Autumn Evening with Friends

Happy November…already. We have only 60 days before the end of this decade. Does anyone have a way to make time slow down?

I love this time of year. The cooler temperatures are definitely here with the mornings in the high 30s and low 40s. Windows are opened. The air conditioner is officially off until next May.

A few posts ago I shared a small gathering we had with friends. If you missed that post, click here.

Well, here is part #2~~the dinner. Sticking with the autumn theme, I used my Johnson Brothers dishes, Leslie Roy clear glass salad plates and vintage pink stemware.

I tried all new recipes which is a bit unnerving. The first course was a Roasted Squash and Kale Salad with Spiced Nuts, Cranberries and Maple Vinaigrette from Serious Eats (click here). The beauty of this recipe is that you can make it a day or two ahead, as it gets better the longer it sits.

Actually, I would make this salad again and just add a piece of protein~~grilled chicken for example and it would be a hearty meal.

The main course was recommended by a respected friend of mine, Polly who is an excellent cook. Polly just started her own blog and website called Polly Ruth. She suggested I make her Farmhouse Chowder (click here for the recipe).

The chowder was so delicious, using parsnips and turnips instead of the typical potato. You can adjust this recipe to make it creamier or lighter (using milk vs. cream) according to your taste. I also have experimented with freezing the leftovers and it was just as delicious the second time around.

If you have ever made sourdough bread from scratch, you know what a journey it is. My first attempt was relatively successful and yielded 4 loaves, one of which I served with the chowder. That may need to be another blog post in the future!

We had so many pears from our tree in the mountains that needed to be consumed, so the dessert suggestion came again from Polly. It was a delicious Pear and Caramel Pie by Knead Bake Cook (recipe is here).

The best part of the evening, was sharing it with friends. Even though I don’t recommend trying all new recipes and making your friends guinea pigs, these 3 are winners!

Happy Saturday and I hope you have the best of weekends!