Seasonal Family Meal Ideas to Savor This Autumn

When fall hits, the days begin to get shorter as we make our trek toward winter. The good news? There’s a whole lineup of fruits and vegetables that are ripe for the picking, just waiting for us to take advantage of them in our culinary pursuits! Here’s what you can expect to find at your local grocery store and farmer’s market during the festive month of October, and some delicious ways to utilize them:

Fruits: apples, bananas, cranberries, grapes, pear, pineapple, pumpkin, pomegranate

Vegetables: beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, carrots, cauliflower, carrots, ginger, kale, lettuce, mushrooms, parsnips, sweet potatoes, winter squash, yams

Prosciutto Fig and Parmesan Salad

Prep: 15 min
Yields 4-6 servings

Dressing:
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons Zinfandel vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Kosher salt, ground pepper, to taste

Salad:
6 cups wild arugula
6 slices Prosciutto di Parma
6-8 fresh black figs, quartered
¼ cup aged parmesan

1. Dressing: Whisk the mustard until smooth. While continuing to whisk, add in olive oil and then vinegar until you have a uniform consistency.  Season with salt and pepper.
2. Salad: In a platter, arrange arugula first.  Add fig, then prosciutto and parmesan on top.  Drizzle with dressing.

Orange Herb Roasted Chicken

Prep: 30 min.
Bake: 350°F; 1 hour 20 min.
Yields 6 servings

Ingredients:
1 cup organic, low sodium chicken broth
1 organic whole chicken
¼ cup butter, room temperature
Kosher salt and ground pepper
2 juicing oranges
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 sprigs fresh sage

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.  Remove the giblets from the chicken, rinse, and pat dry (inside and out).  Sprinkle the cavity generously with salt.  Rub the chicken with butter, really working it in; sprinkle with salt, and let stand at room temperature. 
2. Pour the chicken broth into a small roasting pan and place the chicken into the pan. Squeeze 1 ½ oranges over the chicken and place rinds into roasting pan. Insert the herbs and the remaining orange half in the cavity. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine. 
3. Cover the pan with aluminum foil, and bake for approximately 20 minutes. Uncover and baste the chicken with the pan juices. Continue cooking until the chicken is no longer pink, or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165°F; about 1 to 2 hours. Baste the chicken every 10 to 15 minutes after you uncover it. Once cooked, allow the chicken to rest out of the oven for 10 minutes before slicing. 

Garlic and Herb Roasted Root Vegetables

Prep: 15 min.
Bake: 75 min.

Ingredients:
3-4 russet potatoes, cut into 1-inch thick wedges
1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed
2 shallots, peeled and halved
8 carrots, washed and peeled
8 cloves garlic, peeled
½ teaspoon finely chopped rosemary + 1 sprig
Extra virgin olive oil
Sea Salt Flakes

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Place all the vegetables into a large bowl.  Douse with olive oil and sprinkle generously with sea salt flakes and rosemary.  Toss until well coated.
3. Place the vegetables (except garlic cloves) on the baking sheet.  Roast for 30 minutes.  Add garlic cloves, turn the pan, and roast until the vegetables begin to caramelize in parts. 

Chocolate Glazed Pumpkin Donuts

Adapted from Tieghan Gerard’s exclusive recipe for Colorado Homes and Lifestyles

Prep:  10 min
Bake: 20 min

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour, sifted with 1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
2 large eggs
¼ cup vegetable oil
¾ cup light packed brown sugar
½ cup low fat buttermilk
¾ cup organic pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon butternut extract
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pinch salt

Glaze:
1/3 cup milk
1 ½ cup powdered sugar, sifted
1/3 cup cocoa powder
Chopped roasted pecans, for topping

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, spices, and salt. Separately, whisk remaining ingredients. Incorporate the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.
2. Spray a 6-cup doughnut pan with nonstick cooking spray. Using a large tablespoon, fill the molds, leaving about a ¼ inch space from the top. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden. Allow donuts to cool in the pan for a few minutes before carefully removing and transferring to a rack to completely cool.
3. For glaze: In a heavy pot, heat the milk until it reaches the boiling point.  Quickly whisk in the sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, and salt mixing the glaze vigorously until it becomes smooth and glossy.
4. Dip donuts into glaze, sprinkle with nuts and set them down on wax paper to let the glaze completely set.

What fall-inspired dishes do you love to serve in October? Share your recipes with us!