As temperatures dropped this week in Paris, I’ve decided I’m writing a different kind of bucket list this year. A fall list that isn’t full of pumpkin carving, hay-bale rides, and pumpkin spiced everything (okay, well maybe a little pumpkin spice can’t hurt). Not that there is anything wrong with that bucket list of course. But rather a bucket list of delicious recipes. Dishes that highlight the fall produce or have been taking up real estate in my brain. Bonus points if this list can gain approval from two little ones.

In the markets, summer heirloom tomatoes are transitioning to figs, pumpkins, and hearty squash. I can finally turn on the oven and simmer soups on the stove without turning my apartment into a DIY sauna. While I am sad over missing most of the summer fun due to an international move, you can’t stop the seasons. So, I might as well embrace it.

It happens every year. I’m torn between pulling out all the classics from previous years and experimenting with new recipes I’ve been dying to try. Recreating dishes in another country always adds a bit of complexity. Some ingredients are impossible to find, some you can recreate, and others will never be the same no matter how hard you try. In Portugal, last fall I gave up on ever finding a can of pumpkin puree or pre-made chicken stock. I imagine it will be the same in Paris. So, I got out of my comfort zone and realized that roasting pumpkins takes almost no time at all and I love Sundays with a pot of stock simmering away at the stove.

With that last comment, it should go without saying - I’m a novice home cook. Up until a few years ago, my husband has done all the cooking in this family. This skill won him major points when we started dating well over a decade ago. But after staying home in the house for months on end in 2020 that coincided with the birth of my firstborn son, I’ve taken over family chef duties… and turns out, I love it.

Anyway, let’s get to the mouth-watering part. In no particular order, I’ve put together a list of recipes I can’t wait to cook this fall. Some dishes remind you of the crisp walks in crunchy leaves or cooking class with Julia Child. Others don’t have an accompanying recipe yet, but I’ll track one down or even better, share your favorite one!

Quick note - a few of these recipes are contained in some of my favorite cookbooks. I have provided Amazon and Bookshop.org, a wonderful Certified B Corporation that financially supports U.S. based independent bookstores. As an affiliate for Amazon and Bookshop, I earn a small commission on qualifying purchases at zero cost to you.

My Fall Recipe Bucket List

Tarte tartin - classic French apple dessert, maybe I’ll overcome my fear of making homemade pastry.

Hot Sauce Braised Short Ribs with Put the Lime in the Coconut Corn Bread in Molly Baz’ newest cookbook More is More: Get Loose in the Kitchen. Amazon | Bookshop

Julia Child’s Bœuf Bourguignon from Mastering the Art of French Cooking - my kind of Sunday stew simmering away. Amazon | Bookshop

Brown Butter Fig Loaf by

French Onion Soup - caramelized onions, swimming in deep beef stock, covered in gooey gruyere cheese and crusty bread. Say less.

Expat Americano (the cocktail, not coffee) - I make the rules around here and I say cocktail recipes must go on the list. Lately, I’ve been on the hunt for low ABV cocktails that I can enjoy on a weeknight with limited fuss. Rebekah Peppler’s Apéritif: Cocktail Hour the French Way has me covered. Amazon | Bookshop

Pumpkin bread, muffins, pancakes, lattes - you can take the basic white girl out of the States, but I refuse give up pumpkin season. Do you have a favorite pumpkin recipe?

Grilled Chicken and Pita Chop Salad by

Leek Bread Pudding - someone brought this to a Thanksgiving potluck years ago and I still think about this savory spin on a classic. I’ve got to track down this recipe, don’t worry, I’ll share once I do.

Roasted Fish and White Bean Puttanesca in Dinner Tonight by Alex Snodgrass - spoiler alert, I’ve already made this one. But, when your four year old demands than you must make it again, well that’s the rule. It’s so easy to make and flavor-packed. Amazon | Bookshop

Salsa Verde Chicken Rice Tortilla Soup from Half Baked Harvest - okay, I actually started my bucket list a little early and made this last night. The second soup season is here (and if I can track down salsa verde), this is a weeknight go to of mine. A bright, yet hearty soup full of chicken, rice, and black beans that comes together in 30 minutes? I’m in. Linked here.

Brown Sugar and Maple-Glazed Port Tenderloin with Roasted Fruit in Erin French’s Big Heart, Little Stove. Is this dish the epitome of fall? Roasted pork, thyme, maple, baking spices, and stone fruit all in one dish? Yes, please. Amazon | Bookshop

Roasted Acorn Squash Stuffed with Cranberries, Apples, and Pecans - I have no recipe with this one, I wing it. I just chop up some apples, dried cranberries, and pecans. Mix in some cinnamon, cardamom, and maple syrup and roast in a halved acorn squash brushed with butter. Delicious weeknight side, perhaps to go with the roasted pork.

Quite the list to keep me busy this season, but I’m always up to try more delicious food. Have a favorite to share? Drop a note in the comments.

Happy cooking (and eating)!

P.S. If you’re on the hunt for a cookbook listed here, check out your local library! Maybe I’m the only one who didn’t know libraries stocked cookbooks, but I was shocked when I found some that have been on my wish list for a while.