Sunday Happy

And it’s Sunday again. Time is just flying by.

The camping was amazing. I guess there are not a lot of people that go camping this late in the year because we basically had the entire Lake Carmi state park to ourselves. I think we were the only people there besides and old couple in a cabin far away from us. The weather was perfect, brisk, but not too cold, the sky was a grey, the colors were popping. We went for a jaunt in the fields and a hike in the wood, the mr went fishing off a giant tree, and we enjoyed a lentil and campfire squash for dinner. Simple and sweet and all the best of the world. Sure it rained that night, but we stayed dry and yes it started to pour in the monring while we were picking up camp but then it stopped and all was good. And really, what’s camping all the time without a rain day or two. It’s part of the adventure.

And is was Alex’s birthday, he turned 13, and he had a family birthday party, but we ended up not going cause I was feeling like crap. I think it was a crash and burn, but I was weary because everyone is getting sick around me. Snotty, coughing, grossness. I am trying to avoid it if at all possible.

The next day I woke up tired but feeling better and went about the day doing the this and thats and thats and running around here and there. The mr started a rat trapping job (not for any of our properties) that turned into a whole big week long thing and I just don’t even want to deal with that. I stay away from anything that involves animal. If I were to get involved, we would probably and up with a few pet mice and a squirrel or two. And definitely a skunk or possum. So again, I stay away from that stuff.

Then there was Wednesday. I had one of those days where everything was going wrong. To start my day I woke up with a door handle smashed into my hip which I then thought was broken (the mr sure knows how to open a door). When I got to the gym my toe started throbbing and opened up and starting bleeding again (gross), but whatever, not that bad. I then went and spent a few hours over at the loft cleaning the F out of it so that my dad had clean sheets, toilet paper, and no tools in the middle of the floor when he stayed. We are over there all the time, but something about being there that day was making me just super sad and nostalgic and I basically was just thinking about Washer and I might have cried a little. But that happens and well, yeah Then it was lunch time but I was not getting lunch, which is never a good thing with me, I was taking a trip to the dentist. Hooray for me! Good thing my teeth looked great, said I am doing a good job as usual taking care of my mouth, except I was told again that I should really consider smashing my jaw and my palette and get braces and wire my mouth shut and blah blah blah. Just give the dentist $500 million dollars and they will fix all my screwed up bite and jaw problems. Yeah, no. Dental stuff is a sore subject for me so I’ll just leave it here.. So dentist made me in a bad mood on top of being sad. But I made it home and made a cake for Alex’s birthday party (his friend party) which I ended up burning it. So ok, that shit happens too but then the second cake, looking all perfect when I pulled it out of the oven, well I dropped one of the pans, and burned myself a few time. And then I cried little more..Yup. Oh, and knocked over some greenware pots by my wheel because why not add some more misery to the day. I think after all that I just gave up and crawled into bed at like 730.

Thursday went a lot better. I managed to turn the broken apart cake into a single layer cake (genius) and make it actually look pretty good. I picked up farm share and got out to the fields before it started to rain (hurray for me) Barb came over and made me smile while we talked of all things Italy and I fed her broken cake bits. I hung up all my halloween bats and did some laundry and stuck a dent in paperwork and bills that needed addressing. A way better day.

Friday was a little hectic. The political stuff brought out a slight crazed rage over the craziness of the world and I am still trying to wrap my head around it (along with the last 2 years…) But besides begin little wild eyed, I finish decorating the cake for Alex. Worked at the studio where I loaded 2 kilns and then some. Dropped the cake off to Alex then went to the groocery store for food for the party the next day, and somehow got pizza dough to rise at just the right speed (in and out of the fridge all day) in order to have dough for pizza birthday party for Coco (he turned 2 on Thursday!) that night. The littles came over for just a small something special for Coco. We had pizza, cookies, and a buzz lightyear balloon. He was sick so he ate no pizza and cried at the candle on his cookie, but then he ate it and that sugar made him happy, even when he was blowing super snot bubbles from his little nose. . And then Erin brought him home so he could have a sugar crash and be sick at home and the other littles could sleep over. They watched a Wrinkle in Time, while I started prepping apples and pie dough for Dads birthday pie the next day. And then we all fell asleep early. These darker nights really make it easy to crawl into bed at an early hour. (not complaining at all)

Saturday went swimmingly. I woke up made a pie and a loaf of pumpkin bread all before the littles woke up for breakfast pancakes. Barb came over, they all ate, then off we all went, the mr and I, Barb, Miley, Judah, to the farm for wagon ride and pumpkin picking. It’s out tradition, and this year, we brought Coco too.(and Buzz light-year of course) The ride went great, the pumpkin patch was pristine, we all got a good pumpkin and some gourds, and no one fell off the wagon. A very successful pumpkin picking adventure. After that we all ran home and I got lunch ready, The rest of the family came, ate the food, made the mess. The mr thought it would a great idea for the medium kids to have something productive to do to keep them out of trouble so he gave them all shovels and let them dig a giant hole in the middle of the back yard because why not? Uh huh, yeah. So on top of the normal mess everyone makes, there was a heavy extra layer of dirt tracked in and out of the house. After everyone left, I got to spend a little extra time cleaning late into night. How they got mud on the bathroom walls is pretty impressive.

Today we are doing something with Dad and his other children. Either a bike ride or hike, not sure yet, but something outside that will involve trees. After that, the mr and I are going to try and find a place to camp tonight. The weekly camping is just too good. We can’t not. Plus after a full week of people interaction, I could really use a night of peace and quite in the woods.

Internet from the week.

-Pumpkin Knowledge. The Best Pumpkins for Baking and Cooking. And 3 Ways to Use Those Pumpkin Guts. And What's Actually in Your Canned Pumpkin Purée?

-Wigstock, 'An Iconic Piece of Drag History,' Lets Its Roots Show At 2018 Revival. Oh my.. SO amazing. I wish I could be there!

-100% agree with this, it really is the best brand. The One Flour You Should Buy, According to a Professional Bread Maker

-Have you heard? Drunk birds are wreaking havoc in Minnesota

-Yeah, I would live here (that tree!) or definitely in this row house (the front door!)

-Most Introverts Would Like to Be More Extroverted. Yes and no. I love being alone and do not find it lonely, but I do wish I didn’t get completely drained and feel like I have ran a marathon from being around people.

-DARK MATTER IS A HUGE MYSTERY. THIS DEVICE IS TRYING TO DETECT IT. This makes me think of the His Dark Materials Books by Phillip Pullman. (read them if you haven’t, they are in my top 3 favorite books of all time)

-I kind of love this. Banksy auction prank leaves art world in shreds

-I follow this families adoption and it is so heartwarming and amazing and I just love them (Their daughter is so freaking cute, it kills me). And they are adopting again! I love how she does a Q and A about the whole thing.

And some pictures from the week.

Cumin Roasted Pumpkin and Swiss Chard with Red Lentils

Are you as excited about pumpkin season as I am. And not because of pumpkin spice this or that, I am talking about real squash pumpkin. I am so excited, and have started a stash. I have about 10 sugar pumpkins all through the house. Equal parts fall decor and dinner. Being able to eat your decorations is key to a successful life. I am 100 percent sure about that.

So now that we have established that it’s time to eat pumpkin, we also have to realized that there are more ways to eat pumpkin then in baked goods. Savory pumpkin is just as good, if not better then sweet pumpkin. I mean, it’s a squash and don’t we all love a good ssavory squash situation? If you don’t, well you are in the wrong place my friend.

This dish here pretty much sums up all that I ever want to eat again. Roasted pumpkin with cumin is one of the best things ever. No joke. Swiss chard is definitely my favorite green, besides spinach, (and I love kale, but chard is better then kale too!) and red lentils are my favorite kind of lentils. All I all, this small list of ingredients makes for one heck of a dish. I was pre making this for dinner for Barb and the mr. and ended up making something else for dinner so I could eat and save it all for myself. I did not share one bit of this and feel zero bad about it. I mean, I made it so it is mine. They had chili, I secretly ate this.

It’s come to that. I am hiding my pumpkin and lentil dish. What is wrong with me? Ha!

Now to the best pumpkin dish ever!

The stuff. A sugar pumpkin, some swiss chard, an onion, red lentils, a few cloves of garlic. cumin, salt and pepper, and olive oil.

Cut the pumpkin in half, scoop the seeds out (save for roasting later), and chop into mouth sized chunks. Dice the onion up, and remove the stalk and thicker part of the rib from the chard leaves and dice up the stalk. Stick the leaves to the side.

Place all the chopped up stuff onto a baking sheet, drizzle with a little bit of oil, dump on some cumin and sprinkle with salt and pepper then toss it all around.

A fall roast ready for the oven.

Once veggies are in oven roasting, make the lentils. Water and lentil in a pot, bring to a boil, turn on low and let cook until lentils are done. Once cooked, sprinkle in a pinch of salt.

Also mince up the garlic and rough chop up the chard leaves.

Fall veggies are looking nice and roasted and tasting all so good. Toss in the minced garlic and chopped chard leaves and pop the baking sheet back into the oven for a little longer just until the garlic and leaves are cooked too.

Look at that. So good.

Now you have your lentils and the cumin roasted pan of goodness. If you have a lime, cut that up too because it will make this all just perfect. Perfect I tell you.

Here it is. A bowl of red lentils, piled high with cumin roasted pumpkin and chard with a fresh squeeze of lime. Once you aat a few bites, tell me. Best fall dish ever, right!?!

Have a fantastic fall weekend.

-C

---

Cumin Roasted Pumpkin and Swiss chard with Red Lentils

serve 2-3

• 1 pie pumpkin

• 1 bunch of Swiss chard (between 5-6 large stalks, more if the stalks are small)

• 1 yellow onion

• 2-3 cloves garlic

• 1 cup died red lentils

• 3 cups water

• 2 tablespoons cumin

• A lime (optional)

• salt and pepper

• olive oil

Preheat oven to 400

Start by cutting pumpkin in half and removing seeds, (place seeds aside for later to roast), then cut the pumpkin into inch or so cubes. Grab the chard, remove the stalks and ribs from the leaves, place leaves to the side, and dice the stalks up. Dice onion into medium sized chunks and place all of what you have just chopped on a baking sheet. Drizzle a teaspoon or two of oil all over. Spinkle on the cumin and a pinch of salt and pepper and toss around. Evenly distribute the veggies on the pan and stick into the oven to roast, for about 25 minutes, or until the pumpkin and chard stalks are fork tender. In the meantime rough chop the leaves and mince the garlic. When the pumpkin and chard are just about done, remove pan from oven and toss in the garlic and leaves. Place pan back into oven for another 8-10 minutes or until the leaves have cooked. Remove from oven.

While the veggies are roasting, make the lentils. Place the water and lentils into a medium sized pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn down to low, giving it a stir ever few minutes until lentils are soft.Once cooked, remove from heat and season with pinch of salt salt.

When the lentils are cooked and the veggies are roasted, it’s time to eat. Spoon lentils into a bowl and top with roasted veggies. Season with more salt and pepper if needed and cut up lime (optional) and squeeze juice all over. Eat right away and save any for later.

Apple Walnut Brownies

Well happy first day of fall to you! Are you as excited as I am? I am very very excited because well, cooler weather, shorter days, pretty trees, pumpkins, sweaters, and of course apples. All the apples!!

I am not going to lie, I was going to wait to do a big apple pick to start with my apple baking but this week the grocery store was selling apples form the orchard I am going to go picking from for a 77cents a pound!! I mean, I couldn’t not buy 20 lbs right? Sure I felt a little guilty that they were not hand picked by me, but in a way they were because I did hand pick them form the store so that kind of counts? Plus I am still going apple picking, today in fact so not harm in having a shit ton of apples.

Anyway, so apple brownies. Why, because why not. Slightly chewy but soft, dense, full of all the cinnamon and apple walnut flavor one could want or need to feel all the feels of the apple season. Made them and fed them to the people and they were gone within a minute. Huge success in flavor and texture. and best part, it was slightly chilly out when I made them so the oven on was extra nice, and my house smelled amazing. Oh gosh, I am just so excited that it’s fall, it’s the best time of year!

And now I am for real going apple picking! I’ll probably make these brownies again, just because you know, apples and I'll probably come home with another 100 lbs or more so you know, I’ll have the apples to do it.

The stuff. Apples. sugar, applesauce, cinnamon, and walnuts. Also some vegan butter, flour, baking powder, and baking soda.

FIrst, chop up the apples. And no, don’t peel them, just chop, into little 1/2 inch cubes.

Butter and sugar get a good beat until light and fluffy (I read somewhere that when you beat the sugar with butter in brownies, it helps make that crisp, crackly top)

Fold in the apple sauce and cinnamon .

Like a galaxy of cinnamon goodness.

Then all the rest of the stuff: flour, baking soda and powder, salt, apples, walnuts, get folded in too until just incorporated.

Batter gets spread evenly in a greased and parchment lined pan. (There is parchment there, I was running low so it only covers the bottom of the pan. Better if it goes up the sides though.)

Then into the hot oven they go.

Popped out at just the right moment. See the top? A bit crisped crinkly, kind of like a brownie! Now pop them out of the pan and let cool completely. Or cool enough to cut. Or, cool enough to handle and eat…..

There you go, apple walnut brownies.

And now you can officially enjoy the first day of fall because there is a lot of apple goodness in these brownies and what is fall without apples?!!

Have the best day.

-C

---

Apple Walnut Brownies

makes a 9x9 pan of apple goodness

• 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour

• 1 cup white sugar

• 1/2 cup vegan butter

• 1/2 cup applesauce

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 tablespoon cinnamon

• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

• 2 large Macintosh apples (about 2 cups chopped)

Preheat oven to 350

Core and dice apples into about 1/2 inch cubes . Measure out 2 cups ans eat any left over apple chunks. In a large bowl, beat together vegan butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Fold in the applesauce and cinnamon. In a smaller bowl whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Dump into wet mixture, along with the apples and walnuts and fold together until just evenly incorporated. Grease and parchment line a 9x9 baking sheet. Dump the batter into the pan and spread evenly then pop into oven and bake for 40- 45 minutes or until browned and a tester stuck in the middle comes out clean. Check after 35 minutes… you don’t want to over bake! Once cooked all the way through, remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes. Once cool enough to handle, remove the brownies from the pan (you really need to line the pan with parchment to do this) and let cool completely on a wire rack. When they are cool (if you can wait that long because really, these are great eaten warm too.), cut and eat.

Store left overs in a airtight container for a day or two or freeze any extra. Great warmed and serves with a scoop of some ice cream or a yogurt situation.

Pumpkin Red Lentil Soup

It's finally getting cold around here which I know some people are pretty bummed about but not me, I am ready for the days of it being cold and dreary (seriously). These are the days that I like to hunker down and keep myself all warm and cozy. And what is more cozy then a big bowl of hot soup? Nothing I say. Or maybe a big cup of hot tea and a cozy blanket by the fire, but I don't have a fire so soup it is. 

And I know a few of you people have a little pie pumpkin or two laying around from Halloween and are thinking " what the heck am I going to do with it". Well I got you here. You are going to make that pumpkin into something great and amazing that is not a dessert (because you are still working your way through all the Halloween candy). You will make it into soup and then you will eat it and then you will thank me later. 

The stuff. A little old sugar pumpkin, some red lentils, celery, a carrot, and an onion. A few heads of garlic, turmeric, coriander, cumin, and ginger, salt and pepper, and water to round it out. 

Start with dicing up the carrot, celery, onion and garlic. 

Into a heavy bottom pot they go. Stick the pot on heat to sweat the veggies a bit.

Dicing up the pumpkin. No fuss here, just chop it in half and scoop out the seeds (keep seeds to roast and  top soup with) then cut into little chunks. 

Grab the pot that the veggies are cooking in and toss in the pumpkin, the spices, the lentils, and the water. Give it a good stir and back to the stove.

All cooked, smelling and looking so good.

Now blend it all up.

A smooth creamy delicious bowl of pumpkin warmth and goodness. A soup to take into the chilly days ahead. 

---

Pumpkin Red Lentil Soup

serves 3-5

• 2 1/2 -3 cups diced pumpkin (one small sugar pumpkin)
• 1/2 cup red lentils
• 1 medium onion
• 3-4 cloves garlic
• 2 stalks celery
• 1 carrot
• 1  teaspoons ginger
• 1 teaspoon turmeric 
• 1 teaspoon coriander 
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 3-4  cups water or veggie stalk
• salt and pepper
• olive oil
• toasted pumpkin seeds for garnish (optional)

Start by dicing up the carrot, celery, onion and garlic. Toss into a large heavy bottom pot with a splash of olive oil. Place on medium heat to start cooking. Now grab pumpkin, cut in half, and remove all the seeds (reserve seeds for roasting) Dice up the pumpkin and toss into the pot with the veggies. Add in the spices, the lentils,3 cups of the water or stock, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Bring pot to a boil then reduce heat to low. Place lid on pot, but not tightly, and let the soup cook for about a 1/2 hour or until the pumpkin is fork tender. 

Once everything in the pot is all cooked up it needs to be blended. You can either transfer to a blender or use a emersion blender and blend until the soup is a silky smooth  Either way, be freaking careful cause the soup is hot! While you are blending, if you think you need to add more liquid, go for it. You can make this as thick or thin as you like.

And now soup time! Laddle into bowls, top with parsley and roasted pumpkin seeds (optional) and get to eating all the good. 

Place any leftovers in fridge and heat up later (makes a great breakfast soup)

Acorn Squash Quick Bread

I forgot how amazing fall baking smells. The spiciness floating throughout the house, lingering on my clothes, in my hair, up the stairs and into the bedroom. It goes everywhere. Unfortunately it didn't last very long this time around because the mr made popcorn and then the whole house ended up smelling like a freaking movie theater, but for a little while it was so nice. I want to bake everyday just to stink the house up all nice. I might just do that. 

Everyone eats the pumpkin bread or the pumpkin this or pumpkin that. But why does't everyone harness the greatness of all the other winter squashes in baking? This I do not know. Don't get me wrong, I love pumpkin but I also think that it's very interchangeable in most baking applications. Like this quick  bread. I am sure that some people would notice that it is not pumpkin, but these same people would also enjoy the subtle difference in flavor. Acorn squash is a sweet and delicious squash and makes a fine fine bread my friends. And the acorn squash is cheaper then sugar pumpkins which is aways a plus. And the winter squash keeps longer the pumpkins so the are available longer. Acorn squash bread all winter long. (Yup, I am thinking winter already)

This bread lasted less then a day. The mr got a couple slices but some littles came over and ate almost the entire loaf. The didn't ask what kind of squash I used, they just ate it vigorously and left heir little crumbs all over. So Bean with her mouth full of bread declared it A-MAZING. From the mouth of a 5 year old.

The stuff. The flour, baking soda and powder, salt, and cinnamon are in one bowl. The squash puree, oil, brown sugar, maple syrup, and apple cider vinegar in another .Also need a little plant milk a bit more cinnamon and sugar for topping.

Simple simple. Whisk together the dry then whisk together the wet.

Pour wet into dry and mix until incorporated.

And there you have it.  Acorn squash bread batter. 

Batter goes into a well greased bread pan and sprinkles all over with cinnamon sugar. Then into the oven (preheated of course) it goes.

All baked up and cooling. Like what I did there?  More circulation to the bottom  so it cools faster.. I am so smart.

The mr came home right when I was contemplating whether it was cool enough to cut.  It wasn't but I cut it anyway. 

Have a great fall weekend!

-C  

---

Acorn Squash Quick Bread 

makes 1 loaf

• 1 1/2 cups acorn squash puree*
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon plus 1 teaspoon
• 1/2 cup brown sugar plus 1 tablespoon
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 cup oil 
• 1/3 cup plant based milk
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar 

*To make acorn squash puree, stick an acorn squash into a oven at 400 for about 40 minutes or until until fork tender. Remove from oven, cut in half, and let cool until you can handle it. Scoop out seeds (save for roasting) then scoop out flesh (eat skin as snack) and puree in blender. Add a splash of water if needed to get a smooth puree.

preheat oven to 350

In a large bowl mix together the squash, oil, sugar, maple, milk, and apple cider vinegar. Mix until well combined. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the baking soda and powder, the tablespoon cinnamon, salt, and flour. Pour wet into the dry and mix until combined.  Pour into a well greased loaf pan. Combine the tablespoon brown sugar and teaspoon cinnamon and sprinkle on top. Pop into oven and bake for 60-65 minutes or until a tester poked into middle comes out clean.

Once cooked, remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes. Remove form loaf pan and let completely cool. 

Eat what you want and store the rest in an air tight container for a few days. Can be sliced and frozen too.