The first week of November certainly blew in with gusto bringing leaves and conkers swirling down and back breaking work for the Senior Partner and me.
Add to that a house front covered by an ancient Virginia Creeper resplendent in vibrant reds, oranges and yellows and there was no mistaking that fall had arrived in Normandy.
Strange looking fungi have appeared at the base of a damson tree, they look edible. Friends have identified them as honey fungus and advised me that they are not to be consumed!
Autumn has also made itself felt in the kitchen.
The last green tomatoes became a deep, rich and fragrant chutney.
Butternut squash, chopped carrots, whole garlic cloves and onions with a handful of dried mixed herbs,oven roasted in a delicious Rapeseed oil which the Senior Partner discovered at the Ludlow Food Festival in early September.
After roasting I blended the veggies with 2 litres of hot homemade chicken stock to make a deliciously rich soup.
The ideal antidote at lunchtime to hours of back breaking leaf raking.
On Saturday night I topped left over supermarket rotisserie chicken with a herby cobbler, a warming supper to be enjoyed by the fireside, watching Strictly.
I'm always surprised at how economical rotisserie chickens are compared to fresh, have you noticed that too?
Simple, heart warming, timeless.
These are some of the dishes I turn to at this time of year when the days are getting shorter and the nights are getting darker.
Maggy I so enjoy the peeks into your life in Normandy. Your fall colours are so richly bright. I watched someone use a lawn vacuum that looks like a lawn mower the other day and they cleaned all the leaves from the front of the city hall so quickly ! Amazing. I have mostly stopped raking the leaves that fill the back yard, I just pretend they are great mulch (age will do that to a person). Thank you for hosting Mosaic Monday 16 today, very much appreciated. I too find the rotisserie chickens less expensive that the buy and cook your own - and so much easier on the cleanup afterwards too.
ReplyDeleteJoy
Oh Maggie, autumn is so rich and gorgeous in your corner of the world. Such deep colours on those trees. Your meals sound so yummy. I, too, wonder why it's cheaper to purchase a rotisserie chicken than a fresh one. They are handy for quick meals, though.
ReplyDeleteHello Maggie!
ReplyDeletePretty November nature colors! Yes I would be cautious about eating unknown fungi as it can make you very ill.
Your roasted vegetable chicken soup sounds very delicious!
Good Morning Dear Maggie !
ReplyDeleteI have no posts to share today, alas, but I am here to wish you the most wonderful new week ever,
sending blessings
Xx Dany
Oh, my, what beauty, Maggie. The autumn colors are splendid! The roasted vegetable chicken soup sounds perfect. Yummy!
ReplyDeleteYour November days look lovely, as ours here in Wisconsin have been. Your post makes me hungry for roasted veggies. I like to throw in a few parsnips too. And I see by your profile that you have a German Shepherd. I sure miss my sweet GSD who lived to be 12+ years. They are the best!
ReplyDeleteLovely pics today. Yes I have noticed that rotisserie chickens are usually priced well, and certainly make for easy meals. In fact, I may grab one today, and bake up some of our butternut squash on the side.
ReplyDeleteI'm enjoying home made soup too. I must try roasting my veggies first, sounds delicious. Lovely autumn colours in your part of the world. B x
ReplyDeleteIt all looks so beautiful. I love rotisserie chicken. Ours are about 7.95 but they go for more than a meal and cost less than if I had bought just the chicken breasts to be consumed in one dinner. And you have the carcass for soup. We usually eat the meat first, then with what's left on the bone use it for soup or in a pot pie. And it sure saves time! Only trouble with the ones at my market is they are a tad salty...
ReplyDeleteBeautiful autumnal colours! The food looks yummy. I always think French rotisserie chicken tastes extra delicious.....probably all in the mind!
ReplyDeleteThank you Maggie - have a lovely week.
Ruby
Your blog sounds so delicious today.
ReplyDeleteLovely fall scenes in your part of the world. What a great idea to blend those veggies after roasting them to make a soup. Yum. I love rotisserie chickens. With just the two of us we can make several meals from just one. Our Costco here in the U.S. sells them for $4.99 I can't beat that price anywhere. Hope you have a lovely week!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful late autumn images. I hate to see October pass and the loss of so much colour, but monochromatic November has a simple beauty all it's own. Your chicken stock made with roasted veggies sounds so good. Funny as the weather cools down, how we like to turn to soups, stews, etc. Comfort food!
ReplyDeleteLovely autumn colours, ours were spectacular this year. We love roasted veggies, haven't tried rapeseed oil, might have to check that one out. Have a lovely week.
ReplyDeleteHello Maggie,
ReplyDeleteYour autumn is beautifully shinning. Especially I like the second photo. Such a beautiful place with the green trees, and the house peeking in the distance is lovely. I imagine Normandy is a beautiful town. Your food looks delicious. I can almost smell!! Our leaves are quickly changing to red and yellow, but my camera is under repair now. I do not want to miss taking photos of this colorful time. Thank you for letting me Mosaic Monday today. I will visit others soon.
Happy day to you!
Glorious pictures of the trees in their splendor, Maggie, and your meals have me looking forward to the colder days coming. I have to say, I know firsthand how wonderful your chutney is!!
ReplyDeleteJane
Everything looks so inviting there Maggie - autumn always so beautiful, and even the shorter days with darkness falling around the time we are preparing dinner is to me always so enjoyable. We had our first fire on Sunday night - watching Poldark - and it burned so brightly making me thankful the cooler weather is coming.
ReplyDeleteLovely Autumn scenes and those fungi are huge. I love what you did with the rotisserie chicken, it looks yummy. I like to get things sometimes prepared and then put my own touch to them as well. Thank you for hosting Mosaic Monday Maggie~
ReplyDeleteI haven't roasted a chicken in years, because it is so much more economical to get them from the super. We get at least three meals from one, usually four, and soup. Those veggies look amazing. I love the way you did the tryptich. Thanks so much for hosting... sorry to be so late. I had a slight accident involving my typing hand and have been very slow.
ReplyDeleteWe just brought in box load of butternuts from the garden. We will be having plenty of winter squash. I like it best of the winter squashes because it is sweeter and creamier than the others. Your dish looks delicious. We, too, enjoy the rotisserie chicken, especially on nights when I don't want to cook much.
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