A Week At A Time – Meal Ideas!

I awoke to a foggy fall morning and couldn’t be more pleased. It’s been a long hot summer and I have enjoyed myself immensely, but I’m ready for the seasonal change. There are so many things I like about fall — the colorful changes (just slightly here), the weather of course and always delicious heart-warming food prepared in the kitchen.

Fall food is different than summer or winter food. It tends to bring in subtle changes in vegetables and fruit, while still utilizing ingredients from the previous season. So let’s start Monday with some winter squash and my Thai Butternut Squash Soup is delicate and tasty with Asian flavors that enhance this naturally sweet vegetable. Mexican Tamale Pie on Tuesday replaces the usual tacos that many of us enjoy and this fully loaded casserole leans towards a good masa based tamale without having to unwrap the steamy corn husk. Hump Day needs a lift to get us through the week and this delightful Roast Pork Tenderloin with Wild Mushrooms seems like fancy food, but it’s simple enough to prepare for during the week. Creamy Leek and Chicken Pasta rounds out the week on Thursday, while filling those comfort food cravings that we all seem to endure. Let’s watch the sun set a bit earlier on Friday, while sipping on a Fall-Tini Cocktail and appreciating what fall has to offer. Saturday’s are for baking, especially during the fall season and a Rustic Peach and Fig Rustic Tart with Pistachio Frangipane is quite the dessert. Maybe you thought I’d go apples or pears this week, but there are still so many lusicious fruits of the summertime still available — I couldn’t resist. Enjoy your first week of fall.

Monday