Family Fun Snack

I know it's been a few weeks ... sorry for the lengthy break. I don't think anyone can deny that fall is upon us. The Market lot is full of the colors of fall, which are starting to bloom on all of the trees. I know, it's rainy, and there is definitely a chill in the air, but look on the bright side - it give you an excuse to light the home fires, crank up the stove and do some baking!

My kids are already bugging me about picking out their pumpkins. I can't wait myself. Sometimes I think we enjoy gutting the pumpkins more than carving them. And the kids absolutely LOVE the roasted pumpkin seeds. They are very easy to do, they just take time. First, seperate the seeds from the stringy stuff in the pumpkins - this is something we all work on as we are cleaning out the pumpkins for carving. I keep a bowl for the pumpkin seeds next to the bucket for the fleshy stuff.

Next, rinse the seeds in the sink to remove any adhereing goo (you can never get it all off - don't be too picky about it). I like my seeds salty, so I put them back in the bowl and soak them in heavily salted water, at least overnight.

The next day, lay out a bath towel. Drain the water from the seeds and dry them some on the towel - I usually spread them on half the towel, fold it over, and rub for a few minutes. Again, no need to be too picky, any remaining moisture will evaporate in the oven.

Preheat the oven to 350F. I like my air cusion baking sheets for the roasting, because nothing burns on them. Coat the sheets with a little bit of olive oil, then spread the seeds out in a thin layer, and drizzle a little bit of olive oil over top. I also like to sprindle a little bit of additional salt over the seeds, as it helps to draw out the moisture.

Place in the oven, and set the timer for 10-15 minutes. When the timer goes off, use a spatuala to turn/stir the seeds. Repeat this process until the seeds are golden brown and crispy. Remove from the oven and allow to cool, then store in an air-tight bag or container.

Pumpkin seeds are a great source of fiber. If you can't have the salt, then skip the soaking step and roast after rinsing them. You can season with your favorite salt substitute, or try something different, like chayenne pepper or rubbed sage.

What's your favorite fall snack? Please, share!!

The Leaves are Starting to Turn

Fall is fast approaching, and it puts me in mind of apples, and pumpkins, and all things fall. The changing seasons are my favorite . . . spring, when everything is coming to life and colors are starting to sprout from the ground . . . and fall when everything is going to sleep and colors are falling to the ground.

This is a wonderful time of year. A time to celebrate the harvest, and enjoy the crisp autumn air. A time to gather around bon fires with family and laugh together while roasting marshmallows. It is a time when I find myself waxing philosophical, mourning the loss of the long, lazy days of summer, but looking forward to the cozy evenings of winter in front of a fire, snuggled under a blanket and reading with the kids.

The children, of course, are looking forward to All Hallow's Eve. Right now, they are poring through costume magazines and trying to decide what they want to be. Next comes the traditional jack-o-lantern carving at our house, scooping out the pumpking guts and creating a frightening friend to light up the porch. Oh, and we always, always, always roast our pumpkin seeds. Finally, the big night comes, when they will join the other ghosts, goblins and ghouls to gather treats from the neighbors.

And at the Market the sweet, autumn smell of apples, fresh from the tree, is in the air, tempting the tastebuds and tantalizing the pallete with thoughts of warm apple crisp or apple pie, or apple custard fresh from the oven. This year, Russ has even gotten in large bins of the favorite varieties. Cortlands, Macintosh, Galas, and more, with a new variety coming in just about every week.

Speaking of apples, I can't wait until Octiber 17th when we will be holding our 4th Annual Apple Bake-off at the Market. This year, we are raising money for Camp Quality Ohio, where kids with cancer get to be kids, again. For those wonderful bakers and cooks out there, we invite you to put your best apple dish in the ring and see if yours will reign supreme this year. We will have three judges score all the dishes entered in the contest, and the three highest scoring dishes will receive prizes.

And if you don't bake, you should still plan to come out. We'll have entertainment in the Market, and once judging is complete (around 1pm) the leftover apple dishes will be available for you to try. All we ask is that you consider a donation to Camp Quality Ohio. In addition, we will be donating 5% of all sales on October 17th to Camp Quality Ohio. I hope you'll come out and join us for this wonderful event!

Now, if I could just figure out how to bottle the aroma of the Market that day . . .