Hi!

September might just be my favorite month. Not only because it’s my birthday (hello, confetti, cake, and attention please 🎉), but also because it *should* mean fall is here. Cue the pumpkin bread, caramel lattes, and soft, cozy sweaters.

The problem? Texas did not get the memo. I am fully ready for snowstorms and blanket forts, but around here, “fall” is basically still swimsuit season. If we’re lucky, we get a “false fall” teaser in September. Then second-summer will come heat us up again. I just hope trriple digits is in the past for the year! And if the weather feels generous, real fall might grace us around Halloween. 🙄

👉 You know the one—Texas has 12 fake seasons and Mother Nature laughs at us every single time.

But y’all, last weekend? We had a legit false fall. Saturday morning was 66 degrees, and I swear the entire neighborhood went outside to walk like we’d been released from house arrest. It’s been cool every morning since, and my heart is singing all the fall songs. Which means…it’s soup season! YUM IN A BOWL! 

This one is super simple, but let me spill a few tricks that take it from “yum” to “holy cozy heaven in a bowl”:

• Add a spoonful of tomato paste with your seasonings before the stock → more flavor without turning it into tomato soup.
• Toss in a parmesan rind while it simmers (chef’s kiss!).
• Fresh basil = fresh magic.
• Top with grated parmesan for creamy, nutty goodness.
• Or do all of the above and pretend you’re starring on the Food Network.

For my gluten-free fam (hi, that’s me ✋), I use measure-for-measure GF flour, GF gnocchi, and GF stock. Easy peasy.

Make this soup ASAP before second summer returns and smacks us with 95 degrees again. Because trust me, it’s coming.

Pumpkin vs. Caramel 🍂☕

Hot take: we are a caramel family. I’ll skip the PSL hype train, thanks. Iced caramel coffee? Yes. Caramel latte? Double yes. But give me all the pumpkin muffins, pumpkin loaves, and especially pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. Basically, I’ll eat my pumpkin, not drink it. Maybe I will share my go-to cookie recipe this week. You never know, I might have to make a batch too. 

Fantasy Football Check-In 🏈

Speaking of fall, how’s your fantasy football week one going? Mine… eh. Let’s just say I was winning until Baltimore decided to suddenly remember how to play football. Now I’m sliding into last place territory, and I can already hear the “better luck next year” jokes. Nah, I will fight my way back. But I have a feeling its going to be the season of – I could beat anyone except the team I was playing that week. Multiple years in a row I would have a high point total with the worst record. Good thing I am not a sore loser. (haha, my kids are rolling at that one!) 

But hey—it’s fall, y’all. Even if Texas is still sweating and my fantasy team is imploding, at least I’ve got soup, caramel coffee, and pumpkin cookies to carry me through.