Travel Diaries: Sleeping Bear Dunes
M22 offers a plethora of outdoor adventures, and is one of my favorite places to drive around and make stops – especially in the fall. On a recent trip, the weather was less than perfect; in fact I spent most of the time dodging raindrops – although I did manage to make it to Sleeping BearDunes. Sleeping Bear Dunes are located just west of Traverse City, and while the trek up them is tiring the view is amazing, and even better when you make it down by Lake Michigan (which I did not do, because it started raining). Once you finish the dune climb head over to Cherry Republic for samples, ice cream, delicious food and more!
Travel Diaries: Detroit Zoo
I must still be a kid at heart, because I absolutely love going to the zoo. Over the weekend I went to the Detroit Zoo, and while the polar bears were not out, there were plenty of other animals ready to get up close and personal. The new penguin exhibit is a lot of fun and definitely a must see, and the wolf attraction is interesting especially if you start howling they\’ll howl back. Oh, and I can\’t forget to mention…. there is a BABY Giraffe! What\’s your favorite zoo?
Pumpkin Spice Popcorn
Last week I shared with you how to make your own pumpkin spice from the comfort of your kitchen. This week, I\’m sharing with you one of my favorite was to use it – pumpkin spice popcorn. Most of the time popcorn is coated with savory ingredients, but today we are coating it with our favorite fall sugary confection, pumpkin spice. Here’s how to make it:
Pumpkin Spice Popcorn
1. Pop popcorn and add it to a large bowl.
2. Melt butter.
3. Mix pumpkin pie spice and sugar with the melted butter and stir until mostly dissolved.
4. Drizzle over popcorn and toss to coat.
5. Enjoy, while you watch your favorite movie.
*Note: For a sweet and savory combination add a couple dashes of salt.
1. Pop popcorn and add it to a large bowl.
2. Melt butter.
3. Mix pumpkin pie spice and sugar with the melted butter and stir until mostly dissolved.
4. Drizzle over popcorn and toss to coat.
5. Enjoy, while you watch your favorite movie.
*Note: For a sweet and savory combination add a couple dashes of salt.
Fall Tradition: Apple Picking
I’ve been going to the apple orchard with my mum since before I could walk. Even when I was away at college, and lived in another state I made a point to return home in the fall so we could go apple picking. In recent years Blake Farms has been the place we venture to pick our apples, a few pumpkins, indulge in hot cider and donuts and enjoy lunch together. It’s one of those traditions that I hold close to my heart and means the world to me. Do you have any fall traditions?
DIY Pumpkin Spice
On a scale from 1 to pumpkin spice latte, how much do you love this time of year? Is it the cider mills, apple orchards, pumpkin patches and changing of the leaves that are your favorite, or is it the fact that pumpkin spice is….everywhere? For most of us pumpkin spice is a huge part of our fall, from drinks (hello Starbucks PSL), to baked goods, and more. However, like most things pumpkin spice is even better when it’s homemade. So today I decided to share with you the best (I think so at least) pumpkin spice recipe, so you can use it on absolutely everything.
Pumpkin Spice
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1.5 teaspoons ground clove
1.5 teaspoons ground all spice
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1.5 teaspoons ground clove
1.5 teaspoons ground all spice
Directions:
Mix all the spices together in a small bowl… smells like heaven doesn’t it? Store this delicious mixture in a clean small jar or spice container.
Mix all the spices together in a small bowl… smells like heaven doesn’t it? Store this delicious mixture in a clean small jar or spice container.
9 ways to incorporate pumpkin spice into your everyday life.
1. Add it to popcorn.
2. Sprinkle it over sweet potatoes.
3. Mix it into muffin, cookie or cake mix.
4. Gives peanut butter a fun seasonal twist.
5. Sprinkle it over squash.
6. Add it to the top of whipped cream.
7. Use it with Chex mix, for a sweet snack.
8. Mix it with whipped butter and serve it with dinner rolls.
9. Amp up your breakfast by adding it to oatmeal, pancakes, french toast or waffles.
Fashion meets Food 
