Warm up this Fall with Favorite Fall Recipes

When summer’s warm evenings turn to brisk fall nights, warm your family with this tasty variation of chicken and dumplings.

Chicken and Herb Dumplings – serves 6

• 4 bone-in chicken breasts (remove skin)
• 8 cups water
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. pepper
• 1 large or 2 medium onions, roughly chopped
• 6 red potatoes cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

For the Herb Dumplings:

• 1 cup flour
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp. fresh chopped sage
• 1 tsp. fresh chopped thyme
• 2 TBSP fresh chopped parsley
• 4 TBSP butter
• 2 TBSP milk
• 1 egg

Directions: Place chicken, water, chicken broth, salt and pepper into 5 quart pot. Bring to a boil and then cover and simmer on medium-low for 30 minutes. Add vegetables and simmer for another 20 minutes. While vegetables are simmering, make dumplings. Combine dry ingredients and herbs in medium sized bowl. Cut in butter; you may have to rub it in with your fingers. Stir in milk and egg until moist. Remove chicken and vegetables from broth and keep warm. Add 2 cups water and bring to a boil. Drop dumplings into pot by rounded tablespoon. Cover and cook on medium-low for 30 minutes, or until dumplings are puffed up and no longer doughy on the inside. Serve chicken and vegetables in bowls and top with dumplings. Fall is apple season, and picking apples is a fun activity for the whole family. However it’s easy to get carried away and end up with way more apples than your family can eat, and you might wonder what will you do with so many apples? Try this mouthwatering fall recipe for apple pie.

Apple Pie – serves 8 to 10

• Top and bottom crust for pie (make your own recipe or purchase store bought refrigerated dough)
• 8 large, tart apples (Granny Smith work well)
• 1 ¼ cups sugar
• 4 rounded TBSP flour
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• Sprinkle salt
• 2 TBSP butter

Directions: Preheat oven to 400˚F. Put bottom crust into deep dish pie plate, dough should overlap the top edge by an inch or so. Peel and core apples, slice thinly and place in a large bowl. Mix salt, cinnamon, flour and sugar in a small bowl and then pour mixture over the apples. Turn until apples are well coated. Pour apples onto bottom crust in pie pan. Move the apples around to settle them in the pan; apples should be piled high. Cut butter into chunks and dot it onto apples. Cover with top crust and cut slits. Brush top pastry with milk or egg yolk. Bake at 400˚F for 20 minutes and then reduce heat to 350˚F and bake an additional 35 minutes. In addition to being one of the most recognized symbols of fall, pumpkins are also a hearty vegetable and a great source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Beta Carotene. There is no need to purchase and cook a fresh pumpkin. Canned pumpkin is much easier to use and provides just as much nutrition. Try thisFood.com fall recipe for spiced pumpkin pancakes.

Pumpkin Pancakes – serves 4

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 pinch clove
• 1 cup 1% low-fat milk (can be any kind)
• 6 TBSP canned pumpkin
• 2 TBSP melted butter
• 1 egg

Directions: Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, spices and salt in a bowl. In separate bowl whisk together milk, pumpkin, melted butter, and egg. Fold mixture into dry ingredients. Spray or grease a skillet and heat over medium heat; pour in 1/4 cup batter for each pancake. Cook pancakes about 3 minutes per side. Serve with butter and syrup. With the changing of the season come scrumptious fall fruits, vegetables and cool-weather meals. This autumn invite your friends and family, and fill your home with the delicious flavors of fall.