CID's Fall Comfort Foods Roundup

It’s feeling very fall up in here, isn’t it? In non-pandemic fall times, CID would have its annual Fall Fest, a food-filled frenzy and competition for bragging rights in both sweet and savory categories. While we'll miss it in person this year, that hasn't stopped us from circulating some fall favorites and we thought we'd share with you. Buckle up for inspiration in pumpkiny and comforty ideas.

Category: Pumpkin

Easiest Pumpkin Muffins

• 1 box of spice cake mix (or, take a white or yellow cake mix and stir in your own blend of pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, clove, allspice, etc.)
• 1 (15oz) can of pumpkin
• 1 cup of chocolate chips

Stir all ingredients together to combine. Scoop into muffin tins (either line with paper or spray with nonstick spray). Bake at 350 until a toothpick coms out clean, 18-20 minutes for most ovens. If you dislike chocolate (why, you monster!), can go without, or replace with nuts or dried cranberries.

Easiest Pumpkin Pie Dip

• 1 (15oz) can of Pumpkin
• 1 box of Vanilla Pudding Mix
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 (16oz) container of Whipped Topping (aka Cool Whip), thawed

Mix the first three ingredients together. Fold in the thawed whipped topping. Chill until serving. Goes great with apple slices, graham crackers (especially the cinnamon ones), vanilla wafers, or just a spoon.

Category: Not Pumpkin

Fall Pockets
makes approx. 24 pockets

• 1 lb spicy ground/bulk Italian sausage
• 2 shallots, minced
• 2 apples (Honeycrisp or similarly crunchy), peeled, cored and diced into small cubes
• 1 bag of frozen corn (10 to 16 oz.)
• 4 oz. cream cheese (approximately half a block)
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1/2 tsp Spiced Sugar (buy this from The Spice House because it is amazing. Otherwise, make your own with a mixture of white sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and cardamom)
• 1/2 tsp Aleppo Pepper
• Salt & pepper (to taste)
• 3 tubes Crescent Rolls

Brown the sausage in a skillet, breaking it up into small chunks. After about 5 minutes of
browning the sausage, add the shallots, apples, and butter and saute until apples and shallots are soft and sausage is fully cooked.

Add corn, Aleppo pepper and season to taste with salt and pepper

Remove from heat and stir in cream cheese and spiced sugar

While the mixture cools, open and separate the crescent roll dough. Line two baking sheets with parchment and place about 12 dough triangles on each sheet.

Add a heaping spoonful of the sausage mixture to the middle of each crescent roll triangle.  Stretch the dough around the filling, as needed, in order to fold up the pocket into any freeform shape and seal the edges. 

Bake at 350º for about 12 min

Calamity Mack’s Jolly Ranchero Cheese Dip

Mix together:

• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup sliced green onion
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup cream cheese

Spread on plate and top with

• 3/4 cup hot pepper jelly

Serve with:

• Triscuits (or any crackers)

Rouladen
Brent swears by this recipe for Rouladen like Grandma Kaufman used to make.

His Pro Tip: bake in an oven-safe casserole dish with gravy poured over the top at 325 for 1.25 hrs after browning in the pan instead of simmering. 

Schweinshaxe
Charlie has us checking out this Oktoberfest classic, Schweinshaxe, or German Pork Knuckle. Apparently most butchers will give them (the knuckles) away if you ask for them!

Got a go-to recipe of your own for fall comfort goodness? Feel free to share your recipes with us at hello@cidesigninc.com!