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Apple Loaf Cake
Each slice of this loaf cake has an irresistible quality that comes from a combination of baked apples and cider. Studded throughout the batter, the chopped pieces add fresh-from-the-orchard flavor while the reduced cider and warm spices give it depth. Buttermilk makes it tender and far from dry. Bake this at night then enjoy it for breakfast – or bake it when the sun comes up and enjoy it throughout the day. As morning fare, a snack, or dessert, it’s the ideal way to celebrate apple season If you’ve enjoyed my apple cider vinaigrette recipe, you already are familiar with the process of making a cider reduction. Concentrated apple flavor…
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Roasted Carrot Soup
When carrots are roasted, their natural flavor intensifies and carries a savory soup in a way I love even more than butternut squash. Try this recipe if you enjoy roasted vegetables, hearty soups, or are looking for a plant-based dish for lunch or dinner. Traditional or vegan grilled cheese croutons or sandwiches served on the side make this the coziest meal. Even though the heat stayed with us well into September, there were breaks when cool days called me to make a pot of soup, dream of crispness in the air, and even think a bit ahead to the Thanksgiving holiday. Fortunately carrots develop more sweetness as we head toward…
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Autumn Harvest Salad with Cheddar, Grapes, Pear, and Maple Crunch Topping
Autumn arrives with an abundance of cool-weather greens and a new crop of fruit, both of which are made better with the toasty edge this maple crunch topping lends to a seasonal salad. The ingredients are fit for a cheese plate, so opt for the best aged cheddar you can find. Bosc pears add their bronze color and characteristic juiciness to the mix, and a dressing with reduced apple cider contributes more classic fall fruit goodness. When making the maple crunch topping, feel free to use your preferred nuts and/or seeds or make use of what you already have on hand in the pantry. A combination of pecans, walnuts, pumpkin seeds,…
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Pumpkin Tomato Soup in a Whole Pumpkin
A roasted pumpkin serves as the bowl and a key ingredient for this creamy soup. Instead of carving a jack-o’-lantern, try carving a soup bowl this autumn for a dinner that makes an irresistibly seasonal presentation. Fire-roasted tomatoes keep the soup bright, and while I add cream, it can be omitted or substituted with a non-dairy alternative toward the end of cooking. Everything is cooking directly in the whole pumpkin before being blended smooth, and Gruyère-topped croutons take it over the top. Recently my mother gifted me a beautiful plate with wintry oranges reminiscent of the clove-studded ones she would make each holiday season. She continually has gifted me a…
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Fall Table Decor with Dried Flowers
As we head deeper into autumn, now is the perfect time to preserve the beauty of your garden through a dried flower arrangement. While tending to the garden recently, I decided to snip some blooms to create a table centerpiece that would last through many dinners and remind me of the variety of flowers thriving outside. If you start now, in about two to three weeks, you will have preserved the most gorgeous flowers you have been growing (or ones picked from the market), and be able to turn them into a centerpiece for the dining room table, kitchen island, or any part of your home ready for a touch of…
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