Now, I could carry on about all the fun things that I want to do this fall, and even have some pretty firm plans for at least one day of fall fun, but I think we all know by now that the chance of me accomplishing much more than Columbus Day at the pumpkin patch is slim to none — and slim just left town.

What I can guarantee I will do this fall is cook. I can spend all spring and summer eating meat and salads, easy peasy, but once the weather cools off, there is little I love more than cooking big meals with stupid amounts of carbs.

So I’m already on the hunt for new recipes to try this fall. I have my eye on two different ones, so, of course, I’m going to share them with y’all.

The first is Swedish Meatball Noodle Soup. If this isn’t a bowlful of creamy comfort, I don’t know what is. This soup is full of homemade Swedish meatballs and noodles for a traditional(ish) twist on Scandinavian comfort food.

Swedish Meatball Noodle Soup:

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. lean (at least 80%) ground beef
• 1/2 cup plain panko crispy bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 carton (32 oz) reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 2 1/2 cups uncooked extra-wide egg noodles (4 oz)
• 1/2 cup lingonberry preserves
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill weed

Directions:

In a medium bowl, mix beef, bread crumbs, onion, salt, pepper, allspice, nutmeg, milk, and egg. Shape into about 60 (1-inch) meatballs.

In a 5-quart Dutch oven, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add half of the meatballs; cook 3 to 5 minutes, gently stirring occasionally, until browned. Use a slotted spoon to remove meatballs. Repeat with the other half of the meatballs.

Reduce heat to medium; add flour to Dutch oven — cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Add broth and whipping cream; beat with a whisk until smooth. Heat to boiling. Add meatballs and noodles; cook 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until meatballs are cooked through, and noodles are tender.

Divide among six serving bowls. Garnish with lingonberry preserves and dill weed.

As a side note, since I had no idea what lingonberry preserves are, I had to google it, so in case you need to know to — Lingonberry preserves are a sweet-tart condiment often used in both savory and sweet Scandinavian dishes. It can be found in the jelly-jam section of the grocery store. Cranberry sauce can be substituted for the lingonberry preserves if desired.

I don’t mind putting together a big meal, but I also have a full-time job and a house and family and furbabies to take care of, so I’m always on the lookout for quick and easy recipes for those weeknights where we have too many things on the to-do list and too little time to do them! Hopefully, this super easy Scalloped Potatoes and Ham recipe is a one-pot dinner that the whole family will love.
Scalloped Potatoes and Ham

Ingredients:

• 3 ounces Butter
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 4 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 2 cups low-fat milk
• 5 cups thinly sliced Yukon gold potatoes
• 1 1/2 cups chopped cooked ham
• 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°.

In a large saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the cornstarch, salt, and pepper until smooth.

Gradually add the milk and bring to a boil.

Cook the sauce stirring constantly until thickened, approximately 2-3 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in the potatoes.

Arrange 1/3 of the potatoes on the bottom of a 2-quart baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top with 1/3 of the parmesan cheese and 1/3 of the ham.

Repeat with the remaining ingredients ending with the rest of the cheese.

Cover and bake for 30 minutes.

Uncover and bake an additional 30-45 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and the sauce is golden brown and bubbling.

Remove from the oven and allow to stand 5-10 minutes before serving.