My Stomach Thinks It Is Fall

I can't stop thinking about apples crostadas, pumpkin squares with cream cheese icing, soups, and vegetable chili with warm crusty bread. All this because the temperature dipped below seventy today?

Now that our new kitchen is organized (although David and I are still working out disagreements over where the essentials should go!), it is time to get cooking. Some preliminary plans . . .

Revisiting The Familiar:
Barefoot Contessa's Cheddar Corn Chowder. Amazing. Enough calories to last one several days.
Beef Burgandy. Again, an Ina Garten recipe. Especially delicious because it is served over a piece of toasted bread rubbed with garlic to soak up all the sauce.
Lots and lots of bolognese.
Lentil Soup. Marcella Hazen's simple recipe.


New Tricks:
Homemade croissants. I have been plotting this for awhile. A ton of work, but I hope to freeze some to be eaten later on the porch on a pleasantly cool fall morning with a little butter and jam.
Apple everything. We have a glorious apple tree. Seems about time to harvest. Pies, tarts, crisps. We'll see what turns out.
Chicken tortilla soup. Grandma's version is amazing. Will do my best to recreate.
Short Rib Ragu over homemade tagliatelle. David's fabulous idea.

Plus, our CSA box continues through the end of October, which I suspect means lots and lots of delicious squash to cook up. And no doubt more apples.

An ambitious September.

My Dad's Shoes

This went on for nearly an hour.

My New Obsession

Jones Organics iced teas are amazing. I am partial to the Tropical and Peach varieties, but they are all quite tasty. I am having to limit myself to two a day.

Our New House

We moved into our new house two weeks ago. (I am going to skip all of the typical whining about moving and being exhausted because it isn't at all interesting. But trust me when I say that I have lodged all of the usual complaints . . . mostly to myself).

But the move is over and the house is really ideal. We get to keep all that we love about our life in Wicker Park (lots and lots to love). Plus, we get a big yard with an apple tree in full bloom (see photo). And a playroom in the basement for those Chicago winter days when it is ten degrees below zero (otherwise we will be in the yard). AND a garage so I don't have to shovel the car out at 7:00 a.m.to get Ellie to school. What else could a girl ask for?

You have never seen a family completely mess up a lovely house faster than we have. Largely, because instead of pressing on with the unpacking, I have spent much of the last week sitting on my deck, watching Ellie and Brendan experience the joys of having a backyard. Sidewalk chalk. Blowing bubbles. Chasing balls. T-ball. Spraying each other with the hose. Making mudpies in the dirt. Playing with Aunt Meg's dog Penny.

Definitely a good move.

Moving

We are moving. Good for our life. Bad for my blogging. Will be back in a week or so (pack, unpack, play in new backyard, wait for new wireless service to be installed, etc.).