Cool fall weather and seasonal offerings have a way of inspiring delicious food. There’s a reason Thanksgiving is celebrated in the fall, and everyone knows the end of October is made to eat sweets. Get inspired by the season and bring fall foods into your everyday meals. Isn’t it time to give your menu a little autumn shake-up?
Cider Isn’t Just a Beverage
Apple cider is a seasonal treat that always comes to mind during fall. You may take it off the shelf at the grocery and enjoy a few glasses before the season is over. But you can take it a few steps further too. Cider makes for a very flavorful broth that’s just perfect for fall cooking.
And it’s versatile. Pan-fry or bake chicken in apple cider to get a delicious savory/sweet flavor. Use it to marinate meats to get a pop of flavor with every bite. Apple-cider soaked ribs with an apple barbecue sauce taste exactly like fall.
Because it’s sweet to the taste, apple cider is perfect for cooking sweet things of all kinds. Add it to cakes, muffins and pies to get a shot of sweet fruit flavor. Baste slow-cooked meats, like roast and turkey, with apple cider to keep the meat moist and tasty. Apple cider can even be used to make frosting, glaze or gravy with a rich fall flavor.
Pumpkin Goes with Everything
Pumpkin has the capability of being sweet or savory, depending on how you use it for cooking. Canned pumpkin is widely available all through fall, and it has a distinct fall taste that will add flavor to all your dishes
Canned pumpkin (or its most labor-intensive cousin, fresh pumpkin puree) can be used to make a delicious savory bread or a creamy cheesecake, but you don’t need to build an entire recipe around this fall-friendly gourd. Add a little pumpkin to your everyday dishes to give them a distinctly fall taste. Pumpkin works well with macaroni and cheese dishes and casseroles of all types. Add a few cold pumpkin slices to salads to brighten up your greens. Slather some pumpkin puree onto sandwiches, or add it to seafood dishes to enhance the flavor of fish.
Pumpkin is delicious in soups and dips, because it has a creamy texture that blends well with other ingredients. Add pumpkin to your waffle and pancake batters to enjoy a fall breakfast feast. Get creative, and you’ll find plenty of ways to use it in the kitchen.
Cranberries: Not Just for Turkeys
Fresh cranberries are a delicious, tangy addition to many a different fall meal. Add whole sliced cranberries to salads. Lightly simmer cranberries together to create a sauce that adds flavor to meats of all types. Add them to sweet dishes to bring a tart taste to anything.
Cranberries pack a lot of flavor that’s great for cooking, but they’re not bad in cocktails. Add a cranberry garnish to cosmopolitans and vodka-flavored drinks. A little of the juice brings a lot of taste.
Use classic fall staples in your cooking to make every dish taste seasonal. Some ingredients are available only in the fall, so why not take advantage? Use them to create bright, fall-inspired dishes everyone will love.