Taste of Autumn: Simple Fall Drink Recipes to Make at Home

Fall is a perennial favorite for so many reasons. The weather cools down just a touch and fall festivals help everyone get in the spirit. There’s also nothing quite like pulling on a cozy sweater and sipping on a warm drink brimming with the flavors of fall. But you don’t have to hit Starbucks for that famous Pumpkin Spice Latte. Save some cash by taking the DIY route — the results are just as delicious!

Fall Drink Recipes

Pumpkin Spice Latte

This is a classic, of course. But instead of waiting in line at Starbucks, you can make your own at home with this recipe from the Food Network.

Ingredients

Spiced Hot Chocolate

Hot chocolate is a go-to drink for cold weather, but you can also add a taste of autumn during the fall months. Try this recipe for Spiced Hot Chocolate and enjoy while you watch the leaves change color.

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 Tbsp vanilla sugar (use store-bought or see recipe below)
• 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• ½ tsp ancho chile powder
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp ground cardamom
• ½ fresh vanilla bean
• 2 cups granulated sugar
  

Directions

1. Sift all ingredients together into a large bowl. Whisk the mixture together to be sure the spices are evenly distributed.
2. To serve, stir 3 tablespoons of the mix into 1½ cups (12 ounces) of hot milk. Serve in large mugs. Store the remaining mix in a tightly sealed jar.
3. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with the back of a knife. Combine the sugar, vanilla pod, and seeds together and store in an airtight container for at least 1 week before using.

Pumpkin Smoothie

This Whole Foods recipe is perfect for when you’re craving autumn flavors but the weather is still warm!

Ingredients

• 1 cup pumpkin purée
• 1 large ripe banana
• 1 cup unsweetened soymilk or coconut milk beverage
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 5 ice cubes

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into 2 glasses and serve.

Make These Recipes and More in Your New Home at 1st Lake!

Get more great recipe ideas by checking out all of our Cooking Tips on our blog, and contact us today for more information about our residential communities!

 

 

---

Creative Table Setting Ideas

Do you enjoy having company over to your apartment and hosting dinner parties? Then chances are you’re always on the hunt for table-setting ideas.

We’ve got just what you need for decorating inspiration! Impress your friends and family at your next occasion with these creative table settings for a dinner party to remember.

Flowers and Natural Elements

Incorporating flowers into your table setting always adds a fresh and attractive touch.

Depending on the occasion, you can customize the color scheme to fit the theme. For fall occasions, pick out red, orange, or yellow flowers with nice green stems. For winter, red and green colors are a classic choice. If it’s for a friend’s birthday, choose flowers in their favorite color.

And other natural elements can add a fun, unexpected touch, like pinecones or fall leaves scattered around the centerpiece.

Crafts

For a celebration, decorations that can be found at a crafts store are a festive addition. Tying a pretty ribbon around a wine glass, sprinkling confetti between place settings, and using a big white sheet of paper with colorful stamps can add that special touch.

Candles

For a more grown-up or intimate occasion with friends or loved ones, add some glass-encased votive candles to your table setting for some understated elegance.

Place Setting Accessories

To make your table setting pop, add some colorful elements that stand out and bring your dinner party to life. Try placing brightly colored napkins in between white dinner and salad plates, or personalizing your place settings with handmade name cards and place mats.

Fruit

Fruit is not only delicious to eat, but a pretty natural addition to your table setting. Get creative by poking holes in citrus fruit with straws that have name tags attached, place pineapples around your centerpiece, or make a fruit cornucopia centerpiece.

There you have it! A few tips and tricks to create a beautiful table setting for your next dinner party that is sure to wow your guests!

If you’re looking for a new home that’s perfect for gatherings, browse our communities here!

---

Fall at Home Activities

Toward the end of November, schools are out for a few days and this break is the perfect time to immerse yourself in the wonders of fall! Embrace the season with fun activities that will spark creativity and bring smiles. Here are some fantastic ideas:

Coloring/Activity Sheets

Coloring sheets are a great way to explore your artistic side, while activity sheets are a great way to engage your mind. Simply click here to download some fall-inspired sheets, print them out, and let the fun begin!

DIYs

Looking to get a little more creative? The DIYs below are a fun way to get creative while using resources you may already have at home!

• Tree Art
  • First, draw out the base of a tree and its trunks onto a piece of paper.
  • Then, put as many colors of paint as you like onto a paper plate, piece of cardboard, or anything else you don’t mind getting paint on.
    • For ease and convenience, you can also use a pre-potted paint set, like this one found at Michaels. 
  • Finally, dip your finger into the paint and press it onto the bare tree trunks to create “leaves.”

• Turkey Handprint
  • Start by tracing your hand on any type of paper.
  • Cut out the traced handprint and begin decorating it how you like!
  • You can use pipe cleaners as legs, paint to color the turkey, a pen to draw a face, and more. The possibilities are endless!

• Painted Pumpkins
  • A classic DIY project is painting pumpkins!
  • All you need to do is pick out the pumpkin size of your choosing, grab some paint, and let your creativity flow!
  • For extra pizzazz, you can even add stickers, rhinestones, and more!

 

There you have it, a few simple and cost-effective activities to make this break unforgettable! Enjoy!

Looking for a new home? Check out our communities here. 

---

Creeks of River Ridge Truck or Treat Event

We are excited to invite all Creeks of River Ridge residents to our
Truck or Treat Event!

Date: Oct. 24th
Time: 5 PM – 8 PM
Location: Dog Park

Food Truck Vendors: 
Taste of Nola
Hubbard Put a Shirt On
Wolf Burgers

Activities:
• Tables for trick-or-treating with goodies from our sponsors and the Creeks of River Ridge
• Costume contest (ages 0-13) at 7 PM with prizes awarded
• Backdrop set up for photo opportunities

🎃 We hope to see you there for a SPOOKTACULAR night! 🎃

For more information, contact your management office.
*Event is for Creeks of River Ridge residents only*

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:

 

---

Jefferson Parish Water Quality Report

According to the 2022 Consumer Confidence Report, Jefferson Parish’s East and West Bank water systems received an “A” from the Louisiana Department of Health. See the attachments below for more.

 

---