Autumnal Wedding Celebrations

This is the most beautiful fall I've seen in New England in years. 

Thankfully, since my little brother got married last weekend. We decorated accordingly.

Did some skeet shooting (it's the country). The wedding party arranged:

Oh yes, that's me. I hate being a joiner.

The weather was holding strong through the rehearsal, if a bit overcast

Hats add to all occasions.

An accurate representation of my life in a picture

There were farm animals at the venue!

The night before the big event, we continued the country celebrations...

The big day arrived with only a few early sprinkles of rain.

The scene was set. The wedding party was in order. 

The syrup was ready. You know, just in case you have an emergency syrup need.

...and the magic happened.

Pea Soup for the Season

Regardless of how you feel about the fall season - the 'PSL' 10th anniversary is really a bit much - the changing weather and shortening days in the northern regions do lend themselves to a change in menus.

That is, it's time for soup. 

Soup is a wonderful food product. It is comforting, delicious, healthy (for the most part), and you can make gallons of it and freeze it those times you don't want to cook. 

This recipe comes from a Daily Mail article about living on one pound (US $1.60) a day. I wasn't looking for an inexpensive recipe, but I'm intrigued by a challenge (and veggie-focused meals!)

I tend to make it a little differently each time, adding more or less of any of the ingredients and the end product always comes out lovely. 

Pea Soup
Adapted from the Mail

(Serves 4, 83p or US$1.32 per serving)

Ingredients

1tbsp Olive Oil

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 crushed garlic clove or the equilivant of chopped garlic

3 1/2 or 4 cups frozen or canned peas (the little ones)

3 cups of chicken / vegetable sotck

1 tablespoon Unsalted Butter 

To make

1. Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the onion and cook over a medium heat for 5-6 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes.

2. Stir in the peas and pour in the stock. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10-12 minutes.

3. Blend the soup (I have the ninja, which is amazing for blending hot things compared to most blenders).

4. Return to the pan and simmer for 2 minutes. Stir in the butter.

Serve with sour cream to taste and enjoy.

The only Soup you'll ever need

The lovely American holiday of Thanksgiving is only mere hours away and while I have an afternoon of sitting in traffic to look forward to, here is easy, healthy, and most importantly delicious recipe that can be made ahead and is sure to impress.

I discovered this recipe years ago and the first time I made it was one of those landmark moments in my life where I felt I knew how to cook for real. My Mom and I both make it and it is always a crowd pleaser. Incredibly creamy and sweet-savory, autumnal and beautifully orange, it's rich without being overly so and would be a perfect accompaniment to a holiday feast.

Creamy Butternut Squash Soup

2 pounds skinned butternut squash, cut into 1 inch chunks
1 cup chopped onion
2 carrots, chopped
2 cups chicken stock (veggie stock, if you are so inclined)
2 tablespoons butter
½ cup light or heavy cream

Chop all vegetables and place in soup pot with chicken stock.  Simmer until squash is tender; about 40 minutes.  

Carefully transfer cooked vegetables and stock into a blender and puree until smooth.

Add butter and mix well, making sure butter is completely melted.

Return puree to soup pot and whisk in cream.

Serve.

Makes 6-8 helpings.
Freezes well; thaw and reheat on the stove top or in the microwave. Stir well before serving.

Enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving!

Snackles: Is it dessert or breakfast?

It’s fall and that means all the stereotypical autumnal ingredients: apples, pumpkin, turkey, cinnamon, cloves, cranberries...

Of course the New England region probably deserves some credit for this seasonal list of tasty treats, as we do traditionally incorporate them into our local dishes and produce many of them quite well.  So in celebration of the season, my home, and pretending dessert is healthy, here’s what I’ve been cooking lately...

Slow Cooker Apple Crisp (dessert and breakfast in one pot!)

One quart slow cooker

3-5 apples, peeled and chopped (enough to fill the slow cooker pot  3/4ths full)
One cup of old fashioned oats or granola cereal (or a mix)
Heaping teaspoon cinnamon
Tablespoon walnuts (or other nuts, or no nuts)
⅓ cup Light Brown Sugar
3 ½ tablespoons butter, melted

1. Slice and dice the peeled apples into uniformly sized pieces.  Put about half in the slow cooker pot, add some thinly sliced butter and layer the rest of the apples on top.

2. Mix the oats / granola, cinnamon, and walnuts together and spread evenly over the apples.

3. Layer the brown sugar on top evenly.

4. Pour the melted butter all over that goodness.

Cook on high for 30 minutes and low for 60 minutes OR the slow cooker recipe book I have says cook on low for three hours. The 30 minute high and 60 minute low seems to work for me.

Serve with whipped cream, yogurt, or ice cream.

Makes four servings (or two, depending on how you go about it).

I’ve had now made three different versions of this recipe (different apples and different topping mix) and it has always come out beautifully. In a one quart slow cooker, this makes enough for two decent sized dessert servings and two leftover ‘definitely healthy enough for breakfast’ servings. It’s apples, people. Enjoy!