Celebrate the flavors of fall with Fresh From Florida produce in October and delicious seasonal recipes made with fresh, locally grown ingredients. October in Florida brings a variety of in-season fruits and vegetables that are perfect for creating colorful salads, comforting side dishes, hearty dinners, and simple farm-to-table meals. From crisp vegetables and leafy greens to flavorful squash and other Florida-grown produce, shopping seasonally is a great way to enjoy peak freshness while supporting Florida farmers and local agriculture. Explore these October Fresh From Florida recipes for easy inspiration and discover new ways to turn seasonal produce into fresh, flavorful meals your whole family can enjoy.
Florida Peanut and Chocolate Cupcakes
Ingredients
1 ½ cups Florida peanuts, toasted, salted & coarsely chopped
6 ounces dark chocolate, broken into pieces
1 chocolate cake mix, store bought or homemade
Chocolate frosting, store bought or homemade
Preparation
Coarsely chop the peanuts and set aside. Prepare cupcake batter using box mix instructions, and fold in ½ of the chopped peanuts. Once the batter is prepared, place cupcake liners in the cupcake pan and fill ¾ full. Bake according to cupcake batter instructions and set aside to cool completely. Place chocolate pieces in an oven-safe glass bowl. Set the bowl atop a small sauce pot with ½ cup of simmering water to create a double boiler. Stir continuously until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Carefully remove the bowl from the heat, (caution: it will be hot). Frost the cooled cupcakes and sprinkle the remaining chopped peanuts on top. Drizzle with the melted chocolate and serve.
Florida Tropical Slaw
Ingredients
â…“ head Florida red cabbage, thinly shredded
â…“ head Florida green cabbage, thinly shredded
2 Florida carrots, grated
1 Florida mango, diced small
2 tablespoons Florida sugar
2 tablespoons Florida orange juice
2 green onions, sliced thin
ÂĽ cup apple cider vinegar
ÂĽ cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped fine
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
Preparation
In a small bowl combine sugar, orange juice, vinegar, oil, salt and pepper and whisk until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, carrots, mango, green onions, and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper, add the dressing and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Florida “Kids” Sandwich Skewers
Ingredients
2 slices whole wheat bread (or your favorite)
2 large Florida lettuce leaves
½ Florida tomato, sliced
6 to 10 slices Florida cucumber
3 to 4 ounces lunch meat (ham, turkey, or your favorite)
2 slices cheese (cheddar, Colby-Jack, or your favorite)
Mayonnaise and mustard, to taste
Preparation
Use a serrated knife to carefully cut the crust from each bread slice if desired. Cut each bread slice into quarters. Use the quartered slices as a size guide to also cut the lunch meat, cheese and lettuce into the same size pieces. Lightly add mayonnaise and mustard to the top side of each quartered bread slice. Use 2 wooden skewers to layer the assembled sandwich ingredients, alternating between ingredients. Serve cold with sliced seasonal Florida fruit on the side.
Florida Beef, Spinach, and Pepper Roulade
Ingredients
1 (1½ to 2 lb) Florida flank steak
1 large red Florida bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1 large yellow Florida bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1 large green Florida bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1 bunch scallions, rinsed and root end trimmed off
2 tbsp fresh garlic, chopped fine
10 oz Florida spinach, wilted
1 ½ cups Parmesan cheese, shaved
2 tbsp Florida seasoning blend (Everglades or your favorite)
3 tbsp fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, parsley), chopped fine
2 tbsp olive oil
Preparation
Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and sweet bell peppers to a preheated sauté pan over medium-high heat. Cook until slightly softened and caramelized, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add chopped garlic, stir and remove from heat. Transfer peppers to a plate to cool in the refrigerator until needed.
Lay the flank steak on a large cutting board with the grain of the meat running left to right. Butterfly steak evenly with a knife and cover with plastic wrap. Use a meat mallet or small pan to pound steak to a ⅛-inch thickness. Season inside with 1 tablespoon seasoning, along with the chopped herbs, and layer shaved Parmesan cheese, sweet bell peppers and raw scallions. Roll steak tightly from bottom to top and secure every 3 inches with butcher’s twine.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Evenly season the outside of the rolled steak with the remaining 1 tablespoon seasoning blend. Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to a preheated sauté pan at medium-high heat and sear outside of steak, letting it brown. Transfer steak to an oven pan with a roasting rack. Bake 10 minutes until an inserted internal food thermometer reads about 135 degrees. Let steak rest for 10 minutes and remove the twine. Cut into 1-inch slices. Arrange steak slices on a platter and serve warm.
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