
Despite the fact that it's Winter, don't limit your fruit intake to oranges, bananas, and apples. Next time you're at the market, pick up a few
persimmons. The sweet, mild-flavored fruits, which originate from Asia, are in season between November and February.

My favorite thing about Fall, aside from post-Thanksgiving leftover sandwiches (yum), is the vivid and warmly colored leaves on the trees. But, as we move into Winter (when we'll deal with ice and snow), this seasonal treasure will require some maintenance. And even if it's begun to snow in your neck of the woods, it's not too late to wrangle the leaves.

I love
avocados especially in the form of a chunky, flavorful
guacamole. When I found a recipe that included one of my favorite Fall fruits,
pomegranate seeds, I was thrilled! I served this colorful and simple guacamole with tortilla chips, but it would be a great addition to tacos and delicious on grilled pork.

You're practically set with your menu for tomorrow. Vegetables chopped? Check.
Thanksgiving may be a traditional holiday, but that doesn't mean you're tied to the same old sides. Reinvent a tired meal with new takes on the classic dish known as mashed potatoes. Try blending other root vegetables into the mix, such as sweet potatoes or turnips.

For
Thanksgiving, sweet potato casserole is a surefire winner: those who don't eat vegetables and kids who won't eat yams will happily sink their forks into this delicious casserole. While the toppings vary based on the recipe, the concept is the same: creamy, puréed, sugar-tinged sweet potatoes with nuts, glaze, or marshmallows on top. These two variations are similar, but the expert version, with its nutty topping, requires an extra step and a food processor.

Although pie making is a year round activity, I find myself more particular about pies in the Fall. Because they are the sweet accompaniment to important holiday dinners, a pie's presentation is incredibly important. To ensure that all of our pies are pretty, you headed off to market in search of the perfect pie pan.

When I hear the word appletini, I can't help but cringe and think of a cloying, neon green cocktail. That's why, while at a recent
Root Division art auction, when I saw that the specialty cocktail was an appletini, I avoided it. However, when I heard the appletini was a creation of one of San Francisco's best bartenders,
H.

I mentioned last week that I've noticed
casseroles making a comeback. What better time to bring them back than during the
holidays? If you've got a lot to plan this
Thanksgiving, stick with a no-muss, no-fuss recipe that'll be ready in around half an hour.

From
butternut squash mac and cheese to
persimmon and pomegranate salad, lately I can't get enough of everything
Fall. Desserts, in particular, are comforting in a way that no other dish can be, and
FinnLover's pudding, with its Autumn spices, apples, and brown sugar syrup, embodies exactly that. To make this basic dessert and Québécois favorite, .