Favorite Recipes and Spices for October
Lynley Jones
October is here, friends! It’s definitely fall now, good and proper, no two ways about it. Sweater weather, apples galore, squashes and pumpkins, and Halloween on its way. The days are getting shorter, the nights are getting colder, and the kitchen is back in it’s rightful place, center stage.
Here’s what I’m usually thinking about when it comes to October cooking:
1) Fall harvest!
We’ve transitioned from summer to fall, and we’re gradually bending toward colder weather. Corn is here in the beginning of the month, but probably gone by the end. Apples are everywhere all month long, as are winter squashes, pumpkins, leafy greens, herbs and lots of other good things. This is still full harvest season, so live it up baby!
2) Busy season
Every year, about the second week of October I suddenly notice I’m Extremely Busy! The fresh optimism of the early school year begins yielding to the reality of interim report cards and sports schedules. I realize all at once that the holiday season is right around the corner and my business needs to get ready. And there’s often an election on the near horizon that involves some combination of volunteering, fretting and nail biting. On top of all of that, it’s time to get ready for…
3) Halloween!
Costumes to make or buy, parties to plan, decorations to dig out of the basement and hang. More decorations to purchase because one can never have enough. Candy to buy, then resist eating, then hand out to trick-or-treaters, then polish off yourself because you always buy too much (accidentally?). Pumpkins to carve and seeds to roast.
October cooking strategies and spices
October cooking is about nourishing meals, seasonal produce and not too much fussiness (because busy season!). The right spices set the tone with rich, warming fall flavors. Here are some October cooking faves:
Pumpkin Pie Spice - my own blend, a combination of cassia cinnamon, cloves and ginger. It’s a great spice combo for savory (a la butternut squash) as well as sweet (like, um, pumpkin pie).
Ethiopian Berbere Seasoning - it’s a little spicy, and a lot of fun. A blend of 12 single-origin spices from our partners at Brundo Spice Co. The perfect pairing with all things October: pumpkin seeds, squash, roast chicken, and lots more.
Mulling Spices - my own blend, for cider or wine, or steeped into hot tea. There’s nothing like a hot spiced drink to match the mood of changing leaves and pumpkin carving. A little fall warmth in a glass.
Aleppo Pepper - a little heat and a whole lotta flavor. Slightly smoky with hints of fruit, it’s warming and addictively tasty on everything from potatoes to caramelized squash to pasta to roast chicken.
Fave October recipes
Below are my favorite recipes for October. Warming foods, nourishing breakfasts, seasonal produce, everything apple (and nothing too fussy).
Cubed butternut squash tossed with Ethiopian Berbere Seasoning for a slightly spicy and super flavorful side.
I hear this is exactly the way they make it at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Caramelized Brussels sprouts in a maple glaze spiked with a hint of Aleppo peppers.
Nubby steel-cut oats spiked with cinnamon, drizzled with maple syrup, and topped with fruit and nuts of your choice.
Arugula and prosciutto pizza with cracked black pepper and sea salt, drizzled with garlic olive oil and spiked with Aleppo pepper.
Hot apple cider infused with hibiscus flowers and mulling spices. Serve as-is or take it up a notch with a splash of bourbon or brandy.
Caramelized eggplant, sauteed with preserved lemon, leeks and herbs. Funky, spunky and addictive.
Half the flour in this recipe is whole wheat flour. This makes for a more substantial breakfast, without dramatically changing the taste. You can make a big batch and rewarm them for a quick, nourishing breakfast during the week.
Swiss chard sauteed with onions and garlic, a pinch of Aleppo pepper flakes and sumac.
…October-friendly ideas from 101 Ways to Use Sumac and Sage Seasoning:
Roasted pumpkin seeds tossed with Sumac and Sage seasoning. You can follow 101 Ways to Use Sumac and Sage Seasoning for more ideas at adventurekitchen.com.
Grilled corn on the cob dressed with Sumac and Sage seasoning and other spices, then topped with shredded parmesan and minced parsley. You can follow 101 Ways to Use Sumac and Sage Seasoning for more ideas at adventurekitchen.com.
Sprinkle Sumac and Sage Seasoning over avocado toast! More ideas for avocado toast awesomeness inside. You can follow 101 Ways to Use Sumac and Sage Seasoning for more ideas at adventurekitchen.com.
More October recipe ideas…
Chocolate pudding with a hint of chile and cinnamon for a delicious twist. Perfect for any Mexican celebration, or anytime you're in the mood to take chocolate in an interesting new direction.
Portobello mushroom steaks seared and braised with a white wine leek sauce infused with juniper berries.
Tasty and tender pork chops braised in a white wine sauce infused with leeks and juniper berries.
Roasted pumpkin wedges drizzled with a super flavorful paprika oil, then topped with herbs, parm and crunchy paprika-spiked pumpkin seeds. See notes for suggestions to prep ahead for a party, and/or to make this vegan.
Four mini-galettes (or one big one!) with spiced pumpkin filling and lemony macerated apples, wrapped in crisp homemade pie crust pastry and drizzled with bourbon-maple sauce.
Addictively snackable crunchy chickpeas, roasted with coriander, cumin and fennel seeds, with a pinch of asafetida and a little hot paprika zing.
Chicken thighs browned then simmered over rice perfumed with rosemary, garlic, cinnamon, white wine and herbs. Check out the Notes section at the bottom for detailed tips for success, ideas for leftovers and more.
A little bit pesto, a little bit chimichurri, and lots of flavor! Spoon it over grilled meats or veggies, toss it with pasta, slather it over crostini or dribble it onto your pizza. Made with lots of fresh herbs, garlic and shallots, plus toasted pine nuts, mixed together in olive oil with a splash of lemon juice and a little Aleppo pepper.
Rice bowls made with shredded Chicken Adobo and sauce on top of garlicky brown rice with spinach, spring onions, cilantro, Aleppo pepper and toasted almonds.
Roasty-toasty cauliflower with turmeric and other warming spices, tossed with parsley and basil.
Chicken poached in vinegar and soy sauce with garlic, bay leaves and black peppercorns, then broiled dark and crispy. A super-flavorful classic Filipino dish that’s simple to make. Plan ahead to make rice bowls with the leftovers…
A spicy Indian-style curry that uses the whole beet plant from root to leaf. Caramelized beet cubes sauteed along with their stems and leaves in a mixture of onions, garlic, ginger, chiles and Indian spices, and served over spiced yogurt.
A brothy Mexican-style bean soup with cubed steak, chicken, pork or turkey, so you can give your leftovers some love.
Macerated apples baked into a rustic tart and served with a sweet brown butter sauce infused with thyme.
Collards simmered with butter, olive oil, garlic, ginger and spices, then finished with a bright squeeze of lemon juice. Addictively good, and guaranteed to make a collards-lover out of anyone.
Easy baked chicken with the sweet tang of apricot juice and Worcestershire umami. Super simple prep, then nearly all the cooking time is hands-off.
Arizona-style enchiladas in a mild red chile sauce, stuffed with shredded chicken and covered with melty cheese.
Addictively tasty Mexican dip for chips, or spread for veggie burgers or sandwiches.
Traditional Mexican caramel sauce made from goat's milk. Surprisingly simple to make - drizzle it over fruit or Mucho Mango Tart, spread it on toast or between the layers of a cake, stir it into your coffee or just eat it with a spoon.
Beer-simmered seasoned ground beef and refried beans rolled into a burrito with cheese and herbs. You can make it ahead and freeze it. Or heck, just eat it now.
More from Adventure Kitchen:
Some of my favorite recipes to get back in the swing of things: breakfasts to feel good about, lunchbox options, and weeknight dinners you can get on the table without losing your mind.
Two types of recipes to lighten the load in an insanely busy time of year: 30 minutes or less; or over 30 minutes but easy and partially unattended.
All our best Adventure Kitchen recipes for fall. The air is brisk, the leaves are falling, the apples are plentiful and we’ve got some cooking to do.
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tags recipes, spices, seasonal, October, mulling spices, cinnamon, cinnamon sticks, pumpkin pie spice, Aleppo pepper
Nachos with your choice of ground beef or vegan lentil filling, spiced with Mexican oregano, cumin, chipotle and lime.