auras and aromas of autumn

One of the reasons I love fall cooking is right here. Nothing smells better than a pan full of cranberries, citrus fruit, and cinnamon sticks. This is on my cooking agenda for today. I realize I am making three cranberry dishes for 14 people. Yeah, so what.

I made an apple cake yesterday, thanks Michele for that recipe. Lots of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, apples, and pecans.

I made two kinds of cranberries...the old standard and one called Sam's Kickin' Cranberry Sauce. It has jalapenos, onions, apples, and peppers. I leaned over the pan many times to inhale.

Cornbread muffins for the Andouille sausage dressing. The first batch flopped for some reason so I made another batch. The Cook's Illustrated recipe. You can count on those folks.

I made Swedish meatballs. Sweated onions and butter, nutmeg, cloves. The smell of that burned meatball I managed to drop on the oven floor. Well, it ain't all silver saddles, my friends.

Today on the cooking agenda: cranberries, turkey breast, pumpkin pie, cheesecake, lots of onions and celery for the two kinds of dressing.

I know I said I was going to take it easy but as it turns out, that was a lie.

It's comforting to be in the kitchen. I have a Thanksgiving playlist on Spotify with lots of Jay Ungar, Molly Mason, Peter Ostroushko, Lehto and Wright. I get weepy when I hear Shenandoah. I make a pot of tea in the afternoon. And I dance.

Regis and I watched a hilarious comedian, Joe Rogan, last night. A bit raw for tender ears but mine are hardened so it doesn't bother me. Very funny and much laughing out loud. Comedy, it turns out, is my antidote for current events.

I slept well last night but the call of the mystery novel and a warm blankie might be too much to resist this afternoon. It's 34 degrees and rainy. Some snow accumulation in the dark corners from early this morning. It's a good day to be inside where it smells like heaven.

Happy Thanksgiving, friends. We have much for which to be thankful.