October 14, 2013

Fat Jeans Fall...


The week that was...


"Cocooning"
October 7 - 14, 2013
Project 52 (42/52)


Twas a week of cooler Autumn temps, closing my windows (I even caved in and turned on the heat), shutting out the world, and reacquainting myself with a forgotten domain in my house...the kitchen.  It looked vaguely familiar to me as the territory I traverse to pull out a protein bar from the pantry en route to the sun room.  But there is something about the cooler temps, the leaves morphing from green to multi-colored hues, and the diminishing daylight hours that instigates an end of the year cocooning process for me.   Which results in a re-establishment of my friendship with the refrigerator, oven and stove, and yes...the dishwasher.  It's also a time of the year where my Things distant memories are jogged with the memory of "Oh yeah!  Mom DOES cook!".  As far as I'm concerned, when it comes to my kitchen...absence DOES make the heart grow fonder, the grocery bill higher, and my jeans tighter.

Just like summer is eternally linked in my mind with spending my days on the go, soaking up the summer rays...fall is the time for me to hunker down with home, comfort, and FOOD.  Some of these foods signal Fall to me just as much as that annoying smell I have to pass thru at the supermarket display of those odoriferous pine cones in mesh bags scented with beau coup cinnamon (WHEW!)...

1.  Chili.  Gonna get Forrest Gump-ish on ya, there's:  Chili con Carne, Beef Chili, Texas Chili, Chili with Lentils, Vegetarian Chili,  Hot Dog Chili, White Chicken Chili, Turkey Chili, Chili and Nachos...and my new personal favorite that I just made this week Pumpkin Chili with Chicken.

2.  Home-made chicken stock.  NOTHING says "home" to me like walking in the front door and being greeted with the aroma of chicken soup in the air.  Honestly, I think I like making home-made stock more for the smell because I can't tell ya how many times I've put that big stockpot out in my garage fridge to cool and then completely forgotten about it!  But it smelled good while it lasted.

3.  Chex Mix.  Worcestershire Sauce and butter?  'Nuff said.

4.  Wawa Pumpkin Spice Coffee brewing.  A girl's gotta drink something while creating masterpieces in the kitchen.

5.  Spiced Rum Hot Apple Cider.  A girl's gotta drink something AFTER the Wawa Pumpkin Spice Coffee is finished!

6.  Grilled Cheese sandwiches.  Personal fave?  I WOULD say Havarti with a schmear of apricot preserves.  But I only eat that when I want to impress people.  Truth-be-told I'm kinda a purist....so it's white bread and Velveeta.  And it HAS to be cut on the diagonal puhleeeeeeze.

7.  Soup, soup, soup....or stoup, stoup, stoup.  Not a huge Rachel Ray fan BUT, her whole concept of Stoups (soups that aren't quite as thick as stews) is kinda clever.  My fave?   Stuffed Cabbage Stoup, but ya GOTTA use the smoked paprika folks!

8.  Rouladen and Spaetzle.  My traditional birthday dinner growing up.  What is it?  It's home.  Yep, I get visions of my mom and Oma making this dish whenever I make it myself.  I don't have a recipe to share with you as I just make it from memory. Basically it is bacon, onion, mustard and chopped pickles (I've been known to omit that last ingredient) wrapped in a thin slice of beef, tied shut, browned, and then braised in a beef broth and wine mixture for a couple of hours.  Spaetzle are the German equivalent of small gnocchi.  And this is why us Germans are "strong like bull".

9.  Chicken Pot Pie in all it's wonderful and creative variations.  But not until AFTER the temps drop below 60.  Otherwise, it's just WRONG!

10.  Bolognese Sauce.  I think my hips grow just smelling this on the stove.  Probably the red wine I drink while making it doesn't help.


Not sure why caterpillars cocoon and morph into beautiful butterflies.  Yet when Fall comes I cocoon I morph into fat jeans.  But that's okay.  My kitchen thinks I'm kinda wonderful.  Probably because it likes me paying attention to it.  Kitchens can be fickle like that.







Here's where I'm linking up today ..."The Party's On"

Please join me on Sundays for Song-ography.
This week's song title is American Author's "Best Day of My Life"







24 comments:

  1. Being that we're well into spring, salads with meals are becoming the mainstay. How I'd love to spend a few days with you in your true winter weather, I know it's not all warm and glossy, but I'm learning through this blogging thing that when you guys say autumn and winter, you really mean autumn and winter! Oh, and I'm all for the cheese toasted sandwiches.

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  2. You're making me hungry!! I caved and put the heat on too but it's back off..yay!

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  3. Well you can keep cooking that Bolognese Sauce and I will come over and join you in that glass of wine, while it simmers♥

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  4. I love cooking all that comfort food as well!! I also love making soup stocks and have been guilty of forgetting it as well and having to throw it out!
    Pride and I will be over for the wine!

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  5. It's true, something about autumn makes us want to spend more time in the kitchen. Your photo is beautiful, what a lovely composition!

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  6. Mmm chili!! I just love fall. The apartment smells cozy, making dinner and the aromas lingering...and wawa coffee...oooo swooning and pining right now!

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  7. Had Chili last night. I love it but not sure it loves me. I know Heather doesn't after I eat it....Great listicle though.

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  8. Lol!!! Making chili and cornbread tonight-just seems right!! I love being in my kitchen more as the weather slowly.....oh so slowly....changes. Yummy things on your list there! Xo

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  9. Chicken pot pie sounds so yummy! I can honestly say I have no idea how to make a bolognese sauce. Not even an inkling. But it sounds delicious!

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  10. Fat jeans fall - love it. Now you're going to have me scouring the internet for the chex mix recipes. There's so many of them now, I never know which one I like. I need the late 80's version.

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  11. I am so incredibly hungry right now. I LOVE chili of all kinds!!

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  12. I enjoyed reading the vivid description of your autumn - comfort foods are the best!

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  13. Yo are killing me! Fall is the time to rekindle a passion with food. I am starting chicken stock this afternoon for Pioneer Woman's Chicken and Noodles.

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  14. Yep that stoup recipe is a staple in our house in the cooler weather...I may have even made it this summer! And now that it is lunch time, you have made me verrry hungry!

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  15. OoO that black and white picture does wonders with my eyes - very, very beautiful. I love the way you've captured a sense of autumn within this post. It is my favorite season, indeed so I very much enjoyed reading about these tasty fall foods! (: Blessings to you, Kath. Have a great week!

    xoxo,
    Allie @ Framed by God
    http://framedbygod.blogspot.com/

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  16. Whoa, too much food. I just ate lunch. LOL
    I LOVE LOVE LOVE your photo. When I first say the floor, I had an instant memory of my Grandma's carpet that was so similar! thanks, I love to remember my Grandma Stella. She lived right next door until her passing 3 weeks prior to me turning 15. She was a dear gem.

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  17. bring on the soup and the pasta i am the same way! great capture.

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  18. Gosh - Rouladen! The favorite dish when I was growing up.Now considered very old fashioned but still so delicious.We had a variation with cabbage instead of the beef slice which was wrapped around minced meat. That is the more basic version but as good!

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  19. Ha, my son had Chicken pot pie when were in Philly and loved it.

    Mollyxxx

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  20. oh wow, this is all kinds of yummy and cozy and i think i gained about 10 pounds just reading it! happy cocooning!

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  21. This same phenomenon is happening to me in the kitchen right now, too.
    I've never been able to pull off skinny jeans, personally. :)

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  22. You have me smiling once again this morning. Grilled cheese with tomato soup is my fav. I'm getting hungry just reading your post.

    Hugs~

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  23. I loved so much when I read the comment about your kitchen. I'll have to talk with mine about it. And your photo is gorgeous!

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