The Lovely & Simple Things

Did you know that I think autumn is the best?

Mostly, I love the deep sigh of relief that autumn brings. Stepping out into the morning chill...sitting on the front porch...crunching through the leaves...snuggling in flannel & fleece...taking in the colors of the Tennessee hills. Deep, deep exhales.

Winter makes me hibernate. Spring fills me with eager anticipation. Summer is an outburst of energy. But autumn? Sighhhhh.

The best thing about autumn is how easy it is. You no longer have to worry about the Africa pounds because you can wear sweaters and jeans every day. You don't have to paint your toenails because you wear close-toed shoes. The weather is simply divine every day. You're never too hot or too cold. The food is utterly delectable.

As a past Staples employee, I love doing things that end with "that was easy." I've mentioned my slight obsession for everything pumpkin-flavored in the past, but tonight, I'm going to share with you three super secret secrets of autumn. These are my go-tos and take literally no time at all to do. Ain't nothin' better.

Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate
I'm sure there's a fancy, coffeeshop style of doing this. But when I say "pumpkin spice hot chocolate" I literally mean adding pumpkin spice to your hot chocolate. You know how you buy that little canister of pumpkin pie spice every year and only use, like, a teaspoon of it for your pie? Well, pumpkin pie spice is versatile. Heat up a big mug full of hot chocolate and sprinkle in a healthy dose of pumpkin pie spice. Voila. Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate. For ideal enjoyment, sip slowly while wrapped in a blanket on your front porch.

Pumpkin Spice Pancakes
I bet you can see where this one's going. Take Aunt Jemima's Just-Add-Water pancake mix (easiest. ever.) and add a bunch of pumpkin pie spice to the batter. Done-zo. Not only do your pancakes take on a sumptuous golden brown color, but they taste oh so yummy.

Easy Pumpkin Bread/Muffins
This is the best kept secret. Buy one box of Duncan Hines Spice Cake Mix and one can of Libby's Pumpkin. Combine the two in a bowl (NO eggs. NO oil. NO nothin' else). Pour into a bread pan or a muffin tray and bake at 350 for approx. 50 minutes (if bread). Just watch it til it's done. This is the moistest bread I've ever tasted. So moist, in fact, that it sometimes does not hold its shape as you cut it. But if you could care less about presentation, this recipe's for you.