I have always been a big fan of apple butter. I love the flavor of fall that it brings to a buttery English muffin or a whole grain piece of toast. I also do not particularly like the consistency of jelly, but apple butter is creamy in a way that jelly is gelatinous. A few years back, I started using apple butter to make a "fancy" version of grilled cheese, a grilled cheese worthy of being served for dinner. It's particularly good with extra sharp cheddar and thinly sliced apples on seedy bread.
There are a couple of different methods you can use to make apple butter. This particular one is simmered overnight in a slow cooker (one of my favorite cooking methods), then pureed in a blender. It’s an "eat it now or freeze for later" version, meaning that this is not a recipe suitable for canning and long-term storage.
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Every year I think to myself that I am not ready for the holiday season to begin. That I am not ready for pumpkin flavored drinks and breads and desserts. That I still want to wear shorts and short dresses and flip-flops rather than rain jackets and boots and jeans. And then it hits me...every year.
I suddenly find myself looking forward to the chill in the air, the gray rainy days, and pulling on a sweatshirt for our morning walk. I remember the coziness of watching football under a blanket on the sofa. And, find that the sight of pumpkins and mums puts an immediate smile on my face. I remember just how much I love fall, particularly October, and this love of the season starts to show itself in my cooking and baking. Cinnamon and nutmeg start to move toward the front of the spice shelf. Pumpkins and apples and butternut squash start to find their way into muffins and breads and sauces.
I made these muffins a few weekends ago for Jack's soccer team snack. They were practically inhaled by the children. They are moist and sweet (In fact, I almost think I can cut back on the sugar which I may try to do...an excuse to make them again.) and satisfying by themselves as breakfast or a snack, but even better paired with a scrambled egg or a hunk of good cheddar cheese. Baking them at a lower temperature for a longer time than a normal muffin will produce a very moist final product which I think you will appreciate.
Read MoreJack has been adjusting pretty well to this new routine of Kindergarten. He eagerly gets himself dressed in the morning, excited to wear his new clothes and shoes. He walks up the hill to school with pride, bouncing and telling me more stories from the day before as he processes what lies before him on this day. He is making friends- one child even brought him a cookie yesterday for lunch- although he doesn't seem to know more than a few of his classmates names. He eats a big breakfast in the morning after learning on the first day that there are no snacks before lunch; he told me "I couldn't play much on the first recess because I was so hungry that my belly hurt."
All of this make me proud as I watch him find his own way (aside from the being hungry part which made me incredibly sad). But, I can also see between the lines and I know he still has some nerves that are being rattled, some fear over what this school thing is all about. "School is boring" he said this morning, when I think what he really means is that it is uncomfortable, so full of unknowns. Overwhelming unfamiliar. And this makes me feel helpless and a bit worried for him.
Read MoreOne of the pleasures of deciding to stay at home this year is the opportunity to bake more often. I decided that with the start of the school year, I would bake more breakfast foods since some mornings can feel so rushed and having breakfast already prepared can be such a lifesaver. I also really love a good breakfast pastry and when you make it yourself, it feels less indulgent and, perhaps, even healthy.
To kick-off the school year, I baked a dozen lemon ricotta muffins. I think I was channeling some of my yearning to travel back to Italy after seeing so many Instagram feeds during the summer featuring beautiful beachside Italian towns like Positano.
Read MoreIt shouldn't be a surprise to any of you that vegetarian dinners are a given in my home. I have many recipes posted here that feature beans as the primary protein or pastawith vegetables as the main course. I like meat. We eat meat. But, we don't eat meat very often and, in fact, most of our dinners at home each week are vegetarian. I also love a savory breakfast dish for dinner. This frittata just sort of happened and I'm glad it did because it was very good. It's also easy to prepare, which is so helpful with all of the after-school fall activities that are starting to fill the calendars. Plus, the leftovers are wonderful the next day for lunch.
Read MoreIt's funny. While I think that I feel ready for fall, my actions show that I'm still holding onto summer. At Trader Joe's this week, the kind cashier pointed out that a large component of my groceries were ice cream, coffee, and wine with a good smattering of summer vegetables to round things out and to make life balanced. I laughed when he noticed and then examined my items more closely noting that all the wines I chose were whites and roses, that I had 3 pounds of tomatoes, 4 pounds of peaches, and not yet one item purchased for the lunch box lunches that will commence after Labor Day.
Read MoreI haven't posted a weekly menu in over 3 years! I honestly could not believe it when I went searching for my last menu post and I had to keep going further and further back. It's funny how life can move us off our path without us really even noticing. I created this blog to share recipes, to share my passion for being in the kitchen, and to inspire you to make real food for your table. I have also enjoyed using it as an arena for sharing family moments and travel. It's my online journal and I love all of you for reading it and indulging me. It makes me particularly happy when I receive an email from one of you commenting on a post or telling me that you have made a recipe that I've published. I have absolutely loved hearing from all of you over the years! In addition to the family themed posts (precious newborn days and funny and cute kid moments are in our future, so yeah, there will continue to be family posts...how could I not?!), I'm ready to also get back to this blog's original purpose...food. No promises on frequency, but here's to a valiant start with a return of a weekly dinner menu post plus recipe.
Dinner Menu, Week of January 12th:
(We have a standing Friday night pizza dinner while Jack plays soccer and on Saturdays we get take-out or go out, so these days will be skipped in the dinner planning.)
Monday: Black and Ranchero bean and cheese burritos with salsa verde
Tuesday: Cheese ravioli with marinara sauce; roasted broccoli
Wednesday: Mojito salmon; garlic herb linguine; power greens salad
Thursday: Egg, spinach, and cheese wraps; Citrus slices
Sunday: Slow roasted salmon with fennel and citrus (see recipe below); roasted fingerling potatoes; arugula salad
Read MoreI love a good salad. For dinner, for lunch, as a side. But as much as I love a scrumptious bed of perfectly dressed greens, I despise a dressing-drenched pile of tasteless lettuce. And, I equally despise bottled salad dressing with all of its preservatives and stabilizers- ingredients listed on the back of the bottle that I cannot even begin to utter aloud as I have no idea how to pronounce them correctly.
Typically, our salads take a side role for our weekend lunch and nightly dinners. And, as a suitable side, our salads are simple and usually consist of arugula, goat cheese, a drizzle of olive oil, and a sprinkling of Kosher salt, and, if we are feeling fancy, a splash of fresh lemon juice and a smattering of dried cranberries. I like our simple salad.
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