Cabbages, cauliflower — maybe, for a little longer — winter squash, onions, potatoes, sweet potatoes, leeks, carrots, chard, kale and arugula are the vegetables meeting my eye these days when I contemplate the question of what to cook for supper.
And although now I cannot remember what we ate all summer, we seem to be entering a transition period in which I haven’t quite figured out what we’re going to eat this fall, either.

The above vegetables, certainly — but in which forms and what combinations, I don’t seem to know yet.

There are a lot of transitions like that in seasonal cooking, and truth to tell, I prefer them. It keeps me from preparing the same five recipes year-round. Mostly. But it does lead to periods of confusion while I adjust and try to remember what it is I do with these vegetables I haven’t seen in months.

Stuffed squash is always good. Cabbage roasts beautifully — heck, most vegetables roast beautifully — but it did seem as if there were other ways I used to serve it. Soup is welcome in cold weather, of course. And then — what?

Once you enter into the spirit of the thing however, it’s a lot of fun to come up with menus that feel appropriate to the season. And this is perfect cooking weather.

The Internet recently provided a lovely new recipe: a gratin of winter squash, baked with apples and leeks that have been sautéed and glazed with sherry and sage. It also called for parmesan, but was delicious without it. Served with roasted cauliflower and a green salad, it was a perfect fall meal. Winter squash can be a bit cloying; the sharp, juicy tang of the apples and the earthiness of the leeks provided a wonderful foil.

For the recipe, visit www.wholeliving.com and enter “Apple, Leek, and Butternut Squash Gratin” in the search field.

Another menu took an Italian turn, with chard calzone, a green salad and mushrooms cooked in olive oil with fresh tarragon and parsley.

Next, still musing over how much we’d enjoyed the squash casserole, I sautéed some onions until nicely browned, tossed in minced fresh sage and sherry, and tried to figure out what I was making. Turned out to be a savory sweet potato soup. It would be good with some creme fraiche or sour cream dolloped on top, but I liked it just as it was, served with hot, buttery toast. It tasted even better the next day, after the flavors had had time to marry and deepen.

I also like to add sweet potatoes or squash to chili along with a handful of peanuts, giving it a turn away from the American Southwest and toward Africa. It’s still wonderful with corn bread.

The cabbage has been starring in home fries, with a bit of spicy soy sausage to liven things up, which has been great for easy suppers, but there’s enough left to roast, toss with caramelized onions and serve over mashed potatoes — one of my favorite fall meals.

The arugula is begging to be either stir-fried for an Asian-style meal or sautéed in olive oil and mixed with pasta. And the squash left over from the gratin found a home in a loaf of pumpkin bread.

This generous season, enjoy all of the delicious foods there are to make with those fall vegetables.

Nicole Montesano is a vegetarian who likes to eat, cook and garden.