Amanda Landers prepared scallops in beurre blanc sauce with prosciutto and chose a savory clafoutis with seasonal fruits and vegetables as her side dish because she loves autumn.

“There is no better way to celebrate the arrival of cooler weather and falling leaves than with a dish that incorporates ingredients from the autumn harvest,” she explained.

As evidenced by the baskets of squash available at farmers markets and grocery stores, spaghetti squash is a big fall favorite, and Landers thought to pair it with tomatoes and Honeycrisp apples would capture the spirit of late August.

Landers went with a beurre blanc sauce to accompany the scallops because she thought it gave the meal a little more balance along with a sturdier ?avor.

“When I ?rst received the list of mystery ingredients, I was excited to use fresh scallops from Don’s Dock Seafood in my dish,” she beamed. “Scallops, especially fresh ones, are rare treats for someone living in the Midwest, and I love cooking with the tender and rich ?avors of scallops and portobellos.

Readers can empathize with Landers’ low point during the cooking process — removing the seemingly endless seeds from spaghetti squash (“it was not a pleasant experience, but the ?nal result was worth the effort that I put in”).

The most enjoyable point was when she plated the scallops with the beurre blanc sauce and when the clafoutis bakers were ready to come out of the oven.

“They smelled amazing! The scallops were tender and balanced well with the prosciutto. As I took my ?rst bite of the clafoutis, I knew I would make it again for Thanksgiving.”