The most memorable part of fall for me is the food. Baking with my grandmother and cooking with my mom are constant weekend activities during this season for me. Squash bread, applesauce pumpkin custard, apple tarts and pumpkin pie are all staples in my house once the leaves start to fall.
Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
The biggest part of fall for many families is carving pumpkins. In my family it takes two times longer than any other because my mom makes us dig inside the pumpkin to separate the seeds from the guts. In the end, though, it was always worth it because the next day a big bowl of roasted pumpkin seeds would be waiting for us by morning.
For this you will need a pot, olive oil, and spices: curry, chili powder, nutritional yeast and/or salt.
First, wash and dry the seeds to get the pumpkin guts off. Then put them in a pot of cold water, swish the seeds around and take them out as they float to the top. Put them in a pot of salted boiling water for five minutes.
Then drain the cold water and rinse the seeds, after that dry them with a paper towel—the drier the better. Toss seeds with olive oil, then add the seasonings you want. You can really add anything. I like mine very flavorful, so I add a lot of curry powder and nutritional yeast until the seeds are covered.
Spread the seeds as one layer on a pan and roast until crispy and brown on the edges. Pumpkin seeds can also be switched out for squash seeds, although personally, I have never tried that.
Apple Cider
On a cold, rainy October day, the best way to warm up is with a hot cup of apple cider! Ever since I was young, this drink has been a staple in my life once the season turns to fall.
For this recipe you need 10 large apples, water, 3 ⁄ 4 cups sugar, one tablespoon cinnamon and one tablespoon allspice.
Place your apples in a large pot then cover them with at least two inches of water. Stir in sugar, cinnamon and allspice.
After that, bring to a medium-high heat and boil uncovered for one hour. Then reduce heat to low. Cover and let it simmer for two hours.
Once done, strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve. Then drain again through cheesecloth if you have one. You can serve it hot or put it in the refrigerator and serve cold!
Butternut Squash Soup
Like in most homes during the cold season, soup is a staple in my household. My mom makes it often during autumn, and the leftovers are always quickly devoured. Butternut squash soup is sweet and creamy, great for a cold day and pairs well with bread. Even if you don’t make it yourself, just eating the soup is a delicious experience.
You will need a 1 ⁄ 2 tablespoon of olive oil, two cloves of minced garlic, one diced onion, one butternut squash, 32 ounces of vegetable or chicken broth, 1-2 tablespoons of salt and a pinch of thyme.
In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat, then add onion and garlic and cook until soft, about five minutes.
Then add cut up butternut squash and broth. Bring to a boil, then cover the soup and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes until the squash is soft.
Once it is soft, pour the soup into a blender and blend until smooth. Then it’s ready to serve! If you have any, you can put some thyme on top for decoration and taste.
Apple Pie
Pumpkin pie gets a lot of credit for being the “fall pie,” but apple pie is a hundred times better, especially when served with vanilla ice cream. I wouldn’t call it my favorite pie, but it reminds me of baking with my grandmother and it’s delicious.
For this recipe you will need pie crust—you can buy it or make it yourself—six apples, 3⁄4 granulated sugar, one teaspoon of cinnamon, one teaspoon nutmeg, one lemon and one tablespoon of butter.
Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Line a nine-inch pie dish with one pastry crust and set the second crust aside. Peel, core and slice your apples then place them in a large mixing bowl.
Then combine sugar, cinnamon, lemon and nutmeg with the apples and shake the bowl until they are mixed up. Here you can also add more sugar if you want a sweeter pie!
Place apples in the pie dish and add little slices of butter on top. After that, cover the apples with the crust you placed on the side earlier. Make little holes in the pie crust.
Then bake in the preheated oven for ten minutes. Reduce the oven to 350 degrees and bake until golden brown for 30 minutes. You can serve hot or cold.
You don’t have to wait until any holidays to enjoy these four fall-related foods. Cooking and baking is a gratifying experience that I recommend for anyone during autumn because it is both calming and fun.
