Completely original and entirely scorching hot take: Fall is the best season.
There, I said it — I know, I know, I’m going to ruffle some turkey feathers by going out on this starting-to-bald limb, but I have to be brave and speak my truth…
Alright, so maybe it’s not such a wild opinion to love this season. But I have noticed people seem to have a problem with when others celebrate this transitional time, not necessarily whether they love it too much. For me, I say to each their own!
That said, over our years of autumnal indulgence, I have noticed two milestones that start to separate the true beleavers (yikes, regret that pun instantly, but also won’t backspace it) from those who just change with the seasons:
- On what day do you wear your first sweater?
- When do you have your first bowl of soup?
These are two of the smallest forms of anti-summer actions we can take to will sub-70 degree temps into fruition, and when you start to take a stand really says a lot about who you are.
Do you start sometime in August just because you’re tired of the heat? That’s aggressive, but I can respect the resilience.
Do you have a temperature you use as a marker? Data backed decision-making, I like it!
Do you just wait until it’s cold and those decisions make sense? Sound logic, but not as interesting.
Nathan and I decided a few years ago that every year on the first day of Fall, we are going to make a pot of chili from one of my mom’s recipes. Sweaters or shorts, leaves falling or staying bright green, we put a dutch oven on the stove and get to work.
This year, I was so glad I found this dutch oven from Walmart to enjoy our tradition with. And since I’m convinced that a piece like this being pretty makes the food inside taste significantly better, I couldn’t think of a better addition to our kitchen — it comes in five colors and also won’t break the bank, which had always made us hesitant about buying one in the past
My mom, Andi, was gracious enough to share a few of her favorite fall recipes below — I hope you enjoy them as much as we have over the years! Here’s to fall, and your first bowl of soup (or chili):
Chili
Ingredients:
- 1 lb Ground Beef
- 1 tablespoon Minced Garlic
- 1 tablespoon Avocado Oil
- 2 cans of Kidney Beans (drained)
- 1 large can of crushed tomatoes
- 1 small can of tomato paste
- 3 tablespoons Chili Powder
- 1 tablespoon Cumin
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt & pepper to taste
Steps:
- Brown garlic in oil and add ground beef.
- Brown ground beef and drain.
- Add: crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, beans & spices.
- Let simmer on low for at least one hour.
Southwest Chicken Soup
Ingredients:
- 3 chicken breast
- 1/2 cup of diced onion
- 2 cans of black beans, drained & rinsed
- 2 can of corn (with juice)
- 2 cans of fire roasted tomatoes
- 2 cans of chicken broth
- 2 teaspoon cumin
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper
Steps:
- Chop chicken into cubes & sauté in avocado oil.
- Add all ingredients into dutch oven.
- Let simmer on low for at least 1 hour.
- Serve with sour cream, shredded cheese & tortilla chips.
White Christmas Chili
Ingredients:
- 4 chicken breast
- 5 cups of water
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 2 celery ribs (about 1/3 cup)
- 3 cans (16 oz) Great Northern Beans, rinsed & drained
- 3 cans (4.5 oz) Chopped green chiles (mild)
- 1 can chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper
- 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
*Will need a food processor for this recipe
Steps:
- Prep Chicken: Place 5 cups of water, chicken breast & 1/2 onion in large dutch oven.
Bring to boil.
Cook 15-18 minutes.
Remove chicken, reserving broth.
Cut chicken into bite size pieces – set aside. - Melt butter in skillet, add celery and remaining onion and sauté until tender.
- Stir chicken, celery mixture, 2 cans of beans and next 6 ingredients into reserved broth in dutch oven.
Bring to boil.
Reduce heat and cook for at least 1 hour. - Process remaining 1 can of beans in food processor and add to chili.
- Remove and discard bay leaf – stir in cilantro before serving with toppings.
- Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream and tortilla chips
Potato Soup
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons of butter
- 4 ups peeled, cubed red potatoes
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups half & half
- 1 cup diced onion
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/8 tsp white pepper
- 1/3 cup cornstarch mixed with 1 cup of water
Steps:
- Melt 2 tablespoons of butter and add onions – cooking and stirring until tender.
Add potatoes and other ingredients. - Simmer on low for at least 1 hour.
Special thank you to my momma, Andi Ward, for sharing all of this with us! We hope you and your family enjoy these recipes — Let us know which one is your favorite!
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Today’s post is sponsored by Walmart.