Lazy Days of Fall

Lazy Man Cookies

The leaves on trees are turning colors, heralding the upcoming arrival of fall.

Scarecrows, pumpkins and other fall décor are on display throughout the year in my living room. Even the walls reflect the colors of fall. I believe the smell of burning leaves should be bottled or made into a candle. I'd pay to have that aroma in my home, along with the cinnamon, spice, pumpkin and vanilla candles I love year round.

I enjoy all of Mother Nature's seasons, but fall is my favorite with the crisp weather, comfy sweaters and the beauty of the world around us.

I love seeing the bounty of the summer crops on display, pumpkins, gourds, sunflowers and cornstalks finished off with a smiling scarecrow standing nearby. Even the dried weeds look pretty to me.

Fall in Indiana also means it's time for festivals, including the granddaddy of them all, the Parke County Covered Bridge Festival.

I am a lucky woman. My husband and children enjoy attending the festivals for the unique shopping, and the incredible food.

As a family, we always joke about trying to save enough money so we could eat our way through the delicacies available during the festivals. I have never tried a deep-fried candy bar or Twinkie. It sounds like a greasy, awful mess and yet a fantastically decadent treat at the same time.

It's a lazy time of year, and I love moseying around the festivals with my loved ones, enjoying the laid-back atmosphere of fall.

True to the nature of the season, I get a little lazy in the kitchen too. However, the warmth and delicious smells emanating from the oven has to continue.

One "so simple you can't do it wrong" cookie recipe helps keep that spirit in the kitchen while putting smiles on the faces of your family: Lazy Man Cookies.

Preheat your oven to 350-degrees and spray a 9-inch square-baking dish before melting one stick of margarine in the pan.

When the margarine is melted, remove pan and layer the following ingredients in order:

1 cup of graham cracker crumbs (you can also use ginger snaps or chocolate cookie crumbs)

1 cup of chocolate chips

1 cup of butterscotch chips

1 cup of coconut

1 can of sweetened condensed milk

1 cup of chopped nuts

Dust the top with light sprinkle of cinnamon sugar before baking for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes before cutting into squares for serving.

These are great alone or served with a scoop of "real" vanilla bean ice cream.