Don’t steam broccoli/cauliflower — use a nonstick skillet, a touch of oil, and sear those bits juicy.

Add water if you don’t get them tender enough that way, but sprinkle some kosher salt and chili powder on them as they get there. Works best with frozen veggies — keeps them crisp and their flavor intensified.

Beans thawed from the summer, a couple cans of dollar tomatoes-and-garlic from the Safeway, sauteed pearl onions, garlic bulb, red/yellow/orange peppers, spare turnip and squash, half-bag of Hatch chiles, chili powder/cumin, and a pound of lean ground beef, simmering in the crockpot before I go to bed.

And, of course, I want nachos instead. *sigh* At least I can replenish at the farmer’s market this weekend.

Dried porcini, rehydrated in boiling water, are a very good way to start one of these.

And Deborah, I just made that butternut squash and onion gratin on Sunday and had some of the leftovers just now! Mmmm!

I’m impressed with all the soup-makers (can I come over?) and want to know if French onion soup is difficult to make…

Mmm, now I want to go roast things!

For Knitting Clio: Yogurt is really easy. Heat a pan of milk to 184 degrees (scalding), and let it cool to 115 degrees. Whisk in some plain yogurt–about 2 T per pint of milk or so. Put aside someplace warm–my oven has a “proof” button for rising dough, and that keeps it warm enough to make yogurt. You can also try putting the pan on a heating pad, but older stoves with pilot lights underneath do a good job of keeping the mixture warm. Do not disturb–in about 8-12 hours, it’s yogurt. (I think it gets tangier the longer you let it develop, so beware. I try to do it overnight, so I probably leave it in closer to 8-10 hours.)

Use whole milk. It’s much tastier! (But then, I’m the butterfat queen. There’s nothing that won’t taste better with more butterfat, IMHO.)

We can’t seem to get enough butternut squash around here these days. I prefer it as simple as possible–roasted with just a bit of pepper and sea salt. It was featured recently in a pre-Thanksgiving turkey dinner here.

Also, Family Hotshot went apple picking last week, so we’re making our way through some applesauce. Harry’s mom will be around next week for Hotshot Jr.’s first birthday, and with luck she’ll bake her legendary apple pie.

Autumnal soups for me: corn chowder with peppered bacon. The corn can be fresh or frozen, still tastes wonderful. Potato-leek soup. (Every time my mother made it she said “the first thing you do is take a leek….” And then she laughed herself silly.) Roasted red pepper soup. ‘Nuff said.

We’re still in apple harvest time here in Buckeye land, so I’ve been making apple crumb cake, apple-sour cherry compote (thanks, Michigan, for the cherries), and on Sunday, pork roast with cider. Have also made three batches of pumpkin cookies for meetings–to much acclaim, I’m proud to say.