Lunch on the Line

Mason Dixon Park near home was the site for our Sunday picnic.  To mark the start of fall, I purchased another thermos and made soup to carry to the spot.  This easy soup normally has black beans, but I substituted these awesome lima beans I purchased at the local Farmers Market.

 

 The Festive Bean Chili recipe was inspired by Moosewood Restaurant.

Festive Bean Chili
(Serves 3)

2 cups Cooked Beans
The shelled beans above were not as hard as many beans, thus cooked in about 1 hour.

1/3 cup Onion, diced
1 Garlic Clove, minced
1 Mini Sweet Pepper, diced 
1 tsp. Olive Oil  
Saute for 5 minutes.
Add:

1 tsp. Cumin (I mixed seeds and ground)
1 tsp. Coriander
1/3 cup Water
2 cups Cooked Beans
1 16 oz. can Diced Tomatoes, no added salt
1 Ear of Corn, cooked and cut off the cob
Simmer for 30-45 minutes.

WVU Farms is now in it's 3rd week of fall apple sales.  I buy them for work (& deliver) and Friday I bought them for home.  Here's my first creation:

Apple Cider Apples
Inspired by Food Network Magazine
(Serves 6)

1 16 oz. bottle pasteurized Apple Cider
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
1 Cinnamon Stick
Dash Ground Cloves
2 Star Anise Pods
2 wide strips Orange Zest
1 Nutmeg Bean
Combine in a pot;  bring to a simmer.

4 Apples
Peel and half.  Scoop out the cores.  Poach the apples in the cider mixture until tender, turning midway, about 30 minutes.  

For the picnic I garnished these with Ricotta Cheese and Shaved Nutmeg.  
I purchased 2 anise seed pods at the Mountain People's Co-op in Morgantown.  I love that I can buy just the right amount of spices I need for recipe. 

The meals center plate included Swiss Cheese, New Day Bakery Spinach Feta Loaf and Grapes. 

We had coffee on the creek-Dunkard Creek that is!

 Another page in the history of Bob and Cindy.