Taking the leap into fall...

The weather has officially turned the corner and welcomed cool breezes along with shorter days. I pulled out my sweaters the other day, along with my zipped up storage bag of hats and scarves and mittens. I love wool hats and scarves and mittens. I don't always like the blistery, cold weather that demands them... but I don't have to think about that for at least a couple more months. 

For now, it's fall, and I love it. I'm going to take it all in, one day at a time.

Starting by making banana walnut bread... 

Stopping to notice the dragonflies...

You say Potato...

I love to cook in the morning, on the weekends... or in the evenings during the week... but mostly anytime. These potatoes are a healthy, taste bud waking alternative to the usual "hash brown". It's a recipe that I've been making for a few years but it seems as more time passes,  I add more and more to it. 

It started off with just your average potato and onion mixture, grilled on the range and served with toast and either egg or tofu scramble. 

BUT NOW, this potato breakfast delight could stand as a meal itself if it had to.. (sometimes it has too!) 

The base is onion. Lots and lots of onions. Then potatoes, garlic and some hot green peppers. 

So much to do... so little time.

 

 This is a project that I am working on. I say 'a' project, because I seem to have a hard time completing one thing before I'm making headway on another. 

So I am beginning to make another "Granny Square Bag" but I think I want this one to be even bigger. I am working out the dimensions and how many squares I will need, and then putting them together to see if the colors work out symmetrically. 

I love Blueberries!

So I wanted to make my first Blueberry Pie. Like I said to myself when I started this blog. I want to do a lot of "firsts" this year. So here's to blueberries being in season and oh-so super yummy. (not to mention a superfood so I can add this to the healthy desert basket!) 

And here's to blueberry pie!

I used a half version of this recipe from Simply Recipes.

Vegetarian Paella

So I wanted to make my husband something yummy and full of vegetables (he was lucky enough to marry a vegetarian who loves to cook) and he pointed to the picture on the cover of one of my cookbooks. Marie Simmons: Fast and Fresh Vegetarian; Recipes That Make a Meal

So I set off to accept his challenge. 

Here I am sauteing the peppers and mushrooms.

Things that are brown...

I think the color brown gets a bad rap.

When you watch children coloring, brown is always the last crayon picked from the box to add to the picture, if at all.


It's rare to see houses that are chocolate colored brown (I grew up in a chocolate colored house and I'll tell ya, though I loved our house, it seemed to be the talk of the neighborhood for a couple of years)

So in celebration of brown, here are some of my favorite brown things...

The brown pattern in my beach towel.

An adorable brown puppy.

Brown non-leather furniture.

A cute brown bear. 

And who wouldn't love Chocolate Covered Katie's No flour, Black Bean Brownies! 

I've made them and they hit the spot!

What are your "favorite things that are colored brown"?

Fresh cilantro and tomato salsa; Perfect for summer tomatoes!

These are the ingredients I used. I just love the bright red, fresh, local tomatoes! Red wine vinegar is the key.

I blended the tomatoes, garlic, onion, hot peppers and cilantro in a food processor, just enough; but not enough to turn it into soup. I'd rather have a fresh salsa than a cold, summer tomato soup. 

Then I added some fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper and about 1tbsp of olive oil. Voila! It's all ready for the chips to get a dippin! 

Try it yourself! Let me know what you think!

More things I like... and think are funny..

I like 

Brightly colored fire hydrants. 

Kittens who ask to come in...