When we were little and the season began to change, my mom used to make us a staple.
Now, when October or November rolls around and the air gets crisp, there’s nothing better than a hot bowl of sopa.
You start by putting a tablespoon of oil in a pan.
Then you can add ANY kind of pasta noodles. Traditionally, it is made with fideo noodles. But you can easily use macaroni noodles or alphabet noodles instead.
Make sure the oil gets hot enough to brown the pasta.
Once browned, add a can of tomato sauce right into the pan. I use store-bought, but some people blend whole tomatoes with onion, garlic, and water to make their own tomato sauce.
Fill the rest of the pan with water.
Fill the pan (with water) until it’s almost 3/4 of the way full.
Add salt, garlic powder (or chicken bouillon powder) to taste.
Simmer on medium until the noodles are soft and cooked through. It should be a soup-like consistency.
As you cook it, you can add more water as needed if you didn’t add enough to start.
When done, pour into a bowl, and you can either eat it plain, just like that (that is how I eat it), or you can add cheese, crema, sour cream, or even chili.
When I think of fall, sopa takes me back to my childhood when my mom used to make us sopa on the first chilly nights of the season.
I love pumpkin spice, and the recipe I use for Pumpkin Spice Cake Cookies is super easy.
First, you need to get some boxed spiced cake mix and a 16-oz can of pumpkin puree.
Then you stir them together while the oven preheats to 350°F.
After that, you use the cookie-sized scooper or a tablespoon to portion out the batter into a cookie sheet while leaving about two inches between cookies.
Bake at 350°F for 13-15 minutes. Let them cool on a rack for 5 minutes, if possible, but they will probably all get gobbled up before then.
It is a new tradition for my little family!
To make Huli Huli Chicken, start by preparing the marinade.
In a medium bowl, whisk together a bottle of Aloha Shoyu soy sauce, an equal amount of water using the empty soy sauce bottle, one cup of sugar, half a cup of packed brown sugar, two teaspoons of freshly grated ginger, and one and a half teaspoons of minced garlic until the sugar has dissolved.
Place 3 to 4 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken thighs into the marinade inside an Instant Pot, making sure the chicken is well-coated.
Cook on high pressure for 20 minutes, then allow a natural release for 10 minutes.
While the chicken is cooking, prepare the desired amount of rice.
Once finished, remove the chicken from the Instant Pot and serve it over the rice, using the sauce from the pot to coat the dish.
Garnish with sliced green onions before serving.
A college teammate from Hawaii taught me this, and it was my favorite food to eat.
My favorite fall-time recipe is warm, sweet maple-glazed salmon with crispy roasted potatoes.
First, make your maple glaze by whisking together maple syrup, soy sauce, garlic, black pepper, garlic salt, and, if you’d like, Dijon mustard for a tangy flavor.
Next, lightly season the salmon fillets with salt and pepper before brushing them with a thin coat of the glaze.
Place the fillets on a baking sheet and bake at 375°F for about 18 minutes, or 15–16 minutes if you prefer them more undercooked.
While the salmon is baking, place baby potatoes in a pan of cold salted water and bring them to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 12 minutes.
Halfway through baking the salmon, remove it from the oven, brush with another layer of glaze, and return it to finish cooking, adding one final coat once it comes out.
When the potatoes are done, drain them and toss them gently with butter, garlic, dried herbs, and just a touch of oil.
Transfer the potatoes to a baking sheet and gently smash them with the bottom of a glass, being careful not to press too hard.
Allow them to steam dry briefly to help them crisp, then brush with the leftover garlic-oil mixture. Roast the potatoes at 375°F for 10 minutes, flip them, and roast for another 5 minutes until golden.
By the time the potatoes are ready, the salmon should also be finished.
Serve the salmon alongside the crispy smashed potatoes and garnish with fresh parsley if desired.
This is the first meal I taught myself how to cook after taking a very big interest in cooking. It’s the meal I make when I need motivation to try and do new things.
To make apple dumplings, start by preheating your oven to 350°F.
Peel and core two large Granny Smith apples, then cut each apple into eight wedges.
Take two 10-ounce cans of crescent roll dough and separate into triangles.
Roll each apple wedge into a triangle of dough and pinch the edges to seal.
In a saucepan, melt one cup of butter and stir in 1 ½ cups of white sugar and one teaspoon of ground cinnamon.
Place the wrapped apples in a baking dish, pour the butter-sugar mixture over them, and then pour one can of Mountain Dew on top.
Bake for 35 minutes, or until the dumplings are golden brown and cooked through.
My aunt makes them!