Mariah and Amy’s Go-To Fall Cookbooks

Every Season is Soup Season by Shelly Westerhausen Worcel

I’m going to tell you a story of love at first sight, separated by time, until finally reunited. This book came out September 19th of this year, and when I was shelving new releases that morning I saw this cookbook and just knew it was the one for me. Now, I was (and still am) on a cookbook-buying ban. I have a problem where I buy cookbooks but never use them, just because they’re pretty, and so I shelved this beauty and said if I still wanted it at the end of the day, I could get it. But then the worst happened—a customer bought it (cue gasps of terror). I immediately ordered in more for the store and for me, but it took forever to come in (I think the first print run sold out immediately). Finally, by the end of the month, I had her in my hands and knew I would never let her go.

I have since made several recipes from this book—Smoky French Lentil Soup with White Balsamic Reduction, Brussels Sprouts Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette, Summer Garden Minestrone, among others—and they’ve all been unbelievably delicious. Not only are these recipes great for eating seasonally, but they’re inventive and endlessly surprising. Not to mention the most exciting part—each soup recipe comes with a transformation for its leftovers. Think of it like a Pokemon. You eat this soup and the next day it evolves and becomes the sauce for some gnocchi, or the gravy for biscuits and gravy. There’s also accompaniments like breads and salads and ideas for garnishes. Plus, every recipe starts vegetarian with suggestions for meat additions if you like. I think I might love this cookbook as much as I do my own husband.

The Weekday Vegetarians by Jenny Rosentrach

If you’ve been around this blog a time a two, you’ve almost certainly seen this cookbook mentioned before because it is that good. This is the cookbook we’ve kind of started a cult around at our store, and for good reason. This book is full to the brim of easy, accessible, delicious recipes that are all vegetarian (but have ways to add meat for the resistant). I am not vegetarian and neither is my husband, but yet I cook from this book several times a week every week. What makes it especially great for fall? There are so many warm cozy dishes, like the Crunchy-Cheesy Bean Bake, Spicy Chickpeas with Tomatoes and Greens, a Farrotto for All Seasons (which my husband dubbed “the best thing you’ve ever made”), and Artichoke Parm quiche. You don’t need weird, obscure ingredients or expensive animal proteins to make great meals, so if you haven’t joined our little cult yet, take this as your sign to do so.

Skinnytaste Simple by Gina Homolka

As fall approaches, cooking indoor comfort food becomes one of Amy’s favorite activities. Most people are not fans of recipes with long ingredient lists or complicated, time-consuming steps. Gina Homolka hits the mark with this collection of simple and delicious dishes. On top of that, all of them happen to have 7 ingredients or fewer. Recipes like Tomato Ricotta Frittata, One-Pot Creamy Gnocchi with Chicken and Leeks, and Sheet Pan Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons are just a few of the mouth-watering recipes featured. Mariah also loves this one for its Brussels Sprouts Salad with Grated Egg, Italian Wedding Soup, and Lentils and Rice with Caramelized Onions. Beyond being “healthy” these simple meals will keep you well-fed and happy all throughout the colder months.

The Magnolia Bakery Handbook by Bobbie Lloyd

First things first, this book has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with Chip and Johanna Gaines. Different Magnolia. They are not in the room with us right now.

Now that that’s been clarified, this is the baking handbook from THE Magnolia Bakery in New York. Amy first heard about Magnolia Bakery in an episode of Sex and the City (which is one of the avenues that really helped popularize it.) and has even had the pleasure of traveling to one of their locations. But the reason Amy loves this cookbook? Well, when it starts to cool off outside, Amy (and all of us) get a little more interested in comfort foods, in firing up the oven, doing more baking…And this cookbook? Everything in it is just so phenomenal—every recipe in it is literally the perfect recipe for that thing—the best cupcake recipe, the best banana pudding recipe [Note from Mariah: it is amazing banana pudding. Amy made it for my birthday]. If Amy had to get rid of all of her other dessert cookbooks, this might just be the one she would keep.

Go-to Dinners: A Barefoot Contessa Cookbook by Ina Garten

We all know Queen Ina, Miss “If you don’t have homemade, store-bought is just fine”. She has published a million (maybe a slight exaggeration, but not by much) cookbooks, but this latest one is excellent. This cookbook is full of satisfying, uncomplicated recipes, like a warm vegetable and grain bowl or rosemary roasted pork tenderloin or overnight mac and cheese. It’s coming to the time of year when you want to entertain loved ones more, but it’s the worst when you have people over and are stuck tending things in the kitchen when you want to be fighting over Settlers of Catan with your friends and family. These recipes are designed to be fuss-free and hosting-friendly so you can serve delicious mulled wine with a delicious dinner and not miss a single moment of your You’ve Got Mail rewatch with your family. In this, Ina Garten is, again, the perfect combination of simplicity but maximum flavor.

100 Morning Treats by Sarah Kieffer

I’m going to paint a word picture I’d like all of us to imagine together: it’s lightly snowing outside, you’re in your favorite pajamas with the best fuzzy socks and you’ve just woken up to a house full of people you love dearly but rarely get to see. You walk into the kitchen and get the coffee brewing and put the risen treats in the oven. The house fills with the smell of something delicious baking as everyone slowly gets up. You all share the delicious baked treat, drink your coffee, and chat about whatever. What a dream, right? This is the kind of cookbook that can help in creating those moments. It’s tailgating season, party season, holiday season, and with more people around your house, there is nothing more delightful than being able to wake up with a sweet morning treat. Do yourself a favor and get this cookbook

Honorable Mentions

• Half-Baked Harvest Every Day by Tieghan Gerard

• Six Seasons by Joshua McFadden

• Milk Street Simple by Christopher Kimball

• That Noodle Life by Mike Le and Stephanie Le