Autumn Lessons￨Stars Hollow Vibes

The leaves are starting to change, the days are growing shorter, and the nights are getting cooler. If you pay attention, you’ll see signs of nature all around you preparing for a period of rest. This is a time for us to follow nature’s lead; there is witchy wisdom in the trees if we pause to listen. When was the last time you truly rested? After a full, busy summer, our minds, bodies, and spirits long to return some of that energy back into our own vessels. As we wander through the autumn woods, take stock of your inner resources. Where do they need to go as we prepare for winter? How can we reallocate our energy to best prepare for the growing season come spring? This is our time to rest and restore. Find the lessons in the leaves.   

What am I reading?

First Frost by Sarah Addison Allen
The Witching Year: A Memoir of Earnest Fumbling...  by Diana Helmuth

What am I playing on repeat?
Mother Mary by Foxboro Hot Tubs

What’s for dinner?

Pumpkin Lasagna
Ingredients:

No-boil lasagna noodles
1lb Beyond Beef, or ground Turkey, ground beef, or mushroom medley
Fresh spinach
Harvest pumpkin tomato sauce (I used Trader Joe’s Autumnal Harvest Pasta Sauce)
8 oz ricotta
1 egg
Mixture of mozzarella and fresh Parmesan cheese
Fresh chopped parsley

Directions:

Brown the meat in olive oil, salt & pepper. Set aside. Mix ricotta with one egg, set aside. Wash spinach, set aside.

Layer and bake the lasagna

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and spray a 9×13 baking dish or lasagna pan with cooking spray. 
2. Assemble:  Place 1/2 cup of the pumpkin sauce into the bottom of your prepared pan.  Layer in lasagna noodles. Top the noodles with ground “meat” and more sauce, add another layer of noodles, then add the ricotta mixture, shredded cheese, and spinach. Top with another layer of noddles, sauce, cheese, and chopped parsley. 
3. Cover with foil and bake in the center rack of the preheated oven for 25 minutes, then remove the foil and bake covered for another 15-20 minutes.
4. Remove let cool for at least 25 minutes. 

Pumpkin Spice Chai Latte

¼ cup pumpkin puree
2 tablespoons brown sugar
¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
2 green cardamom pods crushed or ground cardamom
¼ teaspoon ground ginger or 1 inch piece fresh ginger for more spice
⅕ teaspoon ground black pepper optional
2 cups milk dairy or dairy free milk of choice
2 ½ tablespoons loose leaf black tea or 2-3 black tea bags

Instructions:

1. Combine pumpkin puree, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and spices in a medium saucepan.
   
   
2. Cook on medium-low heat until fragrant and darkened in color. Stir frequently to prevent burning.
   
   
3. Pour milk into the saucepan and stir well to combine. Heat on medium heat until it simmers and rises up in the pan. If using plant based milk, do NOT bring it to a boil or it will curdle – just heat until very hot. 
   
   
4. Sprinkle tea leaves or drop tea bags into the hot milk. Cover with a lid and let steep for 2-5 minutes.
   
   
5. Strain the chai tea through a strainer.
   
   
6. Froth the pumpkin spice chai tea latte with a whisk and pour into a large cup or two small cups to serve.