fall
watercolor by courtney khail watercolors
"Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall." - f. scott fitzgerald
Now that the nights arrive sooner, the clothes are thicker, and the air indeed is that much crisper, it only seemed appropriate to share this quote with you all today. Seeing as it's a quote about my favorite season from one of my favorite books is just the cherry on top.
photos via courtney khail
Just a few photos from our past week. Lazy day drives to see the leaves change, long soaks in hidden hot springs, and the best bbq in the state (figures that two Georgia boys started it!) Fall has such a magical feeling to it- the air gets crisp, nature puts on it's jewels, and the nights are finally cool enough to wrap yourself in a blanket. It's by far my favorite season and I'm trying to soak it in as much as possible.
Oh Fall. Crisp air, cute clothes, and of course, comfort food. Now is about the time that the farmer's markets are flooded with pumpkins and squashes, and pretty much every root vegetable imaginable, so it's no surprise that this month Kim and I decided to pick a very fall vegetable as our inspiration. (I went with an acorn squash because I think they are pretty and knew that it would be sitting out on my counter until I finally got around to making something from it. Two points for instant fall decorating in the kitchen!)
hello beautiful squash via courtney khail
squash soup via kimberly taylor
But let's get back to the comfort food. Something about cooler weather makes me crave hearty dishes. Ones that involve roasting, baking spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, etc.) and wilted leafy greens. Oh and cheese. Scratch that. I crave cheese all year round. But mostly, dishes that fill your home with amazing scents and make you feel like you're embraced. (Am I the only one who feels like certain foods just hug you with warmth?) And that's exactly the feeling I wanted this dish to have.
This dish is super simple to make. The hardest part is actually cutting the squash (it's dense like a pumpkin) but the rest is as easy as boiling water. All you do is roast and cube the squash, crisp some bacon (though sausage, chicken, or pretty much anything else would work,) brown some butter, and then add things that sound good to you (I used spinach to bring in some greens.) I was also going to top it with lightly toasted acorn squash seeds, but well, I got caught up with some show and burned mine. Whoops. After all that, you just serve it over pasta and top with pepper and cheese. No need to measure anything out really- just add what looks right to you. Our house loves bacon so I upped that, but if you're more of a veggie person- add more vegetables. You could even throw on some toasted walnuts or something delicious like that. Whatever you do, don't over think it. Cooking should be fun, right?
Anyhow. Enough with the talking. Here are the recipes- (If you want to see my dish, it's up on my instagram account. Follow me at @ckhail)
and kim's soup! Make sure you head over to her site to see more as well.
Butternut Squash Soup
from epicurious.com
Vegetable oil spray
1 2-pound butternut squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Pinch of grated nutmeg
1 cup milk or half-and-half
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 375 °F. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with the vegetable oil spray.
Place the squash halves, cut side down, in the prepared dish. Pierce the skin sides several times with a fork. Bake until the squash is tender, about 45 minutes. Set aside until cool enough to handle.
Using a large spoon, scrape the flesh from the cooked squash into a food processor. Discard the skins. Add 1 1/2 cups of the chicken broth, the cinnamon, marjoram, thyme, and nutmeg and puree until smooth. Transfer the puree to a large saucepan. Whisk the milk into the soup over medium heat. If you prefer a thinner consistency, add the remaining broth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
blue ridge parkway via visit blue ridge
Now that the temperatures are starting to drop, I'm taking full advantage of all fall has to offer. I've swapped closets, bought pumpkins and wild squash for the table (more on that later,) and we've already lit two fires (in the fireplace of course.) A group of us are making our way to a corn maze sometime soon (I'm a little claustrophobic so fingers crossed I don't start feeling too trapped) and I've already started planning fall foliage hiking trips. There is just something so magical about the crisp air and the changing colors that makes me want to get outside. Are y'all getting in the fall spirit too?
Okay, on to the links.
I am really picky about what lipstick I wear and I've learned the hard way that the perfect color for a friend may not be the perfect color for me. This show proves my point that the same shade of lipstick looks completely different based on who is wearing it.
Speaking of different women, I love this slide show showing Amy Poehler as 30 different alter egos. (Isn't she so much fun?)
I keep hearing that this cake is amazing. I swapped in spice cake mix and so far it smells amazing. Check twitter in about 40 minutes and I'll let you know how it turned out!
Aren't these earrings so romantic?
If only I was a tea drinker. (We have a mini paper robot at the base of our tv so this is right up our alley)
Have a wonderful weekend everyone!
Hi everyone! It’s been a little while since I’ve posted so I thought before the weekend starts, I’d share a few photos from the past few days.
copyright courtney khail stationery and design
sneak peek of a custom order I’m working on right now. I love how these are coming together and I can’t wait for my clients to see them all together.
this is from the Braves last game of the post season and Bobby’s last game before retirement. Even though we lost, the atmosphere was pretty amazing and it was really touching to be a part of history.
my friend L and I have decided to take up sewing. Though our sewing dates are more to catch up and gossip together, we are slowly but surely learning. Case in point? We learned how to use the automatic bobber thing today (yes very technical, I know.) Up until now I’ve just been winding it by hand- mostly because I really don’t like reading directions. Luckily, even though she doesn’t like them either, L. actually did read the directions and figured out how to do it.
via how about orange
have you read Joy and Meg’s book, Creative Inc. yet? If you’re in the freelance/creative world, it’s a must read! It has great advice, is easy (and quick) to read, and is full of useful real world advice. I loved reading all of the interviews and hearing other people’s stories and perspectives. Great work, ladies! I hope the book tour went well!
The weather is also finally starting to cool down, so I’ve started bringing out some of my favorite fall recipes like chocolate chip banana bread, apple bread, and this tasty little creation. Seriously, chili on a biscuit? Yes, please.
I also dying to try this pumpkin spice cake I saw in one of my magazines and maybe even make caramel apples. Which reminds me, I kind of want to go apple picking.
Have I mentioned how much I love fall?
I think they make awesome decorations for a fall wedding- esp AFTER halloween.
row 1: car with pumpkins via real simple, stirrers via oncewed
row 2: boutonniere via martha stewart, country living pumpkin via mintage home, photo via auralee dallas
row 3: cake via oncewed, car via martha stewart
