Harvest Dinner

We live in a little New England country town with horse farms and pretty fields and corn mazes and apple picking. As I write this post, the sun is shining as orange and red and amber leaves drift through the air. The hydrangeas outside my dining room window have turned their autumnal shade of pink, and the sight of them brings to mind my favorite childhood heroine, Anne of Green Gables:

 Me too, Anne!

After doing the little corn maze once, twice, three times, the boys become pros at it and can make it all the way through in three minutes flat.

The apples are huge and sweet and perfect for pie making. This is the one I made that very night.

Appies are fun and this one is highly recommended…..
Antipasto Bites
(slices of salami baked in mini-muffin tins for a few minutes to form a cup, filled with chopped artichokes, roasted red peppers, mozzarella and fresh basil, and a little Italian dressing) – recipe found at Blueberries & Blessings.

Then onto dinner…..

Butternut & Acorn Squash Soup (based on my recipe with the addition of acorn squash)
Pear & Roquefort Salad (simply lettuce with chopped pear, blue cheese and a mustard vinaigrette – 1/4 cup good olive oil, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, lemon juice from half a lemon, a dash of salt and pepper, shaken rigorously.)
Roasted Baby Potatoes (the gourmet mix of purple, red and white baby potatoes make for a pretty presentation, and they all taste the same! I chop the potatoes into uniform bite-size pieces, then drizzle with olive oil and a mix of salt, pepper, smoked paprika and cayenne pepper and roast at 425 degrees until fork tender.)
Prosciutto Wrapped Pork with Apple Kale Stuffing (be sure to make the sauce the recipe calls for, I didn’t and I was sorry!! Every fabulous meal needs a sauce. Also, word to the wise:  don’t be having so much fun with your friends that you neglect to check the pork’s temperature and overcook it. Then you will have to open more red wine to dull everyone’s senses.)
Pumpkin Bread Trifle (loosely based on this recipe. I omitted the caramel sauce, and whipped my heavy cream with a bit of sugar and cinnamon.)  DELISH!

I hope you’re inspired to make a harvest feast this fall. There is nothing like inviting friends over as motivation to get your house cleaned, make some delicious food and take time to enjoy the fruits of the season and wonderful friendship!

Wishing you a weekend with laughter…..some time outdoors…..maybe a sweet, ripe apple…..a few moments to look around at this beautiful world we live in….and the company of people that bring you joy!

xo,