mmm.... I love fall!

[At Peace in Limbo]

I get so inspired to cook in the fall and winter. Maybe my family background just gives me more grounding in hearty, warm meals for fall than light, crisp meals for summer. I created this turnip-carrot soup. Well... I'm sure it's existed in some form previously, but I did this off the top of my head with what I had in the kitchen, no recipe. I wanted to use some turnips and thought that the sweetness of the carrots would balance the sharpness of the turnips well. I decided on the bacon grease for the flavor, but you could just omit that part.

1 tbsp bacon grease
5 small to medium turnips, peeled and cubed small
5 medium carrots, peeled and diceds small
about 2 1/2 c water
2 tsp chicken boullion
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
pinch of thyme
1 to 2 c whole milk

Heat soup pot over medium-high heat.
Add bacon grease.
Once bacon grease is sizzling, add the turnips and carrots and saute for a minute or two.
Add water, boullion, black pepper, and thyme. (I added only enough water to just cover and based the amount of boullion on that).
Bring to a boil and simmer until vegetables are very tender.
Fill blender with hot water a few times to bring it up in temperature.
Then, slowly add the soup to the blender, making sure not to completely seal the lid and tenting with a towel to prevent both explosion and splashing.
Blend the soup until smooth.
Put back in the soup pot and put over medium heat.
Add enough milk to make it creamy and heat it to desired serving temperature.
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"You said what?! ... Why didn't you say, 'Drink this wine; it is a Merlot?'" (God speaking to Jesus, courtesy of Eddie Izzard)

www.themutteringchef.blogspot.com

[pitseleh]

i love the turnips. turnips mashed with butter, salt and pepper are one of (is one of?) my favorite foods.

i too love fall. as soon as there is a nip in the air i am back in the kitchen!

--jessie
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i don't shine if you don't shine

[KnucklesTheDog]

Here's the soup I made for dinner.
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http://revisedfortodayslifestyles.blogspot.com/

[rachiepachie]

i am just about to start cooking a big batch of carrot and coriander soup to see me through lunches at work this week...mmmmm soup. i love how it's just starting to be autumn and you can feel a nip in the air and the nights drawing in again..my favourite of favourites. season of soup and hot chocolate and needing-a-jacket. love it :)

[At Peace in Limbo]

Knuckles, I'm going to have to try that recipe! It sounds delicious!

Jessie, I've just recently discovered the wonderful vegetable that is the turnip. I have Eula Mae to thank (cajun cook, really, really good cookbook). I'll have to try them mashed now.

Rachiepachie, do you have a recipe for the carrot and coriander soup that you can share?
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"You said what?! ... Why didn't you say, 'Drink this wine; it is a Merlot?'" (God speaking to Jesus, courtesy of Eddie Izzard)

www.themutteringchef.blogspot.com

[hoppy]

It's hard to feel a nip in the air when it's 93 degrees still...
I can't wait to bust out an apple pie!!! I am going to make my own pastry and maybe even a lattice top sprinkled with turbinado sugar.
And then I get to eat pomegranites.
And go to the fair and get funnel cake.
Fall is good in so many ways.

[rachiepachie]

[At Peace in Limbo]

Hoppy, I just moved to Maine, where apparently the seasons are winter, spring, and fall. It's a hard adjustment after living in Wisconsin where there are distinct seasons. I actually enjoyed the one day we had in Maine where it was so hot and humid I was standing still and sweating.

Rachiepachie - that's for the link. I'm going to have to make that!
_________________
"You said what?! ... Why didn't you say, 'Drink this wine; it is a Merlot?'" (God speaking to Jesus, courtesy of Eddie Izzard)

www.themutteringchef.blogspot.com

[pitseleh]

yum, here is a turnip recipe i stumbled upon today on the 'cooking for two' website ( a sister magazine to 'taste of home')

it is on my to do list for next week...

Turnip Puff

“My family would never eat turnips until I served them this way,” says Debbie Henry from Phelpston, Ontario. This downsized version goes well with turkey, ham or roast beef. TIP: A pound of turnips yields about 2 cups chopped.


INGREDIENTS

3 cups cubed peeled turnips
1 tablespoon butter
1 egg
4-1/2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
Dash pepper
Dash ground nutmeg
TOPPING:
2 tablespoons dry bread crumbs
2 teaspoons butter, melted

DIRECTIONS

Place turnips in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 10-15 minutes or until tender. Drain; mash with butter. Cool slightly.
Beat in egg. Combine the flour, baking powder, brown sugar, salt, pepper and nutmeg; stir into turnip mixture.
Spoon into a 3-cup baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray. Toss bread crumbs and butter; sprinkle over casserole. Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 30-35 minutes or until heated through and a thermometer reads 160°. Yield: 3 servings.

NUTRITIONAL INFO

Nutrition Facts: 2/3 cup (prepared with reduced-fat butter) equals 129 calories, 5 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 82 mg cholesterol, 583 mg sodium, 17 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 5 g protein.
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i don't shine if you don't shine

[thora]

I made lemon-poppyseed loaf today...

I don't know if that qualifies as fall food, but it's yummy all the same!

[At Peace in Limbo]

That turnip puff sounds great!

I love lemon poppyseed scones. Yummy!
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"You said what?! ... Why didn't you say, 'Drink this wine; it is a Merlot?'" (God speaking to Jesus, courtesy of Eddie Izzard)

www.themutteringchef.blogspot.com

[cassiejane]

*bump*

so excited that is finally fall--i wish i were in maine right now where it would be even cooler and prettier! (i grew up there until college)

so, what are everyone's newest fall recipes? i am about to make my mom's famous homemade sauce and meatballs and i think i am going to try and make some healthy pumpkin bread as well.

to start it off, here is an AWESOME apple crisp recipe that i found from kraft: super easy and healthy to celebrate fresh crisp apples!




4 large Granny Smith apples (2 lb.), peeled, thinly sliced
1/2 cup packed brown sugar, divided
2 tsp. ground cinnamon, divided
1/3 cup old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) cold margarine
25 Reduced Fat NILLA Wafers, crushed (about 1 cup crumbs)
1-1/2 cups thawed COOL WHIP LITE Whipped Topping

HEAT oven to 350°F. Toss apples with 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1 tsp. cinnamon. Spoon into 8- or 9-inch sq. baking dish.

COMBINE oats, remaining brown sugar and cinnamon in medium bowl. Cut in margarine with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in wafer crumbs; sprinkle over apples.

BAKE 30 to 35 min. or until apples are tender. Serve topped with COOL WHIP.
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http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7372936796866511767

[killr]

[fuzzydice]

I just popped some walnutty banana bread batter into the oven. The smell of banana bread in the oven always reminds me of fall. I'm also keen on chunky soups and stews this time of year. Oh, and bakes potatoes!
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You were right about the stars; each one is a setting sun.
-Wilco

[rawrlie]

this weekend we are actually going to have autumn-ish temperatures [instead of 95 degrees every day like it has been] so i am celebrating by baking my first loaf of bread of the season and some autumn stew. mmm.
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yeah it's overwhelming, but what else can we do?
get jobs in offices and wake up for the morning commute?