A few days ago on Saturday morning, at 530 AM my feet hit the ground. Sleepy, but excited, I had my heart set on taking the Long Island Railroad to visit my friend Stephanie who lives an hour east of me.  Her family was going to a pumpkin + apple orchard! (which conveniently was across the road from a wineryippeeeee)

As I slowly moved into my kitchen, the apartment still very dark with no light from dawn, I could tell it was going to be a beautiful early fall day. When the sun came up, it was so vibrant with color, resemblant of bright autumn leaves whose arrival we’re sure to see soon! Here is the photo of our eastern sky.

After an eventful morning of chasing subways and re-routed public transit (shoot me now), I found a seat by the window on my train and enjoyed the ride above ground. No offense MTA, but the underground thing leaves much to be desired.
Upon arrival in her little town, she picked me up with a hot coffee (thanks Steph!) and we drove out to South Hampton.

Her kids had a blast climbing around on giant tractors and riding a little train through the pumpkin patch and I’m all “guys BRB, need apple cider donut.”
Just kidding, I rode the little train too. After my donut. s.

Also, there was a spider the size of a pancake on the pumpkin train, but we don’t need to talk about it.

While walking through the aisles of apple trees, chomping on a small red honeycrisp, I must say there’s a tranquility I felt from being amongst these simple elements of nature.
A peaceful delight.  A source of inspiration…which leads me to today’s recipe!

MAPLE CHICKEN & APPLE SAUTÉ

1 LB ground chicken (ground turkey, a fine alternative)
2 tsp pure maple syrup
3/4 tsp salt
2 cups chopped apple (gala or honeycrisp)
1/4 cup slivered dry roasted almonds

Mix (a.k.a. squoosh) the raw ground chicken with maple and salt. Cook this over medium heat. Once it’s about half cooked, add the apples. Cook it all until it’s a little charred and yummy.
Separately, in a nonstick sauté pan, toss and stir the almonds over high heat until they brown. (try not to walk away, they cook fast!)

Guys, I literally just ate it like this. I don’t even know what else to do with it. Put it on something? Over kale, over quinoa…ooO over SWEET POTATO. Yea nevvver got around to that.

Healthy, with a simplicity of ingredients;  I love the seasonal characteristics of smell and flavor!

Before we left the countryside, I pulled a second “hey guys, BRB” and jolted across the street to buy a bottle of Chardonnay from this pretty little vineyard. Gonna crack it open this week at ladies night!

Friends, if you have the chance to go apple picking this fall, do it!

Love time away from the city, and love coming back home.

from my Tiny Kitchen,
glorieanna