step back in time to try something new

By Chelsea Bray - Elle A. Design

Fall is the start of the holiday season and is a great time to change up your dinner menu to reflect the cooler weather. If you are looking to test out new recipes to use for the holidays, or if you just want to change it up a bit, these recipes are a great place to start. They have withstood the test of time and have been passed down through generations, so you know they will be a hit in your household too!
 
Start dinner with a Cranberry Pork Roast. Nothing says “festive fall meal” like adding cranberries to a roast. Not only is this recipe tasty, it is incredibly easy to make. Take the work out of your weekday dinner and put your slow cooker to good use. The gravy from this roast makes the perfect topping for homemade mashed potatoes. Serve with a side of green beans and it will feel like Thanksgiving on a random weeknight. 

​Cranberry Pork Roast – Submitted by Sheryl Pena
 
1 boneless rolled pork loin roast, 2 1/3 to 3 lbs.
1 16 oz can jellied cranberry sauce
½ cup sugar
½ cup cranberry juice
1 tsp dry mustard
¼ tsp ground cloves
2 Tbs cornstarch
2 Tbs cold water
Salt to taste
 
Place pork roast in slow cooker. In a medium bowl, mash cranberry sauce; stir in sugar, cranberry juice, mustard and cloves. Pour over roast. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or until meat is tender. Remove roast and keep warm. Measure two cups of cooking juices and pour into saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Combine cornstarch and cold water to make a paste; stir into gravy. Cook and stir until thickened.
 
After dinner, it is time for pumpkin pie – the ultimate fall dessert! If you have tried every recipe for pumpkin pie, but still haven’t found “the one”, you need to try this recipe. Make it in advance, store it in the fridge, and it will be ready for any occasion. Top it with caramel sauce or whipped cream for the perfect end to an easy weeknight meal. 

Sweet and Dark Pumpkin Pie – Submitted by Judy Fleming Tullis – Recipe by Viola Northup Corbett
 
1 large can of pumpkin
¾ cup evaporate milk
6 eggs
2 cups sugar
2 ½ Tbs Cinnamon
½ tsp allspice
¼ tsp ground cloves
¼ tsp nutmeg
 
Blend all ingredients well. Put into two deep dish pie crusts. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes, then at 325 degrees for 45 minutes or longer. A toothpick should come out clean when stuck in the middled if the pie is done.
 
The recipes in this article were sourced from “Champaign Tastes: Champaign County Bicentennial Cookbook” compiled by Champaign County Bicentennial Cookbook Committee in 2005. Currently, there is a copy of the book at the Champaign County Historical Society Museum, in Urbana, Ohio. The museum is open Tuesday-Friday 10am-4pm and Saturday 1am-2pm and is full of the rich history of Champaign County. If you are interested in becoming involved with the historical society you can volunteer or donate to help them continue to preserve the history of our amazing county.