Fall Fun

Fall fun around our house usually entails taking short trips to find fall produce - like apples and cider. There's many places around here that sell bulk apples of all kinds, and where there's apples, there's cider! We try different places every year. I hope we'll get out in the next two weeks to do that. I love Ida Red, Gala, Jonagold, and some of the more old-fashioned types that you can only get from a farm - the stores don't carry them.

Our children are pretty much grown, so things like high school football (which was never a favorite of mine - sorry), and volleyball are not a part of our lives anymore. My dd was never into any of that stuff anyway.

I also like to pull up the dead or dying annuals, run to the market nearby and pick up some mums, and plant them to replace the annuals. Now, I love doing this - but always hope that there will be some return for the effort...as in they'll come up next year!! However, so far, that has not happened. I don't know if the squirrels get them, or there's something in our soil that poisons mums - or what, but they do not stay til next season. So I can't even show you a picture of the mums I've planted in the past!

This is the time of year all our activities at church pick up as well. Our small group started up last Sunday night. We're going to be doing a Bible study on the Names of God. We had a good time, watched a DVD on the greatness of God's creation, chatted and prayed. It's good to get back in to the swing of things with them.

We're also gearing up for Thanksgiving Baskets at church. Yes, it starts already. Our church provides 1,000 + baskets to needy families in the area. It takes a lot of planning, advertising, data processing, approvals, calling, ordering, etc. That sounds like work more than fun...however, you're spending time with friends and enjoying each other while you're working. So, it IS a fun thing to do. Who ever said volunteering had to be all work and no play?

I like to try out new recipes in the fall, too...but old ones are great standbys.
Here's one for those of you still willing to cook outside.

Hobo Hamburger Dinner

Take 1 lb ground chuck and form four patties.
Tear off 4 sheets (good size for wrapping patties with veggies) of foil.
Put the patties in the middle of your foil.
Add 1 washed and chopped potato
Add 1 - 2 washed and chopped carrots
Add onion slices if desired
Add salt and pepper to taste
Add 1 Tbs dry chicken bouillion (or beef, and or low sodium)

Wrap all that carefully into a neat packet. If your foil is very thin, you may wish to double wrap.
Place on your grill and heat for 10 minutes on one side, flip the packets (this is where wrapping securely comes in handy!) and cook for 10 more minutes. Check to make sure hamburger is done and vegetables are tender. It depends on the amount of heat from your grill, whether or not you need to increase the time to cook.

Yum!!

(If you don't want to grill out - just put these packets on a cookie sheet and bake in oven at 350 for about 35 to 45 minutes - again - checking before serving.)

Well, now I'm in the mood to set up a time to go apple hunting. So I'll call it a day. If you'd like to visit others for Tuesday's Fall festival...just click on the Fall festival picture or title at the top.

Wish I could have added some pictures - but Blogger's uploading is working too well today!