Favorite Autumn Recipes: 4 Things I Can’t Wait to Make This Fall

Sharing our favorite autumn recipes for Caramelized Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Beef Pot Roast Marinated in Red Wine, Hearty Pork Stew with Apples, and Frosted Pumpkin Sugar Cookies.

Summer is nearly over, and I’m so excited! Autumn is truly my favorite time of year in the mountains! We lived in Southwest Florida for many years, and when fall rolled around… well, nothing really changed. It was still just as hot, humid, and buggy as it had been all summer.

But fall in the mountains is a glorious thing! I love the crisp, chilly mornings, and the colors of the falling leaves! The wildlife is more active this time of year, with deer in the yard every day and squirrels hurrying to stock up for winter. Even the animals on the homestead seem to get excited about the changes in the weather.

I’m excited for the community activities, too, like hayrides, pumpkin patches, corn mazes, and fall festivals. Our fall garden is in full swing with lots of greens and other goodies, and we’ll be having our first campfire this weekend. Mmmmm…. There’s nothing better than corn on the cob roasted on an open fire!

I can’t wait to break out my favorite autumn recipes! We make a lot of soups, stews, and roasts this time of year. And, there are lots of delicious apples, squash, pumpkins, and root vegetables to experiment with. It’s so lovely to be able to turn on the oven and not worry about heating up the whole house!

My 5 Favorite Autumn Recipes

Here are the five things I can’t wait to make this fall. I hope you enjoy sharing them with your family!

Caramelized Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

Brussels sprouts are unbelievably delicious when they’re caramelized with bacon! If you’ve never liked brussels sprouts before, I urge you to give this recipe a try. The secret is to slice them in half and caramelize them until they’re crispy in a cast-iron skillet… they really should be almost charred.

Be careful not to overcrowd your skillet, or they won’t get crispy around the edges, with the gorgeous golden-brown color you’re looking for. It’s better to make them in two batches if you’re making a lot, or if your skillet is small.

Here’s how to make Caramelized Brussels Sprouts with Bacon.

Ingredients:

• 24 ounces of fresh or frozen brussels sprouts
• 6 ounces diced bacon
• 1 small diced onion
• Olive oil
• 2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 Tablespoons honey
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 Tablespoon butter

Directions:

1. Carefully trim a tiny bit off the root end of each brussels sprout, being sure to leave enough root attached so that the sprouts don’t fall apart. You’ll also want to remove any thick or brown leaves from the outside of each sprout.
2. Blanch the brussels sprouts for about four minutes in a pot of boiling, salted water. Drain and transfer immediately to an ice bath to stop the cooking process. Let the sprouts cool in the ice bath for one minute, and then let them drain on a paper towel-lined tray until you’re ready to sauté them.
3. In your cast iron skillet, render the bacon over medium heat until crispy. Stir periodically to prevent burning or sticking. Use a slotted metal spoon to move the pieces to a paper towel-lined plate once they’re browned and crispy. Do not drain the grease out of the pan.
4. Add your diced onions to the bacon grease and sauté gently until caramelized. Remove the onions to a separate plate.
5. Raise the heat under your skillet to medium-high and add enough olive oil to sauté your brussels sprouts. Once the oil is sizzling hot, add your brussels sprouts. Let them caramelize until they are slightly charred on all sides. It should take about six minutes or so. Remember, you can do the brussels sprouts in two batches if you need to.
6. Once the brussels sprouts are caramelized, lower the heat to medium and add the onions, mustard, and honey to the skillet with the sprouts. Cook and reduce for three minutes.
7. Lower the heat under your skillet to low and add the butter and lemon juice. Once the butter is melted, it’s time to add the bacon. Season with salt if desired and serve hot.

Beef Pot Roast Marinated in Red Wine with Autumn Vegetables

One of my favorite autumn recipes is this Beef Pot Roast Marinated in Red Wine with Autumn Vegetables. It’s truly a classic dish for fall, and I absolutely adore it with roasted autumn vegetables. The red wine marinade gives it a rich, deep flavor that can’t be matched with any other method.

It’s best to put the meat in the marinade at least 24 hours before you plan to cook it. I use my Dutch oven to brown the meat, and then I use it to roast the meat and vegetables, as well. When it comes to serving, a loaf of homemade bread is the perfect accompaniment. If you’re in a hurry, this recipe can also be made in your instant pot.

Here’s how to make Beef Pot Roast Marinated in Red Wine with Autumn Vegetables.

Ingredients:

• 3 – 4-pound boneless beef chuck shoulder roast, arm roast, or seven-bone roast
• 1 bottle Merlot, Red Zinfandel, or Cabernet Sauvignon red wine
• ½ teaspoon of sea salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 10 ½ ounces homemade or canned beef broth
• ¼ cup tomato paste
• 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 Tablespoon Herbs de Provence
• 3-5 cloves of chopped garlic, depending on taste
• 2 whole bay leaves
• 1 large onion, cut into quarters
• 4 carrots, peeled and cut into large pieces
• 4 potatoes and 4 parsnips cut into large pieces
• 2 cups portabella mushrooms
• 2 stalks celery cut into large pieces
• 2 Tablespoons fresh, chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions:

1. Remove fat from meat if desired. Put the roast in a large plastic bag set inside a shallow dish. Pour in the wine and close the bag. Marinate the meat in your fridge for up to 24 hours, turning it occasionally so that it marinates evenly.
2. Drain the wine off the meat, reserving the wine. Use paper towels to dab the beef dry before browning. Season the meat to taste with salt and pepper. Brown the meat on all sides in a Dutch oven with olive oil.
3. In a separate saucepan, bring the wine to a boil and lower to a simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes to reduce the wine by half. Add the beef broth, mustard, garlic, herbs, tomato paste, and bay leaves. Return to boiling and then lower heat to simmer uncovered for about five minutes.
4. Pour the wine mixture over the roast in the Dutch oven. Add the onion. Roast with the cover on at 325 F for about 2 ½ hours.
5. Add the vegetables to the Dutch oven and continue to roast with the cover on for another hour, or until the roast is tender. Transfer the roast and veggies onto the serving plate, leaving the juices in the Dutch oven. Keep the roast and veggies warm by covering them with foil.
6. The reserved juices will be used to make a wine sauce. Skim off any fat and bring the juices to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 or 15 minutes, until thickened. Season with salt and pepper if needed.
7. Slice the roast and drizzle with sauce. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve the remaining sauce on the side.

 

Hearty Pork Stew with Apples

This is one of my favorite autumn recipes, and I usually save it for that first truly frosty weekend in October. There’s nothing like a hearty stew when it’s cold outside. All of my favorite fall flavors are in this recipe, including pork, bacon, apples, sweet potatoes, and hard cider.

I cook this stew from start to finish in a heavy Dutch oven. This stew is full of deep, rich flavor, and I hope your family loves it as much as mine does.

Here’s how to make Hearty Pork Stew with Apples.

Ingredients:

• 4 thick slices of bacon, cut into small pieces
• 3 pounds of boneless pork shoulder, cut into large bite-sized pieces
• 1 teaspoon of sea salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper, or to taste
• 1 large red onion, sliced thinly
• 1 medium bulb of fennel, sliced thinly (Save a few of the pretty fronds for garnish.)
• 1 teaspoon of dried sage
• 1 teaspoon of ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground, dry mustard
• ½ teaspoon ground cayenne
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 4 + cups homemade or canned chicken broth
• 1 ¼ cup of hard cider, divided
• 3 Tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
• 1-pound sweet potatoes, diced into large bite-sized cubes
• 3 medium apples peeled, cored, and chopped into chunks (I use honey crisp apples.)
• 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 Tablespoon chopped, fresh sage or to taste
• Serve over rice, mashed potatoes, wide noodles, and/or with a big chunk of fresh bread if desired.

Directions:

1. In your Dutch oven, brown the bacon until crispy, stirring as needed to prevent sticking or burning. Use a slotted, metal spoon to move the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels, reserving the drippings in the pan.
2. Use paper towels to dry the cubed pork. Season the pork with salt and pepper. Brown it in batches for about two minutes on each side. Set the meat aside for later.
3. Drain off all but two tablespoons of the fat. Add the fennel and onion to the pan, loosening the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the dried herbs and spices and cook gently for about a minute.
4. Add one cup of the cider and the broth to the pan, stirring to loosen any stuck bits from the bottom.
5. Add the pork cubes and juices back into the pot, adding more broth if needed to just barely cover the meat. Simmer over low until the pork is tender; it should take about two hours.
6. Add in the vinegar, apples, and sweet potatoes. Cook until the vegetables are tender over medium heat. It will take about 15 minutes.
7. Whisk the remaining ¼ cup of cider and cornstarch together in a separate bowl until combined. Stir it into the stew and simmer until desired thickness; usually about two minutes.
8. Stir in the fresh sage and the bacon and season with salt and pepper to taste.
9. My favorite way to eat this hearty stew is right out of the bowl, garnished with the fennel fronds, with a big chunk of homemade bread. You could serve it over rice, mashed potatoes, or wide noodles if desired.

Frosted Pumpkin Sugar Cookies

These Frosted Pumpkin Sugar Cookies are right at the top of our list of favorite autumn recipes! They are so soft and dense full of delicious fall flavors. And, the frosting! Yummy! It’s the most delicious cream cheese frosting, and I just adore it… enough to eat it by the spoonful! Of course, I would never do that… but you could. J

Here’s how to make Frosted Pumpkin Sugar Cookies.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup softened butter
• ½ cup canned pureed pumpkin (You don’t want pumpkin pie filling for this one.)
• 2/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 4 cups white flour
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

Frosting:

• 4 tablespoons softened butter
• 2 tablespoons softened cream cheese
• 3 tablespoons sour cream
• 3 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Mix the eggs, vanilla, powdered sugar, granulated sugar, pumpkin, and butter together in a large mixing bowl until smooth.
2. In a separate bowl, sift together the pumpkin pie spice, salt, cream of tartar, baking soda, and flour.
3. Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet and mix until incorporated. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap tightly and chill it in the fridge for 30 minutes.
4. While the dough is chilling, preheat your oven to 350 F and lightly grease a cookie sheet.
5. Form the dough into 2-inch balls and place them on the cookie sheet. Press them down into ½- inch thick disks.
6. Bake the cookies for 10-14 minutes, until they look dry and slightly browned. Set them aside and allow them to cool completely.
7. Prepare the frosting by mixing the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl. Mix in the sour cream. Gradually add the powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
8. Frost the cookies immediately before serving.

 

Are you as excited about fall as I am? What are you looking forward to the most? I would love to hear what you love about autumn in the comments below! And, please let me know how you and your family enjoy our favorite autumn recipes, too!