I’ve got some good things for you Girlfriends!!! MUSICA
Oh, how I’m loving October! 🍂 Weather has totally changed on the island, summer is a thing of the distant past. We’ve had two Nor’easters recently, wild wind and rain out of nowhere . . . ferry boat was stopped, we’ve been cut off, out here alone, leaves flying by the windows. My favorite. Light the candles, make a fire, cook, and cozy-in to the quiet. With Jack. And Joe.💞
Look at me! After three months of an out-of-order broken wrist, I’m painting again!
I wasn’t sure I’d still know how! I’ve started working on the 2021 calendars (yes, 2021 😜, try not to think about it). As you can see Jack has been lending support. I’m still going to Occupational Therapy once a week, working to get all that luv-lee flexibility back. But I’m sooo much better. Lifting little weights! See that writing up there? Now look at this:
This is a shopping list I wrote with my left hand a couple of months ago! I told my brain, “MAKE A ‘G'”, but my brain said, “Is that a right turn or a left?” This took HUGE concentration! I kind of liked it!
Still eating healthy, and still loving it. Doesn’t that look delicious? Well, it was! Best words I ever told myself about losing weight? “I don’t care how long it takes, I’m doing it.” Very powerful. As they say in the Biz, “It’s a Lifestyle Change.”
Here’s a wonderful little healthy snack. If you are a homey cottage-cheese lover like I am (and many aren’t for good reason ➡️), there is nothing nastier than the milky wet cottage cheese you find in so many grocery stores. So I have something new for you to try. Look for Friendly Farms Cottage Cheese. It’s heavenly. Sturdy and creamy. Not drowning in milky wetness!! Available in tons of places. Perfect to put on crackers, or, like above, on buttered, toasted Ezekiel Bread, sprinkled with seeds, nuts, salt and pepper! Sprouts taste good on it too. It’s a treat!😋
Yes, it’s that time of year for Carrot Cake! Lots of Birthday’s around here lately . . . and Saturday is Rachel’s Birthday! 😘😘😘 Sending love to you Ray ~ I really wish you could help yourself (all of you!) to a piece of this! I won’t be a bit surprised if they figure out how to do that someday! Wish they’d hurry! You can wish Rachel a Happy Birthday here in the comment section, OR, write her on Twitter, HERE!❤️
You’ll recognize the recipe for the three-layer carrot cake I took to Jaime’s house for a birthday party . . . I forgot how good it is! Everyone loved it!
If you’ve never tried to make a carrot cake, you really should! It comes together so easily, and it’s filled with fruit and nuts! Right, Jack? Right!
Here I am at the party, sitting on the floor in front of the fire, among my oldest and dearest, toasting Joe through the crowd as he takes a nicely blurry photo of me!
In this one, I have the camera, so you can see what my view was from my floor position. People putting their rings around the candles, so everyone gets to make a wish.
My cake came in last and I was too busy cutting it to take pictures! I’ve made it lots of times, but usually, I just 
put frosting between layers and on top. This time I made extra frosting and did the sides. Decorated with chopped (green) pistachio nuts, a marigold from the garden, and strips of carrot peel I rounded at top with a knife, and made pointed at bottom. Isn’t it cute? I thought it looked like a happy circus cake! There were zero leftovers, no crumb went unattacked! You could do this!!!😘
The fans would love it! This recipe also makes amazing cupcakes. You can tint the cream-cheese frosting if you like.
All home-sweet-home this time of year. Hovering between 50º and 60º most days now. See our wisteria, so insidious, sneaking its way around everything, will crawl under a window and into the house if we aren’t careful! But very gracefully!
I love being a homebody. Garden is changing so fast . . . but we still have a few herbs, some nasturtiums, kale, lettuce, and a couple of tomatoes growing. A few rose buds and marigolds. No freeze yet, so we’re milking the garden for all it’s worth.
The wind blew our yard full of leaves . . .
And, btw, that Carrot cake recipe (and cupcakes) is in the book on the table! (Heart of the Home 30th Anniversary Edition.) If you make it, cool the cake before you put the frosting on!
Look at this! Fun with food! Joe cut into this radish and look what he found! Good enough to sell on eBay! (No, we won’t😅) Had to take a picture of it! Love the tail! Crazy radish bug!
And yes, Casper is back in his high spot, in the guest room on the second floor . . . looking out . . .
Over the neighborhood . . . he’s become a tradition, lighting up this window every October for years.
Cheering a stormy day, a harbinger of Halloween . . . he’s got a perfect view.
I wob him. When we go into downsize mode someday and sell this house, I hope the people who buy it will want Casper too! Because I know he will want to stay.🎃
There is something in October . . .🍂🍁🍂
Out on our walk, the bittersweet is wild!
Such a magical vine . . . invasive, they say, but what a way to go! We’ll be decorating around our front door with it!
The woods are prettier every day . . . we’ve had lots of sunny, crisp, and breezy days . . .
And the rainy days just make it better!
We just make a fire! Last night, girlfriends came over after Mahjong, we sat on the sofa and talked in the quiet, listened to the fire popping, clock ticking, wind blowing outside . . . 🍂🍁🍂
What’s up at the Studio? We’re getting new things all the time, I can’t quite keep up. Doing our best to make our web store one-stop shopping where you’ll find lots of little special things filled with ❤️ ~ with the holidays coming up so fast, it’s that time again!
Just in ~ our brand new Winter Dream Charm ~ like any starry night, you can make a wish for dreams come true.
And these too, precious house cut-outs ~ one of which is now sitting on my stove shelf. I tried it all over the house, on a window sill with my rusty birds, on the mantle with a candle behind it, there’s no bad place! It’s going to be gorgeous with my white Christmas trees!
SO, something else . . . There’s a new article featuring guess who? Me! in Edible Vineyard (the 2019 Harvest Issue), a wonderful island food magazine produced through the Martha’s Vineyard Times. It’s available everywhere here on the island . . . and I have to say, every article in it is interesting! Really well-written. Kind of like the New Yorker of food! I don’t know if the paper is selling them, but I’m sure you could ask.
On October 26, I’ll be speaking and signing books at the 
newly renovated and beautifully restored Carnegie Library on North Water Street in Edgartown, MA, from 2-3 pm, sponsored by the Vineyard Trust and Edgartown Books. It’s free! And they have a gift shop! 😜 I’ll bring signed copies of Edible Vineyard to give out! Come join us! And guess what? Kellee and Sheri will be there (Joe too!). They’re coming to stay with us for a few days next week, to get a little taste of New England fall!🍁 💃
The Edible article was beautifully written by Alisun Armstrong, photos by Lexi Pline. Quotes from the Fairy Tale Girl and Martha’s Vineyard Isle of Dreams. Recipes from the 30th Anniversary version of Heart of the Home and my Autumn Book.❤️
No reason for this photo, just loved the colors!
This too! I told you it was a huge Birthday Month . . . I also had a Birthday Party for Martha . . . this was the table setting. Very simple, purple flowers (Johnson Brothers WindsorWare plates) and plaid napkins on old bedspread, with hydrangeas from the garden.
Colorful! Girl Party! This whole lunch was scarily done without a recipe. When we were in Hudson, I tasted some fantastic things, spicy 
sweet-potato fingers with minted lemon sauce and a Coconut Cilantro Chutney (with hot peppers and garlic and ginger). I wrote down what I could, so I could try making it at home. I was nervous, realizing too late that this might not be the smartest way to do a birthday lunch, but it turned out GOOD. I served it with deviled eggs, minced red onion, and smoked salmon, and toasted walnut bread ~ with homemade Basil Ice Cream and Lemon Polenta Cake for dessert. My wrist allowed me to do everything except Joe chopped the onion and got that pretty green ice cream out of the freezer container! Pretty darn good!
And then there’s this! Because I couldn’t find them on the Island, I had to make them. Since they’re not here, I imagine you may not be able to find them either, so I thought this recipe could come in handy, for Apple Cider Donuts! They’re easy! They bake in the oven like a cake! You have to have them!🍁
So Here’s what I did . . . first off, on the stove, out of sight, is a pan filled with Apple Cider (the plain, non-alcoholic kind) boiling down to a syrup (don’t worry, I’ll put the recipe at the end of the post). Then I buttered the donut pans with melted butter and set them aside. Don’t have donut pans? Stay tuned . . .
I lightened the flour by stirring it with a whisk so I wouldn’t have to sift it. Then I measured it out lightly and put it in a medium bowl . . .
and whisked it together with baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, and salt.
In another large bowl, I whisked together egg, milk, vanilla, brown sugar, and granulated sugar.
whisking . . .
. . . adding in the reduced cider . . . whisking until it was blended.
Then, because it’s too difficult to get the dough neatly into the tiny donut pans with a spoon, I poured the batter into a plastic bag …
. . . then squeezed the messy thing down to get most of the batter in the bottom of the bag,
then I twisted it up at the top, and cut off a tiny bit of corner, so the batter would come out in a controllable manner.
. . . and Voila . . . into the oven they go!
While they baked, I melted some butter and mixed together sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon for coating the donuts when they were done.
And here they are, hot from the oven. I slipped a tiny spatula around them and they came out like buttah.
I dipped them, tops and bottoms in melted butter, and laid them into bowl with the sugar and spice . . .
Spooned over sugar, pressed it in, until they were well coated. Pushing Joe, get away. no touching. Oh, poor baby, okay, eat one. Gimmie a bite.💋
I wrapped the rest of them in an old linen bridge-table tablecloth, put them in a basket and walked over to lowely’s for Mahjong . . . we start with tea, and yesterday, with donuts still warm from the oven!
The recipe made six large donuts and ten small ones. So, who wants to make donuts? Leave a comment, we’ll have a drawing, and the winner will receive the exact tins I baked these donuts in! Two tins, used once only, they’re festive, they have red bottoms, together they make six large donuts and a dozen little ones . . . there are more in our web store, just in cases. And I’m including a package of holiday recipe cards!
I’ll toss in a signed copy of Edible Magazine too…
So that’s it . . . sunshine through blowing leaves, through kitchen windows, sliding across the stove, weaves through sugar-donut fragrance, skips along the floor, over the table, dancing fairy-like over a bowl of apples, and shimmers onto our walls.
Our world sometimes feels upside-down, we can feel overwhelmed by daily happenings, making ends meet, meeting the needs of our beloveds, drains energy, there’s no rest for the weary or the worried! Dreaming of a better tomorrow? Let it show in everything you do. Let the things you value in life shine through, home, family, friends, the little things that make life sweet. Do stop and smell the flowers, run and catch a leaf in mid air. Watch an old movie with your petty pet. You’ll feel better, I promise. Kisses and blessings on you and yours. Take a deep breath . . . ahhhhh.
Don’t forget to leave your comment for the drawing! HERE is a little chart that shows you how to sign up to get this BLOG delivered to your email address.❤️
A P P L E C I D E R D O N U T S
Makes six large donuts and ten small ones.
Set out 1/2 c. whole milk and one egg to come to room temp. Slowly melt 1 1/2 c. (12 TB. or 1 1/2 sticks) butter (you’ll ned some to grease the pans, some for donut batter, and some for the topping). Put 1 1/2 c. non-alcoholic apple cider in small saucepan. Bring to boil, then simmer until liquid reduces to one-half cup. 👀 Watch it. Takes about 15 min. Set aside to cool. Use a pastry brush, butter the donut cups.
Preheat oven to 350º
- 2 c. all purpose flour, whisked to lighten, then measured
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp. cloves
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 egg, room temp.
- 1/2 c. whole milk, room temp
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 TB. melted butter
- 1/2 c. reduced apple cider
- 1/2 c. dark brown sugar
- 1/3 c. granulated sugar
T O P P I N G
- 1 c. granulated sugar
- 3/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice*
- 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- the rest of the butter, put in shallow wide dish.
Preheat oven to 350º. In a med bowl, whisk together first 7 ingredients. Set aside. In large bowl, whisk the egg, then whisk in the rest of the ingredients. Add dry ingredients to wet and whisk until smooth. Fill a large plastic bag with batter. This is messy. Once filled, hold it at top and squeeze batter down, twist the top so batter is pushed into bottom. With scissors cut a tiny corner off the bottom of the bag (not too much, you can always cut it bigger). Squeeze the batter into the donut cavities, filling about 2/3 full. Bake 10-12 min until they spring back when you poke them (I baked the small donuts slightly less time). Let cool 5 min in pans, Use a small spatula to loosen each one and turn them out onto tea-towel-covered cooling rack. While they are baking, make TOPPING: in a small bowl, mix together first 3 topping ingredients. Put the rest of the melted butter in a shallow dish. When donuts are cool enough to handle, dip tops and bottoms in melted butter, put them in the sugar mixture and spoon over generously, patting them so the mixture will hold on. Eat! Lovely in a cloth covered basket to bring to tea! Excellent with a cup of coffee!
*You can make your own PUMPKIN PIE SPICE for the topping, just add 1/2 tsp.nutmeg, 1/4 tsp.ground ginger, and 1/4 tsp. ground cloves to the cinnamon.
So glad your wrist is better! Wrist injuries are NO FUN–I had a skin graft on my right wrist 15 years ago from a burn, and not being able to use my right hand was NOT FUN!!!!! So glad you’re back to painting! 🙂
Wishing you a delightful autumn! My favorite time of year! The donuts sound great!!! YUM!
Those donuts have my mouth watering! It also brings to mind the question of why do donuts have holes in the middle, lol. I’ve even researched it but I don’t think there is one specific reason why. Your home and yard looks lovely now : )
I love your posts about Autumn and rainy days and donuts! I love this time of year. Warm up by the fireplace with hot apple cider and a good book or movie! Your blogs are fun and inspiring! 💕☕🍂🍁
Glad the cast in finally off. I would love to make Cider doughnuts.
How great to find a new blog posted…it’s like a visit in a dear friend’s kitchen over a cup of coffee (or tea), and maybe one of your yummy cider donuts. My BFF died in January after a three-year cancer battle, and her birthday was just the 16th…first time in 55 years I haven’t been able to wish her a happy birthday, so your post came at a great time — I needed that! Thanks, and glad your arm is mending so well.
I’m sorry Sue. I can’t imagine a loss like that. Sending love. Happy Birthday to you for her. xoxoxo
Oh boy…..can’t wait to try these wonderful donuts!!!! You never cease to amaze me 🙂 Thanks for sharing.
My mom made donuts whenever we got snowed in. Precious memories!
Thank you for a delightful Fall post! I can taste those donuts through the magic ether of the internet! Yummy!
Sigh…another lovely post! So happy your wrist is better. I can only imagine the limitations you were under. I look forward to your posts!
Love reading your blogs and seeing your beautiful home, all the wonderful treats you make. I like to make most foods from scratch also. Would love to win the pans. Thanks for the chance.
Grew up eater apple cider donuts at Rainbow Orchards in Apple Hill Ca. Would love to try these donut pans! Thank you for this recipe Susan-beloved Harvest fairy…
Recipe looks delicious!
In Florida, Sadly, we don’t have real”fall”. Reading your blog Ifell like I am there with you! Thank you!!!
Thanks for your beautiful artwork, creative ideas, and yummy recipes! 🙂
OH yes…soooo glad your doing better!
Those donuts look delicious! In Indiana, I’ve only been able to find them at our local apple orchards during the fall. I still haven’t managed to eat one, they sell out fast! I’m going to have to bake some myself, but I bet my kids will eat them before I do. 😂
Oh my, trying these donuts this weekend. I’m always so jealous (but happy for my friends) when they post delicious pictures of them and their families enjoying those bites of heaven. I’ve never had one but I know I’ll love them, what’s not to love??!!! 😍
Happy Autumn Susan! I love your wedding photo on the cover of “The Fairy Tale Girl”, but have we ever heard about your wedding?! Maybe I’m just not recalling it from your books…time to re-read them!
The wedding on the front of that book was detailed inside that book! xoxo
Downsize? Some how I can’t see you leaving your big old sweet home. You did say “some day”.
Treese/Colorado Cowgirl.
Not today! 😄
Love those donuts! I can almost smell them! Yummy!!
Precious days of joy and caring. Settles the heart to read your posts! October is my favorite month and you added more sparkle!
Autumn greetings Susan! Loved the blog, it was perfect to go along with our weather here in central New York today! I need to try that doughnut recipe, bought some recently but they just didn’t cut it! I adore seeing Jack, he’s a a very special boy, he definitely knows he’s loved. Not to bring sadness, but I recently had to say good-bye to my precious Missy-girl who owned me over 22 years! I hope you and Joe have as many wonderful years with Jack! Love and hugs!
Twenty two years. How lucky you were!!!! It must seem so quiet without her. I’m sorry Elaine. xoxo
So glad your broken wrist is finally better. Loved your Fall post today. Even though I’m a SoCal girl, I swear we have some Fall days, but nothing to compare with your Vineyard! We had cider donuts one time when we visited Vermont in the Fall……delicious! Your recipe looks yummy. Happy Fall.
I had no idea you could bake donuts. They look yummy. What else can you bake in those pans?
One of our girlfriends suggested piping the carrot cake dough into them, and I bet that would work! Carrot cake donuts! Drizzle on cream cheese frosting . . . yum!
I so enjoy reading your blog with a nice cup of tea, it’s like sitting down with a friend.
Susan, everything you bake looks delicious! Carrot cake is one of my favorites, I am inspired to try to bake cider donuts now! Thanks for another great post!
Dear Susan,
Thank you for sharing your beautiful words and photos with us! You always brighten my day!! I’m so glad to hear that your wrist is healing nicely and you are able to paint once again! Autumn is my favorite season and I so love Halloween and Thanksgiving!!! I’m sitting here drinking coffee from your beautiful pumpkin mug, but, oh, how I wish I had a cider donut to go with it! I would love to make these delicious donuts and would be so honored and delighted to win the baking tins! I hope your wrist heals completely and that you, Joe and Jack continue to enjoy the beauty of Autumn!!! Oh, and one more thing…could you please bring back the four season mugs as I never got a chance to buy them? They sold out so quickly!!!
I know, I’m sorry. I should try again, but they make me order hundreds of them at a time, I hope I would be able to sell them!
Those donuts look yummy!
Hi Susan, I wanna make donuts! <3
Those donuts scream “fall” along with sit down and have a cup of tea with me. Love the beautiful fall scenery where you live and the idea of hunkering down when the weather turns. Thanks for sharing!
Yay! Back to your righthandedness! (Just tried writing my name righthanded–I’m a lefty–what a disaster. It reminded me of helping a new first grader to our school with her letter formation. Next time we practice I will be a righty like her and we can get better together!)
Lovely Baked Donuts! And with all that spicy goodness mixed in! Until I try them, I’m off to toast some bread, slather it with butter and dump on a LOT of sweet Saigon cinnamon.
Fall is the best time of year! I didn’t realize making donuts was so easy – they look Delish!
I will be spending the next 3 weeks on Bainbridge Island so I’ll see what autumn is like in that corner of the world! Fun!
May joy and peace surround you,
Contentment latch your door;
And happiness be with you now,
And bless you evermore.
Pretty, Mary, did you write that? Thank you! xoxo
Always enjoy your blogs and seeing shots of the Vineyard. Autumn is a very special time on the island. Everything looks so cozy indoors. Especially when a nor’easter is blowing outside!
The donuts look delicious! I love October, too. We had our “peak” with fall colors last weekend, now they are falling fast! Lots of raking to do.
Our weather has also gotten to the autumn stage. Lots cooler than the 90 degree heat just a few weeks ago. The donuts sound wonderful. Have a great weekend. pam
I can just smell the crisp air of Nantucket; the fire in your fireplace and the donuts in your oven. October is my favorite month – married then. Just came back from a lovely trip to North Conway, New Hampshire. There’s nothing like New England in the Fall! I love your blog! I turn to it if I feel down or just to see some beautiful pictures. Happy Autumn!
Lovely post! Fall has finally arrived here in NC and I couldn’t be happier!
Trader Joe’s sold out of their Apple Cider Donuts on the West Coast in days so I made Apple Cider Donut Mini Muffins and they came out amazing!!! I’ll be making more when we get a bit cooler weather for sure!!! Thank you for sharing a bit of fall, can’t wait for more cozy weather in Long Beach, CA!
Hello Long Beach, and you too Sharon!
My mouth is watering!!! Thank you!
What a beautiful post. Autumn is my favorite time of year-usually- in Wisconsin. We have had wayyyyy too much rain and wind. The colors are “trying” to change. I am hoping to see the color before they blow away. The smells and the crispness in the air are wonderful, not to mention the smells of baking some homemade goodness inside.
Thank you for bringing yet another beautiful, much needed message in our currently topsy-turvy world! XO
I could almost taste those beautiful apple cider donuts just by looking at the pictures. Yum!
Tradedy struck in the form of an Nor’easter. The ferries were shut down (for good reason) and my tour’s trip to Martha’s Vineyard was cancelled. So sad! Of course, now I can say that I have experienced a Nor’easter, something we don’t have in California as you know. The rest of the Fall foliage trip was beautiful and we had gorgeous leaves everywhere we went.
I’m so sorry! So far all I’ve heard is from people who got stuck on this side . . . but of course it worked both ways! You’ll have to come again!
I love this time of year! I love donuts! I love reading your thoughts and all the photos! Thanks!
Love all of this, cool weather, nature walks, fall leaves, cozy fires, snuggling inside with the cat, baking and cooking and making tea! It is all wonderful.
Loved, loved all the photos, but especially the one of your home in the background& the fall leaves in the foreground. Beautiful, interesting picture. I’ve never had a cider donut but heard of them for years! Would love to try making. Yum!❤️
I read that modern day flour never needs to be sifted. Just in case you would think you needed to sift?!!!!!! Linda from Idaho where it was a cool windy day and the huge tree in my backyard where tons of birds and squirrels lived got cut completely down today–I cried. (It was my neighbors tree but mostly in my yard.)
I’ve read that too, but sometimes I do it anyway! Nooooo, Linda, I’m so sorry. That’s awful. I hate losing an old wonderful tree! 😩 xoxoxoxoxo
Don’t quite understand what you are doing here other than good marketing….playing to people with cottage and sprouts, then carrot cake and then donuts…….seems all over the place. What is the goal or hoped for outcome?
LOVE. 💞
God Bless You Susan!!! You make EVERYBODY HAPPY with your recipes and advice wether they are ultra healthy or sinfully, pure comfort food!!! Marketing?!! Your answer to that was perfect….LOVE!!! You LOVE what you do and so does the people who LOVE YOU!!!xo
What else would be the hoped-for outcome! Like real life, some days it’s cottage cheese, and other days, it’s donuts and carrot cake, sometimes all in the same day! 💞 Thank you Kathiellen!
We so enjoyed our trip to Martha’s Vineyard! The weather was nice so mom didn’t need to borrow your plaid coat! Too bad we missed Casper! Crocker House Inn was beautiful, Jynell & Jeff were just amazing! Best breakfast I’ve ever had & it can’t with the room!! Jynell took such good care of us!
👏👏👏
What a wonderful blog post Susan!! I love the homebody ones the best- seeing pictures from your home- inside and out and sharing recipes and table settings. this is definitely the time of year for staying home and cooking and getting cozy with our loved ones! Thank you, as always, for all your inspiration- in everyday life, in birthday celebrations and cooking and decorating and CREATIVITY and making all the little things in life the most important !!! I would love to win the give away but I’ll be just as happy if not- can’t wait to try making your donut recipe!!… perfect for Fall and my children will love it!! Happy Fall Susan!!
You’re autumn posts are the best! So comfy, cozy!
Does Jack ever ruin your artwork when he’s supervising?
Susan~
THanks for sharing your stories with us!! So glad to see your great with the wrist, Ive missed You !! It made me sad to think you would sell your home .
I would LOVE to make the donuts , and hubby would love it even more!! haha
xoxPaula
IN.
I love October very much too. The colours, the scents of the season, and the cozy feeling that comes from being inside when the weather growls. Apple cider doughnuts, oh my! I just have to bake some. Will have to find the pans, or maybe, if I’m lucky, I’ll win your wonderful prize. My birthday is one week before Halloween, always bewitching. I share your birth year, 1947, and I have a husband named Joe too, what could be better than that? So happy to learn you are able to use your wrist again. BTW my spellings are English, as am I. Happy Autumn to you Susan, Joe and Jack.
My middle name is Anne. My mom’s maiden name is Smith, and Joe’s mom’s maiden name was Smith too. The first people to live in our house, they were Smiths! I have a best friend named Elaine. That pretty much seals the deal, right?🤣
Happy Fall and Happy Halloween Susan, Girlfriends. loved seeing Casper in his spot, so a Happy Boo to him. I have some very exciting news, our local creamery just won a major award for their blue cheese… the Rogue Creamery in Grants Pass just won world champion cheese for their Rogue River Blue cheese 2019 in Bergamo, Italy. that is the best cheese shop in town, all hand done and so creamy and tasty. here is a link to their shop go take a peek…. roguecreamery.com>shop .you can read the list of impressive awards they have won and they haven’t been around for too long, only a bit over 10 years.. must the goats around here and the milk. but the blue cheese is really good, I use on salads and my salad is a pear salad, thinly sliced pears on salad greens or endives if you have them. some crumbled blue cheese, and some chopped walnuts and a creamy but light vinegarette (??) dressing. very tasty. the weather here is cooler and wet, we are looking at more rain storms moving in tomorrow and possibly Sunday been raining here off and on most of the week, love it as we need the rain and we had our first big frost and freeze last week, so I have tomatoes sitting in the windows to ripen up. tonight it is sausage, salad and fried green tomatoes. the wild turkeys are here just about every day now and we let them clean out the garden for the season. off to start dinner preps… have a lovely evening everyone….. Halloween hugs…. 😀
Looks like you can get some good holiday gifts at the Rogue Creamery! Yes, us too, the wild turkeys are putting the garden to sleep!
Hello Susan, Girlfriends. yes you can and I heartily recommend the Rogue River Blue cheese so creamy and tangy. I love their cheeses and go over there quite often for fresh cheeses… nothing tastes better. or as my hubby says, I must be part mouse as I love cheese so much.. that maybe true but I sure don’t share this cheese with the mousies. too good for them. we have a beautiful Fall day here, cool and partly cloudy with lots of gorgeous Fall color and our wild turkeys are visiting, and cleaning out the garden spots for the winter. they also fertilize the spots for spring… a win-win deal. just got done cleaning out the henhouse, cleaning out the water container and the food containers and refilled them, now the birds have clean fresh water and fresh grain to munch on and in a little while some leftover veggies from our salad and some leftover noodles, they love those noodles. also spotted 3 deer this morning.. 2 young does and their mama, very pretty creatures and fun to watch. off to go fill the feeders for the birdies and put new suet in the suet feeders for them. can’t have them go hungry now. plus its pure entertainment for the cats to watch them. and off to start a load of laundry and get one in the dryer… I miss my clothesline. we have the graveyard set up in the front yard for the kiddies, we staked the tombstones to the ground and let the falling leaves sort gather around them, looks really good. and we have a surprise for the kiddies this year… Ma and Pa Yeti. our next door neighbors made their Halloween costumes.. yetis… and asked if they could join the fun in the graveyard and we thought it was a great idea. so Ma Yeti has a cute Halloween apron and Pa Yeti has on his tool belt, and of course there is Baby Yeti.. a doll in a little yeti outfit and wrapped in a baby blanket.. its a cute idea. can’t wait for Halloween. off to go fill bird feeders…. Have a great day today and a Happy Fall. many Halloween hugs…… 😀
You too Pat, thank you! Happy Halloween adventures!
When we lived in Virginia there were apple cider donuts at every farm stand in the fall. I can taste them still. One time a dog wandered into our yard and I called his owner from his tags. When he came to pick him up he was bearing a dozen apple cider donuts as a sign of his appreciation. Now THAT guy knows how to say thank you. 🙂
I will have to remember that!!! Brilliant!
You always bring your lovely Fall to SC. Thanks and Happy Fall y’all! 🍁🍁🍁
With the temperatures getting lower, those donuts with a cup of tea sounds delicious.
These donuts look soooooooooooo….YUMMY! Can’t wait for the recipe.
As always, you give support to my love of home and hearth – – I look forward to each post, thanks for the inspiration!!
Autumn is my favorite season! I found you when your first cookbook arrived. I have enjoyed following you all these years. I still make my favorite recipes each season. Now I have to add these doughnuts to my list!
I love carrot cake but living alone, it isn’t practical. But I never thought about making cupcakes! Great idea.
Still waiting for autumn here in Texas. Bet those donuts would at least make it smell like autumn!
After reading your blog I feel like I’ve just visited with a dear friend in a warm cozy home. Thank you so much!
These look yummy!!
What a fabulous day to see your great post. I love bittersweet and don’t get to see it in California. I love your cook books and just made a fabulous dinner for 4 great long time friends from the Autumn cookbook. I love the Apple Cider Donuts and would love to win the pans and recipe cards.
Happy Birthday Rachel!! Have a fun day! Love hearing about your adventures with your buddies, Susan and Joe! I’m guessing you’ve sampled the Cider Donuts!! My goodness they sound delish!! Looking forward to the recipe, Susan! And I love carrot cake. I have several of your cookbooks, so will check for recipe! Thank you always for your positive, fun blogs!
Cider donuts, leaves changing, Fall in New England. I miss it so!
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I always feel like I am getting a wonderful warm hug from a dear friend when I read your blog.
Autumn is -usually- my favorite time of year in Wisconsin. This year however we have had wayyyyyyyyy too much rain and wind. The colors are still trying to change in our part of the state. I am determined to enjoy them before they blow away….
The smells outside with the “nippy” temps and the smells inside with some made from scratch baking have helped to ease the pain. XO
Can’t beat a good apple cider doughnut– I’m trying them for sure!
Excellent post, dear Susan! The doughnuts make my mouth water. As soon as I order the pan from your website I will make them! And, oh, the beautiful bittersweet. Wish I was closer. You can’t get the bittersweet in my area! Thank you so my Ha!
Those apple cider donuts look delicious, Susan. So glad your wrist has healed enough you are back to painting. But don’t overdo. So nice Sheri and Kellie are coming for a visit. They will love fall in New England. I just purchased a book called “Christmas at Highclere” and it is filled with stories of how Christmas is celebrated at Highclere plus traditional family recipes. I made a lovely fish pie for dinner tonight from the book. It’s like a cottage or shephards pie except you use different kinds of seafood (salmon, halibut, shrimp) in a béchamel sauce covered in mashed potatoes. It was so good. Thanks for your generous give-away. Would love to read the artcile about you. Hugs, Elaine
Thanks for all you do, Susan, sharing the small but so important little things that make a house a home and give us a feeling of a life well-lived. I would like to suggest that you follow Heather Cox Richardson on face book. She writes a rather lengthy but clear summary of what’s going on each day. She is a professor at Boston College and I look forward to her posts every single night. I think you would, too.
I went right there to look at it, and you’re right, I will love it. Simplifies what has gotten to be a barage of overwhelming “information,” good bad and otherwise. Feels like every day is a 4 alarm fire! Exhausting! Would love clear summary.
Hi Susan
I love reading your post. Autumn is by far my favorite season, maybe because I also have an October Birthday. My favorite birthday cake is Carrot Cake. I really want to try your recipe. The donuts look so delicious, I must try making them too. Thanks for all your wonderful ideas
Happy Birthday Denise!
Wheee! I just found two “Gladys Tabors” for 50 cents each at a library sale today and then came home to a new Susan Branch post! All this on the way home from the pumpkin patch! I made baked pumpkin donuts last year, and can’t wait to try cider donuts. Thank you for everything!
Susan, I have never made doughnuts! I would love to. Thanks for the wonderful newsletter as always ❤️
Falling leaves, cozy fire to take off the chill, and yummy cider donuts….perfect Autumn evening! Thank you, Susan, for making the autumn season perfect with your words and creativity!
Loverly Autumn blog! And how wonderful to be able to bake the donuts instead of deep frying them! They look delicious! All the best to the you, Joe, Jack….Enjoy the rest of this wonderful Autumn! Thank you for spreading the love!
I love fall. Been feasting on turnip greens and mustard greens, apples, sweet potatoes and winter squash. Will make donuts to bring into work on Halloween.
mmmm I can almost smell them ! You paint beautiful pictures Susan, with paint and with words as well. You have the ability to “paint” a memory in my mind. Thank you!
Thank you for that wonderful thought Iris!
I Never met a donut I didn’t like ! These look delicious !! Autumn is my favorite time of the year .
Apple cider donuts! We have a farm store here in Western Mass that sells their cider donuts which are famous around these parts. I’ll bet making them yourself and eating them warm, right out of the oven would be even better than the ones we buy at the store. Can’t wait to make some!
Now they look just perfect! YUM!
Oh, welcome Autumn with all your colors, crunchy leaves and heavenly aroma drifting through our home!!! How wonderful it would be to welcome family and friends with a basket filled with Cider Donuts and spiced Cider!!
Thank yo!u for sharing good things. Got to try the donuts. AWWctober!
Along with the cider doughnut recipe, thank you for always putting in Musica! Listening to it in each blogpost is so relaxing and always makes me smile ; )
Hmmmm…I wonder how they would taste with a little caramel frosting?!?!
I think a little lemon glaze would be heaven!
Loved your Fall email. Love hearing all about the beautiful weather and the things you are doing. Glad your wrist is healing. Sorry I don’t have a website.
I have enjoyed reading your blog for many years now.
I love cinnamon sugar donuts, and to think I can make them, oh my!
Happy Autumn, Susan and GFs! 🍁🍂🎃 It’s fun to see your MV fall. I so agree with you, Susan, in that it’s more important now to keep home calm and comfy and cute as possible to relieve the craziness of the world. A real gift to family and ourselves! Your comments in the last paragraph gave me a lump in my throat. All this to say that you are so appreciated, so loved, Susan Branch! Keep on keeping on! 😘
My husband and I grew up in PA. His job has moved us to MD, IN, TN, CT, MA and now NE Florida. I don’t miss endless winters, but this year I’m really missing Autumn. The past 2 mornings have been 56, which has been so nice.
Ahhhhhh, i feel so much better, more relaxed, more tuned in to the senses after reading those glorious descriptions! Cider doughnuts must smell WONDERFUL ! 😊
mmmmm …I can almost smell them! You paint beautiful pictures Susan, with paint and with words as well. You have the ability to “paint” a memory in my mind.
Thank you 🙂
Your carrot cake and the apple cider donuts looks scrumptious! I’d love to try making both!
Happy Fall! My favorite season! I loved the picture you snapped just because you liked the colors! I liked them too! And Carrot Cake is yummy….when it’s homemade.
And yet another love we share–MAHJONG? I am obsessed! Happy apples, happy bittersweet, happy ghosts and goblins – Happy Halloween! Happy Fall!
This post filled my senses with autumn scents and sights and memories!
Dear Susan,
I am so excited to make these donuts. You really got my heart beating when you mentioned something about not having a donuts pan…..which I don’t. I thought that creative Susan Branch was going to teach me how to make them without using the donut pan. She can do anything!
Imagine my shock to learn that I could win the pan in a contest. I was disappointed because I don’t win contests and now how am I suppose to make these wonderful sounding donuts? So just a hint…… Please pull my name Please………………………….
Make donut holes! Pipe small thick blips of batter onto a buttered pan!
Happy Autumn Susan!
I’m so glad to see that you are back at painting and doing the very thing you dearly love and are so good at!
Your donuts look so delicious and the perfect treat for fall! I would love to try your recipe. Thank you for always being so generous and wanting to share with your girlfriends.
My mother in law made donuts every Halloween from canned biscuits. Pretty good, in a pinch, but yours look soooo much better!
I have never had cider donuts before, they look delicious. I also didn’t know that you could get pans to bake donuts in. That looks like a fun thing to do.
There is nothing like fall on the east coast, it is so beautiful with all the red trees.
Candle is lit, fireplace is keeping us cozy, now all we need are those donuts!
Hi Susan,
I’d love to win the donut pan, and I also wanted to tell you about a lovely little coincidence that made me incredibly happy, which I thought you would enjoy. I was recently at a library with my husband and daughter. While they were reading books together, I was browsing around a bit in their used book sale. I was so excited to find a copy of Girlfriends Forever and pounced on it. I was just thinking that some people have no sense, when I saw a copy of another ridiculous book to donate to a used book sale – it was a book called Baking with Julia, which is a collaboration between Julia Child and Dorie Greenspan. I immediately bought both books and brought them home. Later that night, when I was flipping through my new books, I realized that Baking with Julia had been SIGNED BY JULIA CHILD!!!!! (Of course, I don’t have any documentation to show it’s authentic, but the signature looks just like images on the internet, and I’m choosing to believe it’s real.) It just felt like such a charmed night – books by my heroes! I felt like a “fairy tale girl” myself. I know Julia Child is a hero of yours too, so I thought you’d enjoy the story, and the mental image of your book hanging out with Julia/Dorie’s on my kitchen shelf. Thank you for all that you do – I’m already looking forward to your next post!