NBR: What are your favorite easy fall dinners?

jodynjames2005

I am stuck in a food rut, and I'm craving yummy fall comfort foods!

roseroseroseroserose

anything in the crockpot.  Soups and stews.

The EASIEST crockpot recipe is pork chops and cream of mushroom soup. That's all. It makes the meat soo tender. 

LoriFalce

Let's see...

Tonight I made gumbo in the crockpot, with cheesy cornbread. Tomorrow night is roasted chicken stuffed with Italian sausage and rice. Monday is meatloaf and acorn squash. I love to do acorn squash in the steamer with cinnamon and brown sugar, and it's SO fall. Tuesday is bean cassoulet with smoked sausage. Wednesday is split pea soup with ham hocks and homemade bread.

I agree...crockpot all the way. I love the crockpot. The only thing I'm not making in it this week is the chicken, and it's going in my roaster, so basically the same thing.

I think fall is defined by hot, filling food, like soups, stews, and casseroles. I love to do scalloped potatoes with ring bologna and corn, or chicken 'n rice, or tater tot hot dish, things my grandma used to make and my mom used to do in this great old dish that I will remember until the day I die. And they are great because you mix them up, then throw them in the oven and forget about them for a couple hours, and the oven makes your kitchen all warm and toasty and homey.

I think there are definite fall ingredients, too. Anything pork. Squashes of all kinds. Apples and pears.

Mama Jan

Ditto - stew in a crockpot.  Mmmm... maybe I'll make that this week.

franciscaz

Butternut Squash Soup

food_chick

Chili and cornbread.  And a new recipe I recently found and made - zucchini stuffed with ground turkey, onions, spices, etc.  It's delicious!

LoriFalce

Oh, Chipotle Squash Boats. They won the $50,000 at the National Beef Cookoff last year. Damn it.

• 1 1/2 pounds beef for stew
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons ground chipotle chile pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 medium butternut squash, about 3 pounds
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 medium tomato, chopped
• 1 small ripe avocado, cut into cubes, optional
• 1/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro leaves

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Place the beef, water, tomato paste, sugar, vinegar, chipotle pepper, cumin, salt and black pepper in stockpot. Cover and bake in 325 degrees F oven 1 3/4 to 2 1/4 hours or until beef is fork-tender.

Meanwhile, cut squash lengthwise into quarters and remove seeds. Place squash cut side down in a 13 by 9-inch glass baking dish, overlapping if necessary. Add water. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 to 1 1/4 hours or until fork-tender.

Place each baked squash quarter onto serving plate. Fill with equal amounts of beef mixture. Top with tomato and avocado, if desired. Sprinkle with cilantro.

Cook's Tip: 1 tablespoon minced, seeded chipotle pepper in adobo sauce may be substituted for ground chipotle chile pepper.

 

Cook's Tip: The chipotle beef mixture may also be cooked on the stovetop. Bring beef mixture to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 1 3/4 to 2 1/4 hours or until beef is fork-tender.