When the pool closes for the summer, the lightening bugs enter their hibernation, the school buses overtake the streets once again, pumpkin lattes are making a resurgence, and the nights grow cooler as we open our windows to feel the breeze in our slumber...our mouths begin to water. And we begin to crave what has become our traditional Autumn meal.
As this weekend was the first official weekend of Fall, and we happened to be having company over today, it seemed appropriate that we would make double our normal meal size and share its abundance.
Many have heard me talk favorably about this meal, and some have even had parts of it over the years, as I tend to carry left overs of it, and make it several times during the season. And so, it is for the benefit of all those interested in such a meal that I shall share the recipes here.
Allow me to preface this by reminding those of you who don't already know that I am Italian. That is an applicable and important piece of information for you to keep in mind, because true to my Italian blood, I am more likely to throw in a pinch of this and a pinch of that (and to douse everything in garlic) than I am to follow exact measurements. At first, I followed the recipes, but then the dishes improved when I detoured and made them my own. So I share the Italian chef version below. The exception to this is muffins- I'll post exact measurements for that:)
Apple Cider Chicken
Begin with a roast chicken.
Bring a large pot of apple cider (enough to cover the chicken). WITHOUT the chicken in it, bring the cider to a warm heat on the stove with the following ingredients:
a few shakes of Thyme (dried/powder/it doesn't matter), some allspice, some salt, about 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil, maybe come garlic. Whatever floats your boat for a good apple marinade.
After the spices and salt have dissolved, remove from heat and cool completely.
Then stick in 1 whole chicken (tonight we made 2). Cover. Refrigerate overnight. In morning turn the chicken and chill again until you're ready to cook it in the late afternoon.
Remove from the marinade and put in a roasting pan (we used a turkey roasting pan today), put some of the apple cider marinade in the bottom of the roasting pan. Set aside at least 2 cups of the marinade (to use for the gravy later). Dispose of the remaining marinade.
Stuff with onions, garlic, maybe some apple. Whatever you'd like to stuff the chicken with. Tie shut (or don't...I don't). Roast. Don't worry if the top of the roast starts to look burnt- that's the effect of the apple cider. If it seems to be getting too black, then cover lightly with foil across the top while roasting.
When the roast is done, let stand for 10 minutes before carving. In the meantime, take the drippings from the bottom of the pan and mix it with the 2 cups of marinade you set aside. Take a small amount aside and whisk in some corn starch or flour to make a paste, then add back with the rest of the liquid. Heat and whisk to make a yummy apple chicken gravy.
Curried Brown Rice
(here's where I go all Italian chef on you)
1 onion or so, diced
2-4 garlic cloves, minced or diced...whatever floats your boat
Olive oil
Sunflower seeds (raw)
Raisens
Salt
Curry powder
2-3 cups cooked brown rice (simmered in water only, with some salt and olive oil)
In a large skillet, saute the garlic and onions in olive oil. When the onions become translucent, add:
A couple handfuls of raw sunflower seeds
A couple handfuls of raisens
Shake some salt
About 2 tsp curry powder. Start with 2 teaspoons. That's safe. Add more if you like curry! We always go all curry happy with the powder at this point.
Mix all together and continue to saute (turn down the heat).
Throw in your cooked brown rice (just cook the rice in water with some salt and a little olive oil).
Stir all together, add a little more salt (if needed) and curry powder (to turn all the rice orange!).
Pumpkin Muffins (make extra for afternoon snacks! Yum!)
2 Eggs
1 cup sugar (today we used organic cane sugar, but I have used honey or agave nectar in the past)
1 and 1/4 cup flour (today we used white flour, but whole wheat works for a heartier version)
2 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 cup oil (we've used canola, olive oil, or coconut oil- whatever we happen to have enough of at the time)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
Mix wet ingredients first, whip well, then add mixed dry ingredients and stir well. No lumps! Put into muffin pans. Drop in the cream filling, if desired (see below). Top with crumble topping, if desired (see below). Bake at 350 degrees for 15-17 minutes.
If you'd like to make a cream filling, then you'll also need:
8 ounce package cream cheese
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
Whisk this all together well and drop 1 tsp in the middle of each pre-baked battered muffin.
Crumble topping:
cut butter into flour, cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle on top of each muffin.
Make a green vegetable of your choice, and voila! You have a delicious Autumn meal! Butternut or acorn squash also goes quite well with this menu.
For best results, follow the meal with a homemade apple crisp....
...and some good ol' family entertainment (which you don't even have to plan if you have a lot of kids - they will create the entertainment themselves!).
Praise the Lord for an abundant harvest, for good friends, precious children, and of course...for pumpkins (otherwise we wouldn't have pumpkin muffins!).
