When October rolls around, we are ready for cooler weather in the Carolinas. This means it’s time for some of my favorite cooler weather meals. This always includes a variety of soups, heartier meals like roasts and one of our favorites – pumpkin pasta. This dish is not only a family favorite but an easy crowd pleaser. Our friends and family always request this meal when the weather gets cooler and the days start getting shorter. We typically serve this for dinner with a side of roasted vegetables and a fresh spinach salad. Not only do we prepare this dish for family dinners, but we have also brought it to other family’s for dinner, offered it at tailgating events, and made it for parties. Our version of this recipe has been modified from the original to make it slightly healthier. We use brown rice penne pasta (Trader Joe’s organic brown rice penne pasta is the brand that we prefer) and substitute evaporated milk for the cream. We do like the bacon flavor in this dish, but it could easily be removed and made vegetarian style. This is a very versatile meal that can be prepared ahead of time and is easily heated right before serving. If you are looking for something different to serve your family, try this pumpkin pasta. We encourage you to try this family favorite this fall. You never know, it might just become one of your favorites too!
Cooking
Making Blueberry Jam…
Preserving the flavors of summer… We look forward to visiting Maine every summer! The weather is beautiful, the food is fantastic and there are always fun activities to enjoy (including making blueberry jam). Time just seems to slow down there and everyone relaxes. We are able to leave our hectic schedules at home and just slow down. It’s as if time is suspended in mid-air when we are there. We are able to enjoy some of the simple pleasures of the summer. If you have never visited, the summer is the perfect time. Some of these simple pleasures are activities such as swimming on a warm summer afternoon, digging for clams to make chowder, and picking blueberries for pancakes, muffins, and our favorite, blueberry jam. Our Maine summer activities are only dependent on the tides, the weather, and our whim. One way to capture the flavor of Maine is to make, can and serve delicious blueberry jam. We process our jam in 8 oz jars so we can share a little bit of Maine with others. Here is the recipe for our lower sugar blueberry jam. https://shookhillsecret.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/466C8A5B-3A70-4A08-B2B3-2E5F2652BBE1-1.mov Early August is typically the best time of the year for blueberries in Maine. One of our traditions is picking blueberries and turning the fruit into delicious blueberry jam. The blueberries grow on bushes like clusters of grapes in this part of the country. Everyone gets involved in the process from planting and picking, to jam production and canning then, of course – sampling. This tradition is a favorite and the spoils are shared with family and friends throughout the year.