Fall Comfort Food

baked dishes, anything, I can't bake in the summer, it's too hot

Cuban Picadillo in the crock pot.

This reads a bit like I have a doppelgänger.

I need a good recipe for butternut squash soup. Anyone?

And please don't tell me to puree butternut squash and add some chicken broth to it. That sounds too easy.

Is googling difficult enough for you, R4?

OP, you fetish is rather creepy if I can drum up enough interest to even consider it.

Hearty, slow-cooked stews and thick soups, pot roast, apple crisp, pumpkin pie, hot apple cider, homemade bread.

Make it stop!

OP's ye olde forever victorian christmas salon.

I agree with R7

Costco has a great pumpkin pie if you don't want to bake one.

The only food that's comfortable now is a cold one, whatever that means to you.

[quote] Costco has a great pumpkin pie if you don't want to bake one.

This would never fly, on the Hallmark Channel.

Menu tomorrow for my brunch on my palm tree shaded balcony. My birds of paradise are blooming again.

this

Fuck off! Summer is still here!

[quote] Summer is still here!

Summer is waning. Get over it.

Bring on the cold!

Schnitzel with noodles is always nice.

OP must be Canadian.

[quote] Summer is still here!

Boston Weather:

Sat: 74/67

Sun: 74/67

Mon: 77/67

Tues: 77/66

It's already starting to cool off in the NE.

I love butternut squash (or pumpkin) soup. Saute some onions (leeks work too), add your squash and lots of fall/winter warm spices, chicken broth, and at the end, some sour cream or yogurt.

London weather:

Mon: 65/53

Tues: 66/58

Wed: 66/63

I'm still feasting on nectarines, apricots, berries and cantaloupe, thank you.

A nice warm cock sliding up and down my throat

R4, you need to roast the squash first. And use homemade chicken broth. Personally, I like a little pumpkin pie spice in it.

r22, are you the "cherry fairy?"

you love your fruits, don't you?

Damn, I love this thread! AUTUMN IS A COMIN'!

The crunch of the leaves, the crisp air...AHHhhhhh...

Summer sucks...bring on Fall...so fabulous, it gets two names!!!

Chicago weather:

Mon: 77/58

Tues: 77/62

Wed: 75/62

San Francisco weather:

Sat: 67/59

Sun: 68/58

Mon: 69/57

Bodrum: Sat: 34/23 Sun: 35/22 Mon: 36/22

Bisous xx

[quote]add your squash and lots of fall/winter warm spices.

No. That shit ruins soup. Fall was my favorite season before it became pre-pre-Christmas with all this pumpkin spice BS.

R17, not in philly, nighttime lows are still in the seventies until Tuesday.

r31 Philly here too, Fall can't arrive too soon for me. This morning's walk was actually pleasant though, and it made me hunger for October.

Comfort food? Anything oven-able. Lamb shoulder chops and potatoes; turkey thighs; applesauce(can't wait for the new crop to come in); ham loaf; Swiss steak; pork loin; roasted veggies(no beets, YUCK!); pot roast; scalloped potatoes; roasting bones and veggies for soup bases; mac 'n cheese. Better go check my spice stash.

When you live somewhere where it's pretty much fall year round, like I do, you don't fantasize about it or fetishize it, sadly.

Soups. Hot apple cider/juice with caramel sauce and whipped cream. Baking cookies.

R30 Pumpkin and butternut squash don't have all that much flavor, so you have to pump it up with something or it's just bland. A combination of cinnamon or allspice and some cayenne or other chile is good.

As far as I'm concerned, Autumn officially starts the day after Labor Day. School is back in session and football season is in full swing.

I became obsessed with making homemade soups last fall and winter. I can't wait to try a recipe I got for Portuguese soup with chorizo and kale. I also love to make tomato soup, which I make from a combination of recipes from Ina Garten and Damaris from the Food Network.

Here's a great grilled cheese recipe to accompany your homemade soups. I make it with aged cheddar instead of gruyere.

[quote]OP of the other Autumn thread

There's only one autumn thread for me this year and it's yours.

You might try Madras curry powder in your squash soup.

While it's really a winter dish, I'm starting to crave pasta e pattern (pasta and potatoes. Really easy and a way to use up a few of those bits of extra pasta in the pantry that aren't enough for a serving (two in my case).

R33 - Where do you live? Up until I was about 25, I never wanted Summer to end. Since then, once August hits, I'm tired of Summer and crave Fall and Winter, especially Fall. Funny thing, and maybe I'm remembering this wrong, but I could swear that when I was a kid, once school started in September, the weather cooled and it felt like Fall in, especially in my new back-to-school jeans and sweaters. Now the weather seems to stay warm, and even hot on some days, until mid-October, and this is in the Northeast.

Anyway, Fall exhilarates me, from the smell of burning leaves, to the crisp, cool days and nights, apple picking, Halloween etc. I always have a homemade potpourri of apples, cinnamon and other spices simmering on my stove, and non-stop baking and cooking, from cookies , breads, and cakes, to stews, roasts, and hearty casseroles. I'm counting down the days!

Grilled cheese and bacon on sourdough bread is my alltime favorite sandwich.

[quote] I always have a homemade potpourri of apples, cinnamon and other spices simmering on my stove, and non-stop baking and cooking, from cookies , breads, and cakes, to stews, roasts, and hearty casseroles. I'm counting down the days!

How many of these kinds of people are there on DL?

I didn't think such people really existed. But they're always all over the autumn DL threads like a rash.

Maybe it's just the same person posted over & over.

Halloween candy.

lentil soup, lentil dip and oat tomato soup. I tried making them but they're not as good as mom's so I just eat there.

[quote]I tried making them but they're not as good as mom's

Try, try and try again.

R4 - I'm not the person you quoted but I do a lot of cooking and baking year-round, but especially fall and winter. My sister is worse. Around Christmas, she starts baking cookies. Like 60 dozen. Yes, we're italian.

Grilled Sausage and Corn Risotto over a bed of sauteed mushrooms and spinach.

Apple crumble. *Or* apple and rhubarb crumble. With oats rubbed through the crumble mix. Yum.

Spiced wafers.

Apple crumble. *Or* apple and rhubarb crumble. With oats rubbed through the crumble mix. Yum.

I love apple crumble...but in America you don't do custard, do you? I couldn't have it without custard.

R47 here! My apple and blackberry crumble - I can't find the crumble with the oats mix, which annoys me. If you can't get blackberries, don't worry - just add more apple! Sorry that everything's in grams - I might be British, but I was never taught pounds and ounces and yon cup measurements....nope!

225g of cooking apples, peeled, cored and sliced. 225g of blackberries, rinsed. 100g of sugar.

For the crumble!

200g of flour. 100g of butter. 100g of caster sugar.

To make…

Preheat your oven to 220 Celsius/425 Fahrenheit/ Gas Mark 7. Layer the fruit and sugar in a buttered ovenproof dish (you could always use a foil container if you’re common) and set aside so you can concentrate on your topping. To make the topping, sift the flour into a bowl and add the butter in pieces. Rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs, then stir in the sugar and scatter over the fruit. If you want to, you can add a bit of cinnamon to the mix or some ginger - it's all about adaptation! Bake in the oven until the crumble turns golden brown, and fruit juice begins to bubble up. Serve hot with custard, or set aside and nom late at night!

And....just in case you don't know how to make proper English custard (for shame! )

2 egg yolks. 290-300 ml of cold milk. 2 teaspoons of cornflour. 125g of caster sugar. 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract/essence. I always use the extract. Invest in a bottle. You’ll thank me. 100ml of double cream.

To make…

First, in a bowl place the egg yolks, sugar and cornflour and mix to a smooth paste. It should be *smooth*, with as few lumps as possible. As in "none". In a saucepan, heat the milk to boiling point, then pour into bowl with the egg mixture and whisk until nicely blended and incorporated. Clean the pan, and then pour the paste/milk mix into the cleaned pan. This’ll help prevent lumps, then place over a medium heat and bring to a gentle boil, stirring all the time with a whisk. Cook for about five minutes until it has started to thicken. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the cream and vanilla, and it’s ready to serve!

(Diets not optional)

[quote]2 egg yolks. 290-300 ml of cold milk. 2 teaspoons of cornflour. 125g of caster sugar. 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract/essence. I always use the extract. Invest in a bottle. You’ll thank me. 100ml of double cream.

Too fattening. Go away!

& way too complicated!

Never, R51!!!! Just wait until I whip out my trifle!

Still sounds good though.

Proper crumble and custard is *supposed* to be complicated. That's what makes it taste so much better when you've finished. Plus I've never had any man grumble when he's given a massive bowl of the appley-custardy godness.

R41 Men who like to cook, bake and make their house smell good, is a rarity?

R41 - the quickest way to a man's heart is by plunging a sharp knife through his stomach and up into the rib area, sure, but a less violent way is by making food. Cinnamon to warm the senses, chilli to seduce, cocoa to get the old synapses firing and ginger to tantalise. I mean, what's your idea of cooking? Chicken Tonight?

I can't wait to have German food in October. Brats, sauerkraut, German potato salad, purple cabbage with apples. German food screams Autumn to me.

There's a German grocery/deli near my house that has the best homemade German food and sausages.

What's caster sugar?

R59 - it's a finer form of granulated sugar. You can make it by throwing the sugar into a blender to pulverise it a bit. (To be honest, I've sometimes used granulated sugar for crumble and it really doesn't do much harm)

R58 Yes! Sauerbraten with potato pancakes and red cabbage is a favorite of mine. Delicious and comforting!

[quote]Proper crumble and custard is *supposed* to be complicated. That's what makes it taste so much better when you've finished. Plus I've never had any man grumble when he's given a massive bowl of the appley-custardy goodness.

ARE YOU, AYB?

You sound like AYB.

I'll be slightly healthier this time and suggest Cullen Skink.

350g of smoked haddock fillet. 1 onion, chopped. Bouquet garni. 900ml of water. 500g of floury potatoes, quartered. 600ml of full-fat milk. None of that skimmed shite, you! 40g of butter. Salt and pepper to taste. Chives, for garnish.

How to make…

Put the haddock, onion and bouquet garni into a heavy-based pot and add the water. Bring the water to the boil and then skim the scum from the surface. Then, cover, reduce the heat and poach gently for ten to fifteen minutes, or until the fish flakes easily. Take the haddock from the pan, cool slightly and remove the skin (and any kittens that may be roaming around, meowing like they’re dying from hunger!) and the skin and bones. Flake the fish and put to one side. Put the skin and bones back in the pan and simmer for thirty minutes. Strain the stock and return to the pan, then add the potatoes and simmer for twenty-five minutes. Remove the potatoes and then add the milk, bringing it to a boil. Mash the potatoes with the butter. You’re not after super-fine mash, just break it up into lumpy mash. Then, whisk the potatoes into the soup. Add the flaked fish to the pan and heat through. Season with salt and pepper to taste, ladle into bowls and decorate with the chives and serve up!

R62 - I don't get who "AYB" is. Sorry if I offended you...

R51 - eat a rice cake.

R50 - I'll be over Saturday September 26th. Is it rude to request homemade whipped cream?

R46 - I can do one better. Ever had Sachertorte?

since there's a crumble discussion and you guys seem experienced in eating it, do the apples/pears taste the same when baked? I've never had crumble and thought I'd better try a baked pear recipe before trying it and it tasted like warm pear nothing special though it had cinnamon and maple it was just warm pear. did I do it wrong or is that how it's supposed to be?

R66 - I'll be over tonight.

[quote] I don't get who "AYB" is. Sorry if I offended you...

You didn't offend me.

I love fellows who love to bake.

R67 - when you put fruit into a crumble -be it apple, pear, blackberry, etc - the fruit isn't warm. It stews away under that crumble topping. Pear crumble is delicious when you pair the pear up with another fruit - I recommend rhubarb.

Ina Garten is the "Queen of Crisps," as it's her favorite dessert and she makes it all the time.

Her fruit crisp recipe is the best. You can make it with any fruit you want--apple, pear, peach, blueberry, blackberry, raspberry, rhubarb, or cherry.

I'll have to check with "Cook" and see what's on the menu thru the end of March. It's a long winter here in the East, and the castle gets so very cold.

We live on caviar on buttered toasts, darlings.

Thank goodness champagne doesn't freeze!

Vichyssoise and fresh arugala with raspberry vinaigrette.

You inspired me to make a cherry cobbler for dessert tonight.

I just had some rigatoni with mushrooms and garlic in alfredo sauce, with some smoked ham. Talk about comfort food! Mmmmmm

Apple cider doughnuts, chocolate chip pecan pie, maple nut pie, deep-fried apple rings, savory pot pies.

[quote]Apple cider doughnuts, chocolate chip pecan pie, maple nut pie, deep-fried apple rings, savory pot pies.

This thread's getting a little too "Little House On The Prairie" for me.

I make a seafood (shrimp, lobster or crag or all of them) butternut squash bisque.

Cut up a butternut squash add a little salt, pepper, and about a teaspoon of brown sugar to get good caramelization and bake it until it browns slightly.

In the meantime peel a pound of shrimp. Brown some onion, celery and carrot in the cooking oil of your choice add a quart of water and boil the peels with a little salt, pepper and Old Bay seasoning and make a seafood stock. Bring it to a boil and reduce to a simmer for about 20 minutes. Strain out the solids and return the liquid to a pot.

Add the caramelized squash to the stock and then you'll puree it with a stick blender or puree the baked squash first and then add it to the stock.

Add the shrimp and simmer until done if you have already cooked crab or lobster you would add that here too. (oh and if you're cooking the lobster from the raw state simmer it as you make the stock then let it cool to get the lobster meat out of the shell.

Add 1 cup of heavy cream

Add 3/4 stick of sweet butter or more to taste.

If you haven't already pureed the squash puree the stock and squash before you add the seafood. If you're not using a stick blender and using a regular blender or food processer be extremely careful and only add a little at time as hot foods expand. Keep a thick towel over the top of the blender or processor as you start it on low and then bring it to high.

Add whatever seafood you're using after it's smooth

Taste for salt and pepper and enjoy

Since it calls for a lot of butter and cream, if you can find it and afford it use organic pastured but either way this is not a soup for the health conscious or those trying to lose weight, unless it's the only thing you're going to eat for the entire day…even then…very comforting though for that once in a while special soup.

It also freezes very well so make enough for a few times and defrost and heat in a pot or nuke when your diet allows for a little something extra rich.

Made bolognese for dinner tonight, but spicy as hell plus a bunch of olives thrown in. Some fresh dry cut pasta from the supermarket plus a mountain of parmesan and fresh basil - it was wonderful. We're ready for cooler weather over here, the summer was a bitch. Hottest on record since 1880.

It's almost time for all things Pumpkin Spice! 🎃

Santa Barbara: 74/60, 77/61, 79/63, 80/63, 81/64.

It will get a little cooler, but not much. We don't have real Fall or Winter. I miss them but not enough to move back East.

R79 I assume you know that Half-Pint has a cookbook of her prairie recipes.

R60 Thanks. I think that must be what we call superfine or baker's sugar.

The Best Roast Leg Of Lamb- I don't have a recipe for this as it's so easy, but it is delicious. Remove the rind from the lamb leg. Make small, shallow cuts (the more the better, I do about 30) all over the lamb leg, and stuff each cut with a fresh sprig of rosemary and a sliver of fresh garlic. Salt and papper all over. Marinate ovenight or longer in a medium red wine, turing occassionally to have the entire leg immersed in the wine at some point. Roast to desired doneness at 325. Serve with scalloped potatoes, baked squash and a roasted vegetable. I love brussels sprouts with this. Diet the next day.

What are some good pumpkin recipes?

We have a huge pumpkin harvest in our area in late Sept. / early Oct. and people are always dumping pumpkins on me.

Soups, pies, and whatever else.

I was just about to post that, R82.

R82 yuck