, a few cups of shredded chicken, and a bag of shredded mozzarella cheese. Sometimes I add a can of rinsed black beans and super sweet corn and we always top it with a spoonful of sour cream. You can also make this recipe right on the stovetop, if you wish. But either way, its a terrific meal that our whole family loves!