Mushroom and Asparagus Risotto

To give the Gourmet Mushroom Risotto recipe below a new twist, simply cut asparagus stalks on the diagonal into 1" lengths, steam lightly (2-4 minutes), and add to the risotto at the end.

Gourmet Mushroom Risotto

Source:  allrecipes.com

6 c. chicken broth, divided

3 T. olive oil, divided

1 lb. portobello mushrooms, thinly sliced*

1 lb. white mushrooms, thinly sliced

2 shallots, diced*

1 1/2 c. Arborio rice**

1/2 c. dry white wine*

sea salt to taste

freshly ground black pepper to taste

3 T. finely chopped chives

4 T. butter

1/3 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

In a small saucepan, warm broth over low heat.

Warm 2 T. olive oil in a large saucepan over med-high heat.  Stir in mushrooms and cook until soft, about 3 min.  Remove mushrooms and their liquid and set aside.

Add 1 T. olive oil to skillet and stir in shallots.  Cook 1 min.  Add rice, stirring to coat with oil, about 2 min.  When rice has taken on a pale, golden color, pour in wine, stirring constantly until wine is fully absorbed.  Add 1/2 c. broth to the rice, and stir until broth is absorbed.  Continue adding broth 1/2 c. at a time, stirring continuously, until liquid is absorbed and rice is al dente, about 15-20 min.

Remove from heat; stir in mushrooms with their liquid, butter, chives and Parmesan.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

*My notes:

I used only white mushrooms instead of the two varieties.  I didn't have any shallots on hand, so I substituted 1 part garlic to 2 parts onion.  And, I skipped the white wine.  Still, a great recipe!

**The Arborio rice is the secret to the creamy, risotto texture.

Sesame Asparagus

The sesame seeds give simple roasted asparagus a new twist.

Source:  Adapted from Everyday Food magazine, March 2004

1 1/2 lbs. thick asparagus

2 T. olive oil

sea salt

1 1/2 t. sesame seeds

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Trim ends from asparagus; cut stalks into 2" lengths.  Place asparagus on a rimmed cookie sheet; drizzle with olive oil and season with sea salt.  Toss to combine.

Spread asparagus evenly on cookie sheet.  Roast 10 minutes, turning asparagus halfway through.  Add sesame seeds, and continue roasting until asparagus is lightly browned in spots and tender, about 5 minutes more.

Serves 4

Chili Con Carne

Adapted from Taste of Home Magazine

 This is the perfect chili recipe – thick, hearty and full of flavor. I like to make double or triple batches in the summer with fresh tomatoes and peppers from the garden and freeze it.

2 lbs. ground beef
2 T. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 medium onions, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1-1/2 t. salt
2 T. chili powder
1/8 t. cayenne pepper
1/4 t. ground cinnamon
1 t. ground cumin
1 t. dried oregano
1 bay leaf
2 (16-oz.) cans tomatoes with liquid, chopped
1 (6-oz.) can tomato paste
3 beef bouillon cubes
1 c. boiling water
1 (16-oz.) can kidney beans, undrained

In a large pan, brown ground beef. Drain and set aside. In the same pan, heat oil; sauté garlic and onions over low heat until onions are tender. Stir in green pepper, salt, chili powder, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, cumin and oregano. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring until well mixed. Add bay leaf, beef, tomatoes with liquid and tomato paste. Dissolve bouillon in water and add to soup. Simmer, covered, for about 1 hour. Add kidney beans; simmer 30 minutes longer.
Yield: 8-10 servings (about 2 ½ quarts)

Curried Pumpkin Mushroom Soup

Source:  J. Hair/Southern Living 20th Anniversary Edition Cookbook

2 T. butter

½ c. chopped onion

1 8 oz. pkg sliced fresh mushrooms

2 T. flour

1 T. curry powder

3 c. chicken broth

2 c. pumpkin

½ t. salt

¼ t. pepper

¼ t. ground nutmeg

1 T. honey

1 12 oz. can evaporated milk

garnish: sour cream and chives

Melt butter in a large saucepan. Add mushrooms and onions and cook until tender. Stir in flour and curry powder. Gradually add chicken broth and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened. Stir in pumpkin and next 4 ingredients, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in evaporated milk; cook until heated. Garnish if desired.

Yield:  6-1/2 cups

Currried Beef-Stuffed Acorn Squash

Here's another Stuffed Acorn Squash recipe!  I still have a few acorn squash left from the fall....
If you plan ahead, you can save some cooked rice from a prior meal to use in this recipe.

Source:  Adapted from Taste of Home Magazine

3 medium acorn squash (about 1 pound each), halved and seeded

1 lb. ground beef

1/2 c. shopped onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 t. beef bouillon granules

1/2 c. hot water

1/2 c. cooked rice

2 T. chopped fresh parsley

1 t. brown sugar

1 t. curry powder

1/2 t. ground ginger

1/4 t. salt

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Oil cut edges of squash with olive oil. On a rimmed baking sheet, arrange squash, cut side down. Roast until tender when pierced with the tip of a paring knife, about 30-40 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a skillet, cook beef, onion and garlic until meat is browned and onion is tender; drain.  Dissolve bouillon in water; add to skillet.  Stir in remaining ingredients; mix well.  Fill cooked squash halves with meat mixture.  If necessary, reduce oven heat to 350 degrees, cover filled squash halves loosely with foil, and return squash to oven to reheat.

Apple-Pecan-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes



Photo credit:  Southern Living

These were wonderful!!  They're a great make-ahead dish, but of course I was running behind schedule and wasn't able to take advantage of that benefit.  :{

Source:  Southern Living Magazine

4 medium-size sweet potatoes (3 1/2 lbs.)

3/4 c. coarsely chopped pecans

1/4 c. butter

1 large Rome Beauty apple, chopped

1/4 c. golden raisins*

1/2 c. firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 t. ground cinnamon

1/4 t. ground nutmeg

Place potatoes on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet.  Bake at 425 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until tender.

Heat nuts in a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat, stirring often, 5-7 minutes or until toasted.  Remove from skillet.

Melt butter in skillet over medium-high heat.  Add apple and raisins; saute 2-3 minutes or until apple is tender.  Stir in brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Remove from heat.

Cut potatoes in half lengthwise; scoop pulp into a large bowl, leaving shells intact.  Add apple mixture to pulp in bowl; stir until blended.  Spoon mixture into shells.  Place on baking sheet. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until thoroughly heated.  Top with nuts.

* I substituted craisins in place of the raisins.

Buttered Green Beans with Cashews

I always fall back on this recipe. My friend Amy gave it to me years ago, and I've served it for company more times than I can count; everyone loves it!  I did break my "In-Season" rule and bought fresh green beans from Root's, but I was willing to make an exception since it was for Christmas dinner.  :)

Source:  Amy A.

1 1/2 lbs. fresh green beans

3 T. sweet butter, melted

3/4 t. salt

1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper

1/4 c. finely chopped fresh parsley

1 c. cashews

Blanch green beans in boiling salted water.

Melt butter, add salt, pepper and parsley.  Stir to mix.

Drain beans and place in warm bowl.  Sprkinle cashews on top, pour butter mixture over.  Toss.

Variations:  Substitute pecans, almonds, hazelnuts or pine nuts in place of the cashews.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

I love this hummus recipe!  The mayo adds creaminess and gives it a bit of a different twist; it's a nice recipe to use if you're not sure your folks are hummus lovers.  I made it for our Christmas luncheon at work today, and got good feedback.  :)
I have a stash of roasted red peppers from this summer in the freezer; I froze them in 1/4 c. quantities, so it's easy to pull them out for this recipe.

Source: adapted from Kristy Y.'s mother- in-law/Taste of Home Magazine

1/3 c. mayonnaise*

1 T. fresh lime juice**

1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

1/4 c. roasted red peppers, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 t. chili powder

1/4 t. cumin

1 t. sea salt

Blend above ingredients in food processor until smooth.

Notes:
*I sometimes substitute olive oil for the mayo.  The texture won't be quite as creamy, but the flavor is still good.
** I often don't have a fresh lime on hand for this recipe, so I use fresh lemon juice instead.

Wild-Rice Stuffed Acorn Squash

Oooh, this was downright yummy!  I tried it the other evening, but didn't have wild rice on hand so I substituted quinoa instead.  It was OK, but much better with the rice - the chewy rice complements the soft texture of the roasted squash.  The wild rice blend adds more color, too (although I still don't understand why it's so expensive!).  And, the caramelized edges of the squash is pretty!  I still have some dried cherries on hand from last summer (compliments of my friend Elma's sour cherry tree!), and the garlic was grown in Silver Spring, so this truly is a local dish.  :)

Source:  adapted from Everyday Food, November 2006

Note:  the recipe is for one acorn squash - multiply as needed.

1 acorn squash (1 1/2 lb.), halved lengthwise, seeds removed*

1 T. butter

1 small onion, minced

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 t. dried sage

sea salt

pepper

1/2 c. wild and brown rice blend

7/8 c. water

1/4 c. dried cherries

1/4 c. pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Oil cut edges of squash with olive oil.  On a rimmed baking sheet, arrange squash, cut side down.  Roast until tender when pierced with the tip of a paring knife, about 30-40 minutes.

 Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat butter over medium heat.  Add onion, garlic and sage.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 3-5 minutes.  Add rice and water; bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to low.  Cook until tender, without stirring, about 35-40 minutes.

Remove rice from heat; stir in cherries and pecans.  Season with salt and pepper.  Season inside of each squash half with salt and pepper.  Mound rice mixture into squash halves and serve.

Serves 2

*Note: Use a long serrated knife to easily halve the acorn squash neatly.
And, don't forget to roast the squash seeds! Here's the link.

Update, 12/25/10:
I served the rice mixture as a pilaf for Christmas dinner today.  I was a bit frazzled and didn't read the recipe correctly - I missed adding some of the seasonings, but it was still good!

Roasted Acorn Squash Seeds

I like these even better than pumpkin seeds - they're a little more delicate.

Here's the link to the recipe I posted earlier this fall:

http://andreainseason.blogspot.com/2010/10/roasted-winter-squash-seeds.html



Braised Cabbage with Spicy Croutons

This is a nice, fairly easy way to prepare cabbage, and it has a lovely presentation (if you don't burn it like I did!).  Click on the Better Homes & Gardens link below to be inspired by their picture:

http://www.bhg.com/recipe/vegetables/braised-cabbage-with-spicy-croutons/

Source:  adapted from Better Homes and Gardens magazine, December 2010

2 T. olive oil

1 T. butter

2 c. hearty bread, torn into coarse croutons

1 clove fresh garlic, minced

1/4 t. crushed red pepper

1 small head green cabbage, cut in 6 wedges

salt

pepper

1/2 c. water

snipped fresh parsley

Lemon wedges

In a very large skillet, heat 1 T. olive oil and butter over medium-high heat.  Add bread, garlic, and red pepper.  Cook and stir 3-5 minutes until golden brown.  Remove croutons from skillet with slotted spoon and cool in a single layer on paper towels.

Add cabbage to skillet, overlapping wedges if needed.  Season with salt and black pepper.  Add water, bring to boiling.  Reduce heat and simmer, covered, 15 minutes or until tender.

Place cabbage on platter; drizzle with remaining olive oil.  Serve topped with croutons, parsley, and lemon wedges.

Serves 6.

Rosemary White Bean Soup

The was the perfect use for some of the chicken stock I made the other week since the stock already had a subtle Rosemary flavor.

Source:  Adapted from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

1 pound dried white cannellini beans*

4 c. sliced yellow onions (3 onions)

1/4 c. olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 large branch fresh rosemary (6-7 inches)

2 quarts chicken stock

1 bay leaf

2 t. sea salt (or more, to taste)

1/2 t. freshly ground pepper

In a medium bowl, cover the beans with water by at least 1" and soak in the refrigerator for 6 hours or overnight.  Drain.

In a large stockpot over low to medium heat, saute the onions with olive oil until onions are translucent, 10-15 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook over low heat for 3 more minutes.  Add the drained white beans, rosemary, chicken stock, and bay leaf.  Cover, bring to a  boil, and simmer 30-40 minutes, until the beans are very soft.  Remove rosemary branch and bay leaf.  Pulse briefly in food processor or blender.  Return soup to the pot to reheat and add salt and pepper to taste.  Serve hot.



*Note:  substitute 4-16 oz. cans, rinsed and drained for the dried beans.

My note:  I added 2 chopped, roasted chicken breasts at the end, as well as some chopped, crispy chicken skin as a garnish - delicious!!

Warm Spinach Salad with Fried Egg & Potatoes

I love breakfast salads - probably because it's often closer to lunch by the time I get around to eating breakfast on a weekend morning!  I have just a little bit of Swiss chard left in the garden - perfect for this recipe.  The soft-cooked egg yolk makes a yummy "sauce" for the salad.

Source:  Adapted from Everyday Food magazine

4 T. olive oil

2 baking potatoes (about 1 pound total), scrubbed and cut into 1/2" cubes

sea salt and pepper

2 T. red-wine vinegar

1 T. Dijon mustard

1 shallot, minced

2 lbs. flat-leaf spinach, torn

2 oz. Parmesan, shaved with a vegetable peeler

4 large eggs

In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 T. oil over medium heat.  Add potatoes; season with salt and pepper.  Cook, tossing occasionally, until potatoes are tender and browned, 12-14 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine remaining 2 T. oil with vinegar, mustard, and shallot; season with salt and pepper, and whisk to combine.  Add spinach and Parmesan (do not toss); set aside.

When potatoes are done cooking, immediately transfer to bowl with spinach and dressing (reserve skillet).  Toss salad until spinach is slightly wilted, and divide among four plates.

Heat skillet over medium heat, and gently crack eggs into skillet without breaking yolks; season with salt and pepper.  Cook until whites are almost set, about 1 minute.  Cover, turn off heat, and let stand until whites are just set but yolks are still soft, about 2 minutes more.  Top each salad with a fried egg, and serve immediately.

Update 12/11/10
This is excellent with sweet potatoes in place of the white potatoes!

Chicken Stock

What's "In Season" about chicken stock?  Well, if you eat local, in-season chicken, then the stock you make from it ends up being "In Season" too!  Over the summer I roasted a fresh chicken every three weeks, stuck the carcass in a zip-lock freezer bag and put it in the freezer for making stock at a later date.  Well, the date had come!  Here's how I did it:

First, I thawed the chicken carcasses overnight in the garage (since it was cool, it was the same thing as using the refrigerator) in preparation for the big event.  First thing in the morning I placed all the carcasses, as well as drippings I had been saving from roasting the chickens all summer, in two stock pots, covered them with water and brought it to a boil.  I skimmed off the brown scum, as well as any rosemary leaves that were floating on the top, then allowed the stock to simmer all day - about 12 hours; that way I could get as many nutrients as possible from the bones.  Part way through, I removed the lids so it could cook down a bit and allow the flavor to intensify. At the end of the day, I strained the broth through a mesh strainer into another stock pot, removing the bones, meat and skin, and added sea salt until I was satisfied with the flavor.  I chilled it overnight in the refrigerator.  In the morning, I skimmed the fat off the top, then filled wide-mouth quart mason jars with 3 cups of stock each (any more than that, and you'll run the risk of cracking the jar if you plan to freeze it) and put them in the freezer.  Yum!!  It was so satisfying!  Of course, it's not possible to attempt something like this if you're not going to be home all day, but I was and thoroughly enjoyed the process.  After all the jars were safely stowed away, I even checked the freezer occasionally to make sure it was still running - I felt like I had gold in the bank and wanted to make sure it was safe!  :)  There's all kinds of good benefits to organic chicken broth, so I'm eager to take advantage of it these next months as I use it in various recipes.

Does the recipe sound too simple to be true?  Well, it isn't!  According to Maria Rodale on the Rodale.com website, anything more than an organic chicken, water and salt just messes up the flavor.  My stock included some onions left over from the chicken-roasting process and the meat had a subtle rosemary flavor, but that was it!

Update, 5/17/11

I bought a pressure canner two months ago and finally worked up the courage to try using it.  Why is everyone afraid of using a pressure canner (me included!)?  There definitely was a bit of a learning curve to it, but it was worth being able to can a bunch of chicken stock in glass jars and not worry about breakage in the freezer, or hogging up freezer space.  Also, it's much handier to open a jar of canned stock vs. remembering to plan ahead and defrost frozen stock.

For today's batch of stock, I had purchased frozen chicken backs from the farm where I buy my chickens.  It made even tastier broth than the what I made using the roasted chicken carcasses.  Yum!  And, what's even better, it's loaded with all kinds of healing properties!


Update, 11/2/15

As handy as it is to have canned stock on hand, I have reverted to simply freezing it.  Wide mouth pint jars work great and are freezer safe!

Spring Greens with Beets & Goat Cheese

I used fresh roasted beets in place of the canned beets in this salad - yum!!

Source:  adapted from Taste of Home magazine, April/May 2009

2/3 c. pecan halves

3 T. balsamic vinegar, divided

1 T. water

1 T. sugar

1/4 c. olive oil

2 T. maple syrup

1 t. whole grain mustard

1/8 t. salt

5 oz. spring mix salad greens

1 can (14-1/2 oz.) sliced beets, drained*

1 c. crumbled goat cheese

In a large heavy skillet, cook the pecans, 1 T. vinegar and water over medium heat until nuts are toasted, about 4 min.  Sprinkle with sugar.  Cook and stir for 2-4 min. or until sugar is melted.  Spread on foil to cool.

In a small bowl, combine the oil, syrup, mustard, salt and remaining vinegar.  Refrigerate until serving.

In a large bowl, combine salad greens and dressing; toss to coat.  Divide among eight salad plates.  Top with beets, goat cheese and glazed pecans.

Yield:  8 servings

*Note:  To roast beets, preheat oven to 425 degrees.  In a 9x13" baking dish, toss 1 bunch beets (about 1 1/2 lbs.), scrubbed, with 1 T. olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Cover dish tightly with foil; roast until tender when pierced with a knife, 45-60 min., depending on size.  When cool enough to handle, rub with a paper towel to remove skins (if desired).