An Autumn Meal

September

The breezes taste

of apple peel.

The air is full

of smells to feel;

Ripe fruit, old footballs,

Burning Brush,

New books, erasers,

Chalk, and such.

The bee, his hive,

Well-honeyed hum,

And Mother cuts

Chrysanthemums.

Like plates washed clean

With suds, the days

Are polished

With a morning haze.

John Updike

Isn't September just such a lovely month? And doesn't John Updike's poem

capture it so well? Or at least as well as a lovely month can be captured with mere words?

In just a couple of weeks it will be "officially" autumn in the northern hemisphere whether or not it exactly feels like autumn yet . In the West it is still very warm, but from what I've been reading across the net that's not stopping anyone from jumping right into the season, whether its in decorating or cooking or in organizing households for the new school year.

So here's my first contribution to the new season..........a meal I've been making on the first day of autumn for quite a few years now. It's from a little cookbook I picked up in the late 80's and the quick and easy main dish is called Skillet Sombrero Pie.

Photo from "Holiday Cooking with Kids" by Janet Wilk

Skillet Sombrero Pie

Makes 6 servings

Prep time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

I pound ground beef

1 10- ounce package frozen corn, thawed

1 8-ounce can tomato sauce

1 16-ounce can tomatoes

1 tablespoon instant minced onion

or

if you're like me you add 1/2 diced onion instead

1 1 3/4 -ounce package chili seasoning mix

1 6-ounce package corn chips

1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

Equipment:

wooden spoon

large deep skillet

1. Stir ground beef and onion in skillet over medium heat until it browns

2. Stir in corn, tomato sauce, tomatoes, and seasoning mix

3. Turn heat to low. Simmer for 20 minutes

4. Arrange chips in ring around edge of skillet

5. Sprinkle cheese in center and cook until cheese melts, 3 to 5 minutes

6. Serve pie directly from skillet

I usually serve this simply with a green salad. Like in the photo, we have "Monster M&M Cookies" for dessert and if the weather is cooperating, even a little bit, we have the hot apple cider to drink........otherwise it's great big glasses of ice cold apple juice.

Hope you're making plans to enjoy the great season ahead!

I'm linking up with these sites on this lovely "almost autumn" weekend. Be sure to visit them..... just click on the photos........

I'm also linked to The Inspired Room for Fall Nesting Week!