Cozy is Autumn in Asheville!

These gorgeous Fall trees are on the side yard of John and Vinnie’s house in Asheville, North Carolina. A stone’s throw from the Blue Ridge Mountains I can hardly imagine what the entire area is going to look like in about a week. I will beg John to send more pictures.

I’m a Fall freak, always have been, always will be. Not sure why then I live in Southern California…but as soon as the weather turns (which, miraculously it has!) here are the things I do to honor Autumn!

1. Buy pumpkins as soon as it’s appropriate!
2. Start lighting candles inside and out
3. Start wishing I had better sweaters
4. Realize I do not need a new coat but sure would like one
5. Look through my recipes to see what new stews and soups I can make
6. Thank God I can actually have the oven on without making the house feel like an inferno. Bake a crumble.
7. Cross my fingers, eyes and toes that the hot hot hot weather doesn’t come back cuz I am loving this!

A new stew I am trying this week:

Poulet Grand Mere (Grandmother’s Chicken)

adapted from a French recipe
Makes 4-6 servings
Leave the garlic unpeeled, in keeping with the rustic spirit of this dish. Once cooked, the cloves can be squeezed and spread out of their skins and spread on bread or mixed into the stew.

2 tbsp. olive oil
1 chicken cut into pieces (I’ll be using chicken breasts I already have)
1 sp. each Salt and pepper
1 cup frozen pearl onions
6 large cloves garlic
2 springs fresh thyme
1 lb. baby Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and halved
3 slices thick cut bacon, sliced crosswise into 1/4 in. wide pieces
1 lb. button mushrooms, cut into quarters
2 cups chicken broth

1. Preheat over to 375. Heat oil in a heavy bottomed 4-5 quart pot over med/high heat.
Season chicken with salt and pepper and brown on both sides. Remove chicken and set aside.

2. Pour off all but 2 tbsp. fat and reduce heat to medium-low. Add onions, garlic and thyme. Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes then add potatoes and bacon. Cook, stirring occasionally until mixture is well browned about 8 minutes. Pour off all but a thin layer of fat.

3. Add mushrooms and chicken stock, bring liquid to a boil and cook until liquid is reduced by one-quarter. Arrange chicken on top of vegetables.

4. Transfer pot to the over and bake uncovered until chicken is cooked through about 20 mins.

As you-know-who would say, bon appetit! I’ll let you know how it turns out!