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Seasonal recipes

Cozy Fall Flavors & Smart Kitchen Essentials

Apple cider pork chops with brussels sprouts and cinnamon apples on a rustic autumn table
September 28, 20268 min read
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Four comforting autumn recipes — cider pork chops, a slow-simmered beef stew, an apple oatmeal bake and crispy air-fried apple chips — plus the kitchen gear that makes them easy.

Fall is when the kitchen feels most like home. Apples are crisp and cheap, root vegetables are at their best, and there's nothing better than a pot bubbling away while the evening cools down. This guide brings together four of our favourite autumn recipes, built around ingredients you probably already have — so you can cook cozy meals and waste less.

Tip: add your apples, potatoes and carrots to MyFreshFridge as you buy them. We'll remind you which ones to use first, so nothing gets forgotten at the back of the drawer.

1. Apple Cider Pork Chops

Juicy seared pork chops finished in a tangy apple cider and Dijon pan sauce. A 30-minute weeknight dinner that tastes like a Sunday.

Serves 4Prep 10 minCook 20 min

Ingredients

  • 4 bone-in pork chops, about 1 inch thick
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 apple, thinly sliced
  • 1 small onion, sliced
  • 1 cup apple cider
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme

Instructions

  1. Pat the chops dry and season both sides well with salt and pepper.
  2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chops 4–5 minutes per side until golden and 145°F inside. Move to a plate.
  3. Lower the heat to medium, add the butter, apple and onion. Cook 4 minutes until softened.
  4. Pour in the cider, scraping up the browned bits. Stir in the mustard and thyme and simmer 5 minutes until slightly thickened.
  5. Return the chops and any juices to the pan, spoon the sauce over and serve.

2. Autumn Beef Stew

Tender beef, potatoes, carrots and a rich, savoury broth. Let it simmer low and slow and your whole home will smell incredible.

Serves 6Prep 20 minCook 2 hr 30 min (or 8 hr slow cooker)

Ingredients

  • 2 lb beef chuck, cut into 1½-inch cubes
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 4 cups beef broth
  • 1 lb potatoes, cubed
  • 3 carrots, sliced
  • 2 celery stalks, sliced
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Toss the beef with flour, salt and pepper.
  2. Brown the beef in batches in hot oil in a Dutch oven. Set aside.
  3. Cook the onion and garlic 3 minutes, then stir in the tomato paste.
  4. Add the broth, beef, thyme and bay leaves. Cover and simmer gently for 1½ hours.
  5. Add the potatoes, carrots and celery. Simmer another 45–60 minutes until everything is tender. Remove bay leaves and season to taste.
  6. Slow cooker option: after browning, add everything to the slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours.

3. Apple Oatmeal Bake

A make-ahead breakfast that tastes like apple pie. Bake it on Sunday and reheat slices all week — a great way to use up apples that are getting soft.

Serves 6Prep 10 minBake 40 min

Ingredients

  • 2 cups rolled oats
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1½ tsp cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1¾ cups milk
  • 1 egg
  • ⅓ cup maple syrup
  • 2 tbsp melted butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 apples, diced
  • ½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Instructions

  1. Heat the oven to 375°F and grease an 8×8-inch baking dish.
  2. Mix the oats, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a bowl.
  3. In another bowl whisk the milk, egg, maple syrup, butter and vanilla.
  4. Spread the apples in the dish, top with the oat mixture, then pour the wet mixture evenly over.
  5. Sprinkle with walnuts and bake 40 minutes until golden and set. Cool 10 minutes before slicing.

4. Air-Fried Apple Chips

Crunchy, naturally sweet and made with just two ingredients. A perfect after-school snack — and a smart way to rescue apples before they go past their best.

Makes 2 cupsPrep 5 minCook 15–20 min

Ingredients

  • 2 firm apples (Honeycrisp or Fuji work well)
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • Pinch of sugar (optional)

Instructions

  1. Slice the apples as thinly as you can, about ⅛ inch. Remove seeds.
  2. Toss the slices with cinnamon and sugar.
  3. Arrange in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
  4. Air fry at 300°F for 15–20 minutes, flipping halfway, until edges curl and they feel dry.
  5. Let cool completely — they crisp up as they cool. Store in an airtight jar.

Make fall cooking waste-free

Apples keep for weeks in the fridge crisper — but keep them away from bananas and leafy greens, since they speed up ripening. Leftover stew freezes well for up to 3 months. Log it in MyFreshFridge as a freezer item and we'll count down the days for you.

Affiliate disclosure

MyFreshFridge is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you.

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