It's the month that provides a good supply of beef and pork, and although this month is often viewed as the hiatus between the colours of autumn and the drama of Christmas, a month with little daylight, there's plenty to look forward to on the culinary front - excellent game and warming beef stews, for example.

Celebrate American thanksgiving, on 27 November, with this month's pumpkin pie recipe, and floury baked potatoes are just the thing for Guy Fawkes night.

Sharp-eyed shoppers will find plenty to excite them in local markets, with the new season's root vegetables really getting under way.

Best for fruit and vegetables this month are swede, turnip, white cabbage, chicory, leeks and globe artichokes, and quinces and walnuts are at their peak.

It's our last chance to enjoy sweet corn, spring cabbage, courgettes and runner beans, so do make the most of these before they disappear from our market stalls and supermarkets.

WINTER HOTPOT

A very easy, quick and warming family supper. Eat it on its own or with a green vegetable or some hot crusty bread. Will keep to reheat if needed next day.

Serves 4-5.

Ingredients: 450g lean minced beef. 2 medium onions. 3 carrots. 4 medium potatoes. 1 beef stock cube. 600ml hot water. 1 large can baked beans. Worcestershire sauce.
Method: Fry the minced beef in a large non-stick pan or saucepan until brown. Meanwhile peel the vegetables and cut the onions into wedges and the carrots and potatoes into bite sized chunks. Add vegetables to the pan with the stock cube and hot water. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes. Add a little more water if necessary. Stir in the beans and a good few dashes of Worcestershire sauce – taste to get the flavour right. Heat through.


BRAISED CHICKEN AND VEGETABLES

A warming satisfying winter meal which can be prepared early in the day and reheated when you want to serve it.

Serves 4.

Ingredients: 2 onions, each cut into 8 wedges. 4 parsnips, cut into thin sticks. 4 carrots cut into thin sticks. 1 sweet potato, cut into sticks. 3 strips of lemon rind. 425ml chicken stock. 8 chicken pieces (mixture of thighs and drumsticks). Small bunch of fresh parsley, chopped. 4 tablespoons crème fraîche or double cream. Salt and pepper.
Method: Preheat oven to 190C, 375F, Gas Mark 5. Put all the vegetables and lemon rind into an ovenproof dish and pour over the stock. Put into the oven for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat tablespoon of vegetable oil in frying pan and brown the chicken on all sides. Lay the chicken on the vegetables and season, then bake for 25 minutes until the chicken is cooked. Stir in the parsley and cream and serve.

HAM SOUP WITH MUSTARD DUMPLINGS

I make no apologies for adding this recipe yet again, it's such a satisfying meal to cook, and doesn't stretch the housekeeping budget.

Serves 4.

Ingredients: 25g butter. 1 large onion, chopped. 1 small cauliflower, cut into florets. 225g carrots, diced. 2 sticks of celery, chopped. 1 cooking apple, peeled and chopped. 425ml ham or chicken stock. 225g cooked ham, cubed. 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage, or a large pinch of dried sage. Salt and pepper to taste.
Method: Melt butter in a saucepan, add onion and cook until soft. Add cauliflower, carrots and celery. Stir in stock, ham and sage, bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 40 minutes. For the dumplings: 110g self-raising flour. 50g fresh brown breadcrumbs. 50g shredded suet. 2 teaspoons mustard seeds, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (thyme and parsley). Mix together the flour, breadcrumbs, suet, mustard seeds and herbs. Add 5-6 tablespoons of water and mix to a soft dough. Shape into eight small balls. You can sieve, liquidise or leave the soup whole at this stage. Season to taste, add chopped apple and bring to the boil. Add dumplings, cover and cook for 15-20 minutes until dumplings are risen and fluffy.

PUMPKIN PIE

This recipe uses just over half a 425g can of pumpkin; you can use the leftovers to thicken soups and casseroles, or stir into mashed potatoes with a little chopped garlic and olive oil.

Serves 6-8.

Ingredients: 225g ready-made short crust pastry. 2 eggs, 250g canned pumpkin 110g
light muscovado sugar. 1 tsp cinnamon. ½ teaspoon ground ginger. Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg, Pinch of ground cloves. 200ml tub crème fraîche. 125ml milk.
Method: Roll out pastry and use to line a deep-sided 23cm/9 inch pie plate. Trim the edges with scissors, then pinch the rim between your finger and thumb to give a fluted rim. Chill for 30 minutes. Pre-heat oven to 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6. Line the pastry with greaseproof paper and baking beans, and bake blind for 10 minutes. Remove beans and paper and bake for a further 5 minutes.
Beat eggs in a large bowl. Whisk in the pumpkin, sugar, spices, crème fraîche and milk until smooth. Pour into pastry case and bake for 30 minutes until just set around the edges, but still a bit wobbly in the centre, it will become firmer as it cools. Slice and serve with whipped cream.

APPLE AND ALMOND PUDDING

I like to serve this pudding after a heavy meal, it's light and can be served on its own, but is delicious with custard or cream!

Serves 4.

Ingredients: 450g cooking apples. 50g brown sugar. 110g ground almonds. 110g butter. 100g caster sugar. 2 beaten eggs. Method: Peel and slice the apples and stew with the brown sugar and a tablespoon water until soft. When cooked place in the bottom of a greased dish. Cream butter and caster sugar until pale, beat in eggs, then fold in the ground almonds. Spread the mixture evenly over the apples and bake at 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4 for 1 hour. Serve warm with homemade custard.

PEAR TART

Fruit of the month just has to be pears. This versatile fruit can be made into a sweet crumble, or just poached in a good red wine. It's easy to make, and the pears bring out a unique flavour, almost like a mild honey.

Serves 4-6.

Ingredients: 300g ready-made short crust pastry. 700g ripe pears, peeled, cored and sliced, juice of l lemon. 250ml whipping cream. A little butter for greasing the flan tin. 2 free range eggs, and 1 yolk, beaten. 75g caster sugar.
Method: Preheat oven to 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6. Grease a 24cm (9 inch) flan tin with a little butter. Roll out the pastry and fit it into a flan tin. Bake blind for 12 mins. Reduce oven to 190C/375F/Gas Mark 5 – arrange pears in pastry case and sprinkle with lemon juice. Mix cream, eggs and the egg yolk and sugar until they are blended and pour over the pears. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the cream is set. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.