Storm Soup

STORM SOUP 

by Anne Tisbert

I cooked a large package of boneless skinless chicken thighs at 350 degrees sprinkled with garlic salt and pepper. 

While they are cooking I diced 2 large onions and put in bottom of largest stock pan. Add 1/2 head of chopped celery with the leaves. Drizzled pan heavily with olive oil and stir constantly over med/high heat until onions turn clear (3-5 minutes). 

Cut up into bite sizes and add all the following veggies - 12 carrots (scrubbed but not peeled), 2 purple top turnips and 6 gold turnips (peeled), also add 2 cloves of garlic pressed. Stir often until all very, very hot and slightly cooked about 20 minutes. 

Add four quarts of veggie or chicken stock. When the chicken was done, I cut it up into large bites and threw it into the soup including the pan drippings for extra flavor as it had very little fat. After cooking on the stove top for an hour I added 1 quart of fingerlings (also cut into bite sizes). I let it simmer for an hour and then shut it off. 

At dinner time a quick reheating of an extra hearty vegetable and chicken soup made for a great meal. Only wish I had picked up fresh bread as it would have been perfect for sopping up the tasty broth (but alas, it was not on the diet this week! I really cheated on too many things over the weekend and had to get myself back on track).

Roasted Beet Salad with Oranges and Beet Greens

Roasted Beet Salad with Oranges and Beet Greens
Bon Appétit | January 2004
Makes 6 servings

The delicate beet greens — which are an excellent source of potassium, folic acid, and magnesium — make this dish even more healthful.

Ingredients :

6 medium beets with greens attached
2 large oranges
1 small sweet onion, cut through root end into thin wedges
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel

Preparation : 

Preheat oven to 400°F. Trim greens from beets. Cut off and discard stems. Coarsely chop leaves and reserve. Wrap each beet in foil. Place beets directly on oven rack and roast until tender when pierced with fork, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Cool. Peel beets, then cut each into 8 wedges. Place beets in medium bowl.

Cook beet greens in large saucepan of boiling water just until tender, about 2 minutes. Drain. Cool. Squeeze greens to remove excess moisture. Add greens to bowl with beets. Cut peel and white pith from oranges. Working over another bowl and using small sharp knife, cut between membranes to release segments. Add orange segments and onion to bowl with beet mixture. Whisk vinegar, oil, garlic, and orange peel in small bowl to blend; add to beet mixture and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour. Serve.

Lasagna for a crowd

Lasagna for a crowd + (an extra for a friend) by Anne Tisbert 

This weekend I was craving Lasagna and thought to myself how can I make this using all the vegetables we have at the farm stand. A tastier combo. Everyone raved, so here it is. You can begin this several days ahead, in stages, or all at once. It seems I am always interrupted or should I say, I tend to under estimate the time it takes to do things. Although, It went together very well in several stages over a few days.

Ingredients:

• 1 package of Lasagna noodles (cooked. drained and cooled) 
• 1 lb of fresh ground pork or sausage (cooked til browned, scrambled and drained on paper towel) 
• 4 -QT jars favorite spaghetti sauce (I used Paul Newmans Organic w/spinach and cheese) 
• 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil 
• 4 small onions chopped 
• 2 large peppers chopped (I used 8 mini purple peppers) 
• 3 cloves of garlic minced 
• 1 Tablespoon of oregano 
• 3 medium - Zucchini (Italian Romanesco ) sliced 1/4-1/2" thick 
• 1 bunch of red Swiss Chard(leaves only) or Spinach leaves 
• 3/4 cup of cherry or 1/4" sliced 2 - tomatoes 

Filling - (Mix the following all together and set aside or refrigerate until ready to assemble)

• 2 - 32oz containers of Ricotta Cheese (some people like to use cottage cheese for lower calories) 
• 4 eggs (scrambled) 
• 1 1/2 - 8oz packages of shredded cheese (any kind you like, I had a mixed blend. Save last 1/2 for toppings) 
• 1/4 cup of dried parsley 
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 1 teaspoon black pepper 

Topping

• 4oz shredded cheese (Mozzarella makes a nice topping too!) 

 Preparation: 

Cook pasta (slightly under cooked or al dente), drain and set aside (or put in a baggie in fridge) until ready to assemble. 

Brown ground pork, into scrambled pieces and add 1 clove of minced garlic, drain on paper towel. Also can be put aside (or refrigerate) until later. 

In a large deep skillet warm olive oil, add peppers and onion, cook until onion is clear and peppers are limp, then add 1 cloves of garlic stir in just until fragrant. Add sliced zucchini and sauté until slightly cooked. Remove zucchini and set aside (or refrigerate until ready to assemble).  Turn off pepper, onions, garlic mix or set aside (or refrigerate until ready). 

Heat homemade or jar Spaghetti sauce, add pepper, onion, garlic mixture. Add cooked pork, and continue to heat on medium until it bubbles, even when stirred. Turn off heat and add oregano. Stir again. Set Aside. 

In a separate Large bowl, make filling by Mixing all the cheeses, eggs. Then rub the herbs in your hands as you add them to the filling until all ingredients are well blended. You are now finally ready to begin to assemble the lasagna. Get all your layers in order.

Assembly: 

I use an enameled roasting pan 8 1/2" by 15", 2 3/4"deep, and also a standard bread loaf pan and fill both at the same time, so I can freeze one for later. Laddle the meat sauce thinly to just cover bottom of pans. Next add a layer of lasagna noodles to cover all the sauce. Use the longest pieces first and then cut pieces to completely cover the sauce layer. Next Dollop Filling (rubber spatula) over all the noodles and then lightly spread filling into a 1/2 " thick layer. Then add another layer of noodles. Next add a thin layer of meat sauce covered with a layer of spinach or chard leaves. Next another layer of noodles. Next Dollop a thinner layer of cheese filling and spread only 1/4" thick. Another layer of noodles. Next a layer of meat sauce. Then a layer of zucchini slices and a layer of cherry tomatoes in between zukes or add another layer of large tomato slices on top. Then add a thin layer of meat sauce if more is still remaining. (If meat sauce is hot when layering, then, top with shredded cheese. If assembling cold, cook 40 minutes before adding cheese topping.) 

Bake at 375° for 30 minutes. Insert butter knife in center to test for hotness in lower cheese layers before removing from oven. Should be bubbling around sides too. Cut into large squares with a serrated knife and serve hot. Take uncooked lasagna pan of choice and cover with plastic wrap (xtra long so you will remember to remove plastic before baking) and also cover it with foil, FREEZE or deliver it to a friend. 

 Add a salad and crusty bread to complete your meal. Enjoy!

Feisty Beans

 adapted from 101cookbooks.com Prep time: 30 min - Cook time: 15 min

Ingredients:

1 pound green beans sliced diagonally
1/2 cup / 2.5 oz / 70g golden raisins
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 medium yellow onion, finely diced
3 bay leaves
1/3 cup white wine
1/2 teaspoon hot paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
scant 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
6 ounces extra-firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup crème fraîche or sour cream
1/4 cup or 3/4 oz sliced almonds, toasted
1/3 cup - one handful of finely chopped fresh cilantro
salt and pepper to taste


Preparation:

Cook the green beans in a pot of well-salted boiling water for about a minute or two, just long enough that they lose their raw edge. Drain and dunk in ice-cold water to stop the cooking. Drain again and set aside.

In a small bowl cover the raisins with scalding hot water for five minutes, drain and set aside.

Heat your largest skillet over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add the oil, garlic, onion, and bay leaves. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the onions and garlic start to brown just a bit. Add the wine and cook until it has mostly evaporated. Carefully remove the bay leaves. Stir in the paprika, cumin, coriander, curry powder, salt, crushed red pepper flakes. Stir in the tofu and raisins and cook until heated through, a minute or so. Add the butter and green beans and stir until the butter has melted. Remove from heat and stir in the crème fraiche, then most of the almonds and most of the cilantro. Taste and add more salt and some pepper if you like.

Serve topped with any remaining almonds and cilantro.

Serves 4 to 6.

Broccoli Salad

 Wendy Hall

• 1 Head Broccoli (cut into bite size pieces) 
• 1 cup raisins (can sub gold raisins or craisins) 
• 1 cup chopped red onion 
• 1 cup sunflower seeds 
• bacon bits (your own or the jar kind) 
• 1/3 cup miracle whip 
• 3 TB cider vinegar 
• 3 TB sugar 

Mix broccoli, raisins, onion, sunflower seed and set aside. In separate bowl mix miracle whip, vinegar, and sugar.

Just before serving add the dressing to the broccoli mixture stir well. Then add the bacon bits reserving a few for the top. Enjoy.

Carrot Top & Quinoa Soup

from food.com

 Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon light olive oil or 1 tablespoon canola oil 
• 1/2 sweet onions, diced 
• 4 cups water 
• 4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch rounds 
• 1 cup carrots, tops washed and finely chopped 
• 2 teaspoons beef bouillon granules 
• 1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed 
• sea salt 
• fresh ground black pepper 

Directions

In a 3-quart pot, sauté the onion in oil until translucent, then add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 20-25 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Swiss Chard Bake

Printed from COOKS.COM

• 1 1/2 lb. Swiss chard 
• 1/2 onion, minced 
• 2 tbsp. butter 
• 4 eggs, well beaten 
• 1 c. buttermilk 
• 2 tbsp. flour 
• 1/2 tsp. salt 
• Few drops of pepper sauce 
• 1 pkg. shredded cheddar cheese 

Wash and peel stems from chard and drop in boiling water. Cook about 3 minutes before adding the leaves. Cook another 3 minutes. Remove from water and cut into pieces. 

Cook onion in butter a few minutes. Then add the Swiss chard to skillet with onion and butter stirring constantly to the flavor of onion and butter. Set aside.

Beat eggs, add buttermilk, flour and salt and pepper. Mix well together. Combine cheese. In greased casserole place a layer of chard and a layer of cheese until all in dish. Cover with egg mixture. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Kale Sauté

 (Serves 6)

12 oz kale
Olive Oil

1 Clove of Garlic 

Several Seasonal vegetables

Rinse & Pat dry Kale; tear leaves into about 1-inch pieces, discarding tough ribs and veins. 

Put Olive oil and Sliced Garlic into deep Frying Pan. Cook on low until the garlic smells fragrant.  Add Kale and cook 5 minutes. 

Add other vegetables like, onions, peppers, Swiss chard, Summer squash, and drizzle more olive oil over all to keep from sticking to pan. Cook for 15 minutes together. If using green beans add them during the last 5 minutes to keep crisp and colorful. 

Serve over pasta or with grilled chicken or with grilled pork kabobs for a complete meal.

Fresh Tomato Salsa

• 4 Med Large diced tomatoes (strain 1/2 liquid and reserve) 
• 1/2 chopped red pepper, 1/2 chopped green pepper 
• hot peppers (1 jalapeno or more and different varieties for hotter salsa) 
• 1 diced green onion 
• 1-2 Garlic scapes or 1/2 diced green garlic 
• 1/4 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder 
• 1/2 tsp garlic salt
• 1 tsp black pepper 
• 1 diced jalapeno (more for hot salsa) 
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro 
• Franks Hot Sauce : 1 tsp for mild, 2 tsp for med, or 3 tsp for hot

Reserve tomato liquid. Stir all chopped vegetables together. Mix all herbs and seasonings in separate bowl. Add seasonings to veggies. Lastly stir in Frank's Hot sauce to taste. Add back desired amount of tomato liquid. Serve with slightly warmed organic corn chips.

Sugar Snaps with Baby Red Onions

Anne Tisbert

1 pint of sugar snap peas
3 mini red onions
1 Tbl of butter
1TBL of olive oil
2 cups of water

Cut both ends off mini red onions, remove outer skins and cut into slices and pull apart to make rings. Sauté in butter and olive oil, just until shiny, and set aside.

To prepare sugar snap peas rinse (only when ready to use - if rinsed sooner they will get spots and not look as nice), pull stem off toward inside curve of the pea. Sometimes a string will come too, so continue to pull off until string is removed. Discard stem and string. Do not remove peas from shell. Sugar snap peas have a very thick outer wall and are sweet, even when raw.

In a small sauce pan add water with a steamer and bring to a boil. Add peas and
cook only until their color is bright green. Strain water and place peas in a serving bowl.

Toss onions and oils over the peas when ready to serve. Toss lightly. Also delicious cold.

Chicken and Beets with Orange Butter

Your whole meal—both meat and side—is cooked in just one pan. Use the food processor grating disk to make quick work of shredding the beets.

• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter, room temperature, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon finely grated orange peel
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 skinless boneless chicken breast halves
• 2 tablespoons chopped shallots or onions
• 2 medium red beets with greens, greens stemmed and coarsely chopped, beets peeled and coarsely grated
• 2 teaspoons Sherry wine vinegar, divided
• 1/3 cup water

Mix 1 tablespoon butter and 1/4 teaspoon orange peel in small bowl. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Heat 1/2 tablespoon oil in medium skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Add to skillet and sauté until cooked through and golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Place 1 chicken breast in center of each plate; tent with foil to keep warm.

Melt remaining 1/2 tablespoon butter with 1/2 tablespoon oil in same skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots; stir until tender and beginning to brown, about 1 minute. Add beet greens; toss until leaves are tender but still bright green, about 2 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon Sherry wine vinegar; stir 30 seconds. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Spoon greens alongside chicken; cover to keep warm.

Add grated beets and 1/3 cup water to same skillet; cover and cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and continue cooking until beets are tender and water is almost evaporated, stirring often, about 1 minute. Add remaining 1 teaspoon vinegar; stir 30 seconds. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon beets onto plates. Spoon orange butter atop chicken and serve.

Bon Appétit | November 2009

Collards

Ingredients

• 3 strips bacon, diced
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 2 bunches collard greens washed
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

In a high-sided skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until brown, about 5 minutes. In the same pan add the onions and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Strip the leaves from the tough stems of the collard greens.

Stack the leaves, roll them up and cut them into thin strips. To the skillet with the bacon and onions, add the garlic and red pepper flakes, brown sugar, cider vinegar, salt and pepper, to taste. Add the greens, stir and cover the skillet.

Cook for 15 minutes, stirring halfway though. Collards are done when tender and no longer bitter. Remove from heat to a serving bowl.

Total Time: 35 min

Prep10 min

Cook 25 min

Yield: 4 servings

Squash Pie

Here are 2 winter squash pie ideas from Left Foot Organics.  The first one is quick and simple.  The second is more like quiche.

Savory Squash Pie

1 Baked Pie Shell
4-5 c Winter Squash, Cooked and Mashed
1/2-1 c Sauteed Onions
1/2 tsp Salt
Paprika

Mix squash, onions and salt. Spoon into baked pie shell. Heat through. Top with paprika. Cut and serve. Makes a great side dish for chicken or port. Also makes a great main dish for a light dinner with green salad, steamed or grilled veggies and whole wheat bread.

Recipe From Laurel's Kitchen, leftfootorganics.org

Acorn Squash Pie

2 Medium-Sized Acorn Squash, Halved, Seeded, and Baked
1 Pie Crust, Either Store-Bought or Homemade
1 tsp Rosemary
1 Clove Garlic, Pressed
1/2 tsp Salt
Fresh Ground Pepper
4 Eggs
Milk
Grated Emmenthal or Gruyere Cheese

Preheat the oven to 375 degree F. (You might try a hotter oven).

1. Scoop the flesh from the acorn squash into a bowl. Mash it with the pressed garlic. Rub the rosemary between your palms to bring out the flavor, and mix it with the squash and garlic. (My squash contained some butter and sugar already. You may want to add a little of either, or both). Add the salt and pepper, and mix well.
2. Crack the eggs into a measuring cup. Add enough milk to make two cups. (This is a variation on Julia Childs's rule of one egg to 1/2 cup of milk for a quiche). Whisk the eggs and milk together. Add them to the squash mixture, and blend well.
3. Place the crust in a pie or quiche pan. I used a store-bought pate feuilletee, or puff pastry, and just unrolled it into the pan on its parchment support. Prick the bottom of the crust with a fork. You can pre-bake the crust, but I usually don't. Instead, I spread a little grated cheese on the bottom of the crust. Spread the squash filling in the crust. Sprinkle a bit more gruyere on top, and bake. I'd love to be able to give you a specific time, but I forgot to look at the clock when I put the tart in the oven. 40 minutes is probably a good estimate. I'm also figuring that if you're reading this, you're enough of a foodie to know some quiche basics, or to know where to find them.

Recipe From Alison, leftfoodorganics.org

Corn Salsa

Corn salsa with purple onion, red bell pepper, jalapeño peppers, cilantro and lime juice.

Ingredients

~  2 cups corn kernels, about 2 ears
~  1/3 cup chopped purple onion
~  1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
~  3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
~  2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
~  1 to 2 finely chopped jalapeño pepper
~  1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.  Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours (even better overnight).  Remove from refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving.  Serve with grilled meat or poultry.  Makes about 3 cups.

For a heartier version, try about.com corn salsa.

Grilled Chicken with Rice and Fruit in Lettuce Wraps

Diners make their own wraps.  Stuff leaves of Boston lettuce with Jasmine rice and shredded Grilled Chicken tossed in a Lime Vinaigrette.  Add prepared herbs, veggies and fruit.  Roll it up, drizzle on Ginger Dressing and tuck in!

for Chicken:

~  2 grilled chicken breasts
~  1/3 cup lime vinaigrette (see below)

Shred the chicken meat and toss in the vinaigrette.  Let it sit 5 minutes and toss again.  Transfer to serving bowl.

for Lime Vinaigrette  (can be made ahead):

~  1/2 cup fresh lime juice
~  1 tablespoon honey
~  1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
~  3/4 teaspoon salt
~  1 cup olive oil

Whisk together the first 4 ingredients, then drizzle in the olive oil. Use 1/3 cup for chicken and serve the rest in a pitcher or dressing bottle.

for colorful bowls of Herbs, Veggies and Fruit:

~  1 head "Nancy" Boston lettuce, leaves separated and washed
~  1 cucumber, halved lengthwise, cored and cut into 1/8" thick matchsticks
~  1 red onion, cut into very thin slices
~  1 lb ripe peach or mango, peeled, pitted and cut into 1/8" thick matchsticks
~  1/4 cup fresh cilantro or other herb, finely chopped

for Rice  (can be made ahead and warmed before serving):

~  1 cup Jasmine rice
~  1 3/4 cups water
~  1/4 teaspoon salt

Wash rice in 3 or 4 changes of cold water in a large bowl until water is clear, then drain well in a large sieve.  Bring measured water and salt to a boil, add rice, cover tightly and cook over low heat until water is absorbed and rice is tender, about 20 minutes.  Remove pot from heat and let stand, covered and undisturbed another 10 minutes.  Fluff rice with a fork and transfer to a bowl to cool a bit.

for Ginger Dressing  (can be made ahead):

~  1/2 cup seasoned rice vinegar
~  1/2 cup vegetable oil
~  6 tablespoons mayonnaise
~  1/4 cup soy sauce
~  1/4 cup fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
~  2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
~  1/2 teaspoon Asian sesame oil

Puree all ingredients until smooth, about a minute in a blender.  Serve in a pitcher.

Savory Squash Pie

Makes a great side dish for chicken or pork. For a lighter supper, serve as a main dish with green salad, steamed or grilled veggies and whole wheat bread.

1 baked pie shell

4-5 cups winter squash, cooked and mashed

½ - 1 cup sauteéd diced or sliced onions

½ tsp salt

paprika

Mix squash, onions and salt. Spoon into pie shell. Heat through. Top with paprika. Cut and serve wedges.

from Laurel's Kitchen at Left Foot Organics

Autumn Minestrone

When a dark chilly afternoon in October portends a killing frost, gather the last of the garden's bounty and make a steaming pot of soup for dinner. This recipe makes a generous amount that will feed a family for more than one satisfying meal.

2 tablespoons canola or other vegetable oil (I use olive oil)

1 cup chopped onions

2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed

2½ cups peeled and cubed winter squash

2 celery stalks, diced (I chop 1 cup of stalks and leaves)

½ cup peeled and diced carrots

2½ cups cubed potatoes

4 cups chopped kale (I remove center ribs)

1 teaspoon dried oregano

2 teaspoons salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

6 cups water

1½ cups cooked or canned cannellini beans (15 oz can drained)

Warm the oil in a large soup pot on medium heat. Add the onions and sauté for 5 minutes, then add garlic for 1 minte. Add the squash, celery, carrots, potatoes, kale, oregano, salt, pepper and water, and cook for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are almost done. Add the beans and simmer for antoehr 5 to 7 minutes, until the beans are hot.

Serve immediately with fresh organic bread to soak up every last drop. Leftovers reheat very well.

Makes 12 cups; serves 6 to 8.

epicurious | October 1999

The Moosewood Collection