HAPPY BIRTH-O-WEEN!

So...my birthday was Friday. I am now as close to 50 as I am to 40. GACK! As a birthday/Halloween combo treat, Cyd and I planned a special weekend road trip. We headed down to Sleepy Hollow on Friday night, had the world's most EXPENSIVE birthday dinner at Ruth's Chris Steak House at the Tarrytown Marriott (YIKES!), and then took in the Horseman's Hollow that we loved so much last year. (Sadly, it was not as good this time--it seemed like there just wasn't as much to it. Boo hiss.) But Saturday night, we were able to attend our friends Jaymie and Audrey's big Halloween bash in New Jersey, which was faaaaaaaaabulous!

The one assignment that I was given for the party was to make a crock pot of Paleo chili. Absolutely, I said! Now...what is Paleo chili, I wondered? So a cursory perusal of the interwebs taught me that the Paleo or primitive diet restricts grains, that is, crops which the paleolithic hunter-gather would not yet have cultivated. Legumes are also verboten because they need to be soaked and cooked in order to be edible--too much prep for the caveman, I guess.

Root crops seem to be somewhat controversial in the Paleo community, but I found a recipe for bison and sweet potato chili on a web site called "Paleo Girl," so I thought it would be acceptable. It was also VERY tasty--basically just chili with diced sweet potatoes swapped out for the typical kidney beans. The bison was good, but given how expensive it is, and how strong the spice levels are in chili, I would not hesitate to swap out ground beef in this recipe. Also, as an FYI, I doubled the recipe below, and it filled a large (six quart?) crock pot. The one big change I made was to nearly TRIPLE the prescribed amount of tomato product, as the texture wasn't soupy enough to suit me, and then I had to up the spice level as well. Still, it turned out great, and I would make it again for both cavepeople and those with more modern, carb-inclined palates.

"Paleo" Bison and Sweet Potato Chili
(Source: adapted from Paleo Girl)

1 pound ground buffalo (or ground meat of choice)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed into 1/2 inch pieces
1 medium red onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
1 4 oz. can diced green chiles
1 28 oz. can tomato sauce
2 14.5 oz. cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons cumin
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup fresh cilantro chopped

1. Brown your ground meat in a stock pot. Once browned remove it with a slotted spoon leaving any drippings in the pot.
2. Add the olive oil and cook the sweet potatoes for about five minutes, stirring often. Add the onion and continue cooking until sweet potatoes are fork tender.
3. Add the garlic, jalapeno, and green chiles and cook for another two minutes.
4. Next add remaining ingredients except for cilantro.
5. Let simmer for about ten minutes so that the flavors can meld together. (I cooked it in the crock pot on low for a couple of hours.)
6. Stir in the cilantro right before serving. (Feel free to go wild and add your favorite "non-Paleo" toppings such as cheese, sour cream, and corn chips.)

Besides the fine chili that I provided (tee hee), Audrey and Jaymie had a ton of delicious food at their party. It seems that they ran all over town getting speciality items from their favorite restaurants, including some from a place called The Prickly Pear. It has never been my pleasure to dine there, but you can be sure I'll be checking them out during my next visit now that I have tasted their excellent catered dishes.

My very favorite thing on the appetizer buffet was their scrumptious salsa verde (I am currently working on wheedling the recipe out of the chef), but my favorite entree was pork tenderloin medallions with a gorgonzola cream sauce served with farro. OH MY! SO GOOD! I somehow managed to miss it on my first trip around the pool table (where the main dishes were set up), but my friend, Larry, brought me a taster plate and said I HAD to try it. And boy, was he right! Such a delicious combination! In fact, my first thought--as usual--was how I might replicate it at home. And I think I did pretty well, if I do say so myself. ;-)

Because it was a weeknight, I cheated a little and used one of those pre-marinated pork tenderloins (garlic and Italian herb flavor) with extra pepper and Italian herbs sprinkled on top before baking (pull at 145 degrees, tent with foil, and let rest for at least ten minutes before slicing). And then here's what I did for the sauce:

Gorgonzola Cream Sauce

1 tablespoon butter
1 large shallot, minced
2 tablespoons white wine
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup (4 oz.) gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/2 teaspoon white pepper

Melt the butter in a sauce pan. Saute the shallot a few minutes until tender. Deglaze the pan with the white wine. When the wine has absorbed, add the cream and reduce by half over medium-low heat (do NOT boil!). When the cream has reduced, whisk in the cheeses until melted and smooth. Add the garlic powder and pepper, whisk again, and then serve over pork tenderloin medallions (or roasted meat of your choice).

Finally, the piece de resistance, the farro--which is rapidly becoming my favorite grain! I think The Prickly Pear steamed theirs, which was very good, but I wondered if one might make farro risotto-style? As it turns out, you can, and it's DELISH--so deeply flavorful and and a little chewy (in a good way). This is a side dish that I am going to make again and again...believe that!

Farro Risotto

6 cups (low salt) vegetable or beef stock, more or less
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, small dice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup pearled farro
1/3 cup white wine
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
salt, to taste

Heat the stock in a saucepan, bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and keep it on low until needed.
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and melt the butter together. Saute the onion for a few minutes until tender. Add the garlic and farro and cook for another two or three minutes to toast the farro. Deglaze the pan with the white wine. Then start to add the hot stock a half cup at a time, stirring occasionally, and letting the liquid absorb before adding the next half cup of stock. When the farro is completely tender (about a half hour of stirring and tending to it), stir in the rosemary and pepper and check to see if it needs salt before serving.

UPDATE 11/23/12: Yippee! I heard back from the very kind owner of the Prickly Pear, Linda Andes, and she was gracious enough to share their fabulous salsa verde recipe with me. Here it is:

Prickly Pear's Salsa Verde

2 roasted jalapenos
1/2 white onion
1 tablespoon garlic
2 lemons
1/2 cup white balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil

Roast jalapenos in the oven for 10-15 minutes at 350 degrees. In a blender, add all ingredients except olive oil. Blend well and then slowly add olive oil to emulsify.

Will last 1-2 weeks in fridge.

Processing the late-harvest bounty...

So...I went to the Harvest Bounty Food Swap last weekend, and I still had all the produce that I had traded canned goods for hanging around. It was high time I figured something to do with all that bounty!

I began with the beautiful green and tomatillos. I tried not to be greedy and only took thirty of them at first, but no one else took any, so at the end of the swap, they gave them all to me. SCORE! So I had enough to make four pints of this scrumptious, oven-roasted salsa verde that I found on a blog called The Yummy Life. As written, the recipe will probably yield two pints--I doubled it.






Roasted Tomatillo Salsa Verde
(Source: The Yummy Life)

2 lbs. tomatillos, husks and stems removed (approx. 25-30 medium size)
4 garlic cloves
1 medium onion
1/2 lb. Anaheim green chile peppers; may substitute other large green chiles such as New Mexico or poblano or use 2 4-oz cans chopped green chiles from the Mexican aisle of the grocery store (I used a poblano)
2 small or 1 large jalapeno (I used a serrano)
1/2 cup cilantro, loosely packed
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano (preferably Mexican)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup cider vinegar (may reduce to 2 tablespoons if not canning salsa)
1/4 cup bottled lime juice (okay to use fresh if not canning salsa)

ROAST THE VEGGIES: Roast tomatillos, chile peppers, onions and garlic using one of two methods:
--OVEN ROASTING: Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Place veggies in single layer on foil-lined baking sheet. Bake 15-20 minutes until tomatillos and peppers are charred, softened, and oozing juices.
--STOVE-TOP GRILLING. Heat stove-top grill/griddle on medium high heat. Arrange veggies in single layer, rotating with tongs until charred bits are present on all sides, and tomatillos are soft and oozing juices; move to bowl to collect juices.

PEEL, STEM AND SEED the green chiles. Stem and seed the jalepenos (skin can be left on); or leave seeds if hotter salsa is desired. Leave skin on tomatillos.

BLEND INGREDIENTS: Add roasted veggies (including juices that collected after roasting) and remaining ingredients to a blender or food processor; blend until desired consistency--anywhere from slightly chunky to pureed.

To eat salsa without canning, wait at least 4 hours to eat to allow the flavors to blend and vinegar to mellow. Best if eaten the next day. Store in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

TO FREEZE, transfer salsa to freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 6 months. Allow at least 1/2" headspace for expansion when frozen.

TO CAN: add blended salsa mixture to pot on stove top, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes. Pour salsa into hot, sterilized pint or half pint jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Process for 15 minutes in boiling water canner. Turn off heat and remove cover; leaving jars in hot water for 5 minutes. Remove jars carefully and rest on towel undisturbed for 12-24 hours. If any jars don't seal, store in fridge to use within 2 weeks; or freeze. Canned salsa tastes better if it's stored unopened for at least one month to allow flavors to blend and vinegar to mellow. Recipe may be doubled or tripled.


When I completed my afternoon canning project, I begin putting together a crock pot of soup for the next night's dinner. I used a recipe that I had made before for Zarco bean, fennel, and chicken sausage soup, and swapped out Bolito beans (also from Rancho Gordo) that are bit like pintos, but smaller and meatier, and instead of using celery in the soup, I chopped up the stems from a small bunch of Swiss chard, and then added the slivered leaves at the end. And in a stroke of near genius, instead of plain water, I used whey left over from a recent cheesemaking endeavor as the cooking liquid. It gave the soup a slight creaminess and a bit of tang, not unlike buttermilk. In fact, you can use whey wherever buttermilk is called for, especially for baking.

Bolito Bean and Chicken Sausage Soup with Fennel and Swiss Chard

1 lb. bolito (or pinto) beans
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 large bulb fennel, diced (fronds, too)
6 or 8 large leaves Swiss chard (stalks, too)
4 large carrots, peeled and diced
1 whole head of garlic, peeled and chopped
8 cups water (or better yet, whey left over from cheesemaking)
1 15 oz. can diced Italian-style tomatoes (the juice, too)
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon ground celery

1 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons chicken or vegetable soup base (I like Better Than Bouillon)

1 lb. chicken sausage, thickly-sliced (or remove the casing and form little meatballs)

Pick over the beans and remove any debris. Rinse thoroughly, then cover the beans with several inches of water. Let soak for 6-8 hours or overnight. Drain.

In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat the oil and saute the onions, fennel, the stalks of the chard (diced), carrots, and garlic until softened. Add to the crock pot. Pour in the drained beans, plus the water or whey, and the can of tomatoes with juice.. Add the bay leaves, cumin, ground celery, pepper, and soup base, and stir. Cook on high for four hours or low for eight (or until the beans are tender).

In the last hour of cooking, add the leaves of the Swiss chard (very thinly sliced=chiffonade) and the pieces of chicken sausage. When the chicken is cooked through, remove the bay leaves, taste to correct seasonings, and serve.

Harvest Bounty Food Swap 2012

Today was my friend Melissa's second annual Harvest Bounty Food Swap at the local co-op. I'm happy to report that attendance doubled from last year, and there were lots of yummy things to trade for, including a lot of raw produce from community gardens. Along with home-canned goods, I came home with cabbage, Swiss chard, winter squashes, Daikon radishes, and a whole bunch of green and purple tomatillos.






























We also had another great potluck. I took my favorite banana nut bread baked in a bundt pan to look fancy, but there were some fabulous dishes that others brought to share. One lady named Carmen brought a delicious shrimp and butternut squash risotto that I simply have to make at home. She even sent me home with an extra bowlful to have for lunch the next day! Wasn't that nice of her? 

The hostess with the most-ess, Melissa, brought an awesome pumpkin pie made from a real pumpkin (not from a can), and the crust was made with lard that she rendered herself. I liked the texture of the pie, and the balance of spice was spot on, not overbearing. Here is her recipe:

Melissa's Pumpkin Pie

About 2 cups pureed pumpkin
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon freshly-grated nutmeg
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs, slightly beaten
3/4 cup half-n-half (Melissa used heavy cream)

First combine the pumpkin and spices, then beat in eggs and gradually add cream. Stir just to combine and pour into blind-baked* crust. Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour, or until the tip of a knife inserted in the center of the pie comes out clean.

*To blind bake the crust, bake covered with parchment and pie weights at 350 for 15 minutes, then uncover and bake for another 10-15 minutes until golden. Cool completely.

But the best dish at the potluck, in my humble opinion, was this amazing Asian kale salad that a woman named Marsha brought. I have recently come around to including this superfood in my diet, but usually only thrown into soups or once in awhile as crispy, oven-baked chips. But I never thought I would enjoy it raw. Boy, was I wrong! This salad is SO GOOD! Y'all have to try it!

Asian Kale Salad

1 bunch kale, ribs removed and sliced thinly or chopped – approximately 1/2 pound chopped (OK to use the pre-cut bagged kale from store, but remove any really fat stem pieces)
1 carrot, peeled and julienned (I used two)
1/2 cup dried cranberries (craisins)
1 red pepper, diced (I used a large spicy red chile)
2 scallions, chopped (I used a thinly-sliced shallot)

Dressing:
1 clove garlic, crushed (I used four cloves!)
1 teaspoon fresh ginger root, grated (about 1 to 2 inch length of ginger root)
1 1/2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons tamari (or soy sauce or teriyaki)
1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon honey squirt of sriracha, optional


Garnishes:
1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds/pepitas (I used 1/2 cup!)
1/8 cup toasted sesame seeds

1. Combine all veggies and craisins in a very large bowl.
2. Prepare dressing by mixing all dressing ingredients together in a small bowl. Stir well and mix in all the items.
3. Pour dressing over veggies in bowl. Toss well. Let marinate at least 15 minutes.

Follow-Up (10/15/12): If you have leftover kale salad, it will wilt after being in the fridge for a day. It's still good like that (just with a softer texture), but another idea is to use it to make a delicious fried rice!

Kale Fried Rice

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 cup sugar snap (or snow) peas
2 cups Asian kale salad
2 eggs
salt  and pepper
4 cups cooked rice
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon Hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
squirt of sriracha

In a large skillet, heat the oil and stir-fry the sugar snap or snow peas for a few minutes Add the kale salad to another section of the pan just to warm it up, and crack in two eggs, cooking them until just barely set. Add four cups of cooked rice, and the soy sauce, Hoisin sauce, sesame oil, granulated garlic, and sriracha. Toss everything together and continue to cook until everything is heated through.

A new dish for the crock pot rotation...

I found yet another excellent, easy slow cooker recipe to share from Pinterest (of course): Crock Pot Beef and Broccoli. This is quick to throw together, and turns out so tender and flavorful! All you have to do when you get home from work is cook a small pot of rice. Done and done. This one is definitely going into the regular work week rotation.

P.S. I added mushrooms to the original recipe because I always ask for them to be added them to beef and broccoli at Chinese restaurants or to my pad siew at the local Thai restaurant. 

Crock Pot Beef and Broccoli

(Source: Pinterest via BSRecipes)

1 pound boneless beef chuck roast
8 oz. sliced mushrooms, optional
1 cup beef stock or broth
1/2 cup soy sauce (next time, I might try low sodium for this)
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon Korean pepper paste (or a squirt of sriracha), optional
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons sauce from the crock pot after being cooked
fresh broccoli florets (as many as desired)

In a large skillet, brown the chuck on both/all sides. Then remove from pan and slice into thick strips or cut into chunks. Place beef in the crock pot, along with the mushrooms. Pour in the beef stock, soy sauce, brown sugar, oil, pepper paste or sriracha (if using), and garlic. Pour over beef and mushrooms. Stir to combine, and cook on low for six hours.In a small bowl, stir cornstarch and some sauce from the crock pot together until smooth. Add back to the crock pot. Stir well to combine. Also, add the broccoli to the crock pot, and stir gently to combine. Cover and cook an additional 30 minutes on high (the sauce has to boil for it to thicken).

Serve over hot cooked (preferably Basmati) rice.

Extra days off are delicious!

I was cussing folks that had Labor Day off when I was laboring, but it sure didn't suck to have an extra day off today! Of course, I didn't accomplish all of the stuff on my to-do list, but I did manage to squeeze in a couple of culinary projects into my lazy afternoon. One was a soup that I saw on Pinterest (of course). I actually combined two very similar recipes, added my own twists, and then converted it to be made in the crock pot, as is my way. This is the DELICIOUS, hearty, flavorful, comforting soup that I ended up with:

Crock Pot Hungarian Mushroom Soup

(Source: Pinterest)

4 tablespoons butter
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 pound fresh mushrooms, washed and sliced
2 teaspoons dried dill weed

1 tablespoon paprika (I used one teaspoon smoked + two teaspoons sweet)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 cups chicken (or vegetable) broth

1 teaspoon vegetable soup base, optional
1 cup milk
3 tablespoons flour
up to one teaspoon salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon lemon juice

few shakes of hot sauce, to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup sour cream

Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Saute the carrots and onions in the butter for five minutes. Add the mushrooms and saute for five more minutes. Stir in the dill, paprika, and soy sauce. Add veggies to the crock pot then pour in broth and stir in the soup base. Cook on high for an hour and a half or low for three hours.

In a small bowl, whisk the milk and flour together. Pour this into the soup and stir well to blend. Cover and cook on low for another hour and a half on high or three hours on low.

Finally, stir in the salt, black pepper, lemon juice, hot sauce, chopped parsley and sour cream. Mix everything together and allow to heat through, 15-30 minutes on low--do NOT boil. Serve immediately.

The other thing I experimented with in the kitchen today was making crumpets. I LOVE crumpets--so tender and slightly chewy with all those little holes for soaking up butter! The problem is, there is only one store in my small town where you can find them, and they are four dollars for a four-pack! So it was my goal to learn to make them at home. (YES, you can make them at home--they don't just pop out of hedgerows fully-formed and only in England.) This was a decent first attempt...

English Crumpets
(Source: adapted from Epicurious)

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons dry active yeast
1 3/4 cups warm water
1 cup warm milk
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon of sugar or honey
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons warm water

Combine yeast, sugar and one cup of warm water into a mixing bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and stand in a warm place for about ten minutes. During this time the liquid should develop a foamy head, showing that the yeast is active. (You can skip this step if you use instant yeast like I did, and just mix everything together all at once--except the baking soda and last bit of water.) Sift flour and salt into another bowl, and mix well. Make a well in the center of the flour; add the yeasty water and the rest of the warm water and the milk. Using a wooden spoon, mix to a thick batter. Cover with plastic wrap, and stand in a warm place until well risen and bubbly. This will take about an hour. The batter doesn't rise dramatically, but it does expand somewhat, and the mixture takes on gases, which are necessary in the cooking process.

Combine the baking soda and the extra water, and add this mix to the dough. MIX WELL. Then leave this mixture to stand, covered, in a warm place for another15 minutes. Preheat a heavy based fry pan to a low heat such that oils will not burn or smoke. Spray oils also allow you to coat the crumpet rings as you are ready to cook. (I sprayed the skillet with regular cooking spray and the rings with flour-added cooking spray. Worked great!) Place enough mixture into the center of each ring to come almost to the top of the ring. (The dough does rise during cooking, and this should be allowed for in the filling of the ring.) Cook for 4-8 minutes over medium heat, until bubbles appear over the entire surface, and the dough appears dry. (I cooked them on a lower heat for 12 minutes so that they didn't burn and so they got done all the way through.)  Remove the ring, turn the crumpet over and cook an additional 30 to 60 seconds to brown the top. Remove from the pan and cool on a cake rack. If you find that the bottom is too dark, you are cooking too quickly. Slow it down, relax, and try again. The worst thing that can happen is that you have to make another batch.

*For some reason, I could only find two of my egg/English muffin rings, so I also used some wide-mouth canning jar lids. The crumpets didn't look quite as perfect, but the canning rings worked fine...and the crumpets tasted just as good, especially with some melty Plugra on top! Also, crumpets freeze beautifully, then you can just pop them in the toaster at breakfast or tea time. YAY!

Fall Break Stay-cation

(Photo credit: Dorothy Douglas)

YAHOO...it's Fall Break (aka Colombus Day weekend to the culturally insensitive)! My roommate and I talked about a mini-tour of the White Mountains of New Hampshire, but ultimately opted to stay home. And I think it was a very good decision. We have taken in movies, shopped, eaten out, toured local farm stands and orchards, pampered ourselves with mani-pedi's, and slept...A LOT! Not only has it been very relaxing and rejuvenating, but it's been just beautiful, as the North Country is experiencing the best autumnal color since I moved here in 2000.

Today, we headed out to Redford/Black Brook in the Adirondack Park to my friend Vicky's annual bonfire. It was a GLORIOUS drive, and it was nice to see friends and colleagues in such a casual, outdoor setting.





It was also fun to have lots of kids and dogs join the party. I took my wee Dollop to give her a little more socialization, and she had lots of fun, greeting the kiddos and the other pooches, and especially playing with her best boyfriend, Beauregard the mini poodle.



Once the sun had gone down and the fire was going like gangbusters, Vicky cooked her famous Coney dogs on the grill (you can see her dog, Sadie, patiently waiting for hers, lower left), and everyone else contributed something yummy to the potluck as well.



As for my own offering, I decided to make a big batch of potato salad. It occurs to me that I somehow made it through the whole summer without making any potato salad--and that's just wrong! I was chatting with a dear friend recently, and she was explaining how the potato salad she makes doesn't use a lot of mayo, but leans more toward a German potato salad--with a tangy vinaigrette and also lots of mustard, but not served warm. So that was my culinary experiment, to make a German-American hybrid potato salad for Vicky's gathering.

I found a recipe online from a woman with a German mother who owned a deli and made this amazing Bavarian kartoffelsalat every day for their customers. I took inspiration from those flavor combinations, some of her methodology, threw in a couple of things I like, and came up with what I think was a pretty tasty--but creamier--result. As I made five pounds of potatoes and brought home an empty container, I think the partygoers liked it, too!

German-American Potato Salad

5 lbs. red potatoes (or Yukon Golds)
1/2 cup red wine vinegar (I might cut this back to 1/4 cup next time)
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons salt, divided
1 large onion, minced
3/4 cup Baconnaise (bacon-flavored mayo)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon dried dill
1 teaspoon ground celery
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, roughly chopped

Peel the potatoes and cook in boiling water until easily pierced through to the middle with the tip of a knife. Cut into chunks (or thick slices, if you prefer), then toss with the vinegars and a teaspoon of the salt. Refrigerate until completely cool.

Mix together the onion, Baconnaise, mustard, sugar, the other teaspoon of salt, and the rest of the seasonings. Pour over the cooled potatoes and gently combine. Sprinkle the fresh parsley in and toss one more time. Serve immediately or chill until ready to serve.

Coq au Riesling (You do, and you'll clean it up!)

Ok, I have a terrific recipe for you today that is cozy and comforting, but elegant enough to prepare for company. It's from a show on the Cooking Channel called French Food at Home, and it's a twist on Coq au Vin, which is traditionally made with red wine. But this is Coq au Riesling, made with the sweet white wine and creme fraiche which creates this luscious, tangy sauce with which to smother browned chicken and mushrooms. I served it on top of some of the carrot-squash penne that I had left over from making macaroni and cheese the other night, but I think it would be super-delicious with a wild rice pilaf or some such. It's so rich and flavorful, and this is such an EASY recipe, even for a weeknight! What's not to love?

Creamy Coq au Riesling
(Source: Laura Calder, The Cooking Channel)

6 chicken legs, split at the joint or a 3-pound whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces (I used 8 thighs)
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon each butter and olive oil (or 2 tablespoons goose fat), plus more butter for frying
4 shallots, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons Cognac
1 cup dry Riesling
1/2 cup chicken stock
8 ounces mushrooms, quartered (I used a whole pound)
1/2 cup creme fraiche or sour cream
chopped fresh parsley or tarragon, for garnish (definitely use tarragon, stirred right into the sauce)

Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the fat in a saute pan and brown the chicken on all sides, working in batches. When all the chicken is browned, remove it to a plate and add the shallots and garlic to the pan for 1 minute. Pour in the Cognac to deglaze. Put the chicken back in the pan. Pour in the wine and stock, cover and cook until the chicken is tender, about 20 minutes, turning once.*

Meanwhile, melt a little butter in a frying pan and cook the mushrooms until golden. When the chicken is cooked, remove it to a serving platter and keep warm. Boil the cooking liquid down to sauce consistency. Stir in the creme fraiche, mushrooms, and tarragon. When hot, taste and correct the seasonings. Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve.

*Tip: When the chicken is very close to done, remove it from the pot, place it on a lined baking sheet, and pop it in the oven while you brown the mushrooms and make the sauce. This gives a chance for the chicken skin to crisp back up, because flabby chicken skin is not good eats!

A Cheesy Idea for Squash Season

My roommate bought some turkey thighs this past weekend, and I was searching for ideas for side dishes to go with them. Someone on Yahoo! Answers posted this wonderful-sounding Rachael Ray recipe for a macaroni and cheese that involves butternut squash. I didn't end up making it that same night, but I saved the recipe, and we had it tonight with some grilled smoked sausage and green peas. YUM! Since it is the winter squash season, after all, it would be best if you roasted a butternut squash yourself, as they are plentiful and so tasty. But in a pinch, you can use a box of frozen as RR dictates.

Also, I think this would be a great recipe for kids or anyone that resists eating their vegetables, as they would never recognize the "secret" ingredient! The only changes I made were to add a cup of grated cheddar to the sauce, and to add an extra cup of cheese on top. And I didn't broil it--I just baked it at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes until the cheese completely melted. Oh, and I forgot to add chopped fresh parsley to the top. That would have been pretty against the bright orange of the casserole and so very autumnal. Oh well...next time.

Harvest Moon Macaroni and Cheese
(Source: Rachael Ray, Food Network)

1 pound macaroni (I used a carrot and squash penne from Barilla)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, finely chopped
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken stock
1 1/2 cups whole milk
salt and freshly ground black pepper
nutmeg, grated to taste
1 (10-ounce) box frozen butternut squash, defrosted
a few dashes of hot sauce
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (I used Romano)
1 cup extra-sharp yellow cheddar (up to three cups, divided)
a handful fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon sweet paprika

Bring water to a boil, season with salt and cook macaroni to al dente. Preheat broiler and place rack in middle of the oven. Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a sauce pot over medium heat, saute onions and garlic until soft, 6 to 7 minutes and stir in the thyme. Scoot onions off to side of pan and melt butter, whisk flour into butter and combine whisk 1 minute then whisk in stock and milk, season sauce with salt, pepper and nutmeg, and cook until thickened, about 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in butternut squash and a few dashes hot sauce. Reduce heat. When sauce comes to a bubble, stir in Parmigiano.

Combine the sauce and macaroni, transfer to a casserole dish and top with shredded yellow cheddar, chopped parsley and paprika. Brown the macaroni under broiler, 4 to 5 minutes until brown and bubbly.

International Smorgasbord!

Man, did we have a TERRIFIC dinner tonight! It was sort of an ethnic hodge-podge (Mexican, Italian, AND French!), but it was all so delicious, and so hearty and comforting. I threw the appetizer together before I went to work this morning, a zesty Mexican shrimp cocktail that I ran across on Pinterest. By making it early in the day, it had time for all the flavors to marry. SO GOOD, and so easy!

Mexican Shrimp Cocktail
(Source: adapted from Pinterest)

2 lbs. cooked, shelled shrimp (50-60 count)
2 large tomatoes, squeezed of seeds and gel, then chopped
1/2 small white onion or 2 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
1/2 jalapeno (I used two small jalapenos!), seeds removed and minced
2 avocados,diced
1 can tomato/vegetable juice (V8--I used spicy hot!)
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
juice of two limes
salt and pepper, to taste

Mix all in glass bowl and chill; serve with crackers or tortilla chips.

For our entree, it was Meatless Monday, so I wanted to make some sort of vegetable soup in the crock pot. When I was at our local co-op yesterday, I bought a pound of pearled farro, not knowing much about it or how to prepare it, or what I was going to use it for.  So I polled my people on Facebook, and one of my friends forwarded me a recipe for Tuscan Farro and White Bean Soup which I adapted for the crock pot, and it turned out FABULOUS! Honestly, this is one of my best soups I've ever tasted and/or made! And I love that it's so hearty and comforting, and the texture is creamy...with no added cream! All in all, this is a very healthy--and more importantly, flavorful--soup, that is perfect for crisp, fall weather.

Tuscan Farro and White Bean Soup
(Source: adapted from Vegetarian Times)

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup red onion, chopped
1 medium leek (white and pale green part), rinsed well and sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced (I used four!)
1 cup celery, chopped
1 cup potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks (I used red potatoes)
14 oz chopped tomatoes (I used Italian-style)
2 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped (I only used one tablespoon--rosemary is powerful juju!)
2 tablespoons fresh marjoram, chopped (I used fresh oregano)
4 cups vegetable stock or broth
1 cup farro, rinsed and drained (I used pearled)
2 cups white beans, cooked or canned (rinsed if canned)
salt and pepper, to taste

In a large pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, leek and garlic and cook, stirring often, until onion and leek are softened, about 10 minutes. Add celery, potatoes, tomatoes, sage, rosemary and marjoram or oregano and cook, stirring occasionally, ten minutes. Add stock and bring soup to a boil. Add farro and beans. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until farro is tender, 35 to 40 minutes. (If soup becomes too thick, add a little hot water.) Serve warm with crusty Tuscan bread.

*To convert this to be made in the crock pot, I heated the oil in a large skillet, and I sauteed the onion, leek, garlic, and celery for about ten minutes until tender. I dumped this mixture into the crock pot and added everything else except the cannellini beans. I cooked the soup on high for four hours, though I'm sure eight hours on low would work, too. In either case, if you're around, stir it once in awhile, as the farro can glom together and stick to the bottom of the pot. At the end of the cook time, I added the drained beans, and turned it to low until it was time to eat (just until the beans are warmed through). Oh, and four cups of vegetable stock was not NEARLY enough! I probably ended up using TEN cups altogether, and it was still somewhere between a soup and a stew!

I didn't serve this with Tuscan bread, but I decided to try an easy French bread recipe--another gem that I found on Pinterest--and make my own. The bread turned out great, and very tangy, as I used the vinegar that the recipe called for, as well as leftover whey from cheesemaking instead of plain water. Served warm from the oven with a generous shmear of Plugra, and you'll think you died and went to heaven! And it's the perfect complement to the farro soup.

French Bread
(Source: Deals to Meals blog)
Yield: 3 small loaves or 2 large

2 1/2 cups warm water (or use whey, if you have it)
2 tablespoons yeast (I used instant and did not proof it)
3 tablespoons sugar (I used closer to four)
2 tablespoons white vinegar

Add the above ingredients together and let sit until bubbly (about 3-5 minutes). Then add:
1 tablespoon salt
1/3 cup oil (I used vegetable)
6-7 cups flour (or a little more if it's too soft), one cup at a time--add enough until the dough is soft, but firm enough to mold into dough loaves

Knead for 2-5 minutes and then put in the oven with a small pot of boiling water. The water will keep the dough moist. Watch the dough and punch it down when it gets to the top of the mixing bowl. Do this every time it gets to the top of the bowl, as long as you have time to babysit it (2-5 times). Put the dough on a greased countertop and divide into three sections. Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray and sprinkle a thin layer of cornmeal on the bottom of the sheet. Roll the dough balls into rectangle/long French bread shapes. Slash tops of bread diagonally 3-5 times and cover with a beaten egg. Let rise 30 minutes (or until doubled) on the counter, or you can put them in your oven at 170 and wait until they are the size you want to cook them at. Once they are to the right size, turn up your stove to 375 (without opening the door!) and let them bake until done. Or, just raise on the counter and bake at 375 for 30 minutes. Serve warm out of the oven!

*Here's a tip: You can mix the dough together and then stash it in the fridge, knocking it down every eight hours or so whenever it reaches the top of the bowl. It will still rise, just verrrrrrrry slowly, and that way, you can hold it until you're ready to bake it off. And the flavor develops more, too, the longer it takes to rise.

It's Officially Autumn: Time to Make Some Crock Pot Chili!

I had something going on four of five nights last week, and my poor roommate did all the menu planning, shopping, and cooking. I vowed to shoulder more of the burden this week, so when I got home from choir practice last night at about 9pm, I forced myself to get something started in the crock pot for dinner the next day. We just had chili at the birthday party we attended on Saturday night, but I wanted more! So I rummaged around in the pantry, found my latest shipment of the beloved Rancho Gordo beans, chose the dark red heirloom pintos, Rio Zape, and got to work.

I rinsed the beans and added them to the crock pot, covered with a few inches of water, and cooked them on low overnight to give the dry beans a head start. I also browned the ground beef and the vegetables, and combined this with the tomato products and seasonings, and refrigerated this mixture overnight so that I could just dump it in the crock pot and run off to work the next day. Served with some shredded jack cheese and a dollop of sour cream and/or some corn salsa, and a toasty, spicy, autumnal weeknight dinner is done!

Crock Pot Rio Zape Chili

1 lb. Rancho Gordo Rio Zape beans (or dried pintos)
1 lb. ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1 tablespoon roasted hot peppers, chopped (or use one can mild green chiles plus hot sauce to taste)
6 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
2 tablespoons dark chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground celery
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 28 oz.can crushed tomatoes
16 oz. chili sauce

Rinse dry beans thoroughly, add to the crock pot, cover with three inches of water, and cook on low overnight. The next morning, drain the beans, but reserve the liquor. Brown the ground beef with the onion, hot peppers, and garlic. When the meat no longer has any pink, stir in all of the seasonings, then add this mixture to the beans in the crock pot*. Pour in the tomatoes and chili sauce and mix everything together. (You may wish to add up to two cups of the reserved bean liquor to thin the chili to a desired consistency.) Cook on low for another 6-8 hours. Serve with your favorite chili toppings, such as grated cheese, sour cream, sliced green onions, and/or corn chips.

*If the beans are already tender enough by morning, then drain, reserve the liquor, and stash the beans in the fridge. Then cook the meat and tomato mixture by itself (thinned with some liquor) for 6-8 hours on low and add the beans back to the crock pot about 15 minutes to a half hour before serving, just to bring them back to temperature.

Lazy Sunday Cookin': Use Those Leftovers!

I declare today "Use Up Your Leftovers Day!" For lunch, I transformed leftover grilled chicken into a pretty kickin' curried chicken salad, if I do say myself. It was inspired by one that we had last weekend at the Black Cat Cafe in Sharon Springs, NY when we attended their annual Harvest Festival.

Curried Chicken Salad with Pistachios and Dried Cranberries

leftover cold grilled chicken, skin removed (four thighs or two breasts--or a combo)
1/2 medium red onion, finely diced
1/4 cup craisins
1/4 cup pistachios, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon mango chutney
2 teaspoons curry powder (up to one tablespoon)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic (or a clove of freshly minced)
1/4 cup poppyseed dressing (or mayo)

*Most people would want to add some celery to this, but I don't prefer it myself, so I added maybe 1/4 teaspoon of ground celery to the mix.

After having the awesome chicken salad for lunch, I put together a roasted acorn squash soup in the crock pot. I started by cutting two acorn squashes in half, scraping out the seeds, drizzling them with olive oil, and seasoning liberally with salt and pepper. I roasted the squashes at 400 degrees for about an hour and fifteen minutes until easily pierced with a fork. Then I scooped out the flesh and added it to the crock pot along with about two cups of some leftover vegetables from a pot roast the other night (carrots, potatoes, parsnips, and a little bit of tomato). I poured in perhaps three quarts of leftover chicken stock that I had stewed some green beans in and saved. I also sauteed two small onions, two stalks of celery, a few cloves of garlic, and two jalapenos from my garden with six pieces pieces of pork belly that I unearthed in the freezer. Once the pork belly was browned and the veggies were tender, I removed the pieces of pork, and then added the sauteed veggies to the crock pot. I threw in a big bundle of fresh thyme tied with some kitchen twine and about two tablespoons of chicken soup base. I turned the crock pot on high for two hours, then I fished out the thyme bundle and used my stick blender to puree the soup. Lastly, I stirred in about a cup of cream from my weekly raw milk share. So tasty...and it'll be even better tomorrow!

My last lazy Sunday cookin' project didn't involve leftovers, but like the squash soup, it signals the official start of fall. My roommate has already started bugging me to make her a pumpkin pie, but I think it's WAY too early for that! But someone on a foodie group that I belong to on Facebook posted a recipe for a spiced pumpkin bread, so I thought that might appease her. The loaves turned out very well, flavorful with the perfect texture--light and moist, not heavy or greasy. And like the soup, the bread will taste even better tomorrow. This may be my new boilerplate recipe for pumpkin nut loaves!

Spiced Pumpkin Bread
(Source: adapted from Sherry Rosen, Foodies! Group--Facebook)

3 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 16-oz can solid pack pumpkin
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cloves (I only used 1/4 teaspoon)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (I upped this to 2 teaspoons)
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg (I only used 1/2 teaspoon, freshly grated)
*I also added 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 9”x5”x3” loaf pans. (I used flour-added baking spray.)  Beat sugar and oil in large bowl to blend. Mix in eggs and pumpkin. Sift flour, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, salt and baking powder into a separate large bowl. Stir into pumpkin mixture in two additions. Mix in walnuts if desired. Divide batter equally between prepared pans. Bake until toothpick comes out clean, approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes. Transfer to racks and cool ten minutes. Using a sharp knife, cut around edge of loaves to loosen. Turn onto racks and cool completely. Makes two loaves.

Corny party food!

I am on the board of the community choir that I sing in, and we had a gathering on Thursday evening at another board member's house to stuff envelopes for program advertising. Ho hum. But the four of us ladies had a nice time chatting, and the wine flowed freely, and the hostess served us this incredible corn salsa that I had to beg the recipe for, naturally.

Since I had a potluck birthday party to attend tonight, I decided to whip up a batch of the corn salsa to take along. I made a couple of changes, as is my way. Mainly, I swapped out fresh corn for frozen because....DUH...corn is still in season. Also, I added a lovely heirloom tomato because I had it knocking about on the counter, plus an avocado because I love them and want them in practically everything. This is addicting stuff!

Corn Salsa

1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained (chili beans are good, too)
1-1/2 cups frozen corn, thawed (I used three fresh ears of corn, steamed, shucked, and cut from the cob)
1 cup finely chopped sweet red pepper
3/4 cup finely chopped green pepper (I used Anaheim peppers)
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1 medium garden tomato, seeds and gel removed, diced, optional
1 ripe Haas avocado, diced, optional
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (better yet, use a couple of cloves of minced fresh garlic!)
1/8 teaspoon pepper

In a large bowl, combine the beans, corn, peppers, onion, parsley, and tomato and avocado (if using). Combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, vinegar and seasonings; pour over corn mixture and toss gently to coat. Serve with tortilla chips. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 4 cups.

As one of the party guests was bringing chili for our entree (using tomatoes and peppers that she grew herself!), I decided to continue my corn theme and bring along some cornbread as well. However, I realized too late that I was out of cornmeal, so I ended up using a couple of boxes of Jiffy corn muffin mix and "zhoozhing" it up with an extra egg, some buttermilk, a can of creamed corn, a dash of honey, and some roasted hot peppers. Turned out delicious!

Sweet and Spicy Cornbread

2 tablespoons butter
2 boxes Jiffy corn muffin mix
3/4 cup buttermilk
3 eggs
1 tablespoon honey
1 can creamed corn
1/4 cup roasted Anaheim chiles, finely chopped
pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Place a 9 x 13 baking dish in cold oven with the two tablespoons of butter in it. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Mix the rest of the ingredients together. Don't overstir--it's okay if there are a few lumps. Remove the hot pan from the oven, swirl the melted butter around, pour in the batter, and return to the oven. Bake for about 20 minutes until golden brown and a tester pulls out with just moist crumbs sticking to it.

Last but not least, I would be remiss if I did not mention the life of the party, my new (to me) margarita machine! I bought it half price from a nice lady on eBay, and it's easy and lots of fun to use. And I think I have perfected my basic recipe:

Classic Margarita (Margaritaville Frozen Concoction Maker)
Yield: one pitcher

1 cup Jose Cuervo light classic lime margarita mix
2 tablespoons orange juice concentrate
1/2 cup tequila
2 tablespoons triple sec
juice of 1 1/2 limes

ice--filled less than halfway (ignore the fill line!)

Blend, rim a glass with salt, pour, and let the party begin!