Welcome

In April what you see is your own intentions. In October you see their unexpected wreck and fulfillment. (171) The Rural Life by Verlyn Klinkenborg

One letter changes unseasonable to unreasonable. Somehow that thought entered my mind last week as I struggled to stay awake long enough to read five pages, just five simple pages. I guess what I am really trying to say is that it doesn't take much to throw me off of my routine and best intentions. Our family life is full on a regular basis. Add a few more things to our plate, and our hectic pace becomes frenetic. This has been the ongoing story for the last month, perhaps longer.

So many of the goals I set in April have simply not been met like the books I had hoped to read, the gardening and cooking I had hoped to accomplish, the words I had hoped to write. Of course, our family time has been great (including hosting an exchange student), the traveling was memorable and rejuvenating, and plenty of work of all sorts has been accomplished. Yet, October is perhaps my favorite month and this unseasonable busyness has felt unreasonable to the very core.

In the waning days of October, I returned home one evening as the sky turned luminescent, and I found myself looking forward to breathing in some cold air, the cold air that generally arrives along with November. I found myself thinking, "Welcome November." Before I knew it, the new month blew in yesterday with north wind and hints of snowfall. I breathed in deeply with gratitude for I actually see space on the calendar despite the upcoming holidays such that November looks promising, and a new set of intentions is already percolating.....

Of course, November must begin with comfort food, hearty meals that stick to the ribs and provide sustenance to brace the cold, head into the wind. So, here are a few dishes to put on the family dinner table or share with friends in front of the fire. Falling temperatures and shortening days require we nurture ourselves in the most basic of ways, so we can welcome the coming season with gusto. Enjoy!

Oat Bran and Zucchini Turkey Meatloaf

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

2 cups grated zucchini

1 medium yellow onion, minced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 pounds ground turkey (or, 1 pound ground turkey and 1 pound ground beef)

¾ cup oat bran

1 egg, lightly beaten

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme or rosemary

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon table salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

1. Heat oil in skillet and cook zucchini and onion about 10 minutes, or until softened. Add garlic, and sauté for 1 minute more. Remove from heat.
2. Combine sautéed vegetables with remaining ingredients and place in a meatloaf-baking pan. Bake at 350ºF for 1 hour.  Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Yield: 8 to 10 slices

North African Beef Pot Roast

1 ½ tablespoons olive oil

1 (3-pound) chuck roast, well trimmed of fat

1 teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

2 large leeks, cleaned, trimmed, and chopped

6 carrots (about 1 pound), peeled, trimmed, and cut into 2-inch-long portions

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

2 tablespoons ground paprika

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons ground cumin

Leaves from one large sprig of tarragon

4 cups (32 ounces) beef or vegetable broth

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1 cup chopped dried apricots

1 cup golden raisins

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

¼ cup chopped fresh mint

1. Heat olive oil in a large heavy-duty roaster or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sprinkle roast with sea salt and pepper. Sear roast in pan, about 4 minutes per side or until well browned. Remove from pan and set aside.
2. Add leeks, carrots, and garlic cloves to pan, and cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes. Combine paprika, cinnamon, cumin, and tarragon leaves in a small bowl; add to vegetables, and cook, stirring constantly, about 2 more minutes. Add broth, and return roast to pan.
3. Cover and bake at 325˚F for 3 to 3 ½ hours or until fork-tender. Remove from oven.
4. Add chickpeas, apricots, raisins, cilantro, and mint. Stir gently to combine and return to oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until ingredients are fully heated and flavors combined.

Yield: 8 generous servings