Food Midwest Living September/October 2021 Recipes By Hannah Agran Hannah Agran Hannah Agran is executive editor at Midwest Living, where she oversees travel, food, home, garden and culture content. Born in Wisconsin, raised in Ohio, and now living in Iowa, she's a proud lifelong Midwesterner (aside from that stint in Massachusetts for a B.A. in American Studies from Brandeis University). On her off time, she loves to travel, here and abroad. (A perfect trip involves hiking, art museums and pastries, in equal measure.) At home, she's either puttering in the kitchen or garden--or on the couch with her cat, Clementine, bingeing a good show when she should be reading her book club book. Midwest Living's Editorial Guidelines Published on August 12, 2021 Trending Videos Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake Bars. Photo: Carson Downing Our new issue delivers recipes for cozy, spice-laden fall desserts; delicata squash; a juicy Italian beef sandwich; a Thai dish that might make you a tofu convert; and fig and pecan scone just perfect for crisp autumn days. 01 of 17 Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake Bars Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake Bars. Carson Downing Sure, you've seen this combo before. But not done this well. This recipe doesn't use a whole can of pumpkin, so add leftovers to a smoothie, a pot of chili, hot oatmeal or even hummus. View Recipe 02 of 17 Sausage-Stuffed Delicata Squash Carson Downing All you need is fifteen minutes of prep time to make this all-in-one meal—perfect for those days when you need something easy but still cozy and comforting. View Recipe 03 of 17 Cinnamon Toast Bread-and-Butter Pudding Carson Downing Vanilla custard bathes buttered brioche in this English-style bread pudding. For a rich but understated finish, drizzle cinnamon cream over top. View Recipe 04 of 17 Sheet-Pan Chicken and Vegetables Carson Downing For maximum flavor, this one-pan dinner has you caramelize two ways. High-temp roasting browns veggies, while basting chicken with a sweetened glaze adds color and bold flavor. View Recipe 05 of 17 Cocoa Gingerbread with Heaven Frosting Carson Downing A humble snack dresses up for company. With its nutty flavor and tiny flecks of toasted milk solids, browned butter elevates a simple cream cheese frosting to saintly levels. View Recipe 06 of 17 Fig and Pecan Scones Fig and Pecan Scones. Carson Downing Any dried fig variety (black, Mission or golden California figs) works in this tender, buttery recipe. Cutting scones into wedges is faster than rounds and means no wasted dough scraps. View Recipe 07 of 17 Italian Beef Sandwiches, Pot Roast-Style Carson Downing Food Network star (and Chicago native) Jeff Mauro's recipe mimics captures the spirit of classic Italian beef without having to invest in a deli slicer. Just so you know, "real" Italian beef sandwiches are completely dunked (bread and all) in the meat juices, or jus. It's messy and marvelous. The recipe comes from Mauro's book, Come on Over (William Morrow, $30). View Recipe 08 of 17 Doughnut Bundt Doughnut Bundt. Carson Downing Nutmeg is the secret ingredient that makes this playful Bundt taste just like a cake doughnut. (Be sure to use freshly grated nutmeg—you'll really notice the difference in flavor.) View Recipe 09 of 17 Delicata Dippers Carson Downing No peeling necessary! Delicata's thin skin makes it a cinch to prepare and easy to pick up and dip when sliced and roasted. View Recipe 10 of 17 CCCC Cookies Carson Downing In the Middle East, cardamom often flavors coffee. Here, that duo teams up with cloves and chocolate shards in a bakehouse-style cookie with cozy chai vibes. (Trust us: The extra step of melting chocolate, spreading it out and breaking it into shards, rather than use chips, is worth it for a totally elevated cookie.) View Recipe 11 of 17 Delicata Frittata Delicata Frittata. Carson Downing Eat breakfast for dinner by nesting rings of squash in a skillet full of eggs, dotted with goat cheese and thyme. View Recipe 12 of 17 Pear Tarte Tatin Carson Downing Just seven ingredients go into this upside-down French tart. And one of them is très-easy purchased puff pastry. (Choose an all-butter pastry, such as Dufour or the Trader Joe's house brand, for the best flavor.) View Recipe 13 of 17 Apple Sour Cream Kuchen Carson Downing This German-style, not-too-sweet, yeast-raised cake begs for a cup of coffee. For an extra tang, you can serve it with a dollop of lightly sweetened sour cream. View Recipe 14 of 17 Laap Tofu Carson Downing Laap (or larb, as it's often spelled) is an herby ground meat or tofu salad that's eaten across Thailand and is traditionally scooped with rice or lettuce. This super simple, healthful dish is a favorite of chef Shayn Prapaisilp, whose family owns four Thai restaurants (including Chao Baan) and two grocery stores in St. Louis. View Recipe 15 of 17 Blueberry Cereal Bars Jacob Fox Start your day or satisfy a snack urge with these crunchy, chewy bars that have all the good stuff. View Recipe 16 of 17 Five-Spice Plum Cobbler with Orange Biscuits Carson Downing Plums release their sweet-tart ruby goodness in this summer bake. It is flavored with Chinese five-spice—a blend that typically includes fennel, peppercorns, star anise, cloves and cinnamon. View Recipe 17 of 17 Homemade Real Giardiniera Carson Downing This pickled vegetable condiment is the real deal for topping Chicago-style Italian beef sandwiches--or anything else, says celeb chef Jeff Mauro, who shares his recipe in his new cookbook, Come on Over (William Morrow, $30). Note that it's lightly fermented, so should be made about three days ahead. View Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit