Courtesy of Lynnwood Earl’s Kitchen Counter
There’s something about fall that makes us want to gather. Maybe it’s the cooler evenings. Maybe it’s the smell of something warm simmering on the stove. Maybe it’s apples and cinnamon and maple and all those wonderful flavors that somehow don’t taste quite the same any other time of year. Or maybe it’s simply that fall reminds us that some of the best moments happen when we slow down long enough to pull up a chair.
That seems especially appropriate this year because LPI’s Fall Conference is right around the corner. From November 6–8, we’ll be gathering in Pomona for “Fall Into Excellence: Gather, Grow, Thrive.”
And the more I thought about that theme, the more I realized those three little words belong just as comfortably in the kitchen as they do at Conference.
We gather.
We pull up chairs, pass plates, catch up with people we haven’t seen in far too long, laugh at stories we’ve probably heard before, and somehow always manage to make room for one more.
We grow.
We try something new. We learn from each other. We share what we know. Sometimes we discover a new recipe; sometimes we discover a new way of looking at something we thought we already understood.
And we thrive.
Because sometimes what restores us isn’t complicated. Sometimes it’s a warm meal, good conversation, laughter, and time spent with people who understand us.
That’s exactly what Fall Conference offers, too.
So, in honor of Gather, Grow, Thrive, Lynnwood Earl’s Kitchen Counter is getting into the Conference spirit a little early with four fall recipes made for gathering.
Nothing fancy. Nothing fussy. Just good food, meant to be shared.
GATHER
Warm Caramelized Onion, Bacon & Apple Dip
This is the kind of appetizer that causes people to wander into the kitchen and ask, “What smells so good?” Put it on the counter with crackers or toasted bread and don’t worry about announcing that it’s ready. They’ll find it.
Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon, chopped
- 1 large, sweet onion, thinly sliced
- 1 medium apple, peeled and finely diced
- 1 tablespoon butter, if needed
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded Gruyère or Swiss cheese
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped green onions, for garnish
- Chopped toasted pecans (optional)
Directions
Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove it with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving about 1 tablespoon of bacon drippings in the skillet.
Add the sliced onion and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden brown, about 15–20 minutes. If the skillet becomes dry, add the butter.
Add the diced apple and cook for another 3–4 minutes, just until slightly softened.
In a mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, sour cream, cheddar, Gruyère, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, thyme, half of the bacon, and the onion-apple mixture. Season with salt and pepper.
Spread into a small baking dish and bake at 375°F for 20–25 minutes, until hot and bubbly.
Top with the remaining bacon, green onions, and pecans, if desired.
Serve warm with toasted baguette slices, sturdy crackers, pretzel crisps, or sliced apples.
Lynnwood Earl says: Make sure you get some before you set this out. Once everybody else discovers it, you’re on your own.
COME TO THE TABLE
Sausage, Apple & Herb Sheet-Pan Supper
There are nights when dinner should be delicious. There are other nights when dinner should be delicious and not require washing every pot you own. This recipe is for those nights.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds baby potatoes, halved
- 12–14 ounces smoked sausage or chicken sausage, cut into thick slices
- 2 medium apples, cored and cut into wedges
- 1 large onion, cut into wedges
- 2 large carrots, cut into chunks
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the Maple-Dijon Glaze
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Directions
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Place the potatoes and carrots on a large sheet pan. Toss with about half of the olive oil, rosemary, thyme, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
Roast for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, whisk together the maple syrup, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, and olive oil.
Remove the pan from the oven. Add the sausage, apples, and onion. Drizzle everything with the remaining olive oil and about half of the maple-Dijon mixture. Toss gently and spread into an even layer.
Return to the oven and roast for another 20–25 minutes, stirring once, until the vegetables are tender and everything has begun to brown around the edges. Drizzle with the remaining maple-Dijon glaze just before serving.
If you want to add Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, or butternut squash, go right ahead. Sheet-pan dinners are forgiving that way.
So are good friends.
STAY AWHILE
Creamy Autumn Sausage & Potato Soup
Every kitchen needs at least one soup that makes people reconsider their plans to leave. This might be that soup. It’s hearty without being too heavy, simple enough for a weeknight, and even better the next day, which assumes, of course, that there is any left.
Ingredients
- 1 pound Italian sausage, mild or hot
- 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil, if needed
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold or russet potatoes, cut into bite-size pieces
- 5 cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup half-and-half or heavy cream
- 2 cups chopped fresh spinach or kale, optional
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
Directions
In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, cook the sausage over medium heat, breaking it into crumbles as it browns. Remove excess grease if necessary. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook for about 5 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the potatoes, chicken broth, Italian seasoning, thyme, salt, and pepper.
Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15–20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
For a slightly thicker soup, use the back of a spoon or potato masher to mash some of the potatoes right in the pot.
Reduce the heat to low and stir in the half-and-half, Parmesan, and spinach or kale, if using. Heat gently until the greens wilt and the soup is warmed through. Do not boil after adding the cream. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Serve with crusty bread and extra Parmesan.
Then settle in. Nobody said you had to be productive tonight.
THRIVE
Maple-Pecan Pumpkin Dump Cake
We have reached dessert. This is important because, as previously established by the Kitchen Counter Culinary Institute, thriving requires dessert. Fortunately, thriving also does not require spending three hours making it.
Ingredients
- 1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
- 3 large eggs
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 box yellow or spice cake mix
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, melted
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs, brown sugar, maple syrup, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt until smooth.
Pour into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly over the pumpkin mixture. Do not stir. Sprinkle the pecans over the cake mix. Drizzle the melted butter as evenly as possible over the entire top.
Bake for 50–60 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the pumpkin layer is set. Let cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.
Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. A little caramel sauce on top wouldn’t hurt anything, either.
Refrigerate leftovers.
Assuming there are leftovers.
SAVE ME A SEAT
Of course, recipes can only take the theme so far. The real gathering happens November 6–8 at LPI’s Fall Conference in Pomona.
If you’ve been thinking about attending but haven’t registered yet, consider this your invitation to pull up a chair.
Come for the education.
Come for the connections.
Come to see old friends and make some new ones.
Come because stepping away from the everyday routine and spending a weekend with people who understand what you do and why it matters can be exactly the reset you didn’t realize you needed.There will be opportunities to learn, to laugh, to reconnect, to share ideas, and perhaps to remember why you chose this profession in the first place.
There will also be food.
Lynnwood Earl considers this an important detail.
This fall, whether you’re gathered around a conference table or your own kitchen counter, make a little room for the things that nourish you.
Gather. Grow. Thrive.
And maybe have dessert.
Until next time, keep something good simmering, and save me a seat at the table.
Categorized in: General
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