Falling for fall food

As Floridian fall begins, the invisible season fills our heads with thoughts of warm temperatures, trips to Halloween Horror Nights and iced pumpkin spice lattes. While we won’t bundle up for chilly air or watch the leaves change color, we can still experience the yummiest part of fall: the food.

Hot Apple Cider

Whether you’re bearing frigid weather up north or snuggled in a blanket surviving an air conditioned house down south, a cup of this sweet, simple drink warms the soul. Apple cider infused with orange, lemon, maple syrup and spices will have you dreaming about low temperatures and pumpkin patches.

Ingredients

  • Peel from 1 lemon, sliced into strips
  • Peel from 1 orange, sliced into strips
  • 2-4 cinnamon sticks or 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 6-8 whole allspice berries
  • 4-6 whole cloves
  • 1/2-1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 6 cups fresh or store-bought apple cider or juice
  • Whipped cream (optional)

Directions

  • Place the orange peel, lemon peel, cinnamon sticks, cloves and allspice berries in a large saucepan.
  • Pour the apple cider or juice into the saucepan.
  • Add the maple syrup.
  • Place the saucepan over medium heat and cook for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the mixture is very hot but not boiling. Stir occasionally.
  • Remove the cider from the heat and strain to remove the peel and spices. Ladle the cider into big mugs. Top with whipped cream if desired.

Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Seeds

A simple snack with many flavor options, this sweet and salty rendition will leave your fingers sticky but your taste buds satisfied. Coated in a mixture of brown and white sugar, cinnamon and salt, these pumpkins seeds make a great morning, day, evening and midnight treat.

Ingredients

  • 3 1/2-4 cups pumpkin seeds, rinsed and dried
  • Margarine, melted, or olive oil (enough to coat seeds)
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons white sugar

Directions

Seeding the pumpkin:

  • Use a spoon to scrape the pulp and seeds out of a pumpkin. Place in a bowl.

Cleaning the seeds:

  • Separate the seeds from the pulp.
  • Rinse the seeds in a colander under cold water and shake dry. Drying with a paper towel will cause the seeds to stick.

Drying the seeds:

  • Spread the seeds out in a single layer on an oiled baking sheet.
  • Roast the seeds at 300 degrees F for 30 minutes.

Flavoring the seeds:

  • Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Combine pumpkin seeds, melted margarine or olive oil, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt in a bowl. Stir to coat the seeds.
  • Spread the seeds out in a single layer on a baking sheet.
  • Bake for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with sugar and toss, then return to the oven for another 20 minutes. Allow to cool before serving. Store in airtight container.

Chicken Pot Pie

Grocery store attempts at this comfort food often suffice, but why not make it yourself? Incorporating fresh chicken, peas, celery, carrots, onion and a number of seasonings, this chicken pot pie will have your mouth watering before it comes out of the oven.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound chicken breast, chopped
  • 1 cup green peas, frozen
  • 1/2 cup celery, chopped
  • 1 cup carrots, fresh or frozen, cubed
  • 1/3 cup butter
  • 1/3 cup onion, chopped
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon celery seed
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 3/4 cups chicken broth
  • 2/3 cup milk
  • Two 9 inch pie crusts

Directions

  • Combine chicken, peas, celery and carrots in a saucepan. Add enough water to cover the ingredients. Boil for 15 minutes before removing from heat. Drain and set aside.
  • Over medium heat, cook onions in butter until soft. Mix in flour, celery seed, pepper and salt. Stir in chicken broth and milk. Simmer over medium-low heat until thick. Remove from heat and set aside.
  • Spoon chicken mixture into bottom pie crust. Pour thick, liquid mixture over top. Cover with top crust and seal edges. Cut away any excess dough. Make small slits in top so steam can escape.
  • Bake for 30 to 35 minutes at 425 degrees F, or until pastry is golden brown. Cool before serving.

Sweet Potato Casserole

Don’t let this dish fool you. It may smell and taste like a dessert, but the starchy element inside, as well as the name, place this sweet platter in the sides category. This dish combines sweet potatoes, sugar, eggs, butter, vanilla and pineapple, and tops it off with brown sugar, walnuts, flour and butter. You won’t be able to scarf this down fast enough. Couple the side with a plate of turkey, and you’ll be wondering why you hadn’t heard of this sooner.

Ingredients

  • 3 cups sweet potatoes, cooked and mashed
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 small can of crushed, unsweetened pineapple, drained (optional)

Directions

  • Mix sweet potatoes, sugar, eggs, butter, vanilla and pineapple together in large mixing bowl.
  • Place mixture in a buttered baking dish.

Topping

Ingredients

  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup walnuts, chopped
  • 1/3 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted

Directions

  • Spread topping over sweet potato mixture.
  • Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes.

Pumpkin Pie

This autumn classic blends pumpkin, sugar, egg, flour, cinnamon and milk into a pie shell to make a simple but flavorful after-dinner treat. It makes for a fabulous breakfast as well. While the liquid version of this dessert, the pumpkin spice latte, has won over fall coffee lovers, this pumpkin pie might convert them back to the solid tradition.

Ingredients

  • One 8 inch pie shell
  • 2 cups pumpkin (canned or fresh)
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 cups milk

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  • Mix pumpkin, sugar, egg, flour, cinnamon and milk together. Pour into pie shell.
  • Bake at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 375 degrees F and bake for an additional 45 minutes to an hour.
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