Tag Archives: fall recipes

Fall Treats: Combining Chocolate with Pumpkin

You can’t go wrong when chocolate is in the mix. (At least in my family.) Whether you are adding chocolate chips to pumpkin pancakes or perking up an ordinary pumpkin muffin with swirls of chocolate, nothing beats the seasonal combination of sweet and sweeter. However, if you want to take the combo to an entirely new level consider the following recipe for Chocolate Pumpkin Pie. I tried my first piece last Thanksgiving. A friend of mine made it, though she didn’t create the recipe (she got it from a friend of a friend). If I knew who to thank for … Continue reading →

Seasonal Recipes for Acorn and Butternut Squash

If you are looking for an affordable way to get into the spirit of the fall season consider purchasing some acorn or butternut squash. For the past two weeks my local market has drastically reduced the prices of its squash and by the looks of the containers, which continue to overflow with the orange and yellow produce, not very many people are interested in taking advantage of the deal. If you are not used to cooking with acorn or butternut squash the following recipes might provide the incentive you need to get over your apprehension. The first recipe is as … Continue reading →

Autumn-Inspired Recipes: Pairing Apples with Pork

Sixteen pounds and counting. And I’m not referring to my waist. That’s about how many pounds of fresh apples I have left after picking a bushel of them at our local orchard a couple weeks ago. Needless to say, the task of creating mouthwatering dishes my family will happily devour is becoming more of a chore than a pleasure. But, I digress. If you too are looking for ways to incorporate fresh apples into your daily menu you might consider the following recipes I whipped up a few days ago… when I was still excited about cooking with apples. PORK … Continue reading →

Pumpkinpalooza—-A Meal Made of Pumpkins

Here’s a themed meal that you don’t have to wait until Halloween to make. Fresh pumpkins are prime for the picking right now. And even if you don’t live near a u-pick farm, local discount stores (Wal-Mart, Target) and supermarkets from coast-to-coast are offering great deals on the vibrant and versatile orange fruit. If you are looking for a way to get into the holiday spirit consider adding the following pumpkin recipes to your fall menu. The first recipe for The Ultimate Pumpkin Casserole will be the talk of the table, especially since the dish is cooked and served inside … Continue reading →

Fall Harvest Apple Meatloaf

Did you go apple picking this weekend? We went about a week ago and I’m still only about halfway through the bushel (about 42 pounds) we collected. Needless to say, it’s all apples all the time around here. Preparing apple dishes morning, noon and night has forced me to dig deep into my recipe archives. Last night I came across two meatloaf recipes that call for apples, though I’ve only experimented with one and that was way back in college when I was living with a girl who was majoring in Food Science. In any event, if you are looking … Continue reading →

Autumn Recipes: Z is for Zucchini

We made it. It took nearly a month, but today marks the last entry in our Autumn Recipes A-Z series. Hopefully, you’ve added a few new seasonal recipes to your fall repertoire and in the process you’ve been inspired to experiment with dishes that wouldn’t typically find their place on your dining room table. Today, we’re focusing on another seasonal ingredient: zucchini. The versatile, green vegetable (technically, part of the gourd family) can be added to both savory and sweet dishes. My favorite zucchini recipe comes courtesy of Food Network’s Paula Deen (no surprise). Her Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread is … Continue reading →

Autumn Recipes: W is for Wild Rice

Welcome to October! Let the holiday countdown begin, right? I say that with a twinge of sarcasm because to be quite honest I am still lamenting the fact that our local pool closed a few weeks back. As for preparing for the holidays, well, that’s so way off my radar it’s not even funny. However, I realize that there are some of you who are in full-on holiday mode—-be it Halloween, Thanksgiving or (gasp!) Christmas (I know a gal who completed her Christmas shopping last weekend… we are no longer friends… just kidding) so I thought it would be helpful … Continue reading →

Autumn Recipes: S is for Stew

Stew screams fall to me. While some home cooks shy away from the labor-intensive dish I happen to love the way a piping-hot pot of stew fills the house with incredible aromas on a chilly fall evening. If you are one of those people who love the taste of a hearty helping of stew, but can’t stand the prep work that goes into making it, might I suggest setting aside a single Sunday afternoon to make this incredible recipe. It was created by the folks at Martha Stewart Living, though I tweaked it a bit to conform to the tastes … Continue reading →

Autumn Recipes: P is for Pork

Pork Chops and applesauce. It’s classic comfort food that’s often served up this time of year when the apples are as crisp as the air. As we work our way through this culinary alphabet I am only too happy to turn the spotlight on one of my favorite meats—-pork. If you watch the Food Network then you know that you can’t discuss pig products without celebrity chef Paula Deen’s name coming up. Her recipe for Fried Pork Chops is extremely popular in my home. In fact, if you were to stick a wooden skewer in one of her plump and … Continue reading →

Autumn Recipes: N is for Noodles

I grew up in Hawaii where the only apples we picked were pineapples. I’m kidding. In all seriousness, I never had the pleasure of spending brisk fall days picking apples from actual trees until I moved to Wisconsin for college. If I hadn’t attended college in the Midwest I would have never met my college sweetheart and thus never obtained his mother’s recipe for Apple Noodle Casserole. Had you asked me 20 years ago if I would have ever considered combining apples with noodles I would have probably made a face similar to the one my 4-year-old displays when I … Continue reading →