Four Fall Foods You HAVE to Try!

By Sammy K

Fall is one of the best seasons of year. The clothes are cuter, the weather isn’t scorching hell fire, and the leaves are gorgeous. What about food? When you think of fall, what do you think of? Apples, pumpkins, pecans? The thought alone makes holiday enthusiasts (such as myself) unbearably excited. Here are a few yummy recipes to whip up on a chilly weekend.

*Caramel Apple Dip with apple slices-This is a delicious, simple, and savory treat to bring to a get together or snack on while watching tv.
To make dip: You’ll need 1 (8 oz.) package of cream cheese, ¾ c. brown sugar, 1 tsp. vanilla, and ¼ c. white sugar.
Let cream cheese soften by letting it stand or using a mixer to whip it up. Once the cream cheese has softened, mix all ingredients together at once.

*Pumpkin Cupcakes with cream cheese frosting-These can double as muffins, but the cream cheese really adds the life.
To make: You’ll need 1 ¾ c. all-purpose flour, 1 tsp. baking soda, 1 tsp. baking powder, ½ tsp. salt, 1 ½ tsps. ground cinnamon, ¼ tsp. nutmeg, ¼ tsp. ground cloves, ½ c. dark brown sugar, 2 large eggs, 1 c. pumpkin puree (NOT PIE MIX), ½ c. vegetable oil, 1/3 c. milk, 1 tsp. vanilla extract.
**If you don’t want to use the nutmeg or cloves, go ahead and use ½ tsp. pumpkin pie filling!

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin pan with liners.
2. In large bowl, toss flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves together until combined. Set aside. Again, if you don’t want to use spices, use the pumpkin pie filling.
3. In medium bowl, whisk the brown sugar and eggs together until combined. Add the pumpkin puree, oil, milk, and vanilla until combined.
4. Pour the wet ingredient mixture into the dry ingredient mixture and stir until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
5. Spoon batter evenly into lined muffin tray cups. Fill unused cups with 1/3 c. water to avoid warping.
6. Bake for 17-18 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting.

To make frosting: You’ll need 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened; ½ c. unsalted butter, softened; 2-2 ½ c. confectioners’ sugar (aka powdered sugar), 2 tbsp. heavy cream, 2 tsp. Vanilla extract, 1/8 tsp. salt, or as needed.

1. Beat cream cheese and butter together on medium speed until soft and creamy (2-3 minutes).
2. Add 2 cups confectioners’ sugar to mix and beat until thick and combined.
3. Add 2 tbsp. heavy cream and 2 tsp. vanilla extract, beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
4. Add more confectioners’ sugar to add thickness, or leave as is.
5. Add 1/8 tsp. salt, or however much you want, to add taste. The 1/8 tsp. helps to cut back on super sweetness.

*Pumpkin French Toast-For a cold, snowy morning. Thick, delicious pieces of French toast really help soothe the soul.
To make: you’ll need: ¾ c. milk, ½ c. pumpkin puree, 4 eggs, 2 tbsp. packed light brown sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, ¼ tsp ground nutmeg, ¼ tsp ground ginger, 9 slices Texas toast, butter.

1. Preheat electric skillet to 350 degrees F, or non-stick skillet over medium heat.
2. In mixing bowl, combine all your ingredients to make the pumpkin mixture.
3. Put a pat of butter on your skillet, allowing it to melt.
4. Dip bread into your egg mixture and allow the bread to really absorb it.
5. Place on griddle, cook until golden brown, flip and cook the other side. (It helps if you add a bit more butter before flipping)
6. Serve with maple syrup and enjoy!

*Butternut Squash Apple Soup
To make: you’ll need: 1 medium yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup), 1 celery rib, chopped (about ¾ cup), 1 carrot, chopped (about ¾ cup), 2 tbsp butter, 1 butternut squashed, peeled and chopped, removing seeds; 1 green apple peeled, cored, chopped; 3 c. chicken stock or broth (or vegetable if you’d like), 1 c. water, a pinch of nutmeg, cinnamon, cayenne, salt and pepper.

1. Heat large, thick bottomed pot on medium-high heat. Add butter, let it bubble up and recede. Add onion, carrot, and celery and sautee for 5 minutes. Lower the heat on your stove if the veggies begin to brown.
2. Add squash, apple, broth, and water. Bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and simmer for about a half hour (until squash and carrots are soft).
4. Use your blender to puree the soup to get a good, smooth mixture.
5. Add spices.
6. Garnish with parsley or chives.
7. Enjoy!

These are some tasty, hearty recipes that are sure to please almost anyone’s palate. Give them a try and let me know what you think!

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