Recipe(s) of the Decade: Fall Favorites

In honor of the season, here are a couple of my favorite Fall recipes. This first one is a simple alternative to pumpkin pie, and feeds a ton!

Pumpkin Shortbread
(by Taste of Home)

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 c. sugar, divided
• 1/2 c. cold butter
• 1 (29oz.) can solid-packed pumpkin
• 1 t. cinnamon
• 1/2 t. ground cloves
• 1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 t. salt
• 1 t. ground ginger
• 2 (12oz. cans evaporated milk)

Ingredients:

In bowl, combine 1/4 c. sugar and flour; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbles. Press into an ungreased 9x13 in. casserole dish. In another bowl, combine eggs, pumpkin, salt, spices and remaining sugar. Stir in milk. Pour over crust. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake 50-55 minutes longer, or until filling is set. Cool on wire rack. Cover and refrigerate over night. Cut into squares. Top with whipped cream and sprinkle with cinnamon if desired.

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This next recipe I have loved for years. My friend Amy had it simmering in her crock pot one afternoon when I was hanging out at her house. One taste of it sold me. It's very basic, but so so good! Here's the original recipe, plus my own two cents at the bottom. Be sure to read those, because they offer great improvements to an already amazing meal!

All-American Beef Stew
(by Land O Lakes)

Ingredients:

• 1 T. butter
• 1 lb. beef stew meat, cut into cubes *(or see my "two cents" below)
• 2 c. vegetable juice cocktail
• 1 (14.5oz.) can beef broth
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1 medium potato, peeled and cubed
• 1 medium onion, cut into 1-in. pieces
• 1 T. Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 t. garlic salt
• 1/2 t. dried thyme leaves
• 1/4 t. marjoram leaves
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 1/2 c. frozen peas
• 1/2 c. water
• 3 T. all-purpose flour
• 2 T. red wine or beef broth

Instructions:

Melt butter in large skillet until sizzling; add meat. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until browned (5-7 minutes).

Place meat in crock pot. Stir in all remaining ingredients except peas, water, flour and wine/beef broth.

Cover; cook on LOW for 8-9 hours, or HIGH for 5-6 hours, or until beef is tender. Uncover, remove bay leaf. Stir in peas.

Stir together water, flour and wine/beef broth in small bowl until smooth. Slowly stir flour mixture into beef mixture, stirring constantly. Switch to HIGH setting, stirring occasionally, until thickened (8-10 minutes).

My own two cents:

Here's an alternative to the stew meat. The night BEFORE you make the stew, brown a 2-3 lb. roast, then place in crock pot on LOW, along with 1 c. water. By morning (10-12 hours later), the meat will be falling apart tender, and the juices produced from the roast can be used in place of the beef broth. Last time I did this, I cooked a 3 lb. roast and used half the meat in the stew, then put the other half in a ziploc bag and into the freezer for later use. It is SO MUCH BETTER than standard old stew meat. Give it a try!

Happy Fall, everyone! Or should I say winter? That's what it's felt more like around here so far!