Don't you LOVE fall?! There must be something innately, biologically ingrained in us to love fall. When the air turns a little bit brisk after the dog days of summer, and we smell some wood smoke in the air, or there is a good, hard rain during the night and you wake up to that smell of soaked pine needles, and hear the crows happily cawing overhead, and you start thinking....pumpkins. Pie. Cashmere. BOOTS!!!!!
It used to be that along with visions of coziness fall would bring its own load of stress. The words "'back-to-school" at first delighted me as a young parent - I enjoyed shopping for school supplies with Cora, and taking her to her early years at school, participating in events, making costumes, volunteering, packing lunches, etc. It was really fun, and really cute most of the time! But...as the tween years wane and the teen years wax...it is less fun. "School supplies" become exponentially more expensive as they grow older. They don't need college ruled paper and pencils anymore. They need expensive calculators and lap tops, apps and phone plans. And many pairs of expensive shoes. Yikes!
But now, a fresh empty-nester - those three words hold no power over me. When I see huge ads for back-to-school sales I don't panic, I don't brace myself - I realize they aren't talking to me anymore. I am free to enjoy fall without pressure. Free to cook, make things, take walks and brighten the house. I'm so excited!!!!!!!!
As you can tell I adore cooking. I wish food had no calories (don't we all) so that I could cook all the time and eat everything I cook. Instead I try to find the cleanest recipes I can so that I can enjoy making them and eat them without adverse consequences. Fall is an especially wonderful time to get into the kitchen, especially if you don't have to cook (and clean, ugh) for little ones. I had a great time baking that chocolate cake the other day, and I followed it up with the most amazing faux-chicken soup in the world. I'm including the recipe below. It is so flavorful, so lip-smackingly delicious, and so healthy I'm going to make it again as soon as possible. As long as it's easy, healthy and delicious, I'm in cooking-heaven. I don't even mind doing the dishes, when there aren't too many.
Art is also calling - I'm making a new print - a simple floral stencil and spray paint kind of print, but at least it's something after a long time of not making any art. I feel so inspired by having a clean, quiet house, I feel like making things all day long! I think I must be part-hobbit the way I love my home to be just so, cozy, and somewhat reclusive. Next week I'm going to make some velvet pumpkins. Velvet pumpkins!!!! And velvet acorns!!!! How gorgeous are those?!!! I'm including the tutorial here because they look SO easy! (you can also youtube them!)
And let me just add - as far as the holidays go (and I know this is controversial) - in my house it's never too early. As long as its tasteful and in the appropriate doses, holiday decor can happen any old time after August. I'm not talking garish Halloween decor, unless it's simple pumpkins and soft lights - something beautiful. I do not care for the macabre, the ghoulish, the gory or the terrifying. I am a wimp, a wuss, an early-to-bed-Julie-Andrews kind of girl. But who isn't, really, deep down? It's possible to love scary Halloween and love cozy lanterns and candle light, cozy cottages with crackling firesides, spiced cider and harvest soup. I think it's impossible not to. That biologically-wired-to-love-fall thing I mentioned before. So that's what this fall is to me. Getting creative, cooking delicious food, and savoring every moment. Oh, and cashmere. It's always about cashmere. And boots.
xoxoxo Happy Tuesday! DR
AMAZING FAUX-CHICKEN SOUP-FOR-THE-SOUL
1 package Morningstar Chicken Strips
2 containers of Imagin No-Chicken Broth
1/4 cilantro, chopped
1/2 yellow onion, diced
2 carrots, sliced
2 c white rice, cooked
salt and pepper to taste
Directions: sautee chicken strips as directed, add diced onion and sautee until transluscent, set aside. Pour one container of broth into a soup pot and add diced carrots. Bring to a boil and cook until carrots are tender - about six minutes or so. Add chicken and onions and rice, along with second broth container. Cook for three minutes or until completely heated through and ameliorated. Add cilantro and salt and pepper and serve! Bon Appetit! xoxo
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