Summer had its run: the cookouts, the frozen treats, the long evenings on the porch. But there’s something just as good about the shift into fall: the air turns crisp, the kitchen becomes the coziest room in the house, and comfort food comes back into season.
These three recipes are made for those first cool nights. A cheesy chicken casserole that comes together with barely any effort, a warm and peppery bean dish that feels like a hug in a bowl, and a decadent millionaire’s shortbread layered with caramel and chocolate. This is the kind of cooking that makes staying in feel like the best plan you could make.
Dolly’s 5-Ingredient Casserole
Cook time: 40 minutes
Ingredients:
- 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 can cream of chicken soup
- 1.5 cups shredded cheddar
- 1 sleeve Ritz crackers, crushed
Instructions:
Bake for 30 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 350° and butter a 9×9 baking dish.
In a large bowl, combine the chicken, sour cream, and soup. Stir to combine.
Pour half the mixture into the baking dish and sprinkle with half the cheese. Top with the remaining mixture, the remaining cheese, and cover with the crushed Ritz.
Cacio e Pepe Beans
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 shallot, minced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1½ tsp pepper
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 (15 oz) cans cannellini beans, rinsed
- Grated parmesan
- Red pepper flakes
Instructions:
- Add the butter and oil to a pot over medium heat. Once foaming, add the shallot and garlic and cook until softened, about 2 minutes.
- Add the pepper and cook another 2 minutes, stirring.
- Pour in the beans and broth, add the salt, and bring to a boil. Cook until heated through, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Fill bowls and top with parmesan and red pepper flakes.
Millionaire’s Shortbread
Cook Time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
Shortbread:
- 2 cups flour
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ½ tsp salt
Caramel:
- 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
- ½ cup unsalted butter, cut into Tbsp
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- ¼ cup light corn syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ½ tsp salt
Chocolate Ganache:
- 1½ cups bittersweet chocolate chips
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- 1 pinch flaky salt
Instructions:
- Line a 9×9 baking dish with parchment and preheat your oven to 350°. Cream the butter, then add the sugar and salt and beat until light and fluffy. Mix in the egg yolk and vanilla until combined. Add the flour in two batches, mixing until just incorporated. Press the dough evenly into the pan and bake 20–22 minutes, until the edges are golden.
- While the shortbread bakes, add the butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, vanilla, salt, and sweetened condensed milk to a pot. Cook over medium heat, whisking, until combined. Keep whisking as it comes to a light boil and thickens and darkens. Pull off the heat and let cool until the shortbread is ready.
- Pour the caramel over the shortbread and spread into an even layer. Chill for 15 minutes.
- Add the chocolate chips and heavy cream to a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between, until silky. Pour over the caramel and smooth into an even layer. Sprinkle with flaky salt. Chill 15–20 minutes, then slice and serve.
Let Table & Thyme Handle Your Next Gathering
As the season turns, we’d love to help you host: whether it’s a cozy dinner party or a full fall celebration.
At Table & Thyme, we’re committed to elevating all occasions, from intimate gatherings to weddings to corporate events. Our team of skilled caterers creates memorable experiences with gourmet catering, grazing tables, and beautiful graze boxes, serving Birmingham, Alabama and within about 60 miles.
We also share tips, guides, and seasonal recipes to help you host like a pro. Tune into our blog for more, and follow along on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Pinterest to see the events, grazing tables, and graze boxes we’ve created.
Ready to plan something? Contact us today
