1. A long braise beef stew Elizabeth Baer calls "one way to warm up the house on a chilly day!"

Pretty much every day in this season I have no idea what to wear to work. Likewise in the kitchen, my meal plans go back and forth between something light and fresh, and a warm and hearty dish. And yet, the seasons press on toward cooler days, and it’s time to turn to my favorite soups and stews.

2. A fun variation of the iconic Alsatian dish choucroute garnie to use up those leftover mashed potatoes.

I recently got a wonderful new cookbook, "Cook Once Dinner Fix" by Cassy Joy Garcia, which really features my way of cooking! The format is that one recipe always yields something that can be used to build a second meal another night. I do this all the time! Often my husband will say there’s nothing in the house, but I manage to find some random items left over from earlier meals and make something new!

3. An homage to an old, now lost, favorite

4. A shepherd’s pie with a tater tot top

5. A 'famous' chicken fricassee recipe from the Shakers

6. A popular spin on grilled turkey

7. A new recipe to change up your corn game

8. 4 pumpkin pie recipes to wake up a tired classic

9. An elegant dinner that's 'not difficult at all,' with a bit of practice

10. A 'super moist' chocolate bread to use up all of that extra zucchini

Bonus:

It's not a recipe, but this kitchen hack from former associate features editor Maggie Button was one of our most clicked stories of the year!

(If you had trouble loading this story in our app, visit BerkshireEagle.com.)

Meggie Baker can be reached at mbaker@berkshireeagle.com or 413-496-6207. 

Elizabeth Baer is a teacher who loves to spend time in the kitchen. She also posts recipes and musings about food on her blog, culinursa.com/blog and can be reached at culinursa@gmail.com.