Fall Baking mmm.. can't you smell the apples, cinnamon, pumpkin pie?

The only good thing about being stuck home with sick kids for two weeks is that I had time to bake! I cook almost every day, but only quick meals. It has to be healthy and well balanced, but I am a huge fan of 30 minute meals (give or take) with 3 to 5 ingredients! Better yet, if I can throw it in a pan/oven/crock pot and leave it there to cook its own self, I am thrilled! If it's too complicated, calls for tons of ingredients (especially that are not already in my cupboards), or requires long involved prep times, I will most likely never make it. I will literally look at a recipe without reading the words and determine whether to keep or toss it on the spot, just by how long it is. The only time I spend hours in the kitchen is while baking! Baking is just so much more delicious fun! And when the weather gets chilly, I suddenly want lots of yummy, fattening foods, to warm me up!

Over the last few weeks I made three things that involved a bit more than throwing the usual quick fixes together and were so fabulous I can't wait to eat make them again! So, over the next couple days, I will dig out those recipes and share them with you! Don't fall out of your chair with excitement just yet, I am so regretting that I didn't even think to take pictures of any of these tasty things before it was too late (they didn't stick around long), but I will send you off to the websites where I stole the recipes and they will have beautiful pics there to make your mouth water!

First, I had more apples than I knew what to do with, so made some apple cinnamon muffins with a crumb topping, which, though I followed the recipe exactly(!!), exploded in the oven! Well, okay, they didn't exactly explode, but they bubbled over onto the bottom of my oven, which I have yet to clean (I should apologize to my neighbors for setting off the smoke alarms more than once recently!). What didn't bubble out of the muffin pan was absolutely delicious, though! So...the next week, I made a cake using the same recipe in a cake pan...oh perfection! I cut it up into bite size squares for a Halloween party and they were a hit!

Mmm, cake... I should get some more apples.

Second: I found the easiest, you won't believe how easy (seriously), way to make a beautiful (semi)homemade chicken pot pie that looks gorgeous, tastes great, and would impress anyone! I was impressed with myself.

Third: Last, but not least, I couldn't wait for Turkey day and made my favorite; pumpkin pie! I even made it with fresh pumpkin! I know, I should be crowned mom of the year. But I had to think up something for another Halloween party, so I came across the idea for mini-pies. Sounds daunting, I know, but was so easy and adorable, that I will be making them again for Thanksgiving (how many days till then?)! And thinking up (okay, most likely looking up) other mini-pie ideas. Who knew muffin tins had other uses?!

I'd love to hear your favorite fall recipes while you eagerly await mine.