The Apple Picking Aftermath

We must have come home with 30 pounds of apples after apple picking. That's my rough estimate, because after I made four apple pies (two double-crust and two streusel-topped), two apple cinnamon loaves, apple crisp (with maple dulce de leche instead of caramel), and applesauce, all of which required a total of about 15 pounds of apples, I still hadn't made a dent in the supply. I decided to make apple cider doughnuts, but I switched from my regular recipe and used one that didn't require any apples, so that didn't help diminish the supply but still made for a nice fall treat. Then I came across this amazing brown butter apple crisp skillet muffin bread and I made it right away, using up a couple more apples. Another went into a tuna melt. And I've still got a drawerful left!

Schnitzel And Spaetzle And Adventures In Germany

Jeff and I went to Germany this past May for our friends' wedding. We tacked on a few days in France beforehand, starting our trip in Paris. After three days of touring and eating there, we took a high-speed train to Reims. There we rented a car and drove to Epernay for a tour of Moet & Chandon. And after that we headed to Germany. It was nearly 8 p.m. by the time we got to the hotel in Frankenthal, and we hadn't eaten in hours, so our friends pointed us in the direction of a brewhouse (brauhaus) and we headed straight there to grab some dinner.

Scenes From Apple Picking

A couple of weeks ago I asked my Facebook friends for recommendations for apple orchards within 2 hours of Boston... and they came through. I had no idea there were so many orchards around! Here are the suggestions I got: Applecrest Farm Orchards, Berlin Orchards, Carlson Orchards, Drew Farm, Honey Pot Hill Orchards, Russell Orchards, Shelburne Farm, Smolak Farms, Tougas Family Farm, and Westward Orchards (plus a couple of my old favorites in Connecticut -- Lyman Orchards and Rogers Orchards -- and a place in New Hampshire that's a bit more of a trek -- Alyson's Orchard).

Pumpkin Recipes For The First Day Of Fall

Fall is finally officially here. While some people have been scarfing down pumpkin treats since the day after Labor Day (not that there's anything wrong with that), I've been doing my best to hold off. Until now. Now, I'm perfectly content making every pumpkin dessert, main course, side, and salad I can find. And while I come up with some new things to make and share with you this year, here are some pumpkin dishes and desserts that have graced Delicious Dishings in the past.

Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal With Greek Yogurt
Chocolate-Pumpkin Tartlets
Fried Pumpkin Blossoms With Feta
Mini Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake With Chocolate Crackle Glaze
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies With Chocolate Drizzle
Pumpkin Cupcakes With Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
Pumpkin Ice Cream Sundaes With Spiced Caramel Sauce And Gingerbread Croutons
Pumpkin Patch Cupcakes
Pumpkin Swirl Brownies
Roasted Pumpkin, Sage, And Goat Cheese Pasta
Spiced Pumpkin, Lentil, And Goat Cheese Salad

What are your favorite pumpkin recipes?

Maple Dulce De Leche Apple Cupcakes

Have you heard of Cookies for Kids' Cancer? It was founded by Gretchen and Larry Witt, two OXO employees who were inspired by their 2-year-old son's battle with cancer. They learned that more than 25% of kids diagnosed with cancer do not survive due to a lack of effective therapies stemming from a lack of funding. Back in December of 2007, they held a giant bake sale and raised $400,000.

Inspired by Gretchen and Larry, throughout the years, OXO employees have joined the fight against childhood cancer by baking cookies and hosting bake sales, and OXO has matched the proceeds. This year OXO will donate up to $100,000 in support of pediatric cancer.

Butterball Turkey Burger Bar: A Dinner Idea For Turketarians

I sometimes think people forget that turkey exists when it's not a certain holiday near the end of November. I actually eat turkey year-round though. I eat deli turkey in sandwiches, make tacos and chili with ground turkey, and even have roast turkey besides on Thanksgiving. When I used to have to bring lunch to work, I'd always cook up a bunch of turkey bacon to have on hand to throw in salads and on sandwiches. Butterball has come up with a fun term for those who enjoy turkey all year-long: Turketarian. A Turketarian is:

• Someone who believes that if you aren't eating turkey you are missing out
• Someone who loves turkey as part of their healthy lifestyle
• Someone who craves the delicious flavor of turkey and incorporates it into family meals.

Stonewall Kitchen's New Dessert Sauces

I absolutely love Stonewall Kitchen. Whenever I'm in an area with one of their stores (especially the York, Maine one), I make a point to walk in, wander around, sample everything in sight, see what's new, and usually purchase a few things to bring home. They recently contacted me to see if I wanted to try a couple of their new dessert sauces. No hesitation here.

Unofficial Restaurant Week Dinner At Menton

Restaurant Week. I often struggle with deciding between avoiding it altogether and giving it a chance. Some restaurants do it right; some don't. I've had both experiences over the years. I've always thought of Restaurant Week as an opportunity to try out a restaurant that I would love to visit at a lower price point. I figure if a restaurant can impress me during Restaurant Week, then it's worth going back to and splurging on the full price menu. If a restaurant can't be bothered to put its best foot forward during Restaurant Week, then I can't trust it enough to go back. Luckily, this year I was absolutely blown away.

Farfalle With Roasted Summer Vegetables And Chicken Sausage

This is one of those dishes that I feel silly giving you a recipe for because I make it all the time in different iterations. It changes based on what pasta shape I'm in the mood for; what vegetables I have on hand and whether I want to roast, grill, or sauté them; whether I want to go meatless or throw in chicken sausage or Italian sausage; what I want to flavor it with (vinegar, herbs, or lemon juice); and whether I want to throw cheese on top and what kind. It's simple. It's pasta and vegetables and sometimes sausage and cheese. I make it without a recipe, throwing in what I want, tasting and adjusting seasonings as I go.

Quinoa And Grilled Sourdough Salad

Hey, guys. Do you see these tomatoes? I grew them! I'm pretty impressed that I've been able to keep the plants alive and get some gorgeous little tomatoes. I planted all plum tomatoes, but they've been coming out different shapes and sizes. My initial plan was to grate them and turn them into sauce, but I really didn't have enough of them to make very much sauce, so I used them in a salad instead.