And Everything Nice

Since we're all on the same page about going ahead and diving head first into autumnal jubilation WITHOUT SHAME, I thought I'd share a little fall recipe I tried out last night, adapted slightly from this one from Annie's Eats.

Ingredients

1½ cups water
1½ cups sugar
3 cinnamon sticks
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
½ tsp. ground ginger
½ tsp. ground cloves
3 tbsp. pumpkin puree

Directions

Combine the water and sugar in a medium saucepan and heat over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has completely dissolved. Add the cinnamon sticks and whisk in the remaining spices and the pumpkin puree. Continue to cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, without letting the mixture come to a boil. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes. Strain the syrup through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth and store in the refrigerator in your container of choice.

When you're straining the syrup, it helps to use a spoon to stir the mixture and kind of help it through the strainer. Otherwise you might spend the rest of your life straining, and although this syrup is really good, I can't say it's worth taking up the rest of forever.

This morning I put 2 tablespoons of syrup into the homemade chai latte that is making my life so awesome and it was pretty much the best decision I ever made. Except for maybe last night when I put the same amount into a plain old glass of milk and it kind of tasted like Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal milk.