Five Fabulous Fall Recipes

In the early mornings you can detect the slight shift from summer to Fall…finally. I just returned from another week in Connecticut and saw so many fall pumpkins, gourds and chrysanthemums in stores there. If that doesn’t put you in the fall mood, I don’t know what does! Here are five fabulous fall recipes that aren’t pumpkin focused but represent other wonderful ingredients of the autumn season.

Apple Cider Donuts

My husband and I have the quintessential memory of these aromatic, warm, delicious donuts. After driving the curvy back roads in New England, we find an apple orchard on a chilly, windy day in October. Inside the quaint store at Averill Farms, they are serving warm apple cider and these warm donuts. Needless to say we devoured an entire bag and I have learned to make them since.

In my recipe, the donuts are baked not fried (you save a few calories there). And I think this year I may experiment with a maple syrup glaze instead of the cinnamon sugar. Either way, they are delicious and easy to make. To see how to make these scrumptious donuts, click here. If you need donut pans for baking, here is a good resource.

Also the most time consuming part of this recipe is boiling down the apple cider to reduction. I always make extra and freeze it so I can whip up these donuts on a moment’s notice. They are addicting!

Turkey Chili with White Beans

This is my go-to recipe for chili. Made with ground turkey and white beans, it is chock-a-block full of good protein and flavor. Adding unsweetened cocoa powder is the key to this wonderful recipe.

Topped with sour cream, freshly chopped cilantro and red onions make this a hearty meal for the cooler weather. See all the instructions here.

Cute pumpkin ceramic bowls are from Williams Sonoma.

Roasted Squash and Kale Salad with Spiced Nuts, Cranberries and Maple Vinaigrette

This salad combines sweet roasted butternut squash with roasted kale in a vinaigrette flavored with maple syrup and sherry vinegar, along with some spiced pecans for crunch and dried cranberries for a nice chewy texture. It’s a delightful salad when it’s made fresh, but the flavors and textures actually get even better as it sits in the fridge overnight.

Next time I make this salad, I may add a protein for a full meal. It is the essence of fall flavors and so appropriate if you are having a dinner party. Make it ahead of time and just toss it before your guests arrive. Again, you cannot go wrong with recipes from Serious Eats. Find it here.

Clementine Thyme Margaritas

We can always use more Vitamin C, right?!? Though the original inspired recipe calls for freshly squeezed tangerine juice, tangerines are difficult to find this time of year. Instead, you can readily purchase clementines (or Cuties in the grocery store) instead of tangerines.

If you haven’t made simple syrup, it is very easy to do and you can flavor it with a variety of fresh herb~basil, mint, lemon balm, rosemary, thyme and lavender. In this recipe, the herbal flavor of thyme is a lovely addition to this cocktail. See the recipe below.

Pear and Caramel Pie

In the fall, everyone thinks of apples. But pears are equally abundant. This pie is a welcomed change from your expected apple~using pears and caramel.

The only times I have made this, I did use the Kieffer pears from our tree in the mountains. However, any ripe, firm pear will do. If you haven’t made your own caramel sauce, it is very easy. And once you taste this you will never purchase caramel sauce in a jar again.

This pie keeps well and is excellent for breakfast or dessert the next day. As a short cut, you can use a pre-made pie crust too (my favorite being Trader Joe’s frozen pie crusts). See recipe here.

Do you have any favorite fall recipes? Please send them to me as I am always looking for new things to try (my email is marycrz@cox.net). I am so excited to start cooking again as it is hard to turn on the oven or stove during our hot summers.

Being back home is such a joy and hope to be posting on a regular basis again. Happy Tuesday!

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