Autumn Bliss & A Giveaway!!

Fall is definitely in the air here in Northern Wisconsin. Today's high was in the 50s and I see that the low overnight will be 35!!!! I had better get my plants inside. They've been basking in the warmth on the deck enjoying the extra warm weather we had been having lately. That's Wisconsin for you ~ a heat wave and frost all within one week.

Fall is a time of year that causes me to take stock and review life. Our life runs from school year to school year, so this is the time to go over schedules, routines, etc. and regroup, reorganize and hopefully revive!!! I am going through a season of SIMPLIFYING ~ cleaning, purging, tossing and getting control over those spaces that seem to get overlooked.

As promised, this is my post for Autumn Bliss hosted by Clarice at Storybook Woods. I'd like to share with you a wonderful recipe for Pumpkin Bread.


1 c. canned pumpkin

1 c. plus 2 T sugar, divided

1/2 c. firmly packed brown sugar

4 egg whites, divided
1/2 c. milk

1/4 c. canola oil

2 c. flour

2 1/2 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp. salt
1 pkg. (8 oz.) Neufchatel cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a nonstick 9 x 5 loaf pan; set aside. Mix pumpkin, 1 cup sugar, the brown sugar, 3 of the egg whites, milk and oil in large bowl. Add flour, baking powder, pie spice and salt; stir just until moistened. Set aside. Beat Neufchatel cheese, remaining 2 T sugar, and the remaining egg white with wire whisk until well blended.

Spoon half of the pumpkin batter into prepared pan; spoon Neufchatel cheese mixture evenly over the batter. Cover with remaining pumpkin batter.

Bake 1 hour to 1 hour 5 min. or until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Run knife or thin spatula around edges of pan to loosen bread; cool in pan on wire rack 10 min. Remove bread from pan to wire rack; cool completely.

Delicious!!!

I also wanted to share this picture with you:

Last year as I was packing up after a "Colorama" craft show, this tiny leaf floated down onto my table. It is so perfectly cute, I had to keep it!!!

And last, but not least ~ I made a batch of Cinnamon & Cider soap this week. It smells great!! The perfect autumn scent!! I would like to share this with you, so leave a comment and I will pick a name on Sunday, Sept. 23 (the first day of Autumn). The winner will receive a bar of Cinnamon & Cider soap along with a few other surprise goodies!! Your chances of winning are pretty high, as my blog traffic is quite light :)