I am pretty sure those caramel apple pops came out when I was a kid. I remember them being a hit one year in elementary school - and I think that’s because that’s when they were first invented? I thought they were the best. It was the best of both worlds - gooey caramel and the jolly rancher type green apple candy. I loved them. But I don’t really eat candy anymore - or even really like it. But what I do like is cookies.

I had this idea for a caramel apple cookie and I must have tried a dozen versions of this before I finally figured out those flavors are incredible when turned into a snickerdoodle. It also seems the apples you use are important too. The red apples get smooshy and weird. Even the honeycrisp which - ironically - make the best actual caramel apples. The green ones are the ones you need for these cookies. Ideally, peeled and chopped small.

If you can’t find the caramel bits - I found them at the grocery store and at Target - you can cut up the caramel squares and use those. They will just take a little longer to prepare.

Caramel Apple Snickerdoodles

Makes two dozen

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup room temperature butter

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/4 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup greek yogurt

1 cup finely chopped green apple

1/2 cup caramel bits

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine butter and sugar and beat unril smooth. Add the egg and vanilla. Mix until fluffy.

STEP 2

Combine together the dry ingredients - then add half of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture until just combined.

STEP 3

Add the greek yogurt and mix until smooth. Then add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until just combined.

STEP 4

Add the apples and caramel bits and mix until fully incorporated.

STEP 5

Prepare a small bowl with sugar and cinnamon. Scoop the dough into balls (it’s sticky!) and roll it through the sugar mixture. Place on a lined baking sheet and bake 12-15 minutes until golden on the edges.

Let cool on the baking sheet a few minutes before moving them to a cooling rack.

---

When Mr. Hedin and I started dating, we went to Red Robin (the real, original one, not the chain it’s turned into) and I would order the French Onion Soup all the time. It was a really really good one that was topped with way too much cheese, which made it perfect.

This burger captures the flavors of a good french onion soup - you will crave it. I crave it now. It’s a perfect fall dinner because the creamy onions are so perfect right now.

French Onion Burger

makes 4 burgers

1.5 lb ground beef

4 large white onions, sliced

2 tbs butter

1 tbs fresh thyme

2 cloves garlic

¼ cup sherry

4 oz gruyere cheese, sliced

1 loaf crusty bread, cut into thin slices

Dijon mustard

STEP 1

In a large skillet, melt butter with onions.  Cook over medium heat until onions are soft.  Season with salt & pepper.

STEP 2

Mix beef with sherry, thyme, and garlic and form into patties. 

STEP 3

Cook patties on the grill or in a cast iron skillet until cooked through.  Toast bread slices while burger patties cook.

STEP 4

When patties are nearly done, top with slices of cheese and let melt.  Serve on top of toasted crusty bread smeared with Dijon mustard with onions on top.

---

What is it about the fall that makes me want to make giant, over the top breakfasts?  I don’t know if its school starting or just the cooling weather, but breakfast is my absolute favorite this time of year.  These waffles are filled with maple flavor and crunchy bits of bacon which make them completely irresistible. I can’t wait for you to try these out next Sunday morning – perfect with a cup of hot apple cider or piping hot coffee. 

Maple Bacon Waffles

Serves 4

2 cups flour

2 tbs sugar

1 tbs baking powder

½ tsp salt

2 cups buttermilk

8 tablespoons butter

2 eggs, separated

¼ cup maple syrup

4 strips bacon, cooked and chopped

STEP 1

Preheat your waffle maker.  Mix together buttermilk, melted butter, syrup, and egg yolks.

STEP 2

In a separate bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Pour in wet ingredients and chopped bacon.  Stir until just combined. 

STEP 3

Whisk the egg whites until they form stiff peaks.  Fold them gently into the waffle batter. 

STEP 4

Place ¼ cup waffle batter on the hot waffle maker.  Press waffle maker top down and cook 10 minutes or until waffle is done. Serve with maple syrup, whipped cream and more bacon!

---

My entire family adores risotto. It’s a huge hit at our house so I make it a ton and do my best to add vegetables and anything healthy to try to spike it up! I discovered you can make any grain risotto style so I started experimenting with turning healthier grains (like barley!) into one of our favorite dinners.

It turns out that you can make amazing risotto out of barley and it tastes just as creamy and delicious as the OG arborio version. For the fall, I spiked it with sage leaves and topped it with roasted butternut squash. Make it even easier on yourself and buy the squash already cubed. That makes this about a 20 minute dinner! Hooray!

Sage Barley Risotto

With butternut squash

Serves 4

1 small butternut squash, peeled and cubed

1 ½ cups pearl barley

6 cups vegetable stock

1 small onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, smashed

¼ cup olive oil, divided

½ cup white wine

¾ cup asiago cheese, grated

¼ cup sage leaves

1 tsp red wine vinegar

salt and pepper

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Peel the squash and chop into cubes. Place squash on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and drizzle with olive oil to coat.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and pop into the oven.  Bake 15-20 minutes until browned.

STEP 2

Cook onion in a large saucepan over medium low heat with olive oil, garlic and sage until onions are translucent. 

STEP 3

Add barley and cook about 2 minutes until coated with oil.  Add white wine and cook until bubbly.  Add one cup of stock.  Stir regularly until all liquid is absorbed.  Add another cup of stock.  Continue stirring and adding broth, one cup at a time until all stock has been used. 

STEP 4

Stir in ½ cup cheese, red wine vinegar, and season with salt and pepper.

STEP 5

Remove squash from oven and stir into the risotto.  Serve hot with extra cheese on the side.

---

This is the perfect quick cook dinner!  It takes almost no time to cook and still seems fancy.  Which is exactly what we need for Halloween night! I am sure your house is just as hectic as mine with kids needing last minute costume pieces (which of course they can’t find), everyone being hungry, my husband just coming home, and some over eager parents who’s kids are ringing my doorbell at 4:30pm.

All you need to do with this is boil the water, add onions and shrimp to a skillet - they cook quickly - and then toss it all together! It’s simple, looks fancy, and is way healthier than the pizza we often order!

Vampire’s Noodles

Squid Ink Pasta with Caramelized Onion & Shrimp

Serves 4

½ lb squid ink pasta

½ cup butter, divided

1 onion

4 cloves garlic, smashed

2 sprigs thyme

1lb shrimp, peeled and deveined

½ cup white wine

1 lemon, zested

STEP 1

Over low heat, cook onions, garlic, and thyme in 2 tbs butter.  

STEP 2

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook noodles according to package instructions.  Reserve ½ cup of pasta water when draining.

STEP 3

Add remaining butter to the onions and melt until toasty and bubbly.  Add shrimp and toss to coat with butter.  Pour in white wine.  Add lemon zest and salt and pepper.  Cover and cook 5-10 minutes until shrimp is fully pink.

STEP 4

Toss noodles in shrimp pan.  Add pasta water if noodles appear dry. 

---

My daughter loves Harry Potter. She loves everything about it. Every time we go to the grocery store, we pick up a bottle of a ‘butter beer’ look alike and she pours it into the cup we bought at Harry Potter land in California.

It seemed only necessary that I turn her favorite soda into a cookie. It’s the perfect Halloween/fall cookie flavor since butterscotch naturally lends itself to fall. Adding the pudding adds a dash of flavor but more importantly, it keeps the cookies really soft.

Butter Beer Cookies

1 cup butter, room temeprature

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/2 cups flour

3.4 oz butterscotch pudding mix

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

12 oz butterscotch chips

STEP 1

In a bowl of a stand mixer, combine the butter and sugar and beat until combined.

STEP 2

Add the eggs and vanilla. Beat well until the mixture gets lighter in color and is fluffy.

STEP 3

In a small bowl, combine flour, pudding mix, baking soda, and baking powder. Add it to the stand mixer and blend until mostly combined.

STEP 4

Pour in the chips and turn the mixer back on. Let it run until the dough looks like a cookie dough.

STEP 5

Scoop onto a baking sheet and bake 10 minutes. Let cool on the sheet for a few minutes then transfer to a wire rack to continue to cool.

My dad loves pork chops. I can’t even tell you how often we ate pork chops as a kid - to the point where I never wanted to eat pork chops again. But then I became an adult and gained a new appreciation for pork chops - especially in the fall. For some reason pork just seems like a fall. And when you cook it with apples and herbs it’s the ultimate fall dinner.

Here’s the secret to the best version of this recipe ever - really good apple cider. Don’t skimp and buy the cheesy kind that’s around all year long. The kind that’s only available in the fall from fresh apples, that’s the cider you want.

Apple Cider Pork Chops

Serves 4

4 bone in- pork chops

1 yellow onion, sliced

2 apples, sliced

4 sprigs fresh thyme, divided

2 cloves garlic, smashed

1 cup pure apple cider

1 tbs Dijon mustard

6 tbs butter

2 sprigs fresh sage

8 oz egg noodles

salt & Pepper

STEP 1

Place pork chops in a pan and sear 3 minutes on each side until crispy and browned.  Remove from pan and cover with foil.

STEP 2

Add 2 tbs butter to the pan and toss in onions, apples, garlic and 2 sprigs of thyme.  Cook until onions are soft. 

STEP 3

Pour cider into pan, whisk in mustard and return pork chops to the pan.  Cover and cook until pork is cooked through and cider is reduced. 

STEP 4

Bring a pot of water to a boil.  Add egg noodles and cook to package instructions.  Drain.  In a saucepan, melt remaining butter with sage and thyme.  Add noodles to the pan and toss to coat. 

STEP 5

Serve pork and apples over buttered noodles.

---

These are a clasic cookie that I have been making for years. I do think my recipe is the best one out there and all the rest are close, but not quite right. These are soft, cakey, and filled with raisins. I used to make these for my grandpa all the time - these were his favorite cookies.

To me, these taste like fall. It’s probably because they’re filled with flavors of fall like cinnamon and clove. Or it could be because I usually make these for a Husky tailgate at least once a year. OR it’s because they feel super back-to-school-y with the oatmeal. Anyway, I cannot recommend them enough this time of year!

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

makes about 30 cookies

1 cup butter at room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats

1 1/2 cups quick cook oats

1 cup raisins

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cream botter, sugar, and brown sugar together until light and fluffy. The color of the mixture should be a few shades lighter than when it started. Combine the eggs and vanilla until completely incorporated.

STEP 2

In a seperate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and spices. With the mixture running, add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Mix until thoroughly combined.

STEP 3

Add oatmeal and raisins and mix until just incorporated.

STEP 4

Scoop cookie dough onto a cookie sheet and bake 10-12 minutes until lightly brown. Let cool on the baking sheet 5-10 minutes before transfering to a cooling rack.

---

I am obsessed with tots. I adore good tater tots. Add them to any meal and you have a real party. Start topping them with things and then we’re really talking. Adding BBQ pork, coleslaw and some green onions made these tots a ridiculously filling Monday Night Football dinner.

I made the pork myself in the oven with a super simple recipe. It’s so easy to make tender pork but it’s also easy to buy some already done at a good grocery store or Costco. Just toss the shredded pork with barbecue sauce and you’re set. You’re welcome to shred the cabbage yourself too - or just purchase it from the grocery store. The only thing you really “make” from home is the white sauce. It’s so simple to get dinner on the table and this one is a particularly fun one. Enjoy!

Shredded Pork BBQ Tots

4 cups shredded pork

1/2 cup BBQ sauce

2 pounds frozen tater tots

2 cups shredded cabbage

1 cup mayonnaise

1/8 cup apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon worchestershire

1 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon horseradish

1/2 teaspoon honey

2 green onions, chopped

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Lay the tots in one layer on a baking sheet. Pop them into the oven and let them bake for 20 minutes, flip over, then bake another 20 minutes or until golden brown.

STEP 2

Blend together mayonnaise, vinegar, worchestershire, pepper, salt, horseradish, and honey. Pour half of the mixture over the shredded cabbage. Toss and let it sit.

STEP 3

Make sure the shredded pork is warm. Toss the pork with the BBQ Sauce.

STEP 4

Spread the tots out on a platter and top with pork. Add slaw to the top and garnish with sliced green onion. Serve with remaining white sauce and any extra BBQ sauce.

---

This is the ultimate way to use all of those tomatoes rolling out of the garden right now. I’m crossing my fingers and hoping I can get the rest of them to ripen so we can do this one more time this year! You can use really any tomato that’s ripe. I used San Marzano in this recipe, but cherry tomatoes would be amazing too! You do you.

The simplicity of this dish relies on really good tomatoes, really good basil, and really delicious bread crumbs.  I can’t recommend enough making your own bread crumbs for this – it’s totally worth it!

Roasted Tomato Basil Pasta

Serves 4

2 pounds heirloom tomatoes, sliced into quarters

5 garlic cloves

1 bunch basil leaves

½ cup breadcrumbs

2 tbs butter

1 lb spaghetti noodles

olive oil

salt and pepper

STEP 1

Put a pot of water on to boil and preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and spread tomatoes on the tray.  Sprinkle a handful of basil and 4 cloves crushed garlic over the tomatoes.  Drizzle olive oil over top, sprinkle with salt, and pop into the oven. 

STEP 2

In a skillet sauté breadcrumbs in butter with garlic and salt until toasty and brown. Cook the pasta while you’re at the stove.

STEP 3

Drain the pasta and return it to pan.  Toss with roasted tomatoes and fresh basil. 

STEP 4

Serve with breadcrumbs on top.

---