Pilgrimages to the mountains this fall by my grandparents have yielded this Farmer with apples aplenty. Pies, cakes, and tarts have abounded this season and finally, after much persistence i.e. nagging and
begging on my part, Mimi has made her Apple Butter.
This delicacy has a longstanding place in my memory of warmth and delight, for Mema, Mimi’s mother, would make this and the smell and taste bring back memories of her. She would fill dough with this apple concoction and bake apple turnovers or fry apple fritters. Mimi has perfected the recipe and we use it on breads, biscuits, poundcake, or simply as dessert itself. I take only a spoonful at a time, yet, still, the jar keeps diminishing in volume. I suppose it is the spoonfuls throughout the day that cause the diminishment.
This sauce is that good – you’ll find yourself sampling right off the stove and right out of the fridge… hot or cold, warm or cool, Mimi’s Apple Butter will surely become a favorite. With the holidays fast approaching, jar some apple butter to give to your neighbors, friends, and loved ones, that is, if you can bear to share!
When I think of casseroles, I imagine layers and layers of meats and
vegetables slowly cooking together until fork tender. Baeckeoffe is
that casserole; it beats all other casseroles. Beef, lamb, and pork are
combined with onions, leeks, and carrots, then drowned in wine, and
slowly braised for hours in the oven until just perfect. Baeckeoffe,
which translates to baker's oven, originates from Alsace, France, a
region that has changed hands many times between France and Germany. In
many ways, especially gastronomically, it maintains a German identity.
Here you will find beer, sausages, sauerkraut, and vineyards growing
typical German grapes like Riesling and Gewürztraminer. Many dishes are
specific to this region, Baeckeoffe being one of its most famous
traditional foods.
I make soup every Sunday. Along with my pre-made grains, a legume, some roasted chicken(or sauteed sausages), cleaned and prepped veggies, soup is always simmering on Sunday mornings. I meal plan. Shopping lists are written on Fridays, shopping is done on Saturday, thus the organization begins. Simply, it makes weeknight meals easier, quicker, and nutritious.
November 15th is National Bundt Day. Duty calls. I need to make a bundt. I am trying to stay seasonal, so what would make the most sense? You guessed it, pumpkin! When I want to make a bundt, my first stop on the internet is always 
For this recipe I defrosted two chicken breast halves overnight. And with a jar of capers from the pantry, I thought I'd make a simple chicken piccata. I chose to use one of my favorite flours, Wondra. It
gives such a unique coating to meats when pan fried. It's usually used
for making gravies because it dissolves instantly without forming
lumps, but as the name implies, it works wonders on just about anything.