'DELICIOUS AUTUMN' ~ (FALL BRUNCH) ROASTED PEPPER & FRESH BASIL STRATA

"Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns."

~ George Eliot

ROASTED PEPPER & FRESH BASIL STRATA

~ Wondering what to do with your fresh basil harvest? A lovely easy recipe to tuck away ...
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10 cups dried (1/2-1 inch cubed) favorite hearty bread
(wheat, herb, sour dough, brioche, etc.)
8 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 large thinly sliced red or sweet onion
1-2 cups thinly sliced baby bella mushrooms (or mushrooms of choice)
2 cups crumbled feta cheese
2 cups sliced roasted red and yellow peppers
(roast peppers yourself or try Trader Joe's jars of combined)
1/2 cup packed thinly sliced fresh basil
5 large organic eggs
1 cup whole milk or sour cream
1 healthy tsp. Coleman's dry mustard
1 tsp. coarse salt
freshly ground pepper to taste
1 cup crumbled feta or grated Parmesan cheese
freshly chopped parsley or dried parsley

Melt butter in skillet and saute onions and mushrooms until soft and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Toss with dry bread cubes, feta, roasted pepper and fresh basil.
Whisk eggs, milk (sour cream), dry mustard, salt and pepper. Pour over bread, onions and mushroom mixture.
Spray baking dish or casserole with Pam. Shovel and pack bread & egg mixture into prepared pan. Top with additional feta or Parmesan and fresh or dried parsley. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and hide in refrigerator overnight.
Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Remove plastic wrap and place baking dish on baking sheet. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Serve with either a delicious seasonal salad (with grapes or pears) or simple thick sliced tomatoes, topped with a drizzle of good olive oil, balsamic vinegar, coarse salt, freshly cracked pepper, and more sliced fresh basil. (serves 8-10)

AUTUMN DINNER ~ ROASTED SAGE SPAGHETTI SQUASH With GUYERE, SAUTÉED FRESH GARLIC, PARSLEY and TOASTED PINE NUTS

“Welcome sweet November, the season of senses and my favorite month of all.” ― Gregory F. Lenz November Sunset (Hubbard Lake, MI) ROASTED SAGE SPAGHETTI SQUASH With GUYERE, SAUTÉED FRESH GARLIC, PARSLEY and TOASTED PINE NUTS ~ Delightful autumn dinner slightly adapted from pinch of yum . 1 halved and seeded spaghetti squash Extra-virgin olive oil coarse salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste 2-3 minced cloves garlic 2 tsp. white balsamic vinegar 1 cup minced fresh parsley 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh sage or 2 tsp. dried 1 cup grated Gruyere cheese 1/2 - 3/4 cup toasted pine nuts Preheat oven to 375º. Rub squash with olive oil and sprinkle with coarse salt and freshly ground pepper. Place cut side down on sprayed rimmed baking sheet and roast for 25-30 minutes or until fork tender. Let cool until able to handle and scrape inside with a fork and pull strands away from ski...

SUMMERTIME ... AND THE LIVIN' IS EASY ~ SPICY PULLED PORK & COLE SLAW / BLUEBERRY CHEESECAKE

"A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken." ~James Dent LILIUM / LILIUM / STOKESIA ( BLUE DANUBE) DAYLILY /FROG STUPOR/ ASTILBE DAISY/ MONARDA / DAYLILY _____________________ SPICY PULLED PORK ~ A must-have for simple summer suppers adapted from a Detroit Free Press clipping __________ 4-5 lbs. pork shoulder blade Boston roast or trimmed pork tenderloins 12 sandwich rolls or good hamburger buns Rub: 1/4 cup brown sugar 3 Tbsp. favorite chili powder 2 tsp. cumin 1 tsp. Hungarian Paprika 1/2 tsp. coarse salt 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 2 tsp. garlic powder 2 tsp. onion powder Sauce: 3 cup (or more as needed) favorite barbecue sauce 1/2 cup brown or yellow mustard 3 Tbsp. Tabasco sauce (or to taste) juice of 1 lemon Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Trim most of fat from roast, remove bone and separate into 2 pieces (pork tenderloins work well and less work). Combine rub ingredients in small...

FIRE TO WARM THE SOUL & BODY ~ SOUPE A L'OIGNON GRATINEE (FRENCH ONION SOUP)

" The sun broke like an egg into a full sunset and the water caught fire." ~ Pamela Johnson January sunset (Hubbard Lake) __________________ SOUPE A L'OIGNON GRATINEE (adapted from Mastering the Art of French Cooking ) “Onion soup sustains. The process of making it is somewhat like the process of learning love. It requires commitment, extraordinary effort, time, and will make you cry." ~ Ronni Lundy _________________________________________ (FRENCH ONION SOUP) 6 pounds thinly sliced yellow onions 6 Tbsp. butter 3 Tbsp. oil 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. sugar 6 heaping Tbsp. flour 5 quarts good beef stock 2 cups dry white wine coarse salt and cracked pepper few drops of Kitchen Bouquet 12 Tbsp. Cognac 1 pound Swiss cheese* 1 - 1 1/2 pound assorted shredded cheddar, Colby and Swiss or Parmesan Cook onions slowly in butter and oil in covered stockpot for 15 minutes. Uncover, raise heat to moderate , and stir in salt and sugar. Cook for 30-40 minutes stirring frequently until on...

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