3. The time of occurrence is important: The warm days must follow a spell of cold weather or a good hard frost.
4. The conditions described above also must occur between St. Martin’s Day (November 11) and November 20. For over 200 years, The Old Farmers Almanac has adhered to the saying, “If All Saints’ (November 1) brings out the winter, St. Martin’s brings out Indian Summer.”
Why Is It Called an Indian Summer?
There are many theories. Some say it comes from the early Algonquian Native Americans, who believed that the condition was caused by a warm wind sent from the court of their southwestern God, Cautantowwit.
The most probably origin of the term, in our view, goes back to the very early settlers in New England. Each year they would welcome the arrival of a cold wintry weather in late October when they could leave their stockades unarmed. But then came a time when it would suddenly turn warm again, and the Native Americans would decide to have one more go at the settlers. “Indian Summer” the settlers called it.
Now for the yummy recipe:
BROWNED BUTTER FROSTED PUMPKIN BARS
INGREDIENTS: (you can also add if you want sweetened dried cranberries)
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin
1 1/4 cups of sugar 3/4 cups (1 1/2 sticks) salted melted butter
2 TSP baking powder 3 eggs 2 TSP ground cinnamon
3/4 cup sweetened dried cranberries (optional 1 TSP baking soda
1/2 TSP ground ginger
INSTRUCTIONS:
Heat over to 350 degrees. In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and ginger. Stir in pumpkin, butter, and eggs, mix well. Stir in cranberries (if using)
Spread batter into ungreased 15x10x1 jelly roll pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely.
FROSTING INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter 1 TSP vanilla extract
4 cups confectioner’s sugar 1/4 to 1/3 cup milk
INSTRUCTIONS:
In a 1-quart saucepan over medium heat, melt butter, stirring constantly and watching closely, until butter just starts to turn golden brown (3 to 5 minutes). Immediately remove from heat. Pour into a bowl and cool for 5 minutes. Add sugar and vanilla to cooled browned butter and mix well. Stir in enough milk for desired frosting consistency. Spread frosting over cooled bars. Cut into bars. Makes about 5 dozen small bars….ENJOY!!!!