Farewell - Until We Meet Again

It's a sad day! The cooking group Tyler Florence Fridays has posted it's final round-up! Sigh. Sniffle. It's been a great year of cooking with Tyler! One I will remember for all of it's deliciousness. I had fun the 14 weeks I was involved on and off throughout the year. I didn't realize this was the last week or I would of been certain to participate. Instead I thought it would be fun to post my own round-up. Although it's the end of Tyler Florence Fridays it's not the end for me - I have Tyler's Chicken and Dumplings in my sights.


My first recipe and one of my very favorites was Tyler's Ultimate Cheesecake. I adapted it and added dulce de leche. "Luxuriously creamy, sinfully sweet, and with a little bit of tart from the sour cream. The dulce de leche added a rich caramel flavor that just melted the cheesecake on my tongue."





Next up were Tyler's Yorkshire Popovers.

"Popovers are made of a light, eggy, moist, puffy dough and are kind of hollow in the center."





Tyler'sShrimp Scampi "delicious, fast, and easy to make."





Fettucine Alfredo

"I swapped Tyler’s cream-laden sauce for a lighter version and his handmade fettucine for some market-fresh Spinach fettucine."





"This is Tyler's Fabulous Focaccia Bread filled with Salami, Mozzarella, Parmesan, caramelized onions and peppers with hints of garlic and thyme."





Upside Down Apple French Toast

"A mouth-watering baked French toast loaded with fresh apples, sweet cranberries and crunchy pecans."




Espresso Brownies for Breakfast

"These are extremely fudgy, dense and will satisfy any severe chocolate craving!"





Ravioli-Stuffed Acorn Squash Hearts with Mozzarella Cream Sauce

"I used bite-size cheese Ravioli smothered in a creamy, mozzarella herb sauce to fill these buttery acorn squash hearts until they were ready to overflow."





Mozzarella Pesto Grilled Cheese & Strawberry Salad

"This one had the perfect amount of butter-fried crunchiness and melted, molten mozzarella oozing out the cracks speckled with the pumpkin-arugula pesto."





The Ultimate Fish Tacos

"These are fried with a crispy breading of seasoned panko crumbs, served on corn tortillas with a creamy, spicy sauce made with chipotles, sour cream and mayo."





Chipotle Black Bean Soup & Spicy Chile Chips

"It was nice and spicy, hearty, and soul-satisfying."





Asian Chicken Salad


"Seared chicken breast with a gorgeous glaze of ginger, honey, toasty sesame seeds, and soy sauce served on a bed of grilled romaine."





Cold Sesame Peanut Butter Noodles

"These noodles are heavy on the peanut butter and flavored with soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, chili sauce and rice wine vinegar."





Tempura Green Beans w/ Chile, Garlic and Sesame Aioli


"The batter was delicate and crunchy and encased the string bean trapping its moisture and sweet, crispy flavor inside. The aioli was wonderfully cool in contrast to the warm beans and spicy-hot at the same time. True bliss."




Such sweet delicious memories!

I want to say thank-you to Natashya of Living in the Kitchen with Puppies and Deb of Kahakai Kitchen for tirelessly posting the TFF round-ups every week. Now that I've posted my own I see how much work it is. They have, along with Heather of Girlichef, started a new cooking club; I Heart Cooking Clubs. Go join the fun!

Italian Sausage Baked Ziti

Does anything say comfort better than a pan of Baked Ziti with Sweet Italian sausage sizzling on top? Hmmm...I can't think of anything right now. This is my Mom's ziti. Mom's recipes are the best where home-cooking is concerned. This is serious comfort food for a cold, lazy Sunday afternoon meal snuggled up inside where it's warm with your family gathered around. Since I'm talking ziti I have to mention the odd recipe I saw that called for sour cream minus the ricotta. I'm not sure how I feel - it's so un-traditional. As is ziti without ricotta! It wouldn't be the same for me. Ziti is all about the cheese, oodles of stringy, ooey-gooey cheese! It's not for the faint of heart or the cheese-conscious.

Ziti is really just another form of lasagna - the same ingredients are required - only the shape of the pasta is different - the flavors are there. You might question why this is called baked ziti when penne is used. Traditional ziti are long tubes that you break up before cooking, a rare find, as they are sold already broken up nowadays. Acceptable substitutes are penne, penne rigati, and mostaciolli. Penne rigate are the best because of their ridges. Cheese and sauce stick better to them.

This feeds a small crowd, but can easily be halved or frozen to enjoy at a later date. The leftovers rock!

Baked Ziti (by Reeni)

1 (16 ounce) package penne rigate pasta

32 ounces ricotta cheese

1 pound shredded mozzarella cheese

1 egg, beaten

1 tablespoon Parsley, fresh, chopped

Italian Sausage, cooked, sliced

Homemade Tomato Sauce(recipe to follow)or 1-2 large jars good spaghetti sauce like Barila

Parmesan cheese, for sprinkling on top and more for serving

Cook pasta to al dente according to package directions. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Spray a 9x13 inch casserole/baking dish with non-stick baking spray. Set aside.

While the pasta is cooking mix the ricotta cheese, 8 ounces of the Mozzarella, egg and parsley together in a large mixing bowl. Add the cooked, drained Ziti to the ricotta cheese mixture along with 3 cups of the sauce. Mix to incorporate the ricotta and sauce throughout. Add more sauce if needed.

Add the Ziti to the baking dish and top with the remaining mozzarella. Cover with sliced sausage or meatballs. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake Ziti about 35 -45 minutes or until bubbly and heated in the middle. If the top of the pasta seems to be browning too fast cover with aluminum foil.

Tomato Sauce

(by Reeni)

1 large onion, diced

1 green pepper julienned

2 tablespoons Olive Oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 can tomato paste

2 - 28 oz. can Crushed Tomatoes (like Tuttarosa)

1/4 cup water

2 tablespoons dried Italian Seasonings (We use a mix that has basil, oregano, thyme, marjoram and rosemary in it)

1 teaspoon dried sage

2 bay leaves

1/2 teaspoon salt (to start and more to taste)

¼ teaspoon black pepper (to start and more to taste)

Pinch of sugar

1. In a large pan sauté the onion and green pepper in Olive Oil until soft; add garlic and sauté until fragrant and tender.

2. Add tomato paste. Stir it into the onion and garlic mixture and allow it to heat through. Add tomatoes, water, and seasonings including bay leaves, salt, pepper and pinch of sugar.

3. Simmer for 45 minutes. Taste and add salt/pepper and more dried seasonings if needed. Remove bay leaves before serving.

Print Recipe

Roasted Garlic & Butternut Squash Soup

It's so hard for this die-hard squash lover to resist buying up all the squash in sight with rock-bottom prices like .59, .69, and .79 cents a pound! I came home from the market to discover I was in possession of 6 of them! And then a couple of days later...oops! One more makes seven. It was inevitable that a soup would be made. If ever a soup could sing then this one did. The roasted garlic and Parmesan balanced out the sweetness of the squash. It was a perfect harmony of earthy, sweet, and salty. This is an extremely forgiving soup, as most are, that's just one of the many things I love about them. A little extra squash - vegetable instead of chicken stock - heavy cream instead of milk - Romano instead of Parmesan - nutmeg instead of sage - no problem! Twist it around your little finger and make it your own. Just be sure to make it!





Roasted Garlic & Butternut Parmesan Soup
(by Reeni)(Makes 6-7 bowls)

1 bulb of garlic
Olive oil
1 large Butternut squash(about 6 cups cubed)
1 yellow onion, diced
Sea salt
Fresh Pepper
1 tablespoon Sage, fresh, chopped, or 1 and 1/2 teaspoons dried
2 - 14.5 ounce cans of Chicken Broth
1 cup Whole Milk
1 cup Parmesan or Romano Cheese, grated/shredded
Smoked Sea Salt, Parmesan, and Extra-Virgin Olive oil for serving


1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Slice off the top of the garlic and remove some of the outer skin. Place in a very small casserole dish or a piece of aluminum foil. Drizzle with Olive oil and bake for 1 hour. Roast the squash at the same time.





3. Slice the butternut squash lengthwise, clean out the seeds, place face down in a baking pan sprayed with baking spray or lined with foil. Add an inch to two of water. Bake for 45 minutes or until fork tender.

4. Remove the garlic and squash. Allow to cool until it won't burn to handle it. In a small bowl squeeze the garlic from the cloves. Remove the skin from the squash. Rough chop.

5. Saute the onion in a large sauce pan or soup pot in a tablespoon or two of Olive oil over medium-low heat. Season with salt and pepper. When the onion is soft and translucent add the sage and the garlic. Saute for 2-3 minutes. Turn off heat.

6. In a blender or food processor puree the squash with the broth and onion mixture. (Or add it all to the sauce pan and use a good immersion blender). Work in two batches if necessary. Return the mixture to the pan. Bring to a simmer for 10-15 minutes.

7. Add about a cup of soup back to the blender. Puree with milk. Add back to soup, bring to a simmer.

8. Add the Parmesan, stir in well and allow to melt. Turn off heat. Taste and re-season with salt and pepper if needed.

9. Serve with smoked sea salt, Parmesan, and a drizzle of Olive oil if desired. Crusty bread is a necessity!

Print Recipe


I have to send a huge thanks to the very generous Scharffen Berger for gifting me with a box full of goodies that included this Apple Smoked Sea Salt sprinkled over the top of my soup - it was absolutely delicious! More on my chocolate adventure with Scharffen Berger in an upcoming post!



I'm sending this to Deb of Kahakai Kitchen for her Souper(Soup, Salad, or Sammie) Sunday
round-up!






Roasted Garlic & Butternut Parmesan Soup

A King Arthur Demo on How to Make the Perfect Pie Crust

Look what I made for you:

Pie!

But not just any pie!

Pumpkin Mousse Pie:

With an Oat Streusel topping:

But before I tell you more about the pie I first have to tell you about the King Arthur Pie Crust and Tart demo I went to and what prompted me to go.

It was all because of this:

Ugly Pie!!

Is that not the ugliest pie you've ever laid eyes on? It's an apple pie and the filling was delicious, that I can't deny. The empty pie plate proved it. But the crust! Ugh. I don't think I need to say more. I'm an excellent baker, but apparently pastry is not my forte. I haven't baked a lot of pies, and when I do I almost always use a graham cracker crust.

Just a few days after the ugly pie incident there was a King Arthur Pie Demo that I desperately needed to attend!

A lot of people had the same thought because the room was packed! I was surprised - some people had driven for hours to attend. I picked up a lot of useful tips and I won some door prizes - a cheese cutting board, a rubber 'bench' scraper, and a 20 dollar gift card to the King Arthur web site. With all the pie-baking that goes on for the upcoming holidays I thought I would share what I learned.

Tips before you get started:

-Refrigerate your rolling pin, mixing bowl and flour; especially during the summer.

-You can substitute whole wheat flour for up to half the amount of all-purpose in a recipe.

-Unsalted butter will give your crust a 'fresher' butter flavor.

-To measure flour use the "fluff, sprinkle, and sweep" method. Flour settles and can become compacted. Stir the flour to fluff it, sprinkle it into the measuring cup and sweep excess off the top with a straight edge like the back of a butter knife. Or use a scale. One cup of flour = 4 and 1/4 ounces.

Preparing the Dough:

-Never use your fingers. Use a fork, two knives, or a pastry blender. Your fingers will make too much gluten, make it warm and greasy, and over-tenderize.

-The degree that you combine the butter and flour will determine the texture of the crust. Barely will give you a flakier crust, thoroughly combining will give you a crisp non flaky crust.

-Form the dough into a disk, not a ball. If making a bottom and top crust, form into two discs, one just slightly larger for the bottom.

-Refrigerate the disk for 30 minutes. This will help the gluten to relax and it won't shrink as much during cooking.

Rolling the Dough:

-Have your filling ready before rolling, or store the entire pie pan in fridge while preparing the filling.

-Roll from the center outward like the spokes on a wheel, or the sun's rays. Rolling from one end to the other toughens it and will cause more shrinking during baking.

-Don't roll off the edges, it pinches the dough.

-Measure an extra inch around the pie for crimping.

-Fold the crust in quarters before transferring to the pie dish. Fold in half, then in half again. Place the point in middle and unfold.

Filling and Baking:

-Brush the bottom crust with milk or beaten egg white before filling to help seal and to prevent sogginess.

-Brush the top with milk or an egg wash, only the middle, not around the edges, and sprinkle with sparkly sugar.

-Make sure to slit the top for steam to escape.

-If crust becomes too dark before the pie is finished baking tent the edges of the crust with aluminum foil, shape it before baking and set aside.

-Bake your pie on the lowest rack, it won't cook quicker but will prevent the bottom from getting soggy. You can also bake the pie on a preheated baking stone.

-Freeze and save scraps for chicken pot pies.

Print Tips

After the demo I put these tips to good use and made this Pumpkin Mousse pie with an Oat Streusel topping. You can see a big improvement with my crust - still nowhere near perfect - but getting closer. The pumpkin mousse was delicious! Both my Mom and I agreed that a chocolate graham cracker crust would taste better with it. But I needed the practice and it's all ugly pie's fault!

Basic Pie Crust

(adapted from King Arthur Flour)

2 and 1/2 cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

1 teaspoon Salt

1 cup Butter(2 sticks)

1/4 to 1/2 cup Ice Water

Medium-Flake Method

Mix dry ingredients:

Whisk together the flour and salt in a large bowl.

Cut in half of the butter, combining thoroughly. You should have very small, very even crumbs.

Cut the remaining butter into small bits. Cut the stick into 4 lenghtwise slices one way, flip it on its side, cut 4 slices the other way, then cut across the strips into 1/4 inch pats.

Toss the tiny bits of butter into the flour mixture, mixing just enough to coat them with flour.

Add the water, a tablespoon at a time, and toss with a fork to moisten the dough evenly. To test for the right texture, squeeze a chunk of it together, it should stick together easily. If it falls apart add more water.

Turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface, divide in half, pat into flat disks about an inch thick, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

To roll out:

Flour your work surface. Roll out quickly from the center outward, adding an extra inch for crimping.

Transfer crust to pie pan by folding in quarters.

Add the pie filling.

Roll out top crust, and center over filling. Wet the edges with milk or beaten egg white to glue together and prevent the hot juices from bubbling out.

Pinch the edges together and flute it with your fingers by pressing inward with one finger and outward with two.

Shape an aluminum foil tent over the edges and set aside until needed.

Bake as directed.

Print Pie Crust Recipe

Pumpkin Mousse Streusel Pie

(by Reeni)

Filling:

8 ounces Cream Cheese, softened

1/3 cup packed Brown Sugar

1 and 1/2 teaspoons Cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon Cloves
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract

2 large Eggs, beaten

1 - 30 ounce can Pumpkin Pie Filling

1 - 9-inch deep dish Pie Crust or Graham Cracker Crust

Streusel topping:

3/4 cup all-purpose Flour

1 teaspoon Cinnamon

1/2 cup packed Brown Sugar

3/4 cup Oats

1/4 teaspoon Salt

1/2 cup cold Butter

Crust:

2 cups finely ground graham crackers (about 30 squares)

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 stick unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

For the crust:

In a mixing bowl, combine the crust ingredients with a fork until evenly moistened. Spray a deep-dish 9-inch pie pan with baking spray. Pour the crumbs into the pan and, using the bottom of a measuring cup or the smooth bottom of a glass, press the crumbs down into the base, use your fingers to press it to the sides. Refrigerate.

For the streusel:

In a medium bowl mix together the dry streusel ingredients. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Set aside.

For the filling:

In a large bowl beat the cream cheese with a hand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and vanilla extract. Beat in eggs. Add pumpkin pie filling, beat until just mixed.

Pour into prepared pie pan. Sprinkle streusel evenly over top.

Bake at 350 for 50-55 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Refrigerate. 

Best served cold.

Print Pumpkin Mousse Streusel Pie Recipe

 Do you have any tips to share?

Swedish Meatballs: Köttbullar

Regional Recipes has the honor of being hosted by Joanne of Eats Well With Others this month. Scandinavia is the focus. Of course I had one of the most well-known recipes on my to-do list already; Swedish Meatballs; me being the Comfort Queen and all. I took advantage of the opportunity to cross them off.

Baked Lemon-Oregano Orzo & Shrimp

This Mediterranean-flavored casserole has been brewing and bubbling in my head for months now. I kept pushing it to the back burner, until finally, with a ton of leftover Orzo sitting in the fridge, I saw the perfect opportunity to make it. Even though I didn't have a well-planned out recipe, a quick inventory of what I had on hand didn't disappoint. My counter top was quickly cluttered with a jar of Spanish olives, crumbled Feta, sun-dried tomatoes, lemons, frozen shrimp, onions, and garlic. This is a fairly simple recipe, most of the work comes from cooking the shrimp and orzo beforehand, and cutting up the rest of the ingredients. Already-cooked, frozen shrimp will lighten the load a little, just be sure to thaw them out first. Everything is tossed together and poured into a baking dish where a sunshine of a sauce is poured over top made with Olive oil, oregano, lemon juice, and zest. Seasoned bread crumbs and shredded Parmesan are sprinkled over top to give it a golden crust.

The result? Intensely-flavored, bright, and so delicious! I loved the different flavors dotted throughout; the soft, creamy crumbles of Feta; the briny olives; succulent shrimp; and the sharp, sun-dried hunks of tomato all nestled in between billowy, plumb mounds of orzo. If you love these Mediterranean flavors the way I do than this is just the dish for you!

Baked Lemon Oregano Orzo & Shrimp

(by Reeni)(Serves 3-4)

1 small yellow onion, diced

1/2 cup Olive Oil plus extra for sauteing

4 cloves garlic, minced

Sea Salt and fresh Pepper

3-4 cups cooked Orzo pasta

1 pound medium Shrimp, cooked, tails off

1/3 cup Spanish Olives, cut in half

1/3 cup Sun-dried Tomatoes, rough chopped

1 cup crumbled Feta Cheese (4 ounces)

2 lemons, the zest of one, the juice of two

1 teaspoon Oregano, dried

2 tablespoons Bread Crumbs

2-3 tablespoons Parmesan Cheese

1 tablespoon Butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Saute the onion in a tablespoon or two of Olive oil in a medium size skillet over medium-low heat until soft and tender. Make a paste out of the minced garlic. Sprinkle with sea salt and on a cutting board drag the flat side of a large knife over it until a paste forms. Add it to the onion, stir and allow it to melt into the onion. Set aside.

To a large bowl add the Orzo, Shrimp, Olives, Tomatoes, Onion mixture, and Feta. Mix carefully. Spray an 8x8 deep-dish casserole pan with baking spray. Add the Orzo mixture to the pan in an even layer.

In a medium bowl add a 1/2 cup Olive oil, the zest of one lemon, the juice* of two lemons, 1/2 teaspoon Sea salt, and 1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper, whisk well and pour evenly over the Orzo mixture.

Sprinkle the Bread Crumbs and Parmesan Cheese evenly over the top. Dice the pat of butter and dot over top.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until heated through.

*To get the most juice out of the lemons, microwave for 15 seconds and roll against the counter top before juicing.

Print Recipe

Zesty Chicken Burritos

I debated with myself over whether to post these burritos. The fact that they were really, really outstanding won out. I under-estimated them. You know when you take that first bite of something and it's not what you expected, but better, and you just have to say mmmm out loud? Or announce to everyone how good it is? When everyone else at the table does the same then you know their worth sharing.

Devilish Chocolate Cake

This cake was highly reminiscent of a Devil Dog. Remember those from your lunchbox days? Or maybe you eat them now, and no memory is needed. If this is the case - here - let me pour you a HUGE glass of milk to wash it down. You'll need it. Getting back to the story, remember them? I do. Even though they weren't my favorite. I was all about the Funny Bones. Chocolate cakes with a peanut butter filling enrobed in a shell-like milk chocolate frosting. Those were my idea of heaven. "Back in the day." The Devil Dog was my Mom's favorite. A few weeks ago she bought a box during a fit of nostalgia. Purely for old times sake I ate one. They were awfully dry - the word cement comes to mind. It was hard to chew no less swallow the lump of cake. More cream was clearly needed. There wasn't even enough to squish out the sides and lick off like an ice cream sandwich, my usual method for eating them. I hope my memory isn't marred now...

My Mom made this cake without intending for it to taste like a Devil Dog. I tasted 'it' in the very first bite. It was the devil dog glory that lives, if only in my mind. Rich, dense, with the distinct chocolate taste and sticky, sweet frosting of my memories. But this was far better than the real Devil Dog I had tasted just a few weeks ago. Memories are like that sometimes; glorified by our minds...And I wouldn't have it any other way. That's part of what makes them so special, part of what fuels our nostalgic feelings, and the longing for the "good old days" of our youth, a simpler time, when a Devil Dog in our lunch box meant everything.

Chocolate Devil Dog Cake with Seven Minute Marshmallow Frosting
(Adapted from The Cake Bible)

1/2 cup and 3 tablespoons unsweetened Cocoa, Dutch-processed
1 cup boiling water
3 Eggs
2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
2 cups Sifted All-Purpose Flour
1 and 1/2 cups Sugar
1 tablespoon Baking Powder
3/4 teaspoon Salt
1 cup Unsalted Butter, softened

Preheat oven to 350.

Prepare pans, two 9-inch or one 13x9x2 inch. greased and floured.

In a medium bowl whisk together the cocoa and boiling water until smooth. Cool to room temperature.

In another medium bowl whisk the eggs, 1/4 of the cocoa mixture, and vanilla.

In a large mixing bowl combine the remaining dry ingredients and whisk together. Add the butter and the rest of the cocoa mixture. Mix on low speed using an electric hand mixer until flour is moistened. Then mix on medium for 1 and 1/2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and gradually add the egg mixture in 3 batches, beating for 20 seconds after each addition.

Divide batter evenly between the two pans, or to one large pan.

Bake layers for 25-35 minutes, large pan 35-40, check done-ness by inserting a fork or toothpick, when it comes out clean, remove.

Cool cakes in pans for ten minutes on wire racks. Remove from pans onto greased wire racks and cool to room temperature before frosting.

Notes:

Devil Dogs have a cream filling - the texture of the marshmallow frosting is not the same - but the flavor is, only better, fresher, and cleaner tasting. A whipped cream frosting would go really well with this.


Seven-Minute Marshmallow Frosting
(adapted from McCall's Book of Cakes and Pies)

2 Egg Whites (1/4 cup)
1 and 1/2 cup Sugar
1 tablespoon light corn syrup or 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/3 cup water
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

In the top of a double boiler* combine egg whites, sugar, corn syrup, and 1/3 cup water.

With an electric hand mixer beat 1 minute to combine ingredients.

Cook over rapidly boiling water, beating constantly for 7 minutes or until stiff peaks form.

Remove from boiling water, add vanilla, beat until frosting is thick enough to spread about two more minutes.

*You can use a stainless steel mixing bowl fitted on top of a saucepan or a smaller pan fitted on top of a larger one. Just make sure the boiling water doesn't touch the bottom of the pan.

Print Recipe

The very sweet and talented Barbara of Barbara Bakes and Xagave sent me this huge bottle of Organic All Natural Agave Nectar. Agave Nectar is low glycemic and a complete sugar replacement. I haven't had the chance to bake with it - yet - but I have been using a drizzle of it on my Greek yogurt and in my Oatmeal. It is incredibly sweet, a little goes a long way. When using it to replace sugar in baking it is 2/3 cup Agave for every cup of sugar. I will for sure be using it in my baking for the upcoming holidays.

Here are some recipes:

Raspberry Peach French Toast from Barbara Bakes

Double Chocolate Bitter Brownies from Dishing Up Delights

Thanks Barbara and Xagave!

Last, but not least, I leave you with Moon, The Kitchen Cat. I should know better than to turn my back on my food. See how sweet and innocent he appears? If you look closer you will notice his Whip Cream Mustache.

  The Little Devil!

 

Italian Sausage & Butternut Squash Stew

"Only the pure of heart can make good soup"
                                                           -Beethoven

The aroma of the Crock-pot Chicken Stock simmering the other day taunted and teased my tummy all afternoon. There was no escape. With the tell-tale chill of Fall officially in the air I craved something hearty and seasonal, something that would stick-to-my ribs. That's where the Italian Sausage and butternut squash sitting in my refrigerator come into play. Seared slices of sausage, sweet squash, potatoes, chopped kale, onion, garlic, white wine, and chicken stock all come together to make this unique and delectable stew. The homemade chicken stock has an almost indescribable flavor - rich and thick in texture, with a salty taste that doesn't come from a shaker. Serve this with Parmesan sprinkled over the top and crusty slices of bread to sop up every last drop of the broth.

I loved this stew - delicious and nourishing for my cravings. It will warm your bones and your heart!





Italian Sausage & Butternut Squash Stew
(by Reeni)

Ingredients:
1 pound Italian Sausage
1 yellow Onion, diced
4 Garlic Cloves, minced
Olive oil, for sauteing
1/3 cup White wine
6 cups Chicken Stock
3 cups Butternut Squash, cubed, raw or cooked
3 cups  Potatoes, cubed, raw
1 and 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 and 1/2 teaspoons dried sage
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup finely chopped Kale or Spinach leaves
Parmesan cheese, fresh grated for serving


Directions:

1. Slice the sausage in 1/2-inch slices. Heat a large soup pot over medium heat, add the sausages and sear, when brown on one side flip and sear the other. Sear in two batches if necessary. Remove the seared sausage and set aside.
   
2. Depending on how much grease has come out of your sausage you may need to add a Olive oil to saute the onions. Saute the onions until translucent, add garlic and continue to saute until garlic is fragrant. Add the white wine and deglaze the bottom of the pan.
   
3. Add the stock, squash(if raw, if not, wait), potatoes, thyme, sage, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste.*
   
4. Bring the stew up to a boil and adjust the heat, slowly simmering for 20 minutes.
5. If using cooked squash add at this point along with the kale. Simmer for ten minutes or until squash is heated through. 
6. Serve with Parmesan and crusty bread. 

*Taste and adjust seasoning throughout the cooking process and before serving. 


Notes: Sausage is easier to slice when slightly frozen. When using thawed sausage stick in freezer two hours before slicing. When using frozen, remove two-three hours before slicing. The sausage and stock will add  lot of salty flavor to the stew, so adjust the salt to taste. 

Print Recipe 

 I recently won some Zevia soda from Amanda a.k.a. HannahBanana of Nourish in one of her giveaways. Zevia is an all natural soda that has stevia as a sweetener. I don't drink soda often. A few times a year I get a craving so it's taken me a while to taste them. While I don't dislike them I can't say I really like them either. I tried the root beer and ginger ale. The flavors are just flat. Not bad. Just kind of weak. If you drink a lot of soda and are looking for a healthy alternative I do recommend you try them for yourself.





Thanks Amanda(pay her a visit if you haven't) and Zevia!! 


 

How to Make Crockpot Chicken Stock

I've discovered an easy way to make the best chicken stock! Rich, thick, and gelatinous with a flavor that can't be bought in any store. Dust off your crock-pots to get the most out of your chicken carcasses and the veggies languishing in your produce drawer. This will save you some money too because good stock can be expensive. Get it started and forget about it for awhile, if you can, with the otherworldly smell that will permeate every nook and cranny of your house. Throw everything in, cover with water, bring to a boil, and then slow-cook over night or while your at work. Like magic your house will smell comforting and you'll have the tastiest stock waiting for you to make soups and stews with.
 
This recipe is not really a recipe but a basic starting point. If your missing one of the vegetables or have different herbs throw them in. No worries. I've made this with just a chicken carcass minus the veggies and herbs. It was amazing all on it's own and you can add flavor later when you use it in your recipes.

 

 Slow-Cooker Chicken Stock

1 chicken carcass or chicken bones
1 onion, quartered
2-3 cloves garlic, whole
1 carrot, rough chopped/baby carrots/slices
1 stalk celery, cut in thirds, plus the celery leaves
black peppercornsfresh parsley
bay leaf

Optional:
leek
additional herbs like thyme
lemon
ginger

Put all the ingredients in your slow-cooker or Nesco, cover with cold water. Start on highest setting, bring up to a boil. Then slow-cook at least five hours on high or overnight on low.
Let cool but while still warm remove the carcass. Pour the broth through a wire strainer. Store in fridge up to five days or freeze. You can season with salt right away or wait until you use it in a recipe. The fat will rise to the top and harden, skim it off before using.

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Through the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program Nature's Pride sent me two sample loaves of their high-fructose-corn-syrup-free, whole-grain bread. It was so hearty and delicious! It's hard to find bread without high-fructose corn syrup in it nowadays(GRRR). I'm real happy to find this healthy bread just loaded with goodness that you can actually see! Thanks Foodbuzz and Nature's Pride!

Apple-Cheddar Smashed Potatoes

I watched Guy Fieri on the Food Network add cubed apples to his mashed potatoes and nearly fell off my chair. My first thought was what an excellent idea! And my second was why didn’t I think of that? Genius.

Just the sound of it was delicious as I imagined what tart, kind-of-sweet apples would taste with potato. I liked his idea but biting into big cubes of apples coated with mashed potato didn’t seem right. Where he adds diced apples, I shred mine. I also added more flavor to the recipe by adding extra sharp cheddar, a classic combo with apples. Potatoes can be bland and boring; this is a unique way to flavor them.

The end result was everything I imagined. The apples didn’t overwhelm, but added a sweet note to the potatoes and blended in real well with the cheddar, rosemary and garlic. I think a sweet potato mash would be equally good, if not better, with extra tart apples. The next night I used the leftovers to make potato pancakes. They were absolutely delicious, crusty on the outside and creamy on the inside. Apples and potatoes are a match made in heaven and a combination I’ll be using often.

Apple-Cheddar Smashed Potatoes

(adapted from Guy Fieri)

About 2 pounds of potatoes, cubed

4 cloves garlic, whole, peeled

Sea salt and fresh pepper

3-4 tablespoons butter

1/3 cup milk

1 tablespoon Rosemary

12 ounces extra sharp cheddar, shredded

2 large, tart apples, shredded

1. To a large saucepan add the potato cubes and garlic. Fill with water to just above the potatoes. Add a teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil and simmer about 20 minutes or until fork-tender.

2.Preheat oven to 35o degrees.

3. Remove potatoes from heat and drain leaving a few tablespoon of water in the pan. Add the potatoes and garlic back to the pan with the butter, milk, rosemary and re-season with salt and pepper. Smash with a potato masher. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed or milk if too thick.

3. Stir in the cheese and apples. Pour them into a greased casserole dish and put them in the oven on 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes or just until heated through.

Potato Pancakes

2 cups of mashed potatoes

1 egg, beaten

1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs

Butter for pan-frying

Mix mashed potatoes, egg, and bread crumbs together. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. The skillet has to be hot enough to quickly brown the outsides or the cakes will melt. Add a pat of butter and coat the bottom. Add a large spoon of the mashed potato mixture and shape it into a patty using the spoon. Cook about five minutes on each side until crispy golden brown. Repeat adding butter to the pan until all your pancakes are cooked. Serve with sour cream.

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Even Moon can't resist!