Seasonal Cooking For October

**This is our monthly series that aims to help you cook more seasonally (visit the first one, Seasonal Cooking For May, for an introduction and definition of "seasonal")**

Have you guys been trying to cook more seasonally? I hope this series helps remind you what type of foods are available and gives you some ideas of recipes to make! I also hope it helps you keep your food budget down- the foods that are abundant in any given month are going to be the sale items. And, wow, has it been hard to keep the food budget in check lately! Anyone else feeling the pinch?

Here's what you'll find in season this month:

• Apples (we're eating our own apples right now for the first time- awesome!)
• Beets
• Broccoli
• Brussel Sprouts
• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Cauliflower
• Corn (though only for a few weeks, though- mine's done already)
• Cucumber
• Eggplant
• Grapes
• Green beans (Yep- my Emerite Beans are still producing)
• Lettuce
• Melons
• Onions
• Peppers
• Peaches
• Pears
• Potatoes
• Pumpkins (this is the only month they're available fresh!)
• Spinach
• Squash
• Tomatoes (if I bring mine in green, I'll have them at least into November...)
• Turnips

From the pantry and freezer:

• This is the other month of the year (besides last month) that I'm finishing stocking the freezer and canning pantry, so I concentrate on fresh and leave the newly frozen things for the long winter ahead.
• Dried Plums- we already are eating these. They are so good, we start eating them as soon as they come out of the dryer!

Recipes For October:

Slow Cooker Italian Vegetable Soup

Curried Vegetable "Sub Jee"

Greek Tuna and Tomato Salad

Zucchini-Cinnamon Freezer MuffinsWhat seasonal foods are you cooking with this month?

-Jami

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