Ask A Los Angeles Expert: Fall Comfort Food Recipes

It's that annual time of year in So Cal when the intensity of the sun lessens and the temperature gradually drops. Summer is officially over and what passes for fall here in LA has arrived. While the change in weather reduces the amount of "sick days" we spend at the beach, it's also the return of many delicious comfort food recipes we were forced to abandon during the hot weather.

Just because the heat has lightened up, it doesn't necessarily mean our busy schedules have. Between kids' activities, work and school, if anything, schedules have gotten busier. Comfort foods are great but can be time consuming to make and are often sacrificed for what's fast and easy. Sure, there are alleged fast and easy comfort food recipes all over the internet, but who better to field test them than a college student? Comfort food expert Katy Raymond is a 4th year music major at Cal State and knows the importance of a fast and easy meal that tastes great.

Katy takes eight to nine classes each semester, teaches at a small conservatory and volunteers for local rescue group SoCal Cat Adoption Tails on weekends. "I'm pretty much running seven days a week. I've found the very best meals are ones you can heat up in the tupperware, then eat out of the tupperware." In addition to tupperware, slow cookers are a must-have in Katy's college survival repertoire. "Mine was the best birthday gift ever. I can throw in a bunch of stuff, turn it on and go to classes or study for an exam while it cooks. I come back to it hours later, usually starving, and viola! A hot meal that will feed me for days!"

As a senior, Katy expects to be super busy and has already added several new recipes to her culinary syllabus for fall. "I like to make these recipes in the fall because they're not too warm for the end of summer, and they're not too cool for the beginning of winter. They're easy and delicious, too."

Apple Pie Muffins
"My mom and I found this recipe for apple pie muffins, and changed it a bit. It's been altered so it has less fat, less sugar and honestly it just tastes better."

Topping

• 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temp.
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup oats

Muffins

• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup applesauce (one container)
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flower
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 2 cups diced and peeled tart apples

Directions
Topping: In a small bowl, toss together sugar, flour, butter and cinnamon until crumbly; set aside

Muffins:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together brown sugar, oil, applesauce, egg and vanilla until smooth.
3. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
4. Stir oil mixture into flour mixture alternately with yogurt.
5. Fold in apples, mixing just until combined.
6. Spoon into greased muffin cups filling 3/4 full.
7. Sprinkle topping over evenly.
8. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and tops spring back. For mini-muffins, bake 13 minutes.

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Orange Casserole
"I was introduced to this Orange Casserole recipe in health class at school as a source of vitamin A when we were studying vitamins. It is quintessential comfort food, and 'Tupperware mush.'"

Casserole

• 4 lbs of sweet potatoes
• 1 large can of Libby's 100% pure pumpkin
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp salt
• A dash of pepper
• 2 eggs

Topping

• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 3 tbsp flour
• 1 tbsp melted butter
• A pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (walnuts are okay, pecans are awesome)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Microwave potatoes for 15 minutes.
3. Slice potatoes, put them in a large bowl and mix them with the casserole ingredients. It's supposed to be lumpy..
4. Spoon mixture into a 13x19-inch pan.
5. Combine topping ingredients except for the nuts.
6. Sprinkle topping mixture over casserole. Top evenly with nuts.
7. Bake for 25 minutes and let cool for 10 minutes before serving

Slow Cooker Dijon Pork Roast
"This slow cooker recipe comes from my uncle in Texas. I might just be biased but it definitely tastes like comfort food to me, and who doesn't like a recipe with four ingredients?"

Ingredients

• 3 lb. pork loin roast
• 1 can chicken broth
• 1 cup apple juice
• 1/2 cup Dijon mustard

Directions

1. Whisk broth, juice and Dijon together.
2. Pour over pork roast in a slow cooker.
3. Cook on low for 5 hours.

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