Fall is in the air (and my stomach)

Booom!  I had a ravenous day yesterday and I was baffled-then I realized that 1. I was working hard yesterday so that I would naturally be more hungry  2. I need a fill (but that doesn't really explain the sudden part, and work today usually makes me hungry the next day)....and then it hit me.

It's finally gotten cool enough that I will want to switch over to fall foods (and pull out my natural light for some light therapy).  I quieted the beast in my belly with a chicken breast, but I'm off today to find some red meat.....I rarely eat it in the hottest part of the summer, and then I crave it in the fall.

Is anyone else seasonal like that?  I eat pumpkin year round, but this time of the year I go nuts for it and butternut squash and cauliflower.  I think I probably used to crave heavier breads too, but can't do that any more and don't crave it. 

When the weather cools so does my desire for light food. I would love to have a pot of homemade Irish stew bubbling on the stove with a pan of cornbread baking.....

I'm going to see if I can locate (or just go buy) my small crockpot.  I bought a bigger one when I started cooking for family again, but that is a once in awhile thing-and a crockpot full of food is overwhelming for me alone.  I'm going to chop up some roasts, etc. and try the min pot route and see what happens.  For me, half the pleasure is the smell of it cooking all day.  

(I'm better about leftovers than I used to be, but I just threw out a bunch of stuff I had frozen from my last big pot adventure)  Fortunately, I showed up at Mom's just in time for some roast and cabbage and carrots....LOL, so I'm good for today. 

Hi, Debra.
I mean this lovingly--you're the strangest person I know. lol  I love how you put things. I'd never thought about whether or not I'm a seasonal eater, craving certain foods at certain seasons. I really don't think I do that. I'm pretty much a see it / smell it / eat it sort of gal (which is why I weigh this much!).
Hmm...a mini crock pot. Is there such a thing? Probably. I think I need to go shopping. I haven't been shopping in years, as it's too hard for me to walk very far, even with a cane, and I figured I'd never fit in one of those cart things or, if I did, I'd surely drive over someone.
Seriously, I would. When I was in driver's ed, during high school, we had to first pass a simulated driving test. There was a trailer with seats and little steering wheels and a type of video screen with a video of different driving situations. Somehow, how you "drove" was tracked, and every day, as I was leaving class, the driver's ed teacher (who happened to be the coach) would say, "Well, Mary, you managed to hit 2 people today [or another car, or a mother walking her child, or went over a curb, etc.]."
We had a BIG driver's ed class, and we were to cycle through that dumb simulator, watch at least one gruesome movie of various accidents [shivers], and then go out driving. Now, mind you, my parents were not willing to teach me to drive (which should have been my first clue), so I REALLY needed this class!
The semester was nearly over, and I hadn't had my turn at driving. I was beginning to wonder if the teacher was forgetting me, but I was too shy to speak up. FINALLY, the day came (one of the last days possible), and I was one of 3 students in the driver's ed car.
Well, the coach drove us out onto the interstate (Charleston, SC), pulled off, and turned to me and said, "Mary, I want you to drive us back." I was like, "Are you SURE?" He got kind of peeved at me and said, "Yes, I'm sure!" I figured, well, he's the teacher! I thought he knew I'd NEVER been behind the wheel of a car, and I'd learned so much about driving (from afar), I thought, "Hey, I can do this."
Well, I looked, did all the right things, pull onto the interstate, and gradually increased my speed. Then, it happened. I had to take an exit off the interstate and merge with traffic going over the Ashley River Bridge. I almost hit a car, and, at the same time, I did what I always do when I'm afraid, I yelled "Mama" and covered my face. Not good, when you're driving! The teacher said an expletive, grabbed the wheel, and gave me what for. Then he had me pull off, right there on the bridge, which doesn't give you much room.
He was SO mad, he walked around, told me to get out and get in the backseat. I complied, trying not to cry. The 2 other students had faces the color of ash. No one said a word, until we pulled back into the school parking lot. Then the teacher turned to me and said, "What was that all about?" and I said, "Coach, I've never driven before!"
He was so shocked, and, I kid you not, he retired that year...from teaching driver's ed AND from coaching.
I have NO idea why I just told that story. Oh, well, I take these rabbit trails.
Blessings,
Mary

My parents wouldn't let me practice either-I hit a curb doing 40 during driver's ed.  I didn't take the test till I bought my own car and I somehow passed the test (in my car) and then taught myself to drive like a race car driver....LOL.

Yikes! Now I don't feel so bad. lol

Deb,
Like you the smell is  part of the pleasure. I use to make huge pots of stews and chili just so I could freeze them for later. But now a crock pot full will last me for weeks. Like you I am loking for a one person (((LOL))) crock pot.....

Hey Deb and Pattye,
Here's a 1.5 quart crock pot. Is that small enough? 
http://www.amazon.com/Proctor-Silex-33015-1-5-Quart Cooker/dp/B0002CA3C6/ref=pd_sim_k_3
Blessings,
Mary

That's it-I just have to verify whether I rehomed my little one when I bought the big one, or kept it....I thin****pt it....I hope I did, I really liked it, it had red dots on it or something.

Hi, Debra.
I hope my previous reply didn't offend you. I mean well, but sometimes I don't come across the way I want to. If I did offend, I sincerely apologize and ask for your forgiveness.
Blessings,
Mary