Our Three Favorite Fall Recipes At Little Mountain Ranch

Hey friends! 

Fall is a time of year I absolutely love, the leaves, the colors, and most of all the hearty food! 

At Little Mountain Ranch, we love the flavors of fall with recipes that have been cherished through generations. Fall to me is hearty stews, delicious baked goods, the use of spices like cinnamon and turmeric, dishes like Apple Baked Oatmeal with Caramel Sauce… anything that warms you back up from the crisp fall air.

I want to invite you to my kitchen to share three of my all-time favourite fall recipes, all of which can be found in my Cookbook!

Nana’s Chili:

Nana’s Chili is a timeless classic that has graced our family gatherings for years. Here’s how to recreate this hearty dish:

Instructions:

• Brown ground beef in a large Dutch oven. Add onions until browned, then toss in peppers, celery, and garlic.
• Introduce a symphony of seasonings, sugar, and spices, followed by tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, beans, and corn.
• Cover and bake at 350°F for 2 hours or simmer on the stovetop until thickened. 

Nana’s Note:: I always make chili the day before I’m serving it. The flavours blend beautifully after a night in the fridge.

* Cocoa seems like a weird ingredient, but, wow, what a difference it makes to the flavour.

Holiday Squash:

This side dish was a huge family favourite. If I didn’t serve it every Christmas and Thanksgiving, there would have been an uproar! Holiday Squash is one of my favourite dishes to serve alongside my Lemon Roast Chicken too!

Follow these steps to create this family favourite:

Instructions:

• Melt butter in a frying pan, add sliced squash, and sprinkle with brown sugar, cinnamon, cayenne, salt, and pepper.
• Fry until golden brown, turning to caramelize both sides. The result? Gooey, candied perfection.
• Transfer to an oven-safe dish, keep warm, and repeat with the second batch. Nana’s tip: Peel the squash easily by slicing it first.

Nana’s Notes: It is easier to peel the squash if you slice it first, then peel each individual slice.

Beef Stew:

Our Beef Stew is a slow-cooked symphony of flavors. Here’s how to create this comforting dish:

Instructions:

• Brown stew beef, onions, garlic, celery, and peppers. Season with salt, pepper, and thyme.
• Pour in tomatoes, ketchup, HP, and Worcestershire sauce. Add bay leaves and simmer in the oven at 350°F for 2 hours.
• Add carrots, parsnips, turnips, and potatoes, stewing until vegetables are tender. Enhance the flavor with “Better than Bouillon” if needed, thicken with a cornstarch slurry, and serve with buns or biscuits.

Nana’s note: I prefer to use chuck to make stew. It stands up well to long cooking times. I use an enameled cast iron Dutch oven which gives the stew a richness I can’t seem to get with other pots. When you brown the meat, do so on high heat. You want all sides of the meat to be very dark brown, with lots of brown bits in the pan. It should come close to burning but not quite. Don’t overcrowd the pan; it’s better to brown the meat in batches, even though it takes a little more time. If you dump all the meat in at once, it will steam, not brown, and you will get watery gravy versus a rich flavourful gravy.

At Little Mountain Ranch, these fall recipes are more than just meals; they are tradition, love, and the joy of gathering around the table. Explore these recipes and more in my cookbook, where every page tells a story! Subscribe to my newsletter for weekly recipes, tips, and a closer look at the heart of our ranch kitchen.

Lot’s of Love,

Chelsea