Falling leaves

So, what have I been up to lately?  Well, fall has finally arrived, and my son started full-day kindergarten, of which he is having a few difficulties adjusting to.  We're working on it though.

With fall come some of my favourite recipes.  Essentially anything pumpkin and anything apple!  I haven't done too much so far with pumpkin, I've made pumpkin pancakes, and pumpkin donut holes.  Once I get more pumpkins, I'll be making some pies, scones and who knows what else!  I've gone nuts with apples though!  I had the opportunity this year, for the first time, to accompany a friend at a family member's "orchard" to pick apples.  They were of Lobo variety, of which I've never actually heard of before, but they must be a Quebec apple because that is what was recently the apple of choice at the grocery store.  We had a great time with the kids, picking apples!  Well, it was more Nicola and I picking the apples while the kids ran around below us.  They were a great help, however, at tossing the rotten ones into the bush!  And of course the older boys wanted their turn at climbing the ladder too.  We picked about 3 bushels of apples that day, off two trees, so I came home with a bushel full and started pinning away!  So far I've made a couple of pies, apple puff pancakes, apple spice muffins and apple cinnamon scones.  I still have half a bushel left, and we've been eating them just as apples too!

Click on the pictures below for the recipes used to make these fantastic goodies!

Apple pie with whole wheat crust (filling from recipe)

Apple spice muffins with shredded apple, not chopped.

Apple cinnamon scones.