Easy Fall Eats Fit For Family Get-Togethers

Friends, fall will be here before you know it. This time of year, families take advantage of the tail end of summer by hosting reunions, big and small. When I was younger, it seemed like family reunions were more common than they are nowadays. From time to time, I’ll hear a friend fondly recalling how much those gatherings meant to them as a child. They usually mention wishing that their family still held reunions like in the good old days. I like to gently remind them that the responsibility for reunions today falls on the generation that enjoyed them yesterday. In other words, if you’re reading this and you have family, it’s time to plan a reunion.

The first objection I hear is that people are overwhelmed with the thought of cooking for a crowd; that’s where a little planning can go a long way. By choosing recipes that can be made ahead of time and letting your guests pitch in with potluck dishes of their own, the host is sure to enjoy it every bit as much as a guest.

This month, here are a few sure-fire recipes to help get you started. So get some paper handy, make out that grocery list, and get ready to gather the generations again.

Don’t you love those restaurants that have buckets of peanuts on the table while you wait on your food? I believe this stems from the old Southern tradition of boiling salted peanuts in a kettle over an open fire. It’s fun to greet your guests with a taste of yesterday while they get settled in. With all the kids in our family these days, and with time at a premium, I employ my Instant Pot to make perfectly boiled peanuts that taste just like they came from an old kettle. You can make boiled peanuts ahead of time, store in the fridge and microwave them when ready to serve!

Every generation has their picky eaters, so I like to make a batch of slow cooker spaghetti sauce — the perennial crowd pleaser — and a fresh batch of pasta served on the side. You can make this for a big family dinner, but if you decide on a potluck, it also fits in perfectly amid Aunt Grace’s casserole and MeeMaw’s relish tray! You can make this up to three days ahead of time and reheat or just pop it in the crock pot in the morning to have it ready by lunchtime.

Every cook wants to bring a dessert, and no reunion is complete without a table full of them! Bama Butter Cake is a scratch-made cake that is super moist, studded with pecans and drizzled with a sweet butter sauce. It practically comes with a no-crumb-left guarantee! Bama Butter Cake is actually better made a

Recipe Featured on

Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce

Prep Time Cook Time Servings 15 mins 8 hrs 8 to 10

Ingredients

2 pounds ground chuck 1 medium onion, finely diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes 1 (18-ounce) can tomato paste 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce 1 teaspoon sugar 2 teaspoons dried basil 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef. Drain the grease. Set beef aside.

Lightly spray the crock of a 6-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Add onion, garlic, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste and tomato sauce. Mix well. Add sugar, dried basil, dried Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Mix well. Add ground beef and stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for about 8 hours. Stir well and serve over cooked pasta.

day or two ahead of time.

While you’re adding these recipes to your file, pull out some favorites from the good old days. When a family member calls and asks what they can bring, don’t be shy about asking if they’d like your great-grandmother’s recipe for a special dish that they, too, have fond memories of. The beauty of a family reunion is in treasuring memories of yesterday while making new ones.

The years are flying by. Take time to smell the roses, taste the casseroles and hug the necks of those dear to you. That, my friends, is how we live the good life.

Stacey Little is a foodie, recipe developer and cookbook author whose Southern Bite blog helps families put simple, down-to-earth food on the table while preserving Southern cooking for future generations. See more recipes at southernbite.com.

Prep Time Cook Time Servings 20 mins 1 hr 10 mins 10

Cake Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter, softened 2 cup sugar 5 large eggs, room temperature 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup buttermilk 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 1 cup finely chopped pecans

Butter Glaze Ingredients

1 cup sugar 1/4 cup water 1/2 cup unsalted butter 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Cake Instructions

Heat oven to 325 F. Grease and flour a 10- to 12-cup Bundt pan.

Use a mixer to cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Turn the mixer on low, and add about half of the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Mix well. Add about half of the buttermilk and mix well. Add remaining flour mixture and mix well. Add remaining buttermilk and mix well. Add the vanilla and pecans. Mix to combine.

Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the cake is just starting to pull away from the sides of the pan and toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Use a skewer or toothpick to poke holes all over the cake.

Butter Glaze Instructions

In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, water and butter. Cook over low heat until the butter melts and the sugar has just dissolved. Do not allow to boil. Remove from heat and add the vanilla; stir well. Pour the glaze over the cake while it is still in the pan, paying special attention to make sure the glaze drizzles down into the holes. Reserve about 1/4 cup of the glaze for later. Allow the cake to cool for about 30 minutes in the pan before placing a serving platter over the pan and inverting the cake onto it. Drizzle reserved glaze over the cake.

Instant Pot Boiled Peanuts

Prep Time Cook Time Natural Pressure Release Servings 5 mins 1 hr 30 mins 10

Ingredients

2 pounds green peanuts 1/2 cup kosher salt 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

Instructions

Rinse the peanuts in cool water. Place in the Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker.

Add salt and vinegar and enough water to just cover the peanuts. For me, that was about 10 cups. Be cautious to not exceed the max fill line on your appliance.

Place the lid on and seal. Cook on high pressure for 60 minutes, then turn the appliance off and allow the pressure to release naturally. Carefully remove the lid. Enjoy!

Stacey’s Recipe Notes

Check out the blog post at SouthernBite.com about the difference between green and raw peanuts. This recipe calls for green peanuts, but raw peanuts will work if that’s all you can find. If using raw peanuts, soak them overnight in cool water and cook them for 85 to 90 minutes, followed by a natural pressure release.