By Susan McClanahan

It is officially the season of fall, and that calls for cool weather recipes. I love the smells of fall, like pumpkin, apples and spices. After a long, hot, dry summer, I am ready for cooler weather and all of those wonderful recipes that I don't make all summer. I love baking and cooking on Saturday and smelling the aroma of cinnamon and nutmeg in the air.

Today I have called upon Taste of Home's electronic newsletter to provide recipes for us for fall. A couple of them may seem a little unusual or different, but I am willing to give them a try; like putting pumpkin in my chili. Enjoy these flavors for fall from Taste of Home magazine.

Skillet Pork Chops with Caramel-Pecan Apple Slices

Here's a warm, decadent side dish for fall or winter brunches. Ready to eat in only 15 minutes, the apples are also good alongside a pork entree or spooned over vanilla ice cream.

• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 large apples, cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted

In a large skillet, cook and stir brown sugar and butter over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Add apples; cook, uncovered, over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in pecans. Serve warm. Yield: 6 servings.

Editor's Note: To toast nuts, bake in a shallow pan in a 350-degree oven for 5 to 10 minutes or cook in a skillet over low heat until lightly browned, stirring occasionally.

Roasted Acorn Squash and Brussels Sprouts

• 1 medium acorn squash
• 1 pound fresh Brussels sprouts
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 3/4 cups pecan halves
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 3 tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut squash lengthwise into quarters; remove and discard seeds. Cut each quarter crosswise into 1/2-inch slices; discard ends. Trim and halve Brussels sprouts. Place squash and Brussels sprouts in a large bowl. Drizzle with oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Transfer to two foil-lined 15x10x1-inch baking pans. Roast 30 to 35 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, in a dry, large skillet, toast pecans over medium-low heat 6 to 8 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring frequently. Add syrup and butter; cook and stir until butter is melted. Sprinkle vegetables with pecan mixture; gently toss to combine. Yield: 8 servings.

Sage Pork Chops with Cider Pan Gravy

This recipe features a creamy sauce flavored with apple cider and sage and it makes for a quick and tasty weeknight dinner. If you like, serve these lightly seasoned chops with couscous, rice or noodles.

• 4 bone-in center-cut pork loin chops (6 ounces each)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 3 tablespoons dried sage leaves
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup apple cider or juice
• 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• Minced fresh parsley

Sprinkle chops with salt and pepper; rub with sage. Dip in flour to coat lightly. In a large skillet, heat butter and oil over medium heat; brown chops on both sides. Remove from pan. Add broth and apple cider to skillet; bring to a boil, stirring to loosen browned bits from pan. Add cream; cook and stir until thickened. Reduce heat to medium. Add chops; cook, covered, until a thermometer inserted in pork reads 145 degrees, 5 to 7 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes; sprinkle with parsley. Yield: 4 servings.

Apple-Pecan Pork Tenderloin

• 1 pork tenderloin (1 pound)
• 1/2 cup apple cider or juice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• Salt to taste

Place pork in a large resealable plastic bag; add apple cider and 1 teaspoon salt. Seal bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spread pecans on a plate. Drain pork, discarding marinade. In a small bowl, mix honey and mustard; rub over pork. Roll pork in pecans, patting to help nuts adhere.

Transfer to a greased 13x9-inch baking dish. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until a thermometer reads 145 degrees.

Let stand 10 minutes before slicing. Season with salt to taste. Yield: 4 servings.

Apples & Onion

• 4 boneless pork loin chops (6 ounces each)
• 3 medium apples, cut into wedges
• 1 large onion, cut into thin wedges
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/3 cup balsamic vinaigrette
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Place a large nonstick skillet over medium heat; brown pork chops on both sides, about 4 minutes. Remove from pan. In same skillet, combine apples, onion and water. Place pork chops over apple mixture; drizzle chops with vinaigrette. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 3 to 5 minutes or until a thermometer inserted in chops reads 145 degrees. Yield: 4 servings.

Black Bean 'N' Pumpkin Chili

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 medium sweet yellow pepper, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
• 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 2 1/2 cups cubed cooked turkey
• 2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Cubed avocado and thinly sliced green onions, optional

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and pepper; cook and stir until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Transfer to a 5-quart slow cooker; stir in the next 10 ingredients. Cook, covered, on low 4 to 5 hours. If desired, top with avocado and green onions. Yield: 10 servings (2-1/2 quarts).

Harvest Butternut and Pork Stew

Cure your craving for something different with a savory stew that's tasty with warm bread.

• 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, divided
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless pork shoulder butt roast, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 2 3/4 cups cubed peeled butternut squash
• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 cup frozen corn, thawed
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 2/3 cups frozen shelled edamame, thawed

In a large resealable plastic bag, combine 1/3 cup flour, paprika, salt and coriander. Add pork, a few pieces at a time, and shake to coat. In a large skillet, brown pork in oil in batches; drain. Transfer to a 5-quart slow cooker. Add the squash, tomatoes, corn, onion, vinegar and bay leaf. In a small bowl, combine broth and remaining flour until smooth; stir into slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or until pork and vegetables are tender. Stir in edamame; cover and cook 30 minutes longer. Discard bay leaf. Yield: 6 servings (2 quarts).

Old Fashioned Potato Soup

This recipe has been trimmed down a bit from the original that used bacon fat and heavy cream, but didn't lose any of the flavor.

• 6 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced or cubed
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 6 celery ribs, chopped
• 8 cups water
• 1 onion, chopped
• 6 tablespoons butter, cubed
• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 1/2 cups 2 percent milk

In a Dutch oven, cook the potatoes, carrots and celery in water until tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain, reserving liquid and setting vegetables aside. In the same pan, saute onion in butter until tender. Stir in the flour, salt and pepper; gradually add milk. Bring to a boil, cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Gently stir in cooked vegetables. Add 1 cup or more of reserved cooking liquid until soup is desired consistency. Yield: 8 to 10 servings (about 2-1/2 quarts).

Have a great week and, until next time, happy cooking.