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Chestnut Stuffing

1

Last month Elements Theater Company presented two memorable weekends of Charles Dicken’s Christmas Carol in our church. Favorable comments were made about each little detail of the production, including one delightful feature that added much to my own enjoyment of the experience. This was the roasting of chestnuts out in the cold night air over an open fire in the church atrium before and after each performance.

 I think of Christmas time as chestnut season and since childhood chestnuts, along with pomegranates, have to me always been as essential as holly and ivy to its celebration. Not only did we enjoy eating the nuts warm out of the shell, but at our house they were always considered a necessary ingredient to our holiday stuffing. That’s what made it so special and different from the stuffing we had the rest of the year.

The combination of sausage, chestnuts, apples and savory herbs still remains in my memory as a most extraordinary culinary Christmas experience. But there’s no reason it can’t be enjoyed, even after the holidays while chestnuts are still available. Here’s my  suggestion for a cold winters night……stuff a nice crown or loin of pork and roast it for an unexpected, out of the ordinary dinner. I guarantee you rave reviews.

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Chestnut Stuffing
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COOK TIME
30minutes
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Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Put sausage meat and butter into a hot casserole.
  2. Add onions and celery and cook until soft, but not brown.
  3. Remove from heat and add marjoram and thyme.
  4. In a bowl combine bread, vegetables, hot stock, cider, apples and chestnuts.
  5. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix well.
  6. Place in covered baking dish and bake for 30 minutes or stuff into roast.
  7. Add a sprinkling of pomegranate at serving time for a touch of color and extra flavor.

Hearty Tuscan Kale Soup

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I went out to the gardens the other morning to see them-after they’d been put to bed a few weeks ago. This is always a  bittersweet moment for me each year. They were nicely raked and  everything all carefully harvested (which is to me the sad part).  That is, almost everything harvested, because I did spy something that suddenly gladdened my heart. …….a vibrant green patch of kale in the farthest corner. This means that one of the healthiest of green vegetables will be available to us all winter long. No need to rush and gather it  before the frost because the frost simply sweetens it and makes it more  flavorful.
I grew up on kale when it was not so widely recognized and used as it is today. Just during this past year kale has rapidly increased in popularity as awareness of its nutritional value has been discovered. One of the richest sources of vitamin C, it is a perfect  winter food.
I love it simply sautéed in fresh garlic and olive oil and  simmered till soft and tender the old Mediterranean way, but it also  makes a marvelous hearty Tuscan soup for a cold weather meal when served with good crusty bread.
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Hearty Tuscan Kale Soup
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COOK TIME
40minutes
PREP TIME
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Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Warm oil in a pot over medium heat.
  2. Saute sausage until browned, about 10 minutes; set aside.
  3. Add onion and celery; saute until beginning to brown, about 10 minutes.
  4. Add garlic and red pepper. Saute 1 minute.
  5. Pour in broth, raise heat to high and bring just to a boil, scraping up brown bits.
  6. Return sausage to pot; stir in tomatoes and beans. Bring back to a boil.
  7. Reduce heat to low, then simmer for 15 minutes.
  8. Season soup with salt and pepper. Stir in kale, cook until wilted, about 1 minute.
  9. Stir in parsley and top with Parmesan, if desired.

Tuscan Tomato, Bread And Herb Soup

1
I went out to the gardens the other morning to see them-after they’d been put to bed a few weeks ago. This is always a  bittersweet moment for me each year. They were nicely raked and  everything all carefully harvested (which is to me the sad part).  That is, almost everything harvested, because I did spy something that suddenly gladdened my heart. …….a vibrant green patch of kale in the farthest corner. This means that one of the healthiest of green vegetables will be available to us all winter long. No need to rush and gather it  before the frost because the frost simply sweetens it and makes it more  flavorful.
I grew up on kale when it was not so widely recognized and used as it is today. Just during this past year kale has rapidly increased in popularity as awareness of its nutritional value has been discovered. One of the richest sources of vitamin C, it is a perfect  winter food.
I love it simply sautéed in fresh garlic and olive oil and  simmered till soft and tender the old Mediterranean way, but it also  makes a marvelous hearty Tuscan soup for a cold weather meal when served with good crusty bread.
Hearty Tuscan Kale Soup
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Tuscan Tomato, Bread And Herb Soup
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COOK TIME
36mins.
PREP TIME
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Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Warm oil in a pot over medium heat.
  2. Saute sausage until browned, about 10 minutes; set aside.
  3. Add onion and celery; saute until beginning to brown, about 10 minutes.
  4. Add garlic and red pepper.
  5. Saute 1 minute.
  6. Pour in broth, raise heat to high and bring just to a boil, scraping up brown bits.
  7. Return sausage to pot; stir in tomatoes and beans. Bring back to a boil.
  8. Reduce heat to low, then simmer for 15 minutes.
  9. Season soup with salt and pepper.
  10. Stir in kale, cook until wilted, about 1 minute.
  11. Stir in parsley and top with Parmesan, if desired.

Chicken Pot Pie

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This week I am in an unfamiliar kitchen that is “equipment-challenged.” Anyone that has worked with me will tell you I am a “from-scratch” cook and have been known to look down on packaged mixes and ready made products. However in my older years I am mellowing in my opinions… So when I wanted to make chicken-pot-pie for a crowd this week and knew I lacked a pastry cutter and rolling pin, I realized that this was one of those moments to put aside pride! So off to the store for some pre-made pie crust. I did however make my own broth. Why waste boiling a whole chicken? Chicken-pot-pie is almost the first thing I think of when the leaves start to turn in earnest.

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Chicken Pot Pie
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COOK TIME
30-35minutes
PREP TIME
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Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Put all of these ingredients in a pot, cover with water and bring to a boil.
  2. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for about 45 minutes or until chicken is cooked.
  3. Remove chicken and set aside. Keep simmering broth.
  4. When chicken is cool enough to handle, remove meat from the bones and return the bones to the broth.
  5. Continue cooking until you have about 4 to 6 cups of broth, after straining through a colander. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  6. Melt butter in a stock pot
  7. Add onion, carrots, celery, parsnips and mushrooms and cook, stirring for about 5 minutes.
  8. Add thyme and cook another minute.
  9. Add flour and cook again another couple of minutes, stirring constantly.
  10. Add 4 cups of the stock and bring to a boil to thicken.
  11. Turn heat down and simmer a few minutes until vegetables begin to get tender.
  12. Chop chicken into chunks and add that and parsley to the pot.
  13. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  14. Pile into a 9″ glass pie plate. Sprinkle peas on top.
  15. Place crust over all, crimp edge decoratively. Brush egg wash over crust. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 30 to 35 minutes or until golden and bubbly.

My Mom’s Potato Salad

1

Memorial Day is supposed to be the kick off for summer, but it was a little questionable with the cold temperatures and constant rain. The vegetables in the garden seemed happy enough  — potatoes, beans, leeks all were thriving with the extra moisture they were getting. I was a little concerned that steaks on the grill weren’t going to do all that well in the pouring rain. Monday dawned clear and warmer, and we were able to have our picnic as planned. It was delightful and almost sparkling in the sunshine. I made my favorite potato salad. My sister has always made it this way, and I recently realized that this is also the way my mother always made it. The secret is in the salad dressing going on the potatoes while they are still warm  and making it a day ahead so the flavors have a chance to develop.

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My Mom’s Potato Salad
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Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Cook potatoes in a pot of boiling salted water until tender.
  2. Drain and transfer to a bowl. Pour on the vinaigrette.
  3. Let sit for a few minutes.
  4. Then combine the remaining ingredients. Cover and refrigerate overnight or until cold.

Mushroom Beef Barley Soup

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The kitchen was really busy last night. Eight of us were buzzing around cooking for an upcoming party. Really great energy. As much as I think I am a person who prefers to be alone, I love the energy of being in the kitchen with a crowd of people. Don’t get me wrong — there is something  to cooking alone — being there in the quiet, creating something delicious for someone else to enjoy. It ministers to my spirit, and I sometimes get great ideas and thoughts about other projects. But a group that is working well together, chaotic as it might be, also ministers to the whole group in a way that can’t be duplicated. In the middle of this I was putting together my favorite Beef Mushroom Barley soup for guests and a retreat group the next day. What could be better on a cold rainy day! My brother in law just came through and tasted the soup. He said it needed some red wine, so I added a splash. He was so right!

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Mushroom Beef Barley Soup
SERVINGS
6servings
CHANGE SERVING SIZE
servings
COOK TIME
8-10mins.
PREP TIME
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Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Pour boiling water over dried mushrooms to cover, set aside.
  2. In a large soup pot, saute beef in 1 Tablespoon oil until browned, 5 to 7 minutes, remove from pan.
  3. In the same pot, with the other Tablespoon of oil, cook your carrots, onions, leeks, celery and baby bella mushrooms until just browned, about 8 to 10 minutes.
  4. Stir in barley and thyme and cook for another minute.
  5. Add the beef broth.
  6. Drain dried mushrooms in a sieve, and add that liquid also to the pot.
  7. Chop the mushrooms until fine, and add those.
  8. Toss in the bay leaves.
  9. Simmer until meat is tender and barley cooked (about an hour for the beef tenders, and longer for the stew meat).
  10. A little while before serving pour in the wine, and heat again.
  11. Add kosher salt and ground pepper to taste. This can be made 2 or 3 days in advance — it will taste even better if made ahead.