Best Pumpkin Recipes for Fall

Photo courtesy of Daily Herald

Autumn at the lake is always exciting. We get football, tailgating parties, and crisp, clear evenings spent cozying up by the season’s first fire. But best of all—we get pumpkins in every form imaginable. From carved jack-o’-lanterns to spiced pumpkin lattes to Thanksgiving’s classic pumpkin pie, nearly everyone waits in anticipation of the “Great Pumpkin.” So, before heading out to a glorious pumpkin patch—or grocery bin—to hand-select this most iconic fall symbol, check out our list of delectable pumpkin recipes guaranteed to inspire. Bon appétit!  

Spice It Up!

Photo courtesy of Food Network Kitchen

Give your next brunch party a little flavor kick by whipping up a scrumptious batch of sweet and spicy Pumpkin-Chipotle Waffles. This delectable dish calls for a silky batter of buttermilk and pumpkin puree paired with orange- and cayenne-infused maple syrup and toasted pumpkin seeds. An aromatic mix of warming spices—think cinnamon, cayenne, and chipotle powder—captures the cozy feel of the autumn season. For the recipe, visit Food Network.

Seasonal Starter

Photo courtesy of Country Living

For a delicious appetizer bursting with the flavors of fall, this Pumpkin & Pesto Crostini has it all. Fresh slices of pumpkin or butternut squash—or both—are seasoned with crushed red pepper and olive oil and baked until tender. Layer over toasted rye bread and top with creamy burrata cheese, pumpkin, homemade pesto, and pecans. Season with salt and black pepper, and enjoy with a glass of buttery Chardonnay or a crisp pinot grigio. For the full recipe, visit Country Living.

Pumpkin Party Punch

Photo courtesy of Half Baked Harvest via The Pioneer Woman

Sangria always makes a festive pitcher drink that you can throw together a day before your lakeside get-together. But, this Thanksgiving Sangria isn’t just for Thanksgiving. Made with dry white wine, brandy, ginger beer, and pumpkin butter—think apple butter—this delicious elixir can be served anytime in the fall. Flavor with lemon juice and pure maple syrup, and garnish with blood oranges, honey crisp apples, pomegranate arils, cinnamon sticks, and star anise. Visit Half Baked Harvest for this simple and inventive recipe.

Cozy Comfort Food

Photo courtesy of Taste Of Home

There’s nothing better than a savory soup enjoyed lakeside when temperatures start to dip into the cool zone. This Pumpkin Sausage Soup offers an authentic soul-food experience with Italian sausage, fresh mushrooms, chicken stock, and, of course, pumpkin. Seasoned with cinnamon, turmeric, ginger, and nutmeg, this dish is rich with autumn flavors. Heavy whipping cream and smoked cheddar cheese give it an irresistibly creamy texture. This Dutch-oven recipe is a cinch to make in just 30 minutes total, including prep time. Serve with biscuits for a hearty and satisfying autumn meal that’s unforgettable. Visit Taste Of Home for the recipe.

Roasted & Rustic

Photo courtesy of Taste of Home

There’s nothing tastier than fresh roasted veggies in the fall. A wonderful and warm substitute for salad, this Roasted Pumpkin and Brussels Sprouts dish pairs the buttery taste of pumpkin with the earthy—and slightly nutty—flavor of fresh brussels sprouts. Season with garlic and combine with a mixture of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sea salt, and ground pepper. Roast until tender, and sprinkle with fresh minced parsley for a side that’s simply delicious. For roasting instructions, visit Taste of Home.

Tasty Thai

Photo courtesy of The Modern Proper

Spice up your fall menu with this savory Slow Cooker Chicken Pumpkin Curry. What could be better on a chilly night at the lake than the creamy, rich taste of coconut milk blended with fresh pumpkin, red curry paste, and plump chicken breast? Made in a slow cooker, this gluten-free, dairy-free recipe creates a low-maintenance meal you can prepare anytime. Sliced red bell pepper, baby spinach, minced fresh cilantro, and toasted cashews add flavorful texture to this enjoyable dish. Visit The Modern Proper for the recipe.

Bottoms Up!

Photo courtesy of Laura Rege via Delish

If you like to have your cake and eat it too, try these magical Boozy Pumpkin Cake Trifles at your next lakeside soiree. (Who doesn’t want whiskey in their dessert?) You can throw this one together quickly with a box of yellow cake mix, some canned pumpkin puree, and pumpkin pie spice. Next, top your delightful concoction with a whipped cream cheese frosting—flavored with whiskey. Layer as you wish and drizzle with homemade caramel sauce. Serve with an upside-down open whiskey nip, and enjoy. Visit Delish for this cute and creative recipe.

Here’s to the “Great Pumpkin”—and a vibrant autumn at the lake. Cheers!

How to Tell if a Frozen Lake is Safe

Photo courtesy of Camille Smith

From ice fishing to reading by the fire, a wealth of winter activities are at your fingertips when you live on the lake. For those who can brave the cold, ice skating, ice fishing, and snowmobiling on a frozen lake are popular activities. What could be more picturesque than skating across a frozen pond in the frosty air? However, unlike indoor, man-made ice rinks with a verified solid surface, skating on a frozen lake is more risky and requires self-inspection. How can you know if a lake is safe for skating? The answer depends on a variety of factors, not one in particular.

Is the Temperature Stabilized?

Photo courtesy of Photo by Isi Parente on Unsplash

As soon as freezing temperatures hit your lake area, the surface of the water may begin to freeze. However, the solid layer of ice doesn’t mean it’s time to bust out the skates. Several other factors such as wind and water currents can make a big difference in the water’s integrity. Before stepping on the ice, it’s a smart idea to wait a few weeks until temperatures have stabilized. This way, the water has more time to freeze through completely! For this reason, you never want to step on the ice too early or too late in the season, when things are just freezing or just thawing.

Are There Cracks in the Surface?

Photo courtesy of Photo by Jenny Salita on Unsplash

When looking up close at the ice, do you notice any cracks, bubbles, or other ruptures in the ice? If so, it’s best to stay on your shoreline. Although it may seem counterintuitive, new ice is much stronger than old ice. With old ice, fluctuations in temperature can cause it to re-freeze which compromises its integrity. The refreezing process causes these bubbles and cracks that weaken the ice. If you aren’t certain about the ice, another visualization check is color. Solid blue ice is much more durable than a layer of white ice. A memorable rhyme that can help: “Thick and blue, tried and true. Thin and crispy, way too risky.”

How Thick Is It?

Photo courtesy of BBC

You’ve probably heard the saying “you’re walking on thin ice” as a warning that if you proceed, things could go wrong at any moment. Taken literally, this phrase describes the precariousness of a frozen pond. When ice is thicker, it’s more stable and safer for winter activities. From visual observation, it’s difficult to determine how thick the ice is. So, you’ll need tools such as an ice auger used for ice fishing to drill or cut samples. In general, less than 3 inches of thickness is too thin unless you’re a child or small animal. To stay safe, don’t venture out onto ice unless it’s 6-8 inches thick.

What Body of Water Is It?

Photo courtesy of Camille Smith

When it comes to determining ice safety, the type of water body is an important consideration. There’s a big difference between stepping onto a large, frozen lake versus a small pond in your backyard. As a principle, larger bodies of water take longer to freeze than smaller ones, so proceed with caution on lakes. Also consider whether it’s a freshwater or saltwater lake, as saltwater freezes with less integrity than freshwater. When in doubt, talk to other locals who have lived in the area through many winters. Chances are, they’ll be able to give you helpful tips for staying safe on the lake! You can also opt for bodies of water that are regulated by a designated authority or government official, such as a national park or resort. This way, you’ll have a third party to give you the green light!

Overall, it’s important to remember that no ice is completely safe. Because water doesn’t freeze uniformly, there might always be unforeseen areas of danger on your frozen lake or pond. But with these tips in mind, you can enjoy the ice with as much precaution as possible!

Pro Tips on Controlling These Common Water-Loving Lake Pests

Photo courtesy of Weeder’s Digest

Summer is just around the corner and if you’re a lake homeowner, that means you’re probably gearing up to enjoy the outdoors. Whether you’re boating, swimming, or soaking up the sun, you’ll most likely encounter a host of creepy-crawly creatures and other flying insects that weren’t invited to the party. We all know the usual suspects—from mosquitos to mayflies—so we talked to pest control expert Wesley Wheeler, founder, and owner of Bug Lord, who helped us compile a list of some of the most common lake pests and ways to control them.

Mosquitoes

Photo courtesy of Consumer Reports

Mosquitoes go hand-in-hand with lake life because they breed in shallow pools of water, which are quite common around most lakes. They’re also attracted to standing water, yard debris, and clogged gutters and drains. While mosquitoes are a menace in every U.S. state, Minnesota has such an impressive population that they’ve been not so endearingly named the unofficial state bird. Having a very flat topography as well, the land of 10,000 lakes delivers ideal conditions for spawning hordes of mosquitoes that are difficult to treat.

“Mosquitoes can travel miles from their breeding grounds, so it’s not always possible to treat your own property and take out the population,” says Wheeler. “Instead, using mosquito repellents with an active ingredient of DEET (chemical name, N, N-diethyl-meta-toluamide) or oil of lemon eucalyptus are proven to be effective,” he adds. There are many natural options for controlling mosquitos with ingredients such as rosemary oil, peppermint oil, cedar oil, and even garlic that are more eco-friendly and much safer to use than chemical pesticides. Severe mosquito problems might require more potent chemical intervention. Check out this list of natural and chemical yard sprays for the best options as well as other pesticide-free strategies for mosquito control.

Chinch Bugs

Photo courtesy of Modern Pest Control, Inc.

Lake homes are all about enjoying the great outdoors, but when your lush green lawn turns into a barren wasteland, you have a real eyesore on your hands. If you live on the Gulf Coast, Florida, Georgia, or South Carolina, there’s a good chance you have St. Augustine grass, which is susceptible to chinch bug infestations.

Chinch bugs will suck the moisture out of your grass and replace it with poison that kills it. These bugs are very tiny and hard to see unless you’re down on your hands and knees inspecting the grass. A chinch bug infestation typically starts as a patch of dead grass that doesn’t respond to watering. The patch will slowly expand until you realize what’s happening.

“Once you recognize what the problem is, I recommend treating it by spreading some pesticide granules on your lawn (DeltaGard G or Talstar granules work great) and watering the lawn once applied,” explains Wheeler. “You should see results quickly, and this will kill other insects like ants and spiders too,” he notes.

Giant Water Bugs

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

The giant water bug is a very suitable name for a creature that can grow more than four inches long! These bugs look like giant cockroaches, but they have front pincers, and unlike cockroaches, they have a stinging bite. Some people call giant water bugs “toe biters” for good reason.

Giant water bugs live in most regions of the U.S. along the fringes of lakes. Luckily for us, they typically don’t bother humans, so you can usually avoid them easily enough. “You may, however, find them swarming your porch lights at night—that’s right, they fly,” says Wheeler. “If this becomes an issue, you can use a classic bug zapper outside, which will make short work getting rid of them.” Be sure to turn off your porch lights, so there’s no competing light source.

Ticks

Photo courtesy of Bug Lord

Ticks are a vast and growing problem in the Northeastern United States because they can spread some nasty diseases to humans—Lyme Disease being the most prominent one. If you have a wooded lake house in the New England region, you probably have ticks around your home.

There are some easy ways to make your yard less welcoming to ticks. Start by cleaning up yard debris (leaves, downed branches, deadwood, tall grass, and weeds). “A barrier of wood chips or stones between your yard and the woods can stop them from crossing over,” notes Wheeler. “You should also do what you can to keep deer and small mammals off your property, as ticks use these animals as hosts to feed on,” he adds. Remember to fence off any gardens or flower beds that may attract deer. Check out this list for other surefire ways to rid your lake home property of ticks.

Midges

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

Midges are flying insects that many people mistake for mosquitoes, but most varieties don’t bite humans. “Seattle sees swarms of midges emerge around the lakes in numbers that seem almost biblical,” says Wheeler. “They can fly half a mile from their breeding ground (and much farther in a strong wind) so proactively preventing these insects isn’t an option,” he adds. “Your best course of action is to avoid turning on outdoor lights until an hour after sunset.”

Midges are attracted to light and are most active as the sun is going down, so if you can avoid luring them towards your home, you’ll see a lot less of them. You can also place a “decoy” light further from your home to draw the bugs to this area instead of your living space.

Gnats

Photo courtesy of Orkin

These pests are very similar to midges. Depending on the type of gnat, they can be tough to prevent. Fungus gnats may lay their eggs in damp, overwatered areas or decaying wood and mulch. Getting rid of those environments will help. Other gnats lay their eggs in lake water, which isn’t safe to treat with pesticides.

“Some lakes, such as California’s Clear Lake, introduced certain fish species that compete with gnats for zooplankton—its preferred food source,” says Wheeler. “An outdoor bug zapper or decoy light will also help control gnats.”

So, if you’re heading out to enjoy your lakeside setting, fear not! Encountering these pests and other familiar lake-loving creatures such as ants and flies is a natural part of lake living and doesn’t have to spoil your time outdoors. Arming yourself with knowledge (and insect repellent) and consulting a professional for any severe pest issues is always your best bet.