#Roasted Sage and Pumpkin Soup

[askwhatsforlunch]

Roasted Sage and Pumpkin Soup

This fragrant Roasted Sage and Pumpkin Soup is deliciously warming on a frosty day. And if, like here, it is also a sunny day with cloudless blue skies, you can pour this beautiful soup in a flask, go on a nature walk and warm up with it in the woods or in a meadow! Happy Thursday!

Ingredients (serves 4):

¼ pumpkin, thoroughly scrubbed

1 onion

1 teaspoon coarse sea salt

½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

half a dozen leaves fresh sage (+ more for garnish)

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 Chicken Stock Cubes  

6 cups water

2 tablespoons demerara sugar

Preheat oven to 200°C/395°F.

Cut pumpkin into large pieces, and place into a large baking dish. Peel and quarter onion, and place in the middle of the dish as well. Finely chop sage leaves, and scatter on top pf the pumpkin. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt and black pepper. Drizzle generously with olive oil. Toss with clean hands, to coat the pumpkin pieces in herb and oil.

Place in the middle of the hot oven, and roast, at 200°C/395°F, 1 hour.

In a large saucepan, combine Chicken Stock Cubes and water, and warm over a low flame, until cubes have melted. Keep Chicken Stock warm.

Remove baking dish from the oven and wait about 5 minutes. Combine roasted sage and pumpkin and onion and warm Chicken Stock in a blender, in batches if necessary, and blitz until smooth.

Return to the pot and heat over medium heat. Stir in demerara sugar until dissolved.

Serve Roasted Sage and Pumpkin Soup hot, topped with a dollop of crème fraîche, and a few fresh sage leaves.

#Recipe #Food #Roasted Sage and Pumpkin Soup #Roasted Sage and Pumpkin Soup recipe #Pumpkin Soup #Pumpkin Soup recipe #Roasted Pumpkin Soup #Pumpkin #Roasted Pumpkin #Sage #Fresh Sage #Onion #Coarse Sea Salt #Black Pepper #Black Peppercorns #Olive Oil #Chicken Stock #Chicken Stock Cubes #Homemade Chicken Stock #Soup #Soup recipe #Soup and Stew #Autumn #Autumn recipe #Autumn Warmers #Cold Weather recipe

[hellisnowlove]

Roasted Garlic Sage Pesto Pumpkin Soup with Spicy Fried Pumpkin Seeds

#Roasted #Garlic #Sage #Pesto #Pumpkin #Soup #with #Spicy #Fried #Seeds

[bangaveragewhitewine]

blood red bloom

Eddie Munson x Reader (bouncer x bartender, established relationship) 

Halloween, 1992

“You’re gonna have to work a lot harder to come up with a prank that will actually scare me, sweet thing.”

Eddie’s voice echoes in your head as you stare at the red inky star in your little leatherette diary.

A late period wasn’t quite what you had in mind, but here you are, sitting on your bedroom floor and staring at the mocking inky red star in your diary.

This Halloween was turning out to be pretty damn scary.

Word Count: 6.7k

Content / Warnings: Pregnancy scare - this is angst-heavy with some brief mentions of Eddie and reader's anxieties of being parents. Discussion of the future. Miscommunication. A fight that's not a fight but they kiss and make up anyway. Brief sex mentions. A reminder that this, and all my fics, are 18+!!!

Please feel free to skip this segment if it’s not your thing!!

Author's note: We couldn't let Halloween pass without an instalment of Happy Hours, could we? This was a toughy, it's been a rough and hectic few weeks, but I hope you enjoy reading the latest snippet! Proof-read by @specialagentmonkey, finished off in the taxis to / from the airports in Dublin and Boston!

Since the first day with a chill in the air, the first fallen crunchy-crisp leaf, your boyfriend had been in Halloween mode. It was your second Halloween together, your first living together after you accepted Eddie’s cute proposal with his spare key in June. Even though he was messy and left the toilet seat up, you loved living with Eddie. 

You loved waking up with him every morning and falling asleep together every night. You loved going grocery shopping together, and you adored how he would sit in the bathroom to talk to you or read his book while you lounged in the bath or did your makeup.

Autumn and Halloween meant horror movies, decorating the apartment and planning your costumes together. Eddie was stupidly talented with carving pumpkins, and you roasted the flesh with thyme and sage and onions for a huge pot of soup that warmed your bellies for days. 

During your first year together, he had noticed how you scared easily - jumped a little or clutched your chest when he accidentally jumpscared you or purposefully snuck up to grab the squish of your hips with a monster-like growl. It always made him laugh, and his apology was always a kiss that quite often turned into something more.

You quickly learned that you could never get him back. 

Yeah, Eddie was jumpy but he possessed a sixth sense for whenever you were trying to scare him. 

When he had challenged you to scare him - to really scare him - you’re not sure that realising that your period was later-than-late was quite what he had in mind. 

A rare Friday night off, October 30th, had started with another failed attempt to spook him. He was almost condescendingly kind when he said ‘ooh, that was a good one!’ after you popped up from that cramped back seat of his Dodge. 

Once you clambered out of the car so Eddie could make it to work on time, he pulled you in for a kiss and cupped your face with such tenderness.

“You��re gonna have to work a lot harder to come up with a prank that will actually scare me, sweet thing.” 

He kissed your pouty scowl away with his wicked smile and left you to enjoy your night off. 

His challenge to scare him echoed in your head as you stared at the last inky red star scribbled in your diary. The hardwood floor felt chilly beneath you as you knelt on the ground surrounded by lipstick and pens and detritus from your bag spilled around you.

Thirty-six. 

Your period was thirty-six days days late.

The little leatherette diary fell from your shaky hands. If you hadn’t already been on the ground, you are sure your knees would have buckled. 

Slumped against the side of the bed, you rested your racing head against the navy duvet - the blood-red blooming rose print seemed mocking as you tried to remember if you had definitely written your dates down correctly. Your periods were pretty regular, never more than two or three days out of sync if even that many. 

You hadn’t even thought about your period, or its lateness, until you spied the full box of Kotex next to Eddie’s shaving kit beneath the sink. As the bath filled with lavender bubbles and swirling steamy water, you had pondered on how you liked seeing your things side by side now that you lived together; your dresses hanging next to his nice shirts and jackets, toothbrushes sitting in the same holder, your perfumes and potions lined up and organised next to his new shampoo and conditioner replacing the horror that was 3-in-1 shampoo, conditioner and body wash.

As you gave a pot of fresh-green facemask the sniff test, the box of period products had caught your eye. 

Eddie had picked them up for you during a particularly bad set of cramps, cramps so bad you had called out of work. He had arrived home with salty Lays and sweet creamy chocolate and the biggest pack of painkillers they would let him buy, and you had cried because it was so kind and thoughtful of him. But that had been well over a month ago… 

As the filling bath turned to white noise in your ears, you had flustered to the bedroom to check your diary. 

The thirty-six (almost thirty-seven) day lag made you feel like you were going to turn inside out. And not because you were cramping up this time. 

The bath was cold by the time you arrived back from a late expedition to the CVS five blocks away, armed with a share-bag of Reeses Peanutbutter Cups and a pink box that promised ‘quick and easy results!’ 

A year in and neither of you could keep your hands to yourselves. Moving in together had meant that you and Eddie had endless pockets of time together, and rooms and surfaces to officially christen as a cohabiting couple. Eddie’s car had seen some action when you took a road trip back to Hawkins to visit his Uncle a few weeks ago - the driver's seat, that cramped back seat, the bonnet… 

When Eddie arrived home from work just after 3 a.m., you still had not touched the test or had a wink of sleep. He crept in like your favourite cryptid and dropped a kiss on your head, trying with all his might not to wake you as you feigned sleep. He settled behind you and fell into a sprawling-limbed rest while you lay awake.

In those dark hours, lit only by the red glow of the clock, you imagined every scenario.

The thought of a little one with dark curly hair and big brown eyes makes your heart ache in a good way, especially when you think of this imaginary little person in Eddie’s arms. That ache twisted like a knife when you imagine him not wanting anything to do with that made-up little person, half him and half you. 

You were never set firmly for or against being a mother - of course you got broody sometimes when you saw a cute kid in the grocery store, but equally you had been more than happy to hand back your cousin’s screaming baby when his diaper leaked on you when you visited home back in the spring. 

And Eddie? Did he even want to be a Dad? 

He had a lot of tangled-up feelings there, held them in his chest like a pulled-tight tangle. That’s how he explained it when his own Dad had come up in conversation. He carried that sadness and hurt with him for almost two decades. 

Would he want you to get rid of it, or would he even want you if it was really happening? You tried to be rational, think about how he had promised to love you when you had silver hair and dentures one night when you were both high as kites. Maybe it might be okay, you could make it work… 

Sleep came and went, pockets of light dozing interrupted by your heart thrashing in your chest just when you managed to snatch some peace. 

As Eddie snored softly, peacefully asleep, you glared at the red-glowing clock, its analogue numbers mocking you until 5:55 blurred behind your eyes. Caged in by the weight of Eddie’s arm, with his hand on your tummy beneath your (his) sleep-shirt, you managed to drift again.

The pitiful pockets of snatched sleep make you feel irritable and wrung out the following day. With a steaming mug of strong coffee, you watched the sun peak through the broad silver-grey sky while Eddie slept on, snoring and unaware. 

You still couldn’t summon the courage to sneak the test from your bag and pee on the damn stick. In true Halloween style, it mocked you like Poe’s Tell Tale Heart all damn day from its stowing place in a bag under the bed. 

Eddie was unbearably sweet with you from the moment he woke to find you re-reading the same page of your book for at least the eighth try. 

It didn’t take long for him to figure out that you weren’t in good form - despite your joint excitement for Halloween - so he tried and tried to cheer you up; a late breakfast sneaking smiley kisses over egg and cheese and home fries. With a wide smile, he shared his ideas for a new drawing for a new batch of Corroded Coffin T-shirts for their gig before Thanksgiving with hot sauce staining his mouth until you wiped it away.

You kept getting distracted when he showed them to you and felt awful when you saw the flicker of hurt on his sweet handsome face. You rallied yourself and helped him pick two to show to the guys when they met to rehearse. 

You finally snatched some sleep, cuddled up on the sofa before you had to get ready for work. Eddie hated having to wake you; he was as gentle as he could be, rousing you with light kisses to your troubled brow and warm cheeks. 

“Hey, princess. Time to transform,” he whispered, his fingers itching with excitement to don the black velvet and silver chains draped on hangers in your room. 

Hours later, you and Eddie walked into Jackie’s carrying a tense air between your joined hands. 

You were still the sexiest vampire couple Chicago had ever seen; Eddie in a halfway unbuttoned black shirt and slacks topped with a velvet blazer you had thrifted, silver chains shining on his chest and fake blood smeared like your lipstick on the side of his mouth. Your black velvet dress showed off your curves and made Eddie’s eyes pop out of his skull like a cartoon when he first saw you in it. The bloody puncture marks on your neck dripped onto your chest and cleavage, the perfect blend of gore and sex appeal. 

You felt shitty, had snapped at Eddie more times than you could remember while you tried and failed to make your makeup look not terrible. 

“You look hot as fuck, baby. Have I told you that?” Eddie squeezed your shoulders as he looked at your reflection in the small vanity he had bought for you when you moved in. He was sweet like that. 

“Mhm. Only ten or eleven times.” Tight smile, you met his warm gaze in the mirror. “Not as hot as you, Ed,” you say, pushing off the attention he doled out so genuinely and easily. 

The subtle dark shadows below his cheeks and smudged smoky beneath his eyes suit him, gothic and mysterious. You had spent more time on it than you had planned because he couldn’t stop talking and you had (quite seriously) threatened to stab him with your brushes on more than one occasion. Now you were pressed for time with your own makeup. Clock ticking, you were at least thankful that the shadows beneath your eyes didn’t need much more darkening up. 

“Nah, fuck off. You’re beyond belief. I can’t wait until after work already.” That glow in Eddie’s eyes that usually sparked hot want in your belly made you feel like prey. Sure, you were dressed as his recently-changed victim but you didn’t feel much like play-acting now, or sex for that matter. 

He kissed your head and breathed in your perfume - he loved how you changed it out for the seasons - and the Fall’s scent was rich and warm and sexy. 

“Feelin’ okay?” Eddie had asked when you went silent and spaced out again for a few moments, shoulders tensed. He missed your usually returned flirtation when you give as good as you get and then some. 

“For the hundredth time, Ed. I’m fine. Please just let me finish this, okay? Please. We’re gonna be late.” 

Since then it had been pretty much radio silence.  

Eddie stewed, not rising to your bad mood because he might say the wrong thing and make things worse. In the car, he had bit his tongue and held back the suggestion of a weekend away, the idea to book some time off around Thanksgiving and just go somewhere together, alone. He wasn’t sure he could take another unexplained sad sigh or an away-with-the-fairies gaze when you hadn’t even heard what he had said. 

So he said nothing and scared himself with his own spiralling ‘what if’.  

Instead of eking out the last few minutes before work with Eddie, sharing a cig and trading kisses like you usually do, you leave him to enjoy his cigarette without your dark cloud mood. 

“Hey. You’re forgetting something.” Eddie raises a brow at you. 

“Oh, thanks.” You hold your hand out for your bag he had carried from the car. 

You lean up and peck his cheek, swiping at the mark your dark lipstick left behind. 

It wasn’t the proper kiss he had been angling for, but it was better than nothing. 

“See you later?” he tries. 

“Yeah, if I can get away from the bar. It’s going to be mental busy…” Resisting the urge to rub your eyes and ruin your makeup, you offer a small smile. “Be good. Love you.” 

“Yeah, love you too.” 

Eddie watches you go, his heart hurting in a way it hasn’t since he finally mustered the courage to kiss you in that same dingy back alley. Yeah, you two had your little arguments over the last year, didn’t always agree and got in funny moods with each other, but this felt different. He didn’t like it one bit. 

The bar is the fullest you have ever seen it, everyone decked out in their Halloween-best. Your arms ache from shaking cocktails, but the special menu you had curated is going down a treat. The pain is worth the tips and the compliments, the recommendations passed between high-top tables and clusters of costumed customers. 

The music is loud, the atmosphere sparky and fun, and yet it isn’t enough of a distraction, or enough to buoy you up when you’re feeling so low. Not the compliments on your costume, or the questions about whether you and the hottie bouncer were matching on purpose. You forced your smiles and laughs, genuine love for your vampire lord on the door made it easy to answer those probing questions. You tried to get out of your head and lose yourself in the best night of the year, but every time you would remember the last inky red star in your diary, the full box beneath the sink, the test you were scared to take. 

You weren’t necessarily avoiding Eddie, you had filled waters for him and Jeff and the new guy Trevor, but had barely had time to look for him in the crowd, never mind checking in on him. Your mood had transferred over to him, and your guy twisted tighter with extra added guilt. 

It was well after midnight before you took your break; the bar had been rammed with orders and while you could have slipped away, you threw yourself into work instead. 

The need to stretch out your legs and hips and crack your back for good measure became undeniable and you slip away with a glass of ice-and-lime heavy soda water for a breath of cold air. 

You’re mid-sip when Eddie pulls you into the small staff bathroom, spilling your water down your arm and onto the busted tiles. You yelp as the door clicks, pure fear until you realise it’s him

“What the- Eddie!”

Eddie’s gaze bores down on you, looking like a very pissed-off sexy vampire. 

“You fucker! Scared the shit outta me, Ed.” You shake chilled water from your arm as you glare at him. He was lucky not to have glass in that pretty, pissed-off face of his. 

“What the fuck is up your ass today?” he asks, arms folded. 

Your skin prickles all over, hairs stand on end. 

“You’re in a foul fuckin’ mood. What’s up? Did I do something?” Less accusatory now, he just looks hurt.

“Eddie, it’s fine.” You will your voice to stay steady as your stomach drops.  

“It’s not. You’ve barely spoke to me, every little thing I do has annoyed you.” “It’s not you…” 

That sounds way worse and you see him visibly wince. 

“Ed, it’s not your fault, baby. I’m sorry.”

He sighs, shoulders deflated. “Then talk to me. Please.”

“Ed…”

“Am I not making you happy? Is that it?”

“No! Jesus, Ed. Never! You make me so happy..”

“Then what?! Please just talk to me.” His voice breaks. 

“I… fuck.” You sigh, breathe deep. Your eyes strong as you speak, say it out loud, “My period is late.”

His brow creases, confused, before folding high under his bangs. Eddie’s eyes are wide, frantic. “Oh.” 

Silence settles, no more voices echoing on the tiles. 

“Yeah. Oh.” 

“Fuck… Are you..? Are we..?”

There’s a sweetness in how he asks, a scared look in his eyes that you recognise from the mirror. It makes your tummy twist and your heart ache. Why had you been so scared?

“I don’t know.” Your voice is cracked and broken. “I don’t know.”

His arms open out to you. You don’t need a second invitation. You practically fall into his arms, gripping him as tight as you can. 

“It’s okay. It’s okay,” he whispers. Eddie’s heart hammers hard in his chest. “We’ll figure it out.” 

As he holds you close, his eyes cast upward to the grotty ceiling. He has no idea what he’s doing, but right now you need a hug so that’s what he will do. 

“I’m sorry.”

His big-ringed hands hold your face, looking into your tired eyes. “Why sorry? Pretty sure it takes two… if you’re. Y’know.”

You sniffle, nod. “I know. I don’t know if I am..” 

“You need to piss on a stick or somethin’, right?” 

You can’t help the little laugh that escapes you, despite the tears in your eyes. “Yeah. I do.” 

“Okay. Okay, you can do that. I’ll even hold the stick if you want me to.” He’s dead serious too, not just trying to make you smile. Though it is a bonus, and he melts into a little grin to match. “There’s my princess.” 

You cuddle back into him again, “Sorry I was a bitch all day.” 

“You know I don’t like that, baby.” He frowns and cups the back of your head, stroking gently with his thumb. “Knew there was something wrong though. Wish you could’ve just told me.”

“I…” Your voice gets caught in your throat, words lodged and stuck like they choke you. “I was scared.” 

Though your voice is muffled against Eddie’s jacket, he hears you and squeezes you tighter. His eyes squeeze shut too. 

“You don’t need to be scared on your own. I can take it, I’m a big boy,” he promises, repeating it so you know it’s true and real. “We’ll figure it all out.” 

His sweetness makes tears flood down your face, that dam holding back every conflicting emotion finally broken. And Eddie holds you. He simply holds you tight and safe and doesn’t say anything, because he doesn’t know either. He doesn’t know what to say, doesn’t know how to kiss this better, doesn’t know what he wants or what you want either. All he knows is that you need him like he needs you. 

“Fuck, my makeup,” you sniffle, face creasing more when you realise you’re still mid-shift. 

“You’re gorgeous,” he promises, kissing your forehead. “Okay so, we’ll work our butts off for another few hours and then we can go home and swing by CVS?” 

“I already bought one. It’s at home.” You look down at your toe-to-toe boots before looking into Eddie’s eyes. “Bought one last night when I realised. Too chicken to take it.”

He nods, pinches your chin with sweet affection. “Okay. Well, drink your water so you can piss on that stick, yeah?” 

He’s smirking when you hide your face in his neck again, groaning in something like embarrassment. “I’d do it for you if I could. But I can’t, so drink up.”

Eddie lifts your glass from the sink ledge and tilts it to your lips. Despite the warmth of his arms and the stuffy little bathroom, the water makes you shiver as it cools you from inside out. 

Hand in hand, Eddie walks you to fix your makeup at your locker as he distracts you with a few of his little anecdotes from working the door. He catches your eye in the mirror in your locker as he tells you about a table of drinkers he heard raving about your cocktail menu. 

“Can you make me one later?” he asks, coming to rest his chin on your shoulder.

“Course,” you murmur, patting deep Merlot-red lipstick on your pouty mouth. 

“Can I get some of that?” He raises a brow in the mirror, and smiles, his teeth glinting, when you tilt your head back to press a peck against his mouth. 

A few kisses and the squeeze of his hands on your hips centres you again, helps the tension loosen in your shoulders. 

“We need more fake blood.”

“We definitely do. Want me to bite you a little more, my pet?” His voice is wickedly low against your lip; it makes you shiver. 

Sexy vampire couple had been an easy pick for you both. Eddie had got really into it when you arrived home with the press on fangs - a hookup from your friend who worked in theatre production and went costume shopping with you.

“You’ll get carried away again, Drac. I’ve gotta go back out in a sec.”

He squeezes your hips and behaves himself as you dab fake blood against the corner of his mouth, letting it drip down his chin, before adding more to your neck and chest. 

“Hot.”

“We are.” 

He hugs you from behind again, one hand on your tummy, so he doesn’t mess up the blood. “S’gonna be okay, I promise. We’ll figure shit out. I’m behind you no matter what. Yeah?”

“Yeah. I’d be fucking lost without you, Eddie.”

“Right back at you, sweet stuff.” 

A well-aimed kiss saves any blood transferring onto your face before Eddie walks you back to the bar. “If you need a sec, just take it. Don’t worry, okay?”

“Okay.”

“Love you.”

“Love you more.” 

He smiles and steals a final kiss before patting your velvet-clad behind as you step right back into taking orders. 

You don’t see the moment he takes, ducking into the back again to process what was going on. You pour cold beers as he sinks against the wall, breathing deeply so he doesn’t spiral into panic.

He doesn't know how to be a Dad, didn’t have a map or footprints to follow. Wayne was a great substitute, but Eddie was nine years old and grown beyond his years by the time he stepped up to try and fill the gaps made by his no-good brother. 

Ringed fingers push and scrape against his scalp, tugging hard enough to bring him back to earth. The pain anchors him, reminds him to breathe again. 

He doesn’t know what to do, how to feel, how to be what you need. But he does know one thing. 

Running away isn’t an option, not when he has you. 

It’s almost 4 a.m. before you can leave with Eddie. It’s almost 4 a.m. and he keeps you tucked safe and warm beneath his arm as you walk toward his car. You can see your breath bleed into vapour in the now-November air. 

You feel like you have been run over by a semi-truck as you fold yourself into your seat. Everything hurts and yet you’re somehow wired and wide awake, even on the pitiful amount of sleep you managed last night. 

Tired eyes stare into the streetlight above the car until you see spots. Brought back into orbit by the squeeze of Eddie’s hand over your fishnets, you share a tight smile with him. 

“Okay?”

“Ish. Tired. Need to pee.”

You had been holding it in. No more excuses, or avoiding the inevitable. 

You help Eddie click off the little fangs on his already pointy canines and do the same with your own, tucking them into their boxes and into your bag. Shiny gold plastic medals sit on your chests, your prizes for the best costumes among the Jackie’s crew. 

He turns the key, squeezes again before hooking his arm works the headrest to reverse out of his spot. 

You’re both carrying the weight of the unknown. It doesn’t feel any lighter. Not when you have caught Eddie chewing his black-polished nails and the skin around them, seen him zoning out and pretending he was fine. 

Until you know more, have an answer, you can be not okay together, hand in hand in the darkness. 

Once you’re on the road, he squeezes your hand and keeps a hold of it as music from the radio fills the silence. 

“You hungry?” Your voice is the first to breach the fragile peace. 

“Kinda. You want fries?” 

“Not really but if you do, it’s my turn.”

He smiles, slight and soft, and squeezes your hand. “There’s some spaghetti left. I’ll heat that up.” 

You squeeze back, it’s enough to say ‘okay’ as he sails through green lights and empty streets toward your cosy little apartment. 

The walk from the car to the lift to your door, apartment number 8 with its handcrafted Halloween wreath, feels like wading through syrup. 

Eddie doesn’t let go of your hand from the moment he helps you out of the car; not when you press the button for the lift, or when he fights with the sticky lock that you have been meaning to call maintenance about. It locks easier from the inside, the bolt slides in easily to double-lock it safely. 

Eddie takes your jacket to hang side by side with his own, matching leathers that make you smile through the pressure at the back of your eyes. 

“I wanna clean my face and then do it,” you murmur, fiddling with the strap of your bag. 

“Okay. We can do that. Clean faces and pyjamas.” Eddie nods, a held-in breath puffing his chest up with false confidence. 

He eats cold spaghetti from a Tupperware container by the fridge as you strip out of your clothes and change into fuzzy leopard bottoms and a holey She-Ra t-shirt once the fake blood is swiped from your chest. 

The pink and white box from under the bed comes with you to the bathroom. 

Eddie joins you at the mirror with oily rich red spaghetti sauce slicing through the fake blood around his mouth. You clean your face as he strips down to boxers and pulls on his soft sleep hoodie that definitely has a concoction of questionable stains; toothpaste and your sleep-drool for sure. 

Red and black stained makeup wipes and cotton pads fill the bathroom bin and Eddie lets you comb and scrunchie his hair as you ignore the pressing need to pee for a few more moments of normality. He closes his eyes as you rub cleanser into his face as you had your own, gentle touches and swipes of wet-warm cotton until he’s shiny-clean and human-looking again. 

With a layer of moisturiser on, there are no more distractions. The boxed test can no longer be ignored. 

“Will I go?”

“You can come back in after I pee. We have to wait like..” you check the box for an answer, “Ten minutes.” 

Eddie nods, leaning down to kiss you once. “You don’t need me to hold the stick or anything?” 

“I have to pee in a little cup-thing and drop it onto the stick. Chemistry shit,” you shrug, cheeks warm. 

“Oh yeah, rules me out then.” He drops one more kiss to your lips before awkwardly taking his leave. 

You feel less alone when you know he’s lingering close by. 

Eddie doesn’t realise that he’s picked up stress-tidying from you until the bathroom door creaks open and you find him crouched amongst a clutter of unorganised tapes. 

“Can you time ten minutes on your watch? Or the egg timer?” you ask, hanging against the doorframe.  

The tapes are shoved back into a nonsensical stack - not organised by artist or chronology as he had planned to do - and Eddie scurries to grab his old Casio watch before joining you in the bathroom again. 

He slightly panics when he sees you sitting on the floor, but crouches to join you with cracking ankles. 

“Old man ankles,” you tease, leaning your head on his shoulder. 

“Mmhm, getting more like Wayne every day,” he murmurs back, dropping his hand in your lap for you to hold. 

Cradled between your palms, you lift it to kiss the side of his thumb. 

“Wayne is great. Just keep your hair. Please.” “Deal.”

Silence settles across the room and you watched the way Eddie’s socked feet bounce nervously. 

“Eddie?”  “Yeah?”  “What are we going to do?” 

He turns his head and presses a kiss to your hair, bumping the side of his face against your wobbly scrunchied bun. 

His voice is quiet. “We don’t know yet.”

“I know that. But it… I’ve been going crazy thinking, Ed. I know you have too.” You squeeze his hand. “Would you want me to get rid of it?” 

That idea plucks something painful in his chest. The knot of tangled emotions feels heavier than ever. 

“No. Only if that’s what you really wanted. I’m not gonna make you do anything, especially not anything you don’t want to do.” His murmured words are warm on your head and your heart. 

“I feel like I’m being pulled apart. Like… I’m just so confused about what to do, Eddie..” His arms wrap around you, hugging you close. 

“That’s okay. That’s okay,” he promises. 

After a few beats of silence, you feel like you can breathe deep enough to say the words that have been rattling around your head. “I… I do want kids. Some day. With you.”

He nods, agreeing before going quiet again. He thinks, tries to choose his words carefully. 

“If that day is like.. nine months away, is that okay with you?” he asks. 

“That’s the scary bit.”  “Yeah.” 

“I don’t know if I’m ready to be a Mom yet. What if I do it wrong?”

Eddie gives you a sad smile. “That’s how I feel too.”

Your foreheads rest together, eyes closed. 

“What if I’m never ready? What if I always feel like this?” you continue, leaning your cheek against Eddie’s steady palm. “I’m so happy with you, Eddie. What if this changes us, fucks us up?”

Dry lips press against your forehead, his thumbs swipe your cheek soothingly as you admit the fears that he has been holding too.

You hug him again, squeeze Eddie hard. 

“My mom and dad had me by our age.” Eddie’s voice is a whisper against your cheek. “And… it went so wrong, that I’m scared I can’t do it right.” 

You squeeze him tight, brushing loose hairs back from his face as his truth spills, unwound from that knot in his chest.

“I just wanna… I want to do it right. For us. For a baby. I want them to feel so fucking loved and happy. I’m so fucking scared, but… I know what to not do. I don’t want to be like him.”

Your heart breaks for that hurt little boy. You had seen him in photo albums and yearbooks, seen him with your own eyes when Eddie had bad days. He’s with you now, looking lost under the shitty bathroom light.

“You won’t be like him. You’re not him, Ed.”

“What if I am? And I just don’t know it?” There’s a frantic smashed-broken edge to his voice.

You crawl onto his lap, a knee on either side of his thighs so you can hold him properly, see his face. Swiping the beaded tears on his black lower lashes, you return that kiss to his forehead. 

“You are not your Dad. You just said it, you know what not to do yeah? That’s so important, baby.” You stroke his cheeks with your thumbs. 

He nods, wiping his face with his sleeve. His fingers drop to press against his chest like he is massaging the knot to free up his words. “I don’t want to let you down either.”

“You never have, Ed. Never ever.” 

His head rests back against the bath as you hold each other. Both scared, but it feels less utterly impossible and all-consuming. 

“I think… maybe, it’s good that we’re kinda scared. Because it means we care.” Eddie looks up at you, smooths his hand up your side. 

“And babies are kinda scary.” “Oh yeah. Absolutely terrifying.” “Cute though.” “Oh, for sure. That one in the park last week, with the bobble hat..?” “Cute as fuck.”

You share a smiling little kiss before he brings you back for another long holding hug. 

It’s easy to get lost in your head, trying to add up your very minimal savings with the cost of a baby, a bigger apartment.

You had both agreed that while you liked your jobs, you didn’t want to be there forever. Eddie wanted to get some more experience with music technology, maybe take a few courses and start teaching guitar lessons again to make extra cash on the side. 

It’s early morning now; your routine is all over the place with your late shifts and sleepy afternoons.

After a few moments of silence, Eddie speaks again, bringing you both back from the meandering paths in your minds. 

“I’m gonna marry you, y’know.”

You smile, knowing that you both wanted that happy ending. “Yeah? You gonna make me Mrs Munson?”

“Yeah, for sure. Knew that since the day I met you, baby.” He rolls his eyes, playful and pink-cheeked to distract from how raw he still feels. 

The swell in your chest makes you sob-laugh. 

“You gonna say yes?” he asks, just in case. “When I ask, I mean. This isn’t me asking, by the way. That’ll be way more romantic.”

“Okay.” You roll your eyes at him. “When you ask me, yeah. I’ll say yes.” 

“Okay. Cool.” “Cool.” 

Another smiling kiss, noses bumping each other’s cheek as you imagine your future together.

You have this feeling in your gut that this man holding you, letting you hold him, will be a great Dad someday. Eddie thinks you will be a great Mom; with you by his side, he feels like he can do anything.

“Ed?” you murmur against his lip. “They have to look like you or I’m gonna be pissed. Whenever that is.”

“Nah, get outta here. Poor kid.” He pokes gently at your ribs with wiggling fingers, stops you from squirming away with another hug. 

“Been thinking about a little baby with curly hair and brown eyes,” you admit quietly, mumbling against his neck.

“You been spending too much time in those photo albums with Wayne.” 

“It was one afternoon. Your Mom had hundreds of photos of you, Ed. It’s sweet that he kept them, and started his own albums.” 

Your fingers fiddle with the drawstrings on his hoodie as Eddie loses himself down that same path of practicality, lit by glowing reminders that he has to grow up someday soon. 

“I’m gonna get those fliers for guitar lessons printed next week. Get some cash together. I have some amps I could sell…” 

“Ed, you don’t have to do that.”

“I know but.. we can’t have loose wires and heavy shit around with a baby, baby.” 

He smiles at the word-play and your heart swells with how much you adore him. 

When your lips meet again, the tinny ring of the timer beeps on Eddie’s watch, eating up the distracted peace you had both found. 

“Want me to check?” he asks, seeing the shining fear reflected back at him when he looks into your eyes. 

“Yes please.” 

You slip off his lap and stand, holding out your hands to help Eddie up before you perch on the side of the bath. 

“One line is negative, two is positive,” you say, the pink example lines from the back of the box etched into your mind's eye. 

“Okay.”

Eddie takes a deep breath. Pauses to cup your face and kiss you before going any further. 

“I love you.” His eyes are sparkling, the set of his mouth more serious.

“Love you.” 

“This doesn’t change that, okay? S’a fact.”

You nod and steal one more kiss before letting him go to the counter. 

Eddie picks up the stick, checks under the light. You watch his face, see the shadow of conflicted confusion. You know then that it’s negative. 

“One line,” he whispers, looking up at you. 

You nod, coming over to stand with him. You see the one line, solitary and stark. 

“Okay,” you whisper, tucking yourself under Eddie’s arm. 

You can’t decide if it’s relief or loss you feel; either way, it pushes you over the edge of the precipice you have been teetering on all day and you sob. 

Eddie’s hands smooth over your back in soothing strokes, up and down, as your tears soak into his hoodie. He’s not sure what to say, not quite sure how he feels. Burning pressure pushes at his eyes as he lets his cheek rest against your head. 

“I don’t know how I feel,” you manage in a small voice after a few moments. 

Eddie swipes your tears, the dripping snot too, and thinks you look beautiful. One day, he knows you will shed happy tears caused by two pink lines and he will kiss their salty joy away with a smile. 

“We don’t need to have an answer. I think we got carried away thinkin’ huh?” 

You feel bone tired, wrung out. “Yeah.”

“Let’s sleep on it.”

There’s a lingering question about your late period that you can’t fathom yet, maybe the test was a dud? Maybe your iron is low, your hormones are off. But at almost five a.m. on that chilly Sunday morning, it can wait until Monday. 

You had felt every single emotion since the evening before when you realised and now that you have an answer to the question that had terrified you, thrilled you too in some small way, you felt like a popped balloon. 

“I’m really tired.” Your voice sounds pathetic in your ears and it makes you grimace, feeling mad at yourself for getting so worked up.

“I know, baby. Let’s go to bed, okay? I’ve got you.” Eddie whispers his promise against your temple and bends his knees to lift you up. 

“Ed…” you start to complain but you’re too tired to fight, so you wrap your legs around him and hold on. 

“Shh, let me.” 

Eddie is so gentle, it makes your heart hurt. He lays you down and makes sure you are cosy, leaves ever so briefly to get some water and flick off the bathroom light before joining you in bed. 

With the lights off, you seek each other out, hold each other close. 

You feel utterly consumed by that confusing feeling, the sad relief.

“I’m sorry.”

“Sweetheart.”

“No, I... I got us all wound up and now I feel so stupid.” 

Eddie is a steady and sure anchor as your body shakes in the dark. 

“You’re not stupid.” He holds you, whispering your name a little firmer to try and bring you back to him. “You have nothing to be sorry for. Please, don’t beat yourself up.” 

He sows kisses along your hairline as he makes his heartfelt promises. “I meant what I said. I want the future with you, all of it.”

You just nod, promise him that you want him too, forever. Slowly the tears subside, leaving you feeling beyond exhausted.

Eddie fights sleepfulness to make sure you’re okay, already at peace with the fact that you had so much ahead to look forward, to plan. 

He thinks of the antique shop windows, packed with trinkets and curios and glittering gems that you’re drawn to, like a magpie, every time you have a free afternoon to wander in the city without worry. You’re easily sidetracked by their beautiful mystery, and Eddie loves watching your awe. 

He thinks of a shiny sparkle on your finger, a little ceremony or a flight to Vegas for the hell of it, and of tiny hands to hold and teach. 

He thinks it will be okay. 

Lulled to sleep by Eddie’s stroking hands, the warmth of all of his adoration he wraps you up in, you feel peaceful and calm, and not at all scared. 

Thank you for reading! Reblogs, likes and comments are absolutely adored and cherished ❤️ 

#eddie munson #eddie munson x reader #bouncer!eddie munson #eddie munson x fem!reader #eddie munson x you #eddie munson x f!reader #bouncer!eddie munson x bartender!reader #bangaveragefic #eddie munson angst #eddie munson fluff #eddie munson fanfic #eddie munson x y/n #eddie stranger things #eddie munson stranger things #eddie munson fic #vampire eddie munson #bangaveragefics

[thelandboundseawitch]

🎃Samhain & Halloween🎃

Samhain is a sabbat which celebrates the final harvest and the beginning of the coldest half of the year. For many practitioners, Samhain marks the beginning of a new spiritual year. There are many mainstream holidays that are similar to Samhain, though Dia de los Muertos(Day of the Dead) and Halloween are the most well known. Samhain is celebrated from sunset on October 31st to sunset on November 1st.

Activities

Carve pumpkins

Bake pies, soul cakes, or something with pumpkins

Create an ancestor altar

Have a bonfire

Visit the cemetery

Make apple cider

Visit a corn-maze

Have a hayride

Make smores

Tell scary stories

Watch horror movies

Roast pumpkin seeds

Altar Decorations

Pumpkins and other squash/gourds

Cauldrons

Candles

Skulls

Autumn Leaves/Garland

Corn

Besom

Ancestor Items

Photographs

Acorns

Black Lace

Animals

Bats

Owls

Spiders

Dogs

Foxes

Ravens & Crows

Black Cats

Colors

Orange

Black

Red

Purple

Silver

Crystals

Obsidian

Carnelian

Onyx

Smoky Quartz

Jet

Bloodstone

Malachite

Amethyst

Black Tourmaline

Ruby

Amber

Jasper

Deities

Demeter

Hekate

Morrigan

Anubis

Hel

Osiris

Persephone

The Crone

Flowers

Yarrow

Dittany

Chrysanthemum

Sunflower

Belladonna(☠️)

Marigold

Rose

Rue

Food

Pumpkins

Squash

Apples

Pies

Soups & Stews

Corn

Ale

Grains

Cider

Mulled Wine

Beets

Turnips

Potatoes

Cranberries

Pears

Incense and Oils

Patchouli

Sandalwood

Sage

Rosemary

Sweetgrass

Plants & Herbs

Mugwort(☠️)

Cinnamon

Clove

Nutmeg

Sage

Allspice

Rosemary

Wormwood

Pine

Spells and Rituals

Samhain is an excellent time to contact your ancestors and other spirits because the veil separating the land of the living and the land of the dead is thinnest during this time of the year. Ancestors often visit their relatives in the form of a spider during Samhain. Divination, protection, and banishing spells are also common to practice and cast on Samhain.

Final Notes

Keep black pets inside. Cruel people hurt them on this night

Be extra careful with spirit work. Take extra precautions.

#witches #witchcore #halloween #witchcraft #witchy things #witch tips #witchblr #samhain #wicca #paganism #paganblr #pagan witch #pagan #pagans of tumblr #witchery #wheel of the year #grimoire #digital grimoire #spellcraft #spellbook

[angelmush]

meals for the near future:

today i made a pasta dish by searing some ground breakfast sausage in a pan, deglazing w homemade chicken stock, adding some pumpkin puree, big ribbonlike farfalle pasta bowties, sage, a pad (pat? idk) of butter, and swirling it all together w some pasta water and topping w parsley and breadcrumbs toasted in sage oil (was good but would've been better w parm but i was all out)

chicken vesuvio ! roast chicken w potatoes in a wine sauce except sans wine and instead just using my homemade chicken stock bc i don't have any wine to cook with and don't feel like picking it up lol w some good bread from my fave patisserie to sop up the sauce

using the leftover chicken shredded in a grilled cheese of sorts w jammy caramelized onion and brie and crisp tart granny smith apples on crusty sourdough

and using even MORE leftover chicken (hopefully i have enough lol) to make a chicken noodle soup w oriechette, ginger, carrot, herbs, and rice

buttery seared scallops and shrimp (scallops for me and shrimp for my gf bc she's not a scallop girl) with an herby sauce and (again) with a side of that good bread to soak it all up

an apple pie maybe!!! or gallette, or tarte tatin, im not sure yet but i have apples galore and some pie dough in my freezer

been drinking lots of chai lattes and apple cider in the mornings, just fully and deeply embracing the cold weather here

i have leftover pumpkin puree from the pasta i made today so if anyone has any suggestions, it's a small amount, probably half to a quarter cup. not sure what to use it for!

#i felt ambitious last week but this week is even more so!!! #something abt the snow and the cold does activate some desire to cook haha #the steam from my chicken stock was fogging up the kitchen window today LOL #it is COZY #and smells delicious in here still #personal #recovery #recipe

[piscesseer]

Samhain Traditions

Toward the end of October the leaves change, the air crisps, and the world seems to take on an eerie, magical glow. Samhain is celebrated on October 31st, and it’s a time to remember the dead and to celebrate the coming of the new year. It is the third and final harvest festival. 

Samhain (pronounced "sow-in") is believed to have its roots in Celtic Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. The Celts, an ancient people who lived in these regions more than 2,000 years ago, celebrated Samhain as a significant holiday. It marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of the darker half of the year.

Samhain was celebrated from the evening of October 31st to November 1st, coinciding with the end of the Celtic calendar year. This was a time when the veil between the physical and spiritual worlds was thought to be at its thinnest. To honor this unique period, the Celts engaged in a festival of fire. Bonfires were lit to symbolize the sun's waning power, ward off malevolent spirits, and guide the souls of the departed to the Otherworld. People would wear disguises, often made from animal skins, to ward off vengeful spirits and trickster fairies.

One of the most important aspects of Samhain was paying tribute to deceased family members and ancestors. Celts believed that during Samhain, the spirits of the dead could return to the earthly realm. Offerings of food and drink were left out for these spirits, and places were set at the dinner table to welcome them. It was a time for remembering, celebrating, and seeking guidance from the other side.

When Christianity spread to the Celtic regions, it attempted to integrate the existing pagan traditions into the new faith. In the 9th century, the Catholic Church established All Saints' Day on November 1st, which was followed by All Souls' Day on November 2nd. These days incorporate elements of Samhain, such as the veneration of the dead. Over time, this blending of cultures resulted in the creation of All Hallows' Eve, which eventually became Halloween.

Fast forward to the present day, and Halloween has become known for its spooky decorations, costumes, trick-or-treating, and jack-o'-lanterns. It still retains many aspects of Samhain's spirit, emphasizing the thrill of the mysterious and the connection between the living and the dead.

Samhain, rooted in the cycles of nature and the mysteries of the afterlife, has stood the test of time, evolving and adapting across centuries and cultures. As we partake in the festivities of Halloween, we are, in a way, carrying forward the traditions and spirit of Samhain, honoring our ancestors and embracing the magic of this enchanting season.

There are many different ways to celebrate Samhain. Some people attend festivals, while others hold private rituals in their homes. Some common activities include:

Decorate the house and altar with the appropriate correspondents:

Colors: orange, black, purple, gold, silver, white

Symbols: pumpkins, acorns and nuts, fall leaves, apples, brooms, black candles, cauldrons, pomegranate, photos of ancestors and loved ones who have passed on

Animals: bats, cats (specifically black cats), owls, crows and ravens

Crystals: aquamarine, bloodstone, carnelian, jet, obsidian, onyx, smokey quartz

Herbs & Flowers: allspice, calendula, cosmos, chrysanthemum (mum), deadly nightshade, mandrake, mint, nutmeg, rosemary, sage, thistle, wormwood

We can also eat traditional foods like apple cider and roasted nuts. Some recipes to try include: Herb bread for abundance, Squash Soup for cleansing, Pumpkin Scones for Success, Apples Cider for Balance, Mushroom Pasta for Divination, Concannon for Wealth

Carving pumpkins is a wonderful combination of Samhain and Halloween. Jack O Lantern faces are meant to ward off bad spirits. 

Observe the changes in nature. Take a nature walk or hike to connect with the changing season. Collect fallen leaves, acorns, or pinecones to use in decorations or rituals. Spend time in contemplation, feeling the energy of the earth as it prepares for winter's rest.

It’s a great time to perform closing rituals, or release rituals.

One of the central aspects of Samhain is honoring and connecting with our ancestors. Set up a special altar in your home with photographs, mementos, and offerings that represent our ancestors. Take a few moments to remember and connect with those who came before us. Honor the dead.

Samhain is an ideal time for divination and communication with the spirit realm. Tarot readings, scrying with a crystal ball or a dark mirror, or even a simple game of divination like apple bobbing can be great ways to connect with the mystical. Be open to symbols that pop up.

Samhain is a time to reflect on the past year and to look forward to the future. It is a time to connect with nature and with the spirit world. It is a time to celebrate life and death.

Journal Prompts and Reflections for Samhain:

What aspects of your life no longer serve you? What do you need to release or leave behind in order to move forward?

What were the highlights and challenges of the past year? What lessons have you learned? How have you grown and transformed?

What are your goals and intentions for the upcoming year? What steps can you take to bring your intentions to fruition?

Who are your ancestors, and what do you know about their lives?

#samhain #celebrations #holidays #halloween

[auntiepasto]

It’s Winter Squash Time!

Now is a great time of year to stock up on pumpkins and winter squash. They’re everywhere, they’re inexpensive, and did I mention that they’re absolutely beautiful? Who could ask for more?

There’s more!

Winter squash — Cinderella and pie pumpkins, kuri, delicata, butternut, buttercup, acorn, kabocha, turban — are all edible, and excellent keepers. You can store them at room temperature, and use them for pretty decorations all through the fall and winter season, choosing one or two to eat as the mood strikes.

This bounty of squash should carry myself and my husband through most of fall and winter, even eating it weekly.

Be absolutely thorough about checking your squash before you buy it for any bumps, bruises, scratches, nicks, or dings. Dirt is fine, it washes off, and sealed scratches are okay. Fresh scratches may or may not heal up and your squash may rot. If you're planning to cook it within a week, a scratch or two is probably okay, but not if you're planning to use them over the course of several months.

The easiest way to prep most winter squash (excepting the gigantic pumpkins) is to cut off the stem and the base if necessary so that the squash will sit flat, then split it in half from top to bottom. Scrape out the seeds with a large metal spoon or ice-cream scoop, and scrape out as much of the stringy goop as you can manage. Typically, at this point, I will oil the squash’s interior with olive oil (use whatever oil you like, roasted walnut or pecan oil is terrific) and sprinkle with seasonings (pie spices are great, but chipotle can be fun, as can sage or poultry seasonings), and roast at 350°F / 175°C until a paring knife will penetrate the skin and flesh easily. That’ll take about 45 minutes for most squashes.

You can roast the seeds of any winter squash as an additional snack, once you clean them up. More about that in another post.

Some notes:

Delicata: Capsule-shaped, yellow striped with green, sometimes blushed orange. It has a unique and delightful squash-sweet corn flavor. The skin is thin and can be left on. In my experience, delicata is the shortest-lasting of the bunch. Eat them first.

Kuri: Top-shaped and a gorgeous burnt-orange color. Kuri squash has a sweet, rich flavor. Again, one of the squashes that has good skin for eating.

Butternut: Columnar neck, with a bulb on the bottom, tan skin with orange flesh. One of the most accessible squashes — widely available and inexpensive, as well as delicious. Many of the so-called “pumpkin pie” canned fillings are actually made of butternut squash. It keeps very well and for a long time — four to five months — as long as you’re meticulous about choosing squash with undamaged skin. It’s also one of the easiest to peel. For dishes where you want peeled squash, choose butternut and use only the neck, and cook the bulb another time. Butternut skin tends to be tough, so you'll probably want to avoid eating it.

Buttercup: Deep green with a small, light green "cup" on the bottom. Delicious. Doesn't seem to hold as well as some of the others -- use it sooner rather than later. The skin on these is soft and fine for eating.

Acorn: Acorn-shaped, heavily ridged. Colors can range from green to orange. They do come in white, but white squash are usually pretty bland. Thin-skinned, so you can eat the whole thing comfortably. Great for soups and stews -- just clean it out and chop it into bits to throw into your soup. More of a savory squash than a sweet one. Conventional wisdom is that they're shorter keepers, but I've found that they keep very well for me, and have held them successfully for up to four months.

Kabocha: A deep-green flattened sphere. Sometimes they've got a smattering of orange. It's fine to leave the skin on these, and you've probably seen it left on in your tempura. Kabocha is more floury, less squishy when cooked, and reminds me a bit of sweet potato. Also one of the shorter keepers; try to get to it within a couple months of purchase.

Turban: Festively multi-colored in splattered white, orange, yellow, and green. Turban squash has a large "cap" on a smaller, three- or four-lobed base. It has notes of chestnut; it's not as sweet as some of the others but it's definitely distinctive. I'm also of the opinion that turban squash makes the best roasted squash seeds, even better than pumpkin. They are large and wonderfully crunchy when roasted. Turban skin tends to be tougher.

Cinderella pumpkin: Yes, those huge and heavy ribbed pumpkins are edible and quite tasty. They come in all kinds of colors. I find that the traditional peach-to-orange ones usually taste the best. Because they are so large and dense, you may want to roast them whole, then cut them open and scrape out the seeds and strings afterwards. They will take a while. They can also be quite watery, so after you roast them, you may want to drain the liquid out of them, if you're doing pies or custards or other things that want a drier texture. You can use the liquid in soups or in your oatmeal. Pumpkin skin is generally too tough to be pleasant to eat.

Pie pumpkin: Typically a lighter orange than your traditional jack o' lantern pumpkin. A pie pumpkin should be fairly small but not tiny, and heavy for its size. Any pumpkin that is light for its size is mostly cavity and not meat. Pie pumpkins are sweet for pumpkins, but I find they're generally not quite as sweet as butternut squash or kuri.

Speaking of sweet:

Not pictured here, because they are gigantic and typically sold in pieces, if you can find them at all these days, are banana squash. If you have the opportunity to purchase a piece of banana squash, treat it just like any other squash -- season it up and roast it. Banana squash is delicious.

#pumpkin #squash #winter squash #veggies #meal prep #fall decor #this is my squash dissertation #I am a huge fan of winter squash

[edgewaterfarmcsa]

CSA WEEK 3

P i c k l i s t

GREEN PEPPERS - JALAPENO PEPPERS - CELERY - LETTUCE - FENNEL - CARROTS - 

ONIONS - PLUM TOMATOES - SAGE - WINTER SQUASH - SWEET POTATOES

BREAD OF THE WEEK:  APPLE CIDER BREAD

THIS WEEK AT EDGEWATER…

Welcome frost!  I am shocked at my exclamation and openness to this event, but jeez we are tired and plants are tired.  Both fields and humans are ready to button up, cover up, and take a long winter nap.  However, pre naptime, there is much to do. Since Friday of last week, we have been busy sweeping the fields of any non frost hardy fruit.  This list includes peppers of every variety, tomatoes, lemongrass, etc… the kol crops and carrots can handle a cold snap and often sweeten up with every below 32 degree night, so thankfully there is no hurry on that harvest.  But the rest is on go-time as our crew is seasonal and our honey-do list is long.  So as soon as frost arrived Tuesday morning, we began to break down the fields: Cut plants, pull drip tape, remove rebar, remove posts, etc… This is absolutely the less glamorous side of farming, but there is a feeling of completion and renewal in this field breakdown and tidying up.  

Another area of completion we hit yesterday was the Halloween carving of the very last of the pumpkin crop.  It feels good to say, what we did not sell, we carved and stuck a candle in.  

As far as other crops go, we have a cooler stacked high with bins full of already harvested beets and carrots, and watermelon radishes.  Soon leeks and cabbage and the rest of the carrots will be picked and join the cooler party.  Outside the cooler are bins of onions, sweet potatoes, regular potatoes, and we remain beyond fortunate to have greenhouse space to grow greens.  All that said, we will not go hungry this winter, and there is always plenty of food for all.  

Ok, I need to step away from this computer, put on 10,000 layers of wool, top it off with some fancy neoprene gloves and go finish the CSA pick.  I see flurries outside.  

FARMY FOODIE PRO-TIPS: 

WINTER SQUASH WITH CRISPY SAGE AND HONEY VIA EDEN GRINSHPAN

Winter squash cut into ½ inch thick slices (i keep seeds in!)

15 fresh sage leaves

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons kosher salt

½ teaspoon ground pepper

Pre heat oven to 425

On a baking sheet, toss the squash and sage with the olive oil, honey, salt and pepper.  Roast until the squash is tender and golden, 20 to 25 minutes, flipping once about halfway through.  Serve

Mirepoix Is the Foundation of Stews, Sauces, and More—Here's How to Make It:

The savory combination of celery, onion, and carrots (and sometimes other vegetables) is the silent MVP of so many recipes.

By Victoria Spencer  Updated on October 3, 2023

A big bowl of warm, hearty stew is typically full of flavors that go beyond the focal point (think: Beef Stew, Vegetarian Gumbo). If you've ever wondered what makes up the backbone of these liquid-based meals, then it's time to learn about mirepoix, one of the first things chefs learn in culinary school, and the foundation of flavor in so many dishes.

What Is Mirepoix?

A mirepoix is a combination of finely chopped aromatic vegetables that gives a subtle background flavor to dishes such as soups, stews, sauces, and braises. It's a French term that was reportedly devised in the 18th century by the cook to the Duc de Lévis-Mirepoix, a French field Marshal.

The classic mirepoix is made up of onion, carrot, and celery, but this version is only one of many possible variations. Mushrooms, parsnips, leeks, peppers, tomatoes, and garlic are all considered aromatic vegetables and can be used in endless combinations in a mirepoix. Other cuisines have flavor bases allied to the mirepoix:

Soffrito

The Italian soffritto is similar to a mirepoix. Like a mirepoix, it calls for onions, celery, and carrots, and sometimes pancetta and garlic.

The Holy Trinity

The "holy trinity" is used as the base of most soups and stews—including gumbo—in Cajun and Creole cooking in Louisiana. It includes onions, celery, and—instead of carrot—a bell pepper. Green peppers were substituted because they're easier to grow in southern Louisiana—plus they're delicious. It also differs from a mirepoix because the holy trinity uses equal amounts of each vegetable.

Sofrito

A sofrito is a Spanish flavor base. It is similar to the mirepoix in that it uses finely chopped vegetables but the vegetables used are different: onion, tomatoes, bell peppers, and garlic. This sofrito is the base of many recipes including paella, sancocho, and rice-and-bean dishes. A Puerto Rican version of sofrito is known as recaito, and often includes ajíes dulces (small sweet chile peppers). It is used in dishes such as the island's take on arroz con pollo.

How to Make a Mirepoix

For a classic mirepoix, use 2 parts onion to 1 part carrot and 1 part celery.

Rinse, trim, and peel the vegetables.

Chop them into uniform pieces. The shorter the cooking time of your recipe, the smaller the pieces should be, so that they effectively infuse the foods with flavor.

Using a Mirepoix

You can add the mirepoix uncooked to stocks and broths for a light dose of flavor.

To add richness to heartier stews and braises, "sweat" the vegetables first, cooking them with a little oil or butter over low heat until they start to release their juices into the pan.

Recipes that start with a mirepoix are many, from rich French chicken stews and French-style pork stews to those that start with a sofrito, like Spanish-style shellfish dishes. Almost every vegetable soup starts with a mirepoix. Once you know about this flavor base, you'll see how ubiquitous it is.

PICKLE YOUR JALAPENOS!!

Store-bought jars of pickled jalapeños are perfectly delicious. But if you feel like doing more work than unscrewing a cap—or if you bought a glut of peppers at the farmers market—you can make quick-pickled jalapeños (or anything) at home too. First, slice your peppers into rounds. There’s no law against using whole jalapeños, but smaller pieces will soak up the brine faster. Bring 1 cup distilled white vinegar, 2 Tbsp. kosher salt, 2 tsp. sugar, up to 2 Tbsp. spices (e.g., peppercorns, ­coriander seeds, and/or ­mustard seeds), chopped fresh herbs (like cilantro), and 2 cups water to a boil in a saucepan. You’ll want enough liquid to cover the peppers, so feel free to scale this ratio up or down as needed.

Transfer sliced peppers to clean glass jars and pour over the brine, leaving ½ inch of headspace between the liquid line and the rim. Screw on the lids and let the jars cool before transferring to the fridge. Your pickled jalapeños will be best after 48 hours and last up to two months refrigerated. 

[galactia]

art credit.

BIO: Zhongli is a mysterious but amiable man that came to live in Pelican Town fairly recently. Despite the short length of his residence, somehow it feels as if he's always been there.

A man knowledgeable in nearly all things, he works as an assistant curator and librarian at the Museum. Though a man of seemingly modest means, he never seems to lack for what he desires.

The people pf Pelican Town regard him as an oddly sage man, almost too wise for his age, whose good will and ability has taken great strides in expanding their Museum's collections.

HISTORY: Zhongli is a man of unknown origins. If asked where he came from, he'd explain he's from ZuZu City, and detail a brief history of his tenure as a professor of historic art. His deep, soothing baritone would lull nearly any resident to sleep as he rambled off onto the topic of canvas restoration.... all the while his amber eyes staid sharp and focused.

In reality? He is one of the last surviving members of an ancient species - the dragons.

Shifted into a human form for the peace of the humans and for his own survival, he is the final earth dragon in existence in the modern age. While most, if not all, the citizens in Pelican Town would claim that dragons are a myth, a legend, they would only be partially right.

In this current time, yes, dragons are only stories, but there was a bygone era were dragons lived, thrived, and ruled. To this day, their bones can still be found in deep caverns and on high mountains. Their teeth are used as rare commodities in the modern world, and even in ancient times, their pelts were sometimes hunted by the most preeminent of elven and dwarven trackers.

APPEARANCE:

art credit/full aesthetic

Physical: Athletic, lean muscular, tall. Orange eyes, long brown hair with orange tips.

Additional: Sleeve tattoos in black and gold that run up both arms. They bear foreign symbols no one in Pelican Town would know. Glases. Pierced ears.

Clothing: One. Two. Only wears a suit when he is at work. Typically prefers to wear a turtle neck and a coat or jacket, or just a turtle neck. Sharp, pressed, immaculate clothes.

PREFERENCES:

Loves:

Earth Crystal.

Jade.

Pumpkin Soup.

Green Tea.

Likes:

All Minerals.

Roasted Hazelnuts.

Ginger Ale.

Cranberry Sauce.

Blueberry Tart.

Pancakes.

Honey.

Wine

Crocus.

Blue Jazz.

Dislikes:

All Fish.

Maki Roll.

Fish Stew.

Squid Ink Ravioli.

Beer.

Caviar.

Aged Roe.

Void Mayonnaise.

Hate:

Eel.

Fried Eel.

Spicy Eel.

Sashimi.

Shrimp Cocktail.

LIVING ARRANGEMENTS:

A Chinese-style cottage set back from the Museum, on the hill just above. It is in need of renovations, which Zhongli is slowly personally seeing to and commissioning Robin to complete.

#verse//zhonglistardew

[askwhatsforlunch]

Woodfire Pumpkin and Lentil Soup

Even when the sun shines and the skies are cloudless, a Spring day is not necessarily warm! But after all the rain we’ve had, spending time in the garden, both pottering and relaxing, is rather essential to me! Thus, I warmed up by lighting up the barbie and turning leftovers into this gorgeously smoky Woodfire Pumpkin and Lentil Soup! A hearty and comforting lunch after fixing fencing panels or tilling the Veg Patch! Happy Thursday!

Ingredients (serves 1):

a small red onion

1 cup leftover Pumpkin Soup

1/3 cup split red lentils

1/3 cup Turkey Tail Stock

2/3 cups water

salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

a dollop of crème fraîche or sour cream, to serve (optional)

roquette lettuce, to serve (optional)

Arrange a small layer of coals in the barbecue. Top with a few branches of wood (apple-wood gives good taste), and light.

Peel and finely chop red onion.

In a large, fire-proof pot or saucepan, combine Pumpkin Soup, red lentils and chopped red onion.

Stir in Turkey Tail Stock and water.

Once the flames are low and embers glowing red, carefully sit pot or saucepan, with a lid on, onto the grill over the flames, and bring to the boil. Once boiling, cook, for about 7 to 10 minutes, until lentils are cooked and soup has thickened. Season, to taste with salt and black pepper.

Carefully remove the pot from the fire, and serve Woodfire Pumpkin and Lentil Soup hot, with a generous dollop of crème fraîche and roquette, if desired. You can also toast a thick slice Soda Bread over the embers; it goes beautifully with the soup!

#Recipe #Food #Woodfire Pumpkin and Lentil Soup #Woodfire Pumpkin and Lentil Soup recipe #Pumpkin and Lentil Soup #Pumpkin and Lentil Soup recipe #Pumpkin Soup #Pumpkin Soup recipe #Roasted Sage and Pumpkin Soup #Split Red Lentils #Red Lentils #Lentils #Red Onion #Turkey Tail Stock #Water #Salt #Black Pepper #Black Peppercorns #Crème Fraîche #Roquette #Soup #Soup recipe #Soup and Stew #Barbecue #Barbecue recipe #5 Ingredients or Less #Quick recipe #Easy recipe #Cooking Leftovers #Thrifty

[mariacallous]

We made it through the first set of the holidays. Congrats to all of us! Of course, we look forward to and enjoy the holidays with out families, but they are also exhausting. And what’s next? Another holiday of course. It’s time for Sukkot.

By the time it’s Sukkot I am ready for lighter meals, which is why a delicious soup with a salad, cheese and crackers is my ideal menu. It’s satisfying but a little lightened up after the past few weeks of meal-laden celebrating. This soup is amazing because when you are roasting the pumpkin and red pepper with the sage, your entire house will smell like the warming flavors of fall.

Note: I prefer to roast the red peppers the day before making the soup. The skin comes off more easily with plenty of time for cooling.

[wifeofhalloween]

Tonight for dinner I made a butternut squash and pumpkin ginger soup. Toppings include toasted pecans, roasted pepitas, homemade croutons, sage, and sour cream. Our dinner music felt on theme for how badass the soup was. #kitchenwitch #butternutsquash #soup #heavymetal #itswhatsfordinner #foodstagram https://www.instagram.com/p/CnlSLd1rDnV/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#kitchenwitch #butternutsquash #soup #heavymetal #itswhatsfordinner #foodstagram

[allwaysfull]

The Recipe | Josh Emett

Minestrone

Wonton Soup

Momofuku Ramen

Pappardelle with Prawns, Peas & Parmesan

Spaghetti alle Vongole (with Clams)

Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce & Ricotta Cheese with Herbs

Ragù Bolognese

Spaghetti all Carbonara

Spaghetti Aglio Olio e Peperoncino (with Peperoncino & Garlic)

Bavette with Cheese & Pepper

Goat Cheese Ravioli in Pancetta & Shallot Sauce

Risotto with Pecorino, Olive Oil & Balsamic Vinegar

Yellow Dal with Spinach

Lentils à la Française

Falafel

Cachapas (Sweetcorn Pancakes)

Tortilla de Patatas (potato)

Tabbouleh

Caesar Salad with Potato Croutons

Pumpkin Seed Coleslaw

Classic Ratatouille

Creamed Spinach

Carrots Vichy

Flemish-style Asparagus

Celeriac Remoulade

Pan con Tomate

St George’s Mushrooms, Garlic & Parsley on Sourdough Toast

Petit Pois a la Française

Roasted Vegetables Catalan-style

Caponata

Cauliflower Cheese

Potato Gratin

Coleannon

Pommes Mousseline

Pommes Dauphine

Potato Rösti

Pommes Anna

Clam Bruschetta with Roasted Vegetables

Moules Marinière

Grilled Scallops with Sweet Chili Sauce & Crème Fraîche

Pulpo a la Feria (Octopus)

Tuna Tataki Salad

Fish Congee

Black Cod with Miso

Coq au Vin

Gongbao Chicken (Spicy Chicken with Peanuts)

Chicken Korma

Chicken Tikka

Guotie & Haozi (Pork & Cabbage Beijing Dumplings)

Tartare de Boeuf Bistrot

Beef Green Curry

Lamb Shank Rogan Josh

Boeuf Bourguignon

Boeuf en Daube Provençale

Veal Osso Bucco with Truffled Polenta & Gremolata

Pizza Pomodoro

Pissaladière

Twice-Baked Goat Cheese Soufflè

Madeleines

Almond Biscotti

Carrot Cake

Easy Vanilla Cake

Dark Chocolate Brownie

Crème Brûllée

Pistachio Ice Cream

Traditional Tiramisu

Chocolate Molten Cakes

Apple Sponge Pudding

Bread & Butter Pudding

Crêpes Suzette

Ruth’s Very Rich Pancakes

Chocolate Truffles

Baba Ghanoush

Olive Tapenade

Anchoiade

Tarmosalata

Café de Paris Butter

Herbed Garlic Butter

Basil Pesto

Chimichurri

Salsa Verde

Classic Skordalia with Bread

Sambal

Thai Chili Jam

Carmalized Onions

Horseradish Gremolata

Preserved Lemons

Pickled Red Onion

Green Tomato Chutney

Confit Tomatoes

Basic BBQ Sauce

Peanut Sauce Four Ways

Green Curry Paste

Salsa Romesco

Tasha’s Napolitana Sauce

Pomodoro Sauce

Salsa al Burro e Salvia (Butter & Sage)

Fish Velouté

Red Wine Sauce

Béchamel Sauce

Béarnaise Sauce

Hollandaise Sauce

Mayonaise

Truffle Mayonaise

Aïoli

Caesar Dressing

Classic Vinaigrette

French Vinaigrette

Lemon Vinaigrette

Green Goddess Dressing

Dashi

Ponzu Sauce

Chicken Stock (white and brown)

Fish Stock

Crème Pâtissière

Crème Anglaise

Naan

Chapati

Pizza Dough

Egg Yolk Pizza Dough

Semolina Pasta Dough

Traditional Pie Dough

#the recipe #josh emett #ken hom #david chang #massimo mele #danielle alvarez #heinz beck #gennaro contaldo #nancy silverton #alfred portale #giorgio locatelli #angela hartnett #christine manfield #michael caines #mark bittman #crace ramirez #frank camorra #tyler florence #ben shewry #claudia roden #Jacques Pépin #nieves barragan mohacho #tom kerridge #josé andrés #rodney dunn #julien royer #darina allen #shannon bennett #anne-sophie pie #rick stein

[paleobymaileo]

Paleo Fall Recipes: Savor the Season with a Delicious Paleo Diet!

As autumn paints the world in warm hues and crisp air, it’s the perfect time to savor the seasonal bounty with delightful paleo fall recipes. In this blog, we’ll take a deeper dive into a wide array of enticing dishes, allowing you to embrace the distinctive tastes of fall while adhering to your Paleo Diet. From hearty stews to mouthwatering desserts, every bite is a guilt-free pleasure. So, let’s explore the world of these palatable paleo fall recipes!

Fall-Inspired Paleo Meals: 7 Delicious Paleo Fall Recipes

As the air turns crisp and the leaves start to fall, it’s the perfect time to infuse your Paleo diet with the warm and cozy flavors of autumn with paleo fall recipes. From hearty stews to sweet treats, here are seven fall-inspired Paleo fall recipes to tantalize your taste buds.

1. Butternut Squash and Sage Soup

Ingredients: 1 medium butternut squash peeled and cubed, 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth, 1 onion chopped, 2 cloves garlic minced, 2 tablespoons fresh sage leaves, 2 tablespoons olive oil, Salt and pepper to taste.

Instructions: In a large pot, sauté the chopped onion and minced garlic in olive oil until fragrant. Add the cubed butternut squash and fresh sage leaves. Cook for a few minutes. Pour in the broth and let the mixture simmer until the squash is tender. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

2. Balsamic-glazed Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

Ingredients: 1 lb Brussels sprouts trimmed and halved, 4 slices of Paleo-friendly bacon chopped, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon olive oil, Salt and pepper to taste.

Instructions: Cook the chopped bacon in a skillet until crispy. Remove and set aside. In the same skillet, add olive oil and Brussels sprouts. Sauté until they become tender and slightly browned. Drizzle balsamic vinegar over the Brussels sprouts and cook for a few more minutes.

Season with salt, pepper, and the cooked bacon. Serve hot. 

3. Apple and Pecan Stuffed Acorn Squash

Ingredients: 2 acorn squashes, halved and seeds removed, 2 apples diced, 1/2 cup pecans chopped, 2 tablespoons maple syrup (or honey for strict Paleo), 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 2 tablespoons coconut oil, Pinch of salt.

Instructions: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Rub the acorn squash halves with coconut oil and place them face down on a baking sheet. Roast for about 30 minutes or until they’re tender. In a bowl, combine diced apples, chopped pecans, maple syrup (or honey), cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Fill the roasted acorn squash halves with the apple and pecan mixture. Return to the oven for an additional 10-15 minutes until the filling is warm and slightly caramelized.

4. Pumpkin and Sage Pasta

Ingredients: 1 spaghetti squash, 1 cup canned pumpkin puree, 1/4 cup coconut milk, 2 tablespoons fresh sage leaves chopped, 2 cloves garlic minced, Salt and pepper to taste.

Instructions: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise, remove seeds, and place it face down on a baking sheet. Roast for about 45 minutes or until you can easily scrape the flesh with a fork to create “spaghetti” strands. In a saucepan, combine pumpkin puree, coconut milk, fresh sage, and minced garlic. Heat over low until warm. Season the sauce with salt and pepper. Pour it over the cooked spaghetti squash.

5. Maple-Glazed Carrots

Ingredients: 1 lb baby carrots, 2 tablespoons maple syrup, 2 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter) or coconut oil, Salt and pepper to taste.

Instructions: In a skillet, melt ghee (or coconut oil) over medium heat. Add the baby carrots and sauté until they start to caramelize and become tender. Drizzle maple syrup over the carrots and cook for a few more minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

Also Read:-  Paleo Fish Recipes: Discover Nutrient-Rich and Delicious Fish Paleo Recipes for a Healthy Lifestyle

Autumn Paleo Recipes | Paleo Fall Recipes

Butternut Squash Soup: Picture yourself sipping on a velvety bowl of butternut squash soup, infused with the warm embrace of savory spices – the ultimate comfort for those chilly autumn evenings.

Roasted Root Vegetables: Combine the earthy goodness of carrots, sweet potatoes, and parsnips, and roast them to perfection with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of aromatic herbs for a hearty, nutritious side dish.

Apple Cinnamon Pancakes: Wake up to a stack of fluffy, grain-free pancakes, exude the delightful aroma of fresh apples and the warmth of cinnamon.

Pumpkin Chili: When the autumn breeze starts to nip, a hearty and spiced pumpkin chili is just the thing to satiate your craving for a warm and satisfying meal.

Seasonal Paleo Dishes

When fall arrives, it brings a treasure trove of flavors and ingredients that can be incorporated into your paleo fall recipes. Here are some delectable seasonal Paleo dishes to savor the autumn vibes.

Stuffed Acorn Squash: Halves of acorn squash, hollowed and filled with a delicious mixture of ground meat, veggies, and the finest Paleo-approved spices, make for a memorable and nutritious dinner.

Brussels Sprouts with Bacon: Elevate the humble Brussels sprout with crispy, savory bacon, roasted to perfection for an unbeatable combination of flavors.

Paleo Apple Crisp: Satisfy your sweet tooth with this delectable dessert. Sliced apples, artfully topped with a crumbly, almond flour-based crust, create a dessert that’s both indulgent and Paleo-friendly.

Balsamic Glazed Salmon: Dive into a dish where the seasonal flavors shine brightly – succulent salmon, graced with a drizzle of tangy balsamic glaze.

Final Thoughts on Paleo Fall Recipes

These meticulously curated paleo fall recipes invite you to fully savor the essence of autumn, all while staying true to your commitment to a wholesome lifestyle. With the vibrant colors and tastes of fall as your muse, you can indulge in the hearty stews, sweet treats, and savory dishes featured here. This season, let your culinary creations embrace the warmth and richness of the season. Happy cooking and even happier eating with paleo fall recipes!

[americanforecast]

How to Create a Thanksgiving Feast that Pleases Everyone: Meat Eaters, Vegetarians, and Vegans Alike

How to Create a Thanksgiving Feast that Pleases Everyone: Some ideas for making sure vegetarians and vegans have plenty of choices: How to Create a Thanksgiving Feast STUFFING MASHED POTATOES SALAD SOUPS ROASTED AND BAKED VEGETABLES GRAIN SALADS DESSERTS How to Create a Thanksgiving Feast that Pleases Everyone: FAQ's How to Create a Thanksgiving Feast that Pleases Everyone: How to Create a Thanksgiving Feast that Pleases Everyone: I know there are some Thanksgiving gatherings without a vegan or a vegetarian at the table, but these days that seems like more of an anomaly than the norm. We have had vegetarians at our Thanksgiving table my entire life. My sister, Lizzie, and her daughters are vegetarian and now vegan, and my mother became a vegetarian later in life. There are plenty of folks at the table who want to enjoy the turkey and all those trimmings, but a significant number of others are interested only in the vegetarian or vegan sides. And there is no way anyone leaves a Workman family Thanksgiving anything less than full and happy, so we Bring It for everyone. But cooking for a crowd on Thanksgiving is already challenging enough, and no one wants to make a whole lot of extra dishes. So, the name of the game is adaptability and streamlining. The short of it is that we make plenty of meat-free sides, including some that are substantial enough to feel entrée-like for the non-meat eaters. And then we make modifications to certain dishes to make them vegan if possible. Some ideas for making sure vegetarians and vegans have plenty of choices: How to Create a Thanksgiving Feast STUFFING I make the base of the stuffing vegetarian, with vegetable broth. Then I separate part of it out into a smaller baking pan for the vegetarians, and drizzle some of the turkey pan juices over the larger pan of stuffing. If you want to make the smaller pan of stuffing vegan, use vegan butter to saute the vegetables. You also might consider using vegan sausage or other crumbled meat substitute in the stuffing. Seitan, a wheat gluten-based product, is also a good addition to vegan stuffings. MASHED POTATOES We boil up a whole lot of potatoes and mash them or put them through a ricer or food mill. Then, as we did with the stuffing, we separate the potatoes into two pots. One gets blended up with milk, cream, butter, etc., and one gets whipped to fluffiness with plant-based milk, olive oil and vegan butter. My sister skips the olive oil, but adds some vegan sour cream. Options! SALAD While a pile of leafy greens is fine, you can make salad a much more robust part of the menu. Consider adding some roasted vegetables, pumpkin or sunflower seeds, nuts (providing there are no nut allergies!), legumes (chickpeas are nice), and fresh or dried fruit. Adding some cooked whole grains like farro or bulgur wheat also boosts the nutritional value, and adds heft. Homemade croutons crisped up in the oven with olive oil are another good addition. SOUPS We usually make a vegan soup for lunch to inhale while we are cooking for dinner, but you might think about offering soup as part of the main event. Soups are so easy to make vegetarian or vegan. Think about mushroom barley (our favorite), split pea, lentil tomato, curried pumpkin soup, or butternut squash soup. Just remember to keep the broth vegetarian and sub in vegan products for any dairy ingredients. Offer any non-vegan garnishes on the side. ROASTED AND BAKED VEGETABLES Roasted vegetables are the perfect crossover side, and if you roast them with olive oil or another cooking oil, they are naturally vegan. Make sure to season well with salt and pepper, and add springs of fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme or sage. Also consider baked stuffed vegetables, such as acorn squash with a vegan stuffing or rice or grain mixture. Read More:- Homemade Caramel Apples Bring Joyful Fun to Halloween Candy GRAIN SALADS I love a side-dish-main-dish hybrid, and grain- and veggie-based one-dish recipes are Thanksgiving heroes. The basic idea is to blend up some whole grains with some cooked vegetables and/or legumes, and add an olive oil based dressing. These types of dishes are often great either warm or at room temperature. Think about wild rice, cranberries, scallions, and an orange juice and balsamic vinaigrette. Mushrooms and barley are a hearty combo, as are diced cooked sweet potatoes and quinoa. Vegan Parmesan, cheddar and feta are good cheese choices to add. DESSERTS For the vegetarians, dessert is usually not an issue, but for vegans, it’s tough. You’ll want to make sure to make, purchase or ask someone to bring a vegan option. My sister says the ingredient offerings and recipes for making vegan desserts improve all the time, a marked improvement from even a couple of years ago. Lizzie has been working on her vegan cheesecake for a few years now, and I think this is the year she’s going to perfect it. How to Create a Thanksgiving Feast that Pleases Everyone: More great vegan and vegetarian sides for Thanksgiving Mushroom, Tomato and White Bean Ragout Bulgur Wheat, Sweet Potato and Black Bean Casserole Roasted Lemon Brussels Sprouts Fall Farro and Vegetable Salad Caponata Lentil Salad Katie Workman writes regularly about food. She can be reached at [email protected]. Get more recipes and dinner ideas from The Washington Times food section. How to Create a Thanksgiving Feast that Pleases Everyone: FAQ's Read the full article

[mealblogging]

yesterday report:

brunch around 10 was zucchini scrambled eggs with garlic and tomatoes, homemade sourdough toast with cultured butter 👌🏼 and a few slices of bresaola - i learned 3 is too many, 2 much better. and a glass of local apple cider.

mandatory afternoon treat was a seedy, oaty, whole wheaty chocolate chip cookie from the freezer stash, shown here missing from the tray

dinner! was whole pumpkin soup! i roasted a whole trader joe’s decorative pumpkin for like 2 hours with a mixture of milk and broth, sage, garlic, and pumpkin guts and then broiled jarlsburg on top. had with a pile of salad featuring whole lemon vinaigrette and chopped walnuts! a delight. and seltzy.

#meal blogging #i have to be honest with you i’m doing my work these days and i DO NOT want to be but i’m doing it anyway #zucchini eggs #soup