Meals 317-323

11/14 i love, love, love autumn cooking! this meal is so wonderful, with flavors that are so quintessentially fall that i feel i can only make it during these blustery months! butternut squash pear soup with grilled gruyere and green apple sandwiches. i know, it sounds like a lot. but trust me on this one. the flavors all marry together in perfect harmony! and yes, that is cinnamon raisin bread used for the grilled cheese. don't knock it 'til you try it! even as a child, i loved grilled cheese with a little cinnamon sugar. so this is my grown up version! the tart green apple with the nutty gruyere are phenomenal together. and the soup.....oh the soup.....butternut squash pureed with pears, sweet onion, sage and rosemary. so creamy, so rich, so velvety, so autumn!!

11/15 as the weather gets chillier and the skies get darker, i am definitely more in the mood for soups and stews. years ago i got a recipe for white chicken chili from my sister, and it has been far too long since i've made it!! it tastes so rich, but is actually quite healthy. white beans and white meat chicken slow cooked in chicken stock with veggies and spices. trying to be a little conscious of my calories, i topped mine with salsa instead of my usual sour cream and cheddar. delicious!

11/16 with my leftover chicken from last night's chili, i threw together a quick cobb salad for dinner tonight. roast chicken, bacon, bleu cheese and.....yes those are deviled eggs. why use hardboiled when it's so much tastier to use deviled????

to add a new element to the meal, i bought some of these beauties to throw on top: french's crispy jalapeños. tony pointed them out in the grocery store and i was most excited!! i always love the crunch and flavor crispy onions add to my salads, and this is just a step spicier than those. well done french's!!

11/17 a week away from thanksgiving and my freezer is properly stocked with all the sides and desserts that i can fit! in my attempts to clear out what was already in there i came across some sauerbraten my mom had sent up with me a while back. it is hands down my favorite thing that she makes. a wonderful savory dish of slow cooked meat with vinegar, brown sugar and spices. falling apart tender. and since i had just finished a batch of mashed potatoes to be frozen? i kept a little out a the perfect side for that rich flavorful meal. a little red cabbage on the side completes the meal! thanks mom :)

11/18 i had dinner tonight with my parents and my niece suzanna. they drove down to annapolis to meet me the night before (gasp) my first half marathon! we opted to eat at a local pizza place just around the corner from my hotel. i was happy to see they had new york style offerings! we got their version of the caprese: fresh mozzarella, basil, tomato and prosciutto. i limited myself to two small slices. i can't have a belly full of cheese while i'm running around all day tomorrow!

http://www.squisitopizzaandpasta.com

11/19 this morning was the annapolis classic!!! i promise a separate post on that experience, but i'm happy to say it is a goal achieved. and i had a blast doing it! it also means that i have carte blanche to eat WHATEVER i want tonight! we had met some friends for drinks at o'sullivan's and at about 6pm i was overtaken by a hunger i had never known before! i ordered a bbq cheeseburger and fries (with curry sauce). that burger didn't stand a chance. i inhaled it in record time! nothing tastes quite as good as a cheeseburger when you're starving!

11/20 tony and i had a wonderful day of lounging and relaxing. we even indulged in going to see a movie (which we rarely do). i'm a fan of dr strange. appropriately quirky. though eerie to see benedict cumberpatch with an american accent. after the movie tony and i stopped by our favorite indian (paradise) for some naan and butter chicken. oh sweet wonderful butter chicken. such a good way to end the weekend!