Autumn is one of our most pleasant seasons with cool temperatures and all the senses touched by the beauty and texture of jewel-toned leaves and berries. It is the perfect time to invite old and new friends to enjoy comfort foods and share quality time. Whether a group of girlfriends or a few special couples, this meal reflects seasonal favorites.
Line the table with some beautiful white pumpkins adorned with pressed flowers, soft greenery, and small arrangements of fresh, seasonal, colorful flowers. Decorate small pumpkins with a few dried flowers and scripted gold initials for place cards, and add a few dried flowers to the menu cards. The wire placemat chargers of gold leaves are perfect for the seasonal display topped with vintage green floral-bordered china with gold edges.
To begin the meal of seasonal flavors, small pumpkin soup bowls offer Creamy Broccoli-Cheese Soup with Parmesan Crisps. Maple leaf salad plates are perfect for serving Spinach Salad with apples, white raisins, walnuts, and Apple Cider Vinaigrette. The main course is comfort food consisting of Grillades Cheese and Grits, Green Beans, Hot Fruit, and Augustine Bread.
The perfect fall dessert is Pumpkin Cream Cheese Pie served with Special Whipped Cream, which is easy and delicious.
After a delightful meal and wonderful conversation, the friends depart with memories and plans for their next time together.
MENU
Creamy Broccoli-Cheese Soup
Parmesan Crisps
Spinach Salad with Apples
Grillades and Grits
Green Beans
Hot Fruit
Augustine Bread
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Pie
EDI Fall meal with pumpkins
Creamy Broccoli-Cheese Soup
16 ounces broccoli florets
2 cups chicken broth, divided
1 stick salted butter
½ onion, finely chopped
1 heaping tablespoon flour
2 (10.75-ounce) cans mushroom soup
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
8 ounces Velveeta shredded cheese
In a saucepan, cook broccoli in 1 cup of chicken broth for 7 minutes until tender; cool slightly. In a food processor, puree broccoli; set aside. In a skillet, melt butter, and sauté onions until tender. Add flour to onion mixture, and stir until smooth. Add pureed broccoli, remaining 1 cup chicken broth, mushroom soup, and evaporated milk, and simmer for 20 minutes. Add cheese and simmer until melted. Do not boil soup.
Yield: 6-8 servings
Lena Causey, Madison
Parmesan Crisps
2 cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup plus ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 sticks chilled salted butter, cubed
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, mix flour, ¾ cup Parmesan cheese, salt, and cayenne pepper. Add butter cubes a few at a time; process until dough begins to form. Remove and form dough into a ball. Divide ball into half. Shape into two 12-inch logs and wrap in waxed paper. Refrigerate for 2 hours. Slice logs into ¾-inch slices. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle slices with remaining ¼ cup Parmesan cheese. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until dry on top and golden on bottom. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.
Yield: 3 dozen crackers
EDI Fall meal with pumpkins
Spinach Salad with Apples
Salad:
1 (12-ounce) package spinach
2 Granny Smith or Pink Lady apples, sliced
½ cup chopped walnuts
½ cup golden raisins
Salt and black pepper to taste
Divide ingredients between 6 to 8 plates, and drizzle with vinaigrette.
Yield: 6-8 servings
Apple Cider Vinaigrette:
5 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
In a bowl, whisk ingredients together. Place in a jar with a lid. Chill until serving.
Shake before serving.
Yield: about ¾ cup
Grillades
½ cup bacon grease, divided
4 pounds beef round steak, cut into strips
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ bunch green onions, chopped
1 cup chopped celery
1½ cups chopped green peppers
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 teaspoon thyme
1 cup burgundy wine
½ cup water
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Tabasco Sauce to taste
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
3 bay leaves
In a skillet over medium heat, heat ¼ cup bacon grease, and brown meat. Remove meat, and wipe out pan. Add remaining ¼ cup bacon grease. Heat, and stir in flour, making a brown roux. Add onions, celery, peppers, and garlic and sauté. Add meat, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and thyme, stirring until sauce has lost its bright color. Add wine, water, pepper, parsley, Tabasco Sauce, Worcestershire, and bay leaves. Reduce, and simmer for 2 hours. Serve over cheese grits.
Yield: 12 servings
Kathryn Davis, Jackson
EDI Fall meal with pumpkins
Cheese Grits
4 cups water
4 cups half-and-half
2 cups quick grits
½ stick salted butter
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce
½ teaspoon garlic powder
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a saucepan, bring water and half-and-half to a boil; whisk in grits slowly. When grits return to boil, turn heat to medium, and continue to whisk until thickened. Remove from heat, and let set for 10 minutes. Stir in butter, cheese, salt, Tabasco, and garlic powder. Whisk until cheeses are melted and mixture has a smooth consistency. Pour into a 9 x 13-inch dish. Bake for 30 minutes.
Yield: 12-18 servings
Green Beans
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons olive oil
12 ounces fresh or frozen green beans, trimmed
Salt
2 tablespoons chopped salted pistachio nuts
In a bowl, combine soy sauce, honey, and water; set aside. In a saucepan over medium heat, heat olive oil and add green beans and salt. Cook for to 7 minutes until lightly brown and tender. Stir in soy sauce mixture until beans are coated, for about 20 seconds. Sprinkle with chopped salted pistachios.
Yield: 6-8 servings
EDI Fall meal with pumpkins
Hot Fruit Casserole
1 (16-ounce) can pears
1 (16-ounce) can pineapple chunks
1 (16-ounce) can whole peaches
1 (16-ounce) can whole apricots
1 (6-ounce) bottle Maraschino cherries
1/3 cup unsalted butter
¼ cup brown sugar
Drain pears, pineapple, peaches, and apricots, and let stand. Add cherries to fruit mixture. Combine butter and brown sugar. Melt in a saucepan over medium heat. Heat to a boil, and stir constantly. Place drained fruit in a 2-quart casserole dish, and pour hot cooked sauce over fruit. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes at 300 degrees.
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Augustine Bread
1½ sticks salted butter, softened
¾ cup shredded cheddar and Swiss cheese
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon garlic salt
1 loaf French bread, sliced
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a bowl, combine butter, cheese, and seasonings. Spread on bread. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until toasted.
Yield: 10-12 servings
Linda Kay Barbour, Winona
EDI Fall meal with pumpkins
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Pie
½ (15-ounce) package, 2 9-inch-deep dish pie crusts
1½ (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
3 eggs
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake pie crust for 8 minutes until light golden brown. With a mixer, beat cream cheese until creamy. Beat in sugar and flour. Reserve ½ cup in a small bowl, Beat in cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. Beat in eggs, pumpkin, and vanilla. Pour pumpkin mixture into crust. Stir 1 tablespoon cream into reserved cream cheese mixture. Spoon cream cheese mixture over pumpkin mixture. Cut through cream cheese mixture with a knife in S-shaped curves in one continuous motion for a marbled design. Turn pie ¼ turn, and repeat. Cover pie crust edge with foil and bake for 35 to 45 minutes. Cool for 30 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours.
Yield: 8 servings
Special Whipped Cream
1 cup heavy whipping cream
3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon bourbon
½ teaspoon vanilla
With a mixer, beat cream. Add sugar, bourbon, and vanilla.
Yield: 1 cup
Resources:
Tablecloth fabric from JoAnn’s Fabric, Jackson; wire leaf gold charger mats from shopartisantablewareco.com; pumpkin-lid soup bowls from Hobby Lobby, Flowood and Madison; maple leaf salad plates by Better Homes and Gardens, Heritage Collection from HomeGoods, Jackson and Madison; Royal Tettau vintage German China from Bloomingdeals, Jackson
