Mrs. Claus’ Blog: Savoring the Last Days of Summer: A Photo From a Past Summer

The Changing Seasons: A Hint of Autumn in the Air

Well, my dear ones, it seems the summer is slipping away right before our eyes, though the leaves are still clinging to their green coats. If you look closely, though, you’ll notice that those greens vary in the most wonderful shades, hinting that autumn is ready to step in. And if you look even closer, some of those leaves are starting to show their true colors—a whisper of gold here, a hint of red there. It won’t be long now.

Harvesting the Garden’s Last Gifts

Santa and I have been busy out in the garden, gathering the last of the summer’s gifts. We spent yesterday digging potatoes, and I can’t tell you the joy it brings to see those little russets and reds pop out of the soil. Santa is particularly fond of russets—they’re his favorite for mashing—but we planted some red potatoes this year because the reindeer seem to have quite the taste for them! I love them as oven-baked french fries. We brought in a pumpkin too, a fine one I’ve got plans for. It’ll soon be turning into a delicious pumpkin bread loaf, maybe even with some cream cheese frosting

Pumpkin Bread Temptation

Now, the trouble with that is once I slather that frosting on, I find myself eating just a little too much of that bread. (And by a little, I mean I can easily lose track of time with a slice in each hand!) There’s something about the sweet richness of pumpkin and the tang of the frosting that makes it irresistible. I’ll just have to share some with the elves so I don’t eat it all myself!

A Last Bloom: Santa’s Sweet Gesture

The flower garden is mostly done for the season. The bright colors that danced all summer long have faded, leaving behind only a few determined blooms. But wouldn’t you know it, Santa—bless his heart—found the last little pink rose on our wild rose bush. He picked it ever so carefully and presented it to me with that sheepish look, the kind that reminds me of a schoolboy trying to impress his the young girl who has his heart. I may have been Mrs. Claus for longer than I’d like to admit, but that man still melts my heart. Oh, Santa.

Here is a snapshot, Herman (one of the elves here in the North Pole) took. This was a couple year s back when we were so busy that year, I had lost too much weight from our summer season. Santa’s and my weight often goes down in the warm months, seems we weren’t built for the heat. But we manage to put it back on for the cold months…sometimes I tell Santa we’ve done too fine a job with it!

Pumpkin Bread Recipe: A Taste of Autumn

Now, as promised, I’ve jotted down the recipe for that pumpkin bread. I hope it brings a little taste of autumn to your kitchen, and perhaps a moment to savor the quiet beauty of the season. After all, even as summer fades, there’s so much to celebrate in the turning of time and the simple joys it brings.

Pumpkin Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

(If you want to skip the frosting, that’s entirely up to you…but I’ll admit, I rarely do!)

Ingredients:

• 1 & 3/4 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon of nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 cup of vegetable oil (Santa prefers 1/2 cup melted butter or melted palm oil)
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cup of pumpkin purée (fresh if you can!)
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 4 oz of cream cheese, softened
• ¼ cup of unsalted butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1 cup of powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugars, baking soda, baking powder,cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
3. In a separate bowl, mix the oil, eggs, pumpkin purée, and vanilla extract until smooth.
4. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring just until combined. Don’t overmix!
5. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for about 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
6. Let the bread cool completely before adding the frosting (if you can wait that long!).

For the Frosting:

1. In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy.
2. Add the vanilla extract and powdered sugar, beating until well combined.
3. Spread the frosting over the cooled pumpkin bread and enjoy!

There you have it, my dears. A taste of the season that’s just as comforting as a warm hug. Until next time, keep your hearts light and your kitchens warm.

With love,
Mrs. Claus