Comforting Recipes You Have To Try This Autumn – from beef stews to chicken pie and vegetable pasta, here’s some easy family meals to make this autumn.
During the autumn, we may no longer want to be eating light salads and cold food. As soon as the weather starts to get cooler, it’s the ideal time for many of us to enjoy some good old carbs and warming recipes. If you are stuck on what to make for dinner for the next few weeks for you and the family, here are some really simple and comforting autumn recipes you have to try.
Beef Stew
One of the most common and affordable meals which you can make during the colder seasons is a food old beef stew. When you are making a stew for you and your family it is important to remember that you should take time to source great steering beef such as from Weston Biltong Company or your local butchers. Stew is such as simple dish and the beef makes it amazing for a cold, rainy evening. Here is a simple recipe you can make this week which should last you a couple of days.
Ingredients:
- 750g stewing steak, diced
- 300g potatoes, peeled and diced
- 3 oxo cubes
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 onions, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 400ml stout or rich ale
- 1 tbsp mixed herbs
Method:
Start off by parboiling your potatoes for 6 minutes. Meanwhile, brown your beef in a frying pan along with the diced onion and carrots until brown on all sides. Place all ingredients into a large stewing pot or slow cooker and cook for 4 hours on medium heat. Stir occasionally and add salt and pepper to taste before serving with your favourite crusty bread.
Chicken Pot Pie
Pot pie is a staple in many homes because it is a simple midweek meal which takes hardly any time at all and fills everyone up happily for the evening. You can make a tasty chicken pot pie with shop bought pastry and cooked rotisserie chicken in under an hour.
Ingredients:
- ½ cooked rotisserie chicken, shredded
- 2 potatoes, diced finely
- 1 large carrot, diced finely
- 1 celery stick, diced finely
- 1 tbsp flour
- 1 tbsp butter or margarine
- ½ pint milk
- 3 tbsp tarragon
- 1 tbsp thyme
- 1 roll of shop bought puff pastry
Method:
First of all, add the carrot, potato and celery to a small pan and fry in oil for 8-10 minutes. Add butter to the pan and stir around until melted. Add flour and whisk to form a roux, and then add the milk and stir until thickened. Add your herbs and chicken and cook for 5 minutes. Place in a pie tin and cover with pastry to create a pie. Bake for 25 minutes in the oven at 200C until golden.
Vegetable Pasta
For a meat free Monday dish to warm the cockles of your heart, this veggie pasta is the ideal plate filler and will satisfy all of your cravings.
Ingredients:
- 400g fusilli pasta
- ½ diced onion
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tin chopped tomatoes
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 1 tsp basil
- 1 tsp rosemary
- 1 tsp thyme
- Handful asparagus, chopped
- Handful green beans, chopped
- Handful broccoli, chopped
- Handful cherry tomatoes, chopped
- Parmesan for serving
Method:
Start off by frying off the onion and garlic in a pan with some oil. Once translucent, add the herbs, chopped tomatoes and tomato purée and simmer for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, boil your pasta along with the asparagus, green beans and broccoli. Once sauce has simmered, blend until smooth. Mix the sauce, pasta and veggies and stir in the tomatoes. Top with Parmesan and enjoy.
Tomato Soup and Garlic Bread
Is there any more of a comfort food than a good bowl of tomato soup with some cheesy garlic bread? Even thinking about it makes us want to run to the shops right now to grab the ingredients. This dish is simple, hearty and will please the whole family, and only takes 30 minutes to make!
Ingredients:
- 8 Beef Tomatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 tin chopped tomatoes
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 1 red onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 slices bacon, chopped finely
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp mixed herbs
- Fresh bread of your choice
- 2 tbsp Butter
- ½ cups mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese
Method:
Start off by frying the onion and 2 garlic cloves in a pan along with the bacon. Once cooked through, add all tomato ingredients and herbs, and simmer for 15 minutes before blending smooth. Meanwhile, slice your bread in half and spread on butter, sprinkle on minced garlic and then top with cheese. Grill for 8-10 minutes whilst your soup gently cooks.
*Disclaimer: Collaborative Post*
Catherine says
I just happen to be making chicken and mushroom pot pie for supper tonight with beautiful leftover chicken from a couple of nights ago and bought full butter puff pastry. I also bought 2 kg of tomatoes to make soup and some sauce too for the freezer. I have used up the mini cucumbers and some late peppers from the greenhouse to make some refrigerator pickles this afternoon which will keep for a couple of months. I hate waste and now I am retired there is plenty of time to make delicious things for the freezer and fridge.
Any sign of your recent fennel seed sourdough recipe? I would love to give that a go.
Karen Burns-Booth says
That sounds absolutely fabulous Catherine, and just the sort of meal we all love here! I will be sharing my fennel seed and garlic sourdough recipe tomorrow, all being well! Thanks for your lovely comments, Karen
Ron says
With colder days on the horizon any of these would suit me. But, if I had to choose it would be that luscious looking beef stew. A big bowl of that stew a bottle of beer and crusty bread. Pure comfort.
Karen Burns-Booth says
I bet you have some FAB winter recipes up your sleeve Ron! Can’t wait to see what you share! Karen