14 October Favorites

October is one of my favorite cooking months! There are still lots of fruits like apples, pears and cranberries for stuffing into desserts and other baked goods. There are quite possibly tons of winter squashes of all kinds! They’re so plentiful and so delicious that they just beg to be included in all sorts of sweet and savory recipes. Colder nights and the first frosts call for comfort foods. And then, there’s Halloween, which means little more than sweet, sweet candy to the likes of me.

Here is a pared down (I did my best) list of 14 of my favorite dishes and treats for this time of year, all from The Messy Apron Archives:

1. Early and late autumn can merge together in sweet harmony in Applesauce with Pumpkin and Spices, which is delicious eaten with a spoon, but also great in…

2. Applesauce and Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

 

3. I’m always trying, and loving, new variations on recipes for pumpkin muffins, such as Pumpkin Cranberry, Pumpkin Molasses, and Pumpkin Spice Latte

4. Pumpkin Focacccia (Sweet or Savory) is an extra-special treat when there’s time for baking yeast breads.

5. Pumpkin Alfredo Sauce is wonderfully delicious on filled pastas, or on any noodle. It also is a quick and delicious dish to make when you have used part of a can of pumpkin for another recipe and are looking for a way to use the remainder.

6. I can’t wait to make Winter Squash and Leek Empanadas with Sage this year with butternut squash from my own garden!

7. While spaghetti squash doesn’t quite fill the same niche as pumpkin or butternut squash, it’s still great in comforting savory dishes, such as Spaghetti Squash Casserole with Bacon and Cheddar

8. Spaghetti squash is also great with Asian flavors, like in Spicy Spaghetti Squash Stir Fry

9. There’s more than just squash to eat in October, of course, and Noodles with Cabbage, Bacon and Onions is just the thing for a cold night’s supper.

10. If I need a delicious side dish this time of year I go directly for Roasted Vegetables. In fact, I often serve them as the main course, sometimes with sausage roasted right in the pan with the vegetables. Love it!

11. On the lighter side, there’s Cranberry Walnut Tabbouleh, a fall take on bulgur salad.

12. Desserts like Pear Apple Crumble Pie allow me to step away from pumpkin-y sweets, while still getting a comforting autumnal feeling.

13. My favorite Halloween candies are often put to good use (as if just opening the wrapper and popping them in my mouth isn’t enough!) in baked goods, such as Peanut Butter Butterfinger Blondies and…

14. Peanut Butter Cookies with Peanut Butter Cups

If you count the links in this post, you might just come up with more than 14 October favorites, but with so much to love, who can blame me for so many variations on so many themes. Enjoy!

One year ago: Maple Date Oatmeal Bars