By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills

Autumn always appeals to my appetite. I want to cook and bake—everything from healthy to savory to satisfying my sweet tooth. Bring on autumn squash soup, hot bread, apples anything, root vegetables, pumpkin everything, and don’t forget cinnamon and butter. The lure is the calendar because here in Houston, the high temps have dropped from 100 degrees to the 90s.

Appealing To Your Autumn Appetite

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I’m sharing my favorite supper!

Panera Bread’s Autumn Squash Soup

Who doesn’t love Panera Bread’s Autumn Squash Soup? This copycat recipe is easy and incredibly delicious.

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 45 minutes | Servings: 8

Ingredients:

1 extra large butternut squash
2-3 tbsp. extra virgin coconut oil
Salt and pepper to taste
15 oz. can Libby’s pumpkin
1 1/2 cups apple juice
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
1 1/2 tbsp. honey
1/4 tsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. sea salt or kosher salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
roasted pumpkin seeds for garnish

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450°.
Peel squash.
Remove seeds and cut in chunks.
Place in baking dish or on cookie sheet and drizzle with oil.
Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
Bake at 450° for 25-30 minutes or until fork tender.
Mash squash with a potato masher and place in a large stock pot.
Add pumpkin, apple juice, half-and-half and vegetable broth.
Puree ingredients with an immersion blender until well mixed.
Add honey, curry, cinnamon, salt and pepper and heat through about 10-15 minutes at a low simmer.

To serve, garnish bowls of soup with roasted pumpkin seeds.

Seeduction Bread

I first tried this outstanding bread from Whole Foods. This copycat recipe is a winner for me.

Prep Time: 20 m | Cook Time: 40 m | Servings: 15

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups warm water (105 degrees to 115 degrees)
2 tablespoons molasses
2 tablespoons honey
1 (.25 ounce) envelope active dry yeast
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
3 tablespoons raw pumpkin seeds
2 tablespoons raw sunflower seeds
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
2 tablespoons millet seed
3 tablespoons malted barley flour
1 tablespoon wheat gluten
1 egg white, beaten
1 teaspoon millet seed

Directions:

Note – I modify the following to accommodate using a bread machine.

Gently stir together the warm water, molasses, honey, and yeast in a large bowl and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Pour oil into the yeast mixture.
In a separate bowl ,mix together all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, salt, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, poppy seeds, 2 tablespoons of millet, barley flour, and vital wheat gluten. Stir the flour and seed mixture to the yeast mixture until it pulls together. Turn the dough out of the bowl onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 7 to 8 minutes, adding additional flour as needed. Place the dough in a large oiled bowl, cover and let stand in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Grease a 9×13 baking sheet.
Punch down the risen dough and turn out of the bowl onto a lightly floured surface. Form into a round or oval loaf shape and place onto the prepared baking sheet. Cover the dough and allow to rise until doubled in size again, about 40 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) toward the end of this second rise. Slash the top of the loaf diagonally with a sharp razor blade or serrated knife, carefully brush with the beaten egg white, and sprinkle remaining millet seeds over the top.
Bake in preheated oven until the bread sounds hollow when thumped on the side, 40 to 45 minutes.

Chocolate Applesauce Bundt Cake

I love this cake, but have no idea where it came from.

Cook Time: 350 | Difficulty: Medium

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
¼ ground cloves
½ cup butter (1 stick)
1 ½ cups packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 ½ cups applesauce
½ cup strongly brewed hot coffee
1 ½ cups black raisins
¾ cup chopped walnuts

Frosting
¼ cup cocoa powder
¼ cup strongly brewed hot coffee
2 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

Make the batter: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter and flour a 6-cup Bundt pan. Whisk the flour, ¼ cup cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves together in a large bowl and set aside. Cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy in a large bowl using a mixer set at medium-high speed. Add 1 egg, beating just until incorporated. Repeat with remaining egg. Reduce mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture by thirds, alternating with the applesauce. Scrape down sides of bowl and increase mixer speed to medium. Quickly add ½ cup hot coffee, beating until thoroughly combined—about 30 seconds. Fold in the raisins and walnuts.

Bake the cake: Pour the batter into prepared pan and bake on middle rack of oven until tester inserted in the center comes out clean—40-50 minutes. Place cake in pan on a wire rack and cool until slightly warm. Gently run a knife around the edge of the pan, remove the cake, and cool completely.

Make the glaze: Sift powdered sugar and remaining cocoa powder together. Make a well in the center and quickly pour in remaining ¼ cup hot coffee. Whisk until well blended and smooth. Pour over top of cake, allowing it to soak in.

Serve immediately. Especially good with ice cream.