I hate to start every IMK post with something like “I can’t believe it’s October,” but I really can’t believe it’s October. Since I work for a college access/awareness program, September is busy with College App Week and prepping families to get ready for October 1 and the FAFSA opening. Plus, I have eleven new teachers I’m working with this year. Let’s just say I’m very busy at work and getting my steps in daily. There’s been lots of thrown together stir-fries and rice bowls in our diets lately.
I have very few new things in my kitchen for this post so let’s just get to it.
Okra Pizza
This pizza is our latest creation (cooked in our Ooni wood fire oven). It’s an okra pizza. No recipe for you today, but just slice your okra and microwave it for 30 seconds, fry up some bacon and top the pizza with a regular marinara sauce, the okra and bacon with a bit of mozzarella. This was delicious. The next time we make this we will add some jalapenos. (The okra is from our garden.)
It is pumpkin time so I was delighted to find pumpkin bagels at Aldi.
Toasting them and topping them with honeyed goat cheese makes a fantastic breakfast.
And that, my friends, is all that’s new.
For my curve ball:
This is near our campsite.
We were lucky enough to take a few days off in September and travel to Colorado to see family. We camped for two nights at State Forest State Park, a gem of a place in northern Colorado. 
It’s very remote and is the moose spotting capitol of the state. We did not see moose but we did find some moose poo on one of our hikes. Totally serene spot. 
We took Newt and he and his “cousin” played nicely together.
Except obviously Newt is not as fond of water as his Lab cousin is.
I wish I had snapped some photos of the camp food we made. We had some delicious potato, pepper, onion and veggie sausage campfire packets as well as some great French Bread Pizza over the fire.
In My Kitchen is hosted by Sherry’s Kitchen. Stop by her site and see what’s going on in kitchens around the globe.
If you’re a reader, please be aware that the Cook the Books crew is diligently vetting and choosing new books for the next round. The announcement for the next four books should be up this month.
I wonder about those bagels. The label says “pumpkin spice” but you said “pumpkin.” Did they have pumpkin too, or just the spice blend? When people talk about it, they often seem to equate the two flavors.
We spent a while looking for moose when we were in Grand Teton park. Also no luck. Good luck for another try!
best… mae at maefood.blogspot.com
Probably more pumpkin than spice but there’s a little of the warming seasonal spices.
thanks for joining in this month. I remember well all the pumpkins and Halloween stuff when we stayed in Philadelphia years ago. I don’t think I could ever camp again. The knees are too stiff, and I’m scared of crazy killers :=)!
I love all things pumpkin! I am so amused by all the pumpkin things in north America actually, it’s not so much of a big thing in Australia 🙂 It’s hard to find canned pumpkin in Australia too, whereas here it is like a staple item. Your camping photos look wonderful, isn’t nature just the best?
Food always seems to taste better when cooked and eaten outside in a beautiful setting. Pumpkin spice bagels with honeyed goat cheese sounds like a great combination. Glad you had a good time in Colorado and were able to take your pup.
It’s a busy, busy, October for you! Hope this month has gone smoothly for you.
Okra pizza interesting. Okra is plentiful here in the late summer in the south. I wish more people enjoyed okra-so under appreciated.
Fantastic camping trip. Wish you saw more moose.
Velva
Loved seeing your photos of Colorado vicariously. Your okra pizza has me intrigued, I don’t cook much with okra. I’ll enjoy following your posts in the future Eliot.Enjoy Halloween, I remember being in Maryland during Halloween many moon’s ago, so much fun.
Honeyed goat cheese on pumpkin bagels…now that sounds like a great way to start the day. Lovely camping in Colorado. Looks like you had great weather while you were there.