Fall is coming!

Whether you like it or not, Fall is coming! I for one am excited but for many this means back to school, back to work, and no more hot summer days. I have had my fill of the heat and I am ready for fall! One week till September left so it is time to start preparing for fall, there are a lot of people out there who never have a chance to prepare for the coming season, now is the time. I always prepare for the next season while the current season is winding down. This way I am ready and I (hopefully) won`t miss any opportunities to enjoy the coming season! So to get ready for each new season I create a seasonal `Bucket List` each event we accomplish we check off our list and at the end of the season sometimes we have  most of them checked off, sometimes we missed quite a few, but there is something about having this list that motivates you to accomplish all your seasonal plans, so here we go, our families Fall Bucket List:

By the end of Fall we shall see how many things we get done, I have yet to complete a whole Bucket List, but there is always a first time!! All of these things are what make the season so great, and I can`t wait!

Are these Pizza`s not the cutest thing, this would be a great way to bring some seasonal cheer to your dinner table!

 I love this Movie and great way to enjoy a crisp Fall evening cuddled under a blanket with a big bowl of popcorn, mmm I can smell it now!

 We have gotten a little ahead of ourselves and got a few things off our list already such as growing our own pumpkins, this is our second attempt, last years drowned, this year they seem to be doing pretty well, but they are still pretty small.

 Mmm delicious fall treats, nothing tops homemade cinnamon buns!

 Our biggest pumpkin so far, hopefully all this heat we are having will help them get big and fast!

 We already enjoyed many bonfires this year, we are so lucky!

 My new favorite kind of s`more, combine a Celebrations cookie, made by Leclerc and top it with a roasted marshmallow and boom there you go, easy peasy, s`more!

 Our beautiful fire...

 Everything is still green here on our last Country drive, but it won`t be long and we will have all the beautiful fall leaves to look at!

 Beautiful wild flowers

 We have already begun harvesting and canning around here, beautiful green apples and crab apples ready to become, juice and apple sauce.

 all sliced up and ready to go,

 and voila you have delicious apple sauce and apple juice, we are blessed to live in an area where apples grow in abundance!

Homemade Applesauce

Ingredients

Original recipe makes 4 servings

 4 apples - peeled, cored and chopped

 3/4 cup water

 1/4 cup white sugar

 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

In a saucepan, combine apples, water, sugar, and cinnamon. Cover, and cook over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes, or until apples are soft. Allow to cool, then mash with a fork or potato masher.

Can in the regular way leave ½ inch from the top

How to Make Homemade Apple Juice

Turn a mountain of apples into fresh, delicious juice! 

 Step One: Collect apples

Store apples in a cool dark place until ready to use.

 Step Two: Scrub Them Up

Wash apples thoroughly and pick through to ensure any bad ones are discarded.

Step Three: Cut

There is no need to peel or core the apples-- there is a ton of flavor and juice that can be extracted and besides, they will be removed later. Discard any blemished or bruised parts of the apple. Cut apples either in half or using an apple cutter (as in the picture above). This step helps to break the apples down faster while the cook.

Step Four: Cook

Place all the apples into a large stock pot or kettle and add about 2 inches of water. Cover the kettle and simmer on medium high until the apples break down and become soft. We learned that a slower simmer helps to draw out the juices more effectively. Every so often take off the lid and squish with a potato masher to help the apples along.

Step Five: Strain

Working in batches, pour apple mash into a sieve set up over a large bowl. Using a jelly fish spatula work the mash back and forth in the sieve to get as much juice through as possible. Alternatively you can use a food mill to do the job. You will obtain three separate end products: apple juice, mash and peels. Do not toss away the mash or peels! The mash can be spiced and turned into apple sauce and the peels can be used to make apple jelly.

Step Six: Filter

When all of your juice is collected you can filter it to produce a clearer liquid. There are several ways to filter juice, but you can easily do this by setting up a fine mesh colander with a few coffee filters set inside. You can filter your juice as many times as you would like. We prefer more "pulpy" unfiltered juice so we skipped this step.

Step Seven: Adjust Sweetness

Transfer juice to a clean pot and simmer on low. Now is the time to taste your juice. How is the sweetness? If too tart, add sugar to taste and whisk until dissolved. Otherwise leave it unsweetened as is.

 Step Eight: Preserve it

There are two tried and true methods for preserving your homemade juice: freezing or canning. If freezing, simply allow liquid to cool and store in air tight containers.  Use within 3-6 months for best flavor. To can, as we have done here, pour warm apple juice into hot sterilized jars leaving 1/2 inch head space and process in a hot water canner for 30 minutes.

Here is the website where i found this recipe!

http://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/how-to-make-homemade-apple-juice.aspx#axzz2b7Y5JPBr

We baked up some delicious Jam Jam`s so soft and warm, they where gone in no time!

 This picture speaks to me, I know there are plenty of October lovers out there!

 During this beautiful season there can be a lot going on, festivals, fall suppers, Halloween, Thanks Giving, and in the midst of all of it, remember to be Thankful!

 Take the time and make your own Fall Bucket List, it does not have to have many items on it, just something to remind you of all the wonderful parts of the season and what it is you are looking forward too!

Have yourself a wonderful Fall/Autumn season, make a Bucket List and check those items off!! You can do it! I am off, to work on scratching a few items off my list, it is never too early!!