Recent Addictions

I love it when the seasons pass by each other this time of year, the slight chill in the air requires soups and hot beverages enter the weekly, if not daily, diet.

In early October I began making soups. I've made several, although at this point I can't remember all of them. One was Alaina's Grandma's recipe for Cheesy Smoke Sausage soup. Delicious. Another was chili, which is always divine. Beef vegetable was really good, too. A new recipe.

I've been using the Crock Pot at least once a week, which Kyle thinks is slightly ridiculous, and he could complain about that were it not for the fact that he loves almost everything I've made (there have been, of course, a few bombs). Emily supplied a few cookbooks full of Crock Pot recipes, and I feel equipped for the winter months now.

ANother thing I decided in October was to start making a special concoction of cider, cranberry juice and cinnamon. I'm not even certain where the recipe came from, but it warms your home with the incredible smells of cooking apples and cinnamon. Plus, it is sweet and warms you right up.

Mid-October, I went directly to the Hot beverage aisle in Meijer and found my favorite tea medley: Celestial Seasonings' Fruit Tea Sampler. What's interesting to me is that they change one or maybe two of the fruit teas that make up this divine box. This year they added Blueberry. Now, I've had blueberry black tea before. It was pretty good, but it doesn't even hold a candle to the flavor of this one. Plus, this herbal version is caffeine free, a growing necessity in my life. I've had Blueberry tea every day this week. Mmm-Mmm-Good.

While I can't even pretend to like winter, I do like having hot things: food, soup, tea, coffee, hot chocolate, hot cider, and electric blankets. Those things are fun. So I guess I'm thankful there's a time of year where I can have or use all of these things in rapid succession for months on end.

Happy November!