With Halloween already a distant memory and Thanksgiving right around the corner {leading straight into holiday cookie mania}, there’s precious little time left to flex some foodie muscle! Soon menus will have to be skewed to the common dominators of large family gatherings, so I’d get to cooking while the cooking is good! Thankfully, food blogs like my lastest discovery, Renee Kemps have me highly motivated to experiment with some new recipes before the onslaught of visitors starts!

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Soup is my ultimate fall comfort food. Light but soothing, rich in flavor but easy on the stomach – a fabulous steaming bowl of homemade soup is the perfect thing to rely on before the heavy holiday meals start up. This Roasted Tomato and Bell Pepper Soup, looks absolutely luscious, even though there’s not a drop of cream in it! Definitely know what I’m going to be whipping up this week!

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On my bucket list for this year was to learn to make homemade bread. Well – I better get to it because time is running out! This gorgeous loaf of homemade Rye, aka a petit boule is certainly motivating though. While I highly doubt my first go will turn out so beautifully, I’m going to give it a try! Who knows, maybe homemade bread will make it onto my Thanksgiving table!!

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My favorite way to prep for holiday feasting is with salads. They by no means have to be depriving. When you put a little oomph into your salad they are packed with flavor, texture and are just as satisfying as anything uber indulgent. This lentil salad with roasted beets and tomates has the warm hearty flavors that scream fall. Fresh herbs give it depth and complexity and the addition of some goat cheese makes it feel just a little decadent. It’s salads like these that’ll justify those second helpings of stuffing {and pie!} come Thanksgiving!

What about you? Do you have signature dishes you love this time of year. I’m always looking ot add to my repertoire, so I’d love to know your latest favorites!

All images via Renee Kemps.com  

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4 Comments

  1. these all look really delicious! especially the soup with a grilled cheese sandwich!