5 com

Building Your Fall Nest

Fall 2007 Thanksgiving Party. With Yule Log DVD. Sweet!
Fall more than ever
I feel this primordial pull
telling me to stock up for winter
both home and body.

I have this disgusting urge
to buy a crock-pot 
( I avoid crock-pots like the plague due to childhood trauma--aka pot roast!)
and don some flannel.

Then I wake up from my sleepy harvest dreams and remind myself
that such practices would make me really creepy
(the crazy flannel wearing crock-pot lover)
and so I abstain.

But I do like to surround myself with the comforts of fall,
the appropriate ones at least.

The second someone mentions Fall coming, I immediately reach for anything Apple Cinnamon or Pumpkin scented. I just grabbed a Glade Warming Plug-in in Apple Cinnamon the other day and now my house smells like delicious snuggling when I walk in. (Yes I said delicious snuggling, it happened lol) The cool thing is you can adjust the amount of scent being dispersed so if someone comes over and they are sensitive to fragrances you can turn it down. Or up!

These things are the best thing ever. I'm surprised when I find out the amount of people that don't know about them. You can get them at the grocery store in the flower department! They have a really strong scent, so if you have a shoebox like me your whole house will smell great in minutes. 

A plus (or minus depending on your decor) is that they are literally twiggy brooms so they do add to a fall decor theme. If you aren't into the whole turning your house into a leafy wonderland in Sept. then you can just put them in a little hiding nook (I put mine behind the couch lol) and they still smell great without looking like a witch lives there. 

I love being inside when it's cold and windy and you just feel as snug as a bug in a rug. (Gross analogy can we admit?) Something that really adds to the coziness is great lighting.  I read a tip from designer Ashley Roi Jenkins over at Daily Candy that suggested GE Reveal lights. Apparently these make your house look fabulous by filtering out dulling yellow tones. Add some sweet dimmers to these and your house will have a sweet fall glow!

4. Decadence
Fall and winter are a time of feasting and celebration. Holidays call for a little bit of decadence; extra candles, special china, a little bit of yummy indulgence.  I really love this Lenox "Solitaire" Fine China. Oh the accent plate, I swoon. Serve some of my Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk cookies on there or my Creepy Candy Apples
and you are all set for a Fall soiree.

7 com

Peanut Butter Bacon Cookies. Yes, They're Good!


Quick update time!
Peanut Butter Bacon cookies are d-e-l-i-c-i-o-u-s.
Yep, they are.
I had a hankering to bake, and a need to practice a little escapism this weekend.
As usual I turned to bloggy-friends (and strangers) to provide a little inspiration.
Miss Makes Alot sent me on my merry way towards
Shutterbean, where I encountered the amazingness that happens when
peanut butter meets bacon.

Sounds a little strange but I promise the flavor is anything but.
It is pure peanut-buttery goodness. I am thinking of adding them to my fall baking rotation.
If I just call them something more marketable.
Like Yum Yum Oinkers. (Some people just can't get past the truth that there is meat in there lol)
But if you need some points of persuasion this recipe has a few.
1. They only take about 10 minutes to cook
2. They are gluten free! (no flour yay!)
3.  There is only about 5 ingredients in them. Cheap Cheap Cheap.
Anywhoo check them out. And thanks to all the people who share such great recipes and ideas for me to test out!

Peanut Butter Bacon Cookies @ Shutterbean

Print This Recipe (Recipe via JoytheBaker who adapted from The Gourmet Cookbook)
  • 1 cup all-natural chunky or smooth peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • about 6 slices of bacon, cooked, cooled and diced
In a skillet over medium high heat, fry up bacon until cooked through and let cool on paper towels until cool enough to dice. Dice up and set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment & set aside. In a mixer combine peanut butter and sugars until well combined, about 2 minutes. Add egg and baking soda and mix for another 2 minutes. Fold in cooked bacon. Roll into large walnut sized balls and create a cris-cross pattern with a fork. If you’d like, roll the dough balls in granulated sugar before making the cris-cross pattern. Bake for 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool on a baking sheet for five minutes, then transfer to… your mouth.