A plea for help!

Yesterday Ben and I went to Lynd Fruit Farm and picked ourselves LOADS of the most delicious Rome apples I've ever tasted. This was my first ever apple-picking adventure, and I've learned two important lessons:

Climbing a tree at 32 is a different experience from climbing one at 12, and

16 pounds of apples is just a ridiculous amount of fruit. Seriously.

Between us we've already eaten 4 out of hand, and 7 more went into the Joy of Cooking's lovely Apple Crisp. I've set aside 8 lbs. for jelly, and we're still left with ... well, let's just say

A Great Many Apples.

Which brings me to my plea for help...



I know there are some good apple recipes rattling around in your noggins ... could you toss some my way?

Eggplant Recipes

This weekend I went to "Your Dekalb Farmers Market: A World Market" and bought a nice looking eggplant. Now I'm looking for some good eggplant recipes to supplement my old standbys.

I'm a singleton so recipes that store well and result in good leftovers are especially welcomed.

cooking season: it's on

The weather on the west side of Ohio has finally turned to the cool and crisp temperatures I crave all year. The other night I wanted to cook chili, vegetable soup, potato-garlic soup, caramel corn, pumpkin muffins, and an apple pie. I live alone. Prudence overcame my desires for immediate gratification of tasting these favorite foods, items I've been anticipating cooking once autumn finally showed itself. I'm doing my best to only cook a few things at a time, relying on personal favorites and embarking on new recipes and ideas.

I still love this and make it often.

Best Pumpkin Beer Ever

Although I am not a fan of most of their brews, Schlafly has recently released an excellent pumpkin ale. It has a rich flavor that screams "PUMPKIN PIE!" If you want to try some, get it before it's gone. I bought some Saturday and our store is already out.