For many of us, fall can’t arrive soon enough. As the evenings get cooler and the casual craziness of summer begins to transition into the slower rhythm of fall, our kitchens switch gears and once again become a gathering place to connect with our families after busy days. It’s where our kids do their homework with an after-school snack; it’s where we reconnect with our spouse when we both get home from work; it’s where we brew our evening tea before (a much earlier) bedtime. It’s also where garden produce begins to accumulate on the counters and we find ourselves craving cozy, comforting dishes that spotlight the best of seasonal veggies.
Whether you’re looking to use up the last of your garden’s bounty or simply ready to embrace the warmth and rich flavors of autumn cooking (cinnamon, nutmeg, butternut squash, apples, pumpkin spice), these Reader Favorites are some of the most popular on the blog right now. Scroll through for some early fall meal inspiration!
Maple-Cinnamon Sweet Potatoes with Eggs
These roasted sweet potatoes would make a great accompaniment to a grilled steak or roasted chicken, but I especially like to serve them alongside eggs for breakfast. They are sweet, salty, peppery and savory – the perfect alternative to breakfast sausage or hashbrowns.
Stuffed Acorn Squash with Apples and Sausage
Acorn squash are natural vessels for stuffing, and this, in my opinion is the only way to cook them (mostly because you don’t need to peel them before hand). I stuff them with apples and aromatic Italian sausage, then bake them until the flesh is buttery and so tender that you can scoop it out of the shell with a spoon. Hearty and comforting – it’s the perfect starter or main course on cool autumn evenings.
Swiss Chard and Potato Galette
A galette is a free-form pie. The dough is rolled out into a rough circle and the filling is simply place in the middle, then the edges of the dough are folded up around the filling and it’s baked on a flat sheet pan. It this recipe, I use garden chard with potatoes and caramelized onions for a filling that is rich and hearty.
Butternut Squash Spaghetti
Seasonal butternut squash makes a rich base for a pasta sauce. Simply roast and blend with warming spices such as nutmeg and cayenne. I like to add a little Italian sausage, but this recipe is just as good when kept vegetarian.
Harvest Roasted Chicken
This dish is like a cozy sweater on a cool fall evening. Savory butternut squash, warm cinnamon, comforting roasted chicken. I like to keep it easy and serve it straight out of the baking dish at the table with a simple loaf of country bread or baguette on the side.
Normandy Pork with Apples
This recipe feels so old-fashioned and nostalgic. I served the pork with garlic mashed potatoes. My trick is to add several whole, peeled cloves of garlic to the water while I’m boiling the potatoes. Then I drain them and mash them all together, stir in a few tablespoons of butter, a dollop of crème fraîche and enough milk to bring it all together. Season well with salt and pepper for the best mashed potatoes ever.
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Bourbon Bacon Jam
Butternut squash soup is one of my favourite fall dishes. It’s quintessentially autumn – from the colour, to the flavours, to the aroma of warm spices simmered together in a broth made velvety by the purĂ©e of winter squash – which stands alone as something I look forward to making all year round. It’s kind of like my favourite sweater – I pull it out year after year because it’s soft, warm, and familiar. So comforting cool fall evening!
Old Fashioned Apple Cake
Several years ago I was lucky enough to be given the recipe for an Apple Bundt Cake by a friend of my grandmother’s. The apples in this recipe are macerated in sugar for an hour – a brilliant method of creating all the liquid needed to make the cake batter. The result is a deliciously moist cake with a pure, yet delicate, apple flavour.
Cardamom Orange Cake
Cardamom is such a unique spice. How would you describe it? It’s fresh and slightly sweet, warm, with notes of mint and lemon. And it perfectly compliments citrus in both savory and sweet dishes. The icing on this cake is a simple vanilla bean glaze. It’s a showstopper, and the best way to finish off Sunday dinner.
Apple Cider Punch
This cocktail combines dark rum and apple cider and is warming and casual. It’s equally acceptable to serve to guests or to drink it on a Tuesday evening in your PJs in the rocking chair with your grandmother’s old quilt on your lap and a cozy Halloween movie on the Telly.
Rebecca Sherrow 