Crisp cool mornings at the bus stop and shortening daylight have everyone at the Jones’ household craving some warm and filling meals. While my wife enjoys making a more involved meal on a slow Sunday afternoon, weekdays call for dinners that are quick and easy. Here are some of our favorite easy fall recipes!
Easy Fall Recipes : Slow cooker veggie soup
A great refrigerator and pantry clean out recipe, you can add in whatever vegetables you enjoy and have in your home! Preparing everything in a slow cooker makes it easy to grab and go whenever you get home for dinner. Adding a toasty grilled cheese sandwich makes this one of our favorite easy fall recipes.
Ingredients:
- 4 cups of vegetable broth
- ½ medium onion, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 1 (28oz) can stewed tomatoes, diced (plus juice)
- 2 cups of zucchini, diced
- 2 small potatoes, diced
- 1 cup of green beans (frozen or fresh)
- 1 cup of peas (frozen)
- 4 cloves of garlic, diced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- Salt and pepper to taste (we add salt at the end since different brands of broth have different levels of salt)
Directions:
1. Add the vegetable broth, onion, celery, carrots, potatoes, stewed tomatoes with juice, garlic, and seasonings to the slow cooker. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours.
2. About 20 minutes before you want to serve, add in zucchini, green beans, and peas. Continue to cook for remaining twenty minutes.
3. Take bay leaf out of soup. Serve in bowls with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese on top.
Easy Fall Recipes : Homemade Hamburger Helper
As a kid, I loved a box of hamburger helper. This homemade version is just as fast as the box and is just a delicious!
Ingredients:
- 1 pound of ground beef or turkey
- 3 tsp. minced garlic
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon of ketchup
- 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard
- 3 ½ cups of beef broth (chicken or vegetable broth will work)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cups macaroni
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded (we like extra sharp)
Directions:
1. Brown ground meat in a Dutch oven or large pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook until the meat is no longer pink and the onions are translucent.
2. Reduce heat to medium low. Drain any grease from the pan. Add ketchup, Dijon mustard, beef broth, pepper, and macaroni. Cover and simmer for 12-15 minutes until the macaroni is cooked through.
3. Turn the heat to low. Add sour cream and mix through the pan. Then add cheddar cheese and stir until melted. Taste for salt; add if needed.
4. Serve in bowls and enjoy!
Easy Fall Recipes : Creamy Tortellini and Sausage Soup
Filling and warm, this soup tastes like it has been cooking all day, but is really a quick meal. Perfect served alone or with a side salad, leftovers never last long in our home!
Ingredients:
- Half of a package of cheese tortellini (you can use fresh or frozen)
- 1 pound of sausage (we like Jimmy Dean)
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 2 stalks of celery, sliced
- 1 cup of spinach (if frozen, thawed and squeezed dry)
- 2 tsp. Garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 cups of chicken broth
- ¾ cup of heavy cream
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
1. In a Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Brown sausage. Then add onions, carrots, and celery and cook until softened (about five minutes).
2. Turn the heat down to medium. Add garlic and pepper and cook for one additional minute while stirring.
3. Add chicken broth and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer and allow to cook for 15 minutes or until the carrots are cooked through.
4. Add the heavy cream, spinach, and tortellini. Continue for an additional five minutes or according to the heating directions on the tortellini package. Discard bay leaf.
5. Taste for seasoning and add more salt if needed. Serve and enjoy!
Let me know if you try out any of these easy fall recipes in your home!
