Fall=Apples

After seeing Ina on Wednesday, I had the most brilliant idea ever: I would go apple picking on Saturday! When I asked my coworkers where to go, however, they broke the bad news- apple picking season was over! Luckily, one of my colleagues had some overzealous kids at the apple orchard last weekend, and she offered to bring in a bushel for me:



... and with some additional Granny Smiths....



... some butternut squash and onions...



... and some morels...



... a dinner party was born!



Attendees: James, Charlotte, Flynn, and Peanut
Cocktail: Champagne with Pimm's

... as promised, all the dishes were from Ina's new cookbook: barefoot contessa: back to basics

Hors d'oeuvre: Sausage and Cucumber
Soup: Roasted Butternut Squash with Curry Condiments
Main Course: Wild Mushroom Risotto
Sides: Pan-Roasted Root Vegetables
Dessert: French Apple Tart

James, Charlotte, and little man Flynn ventured all the way over to our place for dinner. I didn't have time to make an appetizer, so I was fortunate that the new book has a page of 10 no-cook things to serve with cocktails. My favorite?



Peanut loves butternut squash soup (who doesn't?) and this recipe, accented with apples and curry and garnished with toasted coconut, scallions, cashews, and banana really caught my eye. It's a bit thick, but perfectly delicious.



While the wild mushroom risotto was very enjoyable, the crowd was most fond of the pan-roasted root vegetables. Parsnips, turnips, carrots, celery, Brussels sprouts, flavored simply with salt and pepper.



I was most happy, however, with the French apple tart. It tastes as good as it looks!