The weather has been cold, rainy, and dreary these past several weeks. Normally our fall isn’t quite like this and it has me a little bit down in the dumps.
Fall in Columbus tends to be sunny, bright, and full of colors. There’s the smell of the leaves changing and a crispness to the air. In the mornings and in the evenings you can catch a slight scent of someone burning wood in their fireplace or perhaps in their backyard fire pit.
On Friday evenings we can hear the high school football game from our backyard.
Fall is by far my very favorite time of year, hands down, which is why I’m a little bummed that so far our fall seems to be a bit on the damp side.
However we’ve still been having pretty cool weather and with all the rain it’s the perfect time for soup!
I could eat soup everyday for the rest of my life and be a very happy lady.
Last night Scott and I were chatting over huge steaming bowls of beef and barley stew when I remarked that fall and winter cooking is my very favorite.
All of the soups, stews, and roasts to be made! Having things simmer away in the crockpot or having a roast in the oven makes for a cozy home.
I’m such a winter baby. I love the cold and I love all the food that goes with it. Summer grilling is lovely but I’ll take a hearty stew and a chilly evening over that any day.
Plus the fall has hockey which is the best sport around!
I’m happy to say that I made plenty of beef and barley stew for leftovers today and two more portions of leftovers that got frozen. Hooray!
And if the weather is starting to turn chilly where you are, here’s a few recipes to help you jumpstart into fall!
Oats to warm you up in the morning! And a baked version for when you want something a little more special!
Beef Stew, cooked in a crockpot and ready to eat at the end of a long day!
Tuna Noodle Casserole when you are looking for something comforting and filling.
Chicken Curry Stew for something a little different to change up the week!
Spicy Shrimp and Sausage for a feisty end to your day.
And just because we need to, Beer and Bacon Mac ‘N Cheese.
Do you like winter and fall cooking? What’s your favorite thing to make?
I love roasting root vegetables, especially with a chicken. Normally this time of year I’d be itching to bake all the time, but with my diminished sweet tooth (I know, crazy!), I don’t feel that urge. Definitely into making soups, and I’ve prepped a bunch of local, garden fresh veggies for the freezer to make soup all winter long…or at least until it runs out.
I plan on trying some new-to-me squashes this year and baking my first pie pumpkin. It will also be interesting trying to eat mainly within the season. Not only has my palate changed this summer, I find I’m craving foods as they’re in season…which is how it’s supposed to be! Sure, berries may be on sale at the grocery store, but I’d rather have a crisp apple or end of the season plums. I also bought chestnuts this weekend!
Nicole, I bake a lot in the winter as well. I don’t know why but I really enjoy cookies and brownies a lot more. Are you going to try roasting the chestnuts?
Yes, in the oven. I know I was told what temperature, but I’m still going to have to google it. I had them some cold day late last fall at the North Market. There was a guy outside roasting them on a grill. They’ve got an interesting flavor, but I can’t recall what they reminded me of.
Mmm, those recipes look fantastic. And I can’t wait to try making the beer and bacon mac ‘n’ cheese this fall/winter!
If you’re looking for another barley idea, I just recently made barley risotto. Really hearty, creamy, and delicious!
Jess, Barley risotto is a great idea! I bet it doesn’t take nearly as long to cook as regular risotto either.
Nope, it wasn’t too bad at all! I used this recipe: http://fifteenspatulas.com/2011/09/26/barley-risotto-with-asparagus-and-parmigiano/ but I used bourbon instead of brandy and pecorino romano instead of parm (and left out the asparagus).
Speaking of which, Joanne (the blogger behind Fifteen Spatulas) is one of my closest IRL friends and she’s coming to Columbus next weekend! Any recommendations on food places/restaurants I should take her to? She’s been to The Rossi (one of my favorites) and she’s tried Jeni’s. I definitely plan to take her to North Market.
Oh oh fun fun! I’ll email you some suggestions!
I agree that soups and stews are the best! I can eat them year-round, but it’s definitely nice and cozy to have them in the cold fall and winter months. Thanks for the recipes! Can’t wait to try the beef stew- looks delicious!
Oh how I love a good soup or stew when the weather is cold. And you are right, the best sport is just around the corner. Hockey season! Woot!
The soup recipes are gonna get tried out sometime soon. Especially the curried chicken one.
Mike, that was a favorite! It turned into a great surprise meal.