The Fragrance of Autumn

As I sit here enjoying the various aromas that filter through my home, I realize that most of them are signs of the end of summer and the approach of my favorite season.  Autumn has so many unique smells because of the preservation of the harvest and the changes in nature as it prepares for the coming winter.  It's a musky, nutty, crisp, "ripe" sort of smell that comes with the cooler nights and sunny days. 
Right now, the aroma of drying tomatoes, zucchini and apples mingles with tomato and basil pizza, generously topped with parmesan cheese, baking on a bed of mozzerella and homemade crust.  An apple crisp with cinnamon and brown sugar waits for it's turn in the oven.

We planted a new variety of squash in the garden this year.  It's called Sweet Dumpling and is very interesting with green and white strips and speckles covering dips and ridges.  They are about the size of a large grapefruit.  Yesterday, I cut the tops from a couple of them and hollowed the inside by removing the seeds and pulp.  The squash were baked cut side down in a shallow pan with enough water in the bottom to steam the inside.  After about 30 minutes, I turned them over and filled the inside with a mixture of walnuts, apples and cranberries tossed with a bit of sucanat, cinnamon and nutmeg.  A bit of fresh butter dotted the top and they were baked for 30 more minutes.  Lovely!