celebrating October . . . at Home

This was the first year that I didn't decorate for Halloween in more than 15 years. Gasp!

I've been busier than normal with our 5 and 6-year-old in school. 

I thought I would've had more time on my hands having two in school every day, but that hasn't been the case. Their homework, Friday spelling tests, Run Club, and (before & after) school activities have kept me quite busy. 

So this year I decided to forego decorating for Halloween, and just focus on Fall decor and incorporating fun Halloween activities and baking into our weekly routines instead. 

We've been so busy that the kids haven't even noticed that I didn't decorate for Halloween. I guess that's a good sign . . . because that means that I did a good job bringing Halloween fun to our days through little things.

Here's a peak (through photos) of how we celebrated the month of October at home . . .

Halloween S'mores with PEEPS

raven sugar cookies

hot cocoa with fun leopard napkins in front of the fire

fun & festive paper straws

big pots of home-made chili, 

just like my grandma used to make on Hallow's Eve

costume fun

visits to the pumpkin patch

pumpkin carving!

candy corns

It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown,

a family tradition

lots of warm pumpkin bread

 

LET'S STAY in touch!

Simply Suzannes at Home

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pumpkin carving and pumpkin-shaped pizzas with the little ones

'Twas the night before Halloween . . .

we carved our Jack O'Lantern

.     .     .     .     .

made mini PUMPKIN-shaped cheese pizza

.     .     .     .     .

& read The Story of the Jack O'Lantern while enjoying pumpkin cookies

pumpkin-shaped PIZZAS

.     .     .     .     .

Trader Joe's whole-wheat pizza dough

pizza sauce

fresh shredded mozarella 

.     .     .     .     .

Let dough rest for 1 hour

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F 

Roll out dough to desired thickness

Using a pumpkin shaped cookie cutter, press out shapes and then place on a cookie sheet

Brush on pizza sauce and sprinkle with cheese

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes

ENJOY!

 

LET'S STAY in touch!

Simply Suzannes at Home

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the cutest witch West of Oz

I have a hard time buying pre-made costumes without embellishing and accessorizing them.

So when our oldest daughter, Charley, told me that she wanted to be a witch this year, I couldn't have been more excited. And thankfully, it didn't take too much coaxing to get her on board with assembling a witch costume, rather than buying a pre-packaged one.

It might take more time to 'assemble' a costume(s), but it's so much fun personalizing them to my kids' personalities.

Embellishing a simple witch costume can be as easy as . . .

adding metallic star strands to a simple witch broom (see first photo),

trimming a witch hat with black feathers, spiders, or even a crow,

making your own candy bag,

and accessorizing with spider rings and costume make-up

Charley's costume began with this hat (above). She loved that it was both - spooky and fun.

And from there, we found this sweet purple petti-coat, black-and-white striped stockings (because what's a witch without striped stockings), and this cute printed shirt.

Every good witch has a companion CAT, and because her little sister decided to be a TIGER instead of a black cat this year - that left Charley without a companion CAT.

So . . . while hunting for a shirt for her costume, I came across this one. It's a perfect match . . . and is darling under her black cape.

This is the FIRST year that our little ones want me to paint their faces. I can't wait to transform their sweet little faces into a TIGER, a green WITCH, and a skeleton.

              

               What will your little ones be this Halloween?

 

LET'S STAY in touch!

Simply Suzannes at Home

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a tiger costume for my little girl

pumpkin scones with pumpkin spice icing

I'm crazy excited to share this amazing recipe with you!

I've been wanting to make pumpkin scones since I found this recipe in one of my cooking magazines last year, but the Fall season kept me so busy that I never got around to it.
   
          

Not this year though! I've made these several times since the start of Fall . . . and plan on making them through Thanksgiving!

So what makes these pumpkin scones so darn good?

Well, they're not only tender, light, and moist . . . but they're the prettiest shade of orange, smell like sweet pumpkin, and have an amazing pumpkin spice icing on them! Hello!

                  They're FULL of everything that Fall baking is all about!

I hope that my photos entice you to make some for yourself and your family this weekend. Be ready to fall in LOVE with them, too!

Pumpkin Scones

makes 8 scones

.     .     .     .     .     .     .     .     .

Scone

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/8 tsp ground cloves

1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar

3 Tbsp granulated sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and diced into 1/2-inch pieces

1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp canned pumpkin puree, chilled (don't chill in can)

wet ingredients

3 1/2 Tbsp buttermilk

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 Tbsp honey

1 Tbsp half and half

.     .     .     .     .     .     .     .     .

Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar

2 Tbsp half and half, then more as needed

.     .     .     .     .     .     .     .     .

Pumpkin Spice Icing

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 Tbsp pumpkin puree

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

1/8 tsp ground ginger

1 Tbsp half and half

Scone preparation

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a food processor pulse together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, brown sugar and granulated sugar until well blended (if you don't have a food processor you can whisk by hand in a large mixing bowl, then cut in butter with a pastry cutter). 

Add butter and pulse mixture several times to cut butter into mixture (large pieces of butter should no longer be visible). Pour mixture into a large mixing bowl and create a well in center.

In a bowl whisk together chilled pumpkin puree, buttermilk, egg, vanilla extract and honey. 

Pour mixture into well in flour/butter mixture. Stir mixture with a wooden spoon to incorporate, then knead in bowl (or on work surface) by hand several times to bring mixture together. 

Dust a work surface with flour then invert dough onto surface. Pat and shape dough into an even 8-inch round. Using a large knife, slice into 8 equal wedges (dust knife with flour as needed while cutting, it will be fairly sticky).

Transfer scones to a Silpat or parchment paper lined baking sheet. Brush tops with 1 Tbsp half and half then bake in preheated oven 13 - 15 minutes until tops are golden brown and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and cool 10 minutes (no longer) before spreading with glaze.

Glaze preparation

In a mixing bowl whisk together powdered sugar and half and half, adding more half and half as needed to reach desired consistency (it should be fairly thick not runny). 

Spoon and spread mixture scones to evenly coat tops (use all of it). 

Let glaze set at room temperature.

Pumpkin Spice glaze preparation

In another mixing bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, pumpkin puree, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and half and half. Transfer mixture to a small Ziploc bag, seal bag, cut a small tip from corner and drizzle mixture over tops of scones. Allow icing to set. Best served day prepared.

Courtesy of  Fine Cooking magazine

Fall entertaining . . .

   Invite your neighbors over for a light brunch . . . These make a great addition!

 

LET'S STAY in touch!

Simply Suzannes at Home

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