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.
Thank you for the recipe. I’ve always put off making do-nuts because of the deep frying. No excuses now! x
Delicious Autumn and I’m certain equally delicious cider donuts. Come see us again in the Asheville, NC area – you’re always welcome. Happy Fall y’all !!
Another wonderful post! I have been following you since the beginning. I have my favorites that I make each season. Looks like time for French Onion soup, followed by apple cider doughnuts! So glad your getting better.
Yum! Those doughnuts look too,too delicious!
Apple Cider Donuts…..yes, please! Looking forward to getting the recipe and trying it.
Your posts always come at just the right time! As I read it, I could hear the wind blowing wildly outside and if I closed my eyes I could pretend it was a Nor’easter! Maybe turn the air conditioning to COLD and get a sweater! 😀. So I grabbed my iPad and found You’ve Got Mail and watched it late into the night. And I do feel better. And today when the sun comes up I am going to take Molly for a walk. And “sugar donuts” as my mom use to call them, my very favorite. I have never tried them with cider but I am sure I would love it! Thank you for the boost. I may finish decorating for Halloween!
💋❤️❤️
Hi Chris I know just what you mean about about Susan always coming at the right time. I loved your cozy plan. Feel like I have lost touch with everyone, but finding my way back and it was nice to see a familiar name. Hoping you are ok and sending hugs xo
I can smell them! Yum. 🍩
The donuts look delicious! I can almost smell them. It has been a great fall here in northern Michigan. Our. Leaves are almost at peak color, gorgeous! And today will be a good day to take a walk and enjoy them. Hugs to you Joe and Jack!
The cider donuts look so delicious, my mouth is watering. Can’t wait for the recipe! Love those pans. I like casper up in the window, so cute. I just love your letters, they are always so packed full of lovely pictures and wonderful quotes and are just so full of you and good wishes. Thank you so much for sharing your talents with us all. Thanks for the chance to win as well, My fingers are crossed. 🙂 Take care, ~Ginny K.~
Spiced cider donuts? They look delicious. Yes, I would make them!
Aren’t the leaves getting beautiful? Love this time of year.
So happy your wrist is healing❤️ Thank you for always sharing your beautiful thoughts, pictures and Light.
Just what I needed to start this day. We’ve been in Disney World all week and are Headed to the airport to go home. This cheered me on the bus ride and made me look even more positively towards our home.
I wonder if fall on an island is like fall in the country!
Love it anyway it comes!
Can’t wait for the recipe!
Yum, I’ve only had the fried kind of cider donuts, and of course they are good, but not too healthy. Will certainly try your recipe. Thanks for sharing.
Would love the donut pans but would really like a copy of the magazine.
Thanks for sharing the apple cider donut recipe! It will be nice to try something that isn’t pumpkin spice. 🙂
Your left-handed list looks great. If I tried, it would be unrecognizable. Lovely, lovely post. Thank you. I am always happy to see Jack and know Joe’s hand is in there too. Carrot cake, cider donuts. Oh joy!
Journeying through your blog is my favorite vacation to take……would love to try making these donuts! Thank you for the inspiration!
would love these for my bunco group
There is nothing like the aroma of cider donuts baking. Yum! And thank you.
Reading this lovely post, I almost felt as though I was taking that Fall walk along with you.
Wonderful October and beautiful leaf colors still on the trees despite the Nor’easter winds. The air is wonderful and heading to the local orchard for apples, cider and donuts today. Thank you for the lovely blog, so very up lifting. Looking forward to the recipe to make my own donuts.
I would LOVE to make a batch of Apple Cider Donuts that mini donut pan is adorable.
Can’t wait to try these donuts! Love that they are baked. The kids call my hubby, ‘Donut man’ so guess who will want to try them.
Beautiful season, lovely post! Thank you, Susan.
Linda
Your posts for autumn always squeeze my heart to bits!
Mmmmm, have never made donuts before but am sorely tempted now.😋
Hmmm, I’ve never tried making donuts before. They sure look tantalizing!
A wonderful fall thing to make!
Susan. Love your emails nd fall is my favorite time of the year. I hope to visit Martha’s
Vineyard someday soon. So glad your wrist is healing well!
What a wonderful post! Loved it all! The donuts look wonderful. The bittersweet … I just noticed a bunch of it on an old stone wall yesterday. Glorious contrast in colors and textures. You have captured fall in this post. Thank you! And I’m so happy your wrist is usable again!
Ah, all things fall; my favorite time of year. So glad your wrist is better.
The donuts look yummy, and so does the dip? on the magazine cover.
I am making donuts today…YUMMY! And my favorite picture is the one you included just for the beautiful colors – too pretty for words!
Dear Susan! Hope you WILL be able to figure out how to send the Carrot Cake via emails! HA! Loved your carrot decorations on the sides of the cake. You have imagination. Thank you for all of your good works and good ideas. And excellent words. You are a Wordsmith! Love from the Heartland; Wisconsin!
❤️❤️❤️
I would love to make those donuts AND read the article in the magazine (!). It is always nice to see Casper–it is lovely to think of him surveying things from the upstairs window! Love your blog, Susan (and your tweets!!). I just finished the second of your trilogy; starting A Fine Romance this morning, which is October 19, my mom’s 91st birthday! I’m making her the carrot cake, which she loves!
Happy 91st to your M❤️M! xo
Thank you Susan for another happy and inspiring message. I always look forward to hearing from you.❤️🙏🏻
Happy Autumn 🍁🍂
I must make these Cider Donuts and tweak them a bit for a gluten free version. Thank you so much for the autumn inspiration! It is lovely to see that you are back to painting and creating. ☺
The apple cider donuts look delicious! I’m definitely going to make for a fall get-together.
Those apple cider donuts look heavenly and that carrot cake looks yummy! One of my favorite cakes! Your friends are so lucky to have a friend who can make such delicious food! Enjoy autumn on the island. Wish I was there!
I love fall too! Here in Colorado we had an early freeze so all of the colors have gone to dead brown. So disappointing! I need to make those donuts to feel better! 😉
Apple cider donuts are my favorite! And yours looked so delicious. I enjoyed this blog as much as all the others, and was taken by the votive candle in the glass sugar bowl . . . going to be looking for one in my travels through the second hand shops because I want a pretty, old one to use in my kitchen. Happy Fall!
Just returned from a color tour in northern MI: so beautiful! A trip your way is on my bucket list. Autumn is the BEST! Thanks for the donut recipe. I have local cider to boil down so will give them a try.
So happy you’re back to painting again! Your post was luvlee and delightful as always. Can’t wait to make the donuts and shop for new items. Btw my mom’s pen pal since she was 11 is visiting from England. They’re both 84 and having the best time. Reminded me of you. Blessings!
AWWWWW. I love that!
Hi Sue,
I want a doughnut. Nice post AS ALWAYS. Yes fall is the best, I pressed some leaves and I made a pretty fall wreath for the front door. OF course the pumpkins.And candy at the ready in a big wooden bowl.
Nancy Jo
I’m glad your wrist is better and you are making donuts for us to see!
We’ve had frost here and our garden is done. Happy fall Susan!
Apple cider donuts…doesn’t get any better than that! It just screams fall🍁🍂
How beautiful! Your post makes me actually WANT it to RAIN!
Oh the power of the written word!🤣
Oh Susan, you always inspire! As a lover of cottage cheese from way back, especially on crackers, I really appreciated the snack idea. Maybe I’ll try it on some of the Mother Effie’s bread that you put on here several years ago. I’ve made your carrot cake several times and gotten raves from my family members. It is divine! Those donuts are going to haunt me, I’m sure, so they’re on my Autumn To-Try list. So glad your wrist is working again!
Your blog is the only blog I read top to bottom…every word. It’s a pleasure of mine and makes life more fun!
A huge compliment, thank you Linda!
Simmmmpleee a luv-le newsletter edition! Years ago, when I traveled England for 3 weeks, I fell in love with the pronunciation of ‘simply’…the drawing it out and the lingering on the ‘m’, thereby making it a much-more joyous word with more meaning :))
They know what they are doing when it comes to words! I like how they say Clair . . . and Luvlee, and tick-tock, every letter pronounced!
Autumn, our favorite season! Cozy! Always cozy activities inside and out! Apple cider donuts sound amazing, as well.
Thank you for sharing.
I’m pretty sure that when I make these yummy donuts, my husband of 30 years will be so thrilled that he will want to renew our wedding vows.
🤣👏💞
Thanks susan
Love, love, love apple cider donuts and love you can bake them, not fry!!! Thanks Susan!
Michelle
You’re whole blog is delicious! LOVE the pics of your house. When/if you guys sell it, I want to buy it! 🙂 I promise to keep Casper and put him in the window every fall!
Then it’s yours! That’s all I needed to hear! I really WILL put this house for sale on the blog before I give it to any realtor-strangers! If no one wants to live on an island, I’ll have to go the old-fashioned way, but first, the Blog!
Dear Susan,
Your blog ALWAYS make me feel so good, so homey, so cozy and so inspired. Thank you so much for such cheer.
Love apple cider donuts….yummy!
Dear Susan,
Your blog always makes me feel happier. Wish I lived in your world!
I forward your blog on to my girlfriends with best wishes if they haven’t received their own. Thank you for sharing your happy events (and wrist recovery), observations, joy-of-living, yummy recipes, Joe and Jack with all of us.
Autumn is slowly beginning here in the Midwest and I don’t want to see my flowers go but such are the seasons.
Take care and snugly wrap that scarf!
Susan,
Love this post and how I feel a sense of calmness and hope after reading your posts! Thanks for sharing your lovely home, life and recipes! Glad to see you’re able to start painting again too.
Nice to see you painting! I’ve never baked donuts. Must do that sometime!
Apple cider doughnuts just taste like fall! We have a pumpkin place here that makes them and they are divine. We are having similar temps here in Wisconsin and it is the best time of year, until the snow comes and then we really get cozy.
My husband and I made a big pan of (not good for you, calorie loaded deliciousness) mac and cheese last night with crispy crumbs on top – so good. I love fall!
Love this post because I love fall! Those donuts look delicious 🍂🍂🍂
Making the donuts!!! 🙂
Hello dear Susan,
Thank you so much for another long, newsy and inspiring blog post. It’s like receiving a big cuddle all the way from Martha’s Vineyard. Nicoline kindly sent me a copy of the article about you in the MV Times and it was a joy to read. Your apple cider donuts (or, doughnuts as we would spell it) look so irresistible and I have donut pans but I am not sure we have any non-alcoholic apple cider in the UK. We have alcoholic cider and we have apple juice. Do you know what would be our equivalent this side of the pond? Maybe Rachel might be able to help me on this one.
Happy Birthday Rachel, wishing you a birthday weekend as fabulous as you are.
So glad to hear your wrist is healing well Susan and you are back to drawing and painting again (with Jack’s help, of course). Stay warm and stay well.
Lots of love to you and Joe from Ann in Chester xx
I’m so happy to hear you and Nicoline are hooked up … I probably already knew it, but forgot! Two dolls should know each other! I think if you went for Apple Juice you’d be Okay. Funny because your “Lemonade” is sure not our lemonade! But we figure it out!
Hi Ann! Thanks for the sweet wishes and yes, US Apple cider would be apple juice here (the cloudy kind) They call our cider ‘hard cider’! Love those differences! Xx
Hello Rachel,
Thank you so much for confirming the cider/apple juice differences between us and the US. I knew you would have the answer.
Hope your birthday celebrations are continuing today. Have fun!
Ann in Chester xx
I too just celebrated an October birthday. Last year at the West Falmouth library I was lucky enough to be there for your talk and book signing. My dearest friend and I hung around and were the last to have our books and calendars signed. How it made me smile this year on October 14th to see the “Happy Birthday” signed by you on my special day. Also, autumn in Vermont this year was spectacular. I am so blessed!
Perfect! Happy Birthday, one more time, dear Janet!
Making donuts has been on my to do list for a long time. Baking them would make me feel less guilty! Great recipe too.
I love apple cider doughnuts, but have never seen baked ones! October is my favorite month…so sad that it’s half over. We’ve had a couple of cloudy/rainy days and my heart has been singing!! Happy autumn!
So happy to see that you’re painting again!!
Thank you for the recipe! Great to see you painting.
I listen to the news and get stressed. I listen to Brexit news and get stressed. I click onto this post (and the perfect music) and that stress vanishes. Thank you for that, this Saturday morning. Feeling perfectly content and cozy.
Ahhhh, sweet (momentary) relief! xoxoxo😘
Will be sure to have a go at the donuts. Many thanks for the recipe. Marie
Greetings from Cape Cod, Susan. I love Autumn! Doesn’t everyone? Thank you for your uplifting and delicious Fall post. As soon as I finished reading it, I pulled out my copy of your book, Autumn. It’s one of my very favorites. I have prepared so many of the recipes in this one cookbook. It’s the book where you introduced me to Rainbow Jello, Sweet Potato Casserole, Cookie Cutter Ginger Crisps, Gravy, Sticky Shrimp, and Scallops, Mashed Potatoes and Corn Chowder…just to name a few. And now I’ll add your Apple Cider Donut recipe to my list of go-to Autumn foods. The donuts sound like they would pair nicely with your Autumn Spiced cider. Sending best wishes for a lovely Fall and my gratitude.
Mmmmm, that sounds like an excellent pairing!🍂
We love all things Fall, and YOU, Susan !! I just have to make these !! My family will love them !!!! THANK YOU !!!!
HAPPY FALL to YOU and JOE and JACK !!
I’ve been out of the kitchen all “hot” summer, so this recipe for apple cider donuts and carrot cake will definitely bring me back in. Thank you, Susan, for your lovely and enthusiastic post! You seem to relish in every day of the year, no matter what the weather brings. Thankfully, your wrist is on the mend and we can get more of your “yummy” postings.
I loved reading about all the wonderful things you are doing. Always makes me want to try some of them!! Glad you are feeling better. Happy Fall!!
What a lovely post! Thank you so much, you make the world sweeter. I’ll try that recipe in a muffin pan. Yummy
Shelley 🖤
Love as always ! Have a great Fall… Happy Birthday, Ray !
Oh…I love reading your posts! They transport me to another place…a simpler place. Where details matter…as well as people. That recipe has my mouth watering! Thanks for the opportunity! 😉
Cider donuts! Can’t find them in MO! Thanks for the great recipe! You are so encouraging!
Autumn is the most wonderful time. Love all the sights and smells.
I have not made a donut in years, it was the mess of frying that made me give it up….but baking…I am intrigued and tempted. Seems like a perfect fall Saturday activity. Thank you for the lovely fall post, oh how I love this time of year!E
I just recently discovered your books have read all three enjoyed them immensely! Love your blog it inspires me to make my home as warm ,comforting as yours.
So happy to hear that Deborah, welcome to the neighborhood! 💞
Dear Susan,
Your writing are such a breath of luvlee Fall air!
Thank you so much 💖
Coziness feeds the soul doesn’t it? Oh…and apple cider doughnuts too! Thank you so much for the recipe.
Oh my goodness! I so want to make apple cider donuts! They sound delicious!
🍎🍩🍎🍩🍎
Donuts are the best! Your post brightened my day!
Those cider donuts look amazing Susan. Happy fall to you and Joe. And Jack.
Yum! Carrot Cake and Apple Cider Donuts! I Love Fall!
Oh Susan…..what lovely photos! Happy to see Casper back! All of my Fall decorations are in place too….I couldn’t wait to get to the Pumpkin Patch to make my pumpkin stacks for the porch. The cider donuts look scrumptious……thanks for the detailed recipe. Happy Fall!
Your posts always inspire me to enjoy the oridinary days of love. We forget that those days are extra special.
If you ever get down to Longwood Gardens (home of the BEST illuminated fountain shows in the Universe), in southeastern Pennsylvania, you must stop at near-by Northbrook Orchards. They make the most incredible Apple Cider Donuts that will have you swooning. I’m almost drooling just thinking about them; warm and melt-in-your-mouth yumminess. And I don’t have to make them, just “inhale” them!!
Your words evoke a sweet sense of autumn. Here in Texas we’ve been very dry. Our autumn color, at best, is short of sensational, but this year it’s brown, dry leaves. Thank you for giving the gift of sweet fall days, friendship, comforting food and snuggling down with those you love. Yes, pets especially.
Dear Susan,
My friend and I were just on Martha’s Vineyard during the first nor’easter and indeed got stranded. Pretty exciting! Ended up staying two days longer that expected, but what a beautiful place to get stranded!
As it happens, I asked about apple cider donuts and struck out at every bakery. I am thrilled to get this recipe. Now to obtain a donut mold and I’m in business!
Thank you so much for all you share. Super thrilling now that I’ve been to your island.
Lucky! You were stranded! xoxo
Can’t wait to try your apple cider reduction doughnuts! I love the idea of concentrating the apple flavor. Yumm🍎🍩
Finally, a healthy way to make donuts! I must try to make them! thanks, Susan!
I was happily suprised to see your post waiting for me to read this Saturday morning! Fall and October is my favorite time of year ….So enjoy being “girlfriends” together! Thank you!!
We enjoy carrot cake every October – it was our Autumn wedding cake! And every time we travel, we go on a Great Donut Hunt! Cider donuts are hard to find – can’t wait to make these…
Hello Susan, Your blog today is just one more way to show me how we are kindred spirits.I love the way your mind works! Keep enjoying the season and I will too! Love to you, girlfriend……..
Love you back, Gloria!
Oh, I can smell the apple cider donuts baking…The memories… When I was young, my mom would drive to Delicious Orchards, in New Jersey and there they would have fresh cider and donuts baking. Mom would purchase some for home and we would eat them before we arrived home😊😊 Beautiful memories. I can’t wait to make them!
Waving to you from Falmouth. Where do we begin to rake up all the leaves? And lots of downed branches. That’s New England.
You wait, pray for wind to blow them away! xoxo😅
Excellent news that you are painting again! Love your friendly ghost back in his spot to greet people walking by. 👻🎃. Apple cider donuts abound where I live…near Rhinebeck! Would have loved to bump into you and Joe when you were in Rhinebeck! Glad you enjoyed Olana!
Be well!!
That’s where we had them, out driving in your area, found a roadside stand, and got a bag of cider donuts for the car. But I’ve not found them yet here on the Island! Except in my kitchen! Oh, the power of the stove!