Crisp Fall Days, Hints of Winter

Good bye summer, Hello Holidays!!

I've put away the Halloween decorations, set out the Thanksgiving decorations, and I can't wait to start putting up Christmas trees etc. And just yesterday it was summer. There are still marigolds, nasturtiums, a couple of roses, some begonias under the patio roof, lots of chrysamthemums blooming outside. But nights are chilly--down into the 30's last night--and lots of rain forecast after tomorrow.

So I'm into a late fall and winter mode already. Starting to cook hearty recipes.

Homemade Sausage (note: no added nitrites, MSG, etc.)

1 lb. ground pork (lean)

1/2 T. salt

1/8 tsps. of rubbed sage, ground cloves, ground mace, ground allspice, black pepper, thyme.

1 small clove garlic, crushed

Mix all together in a bowl lightly. Either fry in frying pan and break up into small pieces, or shape into patties and fry. I always add some water, put a lid on, and steam it real good too in order to make sure the pork is thoroughly cooked. Then use in your favorite recipe: spaghetti sauce, as a pizza topping, or as patties with eggs for breakfast.

This chili turned out pretty good, I made up the recipe with food I had on hand. The yam is kind of a sweet contrast to the tomatoes and beans:

Crisp Fall Day Chili

1 can kidney beans, (15 oz.), drained in a sieve and rinsed (to rinse off salt)
1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 oz.), no salt
1 can La Victoria diced green chilis (mild, fire-roasted), 4 oz. size
1 medium red garnet yam, peeled and sliced, then diced to 1/2 inch dice
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 big garlic cloves, minced or pressed
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 level Tablespoon Hershey's Special Dark powdered chocolate (in the tin)
1 level teaspoon ground chili powder
1 1/2 cups water

Dice the onion and yam. Mince the garlic (or put through a press). Put onions and garlic into a 2-quart saucepan or small kettle, with olive oil and 1/2 cup water. Simmer 10 minutes.

Add canned chilis, chocolate, chili powder, and half the can of tomatoes. Simmer 15 minutes.

Add the rest of the tomatoes, water, and kidney beans.

Simmer 5 minutes until heated through.

And

Pumpkin Cookies!
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 can pumpkin (15 oz)
1 tsp. vanilla
3 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
chopped pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In big bowl, mix softened cream cheese with the brown and white sugar until thoroughly mixed. Add the eggs and mix thoroughly, best if you use an electric mixer. Add pumpkin and stir in with a spoon. In a different bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, and spices. Add flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture, stir together. Drop onto ungreased cookie sheet by teaspoonfuls. (insulated cookie sheets work best). Bake 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack, then frost. You can top them with chopped pecans.

Frosting:
1/2 cup butter, softened
powdered sugar
egg nog (about a half cup)

Sift a cup of powdered sugar through a sieve into a bowl. Mix soft butter into it. Add several tablespoons of egg nog. If frosting is too runny, add more powdered sugar. If it is too thick, add a teaspoon of egg nog at a time and mix. Continue until just right.