Weekend Round-Up

 Autumn Words

Intruder 
October gave a party.
Autumn wore her finest gown
a kaleidoscope of colors
golden, crimson, yellow hues.

Leaves swirled, fluttered, whirled
dancing to woodland tunes.
Trees swayed, kept time to music
under a moonlit sky.

A blustery wind howled
the uninvited guest blew through
brought party to a screeching halt
the revelers swept away.

by Sue Ready

In the Moon of Falling Leaves 

by Joseph Bruchac
Joesph Bruchac is of Abenaki Indian and Slovak descent. He is one of America's most respected and widely published Native American authors and poets. His birth date is October 16. Bruchac's poem is reflected in this autumn scene.

I was born in the Moon of Falling Leaves,
that time when summer's harvest
falls from every maple tree,
painting the forest trails
golden as sunlight
and crimson as Great Bear's blood.

Each October brings back the scent
of fires burning on the hills,
the first etchings of frost
on my bedroom windows,
the departing wings
of a thousand geese
cutting the clear cold sky.

There is no time closer to my heart,
than this season of changes
when the balance tips between
darkness and light,
when the last flowers
nod in our garden,
when so many things
are about to end,
so many about to begin.

Recipes to Try 

Wild Rice Harvest Bowls

Omit almonds and substitute pepitas for a gluten free side dish.
http://iowagirleats.com/2016/10/07/wild-rice-harvest-bowls-fig-balsamic-vinaigrette/
Spooky Fog Drink

Watch an short youtube to create an easy spoooky fog drink 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXQ8ELrYjaI
Fall Bliss

Apple Walnut Cake with Warm Caramel Sauce

Cook's notes: Know your apples.

Granny Smiths are always a good choice for pie, as they are easy to find, will hold up during baking and can take a lot of extra flavor from sugar and spices. Jonathan, Jonagold and Pippin apples are other excellent sweet-tart choices. Gravenstein, Braeburn, Fuji and Pink Lady Apples are all crisp and sturdy, as well. Red Delicious and Golden Delicious, despite their promising names, are not good choices for baking, and neither are Gala and Cortland, since they tend to become mealy in pie fillings.

Choose a tart apple for baking this apple walnut cake. When served with warm caramel sauce it is one serious bliss.

Ingredients:
Apple Layer

• 2 cups flour
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1-1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ginger
• 1/4 tsp. each allspice and nutmeg
• dash of ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 cup cold butter and 1/4 cup margarine, cut into small pieces
• 2 tart apples (about 2 cups) peeled and chopped
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 large egg beaten 

Caramel Sauce

• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 TB. melted butter
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Cake Directions:

• Grease a 9 inch square pan with cooking spray.
• In a large bowl mix flour, 3/4 cup brown sugar, spices and baking soda.
• With a pastry cutter cut in butter and margarine or pulse flour mixture a few times in food processor with butter/margarine.
• Stir in egg and chopped apples. Mix well.
• Spoon batter into pan (it will be thick). Use a sheet of wax paper to press batter down and spread evenly in the pan.
• Cool cake for one hour and serve with warm sauce. 

Caramel Sauce Directions:

• In a small saucepan add cream, sugars and butter. Whisk to blend and cook on medium low heat until sugars are dissolved about 6 minutes.
• Remove from heat and add in vanilla. Whisk to blend. Drizzle sauce over each cake slice.