Tips for Bringing Autumn Inside

While the earth remains,
Seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat,
And summer and winter, and day and night
Shall not cease.
Genesis 8:22

The faithfulness of our God is seen in the rhythm of the changing seasons.  They always come in the right order!  And they come right on time.  In our area, trees are changing colors, bears are raiding garbage cans to get ready for hibernation, elk and deer are coming down from the high country, and a chill is in the evening air. That speaks of autumn at Sky Ranch Ute Trail in Colorado!

Bring a flavor of autumn into your homes and celebrate the changing beauty God displays.  Start with something that smells good and warms you on a chilly morning!  This tea mix recipe came from my best friend and we often drink it while visiting together. I always save this recipe for autumn and winter months.

Russian Tea Mix

• 2/3 cup instant decaf unsweetened tea mix
  
  
• 1 cup powdered orange juice mix (Tang)
  
  
• 1/2 cup sugar
  
  
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  
  
• 2 Tbl powered lemonade mix
  
  
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Mix all ingredients and store in air tight container. About 3 tsp of mix per 12 oz of boiling water.

Other ideas: 

• Put together your favorite “comfort soup” and have it cook slowly in a Crock pot or on the stove top. It will make the whole house smell good!
  
  
• Decorate with lots of pumpkins and pine cones! Place little ones on the table tops and counters. Then, put big ones on the porches. 
  
  
• Pull out the old quilts and use them for table cloths! It just speaks of warmth!! Then cozy up to the table and eat some of your “comfort soup!”
  
  
• Buy a bag of marshmallows for the children to roast over the first fires you build in the fireplace . . . if you don’t have a fire place, use a gas stove top! The kids will love it!
  
  
• Don’t throw out the seeds when carving pumpkins, they make great snacks that are rich in fiber as well as vitamins B and E. Those of us that are purists will want only salt as a seasoning and those of us feeling adventurous can experiment with seasonings blends.

Gourmet Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

• 1 1/2 cups pumpkin seeds
  
  
• 2 teaspoons melted butter or oil (olive oil or vegetable oil work well)
  
  
• salt to taste

Preheat oven to 300º F. Clean off any major chunks of strings and pulp on your seeds. Toss pumpkin seeds in a bowl with the melted butter or oil and seasonings of your choice. Spread pumpkin seeds in a single layer on an oiled baking sheet. Bake for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown.

Flavor Combinations for Gourmet Roasted Pumpkin Seed Snacks:

• Italian Style Pumpkin Seeds -- Italian Seasoning Blend, Parmesan Cheese, Olive oil, salt and pepper.
  
  
• Pumpkin Pie Pumpkin Seeds -- Cinnamon, Ground Ginger and Pinch of Nutmeg, and Butter
  
  
• Greek Style -- Lemon Pepper Seasoning Blend, Oregano, Salt, Olive Oil
  
  
• Buffalo Wings Pumpkin Seeds -- Butter, Tabasco Sauce, Salt

 Happy autumn!
Love always,
Angie