Tasty Table: Fall Favorites

By Guest Bloggers Andrew McMillan and Laurie Southerland at The Stocked Pot and Company

Well, it is finally here–no matter how hard we wished it would last forever, the “official” end of summer marked by Labor Day has come and gone. The kids are back in school and schedules are hectic again, so what are some good quick and easy recipes for fall? September brings us several great national food holidays and we have the recipes to help you celebrate them!

National Hot Dog Day is this month and all kids love hot dogs. To make a hot dog dish that gives the grownups something to look forward to, how about making chili—which is a great, hearty fall dish–for the adults which can also go on top of the hot dog. Add a side salad and you have a quick meal. Here’s our recipe:

Easy Crock Pot Chili

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium yellow onions, medium dice
1 medium red bell pepper, medium dice
6 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/4 cup chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 pounds lean ground beef
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (14-ounce) can tomato sauce
2 (15-ounce) cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup coarsely chopped pickled jalapeños or green chilies, drained

For serving:

Shredded cheddar cheese
Thinly sliced scallions
Sour cream

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat until simmering. Add the onions and bell pepper, season with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes.
2. Add the garlic, chili powder, and cumin, stir to coat the vegetables, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the ground beef and measured salt and cook, breaking the meat into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until the beef is no longer pink, about 7 minutes.
3. Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker, add the diced tomatoes and their juices, tomato sauce, and beans, and stir to combine. Cover and cook until the chili thickens and the flavors meld, about 8 hours on low or 6 hours on high.

4. Stir in the jalapeños or green chilies. Taste and season with salt as needed, and serve with    the cheese, scallions, and sour cream (You may want to serve to the kids on the hot dogs before you add the spicy peppers)

Apple Pie Pancakes

If making breakfast isn’t possible during a hurried school day, how about breakfast for dinner? We know lots of families that don’t reserve breakfast food just for the morning and September 23 just happens to be National Pancake Day! How about celebrating like The Stocked Pot does with a wonderful Apple Pie Pancakes recipe—this is a great way to use those fall apples!

Ingredients:

Pancakes
Dry Mix
1 cup all-purpose flour2 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground clove
1/8 teaspoon salt

Wet Mix
1 cup whole milk
1 large egg
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix-In
1 cup grated apple
Butter or vegetable oil for skillet

Directions:

1. Pancakes – In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.
2. In a measuring cup or small bowl, measure out the milk. Add the remaining wet ingredients and beat until combined.
3. All at once, add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and mix until just combined. The batter should have some small to medium lumps; don’t over mix or try to stir them smooth.
4. Gently fold in the grated apple.
5. Preheat your skillet over medium heat and brush with 1 1/2 teaspoons of butter or 1 teaspoon vegetable oil.
6. Using a 1/4-cup measure, scoop batter onto warm skillet. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until small bubbles form on the surface of the pancakes, and then flip.
7. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook on the opposite side for about 1 minute, or until golden brown. Transfer cooked pancakes to a baking sheet and place in a preheated 200F oven to keep warm.
8. Repeat the process with the remaining batter, adding more butter or oil to the skilled when needed. Serve immediately.

And, if you didn’t get a chance to celebrate September 9 National “I Love Food” Day, come celebrate with The Stocked Pot by taking one of our cooking classes—we celebrate this day EVERY DAY at The Stocked Pot!

We would  love to hear from you! Please send us an email and ​- or contact us through phone or in person – to us let us know if you need help with a recipe!

Sponsored by The Stocked Pot ​and ​Company ​Cooking School​, Culinary Team Building and Catering by Simple Elegance​​. Serving the entire Triad area; Winston Salem, Greensboro and High Point, Charlotte and Raleigh and all surrounding cities. Located at 381 Jonestown Road, Winston-Salem, NC 27104