No More Farmer's Market

... until next June:(

I will really miss it.
It was neat to have all that goodness in my buggy ...
I did not even need to look for recipes: I'd just grab some produce and create:)
It felt like "art work" ... Almost like painting, except instead of a palette, I had veggies and fruits and instead of a brush, I used a knife and a wooden spoon:)

A Walk

... on the trail by the Don River.

This time, instead of Canada Geese, the pond had many ducks

A beautiful fall day

CROP

My biggest mushroom:)

My first crop!!!

How It All Mushroomed

Those of you, who have been following my market-adventures, are aware how excited I have been about my mushroom finds.
Well, last Thursday, I took a chance and not only did I come home with more wonderful mushrooms but
also bought a log.
What is a log?  It's a wonderful invention: mushrooms grow on it.

I brought it home with instructions. As per instructions, I soaked it in a bucket. It soaked for about 3 hours. Then, I set it up in a Roasting pan with some pebbles, in order to keep it from direct contact with the water. I put it in a spare bedroom as I had no more horizontal space left in my kitchen. I've been visiting it two- three times a day and misting it . It's quite exciting to observe the changes from day to day.

Here is the log in the bucket.

All set up in the roasting pan

Aren't they amazing?

The last two pictures were taken today.

I'm going to have Shiitake mushrooms:)

A Fresh Look

Must keep up with the times:)

I'm trying this new look Blogger calls Dynamic View.
I can always set it back to the "old way" but I think it's only a matter of getting used to it.

Cajun-spiced Butternut Squash Chips

Just had to try.
It works nicely:) Good contrast of flavours.

Slice the squash into very thin slices.
(Food processor helps)
Lay them on a greased cookie sheet.
Brush the slices with Olive oil. (both sides)
Sprinkle with spices.
Bake at 400 F until crispy and brown around the edges.

A Great Run

Finally:
We had such a good run this morning.
It did not matter that there were hills -
The sun was shining - it was great to be outdoors.

Mushrooms

Mushroom/cheese sandwiches, grilled on the Panini grill are wonderful.

I now make 2 versions:
one, with sauteed Shiitake and Cremini with onions, the other, Oyster mushrooms, sauteed with Leeks. Both are delicious.

A New Fruit

... for me:
Asian Pear.
(Of course, it's another market discovery. ) So far, I've only had them raw. I resisted the temptation to "make them into something". They are fresh tasting, kind of a cross between a good pear and a good apple.
I'm guessing that the supermarket version may not be as great.

As the Farmers Market is winding down, and will close for the winter in three weeks, it's a timely discovery to find a market nearby that is open all year round. And, there is an organic market not too far...
Oh, the possibilities.... :)

To Market, To Market...

I made Pumpkin Butter. Why? Because I bought a pumpkin at the market and it seemed like a "fall-thing" to make. Then, because it's too much even when I split it with my daughter, I had to think hard what to use it for.  First idea - add to oatmeal.  So I did. Verdict: wonderful!

There always something new to see at the market:)

A New Favourite

Oh, the discoveries one can make...

Sauteed mushrooms*, with onions, salt and pepper, thyme (of course) -
over Whole wheat bread (with a bit of Ajvar) , sprinkled with grated Gruyere, and grilled on the panini grill...
Heavenly:).

Mushrooms were a mix of Shiitake and Cremini.

Next time I'll take pictures:)

Google It!

Silly me.
I normally Google everything. This time I did not. This time, it cost me $5.00 and a few months of looking for a spice mix - Za'atar...
I could have made it for a fraction of it: had all the ingredients on hand....
(It's a must in Middle Eastern Salads aka Fattoush. (sp?) )

Guess, what I'll be making tomorrow:)