Fall, Cooking, and Visitors

I love fall. It is, without a doubt, my favorite time of year. The air gets crisp and clear, the leaves blaze into glory and then crunch underfoot, and the last brilliant wildflowers fill the air with a sharp, sweet scent, mixing with slight hints of decay, smoke and cold to create that unique smell which tells you that colder weather is on the way.

Everything about fall days is glorious. The cold, sharp mornings when you can barely see your breath and there's a new energy in the air... horses are a bit more restless, more alert, and everyone's blood is pumping a bit harder; the mellow afternoons when the sun on your back provides just the right amount of warmth, the horse under you is relaxed yet responsive, leaves rustle in the resting woods, and an uphill gallop is the perfect end to a long work day; the chilly, clear evenings when the exquisite sunset fades into a brilliance of stars and bundling up is necesary to stay warm... I absolutely love this time of year.

I also love fall foods. There are still fresh, brightly colored vegetables to be had, but the cold weather also inspires heartier foods such as creamy soups, squash, root vegetables and warm baked goods - cornbread, apple pie, pumpkin bread - yep, fall is the time for me! Although I love cooking, I haven't done much of it the past four months. But this past week we've had soup almost every night - thick lentil and hearty vegetable-barley, which both smell delicious while cooking and warm up a chilled body instantly.

There's a farm stand not far from here which has the best sweet corn we've ever tasted, as well as all sorts of lovely fresh produce. Yesterday afternoon I stopped to pick up some corn and found a novelty: purple peppers! I'd seen green, red, yellow, and orange, but never purple before, so I bought a couple, along with my butter-and-sugar corn (so named for its white and yellow kernels, but which is also very taste-descriptive), some red onions and fresh tomatoes.

Luke's parents arrived last night for a week-long visit from Montana, and so today we cooked a big Sunday dinner. We had my fresh corn on the cob, as well as a lovely fresh vegetable salad. It was such a delight to chop up purple peppers, red onions, yellow pepper, and deep red, juicy tomatoes and enjoy the lovely fall colors drizzled with a simple vinaigrette of balsamic vinegar, olive oil, a tablespoon of sugar, a dash of sesame oil, and a tablespoon or so of lime juice. Mmmmm. While chopping veggies and boiling corn, we simmered rice on the stove and baked biscuits in the oven. The crowning glory was the slow cooker roasted chicken. I discovered this recipe online, and every time I want an easy crowd pleaser, I use it. Today it was lovely to simply stick the chicken in the crock pot before church and return home to a fragrant house and a warm meal for my guests. Here's the recipe for anyone who's interested:

1 whole chicken (the recipe says 3lbs., but any size works - today mine was 5lbs.)
1/2 c chicken broth (or water and boullion)
1/3 c soy sauce
1/3 c olive oil
1/4 c honey
1 t Worcestershire sauce
2 t balsamic vinegar
2 t lemon juice
1 t sesame oil
2 T minced garlic

Rinse the chicken, pat it dry and place it in the crock pot. Whisk all the other ingredients together and pour over the chicken. Cook for 4 hrs. on high or 8 hrs. on low and enjoy!

No, I haven't tried it (yes, I'm still a vegetarian), but everyone I've served it to loves it.

So here's a toast to fall, home cooking, warm comfort foods, and time with family!