It’s Fall!!

It’s 11:30 a.m. and 65 degrees outside!!

The forecast for Thanksgiving week is low to mid 60s!!

Does it get much better than that?

Oh yeah, I almost forgot – there is not a tree in sight with the true colors of Fall!!!

I have to decorate the house with fake Fall leaves, fake pine cones, fake acorns, and candles with fake scents just so I can pretend and be transported to small cabin in Vermont nestled among the trees all glistening with varying hues of Fall and being warmed by a wood burning crackling fire.

Living in Southern California can be a crap shoot when it comes to Fall weather. Often, at least a third of the Fall season is at least 75 degrees, and that is not a good thing!! This is really the only time I miss living on the east coast. I truly love and appreciate every other season in Southern California, but when it comes to Fall, we really fall short (no pun intended).

One of the best things about Fall for me (besides having several days off from work) is soup. There is something so comforting about a big stockpot of vegetables simmering on the stove.

If you love vegetables, you will love this soup. Even if you don’t love vegetables, you may like this soup. It is easy to make. It is hearty. It is healthy. It is filling. It is delicious. ‘

Try it this weekend!!

Adapted from Barefoot Contessa

• 3 cans cannellini beans

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 4 oz pancetta chopped

• 2 onions – chopped

• 3 carrots – chopped

• 1 cup zucchini – chopped

• 2 stalks celery – chopped

• 6 cloves garlic – minced

• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

• 1 28 oz can of plum tomatoes in puree-chopped

• 4 cups Savoy cabbage – chopped

• 4 cups Kale – chopped

• ½ cup basil leaves – chopped

• 6 cups chicken stock

• 4 cups sourdough bread cubes, crust removed

• 1 3″ rind of Parmesan (optional)

• ½ cup grated Parmesan for serving

• salt

Drain the beans and place half in food processor with a little chicken stock.

Puree until smooth.  Set aside with the whole beans.

 Heat oil in heavy large pot.

 Add pancetta and onions and cook over medium low heat for 7-10 minutes,

until onions are translucent.

 Add carrots, celery, zucchini and garlic, 1 tablespoon of salt, pepper, red pepper flakes.

Cook over medium low heat for 7-10 minutes until veggies are tender.

Add tomatoes with their puree, cabbage, kale and basil.

Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally another 7-10 minutes.

Add bean puree to the large pot, along with the rest of the whole beans. Add 8 cups of chicken stock and Parmesan rind and bring to boil.

Reduce heat and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.

Add the bread to the soup and simmer for 10 more minutes.

Taste for seasoning and serve in large bowls sprinkled with Parmesan and olive oil

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  ”What’s this green stuff?”   This is what I hear if it’s green and on the plate.  Vegetables are not on my husband’s list of “favorite things” and it can be challenging to serve them.  I have spent years and years of experimenting, begging and resorting to camoufloge.  A few years ago, I was able to not only sneak by the cauliflower au gratin, but he actually had seconds.  To this day, he doesn’t know what he ate. . . that is, until now. . . oops.  

My new favorites are bok choy (a later post) and chard.    I get a lot of it with my organic produce delivery Farm Fresh to You,  and rather than substituting it with a more familiar item, I decided to tackle it head on.   After going through several recipes, I found this from Everyday Food and proved to be a perfect recipe to try.  He loves chicken and carrots, so all I needed to do was get him to love tolerate chard.  This is pretty healthy and quick (less than an hour from start to finish) and only takes one pot, so clean up is easy.  The lemon sets it off nicely and I think you will enjoy it.  Bottom line – my husband actually said it was good.

• One whole chicken cut up

• olive oil

• salt and pepper

• 3 garlic cloves – chopped

• 1 bunch of Swiss Chard leaves torn into 2 inch pieces

• 1 onion – diced

• 3 carrots – diced

• 2 teaspoons lemon zest

• 1 ½ cups basmati rice

• 2 ½ cups chicken broth

Season chicken with salt and pepper

Heat oil on high in a large Dutch Oven with a tight fitting lid. Add chicken, skin side down and cook for 12 minutes, turning once.

 Remove to a plate

Reduce heat to medium and add garlic, onions and carrots. Cook until onions are translucent – about 4 minutes.

Add chard leaves, lemon zest and rice – cook about 1-2 minutes.

Add broth and bring to boil.

Reduce to simmer and arrange chicken (skin side up) in pan.

Cover and cook about 25 -30 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.

Remove and let set for 5 minutes before serving.  Serves four.

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Do you need quick, easy and delicious side dish?  Here’s a good one.  Again, I found it in my mom’s recipes, yet I really don’t remember her making it. . . most likely because mushrooms were pretty much forbidden since my brother hated them.   But I love them so I tried this simple side dish, and is terrific.   It pretty much will go with anything and I served it with Parmesan Chicken.

• 1 pound mushrooms – coarsely chopped

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1 large onion – chopped

• 2 eggs

• 2/3 cups dry bread crumbs (I used seasoned)

• 3/4 cup milk

• 3/4 cup half and half

• 2 teaspoons salt

• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Grease a 1 ½ quart casserole dish and set aside.

Melt butter in medium skillet. Add onions and saute until golden.

Beat eggs in a large bowl. Mix in bread crumbs, milk, half and half, salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly until liquid is absorbed.

Blend in mushrooms and onions.

Pour in prepared casserole dish.

Bake for 60-70 minutes until golden brown.

Makes 6 servings

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]]> http://findingthymetocook.wordpress.com/2011/05/27/baked-mushrooms-2/feed/ 0 Finding Thyme to Cook bakedmushrooms1 bakedmushrooms2 bakedmushrooms3 bakedmushrooms4 bakedmushrooms5 bakedmushrooms6 http://findingthymetocook.wordpress.com/2011/03/09/sausage-and-kale-gratin/ http://findingthymetocook.wordpress.com/2011/03/09/sausage-and-kale-gratin/#comments Thu, 10 Mar 2011 03:16:26 +0000 Cindi http://findingthymetocook.wordpress.com/?p=3508 ]]>

I woke up Tuesday morning and this was on my front porch.  Thank you Farm Fresh to You!!   There was kale, chard, broccoli, cauliflower, tangerines, oranges, apples, yams and the biggest head of lettuce I have ever seen in my life!!!

So, now the hard part – eating all of it!!  My first challenge was making something with kale that my husband would eat.  He really doesn’t like much of anything food that is green, so I had a challenge.  Lucky for me the LA Times had this gratin recipe that week.

I figured, if I chop the kale really small, mix it with sausage, add a white sauce and cheese and top it with breadcrumbs, maybe he wouldn’t notice.  And, he didn’t . . . until now!!

Now to the recipe. . .

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound fresh Italian sausage (turkey or pork)-casings removed
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 1 bunch kale – chopped
• ½ cup unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup flour
• 2 cups milk
• 8 ounces goat cheese
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
• 4 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 tablespoon fresh herbs (parsley, oregano, basil) – minced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add sausage and break up and cook until brown – about 8 minutes.

Add wine, scraping bits off the bottom of the pan and cook until wine is almost evaporated -a bout 5 minutes. Decrease heat a bit.

Stir in kale and stir until kale wilts and turns bright green. Remove from heat and set aside.

In large sauce pan, melt ½ cup butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour to form a roux.

Add milk slowly while constantly whisking until thickened and smooth.

Bring to a simmer and cook about 5 minutes. Add crumbled goat cheese and whisk until cheese is melted and sauce is thoroughly smooth.

Stir in sausage and kale and remove from heat.

Spoon mixture in gratin dish.

In medium bowl, combine breadcrumbs Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle evenly on top of sausage/kale/sauce. Drizzle melted butter on top.

Bake for about 30 minutes until golden brown. Let sit 5-10 minutes before serving.

8 servings

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PROSCIUTTO AND FONTINA

Adapated from Taste – Neiman Marcus

This is about as close as I will get to having something from Neiman Marcus!!  A friend of mine from work brought in this cookbook  from Neiman Marcus – “Taste” and after tagging recipes that I wanted to try, when I ran out of “post-its,” I went on Amazon and purchased the book.  It is fabulous.  There are little stories in addition to some incredible recipes.  This is the first recipe I tried and it worked out perfectly, although mine looked nothing like the picture in the book!!

• 6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• salt and ground pepper
• 6 thin slices of prosciutto
• 6 slices of Fontina cheese – about 1/4 inch thick
• 1 cup spinah leaves, slightly packed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 large eggs
• 2 cups coarsley grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
• juice 1/2 lemon
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley – optional for garnish

Preheat oven to 350°

Place chicken on cutting board between two pieces of plastic wrap.  Pound until approximately 1/2 inch thick.  Remove plastic wrap and season the chicken with salt, pepper and nutmeg.

Wrap one slice of prosciutto around one slice of cheese and place it on chicken breast. 

Arrange spinach leaves on top.  You might notice that my husband’s piece does not have spinach – I believe he is allergic to anything green. 

Fold over chicken breast in half to make a package. 

Chill in refrigerator for one hour.  

Break eggs in a shallow biowl and beat lightly. Stir in Parmesan Cheese. 

Place flour in another bowl. 

Dip breast in flour first and then into the egg mixture.  

Heat oil in a non stick pan over medium-low heat and transfer breasts

to pan (two at a time).  

Brown on first side 3-4 minutes and carefully turn with spatula and brown

on other side for 3-4 minutes.  

Transfer breasts to baking dish and bake for 15-20 minutes.

While the chicken is baking, melt butter in a small saucepan

over medium heat. 

When it begins to brown,add the capers and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.  Keep warm. 

Remove the chicken from the oven and place on serving plate and pour browned butter over the breast and garnish with parsley if desired.

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A good friend of mine gave me this family recipe.  She has always been a really good source for unusual, but incredibly yummy dishes.  I know.  I know.  Canned soup and canned mushrooms?    Are you kidding me?    Have an open mind. I am sure glad she convinced me to try this!!!    Since, I have been on a real grain kick — this was perfect!!   These are those comforting cold weather dishes that pretty much go with everything.  I made this after work one evening, so needless to say, it is very simple to prepare.  

• 1 cup pearl barley

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 2 10 1/4 ounce cans of Campbell French Onion Soup

• 1 4 ounce can of mushroom pieces with liquid

• 1/4 cup of water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt butter in large skillet. Add barley and cook until golden brown.

 Add the soup, mushrooms with liquid and water.

Bring to a boil.

 Pour into baking casserole dish and cover tightly.

(I used a small Dutch oven).

Bake for one hour.

As you can see, the mushrooms float to the top and

make a nice presentation.

 Makes 6-8 servings.

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I love soup.  I love soup so much that I still make it when it’s 85° outside, like yesterday when I made this delicious White Bean Provencal Soup.  Often when the rest of the country experiences miserable bone chilling weather, we experience a heatwave.   This occurred a few weeks ago when I warmed the house making my Beef Bourguignon when it was in the 90s.  Hopefully by Christmas, it will be cold again . . . ok ok, cool again.

I prefer brothy soups and thus live in a house divided.  My husband’s idea of soup is anything with heavy cream and his favorite is New England Clam Chowder, which I do not make because Santa Monica Seafood makes it so good.   I rarely get him to try my brothy soups, with one exception  Veggie Beef Soup, which he does love just because it has short ribs in it.  I found this  Provencal soup recipe in my mother’s old recipe box and it brought back those memories of trudging home from school in that miserable bone chilling weather and a bowl of my mom’s soup made it seem like 85 °.  Soup makes everything better.

• 1-2 ounces pancetta – chopped

• 1 pound chicken pieces – bone-in

• 2 14.5 ounce cans Cannellini beans – drained

• 2/3 cups yellow split peas  – such a pretty color

• 2 tablespoons Herbes de Provence

• 1 tablespoon parsley

• 8 cups chicken stock

• 2 cups onions – chopped

• 2 cups celery – chopped

• 6 cloves garlic – minced

• 1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

In a large stock pot, heat oil and add pancetta.  Saute for about 3-5 minutes.

Add onions, celery and garlic. Saute 3-5 minutes.

Add chicken stock, beans, chicken, tomatoes and spices. Bring to boil.

Reduce heat and cover. Simmer 3 hours, stirring occasionally.  Remove chicken and pull meat from bone and stir meat back into pot.

Serve with crusty sourdough.

Serves 6

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Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis

When I was trying to cut down on carbs, which included pasta, I became intrigued with other grains – Couscous, Quinoa and Farro.   Seemed like healthy whole grain goodness, so I decided to try one of them. Being rather lazy, I picked couscous.   The only good thing about couscous for me was that it as indeed easy to make.  On to Quinoa.

Before that experiment, a friend of my mine told me if you don’t like couscous, you won’t like Quinoa, so I moved on to Farro. I was hesitant to try it because the only Farro I could find was not cheap and I didn’t want to end up with an expensive pile of cardboard mush.

Then one Saturday morning, when there wasn’t a sporting event on TV and I was able to commandeer the remote, I turned on Food Network. There was Giada making a Farro dish for some of her friends who were loading up on carbs before some sort of 10K or marathon.   Since my running days are over (actually they never began), I almost passed on the recipe, but Giada made it look so delicious.  So I raided the piggy bank, bought the Farro and tried it that weekend.   It almost prompted me to go out and run a few miles . .  . almost.

I first made it as a side dish with chicken breasts. Then I made it as a side dish with pork chops. Then I fried an egg and put it on top of the leftovers the next morning. Then I ate the leftovers cold out of the fridge. Get the picture?  This is really good stuff and healthy!!!  It may make you go out and run a marathon!!

Directions

• Butter for baking dish

• 1 pound farro

• 4 cups water

• 4 cups chicken stock or broth

• 2 tablespoons salt

• 2 cups grated extra-sharp Cheddar

• 2 cups grated mozzarella

• 1 cup whole milk

• 3 tablespoons Herbes de Provence

• 1 tablespoon salt

• ½ teaspoon pepper

• 4 ½ inch thick slices of multi-grain bread torn into ½ inch pieces

• olive oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 and put rack in center. Butter a 9 x 13 glass baking dish. Set aside

Farro – Bring farro, stock water and salt to boil in large saucepan or stockpot, over medium-high heat.

Reduce the heat, cover the pot and simmer for about 25 minutes until tender. Drain in a colander.

While cooking, mix together the cheeses, milk, Herbes de Provence, salt and pepper.

Add cooked and drained Farro and stir until coated.

Pour mixture into the prepared baking dish.

Arrange bread pieces on top of the farro mixture and drizzle with olive oil.

Bake for 20 minutes until top is golden brown. Let sit for 5 minute and serve.

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Adapted from Ina Garten

Can you think of anything better on a cold and rainy day, then a bowl of Beef Bourguignon? Beef, wine and vegetables simmer in the oven and infuse the home with warmth and the aromas defining Fall. 

Doesn’t get much better for those cold and rainy days!!!

It really would have been perfect if the day was as forecasted, but you can never trust Southern California ”meteorologists”  and as usual, the forecast was inaccurate!  The promised cold and rainy day turned into a bright sunny day in the 70s.  Not to be daunted, I went ahead with my Ina’s Beef Bourguignon for the cold and rainy beautiful sunny Saturday.

Dare I complain?

At least by the time we sat down to dinner, we were able to close the windows.

This is truly delicious, not difficult to make

and perfect for guests.

Directions

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 8 ounces applewood bacon – diced

• 2 ½ pounds chuck beef cut into 1-inch cubes

• Kosher salt

• Freshly ground pepper

• 1 pound carrots – 1 inch pieces

• 2 onions – sliced

• 2 teaspoons garlic – chopped

• ½ cup Cognac

• 1 bottle of good dry red wine – (I used Pinot Noir)

• 2 cups beef broth

• 1 tablespoon tomato paste

• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme (½ teaspoon dried)

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature – divided

• 3 tablespoons flour

• 1 pound frozen pearl onions

• 1 pound fresh mushrooms, caps removed – sliced thickly

• Sourdough toasted or grilled rubbed with garlic glove

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Heat olive oil in large Dutch oven.

Add bacon and cook about 10 minutes over medium heat stirring occasionally until bacon is slightly browned.

Remove the bacon with slotted spoon to a large plate.

Geez – I just noticed I had no pictures through this process — don’t know what happened, except that the day was so incredible, I lost focus and my camera – (no pun intended).

Dry beef cubes with paper towels and

sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Sear the cubes in single layer in bacon fat and oil (careful not to crowd) for 3-5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides.

Remove the cubes and put with bacon and

continue searing remaining beef.

Toss carrots and onions with 1 tablespoon of sat and 2 teaspoons of pepper in the fat and cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are slightly browned.

Add garlic and cook 1 minute.

Add Cognac, stand back and ignite with lighter to burn off alcohol – take note of my flames and I didn’t burn the house down.

Put meat and bacon back into the pot with the juices.

Add the bottle of wine, plus enough beef broth to almost cover the meat.

Add tomato paste and thyme.

Bring to simmer, cover pot with tightly fitted lid and place in oven for 1 1/4 hours, until meat and vegetables are tender.

Combine 2 tablespoons of butter and the flour with a fork and stir into stew.

Add frozen onions. Saute mushrooms separately in 2 tablespoons of butter for 10 minutes until lightly browned and then add to stew.

Bring stew to boil and then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Toast bread in oven and rub with garlic.

Place on plate and spoon stew over the slice of toasted bread.

serves 6

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will be posting new recipes soon!!

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