Fall's Other Stars of The Harvest

 This may be the season of apples and pumpkins but there are other stars coming out ofthose autumn patches.There's broccoli , cauliflower,and pears to name a few. They're great as main, sides , and desserts. Try them as a nice change up form those Macintoshes and gourds.

Broccoli is a versatile veggie.It can be served hot or cold. A great side is steamed broccoli with melted butter and just a sprinkle of sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Many like it Oriental style, steamed with ginger and  sesame oil. Of course it can also be cooked with chicken or beef , flavored with soy sauce. Serve this on a bed of rice for a hearty and delicious quick meal. One of the best recipes with broccoli is broccoli salad. You may think this is a summer dish but's it's a refreshing side all year long.It's steaming the veggie in the microwave first and then dressing it. Use just olive oil and red wine vinegar along with dashes of garlic powder, sealt salt and freshly ground pepper.  You can add chopped onion for more flavor. Cauliflower , like broccoli is also versatile. Both veggies can be made into tasty homemade soups. Cauliflower soup is the perfect chill chaser and can be frozen for future use. Breaded and air fried cauliflower is a real treat and the perfect game day nibble. It's good on its' own but also served with ranch dressing.

The season has always been all about apples yet there's another fruit that's just as sweet and high in nutrition. Pears!!!! Bartlett, Clap Favorite and Orca are the main autumn ones. Bartlett's are the most popular anf have a love mild candy like flavor. A great dessert is a harvest pear crisp. This is six cups of cored and sliced bartlett pears that have been tossed with lemon juice and coated with a mix of cornstarch, sugar and cinnamon .This is well coated and then covered with a dry dough made up of flour, ,butter and more cinnamon. A mix of chopped walnuts and oats  are then sprinkled on top as a kind of streusel.It's baked for forty minutes at 375 degrees Farenheit. Serve with fresh cream or vanilla ice cream.Orca pears which are a fall favorite in the Pacific Northwest are great for canning.They're cooked in a sugar solution and then canned. Of course you can make pear jams and even syrups with them. Clapp pears are good for baking and what better than a pear cake for a nice autumnal dessert.  You could even bake a layer cake and fill it with pear compote.

Don;t forget thare are other harvest gems that are perfect for any meal or dessert. Give broccoli, cauliflower and pears  a try this season. They're tasty and nutritious, the perfect fall produce.