Welcoming Fall

Welcome October!

My most favorite month of the year!!

The Massive Sunflowers have bowed their heads for the season and the orchard is heavy with fruit.

The winds have shifted and you can smell chimney's puffing in the air.

Roasting root veggies and pumpkin pies intoxicate the kitchen.

Hot Cider anyone?

Upside-Down Cranberry Cake

Since we're now 'Tis the Season for Cranberries, I came across this recipe and decided I must try it. I found it over at the Smitten Kitchen blog. I LOVE her recipes; please do check this blog out!

This cake turned out wonderful if I do say so myself! I might just have another piece before I find the motivation to clean the house ;)

So, please, do yourself a favor and give this recipe a try.

Chili & a Fire

Well, I sure didn't think we'd be doing this already, but today we had our first official fire in the fireplace for the season! And it smelled and felt wonderful with the chill we have in today's air. It's been a damp & deary kinda day so this was wonderful to come home to!

I was feeling a little adventurous today and decided to try and make chili for dinner. I was thinking I could handle it, smells and cutting the onions and all. And I was right, I did it! It felt so good to be back in my kitchen and cooking! I even decided to flip through a cook book on the counter while the chili was simmering and I did it without feeling nauseous!

I forgot to snap a pic of the chili, but here is a quick, decent chili recipe that isn't too spicy for those who can't handle the heat!

Fall Fireside Chili

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp butter and some olive oil
• 1 large onion
• 4 cloves garlic (give or take depending on clove size)
• 2 jalapenos (or whichever hot peppers you have on hand is fine)
• 1# ground chuck
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 tbsp coriander
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 can tomato sauce
• 1 small (6 oz) can tomato paste
• 1 tbsp hot sauce (2 if you want more kick!)
• 6 oz beer (half bottle or can)
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 2 cans of beans - your choice! It's chili, have fun with it :)

Melt your butter and olive oil and saute your onions are garlic in them. Then add in your ground chuck - brown it.

Then add in all your spices and cook for 1 minute. Now add in your beer and let it deglaze the bottom of your pot. Make sure to scrape the bottom of your pot after you add in the beer to get all that goodness off and into your chili! Cook 2 mins med/high.

Now add in your tomato sauce & paste, your hot sauce & chix stock and your beans. (We do pinto and kidney beans over here in chili). Stir and let simmer until you are ready to enjoy. Serve with some nice, hot rolls/buns/bread or whatever you like to butter and dig in!

Hunt for the Great Pumpkin 2010!

Yesterday was our annual family outing on the hunt for 'The Great Pumpkin!' I took almost 100 pictures so it was hard to choose just a few to show here ;) But is was a picture perfect day and I think everyone found their 'great pumpkin!' We brought home 17 and had 6 more at home that grew from lasts years seeds :) Plenty to decorate the orchard with for our annual hayride in 2 weeks!

My sister Mallory with her adorable daughter Madelyn!

White Pumpkins & Pie Pumpkins

Indian Corn...a sure sign of Fall!

My stinkin' cute nephew Benny checking out the patch!

My Brother-in-Law, Jay, finding his great pumpkin

Hubby hauling another back to the truck!

The Family

The Pumpkin Patch