Storm of Thoughts

My Favorite Things About Fall

Fall is my favorite season. And, although people keep telling me it isn’t exactly fall yet, unofficially, the season has begun. Kids are back in school, football season is here, the weather is cooling down, and it’s only a matter of time before leaves are changing and Christmas items start appearing inexplicably early on store shelves. Here are my ten favorite things about fall:

1. Birthdays - Obviously, all of the most important birthdays are in the fall. (Mine especially!)
2. The Outfits - I would wear sweaters and jeans every day of the year if I could. Boots are another fun benefit.
3. The Food - I love fall produce in everything from soup to scones!
4. Pumpkins - Whether decorating with them or eating them, pumpkins epitomize fall.
5. The Colors - Who would think red, yellow, and orange would go together? In the fall they’re the perfect combination.
6. Candy Corn - Although I’m not the biggest fan of Halloween, I’ll never turn down candy corn!
7. The Weather - Although summer heat is fine for awhile, I would prefer if it was 70 degrees (or even 68!) every day.
8. Thanksgiving - The food, the family - a great holiday all around.
9. The Sports - While football is the most traditional fall sport, baseball is winding down and hockey is on its way in, meaning there’s something for everyone.
10. Did I mention that my birthday is in October?

What’s not to love about fall! What are your favorite things about the new season?

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Busy, Busy, Busy

I can’t believe how quickly November has already flown by. I feel like yesterday I was celebrating my birthday and getting ready for Halloween. Of course, at this time of year, there’s plenty to keep you busy (and distracted). This weekend, I spent two great days in Boston with Pete and his parents, and the rest of the time gearing up for a really exciting holiday gift guide. (Not to mention the two-hour 24 special that was on last night).

This week, besides being incredibly busy (and freezing), I am especially excited. Thanksgiving is one of the best days of the year. Not only do I get to go home to New Jersey and see family, I also get to enjoy far too much delicious food. Other things I love about fall? The decorations (my mom and I are especially partial to glass pumpkins), the colorful leaves, the pumpkin bars we plan to make (which, by the way, are delicious), the weather (when you need a sweater or jacket, not a coat and hat), fall walks, and the fireplace, which I’m sure my dad already has going.

What are you looking forward to this week?

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Recipe: Roasted Vegetable Soup

Cold. Grey. Possibility of rain. In other words, the perfect time for soup. And no soup is better than Mom’s, right? This one is especially appropriate because it’s a great time for these roasted vegetables. All that’s missing is a comfortable couch, warm blanket - and maybe a book or great movie.

1 or 2 regular yellow onions, chopped, but not too small
1 red onion
4 stalks celery
4 or 5 carrots, peeled and sliced into big slices
4 parsnips, peeled and sliced into big slices
1 rutabaga (aka yellow turnip)
4 white turnips
3 or 4 white potatoes (russet is best)
1 or 2 sweet potatoes
8-10 cups broth
salt and pepper
parsley for sprinkling on top

This soup is very forgiving. You can add as much of one vegetable as you like and oven roast for longer or shorter, depending on how you like it.

Line two large baking sheets with foil. (You can spray with non-stick spray, but using non-stick foil is especially effective.) Clean and cut all of the vegetables, and, once placed on sheets, drizzle with olive oil.

Put the onions and celery together on a sheet and roast them in the oven for about 18 minutes.
Put carrots and parsnip together on a sheet and roast for 18 minutes.
Roast rutabaga and turnips for 16 minutes.
White potato (sort of small cubes) takes about 15 minutes.
Roast the sweet potato for 12 minutes.

As each veggie is done, add it to a large soup pot and cover with broth (about 10 cups for a large stock pot). You can use either chicken broth or, for a true vegetarian meal, vegetable broth. Cook for about an hour over medium heat and season to taste with salt and pepper.

At this point, you can serve the soup as is, or scoop a few large ladles-full into a food processor or blender and blend it to thicken the soup a bit. Either way is wonderful and, with some bread, makes a warm and hearty fall meal.

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Autumn Chicken Salad

Chicken salad doesn’t necessarily remind you of fall (and, in fact, my chicken salad eating is usually done in the summer), but once you add some apples, nuts, and dried cranberries, it fits perfectly into a November day. We made this recipe up as we went and it’s pretty forgiving, so substitutions are welcome.

Rotisserie Chicken, shredded (The first time we made it, my mom used a slow-cooked chicken from a big outdoor smoker at a farm stand in Maryland.)
A few scallions, thinly sliced
A few stalks of celery, chopped
One apple, diced
Toasted walnuts, broken up
A handful or two of craisins
Peas (fresh if possible!)

For Dressing

3/4 cup mayo
1/4 cider vinegar
3 tablespoons mustard
A few shakes of curry powder
Smoked paprika
Salt and pepper
We also added hickory smoked salt - this is hard to find and optional, but adding a smoky seasoning worked well with the chicken

Combine salad ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk together dressing ingredients in a separate bowl (and taste it so you can add more of any ingredient if you need to.) Pour dressing over salad and mix until coated.

I’m a fan of the sandwich - this goes especially well on cranberry, whole grain, or other “harvest” breads - but this recipe can obviously also be eaten plain or on top of a salad.

See - it’s like summer and fall met up to create a sandwich. I’m envisioning a picnic at the pond in the photo.

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Wordless Wednesday: At the Pumpkin Patch

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Harvest Recipes

Yesterday, even though the weather was actually warmer (in the 60’s), we were in a decidedly fall mood. For breakfast (which, based on the time we finally decided to get up, was really brunch), we had pumpkin pancakes and, for dinner, harvest ravioli. In between, we actually went shopping for sweaters. The only thing missing from our fall day was some football and leaf raking. Here are the recipes:

Pumpkin Pancakes with a Topping of Warm Apples and Candied Pecans and Apple Cider Syrup

For Syrup:

3/4 cup apple cider
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup corn syrup
2 tablespoons butter
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

For pancakes:

1 cup flour
1-2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
2 eggs, separated
1 cup milk
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

For topping:

One apple, peeled, cored, and diced
1/2 - 1 cup pecans
2-3 tablespoons butter
2-3 tablespoons brown sugar

In a large saucepan, combine all syrup ingredients over medium high heat and bring to a boil, stirring a few times. Then turn heat to low and let simmer and reduce for about 25 minutes.

In a small skillet, toast pecans over low heat. Add butter and brown sugar while toasting and stir to coat. Then set aside.

Put apple in microwave-safe bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Microwave on high for two minutes and set aside (still covered).

For pancakes:

In large bowl, combine all dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks, milk, pumpkin, and oil until just smooth. Stir gradually into dry ingredients until moistoned. In a small bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form, then fold gently into batter.

Pour batter by large scoops onto a hot greased skillet or griddle. (We use a Griddler!) Turn when bubbles start to form at edge and cook until golden brown.

Place pancakes on plate, then top with apple, nuts, and syrup.

Harvest Ravioli

One package butternut squash or pumpkin ravioli.
1 cup butternut squash, cubed and pre-cooked (or frozen and microwaved slightly).
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted
1/2 cup dried cranberries
about 5 pieces bacon
1 tablespoon oil

For sauce:

3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
salt and pepper, to taste
2/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

Boil water for pasta while cooking bacon and toasting walnuts. (I cooked the bacon in the oven while toasting the walnuts in a large skillet, but the same skillet can be used for each ingredient.) Set walnuts and bacon aside.

In medium saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Whisk in flour and let cook for about 2 minutes. Slowly add in milk while whisking. Raise the heat to medium low and bring to a boil, whisking somewhat frequently. Then return to low and simmer until thickened (check how it coats the back of the spoon). Stir in the parmesan until smooth/

Add a tablespoon of oil to the same skillet and cook butternut squash until warm or starting to brown. Remove from heat and add in craisins, walnuts, and crumbled bacon.

Cook pasta according to package, then drain, but save about 1/3 cup liquid to add to skillet with squash. Add ravioli to same skillet and stir. Then place in serving bowl and top with sauce.

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Pumpkin Extravaganza

I can’t avoid pumpkins lately; not that I would want to. This weekend, I went to a pumpkin festival and a pumpkin patch, ate pumpkin pie, and put up some new fall decorations. Pumpkins are, of course, the epitome of fall, which is why everything in October is so full of them. And anything seasonal carries with it a certain magic - you need to pick out, collect, carve, decorate, admire, cook, bake, and eat your pumpkins before they disappear again as suddenly as they showed up. Which is why I’ve decided to share some really delicious pumpkin recipes that my family has been collecting over the years (along with a few pumpkin pictures). Hope they put you in even more of a fall mood too.

Pumpkin Spice Muffins

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups flour
6 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 egg
½ cup milk
1 cup pumpkin puree
¼ cup melted butter
½ cup gold raisins (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Combine all dry ingredients and blend well. Beat the eggs with the milk, pumpkin, and butter, then stir into the dry ingredients. Blend until just moist, then stir in raisins. Spoon into buttered muffin tins (this recipe makes 12 muffins). Bake 15-20 minutes.

(Can serve with butter that has been softened and mixed with cinnamon and sugar.)

Pumpkin Scones

Ingredients:

½ cup sugar
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons butter
1 egg
½ cup pumpkin puree
¼ cup sour cream
½ teaspoon ginger (or grated fresh ginger) or 2 tablespoons finely chopped crystallized ginger (optional)

Preheat oven to 425. Put aside 1 tablespoon of sugar and add the rest with the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Cut in 4 tablespoons of the butter with a pastry blender or your hands until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg. Add to this the pumpkin, sour cream, and ginger (if using). Beat until well blended, then add to the flour mixture and stir until a soft dough forms.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead about 10 times. Roll the dough out into a 9” x 6” rectangle. Cut out 6 squares (approximately 3 inches each) with a floured knife, and then cut each square in half.

Place each triangle 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Melt the remaining butter and brush on top of the dough before sprinkling with the remaining sugar.

Cook for about 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown.

Pumpkin Biscotti

Note: Biscotti dough isn’t generally the easiest to work with, but it is always so worth it!

Ingredients:

3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups firmly packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
½ cup mashed canned pumpkin
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons butter
1 ¼ cup macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice in a large bowl and stir well. In another bowl, stir pumpkin, eggs, and vanilla together with a whisk. Slowly add the pumpkin mixture to the flour mixture, stirring until moistened. (Mixture will be very crumbly, but becomes moist after stirring.) Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the nuts and cook, stirring constantly, until browned. Remove from heat and cool, then gently stir into the dough. Place the dough on a floured surface and divide into four portions. Flour hands and shape each piece into a 1” x 15” log. Place logs 3” apart on lightly greased cookie sheets and bake for 23 minutes. Allow logs to cool for 15 minutes. In the meantime, reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees and cut each log (diagonally) into slices about ½” thick, using a serrated knife. Place slices flat on ungreased cookie sheets and bake for an additional 15 minutes. (You can turn them over halfway through.) Cool completely on wire racks.

Pumpkin Bars

Ingredients:

For cake:

4 eggs
1 2/3 cup sugar
1 cup cooking oil
1 16oz can pumpkin
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt

For icing:

1 3oz cream cheese
1 stick butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In the bowl of your stand mixer, beat together eggs, sugar, oil, and pumpkin until light and fluffy. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture and mix thoroughly. Spread the batter in an ungreased 15” x 10” x 1” pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes and cool before frosting.

Icing: Cream together cream cheese and butter. Stir in vanilla and then add sugar a little at a time, beating until mixture is smooth. Frost cake and sprinkle with chopped nuts if desired.

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Making the Most of Fall in New England

One of the best things about living in New England is the fall. Everyone told me that summer here is the best; days are warm and long, and the city clears out when college students head home in April and May. And, while summer was nice, it’s generally accepted that fall is New England’s greatest work of art. And, since we are lucky enough to be in Massachusetts this time of year, Pete and I try to visit places outside of the Boston/Cambridge area. Last year, at this time, we saw some pretty great foliage in New Hampshire. And two years ago, we spent an October weekend (which just happened to be my birthday) exploring Martha’s Vineyard. Recently, we headed to Rockport.

I’ve wanted to go to Rockport for several years, ever since seeing a picture of the town. North of Boston (and right near Gloucester), Rockport is surrounded by the ocean on three sides. The town if filled with history, old houses, fisherman, and artists - all of which make it a picturesque New England town. And while I’m sure it’s beautiful during all four seasons (I can image the flower-filled parks and window boxes in the spring, the sun-drenched boat decks in the summer, and the narrow streets and old houses lined with snow in the winter), I have a feeling there’s no better time to enjoy the town than right now.

We started out at Halibut Point State Park, where we spent the morning hiking through the wooded paths and along the Atlantic coast. Apparently, on a clear day like the one we had, you can see straight through to the coast of Maine. (Although how you would distinguish it from the numerous other visible coastlines, I’m not sure.) We also hiked by the quarry, where granite was taken at the turn of the century and used in numerous roads, bridges, and buildings, including the Custom House Tower in Boston (which I tend to take a picture of every time we eat in the North End).

Eventually, we decided to head back into town in search of lunch. Parking in Rockport was virtually impossible, but, after circling the center of town about three or four times, we finally found a spot. We had sandwiches at Brackett’s Oceanview Restaurant, an old town favorite that is known, of course, for its ocean view. We then wandered around town, ate some homemade fudge (how can you resist?), checked out a number of art galleries, and even saw a couple getting married.

We may not have eaten seafood or watched a Red Sox game but, all in all, it was the perfect New England day.

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Fall Recipe: Luci’s Skirt Steak with Cipollini Onions

1/3 cup flour
3 lbs. skirt steak, each piece cut into thirds
3 - 4 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups beef broth
1 cup dry red wine
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 to 1 1/2 lbs. cipollini onions
Button mushrooms, halved (optional)

Place the flour in a shallow bowl and coat the meat lightly on all sides, knocking off excess flour. Set aside.

Heat 3 Tbls. oil in large saute pan over high heat. Brown the meat a few pieces at a time - don’t crowd the pan. Transfer the browned meat to a slow cooker. Add the broth and red wine to the sauté pan and bring to a boil over high heat, using a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits. Cook until the liquids have reduced a bit, then pour the mixture over the meat in the slow cooker, and add the vinegar, soy sauce, and tomato paste. Cover and cook on low for 5 hours, or high for 2 hours, then add the onions (and mushrooms, if using) and cook another 2 hours on low, or 1 1/2 hours more on high. Can serve with cous cous (we make red, white, and green “confetti cous cous” by adding peas, slivered almonds, and either chopped roasted red pepper or pimento) and lightly sautéed Swiss chard doused with balsamic vinegar while cooking.

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Wordless Wednesday: The Colors of Fall

It’s not recent, but here is what fall will soon look like in New Hampshire.

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