In most parts of the country, soup weather has arrived. I roasted a butternut squash along with apples and onions and we had some friends over for soup and bread last weekend. It was an easy dinner, really, but it was the first time I felt like fall was really here. And so it is so often with soup, the simplest of meals. More

I've been craving a nice, hearty risotto for a while. With the cold and wet weather recently, I decided this week would be a good time for this type of dish. I had it in my mind that I wanted to make something with mushrooms and leeks. I wanted it to be savory and woodsy, encompassing the flavors of fall. I have a collection of nice dried mushrooms waiting to be used; some chanterelles picked by friends, and some dried porcinis that I picked with my mushroom picking club. The result: savory, warming risotto, with mushrooms and leeks. More

Looking for an impressive vegetable dish or an interesting new way to prepare cauliflower? Check out this gorgeous recipe for a whole, roasted cauliflower head, rubbed with tandoori spices and served with a side of mint chutney. More

If you are lucky enough to still be able to get the last of summer's sweet corn, do yourself a favor and cook it over the stove in a pot of boiling water. This easy method couldn't be simpler and the results couldn't be finer! More

Green beans are sometimes touted as the elemental food of the garden, meant to be picked and eaten with a bare toss in the frying pan. But I think that this does most green beans a disservice. Yes, those baby beans, whip-thin with a delicate skin, are very nice when eaten nearly raw. But most mature green beans are really more delicious after a long, slow braise — toothsome, but not mushy, with fibers broken down into savory flavors. These beans are my favorite way to enjoy fresh or frozen green beans, braised until tender with onion, garlic, white wine, and a touch of spicy pepper and lemon.

I usually fall into one of two sweet potato camps, depending on the time of year. For Christmas and Thanksgiving, I want marshmallows. Lots and lots of marshmallows. As for the other 363 days, give them to me roasted with a pat of butter. But as much as I love the simplicity of an unadorned baked sweet potato, I forget that just a couple of extra steps can take them from basic to beyond. More

Zucchini, squash, late season tomatoes, carrots. They're all filling up market stands right now and begging for a new kitchen experiment. While hearty fall pasta dishes may beckon in the cooler evenings, taking a break with veggie noodles is a nice way to mix up the typical pasta routine. More

Spaghetti squash is a winter squash to become very familiar with this season. You can roast, boil or even microwave it, and the stringy flesh can be used as a substitute for pasta noodles! It starts showing up in markets in the early fall, and is as wonderful with a little butter and herbs as it is perched underneath tomato sauce and meatballs. Plus, it's so very simple to prepare! Here's one way to cook it. More

Here's a great way to lighten up weeknight meals or just add some variety to your plate. I love the idea of crunchy nibs of cauliflower as a backdrop for a rich stew or some grilled seafood. Have you ever tried this? More

It's funny how precisely the weather seems to adhere to the calendar year; the first day of fall immediately brought vibrant leaves and cooler breezes to Georgia. My appetite also succumbs to these changes and my urge for comfort food grows strong—out with vine-ripe tomatoes and grilled summer corn, bring on the hearty braises and savory stews. More