fall food

An easy to make, a minestrone soup recipe that tastes 1000 times better than the Olive Garden's version! My minestrone soup is loaded with good for you veggies, like spinach and zucchini. It's also protein packed with red kidney beans and great northern beans. You'll be full for hours from this healthy, nutritious soup!

Homemade Minestrone Soup (Slow Cooker)

(14.5 oz) diced tomatoes

tomato paste

sun-dried tomato pesto (homemade or store-bought)

rind

vegetable stock

water

carrots, diced

celery, diced

white onion, diced

oregano

rosemary (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)

bay leaves

salt and pepper

(15 oz) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

(15 oz) great northern beans, drained and rinsed

zucchini, diced

tubular (ditalini) pasta

green beans, thawed

baby spinach, chopped

Parmesan cheese,

Add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato pesto,...

Add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato pesto, parmesan rind, vegetable stock, water, carrots, celery, onions, garlic, oregano, rosemary, and bay leaves to a slow cooker. Season with salt and pepper to taste and cook on low heat 6-8 hours or high 3-4 hours.

Add in red kidney beans, great northern beans,...

Add in red kidney beans, great northern beans, zucchini, and pasta and cook on high heat for an additional 20- 25 minutes until pasta is tender. Stir in the spinach and green beans and cook for an additional 5 minutes until heated through. Serve warm topped with parmesan cheese and garlic toasts.

During Christmastime, Aunt Cammie always busts out tins upon tins of her famous crockpot candies (chocolate clusters stuffed with nuts). They're served at

The Dessert You Never Knew Your Crock-Pot Could Make

(12-ounce) package shelled pecans, toasted (3 1/2 cups)

(12-ounce package shelled walnuts, toasted (3 1/2 cups)

(12-ounce) jar roasted, salted peanuts (3 1/2 cups)

milk chocolate,

(12-ounce) package semisweet chocolate,

(2 ounces) bittersweet chocolate,

Crock-Pot Chocolate Candy With Nuts | POPSUGAR Food

Layer ingredients in slow cooker. Cook on low for 1 hour, or until chocolate melts. Do not open lid. Watch time carefully — do not overcook (or else chocolate will burn and stick). After 1 hour, stir mixture.

Drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper. Let harden completely before transferring to an airtight container.

All the flavors of fall come together in this Autumn Kale and Apple Salad, with candied walnuts and a homemade balsamic vinaigrette.

Autumn Kale and Apple Salad

olive oil (0.55)

Tbsp balsamic vinegar (0.41)

mayonnaise (0.17)

Dijon mustard (0.09)

garlic, minced (0.08)

basil (0.05)

salt (0.01)

pepper

walnuts, chopped (0.60)

butter

Tbsp brown sugar (0.08)

torn kale leaves (about 12 cups) (2.13)

apple (0.52)

Tbsp blue cheese (0.30)

Make the balsamic vinaigrette first, so the flavors have time to blend. Add the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, mayonnaise, Dijon, minced garlic, dried basil, salt, and some freshly cracked pepper to a jar, bowl, or blender. Close the jar and shake, whisk in the bowl, or blend until the dressing is smooth. Set the dressing aside.

Next make the candied walnuts. Add the butter, brown sugar, and a pinch of salt to a small non-stick skillet. Heat over medium while stirring, just until the brown sugar begins to melt and sizzle around the edges (one minute).

Add the chopped walnuts to the skillet and stir to combine with the partially melted brown sugar. Continue to cook over medium heat, stirring every 10-15 seconds, until the brown sugar fully melts (looks glossy instead of grainy) and completely coats the walnuts.

Remove the skillet from the heat immediately and pour the hot candied walnuts out onto a piece of parchment. Spread the walnut pieces out in a single layer and let cool (about 10 minutes).

Add the torn kale leaves to a large bowl. Add about 2 Tbsp of the balsamic vinaigrette and massage the dressing into the torn kale leaves for about 2 minutes. The kale will wilt to about half the volume.

Cut the apple into four quarters, then cut the core off of each piece. Slice each quarter of the apple into thin pieces.

Divide the massaged kale between four plates. Add apple slices, a tablespoon or two of candied walnuts, and about 1/2 Tbsp blue cheese to each salad. Drizzle a little more balsamic vinaigrette over each, then serve!

Roast turkey and maybe even a honey-glazed ham are a given at Thanksgiving, but what if you're a vegetarian or hosting one at your Thanksgiving table? Enter

A Showstopping, Savory Pumpkin Custard

(4-5 pound) sugar pie pumpkin or kabocha squash

olive oil

garlic,

thyme

cayenne pepper

nutmeg

Kosher salt

black pepper

eggs

heavy cream

cheese,

Savory Pumpkin Custard | POPSUGAR Food

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Cut the top off the pumpkin, about three inches below the stem, and reserve to serve with the squash. With a spoon, scoop out the seeds and reserve them for roasting. Use a spoon to scrape out as much of the pumpkin as you can, leaving the shell intact. Chop the flesh.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and pumpkin flesh and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pumpkin is tender, about 10 minutes. Add the thyme, cayenne, and nutmeg, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon the sautéed pumpkin back into the shell.

In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, and parmesan, and pour into the pumpkin shell. Place on a baking pan and bake until the top is golden brown and the custard is set, 45 minutes to one hour. Serve right from the pumpkin, with more grated parmesan cheese, while still hot.

If comfort food to you looks like bratwurst, sauerkraut, and beer over a pile of mashed potatoes, have I got a recipe for you. This savory dish is hearty and filling in all of the best ways.

Beer braised vegan bratwurst with sauerkraut

vegan bratwurst (cut in 1 inch slices)

onions

beer

sauerkraut

green onion (optional garnish)

Put a very light layer of oil in a non-stick skillet. (You don&#039;t need much at all if you&#039;re using Beyond Meat bratwurst, because they release a lot of oil on their own as they cook.) Bring to a medium heat, and add sliced vegan bratwurst to the skillet. Brown on one side. Then flip them and brown on the other side.

Add chopped yellow onions to the skillet. Cook for a few minutes, until they are translucent and fragrant.

Add beer to the skillet. Allow the beer to simmer, cook down in the skillet, and be absorbed into the bratwurst and onions. It will take about 15 minutes until most of the beer is gone. If the beer isn&#039;t cooking off quickly enough, turn up the heat.

Add the sauerkraut. (Don&#039;t worry if it includes some of the juices from the jar. That will add moisture and sop up anything on the pan.) Fully incorporate the sauerkraut with the sausages and onions. Continue cooking for about 10 minutes more, while the sauerkraut warms.

Serve the bratwurst and sauerkraut with mustard mashed potatoes, vegan pierogi, or on a pretzel bun. If you like, garnish with sliced green onion.

This delicious fall dessert will be the talk of the dinner table and was actually inspired by an Entenmann's classic. As a kid, one of my fondest memories was

This Crumb Cake Is Loaded With Pumpkin and Topped With a Cinnamon Pecan Crumble

For the Cake:

all-purpose flour

pumpkin pie spice

cinnamon

baking powder

baking soda

fine sea salt

butter (1 stick melted)

organic cane sugar

pumpkin puree

vanilla almond milk

vanilla extract

For the Crumb Topping:

brown sugar

pecans (optional)

For the Glaze:

sugar

This Pumpkin Crumb Cake Recipe Is Irresistible | POPSUGAR Food

Mix all of your dry cake ingredients in a large bowl, making sure to sift out any clumps.

In a separate bowl mix together your eggs, vanilla, milk, pumpkin puree, and butter.

Add your wet ingredients into your dry – mix evenly.

Spray your bundt pan with non-stick spray and pour your batter in evenly using a spatula to smooth out.

In a small bowl mix together all your ingredients for your crumb topping except for the chopped pecans (leave those to the side).

Crumble your topping evenly all over the top of the batter, then take your chopped pecans and sprinkle those evenly as well.

In a small bowl mix together your glaze. Once cake has cooled for 25-30 minutes use a spoon to drizzle your bundt cake with the glaze evenly.

Delight your dinner guests with this striking appetizer or entree. With layers of polenta, barbecued squash, and cashew cream, there&#039;s a variety of textures and flavors in every bite.Save time &amp; effort by using store-bought polenta in a tube.

Fried polenta stacks with squash &amp; cashew cream

cashew

water (+ additional for soaking if needed)

yeast flakes

white miso paste

garlic clove

salt

delicata squash (about 11 ounces)

avocado oil

vegan barbecue sauce

polenta (in tube)

Avocado oil (or other high heat oil, for frying)

pepitas (roasted & salted)

rosemary

In a high-speed blender, combine raw cashews, water, nutritional yeast flakes, white miso paste, garlic, and salt.  Blend until smooth and creamy, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides as needed.  (Don&#39;t have a high-speed blender? See recipe notes for workarounds.)

Refrigerate the cashew cream until you&#39;re ready to assemble the polenta stacks. It will continue to thicken in the refrigerator.(If you&#39;re doing holiday prep, the cashew cream can be made about 3 days in advance.)

To make cashew cream

Preheat oven to 420 degrees. Line one large baking sheet with parchment paper, and set aside.

Use a chef&#39;s knife to cut the delicata squash into roughly 1/4 inch thick rounds.Then use your fingers to remove the seeds from the center of the rounds.

Lay the delicata squash rounds onto the baking sheet. Drizzle with 1/2 teaspoon of oil &amp; toss until evenly combined.  Spread the slices evenly across the sheet. Make sure they don’t touch and aren’t overcrowded.

Roast the delicata squash for 12 minutes.

Remove the squash from oven and flip the squash slices with a spatula. Then brush a generous amount of barbecue sauce onto each slice.  Roast for another 8 minutes until fully browned and done. Remove from oven and set aside.

To make BBQ delicata squash

While the squash is roasting, remove polenta from its plastic casing. Blot it dry on a clean kitchen towel.Cut it into roughly 1/2 inch circles.

Bring a large non-stick skillet to a medium-high heat with a shallow layer of avocado oil across the bottom. Put a small bit of polenta into the oil to check if the oil is ready. If bubbles immediately surround the polenta, it is ready.(If the oil isn&#39;t hot enough, the polenta will stick to the pan &amp; won&#39;t fry as nicely.)

Put several polenta circles into the oil. (Be careful not to overcrowd the skillet and cook in batches if necessary.) Shallow fry each side for about 3 minutes, until crispy.  Once fried, move the polenta circles onto a separate plate, and sprinkle with salt. (You can layer the plate with paper towels first, but be aware that the polenta may stick.)Continue until all of the polenta circles have fried. (Add more oil to the skillet, if needed.)

Now it&#39;s time to make each stack.  First, lay one polenta circle on a plate.  Top with one or two circles of barbecue sauce-glazed delicata squash.  Then top with a generous dollop of cashew cream.  Top with another polenta circle, one or two circles of barbecue sauce-glazed butternut squash, and finish with another dollop of cashew cream. Garnish each stack with a sprinkling of pepitas and a small sprig of fresh rosemary (if using).Continue until all of the stacks are completed. Serve right away.

To make the polenta stacks

I decided to use a mix of dry and fresh mushrooms for this recipe. And only sausage meat. Great combination. But as I mentioned early on, any meat will do.

Mushrooms, Sausage Ragu with Polenta

sausage meat

pancetta (chopped)

Shimeji mushrooms

dry porcini

red wine

carrots

onion

garlic (peeled and hard end removed)

parsley (chopped)

tomatoes

chicken stock

mushrooms soaking water

cheese

instant polenta

In a heavy large enamel cast iron pot heat the olive oil the garlic over medium heat. Once the garlic is brown, but not burned, remove and discard.

Add the onions, parsley, and carrots, and mix well. When the onions are translucent, add the sausage meat and pancetta, and separate them well with the back of a wooden spoon. Add the tomato paste and mix well.

Cook the meats until all the liquid is evaporated.

Add the bay leaves, red wine, chopped porcini mushrooms, Chinese mushrooms half of the strained mushrooms liquid. Mix well.

The chicken stock is added it to your ragu to keep it moist.

Add the tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Mix well, lower the heat to simmer, cover, and cook stirring occasionally for 1 hour to 1 ½ hours.

Taste and adjust the salt and pepper to your liking. Add more wine if too dry. Cook uncovered for another 30 minutes.

Remove the bay leaves before serving.

TO PREPARE THE MUSHROOMS RAGU

Bring the water to a boil. Gradually add the polenta and whisk vigorously to prevent lumps from forming.  Change to a wooden spoon and continue to stir until it becomes thicker, around 6 minutes.

TO MAKE POLENTA

Remove the polenta from the heat and place on a plate or platter. Add the mushrooms ragu over it. Sprinkle a very generous amount of parmesan cheese over it.Serve hot and immediately.

ASSEMBLE

Perfect dish for a cold winter day! I love that you used used to pick mushrooms with your grandmother. What a beautiful memory.

Oh my this looks like the perfect recipe for winter! Adding the polenta is genius!

What a wonderful recipe! Love that you use pancetta, it adds an extra special touch! Simply delicious!

Top 10 fall food recipes from across the web

The most viewed fall food recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

Homemade Minestrone Soup (Slow Cook...

The Dessert You Never Knew Your Cro...

Autumn Kale and Apple Salad

A Showstopping, Savory Pumpkin Cust...

Beer braised vegan bratwurst with s...

This Crumb Cake Is Loaded With Pump...

Homemade Minestrone Soup (Slow Cook...

Homemade Minestrone Soup (Slow Cook...

Fried polenta stacks with squash &a...

Mushrooms, Sausage Ragu with Polent...

Top 10 fall food recipes from across the web

The most viewed fall food recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Homemade Minestrone Soup (Slow Cook...

The Dessert You Never Knew Your Cro...

Autumn Kale and Apple Salad

A Showstopping, Savory Pumpkin Cust...

Beer braised vegan bratwurst with s...

This Crumb Cake Is Loaded With Pump...

Homemade Minestrone Soup (Slow Cook...

Homemade Minestrone Soup (Slow Cook...

Fried polenta stacks with squash &a...

Mushrooms, Sausage Ragu with Polent...

The most viewed fall food recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine