Recipes, fragrances and gifts for Fall
Cozy is the first word that comes to mind this time of year. After being active and outdoors all summer long, I suddenly begin to crave the cooler, slower-paced days of fall when the calendar turns to the third week of September. I look forward to indulging in the little rituals that mark the start of autumn – the scent of fall fragrances, home cooking (preferably comfort food) and warm, cozy apparel.
This year, the change of seasons caught me off guard. A week ago, we were sweating out the extended heatwave that hit Southern California – a rarity for our part of the country. This morning, I had to grab a sweatshirt and could see the steam rising from my coffee cup as I left the house. While the end of summer is bittersweet, I am ready to embrace the fall. Here are just a few of my fall ‘favorites’ to get started…
Fall Home Fragrances
New candles or diffusers are usually the first item to mark the change of seasons
Rosy Rings Spicy Apple
My all-time favorite fall fragrance is Spicy Apple by Rosy Rings. I love how beautiful this candle looks when it is lit – it burns down the middle, illuminating the botanical apple slices, cinnamon sticks, bay leaves and rosehips set in the wax perimeter. The amazing cinnamon apple scent welcomes autumn with its long-lasting balanced blend of comfort and spice.
Simmered Cider from Thyme
One of my other fall favorites is our Thymes Simmering Cider fragrance. This comforting, spicy fragrance brings the scent of warm, freshly pressed apples, cloves and cardamon into our home. The uplifting aroma immediately fills the living spaces with the cozy scent of fall. I also love the accompanying room spray that provides a quick burst of fragrance that carries throughout our home.
Pumpkin Dulce from Capri Blue
If I’m looking for a lighter, more festive fall aroma, I’ll light one of our Pumpkin Dulce candles from Capri Blue. The uplifting scent of white pumpkin, sweet gingersnap and whipped vanilla brings just the right amount of ‘just baked’ scent to our living areas without being overpowering.
Comfort Food Recipes
Comfort food and home cooking are synonymous with Fall. And when it comes to these two themes, no one offers better recipes Tieghan Gerard with her Half Baked Harvest cookbooks. I’ll plan out the week with recipes from three of my favorite cookbooks – Half Baked Harvest Super Simple; Half Baked Harvest Cookbook: Recipes from My Barn in the Mountains; or her newest edition, Half Baked Harvest Every Day: Recipes for Balanced, Flexible, Feel-Good Meals: A Cookbook. Her recipes inspire me to prepare more wholesome meals that make dinnertime a special occasion any night of the week. A few of my favorite Fall Half Baked Harvest recipes include:
The Cheesemaker’s Mac and Cheese
Half Baked Harvest Cookbook: Recipes from My Barn in the Mountains
I can’t think of a recipe that says “comfort food” better than good ole’ macaroni and cheese. And Tieghan Gerard does it better than anyone else with her Cheesemaker’s Mac and Cheese Recipe.
Whole-Wheat Popovers
Half Baked Harvest Every Day: Recipes for Balanced, Flexible, Feel-Good Meals: A Cookbook
The perfect companion to a crisp fall salad or leisurely brunch, these super simple popovers look impressive and taste oh so good with some fresh apple butter.
Autumn Harvest Salad
Half Baked Harvest Super Simple Cookbook
Tieghan Gerard puts a fresh twist on her unique autumn salads by combining persimmon, pomegranate, and bacon along with the season’s freshest greens in this colorful, healthy dish.
Cozy Wrap
Shorter days and cooler evenings signal it’s time to bring out the cozy sweaters and wraps. The fall days can still be quite warm, but as soon as the sun sets, the chill sets in quickly. I like to have a warm wrap or poncho – such as one of these colorful cashmere ponchos from Dolma -- handy to layer on over jeans, linen pants or sundress. They’re the perfect fall accessory -- lightweight enough to carry around, but thick enough to stay warm.
We hope these items provide some inspiration to get your home, your kitchen, and your wardrobe ready for fall. Be sure to share your favorite fall ideas with us below in the comments section.
Cheers!