Never heard of tagine? Yeah, me either. But I saw another recipe for this Moroccan stew and decided to give it a whirl. Now, I don’t have a tagine (a type of clay pot) which is how this stew is usually made, but I do have a slow cooker and decided that would work too. 
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squash
Squash Chili
I actually did not have a lot of chili growing up. My mom has a famous baked bean recipe that is like a family tradition and I suppose that is as close to chili as I got. My fondness for this one-pot dish probably grew in college. I spent a lot of time with band kids and my co-ed fraternity and we would often have get-togethers or potlucks on the weekend. Chili was the easiest dish to make for a large crowd. Plus it was generally inexpensive to create. 
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Butternut Squash Korma
Korma: a mildly spiced Indian curry dish of meat or fish marinated in yogurt or curds. Yeah, my korma is a bit different than what you might find on a traditional Indian table. 
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Hubbard Squash Mash
I went into this recipe expecting to make a soup/stew but the more I ate it, the more I realized it worked better as a mash. Plus saying squash mash out loud is fun. 
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Things That Are Making Me Happy Right Now
I don’t know about you, but I had a pretty great weekend. It was filled with family, laughs, and covered bridges. Adam and I spent the weekend in Brazil, Indiana and I got to experience the covered bridge festival for the first time.
Yes, there was a covered bridge. There was also a ton of food, crafty things, and pretty much anything else you could think of. I had a good time and was glad for the time to relax. 
So while covered bridges have made me happy, I thought I would share a few other things that are making me happy right now.
Changing Leaves
It felt like fall would never really come this year. For most of October, our neighborhood has been surrounded by green leaves and summertime vibes. Just in the past week or so we have finally had leaves falling and changing color. I love how pretty this city gets in the fall!
Fall Running Pace
I love the beginning of fall and the cooler temps because it means I run even faster than normal. I can’t seem to slow down for the first few weeks of fall running and that’s just fine with me. I love feeling like I’m flying down the Lake Shore Trail.
New Quilted Sheet Set
This is how I know that I’m an adult. I am super excited about a brand sheet set. This was a covered bridge find and an early birthday present (12 days and counting). I have been wanting to change up our bedspread for awhile now to something more bright and cheery. I love the grey and yellow together and I think that Dot approves as well.
All The Baking
Now that it isn’t torture to turn on the oven, baking all the things can commence. I am not a strong baker, so I am always trying to improve. I gave you some carrot cake cookies last week and I’m working on a fall banana bread for you guys this week. You can also check out my cranberry coffee cake over on Girlish. Yay baked goods!
Kuri Squash
I am all about fall/winter squash and I’m always excited to try new to me varieties. I found this one at Whole Foods the other day and figured I would give it a go. Whelp, now I’m obsessed with it. I love that you don’t have to peel it, just scoop out the seeds, cut into chunks, and roast it at 425 with a little oil and your favorite seasonings. It’s creamy and a little sweet like butternut squash. I bet it would be great in soup or my gnocchi.
The Cubs
I was born a Cubs fan and have always hoped that maybe next year would be their year. It’s looking like 2015 could be it… I will be cautiously optimistic and just keep rooting for my Cubbies.
28
I don’t know why but turning 28 is sounding pretty good to me. I think there are some good things in store for my 28th year on this big blue marble we call Earth. Can’t wait to see what they are…
Life Healthfully Lived 