Fall Musings

October means there’s one last hurrah to be had in my Carolina kitchen. Here in the Blue Ridge Mountains the weather is crisp and blustery. The leaves are vibrant, but falling rapidly. The humming birds have flown south, the last of the summer flowers are shivering in their pots, and it’s probably time for me to hit the road and admit the true “snowbird” that I have become.
Fall weather and cozy fires lend themselves to comfort meals. My favorite fall food to prepare and keep on the stovetop, are soups. Heartier fare like potato soup and pumpkin soup, lentil and bean soups, chowders and bisques – they all work.

Most often you will find everything you need to make simple, supple soup in your pantry. The main ingredient comes from your local festival, farm stand or farmer’s market. My most recent soup recipe came into being when I found a gorgeous squash and had leftover onions, potatoes and salad fixins. Butternut Squash Soup is thick, rich, hearty and velvety and complimented perfectly with a crispy shallot garnish.

My soups are created with fresh, healthy ingredients, so there’s no need to worry about calories – your only risk is being too full for dinner later on! A bowl of soup and a big green salad is an excellent lunch choice, kind to your waist line and your budget!
And so I leave you with three simple words: Enjoy the soup. Oh, and please leave me a comment and let me know how you like it. My new blog, From Nana’s Kitchen will debut soon. I’ll offer recipes and activities for grandparents and parents to enjoy with their children. If there is a special recipe you would like to see, or a grandma question you would like to have answered, just let me know and I’ll make sure to post a response.

Happy Fall Leaves – wherever you are!!

PS: Pumpkin Patch Photo courtesy of Chris Morgan cjmphotography.net