These fall recipes are easy to make and likely to bring back memories of your childhood home, filled with the smells of the turning season. So head to the farmer’s market before they close for the year and whip up some seasonal treats. Your roommates will love you.

Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

Recipe by Kate O’Shea

Allrecipes.com

Yield: 3 cups

Servings: 12

Ingredients:

3 cups raw whole pumpkin seeds

1 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons water

1 Tablespoon butter

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Clean and dry pumpkin seeds, removing all the goo and strings.
2. Melt butter onto a cookie sheet. Spread pumpkin seeds evenly over the buttered sheet and sprinkle with salt and/or your seasoning of choice. Or, lay seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet and coat with butter-flavored cooking spray and sprinkle with salt.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, shaking the pan every 4 minutes to ensure even baking. Some tasty seasonings to try: garlic salt; seasoning salt; a mixture of cumin, cayenne pepper and chili powder; curry powder; cinnamon and sugar; black pepper, salt and dried herbs.

Butternut Squash Soup

Recipe courtesy of Gourmet Magazine

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

1 medium butternut squash (about 2 1/4 pounds)

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)

1 Tablespoon freshly grated ginger, optional

3 Tablespoons unsalted butter

3 cups chicken broth

1-2 cups water, as needed

Salt and pepper to taste

Sour cream for garnish

Directions:

1. Cut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Arrange the halves cut-side down in roasting pan that has been sprayed with nonstick vegetable oil spray. Bake squash in the oven at 375 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes or until very tender. Set aside to cool. When the squash is completely cool, scoop the flesh from the skin.
2. While the squash is baking, melt butter in a pan over moderately low heat, then cook the onion and ginger in the pan for 5 minutes or until the onion is softened. Add the broth and simmer the mixture for 10 minutes, covered. Add the squash pulp to the sauce pan.
3. Transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor, in batches, and puree until smooth. Add enough water to achieve the desired consistency, and salt and pepper to taste. Return the soup to the sauce pan and cook over moderate heat until it is hot. Garnish each portion with the heaping teaspoon of low-fat sour cream.

Caramel Apples

Recipe by Paula Deen

foodnetwork.com

Yield: 6 apples

Ingredients:

6 apples

Craft sticks

1 (14 ounce) package individually wrapped caramels, unwrapped

2 Tablespoons milk

Directions:

1. Remove the stem from each apple and press a craft stick into the top.
2. Butter a baking sheet, or coat with cooking spray.
3. Place caramels and milk in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 2 minutes, stirring once. Allow to cool briefly.
4. Roll each apple quickly in caramel sauce until well coated. Place on prepared sheet to set, or roll in nuts or a coating of your choice, then stand them up on a sheet and let them set.

Sweet Potato Fries with Garlic and Herbs

Recipe courtesy of Bon Appétit

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes (yams), peeled, cut into 1/2-inch-wide slices, then again into 1/2-inch-wide strips

2 Tablespoons olive oil

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried

1 garlic clove, minced

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Spray large baking sheet with vegetable oil spray.
2. Toss sweet potatoes with oil in large bowl. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
3. Spread sweet potatoes in single layer on prepared baking sheet. Bake until sweet potatoes are tender and golden brown, turning occasionally, about 30 minutes. Transfer sweet potatoes to platter.
4. Mix parsley, thyme and garlic in small bowl. Sprinkle over sweet potatoes.

> Comments