Brown Paper Leaves Filled with Candy

For this project you will need:

Brown craft paper

Leaf cookie cutter (large)

pen

scissors

White embroidery thread

Needle

Fall themed candy

Trace your large leaf cookie cutter onto some brown craft paper. If you don't have brown craft paper - check to see if you have any brown paper grocery bags — they will also work. Carefully cut out the leaf shapes.

I like to cut out the shapes while watching my favorite television shows!

Sew two leaves together with the white embroidery thread. Once your leaf is almost completely sewn add a few small handfuls of candy. I used Reese's Pieces. Because they have an autumn feel. And I think they are delicious.

These would make really cute Thanksgiving Party Favors or Place cards. You could write the names of your guests in the center of the leaf with a brown marker.

They could also be filled with candy corn or salted nuts.

Wishing you a warm and wonderful Thanksgiving.

Pumpkin Butter

This is how I decide to make a recipe. I am browsing in Williams Sonoma and I pick up the Pumpkin Butter that they sell. Hmmmm.....I bet I could make this. So I come home and Google and Pinterest until I find a recipe that I have all of the ingredients sitting in my cupboard or fridge. Many of the Pumpkin Butter recipes that I found called for apple juice. I did not have any apple juice. Then I found this recipe that called for orange juice. I had orange juice! Bingo! And before Thanksgiving I always have cans of pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice. Who doesn't?

 The blog that I used for this recipe is Less-than-Perfect Life of Bliss.blogspot.com. This blogger even included some labels that you can download and print out!

So my cute labels are also courtesy of this generous blogger.

I downloaded the black labels from the Less-than-Perfect website and cut them out and glued them to an orange and white polka dot paper and then glued them to a white scalloped card stock.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup orange juice

1 cup brown sugar

4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

2 - 15 ounce cans pure pumpin

4  - clean 8 ounce jars 

Directions:

In a medium saucepan heat the orange juice, brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice until the mixture comes to a low boil. Whisk constantly so that the mixture doesn't scald.  Once the mixture has thickened add the pumpkin and reduce the heat to low. Heat until all of the ingredients are mixed well and heated all the way through.

Let the mixture cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Then scoop the pumpkin butter into the jars. Put the lids on the jars. Tape the labels on and add the ribbon right before giving out the Pumpkin Butter.

These Pumpkin Butters will stay fresh in the fridge for up to three weeks.

What an easy recipe! This would be a fantastic Thanksgiving party favor or hostess gift. This Pumpkin Butter can be used on toast, english muffins, with Thanksgiving leftovers or even warmed up a little and served over ice cream.

Fall Floral Arrangements

Today I am going to a birthday lunch and I am bringing everyone a floral arrangement. I made the vases from tin cans - remove the labels and wash out your soup (or other type of can). You can also place the tin cans (minus the label) in the dishwasher.

Glue gun the entire can with twine. Then to add that extra touch I glued a pice of Fall themed ribbon, a burlap rose and a few orange rhinestones.

I bought the flowers at Trader Joe's. They always have beautiful fresh flowers at reasonable prices. I love the wild flower look. In fact I loved Kelly Clarksons wedding flowers.

These floral arrangements would also look fantastic on your Thanksgiving table. Or you could bring them to your Thanksgiving hostess. The kids can glue the twine onto the tin cans.

Happy Birthday MayAnne and Chantell!

Pumpkin Pie Spiced Nuts

This is such an easy recipe! These nuts would make a great Thanksgiving party favor or hostess gift. They would be perfect to serve on the cheese platter with some dried fruit.

Ingredients:

2 egg whites

2 tablespoons water

6 cups of assorted nuts (i used.......

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

3 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice

2 teaspoons salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Cover two baking sheets with foil. Spray lightly with cooking spray.

Beat egg whites and water in a large bowl until the mixture is foaming. Add the nuts and stir to coat. I used walnuts, almonds and cashews.

Combine brown sugar, granulated sugar, pumpkin pie spice and salt.  Pour the sugar mixture into the bowl and stir until everything is coated. Divide the mixture on two baking sheets. Spread out the nuts so that they are in a single layer.

Bake the nuts for 20 to 25 minutes. Let the nuts cool to room temperature and place them in a jar or tupperware.

 I  packaged mine into little jars for party favors.

I found these small jars at Target.

Using some brown and orange paper - I made little labels.

Then to add that little extra touch - I tied the jars with a sheer orange ribbon. I am actually bringing these to a birthday party tomorrow. But they would make cute Thanksgiving party favors - or to put them in a larger jar and present it as a hostess gift.  They sell mason jars at Target, hardware stores and some grocery stores.

Don't forget to save some nuts for yourself because they are really yummy!

Pumpkin Pie Granola

I love making granola - it is so easy to make a huge jar of granola. It can be served over ice cream or yogurt. I like to eat it on top of fresh fruit.

Pumpkin Pie Granola would make a perfect breakfast for Thanksgiving morning.

Ingredients:

5 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

3/4 cup shredded coconut

1/3 cup wheat germ

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/3 cup maple syrup

1/3 canola oil

2/3 cup pure canned pumpkin

2 tablespoons water

1 1/2 cup dried cranberries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Combine oats, walnuts, pumpkin pie spice, wheat germ and coconut in a large bowl. Add the maple syrup, water, oil and pumpkin. Stir until everything is moist. Cover a large baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper. Bake for 20 minutes - remove from oven and stir with a spatula.

Bake for another 20 minutes and remove from the oven. Stir with the spatula again.

Bake for another 15- 20  minutes until everything is toasty and brown. Remove the granola from the oven and stir in the dried cranberries.

Once the granola is cool - place it a large jar or tupperware. This granola would also be cute in individual jars to give as gifts. A pumpkin sticker would look adorable on the jar label.

Thanksgiving Treats for the College Girls

I made some treats to send to Noelle - she can give them out to her friends before they leave for Thanksgiving break.

I found some little manicure sets and nighttime masks at Michael's and the brown/gold nail polish is from Target.

I know that Noelle will love her leopard eye mask. Although she could sleep through a 7.0 earthquake.

She will also love her manicure set. She is always painting her nails.

I placed everything in a cellophane bag. I stapled a piece of brown paper at the top and added a leopard ribbon and pink tag!

This is a fun little treat to pass out to her roommates and friends! It would also make a cute birthday party favor.

Thanksgiving Party Favors

Something I enjoy doing is turning Halloween candy into Thanksgiving Party Favors. You can buy leftover Halloween candy for 50% off a few days after Halloween. They year I bought bags of mini Rolo's and Kit Kat bars!

To make this project you will need:

Halloween candy

Brown, orange or yellow wrapping or scrapbook paper

Thanksgiving themed stickers

Scissors

Scotch tape

Plastic bags

Coordinating ribbon

Hole punch

Directions:

Make a pattern to fit your Halloween candy. Then cut out the scraps of paper to size and tape them around the candy. Add a Thanksgiving sticker. Then put the candy into the plastic bags.

The above photo is Kit Kat bars - the orange ends of the candy bar add to the Thanksgiving feel.

I find crafting relaxing. I often make these treats while I watch my favorite television shows.

I also love the gold ends of the Rolo's. I happened to have the brown wrapping paper from a cigar project I did last year. I also found the brown ribbon in my ribbon box. So before you head out to the store check your supplies and don't forget to use your coupons (Michael's, Hobby Lobby and JoAnne's).

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays.

Pecan Apple Caramel Bread

I can't stop making loaf breads! Especially loaf recipes made with apples and topped with a caramel sauce. I found this recipe on My Recipes. However, I have been researching some recipes made with pumpkin puree. Check back next week!

Ingredients:

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups chopped pecans, divided

1 1/2 cups peeled and chopped apples - I used Granny Smith

Caramel Sauce:

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

Directions:

Grease and flour a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In your stand mixer combine the sour cream, sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla.

In another bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.  Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix on low until everything is combined.

Add 3/4 cup of chopped pecan to the batter and the chopped apples. Stir until everything is combined. The batter will be really thick. Pour the batter into the prepared pan sand top with the remaining pecans.

Bake for approximately 1 hour. Make sure a toothpick inserted in the middle of the bread comes out clean

Cool the bread in the pan for 15 minutes. Then release the bread on a wire rack. Place a baking sheet under the wire rack.

Combine the butter and brown sugar in a heavy sauce pan. Bring the mixture to a boil while stirring constantly. Let the mixture cool and thicken for a minute or two and then pour it over the loaf.

Let the icing harden for an hour or two and then slice up the loaf into to serving size pieces.Yum!

While this loaf bread is baking your house will smell delightful! I think you could also substitute walnuts for the pecans.

I absolutely love the simple glaze on this bread - I can't wait to have a slice for breakfast tomorrow morning.