Fall is in the air...

Fall is quickly shifting into winter here in the Black Hills. The days are shortening, the trees are bare, and there is a chill in the air. Fall is my favorite time of year for cooking. The final harvest brings amazing flavors. I have a deep love of earthy flavored foods; squash, mushrooms, potatoes, cumin, and sage are some of my favorites.

I also enjoy cooking in the fall because I can turn the oven on. We don't have air conditioning and have a kitchen with southern exposure, so using the oven in the summer is like opening the gates to Hell.

At the beginning of the season, I taught my first cooking class. I'm happy to report that it went amazingly well and that I'll be teaching at least two follow up classes in the coming spring.  The following was one of the recipes from the class, I hope you enjoy.

Autumn Harvest Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette

Ingredients for Salad:

Mixed Greens

1 cup Chopped Apple

½ cup Dried Cranberries

1 cup Halved Red Grapes

¼ cup Toasted Walnuts

¼ cup Toasted Pecans

Ingredients for Citrus Vinaigrette:

1 cup Orange Juice

1/8 cup Apple Cider Vinegar

½ cup Olive Oil

dash of Sea Salt

To toast Walnuts and Pecans:

Preheat oven to 350. Place nuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and place in oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden and fragrant.

Mix all salad ingredients together in a large bowl.

Whisk together Citrus Vinaigrette and top salad.