Fall Favorites and a Dangerous Recipe

HELLO fall!  There is so much that I love about this season.  The fact that it leads right up to my most-favorite time of year is just an added bonus.

I love a pumpkin.  It's just something about the way they look I guess.  I can't wait to take Avery to chose a few for our front porch.  I went a little crazy with books for Avery to boost her fall vocabulary, but she was a pumpkin kisser last year, so I think she's already feeling the love.

I love to bring pumpkins inside too to do a little decorating.  I'm not much of a knick-knack person and mainly only "decorate" for Christmas.  I do have a few pumpkins to set around the house and always buy some little pumpkins and gourds to bring fall inside.  This year I've also printed and framed a fall bucket list with fun things for us to aspire to do.  Most of them are pretty realistic and I'm looking forward to doing them as a family.

I'm loving my Yankee Candles.  Right now I'm burning Farmer's Market and will bring out Pumpkin Pie soon.  As I sniffed around the Yankee Candle store on Saturday, I also thought Be Thankful smelled pretty good.

I'm loving the anticipation of cooler weather.  I can't wait to put on a turtleneck, although it certainly won't be my regular ones this year.  I'm ready to get Avery into her cooler weather clothes as well.

I'm loving fall cooking.  I can't wait to get to baking with pumpkin, and I have several new soup recipes I want to try out.
Although I'm not loving the start of hunting season, I'm loving finding fun things for Avery and I to do together in our time.  I think it's perfectly acceptable for Chik-Fil-A and Sonic Happy Hour to be on our activity list.

I could go on and on, but the last item on my list is something I renewed my love for this weekend.  For Courtney and Phillip's shower, I made a toffee apple dip.  Several people asked for the recipe so I thought I would post it here.  The making of the dip is not actually dangerous, but the amount you eat before you actually slice an apple can be.

Toffee Brickle Dip

Ingredients:

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla
10 oz. toffee bits

Beat first 4 ingredients with electric mixer until smooth.  Fold in toffee chips.  Serve with apple slices, other fruit, or a spoon.

A few notes:  I used Heath Toffee Bits (with Bits O' Brickle Bits written underneath).  A bag can be found in the baking section.  These have no chocolate.  I'm not sure that the toffee amount in the recipe is correct.  I made a double batch for the shower and a single tonight and still have not finished one bag.  I prefer less toffee so that it's not gummy, so my advice is to add a little at a time and sample.

I think it's delicious, and if it gets me to eat sliced apples, it must be good.  Put on a turtleneck, light a candle, and whip some up tonight.