Butternut & Carrot Soup

The Great Pumpkin

So, we’ve established in previous posts that my family is, well, peculiar. We do things differently than other families. That includes holidays. This latest psychosis comes courtesy of my father.

Certain annual holidays have some sort of living thing associated with them…like trees or squash. When this occurs, Dad must have the biggest one he can find.

As a kid, I was told that Dad’s need for the biggest pumpkin or tree was because he never had one when he was a kid. (And, of course, he walked to school in the rain.) It wasn’t until, as an adult, I was talking to my grandfather that the truth was revealed. No, Dad didn’t have a big pumpkin or tree…at least not in his room. The family trees and pumpkins were all of significant size.

The reality is that Dad never matured past the age of eight. And he has now passed his enthusiasm for big down to his grandchildren. Exibit A is the picture included with this post. This pumpkin was delivered to our house for Halloween. (The apple is for scale). The kids have requested we carve it to look like a vampire. (Carve is a relative term. To carve these pumpkins you need to use a keyhole saw because the wall of the pumpkin is so thick.) We will see how it turns out.

One thing we do know will be good is our Halloween tradition of Grilled Cheese and Pumpkin Soup. It’s one of my favorites no matter who’s knocking on the door, and there’s no better way to get ready for Trick or Treating. This soup is a mishmash of a few of my recipes. Enjoy!

Here’s hoping you have a Happy Halloween!!
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Baked Apples Filled with Fruit and Nuts

My brother-in-law came over for dinner last weekend, which isn’t anything too terribly out of the ordinary. He called me Saturday to invite himself over for dinner on Sunday. Again, not out unusual, but what prompted the phone call was. He had recently been to up to Mendocino County and bought some wine along the way. Among those purchases was a bottle of Gewürztraminer from Navarro; one of my favorite wines. (If you’ve never been to Navarro, go. It’s worth it. Great wines that are only available through the winery.) Needless to say, I told him to come over and bring a straw.

I had to come up with what to cook. I spent Saturday making the Chef of the Month dinner, so I didn’t want to do anything super-complicated. However, I wanted something really good to make up for missing out on dinner the night before. I stuffed a pumpkin. (See Pumpkin Stuffed With Everything Good) I threw a salad together using yet another pomegranate. (Again, see The Problem With Pomegranates.)

And, I made these really easy and very yummy baked apples. With all of the great apples coming into season, it’s fun to use them in different ways. I found this recipe in the same book as the stuffed pumpkin, and it was soooo delicious and satisfying. I used a combo of dried currants, raisins, prunes, and pecans for the filling. And, added cinnamon, cloves, and fresh nutmeg. With a little Vanilla Ice cream? Shut. The. Front. Door.

Next time I might try cranberries or maybe a little maple syrup instead of honey. Mmmmm….
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Pomegranate Martinis and Margaritas

The Problem with Pomegranates
Pomegranates. I’ve got a lot of them. When I was a kid, pomegranates weren’t the craze they are now and they could be hard to find. I remember my grandmother would get so excited when we were over and she had a pomegranate that we could open and pick apart.

I have always liked pomegranates but they were kind of a one time deal. Once I ate one I was good. I didn’t need to have a stash. These days, thanks to the wonderful people of POM, if I need the seeds or juice for any recipe, I can go downstairs and grab some anytime.

Flashback about 3 years when we bought our current house. Among the various trees that came with the property was a rather funky looking pomegranate tree (though frankly it looks more like a large shrub). We pruned it and watered it and basically left it alone. The next year we got a couple pomegranates before they split. Last year was the same. This year? Three bushels. I have pomegranates coming out of my ears.

So, what to do with them? We ate some. We froze some. We gave some away. Our chickens get to eat the ones that split and spread seeds all over the ground but we still have too many to handle.

I don’t want to waste them especially since my kids and I braved the 3 inch spikes on the branches to pick them. (Note to self: When picking pomegranates, wear chain mail to prevent turning your person into a pincushion. We were a sad looking bunch when we were finished.) So, I have decided we will drink them. Preferably with alcohol (for me anyway). It’s medicinal. Gotta make sure those pokes heal and don’t get infected.
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Moroccan Turkey Couscous and Sweet Roasted Vegetables

The Scent of Orange Blossoms
I love Moroccan food. So much so that in a former life, I hosted an annual Moroccan dinner for 15 people and forced them to sit on the floor and eat with their hands. (That was back when I was hip and had a life. Now, I have 3 kids and a dog. No way would I get near my floor.) When most people think of Morocco they picture it in black and white with Bogart on a foggy runway. For me, when I think of Morocco, I think of cinnamon, honey, almonds and braised meats that melt in your mouth. Moroccan food is a tasty blend of North African tradition and French technique with a dash of Sephardic flavors thrown in and it’s just so good.

I have gathered a number of Moroccan cookbooks over the years but one of my favorites, especially this season, is a collection of Sephardic recipes from Kitty Morse called The Scent of Orange Blossoms. (Kitty is fabulous. I have taken a number of her cooking classes, and her easy preserved lemon recipe is hands down the best one out there. I use it every year for my Meyer Lemons. In this video she teaches how to make them.) The recipes are traditional and the flavors are outstanding as well as being very appropriate for the Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur season, whether you are celebrating or not. Really, you don’t need a special occasion. I have listed a couple of my personal favorites from the book below. (Seriously, try the roasted vegetables. Oh. My. Lord.) Enjoy! and Happy Fall!
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