Apples, pumpkin, squashes, freshly picked stalks of brussel sprouts, cider, a chuck roast in the oven, or chili on the stove….what fall foods are you enjoying? And how are you enjoying it?
Yesterday I roasted a couple of the “new” honeynut squash. I cut them in half long-wise, drizzled both sides with generous olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika. Roasted cut side down until they caramelized. Had one for breakfast this morning with pecans, dried cherries, a little butter and a drizzle of maple syrup. I can’t wait to eat the rest tomorrow!
(If you don’t know “honeynut” variety it looks like a butternut squash but is much smaller.
Also, my quinces! Froze another batch of lower sugar quince jam. Made some butternut squash and quince soup. Baked an apple cake where I substituted 1/2 of the apples with quince.
I am awaiting the coming of the first hard frost of the season. In the meantime, there are a few hot peppers in the garden that I will collect to preserve in olive oil; a few cherry tomatoes left that I will probably finish ripening on the kitchen windowsill; and some small pods of okra that I will slice and add to what I already have in the freezer, for use in making tomatoes and okra that I serve over rice (or add to a pot of gumbo/jambalaya).
I also have several containers of blackberries in the freezer, which I will thaw out and use to make jam.
Also while I enjoy making my own tomato soup, H will not eat it because apparently it doesn’t taste like Campbell’s (that’s the point!!)
BUT I also recently discovered that the Pacific brand tomato soup that Costco carries (6 quart (?) boxes ) is DELICIOUS, better than Campbell’s for sure and I like that I can open one box and just pour what I want and then refrigerate that box for other servings.
Until yesterday it hasn’t felt like fall with record high temperatures. I’m home sick and I started some chicken broth from some frozen bones. I have a butternut squash roasting in the oven. My big plans were to make a few soups. I think I’m going to run into the problem of my ambition is not matching my energy level. I’m not sure I have the energy to follow through so might just be putting the first steps of soup in the refrigerator and hope tomorrow I have more energy.
I did love a fresh crisp apple yesterday. I’m thinking we are finally getting a new crop.
No squashes of any type for me, but I do make hearty soups, stews, and chili this time of year. Today I emptied the fridge into a crustless quiche in advance of leaving the cabin to endure the winter. Once the quiche is gone, it’ll be restaurants until we leave Monday morning.
I also love roasted honey nut squash and had some last week. Made roasted delicata squash earlier this week and also made several batches of pesto and froze them to use up the basil in my garden.
Honestly never tried pumpkin spice - had pumpkin spice chai tea at a restaurant for book club, then pumpkin spice coffee at Starbucks. Loved both of them. Where have I been all these years?
I finished the stalk of Brussels sprouts that I brought home from our garden. Easily roasted in the air fryer. Unfortunately, I didn’t tell H when he came home on Saturday to bring some more.
Bummer. His loss though! Roasted tomato/red pepper soup with feta or Boursin tastes delicious and actually freezes well. You can make a batch, freeze some, then reheat some and enjoy while your husband pops open a can of Campbell.
I love making chicken pot pie when fall is here. But my guilty fall pleasure is definitely caramel apples. It’s such a short window to be able to buy them.
It’s just starting to get cool here so haven’t made much in the way of fall food yet. So far just a kale risotto with pumpkin seeds and a lentil soup. We also took our yearly trip to a local orchard for apple cider doughnuts. Looking forward to more cold weather cooking.
