Favorite Fall Recipes

I just ate my first fall apple. Late in the apple season, I know, but there were lots of peaches in early September. It was a Cortland, one of my favorite kinds, with just enough tart to balance the sweet and juicy only the way a fall apple can be. I do keep eating apples well into the winter, but they just aren't the same as the crunchy red and green fruit that I eat as the sun warms the cool autumn air. The leaves have gone from deep green to golden and many are starting to fall.

Along with all of the nostalgia that comes with the new season, I've noticed that I return to favorite fall recipes. They aren't anything fancy, but they require ingredients that are best this time of year. There are a few recipes that I forget about until late September. I might only make them once or twice this season but somehow I always remember them right around this time. That's what I love about eating seasonally, the favorites that reappear when the ingredients are available.

Here are some of the fall recipes I love. Ginger pear upside-down cake. Tomatoes Filled with Rice. Acorn squash quesadillas (I like them with cranberry salsa) I'm sure there are more.... What are your favorite fall recipes?

Spaghetti Squash For Busy People

It's been a busy few months, but I've probably mentioned that a few times, haven't I? Things are gradually slowing down. I can deal with lack of days off, being too tired, and not having time for spontaneity but I am realizing that being so busy is starting to take its toll.

I'm not here to complain, just to point out that when I have so little free time I feel like I am always trying to get somewhere that I just out of reach. I am the type of person who likes to do everything on my list before I can relax. I also happen to have several projects on top of my regular work schedule. All of this is making me too impatient. When I am waiting in line, I find myself unnecessarily frustrated at the slow person in front of me. Traffic is never fun, but lately I've been annoyed at all the red lights and impossible left turns that seem to keep me from every getting where I want to go. Now that I've noticed my impatience, I am trying to remember that waiting can be time for a little day dreaming, a moment of restfulness in the midst of another too full day.

When I'm in the kitchen, I don't feel the need to hurry. I may be hungry but cooking dinner never has to be rushed. Just having a few evenings a week at home to cook and then sit down at the table with Ray is a luxury these days. There have been nights when I've been too tired to think about cooking but usually planning and making dinner is an enjoyable priority. I listen to Marketplace, do the dishes, read my favorite blogs or write for this one while ingredients simmer or bake.

I am still having fun using the different vegetables I get from the farm. Last night I cooked spaghetti squash for the first time. I think it's strange that there is a squash whose flesh so resembles noodles. It makes me wonder which came first, spaghetti or spaghetti squash? Either way, I'm glad I tried it. The tangly strands of squash work well as a main dish with accompaniments and it isn't hard to find flavors that complement its not-too-sweet squashy flavor.

Easy Spaghetti Squash
Cooking the squash takes some time, but just throw it in the oven, set a timer, and do whatever else you need to do.

1 medium to large spaghetti squash
olive oil
one small onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon butter (optional, but it adds a nice flavor)
6-8 leaves of fresh sage, finely chopped
1/4 cup gruyere or parmesan cheese, grated
salt and pepper 


Cut the spaghetti squash in half, scoop out the seeds and place each half cut side down on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 30-60 minutes or until the squash can be easily poked with a fork. Or, cook it whole on a baking sheet -- you'll have to scoop out the seeds after it is cooked, but it only takes a second to get it in the oven. When it is done baking, let the squash cool until you can touch without burning yourself. Using a fork, scrap out the squash into spaghetti like strands.

In an oven-proof skillet heat a tablespoon or so of olive oil. Add the onion and cook over medium heat until to begins to caramelize slightly. Add the garlic and butter if you are using it and continue cooking for another minute or two. Place the squash in the pan with the garlic and onions, sprinkle in the sage and stir everything so all of the ingredients are evenly combined. Stir in the cheese and continue cooking for 3-4 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Place the skillet in the still hot oven and cook for 20 minutes more. Let cool for a few minutes before serving.

A Pensive Autumn Mood

After last week's frost, the autumn weather has been hanging around. Yesterday morning I stood under dark gray skies in a field of tawny golden dried grass (weeds gone to seed and then turned crisp and dry by the frost) and harvested the last of purple cabbages. Their color was so vibrant against the clouds which seem to intensify all of the hues of the day. While I cut each head of tightly connected leaves, I dreamed of our future farm, winters that will someday be warmed by a wood stove, and thought about the fullness of our cupboards even now.

As the season changes, I really can't help but join in the pensive mood that this time of year seems to bring. Working on a farm reinforces the sense of the cycle that happens each year. Planting seeds and seeing them through to harvest, filling and emptying jars, drawing inward, shutting windows, sleeping under heavier blankets as the cooler weather arrives and eventually throwing them off and opening things up to greet spring. I am reminded of past fall seasons and moments that happened under other dark autumn skies.

I also think about the season to come. Though it isn't necessary for me to stock up on food and warmth, I have been thinking about what else I should gather while this part of the world is still growing. Last week I said I was nearly done with canning, but 10 pounds of peaches that someone never picked up from the farm ended up in my kitchen last night. I had seen this recipe for peach butter here and here and I knew that was where they would go. I did not mind the warmth of the simmering peach butter or the pot of boiling water steaming up the kitchen windows.



All these preserves tucked away on the shelves are more than just pretty jars. It won't be long before I'll be opening them and using them as often as possible. The peach butter is a deep orange, the rusty color of a fall leaf, with a rich peachy flavor. Right away it begged to be spread on a buttery biscuit. So I whipped up a batch as quickly as possible and ate most of them right away, too. These are simple biscuits with a very buttery flavor. They are ideal for enjoying homemade jam or peach butter while gazing out the window in a pensive autumn mood.



Simple Buttermilk Biscuits
Adapted from Mollie Katzen's Sunlight Cafe
I usually prefer to mix doughs by hand rather than have to wash the bowl of the food processor, but these are so easy to mix in the food processor that I didn't mind washing it while they baked. You can, of course, mix them by hand.

2 cups (6 ounces) whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons sugar (optional)
6 tablespoons (3 ounces) cold unsalted butter
2/3 cup cold buttermilk

Preheat the oven to 400'. In the bowl of a food processor, place the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and sugar. Process briefly to combine or, if mixing by hand, stir together in a mixing bowl. Cut the butter into smaller pieces and add to the dry ingredients in the food processor. Pulse several times until the butter is broken up and the butter and flour are combined to resemble a coarse meal. Or cut the butter into the dry ingredients by hand until it resembles a coarse meal. With the food processor running, pour in the buttermilk and process just until the dough comes together. Or, by hand stir in the buttermilk until the dough comes together. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and gently press it into a circle about eight inches in diameter and about 3/4 inch thick. Cut the biscuits with a knife, a biscuit cutter, or a glass of the desired size. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the tops are light golden brown. Let cool for a few minutes before eating.

Makes 8 to 10 medium sized biscuits.

Small Ways to Make a Difference

Although I have been busy lately, I am thankful for the opportunities I have to do things that I love, to spend time with great people and to continue along on my path. I know that not everyone is so lucky, and safety, comfort, and normalcy can be taken away in an instant by forces way beyond their control. I'm not sure if it is because news and images from around the world are so quickly and readily available but sometimes it seems that there has been one tragedy after another -- from earthquakes to tornadoes, hurricanes and flooding that have interrupted or drastically changed people's lives.

Sometimes I can't believe how lucky I am that I have remained safe from the harsh and indifferent forces of nature and even from much of the the cruelty of life. It can be hard to even comprehend what people near and far have had to go through. Because I have so much to be thankful for, I feel the importance of doing what I can to give back and perhaps make a very small difference in the face of something so big.

Last week El, from Fresh New England, wrote about Vermont and the devastation that hurricane Irene left to this small and beautiful state. El baked a beautiful Love Vermont fudge cake and asked others to do the same to show that we care about Vermont and other places that have been touched by disaster and tragedy. I really really wanted to bake, but this was a very busy week and I didn't have time to make something chocolatey and delicious. Fortunately, baking is not the only way we can help. El has created a page of other ways to show that we Love Vermont.

Although I have never seen some of the places affected by tragedy with my own eyes, I still wish I could help. Vermont, on the other hand, is a place that I know. Not all of it, but I will always fondly remember the time I spent as an apprentice in the market garden at Shelburne Farms. On the shores of Lake Champlain I got to know a part of beautiful green state, made some wonderful friends, and began my love of growing food and making everything from scratch. Now I think of my friends in Vermont and those places far away and hope that I can help in some small way.

In thinking about the challenges that people and the world face, I have come to believe that we all must find what truly brings us joy and in doing that, living that, we will make the world a better place. I have recently come across other projects that bloggers have created to make a difference where their passion lies such as this book and this website. Whether you choose to bake, share food with someone in need, volunteer, make a donation, there are so many ways to help and to bring more joy the the world.

The Rhythm of the Seasons

I spent most of yesterday harvesting crops that wouldn't survive the freeze we got last night. We cut all the winter squash from their vines placed them in long piles and covered them so they could make it through the cold night. After working hard all summer, I've reached the point where it is okay to harvest the last of the tomatoes and cucumbers. While I'm not quite ready for months and months of cold weather, I'm not opposed to the slowing down that I hope will come with it.

I think my preserving is also winding down for the season, and that is a fine thing. This week I made some dilly beans, tomato jam, and a few more cans of whole tomatoes. This morning I visited a berry farm and picked raspberries to make jam.

In the chill of yesterday morning, I was thinking about how I wish I could soak up the sun's warmth while it is still around and save it for the cold days of winter. The closest I can come to that is all the jars of summer fruits and vegetables. I have made a great effort this year to stow away as much as I can in jars and it has been a lot of rewarding work. I love that this is part of the rhythm of the seasons and I am looking forward to this transition from a season of warmth and abundance to one that lets me slow down and find more time for things inside and inside myself.

What is the season like where you are? Are you ready for the transition that comes this time of year?

Saturday Farmers' Market

I spent Saturday morning at the Northeast Minneapolis Farmers' Market selling my wares. It was a beautiful morning to be at the market.

The piles of vegetables and buckets of flowers never cease to delight my eyes. Though I've seen them at so many markets before, I can't resist trying to capture these images again.

We've had gorgeous weather lately. This week started out hot and summery, but a cold front has come through and there is talk of frost on later in the week. After all the subtle changes that mark summer's slow leave-taking the frost is a harsh reminder that of course this season won't last. There will still be warm days and plenty to harvest even if the cold nips the summer vegetables away but not for too much longer. All the more reason to bask in what we've got, whether it is t-shirts and sandals or boots and a wool sweater.

While at the market, I couldn't resist picking up a large watermelon and another box of tomatoes some of which will become jam. What have you been doing to capture the end of summer or welcome fall?

The Taste of a Fresh Summer Peach

I am enamored with fruits and vegetables. Hanging heavy from tree branches or bushes, ripening from green to red in the warm sun, piled in a bowl, chopped on a cutting board, or tucked away in a jar. This is before they even get to my plate.

Peaches, though -- peaches! Piled into a wooden bowl, ripening in the morning sunlight. Golden flesh covered in a softly blushing fuzzy skin. They are sweet and juicy and decadent like the long lasting, utilitarian apple could never be. I am happy to eat these peaches, even though they are a gorgeous still life which I don't want to disturb.

Luckily I have more. I received a box of 25 organic Colorado peaches last week. The farm where I work offers shares of other delicacies besides the vegetables we grow, so every other week I take home my fruit share in a box. The fruit is collected from organic farms all over the country. Often it is a selection of mixed fruit, but sometimes we get just one thing: blueberries, cherries, or, last week, peaches.

When you have fruit that is nearly perfect, it is a luxury to enjoy it in abundance. The peaches need no adornment, and I've eaten many just as they are. It is almost silly to tamper with them, but I couldn't resist adding a little cream and crust to these lovely fruits.

I baked these rustic, individual tarts with my favorite gallette dough and a hint of mascarpone.The crust is buttery, tender and flaky. I was inspired by this recipe to make mascarpone cheese and pair it with the peaches. The cheese is an easy way to transform cream into something even better. I was glad to learn another easy fresh cheese, which will come in handy this winter. While these tartlets are not an option year round, I will certainly be making mascarpone again, even when I can only remember the taste of a fresh summer peach.

Rustic Peach Tartlets
The crust is a gallete dough adapted from Deborah Madison.

For the crust:
2 cups (8 ounces) whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
10 tablespoons (5 ounces)  cold, unsalted butter
1/3 to 1/2 cup ice water

Mix the flour, salt and sugar in a bowl. Cut the butter into small pieces and drop them into the flour. Using your hands, a fork, or a pastry blender cut the butter into smaller pieces and mix it with the flour until the whole thing resembles a coarse meal, with some pieces of butter pea-size or occasionally larger. Sprinkle the ice water on top, a tablespoon at a time, and toss the mixture to combine. When you can bring the dough together without loose flour, press it into a ball. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

For the filling:
1 cup mascarpone cheese (follow Ashley's recipe to make your own, it's fun and easy!)
2 eggs, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons sugar, plus more for sprinkling
3-4 ripe peaches

Preheat the oven to 350'

Mix the mascarpone, egg yolks (save the whites for brushing on the crust), vanilla and 2 tablespoons of sugar together until smooth.

Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces. Put 5 of the pieces back in the fridge. Take one piece, flatten it into a round disk and on a lightly floured non-stick surface (I use a silpat, but parchment works well, too) roll the dough until it is about 6-inches in diameter and roughly round. Slice one peach in half, and slice each half into thin wedges, about 8 per half. Spoon two tablespoons of the mascarpone filling onto the center of the rolled out dough. Arrange the peach slices so they overlap with each other and form a circle in the center of the dough (depending on the size of the peach, you'll use about half a peach per tart-let). There should be 1/2 inch to an inch of dough beyond the edge of the fruit. 

Fold the edges of the dough over the peaches to create the edge of the tart. The folded sides will overlap. Gently press the dough together where it overlaps to contain the peaches and filling. Dip a pastry brush in the egg whites and coat the top of the crust. Sprinkle about a teaspoon of sugar over the dough and peaches. Repeat this process for the rest of the dough. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.

Makes six individual sized rustic tarts.

A Little Adventure

It was a somewhat rainy weekend for camping, but perfect for taking a leisurely hike, having a picnic lunch and reading a new book in our cozy tent. Fortunately the rain let up so we could be mesmerized by a campfire, eat smores, and enjoy the company of good friends. I hope you enjoyed your weekend. I'll be back soon with a new recipe!

We spent an evening at the Minnesota State Fair this week. It was a lovely summer night, perfect for riding our bikes over to the fairgrounds. Last year was the first time we went and we got to see the butter sculptures, animals, horse antics and feel overwhelmed by how many people were there.

This time it was slightly less crowded. We walked around, took in the sights and ate. No deep fried cookie dough, but we did have some corn on the cob, fried cheese curds and apple pie! This afternoon we're leaving to go camping for a couple of days. I'm loving the chance to enjoy more summer activities. I hope you get a chance, too!