Wish List Wednesdays: Recent Purchases for Autumn

Image from Mercari

After returning home from a train trip back east for two weeks to visit family for Labor Day, I am so ready to welcome autumn.  We had a particularly hot and dry summer this year, but have finally gotten some rain and cooler temperatures with the onset of fall, and I could not be happier.  Since we are still unpacking boxes after moving all of our numerous belongings from Georgia to New Mexico, I rarely give myself permission to shop for anything other than essentials.  However, I decided that I would indulge just this once to celebrate my favorite season, so let's take a look at what I found.

At the top of the page is an image of the Peanuts Autumn Is Calling mug that I found at TJMaxx for only $6.99.  I love Snoopy, of course, but also the colorful leaves on the exterior and the orange handle and interior.  Best of all, there is even an image of a fall leaf at the bottom of the interior!

Image from Poshmark

I also found this DW Home Log Campfire candle at TJMaxx for $12.99:

While I am not crazy about the scent (it is okay but not my favorite), I could not resist the cute embroidered top with an autumnal mushroom design.  Luckily this top fits on other candles I already own with scents that I really enjoy, so I can easily reuse it.

I really did not need new kitchen towels, but I could not pass up the cute autumn dogs pattern on this Casaba Home Kitchen Towel Set (2 patterned towels and one orange towel) for just $9.99, also from TJMaxx.

I am hoping that purchasing these towels with give me the push I need to sort through my kitchen towels and finally get rid of some of the older ones that have been kept around for far too long!

My last autumnal TJMaxx find was a couple of packages of Simply Wize Gluten Free Pumpkin Gnocchi for just $3.99 each.  While I am not on a gluten-free diet, I do like pumpkin gnocchi, which I have actually made from scratch before, so I am looking forward to trying these, perhaps with a simple garlic and sage butter sauce.  This is apparently an Australian brand, so I was lucky to find it for such a reasonable price in the United States.  Luckily food purchases are only temporary additions to our home, so I don't need to feel guilty about bringing them into the house. 😊

I found the Republic of Tea Pumpkin Spice Black Tea Bags for $7.99 at our local Sprouts Farmers Market.  Of the various pumpkin spice-flavored teas I have tried, this version is the one I prefer.

My next purchase was quite the splurge, but I really wanted to try the Fall Tamales from Williams Sonoma ($99.95 for a dozen tamales).  The pumpkin mole flavor sounds delicious and I can't wait to try these with the surprisingly tasty Roasted Tomato and Chipotle Salsa Roja from Walmart.

Update: These tamales were okay but a bit dry and bland.  In my opinion they need the addition of cheese to reduce the dryness and some Hatch or other tasty chilies to add more kick.  I still have half of the order left, and plan to try them with a generous amount of cheesy enchilada dip to see if that enhances the flavor.

And speaking of Walmart, I also picked up a package of Oreo Pumpkin Spice Cookies there (available online for $4.58).  I do not usually buy packaged cookies, but I have never tried this flavor before and I do usually let myself try something new once, even if it is not the healthiest choice.  I hope I like them!

Update: Meh - I was not impressed.  These Oreos did not taste like either pumpkin or spice - all I could taste was sugar.  You would be better off getting the Halloween Oreos with the chocolate cookies and bright orange filling because at least then you can taste the chocolate.

I always seem to end up buying new sweaters every autumn, and this year is no exception.  I purchased two St. John's Bay Womens V Neck Pullover Sweaters from JCPenney (one in Rustic Brick and one in Deep Bronze, two very autumnal colors) for a very reasonable $16.49 each.  If you are looking for a good quality inexpensive lightweight mostly cotton sweater I highly recommend these (they also come with a crew neck but I prefer the V neck).

Okay, one last purchase I made for fall is the Galison Autumn in the Neighborhood 1,000 Piece Puzzle ($17.99 on Amazon).  I love 1,000 piece puzzles, and the little dog reminds me of our dog Madison, so I will truly enjoy working on this one!

As you can see, I really stocked up on seasonal goodies for fall this year.  I also added to my book collection in anticipation of more time for reading once gardening season is over and the weather turns chilly, so I have a future post planned with recommendations for spooky season reads.  Bring on the fall weather! 🍂🎃🍁

On the Homefront: Traveling by Train from Lamy, NM, to Pittsburgh, PA, and Back - Is It Worth It?

My husband standing in front of the cute little Lamy Train Depot on a beautiful late summer day.

I moved to New Mexico in November 2019, and have not been away from the Santa Fe/Albuquerque area until just recently, mostly due to the pandemic.  This year I decided it was finally time to travel back east to visit my family, whom I had not seen for at least five years!  My siblings and I chose Labor Day for our little reunion.  However, I am still reluctant to travel by plane as I find airports less and less appealing as I get older, so I decided to give train travel a try.  I had never been on an overnight train trip before but have always been intrigued by the idea, so I figured it was finally time.  And what did I think of the experience?  Read on and find out!

The closest train station to Santa Fe is in Lamy, New Mexico, which is a tiny little town with a tiny little station.  My trip would take me from Lamy to Chicago's Union Station, where I would get a connector train from Chicago to Pittsburgh's Union Station, the closest train station to the town where I grew up.  Amtrak has a website where you can create your own travel schedule and pay online, so I gave it a try.  Our neighbors, who had just traveled by train to Chicago to visit family and had a positive experience, told me to make my reservations as soon as possible if I wanted to get a roomette like they did (small room with two fold-out beds and no bathroom, as opposed to coach, which is just a seat on the train, or a room, which has at least two beds plus a bathroom).  I tried to make my reservations six months in advance but the website would not let me make round-trip reservations from Lamy to Pittsburgh, only from Albuquerque to Pittsburgh, so I waited another month and tried again.  I kept running into this problem until two months before my trip, when suddenly I could make the reservations I wanted.

It took me about half a day to arrange a schedule because by this time roomettes were in short supply.  I originally planned to spend five days with my family and had to extend it to ten just to get a roomette for each of the four legs of my trip (Lamy to Chicago, Chicago the Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh to Chicago, Chicago to Lamy).  Fortunately my time was flexible enough to allow for this.  When I finally had a schedule that worked for me, I went to checkout to pay for my tickets.  I was asked if I wanted trip insurance and chose to buy it as I had never traveled by train and did not know how reliable it would be.  Unfortunately, when I went to finish and pay, my credit card would not work.  Concerned that my card was somehow compromised, I called the credit card company, only to be told that the transaction had never even come through at their end.

My next step was to call Amtrak, which took forever as with most customer service calls.  After almost an hour I finally got a representative.  She also could not get my transaction to go through, so she started over and was successful in getting the tickets I wanted, but she had to omit the trip insurance, telling me that I had to call their insurance company and set that up as a separate payment.  This was luckily relatively easy to do, but apparently it was because of trying to add the trip insurance when paying online that my transaction was unsuccessful.  So tip number one - if you try to buy a ticket with trip insurance online and it does not work, try omitting the trip insurance and buying the ticket only.  If you still want trip insurance you will have to call customer service for the number of the insurance company, so be prepared to wait on the phone until the Amtrak representative can get to you.

The great thing about train travel is that there is no long wait through security to get on the train, but if you are at a small station like I was be prepared to board very quickly as you will literally only have a couple of minutes before the train pulls out again.  Another great thing is that the luggage limit on trains is very generous - two bags weighing 50 pounds each plus two bags weighing 25 pounds each per person! - but be aware that you may have to lug all of these bags up a very steep and narrow flight of stairs if you have a second level room.  The car attendant will help you if they can, but that climb is still a challenge with a bulky bag.

The day finally arrived for my trip and my husband drove me to the Lamy Train Depot.  I loved the cute little station, but Amtrak recently decided to change the full-time station master to a part-time one.  Since I was leaving on a weekday, this meant that the station waiting room was closed, so everyone was forced to sit outside with no access to a restroom, except for some port-a-johns in a nearby little park (the weather was hot and sunny, but there is a shady covered seating area).  Also, there are two restaurants in the town, but both are closed on weekdays until the holidays (we did know that so we ate before we left).  I returned on a Saturday and the very nice waiting room was open, so I think more people travel by train on the weekends (at least one of the restaurants was open as well, and my husband had lunch there as he waited for my train to arrive).

The daily train to Chicago pulling into the Lamy Train Depot (our knowledgeable little friend and my fellow passenger in the lower right foreground).

The station master and his wife arrived briefly about half an hour before the train arrived and the wife asked if we needed to use the rest room (we did not but it was nice of her to ask).  She also told us to check the train status on the Amtrak website to make sure the train was on time (there is free Wi-Fi at the station), because there had been times when the train was up to three hours late!  Thankfully my train was on time.  As we waited a few more passengers arrived - I was beginning to think I was the only one getting on at this station!  A cute little boy and his father, both seasoned train travelers, were among our fellow passengers, and the boy kept us entertained with his knowledge about trains.  The train finally arrived, all of the passengers quickly boarded after telling loved ones a hurried goodbye, and I was finally off on my first train trip.  As this post is getting a bit long, I will end here and continue my tale in an upcoming post.  See you on board next time!

On the Homefront: Happy Autumn!

Happy autumn, everyone!  Today our pineapple sage started blooming, which for me is the most reliable sign that summer is officially over, and that the growing season is rapidly coming to a close.  After our prolonged hot, dry summer I am so ready for cooler temperatures, and fall is my favorite season.  It is also probably the most beautiful time of the year in New Mexico (everyone told me when I first arrived that October is the best month here).  I look forward to enjoying the season!

Foodie Fridays: Succotash Salad

 

I have always liked succotash, but instead of the usual combination of corn and lima beans, I prefer to use edamame since lima beans can sometimes be too mushy.  Though succotash is usually cooked and served warm, I wanted to put together a cold salad inspired by this dish since it is too hot right now to even think of eating anything warm.  The recipe I came up with does not require any cooking (thaw the frozen vegetables by placing them in a colander and running hot tap water over them until they are no longer frozen, or just leave them out at room temperature until they are thawed).

My biggest complaint about succotash is that it can be rather bland.  To solve that problem I added lemon juice and tajin seasoning - the latter adds a combination of tartness from the lime flavoring, a slight spiciness from the chiles, and also some salt (add more salt if needed to suit your own taste).  The addition of cucumber adds a nice crunchy texture and lightens up the rather dense consistency of succotash (I prefer to use English cucumbers, which are seedless, less bitter than regular cucumbers, and have a thinner rind that does not need to be removed).  I was pleasantly surprised at how delicious my concoction was, and will be adding this recipe to my rotation of summer salads for the extremely hot days we have been experiencing lately.

Succotash Salad

12 oz. frozen shelled edamame, thawed
12 oz. frozen corn, thawed
1 cucumber, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced
2 jars (4 oz. each) diced pimentos
4 T. olive oil
4 T. mayonnaise
1-2 T. lemon juice
1 tsp. tajin seasoning
1/4 tsp. salt (or to taste)

Combine the first four ingredients in a large bowl.  Whisk together the remaining ingredients in a small bowl and pour over the vegetables.  Toss to mix thoroughly and taste to adjust seasonings as needed. Refrigerate for several hours before serving.  Serves 8.

On the Homefront: My Strawberry Patch

Two years ago I added a 4-foot square raised bed to the small enclosed courtyard at the front of our house and decided to turn it into a strawberry patch.  I purchased nine strawberry plants, of a variety called Quinault which I had never heard of but decided to try anyway.  I had never had much luck growing strawberries in the past and was not even sure they would grow well in New Mexico, but I decided I had nothing to lose by trying - the pandemic had just started and I wanted to do some experimental gardening just to keep myself occupied.

Fast forward to the present day and to my surprise this small strawberry patch is flourishing!  The plants produced some fruit last year, but only enough for me to harvest a handful almost every day in the summer for a small snack.  However, each plant spread numerous runners which also grew quite well, so much so that I have had to pull excess plants out several times so that they don't overrun their raised bed as well as the surrounding area.  The plants overwinter well and come back vigorously in the spring.

This year my strawberry harvest was so abundant that I was able to gather about two pints of small but sweet berries recently.  I decided to macerate the berries in about two tablespoons of coconut sugar and then serve them as strawberry shortcake using a limoncello loaf cake I found on sale at Walmart.  The combination of sweet strawberries, slightly tart lemon cake, and a generous amount of whipped cream is my idea of the perfect dessert.  And since today is National Strawberry Parfait Day, I think I will layer these ingredients in a glass to make a parfait in celebration - what a great dessert for a summer day!  I am so glad I decided on a whim to start a strawberry patch, and look forward to years of harvesting my own sweet strawberries.

I added a generous topping of whipped cream after taking this photo because I wanted to showcase the berries.

Foodie Fridays: Spinach Soup

We had an unusually cool and wet spring this year, which means that my vegetable garden got off to a slow start.  This weather pattern has been great for growing spinach, however, and I have an abundance that needs to be harvested now that it is warming up.  I thought I would try making a creamy spinach soup with some of the harvest, and found this recipe from Ree Drummond on the Food Network website.  I normally do not make many of her recipes as they tend to be too rich for me, but this soup is an exception since it uses milk rather than cream.

I used 2% milk instead of whole milk, which I found worked just fine.  I also added some nutmeg, which I always like to use with cooked spinach.  I substituted chipotle pepper powder for the cayenne as the latter is too hot for me and I like the smokiness of chipotle peppers.  At the very end of cooking I like to stir a bit of vinegar into soups for added flavor (I used a maple balsamic vinegar).  I often find creamy soups to be rather bland, but the seasonings (especially the chili pepper) make this soup quite tasty, so this recipe is definitely a keeper!

Spinach Soup

2 T. olive oil
10 oz. fresh spinach, torn into pieces if large
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 medium onion, diced
4 T. (1/2 stick) butter
1/4 C. flour
3 C. whole or 2% milk
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. salt, or more to taste
1/2 tsp. chipotle pepper powder
1 T. balsamic vinegar

In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the spinach and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until the spinach is wilted, 2 to 3 minutes.  Add 1/4 C. water and blend with a stick blender until puréed.  Pour into a bowl and set aside.  Rinse out the pot.

Melt the butter in the soup pot.  Add the onions and cook over medium heat until softened. Sprinkle the flour over the top and stir to combine.  Cook for about 2 minutes, then pour in the milk, stirring occasionally.  Add the nutmeg, salt, and chipotle pepper powder and stir to combine.  Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.  Pour in the pureed spinach, then cook until thickened, another 3 to 5 minutes.  Blend with a stick blender until the onions are puréed.  Stir in the vinegar.

Check the seasonings, adding more salt, nutmeg, and/or chipotle pepper powder as needed, and serve.  Serves 4.

Foodie Fridays: Easy Lemon Ricotta Pasta and Spinach

Looking for an easy recipe to use up some leftover ricotta cheese, I found one for Easy Lemon Ricotta Pasta and Spinach which turned out to be absolutely delicious!  It truly was very easy to make, the only tricky part being not to add more cooking liquid than needed to achieve the ideal creamy texture.  Whole milk ricotta is recommended, but I only had the part skim type and it worked just fine.  I always buy whole wheat pasta because I prefer it, and used whole wheat spaghetti for this recipe.  I loved this pasta dish so much that I look forward to making it again using the spinach that is currently growing in my garden.  Time to buy more ricotta cheese!

Easy Lemon Ricotta Pasta and Spinach

1 C. ricotta cheese
1/3 C. grated Parmesan
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 T. olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
8 oz. long or medium pasta (like spaghetti, linguine, penne, fusilli)
8 oz. baby spinach

In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, lemon zest and juice, olive oil, and garlic.  Season with salt and pepper.  Stir until well combined and taste for seasoning.

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente.  During the last minute of the pasta's cooking time, reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water, then stir the spinach into the pot.  After 1 minute, drain and return pasta and spinach to the pot.

Add the ricotta sauce and half of the reserved cooking water to the pot.  Stir well to evenly coat the pasta in the sauce, adding more cooking water as needed to reach a smooth and creamy texture.

Serve immediately, garnished with Parmesan, a drizzle of olive oil, and lemon wedges if desired.  Serves 2-3.

Note: Add the pasta water gradually, as you might not need all of it (the pasta should be moist but the flavor should not be watered down).  If you need more liquid, add some milk.