Oh heeeeyyyyy Fall!

I LOVE FALL!

GC Pumpkin Carving 2009

The changing leaves, bonfires, football, scarves, boots, sweaters, comfort food- everything!  Unfortunately for me, Fall isn't really a "thing" here in California.  It's been sunny and in the 70s or 80s everyday with some cooler temps at night that are just lacking that crisp fall smell.

A weekend trip to St. Louis for the wedding of two of my favorite teacher pals, Kristen and Chris, was just the ticket to get into the fall spirit.  I stepped of the plane into the heart of fall.  Even the wedding was complete with gorgeous fall touches and a jar of apple butter for a favor:

After my fall teaser, coming back to California was a bit of a let down.  Thankfully I had some new furniture to cheer me up:

Living Room Sectional

Kitchen Table

And I was also able to spend some time at work today for some team meetings on my future research projects!  I'm not officially hired yet, but it's looking like I should be good to go by the end of next week.  I have a desk, this is promising.

Look familiar?  It's where they film Grey's Anatomy!
I do the research part of my job at a VA campus in the Valley.

To keep myself in the fall spirit, I whipped up one of my favorite fall comfort foods (and there are a lot- stay tuned!).  This is super quick and easy, and actually the only original thing I do is the seasoning.  Perfect for a quasi-first day at work and some fall nostalgia.

Butternut Squash Ravioli

• One package of Butternut Squash Ravioli (I like Trader Joe's, told you this was easy)
• Butter
• Cinnamon (I use Paula Dean's cinnamon/sugar blend.  It comes in a grinder- great for seasoning, not for baking!)
• Nutmeg or Allspice (or both, I was out of nutmeg today)
• Chili Powder
• Cheese (not pictured but fresh parm, asiago, romano, a blend, or even goat cheese would all be great)

Cook the ravioli according to instructions and drain.  Place the desired amount of ravioli in the serving bowl. Drop in some butter and season with the spices.  Easy on allspice if you use it- it's potent.  Also watch the chili powder, a little goes a long way, but it totally makes the dish and is NOT hot.  Toss lightly to melt the butter and mix the spices.  Top with cheese if desired (I skipped- no good cheese in the fridge, weird).  Enjoy with a side of your favorite fall veggies!

The ravioli was a perfect fix to tie me over until this weekend when I will be in BOTH Chicago and Colorado for a healthy does of fall, football, and friends!  With a splash of genetics for good measure of course :)