september and an ode to baking trays.

dear september,
      i'm glad you are here. august has been a busy and, well, interesting month to say the least.  like many east-coasters, i experienced my first earthquake and the subsequent aftershocks {c'ville is a mere 30 miles from the epicenter}. we had visits from both sets of in-laws, celebrated Tim's 27th birthday {complete with the first layer cake i've ever baked}, and took a weekend trip to the desert to visit my sister. work has gotten busy. not great, but for now i'm settling for busy at work.

and so, in honor of september's beginning, i am sharing a toast to my rimmed baking sheet. no real connection, really. just an excuse to share some of the many ways i enjoy my baking sheet with you. please don't get too bored already.

b l u e b e r r i e s / b l u e t s

earlier this summer, our CSA was selling 10-lb boxes of low-spray blueberries. um, yes please. i bought two boxes, but only because i have a small freezer. we'll be eating tasty blueberries all winter long, thanks to the ease of freezing berries. simply spread them out in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet, put in the freezer for a few hours, then transfer to a gallon-sized freezer bag. easy enough! just make sure to remove any stems or mushy berries. use frozen berries in baking and smoothies or thaw overnight for an antioxidant-rich breakfast topping.

t o m a t o e s  |  h e i r l o o m / g r a p e / y e l l o w

for some reason this summer, i have not had an appetite for raw tomatoes. so, i had to turn to some of my favorite food blogs for some inspiration in using the overabundance of tomatoes we have had this month.

item 1: roasted grape / cherry tomatoes are delicious on pretty much everything, from salads to sandwiches to quinoa dishes. did i mention they are also super easy? step 1: rinse and pat dry. step 2: slice in half. step 3. toss lightly in olive oil and salt. step 4: slow roast at 300F for about 30-40 minutes. that is it. and they keep in the fridge for several days.

item 2: roasted tomato soup from here. yum. i served it with quiche and homemade bread. and once again, thanks to my baking sheet for once again serving up roasted veggie goodness, which this time, got blenderized. {those are some of the yellow tomatoes i mentioned earlier. so sweet and good.}

h a z e l n u t s / f i l b e r t s

sadly, no picture here. but seriously, freshly roasted hazelnuts are beyond good. again, the process is really simple: heat the oven to 325F. spread the hazelnuts on a rimmed baking sheet and roast for 30ish minutes. keep an eye on them - they will fill your kitchen with their earthy aroma and the skins start to crackle and loosen up when they are ready. once done, let them cool for a bit, and if you're up for an annoying, but satisfying challenge, rub the skins off with your hands or a clean kitchen towel. eat 'em straight; on cereal {our favorite, with fresh fruit and greek yogurt}; on salads; or even ravioli pasta salads. aaaand, you're welcome.

enjoy! autumn is on it's way!

katie anne