As we gather together again for a fall kick-off season at the studio, as usual, we have a lot to talk about. Inevitably our conversations shift to the new things that are going on in our homes,with our families, and at our jobs. The changes in the weather bring about discussions of seasonal favorites like apple crisp, maroon mums or hiking. What are you moved by as this beautiful time of year rolls in? Does this season remind you of lessons learned in fall-seasons past, or evoke a feeling of coziness and companionship? Are you taking stock of your summer fitness schedule and planning for how you will continue to be active with the changing seasons? I am so excited about this season, it almost surprises me how many things make me smile—why don’t you share with us your “fall favorites”–you will, as always, bless us with your words.
What we find beautiful in the fall
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September 23, 2009 at 1:06 am |
For me, the fall is the introduction of a new season’s worth of recipes. I am always delighted to receive the September and October issues of my favorite magazines and eager to experiment with the autumn-flavored recipes they hold within their pages. Recently, I had the distinct pleasure (almost spiritual experience) of reading the autumn issue of Better Homes and Gardens and I must advise all lovers of food that it contains tons of recipes to-die-for recipes. I have already made the Fall Sangria and it was fantastic. Also, last weekend I made a fabulous crustless pumpkin pie in the slow cooker that was featured in the Massage Envy magazine. The link to the recipe on the website is below:
http://www.massageenvy.com/me-magazine/me-magazine-fall-2009/slow-cooker-pumpkin-pie.aspx
Let me know if you try any of these and please post some of your own fall favorites so we can all benefit from the heartwarming tastes of autumn!
September 24, 2009 at 1:33 am |
How is it that our blogs always return to recipes? I LOVE that!
Fall is my favorite time of year… I am enamored with the trees as the leaves change into brilliant hues or red and gold and the breezy days (not like today) allow me to pull out my favorite scarves and sweatshirts. Autumn is the perfect season for a brisk walk with my dog around the Watchung Lake; it’s not too hot for either of us. And finally, as the apples become ripe on the trees, the craving for apple pie kicks in. You know what that means: it’s time to bake! I’ll post my perfect pie recipe on the cooking blog soon….
September 24, 2009 at 8:28 pm |
Apple Pie
8 golden delicious apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
4 Tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 Tablespoons flour
pinch of salt
I usually cheat and buy the Pillsbury refrigerated pie crust that you unroll into your own pie dish…
Mix all ingredients together and pour into pie crust. Cover with 2nd crust. Poke slits in the crust and brush with an egg wash or with 1/2 & 1/2.
Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees!
September 24, 2009 at 8:35 pm |
I love apple pie!!! I am going to try this recipe, do you have a favorite apple crisp that you make??
September 25, 2009 at 4:19 pm |
No, but try the Dried Cranberry and Apple Crisp at Epicurious.com
It was very highly rated and someone even said it’s good with the gluten free flour!
October 5, 2009 at 12:29 pm |
I love decorating my housefor the fall. I get excited about changing the summer bed linens to the cozy quilts and down comforters. I love the colors of fall. The oranges, yellows and browns and reds you find in fall home decorations can’t help but warm up a room and home. Fall also inspires me to start cooking soups and stews and baking breads and pies, especially apple pie! The cooler temperatures give me more stamina to seize the day. I find I get a lot more done around the house and am more physically active in the cooler weather. So I renew my committment to exercising regularly and adding more time to my exercise routine. I’ll definitely be trying the delicious sounding recipes the other bloggers have suggested. Thanks ladies!
October 5, 2009 at 1:29 pm |
I am with you Eileen on every single item. I love decorating the house and the colors both inside and outside are spectacular. It seems like the zinnias in my garden are all deep red and orange at this point. The cozy comforters on the beds and the hearty soup on the stove warm my heart, once again reminding me of what I value most in my life–the moments with my people!
October 8, 2009 at 8:18 pm |
OK, I just went out and bought a Crock Pot. Please send me your favorite recipes!
October 8, 2009 at 10:50 pm |
Allyson,
One of the books we love is Fix it and Forget it, I think we bought it at Borders. Which crock pot did you buy—congratulations. The best thing is that you can include wonderful fresh vegetables and a protien and it just gets better as it cooks all day. I made a chili out of the book I mentioned and it was out of this world. My next meal is going to be a slow cooked soup!! Let us know what you are making. Cooking Light also has alot of slow cooker recipes that we have enjoyed
October 8, 2009 at 11:31 pm |
I got the All-Clad crock pot… I heard that was “the one” to get. I prepared a brisket with veggies so all I have to do is plug it in tomorrow. I also ordered 2 cook books but I will check yours out, too. Cooking light sounds like a nice option… I would love to get some healthier ideas!
October 9, 2009 at 1:02 am |
You got the cadillac of crock pots—way to go!
October 10, 2009 at 3:59 pm |
OK so this is not a recipe or words of wisdom-
Just some humor-
I wore new yoga pants to class today & then out when I got a pedi & to the dry cleaner-
Came home to find a nice big HOLE in the seat seam !!!!!
So the BIG question is if you saw someone in class with a hole in their clothing would anyone tell them?
I WILL FROM NOW ON!!!!
October 14, 2009 at 10:16 pm |
Hello Ladies! Once AGAIN our discussion turned to food and the fabulous crock-pot/slow cooker. Stephanie asked me if I had used it recently and I told her that just last night I prepared a 3 pound boneless pork roast (shoulder portion) for pulled pork sandwiches. I have done this may ways through the years and have found that the recipe on the back of the McCormick spice pack (pulled pork spices for the slow cooker) to be wonderful. I like it because you add ketchup, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar and ketchup to the spices and just pour over the pork roast. Remember to remove the strings around the roast and lay flat on the bottom of the cooker. Add mixture, coating the entire roast and cook on low for 8 hours. This can be done the night before and put in the fridge to marinate. After cooking, take two forks and shred the roast in the sauce. Serve on rolls with a salad and there’s dinner. The McCormick spice pack can be found in the spice aisle or in the condiment aisle. Enjoy!! Cathleen P.S. You can add some of your favorite barbeque sauce to thicken it up if you so desire…especially on day 2 should you dare have any leftovers!!
October 15, 2009 at 1:15 am |
I am making this wonderful dish this weekend—-I just told my son and he said “oh yea” to the pulled pork for the weekend—thanks miss!
October 19, 2009 at 3:37 pm |
Hi all, I really enjoyed this morning’s class with Debbie. As promised, here’s the info on the sinus rinse. If you have a head cold or feel like your sinuses are getting clogged, use the Neilmed Sinus Rinse (available at most drug stores and from drugstore.com). It comes with the salt packets and everything. I swear that this little solution enabled me to skip the sinus surgery that my doctor wanted me to have. Stay healthy and STAY HOME if you are sick!
October 19, 2009 at 4:47 pm |
Allison– we enjoyed having YOU in class today! And thanks for sharing that awesome partner ab crunch with me– that rocks!– and I KNOW i’ll be feeling it tomorrow;-)
ENJOY THE SUNSHINE WHILE WE HAVE IT ALL!
November 9, 2009 at 10:35 pm |
For a “tid bit” that Cathleen requested repeating today-
ACCEPTANCE is seeing clearly what IS.
Living Your Yoga: Acceptance does not mean that we are necessarily happy with the way things are, but that w see the way things are. Today pick one circumstance in your life and be willing to see it the way it is. Just so. (Judith Lasater, A Year of Living Your Yoga)
Realistically accepting where we are- each day- is the foundation to where we want to go and how we are going to get there…great thought as we enjoyed this beautiful 70s fall day but know the cold and holidays are fast approaching…BE WELL, ONE AND ALL- and BE PRESENT TO WHAT IS. Namaste~
November 15, 2009 at 1:23 pm |
Hey ladies! So I recently made this fabulous autumn vegetable soup from Fine Cooking magazine and will be using it for Thanksgiving as a first course. It is a hearty fall soup with loads of veggies and is so simple to make. Pair it with some crusty bread or a half a sandwich and it would be a great meal. I didn’t use the cayenne that the recipe calls for but it was perfectly delicious without it! The recipe follows:
2 Tbs. olive oil
3 medium carrots, cut into medium dice
1 large yellow onion, cut into medium dice
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
2 cups 1/2-inch-cubed peeled butternut squash (about half a 2-lb. squash)
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
Pinch cayenne pepper; more to taste
Kosher salt
1 quart lower-salt chicken broth
1 14.5-oz. can no-salt-added diced tomatoes
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 cups lightly packed, coarsely chopped kale
1 cup lower-salt canned chickpeas
——————————————————————————–
Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the carrots and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add the squash, allspice, cayenne, and 1 tsp. salt and stir to combine. Add the broth, tomatoes with their juice, and thyme. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the kale and the chickpeas and cook uncovered until the squash is tender and the kale has wilted, about 10 minutes more. Discard the thyme springs before serving. Season to taste with more salt and cayenne.
Make Ahead Tips
You can refrigerate this soup for 3 days or freeze for 2 months.
Variations
Feel free to substitute other fall vegetables or beans.
From Fine Cooking 101, pp. 35
September 3, 2009
November 16, 2009 at 3:45 pm |
Here is Pia’s recipe that she made for her guests!
Baked Pork Tenderloin
Serves 4
1 pork tenderloin (approx. 13oz), trimmed
2 tbsp butter
Stuffing
9oz minced pork
1 egg white
½ tsp salt
Cracked black pepper
1 tsp shredded onion
2-3 tbsp cream
9oz mushrooms
Phyllo pastry dough (13” x 13”)
1/3 cup melted butter
Cold sauce
1 cup sour cream
2 tbsp sweet mustard
½ tsp grounded paprika
¼ tsp salt
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh chives
Tenderloin: Brown it on all sides in a frying pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and let it cool off.
Stuffing: Mix the meat with egg white, salt, pepper and onion. Add the cream and leave the stuffing in the fridge for approx. 10 min.
Clean the mushrooms and chop them coarsely. Preheat the oven to 395 degrees F.
Phyllo pastry dough: You need five layers. Brush each layer of phyllo dough with melted butter and place them on top of each other. Spread the filling on ¾ of the dough. Spread the mushrooms on the filling. Place the tenderloin on top. Roll the dough so the dough without filling on is at the bottom. Close the ends. Place the roll on a sheet of parchment paper and bake it on the center rack for approx. 45 min.
Cold sauce: Mix all ingredients. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve with small boiled potatoes and salad.
Salad
1 small head of romaine lettuce, chopped
2 oz baby arugula
4 dried apricots, thinly sliced
2 oranges, peeled and segmented
1 ripe pear, cut into wedges
1 small salad onion, finely chopped
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
Dressing
Juice of 1 orange
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper
Toss all ingredients in a salad bowl. Mix the orange juice with the oil, salt and pepper and pour the dressing over the salad.
November 17, 2009 at 3:19 pm |
Gluten Free Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins!
1-1/2 cups almond flour
3/4 cup rolled oats, blended to make flour
15 oz. canned pumpkin
1/2 cup agave nectar
4 T melted butter
1 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
1/2 cup cranberries
Combine all ingredients, fold in the cranberries last.
Pour into muffin tin (about 3/4 full)
Bake at 325 for 40 minutes until tops are golden brown.
YUM!
November 19, 2009 at 3:16 am |
One of my favorite soups~
Red Pepper Soup (Serves 8)- Serve Hot or Cold
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
4 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
7 ~ 8 sweet red bell peppers, julienned
1 carrot, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 pear, peeled, quartered & seeded
3 shallots sliced
4 cups chicken broth
2 dashes of Tabasco
1 tsp sugar
salt
freshly ground pepper
garnish (optional): sour cream, chopped chives
• Heat oil & butter in a large sauté pan. Saute peppers, carrots, shallots, garlic & pear- over med heat for 8-10 minutes until tender.
• Add chicken broth, Tabasco & sugar. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered for 25-30 minutes
• Puree everything in a food processor (or use your “pureeer”)~ add salt & pepper
Bon Appetit!