For Wednesday Hodgepodge Jo comes up with the questions for us to answer. Click over to From This Side of the Pond to see more answers to the questions.

1. Just your weekly mid-week reminder that it’s fall y’all and it’s my favorite. I love nearly all the flavors of fall but let’s weigh in with an either or today…pumpkin or cranberry? hot apple cider or pumpkin spice latte? cinnamon or maple? apple or pear? ginger or sage? carrot or butternut squash? Yes you have to choose. What’s a favorite dish made with one of the flavors listed here?

Cranberry ~ Cinnamon ~ Apple ~ Ginger ~ Butternut Squash

Here’s a good recipe for a delicious soup for Fall or Winter.

•  2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cups chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons mild curry powder
• 2 large butternut squash
• 4 sweet apples
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 cups chicken broth

1. Heat the butter and olive oil in a large cast iron dutch oven or large stockpot over low heat.
2. Add the onions and curry powder and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until the onions are tender.
3. Stir and scrape the bottom of the pot every couple minutes.
4. Peel squash, cut in half and remove seeds. Cut the squash into chunks.
5. Peel and core the apples and cut into chunks.
6. Add the squash, apples, salt, pepper, and 2 cups broth to pot.
7. Bring to boil, cover, reduce heat to low and cook until the squash and apples are soft, approximately 40-50 minutes.
8. Use a food processor or hand blender to puree the squash and apples.
9. Return to pot if you used the food processor and taste, adding salt and pepper if needed.
10. If the consistency is too thick add a little more broth or water and heat through.
11. Serve with toasted walnuts and pomegranate seeds, optional.

2. Do you miss traveling? In this season of almost no travel do you think you’ve grown anxious or fearful about traveling again? Or has all this staying home not going anywhere made you restless to get out and see the world? What book have you read or what movie have you watched that has inspired you to travel?

Yes, I do miss traveling or even being able to plan a trip on paper. The only book I’ve listened to on CD this month about traveling was The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.  Now that’s a special kind of traveling to be sure. 🙂 We’ve done mini travels to Coeur d’Alene Idaho the beginning of October and I’ve traveled to the suburbs of Seattle this month, too. The only movies we are watching these days are Hallmark Movies so I’m inspired to see picturesque little towns around the USA.

3. A time you felt like you were ‘flying by the seat of your pants’? Explain.

I think the place where I fly by the seat of my pants most often is in the kitchen when I have to come up with a meal on the fly and I start throwing caution to the wind with the ingredients I throw in the pot hoping the end result will be edible.

4. Do you struggle with road rage or are you more of a ‘Sunday driver’? Do you like to be ‘in the driver’s seat (literally and/or figuratively speaking) ?

Rage is a strong word. I have been known to strongly criticize other drivers on the road. I do like to be in the driver’s seat both literally and figuratively and the Lord has tempered that tendency in me over my years of being His follower. Many miles yet to go in this tempering!!

5. Something you’ve recently ‘put the brakes on’?

Regularly shopping in Thrift stores.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

Our Concrete was poured on Monday and we tried to get some good handprints from Addy and Jaymison. Addy’s were easier since she can follow directions. Their little hands set in ‘concrete’. Since our niece and nephew were here on concrete day they each set a handprint.

Theirs are deep and have a 3D look.

I’m very wrapped up in the day to day with our family visitors. I will try to visit y’all soon.