My Love For Farmers Markets and a Butternut Squash Recipe

Can I tell you a secret?

I love farmers markets.

I love them as much as pumpkins, puppies and pizza.

I know, right?

My town is blessed to have a fabulous weekly farmers market that showcases a wonderful variety of locally grown produce, made-from-scratch baked goods, and handmade food products. 

It is the perfect outlet to meet farmers, makers and creators; sample delicious products; meet friends for dinner; and pick up some groceries.

The abundance of beautiful vegetables on display at farmers’ stands this month provided me with the inspiration to work on new recipes, handpicked for the season.

Butternut Squash, Sausage and Sage
This recipe relies on a spiralizer to create noodle-like strands of squash. If you don’t have a spiralizer, use a vegetable peeler to make long shreds of squash instead. 

Since you only need the top half of the butternut squash in this recipe, save the other half for another day and use it to make the Autumn Salad. Serves 4.

8 ounces spaghetti
Half of a medium butternut squash, about 12 ounces
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 ounces sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh sage leaves, chopped
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3/4 cup dry white wine
2 cups kale, chopped
1/4 half-and-half
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
2 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Cook pasta according to directions

Peel the butternut squash and spiralize on a thin noodle setting. Cut any very long strands in half.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add sausage and cook, breaking it up with a spoon until beginning to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic, sage, red pepper and cook, stirring about 1 minute.

Add butternut squash and toss to combine. Add wine and cook, covered, until the squash Is just tender, 3 to 5 minutes.

Add kale and toss to combine. Stir in cream and mustard and simmer until slightly thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Fold in cheese.

(Recipe adapted from womensday.com)

Can I tell you another secret?

I love you too!

Thanks for reading.

A Road Trip to Detroit's Eastern Market and West Village

Fall is the perfect time for a road trip! If you love farmers markets as much as I do, a visit to Detroit’s behemoth Eastern Market is in order this harvest season. Located at 2934 Russell St., in the heart of The D, the market has been nourishing the Motor City for over 125 years.

On Saturdays the bustling farmers market is the place to be. More than 200 vendors set up booths in the market’s 5 Sheds to sell fresh produce, meats, baked goods and locally made products. 


Freshly picked flowers are in abundance at this time of year, and with harvest season just around the corner, pumpkins and gourds will be making their entrance to the sheds soon.

Eastern Market is open year-round on Saturdays from 6 am to 4 pm. On Sundays through September, the market transforms from a traditional farmers market to an artisan market and features the work of local crafters, cooks, jewelers and musicians selling Detroit and Michigan made products. Sunday hours are 10 am to 4 pm.

Free parking (except for on Lions Tailgating Sundays) exists all around Eastern Market. Although it can be a little tricky to find a spot, especially at peak hours on Saturdays; they do open quickly. 

For those who have questions or are new to the market, a welcome center is located on the premises at 1445 Adelaide St. between Sheds 2 and 3. Visitors may pick up a map of the market, recipes and use the restrooms. Welcome center hours are Saturdays 7 am to 4 pm (year-round) and Sundays 10 am to 4 pm (June – September).

Holiday Markets

When it’s time to deck the halls and prepare those holiday meals, visit the Eastern Market during its holiday market season, Tuesday, Nov. 26 and Sundays, Dec. 1, 8, 15 and 22. The Tuesday market focuses on food vendors, and the Sunday markets feature Christmas trees, Michigan-made gift options including clothing, art, jewelry and beauty products.

The Neighborhood
After visiting the market, spend some time strolling the neighborhood which boasts several restaurants, cafes, meat and seafood markets, and a wine shop. 

No visit to Eastern Market is complete (in my opinion) without lunch or dinner at nearby Supino Pizzeria, 2457 Russell St. Once a tiny pizza joint with only a couple of community tables, the restaurant has been recently expanded and now features a spacious dining room and bar. There may be a bit of a wait for a table, so head there a little before reaching starving point, put your name and number on the list, then spend a little time exploring the area. The host or hostess will text you when your table is ready.

Supino’s hand-tossed, thin crust pizzas are available in two sizes 12” and 18”. While Guy Fieri of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, favored the City Wing Thing Turkey Pizza, I recommend the El Greco with feta cheese, spinach, onion and kalamata olives.

Sister Pie
While in the vicinity, head to Sister Pie, a charming and eclectic bakery located at the corner of Kercheval and Parker streets in Detroit’s West Village neighborhood. With a mission “to celebrate the seasons through pie,” the bakery specializes in nontraditional flavor combinations such as Blueberry Plum Balsamic, Salted Maple, and Sweet Corn Peach Streusel.

In addition to pies, the bakery serves cookies, breakfast items and lunch. Hours are Monday through Friday 8 am to 4 pm and Saturday and Sunday 9 am to 2 pm.

As the season shifts to cooler weather, carve out a little time to explore the food scene up north. Don’t forget your jacket and a cooler.  

How to Make Fabric Pumpkins

Pumpkins crafted from rustic burlap, glistening velvet, fuzzy felt and patterned fabric are cropping up all over at boutiques, art fairs and makers markets. Not only are they fun and easy to make, they can be customized to coordinate with any home décor.

Making fabric pumpkins is a great way to recycle. Use leftover fabric from other projects or visit thrift stores to find inspiration - think cable knit sweaters, wool blankets or a vintage plaid kilt.

Once you have your supplies, it’s time to create your own designer pumpkin patch. Happy decorating!

Supplies needed:
Fabric pieces
Pen and scissors
Needle and heavy-duty thread
Batting and dried beans
Assorted stems from pumpkins, dried
Hot glue gun/glue sticks

Lay out fabric. Using different size bowls as guides, trace circles onto fabric. The smallest bowl I used was 8” in diameter. Cut out circles.

With a needle and heavy-duty thread, sew a running stitch along the edges of a circle, gathering the fabric as you go. I added an extra stitch every few pleats, so I wouldn’t have as much to cinch at the end.

About 2/3rds of the way around the circle, add a handful of dried beans to give the pumpkin some weight. 

Next, add batting in small pieces  until the pumpkin reaches desired fullness.

Sew up the hole by making crisscross stitches from one side to the other.

Use a hot glue gun to attach stems over the stitches. Press stem down and hold for 30 seconds.

Marinated Tomatoes are a Savory Summertime Side

So versatile, marinated tomatoes can be enjoyed on their own, spooned over cheesy flatbread and grilled chicken, or mixed into warm pasta. Any type of small tomatoes will do, but I prefer heirloom for their flavor and array of colors. Mix up a batch and store them in a 20-ounce canning jar in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Marinated Tomatoes

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

¼ cup olive oil

3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1-2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 tablespoons fresh basil, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a medium bowl, add tomatoes. 

In a separate bowl, add remaining ingredients and whisk to combine. 

Pour dressing over tomatoes. 

Let sit for a couple of hours to allow the flavors to meld.

Cheesy Flatbread

Makes 2 flatbreads

One 8.8-ounce package of Naan flatbread

Olive oil

1 cup shredded Italian cheese mix

2 ounces mini fresh mozzarella balls, halved

2 tablespoons fresh basil, thinly sliced

Parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 400 F. Place Naan flatbreads on a baking sheet.

Brush with olive oil. Sprinkle half of the shredded cheese over each bread. Top each with 1 ounce of mozzarella balls.

Scatter fresh basil over each bread.

Bake for 12-14 minutes or until bread becomes crispy around the edges and cheese begins to brown.

Spoon marinated tomatoes over breads. Top with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

A Visit to the Pioneer Woman Mercantile

The threat of heavy rain and damaging wind across the plains states couldn’t dampen our spirits and plan to visit The Pioneer Woman Mercantile, located in the small town of Pawhuska, Okla., about an hour northwest of Tulsa. The Food Network star, Ree Drummond, and her husband, Ladd, renovated the 100-year-old building and opened “The Merc,” a general store with a deli and bakery on the town’s Main Street.

Ree Drummond's cookbooks are available at "The Merc."

The destination was just an extra 60 miles added to our already 1,500-mile road trip toward Santa Fe, N.M. So why not? How often do my husband and I get an opportunity to hang out in Oklahoma?

Luckily for us, The Merc wasn’t too far from our overnight stop in Joplin, Mo., and we were able to arrive on Friday morning just shortly after 9:30. They doors open at 7 a.m. daily, except Sundays. There was no line to get in yet, and we managed to get a parking spot right in front of the store.

Bakeware and cookware are on display at the general store. 

Inside the beautifully renovated General Store we found tables and tables full of kitchenware, home décor items, books, toys, and whimsical souvenirs. A boutique area included clothing, jewelry and accessories. There was even an assortment of flowy, peasant-style blouses just like the ones Ree wears on her show.

After about 30 minutes of perusing and purchasing in the store, folks were starting to pile in and tables in the deli were quickly filling. We decided to forgo a full breakfast and headed up the large wooden staircase toward the bakery. Lining the stairs were giant, black and white photos of the Drummond kids, the ranch and their animals photographed by Ree.

The Pioneer Woman Mercantile in Pawhuska, Okla. is filled with kitchenware, home decor, clothing and accessories. The building also houses a restaurant and 2nd floor bakery.

Upstairs housed the bakery and a large open area with leather couches and bistro tables, a good spot to kick up your boots and sip a cup of coffee and enjoy a pastry. We opted to share a warm, ham and cheese croissant and selected a strawberry cream cheese pastry for the road.

The bakery is a great place to relax with a book, cup of coffee and a danish. 

Hoping to catch a glimpse of Ree and Ladd, who are known to pop in now and then, we took one last look around The Merc before heading out. No Ree or Ladd in sight, but we did see Ladd’s father, Charles who was just hanging out and chatting with customers.

For those with a bit more time, tours of The Lodge on Drummond Ranch, where Ree produces her cooking show, are offered. Tickets are free but only available at The Merc on tour days.

 "The Merc" gave us a great opportunity to stretch our legs and take a break from driving. 

Although our visit to The Merc and less than desirable spring weather delayed our arrival in Santa Fe for a few hours, it was worth the stop and a welcome respite from the pounding rain we would endure the rest of the day. Now, which way to the Silos?