My mom and her best friend Debbie traveled north this past weekend for their annual Fall trip to visit Greensboro and the Vietri Warehouse sale. It is a pretty sweet deal – they come up to cook, drink wine and work in my yard for the weekend while I drink wine and watch them do it. They claim how nice it is to have three good cooks in the kitchen when I barely lift a finger (it’s a lot of elbow lifting…wine glass to mouth and back).

Friday night my mom whipped up a delicious Pastitso. Aromas of lamb, cinnamon and nutmeg overwhelmed the house. While it was deliciously beautiful – it was not very photogenic (no photo). I ate it for lunches and dinners days after. It was the perfect hearty meal to get through a colder than season weekend and work week.

Saturday night Debbie took advantage of Fall’s finest (it is still summer in Florida where they live). She made red wine and fresh oregano marinated lamb shoulder grilled on kabobs with red onion and grape tomatoes, Ina’s Roasted Butternut Squash Salad and baked apples with brown sugar, nuts and dried fruit. What is more Fall than that?