DIY pumpkin spice latte

A little behind on the season but recently I've been experimenting with a pumpkin spice latte. This morning I even added a dollop of freshly pureed pumpkin. Delish. But don't worry, pumpkin isn't necessary for this treat.

Needed for one:
freshly brewed coffee
1/8 tsp pumpkin spice seasoning
1/8 tsp vanilla
2 tsp maple syrup (or 1 1/2 tsp brown sugar)
milk (you can use regular, soy/almond milk or creamer)
a dollop of fresh pureed pumpkin, if desired and available

Place maple syrup, seasoning and vanilla in cup (and pumpkin, if applicable). Add coffee. Stir. Heat milk in the microwave for 45s. Whip milk with  one of these guys (they are sold individually at the store). Top coffee with desired amount of milk. Sprinkle a little additional pumpkin seasoning on top.

I'm an add-to-taste kind of gal. Hubs likes sweet. I don't. I like bold. He likes subtle. Use this recipe as a guideline. Add the ingredients to your taste buds liking and enjoy!

Pumpkin Harvest Soup

Oh, sweet October. When there's a chill in the air, there is nothing better than a bowl of soup, a comfy sweater and a cup of hot chocolate. Harvest soups are one of my favorites. And this chilly October Monday calls for something warm and snuggly. Here's a yummy soup for your belly with all in-season veggies (for nc).

hello october by celeste-hurtig-arrigo featuring a grey racerback tank

what you need:
1 tbsp olive oil

2 red potatoes, peeled and chopped

1/2 sweet potato

1/2 large onion, chopped

1/2 turnip, chopped

4 1/2 cup(s) chicken broth

1 1/2 cups cooked pumpkin

salt
ground pepepr

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 ground ginger

5-8 sage leaves, chopped up

a spring of thyme, chopped

1/2 cup heavy cream 

Heat olive oil in  a large pot over medium heat. Add potatoes, turnip and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, about 8 minutes. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook until potato is tender, 10 to 12 minutes.

Stir in pumpkin. Using an immersion blender, purée mixture until smooth.  Stir in salt, ginger, pepper, nutmeg, sage and thyme. Increase heat to medium-high and bring mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for 10 minutes. Stir in cream and heat thoroughly. Serve and enjoy!

To use fresh pumpkin, cut a baking pumpkin in half, deseed and bake at 350 F for 45 minutes to an hour. Once soft and cooked through, spoon out pumpkin. 

Chilly day. Chili recipe.

There was finally a hint of fall in the air today. It was a day that called for jeans, a big comfy sweater and boots. The perfect amount of chilly. 

I typically plan out meals on Monday and chili was not on the list but with the cold air and overcast day, a bowl of chili was exactly what I needed. And it was just what I needed. 

What you need:

1 tbsp olive oil

1 sweet potato, peeled and diced

1/2 an onion, diced

1 small green pepper, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

 2 bay leaves

1sprig fresh oregano 

1/4 -1 tsp cayenne pepper ( depends on the level of heat you want)

3 tbsp paprika

2 tbsp dried oregano 

1 tbsp Penzeys Arizona Dreaming seasoning (you can sub chili seasoning)

1tbsp cumin

 2 cans fire roasted tomatoes

1 can garbanzo beans

1 can black beans

1 can red kidney beans

2 ears of corn, cut from the cob 

Toppings: sour cream, shredded cheese, chopped green onion, radish slices, etc. 

Heat oil in a a large soup pan on medium heat.  Add sweet potato and cook for 5 minutes or until starts to soften. Add onion and cook for a few minutes. Add green pepper and cook until veggies have cooked through. 

Add garlic, bay leaves, fresh oregano and cayenne pepper. Stir for a minute. Add remaining seasonings, tomatoes and beans. Add 1/2 cup water. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce to simmer. Simmer for 45 min to an hour. 5 minutes before serving, add corn and heat through. 

Serve hot, top with your choice of toppings and pair with a delicious glass of Trader Joe's Apple Cider (another item that I wasn't intending on having this week but I couldn't resist) for a perfect cold day meal. 

And because I was far too hungry to grab the camera. You get a lovely phone photo. 

first day on the job

Firsts are always exciting. Often nerve wracking, full of emotion, kind of scary, yet thrilling.

Today is the first day of October. One of my all time favorite months, favorite seasons. The chill in the air when you first wake up, all the fun fall festivities, the fair, carving pumpkins, sipping hot apple cider, boots and scarves. Oh its just all so good!

via

Also, today is my first day as my own boss. I had 6 weeks "off" playing hostess and travel companion but now I'm back to "work".... Part-timing it until we move in and settle. It's going to be a lot of planning and calendar crunching for the first few weeks. Re-doing the timeframe a tad, revamping this and that. Who knows, I might even send out an email or two. I'll also be searching for a semi-permanent workspace outside of my four walls. Thoughts, anyone?? Otherwise, I'll wind up polishing doorknobs or baking another set of cookies. Distraction, you are my enemy! And sugary goodness, you are not helping! 

I am so excited for today. To make this endeavor feel more real. To tackle the whole working from home thing. To motivate myself. To turn our dreams into reality. To be a small business owner. To make pizza. 

Here's to a first of many. 

Oh and any of you that work from home.... Please share your tips, tidbits and things to help keep me on track. I'm also an office supply junky, so would love to know your recommendations for planners, supplies, etc.