Four Recipes to Make this Fall

One of my favorite things about the arrival of fall is the array of foods that come along with the season. I’m all the way here for eating all of the pumpkin and warm spices and root vegetables and stews.

Over the years, I’ve developed a few go-to recipes that I look forward to making every fall, and these four are among my favorites…Easy Apple Tart
Recipe modified from Ree Drummond – looks really impressive and takes little work! A great way to use up those apples you picked at the orchard.

Ingredients

• 1 whole Sheet Puffed Pastry, Thawed And Cut In Half
• 3 Apples, Cored, Halved And Sliced Very Thin
• 3/4 cup Brown Sugar
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• Powdered Sugar, For Serving
• Caramel Sauce, For Serving

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Place puffed pastry rectangles onto a baking pan that’s been sprayed with nonstick spray. Add sugar and salt to apples. Stir to combine. Allow to sit for a few minutes.
3. Arrange apple slices on the pastry rectangles in a straight line, overlapping as you go. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until pastry is puffed and golden brown.
4. Remove from pan immediately and place on a serving platter. Serve plain, with caramel topping, whipped cream, vanilla ice cream and/or a sprinkling of powdered sugar.

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Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Recipe from Chowhound – double your pleasure and serve this with a grilled cheese sandwich! With carmelized onions (oh my!).

Ingredients

• 4 pounds whole butternut squash (about 2 medium), halved lengthwise and seeds removed (I love buying the pre-cut cubes)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/4 stick)
• 1 medium Granny Smith apple (about 8 ounces)
• 1/2 medium yellow onion
• 8 fresh sage leaves
• 2 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup toasted pumpkin seeds, for garnish (optional)

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 425°F and arrange a rack in the middle.
2. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place the squash pieces cut-side up on the baking sheet. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and brush all of it over the tops and insides of the squash halves (alternatively, you can rub it on evenly with your fingers). Season generously with salt and pepper. Roast until knife tender, about 50 minutes to 1 hour.
3. Meanwhile, peel, core, and cut the apple into medium dice. Cut the onion into medium dice. Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the apple, onion, and sage, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 7 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
4. When the squash is ready, set the baking sheet on a wire rack until the squash is cool enough to handle. Using a large spoon, scoop the flesh into the saucepan with the sautéed apples and onions; discard the skins.
5. Add the broth, water, and measured salt and pepper, stir to combine, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer, stirring occasionally and breaking up any large pieces of squash, until the flavors meld, about 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cream.
6. Using a blender, purée the soup in batches until smooth, removing the small cap (the pour lid) from the blender lid and covering the space with a kitchen towel (this allows steam to escape and prevents the blender lid from popping off). Alternatively, use an immersion blender. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Serve garnished with the pumpkin seeds, if using.

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Braised Chicken with Carrots and Parsnips
Recipe from Sur la Table – love serving this when we host another couple over for dinner.

Ingredients

• 2 T vegetable oil
• 8 (3-oz) skinless boneless chicken thighs
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 medium yellow onion, cut into ¼ in dice
• 1 medium garlic clove, peeled, minced
• 2 cups hard apple cider
• 1 cup chicken broth, low-sodium
• ½ lb carrots, peeled, cut into ½ inch pieces
• ½ lb parsnips, peeled, cut into ½ inch pieces
• 2 tsp minced thyme

Directions

1. Place a large Dutch oven on the stove over medium-high heat and the oil. Pat chicken dry with paper towel and season generously with salt and pepper. When oil is hot, add chicken in a single layer, working in batches as necessary, and cook until well browned, turning once (8-10 min per batch). Transfer chicken to a plate.
2. Add the onions to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 min. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Pour in the hard apple cider and stir with a wooden spoon to incorporate any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil and reduce the liquid by half. Return the chicken to the pan and add the broth, carrots, parsnips, and thyme. Cover and simmer stew until the vegetables are tender and the chicken is cooked through (about 15 min). Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
3. To serve: Divide the chicken and vegetables among 4 shallow bowls and serve immediately.

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Pumpkin Ravioli with Sage Brown Butter
Recipe from Rodriguez Rodriguez – a version of this is served at one of my fave spots in Harlem. Make it even easier with pre-made pumpkin ravioli from a specialty store or Trader Joe’s.

Ingredients:

• Salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Scant 1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese plus more for topping
• Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
• Black pepper, to taste
• 24 wonton skins
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 6 large sage leaves, thinly sliced plus a leaf thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup toasted pecans

Directions:

1. Bring a saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add olive oil.
2. In a small bowl, combine canned pumpkin puree, 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, cayenne if using and salt and black pepper to taste.
3. Place 12 wonton skins on a flat non-stick surface. Divide the filling equally, placing approximately 1 tablespoon in the center of each wonton skin.
4. Brush around the outside of the filling with beaten egg. Carefully place another wonton skin over the filling. Gently stretch it to make the edges come together neatly, removing any air pockets from the ravioli. Repeat until 12 ravioli are assembled.
5. Place the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. When the butter has melted and begins to simmer, reduce heat to low and let it continue simmering until it turns a light golden brown. Add the sage leaves and cook 1-2 minutes, being careful the butter does not get overly browned. Remove from heat and set aside. Remove sage with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel.
6. Working in batches, place 4 ravioli at a time in the boiling water. Cook 2 minutes or until they begin to float slightly (they don’t need to come all the way to the top). Remove with a slotted spoon and drain in a colander. Repeat with remaining ravioli.
7. To serve, place ravioli on a plate. Drizzle with browned butter, leaving any browned milk solid bits behind in the saucepan. Top with sage leaves (both cooked and slivers), Parmesan cheese and pecans.

What are your favorite things to make and eat during the fall? Any good recipes to share?

Photo of soup by The Creative Bite. Photo of braised chicken by Erin Kunkel for Leite’s Culinaria. Photo by Cooking Master.