Yes, fall is here

Fall has arrived, folks. I've been trying to deny it, trying to squeeze a few more verdant days out of Portland's pathetic excuse of a summer, but Halloween plopped its pumpkin ass down on my sofa. It gazed quietly into my eyes and whispered, "Fall's here, dude. Can't deny it. Check out the leaves."

Oooh! Nice couch!

A storm of raindrops and a parade of red, orange, and yellow leaves are flying by my window. Trees fling leaves like confetti. I've been pretending not to notice. It's November now. Time to wake up and smell the pumpkin spiced latte.

Thanks to Neighbor Kristen, I even carved a pumpkin and ate roasted pumpkin seeds! Kristen hosted 2011 The Great Pumpkin Carving at her apartment, followed by mulled wine an The Nightmare Before Christmas. Who could resist such a sincere invitation?



That's what I like about fall: the sincerity. We celebrate harvests, press apple cider, honor the spirits of those who came before us, then give thanks for those who are with us. We cuddle up with books, wear warm clothing, and snack our way to the holidays.

Instead of sharing an fall recipe for you, using the hippest ingredients of the season--like fresh nutmeg or caramel apple cider cookies--I'd like to share a few low-key ways my friends and I like to celebrate fall. There's still time for pumpkin lattes, roasted pumpkin seeds, and butternut squash before the holiday haze pushes them out of the way. Snuggle up and enjoy the foliage.


Classic Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

• seeds from a freshly carved pumpkin. (Some grocery stores sell seeds still in the shell, or raw pepitas. These sub nicely.)
• coarsely ground pepper
• Worcestershire sauce
• kosher salt
• butter or olive oil (optional)
  

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Lay a sheet of parchment paper in two baking sheets.

Rinse pumpkin seeds under cold water and pick out the pulp. This is easiest to do right after the pumpkin is carved and the pulp hasn't dried onto the seeds. If you've waited, you may want to soak the seeds in warm water to remove the pulp.

Pour the cleaned seeds into a bowl, then stir in Worcestershire sauce, a tablespoon or two of melted butter or olive oil, salt, and cracked pepper. Adjust the seasonings to suit your tastes.

Spread the seeds onto the baking sheets in a single layer. (You may need a third sheet if you carved a large pumpkin!) Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until the seeds are toasted, about 25 - 35 minutes. The seeds should be a light golden brown. Serve immediately or let them cool and store in an airtight container.

** Playing with the flavors of roasted pumpkin seeds is half the fun. This version uses Worcestershire sauce to evoke fond holiday memories of Chex Mix, however, I also like to make these with soy sauce.



Neighbor Kristen is the queen of effortless entertaining. She can throw together a holiday fete in minutes, with as little as an open bottle of wine, freshly cooked popcorn, and a well timed mass text message.

Last weekend at the Great Pumpkin Carving, Kristen mulled this wine using her wily simmer-it-'till-you-make-it ways. Many people crash and burn (literally) when they cook on the fly; Kristen always wins when she cooks without script. It's the perfect thing to sip while you dance along to Jack Skellington's antics in Halloween Town.

Now this is Halloween!

Fast Mulled Wine
a la Neighbor Kristen

• 1 bottle of "skunked" - aka opened and unused - red wine
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 Tb. brown sugar if the red wine is particularly dry
  
• 1-2 Tb. mulling spices (Kristen recommends Penzys' brand)
• zest of a fresh orange (optional)
  
• 4 oz. brandy (optional)
  

Whisk wine and sugar(s) together in a large saucepan. Add brandy, mulling spices, and orange zest. Bring the wine to a simmer but do not boil. Let the wine simmer for at least 20 minutes and serve. Mulled wine is also a great crock pot recipe; make a double batch and let it simmer all evening during a holiday party. Guests can sneak up for another ladle-full as needed.

Dr. Brian approves of mulled wine

If you liked this post, you might also enjoy:
sweet n' spicy curried nut mix
Cracker Jack peanuts
quickie pumpkin seeds
pumpkin cream cheese muffins