I find myself looking forward to an abundance of activities with the Autumn season coming into full swing. Baking is the prime subject on my Fall ‘to-do’ list and I can’t wait to fill my kitchen with the smell of pies, bread, cookies and more.
My baking ideas are often dimmed down by my college-sized budget, and I often have to rein in some of my larger ideas. However, funds don’t have to get in the way of baking as a whole. As someone who has been baking for years, I thought I’d share some fun tips I’ve learned that make baking feel more approachable!
Pumpkin Spice
Grocery shopping can be a massive expense for college students, especially when it comes to buying spices. For pumpkin lovers, buying cinnamon, clove, allspice, ginger and nutmeg can be a daunting expense on a budget. Instead, buying a premade pumpkin pie spice helps roll the price of 5 ingredients into one and saves precious kitchen cabinet space. This spice also works great with sweet potato desserts, which is another prime fall ingredient.
Apples are your new best friend
Apples are often one of the cheapest fruits you can buy at mainstream grocery stores. They’re especially cheap when in season (as many varieties are now!) Simply frying apples with butter, brown sugar and spices (maybe even some pumpkin pie spice…) can enhance the simplest desserts. I’ve used fried apples on ice cream, yogurt bowls, mini pies, cobbler or just on their own!
If you really want to enhance your apple game, I’ve always been taught that a combination of apples adds a deeper flavor. Adding apples such as Honeycrisp to Granny Smiths creates a tart and sweet clash. Other apples that complement Granny Smiths well are Fujis and Galas. If you want to get fancy with picking these apples, a date to an apple orchard followed by baking is both seasonal and cheap!
Reuse and Recycle!
One of the things I love about fall is how sustainable everything is. If carving a pumpkin, I recommend scooping out the seeds to make roasted pumpkin seeds. From just one pumpkin you get enough snacks for a week and you can season them in a variety of ways (I’ve seen sugar, cinnamon, BBQ, garlic parmesan and more). These seeds also offer nutritional benefits such as zinc and magnesium, which is just another bonus!
I’ve also used the core and peel of leftover apples to make homemade cider. This can be done by simmering over the stove or in a slow cooker with spices and leftover orange slices. Another amazing thing about this drink is that it makes your kitchen smell amazing, or as one friend of mine put it, “like I’m stepping into a giant apple pie”
I hope these suggestions and tips help inspire your next baking adventure this fall! Between classes, I have caught myself paging through baking books and scrolling for new recipes online. Although I’m not sure what I will make next, I know it will fit in great with this (hopefully soon-to-be) chilly weather!