Good Morning Everyone!

It is a cool and brisk day in Central Florida, a day for soup, salad and bread. This Carrot Soup is simply divine and one that teases the palate. I decided to make Fall Harvest Muffins to go along with it and a simple salad.

We are in the process of selling our home...and moving to North Carolina. I am so excited at the prospect. During the first week of December I will be with my Mom up there checking out homes with the realtor. I hope I can find a home with a nice big kitchen, the heart of my home! In the meantime, I will try to post our dinners...lately though, we have been dining on sandwiches. I don't think you would be interested in many of those....

Happy Cooking! Gina

Yucatan Carrot Soup with Cumin and Lime

2 tsps. olive oil
2 lbs. carrots, peeled and chopped (about 5 cups)
2 large leeks (white and pale green parts only, chopped, about 2 cups)
1 tablsp. chopped garlic
2 1/2 tsp.s cumin
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
6 1/2 cups or more chicken broth
8 tablsp. sour cream
2 tablsp. lime juice
2 tablsp. fresh cilantro
2 tablsp. grated lime peel

Heat oil in a heavy pot over med heat. Add carrots and leeks, saute til leeks are soft but not browned, about 5 mts. Add garlic, aute 1 mt. Add crushed red pepper flakes and cumin and saute 30 mts. Add broth-boil-reduce and simmer till veggies are tender-35 mts. Working in batches, puree the soup and transfer to a large serving bowl. Whisk in the sour cream and before serving stir in the lime juice and sprinkle with cilantro and grated lime peel.
THIS IS DELICIOUS!!

Fall Harvest Muffins
makes 12 muffins

2 c. flour
1/3 c. sugar
1 T. baking powder
1 t. ground cinnamon
1/2 t. nutmeg
1/4 t. baking soda
1/4 t. apple pie spice
1 c. apple cider
1/3 c. canola oil
1/4 c. maple syrup
1 large egg, beaten
1 t. vanilla
1 Rome Apple, peeled, cored and chopped
1 c. golden raisins
1 c. coarsely chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 400. Line 12 muffin tins with paper. Combine all the dry ingred. in large bowl.
Whisk all the wet ingred. in another bowl, add to the dry and only mix til just combined. Fold inthe fruits, nuts and divide batter into tins. Bake til browned about 28 minutes. Cool and serve with cream cheese or butter.

Autumn Dinner Salad

Balsamic Vinaigrette:
1 t. dry mustard
1/2 t. seasoned salt
1/4 t. blk. pepper
3 T. balsamic vinegar
1/2 t. onion juice
1 clove garlic, crushed
3/4 c. olive oil

SALAD:
2 T. butter
1/2 c. chopped walnuts
3 T. brown sugar
Mixed salad greens: I use romaine, leaf lettuce, boston lettuce and radicchio
1 firm apple or pear
alfalfa sprouts
3 scallions, chopped
3-4 oz. crumbled blue cheese

To prepare the balsamic vinaigrette, combine the dry mustard, seasoned salt and pepper. Stir in vinegar, onion juice and garlic. Let stand 1 hour. Just before serving, pour thru a wire-mesh strainer to remove garlic. Beat in olive oil with wire whisk and serve with salad.
To prepare salad, melt butter in skillet over med. heat. Add walnuts and brown sugar and saute til nuts begin to soften. Remove from pan to cool. Wash and drain lettuce. Tear into bite-size pieces and place in a large bowl. At serving time, core fruit and cut into pieces, Toss lettuce, fruit, sprouts, scallions and half the nuts and cheese with balsamic vinaigrette. Sprinkle remaining nuts and cheese over top. Serve immediately.