It’s the changing of the seasons. The kids are back in school, the leaves are turning to gold, and traditional flavors are resurfacing. Our childhoods are full of the sweet and sticky bite of a caramel apple or the spoonful of warm soup on a cold afternoon. With these nostalgic flavors, you can create a mouth-wateringly delicious fall dinner menu for the whole family.
When school starts, so do a variety of new activities: sports seasons, dance recitals, school dioramas, and Halloween costume-making. Busy parents not only need delicious dinners but simple preparation techniques as well.
Fall back into traditional flavors with these nourishing ideas that dress up simple ingredients into culinary masterpieces. In a snap, everybody at your dinner table will be asking for seconds.
Brie, Apple Butter, and Ham Grilled Cheese
Brie is a creamy cheese that is a master of many trades, including both sweet and savory. Traditional pairings with brie can be sweet flavors, like berries, figs, and honey, or hearty meats like ham or turkey. Any way you slice it, brie can please any sandwich lover.
To really wow at the dinner table, why not combine both palates? Prepare your grilled cheeses with thick slabs of brie and a serving of sliced ham. Top off both sides of the bread with a healthy smear of apple butter. Grill in a buttered pan until the cheese is melted, and then serve.
Here are some other combos to try:
● Blueberry and brie for a simple vegetarian option
● Ham, turkey, and brie for meat lovers
● Mozzarella, greens, and brie for a fresh, gooey dinner
Spiced Apple Jelly Meatballs
Crockpot meals are perfect for the family on the go. Quick morning preparation leads to sizzling dinners by early evening. Even better, they’re energy-saving and draw out more flavor from your ingredients.
These apple jelly meatballs are also cash-conscious, only using three ingredients: barbecue sauce, apple jelly, and meatballs.
Apples occupy a space like brie, able to be paired with sweet sugars or strong meaty flavors. The apple jelly and sauce coat the meatballs for a blast of tartness, along with traditional spices from the meat and the sweet brown sugar from the barbecue sauce.
After simmering in the crockpot or slow cooker, try your spiced apple jelly meatballs on top of egg noodles or in a bun for a sandwich-style dinner.
Miso Noodle Soup
This traditional Japanese soybean paste brings a savory touch to soups and other dressings. Miso soup enhances the salty and hearty flavors of the paste through its vegetable-rich ingredients and broth.
Many miso recipes result in spinach, carrots, green onions, mushrooms, and udon noodles floating in a bowl of simmering clear broth. Feeling adventurous? Try frying up some tofu or shrimp to add to the mix. Some autumnal classics like butternut squash are also frequent additions to miso soup.
Not only is Miso rich in nutrients like calcium and protein, but the paste also heartens our immune systems through its healthy bacterium. Miso soup and its calming and strengthening properties are perfect for any sick or sunny day.
Many of us remember spooning down soup when we felt ill, curled underneath a beloved blanket as the wind rattled outside. Soup is the epitome of comfort, and Miso’s health benefits will only enhance the experience.
If you are unfamiliar with cooking miso, search for miso packets at your local grocery store for detailed instructions and care information.
Hearty Mushroom Chili
Like soup, holding a steaming bowl of chili in the cold is a feeling of supreme comfort. Chili is another dish that can be prepared via crockpot and slow cooker, perfect for those mornings where all the kids have different activities.
In the mid-morning, dump your preferred mixture of beans, tomatoes, peppers, garlic, spices, and onions into a crockpot and set it to low power. As the day progresses, the flavors will blend and melt into the recognizable chunky texture we love. But the most important part is the mushrooms.
Portobello mushrooms provide a sizable bite of protein in every helping of chili. Shiitake, button, and cremini are also popular varieties. Your regular chili recipe is great, but mushrooms are a healthy source of protein and meaty flavor at a lower cost than packs of ground beef.
Apple and Pecan Salad
Salads are a classic, easy dinner. Tossing together a mixture of greens and toppings only requires a few swipes of a knife to chop everything together. Its ease is only surpassed by its health benefits, with leafy greens offering a variety of nutrients.
For fall, continue drawing upon traditional flavors by creating an apple pecan salad. With your preferred salad mixture of lettuce, spinach, and greens, add slices or chunks of apples. Granny Smith varieties offer a tart bite, while Pink Ladies add a kiss of sweetness to your recipe.
Ricotta or goat cheese provides texture, and pecans add a potassium-rich crunch and nutty flavor. Many of us associate pecans with the sugary Thanksgiving pie, but pecans are a healthy snack option and nutrient-rich addition to our fresh fall salad.
Top it off with your dressing of choice (we recommend apple cider vinegar dressing) and serve.
Dinnertime Memories
Adjusting to new schedules, practice times, school projects, and weather fluctuations can be a stressful time for a family, but dinners together offer rest and reconnection. We fondly remember our childhood meals with soul-warming soups and treacly desserts. Continue the traditions of good food and warm company together with these simple and nourishing autumn dinner ideas.
