Seasonal Comfort Food

If you’re like me, every autumn is the same: Amidst the coffeehouse campaigns for limited edition flavors and the manifestation of fashion week’s runway favorites, the emerging fall foliage instills seasonal nostalgia and comfort food cravings.

In my humble opinion, apple and pumpkin are quintessential fall ingredients. Versatile, delicious and healthy, the two have become a seasonal force to be reckoned with. It's for this reason I'm sharing these two beloved fall comfort foods from my recipe repertoire. I highly recommend both, and I hope you enjoy them!

Apple Crisp Baked Brie

Ingredients:

• 1 (8-oz) round of quality Brie
• 2 apples, cored and cut into half-inch chunks
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• ½ cup slivered almonds
• ¼ cup packed brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• pinch salt
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon almond extract (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Place Brie round in center of a nine-inch pie plate; set aside. In a medium-large mixing bowl, combine apples, cranberries, almonds, brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Drizzle melted butter over apple mixture and stir until well coated. If using almond extract, stir in until combined. Pour apple mixture over and around the Brie in prepared baking dish. Bake uncovered for thirty minutes, or until cheese is soft and bubbling in the center. Serve immediately.

This baked Brie is fabulous as a party dish or simply as weekend comfort food. (writer's own photo)

Pumpkin Butter

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients:

• 1 (29-oz) can pumpkin puree (or 3½ cups fresh)
• ¾ cup apple cider
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 ¼ cups brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• a few squeezes of lemon 

Directions:

Combine pumpkin, apple cider, spices and sugar in a large saucepan; stir well. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes or until thickened. Stir frequently. Adjust spices to taste. Stir in lemon juice, or more to taste. Once cool, pumpkin butter can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge, or frozen for later use.

Spread pumpkin butter on toast, pancakes and even your morning oatmeal! (writer's own photo)