Fall Foodie Friday...

Hello all you beautiful bloggers and amazing blog readers!! Happy to have you join us for Fall Foodie Friday. Today is going to be all about fall foods. You know the foods you crave when the weather turns cool? The types of foods that give you the warm and fuzzies. They remind you of pleasant times with your loved ones or the start of the holiday season. The yummy foods you make this time of year by habit or due to family traditions. The foods you crave but have withheld for months and now they have come to the surface only to be let loose and roam free...yea those ones! So now that we are on the same page. Here are a few of my favorites. Maybe they are some of yours as well?

First up is the one.. the only...PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE!!! I have been wanting a good pumpkin spice latte for months now! I was craving that spiced goodness that can only be quelled by a sip of its creamy pumpkiny goodness. Today I thought I would ask if they could make it into a Frappuccino as it’s sooo hot here in AZ and they did!! It was fab and just as good as I remember it was last year.. maybe even a bit better!

Next up is my homemade rugelach. This tasty treat goes wonderfully well with your morning cup of joe, tea.. or just to scarf down randomly. I would share the recipe.. but then I would have to kill you.. all of you!! ha ha only kidding!! Pictured Raspberry Rugelach courtesy of myself. I also like to bake apricot, plum and cinnamon walnut.
Lastly but certainly not least! Polenta Beef Stew. It's my fave recipe for stew and sadly I do not have a picture as I still have yet to prepare it this season. If you have the Better Homes and Gardens Annual Recipes 2000 Cookbook the recipe can be found on page 36. Here is the recipe:

Polenta Beef Stew

Ingredients
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 pounds boneless beef chuck steak, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion (1 medium)
1 teaspoon snipped fresh rosemary or 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 14-ounce can beef broth
1-1/2 cups dry red wine
8 ounces boiling onions
5 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 recipe Polenta
1/2 cup snipped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup tomato paste

Directions:
1. Place flour, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a plastic bag. Add meat pieces, a few at a time, shaking to coat. In a Dutch oven brown meat, half at a time, in hot oil; drain fat. Return all meat to Dutch oven; add chopped onion, dried rosemary (if using), and garlic. Cook and stir until onion is tender. Stir in broth and wine. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 1-1/2 hours.
2. Stir in boiling onions and carrot. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, about 30 minutes more or until meat and vegetables are tender. Meanwhile, prepare Polenta.
3. Just before serving, stir parsley and tomato paste into stew. Serve stew with Polenta.
4. Makes 8 servings (about 7 cups)
5. Polenta: In a large saucepan bring 3 cups milk just to a simmer over medium heat. In a medium bowl combine 1 cup cornmeal, 1 cup water, and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir cornmeal mixture slowly into hot milk. Cook and stir until mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until mixture is very thick, stirring occasionally. (If mixture is too thick, stir in additional milk.) Stir in 2 tablespoons butter or margarine until melted.

What is your favorite fall treat? Let me know in the comments :) I love to hear from my readers!

Vanessa :)