It's Fall. The weather is changing, but hold on to your sunglasses; it's bright out there. When I shared how enchanting I found the Pisgah National Forest back in July, I meant it. We're planning our second trip there to coincide with the mountain's fall foliage show, apple season, and the finishing of the mural for the Rex Cancer Center. We're packing our boots and bikes and planning to explore more than the breweries and drive through the forest–Gem is coming too.
I'm looking forward to breathing deeply, being a different kind of tired, and letting my feet and legs take on the bulk of the work while my shoulders and neck get a break from looking down. I plan to look up and enjoy the negative space in the tree canopies: letting my mind run in and out of spaces less intricate than my drawings.
To celebrate apples and the Fall Season, here are a few recipes to warm the cooling mornings and evenings.
Sheet Pan Chicken with Apples, Fennel, and Onions
INGREDIENTS
3 teaspoons cumin
2 ½ to 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, patted dry (6 thighs)
3 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 medium fennel bulb, tough outer leaves removed, cored, and thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
1 tart apple, such as Mutsu (Crispin) or Granny Smith, halved, cored, and cut into 8 wedges
1 Honey Crisp apple, halved, cored, and cut into 8 wedges
4 sprigs rosemary
Flaky salt, for serving
According to my husband, it was mighty tasty!
PREPARATION
Heat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, toss together the chicken with 1 tablespoon olive oil and the cumin and season well with salt and pepper.
Place the onion, fennel, and apple slices on the sheet pan. Toss with the remaining olive oil and season well with salt; spread in an even layer. Add the chicken skin side up on top of the vegetables and lay the rosemary (distributing evenly) on top of the chicken. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes until chicken is cooked; the onions, fennel, and apples should be softened and caramelizing at the edge of the pan.
Turn the oven to broil and move the oven rack to sit right below it. Remove and discard the rosemary sprigs and broil the chicken for 1 to 2 minutes until the skin of the chicken is crispy and golden—season with flaky salt. Serve over cauliflower rice or the real thing.
Note: You know your oven best. Adjust cooking time based on your experience.
Fresh Apple Nut Bread
Make 4 small or 2 large loaves
INGREDIENTS
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
3 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
3 cups peeled and diced apples
1 cup chopped pecans
PREPARATION
In a large bowl, mix oil, sugar, and vanilla. Add eggs and mix well. Sift together dry ingredients: add to oil mixture along with apples and nuts. Blend until dry ingredients are just moistened. Pour into 4 greased and floured small loaf pans—bake at 300 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes. While bread is still hot, wrap in foil to keep moist. If using two 5 X 9" loaves pans, bake for 1.5 hours.
I made my bread using monk fruit sugar and gluten free flour. It’s not as moist as I would like it but it hasn’t stopped us from eating it.