Loving the fall

I just love this time of year. Even on day like today where the rain won't stop, I just can't wipe a silly grin off my face. The leaves have already started to turn (due to all that drought, no doubt) and it definitely smells like fall. Yesterday was my farmer's market day and I bought a bunch of apples that smelled so good it was out of this world. You just don't get produce that smells like that anymore- and they taste pretty darned good too!

I'm officially "in" with the vegetable farmer who now gives me a hug when I see him. I'm not trying to brag, but he gave me a $2 discount. My loot at the farmer's market was sizeable and I'm psyched to start cooking some fall recipes. In the lineup are:

I can't remember which one I was planning on doing, but here are two similar recipes: one is Apple-Parsnip Soup, the other is Curried Apple Soup

Kris is demanding a repeat from last year of The Pioneer Woman's Apple Dumplings

I love cooked apples! Spice Pork Tenderloin with Sauteed Apples

My favorite farmer "convinced" me to stock up on sweet potatoes for the season. Gonna need a few more recipes to use up the 25 pounds in my garage. Two Potato Beet Hash with Poached Egg and Greens

Here's another one! Sweet Potato and Sausage Soup

I made the original version of this (which is a Cinnamon Bun) for Christmas a few years ago and it was a huge hit. This year we're adding apples for some Caramel Apple Sticky Buns

This might be the most exciting thing I've ever seen: Pumpkin Gingerbread Ice Cream Sandwiches

I also need to get my hands on a bottle of Eric Bordelet's Cider:

He is based in Normandy, which is in the Northwestern part of France and is famous for their ciders. When in Normandy, please try the butter. If Provence runs on Olive Oil, then Normandy runs on butter. And they use that delicious butter to make Crepe Sarrasin (a heavy but divine buckwheat crepe.) which should really only be had with some dry apple cider. Did I mention that Mr. Bordelet also make pear cider? Because he does and I might like pear cider even better.

Eric Bordelet with a 300 year old pear tree

forkandbottle.com

Let the fall season begin!