Stock Your Freezer with These Fall Comfort Foods

Autumn’s shorter and shorter days make it hard to get home and cook dinner before it’s pitch black and all you really feel like doing is crawling into bed. Here are some fall freezer meal favorites that you can make on a Sunday afternoon and enjoy in the weeks to come. All of these recipes keep well, and you can scale the portions appropriately.

Most are at least a little indulgent, because this is the season of comfort food—and speaking of comfort (and indulgence), since the bulk of the work is already done beforehand, you’ll have time to get cozy with a warm drink while they reheat.

Slow Cooker Beef Stew

Chowhound

Beef stew is easy and comforting. Chowhound’s version is full of vegetables and reheats well with pasta, rice, or any starch you feel like whipping up. Or grab a crusty baguette and use it for sopping up any leftover stew in your bowl. Get our Slow Cooker Beef Stew recipe.

Spaghetti Sauce

The Pioneer Woman

Spaghetti sauce, with or without meat, is a great thing to keep in the freezer, and you’ll never regret making a double batch. This recipe from the Pioneer Woman has a ton of flavor plus ground beef for extra protein—with some parmesan cheese on top it’s a perfect weeknight meal. Get the recipe.

Spicy Black Bean Chicken Enchiladas with Pumpkin Sour Cream Sauce

Ambitious Kitchen

For another familiar favorite that features an autumnal twist, try these chicken and black bean enchiladas on for size. Smothered in a pumpkin sour cream sauce, they can be frozen and reheated at your leisure, whether you want to make them far in advance or just have a ton of leftovers you want to save for later. Get the recipe.

Make Ahead Freezer Mac and Cheese

Savory Spice Rack

Mac and cheese may be the ultimate comfort food, and it can be convenient too—even when the infamous blue box is not involved. The trick to avoiding mushiness is to undercook the pasta before mixing it with the cheese and sauce and freezing. Get the recipe.

Broccoli and Wild Mushroom Casserole

Lucy Schaeffer/Food & Wine

This veggie casserole with a Ritz cracker topping makes a great vegetarian main dish that you can keep on hand for an impromptu dinner party. Wild mushrooms are Robert Rausch’s tasty solution for replacing canned mushroom soup. Get the recipe.

Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup

Chowhound

Our slow cooker split pea soup recipe is a great one to have in your repertoire. You can easily alter this to make it vegetarian by leaving out the ham bone and replacing chicken broth with veggie broth; plus, you can freeze individual portions for an easy-to-grab lunch option that doubles as an ice pack. Get our Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup recipe.

Lasagna

Deb Lindsey/Washington Post

This lasagna recipe is easy to make ahead in steps and lasts for up to three months in the freezer, so you’ll have dinner ready to go whenever you choose to defrost. This recipe has mozzarella, parmesan, and ricotta—the cheesy goodness will not go unnoticed. Get the recipe.

Crumb-Topped Apple Pie

An Oregon Cottage

Let’s not forget about dessert. Apples, the ultimate fall fruit, are tumbled with cinnamon and sugar and a bit of flour in a buttery crust, then topped with a generously thick cinnamon crumb layer before being frozen—and the best part? You don’t even need to thaw this before you bake it. Get the recipe.

Single Serve Frozen Oatmeal Cups

The Kitchn

Breakfast is in the bag too! If you start the day off with these single-serve almond and dried cherry frozen oatmeal portions, there’s no way it won’t be a great day. Take one or two and microwave them with some milk or water and you’ll have a hot breakfast in only a minute or two. Get the recipe.

Related Video: The Best Way to Store Food in the Freezer

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9 Turkey Meatloaf Recipes That Keep Things Interesting

Without turkey meatloaf, our weeknight menus would be a lot more boring. The easy, home-style dish usually makes it into our two-week rotation. But even the tastiest dish can get boring, so—to keep things fresh—we rely on these 9 variations to keep everybody around the table interested.

1. Turkey Chipotle Meatloaf

Chowhound

Dark-meat ground turkey is only the beginning of flavor in this zesty comfort-food recipe by Kim Laidlaw. Laidlaw lays on tons more flavor via applewood-smoked bacon, ketchup (a meatloaf fave), canned chipotle chiles, chili powder, and smoked paprika. Get our Turkey Chipotle Meatloaf recipe.

2. Turkey Meatloaf

Chowhound

Meatloaf can be a flavor challenge—the taste, unlike ground beef or pork, is very mild, and prone to dryness. Here, we take care of the flavor part by focusing on umami, in additions full of it. That includes soy sauce, Worcestershire, and Parmesan cheese. Get our Turkey Meatloaf recipe.

3. Mini Turkey Meatloaves

Chowhound

Muffin tins become the mini cooking vessels here—the single-serving meatloaves they produce are ideal for a buffet (easy serving!), plus kids always love the idea of getting their own little self-contained serving. As for the recipe, it’s a classic, seasoned with Worcestershire, ketchup, a touch of hot sauce, and dried oregano. Get our Mini Turkey Meatloaves recipe.

4. Spicy Turkey Meatloaf

Chowhound

Haters of boring turkey meatloaf, this could be your jam. In addition to dark-meat ground turkey, the additions are epic. There’s bacon, fresh and dried herbs, ketchup, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire, cayenne, and a splash of red wine vinegar. It all adds up to a very complex profile. Get our Spicy Turkey Meatloaf recipe.

5. Asian Turkey Meatloaf

Not Going Out Like That

Meatloaf, especially a turkey one, is a really good vehicle for flavors like ginger and soy. This recipe’s got that down. Ground turkey with 10 to 15 percent fat content is joined with fresh ginger, sesame oil, soy sauce, red chile paste, scallions, and chopped cilantro. Taste it, and you’ll wonder why you weren’t doing it this way all along. Get Not Going Out Like That’s Asian Turkey Meatloaf recipe.

6. Thanksgiving Turkey Meatloaf

To Live & Diet in L.A.

Whether or not you choose to make it for Thanksgiving (who are we to judge?) this recipe does make an outstanding meatloaf. Ground turkey is bulked out with easy homemade bread stuffing, essentially, but the really good part: a glaze of cranberry-apple butter. Definitely something to be thankful for. Get To Live & Diet in L.A.’s Thanksgiving Turkey Meatloaf recipe.

7. Confetti Turkey Meatloaf

McCormick

Getting more vegetables into our diet is an ongoing challenge. One easy solution is to pack veggie fiber into unsuspecting things, in a way that actually enhances rather than feels like a diet chore. Here, grated carrot and zucchini become the “confetti” in the slices of an already tasty turkey meatloaf, spiced up with onion and garlic powders and old-fashioned poultry seasoning. Get McCormick’s Confetti Turkey Meatloaf recipe.

8. Turkey Pesto Meatloaf

Grabbing the Gusto

Basil pesto is the genius addition to turkey meatloaf here—we always add Parmesan and fresh herbs to our meatloaf, so why not pesto? Plus, since you can buy very good premade pesto in lots of markets, it’s a shortcut that adds real flavor. The genius kicker: a glaze of marinara sauce and balsamic vinegar. Get Grabbing the Gusto’s Turkey Pesto Meatloaf recipe.

9. Turkey Meatloaf Stuffed with Mushrooms, Spinach, and Parmesan Cheese

Baking and Cooking, A Tale of Two Loves

Ground turkey mingles with egg, low sodium tomato sauce, oatmeal, and chopped onion. For the thing that makes this recipe really special (also very cool, when sliced) is an interior layer of mushrooms and fresh spinach. It’s sort of a case of meat and veggies combining in one dish, though you’ll want to serve it with at least one vegetable side. Get Baking and Cooking, A Tale of Two Loves’ Turkey Meatloaf Stuffed with Mushrooms, Spinach, and Parmesan Cheese recipe.

Related video: How to Make Easy, Cheese Bacon Meatloaf

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Gifts for Those Who Indulge in the Guiltiest of Food Pleasures

Holiday gifting is often a balancing act between want and need. While there’s obvious logic in giving someone something practical, something they need, I think we can all agree it’s more fun (and arguably more in line with the spirit of the season) to come up with something that they would genuinely want. Something that’s more of an indulgence, a luxury they might not otherwise afford themselves.

And what more indulgent gift is there to give a foodie than something which supports and enables their ultimate culinary guilty pleasures? Here are nine ideas to get you started.

Roccbox Pizza Oven ($600)

Williams-Sonoma

It’s tough out there for a Neapolitan pizza-obsessive: The options to indulge in their favorite comfort food at home are second-rate, at best. The conventional kitchen oven isn’t exactly up to the task—neither is your grill, for that matter—and the delicate pies obviously don’t stand up well to the jostled travel of takeout or delivery. Enter the Roccbox Pizza Oven: Your opportunity to give them the perfect gift this holiday (and, even better, guarantee a lot of tasty pizza in your future). This portable, stone-floor pizza oven—with both a wood and gas burner—is capable of baking a legit Neapolitan pie in just 90 seconds. And, bonus, it also doubles as an outdoor oven/grill perfect for making flatbreads and wood-roasting meat and veggies.See It

Perfect Drink PRO Smart Scale ($99)

Amazon

If your loved one’s idea of culinary indulgence is a perfect Manhattan at the end of a long day, then this clever tool should be at the top of your shopping list this gift-giving season. The tech-savvy scale works in cahoots with its app to tell you just how much to pour of what and when so that you mix up flawless cocktails every time. Experiment with the over 400 recipes in the app, or create and save your own. Time to ditch the measuring pours and stock up the bar.See It

Sagra Deluge 16” Cascading Chocolate Fountain ($80)

Amazon

You could get your chocoholic bestie a fancy box of chocolates for Christmas. Or, you could step up to the plate and get them what they really want/didn’t even know they needed: a cascading chocolate fountain capable of circulating up to four pounds of the good stuff. If you’re not already making a list of all the sweet treats that could benefit from a molten chocolate bath—brownie squares, fresh fruit, waffle bites, marshmallows…—there’s something seriously wrong with you.See It

Cuisinart “Mix It In” Soft Serve Ice Cream Maker ($70)

Amazon

Got someone on your list who loves to indulge their inner (fat) kid? Look no further than this charming, nostalgia-inducing soft-serve machine. Not only can it make a quart and a half of ice cream in just 20 minutes, but the unit also includes a three-compartment dispenser for mix-ins (because toppings are life) and even has a dedicated built-in area for holding a stack of cones. Seriously, how do you not scream for this ice cream machine?See It

Char-Broil Deluxe Digital Electric Smoker ($300)

Amazon

There are the casual barbecue fanatics who enjoy firing up the grill every now and then in the summer, and then there are those enthusiasts who aspire to a blue ribbon pitmaster level of greatness. If you’re friends with someone who sounds like they belong in Group B, consider making their ‘cue dreams a reality with this easy-to-clean, temperature-controlled electric smoker. With enough interior rack space to smoke meats for eight or more people, it’s the gift that will likely give back to you in the form of a finger-lickin’-good feast among friends.See It

Hamilton Beach Deep Fryer ($55)

Amazon

The gift of a deep fryer is positively golden, just like the parade of crisp fries, fried chicken, onion rings, beignets, and everything else that’ll come out of it.See It

Weston French Fry Cutter ($25-$100)

Williams-Sonoma

You know what’s better than buying your junk food-loving loved one a deep fryer? Buying them a commercial-quality French fry cutter to go with it. Because, honestly, what good is having the ability to make next-level fried chicken if you can’t serve it with a side of make perfectly-shaped, homemade fries?See It

Electric Raclette Maker ($140)

Williams-Sonoma

A fondue set isn’t the only gift you can give someone who’s obsessed with smothering gooey melted cheese over everything they’re eating Also a perfect fit: a raclette machine. (For the uninitiated, raclette is both the name of a type of cow’s milk cheese and a classic Swiss dish in which said cheese is broiled and served over potatoes and charcuterie.) Perfect for dinner parties, this multitasking tool is outfitted with a broiler and single-serve trays for the cheese, as well as a granite grill top upon which to cook savory accompaniments like veggies and sausage.See It

PicoBrew Beer Brewing Appliance ($290)

Amazon

What sounds like a cooler gift option: buying your craft beer-obsessed friend a couple of their favorite six-packs or buying them a machine that literally brews their favorite beers for them at home? (Yeah, that was a softball.) Basically the beer equivalent of a Keurig coffee machine, this clever device yields five litres of beer from each of its custom grain and hops “paks” (of which there are nearly 200 to choose from).See It

Breville “The Control Freak” Smart Cooker ($1800)

Williams-Sonoma

While perhaps not as obvious a choice as giving your food-loving friend an ice cream maker or pizza oven, this ingenious, state-of-the-art induction burner has the ability to hold nearly 400 different temperatures ranging from 86 to 482 degrees Fahrenheit. Which means it gives them the power to do everything from the perfect low-and-slow cook on their favorite fondue, easily sous-vide eggs for an over-the-top benedict brunch, make caramel sauce for ice cream sundae night, and deep-fry anything their heart desires. All of that power in one, small portable appliance. So long special sous-vide wand, mini deep-fryer, and counter space-consuming crock pot!See It

Related Video: How to Make Maple Ice Cream

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How to Make Healthy Mac and Cheese

Healthy pasta sounds a little suspicious, right? And healthy mac and cheese sounds like a total oxymoron. Our classic mac and cheese recipe contains a full quart of whole milk, a stick of butter, and three glorious cups of cheese. It’s comfort food for sure, and probably not something you’d want to eat every week. But if you do want to, there are lots of ways to make it better for you, without missing out on the delicious savory, salty, tangy flavor and rich, creamy texture of the original.

We’re not anti-indulgence at all—we did publish that aforementioned mac and cheese recipe (and many more, for that matter). It’s just that, sometimes, you want to lighten up an old favorite. Maybe you have a kid who won’t eat anything but macaroni and you want to boost their nutritional intake at least a little, or maybe you know when faced with a pot of creamy pasta, you’re gonna eat until you’re stuffed, so you want to make it at least marginally better for you.

Whatever your reasons, you’re in luck, because mac and cheese happens to be pretty easy to tweak to be more nutritious without losing the very qualities that make us love it in the first pace. Call them “tricks” if you will, but don’t think they won’t also be a treat!

Bialetti Pasta Pot with Strainer Lid ($29.99)

No matter what kind of pasta you make, a pot with a built-in strainer makes draining it easy!

See It

How to make healthier mac and cheese

Blend vegetables into the sauce. Pureeing steamed or roasted butternut squash or cauliflower to replace some of the dairy is a great way to achieve a creamy sauce without as much fat, while also adding nutrients (and great flavor, especially if you go with roasting). This happens to be an equally great hack for healthy queso too.

Use lower-fat dairy. Of course, you can use low-fat cheese, but if you’re not sold on the flavor of it, consider at least using lower fat milk. You don’t have to go with skim if you don’t want to, but cutting back to 1 percent (or even just 2 percent) will make a difference, and all those little things add up.

Make a nondairy sauce. Even if you don’t follow a vegan diet, you may find yourself surprisingly pleased by a sauce based on dairy alternatives, from coconut milk to pureed white beans to cashew cream. And it may seem odd to mash a vegan sauce up with regular cheese, but if your primary goal is to scale back the calories, why not give it a try?

Use whole-wheat, high-fiber pasta. This is an easy change to make, and even suspicious eaters won’t hesitate to chow down on healthier, heartier pasta when it’s blanketed in a creamy sauce. If gluten is an issue, there’s a whole world of gluten-free pasta options too.

Replace some of the noodles with vegetables. Whether instead of or in addition to choosing healthier pasta, you can cut back on the amount of elbows or shells you cook and bulk it up with similarly sized chunks of roasted veggies like broccoli and peppers (or just add some vegetables to the most caloric bowl of mac and cheese you can cook up, and you can still feel a little better about inhaling it).

Replace some of the cheese and/or cream with Greek yogurt. Like melted cheddar, it’s tangy and creamy, but it packs probiotic goodness with far fewer calories.

Add bolder flavors to compensate for less fat. In many cases, that old adage is true: fat is flavor, but it’s not the only thing that tastes good. Adding more assertive seasonings can do a lot to offset any richness you might lose by using less cheese and/or cream and butter. This one might not work so well for kids, but if you like chipotle, jalapenos, horseradish, roasted garlic, or slow-roasted tomatoes, try adding them to your mac and cutting back on the dairy.

Swap out the breadcrumbs for almond meal. Even if you’re not gluten intolerant, sprinkling almond meal on top of your creamy casserole gives you the same crisp crust as breadcrumbs (or Cheez-Its, a personal favorite), but with way fewer carbs but more fiber. You can season them as you would breadcrumbs, if you like.

Play around with one or more of these ideas in combination with your favorite macaroni and cheese recipe next time you’re craving a bowl of comfort without wanting to get too indulgent. Or try one of these healthier takes on mac and cheese:

Vegan Mac and Cheese

Chowhound

Our vegan mac and cheese relies on coconut milk blended with toasted walnuts for a creamy base with more depth than many vegan versions, plus nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor without any actual dairy. The roasted broccoli and cauliflower pieces (and the caramelized onions) make it even more delicious, but can be left out if necessary to please kids. Get our Vegan Macaroni and Cheese recipe.

Healthy Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

Pinch of Yum

If your aim is just to cut back on the dairy, this mac and cheese only has one tablespoon of butter and less than a cup of milk; the bulk of the creamy sauce comes from pureed butternut squash, caramelized onions, and chicken broth. Since the onions are pureed too, there are no suspicious pieces hanging around to put off picky eaters. Get the recipe.

Healthy Baked Broccoli Mac and Cheese

Healthy Seasonal Recipes

Whole wheat macaroni and broccoli (mac and cheese’s best veggie pal) mingle in a sauce made from non-fat milk thickened via the slurry method (as opposed to the usual buttery roux), so you can add a little extra cheese sans guilt. Get the recipe.

Hidden Cauliflower Mac and Cheese

Self Proclaimed Foodie

This one is more about simply sneaking in extra veggies, rather than reducing calories. Specifically, steamed cauliflower is pureed with half and half, which meets the usual butter-and-flour roux to thicken it, plus whole milk and plenty of gooey cheese. (If you want, you can make it without cream, and can also make it in your Instant Pot.) Get the recipe.

Vegan Cashew Mac and Cheese

Vegan Yumminess

This vegan mac’s smooth, creamy sauce is made from coconut milk blended with cashews—plus carrots, onions, and potatoes, and nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor. Get the recipe.

White Bean Mac and Cheese

Chocolate Covered Katie

If you can’t eat nuts, try creamy pureed white beans as a base for a vegan “cheese” sauce. If you’re keeping it dairy free, you can use either vegan cheese shreds or a combo of nutritional yeast and apple cider vinegar—but the bean trick can be tried with your standard pot of pasta too. Get the recipe.

Healthier Baked Mac and Cheese

The Recipe Rebel

Chicken broth, lower-fat 1 percent milk, and whole wheat pasta make for a healthier mac and cheese that doesn’t stray too far from the original—unless you want to try that almond meal topping in place of the panko breadcrumbs. Get the recipe.

Creamy Greek Yogurt Mac and Cheese

Cooking a la Mel

Greek yogurt stirred into shredded cheese and pasta makes for a super-quick mac and cheese that also gets a protein boost while being lower in fat than ones crammed with heavy cream and butter. Stir in spinach or any other veggies you like. Get the recipe.

Related Video: How to Make Instant Pot Mac and Cheese with Bacon

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9 Reasons to Cook Fried Chicken this Weekend

You never need an excuse for making fried chicken. Check out these recipes that will make your mouth water and are a perfect dish to serve for a simple fall supper with a salad or cole slaw. Cold leftovers the next day will also be a welcome surprise. Most of the recipes involve brining, then coating the chicken in a liquid mixture (egg, buttermilk, even yogurt), and then dredging the chicken in a spiced flour combination to create crispiness. Follow the instructions and you can’t go wrong.

1. Edna’s Fried Chicken

In this recipe (made famous by Scott Peacock), spicy pieces of fried chicken cooked up in a cast iron skillet are crispy and decadent. Use Cajun seasoning (such as Slap Yo’ Mama) and don’t skimp on the oil. Get the recipe here.

2. Buttermilk Fried Chicken

The Little Epicurean

The chicken brine is what differentiates this moist fried chicken – start with a gallon of water and add lemons, thyme, parsley, garlic, honey, pepper and salt. Be sure to brine for at least 10-12 hours for the best results. Get the recipe here.

3. Northern Fried Chicken

Serious Eats

Matzo meal and flour are combined for an extra crispy coating on this fried chicken recipe from Bromberg Brothers: Blue Ribbon Cookbook. Garlic, onion powder, dried parsley, dried basil, thyme, paprika, and cayenne add a kick. Get the recipe here.

4. Best Southern Fried Chicken

Stagetecture

This recipe for fried chicken has a tea-spiked brine with an onion, lemon, salt, garlic, pepper, and two ice cubes, to keep it extra cold. Self-rising white cornmeal mix is added to self-rising flour and seasoned with salt, black, and red pepper for a crunch coating. Get the recipe here.

5. Classic Fried Chicken

Hannah McCauley

The double dip is what makes the crispy chicken skin on this batch so irresistible. The chicken is coated in a dry rub with salt, pepper, paprika, cayenne, garlic, and onion powder and then let it sit in the fridge overnight to develop the flavor. Get the recipe here.

6. Yogurt Brined Fried Chicken

The yogurt in this recipe is seasoned with spices, then the chicken is mixed with it and refrigerated in the marinade for at least 24 hours. After you dredge it in the flour mix, it will be moist, tangy, and tastier than any commercial fried chicken you’ve ever ordered. Get the recipe here.

7. Crunchy Oven-Fried Cornflake Chicken

Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice

The crunchy breading is made from crushed cornflakes, Japanese panko breadcrumbs, and a number of spices that you can easily customize or substitute with your own favorites. Get the recipe here.

8. Vietnamese Fried Chicken Thighs with Garlic-Chile Glaze

Bon Apetit

Marinating the chicken in soy sauce adds extra flavor and pairs beautifully with garlic-chile glaze. Fish sauce, hot chile paste, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, and shallots are combined for a tangy topping. Get the recipe here.

9. Honey Fried Chicken

Eat the Love

A full cup of honey makes this a chewy instead of crispy coating that’s flavored with red raspberry vinegar. Thyme, sage, nutmeg, salt, and pepper are combined with a mixture of whole wheat and all-purpose flour and then water to make a smooth batter. Get the recipe here.

Related Video: How to Take the Stress Out of Fried Chicken

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Pepperoni Pizza Penne Pasta

Eat Your Food! Think of pepperoni pizza, but as pasta! Kid-friendly, and parents can add some extra spice to their bowls with a crunchy breadcrumb topping.

Continue reading "Pepperoni Pizza Penne Pasta" »

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