| At this time of year, it's impossible to escape the tyranny of a certain spice blend (pumpkin spice, for those who may have been living under a very large gourd-shaped rock). A few things — okay probably more than a few — strike me as funny about this. First, wouldn't it be more interesting, and useful, to talk about the individual spices that make up this ubiquitous combination? That would be cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves, though I always throw in cardamom, too. Second, spices are something we should be celebrating all year long, not just in fall (or whenever a coffee chain decides fall begins). We've got quite a few recipes this week that are perfect examples of that. While you still have summer vegetables coming out of the garden or piled up at the farmers market, take a look at Joe Yonan's Weeknight Vegetarian recipe for Stuffed Vegetables in Tomato Sauce. This Iraqi-style dish from Lamees Ibrahim features zucchini, summer squash and peppers filled with a blend of rice, lentils and quinoa enlivened with baharat, Lebanese seven-spice or a DIY spice blend. Daniela Galarza's Sheet Pan Caponata and Couscous With Goat Cheese also straddles the line between summer and fall, with cinnamon and black pepper coating a mélange of eggplant, onions, tomatoes and peppers. Ellie Krieger's Shrimp With Kale, Garlic and Smoked Paprika features one of my favorite spices. It lends rich color and smoke-kissed flavor to this tapas-inspired dish. Kari Sonde rounded up even more ideas from our archives that will help you make the most of cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, allspice and more in a variety of sweet and savory recipes. Plus, the Voraciously team put our heads together to pick our favorite late summer and early fall recipes, which count turmeric, cumin and cinnamon among their ingredients. Whether you've got fall cooking or anything else on the brain, I hope you make time to join us for our live weekly chat on Wednesday, Sept. 22, at noon Eastern. Until then, be well and cook some good food. You must register, but you don't have to be a Post subscriber to participate in our weekly chats. Want to get a jump-start or can't join us live? Go ahead and submit a question now.  (Scott Suchman for The Post; food styling by Lisa Cherkasky for The Washington Post) Whole stuffed vegetables with warm Middle Eastern spices make for a comforting one-pot meal. By Joe Yonan ● Read more » | | | With fragrant garlic and smoked paprika, a quick sauté of shrimp and kale turns into a Spanish tapas-inspired meal. By Ellie Krieger ● Read more » | | | Buffalo wings are coated in starch and fried twice to get extra crispy before they're tossed in a classic combination of butter and hot sauce. By Aaron Hutcherson ● Read more » | | | Saucy eggplant roasts with onions, garlic, red bell peppers, tomatoes and warm spices for an ideal summer-into-fall dinner. By G. Daniela Galarza ● Read more » | | | Sometimes made with mushrooms, too, this delicious Eastern European Jewish dish belies its humble roots. By Olga Massov ● Read more » | | | |
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