I guess summer isn't over yet!

It may be October, but my little balcony garden isn't done trying yet.

I guess little gardens produce little fruits? Check out the bountiful mini produce I'm getting:

That big green pepper is almost a normal size!

Yaaay Fall!

I'm diving right into this cold weather! This past weekend i made not one, but 2 delicious and hearty soups/stews. (in other words, i've been procrastinating with my studying).

I'm a big supporter of "one pot" cooking. So i make lots of soupy stewy type meals, intended to be eaten in a bowl, because I'm also a big fan of spooning. I should also mention that i make up recipes as i go, so sometimes they could use improvement.

Saturday, we had:
Butternut Squash, Apple, Sausage, and Tortellini Soup

Chopping list:

• 2 lbs butternut squash, 1/2 inch to 1 inch pieces (i used the pre-cut kind, it was actually cheaper!)
• 1 or 2 apples, diced ( i used 3, too many i think.)
• 1 small potato, peeled and diced (i used red, but shouldn't matter much)
• 1 medium onion, diced

Other:

• 3 links sweet italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 package frozen cheese tortellini
  
• 1/2 tsp herbs de provence ( i have this one with a built in grinder and i love it... i definitely bought it at a regular grocery store, but i don't know which one)
• 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 carton (4 cups?) chicken broth
• water... enough to cover what chicken broth can't
• a little butter? (i didn't use, but would have been a good flavor addition)

Optional:

• 1 beer for enjoying while cooking
• music (optional) for singing and dancing while cooking (I used a combination of Ella Fitzgerald and "Rhythms del Mundo: Cuba)
  
• Blender (I looooove my kithen aid immersion blender)

Instructions:

• Open beer
• Cue music (Que? Queue?)
  
• In large pot, brown and crumble sausage. Anyone know a good way of doing this? I end up with giant chunks, but it doesn't really matter, since they're still delicious.
• Sip beer. Start nodding your head to the music.
  
• When fully cooked, remove sausage, put in a bowl, and set aside.
• In same large pot, now greased with sausage juices, add onions and spices and saute until onions begin to turn translucent. I bit of butter would be good to add here for increased flavor, but I didn't think of it at the time.
• Sing into your beer bottle microphone.
  
• Add remaining vegetables. Stir well.
• Add broth and enough water to cover vegetables. Dance a bit while it comes to a boil, then some more after reducing to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are fork tender.
• If you want a creamy soup, remove from heat and submerge immersion blender, or blend small amounts at a time in a traditional blender.
• Place back on medium heat, add in sausage and 1 bag of frozen cheese tortellini. Cook until tortellini is warmed through. Dance and finish beer to speed along the process.
  
• Salt and pepper to taste, and serve!
• Yum!

Sunday, we had:
Mustard and Beer Beef Stew

Chopping list:

• 1 small potato, skin on, chopped
  
• 1 medium onion, diced
• few carrots, peeled and chopped
• few stalks of celery, chopped

Other:

• Stew meat, doesn't really matter how much... i use a package. 1.5 pounds maybe?
• Beer (darker is better), not for drinking this time.
• Mustard of choice, ~2 tsps (i used a combo of "cuban mojo" and brown mustard)
• 1 carton (4 cups) beef broth or stock
• 1 Bay leaf (i forgot, would have been good)
• 1/2 tsp of herbs de provence or oregano, or maybe sage?
  
• bit of olive oil

Optional:

• half a kielbasa or smoked sausage, chopped

Instructions

• In large pot, add a bit of oil, and brown stew meat. Cut up into bite size cubes as is easiest for you... i use tongs and kitchen shears while they're browning to save time.
  
• when done browning, add mustard of choice, stir well.
• Add sausage, if including.
  
• Add half the beer, stir well. Cook a bit over medium low heat.
• Add onions, stir well, let cook a bit.
• Add a little bit of herbs de provence
  
• Add remaining vegetables, stir well, cook until onions are translucent.
• Add broth and bay leaf
• Cook for a while... until the potatoes start to fall apart
• Make sure beef is fully cooked
• Remove bay leaf
• Salt and pepper to taste
  
• Serve! With remaining half beer perhaps?
  

Smelled funny while cooking (due to the weird mustard i used) but turned out well. Even more tasty a day later!