🍎 Baby Girl Coming, Charlie Turning Two, & All the Fall Feels

Hey Friend,

This last weekend was full of fun! We got to see family and friends part of the weekend, and we also spent some time at an apple orchard. That is always one of my favorite fall activities, and oh man did Charlie love it too.

He's an apple boy through and through, so he was absolutely in his element—running between the trees, pointing at every apple he could reach. We almost missed the apple picking, but there were a few good ones left. He chowed down on the apples we picked and wiped off for him, holding them and eating them on his own like a big kid. Watching him take those big bites with such satisfaction was the cutest thing.

With all the apples we brought home, I'm planning to make some apple crisp to freeze for later. We also just eat a lot of apples in our house, so they'll go fast. Charlie is going to turn two next month, and the month after that I'm due to have our second baby—a little girl! I'm so excited to meet her and watch Charlie become a big brother. At the same time, I'm savoring these last days where it's just Charlie and me during the day while Andy's at work—these one-on-one moments won't last forever, and I want to soak them all in.

⸻

🍂 Featured Recipe – Creamy Tortellini Soup

Serves 6-8 | Rich tomato broth, cheese tortellini, Italian sausage, and fresh spinach come together for pure comfort.

This soup is everything you want on a cool fall evening—creamy, hearty, and packed with flavor. The combination of Italian sausage, cheese tortellini, and a rich tomato cream broth makes it feel special without being complicated.

👉 Get the full recipe here (Pinch of Yum)

Why it's perfect for fall: It's ready in about 30 minutes and tastes like you've been cooking all day. Pure comfort in a bowl!

⸻

📅 Weekly Meal Ideas

Here's a balanced mix of comfort and healthy options:

• Monday: Creamy Tortellini Soup (Pinch of Yum)

• Tuesday: Sheet Pan Honey Mustard Chicken (Budget Bytes)

• Wednesday: Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Chili (Spend with Pennies)

• Thursday: Teriyaki Chicken Bowls (Damn Delicious)

• Friday: One-Pot Lemon Herb Chicken and Rice (Creme De La Crumb)

• Saturday: Tuscan White Bean Soup (Love and Lemons)

• Sunday: Easy Beef and Broccoli (Damn Delicious)

⸻

🥧 Quick Snack/Treat – Classic Apple Crisp

Perfect for using up those orchard apples—naturally sweet with a buttery oat topping!

Ingredients:

For the filling:

• 6 cups peeled and sliced apples (about 6 medium apples)

• 2 tbsp granulated sugar

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 1 tbsp lemon juice

For the topping:

• 1 cup old-fashioned oats

• ¾ cup all-purpose flour

• ½ cup packed brown sugar

• ½ cup cold butter, cubed

• ½ tsp cinnamon

• Pinch of salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x9 baking dish.

2. Toss apples with sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice. Spread in prepared dish.

3. In a bowl, mix oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.

4. Cut in cold butter until mixture is crumbly.

5. Sprinkle topping evenly over apples.

6. Bake 40-45 minutes until golden brown and bubbly.

7. Let cool slightly before serving. Great with vanilla ice cream!

👉 See the full recipe here (Sally's Baking Addiction)

This apple crisp freezes beautifully—just wrap individual portions in foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Perfect for having a homemade dessert ready when you need it!

⸻

🍂 What's in Season (October Spotlight)

• Fruits: Apples (peak season!), pears, cranberries, late grapes, figs

• Vegetables: Butternut squash, sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, pumpkins, kale, parsnips

• Bonus: Prime time for apple cider, pumpkin everything, and all the cozy fall flavors!

Best,
Cara