Fall Foods in Season now

I live in Texas and its a known fact that Texas has 4 seasons, hot, hotter, August and Football. On the rare occasion, we will have a week or two of nice temps and even a little snow or ice. But that is a rarity. So we fake Fall and pretend we are just as cool as everyone else. We make chili. We bake breads. We even whip up soups and stews and eat them in 90* weather when a "Cold" front comes through breaking the triple digit temps for the first time in 3-4 months.

Image by chotda

It got me to thinking. I want to really show my boys what foods are seasonal, not just what we like or have always known. So what are great foods in season now?

Image by SFAntti

The Food Network has already started showcasing recipes with added Autumn twists. You can view them here. A lot of the recipes are highlighting apples, cinnamon, pumpkin and tons of beans! Whats4eats.com has done a great job of listing all the seasonal foods. Here is their list:

These are ingredients that come into season in North America during the fall. Some i didn't even know and I'm a US Native. Any that surprised you?

September Foods

Vegetables

Beets | Beet Greens | Cauliflower | Corn | Eggplant | Porcini Mushrooms | Summer Squash | Tomatoes | Winter Squash

Fruits

Figs | Grapes | Melons | Peaches | Pears | Plums

Fish and Seafood

Oysters

October Foods

Vegetables

Beets | Beet Greens | Cauliflower | Collard Greens | Chanterelle Mushrooms | Lettuces |Parsnips | Summer Squash | Winter Squash

Fruits

Apples | Coconuts | Grapes | Melons | Peaches | Pears | Persimmons | Pomegranates |Tangerines

Fish and Seafood

Oysters

November Foods

Vegetables

Artichokes | Beets | Cabbage | Cauliflower | Celery | Celery Root | Collard Greens |Chanterelle Mushrooms | Parsnips | Rutabagas | Winter Squash | Turnips

Fruits

Apples | Coconuts | Dates | Grapefruit | Grapes | Persimmons | Pomegranates |Tangerines

Fish and Seafood

Clams (West Coast) | Dungeness Crab | Oysters

With that detailed of a list, the recipes would be endless. What to cook tonight? Will it be Boston Baked Beans? Crab cakes from scratch? Or an awesome Apple Crumble to eat after a hearty Lentil soup?

Not tonight. Tonight I want to pay homage to the passing of the Summer. Tonight I want to eat a fruit that is so beautifully in season in a manner that just screams fall is on its way! Tonight will be Stuffed Tomatoes!!!! Here is the recipe i have used many times and its still a winner in my book! Thanks to Eatingwell.com.

Image rights belong to Matley01 

INGREDIENTS

• 4 ounces 90%-lean ground beef, or 93%-lean ground turkey
• 1 cup cooked brown rice, or 1/2 cup instant brown rice
• 4 large ripe but firm tomatoes, (about 8 ounces each)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup petite green peas, (cooked, if fresh; thawed, but not cooked, if frozen)
• 1/4 cup minced red onion
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
• 1 tablespoon minced flat-leaf parsley
• 1 cup breadcrumbs, made from day-old whole-wheat bread (see Tip)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small clove garlic, minced

PREPARATION

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Coat an 8-inch-square baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Cook ground beef or turkey in a small skillet over medium-high heat, crumbling with a spoon, until brown and cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
3. If using cooked rice, go to Step 4. To prepare instant brown rice, bring 1/2 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan. Stir in rice, return to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
4. Add cooked rice to the bowl with the meat.
5. Meanwhile, slice enough off the top of each tomato to remove the core (1/2 to 1 inch). Scoop out the tomato pulp using a teaspoon or melon baller. Finely chop 1/2 cup of the pulp and add to the bowl with the rice and meat. (Reserve the remaining pulp for another use; see Kitchen Tips.) Season the inside of the tomatoes with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper.
6. Add peas, onion, 1/4 cup cheese, parsley, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper to the rice mixture. Stir to combine. Divide the mixture evenly among the tomatoes and place the tomatoes in the prepared baking dish. Combine the remaining 1/4 cup cheese, breadcrumbs, oil and garlic in a small bowl. Sprinkle the mixture on top of the tomatoes.
7. Bake the tomatoes until the crumbs are golden and the tomatoes are soft, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

TIPS & NOTES

• Tip: To make fresh breadcrumbs: Trim crusts from firm sandwich bread. Tear the bread into pieces and process in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. One slice makes about 1/3 cup.
• Kitchen Tip: Save the scooped-out tomato pulp to use in fresh tomato soup or pasta sauce. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

NUTRITION

Per serving: 355 calories; 16 g fat ( 5 g sat , 7 g mono ); 35 mg cholesterol; 11 g carbohydrates; 20 gprotein; 6 g fiber; 639 mg sodium; 695 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (90% daily value), Calcium (25% dv), Potassium (20% dv), Iron (15% dv).

Carbohydrate Servings: 2

Exchanges: 2 starch,1 vegetable, 1 1/2 high-fat meat