Fall is almost here. Wait! Don’t panic! Just because school has started and the morning fogs have begun to roll in doesn’t mean we’ve lost summer altogether. There are still tomatoes spilling across the deck, roses and herbs mingling in the front yard, and sunny blue-skied afternoons to spend by the grill with a cold drink and a pair of tongs.

But the air is cooler, and I’m beginning to think ahead to the pleasures of autumn cooking – soup, beans, the first braise, the first roast chicken, the first winter squash. I walked by a garden in my neighborhood that had delicata squash vines covering the front yard and part of the yard next door – the squash looked ready to eat, brilliant cream-and-green stripes peeking out from the leaves. Then someone brought in a pile of fresh squash to the library, and I immediately snatched a couple.

This week we were depending heavily on easy, comforting meals, in order to console the schoolteacher in the family while we get back into our fall schedule. Nothing new, nothing too elaborate. A chorizo-poblano quiche, some grilled chicken, my favorite chickpeas with pomegranate, lamb-yogurt noodles (which have rapidly become one of our favorite meals ever), lentil salad with peppers. Solid, everyday food. Good for summer weather, but still good even if it cools off and drizzles.

What are you cooking for these in-between days?