“There is no joy in life unless you share it” -anonymous
Hello, sweet friend…
Fall is here… And I’m excited! Today I thought I’d share with you how to prepare for a small harvest tea. I will be using only those items which I currently have to create a simple yet elegant tea… You can do this too! I hope this post will inspire you to host one of your very own during this wonderful autumn season.
*Other traditional English finger sandwiches include roast beef, sliced ham, chicken salad tea sandwiches, tuna salad finger sandwiches with capers, tuna salad finger sandwiches with celery, and cheese and pickle tea sandwiches…remember to keep it simple!👩🍳
Heading out to Trader Joe’s with pumpkin spiced latte in hand…
In dressing room…trying on shirt dress…
and…of course I was able to do some fall shopping…
A few of my favorite pumpkin spiced items for the fall
It’s no secret that I love all things pumpkin spice…and because Trader Joe’s my favorite all things pumpkin spice store is almost 3 hours away…this grocery trip has turned into a mini getaway tradition in which I take an autumn grocery trip to Trader Joe’s…among other favorite stops…(of course)
👩🍳
What’s Cooking?
Shortly after returning home from our mini getaway…and a cupboard filled with pumpkin everything…I asked my wonderful husband Joe if he would take a quick run to the local market for Granny Smith apples…I had a yearning to bake apple crisp. It turns out that I also love everything apple…it’s my one little weakness…(especially in the fall)🥰
APPLE CRISP
Ingredients
▢ 2 pounds Fuji or Granny Smith apples peeled and thinly sliced
▢ 1/4 cup orange juice
▢ 1/4 cup granulated sugar
▢ 1/4 cup brown sugar
▢ 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
▢ 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
▢ 1 1/2 cups flour
▢ 3/4 cup granulated sugar
▢ 3/4 cup light brown sugar , packed
▢ 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
▢ 1 cup rolled oats (not instant)
▢ 1/2 pound cold unsalted butter , diced
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl add the apple slices, orange juice, ¼ cup sugar, ¼ cup brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.
To make the crisp topping, mash together the flour, ¾ cup sugar, ¾ cup brown sugar, salt, oats and butter.
Add the apples to a 8×8 pan and add the crisp topping on top before baking for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown.
this will be Anastasia’s first experience with a pet sitter…
we’ll see how that works out…😂
I thought before we departed…
I’d take you for a quick stroll around the garden…
this is my favorite time of year…
everything is so beautiful…
I almost don’t want to leave…
However…a change of scenery is always good…
whether it’s a faraway trip…
or only a small getaway…
Autumn crocus
I always get excited…
because it gives me a greater appreciation for home…
👩🍳
What’s Cooking?
Here where I live we’ve already experienced the first few days of fall…which leads me to the much anticipated offerings of the season and it’s wealth of getting cozy ay home. This delicious cottage pie is the perfect and ultimate cozy-comfort food.
Cottage Pie
Ingredients for mashed potato topping:
2 pounds potatoes peeled and cut into big chunks
4 tbsp butter half a stick
¼ cup sour cream
¼ to ½ cup milk
Salt and pepper to taste
Ingredients for filling:
1 pound ground beef
1 small onion diced
2 cloves garlic minced
2 cups of frozen peas and corn medley
2 tbsp flour
½ cup beef broth
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp rosemary
½ tsp thyme
1 bay leaf
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Boil the potatoes in water to cover until fork tender and then drain the water.
Add the butter, sour cream, milk and salt and pepper to taste and mash the potatoes with a hand masher or mixer until you reach your favorite mashed potato consistency. Set aside.
In a large skillet brown the ground beef along with the onions and garlic. Drain any excess grease.
To the same skillet add 2 cups of the frozen vegetables, cook for about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Sprinkle the flour over the meat and veggies and stir to mix.
Add the tomato paste and stir to mix it in.
Then add the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer and then reduce heat to low. Cook uncovered for 10 minutes, adding additional broth if necessary to prevent the meat from drying out.
Remove from heat. Remove Bay Leaf. Spread the meat mixture in an even layer in a 9×13 dish that has been sprayed with nonstick spray.
Top the meat with the mashed potatoes making an even layer of potatoes. You can get all fancy and pipe the potatoes onto the meat or you can use a spoon and spread the potatoes evenly and then use a fork to make designs and ridges in the potatoes. These little ridges will brown nicely!
Place the dish in the oven and bake for 30 minutes until brown and bubbly. You can place it under the broiler for a few minutes to brown the potatoes more if necessary.
