Fall Cooking To-Do's

With the official start of fall last Friday and all the pumpkins that are already out  (isn't it too early for pumpkins?!), I have been thinking of all the recipes and I want to make and new ones I want to try. Once the weather cools and gets more fall like (not 100 degrees like it was last week), these will be perfect to start trying and perfecting. When I see a recipe I want to try (whether it is on tv, online or in a cookbook) I write it down right away, but then I end up with notes all over the place! Needless to say it's not very organized and they get lost rather easily. So, I've decided to dedicate this blog to some of the items I am looking forward to making and trying within the coming months. Maybe this will inspire you to put a list together and try some of these recipes too!

Ready, set, here we go:

1. Fig & Walnut Bread - I have been eying this for sandwiches ever since I got my Williams Sonoma Baking Cookbook.
2. Crockpot Minestrone Soup - this is a spiced up Weight Watchers recipe. So good and so easy.
3. Pumpkin Chiffon Pie - I love pumpkin and Ryan says he likes this, so this is a must make.
4. Garlic Whole Roasted Chicken - Time to master the roasted chicken and not squirm by picking out the innards. Completed September 29, 2011
5. Homemade Pizza Crust - Been dying to try this and this will be a great rainy day project.
6. Indoor Grilled Pizza - A must make after making the dough. Perfect dinner for a rainy night.
7. Baked Potato Soup - This just sounds too good to not try and you can do it in the crock pot. I think if I make this with soy milk, it will be lower in fat and better on my tummy.
8. Italian Wedding Soup - Homemade chicken meatballs make this a must try. Once of my fave soups.
9. Banana Cake - Always have tons of bananas on hand and this is another way to use them. It's one layer and just as easy as making bread? Heck yes!
10. Homemade Apple Sauce - Can't wait to go to apple hill to make this and can it!
11. Chicken Pot Pie - Attempting to make a low fat version with a puff pastry "crust".
12. Homemade Cinnamon Rolls - This will be weekend project that I can't wait to try. I made sticky rolls when I moved into my apartment two years ago. Time to try it again. Completed on November 2, 2011
13. Onion Focaccia - This is for dunking in the minestrone.
14. Pumpkin Scones with Cranberry Butter - One of my mom's recipes and it's so addicting.
15. Sweet Potato Hummus - This sounds too good and to weird not to try.
16. Grilled Portobello Burgers - Can't wait to try these Quinn!
17. Rustic Apple Galette - Already drooling over this one and can't wait to go apple picking to make this.
18. Flaky Pastry Dough - Guess I'll need to make this if I want to try the apple gallette. I will master this.
19. Apricot Pork Loin - This one can be done in the crock pot? I will be trying it and adding my own spin on this one.
20. Homemade Croutons - Going to attempt to make some as good as Barb's, but that might be hard. Her's were so garlicky delicious!

I could probably keep typing for another hour or so, but we will keep this action item list to a maximum of 20. Here's to hoping I can try to make all of these. Who knows how they will all turn out, but experimenting with all of these will be half the fun!