This time of year, there is nothing that says Autumn better than Mulled Cider.

Yummy..........................................................................................................................................................................................

Fall, it is now not too hot, and not too cold to enjoy some outdoor family FuN.

Taking a thermos of this hot beverage will add to the atmosphere of your outdoor enjoyment.

Ingredients: 

1/2 Gallon of fresh, unfiltered apple cider (or make homemade apple cider from smooched cooked apples from your local orchard) I grow Granny Smith and Gala trees, so your backyard tree works fine too. ;-)

2 large oranges (one just for decoration)

15 cloves

4 sticks of cinnamon

15 allspice berries

1 teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg

7 pods of cardamon or (whole coriander seed)

1/4 C brown sugar

1 apple (optional)

Directions:

1. Pour the apple cider into a saucepan, cover, turn the stove-top to medium-high heat.

2. Use a vegetable peeler to peel one of the oranges, to also be used for for a garnish later. Insert half of the cloves into the peeled orange. (or just skip the fancy part and throw the cloves and a cut up orange, peel and all into the pot). Add the rest of the ingredients to the orange and pot. Keep covered and heat the mulled cider mixture to a simmer and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 20 minutes on low heat.

3. Use a fine mesh sieve to strain the hot mulled cider to catch the solid pieces of spices and orange.

4. If for adults, you can spike it if you like w: Bourbon, brandy or rum.

5. Serve hot. Add a cinnamon stick, orange peel, apple slice, or an orange wedge w several cloves poked into it for a garnish. (See picture of garnish).

Autumn Thanksgiving Fabric Wreaths; An easy how to make on wire frames.

I did a blog on how to make an autum wreath. I put Halloween decorations on it and took pictures throught the process. Now it is time for me to change it out for Thanksgiving.

It is a great idea to make one wreath in seasonal colors and them just simply change out the nick-nacks to make it a multi-purpose wreath. It will save you money and time. This change process took me about 10minutes from start to finish.

Here is what they look like with the Thanksgiving make- over (I took this picture last night in the dark):

Here is the link to that how to make an easy "autumn wreath" blog:

http://lisakramerartlifestyle.blogspot.com/2011/09/i-wanted-to-make-new-autumn-wreaths-for.html

This is the Halloween decorations that I took off. Out with the Spooks and in with the Thanks...hee.

I simply added some Thanksgiving decore with florist or any wire of a smaller gauge.

Here is one of the wreath's before I hang them up outside:

Outside on the door (Sorry dark, pic taken last night):

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

An early blog, For More Wreath ideas, all kinds of different types of easy wreaths to make with easy instructions: http://lisakramerartlifestyle.blogspot.com/2011/01/how-to-make-valentine-wreath-for-your.html

Recipe for the best Butternut Squash Bisque soup that I've ever had!

Last night I was trying out several new recipes. One of them was a keeper! Due to popular demand of my friends, lol... here is the recipe. Enjoy...

Butternut Squash Bisque Soup

Ingredients:

1 1/2 to 2 lbs butternut squash, peeled (skin cut off), seeded, and cut into 1 to 1 1/2 inch chunks.

Seeds:

Save seeds for roasting (olive oil, salt pepper, 425 degrees until brownish) or throw them into your compost with the skin and stringy pulp.

Try buying squash with a long trunk, that is where the meat is and has less seeds. Cut off skin.

2 Tbls unsalted butter (Land O Lakes has a great taste)

1 leek, white and light green parts only, cut in half lengthwise, sliced thin, and washed thoroughly in a colander to remove any and all dirt.

Salt and Pepper

4 C's vegetable broth (store-bought or make your own stock by bringing a variety of vegetables to a boil. Don't worry about skins or even cutting them nice. Once at a boil, then simmer until all the life is out of the veggies, easy!) --Then I like to strain it using a cheesecloth and throw away these bland veggies who gave all their goodness to your stock!

1 or 2 Cups water

3 fresh sprigs of thyme

1 fresh sprig of lemon thyme (lemon variety optional, I grow herbs, so it was convenient).

2 Bay leaves

Pinch of cayenne pepper (These are easy to dehydrate if you grow them, otherwise, just use store-bought out of the herb section)

Sour Cream, or whatever garnish you desire (optional).

Instructions:

Note: The reason this soup is so flavorful is because it is done in layers, layers of flavor. So, don't skip a step and put everything into one pot all at once, because it will not turn out as good.

1. Place squash in a bowl, cover and microwave until fork can easily poke squash, 15 minutes, stirring once halfway through. Set aside when done.

2. While the squash is cooking, melt butter in Dutch oven (I used an enamel coated cast-iron one). Add squash, leek and 1 tea salt; cook on high, stirring occasionally, until squash pieces begin to break down and brown fond (browned squash bits stick to sides or bottom of pan) forms in bottom of pan, 10 to 13 minutes to get the squash brown.

3. Add 2 Cups vegetable broth and scrape the bottom and side of pot to loosen and dissolve fond. Add remaining 2 Cups of broth, 1 C of water, thyme sprigs, bay leaves, and cayenne. Bring back to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until leeks are fully tender, 7 minutes. I low-simmered mine for an additional 25 minutes to get more flavor concentration, however, it is not necessary.

4. Remove and discard bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Working in batches using your blender only 2/3rds full -- not more-- and process in batches until smooth, 2 minutes.

5. This step 5 is optional, it depends on how thick or runny you like your bisque. I did not need to do step 5 because I like a thick bisque. Return soup to pot and bring to simmer, thinning with up to 1 Cup of water to desired consistency. If you want to make it more decantant (for me it becomes too rich if I do this, but you can use heavy cream or cream fresh instead of this last cup of water; --or warm up the cream and place it in a gravy boat so that it can be poured into the soup as desired by taste). Cream can make pretty decorative patterns in soup too. The heavier the cream, the less likely it will curdle, i.e.: milk you would have to take more care in warming up than the cream.

6. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

7. (Optional) Serve with dollop of sour cream, pistachio's, chives, cilantro, fried leeks or onions. This time I used sour cream, chives, cilantro and pistachios. Next time I will fry leeks, yum. ;-) I can share that recipe too, if anyone wants to fry some leeks!

Note: These pictures I took today because we had the leftover soup for lunch. I didn't get a picture of the finished soup Saturday night. We noted that this soup was even better today as leftovers than the eve I made it!

Light a candle and Enjoy! Lol, I found this unique candle on the internet and thought it was cute. It was at: http://www.100candles.com/items/item_8359.htm for anyone interested.

I wanted to make new Autumn Wreaths for this Halloween; A how to fabric & wire wreaths

I made two new wreaths this year... my old Halloween wreaths were getting shabby. Instructions on how to make an easy wreath.

Daytime photo above, nighttime photo below.

Note: For how to convert these Autumn wreaths to Thanksgiving, see blog: http://lisakramerartlifestyle.blogspot.com/2011/11/autumn-thanksgiving-wreaths-easy-how-to.html

Double duty for these easy wire wreaths, multiple holidays in one! Ta Da!

Supplies needed:

Two wire wreaths:

 

About 5 different fabrics in autumn or halloween colors, Here are the ones that I chose pictured in the above photo with my cat, Bagheera. I decided on two darker ones, and three lighter. My little helper fits in well with the holiday theme. Both cats loved helping me cut the strips, lol anything string like and they are right in the middle of whatever I am doing.

Pinking sheers.

Two wooden welcome plaques for halloween greetings (handmade by using acrylic paint on wood or store bought). While shopping at Kroger yesterday, I noted some very cute wooden welcome plaques for $2.59. They would work really well. I didn't buy them to show you, because I already had these two plaques ready to go.
Small halloween items like my 2 small candelabra's.

Any Halloween decore will work. Pumpkins, ghosts, black cats or go really scary. Whatever is your favorite type of "welcome".

Wire, see the wire holding the candelabra:

Some type of halloween garland. (Optional).

The garland I used can be made (It's just beads on wires and brown florist tape on the wire) or you can use store bought garlands of any halloween kind. ;-)

I took down my summer wreaths today and put up the new autumn ones.

First I had to pick out fabric that I thought looked like autumn colors. It does not matter what is on the fabric. What you choose is more based on color, or what you just have on hand. Hum, my shelf is messy, looks like the kids were in here. ;-)

I chose these three fabrics to start:

Take pinking sheers to cut out strips of fabric because the sawtooth instead of a straight edge will prevent fraying of the material. It looks like a small zigzag edge. I cut eleven inch strips. Basically a bolt of fabric cut horizontal and with that long strip, cut in half, making two strips.

See the fold in the fabric? Cut in that direction once, getting a strip of about 22 inches long, and then cut that in half is the easiest way to do it... but it does not matter how you obtain your strips.

I chose and cut three lighter shade fabrics of orange, yellow, and red.

Two wire wreath frames can be obtained from any craft store. I purchased these from Michaels:

Begin by tying strips onto inner circle. Starting with the smallest circle, use six strips for section. Just fold strip over like this:

Then simply tie it once, no need to knot it. Note the horizontal wire separating sections.

Six Strips, wire one.

Now all three colors are on the wire, repeating a pattern, each section has six strips, two strips of each fabric print. Alternate the three fabrics:

First wire, inner circle done. Now ready to move to second wire ring.

My other cat, Mooshu taking a break from "helping" me with the fabric strips. Cutting the strips with his whiskers in the way was a task, lol.

Seven strips, wire two.

Cutting darker two fabric's into strips so I can now alternate five differnt fabrics. You can use as many different fabrics that you chose, 1 to 10... there is no wrong way. Now I am ready to begin ring two. Alternating pattern with seven strips, (increasing by one strip per section because ring is getting bigger).

Begining with wire two:

Working on wire two I am alternating the lighter and darker fabrics into a consistent pattern. It does not matter the pattern you choose to repeat.

Wire two finished and starting to work on ring wire three; I will be using eight strips now.

Bagherra still helping. He looks so Halloween. I bought him a skeleton costume last year, but it was too small. Both cats have been on a diet due to the over weight factor, lol.

Eight strips, wire three.

Wire three finished:

I'm using the cats to break up the monotomy of this How-To. Lol, They are intermissions:

See those long white whiskers? While cutting the fabric strips, he would get his face right up to the sheers while I was trying to cut, --so that he could play or see what what going on, lol! Big helpers with most projects. Pets are fun.

  

Nine strips, wire four (outside wire).

Now on to ring four. Use nine strips:

Working on last wire in this picture above.

Finishing last wire four, see outside ring almost completed.

Back side of one finished wreath.

The next step is to poke all the strips to one side of the wreath, leaving the back side without all the hanging strips.

Now do it all again to a second wire wreath:

After poking them all to one side, you can add your decorations by using any type of wire. I used two guages; a thinner gauge for the candelabra, because the hole at the top was so small.

One of the plaques:

The candelabra, garland and plaque I used on the "Spook" wreath can all be seen in this one picture:

Bagherra intently watching the wreath process. He is wanting attention, a lap cat, lol.

Spook Wreath:

Picture more blurry in this one, but it is lighter... the candelabra and garland are more visible here:

Here are close up pictures of the other "Boo" wreath's decorations:

Boo Wreath:

Just wrap the garland around the wreath, securing wired ends inside the back of the frame:

These decorations can be changed after halloween --just take off whatever you added for the holiday, --leaving the autumn wreath decorations up until Thanksgiving. Add a turkey, pilgrim, horn, corn, or acorn, lol...yes, I'm in rhyme to be silly. Or just leave the wreath in simple autumn colors.

You can handpaint your own wooden plaque or buy one. Today I saw some adorable plaques at Kroger for $2.59 each. They would be perfect for this project. I already had these ready to go, so I didn't purchase them.

The two finished wreaths, Boo!

Bagherra and my son say, "Happy Halloween to you." Hoping it holds more treats than tricks!

Fyi: another blog I did on all kinds of wreaths: http://lisakramerartlifestyle.blogspot.com/2011/01/how-to-make-valentine-wreath-for-your.html --Easy ideas for many different types of wreaths.