Peanut Butter and what?

This was on the front page of the New York Times' Dining & Wine section.

Honestly, I almost threw up in my mouth at the mere sight of this sandwich.

Caption reads: Jelly gets kicked to the curb, and pickles take its place, making the PB&B a cult snack option. -- Are you kidding me?  Pickles will NEVER, EVER take the place of strawberry jam.

A few weeks ago, I began calling and e-mailing smart food people - chefs, journalists, cookbook writers, editors - to get their take on the combination... A friend of mine, an editor at a major national food monthly, wrote me back to say, "Even at 7 months pregnant, I've never had that craving."  Another well-known cookbook writer suggested I talk to Guy Fieri, the Sammy Hagar of TV chefs.

Guy Fieri?  That's harsh dude.

Fall!

Is there any person who lives on this (east) coast who does not love this weather, this season, this everything?  You can't appreciate it the same anywhere else, can you?  If you say you can, I won't believe it anyway.

It makes me think of roasting vegetables and getting ready to see my breath outside.

That being said, I roasted some carrots, butternut squash and onions last night to make a soup and it turned out ridiculously orange.  I threw in some salt, pepper, ginger, lemon juice, and chicken stock and used the immersion blender.  Sometimes I debate using the Cuisinart but cannot bring myself to want to wash all the pieces for the smoother consistency, so I go to my beloved hand stick blender, the best $20 something I ever spent in the kitchen and all I have to do is barely wash the stick.

Bing. Bang. Boom.

Another good purchase for the kitchen?

This little jam.  I only really use a handful of cookbooks often, and this is one of them.