NOVEMBER GLORY ~ 'THE LEAVES OF GOLD CAME TUMBLING DOWN ...'

"Even if something is left undone, everyone must take time to sit still and watch the leaves turn."

~ Elizabeth Lawrence

LEAF ABSTRACT

"How silently they tumble down

And come to rest upon the ground

To lay a carpet, rich and rare,

Beneath the trees without a care,

Content to sleep, their work well done,

Colors gleaming in the sun.

At other times, they wildly fly

Until they nearly reach the sky.

Twisting, turning through the air

Till all the trees stand stark and bare.

Exhausted, drop to earth below

To wait, like children, for the snow."

~ Elsie N. Brady, Leaves

PLAYIN' IN THE LEAVES ~ SIMPLE TUSCAN CHICKEN / GRILLED EGGPLANT and GOAT CHEESE SALAD

"Every leaf speak bliss to me, fluttering from the autumn tree."

~ Emily Bronte

AUTUMN TEXTURE ABSTRACT

"But I remember more dearly autumn afternoons in bottoms that lay intensely silent under old great trees."

~ C.S. Lewis

SIMPLE TUSCAN LEMON CHICKEN

~ easy autumn fare

6 boneless chicken breast (or thighs)

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

juice and zest from 1 lemon

1 Tbsp. minced garlic

1 Tbsp. minced fresh rosemary

1 tsp. minced fresh thyme

freshly ground black pepper and coarse salt to taste

• Combine olive oil, lemon juice, zest, garlic, rosemary, thyme, pepper and salt. Pour over chicken and marinate several hours or overnight.
• Remove chicken from marinade and grill on med-high for 20-30 minuted, depending on size of breast. Turn every 10 minutes and baste with remaining marinade. Cover and let rest before serving.

GRILLED EGGPLANT and GOAT CHEESE SALAD

~ From Giada De Laurentiis

3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

7 Japanese eggplant, ends trimmed, cut into 1-in. wide slices

1/2 cup toasted pine nuts

3 oz. crumbled goat cheese

1/3 cup thinly sliced basil

2 Tbsp. chopped mint

3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1.2 tsp. freshly ground pepper

• Place a grill pan over med-high heat or preheat gas or charcoal grill.
• Drizzle olive oil over slices of eggplant and toss to coat. Grill eggplants until tender and grill marks appear, about 3-4 minutes per side.
• Place eggplants side-by-side on serving platter. Sprinkle with pine nuts, goat cheese, basil, and mint. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. (4-6 servings)

'AUTUMN QUILT' ~ A LEAF MOSAIC

"Everyone must take time to sit and watch the leaves turn."

~ Elizabeth Lawrence

'AUTUMN QUILT'

‎"Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all."

- Stanley Horowitz

AUTUMN LEAVES & ABSTRACTS ~ MEDITERRANEAN TOSTADA/LEMON PASTA with ROASTED SHRIMP/LEMON YOGURT CAKE

“Every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the autumn tree.”

~ Emily Bronte

MEDITERRANEAN TOSTADA with HUMMUS, FETA, & OLIVES

~ easy carb friendly appetizer from KalynsKitchen.com

Ingredients:

( for 2 but make as many as desired)

2 low-carb or whole wheat flour tortillas (cut in half)

2 tsp. + 2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup very finely chopped Romaine lettuce

1/4 cup finely crumbled Feta

10 finely chipped Kalamata olives

1/2 cup hummus

• Preheat oven to 400º, placing cookie sheet inside to heat as the oven does. While oven heats, wash and dry lettuce and finely chiop to make 1/2 cup. Crumble feta cheese and chop the olives.
• When oven is hot, lightly spray or bursh cookie sheet with olive oil and place flour tortillas on it. Toast until lightly browned and firm, turning over about every minute or so. (Depending on tortillas, takes about 5 minutes or so but watch closely at the end.)
• Remove tortillas from oven and let cool for a few minutes.
• Top each crisp tortilla with: a thin layer of hummus, slight drizzle of olive oil, chopped lettuce, finely crumbled feta and finely chopped Kalamata olives.

LEMON PASTA With ROASTED SHRIMP

~ Autumn friendly especially before frost hits the tender basil ... adapted from Ina Garten

2 lbs. (peeled and deveined) large shrimp

1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

coarse salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 cloves minced garlic

2 lemons, zested and juiced

1 lb. angel hair pasta

fresh chopped basil to taste

Grated Parmesan or fresh feta cheese to taste (optional)

• Preheat oven to 400º and bring large pot of water to boil.
• Place shrimp on baking sheet with olive oil, salt and freshly ground pepper. Toss well and spread over pan. Roast for 6-8 minutes, just until pink and cooked through.
• While shrimp are roasting, melt butter and olive oil. Cook garlic until soft. Add lemon juice, zest and a touch of salt to taste. Add salt and a drizzle of olive oil to boiling water. Cook pasta al dente, about 3 minutes. Drain, reserving some cooking liquid.
• Quickly toss pasta in butter/olive oil. Add roasted shrimp and 1/2 cup of reserved cooking liquid. Toss again adding fresh basil.
• Serve hot topped with cheese. (6 servings)

Note: A good Caprese Salad, crusty peasant bread, and good white wine makes the meal complete.

LEMON YOGURT CAKE

~ from Barefoot Contessa at Home

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1 cup plain whole milk yogurt

1 1/3 cups sugar, divided

3 extra-large eggs

2 tsp grated lemon zest (2 lemons)

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

For the glaze:

1 cup confectioners' sugar

2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

• Preheat oven to 350º. Grease and 8 1/2 x 4 1/4 by 2 1/2-inch loaf pan. Line bottom with parchment paper. Grease and flour the pan.
• Sift together flour, baking powder and salt into 1 bowl. In another bowl, whisk together yogurt, 1 cup sugar, the eggs, lemon zest and vanilla. Slowly whisk dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. With a rubber spatula, fold vegetable oil into the batter, making sure all is incorporated. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for about 50 minutes, or until a cake tester placed in center of loaf comes out clean.
• Meanwhile, cook 1/3 cup lemon juice and remaining 1/3 cup sugar in a small pan until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is clear. Set aside.
• When cake is done, allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and peel off parchment. While cake is still warm, pour lemon-sugar mixture over the cake and allow it to soak in. Cool.
• For the glaze, combine the onfectioners' sugar and lemon juice and drizzle over the cooled cake.

AUTUMN MOSAIC ~ AUTUMN DESSERT (Pear Tarte Tatin)

"Winter is an etching,

spring a watercolor,

summer an oil painting

and autumn a mosaic of them all."

~ Stanley Horowitz

FALL ABSTRACTS

(AUTUMN LEAVES)

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PEAR TARTE TATIN

~ Delightful and easy autumn dessert from A Taste of the Canadian Rockies Cookbook (Lake O'Hara Lodge, Yoho National Park)

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5-6 peeled, cored and sliced pears

4 Tbsp. butter

1/4 cup sugar

cinnamon to taste

nutmeg to taste

12-inch pie pastry (1/8 inch thick)

Whipping cream

• On stovetop, in an oven proof skillet, melt butter. Add sugar and caramelize (be careful as sugar burns very easily). Remove from heat. Add pears, sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg. Cover with pie pastry and with paring knife stab vents through pastry top.
• Bake 10 minutes in preheated 400-degree oven, then reduce heat to 375-degrees and bake for 20 minutes.
• Using oven mitts on both hands, remove from oven, invert large platter over skillet, turn skillet and platter over together sot that tarte is now on platter, pastry side down. (Watch for hot caramelized sugar that may leak over edges of platter.)
• Cut and serve with whipped cream. (8 servings)

AUTUMN MOSAIC

INDIAN SUMMER 'MISTY WATERCOLOR MEMORIES' (MONDAY MUSING) ~ BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

"The Indian Summer of life should be a little sunny and a little sad, like the season, and infinite in wealth and depth of tone, but never hustled."

~ Henry Adams

'MISTY WATERCOLOR MEMORIES'

_____________________

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

~ Rich in antioxidants, a delicious soup that looks and tastes like autumn (adapted from Nov 2006 Food & Wine)

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8 cups organic chicken broth

1 butternut squash (quartered, seeded, peeled & cut into 2-inch squares)

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

2 minced garlic cloves

2 sliced (well-cleaned) chopped leeks

1-2 diced celery ribs

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme (2 tsp. dried)

1 finely diced carrots

1 finely diced red pepper

1 finely diced orange pepper

1 cup corn kernels

1 can rinsed cannellini (white kidney), garbanzo (chick) peas,

or pinto beans

2 cups chopped spinach, collard, or kale

coarse salt & freshly ground black pepper

crisp thick crumbed bacon (optional) garnish

• In large stockpot, heat olive oil. Add garlic, leeks, celery and saute until limp. Add broth, squash and thyme. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes.
• Puree soup either in bathes, returning to pot, or directly in pot with blending stick.
• Add carrots, peppers, corn and beans. Bring to a boil and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add greens and cook until wilted
• Ladle in bowls and top with optional crumbed bacon. (6-8 servings)

AUTUMN'S FACEBOOK PAGE (PROFILE CHANGE)

"Change is the end result of all true learning."

~ Leo Buscaglia

~ 'The fall of Freddy the Leaf'

_____________________

"Change is a measure of time and,

in the autumn,

time seems speeded up.

What was is not and never again will be;

what is is change."

~ Edwin Way Teale

'DELICIOUS AUTUMN' ~ (FALL BRUNCH) ROASTED PEPPER & FRESH BASIL STRATA

"Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns."

~ George Eliot

ROASTED PEPPER & FRESH BASIL STRATA

~ Wondering what to do with your fresh basil harvest? A lovely easy recipe to tuck away ...
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10 cups dried (1/2-1 inch cubed) favorite hearty bread
(wheat, herb, sour dough, brioche, etc.)
8 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 large thinly sliced red or sweet onion
1-2 cups thinly sliced baby bella mushrooms (or mushrooms of choice)
2 cups crumbled feta cheese
2 cups sliced roasted red and yellow peppers
(roast peppers yourself or try Trader Joe's jars of combined)
1/2 cup packed thinly sliced fresh basil
5 large organic eggs
1 cup whole milk or sour cream
1 healthy tsp. Coleman's dry mustard
1 tsp. coarse salt
freshly ground pepper to taste
1 cup crumbled feta or grated Parmesan cheese
freshly chopped parsley or dried parsley

• Melt butter in skillet and saute onions and mushrooms until soft and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Toss with dry bread cubes, feta, roasted pepper and fresh basil.
• Whisk eggs, milk (sour cream), dry mustard, salt and pepper. Pour over bread, onions and mushroom mixture.
• Spray baking dish or casserole with Pam. Shovel and pack bread & egg mixture into prepared pan. Top with additional feta or Parmesan and fresh or dried parsley. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and hide in refrigerator overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Remove plastic wrap and place baking dish on baking sheet. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Serve with either a delicious seasonal salad (with grapes or pears) or simple thick sliced tomatoes, topped with a drizzle of good olive oil, balsamic vinegar, coarse salt, freshly cracked pepper, and more sliced fresh basil. (serves 8-10)
  

'WATCH THE LEAVES TURN' ~ HARVEST GAZPACHO

"Everyone must take time

to sit and watch the leaves turn."

~Elizabeth Lawrence

HARVEST GAZPACHO
(with or without crab)
~ Serve chilled for lunch or supper on the remains of warm autumn days
*
cut clove of garlic
6 plump peeled and seeded ripe tomatoes
2 peeled and seeded cucumbers
1 chopped red onion
1 chopped sweet onion
1 coarsely chopped red pepper
1 coarsely chopped yellow or orange pepper
2 cups good tomato juice
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
juice of 1 fresh lemon
coarse salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
dashes of Tabasco to taste
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
sliced black olives to taste

1/2 lb. good lump crab
chopped fresh parsley for garnish

• Into a large glass bowl rubbed with cut garlic, place chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and peppers. Combine tomato juice, olive oil, lemon juice and Tabasco. Pour over chopped garden vegetables. Add dill, olives, and crab. Season to taste with salt & pepper. Chill thoroughly.
• Ladle into chilled bowls. (Add crab). Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve with warm crusty bread. (6-8 servings)
  Note: Take proper time to hand-chop vegetables. The results will not be the same using a blender or food processor. Since tomatoes are at their peak, as long as you're chopping, double the recipe.