This Easy Fall Dinner Menu includes homemade crab dip, a crisp simple salad, hearty stew with warm French bread and an uncomplicated chocolate cake with a gooey center. We had friends over for dinner last Friday and here’s how we did it…
Easy Fall Dinner Menu
Setting An Autumn Table With Candles
You can read more about how I set the table here.
Crab Dip To Start
Howard used this recipe from Tastes Better From Scratch. We served it with rice crackers on the back porch with cocktails before sitting down to dinner inside.
Romaine Salad With Tomatoes And Pickled Red Onions
Howard served the salad of small romaine lettuce halves, grape tomatoes and pickled sliced red onions on chilled plates with a choice of store bought blue cheese or Ranch dressing.
Tip: We keep sliced red onions in red wine vinegar (so that they are pickled and less bitter) in the refrigerator so that they are handy when needed.
Hearty Vegetable And Pork Stew
This delicious vegetable and pork stew recipe is from “Spend With Pennies.”
Howard made the stew earlier in the day so it was simmering when our guests arrived.
We served it with red wine, warm French bread and soft butter.
Easy Chocolate Torte
I made this small dark chocolate torte earlier in the day as it needs time to cool.
The recipe had me at “easy” and it was. You make it in one bowl. We had all the ingredients except for the Dutch-process unsweetened cocoa powder. I bought the Ghirardelli brand, which I think is really good.
This is a simple torte adapted from Melissa Clarks's"Dinner In One"
- 12 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more for the pan
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, Dutch-process, plus more for serving
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 4 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 tbs vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup all purpose flour
- vanilla ice cream or whipped cream
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Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch spring form pan and line the bottom with a round of parchment paper cut to fit.
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In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, cocoa powder, and salt. Pour the melted butter into the mixture and whisk until smooth.
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Whisk in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla. Whisk in the flour until smooth.
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Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top. Bake until the top of the cake is just firm, the edges are puffed and the center jiggles thickly when you shake the pan. 30 to 40 minutes. Err on the side of underbaking so that the center is a little running when you cut it. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. At least two hours.
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Release the sides of the springform pan and remove them. Place the torte, still on the bottom of the pan on a cake plate. Sprinkle with cocoa powder through a sieve. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.
The recipe came from this great cookbook:
We served small slices on my mom’s crystal plates and topped the cake with French vanilla ice cream.
Are you enjoying Fall where you are? You may also like Easy Classic Basics To Uplift Your Casual Fall Outfits.
You may also like: Special Fall Dinner Party Menu and How To Host A Small Autumn Dinner Party.
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What crackers did you serve with your crab dip? Look delic.
Rice crackers!
That dessert–irresistible for chocolate lovers which I’m afraid I am. The whole meal sounds great. Thanks for sharing it.
Thanks, Pat! Wish I could have you over for dinner.
Elegant, but “straightforward to prep” menu — thank you, Mary Ann! Nice and Fallish!
Re. Your pickled onions: do you add sugar or other ingredients, or just vinegar? Have you tried both? Thanks!
We just use vinegar. But we could try sugar. Do you recommend that?
Fantastic menu!
I am going to use it, for my next dinner with friends:-)
That’s great!!
Everything looks so tasty and simple to prepare. Great recipes! Now I need someone to cook for!
I’m sure someone would love to be your guest!
This looks like a great meal for entertaining. Everything can be done before guests arrive. It makes entertaining so much easier. I have a friend that doesn’t eat beef so this stew is perfect.
True!!!
Thanks for this lovely and easy (my new requirement) menu! I will be using it all.
I like easy too, Judy!!