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6 Essential Fall Dishes Everyone Should Know How To Make

6 Essential Fall Dishes Everyone Should Know How To Make
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By Lynn Andriani

Turn fall's bounty into ridiculously good dinners and treats with these apple -- and pumpkin -- -centric recipes.

6 Essential Fall Dishes
German Winter Stew(01 of06)
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Pork shoulder is juicy and savory, economical and pairs wonderfully with autumn (and winter) flavors. One of the tastiest -- and easiest -- ways to cook it is in this hearty German stew, which combines the meat with two types of apples (Granny Smith and Red Delicious), green and red cabbage and egg noodles. It's truly a no-brainer meal: After some quick prep work, you can let the dish simmer for a few hours, and then it's ready to eat.

Get the recipe: German Winter Stew (credit:Thinkstock)
The New Way To Eat Sweet Potatoes(02 of06)
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This lighter alternative to a typical tailgating dish uses sweet potatoes -- the ubiquitous cold-weather vegetable -- in an uncommon way: as taco filling. You sauté the diced sweet potatoes in olive oil, and then pop them into the oven for 15 minutes so they're soft on the inside and just lightly crispy on the outside. Piled into tortillas with black beans, pepper and cheese, they're an autumnal take on a much-loved meal.

Get the recipe: Roasted Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos (credit:Ditte Isager)
The Doughnut You Thought You Could Only Find At Farm Stands(03 of06)
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Before we tried it, we thought making our own apple-cider doughnuts sounded complicated and not worth the effort when the farmers' market sells such good ones. After one go, though, we are hooked, thanks to Wilton's doughnut pan and Stonewall Kitchen's mix. The process is supereasy (just add a few pantry ingredients) and mess-free (the doughnuts are baked, not fried) -- and the results are outrageously tasty. (credit:Thinkstock)
The Party Sweet They'll Clamor For(04 of06)
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It's hard to beat a big pan of spiced pumpkin bars glazed with cream cheese frosting for autumn potlucks, football-watching parties and bake sales. This spin on the annual classic is more healthful than most; the recipe uses applesauce instead of oil, Splenda instead of sugar and oat flour instead of white flour -- and the bars still taste deliciously moist.

Get the recipe: Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting (credit:Ben Fink)
The Butternut Squash You'll Be Making With (Almost) Every Meal(05 of06)
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Ina Garten's maple-roasted, pancetta-studded butternut squash is a breeze to make and incredibly versatile, too. You spread the cubed squash on a baking sheet with garlic, oil, syrup, salt and pepper; bake for about 20 minutes; then sprinkle pancetta and sage leaves over everything and slide it back into the oven for 20 to 30 more minutes. The sweet and savory side goes especially well with pork tenderloin or roasted chicken.

Get the recipe: Maple-Roasted Butternut Squash (credit:Tina Rupp)
The Speediest Way To Make Your Home Smell Like Fall(06 of06)
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Oprah's former personal chef Art Smith says this warm, spiced cider is always one of the most-requested beverages at his restaurants. It's as simple as combining orange and lemon zest, a mix of spices and a quart of apple cider in a saucepan and simmering them until you just can't resist the cinnamony scent any longer.

Get the recipe: Mulled Apple Cider (credit:Thinkstock)

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Before You Go

10 Totally Unexpected Ways to Cook with Pumpkin
The Make-Ahead Breakfast To Go With Your Spiced Latte(01 of10)
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Waffle batter fortified with pumpkin puree makes for just a little bit richer and sweeter way to start your day. Make a batch of these good-carb treats at the beginning of the week and then refrigerate or freeze them. When you want one, pop it in the toaster and then top with fruit, nuts and high-protein Greek yogurt.Get the recipe: Pumpkin Waffles (credit:Sang An)
The New Alternative To Sweet Potato Fries(02 of10)
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Who knew that pumpkin cut into wedges and fried until crisp and brown could be so tasty? Eat these addictive fries on their own, or enjoy them with jellied cranberry sauce and a salad of frisée tossed with warm bacon vinaigrette.Get the recipe: Cranberry Gels with Frisée Salad, Pumpkin Fries and Warm Bacon Vinaigrette (credit:Ditte Isager)
The Cool-Weather Pasta Dish That's Not Ravioli(03 of10)
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We love those little squash-filled pockets, but this refreshing take on pasta plus pumpkin ensures that the veggie's flavor isn't masked by ricotta cheese. You roast cubed pumpkin until it's tender and golden brown, then toss it with cooked wide noodles, crisp pancetta, sage and a quick, carbonara-like sauce made from the pasta-cooking water, Parmesan and egg yolks. Get the recipe: Roasted Pumpkin and Sage Pasta (credit:Dan Saelinger)
The Fastest Way To Bagel Nirvana(04 of10)
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This sweet, spiced cream cheese is so good, you'll be spreading it on everything from bagels to celery sticks to crostini. It's a snap to make, too: just beat softened cream cheese, canned pumpkin, brown sugar and pumpkin-pie spice until smooth.Get the recipe: Pumpkin-Pie Cream Cheese (credit:Thinkstock)
Mousse With A Cookie Crunch(05 of10)
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A pumpkin mousse flavored with maple syrup, rum, ginger, allspice, cinnamon and cloves would be delicious on its own. Add a topping of maple crème fraîche and gingersnap crumbs (homemade or store-bought), and you may never go back to plain, old pumpkin pie.Get the recipe: Pumpkin Mousse with Crunchy Gingersnaps and Maple Crème Fraîche (credit:Courtesy of David Waltuck)
A Salad That Eschews Green For Orange(06 of10)
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Yes, there is some arugula on the plate, but this salad from chef April Bloomfield puts the green in the back seat, instead highlighting spiced pumpkin, pine nuts and Pecorino cheese. Get the recipe: Pumpkin Salad with Pine Nuts, Pecorino and Balsamic Vinegar (credit:Tina Rupp)
A Vegetarian Chili With The Perfect Combo Of Sweet And Spicy(07 of10)
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Although all the usual ingredients are here -- beans, tomatoes, chili powder, cumin -- this unusual chili includes a few surprises. There's a full can of pumpkin puree, plus a chopped bell pepper, corn and bulgur, which has a chewy texture that's a healthy stand-in for ground meat.Get the recipe: Pumpkin Vegetarian Chili (credit:Thinkstock)
The Speedy Trick That Makes A Basic Breakfast Holiday-Ready(08 of10)
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Here's a no-brainer way to impress the morning crowd: stir a half-cup of canned pumpkin and a few shakes of cinnamon and cloves into regular pancake mix. Throw in a handful of chopped walnuts or pecans if you like.Get the recipe: Pumpkin Pancakes (credit:Thinkstock)
A Fried Dessert That Gives Apple-Cider Donuts A Run For Their Money(09 of10)
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Fritters are a simple but often forgotten substitute for donuts -- and since you drop the batter into the pan by spoonfuls instead of forming it into rings, they're even easier to make. Serve these with vanilla ice cream and cinnamon sugar.Get the recipe: Pumpkin Fritters with Vanilla Ice Cream (credit:John Kernick)
The Granola So Obvious, We Can't Believe We Hadn't Tried It Before(10 of10)
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Homemade granola is a blank slate, but adding pumpkin is one direction we'd never considered taking before. It makes total sense, though: the squash goes well with classic granola ingredients such as brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, cloves, nuts and cranberries. You stir the pureed version in with the sugar, oil and flavorings, and that becomes the coating for the oats, nuts and dried fruit.Get the recipe: Spiced Pumpkin and Brown Sugar GranolaNext: 8 potluck suppers for your fall or winter party (credit:Sang An)
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