This recipe has a lot of steps - but don’t be intimidated. You only use a couple pans, it’s just a lot of switching ingredients around. There’s lot of good stuff in this - apples, potatoes, peas, and parsnips. There’s not even cheese in this! Just a little cream and butter for the potatoes and sauce. The apple cider with the savory broth is great, as well as using the brandy - which I used apple brandy which made it slightly spicy like a pie spice, but really good. We only used 6 boneless skinless thighs, and have tons of leftovers. This is a great way to eat lots of veggies and feel very cozy at the same time. Bon Appétit!

Today was a turning point for me - I got the right cut of meat and advice from a great butcher at the Union Square Whole Foods!  I went in for a pork tenderloin, and after asking me what I wanted to do with it (stuff it with apples!) he recommended a center cut pork roast better for serving 6 people. AND, before I could ask, he offered to butterfly it so I can stuff away! AND it was half the price of the tenderloins! I was blown away. Something simple like that makes my grocery shopping such a joy. A little knowledge and customer service does go a long way. I lost my Trader Joe’s receipt, so I’ll just give a gist and what my bank account said I withdrew. The farmer’s markets are great right now - lots of apples, squashes, and a lot less sweating carrying your booty home. Here are the totals for this week:

Trader Joe’s (cheeses, frozen peas, raisins, apple cider, tarragon) = $21.73

Union Square Greenmarket

Potatoes (Yukon and Red Bliss), Parsnips, Carrots - $6.75

Granny Smith Apples - $2.50

Bell Peppers - $5.00

Rosemary, Thyme - $3.00

* 2 Cornish Game Hens bought on sale - $8.50

Grand Total - $84.86/2ppl/10 meals = $4.24/person/meal

I bought two 5lb bags of apples last week, ambitious to make apple sauce. I didn’t get around to it, but I thought about how great apples are as a savory element to dinners. I don’t fancy myself a baker, so this week I’m making apple recipes without extra sugar. Apples pair really well with meats like pork and sausage and I think have a great fall flavor when they’re actually in season. Here’s what I”m thinking for this week:

Monday - Pork Loin stuffed with Apples and Red Bliss Mashed Potatoes - we’re having some dinner guests, I think this well be most impressive.

Tuesday - Chicken Normande with Mashed Apples and Potatoes

Wednesday - Apple Crepes with Calavados Butter Sauce - this has some apple brandy in it - I can’t wait to try this.

Thursday - Pan-grilled Sausages with Apples and Onions (two things apples love)

Friday - Cider-brined Cornish Hens with Pearl Onions and Apples - I picked up a couple hens on sale and froze them, they’ll be perfect - a Thanksgiving trial run!

I’m not going so Martha as to do a whole week of patriotic dishes, but I am trying to make things easy and comforting during this busy week. I am making a special election night dish, which will hopefully soak up the champagne as the election results roll in and we celebrate with our friends. I also went back to my Farm to Table cookbook and found some great seasonal dishes to match what’s at the farmer’s market. I also saw an episode of Tyler’s Ultimate this weekend, and the whole half hour I was glued to the TV, salivating, so his Sloppy Joe’s are on the menu this week. Here’s how the week looks:

Monday - Twice Baked Irish Potatoes with Stout Onions and Kale

Tuesday - Four Cheese and Tomato Bake

Wednesday - Zuppa di Faro - a hearty fall soup

Thursday - Tyler Florence’s Sloppy Joe’s with Butternut Squash Chips

Friday - Hot Wings with Butternut Squash Slaw

This was the first meal I’ve made in a while that I’ve been somewhat disappointed in. These duck breasts were extremely fatty, a lot more so than the ones I had made in Atlanta. The fat made a lot of the meat hard to chew.  I also only marinated the meat for about 30 minutes, and should have done so for at least a couple hours. The turnips were nice, and the sauce was the best part. I don’t think turnips will be become my new favorite fall veggie though. Here’s the marinade recipe, as well as the turnip recipe from Jamie Oliver:

Serves 4 - or how ever many duck breasts you have.

Combine in a nonreactive bowl:

3 tablespoons fruit-flavored vinegar

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons minced onion, shallots, or scallions

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon: dried oregano, dried sage, dried thyme, salt, black pepper, ground allspice

1. Add the duck breasts to the marinade. Turn to coat, then cover and refrigerate for 2-2.5 hours. Remove the duck breasts from the marinade, scrape off the solids, and pat dry. If using skin on breasts, score the skin side, making sure not to cut the muscle. Brush both sides of the breasts and a large heavy skillet with olive oil.

2. Heat skillet over medium-high heat until the oil begins to smoke. Add duck breasts and cook until the first side is browned, about 2-3 minutes. Turn and cook for 2-3 more minutes. Best served medium, medium-rare.

For Turnips:

Serves 4, or however many turnips you have - we only had about 6 total.

14oz small turnips

3 tablespoons olive oil

4 tablespoons butter, diced

6 tablespoons herb vinegar (I just used red wine vinegar)

1 wine glass of white wine

small handful of fresh thyme, leaves picked and smashed

1. Parboil the turnips (boil them in water for about 5 minutes) then drain. Put them back in the pan with the oil and half of the butter. cook until the turnips are brown. Pour in the herb vinegar and scrap all the goodness off the bottom of the pan.

2. Add your wine, the rest of the butter and the thyme. Simmer until the wine and butter have reduced into a creamy, emulsified sauce that coats the turnips. This will take just a couple minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve warm.

As I mentioned earlier, I was inspired again by the bounty of the Greenmarket. If you’re close, or visiting NYC this is a great place to hang out on Saturdays. It was actually hard for me to keep tabs on how much cash I was going through in my wallet. I got a bit too excited I think, but wanted to showcase all the great veggies available right now. I went to the market on Saturday, and Trader Joe’s today (Monday - they were wiped out!) I had some time to think about what I wanted to make from my market purchases and developed a menu, I also got inspired by some Barefoot Contessa. I’m still craving cozy fall meals, and the bounty of veggies other than tomatoes at the farmer’s market. I think everyone is getting excited by the pumpkins, gourds, and ruffage offerings that are appearing. Here are the totals for this week:

Farmer’s Market - Union Square

Rainbow Carrots, 3lb potatoes (various colors), turnips, 3 onions - $6.50

Arugula, spinach, shallots, 2lb butternut squash - $5.00

2 Zucchini, 3 eggplants, 1lb green beans - $4.50

2 Organic Duck Breasts - $10.00

Organic local ham - $8.00

1 Bottle of Trader Joe’s Sauvignon Blanc - $3.00

Grand Total: $82.34/2ppl/10 meals = $4.11/person/meal

I had a butternut squash that had been in the fridge for a bit, and wanted to use it, and this soup is super simple, and I already had everything else in the pantry. This is a classic Martha recipe I use a lot, and it’s perfect for a cozy Sunday afternoon when it’s just starting to get cold. You can adjust the heat to your liking, but I put in just a tad more crushed chili than is called for and the heat balanced with the sweetness is great. If you don’t have palm sugar ( I had bought some in Atlanta at an Asian grocery store) just use brown sugar, about a tablespoon. If you make it a bit too spicy, add some sour cream to cool it down. Since this isn’t made with heavy cream, it’s a great veggie (use veg broth), wheat free, gluten free, dairy free dish you can serve for your most difficult eaters. Bon Appétit!

I was again really inspired by what I saw at the Greenmarket this Saturday, and I had my favorite fuzzy friend Paddington to help. I want to continue to keep my meals simple as the season gets busier and busier. I’m also going to experiment a bit and possibly make a dish Rachael Ray would be really proud of. Here’s what’s on the menu for this week:

Monday - Pan-Seared Duck Breasts with Turnips

Tuesday - Butternut Squash Pizza

Wednesday - Mac&Cheese Lasagna

Thursday - Baked Potatoes, or Jacket Potatoes as Jamie Oliver calls them

Friday - Pappardelle with Sweet Tomato Sauce and Baked Ricotta

This was a great hearty meal that made us feel great when we were stuffed full of veggies. I had seen the dressing recipe on Tyler’s Ultimate this past weekend and thought it would be a great fall flavor over some roasted veggies. I also used half of one of the last tomatoes of the season, without roasting. The lettuce is a red leaf and a bibb lettuce from the farmer’s market. Actually, this entire meal, minus the maple syrup is from the farmer’s market. I roasted sliced eggplant, parsnips, and carrots at 400F for about 20 minutes. Just drizzle the dressing, add whatever veggies move you that day, a slice of good bread and you have an amazing flavorful salad - and I don’t usually buy the whole salad thing unless it’s covered with cheese.

OK, I’m going to admit it - the mac&cheese is from a box - gasp! We all do it - and it was a Whole Foods $.99 special from my pantry - so definitely a step up from Easy Mac. It was also tasty, I might add….. The ribs were divine - my first local pork experience, and I’ll be going back for more. I was reading in the Food&Wine article about local butchers that when you have fresh organic meat, not to dress it up too much, or drench it with sauce. Here’s how I did these Pork Spare Ribs:

Preheat oven to 350F

1. trim off excess fat from the meat. Generously salt and pepper both sides of the ribs. I used a great Grey salt that’s super fragrant and great on meat.

2. Add about 2 tablespoons olive oil to an oven proof sauté pan. Let the pan heat up to medium-high and add your ribs. Let it sear on both sides, about 5 minutes each side. Put the pan in the oven for about 25-35 minutes or until the meat starts to pull away from the bone.

As you can see from the pic, I also made an Arugula salad. I went right to Tyler Florence for a dressing idea - I really feel he’s one of the best at making and dressing salads, at least for my taste. This dressing was sweet and you could still taste the shallots, a great flavor combo. Another homey fall meal - Johnathan is loving this week!