When the temperature takes a permanent nosedive and fall is starting to look a lot more like winter, shepherd's pie is one of the first things that I crave. One enormous square of this casserole, with its blanket of mashed potatoes and that savory meat-and-vegetable filling, sends a sigh of contentment through my whole body. One casserole makes more than enough for my household of two, so I can look forward to comfort meals all week long. More

This is the time of year when Dutch ovens come into their own. Even if you use your big, heavy Dutch oven year-round, as I do, it still seems to come down off its shelf a little more often in the fall. Today I want to show you my favorite Dutch oven — and a soup to cook in it. This soup is one of those magical recipes with just a few ingredients, and all the usual suspects — carrot, onion, beans, chicken broth — that nevertheless turns out to have such a deep, wonderful flavor you don't mind that it makes enough to feed you for a week. And a Dutch oven is really the best vessel for it, because this soup is cooked just a little differently. More

This is an easy, rustic recipe that makes a great vegetarian meal or a pretty side dish for summer or autumn. It's so simple: Yellow squash layered in a jumble with sliced red potato and goat cheese. No cream needed at all. More

One of my favorite simple snacks to make is roasted grapes. The roasting process really brings out all the natural sweetness and the warmth and tenderness of the red orbs just melt in your mouth. I usually set them out with a charcuterie or a cheese plate, but this time around I decided to do something else with them. What if I made a granita with this roasted goodness? What if I enjoyed that granita with a bottle of red wine?
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Ahhh, this week (and the next) brings my favorite moments of the year. While some folks are gearing up for football championships and others preparing for a haunted Halloween, I am busy patiently waiting for the postman. Nothing makes me giddier than finding our mailbox stuffed to the brim with Thanksgiving editions of all my favorite food mags. I jump up and down and squeal with glee. Oh the delicious possibilities!

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Pasta casseroles are perhaps the ultimate combination of weeknight convenience and homey comfort food. Casseroles like this one don't take long to cook, and they can be put together the day before and baked or warmed up at the end of a long day. And yet these pasta bakes are comforting and delicious. This one has a double dose of spinach, spoonfuls of pesto, and, yes, plenty of cheese. It's a whole meal in one dish. More

This weekend, let's all solemnly swear to break out the dusty pasta maker that's been stashed away on a high shelf and get rolling. Do you know how easy it is to make pasta at home? Really easy! Here's a great recipe for a basic egg pasta and a step-by-step guide through the entire process. More

When I was a kid, we lived in Miami, and we had a Cuban neighbor whom I now only remember as "Mrs. Garcia." She had arrived in Miami via boat from Cuba, and I don't know where she is now, but she gave my mother her recipe for black bean soup, which I still use to this day. So wherever you are, Mrs. Garcia, thank you for this recipe. It has ruined me for all other black bean soups; nothing I've had in Cuban restaurants matches up to this. More

The dish I'm about to share is really two recipes in one – heavenly together but also good building blocks for many other meals this fall and winter. First up is a creamy, yet dairy-free, soup with roasted fall vegetables like butternut squash, sweet potatoes, carrots, and parsnips. Then come the dumplings. More

My favorite soups are all, without question, the ones that came out of impromptu improvisation. I think soup, as a dish, is better suited to experimentation and discovery than any other, perhaps because the basic technique of making a soup is so simple and intuitive. It lets the improvisational cook follow her whim (I've a craving for sausage...), building flavor in seemingly strange ways (let's have some lemon here!), using up pantry leftovers (hi there, half-empty can of beans...) and bringing it all together in one wholly satisfying yet personal dish. That's how this soup happened. And even though it was built from my own idiosyncrasies, it turned out too good not to share (if I do say so myself!). More