FALL

I have loved this fall. We have been home for all but one weekend of the past three months and it has been so much fun to enjoy being a little family and exploring the festivities where we live. We have been apple-picking-costume-sewing-pumpkin-harvesting-flag-football-playing-rice-crispy-treat-eating celebrating. Here are some of my favorite foods and photos from the season:

Apple Walnut Oatmeal: Apple picking with Grandma Huch! I was looking for a recipe to use all the apples and walnuts we got fresh off the trees and this oatmeal bar breakfast was delicious. If the thought of oatmeal reminds you of microwaved mush and makes you cringe, give this a shot. It will change your entire perspective on oatmeal.

Pumpkin cornbread: Massive pumpkins at the Thanksgiving Point festival inspired this one. I am not a huge fan of cornbread, its just too dry, but Evan is always asking me to make it so this was the perfect compromise. We had it with chili just like normal cornbread and it was so yummy!

Browned Butter Salted Rice Crispy Treats: Rice crispy treats are apparently the perfect energy bar for hikes, ha. I found this recipe a year ago and I will never make rice crispy treats any other way for the rest of my life. They are incredibly addicting. I also add in vanilla to her recipe, because when is vanilla not a good idea.

 

Nordstrom Tomato Basil Soup: I got this recipe from my sister in law after camping a few years ago and it is my favorite dinner to come home to after a day out in the cold. Its from the Nordstrom Cafe. We eat it with sourdough grilled cheese way more often than I'd like to admit. You'll probably want to cut it in half, its huge!

6 T. Olive oil

4 large carrots, sliced

1 large onion, sliced

1 T. dry basil leaves

3 (28 to 32 oz) cans whole peeled roma tomatos

1 quart chicken broth

1 pint heavy or whipping cream (I actually use cream cheese instead)

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Place olive oil in a 6-quart saucepan and heat over medium-high heat. Add carrots, onion and basil and cook 10 to 15 minutes or until vegetables are soft. Add tomatoes and broth and simmer 20 minutes.

2. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Puree soup in food processor, in batches, until smooth; return to saucepan. Stir in cream and heat, over low heat, just until heated through. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Makes 15 to 20 servings.

Pumpkin Cake: I know there is this pumpkin craze every fall, everyone looks forward to using it in all of their recipes, but this is the only pumpkin recipe I make on a regular basis. Cookies are average, I'm sure all the other creative crazy stuff on pinterest is great, but this is worth the effort and the calories. We took it on our FHE drive through the canyon and had it for dessert.

2 cups sugar
1 can pumpkin
4 eggs
1 cup oil

Beat well--then add

2 cups flour
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Bake in greased bundt pan at 350 for 40-50 minutes depending on oven.
Pour cream cheese icing over the top. (8 oz cream cheese, powdered sugar, milk)