Friendship at Home’s Favorite Autumn Meals

 

Autumn is upon us, and that means it’s time to get ready for football tailgates and our final cookouts. Here are our three favorite Fall meals.

 

Butternut Squash Spaghetti with Sausage and Sage

Originally from Womansday.com, this quick meal looks beautiful and tastes delicious.

 

Ingredients

8 oz. spaghetti

Top half of a medium butternut squash

2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

8 oz. sweet Italian sausage, casing removed

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1/4 c. fresh sage leaves, chopped

1/4–1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

3/4 c. dry white wine

2 c. baby kale

1/4 c. cream

1 tbsp. whole-grain mustard

2 oz. crumbled blue cheese or coarsely grated extra-sharp Cheddar

Directions

Cook spaghetti according to package directions; drain.

Meanwhile, peel the butternut squash and spiralize on a thin noodle setting. Cut any very long strands in half.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a spoon until beginning to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic, sage, and red pepper (if using) and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

Add the butternut squash and toss to combine. Add the wine and cook, covered, until the squash is just tender, 3 to 5 minutes.

Add the kale and toss to combine. Stir in the cream and mustard and simmer until slightly thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Fold in the cheese.

 

Lemon-Rosemary Chicken with Roasted Broccolini

This recipe was originally by Marian Cooper Cairns at CountryLiving.com and takes about 55 minutes to prepare. With 30 grams of protein and 289 calories per serving, it’s an excellent choice for a healthy meal.

Ingredients

2 tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 1/2 tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary

1 large garlic clove, chopped

2 tsp. Dijon mustard

3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 lemon, cut into thin slices, divided

4 small bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts (about 2 1/2 lbs. total)

2 bunches Broccolini (about 1 lb.)

1 red onion, cut into 1/2″ wedges

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper, plus more for serving

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Combine parsley, rosemary, garlic, Dijon, and 1-tablespoon oil in a bowl. Season with salt and black pepper. Place 8 lemon slices and half of rosemary mixture underneath skin of chicken, dividing evenly. Rub remaining rosemary mixture over chicken, dividing evenly. Roast, on a rimmed baking sheet, 20 to 22 minutes.

Meanwhile, toss Broccolini, onion, red pepper, remaining lemon slices, and remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a bowl. Season with salt and black pepper. Remove baking sheet from oven and arrange vegetables around chicken. Bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest portion of the chicken reaches 165 degrees F, 12 to 14 minutes.

Serve with red pepper for sprinkling.

 

Fall Apple Crisp

Originally from Taste of Home, this easy recipe for apple crisp is the perfect fall dessert that doesn’t take a lot of time

 

Ingredients

1-cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup rolled oats

1 cup packed brown sugar

1-teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2-cup butter, softened

4 cups chopped peeled apples

1-cup sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1-cup water

1-teaspoon vanilla extract

Vanilla ice cream, optional

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, combine the first four ingredients. Cut in butter until crumbly. Press half into a greased 2-1/2-qt. baking dish or a 9-in. square baking pan. Cover with apples.

In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch, water and vanilla. Bring to a boil; cook and stir 2 minutes or until thick and clear. Pour over apples. Sprinkle with remaining crumb mixture.

Bake 60-65 minutes or until apples are tender. Serve warm, with ice cream if desired. Yield: 8 servings.