Anticipating Autumn

Good morning! I told my son I would bake brownies today for him and a group of his friends who are going camping and that is probably why I have baking on my mind. For some reason I am already looking forward to Fall with the cooler weather and all the possibilities of change. I am not quite finished with Summer yet but I am enthusiastically anticipating the homemade soups, breads, and pumpkin delights. The first thing I want to make is Pumkin Butter. I think this year I will make extra to have it on hand for sharing. It is quite delicious and is particularly tasty on english muffins. My family loves pumpkin pie and I even have a wonderful Pumpkin Fudge recipe. I just love the changes that occur in the Fall. I really do not even mind all of the leaf raking that needs to be done. My neighbor across the way had a rather large tree removed from their front yard to cut down on all of the leaves and I thought that to be quite unfortunate. I find raking, sweeping, and chores like that to be somewhat therapeutic. It is a good time to clear the mind and just meditate on positive things. Ah, well Fall is still a distance away and so I had better do a better job at embracing what is left of Summer. This has not been an extraordinary hot Summer but it has had its days. My electricity bill jumped from $150.00 to $210.00 and I reprogrammed the temperature in the house so that it just starts to get uncomfortable when the air kicks on. I have heard a little complaining but I have not given in yet. There are people who experience discomfort on a much larger scale so I truly do feel blessed that we even have an option for finding relief from the heat. Today should not be too hot...I think about 98 degrees? Summer mornings are the best. There are still remnants of the morning dew that the sun has not stolen yet and the flowers are hosting all kinds of activity. Well, I need to get those brownies baked before I can have my quiet time in the garden. It is a good thing I am a flexible mom, perhaps it will cost my son one brownie from his batch!

~Pumpkin Butter Recipe~

16oz solid pack pumpkin

2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/4 cup honey

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp ground cloves

Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil on medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat, simmer until thickened, stirring occasionally.Pour hot mixture into sterilized jars immediately. Place lids and caps on right away.

This recipe makes about 6 small jars.

Canning is not necessary. Pumpkin butter can be stored in the refrigerator for several weeks or in the freezer for months.

Enjoy!