I'm not one to discriminate any food usually, or to dedicate it to a certain season, but some foods just taste better at different times of the year. I'm sure you can list a few before you see what I've picked as well. When I think of fall foods, I tend to go towards the "heavier" end of food. Warm, comfort foods that probably contain way too many calories, but it's fall right? You don't need your summer body right now! Feel free to use the recipes I have linked for you, or continue to use your own! You'll probably notice that most of these recipes are from The Food Network, and that would be because I watch that channel religiously and always go find the recipes I like and bookmark them.
1. Baked Mac N Cheese
Would this even be a best food list without some form of mac n cheese? If you aren't a big fan of mac n cheese (gasp), then you can always take your favorite pasta dish, add a couple breadcrumbs on top, and voila! Also, if you're a meat lover, you can always give the recipe a twist and add your favorite meat that you feel will go well with the dish. I really like Alton Brown's recipe for baked mac n cheese, however, I don't like onions so I usually leave those out.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/bak...
2. Apple Cider and Cinnamon Doughnuts
Everyone thinks of apples when fall comes around, but my personal favorite apple treat is apple cider. Warm or cold, it goes with so many fall foods. My personal favorite go-to snack with apple cider is definitely a cinnamon sugar doughnut. I also personally like my apple cider hot with just a little bit of caramel and a dash of cinnamon added. You can definitely pick up the doughnuts at your local grocery store, bakery, or orchard, but here's a recipe in case you want to make some from scratch! This recipe actually makes you bake the doughnuts instead of frying them, which helps slightly for the health conscious!
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/cinnamon-baked-doughnuts-recipe.html#!
3. Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup
This is such a great lunch to have at any time of the year, but I like it particularly in the fall and winter months, especially when I'm sick. While a good ole can of Tomato Soup and your typical grilled cheese will hit the spot, there's always a way to add some extra flavor or try a new spin on the original. Panera Bread also has a great grilled cheese and tomato soup, but homemade usually always tastes better in my opinion. This link gives you 50 different ways to make a grilled cheese and the second is my favorite tomato soup recipe!
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/articles/50-gri...
http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/six-ingredient-...
4. Pecan Pie
Is it Thanksgiving yet? I'm not the biggest pumpkin pie fan, so I always find solace in some homemade pecan pie. Especially when the pie is warm with some vanilla ice cream and a dollop of whipped cream. My mom always makes this really good pecan pie and I never really knew where she got the recipe from. Come to find out that she gets it from the back of a Karo syrup bottle!
http://karosyrup.com/Recipe/Classic_Pecan_Pie
5. Chili
While I've never personally had chili, it's definitely one of the best foods to eat in the fall. It's pure, warm, comfort food, and you can add your own twists to even the most basic recipe to improve it. For this recipe, I felt that a chili with a very common fall ingredient would be good, and it also came highly recommended from a friend of mine. It's also vegetarian, but you can always change that if you'd like.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/melissa-darabian/butternut-squash-chili.html#!
6. Pot Roast
I could eat pot roast every day in the fall, if that helps you visualize how much I love it. I'm not a huge meat fan, but pot roast just hits the spot for me. Especially with carrots and potatoes, you can't go wrong with this easy meal. You can also make some extra gravy on the side in order to make sure your roast is juicy and not dry.
http://www.food.com/recipe/fallin-to-pieces-pot-ro...
7. Pumpkin Pie
What's a fall food list without pumpkin pie? This is usually the whole reason you love your Thanksgiving dinners, constantly anticipating when dessert time is coming so you can grab yourself a hefty slice of pumpkin pie. This recipe is from Paula Deen, and I feel like you just can't go wrong with any of her recipes!
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/pump...
8. Cheesy Potatoes
My Aunt and Uncle make the BEST cheesy potatoes, however, I can't share that recipe with you. ;) There's just something about the warm, cheesy, gooey texture and taste of cheesy potatoes that screams fall to me, and is a must on my list of foods to eat in the fall. This recipe has the potatoes scalloped, but I prefer my cheesy potatoes to be made with shredded potatoes, and adding bacon to them really adds to the whole dish.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-ki...
9. Chicken and Dumplings
Chicken and dumplings always gets me feeling some type of way, and I personally like it better than chicken and noodle soup. Maybe that's just because there's more bread and carbs in chicken and dumplings, but who honestly knows. My grandma's chicken and dumpling recipe is fantastic, but unfortunately, I cannot share that recipe with you either. But here is another recipe that I find to be pretty fantastic as well.
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/chicken-and-dum...
10. Hot Chocolate
There are so many ways to make hot chocolate, and it's all up to your taste preference. You can never go wrong with the classic hot chocolate box mix and some milk, but some of these recipes will change your hot chocolate game for life, and you'll never settle for the boxed stuff ever again.
