Another great way to welcome fall is to prepare warm meals which incorporate seasonal ingredients. Following is a list of many fruits and vegetables that are in season during fall. The recipes which follow include many of these foods.
Fall Produce
Acorn squash
Apples
Belgian endive
Butternut squash
Cauliflower
Celeriac
Figs
Garlic
Ginger
Mushrooms
Parsnips
Pears
Pomegranates
Pumpkin
Quince
Sweet potatoes Swiss chard
Fall Spice Pancakes
2 cups pancake mix
1/2 Tbsp. ground ginger
1/2 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 Tbsp. ground cloves small dash of salt
2 eggs
1 and 1/2 cups milk
Topping:
2 ripe pears, peeled, cored and sliced
100% grade A maple syrup
In one bowl, combine the pancake mix, spices and salt. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, and milk. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk just to combine. Next, warm the pear slices with the maple syrup in a small sauce pan over medium-low heat. Coat a skillet with butter over medium heat. Spoon batter onto the skillet. Flip the pancake when bubbles rise and the edges are dry. Serve pancakes with warm sliced pears and maple syrup.
Baked Apples
2 small apples per person, or 1 large apple Chopped walnuts or pecans
Brown sugar
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
Butter
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. Butter the bottom of a shallow baking pan. Next, skin and core the apples and place in the pan. Drizzle some melted butter over the apples, and coat the chopped nuts with the rest. Add brown sugar, cinnamon ant nutmeg to the nuts and spoon the mixture into the apples. Sprinkle a little more brown sugar on the apples and then place the baking sheet on the center rack of the oven. Bake for about 10 minutes or until the apples are tender.
Poached Quince with Cottage Cheese
4 small yellow quinces (they're yellow when ripe
1 and 1/2 cups sugar
4 cups water
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Cottage cheese
Boil the water, sugar, cinnamon and vanilla in a medium saucepan. While waiting for the liquid to boil, peel the quinces with a vegetable peeler, cut them in quarters, carefully cut out the cores, and then slice them. Once the syrup is boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and add the quince slices. Cover the saucepan and simmer for an hour, or until the quince slices are tender and turn a pink color. Remove the saucepan to cool and then top a bowl of cottage cheese with poached quince slices.
Pomegranate Jelly for Toast
3 pomegranates
1 lemon
1 package powdered pectin
2 and 1/2 cups white sugar
3-4 canning jars with lids
Cut the pomegranates in half and then submerge them in a large bowl of water. The seeds will sink and the rind will float. Discard the rind, then collect the seeds and put them into a food processor. Pulse the processor a few times, then strain the juice into a bowl and discard the seed pieces. If there is not exactly 4 cups of juice, add freshly squeezed lemon juice to get 4 cups.
In a large kettle pot, boil the canning jars and lids for five minutes. Remove the jars and place them on a clean paper towel. Return the water in the pot to a boil. In a saucepan, boil the pomegranate juice, lemon juice, and powdered pectin. Once a hard boil has been achieved, add the sugar and continue to boil for 2 minutes exactly. Take the pan off the burner and skim off the foam.
Carefully funnel the jelly into the jars, up to about 1/4 of an inch from the rims. Wipe the rims and then screw on the lids. Place the jars carefully in the large kettle pot of boiling water. The water level must be more than an inch above the jars. Keep the water boiling over the jars for about 5 minutes, then remove them carefully to cool. If the jelly canned successfully, you will hear a popping noise as the jars cool.
Cauliflower Soup
2 Tbsp. butter
1 head cauliflower, without leaves
1 russet potato, peeled and chopped
4 cups chicken stock
1 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cayenne or more to taste
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups milk or cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Chop the cauliflower into pieces, then add them to a large pot with everything but the milk or cream. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Add the milk or cream, and cover the pot to cook for about 30-40 minutes, or until the cauliflower and potato pieces are tender. Puree the soup in a blender or food processor, and then return to the pot to reheat.
Parsnip Soup
3 Tbsp. butter
1 and 1/2 pounds parsnips, chopped
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground turmeric
1 tsp. ground mustard seeds
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp. chili powder
5 cups chicken stock
2/3 cup cream
1 Tbsp. olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Fry the parsnips in a little oil and melted butter in a large pot for about 3 minutes. Stir in the spices and garlic and cook for another minute. Add the stock and then bring the mixture to a boil. Next, turn down the heat, cover the pot and simmer the soup for about 40 minutes, or until the parsnips are tender. Puree the soup in a blender or food processor and then return it to the pot. Add the cream slowly and stir until the soup is hot and ready to be served.
Pumpkin Soup
3 cups fresh, thinly sliced pumpkin meat
3 Tbsp. oil
3 Tbsp. non salted butter
4 cups vegetable stock
3/4 cup cream
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. ground pepper
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
In a large pot over medium, heat the oil and butter. Add the pumpkin and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the stock, cream, nutmeg, pepper, and salt, then bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 40 minutes. Puree the soup in a blender or food processor and then return to the pot. Ladle the soup into bowls and then garnish with chopped parsley.
Venison Stew
Two pounds venison, cut into small pieces 3 carrots, sliced
3 ribs of celery, sliced
1 can of chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 Tbsp. dried oregano
1 Tbsp. dried thyme
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup red wine 4 cups beef stock salt and pepper
In a small bowl, combine the flour and dried herbs. Coat the venison pieces in flour. In a large pot, heat the oil over medium. Once the oil is hot, add the floured venison pieces and cook until browned. Add the celery and carrots to the pot and stir for about three minutes. Next, add the wine and scrape off the bits on the bottom of the pot. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring the stew to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover the pot and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour, or until the venison is tender.
Roast Beef
Medium chuck roast
1/4 cup of all purpose flour
1 and 1/2 cups of sliced mushrooms 1 cup of chopped carrots
2 sliced celery ribs
2 Tbsp. of fresh sage, chopped 2 Tbsp. of fresh rosemary, chopped 1 Tbsp. of celery seed
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup of red wine
2 cups of beef stock
3 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp. all purpose flour
Coat the roast in flour and then brown it in a pan over medium heat. Transfer the roast to a crock pot. Deglaze the pan with the wine, making sure to scrape up all the bits, and then pour it into the crock pot. Add the veggies, fresh herbs, celery seed, garlic, and beef stock. Cook on low for about 6 to 8 hours, or until the roast is done. Once the roast is done, transfer it and the veggies to a dish and cover it with foil. In a saucepan, melt the butter and then whisk in the four, stirring for about two minutes. Add the liquid in the crock pot to the saucepan and bring the gravy to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and allow the gravy to thicken.
Broiled Salmon with Mustard Dill Sauce
1 salmon fillet
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil salt and pepper
Sauce:
1 cup sour cream
1/8 cup lemon juice
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. Place a broiling rack in a pan and lightly drizzle it with olive oil. Place the fillet on the rack with the skin side down. Drizzle the remaining olive oil on the salmon and then season it with salt and pepper. Broil the salmon for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until the meat is light pink and flakey, and the fat turns white. In a saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the sauce ingredients and stir until warmed through.
Sweet and Spicy Acorn Squash
2 small acorn squash, cut in half with seeds removed
1/4 stick butter
1 Tbsp. fresh sage, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. honey
Salt and pepper
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit. On a baking dish, place the squash halves with the skin-side down. Next, melt the butter and mix it with the sage, mustard and honey. Drizzle the mixture over the squash halves, sprinkle them with salt and pepper and bake for about and hour and 20 minutes, or until the squash is tender.
Baked Sweet Potatoes
2-3 boiled sweet potatoes
3 Tbsp. melted butter
2 Tbsp. brown sugar Salt and pepper
After boiling the sweet potatoes until they are tender, let them cool while preheating the oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. Peel the sweet potatoes, and place them on a baking sheet. Melt the butter and mix it with the brown sugar. Sprinkle the potatoes with salt and pepper, drizzle the butter and sugar over them and then cook the potatoes for 15-20 minutes or until heated.
Roasted Root Vegetables
1 potato, chopped
1 yam, chopped
1 beet, chopped
1 turnip, chopped
1 rutabaga, shopped
2 small onions, quartered Extra virgin olive oil
Dried thyme and rosemary
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and move the rack to the bottom third of the oven. Grease a roasting pan. Lay out the vegetables on the pan and mix them around. Drizzle them with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle them with dried herbs. Roast the veggies for 30 minutes or until they're tender when pierced with a fork.
Mushrooms with Beans
2 Tbsp olive oil
4 Tbsp butter
2 shallots, chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2 cups sliced mushrooms such as chanterelle, oyster, and crimini
6 Tbsp marsala wine
1 and a half cups mixed canned beans (red kidney and pinto), rinsed and drained
3 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Salt and black pepper
Freshly cooked fusilli pasta
Heat the oil and butter in a frying pan, then add the shallots and fry for about two minutes. Add the mushrooms and fry for two more minutes. Add the garlic and stir the mixture for a minute or until the garlic is golden but not burned. Next, add the wine and spices. Stir in the beans and cook the mixture until it is heated. Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until it melts. Serve the mixture over pasta and sprinkle each plate with parsley.
Chocolate Dipped Figs
10 large dried figs
2 cups water
1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
10 mini marshmallows or 10 pecans
Cut a small hole in the side of each fig to push in a mini marshmallow or pecan. On the stove, heat a small sauce pot filled with 2 cups of water over medium heat. Place a glass bowl on top of the sauce pot, and add the white chocolate chips into the bowl. Stir the chips until they melt, then completely dip each fig in white chocolate. Place the figs on wax paper to cool. Wash the bowl and then repeat the process with semi-sweet chocolate, but only dip the figs half-way.
Baked Pears with Ice cream
1/2 stick of butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup 100% grade A maple syrup
6 small pears, peeled, cored, and halved
1/2 cup chopped nuts
Vanilla ice cream
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit. Butter a baking dish. In a microwave safe bowl, melt the butter. Then mix in the maple syrup and sugar and pour the mixture to the baking dish. Lay the pears flat side down, and bake them for about a half an hour. While the pears are baking, toast the chopped nuts in a pan over medium heat, stirring until they are fragrant and golden brown. Set them aside. Flip the pears and baste them, then return them to the oven for about 10-15 more minutes or until they are golden. Remove the dish from the oven and transfer the pears to bowls and top each serving with vanilla ice cream and nuts.
Vanilla Applesauce
1 pound sweet apples (about 2)
1 pound tart apples (about 2)
1 vanilla bean split lengthwise
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Peel, core and quarter the apples. Combine the apples with 1 cup water, the vanilla bean and lemon juice in a saucepan and boil the applesauce. Reduce the heat to medium, cover and cook for about 15 minutes. Stir in the brown sugar if desired. Let the applesauce cool, remove the vanilla bean and whisk the sauce to a desired consistency. Stir in the vanilla extract if desired.
Apple Chips
2 large tart apples such as Granny Smith
4 Tbsp. sugar
Preheat the oven to 225 degrees fahrenheit. Place one oven rack at the top of the oven and the other in the lowest position. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and sprinkle 1 Tbsp. of sugar on each. Core the apples and then slice them so that the slices are very thin. Arrange the slices on the baking sheets and sprinkle them with the remaining sugar. Bake the slices in the oven for an hour, and then switch positions of the baking sheets before baking them for another hour. The chips are done when they are golden and dry. Cool them on a rack before serving.
Toasted Nuts
2-3 cups mixed nuts (unsalted)
2 Tbsp. maple syrup
1/4 tsp. cayenne
1/2 tsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt or more to taste
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit. Mix the nuts and other ingredients in a bowl, and then lay the nuts on a cookie sheet. Bake them for 15 minutes, making sure to stir the nuts every 5 minutes, or until the nuts are golden.
Cheddar and Parmesan Popcorn
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 cups popping corn kernels
1/4 cup cheddar cheese powder
1/4 cup parmesan cheese powder
1/2 tsp. mustard powder
Salt and pepper
Heat the oil in a large pot (one that has a lid) over medium heat and drop in a couple corn kernels. When the kernels pop, add the rest and cover the pot with a lid. When the kernels begin popping, shake the pot to keep them from burning until the popping begins to slow down or the lid starts to pop off! Pour the popcorn into a large paper bag with the other ingredients and shake the bag. Serve the popcorn in a large bowl.
Pumpkin Dip for Fruit
1 8-oz package cream cheese, room temperature
2 cups confectioner's sugar
1 15-oz can solid pack pumpkin
3 tsp. home-made pumpkin spice
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. ginger
Apple, pear and banana slices
Turkey with Oranges and Herbs 1 turkey, neck and giblets reserved Orange slices
Lemon slices
1 cup dry white wine
Fresh herbs: thyme, rosemary, sage, Oregano 3 cups chicken stock
3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit, and place the rack in the low position. Rinse the turkey and place it in a large roasting pan. Tie the legs, and stuff it with the orange slices, lemon slices, and fresh herbs. Drizzle the turkey with about 3 Tbsp. of olive oil, and sprinkle it with salt and pepper. Add 3 cups of chicken broth to the pan and cover the turkey with foil. Bake for about an hour, then reduce the temperature to 350. Remove the foil, add 1 cup of white wine to the pan and baste the turkey. Continue to cook the turkey until an inserted meat thermometer reads 165 to 175 degrees (should take about an hour and a half, to two hours). When done, transfer the turkey to a platter and cover with foil. Save the pan drippings for gravy.
Gravy
Strained pan juices from baking the turkey About 1-2 cups chicken broth
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1/4 cup all purpose flower
In a medium saucepan, slowly melt the butter, then whisk in the flour and stir for about 1 minute. Add the pan drippings and 1 cup of chicken broth. Bring the gravy to a boil and stir for a couple of minutes, then reduce the heat and simmer until it reaches the right consistency. If it becomes too thick, add more chicken stock.
Stuffing
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1/2 loaf of bread
1 small granny smith apple (peeled, chopped)
1 small golden delicious apple (peeled, chopped)
2 ribs of celery, sliced
1/4 cup flat parsley leaves
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh sage
1/2 tsp. fennel seeds
3 cups chicken broth
1 egg
handful of chopped walnuts
2 apple pork sausage links
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees fahrenheit. Rip the bread into bite size chunks and arrange them on a baking sheet. Bake them for about 10-15 minutes or until the pieces are golden and crispy. Set them aside to cool. In a skillet over medium, toast the chopped walnuts and then set them aside. Cook the pork sausage links and chop them into small pieces, then add the butter, chopped apples, dried cranberries, sliced celery and fennel seeds, and fry for about 4 minutes or until the apples and celery are tender. Next, add the stock and parsley and bring the mixture to a boil, then remove from the skillet from the heat. In a bowl, beat the egg, then add the bread chunks and mix them together. Add the apple and sausage mixture to the egg and bread mixture in a casserole dish, and bake for about 40 minutes or until the stuffing is golden and crispy on top.
Garlic Mashed Potatoes 1 large head of garlic
About 6 large russet potatoes 1/2 stick butter
1/4 cup of cream
Salt and pepper
Chop the garlic head in half and set the two halves on a baking sheet with the cut sides up. Drizzle the halves with a bit of olive oil and then set them under the broiler with the oven door open. Stand by to make sure the garlic does not burn. Remove the garlic from the oven when the halves are golden and the cloves are tender. Remove the skins after they have cooled.
Wash the potatoes with a vegetable scrub, peel them and then slice them. Add the slices to boiling water and boil them for about 15 minutes, or until the potato slices are really tender. Drain the potatoes, and return them to the pot over medium low heat. Add the butter, cream and garlic cloves. Mash them all together with a potato masher and then serve the mashed potatoes when the mixture is heated through.
Sweet Potatoes
4 cups peeled, thick slices of sweet potatoes 1/4 cup 100% Grade A maple syrup 1/2 stick butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
Large marshmallows
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit. Butter a medium casserole dish and arrange the sweet potato slices in the dish. Melt the butter in a small sauce pan over low heat. Mix in the maple syrup and brown sugar, and then pour the syrup over the sweet potato slices. Bake them for 30-40 minutes or until the sweet potato slices are tender. Then, arrange marshmallows on top and bake for 5 more minutes, or until the marshmallows are golden.
Cranberry Sauce
4 cups fresh cranberries
1 cup orange juice
1 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger dash of cinnamon
Pumpkin Pie
1 can (16-oz) pumpkin
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cloves
1 unbaked pie crust
Place pumpkin, brown sugar, eggs, cinnamon, ginger, salt and cloves in a mixer bowl. Attach the bowl and flat beater to the mixer. Turn to speed 2 and mix for about 30 seconds. Stop and scrape the bowl. Continue mixing on speed 2, then slowly add the milk and mix for about 1 and 1/2 minutes. Fill the crust with the pumpkin mixture. Bake the pie at 400 degrees for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.
Pecan Pie
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 and 1/4 cups broken Texas native pecans
1 unbaked pie crust
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit. Spread the pecans in an unbaked 9-inch pie shell. Mix the remaining ingredients and pour the mixture over the pecans. Bake the pie for 40-50 minutes or until the filling is set.
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