These fall days beckon me to cook soups, stews and chili.

I like hearty beef meals and this one fits the bill nicely.

The recipe for this beef, barley and butternut squash stew with blue cheese croutons calls for boneless beef chuck, but I personally use beef tenderloin tips.

This meal is so tasty – it conjures up images of eating it by the fire while watching my favorite team get crushed in football.

I like the stew so much it doesn’t even matter that my team stinks.

Get this stew recipe here and try it at home! Nice and cozy!

Photo courtesy of FineCooking.com.

Beef and tailgating, well, they just go together. And – lucky us – both are in season!

Take this First-and-Goal Flank Steak (above), for instance. It’s got the yum factor as well as the wow factor. You can see its beefy recipe here.

That will certainly feed a crowd!

Next, you can serve Hail Mary Meatloaf. I mean, who doesn’t like meatloaf? Very satisfying – especially as temperatures begin to drop.

But my favorite is any Kansas City beef – steaks,  burgers, dogs, everything! Throw them on a portable grill and you’re good!

Tell me, what’s your dream tailgating menu?

Photo courtesy of H.J. Heinz via About.com.

This is what I tell my husband every day.

Image courtesy of someecards.com.