Autumn Up-North Style & Pasta Recipe

I hope you had a lovely Thanksgiving and continue to enjoy the holiday. Here's a last look at fall before we start decking the halls!

In Michigan, we don't usually say we're "going to Gaylord" or "going to Traverse City."

We go "up north."

 

These photos are a little late; indeed, it's bare now! But if you're not tired of beautiful colors yet, take a look at a few more!

 

I started out at the farm market. At this time of year, the colors, textures and smells are so powerful, I can never resist!

I stocked up on mini-corn. That will turn into something soon, if it hasn't already!

There was a car show going on in the north.

 

Couldn't resist a couple of photos.

 

Of course by the ski areas, there's a lot of diverse elevation and the view was great.

 

I'm not sure anything makes me feel so "down home" as a white fence!

 And with the sky so blue, I couldn't help by stop to take this photo of horses grazing.

The color was breathtaking, everywhere I looked.

Back roads and highways dazzled equally.

And because it was a warm fall day, just being outside was a joy.

 

Rick did a 100-mile bike ride (which he said was equally beautiful) and when he came home, I'd made pasta sauce from the last of his tomatoes. (recipe below)

 

It was so fresh with basil from the farm market. I usually put in some red wine, but I didn't want to detract from the fresh flavors of the veggies.

That and a tomato caprese salad pretty much used up the freshies from his garden and mine. The apple crisp took care of the Honey Crisps.

This was our last weekend at the lake together for this year. So we took a long beach walk...

These tracks intrigued me. They were right at the water's edge.

The reeds looked beautiful -- they were quite tall. Usually we can't even walk the beach on the path we took because the water is too high, but it was low and we could through them, still on the sand!

We walked home from our destination on the tracks.

It's so hard to say goodbye to the cottage for another year. But this was a good way to leave it behind.

Rick and Jeanie's Fresh Tomato Pasta Sauce

• Dice about 6 very large or 9-12 mix of medium and small -- tomatoes, reserving juices
• In olive oil, brown one medium diced onion
• Add three large cloves of garlic
• Add tomatoes to the onion/garlic mixture
• Chop a nice bunch (maybe half cup, give or take) fresh basil and add to the pot
• Chop a nice bunch of oregano (maybe 1/8 c.) and add to pot
• Chop about 15 small or 7 large kalamata olives and add.
• 1/4 t. hot pepper flakes
• Chop a small bunch of parsley and add
• salt/pepper to taste
• Few shakes of red wine vinegar (optional; I didn't use it this time because the tomatoes were acidic enough; sometimes they aren't..)
• Optional: Hefty splash of red wine (Again, didn't use this time, but often do.)
•  Optional: green/red/banana pepper, diced small.

 Let it cook down, as long as it takes to reduce the liquids somewhat and turn "saucy." 

These quantities nicely dressed a pound of spaghetti. Enjoy!