Fall Random Bites

It's officially fall.

I guess now I really have to put away my white jeans.

Time for Brussels sprouts, soups, butternut squash, apple picking and leaf peeping!

I made this unusual sounding fall pasta, but I highly recommend it.

Marissa Lippert's Pasta w/ Apples, Ricotta, Brown Butter & Sage.

It was sort of like a deconstructed noodle kugel!
(click here for the recipe)

Good Stuff:

I recently received a case (yes, a case!) of snacks to try.

These are my kind of snacks.
John Wm. Macy's Cheesesticks in every flavor!

These are scary addictive and delicious.
They are ALL natural, using only a few good ingredients.

We tried the Madagascar vanilla and the cinnamon variety with afternoon coffee, and the Sesame Gruyere cheese crisps made great little appetizers swiped with tomato jam and Gruyere cheese to go with wine.

Loved them. Thank you Mr. Macy!


Fall means date-nut loaves.
I made my first of many date-nut breads! This is the BEST and easiest cake/loaf to prepare, it has all healthy ingredients, made with only 1/4 cup of olive oil and orange zest.

So good! Make a loaf. Recipe here.


Good Eats and Drinks:

Finally made it over to ARIA Wine Bar in the West Village.
Loved this place.

The atmosphere is beautiful, with white tile counters with vintage plates and cheese boards.
Long farm tables piled high with tapas and cichetti.

Great wines by the glass, so many to choose from.

We enjoyed the amazing polpo (octopus salad), along with white asparagus, a poached egg and prosciutto.

Next came baby lamb chops and a little roast chicken..........all for about $10. a plate!

This is a very popular spot, and hard to get a seat, so go early on a Tuesday to guarantee a fun night, otherwise you will be left out in the cold!



and last, but not least, an MCG update:

Yes, we are still there. We still have a lot of kale, broccoli and our Romaine lettuce survived the frost (go figure!).
It's almost time to wind down the season and put the beds to bed (get it?).

I am not sure if we will be renewing our "contract" with the Militant Community Garden next year.

They have been sending emails that say "since we did not volunteer at their Halloween-hay ride-party-fright-night nonsense, and therefore, did not comply with the RULES, we may not be invited back to be gardeners".

It made me really think, do I WANT to be invited back? I may have to rethink the whole Sunday gardening thing and take up golf, or find somewhere else to plant my veggies.

I will keep you posted.

:(

Happy November.