Back to “Normal”

I apologize, dear readers, for the long hiatus.  I don’t really have any good excuses, other than the fact that I simply didn’t feel like I had much to share the last few weeks.

The weekend after E.J. was released from his active duty with the National Guard, he and I headed to Austin for a lovely couple of days enjoying a little adventure and a cozy bed & breakfast. While we thoroughly enjoyed our mini-vacation, I caught the cold/flu thing my mom had had the week before, and spent much of the weekend and the week after feeling very tired and sniffly.  E.J. of course caught it and came down with it the next weekend, so we spent last weekend being a bit lazy and just trying to rest so we could feel ourselves again.

Then yesterday I got to spend the day looking for the dress I’ll be wearing to the Marine Corps and Army balls in Nov & Dec, and came home after a relaxing pedicure to a belated surprise 40th birthday party for yours truly.  Thanks to the time that passed and my friends’ excellent deflection & distraction skills, I was thoroughly surprised.  Not only was there a full spread of party food, but it was all paleo-friendly…  I have some really awesome friends (and husband, of course, who continues to make me swoon with sweet gestures all of the time).

Due to all of the sick and lazy, and just plain tired I was feeling the last few weeks, I didn’t do a lot of experimenting with meals.  Instead I stuck to a handful of favorites from my recipes page and relied more than I should on restaurant fare.

But today is October 1 – the beginning of my favorite time of the year.  The weather is starting to cool off, pumpkin spices are everywhere, and all of my favorite holidays and activities are lined up through New Years.  I’m ready to snap back to “normal”, and looking forward to the foods and festivities of the season.

So here are some of the new recipes I’ve been playing with:

• BBQ Chicken Casserole – this one is similar to another version I tried about a year ago, but was less than happy with.  This one was much tastier and will probably make it onto our favorites page.
• Sauteed Red Cabbage with Apples – E.J. was craving red cabbage the other day, so I decided to see if I could find a paleo-friendly version that would work.  This one more than worked.  It was fantastic!  Hot or cold, this side dish is just a tiny bit sweet from the apples, and makes a lovely pairing with smoked or roasted meats.
• Honey Ginger Apple Shredded Pork – Even though it’s still a bit warm outside, I couldn’t resist going for some of the flavors of the season.  The ginger, cinnamon, and apples made the house smell amazing while the crock pot was going.
• “Cheesy” Broccoli Cauliflower Casserole – I adapted this recipe which uses quinoa and replaced it instead with sauteed cauliflower.  I don’t know if I’d really call it “cheesy”, but it tastes pretty good, and I think satisfies well enough as an alternative to simple roasted veggies.

Happy Fall, y’all!