The seasons are shifting. We’re trading in summer salads for crock-pot stews and flip-flops for boots. I’m cranking up the oven again and covering up the grill, exchanging long, slow evenings on the patio for a cup of tea, a good book and sock feet.

And I’m making Apple Butter, filling the house with the scent of autumn spices and stacking the tightly sealed jars away in the pantry for some chilly morning down the road when hot buttermilk biscuits are on the breakfast menu.

I believe I may have started a new tradition. This is the first time I’ve made Apple Butter. In fact (you might want to sit down for this) this is the first time I’ve EATEN apple butter. We were an apple jelly kind of family.

To make the apple butter, I carefully peeled pounds of homegrown apples, simmered them, spiced them, stirred them and stirred them, and became just filled to the brim with autumn. A lovely way to start the season — so lovely, I might just have to do it again next year.

For now, goodbye summer; it’s been fun. Hello fall, welcome home.

Apple Butter:

5 pounds of apples, peeled and cut into chunks
1/2 gallon of apple juice
1/8 cup mulling spices
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
Juice of one lemon

Pour the apple juice into a large pot and add the mulling spices. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes. Strain to remove the mulling spices.

Place the apples in a large pot. Pour apple juice over apples until just covered. (I didn’t quite use the whole half gallon.) Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until apples are soft, about 20 minutes. Working in batches, puree the mixture until smooth and return to the pot. Add the sugars, cinnamon, allspice, and lemon juice. Simmer, stirring constantly until mixture has reduced by half and thickened. About 1 ½ to 2 hours.

Note: you really do need to stir constantly. The mixture becomes VERY thick and splatters quite a bit as it bubbles. Wear oven mitts to prevent getting burned. Trust me.

Spoon apple butter into jars and store in refrigerator or can according to the guidelines in the USDA home canning guide.

Going through these motions becomes so much more than just cooking. The challenges and pressures of the day are pushed aside by the sweet, methodical rhythm of rolling one after another after another tiny piece down the tines of a fork; then watching the pieces fill the tray, the fragrance of a simple marinara simmering on the stove, a retreat from the outside world.

This recipe doesn’t require any complicated ingredients, just patience and a little dedication. I loved coaxing each gnocchi into its shape then watching the moment of truth as they all sank to the bottom of the boiling water before bouncing gently and floating back to the surface again.

I ended up with a meal that wasn’t cooked so much as brought to life from the pages of the recipe book, crafted and formed by the fingertips of the cook. That, and a smile and a plate to share.

Recipe from Martha Stewart via Punchfork.

Many days I run the same route, turn after turn. I could see the elephants every day if I chose to; they are only a little out of the way. But so often something pulls me along my usual way: I have to be at work, I have to run the errands, I have to, I have to, I have to.

Today I have to do something differently.

Visit the elephants.

Then come home and continue the grind, but with a fresh perspective because I shook up my day — even if just a tiny bit — and did something to make myself smile.

It worked.

After weeks of feeling uninspired in the kitchen, I suddenly felt renewed. Freshly baked Sage, Apple and Cheddar scones soon filled the kitchen counter and the house smelled of autumn. Sharp cheddar, sweet apples and fragrant sage make these savory scones the perfect match with a hot cup of soup – just the thing when fall is right around the corner.

So do something differently. Visit the elephants. Make the day unique. You might find that it’s just the thing to put a spring back in your step.

Sage, Apple and Cheddar Scones: 

4 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
1 cup very cold butter cut into small pieces
2 large eggs
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 green or red apples, finely diced
3 teaspoons finely minced sage
½ cup diced sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 375˚

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Pulse to mix. Add the cold butter to the flour mixture and pulse until mixture resembles a coarse meal. Transfer mixture to a bowl and stir in the apples, cheddar and sage. Place in freezer for 5 minutes.

In a small bowl combine the eggs and ¼ cup of the heavy cream. Whisk well to combine.

Add eggs and cream to the flour mixture and stir until dough just comes together. Add additional tablespoons of heavy cream if necessary.

Turn out the dough on a lightly floured surface. For mini scones divide the dough into four equal portions. Form each portion into a rough circle 5-6 inches across. Cut each circle into 6-8 wedges. For large scones form two 8-10 inch circles, then cut into wedges.

Place wedges on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned.

Recipe adapted from Good Life Eats.

But it’s not today.

Today the temperatures will creep into the 90s again and I’ll slather myself with sunscreen just to step outside to check the mail. I’ll come home from work and kick off my shoes to be barefoot. I’ll sleep with the fan inches from my face and windows thrown open wide.

And I’ll eat sorbet, cold creamy sorbet.

I might regret it when the winter comes and all of my lovely Theo Chipotle Spice Sipping Chocolate is gone, turned first into chocolate sauce and now into Chipotle Spice Sorbet. I might rush down the stairs in my slippers and thermals and fling open the pantry door only to be disappointed by the recklessness of my spicy chocolate summer desserts. I’ll have to trundle off in the icy air to seek out more sipping chocolate, teeth chattering, and cursing myself for not having reserved some for colder days.

But I think it’s worth it.

This Chipotle Spice Chocolate Sorbet has a dark, rich flavor with just a hint of smoky spice. It goes well with my summer patio. It goes well with temperatures in the 90s. It goes well with the windows open wide and the summer breeze blowing through. Winter can wait.

Recipe adapted from The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz

2 ¼  cups (555 ml) water
1 cup (200 g) sugar
¾  cup (75 g) unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
Pinch of salt
½ cup Theo Chocolate Chipotle Spice Sipping Chocolate
¼ cup semisweet chocolate chips
½  teaspoon vanilla extract

In a medium saucepan, bring the sugar, water, cocoa, and salt to a boil, whisking frequently. Allow to boil for about a minute, then remove from heat.

Stir in the Vanilla extract, Theo Chocolate, and semisweet chocolate chips. Whisk until completely melted and incorporated. Pour mixture into a blender and blend for 15 seconds. Allow mixture to cool, then chill for several hours or overnight.

Follow manufacturers instructions to freeze in an ice cream maker.

But life has been giving me lemons lately, and I’ll admit that sometimes it’s hard to believe those little affirmations.

Still, I’m trying to make lemonade. What else can I do?  I’m trying to find the bright side, trying to believe that everything happens for a reason and it is all going to work out just fine.

And it probably will.  After all, I’m courageous and intelligent and beautiful.

These Lemon Basil Coolers were born out of, well, one of life’s little lemons. I had planned for sorbet but when I threw the ingredients into the ice cream maker, I ended up with icy slush. Sorbet was not going to work… but cool summery drinks would!

With a little sparkling water and ice plus a garnish of fresh mint and basil, I had turned lemons into Lemon Basil Coolers. The perfect little metaphor for life right now: you might not see it coming, but the perfect solution is right around the corner and it is delicious.

So when life gives you lemons, make Lemon Basil Coolers.

Lemon Basil Coolers

2 ½ cups water
15  .17 oz  packets Stevia (or 2 ½ cups sugar)
2 tablespoons lemon zest
3 tablespoons lemon juice
24 basil leaves
12 mint leaves
Sparkling water
Basil and mint for garnish

Combine the water, Stevia or sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice in a saucepan. Over medium heat, bring ingredients to a simmer until Stevia or sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and add the basil and mint leaves. Steep for about 5 minutes. Drain through a sieve to remove zest and herbs. Chill juice completely in the fridge.

Combine approximately 3 parts sparkling water to 1 part Lemon Basil Cooler syrup. Stir gently to combine and serve over ice, garnished with basil and mint.

That was the way with this ice cream. My mother brought over a big bag of freshly picked cherries from her neighbor’s yard. As I opened the fridge to store them, I spotted some leftover homemade chocolate syrup.

There would be no cobbler, there would be no pie. Life was nudging me: Vanilla-Bourbon Ice Cream with Cherries and Chocolate Swirl.

How could I resist?

A handful of cherries went immediately into some bourbon to soak. A few days later, they emerged and met the sweet, creamy, vanilla-bourbon ice cream. The final touch was to swirl everything with the leftover chocolate syrup, creating ribbons of dark rich flavor.

Sometimes life nudges you: a rainstorm, a bag of cherries, an opportunity to create something grand, something wonderful. Seize it.

The ice cream recipe is a slight variation from Joy The Baker. I didn’t use cherry preserves because I wanted a vanilla-bourbon flavor to the ice cream. The chocolate syrup was leftover from my Coconut Sorbet. I swirled it into the ice cream by hand, just after removing it from the ice cream maker, then froze it for a few more hours.

The garden tomatoes are ripe and bursting with flavor. The basil plants are filling out more and more each day — offering sweet, spicy leaves. Add some fresh mozzarella and a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic, and the loveliest summer dinner is served.

But I am at a crossroads. I’ve reached a point where I need to make some choices about my career path and I find myself wishing the answers were as obvious as vine-ripened tomatoes.

They never are.

Yet, with change always comes excitement and opportunity for expansion and growth. All the flavors that make life interesting, right?

So I’ll breathe deeply and think carefully and feel grateful that I get to carve my own path, grateful to be faced with a chance to rethink where I am and where I’m going. It may not be as simple as picking the ripest tomato or the best basil leaves, but maybe one day when I look back, it will seem as lovely and perfect as a plate of Caprese.

Caprese doesn’t require a recipe, just artfully arrange slices of fresh tomato, mozzarella, and basil on a plate, drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. I served mine with slices of Italian bread.

And yet…

Every time I open my pantry I find a little something staring back at me, taunting me: Theo Chocolate’s Chipotle Spice Sipping Chocolate.

The intriguing flavor combination from the Seattle chocolate company seemed like just the thing a few weeks ago when I visited the city, where the heavy clouds and cool air inspire you to do nothing more than curl up and indulge in something warm and comforting.

But back in the desert of New Mexico, I’m light years away from wanting “warm and comforting.” I’m looking for cool and refreshing, something to take the edge off the long, hot days.

One thing we’re good at in New Mexico is finding a way to put chile on virtually everything, from burgers to eggs to pastries and breads. So, why not sorbet? Better yet, why not Coconut Sorbet?

And so, Coconut Sorbet with Chipotle Spice Chocolate Syrup was born. If I could curl up inside this flavor combination, I’d never leave.

It’s like spicy, smoky chipotle powder and dark, moody chocolate met on a tropical island and fell in love. The sweet, summery delight of coconut hugged by the dark, rich, spicy surprise of the chocolate syrup is splendid. Best of all, the recipes are simple, require very little “stove time,” and leave you with enough Chipotle Spice Chocolate Syrup to drizzle on all sorts of other things.

Moral of the story? Don’t leave your sipping chocolate on the pantry shelf sadly waiting for cooler days. It wants out. It wants to be in sauces and sorbets and, who knows, maybe popsicles? It wants to break out of the “warm and comforting” mold and have a summer season too.

With just a little creativity, when the temperature rises, so does the potential for cool and refreshing chocolaty deliciousness.

Coconut Sorbet

2 15.5 oz cans coconut milk
2/3 cup sugar

(optional: chipotle powder and Theo Chipotle Spice Sipping Chocolate for garnish)

In a medium saucepan, combine the coconut milk and sugar. Cook over medium heat, until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat. Chill for a minimum of 3 hours. Pour mixture into ice cream maker and follow manufacturer’s instructions.

Theo Chocolate Chipotle Spice Chocolate Sauce
(Recipe adapted slightly from Brown Eyed Baker)

1/3 cup heavy cream
½ cup light corn syrup
¼ cup plus two tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
1/8 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
½ cup Theo Chipotle Spice Sipping Chocolate
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine the heavy cream, corn syrup, brown sugar, cocoa powder, salt and ¼ cup of the Sipping Chocolate in a saucepan. Over medium heat, bring mixture to a boil, whisking occasionally. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about five minutes.

Remove from heat and whisk in the butter, vanilla and remaining chocolate. Whisk until smooth. Cool slightly before using as ice cream topping.

Recently, this dream inspired us to purchase some stevia packets to try as a sugar substitute in various things, namely brownies, but also coffee, muffins and sorbet.

I don’t love stevia. I find that it has a distinct bitter aftertaste and in general seems to make things overly sweet – even when using the much smaller amount needed in comparison to sugar.

But like most ingredients in my kitchen, the more I use stevia – practice, take risks, try new things – the more I learn, and the better I get at creating deliciousness sans bitter aftertaste or crazy over-sweetness.

I haven’t mastered the brownie yet, but I nailed sorbet. Orange, Ginger, Mango Sorbet to be exact. It is bright and lively with a hint of gingery spice and absolutely no added sugar. This means I’m allowed to have two scoops, right? Twice a day?

I started with a recipe I found on Allrecipes and made some minor alterations. I calculated how many stevia packets would equal the amount of sugar called for – and then cut that amount in half. Stevia is powerful stuff; less can really be more and in this case it is. Now on to that perfect brownie recipe…

Orange, Ginger, Mango Sorbet, with Stevia

1 1/2 cups water
12 packets (about 1/8 cup) Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Stevia
1 (2 inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
1 pinch sea salt
1 teaspoon lime zest
2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice (about 8 oranges)
1 cup mango purée
¼ cup lemon juice

In a saucepan, combine the water, stevia, ginger, salt and lime zest. Bring mixture to a boil, turn off the heat, cover and allow to steep for ½ hour. Strain to remove ginger and zest. Add the orange juice, mango purée and lemon juice. Chill for at least two hours. Pour mixture into an ice cream maker and follow manufacturer’s instructions.

I like this trend.

I don’t want to spend 45 minutes trying to figure out a menu and decide what to eat, only to find that whatever I have chosen is mediocre.

I love seeing a menu with just a few, well thought-out choices made with quality ingredients — including some vegetarian choices.

After my recent visit to Seattle, I’m happy to report that this was most certainly the case.

So here are some highlights from the visit:

Serious Pie: Most of my stops on the trip were at Tom Douglas establishments – not that I planned things that way; he just has a lot of restaurants in Seattle, and they’re good ones. You don’t get the James Beard Award for Best Restaurateur for nothing. Serious Pie does pizza: lovely, thin-crust pizza with simple yet interesting toppings. I went for the Arugula, Feta and Spring Onion pizza because it was one of two veggie options.

Serious Biscuit: This is the morning-time incarnation of Serious Pie. It features really, really awesome biscuits topped with all sorts of delectable things. I had to mix and match a bit to get something vegetarian, but was met with an upbeat “Absolutely” when I asked to make changes. I ended up with Fried Green Tomato, Apple Mustard, Beecher’s Flagship Cheese, and Fried Egg. Just thinking about it makes me want to weep.

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Brave Horse Tavern: The thing with Tom Douglas restaurants is that you’re never more than a stone’s throw from one, especially in South Lake Union. We ended up at the Brave Horse to watch a soccer game and returned later because we HAD to try the pretzels. Two freshly baked soft pretzels with pimento cheese, sour cream and crispy onion, and peanut butter and bacon dipping sauces. The PB was all Carla, who is vegetarian “lite” when we travel.

Lola: I didn’t even know this was Tom Douglas until moments ago. Seriously, he’s hard to avoid. Now, Lola was a little tough for a vegetarian. Carla and I split an (ahem) overpriced plate of eggs, toast, potatoes and sausage. I think the sausage may have been the star — all Carla again. But we also shared some lovely house-made donuts shaken with sugar and served with vanilla mascarpone and strawberry jam. Super awesome.

Cure: This a new-ish little place on Capital Hill. As the name implies, they serve cured meats and cheeses with breads and some fun complements ranging from olives to anchovies to spicy pepper jelly. I loved Cure. Aside from the fact that it is owned by my friends Eric and Amy, the restaurant is small and friendly with simple, clean, modern design, lots of windows and a patio. The menu is interesting without being overwhelming, and while I can’t speak for the meat, the cheeses I tried were YUM. I have to say, though, that it was the Manhattan that really got me here. It was the best one I’ve had, hands down.

Portage Bay Café: Seriously? The Portage Bay Café might just make me move back to Seattle for their Oven Baked French Toast: homemade bread soaked overnight in a ginger and blackberry custard; baked, sliced, and griddled; then served with vanilla crème anglaise. Plus it includes a trip to the toppings bar for fresh fruit, syrup, whipped cream, and nuts. Need I say more? We’re already plotting an attempt to duplicate this at home.

For more on my visit to Seattle, go to Composing Kitchen.