Favorite fall...

things to consume! So pour yourself a mug of Festive Spiced Cider and check out these yummy ideas!

I do so love the recipes that signify fall. Not just holiday food but also all those things that contain the seasonal ingredients. How about Pumpkin Cinnamon Streusel Buns for breakfast?

Then a way to use up that Thanksgiving turkey for dinner? Turkey Potpie with Cheddar Biscuit Crust

Don't forget a show stopper dessert courtesy of one of my favorite non-bead/jewelry magazines, Real Simple. Gingersnap Pear Cheesecake (one small suggestion from my experience with this recipe is to reduce the amount of butter used in the crust).

Finally, although not edible, another look at a pair of pendants in my new autumnal glazes!

French Architectural Pendant in Harvest glaze.One of my new patterns in a toasty glaze that I've named Vintage.

Don't forget to return at the end of the Open House at 4:00 EST (1:00 PST) for more!

See the other participating blogs at: http://beads-of-clay.blogspot.com

Fall has fallen...

or has it? Since I'm in Southern California sometimes it's hard to know what time of year it actually is!
Yes, the air is a little cooler this week, the extra blanket has been needed on the bed and I've had to wear some "warmer" clothes (i.e. 3/4 length sleeves and socks) but given the profusion of blooms on my mandevilla, I'm hard pressed to find other signs of fall just yet!

Don't mistake any of this for a complaint, I don't care for cold weather (too many years in the frosty north growing up and the knowledge I'll be back there for -40 degree weather during the holidays) but occasionally I feel a little silly with my cold weather meals and beverages when I can enjoy them out on the patio furniture! Tonight was what I consider a perfect autumn meal... homemade sweet potato chicken noodle soup made in the slow cooker. I just didn't look outside and pretended that it was a nice fall evening! On the food topic... hello? How wonderful are slow cookers? I leave the house for 10 hours, come home exhausted and there's my meal and deliciously scented air! Now that I think of it, the slow cooker is a little like a kiln... let it go 10 hours (well, then cool overnight), open it up and cross your fingers it turned out!Perhaps this weather issue is part of the reason I'm still stuck on what I consider "warm weather" glazes... I feel like I'm still using a lot of waterey, cool and bright glazes in my last couple of kiln loads. However as I've been promising, I do have some new shades awaiting a firing- I think that I'll be more successful with an autumn feel on the next batch!

What does it take for you to feel that Fall has fallen, Autumn has arrived, Harvest season has happened?