Hey Friends!
This week we want to talk about everything fall. The big “F’s”. We’re talking Family Fun Times. We’re talking Fall Photos Shots. And we’re talking Food. We’re talking a lot of food. Front to back. Soups and roasts and bread…
Now I’m hungry.
Recipes from this week’s episode:

Broccoli Cheddar Soup: (Serves a family of 5 for two meals)
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time (Total): 30-40 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup diced onions
- 2 cups shredded carrots (cut into bite size pieces)
- 5 1/2 – 6 cups broccoli florets
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups milk
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cup flour
- 3 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. pepper
- 4 cups shredded sharp cheddar
Directions:
- Melt butter, add in onion, carrots and broccoli. Cook about 10 minutes until softened.
- Slowly add in chicken broth, milk and cream. Add salt and pepper. Continue stirring and heating until thickened and soup comes back to a slow, rolling boil.
- Once thick and boiling, add cheese and stir until melted and smooth.
Serve with freshly baked bread. Freezes well.
Instant Pot / Pot Roast:
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Pre-Cook Searing: 10 minutes
Cook Time : Total with coming to pressure, cooking and release time: 1 hour 40 minutes
(15-20 minutes to come to pressure, 1 hour cook time, 20 minutes natural release, 5 minutes quick release)
Servings: Will feed a family of 5 with leftovers
Ingredients:
- 5-6lbs chuck roast (fat trimmed off and cut into large chunks)
- Salt & Pepper to taste
- Garlic Powder to taste
- 2TB Olive Oil
- 4-5 cups beef broth
- 1/2 cup – 1 cup red wine (optional)
Directions:
- Trim fat off chuck roast and cut into large chunks (about 1-1.5 lbs each chunk)
- Put salt/pepper/garlic powder on both sides of meat pieces
- Set instant pot to saute, add 2TB olive oil to instant pot
- Sear each chunk about 1-2 minute per side in the instant pot, then remove and put on plate
- De-glaze instant pot with about 1/4 – 1/2 cup beef broth (make sure bottom of pot is clean before putting meat back in).
- Put all meat back in pot, top with chopped onions, add beef broth to cover the meat, add in red wine, and salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste.
- Cook on High Pressure for 60 minutes, let natural release for 20 minutes then quick release after that
- Once release is done, remove meat from pot with tongs and cover to keep warm.
Gravy Recipe
- Remove all remaining broth from pot (put into a separate bowl to be used later)
- Set pot to saute, create a roux with one stick of butter and about 1/2-1 cup of flour in pot
- Slowly add broth back into pot about 1/4 cup at a time to thicken and create a gravy (you will have broth left over)
Serve with mashed potatoes and your choice of vegetable
Apple Crisp
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Ingredients:
6 cups apples (thinly sliced – whatever variety of apples you want)
Topping
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup plain oats
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup softened butter
Put all topping ingredients in a mixing bowl, mix all ingredients together with a form until all dry ingredients are completely worked in and topping has a thick, sticky and crumbly consistency
Place apple slices in bottom of 9×9 pan and spread topping over apples
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and cook for 40 minutes. Topping should be hard and crusty and a fork should slide easily out of apples – not mushy, but soft.
Can be served warm or cold