Lizzy's Test Kitchen----and a Little Road Trip

 

Hi guys! This was supposed to be my Monday post but I've been plagued with non-stop migraines for about ten days. Blurry vision and head in a fog---plus OMG, the pain. (The good news is my hand is much better. Or my head hurt so bad the hand seemed negligible?) But time marches on and the holidays are approaching rapidly. Time for menu planning and pantry filling.

You know I love to try new recipes.

This recipe for butternut squash with apples was a big hit when I made it a few weeks ago. I didn't use maple syrup, and I forgot the walnuts, but we loved it. I decided to add it to my Thanksgiving menu, since my kids don't eat stuffing or mashed potatoes. ["bad carbs, mom!'']. But before I dedicated a portion of the Big Day's Feast to a new recipe I wanted to make it again.
Yes, for  my family this is still a big holiday! None of that ''lost holiday'' crap here at the beach. Macy's parade! Football! Turkey! Yay.

I found these beautiful mixed root veggies from the fancy supermarket. You can see: squash, rutbaga, and carrots.

So pretty.

And I had an assortment of heirloom apples from the flower center. No mums, but hey, they had cider and beautiful apples. I chose one of each. I only remember Winesap, Macoun, Gala....

I always wash pre cut veggies; I don't exactly trust whoever/ however they were cleaned ---and when?

Rinse, pat dry. Put in the Pyrex pan with a bit of olive oil and a couple tiny pats of butter. I seasoned with cinnamon [sparingly]; nutmeg; caraway; and a very light sprinkle of raw cane sugar. Bake as directed, stir now and then.

 

 

Meanwhile I chopped up the Winesap and other red apples.

The Winesaps are extra delicious, by the way, so crisp and refreshing, but sweet. I added the apples near the end and they still got a bit too soft. They only need maybe 10 minutes. Add the pepitos* [pumpkin seeds] at the same time]

Perfect!

Yum.

I loved the roasted mixed root veggies, especially the rutabaga. But I think the recipe was best made just with apples and butternut squash. Easy. Delicious. Healthy.

Here's our autumn roadtrip. My friend L and I braved the traffic and crowds and went to Joann's Fabrics' Veterans Day sale yesterday (nightmare city, man). Mostly for the drive through the height of the autumn foliage. Our island doesn't have many trees, but the parkways north are so beautiful and mid-November is the ''peak'' of fall color here because of the warm ocean.

This is the same road I take to the flea. You can see it's not exactly a hub of activity, which makes for a pleasant drive.

This and our other main route north are expressways or freeways that in New York are called "parkways". These roads were designed by master builder Robert Moses, as scenic routes, nearly 80 years ago. They were partly built, I believe, as a WPA project during the Great Depression. Moses visualized open roads with lovely scenery; the roadsides form a greenbelt which cannot be built upon, thus creating a park effect. The trees and shrubs ---oaks and maples, with dogwood, redbuds, and forsythia that bloom in the spring---were all designed and planted, they are not natural. I suppose over the years they have been replanted and during the winters you can see all the huge old trees that remain down since H Sandy.

Of all Moses's parkways, this road remains the most untouched and most beautiful. It ends up at the beach and there the side road I use meanders through dunes filled with bayberry and bittersweet, Canada geese and hawks. I enjoy every minute I am driving on it.

Have a good week!



Mo says,"Mel's package with the yarn and quilt squares
and thread and glue stick was
YUMMY. Thank you , mommy!"
burp.
"I ate ALL.''

* feel free to omit the pumpkin seeds or sub walnuts, pecans, pine nuts, sunflower seeds. The pumpkin seeds I used are from Trader Joe's.

love

lizzy

gone to the beach....