While venturing around Shoppers Drug Mart the other night, I found myself wandering the store’s magazine section with the 40-year-old moms. Given the pressure to not grab the trashy gossip magazine for fear of judgment, I proudly grabbed a Better Home & Gardens fall recipe magazine, and I’m so happy I did.
With fall festivities shortly rounding the corner, I thought it was only appropriate to share some simple recipes to spice up your meal plans. Don’t worry—they’re dummy-approved for all the students who cook ramen every other meal.
Why not start with a classic, and make it autumnal? These turkey-apple grilled cheese sandwiches only take 25 minutes to make, so they’re perfect for a quick dinner or lunch before class.
The ingredients you’ll need are simple: apple jelly, white cheddar or gouda cheese, a granny smith apple, sliced deli-roasted turkey, a sweet onion, bread, butter, and vegetable oil.
Grab a large pan, toss in some oil, and add the onion over medium heat. Cook until the onion begins to brown—this should take about six to eight minutes. Once browned, transfer into a small bowl and add two tablespoons of apple jelly.
Thinly slice the green apple, and place it, one slice of cheese, the turkey, the jelly-onion mix, and another second slice of cheese on a slice of bread. Finish it off with the second slice.
Next, cook like a normal grilled cheese. Butter the top half of each slice of bread and place your sandwich buttered-side-down on a pan over medium heat. Flip it over once you see each the bread beginning to brown. Once browned on both sides and the cheese has melted, your meal is complete!
This meal tastes amazing, makes you feel like a master chef for making grilled cheese and gets you into the autumn spirit.
Cinnamon Sugar Bourbon Pumpkin Muffins
These muffins are designed for my friends who have a sweet tooth. Your housemates will adore you for baking them. Note: you can substitute water for the bourbon.
For your trip to the grocery store, grab chopped pecans, granulated sugar, 15 oz. canned pumpkin, bourbon, cinnamon sugar, all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, vegetable oil, and eggs.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a muffin spread pan with the paper baking cups.
In a small bowl, mix in 2/3 cups of granulated sugar, 3/4 cups of pecans, and a teaspoon of cinnamon. In a larger bowl, add 2 3/4 cups of flour, 2 teaspoons of baking soda, 1 teaspoon of salt, and another teaspoon of cinnamon.
In a second large bowl whisk the pumpkin with 2 2/3 cups of granulated sugar, 3/4 cup of vegetable oil, 3 eggs, and ¼ cup bourbon.
Combine the two mixtures and mix until the batter looks lumpy and moistened. Fill the muffin cups and sprinkle the pecan mix on top. Let bake for 25 to 28 minutes. Once they’re out of the oven, top your muffins with cinnamon sugar and let them cool for 10 minutes before indulging in your fall festive sweets.
Bacon Turkey Cranberry Pinwheels
These pinwheels are a quick and easy snack when you’re on the go between classes.
All you’ll need is some bacon, cream cheese, large tortillas (nine to 10 inches), one cup of dried cranberries, a green onion, and thinly sliced deli-style turkey—which, if you’re following along, you should already have!
Cook the bacon in a pan. Once it’s cooked, crumble or cut it into small pieces. Thinly slice the green onion and chop the cranberries. Grab a small bowl and add an eight-ounce chunk of cream cheese, along with the crumbled bacon, green onion, and cranberries.
Once mixed, spread the cream cheese mix over a tortilla—or two, depending on how hungry you are. Top it with a thin slice of turkey.
Roll the tortilla tightly and cut it into one-to-two-inch pieces. If you’re preparing them on a plate for friends, stick some toothpicks in horizontally to hold the pinwheels together. It’s really
that simple.
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I hope you enjoy these simple, fun fall recipes! I know I did, and I hope your friends will as well.
*All recipes are courtesy of the third printing of Fall Recipes 2020 by Better Homes & Gardens.
Tags
autumn, easy recipe, healthy baking, Student Living
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