Category Archives: Seasons

 

 

Happy Sun day my friends!  My favorite day of the week…especially in the Fall 🙂  It’s been a busy day here. I got dinner in the crock pot..a yummy roast.  Then I spent some time packing up boxes for our move.  Got 10 boxes packed from pantry and kitchen and a few other things that don’t require a box.  They’ll go off to the storage room tomorrow.  After that…I have been reading, watching Miss Marple movies (Sara and I love them!) and crocheting a bit.   I’m about to start a fire as well. 🙂

We had a gorgeous day!  Woke  up to thick fog, the red leaves on the trees had an eerie glow.  Eventually the Sun came up and burned off the fog and we now have beautiful blue skies, an early Moonrise, and a bit of a breeze.  Leaves are lazily blowing here and there, birds bathing in the pond and feeding at the feeders and a deer walked across our yard a bit ago…enjoying the weather too.  A day to remember and enjoy!

Now for those recipes…I have been perusing the Fall magazines and my cookbooks and came up with a few I thought you all would enjoy.  So here we go!

Hot Spiced Cider

*I love the citrus and maple flavors of this cider!

1 gallon apple cider or apple juice

1 cup orange juice

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon orange extract

1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

4 cinnamon sticks

2 teaspoons whole cloves

1 teaspoon whole allspice

In a Dutch oven, combine the first five ingredients. Place the cinnamon sticks, cloves and allspice on a double thickness of cheesecloth; bring up corners of cloth and tie with string to form a bag. Add to the pan. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat for 10-15 minutes or until flavors are blended (do not boil). Discard spice bag. Yield: 4-1/2 quarts

Harvest Pumpkin Soup

2 TB unsalted butter

1 large potato, peeled and chopped

1 large onion, chopped

4 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 15-oz can pumpkin

salt and freshly ground pepper

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 pint heavy cream

In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter.  Add potato and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, about 8 mins.  Add chicken broth and bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook until potato is tender, 10 to 12 mins.

Stir in pumpkin.  Using an immersion blender, puree mixture until smooth. (You can use a blender too) Stir in 1/2 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp pepper and nutmeg. Increase heat to medium-high and bring mixture to a boil.  cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for 10 mins. Stir in cream and heat thoroughly.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve hot.

Makes 8 servings

Harvest Salad

1 large butternut squash

2 TBs olive oil

2 Tbs honey

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

1 8-oz bottle poppy seed dressing

1/4 cup fresh or frozen cranberries

8 oz mixed greens

4 oz goat cheese, crumbled

3/4 cup pecan halves, toasted

6 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled

Preheat oven to 400* Peel and seed squash, cut into 3/4 inch cubes.  Toss together squash, olive oil, honey, salt and pepper in a large bowl.  Place in a single layer in a lightly greased, foil lined jelly roll pan.  Bake 20-25 mins until squash is tender, stirring once halfway thru.  Remove from oven and cool in pan for 10-15 mins.

Meanwhile, pulse poppy seed dressing and cranberries in a blender 3-4 times or until cranberries are coarsely chopped.  This will be your dressing.

Toss together squash, salad greens, goat cheese, bacon and pecans in a large serving platter.  Serve with dressing.

Makes 6-8 servings.

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

3 cups all-purpose  flour

2 teaspoons ground  cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking  soda

4 eggs

2 cups sugar

2 cups canned  pumpkin

1-1/2 cups canola  oil

1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

In a large bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, salt and  baking soda. In another bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, pumpkin and oil. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in chocolate chips.

Pour into two greased 8-in. x 4-in. loaf pans. Bake at 350° for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.    Makes 2 loaves (16 slices each)

Herbed Pork and Apples

1 teaspoon each dried sage, thyme, rosemary and marjoram, crushed

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 bone-in pork loin roast (about 6 pounds)

4 medium tart apples, cut into 1-inch chunks

1 large red onion, cut into 1-inch chunks

3 tablespoons brown sugar

1 cup apple juice

2/3 cup maple syrup

Combine herbs, salt and pepper; rub over roast. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

Bake, uncovered, at 325° for 1-1/2 hours. Drain fat. Mix apples and onion with brown sugar; spoon around roast. Continue to roast 1 hour or until meat thermometer      reads 160°-170°. Transfer the roast, apples and onion to a serving platter and keep warm.

Skim excess fat from meat juices; pour into a heavy skillet (or leave in the roasting pan if it can be heated on stove top). Add apple juice and syrup. Cook and stir over      medium-high heat until liquid has been reduced by half, about 1 cup. Slice roast and serve with gravy.

Apple Sweet Potato Side

5 medium sweet potatoes (2-1/2 pounds)

4 cups sliced peeled tart apples (about 4 medium)

3/4 cup thawed apple juice concentrate

1-1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons cold water, divided

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

7-1/2 teaspoons cornstarch

1/4 cup butter, cubed

Place sweet potatoes in a large saucepan or Dutch oven and cover with water. Bring to a boil; cover and cook for 30-45 minutes or until tender. Drain. When cool enough to handle, peel and slice potatoes.

•Place apples in a large saucepan and cover with water. Cover and cook over medium heat for 7-8 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain. Place apples and sweet potatoes in a greased 2-1/2-qt. baking dish.

In a small saucepan, combine apple juice concentrate, 1-1/2 cups water, sugars and salt. Combine cornstarch with remaining water until smooth; gradually stir into apple juice concentrate mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened and bubbly.

Remove from the heat; stir in butter until melted. Pour over potato mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 325° for 30-35 minutes or until heated through.

Apple Crumb Bars

3 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/2 cups old-fashioned oats

1-1/2 cups packed brown sugar

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1-1/4 cups cold butter, divided

5 to 6 cups thinly sliced peeled apples

1 cup sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup cold water

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a large bowl, combine the flour, oats, brown sugar and baking soda; cut in 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside 2 cups for topping. Press remaining crumbs into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Arrange apples over top; set aside.

In a saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch, water, vanilla and remaining butter. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thick and bubbly; spread over apples. Sprinkle with reserved crumbs.

Bake at 350° for 35-45 minutes or until top is lightly browned.

Makes3-4 dozen.

I hope you enjoy them, try them.  Let me know if you do! Well, my dinner is ready and I want to start a fire.  The Sun is setting on a beautiful evening.  Nightmare Before Christmas just came on and I want to watch it with my daughter. “This is Halloween This is Halloween!:  :))   I wish you all a Blessed Night!

Blessings and Love, Autumn

Sources:  Recipes from my kitchen, Southern Living and Country Living magazines.