Happy Autumn!

It's official everyone! Autumn is finally here! I love fall time, the colors, foods, the smells and the crispiness in the air. Well, I love fall! Along with loving fall, it's officially the start of soup season! I eat soup anytime of the year, but fall and winter make soup that much better! Here's one of my faves, my kinda spin off from a certain Italian restaurant...

ZUPPA TOSCANA

• 1 pound bulk mild Italian sausage
• 1 1/4 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
• 4 slices bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 5 (13.75 ounce) cans chicken broth
• 6 potato, thinly sliced
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 bunch fresh spinach or kale, tough stems removed

Cook the Italian sausage and red pepper flakes in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until crumbly, browned, and no longer pink, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and set aside. Cook the bacon in the same Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp, about 10 minutes. Drain, leaving a few tablespoons of drippings with the bacon in the bottom of the Dutch oven. Stir in the onions and garlic; cook until onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Pour the chicken broth into the Dutch oven with the bacon and onion mixture; bring to a boil over high heat. Add the potatoes, and boil until fork tender, about 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the heavy cream and the cooked sausage; heat through. Mix the spinach into the soup just before serving.

It Is Time....

APPLE FRITTERS

• 1 1/4 cups sifted all purpose flour
• 1 cup beer
• 1 TBSP vegetable oil
• 1 TBSP sugar
• 2 eggs, separated
• 5 large apples
• 2-4 cups vegetable oil for frying
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• Confectioner’s sugar

Combine the flour, beer 1 TBSP vegetable oil, sugar and egg yolks in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Cover and leave at room temperature for at least one hour. Core and slice apples in to ½ inch rings. Pour at least 2 inches of oil into a large skillet and heat to 375 degrees F. Beat the egg whites in a large bowl, until stiff. Stir the batter and fold in the egg whites. Dip the apple rings first in ¼ cup flour to coat both sides, then in the batter. Fry a few at a time in the hot oil for 2-3 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Drain on a paper towel. Serve immediately with Apple-Maple Sauce.


APPLE-MAPLE SAUCE

• 2 cups applesauce
• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon

Blend together all ingredients until mixed well. Serve with Apple Fritters.