It is beginning to look quite a bit like autumn around my house. I tried a new Malbec last night, bought myself a handful of gorgeous orange sunflowers and cooked up a Fall feast.

butternut squash lasagna

Main course: roasted butternut squash lasagna. I’ve made this before, but this time I added a couple grilled chicken breasts and a layer of zucchini. {Yep, I’m eating meat again. And you know what? All of a sudden, I am not nearly as hungry. Protein is a good thing.}

stuffed with pumpkin, butter, spice

This was one of the best lasagnas I’ve made. We also had spinach salad and pumpkin empanadas for dessert. I used this recipe for the pastry and it came out light and just right.

baking away

I filled them with pumpkin puree, a dash of all spice, a dash of cinnamon and a pat of butter. Served with vanilla ice cream, they were a hit.

pumpkin empanandas

I’ve been sewing and knitting a bunch this week too. Alas, my sewing machine was recently in for repair and they have incorrectly adjusted the presser foot so it jumps and hits the plate. It only took me a dozen (no joke) broken needles to figure out what the problem is. Back to the shop it goes today.

I am so in love with autumn and the cooling weather, I am tempted to create an all pumpkin week. Eating squash, wearing sleeves and socks and coming up with great pumpkin carving ideas… The next six months of Arizona weather is the reward for having emerged in tact from the oven that is our 6-month fiery summer. Three cheers for survival!

~Kelli