Yes, it’s starting to smell and feel like fall. It is the middle of September so the season is changing. I am excited as fall is my favorite season! I love the colors, the crunch of footsteps in the leaves, the crisp mornings, the smell of the first wood fire. It’s full of activity and lots of hours outside.It also means I can bake any time and it won’t be too hot. Nothing is worse than wanting to bake and having to wait for the cool morning hours or a cool evening. I bake every week, at least once. One of my favorite hobbies. My mother was a great cook and baker. I think her for setting such a wonderful example. I bake out of love. I have a recipe box full of recipes that I want to try. (I won’t mention the huge box under the guest bed full of clipped recipes waiting for me to go through). Apple cakes, pumpkin scones, pies, a walnut-wheat bread….the list is long. We bake to fill the cookie jar, we bake to treat co-workers, we bake to share with friends. We bake because it is family time for me and the kids. It’s a math opportunity - ½ cup plus ¼ cup equals __. It’s another opportunity to talk about kitchen safety. Both children get to fill a cup, level it, dump it in the bowl. They practice cracking eggs. They are a great help and a joy to bake with. Our conversations vary as we talk about healthy food, trying other recipes, what we did that day. They like to “test” the batter (I don’t always allow this) and fill their cookie sheets. And they like to “taste test” the warm goodies from the oven. They always need more than one sample to give their opinion!
Today we are planning to go on our annual “apple picking” trip to a wonderful little orchard 3 hills over. I already plan to make a wonderful apple crisp later today!
Baking warms our kitchen, warms my heart and I know we are making wonderful memories together!