Fall has finally arrived in full force here in the South.   This is the time to enjoy some of our favorite fall foods!

The season’s loveliness now surrounds us.  I was beginning to wonder if we were ever going to get our much-anticipated season of vivid colors and pretty landscapes.  At least now the maples are cooperating and beginning to show their vivid yellows and oranges.

It is such a blessing to be found right in the middle of Fall and  to be living in this most creative season of such a masterful artist as our heavenly Father.  Every view is refreshing and invigorating.  We need lots of extra time for long walks.  Every breath is energizing and exciting.

Who wants to spend hours pouring over recipes trying to decide what to cook for dinner?

There are so many other things to do.

Something about the sudden chill in the air makes us hungry though and we all crave warm meals made up of good old comfort foods.

Today we have provided a few of our favorite go-to main dishes for the fall season.  They are easy and uncomplicated and probably just the little memory jog you need before stopping at the grocery store on your way home from work.

Hope this helps to give you more time and energy for what really matters.

Enjoy:

HARVEST-TIME CHILI

Ingredients:
3 Red Sweet Peppers (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
1-1/2 lbs. ground beef (cooked with any grease drained out)
1 large purple onion (chopped)
1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans
1 (15 ounce) can pork-n-beans
1 (15 ounce) can field peas and green beans
1 (14 ounce) can garlic flavored diced tomatoes
1 (15 ounce ) can Manwich sauce
Sour Cream (for garnish)
Shredded Cheddar Cheese (for garnish)
Directions:
Chop all of the vegetables and sauté in a small amount of olive oil on the stove top until soft. (About 5 minutes.) Add the chopped garlic cloves into the vegetables as you sauté them. Place all of the beans and peas into a crock pot. Do not drain the juices. Add cooked vegetables, Diced tomatoes and Manwich sauce and stir well. Set crock pot to low and let cook for about six hours. Then crumble and fry the hamburger in a skillet on top of the stove until done. Remove any grease. Do not add to crock pot; but dip ingredients from crock pot into serving bowls then add the desired amount of hamburger on top. Stir and garnish with sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese. Enjoy!

OCTOBER CHICKEN TETRAZZINI

Ingredients:
1 can Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom Soup
¾ cups water
½ cup grated Parmesan Cheese
1 pint chopped mushrooms
2 Tablespoons chopped parsley
¼ cup chopped red bell pepper
1 large chopped onion
2 garlic cloves minced
8 ounces of linguine noodles
2 cups cooked and chopped chicken
2 unbaked Pillsbury pie dough shells
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
½ stick unsalted butter, melted
Directions:
Cook boneless chicken and chop; set aside. Cook noodles in boiling salt water and drain (reserving ¾ cup of the salty water). Place first pie shell in a prepared round dish. Cook the vegetables (onion, peppers and mushrooms) in a skillet on top of the stove in a small amount of olive oil until tender. Mix in the minced garlic, salt and pepper. Mix the cream of mushroom soup with ¾ cups of the noodle water and add to vegetables in a large pan. Add parsley and Parmesan cheese to mix. Add chopped chicken pieces. Mix well and pour into round baking dish with pie shell in the bottom. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place the other pie shell over the top of the dish and cut slits in the top. Brush pie crust with melted butter. Bake for 45 minutes or until crust is golden brown and chicken mixture is bubbly. Serve hot.

THE BEST MEATLOAF IN THE LAND

Ingredients:
2 lbs. ground beef
1 onion – chopped into thin pieces
3 eggs slightly beaten
2 cups Pepperidge Farm stuffing mix
3 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
¼ cup Moore’s Sauce
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 cups ketchup (2 separate cups)
1 cup brown sugar
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a metal loaf pan with cooking spray. Mix one cup of ketchup with brown sugar and spread in the bottom of the loaf pan. Combine all the other ingredients and mix well. Place meat mixture over top of sauce in pan and place in the oven for exactly one hour. Take from oven, invert meatloaf out of pan onto a plate to serve sauce side up.

FAVORITE ENCHILADAS

Ingredients:
For Sauce:
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
One Can Tomato Paste
1-28 ounce can enchilada or Mexican red sauce
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
For Meat Mixture:
1 pound of ground beef (you can use shredded chicken if you do not prefer beef)
1 medium onion finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
Everything Else:
Olive Oil for frying
10-14 whole wheat tortillas
Two 4 ounce cans diced green chilies
1 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup finely chopped black olives
3 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
Fresh chopped Cilantro for garnish
Directions:
Prepare the sauce by combining sauce ingredients together in a sauce pan and heating over medium heat. When it begins to boil reduce to a simmer and let simmer while you prepare the meat. Brown all the meat ingredients in a skillet on the stove over medium high heat and set aside. Heat another skillet on the stove with olive oil and lightly fry the tortillas until they are light brown but still able to be flexible. Drain them on a paper towel. Assemble the tortillas by spreading some sauce into a plate and coating the front and back of each tortilla. As you coat them place some of the meat sauce on the tortilla and sprinkle with cheese then roll up. Place in an oblong baking dish. When all are placed in the dish cover with the sauce that is left and sprinkle with cheese that is left. Bake for 30 minutes on 350 degrees until bubbly. Sprinkle the fresh chopped cilantro on top for serving.

MR. TAZIKI’S SIGNATURE PASTA SPECIAL

(This is the copy-cat recipe for Taziki’s Friday night special that we all love so much)
(Serves 6)
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
1 tablespoon shallot, minced
½ cup balsamic vinegar
Juice from one lemon
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 ½ cups blended olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
6 cups mixed lettuce
1 ½ pounds penne pasta, cooked
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts, grilled and cubed
2 cups feta cheese crumbled
3 tomatoes seeded and diced
1 handful of fresh basil chopped
Directions:
To make vinaigrette: Mix thyme, shallots, balsamic vinegar, lemon, sugar, Dijon mustard. Slowly whisk in oil. Add salt and pepper.
For Pasta/Salad: Place about 1 cup mixed lettuce on each plate. Toss cooked pasta with 12 ounces (or to taste) vinaigrette. Toss grilled chicken with 6 ounces vinaigrette. Spoon approximately 3 cups pasta onto lettuce, and add chicken on top. Top with diced tomato, feta cheese and fresh basil to taste.

TORTILLA SOUP

Ingredients:
1 onion
3 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes
1 10. 5 ounce can condensed chicken broth
1-1/4 cups water
1 cup cooked shoe peg corn kernels
1 cup white hominy
1 4 ounce can chopped green chili peppers
1 – 15 ounce can black beans rinsed and drained
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 cups shredded cooked chicken
crushed tortilla chips
1 sliced avocado
shredded Monterrey jack cheese
chopped green onion
Directions:
In a medium stock pot, heat oil over medium heat. Sauté onion and garlic in oil until soft. Stir in chili powder, oregano, tomatoes, broth, and water. Bring to a boil, and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
Stir in corn, hominy, chilies, beans, cilantro, and chicken. Simmer for 10 minutes. Ladle soup into individual serving bowls, and top with crushed tortilla chips, avocado slices, cheese, and chopped green onion.

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