Let the Fall Cooking Begin!

Happy Fall!!

I love October and just the fall season in general. The weather becomes cooler, I get to bust out my scarves, and hot beverages abound. The other thing I love about fall…. All the tasty treats! I absolutely love to cook, and baking… ahhh… baking is my therapy! I thought since the kitchen is such a huge part of my life, I would share some of my favorite fall recipes with my SAO sisters, friends and family!

First up, Crockpot Applesauce! I wish I could take full credit for this one, but I found it on www.skinnytaste.com (side note, if you haven’t already, you need to check her website out!!) Put this easy peasy recipe together and enjoy an amazing smelling kitchen that will rival your favorite fall candle!

Crock Pot Applesauce

8 medium apples (Use a combination of Golden Delicious, Honey Crisp, Fuji, Gala, etc.)

1 strips of lemon peel - use a vegetable peeler

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

3 inch cinnamon stick

5 tsp light brown sugar (unpacked) - or agave

1. Peel, core, and slice the apples.
2. Place them in the slow cooker. Add the cinnamon stick, lemon peel and brown sugar.
3. Set crock pot to low and cook for 6 hours. Stir apples occasionally, apples will slowly become a delicious applesauce.  Remove cinnamon stick and use an immersion blender to blend until smooth or if you prefer a chunky sauce, leave sauce intact. Makes 3 cups.

Another fall favorite of my family, homemade chili! Now the below recipe has been tweaked to my family's likes, however, feel free to add things you like! Don’t hesitate to added additional beans or use less spice. Make it your own!

Kroner Family Chili

4 Tbsp olive oil

1 red pepper, diced

1 green pepper, diced

9 cloves garlic, minced

1 large red onion, diced

1 lb ground beef

1 6 oz can tomato paste

2 16 oz can tomato sauce

1 can Rotel

1 can chicken broth

1 Tbsp onion powder

2 tsp garlic powder

3 Tbsp chili powder

2 Tbsp paprika

1 Tbsp cumin

1 tsp cayenne pepper

2 Tbsp salt

1 can kidney beans

1 can black beans

1. Heat oil in soup pot. Saute peppers, garlic, and onions until caramelized.
2. Brown ground beef in separate pan. Drain and add to cooked vegetables.
3. Add tomato paste and sauce and stir till combined.
4. Stir in chicken broth, spices, and beans with liquid.
5. Simmer uncovered for at least one hour (the longer the better!)
6. Side note, you can also make this recipe in the crockpot. Just add the cooked veggies and browned beef with all other ingredients and cook on low for 8 hours.

Lastly, we come to the absolute favorite of all the fall favorites… Pumpkin Cheesecake! I was given the below recipe as a wedding gift and I’ve made it pretty much every Thanksgiving since. Cheesecake can be a bit of a tricky recipe, but just go for it! This is a great recipe to start with because the sauce you add covers any pesky cracks in the top (a common cheesecake baking problem that happens to even the most seasoned bakers!)

Pumpkin Cheesecake

For crust:

¾ cup graham cracker crumbs

½ cup finely chopped pecans

¼ cup brown sugar

¼ cup sugar

For the filling:

1 ½ cups pumpkin

3 eggs

1 ½ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp nutmeg

½ tsp ginger

½ tsp salt

½ cup brown sugar

24 oz cream cheese, softened

½ cup sugar

2 Tbsp heavy cream

1 Tbsp cornstarch

1 tsp vanilla extract

For Topping:

1 ½ cup sour cream

2 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

1. Make crust: In a bowl combine the cracker crumbs, the pecans, and the sugars. Stir in the butter and press the mixture into the bottom and ½ inch up the side of a buttered 9-in springform pan. Chill the crust for at least 1 hour.
2. Make filling: In a bowl whisk together the pumpkin, eggs, nutmeg, ginger, salt, and the brown sugar. In a large bowl with an electric mixer cream together the cream cheese and the sugar. Beat in the cream, cornstarch, vanilla, and pumpkin mixture. Beat the filling until is is smooth. Pour the filling into the crust. Bake cheesecake in the middle of oven preheated to 350 F oven for 50-55 minutes, or until the center is just set. Let cool in the pan on a rack for 5 minutes.
3. Make topping: In a bowl whisk together the sour cream, sugar, and vanilla. Spread sour cream mixture over the top of the cheesecake and bake an additional 5 minutes.
4. Cool finished product then chill covered overnight.

Well folks, I hope you enjoy some of my favorite fall recipes! I’d love to hear about you trying these or sharing your own favorite fall treats.

With His Love,

Elizabeth Kroner