As fall casts its golden spell over Chicago's charming Gold Coast neighborhood, there's no better time to savor the season's flavors and comforts. With its historic allure and elegant streets, the Gold Coast provides the perfect backdrop for embracing autumn's culinary delights. And what better way to celebrate the season than by bringing the world of spices to your kitchen, courtesy of
The Spice House?
In this blog post, we'll embark on a flavorful fall adventure, exploring the culinary wonders you can create with the exquisite spices and blends offered by The Spice House. Join us as we celebrate the splendor of fall in the Gold Coast, where our
Gild apartments provide the ideal setting for your cozy seasonal journey.
Fall Dinner Recipes
Spiced Pumpkin Coconut Risotto
Ingredients:
1 sugar pumpkin
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for roasting
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup finely diced onion
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon coriander
Pinch of cinnamon
2 sage leaves, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon red curry paste
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup Arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine
4-5 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup light coconut milk
Squeeze of lime juice, optional
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Slice pumpkin in half, remove seeds and strings, and drizzle open sides with a little olive oil. Place face down on baking sheet and roast for about 40 minutes, or until the pumpkin is fork tender. Scoop the pumpkin out and set aside.
2. In a deep sided sauté pan over medium low heat, heat the olive oil and melt the butter. Add the onions and ginger and cook gently, until translucent. Add the rice and stir, allowing the butter and oil to coat the grains until they glisten. Add the pumpkin and the spices, stirring well. Gently pour in wine and cook, stirring periodically.
3. When the wine is absorbed, add a cup of the chicken stock, and continue incorporating the stock until the rice is fully cooked and the stock is all used, about 30 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk and season to taste with salt and pepper. If you like, give it a light squeeze of lime juice before serving.
Harvest-Stuffed Acorn Squash
Ingredients:
1 lb Ground Beef
3 Acorn squash
5 tbsps Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste from The Spice House
1 1/2 cups Israeli couscous (can substitute rice, quinoa, or farro, if desired)
3/4 cup Apple cider
Fresh rosemary (2 sprigs, finely chopped)
3/4 Yellow onion (chopped)
Celery (2 stalks, chopped)
2 cups Spinach (chopped)
2 cloves Garlic (minced)
1 tbsp Fresh rosemary (chopped)
Bread Crumbs:
2 tbsps Butter
1 tbsp Rosemary (finely chopped)
1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 425°. Cut each acorn squash in half (top to bottom). Use a spoon to remove the seeds. Brush all over with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast until tender, 40-45 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, make Israeli couscous: in a medium saucepan, toast the couscous with 1 tablespoon of olive oil for 5 minutes, stirring often. Once toasted, combine couscous with ¾ cup of apple cider and 1 cup of boiling water. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is evaporated and couscous is tender, 15-20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, make filling: in a large skillet over medium heat, heat remaining oil. Add Laura’s Lean ground beef and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon and stirring occasionally until browned and cooked through, 5 minutes. Remove ground beef with a slotted spoon onto a papertowel lined plate.
4. Drain most fat from the skillet, then add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add onion and celery and cook until soft, 5-6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add garlic and chopped rosemary and cook until fragrant for 1 more minute.
5. Add spinach and cook, stirring frequently. Add remaining 2 tablespoons cider after 4 minutes of cooking, then cook 4 minutes more, or until spinach is tender.
6. Meanwhile, make rosemary browned butter breadcrumbs. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat and add the butter and finely chopped rosemary. Melt butter over medium heat until lightly browned (butter will froth and foam). Remove from the stove, whisk butter and rosemary for 20 seconds, and then stir the panko bread crumbs into the butter and rosemary.
7. Add cooked couscous and Laura’s Lean ground beef to skillet with vegetable filling and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Divide mixture among the 6 squash halves and then top each half with ? of the rosemary bread crumbs. Switch oven to broil and broil until tops are golden and filling is warmed, 2 to 3 minutes.
Aromatic Cocktail and Mocktail Recipes
Spiced Apple Old Fashioned
Ingredients:
2 oz bourbon
1/2 oz spiced apple syrup (made by infusing apple cider with The Spice House cinnamon sticks and cloves)
2 dashes aromatic bitters
Ice cubes
Orange peel, for garnish
Cinnamon stick, for garnish
Instructions:
1. In a mixing glass, combine the bourbon, spiced apple syrup, and bitters.
2. Add ice cubes and stir until well chilled.
3. Strain the mixture into a rocks glass filled with ice.
4. Garnish with a twist of orange peel and a cinnamon stick.
Autumn Spice Sangria
Ingredients:
1 bottle red wine (like a fruity red blend)
1/2 cup spiced apple syrup (made the same way as for the Old Fashioned)
1/4 cup orange liqueur (such as Triple Sec)
1 apple, thinly sliced
1 pear, thinly sliced
1 orange, thinly sliced
1/2 cup cranberries
1 cinnamon stick
2-3 cardamom pods
Ice cubes
Instructions:
1. In a large pitcher, combine the red wine, spiced apple syrup, orange liqueur, and cinnamon stick.
2. Add the sliced apples, pears, oranges, and cranberries. Crush the cardamom pods slightly to release their flavor, and add them to the pitcher.
3. Refrigerate the sangria for at least 2 hours to allow the flavors to meld.
4. Serve in glasses filled with ice, making sure to include some of the fruit in each glass.
5. Garnish with an extra cinnamon stick if desired.
Chai Spiced Hot Toddy
Ingredients:
2 oz bourbon or whiskey
1/2 oz honey
1/2 oz spiced apple syrup
1 chai tea bag
Hot water
Lemon twist, for garnish
Instructions:
1. In a heatproof glass, combine the honey and spiced apple syrup.
2. Place the chai tea bag in the glass and fill it with hot (but not boiling) water.
3. Allow the tea to steep for a few minutes.
4. Remove the tea bag and stir in the bourbon or whiskey.
5. Garnish with a twist of lemon and serve hot.
Spiced Apple Sparkler (Fall Mocktail)
Ingredients:
1 cup apple cider
1/2 cup sparkling water or club soda
1-2 tablespoons spiced apple syrup (prepared by infusing apple cider with The Spice House cinnamon sticks and cloves)
1/2 teaspoon The Spice House ground cinnamon
Fresh apple slices, for garnish
Lemon twist, for garnish
Ice cubes
Instructions:
1. In a mixing glass or pitcher, combine the apple cider, spiced apple syrup, and ground cinnamon. Stir well to incorporate the flavors.
2. Fill a glass with ice cubes.
3. Pour the apple cider mixture over the ice.
4. Top off with sparkling water or club soda. Adjust the amount to your preferred level of fizziness.
5. Give it a gentle stir to combine the ingredients.
6. Garnish the mocktail with fresh apple slices and a twist of lemon.
7. Serve immediately and enjoy your Spiced Apple Sparkler.
Summary
From sumptuous dinner recipes to aromatic cocktails and mocktails, your kitchen will become a hub of flavorful adventures. It's the perfect way to embrace the charm of fall in the Gold Coast and unwind in the comfort of our Gild apartments. So, savor every bite and sip, and make this fall memorable. Happy cooking and happy fall!
