soul season

Summer is over.  After a couple super hot days last week, we had a vicious storm and then boom, fall kicked summer to the curb. 

the filthy and happy Dylan Holt

Suddenly we're turning on the lights at dinnertime and it's dark when I get up at that ungodly hour to hit the 5:45am WOD.  School's back in session.   The nighttime discussion has moved from, "what movie should we watch tonight?" to "what's your homework?"  Helmets, pads & cleats have supplanted bathing suits and towels.


And I love it.

The lovely Becca Vasko.

In Phelps this summer my niece Becca and I were quizzing each other about our 'soul spice' - if you were an herb or spice, what would you be?  I decided I'm cilantro.   I was going to go with basil but determined I wasn't worthy.  Becca said, "that's like Ina's (aka barefoot contessa's) soul spice."  Agreed.  Cilantro it is.  Becca is dill. Sue is rosemary.  


 
But my soul season?  Most definitely fall.  I love summer, but I always feel energized when it's time to get back to it all.  I love the sense of order that returns in the fall.  I love the smell of fall.  I love the crisp nights and the extra blanket at bedtime and the first fire in the fireplace.  I love marching band.  I love football.

And I love the food.  As soon as the temperature dropped this weekend to a gorgeous high of about 70, my week's menu changed in turn.   Soups!  Crock pot!  Red wine!  Spaghetti sauce!  BRING IT.

Here's to fall!  And cilantro.  What's your soul spice.  And season?

This week's menu:

Sunday:  pulled pork, corn on the cob, spicy red cabbage cole slaw

Monday:  chicken fajitas

Combine:
2/3 cup fresh lime juice,
1/2 cup red vinegar &
1 cup olive oil.
Add salt & pepper and a little oregano.
Pour over 6 chicken breasts and let marinade overnight in fridge or a couple hours at room temp.
Slice up some onions and red and green peppers (slice long)
Cook the whole shebang up in a 350 oven for about 30 minutes then slice the chicken, return to pan & serve with warmed tortillas, beans & rice.


Tuesday:  orzo with shrimp

Wednesday: Spaghetti with meat sauce, salad & bread

This recipe makes a ton  -  I usually freeze half.

Spaghetti sauce

Chop up a couple large onions and 4 or 5 cloves of garlic

In a large sauce pan combine 1-1/2 lb ground beef 

 1-1/2 lb hot italian sausage, casings removed

Break up the meat with back of wooden spoon

 Add the onions & garlic 

 Cook the whole mess up for a good 15-20 min at med-high heat, until the sausage is cooked through

Hubble likes to plant himself RIGHT UNDER my feet while I'm cooking any class of meat

Drain the fat

Add 2 lg cans of tomatoes (puree or crushed? depends on my mood. 1 of each is good)

1 lg can tomato paste

Refill the paste can with water and swish it through all the cans to get all the tomato yumminess

Add 2 tsp dried basil & 2 tsp oregano

2 Tbsp brown sugar
4 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

2 tsp kosher salt & lots of fresh pepper

and a splash of red wine if you've got some opened (it's fall so you should)

Mix it all up

Let it simmer for hours and hours.  

Taste to see if it needs more salt & pepper.  Add a little crushed red pepper for fun.

Thursday:  favorite family chili

1 lb ground beef

1 onion, chopped

1-2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 8 ounce jar salsa

1 can kidney beans

chili mix - assemble the following and use half. Save the rest for next time in an airtight container.

2 TBSP chili powder

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp dried minced onion

crushed red pepper - to taste

brown the beef, drain the fat, add the rest, cook for ages on low heat.