With the new autumn produce filling grocery store aisles, it comes the time to freshen up our recipes. Fall is the season of warm flavors and pumpkin spice, but it is easy to settle for take out dinner and ramen noodles when loaded with homework, challenging classes, and limited grocery money. Whether it’s a warm and nourishing bowl of soup or a sweet and cinnamony serving of apple pie, these three recipes are the perfect addition your meal rotation. The recipes were provided by the Executive Chef of The Merion Cricket Club, Daniel Profita. I am a server assistant at the club and work alongside Profita day to day, which led to him donating me these recipes. When I mentioned writing an article about fall recipes right around the time we launched our fall menu, he sent me three fall recipes to include.  

Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken pot pie is classically known for the warmth and fullness it brings to the table. If you are craving a hearty and homemade meal, this delicious recipe is your best bet. Appetizing, cost-friendly, and filling is something that isn’t hard to find in a meal if you make it with confidence. As a staple fall dish better enjoyed during colder months, chicken pot pie provides a tasteful and nourishing meal made with love. 

Ingredients

• 2 ½-pounds boneless breast and thigh chicken meat
• 2 fluid ounces vegetable oil
• 1 cup onions, diced
• 1 teaspoon garlic chopped
• 1 ounce all-purpose flour
• 4 ounces white wine, dry
• 1 cup chicken stock
• bay leaf, thyme sprig
• 4 fluid ounces heavy cream
• 8 ounce carrots, diced and blanched
• 8 ounce leeks, diced and blanched
• 4 ounce green peas, blanched

Directions

1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and sauté in a pan with the oil until the outside gets firm but do not brown the chicken. 
2. Remove the chicken from the pan and add the onions and garlic. 
3. Sauté until the onions are translucent and fragrant.
4. Add the flour and stir frequently for about five minutes. Deglaze with the wine and bring to a simmer. 
5. Add the chicken stock, bay leaf, and thyme. 
6. Simmer and return the chicken and any of the juices back to the pan. Cover and simmer until the chicken is tender, 30 minutes or so.
7. Remove the chicken once cooked. Finish the sauce with the cream and the diced vegetables. Simmer the sauce until it thickens.
8. Season the stew with salt, pepper, and hot sauce if desired.
9. Cut puff pastry to whatever shape you like. Brush with egg and salt. 
10. Bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes. Pastry can be baked on top of the stew if you are serving it in casserole dishes or baked separately and added to the top of the final product.

Butternut Squash Soup

The slightly sweet, nutty, and mild taste of butternut squash is what makes it a prime fall dish. Roasting the squash with sage brings out the sweetness, while the garlic and shallots add depth and that fall feel. The rich and velvety flavors of the squash and the sage blended together are truly melting. This flavorful, spiced soup is amazing for a chilly autumn day.

Ingredients

• 3 to 3½-pounds butternut squash
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• Salt and pepper
• 2 sprigs sage
• 1 cup thinly sliced leeks
• ½-cup thinly sliced carrots
• ½-cup thinly sliced shallots
• ½-cup thinly sliced onions
• 6 garlic cloves, smashed
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 6 cups vegetable stock, more if needed
• 8 sprigs thyme
• 2 sprigs Italian parsley
• 2 bay leaves 
• ½-teaspoon black peppercorns, tied in cheesecloth
• peppercorns, tied in cheesecloth

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a small baking sheet with aluminum foil.
2. Cut the neck off the squash and set it aside. Cut the bulb in half and scoop out and discard seeds. 
3. Brush each half inside and out with about 1½ teaspoons of the canola oil. 
4. Sprinkle the cavities with salt and pepper and tuck in a sprig of sage into each. 
5. Place the squash cut-side-down on the baking sheet and roast about 1 hour until completely tender, about. 
6. Remove the squash from the oven and let cool, then scoop out and reserve the flesh (discard sage).
7. Meanwhile, using a paring knife, peel away the skin from the neck of the squash until you reach the bright orange flesh. Cut the flesh into ½-inch pieces (you should have about 4 cups).
8. Put the remaining canola oil in a stockpot over medium-high heat, add the leeks, carrots, shallots, and onions and cook, stirring often, for about 6 minutes. 
9. Add the diced squash, garlic, 1½ teaspoons salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper and cook gently for 3 minutes, reducing the heat as necessary to keep the garlic and squash from coloring. 
10. Stir in the honey and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes. 
11. Add the stock and bouquet garni (thyme, parsley, bay leaves, peppercorn) to a simmer, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until the squash is tender.
12. Add the roasted squash and simmer gently for about 30 minutes for the flavors to blend. Remove from the heat and discard the bouquet garni. Transfer the soup to a blender in batches and purée. 
13. Strain the soup through a fine sieve into a bowl. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning. 
14. Let the soup cool, then refrigerate until ready to serve.
15. Garnish with chives, toasted pumpkin seeds, or crème frîache.

Apple Crumb Pie

Fall activities can be a great way to get into the season, and starting with the bake of a tasteful apple crumb pie is perfect option that brings out just the right amount of spice and warmth. For the students, this is a simple yet silky dessert that looks terrific when finished. With its spiced apples, sweet cinnamon, and delightful crumb topping, this pie really treats the heart. Different from the casual double-crust pie, this pie is topped with a crumb topping, adding an aromatic feel. The quick and bright dessert adds an amazing factor to any dinner table.

Ingredients

• 14 ounce pie dough (premade)
• 4 pounds Granny Smith apples, peeled, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices, and trimmed
• ⅔-cup granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out the dough
• 2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• ½-teaspoon ground cinnamon (filling)
• ¾-teaspoon pure vanilla extract (filling)
• 1 large egg, well beaten with a hand blender
• ⅓-cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• For the crumb topping, 1 tablespoon 
• unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
• ⅛-teaspoon ground cinnamon (topping)
• 2½-tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• ⅛-teaspoon pure vanilla extract (topping)

Directions

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Line a half-sheet pan with parchment paper.
3. To make the filling, gently toss the apples, sugar, flour, maple syrup, lemon juice, cinnamon, and vanilla in a medium bowl until well combined.
4. Make the crumb topping by combining the flour, sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Stir the melted butter and vanilla together in another small bowl. Gradually stir the butter mixture into the flour mixture until evenly moistened; keep in mind that you may not need all of the butter. Squeeze the mixture in your hands until thoroughly combined.
5. Crumble the mixture in the bowl to make fine crumbs with some small lumps.
6. Lightly flour a work surface. Unwrap the dough and wrap the entire circumference around its edge on the work surface. Dust the top of the dough with flour. Roll out into a 15-inch round. 
7. Transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie pan, center it in the pan, and let the excess dough hang over the sides. 
8. Heap the apples in the crust, mounding them high in the center. Bring up the edges of the dough, pleating the dough as needed around the circumference of the dish—the center of the filling will be visible. 
9. Brush the exposed crust with the egg. Place the topping over the exposed filling to cover it, then sprinkle any remaining topping over the crust.
10. Place the pie on the half-sheet pan. Bake for about 1 hour, rotating the pan halfway through, until the crust is golden brown, and any juices that escape are thick. If the crust is browning too quickly, tent it with parchment paper. 
11. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for one hour. Serve warm or at room temperature.