Potato & Pear Soup

I own too many jackets. Coats. Outerwear. Whathaveyou. I need to lose a few.  I have donated so much clothing in the past month. Downsizing apartments and, therefore, closets will do that to a girl. But I can't cut back on jackets.

Is that weird? I mean I guess most people (ehemm.. ladies) own too many purses or shoes or something else at least multiseasonal. I own like maybe 6 winter coats.

I've noticed it's a problem recently, because they barely fit into the space I've been designated to stuff them. 

I've also noticed it's a problem, because as it gets chillier and I'm a working woman again, I don't really own a decent coat to wear to a real adult job in the fall. I don't really own too many clothes to wear to said real adult job either, but I'm working on that.

So like.. do I really need to buy another coat? Or can I tough it out until winter? Hmm.. First world problems.

Considering the weather is supposed to be 80 all next week and I don't get paid for a month, I'm going to go with the latter. The temptation is there though. Ugh. Not good things.

Potatoes. Pears. Soup. All good things.

This is a pretty simple soup in both taste and instruction. It's a good weeknight homemade meal. I've been really trying to focus on quick and easy lately. I'm trying to be seasonal and healthy as well. Try it with me! Gooo us!

Soundtrack: You won't make it through the whole thing, but that leaves plenty of time to dance later!




Potato and Pear Soup
Serves 3-4

1 tbsp EVOO
1 small onion, diced
1 c diced fennel
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 carton (32 oz) chicken or vegetable stock
1 small sweet potato, peeled & cut into 1" cubes
6-7 yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1" cubes
1 tsp smoked paprika
salt & pepper
2 medium Anju pears, quartered
jalapeno oil  to finish (optional)

In a medium stock pot, heat 1 tbsp of EVOO over med-low heat. Add onion, fennel and garlic and saute for about 10 minutes, until onion begins to soften and is aromatic.

Add stock, both potatoes and paprika. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Raise the heat to med-high and bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat to med-low and simmer. Cook the potatoes for about 10 minutes, until potatoes are almost soft enough to mush with a fork. Add pears and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Remove from heat.

Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until desired texture. (Alternatively, you could cool the soup, transfer to a blender or food processor and puree. Don't add boiling hot liquid to a food processor blender though, it could explode!)

Ladle into bowls and finish with jalapeno oil. 

Fall Fruit Walnut Crisp

Guess what!? I'm back. I took a few days off to do some things. Secret things. Wouldn't you like to know? (You wouldn't. I'm not that cool.) I wasn't even gone that long. I just wanted to be dramatic about it and link to that Eminem video for mah girl Kerry (shout out!!!).

But anyway, I'm back and I've got more Fall stuff to make you roll your eyes. Apples! Pears! Cranberries! Walnuts! and BUTTER! (Yea, butter is totally a Fall staple. So is cheese. And squash.)

If anyone read my pumpkin pie with dark chocolate ganache recipe and still thinks they can't make pie crust despite my pleading and disco inspired persuasion, a crisp is a great way to fake it. I actually like crisps more than pies anyway. Brown sugar and butter bubble down from the crust and form a delicious sauce with the fruit in the bottom of the baking dish. The topping is sweet and crunchy and just the right amount pastry-y (you know what I'm talking about). You probably can't frost them though (or maybe you can - I'll work on that).

Then, you can get really lazy with me and not even peel your fruit. Well, some call this lazy, I think it makes it prettier. (Ok, it started as laziness, but I like the way it looks.)

Also, who knew there were this many different types of baked fruit desserts? I can't wait to make a grunt. Uuhhh. Bonus points if you know the difference between a betty and a cobbler without looking!

Soundtrack: The Non-Commissioned Officers (Myspace link)

Fall Fruit Walnut Crisp

3/4 c ap flour

3/4 c brown sugar

1 1/4 tsp cinnamon 

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 c chopped walnuts

1 stick (1/2 c) butter

2 medium Bartlett pears

1 medium Granny Smith apple

1 medium Gala apple

1/4 c craisins

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Add to the bowl of a food processor the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, salt and walnuts and pulse to combine. Cut butter into 8 pats and drop into the bowl. Pulse until just combined, being careful not to over-process. (Alternately, combine in a medium bowl and cut butter in using a pastry cutter or 2 knives. The knives thing is a PITA, trust me. It totally can be done, but you should get a food processor.) The mixture should look like coarse breadcrumbs. Set aside in the refrigerator.

Grease an 8x8 cake pan or baking dish. Core the apples and pears. Cut into cubes, but do not peel. Add to baking dish with craisins, evenly interspersing the fruit around the dish.

Top the fruit with the dough, adding in clumps. It should form an even crust once patted together.

Bake dish for 45-50 minutes, or until crust is golden brown. Serve warm and top with whipped cream (or even better, ice cream! I'd suggest vanilla, but Adam wanted chocolate.). 

Please, note the small white dog in the bottom right corner of
this photo, scavenging off the ground

Beautiful Fall colors!