A quick post from amy and ann. With a little chill in the air and pumpkin patches in full swing it is time for some cider.

Maybe a fun pretty drink and some relaxation this weekend. enjoy!

cider & spice martini by ann west

2 parts chilled vodka

1 to 2 parts cider

squeeze of fresh orange juice

pinch of nutmeg

pinch of cinnamon

shake with ice

garnish with an orange twist and a cinnamon stick

pour in a pretty glass sit down and relax!

pair with some of shari's ginger snaps!

{the dish} Crock Pot Short Ribs & slowing down.

Watch out ... today I have my soap box out. I have been inspired, or maybe I am just overwhelmed? Anyhoo I feel the need to speak about the fight of our generation from my "food life" perspective. TIME. Too little, too rushed, not quality. Slow down.

I realized how many of my posts were about dishes that were thrown together because of a time crunch and how many times I started my posts explaining (verging on complaining) about the lack of time, being rushed, and being tired. That my creative energy in discovering food is bound by time. Easy but tasty meals are where I need to be.

Again, I realize I am absolutely the happiest when my entire family is around my dinner table. When we are thankful for each other. When we take that time to be together. When we take the time to listen to each other, joke a little, teach a little and show love for each other merely by our presence at that table.

Ok I am not polyannic. Many of our family meals involves some pestering, teasing and generally getting on each others nerves. Occasionally a belch ( or worse) followed by a squeal and a declaration of disgust. Occasionally it is a total bomb - but hey that is family too!

But again - the mere presence of us together at the table is what is important!

I feel the same way about friends. I am happiest on the weekends when I gather around a great meal with wonderful friends and rediscover something about myself. Around this table I can identifying with others about the woes and triumphs of the week and learn that there is always someone struggling. It is a gift.

Right now there are many factors pulling, tugging ok really YANKING at our lives. School, homework, sports, service, jobs, cleaning, chors, dogs, errands, money, cooking. We start we stop, start no now stop ... it gets to be manic really. The time to recharge... to think ... just to be PRESENT in the moment is a challenge. Soooo I say to myself again - slow down!

This week I eeked out two meals for my family to sit down to. Slow cooked short ribs - a fat riddled but extremely delicious meal. And grilled chicken with some tasty stuffed acorn squash. Today I give you a dish you can't miss with. I cooked these ribs in a slow cooker so I didn't have to babysit them. (although I think they would even be better roasted in a dutch oven!). This is a meal you can truly slow down to. It is rich, satisfying and is bound to make you think good thoughts.

slow cooker short ribs by ann west

2-3 lbs short ribs

the rub:

ancho chili powder

cumin

salt

pepper

cayenne

yellow mustard

smoked paprika - heavy on this one

Take the rub and well ... rub it on the short ribs. Place them in the slow cooker. Now add:

1-2 onions quartered

6 cloves garlic - smashed slightly

sprig or two of thyme

1/2 of a beer

1/3 cup brown sugar

3-4 tbls soy sauce

Cook for 5-6 hours or so. Taste and adjust seasonings. Add 1 container of grape tomatoes and cook for 30 - 40 min more. I separated some of the liquids so we had some "au jus". I served this with some wide egg noodles and fresh parsley.

This slow cooked meal delivers - enjoy!

{in the pot} ohhhh so easy pumpkin soup

What is it about this time of year and pumpkins. They make me happy. And like my previous post about purple potatoes I really don't remember seeing the endless variety of pumkins when I was a wee one. White, black, green, intense orange, varigated, warty, smooth .... beautiful. It is so fun looking and dreaming of the combinations.

For me and my kids it will be the traditional pumpkin. A good ole orange pumpkin where the triangle eyes and missing toothed mouth are apparent. When we carve pumpkins we do it like I did as a kid ... with a knife, a big spoon, a lots of news paper for the GUTS.

But variety is good.

I loved these white pumpkins and gourds and all of their perfect imperfections.

These pumpkins are much like this soup. At its simplest it is divine, but if you want you can add spices and discover all types of varieties.....

pumpkin soup by ann west

1 shallot - chopped fine

3 cups pumpkin

2-3 tbls brown sugar

3-4 cups chicken broth

pinch of white pepper

1/2 tsp cumin or more

pinch of nutmeg

pinch of sage

pinch of cayenne

salt to taste

1/2 cup of half and half or cream (optional)

Topping to garnish.

Saute your shallot in some oil in a soup pot until caramelized. Add your brown sugar and stir. Add your chicken broth and let simmer for 10 minutes or so. Then add your pureed pumpkin.

*ok you can roast your pumpkin if you like but I think canned pumpkin is fine. (that is what makes it Ohhh so easy anyway!). Now add your spices. Taste and adjust. Blend your soup.

Now hold on... this soup is wonderful as you have made it so far... it is savory and delicious! If you want to cut fat then go no further. However, if you like your soups a bit creamier then read on.

Add your half and half or cream in a slow stream. Heat for 30 more minutes and serve.

Toppers...so many options here:

Fried sage leaf, toasted pumpkin seeds, float a crouton and sprinkle parm on top, thyme, green onion, bacon ... I could go on and on. Variety the spice of life!

enjoy!

{delightful} red velvet cupcakes

I posted this in the Spring over at amyandann but love it so much I decided to share again.

It starts with a craving... a need to bake ... last week it was apple pie and this week the irresistible red velvet cupcake!

What is it about this cake that everyone seems to love? The childhood memory? The beautiful contrast of red and white? The rich buttermilk in the batter? The luscious icing?

all of the above friends all of the above!

red velvet cupcakes by ann west

2 1/4 cup sifted cake flour

4 tbls unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup sour cream

2 tbls red food coloring

1 tsp distilled vinegar

2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 stick unsalted butter - room temp

2 large eggs

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line your cupcake liners and set aside. Sift the dry ingredients together. Whisk buttermilk, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla together. With a stand mixer - cream butter with sugar. (let this go awhile and your cupcakes will have fewer holes) Add the eggs one at a time - make sure to scrape the batter down off the sides of your bowl. Beat in the dry ingredients and alternate with the liquid ingredients. Divide the batter into the cups. I would fill a little shy of 3/4 full. Bake for 18 minutes and let cool.

Ice with cream cheese or a whipped cream icing. Here is a cream cheese recipe for you!

1 1/2 packages 8oz cream cheese

1 1/2 sticks butter

1 tbls vanilla

3 to 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

enjoy!

{nibble} warm marinated olives

Fall is here ... the air is a tad cooler in Dallas. Of course I immediately jumped on the below 75 degrees - it is time for a sweater - band wagon. Only to find myself red-faced and sweating it out later in the day with nowhere to undress.

That same morning with the temp in the 50's I said yes - today is the first day to have chili! . Simmering the meat, beans and tomatoes ... the house had that warm inviting smell. I was excited and looking forward to that first warm bite that felt so comforting, nourishing and satisfying. Quickly my kitchen became an inferno, perspiration beading on my head, I am hot I need air. In a near panic I fling open the doors ... no no bugs, close the door. Sometimes you never learn.

Book club is tonight ... I was thinking of a simple dish to bring and love having marinated olives when I am out. What can be hard about that - nothing at all. This and that, what you have in your pantry will work today, right now for you tonight! IT is the best when you don't have to plan, you whip it together and it looks and tastes smashing.

Even better on a cool (or cooler that summer heat anyway) fall night. Can you believe tomorrow is October 1?!

warm marinated mixed olives by ann

a cup or so of mixed olives

4-5 cloves garlic

1 shallot diced fine

1 lemon zest and juice

1 orange zest and juice

fresh rosemary

fresh thyme

bay leaf

red pepper flakes

black pepper

1 tbls balsamic vinegar

3 tbsl olive oil

Ok so you mix all this together. No magic just your good ole taste buds. And let it marinate for 6-8 hours. Then before serving heat the olives slightly. Serve with hard, toasted bread or cracker bread. enjoy!

These would also make a wonderful little gift!

{the dish} flat iron steak with cilantro lime pesto & purple potatoes

Now I know for a fact that when I was growing up there was NO SUCH THING as a purple potatoes. Really where did all these wonderfully unique vegetables come from. We now have mini artichokes, purple artichokes, dragon beans, baby beets, yellow calliflower, easter egg radishes, heirloom tomatoes, honey crisp apples, champagne grapes, 20 kinds of lettuce, and 10 kinds of mushrooms, numerous peppers....... (please fill in the blank - you know where I am going on this one).

isn't it wonderful!

I think that these exotic branches of the traditional fruits and vegetables (that we grew up with) are kind of like the "punk rockers" of the 80s. They have died their hair pink and are wearing clothes that get our attention. They add spice, step up the bar so to speak, make us think differently. Don't we all long for that edginess .... but gravitate to what we know?

A push is always good!

Most of the time I go for my good ole friends... not because I can't move on ... mainly it is a price point difference (I mean these potatoes cost me $9 - hey they are potatoes for goodness sake) ... but they are pretty!

Then there is the issue of the flat iron steak. I don't recall this as an option when I was young. Really it was a t-bone for the special occasions and a patio steak for the everyday. Now-a-day when it comes to choosing a cut of meat ... well lets just say sometimes I just close my eyes and hope I have chosen well.

These flat iron steaks were delicious, inexpensive and cooked up so well. I added a little pesto that I easily could have mixed in with those potatoes too. enjoy!

_____________________________________________

flat iron steak, purple potatoes and lime cilantro pesto by ann west

the steak

flat iron steak - these are a thin cut, they don't really need marinating and they are tender -

Sliced they would be great in salad as well!

salt and pepper your steak and rub with just a bit of olive oil. Grill to medium rare.

purple potatoes

slice your potatoes in half

oil your jelly roll pan

toss your potatoes in some oil and arrange cut side down

roast at 400 for 30 minutes or until tender

I salted these with some "truffle salt" I had. WOW delicious.

cilantro pesto

handful of cilantro

smaller handful of parsley

1 garlic clove - you really don't need any more

1/4 c maybe a little more macadamia nuts

olive oil

salt & pepper

lime juice

dash of sugar

blend all of this together and then add your olive oil slowly until it comes to the consistency you like. I prefer pesto a little chunky and not too much oil. maybe the photo shows best.

have fun and enjoy!