An Outdoor Nook for a Fall Feel in Warmer Climates

Make the most of your mild autumn weather with a fall outdoor nook.

Do you have cool-weather envy in the fall? Why not create an outdoor nook to enjoy tastes of fall you do have access to? If you live in a predominantly warmer climate, images of beautiful trees full of changing leaves, roaring fireplaces, porches full of mums, pumpkins and plaid blankets can leave you with a sense of longing. But even in states with balmy breezes, the evenings can still be chilly, and a gray, cooler day can roll in.

Why not take advantage of these moments and create a small outdoor nook for a fall feel? It’s perfect for reading, napping, scrolling on your phone or having a loved one over for warm drinks and a bowl of soup, and we think everyone should have one. Gather some tips and recipes here and enjoy your outdoor nook and the fall feel.

Nook Necessities

1) Something to Sit On: Be it a settee, chair, bench, hammock or cushions, choose something comfortable that allows relaxation. An indoor/outdoor rug is the perfect piece to tie your space together.

2) Something to Snuggle: Include throw pillows, quilts or water-resistant throws so your nook stays warm enough and dry. A mix of indoor and outdoor items can work.

3) Something to Do: Set up a basket or bin with reading
materials, puzzles, board games or electronics for entertainment between naps.

4) Something to Nosh: Warm beverages, hot soups, flaky croissants, crackers, fruits or cookies will keep your tummy full while you enjoy your space. Don’t forget the table linens.

5) Something to Gaze Upon: Add fresh pumpkins, flowers, candles, beaded garlands, and if it’s a covered space, how about an outdoor chandelier? If not, add a tarp or sun umbrella.

Recipes to Enjoy on Your Outdoor Nook

Simplest Chicken Noodle Soup

By Emma Laperruque

Chicken noodle soup does not get simpler than this: chicken and noodles. While a lot of chicken stock recipes include a slew of vegetables (onion, carrot, celery), spices (peppercorns, cloves, coriander), and herbs (parsley, thyme, bay leaves), this one lets the chicken do the talking. And it has so much to say. Seasoning at the end with salt and schmaltz (that golden rendered fat) yields a pure stock that would be wonderful in any recipe, but especially noodle soup. I like extra-wide egg noodles, boiled in salty water, and added directly to the bowl so they do not get soggy. If you have some fresh herbs or cooked vegetables around, feel free to add those too.

Serves 4 (plus some leftover shredded chicken and schmaltz)

Prep time: 12 hrs
Cook time: 4 hrs 30 min

1 (5 ½–pound) chicken
12 cups cold water
2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste and for boiling noodles
12 ounces extra-wide egg noodles

1. Look inside your chicken. There’s probably a little bag in the cavity with the neck and giblets. Reserve the neck and toss the rest. Cut the chicken into 8 to 12 roughly equal-sized pieces.  Add those pieces plus the neck to the biggest pot you’ve got.
2. Slowly pour the water on top of the chicken in the pot. (Doing this too quickly can cause a raw-chicken splash zone—not what we want.) Set the pot on the stove, partially cover with a lid (so there’s a slight crack for steam to escape), and turn up the heat to high, until the liquid reaches a confident simmer. Adjust the heat as needed to simmer the chicken for about 25 minutes, or until the meat is cooked through. (Some scum might rise to the top at this point. Just remove it with a spoon and discard.)
3. When the chicken has cooked, turn off the heat. Use metal tongs to remove all the pieces from the pot and set on a plate or platter. When it is cool enough to handle, use your hands to pull the meat from the bones. When all the meat has been removed, add all the bones and skin back to the pot of water.
4. With the pot partially covered, simmer the stock for 3 to 4 hours, until golden and reduced to 8 cups of liquid or so. Check every so often to make sure it is simmering; depending on your stove, it may fluctuate from not simmering at all to downright boiling (neither of which is the goal), so adjust the heat as needed.
5. When the stock is ready, carefully pour it through a fine-mesh sieve into a big heatproof bowl, pot, or other vessel that can hold about 8 cups of liquid. Really press on the bones to get all the liquid and flavor out of them. Let the stock cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until completely chilled.
6. When it is completely chilled, there should be a layer of fat on top (good!), and the stock’s consistency should be ultra-gelatinous, like jelly. Use a spoon to gingerly transfer the fat to a separate jar. You can refrigerate this fat for up to 5 days or freeze it for months.
7. When you are ready to eat soup: Set a large pot of water over high heat to come to a boil. When it does, generously salt (about 1 Tablespoon salt per quart water) and add the egg noodles. Cook for about 5 minutes or until just al dente, since they will continue to cook in the hot broth.

Cardamom Hot Chocolate

By Motease

Serves 1
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min

1 cup milk
3 green cardamom pods, crushed with the back of a knife
1 teaspoon unsalted butter
2 Tablespoons dark chocolate, chopped
½ teaspoon vanilla

1. In a small saucepan, heat the milk and cardamom pods over medium-low heat. Let simmer for 10 minutes.
2. Heat butter and chocolate in another saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir until smooth.
3. Whisking constantly, add hot milk in a steady stream. Remove from heat and remove cardamom pods.
4. Stir in vanilla and serve immediately.

Cream of Apple and Celery Root Soup with Tarragon

By Josh Cohen

Serves 6 to 8

Olive oil
2 small yellow onions, sliced Salt
2 pounds celery root, trimmed and peeled, cut into a medium dice
2 apples
1 clove garlic, smashed and roughly chopped
¼ teaspoon cayenne
¼  teaspoon white pepper
3 bay leaves
6 sprigs tarragon, plus 2 Tablespoons reserved chopped tarragon leaves for garnish
1 ½ cups dry white wine
6 cups water

1. In a large pot or Dutch oven set over medium heat, add just enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pot. When the oil is hot, add the onions and cook until they begin to soften and turn translucent, stirring occasionally. Season with a small pinch of salt.
2. Add the celery root, season with a pinch of salt and continue to cook for approximately 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. While the celery root is cooking, peel and core the apples, and cut them into thin slices.
3. Peeling, coring and slicing the apples probably took you about 5 minutes, so add the apples now. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes. Add the garlic, cayenne, white pepper, bay leaves and tarragon sprigs. Give everything a stir.
4. Add the white wine, turn the heat up to high and cook until the liquid has almost entirely evaporated, stirring occasionally.
5. Add the water, bring the soup to a simmer, and then lower the heat so that the soup maintains a slow simmer. Gently cook the soup until the celery root is very soft. To test how soft the celery root is, stab it with a fork from time to time.
6. When the celery root is ready, turn off the heat and remove the bay leaves and tarragon sprigs from the soup. Working in batches, transfer the soup to a blender, and blend on high speed until the soup is velvety smooth. If the soup is looking too thick, add a little water as necessary until you have achieved a better consistency. When all the soup is blended, taste it. Adjust as necessary with salt, cayenne, and white pepper.
7. To serve, garnish each bowl with some chopped tarragon and a drizzle of your best olive oil.

Brown Butter Spiced Ale

By Sdebrango

Serves 2

12 ounces ale of your choice (my new favorite is pumpkin ale)
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, browned
3 Tablespoons dark brown sugar
¼ teaspoon ginger
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
Splashes brandy (about 1 Tablespoon) per glass
1 cinnamon stick for garnish

1. Add butter to a small saucepan and melt on medium heat. Cook until the butter becomes a light brown and has a slightly nutty smell (approximately 3 minutes).
2. Reduce heat to low and add brown sugar and spices. Cook until the brown sugar is dissolved and the mixture is paste-like. Scrape into a small bowl or ramekin and cover with foil to keep warm.
3. Add the ale to the same saucepan and heat on medium until hot.
4. Spoon 2 Tablespoons of the spiced butter mixture into a serving glass, pour hot ale into the glass and add a splash of brandy (about 1 or 2 Tablespoons) and stir.
5. Garnish with a cinnamon stick.

Apple-Peel Tea

By Micki Balder

Makes 3 cups

Peels and cores of 5 apples
4 cups water
2 ½ Tablespoons brown sugar
2 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick

1. Place the apple peels and cores, water and brown sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a full boil; then reduce to a simmer/low boil and add the cloves. Let simmer for 1 hour.
2. After 1 hour, turn off the heat, add the cinnamon stick and let sit for 45 minutes to an hour. You can also taste for sweetness when you add the cinnamon stick, adding more brown sugar if you like a sweeter tea.
3. Pour the tea through a fine strainer and discard the strained apple mush. The liquid can be stored in a container in the fridge (I generally use a mason jar), and leftovers can be drunk cold, or reheated on the stove or in a microwave.

If you loved this outdoor nook and the fall feeling, read on for Rustic Cottage Style with an Edge and A Classic Georgetown Bungalow with Modern Comforts. Of course, don’t forget to follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest to get your daily dose of cottage inspiration!