More Fall Recipes

Get the most out your local farmstand by using their ingredients. Fall brings some of my favorite produce, such as pumpkin, squash, spinach, brussel sprouts, apples, and pears, and can be used in pretty much any kind of dish.

We all think pumpkin pie, but pumpkin can be used like butternut squash to make a rich and tasty soup or can be nice addition to a salad (use some fresh spinach from the farmer's market to keep it even more seasonal). My favorite salad with pumpkin- spinach, pomegranate, goat cheese, pumpkin that has been cleaned and cut into cubes that have been roasted in a 400 degree oven with a drizzle of olive oil, salt, and pepper, until tender (about 10 minutes), some finely chopped shallots, and a vinaigrette with red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper, and a tiny spoon of mustard. Also, use the seeds in the salad- toast them up in the oven with some oil. Tasty! I'm going to put a recipe for a main course below featuring pumpkin- but you can use butternut squash too.

Apples and pears! Two of my favorites. Good enough to be eaten alone, these are the best apples you will be able to buy all year, no doubt. And if you want your favorite variety, you'll be able to find it now, too. The apples and pears are so good at this time of year that you can keep any apple dish simple. They both also make a great addition to salads Apple pie is a classic dessert, but you can also poach both apples and pears and add some granola for a healthy and tasty dessert. I've included a poached pear dessert below. Apple cider is widely available now too, and can be used in a variety of ways to enhance cooking, such as in barbeque sauces and dipping sauces. Apples can also be used in savory dishes too!

Go ahead and enjoy the produce before winter comes!


Pesto Pumpkin Pasta
1 lb pumpkin (sugar pumpkin works well) or butternut squash
1lb pasta (use whatever you want, but I like whole wheat penne)
1/2 cup of toasted walnuts, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 cup spinach, cleaned
10 basil leaves, picked
1 cup arugula, cleaned
1/2 cup of parsley, picked
juice of half a lemon
9 sage leaves, thinly sliced
4 springs of thyme, picked and chopped
1/3 cup of olive oil
1/4 cup ricotta cheese (part skim is best, in my opinion)
Parmigiano Reggiano- however much you'd like

Cut off the peel of the pumpkin (or squash) and cut into about 1/2 inch cubes. Drizzle with some olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and the thyme and sage. Put on a baking sheet and place in a 375 degree oven. Cook until they are tender, turning them every so often. This should take between 20-30 minutes.

Meanwhile, Bring water to a boil. Combine together the spinach, arugala, basil, garlic, lemon juice, walnuts, parsley, and olive oil into a food processor and mix until its forms a thicker, sauce consistency. Season with salt and pepper.

Salt and add the pasta- cook until al dente. Save some of the cooking water from the pasta and place it in a bowl with some of the ricotta and some parmigiano. Mix together well, then add the pasta. Mix the cheese and pasta. Then add the pesto and mix all together. Toss with the pumpkin cubes and serve.

Vegan? Omit cheese and it will still taste yummy. Want to add some more protein? Some grilled chicken or chicken sausage would be a delicious addition.

Champagne Poached Pears with a Rum and Orange Caramel Sauce
1 bottle of champagne (doesn't have to be the expensive stuff- use Prosecco even)
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp lemon zest
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped, or 1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large bosc or anjou pears- if they're smaller, use 3
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup of sugar
1/2 cup of freshly squeezed orange juice
1/4 cup amber rum

Combine all the ingredients together (minus the pears) in a large pot. Bring to a simmer. Add the pears carefully. Allow them to simmer until cooked through- how long will depend on the size of the pears (if they're smaller, it'll take 15-20... bigger can take up about 30 minutes). When they are done, shut off the heat and allow them to cool at least 30 minutes before serving.

To make the sauce, cookin the sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Allow the sugar to melt, then begin to stir, and allow to cook to a deep caramel color. Remove the pan from the heat and add the orange juice, then add the rum. Put the pan back over medium low heat and keep mixing until all of the liquid has been incorporated into the caramel sauce. Allow to cool until just warm.

To serve, pour the sauce over the pears alongside some whipped cream.

This recipe is vegan, sans whipped cream. Make a big patch of pears and it makes a great fall party dessert, as both the pears and caramel can be made in advance. Simply store the pears with the liquid and after the carmel cools, store it in a container and chill. Simply warm up the caramel sauce before serving.

Enjoy these fall recipes! If you have any questions about these recipes, or any cooking questions in general, don't hesitate to ask.