It’s still Fall, ya’ll.

I know… Halloween is over… you’re starting to hear snippets of Christmas music on the television (usually attached to commercials; shameless but effective)… you are starting to hum a few snippets here and there… and are thinking about how the front porch should look – white lights?  or the big glowy vintage ones??

It’s a slippery slope.  Once you start down it, you’re up to your tookus in tinsel, and from there?  You forget, FORGET to get out your Charlie Brown Thanksgiving dvd.  AND you forget to make the Thanksgiving hand-into-turkey art with  your boys…  AND then, you actually forget to create your Pinterested Within an Inch of Its Life Gratitude Jar.*

You blew right by Thanksgiving; took one Halloween and two Christmasses and decided to call it good.

NOT GOOD.  Thanksgiving is the BEST.  No endless Every Kiss Begins with Kay’s commericals.   No moral dilemna about Santa vs. Jesus…

And NO I WANT A HIPPOPOTAMUS FOR CHRISTMAS.  That right there is reason enough to be really thankful.

Just sit with your feelings for a minute and really hunker down for Thanksgiving, mmmk?

Do Fall-y things.  Like:

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And then, you can also stir up a batch of this:

Oh my word.  They are shamelessly simple to make AND they taste like apple pie sans the crust (which granted, is yummy, but if you don’t have a lot of time… this will DO.  REALLY.   “That’ll do.” **)

Recipe:

5-6 TART apples (Jonathans are the best.  Or Granny Smith)

2-3 fat tablespoons of bacon grease (don’t freak out)

1/4 cup brown sugar

pinch salt

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon (or more) cinnamon

1 pinch or so nutmeg

This so needs to be done in a proper cast iron skillet, preferably one you have made umpteen breakfasts in for years and years…  I’m just sayin’.

So, peel or don’t peel, your choice (I peeled half) and slice up your apples into fairly thin wedges (too thin, they melt away, too thick and they won’t caramelize).  Get your grease melted (and yes, you can substitute butter if you must, but if you listen to your Momsie, you keep a container of bacon grease in your fridge for such occasions. It is piggie butter.  I know, that’s kinda much, isn’t it? But you don’t want to get me started on bacon grease.  That merits a whole post on its OWN).

Throw apples in grease, stir in the brown sugar and pinch salt and lemon juice.  Saute for about 5 minutes or so on medium heat. Cover and let simmer gently for about 5 -10 more minutes.  Test with a fork for your desired softness.  Take off heat, stir in cinnamon and nutmeg.  I also added just a tidge more lemon juice to brighten.

Serve warm with a small scoop of ice cream. If you need a crunch, crumble a bit of graham cracker or nilla wafer in…

Snarf it down, watch your toddlers attempt to lick the bowls clean, fight over last caramelized apple bits with husband…

Happy Fall!

*Go here if you want to read one of my favorite posts by one of my favorite authors on The Gratitude Jar.

**This post was sponsored by BACON.  What else?