Veggie Stone Soup

After discovering yesterday evening that I did not have all of the ingredients required to make what I was going to make, I was forced to improvise.

I literally went on a scavenger hunt through my kitchen, discovering small amounts of leftovers along the way and putting them into the pot with our leftover veggie juice.

I found four parsnips, a can of green beans, a can of black beans, two stalks of celery, one small onion, & two small potatoes. I simmered these with Italian seasonings, garlic, cayenne & pepper. For a little over an hour.

The veggies were firm but soft, not mushy which is what we try to avoid around here. The flavors were delightful. The parsnips really came out, and paired well with the acidity of the tomato based veggie juice.

All in all, a surprise success. After we ate our fill, we felt warm & merry. With 4-6 bowls still in leftovers. We set out into the cold night to hunt down some new ice cube trays. (We had only two and one of them broke.) We came back, as well, with flowers & the ingredients for tonight's dinner (the ones I was missing yesterday).

Favorite Song (featured on my favorite radio station website):

A Hack and a Hacksaw- Cerventine

Chipotle Carnitas

Do you love tender pork? Do you enjoy the refreshing lime? Do you love the smoky chipotle peppers? If you answered yes to even one of these questions, then this post is dedicated to you!

For the carnitas, buy yourself 2-3 pounds of pork shoulder goodness. Then chop it into one inch cubes.

Bring to a boil with six cups water, 2 smashed & peeled cloves garlic, peppercorns, cumin, & coriander. Then reduce heat, cover, & simmer for at least two hours.

About a half hour before you wish to eat this porky bliss, turn up the heat and brown the meat a bit more.

Serve on tortillas, with taco-like accompaniments.

For the chipotle sauce, combine two small chipotles, two anchos (minus seeds & stem), two cloves garlic peeled/smashed, one small chopped onion, & two cups of water. Bring to a boil. Then simmer for half an hour.

With a slotted spoon take out the peppers/garlic & put into a food processor. Reserve the stock.

Then combine one tablespoon unsweetened cocoa with one tablespoon cumin. Add to the food processor.

In a measuring cup squeeze the juice from two limes. Then add the reserved stock to make one cup of liquid. Add to the food processor.

Blend it all up. If more thickness is desired, reduce on the stove.

A finer meal cannot be had.

Favorite Song (on my favorite radio station during prep time):

The Boy Who Trapped the Sun- Home

Sweet Potato Quesadillas

A festive & easy dish, actually the first one I tried from Simply in Season, these quesadillas have become a household favorite. I no longer follow the recipe directly, so here's my version...

For about 8 single shell quesadillas, or 4 quesadillas like the ones we made:

1. Mix two cups shredded sharp cheddar with one half cup plain yogurt. Set aside.

2. Saute one shredded large sweet potato, two minced garlic cloves, & one diced medium onion in two tablespoons butter or oil. Season with cumin, chili powder, & cinnamon. Set aside.

3. Heat up pan and melt a pat of butter. While pan is heating spread some of the cheese mix on a tortilla, then spread some of the sweet potato mix, then fold or add another tortilla. Grill/fry until golden brown on each side. Repeat. When pan gets dry add another pat of butter.

4. Serve with salsa & a dollop of plain yogurt.

Sometimes we cut these quesadillas with a pizza cutter. Usually we just eat them whole with our fingers & forks.

Last night I also made a hot sauce to go with them. Since we were woefully out of both salsa & cholula. I took some tomato paste and added some milk to it. Then I warmed it up slowly on the stove with cumin, garlic powder, coriander & our extra hot chili powder.

It was truly a surprise success. Sweet & creamy with a kick. Quite the nice complement to the quesadillas.

Favorite Song (on my favorite radio station during prep time): Breathe Owl Breathe- Dragon

Hearty Oatmeal Pancakes

These pictures do not do justice to the sweet oatmeal goodness, that existed in pancake form last night. Yep. Pancakes & eggs for dinner! The pancakes were nice & crisp on the outside, & creamy oatmeal on the inside. And the eggs were light & fluffy.

So. Just how was this all accomplished?

4 Simply in Season hearty oatmeal pancakes:

1. About ten hours before you want pancakes, combine two cups of rolled oats with two cups plain yogurt. Then cover and let sit in the fridge.

2. When ready...Lightly beat two eggs & one quarter cup oil. Then add to the oatmeal mixture.

3. In a small bowl combine one cup of flour, two tbsp sugar, one tsp baking powder, one tsp baking soda, cinnamon, & salt. Then add to the the oatmeal mixture.

4. Fry in a hot skillet!

For the eggs I used an Alton Brown's Scrambled Eggs Unscrambled Recipe. Except I didn't have fresh parsley so I used dried parsley instead. I also added a bit of Italian Seasoning.

Favorite Song (on my favorite radio station during prep time): Alela Diane- The Pirate's Gospel

Everyday Oatmeal Bread

That's right! Simply in Season also features baking recipes! Though, I am generally more interested in cooking, there are some days that something bread or something sweet are so fulfilling to make.

I am pleased to say the bread recipe was as simple as most of the other recipes I have tried. Granted, it takes a bit more time/physical effort, but the results are worth it.

The whole project cost next to nothing. All were ingredients I had sitting in the cupboard, but they also were purchased rather cheaply to begin with.

So here goes...

1. Boil one and one half cups water. Add one cup rolled oats. Let sit for half an hour.

2. Stir into oatmeal 3/4 cup molasses, 3tbsp butter or oil, & two tsp salt.

3. Dissolve one tbsp of active dry yeast in two cups of lukewarm water. Add to oatmeal mixture.

4. Work in six cups flour & two cups wheat flour. Make a medium-soft dough, adding flour if needed.

5. Turn onto a floured surface & knead for nine minutes or until smooth.

6. Put into a greased bowl & turn over to grease both sides of the loaf. Cover with a damp cloth & allow to rise until doubled, about an hour.

7. Punch down & separate into two loaves. Put into greased 9x9 bread pans, cover with a damp cloth, put somewhere warm until doubled, about forty-five minutes.

8. Bake in preheated oven at 400 for five minutes. Then lower temp to 350 and bake about forty minutes, or until loaves sound hollow when tapped.

We had ours with Dijon mustard, ham, provolone, tomato, onion, & basil. For dessert we tried some with butter & Lingonberries.

It's a sweet bread, but not overly so. With a nice wheat taste & a smooth texture. Perfect for sandwiches of any kind.

And you can't beat the smell of bread baking. Or the feel of pulling it from the hot oven. Or the joy of eating it still warm.


Favorite Song (on my favorite radio station during prep time):

Emily and the Woods- Never Play

My Husband's Type of Chili

One of the great things about chili, in my opinion, is that every person has their own ideal & every batch is different. Even if you use the same exact recipe every time, the vegetables tend to vary season to season. But as for me & our household, we do not bide by recipes when it comes to chili.

My chili tends to have many vegetables, feature tomato, & be rather spicy. My husband's chili is all about the meats, the beans, & tangy-barbecue-brown-sugar decadence. This time I made up a batch of chili in my husband's style, while at my brother's apartment this past weekend.

For an approximation:

1. Brown one pound ground beef & one finely chopped large onion.

2. Add five or so garlic cloves (peeled & smashed), three finely sliced Serrano peppers, two cans of country style baked beans, two cans stewed tomatoes, & 3-4 cups of vegetable juice. I also added about one cup of kidney beans, and one cup of corn.

3. Season with (approximately & to taste) three tablespoons chili powder, one tablespoon cumin, one teaspoon pepper, one tablespoon red pepper, & two tablespoons Dijon mustard.

4. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 1-2 hours to allow chili to reduce & flavors to incorporate.

His style of chili is thick & sweet & spoon-lickin' good. Eat up me hearties!

Favorite Song (on my favorite radio station during prep time):

woodpigeon-7th Fret Over Andres

Middle Eastern Meatloaf

A simple meaty treat. Chop up one medium onion and one half cup fresh parsley. Combine with one pound ground beef. Season with cinnamon, coriander, nutmeg, salt & pepper. Blend in batches in a food processor to add air.

Bake at 350 for fifteen minutes, then put one thinly sliced (&parboiled) potato & one cup of diced tomatoes on top. Bake for another forty-five minutes.

Beats traditional meatloaf for taste, but I felt like a sauce would have been nice. Also, I think this was just a too meat-feature dish for us.

Favorite Song (on my favorite radio station during prep time):

the cave singers- dancing on our graves

Taco Soup... A Basic Chili

As you may know, my husband & I love a good chili. Chili being defined by us as a tomato soup with beans & beef, which this is.

As an added bonus, I used some dried kidney beans. I bought them several weeks back, but they always get left behind for canned beans. The canned alternative being easier & only marginally pricier. However, with how much we also love beans, for us dried beans are actually the most cost-effective & I would claim tastier choice.

However, I messed up & did not remember to soak them the night before. So instead I quick-soaked them (boiling them for two minutes then soaking them for two hours) & then I cooked them on low heat in the chili for two hours. Usually the cook time would be about ten minutes. So you can see my bean-dilemma now.

This soup would typically take less than half an hour to make, & easily feed six people.

1. Brown one pound of beef with one small chopped onion.

2. Add six cups of tomato juice, two cups corn, two cups kidney beans.

3. Season with chili powder. I would also recommend cumin & /or cinnamon for the adventuresome. And, of course, garlic.

4. Simmer ten minutes.

We served it with the crumbled tortilla chips, shredded cheese, & a dollop of plain yogurt.

All in all a vibrant & vivacious bowl of soup.

Favorite Song (on my favorite radio station during prep time):

(& the video is pretty sweet, too!)

Johnny Flynn- The Write And the Writ

Ethiopian Lentil Stew

If you love garlic anywhere near as much as we do, you need to try this.

The paragraph above the recipe says it was submitted by the owners of a restaurant in Coralville, IA (not far from where my husband & I attended college). The owners came over here from Sudan, and recommended this as a good meal if you have a cold.

Both my husband & I (but especially my husband) have been fighting off head colds for the past several days. So I thought I'd give it a shot.

1. Soak the lentils for half an hour, then drain/set aside.

2. Saute two large chopped onions & one whole head of garlic peeled/mashed until golden brown.

3. Add three tablespoons tomato paste & two cups of water. Stir together. Then add another cup of water & incorporate. Add paprika, ground ginger, salt & pepper. Bring to a boil. Then reduce temperature & cover. Cook for half an hour.

4. Just before serving add one quarter cup of lemon juice. Serve hot.

It rested somewhere between tomato soup & curry, featuring garlic & lentils in a big way. It sure beat chicken noodle soup, in my own opinion.

I didn't listen to my favorite radio station yesterday. Instead I listened to a CD by one of my favorite artists.

This song relaxes me at some deep inner level in that sweet-bitter way that only love can make me feel : Joanna Newsom- Easy

Hearty Lentil Stew

A simple valentine dinner.

Put into a soup pot: four cups water, one cup dried lentils, one can diced tomatoes, two chopped onions, four chopped large carrots, thyme, & marjoram.

Simmer for 40 minutes.

Add one quarter cup chopped fresh parsley.

Garnish with swiss. Or we used Parmesan.

The earthy & herb taste of this stew is not to be underestimated. All in all a satisfying & comfortable meal.

My husband & I had a delightful weekend full of adventures all to ourselves. And a pleasant Monday evening. This man is incredible.

Favorite Song (from my favorite radio station): Dick Gaughan- No Gods

Black Bean Sweet Potato Burritos

This is quite possibly the simplest recipe I've posted on yet. But I am a huge burrito fan, so here goes...

Chop up two large sweet potatoes & half an onion. Saute them just until tender in one tbsp oil, adding apple juice (or water) if they start to stick. Then add two cups of black beans, some cumin, & some cinnamon. Cook until heated. Then put into tortillas with some shredded cheddar cheese. Cover and bake at 350 for twenty-five minutes. Pretty easy, no?

If you want to cut down on the cook time, & eliminate the need for the oven, then just grate the sweet potatoes instead. This is also a great way to make sweet potato quesadillas. Personally, I think the sweet potato flavor comes out more when they are shredded & it makes this meal even quicker/easier. If you don't mind grating.

Garnish with plain yogurt (or sour cream), salsa (in this case homemade), & fresh cilantro (so good).

It was recently Sandy Denny week over at my favorite radio station, & this is one of my favorites by her: Fhir A Bhata

Marrakesh Lamb Stew

All I can say is the spices were well balanced, the lamb was tender & juicy, & the rutabagas/chickpeas/raisins danced in my mouth. Each bite was delicious.

Start by cutting a little over a pound of boneless lamb into bite sized pieces. Then brown in a soup pot before setting aside.

In the same pot saute one large onion and two cloves of garlic. Then return the meat.

Add five medium carrots, two cups stewed tomatoes, one large rutabaga, one cup water, one cinnamon stick, & one tsp each of cumin, coriander, cloves, & turmeric. If you like add some red pepper. Bring to a boil, cover, & reduce heat. Simmer for forty minutes.

Then add two cups cooked chickpeas, and one half cup raisins. Cover and cook another ten minutes.

Stir in some fresh parsley and you have what is an intriguing & yet comforting stew.

Favorite Song (from my favorite radio station): Tony Reidy- November Daisy

Curried Bisque

A bisque as rich in spice as in creaminess! Another easy-pleasing soup for a dark winter evening.

I made a half recipe, that is about ten cups of soup. Plenty for us.

Saute in two tablespoons of oil: two tart apples, one carrot, one onion, one sweet bell pepper, & two stalks of celery. For ten minutes.

Then add: around two cups of broth, one chopped potato, one half cup of raisins.

Spice it up with curry (I used garam masala) , cardamom, & thyme.

Simmer twelve to fifteen minutes. Then allow to cool before blending with food processor.

About ten minutes before ready to serve. Add one cup milk, two cups broth, and some tomato sauce. Reheat over medium heat until hot, but don't boil.

I garnished with cilantro.

It was one of those nights where even the liveliness of the soup couldn't break us from our winter-drowsiness. Before we knew it, we'd spent the evening on the couch with both of our cats vying for attention.

Favorite Song (from my favorite radio station): The Bothy Band- Rip the Calico

Fennel Coleslaw

Another delicious slaw. Man, I love fresh fennel.

Thinly slice one quarter head of a large cabbage, one bulb of fennel (cored), & one quarter up onion. Toss together.

Whisk together one quarter cup mayonnaise, one & one half tbsp apple cider vinegar, one & one half tbsp honey, one tbsp chopped fresh parsley, one half tbsp Dijon mustard, and one half tsp fennel leaves. Pour over vegetables & toss until coated.

Refrigerate until ready to serve. So refreshing!

Favorite Song (from my favorite radio station): The Bevvy Sisters- The Littlest Birds

Fish Tacos with Creamy Cilantro Slaw

I think I found a new favorite food or really two new foods.

To make these fish tacos we used a lovely snapper. The recipe also recommends rockfish or tilapia. I haven't tried rockfish, but I don't feel like the tilapia texture would be quite so satisfying nor do I feel its subtle flavor would come through the spices the way the snapper's did.

To begin, make a mix of spices in a small bowl. 4 tsp chili powder, 2 tsp ground cumin, & 1/4 tsp red pepper (optional).

Then cut the snapper into one inch pieces. Dredge them in the spice mix. Then put them in oil that has already been brought up to medium high heat. Cook for about one minute on each side, or until brown & cooked through.

That's all there is to it!

Before I made the fish I also made the creamy cilantro slaw to go with it.

Mix 1/4 cup plain yogurt, 1/4 cup mayonnaise, half a lime's juice, half a bunch of cilantro stems & leaves chopped, a few teaspoons dill, one clove of garlic chopped, & 2 cups of finely chopped cabbage.

The creamy cilantro tang is the perfect counterpart to the spicy deep taste of the snapper. Not to mention the crispness pairs well with the flakiness of the fish.

The textures in the complete taco are as enjoyable as the flavors, & both are spot on.

It was a good Sunday for us. Guacamole & bean dip while vaguely watching the super bowl. Individual projects with occasional glances across the room. Some serious conversations & some good laughs. All in all, a day of winning combinations.

Favorite Song (from my favorite radio station): Capercaillie- The Tree

Guest Post: Maple Parsnip Soup

I could think of nobody more suited to guest post about a parsnip dish than my husband. He's a charming fellow, with his own angle on the world. I think we'll enjoy!

And so there we were, my horrorshow starries, an evening after a large lunch that stuffed us well into the evening. Good thing, too, because I'm rather slow at chopping things, and turned a 15-minute chopping job into a 45-minute one.

5 parsnips, sliced and chopped again: check.
2 garlic cloves minced: check.

2 onions chopped... well, obviously, I eventually managed it. I don't know if it was my slow chopping technique or they were simply oni-yons (鬼 四, demon four), but it was emanating strongly enough into the other room that my wife and brother-in-law's eyes started hurting, too.

Finally, when I got that done, I put 3tbsp butter into this giant pot of ours, and started it melting/browning. Before it burned, I put the chopped ingredients in, let the onions cook until translucent, and then poured in our 1.5L of chicken broth. On a side note, one hand-sized bottle of Dr. Pepper is 500mL. Not that I used one for measuring.

Cooking for 40 minutes left me time to discover wormux, xscorched, and lostlabyrinth, and download them. I got to start playing wormux, which isn't quite as sleek in actual gameplay as the commercial Worms games I've played, but at least it's got a decent menu interface, plays nice in a window (doesn't screw up your video or freeze when you try to switch away), and it's got at least the basic gameplay there. And it's free, so if you want to play it with friends at a LAN, you can do it without stealing.

I also set up my first Windows virtual machine using QEMU/KVM rather than VirtualBox. I want to know how to do it in as many formats as possible. Maybe I'll set up a miniature domain one of these times.

That took longer than expected, but I was reminded by the timer I set, so that's fine. I went back, took it off the heat, and added a cup of milk (subsituted for a half cup of evaporated milk). Then I proceeded to... look at the instructions and re-read the next section. I wasn't sure I was reading it right - blend it? Yup, blend it. So there I go and blend it, as much as I could reasonably fit into the blender/food processor at a time. Then stir in 1/3 cup of maple-y syrup and garnish with cashews (geseundheit). The recipe suggested pine nuts, but any nuts should do. Maybe not coconuts, though. That might have to be an experiment.

Quite tasty already, it didn't need the recommended salt, but I'm a salt junkie and still put some in. The sweet-but-earthy taste of that prince of root vegetables, the parsnip, was not lost. In the future, if I were to do this again, I would a) try to get better at chopping more quickly, and b) try leaving 1/3 of the soup unblended.

All in all, a nice experience and a tasty soup!

For your listening pleasure: Amy Beach- Dreaming

Sausage & Apples

Here's an excellent way to prepare breakfast sausage links, any time of the day!

Take four to six sausage links and brown them in the pan, then set aside.

Mix together in a small bowl one half cup apple juice, one quarter cup jelly (they recommend apple jelly or hot pepper jelly), & two tablespoons Dijon mustard.

Cut one medium onion into vertical slices. Place on medium heat, adding oil if necessary, until slightly brown.

Then core & slice three firm apples into thick wedges. Add to the onions & cook until brown. Then add the jelly mix.

Sprinkle one teaspoon basil on the top, & a pinch of pepper. Then add the sausages back to the pan. Cook on medium heat for ten minutes, or until sausages are completely cooked.

Really, you can't go wrong with sausage & apples. And I thought this sauce was especially savory.

Favorite Song (from my favorite radio station): Park Bench Social Club- Cuckoo

Nut & Mushroom Loaf

Okay. This dish took a few hours between prep time & cook time. But it was definitely worth it. Reminiscent of stuffing, or was it turnovers...sure to please any nut or mushroom aficionados.

To begin with I sauteed one chopped medium onion and five stalks chopped celery for five minutes. Then I added one tablespoon of flour and stirred for two minutes. Then I poured in a little over a cup of white wine and stirred for another two minutes. (You could also use broth instead of wine.) Then I set this mixture aside.

Then in a large bowl I combined one and one half cups of ground almonds, two thirds of a cup of rolled oats, one grated apple, two eggs, some orange juice, & salt/pepper. (The recipe called for half of a lemon's juice, but all I had was orange juice.)

Then I combined the two mixes in the bowl.

Next I sauteed one pound of mushrooms finely chopped, one finely chopped onion, garlic, & a little over a cup of walnuts.

The recipe called for a ring mold, but I don't have one. So I used a round baking dish instead. Lined with parchment paper. I poured one half of the first mix into the dish, covered with the mushroom mix, & then topped off with the second half.

Baked at 375 for 55 minutes. Allowed ten minutes to cool before inverting on a serving dish.

(We had this with another dish, but I'll be posting about that dish tomorrow.)

There were plenty of leftovers. This dish is filling, though lighter than I expected.

We lazed the evening away looking forward to the weekend ahead.

Favorite Song (from my favorite radio station): Christy Moore- Tribute to Ewan Mccoll

Winter-Night Borscht

I've got to say, this was my favorite borscht yet. It manages to not be too watery, or too beety, or too meaty, or too anything! And I love the hints of bay leaf, dill, & parsley.

Start with a large soup pot & brown one pound of stew-beef (or chicken) with one chopped medium onion for ten minutes. I only used half a pound of beef. Then add 8 cups of water (I substituted one of the eight with one cup of chicken broth), one shredded half-head of cabbage, one cup of chopped beets, one chopped carrot, two chopped potatoes, one half cup pearl barley, two bay leaves & salt/pepper. Bring to a boil. Then simmer for 30 minutes.

Then add one half cup each of beet greens, fresh dill, & fresh parsley. (The first two are optional, but I thought they were great.) Simmer for another ten minutes.

I garnished with fresh parsley & plain yogurt.

We ate while watching an episode of Psych, pausing to look at each other to laugh quite often. It is filmed in Vancouver, Canada & we daydream together sometimes of living in Vancouver, Washington some day.

After dinner it was off to my parents' house... chasing away a bit of our feeling of being trapped in by recent weather & bringing us into good company beside a crackling fire.

Favorite Song (from my favorite radio station): Jez Lowe- Jack Common's Anthem

Winter Vegetable Crumble

This recipe was really a three part process: crumble, sauce, & vegetables.

To make the crumble combine two cups rolled oats, two tablespoons wheat flour (I used rye), one tablespoon fresh rosemary, and one half cup finely chopped cashews. Mix together with two tablespoons oil. Set aside.

To make the sauce saute one finely chopped medium onion for 4-5 minutes, add two tablespoons of cashews & brown for 4 minutes, add a little over one cup of broth (I used homemade chicken broth), and two thirds cup milk. Stir together. Add a little bit of milk to two tablespoons flour, stir to make a thick paste. Add to the rest & incorporate. Then bring to a boil, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens. Then let slightly cool & send through a spin in the food processor.

To make the vegetables, choose two pounds of root vegetables ( I chose turnips & parsnips), chop to bite size pieces, steam for 10-12 minutes, then strain. (The book recommends you reserve the water for stock).

To complete the dish, put the vegetables into an oiled two quart baking pan, pour the sauce over the vegetables, & sprinkle the crumble over the top. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes.

(Last night I discovered I will be making no money from this blog. The google-folks decided the clicks on my ads seemed suspicious to them. But I don't think we will miss them too much, no?)

This dish was hearty & the rosemary was a delight. I just love the golden brown hues, to me so reminiscent of the comfort of harvest-time.

This batch of turnips was much better than our previous attempt, & I read in the front of Simply in Season that the other batch were probably too ripe.

The splashes of color from last month's ads brightened our night. And we sat absently doing the word searches while chatting.

I served this dish with some blueberry tea. My husband said it tasted like "blueberry pie". What is it about tea that leads us to sit at the table for hours discussing our deepest wishes?

The world was dark & cold, even our cozy apartment was a bit drafty. Our two cats, usually at odds, were snuggled together for warmth. And we bunkered down on the couch under several blankets and watched an episode of Fraggle Rock.

Favorite Song (on my favorite radio stationduring prep time): Boo Hewerdine-Harvest Gypsies