Meatless Mondays–Green Chile-Vegetable Crock Pot Soup

February 11, 2013February 28, 2019 / More Time at the Table / 2 Comments

Vegan and Gluten-Free

On Monday mornings, I read the Sunday New York Times. (Read Mark Bittman’s article on bread in yesterday’s NYT magazine–beautiful.) I’m totally perverse. Occasionally I snuggle up on the couch for a Sunday afternoon with it, but I work Sundays…

and after I eat a late lunch that I never cook, I typically read something a wee bit ephemeral like the current book club book, a Diana Gabaldan novel, a P.D. James or a Dorothy Sayers (I’m re-reading all of her mysteries this winter). Right now I’m stuck, really stuck on a book called, FROM HERE, YOU CAN’T SEE PARIS, by Michael S. Sanders (2002, Harper Collins) I’ve read a lot of books about living in France (Isn’t there a plethora?), and enjoy them all, but this guy describes things so vividly I feel not only like I’m right there, but perhaps I’m the one writing or maybe participating in some way. Quite touching, quite moving, quite arms-open-wide-here’s-how-it-feels.

There are times on Sunday that we go for a long walk with the doggies; we live near the Mississippi River and there’s a beautiful, miles’ long parkway with walking-bike trails. In the winter, it’s the only time we go to The Mall of America, despite the fact that it’s ten minutes away. Great place to walk in bad weather if it’s not too crowded; I seldom buy anything but lunch.

Anyway, that’s why I read the NYT on Monday after I do my power walk (which now includes four minutes of running a day–I keep edging it up–go bones) and have breakfast. (Breakfast today is a chopped Minnesota Honey Crisp Apple with 1/2 cup Fage No-Fat Plain Yogurt and a tablespoon of my own granola, which is terribly good for you!) Dave’s back in his home office or traveling, and I rarely blog on Mondays…except today…so I can just sit and enjoy the paper at my leisure while I catch up on laundry.

Today’s a little different…when I just had to share a simple, flexible, 0-1 Point WW chile vegetable crock pot soup on a meatless Monday. I would easily say this is 0 Points, but I’ve put in a sweet potato and it may make the second cup count as a point; I’m no Weight Watchers expert. I’ve had such good responses to my 0-Point Vegetable Soup a la Provence, that it spurred me to make another soup to keep me on my fitness program and to have at-the-ready …

LUNCH FOR THE WEEK.

Whether or not it’s cold where you live, this is a warm-up; the chiles and hint of chile powder take the vegetables out for a run while you do whatever all day long. You then have lunches–no temptation to go for take-out– or can freeze this in one or two-quart containers so that you don’t get bored with it. If you’re not watching every calorie P and Q, you might have a few tortilla chips and a little grated cheddar on top. Feeding a family or an individual who likes a larger, heartier meal? Serve two cups of the soup ladled over a half or whole cup of hot brown rice– or even 1/2 cup each pinto or black beans and rice. I like to blend just part of this soup and return it to the crock pot so that it has a thicker appearance and texture. Try this:

slow cooker green chile-vegetable soup

8-10 servings

Cook’s Note: Switch the vegetables around to accommodate what you have or like. Be sure any purchased or canned ingredients are labeled “gluten-free,” if needed. If you’d like a vegan version, just leave out the cheese garnish.

1/2 cup white wine or water
2-quarts vegetable stock, gluten-free
28-ounce can chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
7-ounce can chopped chiles, undrained
3-4 drops hot sauce (I like Tabasco)
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
1 sweet potato peeled, large dice
1 onion, chopped
1 each yellow squash and zucchini, chopped
2 garlic cloves, smashed and minced
1 parsnip, peeled, sliced thinly
Handful of chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup corn, frozen or fresh
1 teaspoon each kosher salt and ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon each: fresh ground black pepper and chili powder (or to taste)
2 teaspoons dried oregano
tortilla chips (gluten-free) or grated cheddar cheese, if desired for garnish

Add all ingredients to a 6-7-quart crock pot. Set on high and cook four hours or set on low and cook 7-8 hours. Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary. Remove about 1/3 of the soup to a deep pot or large bowl and puree using an immersible blender (or in batches in the food processor or blender) and return blended portion to crock pot. Stir well. Serve hot as is or garnish with grated cheese or tortilla chips, if you like. If desired, serve over hot brown rice. Cool and refrigerate leftovers within two hours for up to three days in tightly-covered containers or freeze as long as 4-6 months

Stove-top soup: Bring all ingredients to a boil in a 10-quart soup kettle. Lower heat to a healthy simmer and let cook 30-40 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Follow rest of directions above.

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Interested in more crock pot/slow cooker or soup recipes? Check out Kalyn’s Kitchen Slow Cooker from Scratch or Lydia Walshin’s Soup Chick dot com. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: While this recipe appears to easily be both vegan (without the cheese garnish) and gluten-free, I am not a dietary expert. Please be sure of your ingredients if you are on a special diet and consult a dietician with any questions.

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Printable Recipe-Soup-Slow Cooker Green Chile-Vegetable Download

Slow Oven BBQ Ribs with Spicy Broccoli-Potato Salad

February 2, 2013December 22, 2013 / More Time at the Table / 4 Comments

Barbeque ribs made in my kitchen oven on a cold, cold day made it seem like…well, somewhat nearer to summer, let’s say!

In the middle of of the winter, I become entranced with the idea of summer food. I crave hamburgers on the grill eaten outside at the picnic table. I adore the idea of Sangria and a big crab salad. (I have the opposite reaction when in mid-July I crave beef stew. Every year.)

Maybe it’s just vacation that draws me.

But I really think it’s the food.

So I make a summer meal the best way I can. I throw a checked tablecloth on the dining room table, put the beer mugs in the freezer, and make something we typically only eat in the summertime. Like ribs. Just in time for Super Bowl or any other cold February day. Brrr.

Here’s how… in (mostly) chronological order with photos:

… … ... … … … …

Cook’s note: These ribs cook for three hours. You’ll make the broccoli-potato salad during the last forty minutes (or earlier, if you’d like).

slow oven barbeque ribs and spicy broccoli-potato salad
makes 1 rack of ribs and plenty of potato salad for 4-6

Disclaimer! These “recipe” ingredients (with the exception of the bbq sauce and the mustard vinaigrette) and the methods are pretty loose; I did not document my process as I often do. Use your best cooking sense and make this meal your own. For instance, I do not measure rub ingredients; I mix a rub and smell it to see if it’s about how I’d like it. (Click on “favorite rub” to find a rub you’d enjoy.) And I don’t put brown sugar in my rubs, which most people do. My brown sugar is in my sauce. Do make your own barbeque sauce…link provided below. Or take a basic recipe from somewhere and make it your own. Don’t buy sauce; it’s a ripoff. You’ll love having it in the refrigerator for burgers or chicken. Have fun!

Preheat oven to 300 degrees Dry ribs with a paper towel and rub both sides well with your favorite rub.

I like approximately 2 teaspoons each kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper, rosemary, and dehydrated onion and garlic. I then add 1/4 teaspoon each ground cayenne and cinnamon. Mix this all together in a small bowl before rubbing on ribs. (Enough for one rack of ribs–or make more to your taste.) Some cooks apply this rub the night before, storing rubbed ribs in the refrigerator. I do it right before I cook them.

Place rubbed ribs on a foil-lined sheet pan and let roast 2 1/2 hours, turning over once midway through cooking time. In the meantime, make your own barbeque sauce. (Scroll down for my “recipe.”)

About 40 minutes (or more), before the ribs are done, start the potato salad: Place 10-12 red potatoes in a heavy Dutch Oven with 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt along with 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Heat pan over medium-high flame and cover tightly. Reduce heat to medium low. Let cook twenty minutes or so, turning down heat if potatoes are browning too quickly or turning up if they’re not cooking. (If you’d like a boiled egg in your potato salad, now’s the time to make one. Without the egg, the broccoli-potato salad is a hearty vegan dish.)

Cut two larges heads of broccoli into florets and chop 2 tablespoons red onion (finely) and 1/4 cup each fresh parsley, red or yellow bell peppers, carrots, and celery. Set aside all the vegetables except broccoli.

Add broccoli to pot and cover for another ten minutes or so or until both potatoes and broccoli are tender. They may get crispy or browned–no matter.

In the meantime, check the oven:

After about 2 1/2 hours: Remove ribs from oven and brush thickly with barbeque sauce. Return to oven. Repeat every ten minutes 2-3 x until ribs are tender and browned (or until they’re cooked to your liking.)

Back to the potatoes and broccoli:

When broccoli and potatoes are tender, remove from pot, chop into 1-2-inches pieces and place potatoes in a large bowl. Season lightly with salt and pepper, a pinch of crushed red pepper, and drizzle well with Mustard-Tarragon Dressing while hot (see below for dressing recipe.) Stir well. Add the broccoli along with reserved chopped fresh vegetables and a chopped boiled egg, if using. (Skip egg for a vegan version.) Stir well, taste and adjust seasonings, adding more dressing as needed. Serve warm or at room temperature with extra dressing at table. (You can choose to add the broccoli along with the potatoes if you like; it’s simpler. I like the vinaigrette to hit the hot potatoes.)

When both potato salad and ribs are done, cut ribs into two-rib portions and serve with warm or room-temperature broccoli-potato salad. Enjoy!

Wine, if you’re not drinking beer for the game: Any California zinfandel.

——-Recipes——–

Barbeque Sauce

2 cups each ketchup and chili sauce
1/4 cup each lemon juice and red wine vinegar
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons each yellow mustard, Worcestershire, A-1 Sauce
1 tablespoon Soy Sauce
2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
4-5 Big swigs of Tabasco or other hot sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons celery seed

Whisk together in a medium pot and bring to a boil over medium flame. Taste and adjust seasonings. Lower heat to simmer and let cook 30 minutes. Store leftovers in a tightly sealed jar for up to two weeks in the refrigerator.

Mustard-Tarragon Dressing

1 clove of garlic, crushed and minced or grated

1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard

3T white wine vinegar (I like Chardonnay, but any will do.)

9T extra-virgin olive oil (the best you have for this salad)

1/2 t kosher salt and 1/4 t fresh ground pepper

2 drops hot sauce, such as Tabasco or more to taste

1T chopped fresh tarragon or 1 t dried

In a large bowl, whisk together the garlic, mustard and vinegar. Slowly add olive oil, whisking all the time or after every addition. Season with salt, pepper, hot sauce and tarragon. Whisk until well-emulsified. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Store leftovers in a covered jar so you can shake the dressing right before each use.
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Sing a new song,
Alyce

38 Power Foods, Week 29 — Pecans — Light Winter Vegetable Gratin with Savory Granola

February 1, 2013October 27, 2017 / More Time at the Table / 9 Comments

Each Friday, a wonderful group of women reaches across cyberspace and joins culinary hands to salute one very healthy food, one single beautiful ingredient from Power Foods : 150 Delicious Recipes with the 38 Healthiest Ingredients. (Scroll down for the list of blogs.)

I won’t say it’s not a challenge to come up to that gorgeous plate each week. If I’m busy learning music for church or have my daughter home, or am busy with the soup book, I sometimes can’t give the opportunity the intelligent focus and attention it deserves. I used one great recipe for more than one blog recently….life can get ahead of me sometimes. Hopefully I’m forgiven!

This week, the week of pecans, I had the time I needed to give this a good stab. To give it my undivided creative space. I’m grateful for the opportunity and the chance to move one sweet iota further in my cooking and writing. I hope you’ll enjoy the idea of this light vegetable gratin…which is maybe a bit more like a terrine in character, though not in the size and shape of a terrine. There’s no cream and no butter here unlike most gratins. There is a crusty, crispy topping; it’s a savory oatmeal granola without butter (yes, it has olive oil) to which I’ve added the traditional gratin component of cheese, but also finely chopped pecans.

While pecans are an American nut staple grown in the southern states, they’re not terribly common in other parts of the world, with the exception of South America. High in protein (though lower than almonds and walnuts), they are also high in healthy unsaturated fat, a good source of fiber and vitamin E, calorically dense, and weigh in at nearly two-hundred calories per one ounce serving. Store them in the freezer and use as needed. They are excellent for baking, cooking, and for general snacking.

LIVESTRONG NUTRITIONAL INFO FOR PECANS

Gluten-free and easily vegan (leave out the Parmesan), this winter vegetable gratin with healthful pecans in its topping is not only a gorgeous side if you need or your partner really needs a chop… but is a lovely lunch or entree for those in love with vegetables. (You might add more pecans for protein for the vegan version.) A sharp knife, a shallow dish (I used a heavy quiche pan in lieu of a gratin dish as I liked the shape, but even a 2 quart Pyrex would do), and a boatload of winter vegetables are the central components of your beautiful, filling meal. Try this:

winter vegetable gratin with savory granola

vegetables:

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided (needn’t be extra virgin)
1/4 cup red onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced
3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced thinly
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
3 stalks celery, trimmed, stringed, and sliced thinly
2-3 parsnips, peeled, and sliced thinly
1/2 fennel bulb, cored, and sliced thinly
1 turnip, peeled and sliced thinly
1/2 cup vegetable broth
2 tablespoons white wine
finely grated lemon rind, optional garnish (at table)

granola: (in a medium bowl, mix together well:)

1 cup old-fashioned oats
1/4 teaspoon each: kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
1/8 (pinch) aleppo pepper (can sub crushed red pepper)
2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese (omit for vegan version)
1/4 cup pecans, chopped finely
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, rubbed well in your hands or chopped finely
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoons vegetable broth

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (205 Celsius). In a small bowl, mix together red onion, garlic and parsley; set aside. With 1-2 teaspoons oil, brush the inside of a 9-10” shallow casserole dish or gratin dish.
Layer carrots, celery, parsnips, fennel, and turnips in dish, drizzling each layer with a little olive oil, salt/pepper, and sprinkling each layer with about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the onion mixture. (Place the rest of fennel at center if possible.) Mix the broth with the wine and pour over the vegetables.
Top with savory granola mixture* by crumbling it evenly over the vegetables. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 30 minutes until granola is crispy and vegetables are tender.
Serve hot with a bit of finely grated lemon rind, if desired.

*You may not need all of the granola; you can eat the rest as is for a good snack.
… … … …
If you liked this, you might like my Derby Pie–a Pecan-Chocolate-Bourbon specialty made only for the Kentucky Derby–May 3-4, 2013.

Or you might like my Go Nuts! which can be made with all pecans or a mixture of nuts:

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Here’s our wonderful group of bloggers. Join us!

Ansh – SpiceRoots.com

Chaya – SweetSav.blogspot.com

Jeanette – JeanettesHealthyLiving.com

Martha – Simple-Nourished-Living.com

Minnie Gupta from TheLady8Home.com

Mireya – MyHealthyEatingHabits.com

Sarah – Everything in the Kitchen Sink

We’d like to have you as part of the group. Get in touch with Mireya from My Healthy Eating Habits: Mireya@MyHealthyEatingHabits.com

… … … …

P.S. If you linked my cinnamon rolls to your blog, I’d love to know who you are! It’s now my top post in nearly five years. I’d like to thank you….

Sing a new song,
Alyce

30-Minute Vegetable Soup a la Provence (Vegan and Gluten-Free) or What I’m Eating for Lunch

January 24, 2013November 30, 2018 / More Time at the Table / 3 Comments

If you’ve been reading along on the blog, you’ll know I’ve made a commitment to lose 10 pounds by Saint Patrick’s Day when I always make a vat of potato soup and loaves of Irish soda bread:

Continue reading →

Pear-Grilled Fig Salad with Goat Cheese

October 9, 2012December 22, 2013 / More Time at the Table / 2 Comments

There are moments when I’m aware enough of the blessed goodness in my life. Maybe. I know not everyone has a counter full of butternut squash, apples, onions, shallots, garlic, hundreds (literally) of tiny green and red tomatoes, and Bosc pears. I know not everyone has a warm snug lying next to them come the cold, dark morning. Or a reason to get up and do something with the bounty in the kitchen downstairs. I probably don’t truly understand it, but I get it. My life hasn’t been all rose teacups and long walks along the river with the dogs.

This morning I read a post on a blog I follow (there’s a link in my blogroll at right, too).

leave it where jesus flang it

Margaret writes daily there. It’s a prayer journal of sorts. She’s an Episcopal priest on an Indian reservation in South Dakota and life’s hard there. The loss and the poorness and the hurt are hardscabble painful and it’s her job to keep showing up for the difficult moments and beyond. Today she writes about people nearby whose babies have just died… And (having had babies who died) I understand where this is and where it goes. What I am drawn to these many years later is twofold:

1. why…if we need each other so very badly through the crazy, hilarious, dipping, winding, bottoming-out life trek, and if church is meant to provide that for us…why are so many of us no longer part of that community? Or, if we are a part, are those communities truly sustaining us? and 2. a bursting grateful noise for all I have and all those who have loved me through the nearly killing losses. I come back to the idea that to begin with thanksgiving is a perfect way to pray/live and I have to learn it all over again, all over again, all over again. Even if God isn’t a welcomed presence in your life, I think the settling of near-constant thanksgiving in our bodies is a positive way to breathe on earth.

Ok, well, yup———-

and……truly:

I’m grateful to share a beautiful fall salad with you…speaking of that. I often cook on the “Meatless Monday” protocol because it’s healthy and it makes sense to me. It’s also a way to make me concentrate on most of the food on earth and, well, most of it isn’t meat.

I spent yesterday late afternoon re-testing a soup for my book (Roasted Vegetable Soup with Sage) and as I got the soup nearly finished thought to make a little salad out of what I had.

Which was beautiful Bosc pears, goat cheese leftover from a dinner for friends last Friday night (I grilled figs and filled them with goat cheese, a drizzle of honey, fresh thyme and black pepper), and some arugula. Sigh. Here’s how:

pear – grilled fig salad with goat cheese, walnuts, and arugula

serves 2 -3

3 cups arugula
2 ripe Bosc pear, cored and sliced (don’t peel)
2 ounces crumbled Goat cheese (leave out for vegan option)
1/4 cup chopped toasted walnuts (just put them in a small dry skillet for a few min.)
4 fresh figs cut in half and briefly grilled* (or 4 chopped dried figs)
Juice of half an orange
1/2 teaspoon sherry vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoon walnut oil
kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper

In a medium shallow bowl, place arugula and top with pears and goat cheese. Scatter walnuts around the edges of the salad and add the figs at even intervals. Drizzle all with the juice, vinegar, and oil. Sprinkle evenly with a pinch each of salt and pepper. Place bowl on table to admire your handiwork before tossing. Serve at room temperature. (If you need to make this ahead and refrigerate, you’ll want to add the pears–which would brown otherwise– and the dressing at the last minute. It’ll taste fine cold.)

*To grill fresh figs: Lightly brush a grill, grill pan, or small skillet with a bit of olive oil. Trim stems from figs and slice in half. Place figs cut side down in pan and grill over medium heat just a couple of minutes. Turn and grill on the other side. Note: How long you grill these will depend on how ripe they are. The riper, the less grilling– If terribly ripe, don’t grill at all.

I ponder here at the idea of saying “grace.” I think grace is a difficult word to define and how it is we come to SAY it, I don’t know. We also “say a blessing.” Or “give thanks.” Or “bless the food.” Someone, somewhere I was, said a blessing I can’t forget the gist of, but can’t recall the exact words. The idea was to be grateful for the food and for the nourishment to enable us to feed those without.
I’ll think about it. (If you know that blessing, leave it in a comment.)

A thought: the blessing is also a moment to breathe in an otherwise complicated, swiftly flowing existence. To pray and– to eat– in the moment. To be truly awake and aware of what’s before us and what will sustain us. To be grateful for loving, preparing hands, the instinct to love, the time to eat, and for the abundance.

Phew. My blog is different today. Beautiful fall winds and smiles to you,
Alyce

P.S. COMING TO A CHURCH NEAR YOU! (MAYBE) I think I forgot to share that our daughter Emily is officially ready to receive a call from the Presbyterian Church, USA. After over three years in seminary, she preached to the Committee on Preparation for Ministry (maybe I got that right) last Monday and they pronounced her READY.

Speaking of being grateful

Gone Fishin’ — In the Meanwhile Enjoy my Favorite Peach Post:

August 23, 2012December 22, 2013 / More Time at the Table / 5 Comments

Peaches, cream, and more

If its August. If it’s Colorado. I’m eating peaches. Any day. Every day. For at least two weeks. By themselves. On Greek Yogurt with Colorado honey and slivered toasted almonds. Or granola. On top of vanilla frozen yogurt. In a salsa on pork chops. Etcetera.

Here are a few of the yummy things I’ve done. Of course the best? Above. Fuzzy naked.

Grilled peaches:

Preheat clean grill to medium-high heat. Cut peaches in half and remove pits. Brush each half with a little bit of canola oil and place cut-side down on grill. Let cook about 3 or 4 minutes and turn over when grill marks are well-established, but not blackened. Cook another 2 or 3 minutes until tops of cut-side are somewhat visibly drying. Remove and cool briefly. Enjoy as is or try another good idea…

Grilled Peaches with Goat’s Cheese, Honey and Thyme

God had to have been in on this creation. Of course. Here’s how:

Grill peaches as above. Top each with 1-2 T plain goat’s cheese (softened a bit). Drizzle with your favorite honey and sprinkle with a few leaves of fresh thyme. (recipe copyright Alyce Morgan, 2010)

Grilled Peach Salsa

Lovely on BBQ Pork Chops (Really),

Salmon

Shrimp Tacos

Grilled Fish

Tortilla Chips? Of course. Here’s how:

2-6 t very finely minced jalapeno (to your taste–start with 2t and more if you’d like)
1/3 c finely minced onion
2 large peaches (Colorado preferred), cut in half and grilled*, peeled after grilling, and chopped into 1/2″ pieces
1 ripe avocado, peeled and diced
1/2 ea medium red sweet pepper and green sweet pepper, diced
1/2 c chopped fresh cilantro
Juice of 1/2 a lime
Dash of kosher salt and a couple of grates of fresh ground pepper

In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients gently but thoroughly. Taste and correct seasoning if necessary. (Add more jalapeno, etc) Serve on with grilled pork chops, shrimp or salmon or on seafood or fish tacos. (recipe copyright Alyce Morgan 2010)

Wine? If you make the bbq pork chops or salmon, try a little inexpensive Beaujolais. Other reds or bigger wines will overwhelm this meal, though a nice Lodi (California) Zinfandel would drink! It’s summer and something lighter and refreshing will turn on these peaches. If you make the shrimp or fish tacos, a cold Spanish Albarino (lovely white) or even an Oregon Pinot Gris could do the trick.

(If you’d like to make the green bean salad, here’s the blogpost for it, though I dressed it differently here. Rather than a mustard vinaigrette, I mixed a bit of top-quality light Ranch with some roasted salsa for a dressing.)

Lovely frozen yogurt from David Levovitz’ book THE PERFECT SCOOP. (Click for the recipe.) Just slice those lovely lady peaches and slither them on top of this silky iced lushness.

Or try PEACH AMARETTO BREAD PUDDING if nothing else sounds good:

Peach-Amaretto Bread Pudding serves 4-6

Ingredients:

2 large hard rolls, cut into ½” slices and buttered
2 large peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced into 1/3” pieces
3 extra large eggs
1 ½ -1 ¾ cups milk
1/8 c Amaretto liqueur
1 t cinnamon (Vietnamese is good)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter 2 qt round casserole and set aside.
In medium bowl, beat eggs and add remaining ingredients. Beat well.
Layer bread and peaches in casserole dish and pour egg mixture over all, stirring just a bit to make sure all ingredients are wet. If some bread/peaches are sticking out on top, it’s fine.
Bake 60-70 min. until edges are crispy, but bread is still tender. Let sit at least 15 minutes before serving. Serve with vanilla ice cream. Can also be served at room temperature or cold.

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While you do all that, I’m on the road again with a fishing pole in the trunk….

We’ll be back next week…all of us.

In the meantime, keep cooking…

and grinning.

Sing a new song, Alyce

38 Power Foods, Week 10 — Mushrooms — Mushroom Ragù on Gruyère Toast

August 17, 2012December 22, 2013 / More Time at the Table / 8 Comments

Slip some baguette with Gruyère under a broiler. Saute some mushrooms with garlic, shallots, herbs, broth and wine. Spoon the mushrooms over the cheese toast. Dinner is served.

I grew up in a house that revered mushrooms. In any form, but mostly on their own. Just cooked up in a big cast-iron skillet with some garlic or onions. Eating them on their own was his favorite, but my Dad also loved them with some rice, eggs, or chicken. He’d have mushrooms any old way. As a little kid, I wasn’t buying. It didn’t take long, however, for me to jump on his bandwagon.

My first mushroom love was the famous mushroom stuffed with sausage. That gave way to (Lord) the deep-fried variety with sauce. All the while, regular old mushrooms slowly began to take part in my kitchen pageant. One day I saw that I was buying mushrooms pretty much every time I went to the store. Talking with my oldest son the other day, I woke up and realized he was talking about cooking up a big pot of mushrooms. Never know what you’ll pass on.

Mushrooms are inexpensive. They’re healthy. They’re adaptable. They’re widely available and come in many varieties. They add vegetable and “meat” value to any dish. Mushrooms are quick to prepare and can be eaten raw, fried, baked, sauteed, braised, or boiled. They’re fine on their own, as a perfect omelet filling, luscious crowded together on top a steak or piece of chicken, and they just make gravy. What’s beef burgundy without mushrooms? How about a burger? Portobellos, grilled, or sauteed, are perfect in a bun with all the fixings. I’m sure there’s more!

I don’t know a whole lot about mushroom nutrition, but here are a few things I’ve discovered: they’re full of B vitamins and lots of minerals. In a nutshell:

Mushrooms provide many of the nutritional attributes of produce, as well as attributes more commonly found in meat, beans or grains. Mushrooms are low in calories, fat-free, cholesterol-free and very low in sodium, yet they provide important nutrients, including selenium, potassium, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin D and more. Read on to discover some of nature’s hidden treasures found in mushrooms. more info: mushroom.com

BTW: If you’d like to pick wild mushrooms, be extremely careful, and get some training. Many people become seriously ill every year eating poisonous mushrooms.

You don’t need a big herb garden. I just have a couple of fragrant pots right outside my front door. A little dirt. A little water. Not much more. In Colorado, we’re able to bring pots of herbs indoors for the winter.

When I realized mushrooms were up next on our 39 Healthiest Ingredients, I began dreaming of cooking up a big pot of them with yummy fresh herbs, shallots, etc., and spooning that over toasted baguette pieces that were topped with Gruyère. Last night I stopped dreaming:

mushroom ragù on gruyère toast serves 4

8 slices baguette
8 thin slices Gruyère cheese
1 T each extra virgin olive oil and butter
1/4 t crushed red pepper
24 oz any mixed mushrooms, sliced (shitake, button, crimini, portobello)
2 shallots sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2T minced mixed fresh herbs (tarragon, marjoram, chives, parsley, sage, thyme are good choices) plus a little extra reserved for garnish
1/2 cup each chicken broth, low sodium and white wine
1/4 t each kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, optional

Place baguette slices, topped with the Gruyère cheese, on a baking sheet and broil for about 2 minutes or until cheese is browned and bubbly. Remove from oven and place two cheese toasts in each of four shallow bowls. Set aside.

In a large, deep sauté pan, heat olive oil, butter, and crushed red pepper over medium heat. Add mushrooms, shallots, and garlic. Cook a few minutes without stirring until mushrooms are browned. Stir to turn mushrooms and add herbs, broth, wine, salt, and pepper. Simmer for several minutes, stirring occasionally until liquid is somewhat reduced. Taste and adjust for seasoning. Divide mushroom mixture evenly over toasted cheese baguette slices. Garnish with reserved fresh herbs. If desired, top with grated Parmesan. Pass extra fresh ground black pepper at the table.

For vegan option: skip Gruyere and brush bread with olive oil before broiling. Exchange vegetable broth for chicken and either use vegan grated cheese for garnish or no cheese at all.

Wine? Please serve my mushroom ragu with an Oregon Pinot Noir. You’ll be so glad you did. I’m partial to Ken Wright or Sineann, but there are many lovely winemakers around the Willamette valley.

Want more great mushroom ideas? Check out the other beautiful 38 Healthiest Ingredient bloggers:

Ansh – SpiceRoots.com

Casey – SweetSav.blogspot.com

Jeanette – JeanettesHealthyLiving.com

Jill – SaucyCooks

Martha – Simple-Nourished-Living.com

Mireya – MyHealthyEatingHabits.com

Sarah – Everything in the Kitchen Sink
Anabanana – adobodownunder.blogspot.com
.
As we go along, I’m guessing we’ll get some other writers involved. If you’re interested in joining the gang writing each week, get in touch with Mireya from My Healthy Eating Habits: Mireya@MyHealthyEatingHabits.com

Sing a new song,
Alyce

Alyce’s Tortellini Salad Goes to Denver, but Misses Olivia’s Birthday

August 13, 2012May 18, 2025 / More Time at the Table / 3 Comments

Summer comes and this tortellini salad comes with it. Just ask my family.
Full of tender cheese-filled tortellini and lots of chunky vegetables, it’s held together with a brisk mustard vinaigrette and lots of thin slices of sopressata or hard salami. If I’m going to a family event or a church picnic, I make a big bowl of this salad and bring it along. In Minnesota, it goes in the cooler and makes its way up north to celebrate Joe’s and Olivia’s birthdays. The original recipe was, I think, from the COLORADO SPRINGS GAZETTE years ago, but it has changed quite a bit over time.

Here in Colorado, it travels up I-25 to Denver for a family afternoon by the pool after a visit to a museum.

This year, Bill made a big hunk of brisket he smoked overnight. Sean brewed some beer and I made (of course) the tortellini salad. Occasionally it morphs just a bit; originally it didn’t have many vegetables. I had to amend that. The resulting salad is fine for a whole meal, but it’s also a total one-dish side for any barbequed meat. You know how pasta salad can be pale, insipid, and less than interesting? Perhaps only filling? Easily left on the plate at picnics? That is what this pasta salad is not.

***_{Recipe doubles easily to carry along to a big cookout. Cook the pasta in two pots.}***

Print Recipe

TORTELLINI SALAD FOR OLIVIA’S BIRTHDAY

Years ago, I read a tortellini salad recipe in the newspaper. Where? When? Whose? I don’t know but this is my long-used, changed-up version. A famous Marcella Hazan quote goes something like, “If I had invented pasta salad, I’d hide.” I like to think this might be the exception.

serves 12

Ingredients

Salad:

18-20 oz. fresh cheese tortellini-find in cold case at grocery or you could also use frozen cheese tortellini
2 small zucchini, cut into ¼” half-moon pieces
1 small yellow squash or yellow zucchini, cut into ¼” half-moon pieces
Olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 red sweet pepper, cut into large matchstick pieces (about ½” x 2”)
1 yellow sweet pepper, cut into large matchstick pieces (about ½” x 2”)
1/4 cup minced red onion
1/4 # hard salami, cut into 1/4″ slices
1/3 cup chiffonade of basil, fresh basil cut into thin ribbons — Reserve 1 tablespoon for garnish
1/2 cup 2 oz freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese — Reserve 2 tablespoons for garnish
Cherry tomatoes for garnish–optional

Vinaigrette:

3 cloves garlic, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Crushed red pepper.
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

COOK TORTELLINI AND SQUASH: In 8-10 qt. stock pot, bring 5-6 quarts well-salted water to boil. Add fresh tortellini and cook about 8 min or according to package directions (Costco fresh tortellini cooks only 2 minutes.) Tip in zucchini and yellow squash for the last minute or two to just take its crispness away.
DRAIN TORTELLINI AND SQUASH: Carefully pour out the pasta and squash into a large colander. While still hot in colander, drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch each salt and pepper. Stir gently. Allow pasta and squash to cool, stirring periodically. Carefully turn pasta and squash out into a large mixing bowl.
IN THE MEANTIME, MAKE THE VINAIGRETTE: In large bowl (or food processor), whisk together red wine vinegar, garlic and Dijon mustard. Add a generous pinch each of salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper. Rest 2 minutes or so. Slowly pour in olive oil and whisk until emulsified (creamy and satiny). Taste and adjust seasonings. Set vinaigrette aside.
MIX PASTA AND SQUASH WITH REST OF INGREDIENTS + VINAIGRETTE/SERVE: To the large mixing bowl with the tortellini and squash, add sliced peppers, red onion, salami, all but 1 tablespoon fresh basil, and all but 2 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano. Stir gently; tortellini can fall apart easily. Drizzle most of dressing onto salad and combine. Taste and adjust seasonings; serve at room temperature, adding a little more vinaigrette if needed. Garnish with reserved basil and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Add cherry tomatoes on top, if using. Store leftovers well-covered in the refrigerator for 3 days. Do not freeze.
TO MAKE AHEAD: This salad is best fresh but… if you must, you can make it ahead: Cook the pasta and cool, chop the vegetables, make the vinaigrette, etc., storing each part separately for several hours or overnight in the refrigerator. Let everything come at least near to room temperature and then mix, serve, and garnish, slicing and adding basil, as well as the tomatoes (if using) just before serving.

Notes

Sing a new song; make an old tortellini salad,
Alyce

38 Power Foods, Week 2 — Asparagus — Asparagus Soup

June 22, 2012December 22, 2013 / More Time at the Table / 13 Comments

Alyce’s Asparagus Soup a la Silver Palate

Every Friday for the foreseeable future, I’ll be blogging one of the 38 healthiest ingredients from POWER FOODS : 150 DELICIOUS RECIPES WITH THE 38 HEALTHIEST INGREDIENTS by the editors of Whole Living Magazine.

38 Power Foods is a group effort! Stop by these other blogs and see what they’re cooking each week as we team up to bring you some of the healthiest cooking available:

Ansh – SpiceRoots.com

Casey – bookcasefoodie.wordpress.com

Jeanette – JeanettesHealthyLiving.com

Jill – SaucyCooks

Martha – Simple-Nourished-Living.com

Mireya – MyHealthyEatingHabits.com

Sarah – Everything in the Kitchen Sink
.
As we go along, I’m guessing we’ll get some other writers involved. If you’re interested in joining the gang writing each week, get in touch with Mireya from My Healthy Eating Habits: Mireya@MyHealthyEatingHabits.com
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Read me regularly and you know asparagus is just about my favorite vegetable. Maybe zucchini is first; I don’t know. But I cook asparagus at the drop of a hat. In lots of ways. Here’s one of my favorite recipes, worth buying some gorgeous tiny bowls for (think antique store) so you can make this as a first-course. I first made Asparagus Soup as a starter for the lunch celebrating my daughter’s baptism, and have been making it ever since.

alyce’s asparagus soup a la silver palate
4 main course servings 6-8 first course servings

1 1/2 medium onions, chopped coarsely
1 shallot, chopped
2T butter or olive oil
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
1 large garlic clove, minced
6T fresh tarragon (or 2t dry), divided
1/4 c fresh parsley, chopped
2# asparagus, trimmed well and chopped
1 1/2-2 quarts chicken broth, unsalted*
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 stalk celery with leaves, chopped
4-6 drops hot sauce (I like Tabasco.)
1/4 c low-fat sour cream*
Lemon rind

In 6qt stockpot, heat butter or oil over medium-low and add chopped onions and shallot. Saute about 10 minutes until softened; add garlic. Cook another 5 minutes or until vegetables are very soft. Add salt, pepper, tarragon, parsley, and asparagus. Let flavors marry by cooking a minute or two, stirring and smelling as you go. Oh, tarragon.

Pour in 1 1/2 qts chicken stock and add the carrots and celery. Add the Tabasco carefully. Cover and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer 40 minutes or so until all the vegetables are very tender indeed. As it cooks, add more broth if it seems too thick. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Carefully puree in batches in blender (hold down top with a big towel) or in the food processor. You can use an immersion blender if you have one, of course.

Pour back into pan and serve hot or let cool and chill to serve cold. Top with a spoonful of sour cream, a sprinkle of tarragon, and a grate or two of fresh lemon rind.

*For a vegan version, use vegetable broth and leave out sour cream


If you live in St. Paul, my tarragon is right off my back porch in a whiskey barrel; you’re welcome to pick some.

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about asparagus

A. Morgan

Asparagus is the leading supplier among vegetables of folic acid. A 5.3 ounce serving provides 60% of the recommended daily allowance for folacin which is necessary for blood cell formation, growth, and prevention of liver disease. Folacin has been shown to play a significant role in the prevention of neural tube defects, such as spina bifida, that cause paralysis and death in 2,500 babies each year.

Its wealth of nutrients, fiber and very low sodium and calorie content make asparagus a nutritionally wise choice for today’s health-conscious consumer.

Asparagus is:

Low in calories, only 20 per 5.3 oz. serving, less than 4 calories per spear.
Contains no fat or cholesterol.
Very low in sodium.
A good source of potassium.⁽¹⁾
A source of fiber (3 grams per 5.3 oz. serving). ⁽²⁾
An excellent source of folacin. ⁽³⁾
A significant source of thiamin. ⁽⁴⁾
A significant source of vitamin B6. ⁽⁴⁾
One of the richest sources of rutin, a compound which strengthens capillary walls.
Contains glutathione (GSH). ⁽⁵⁾
^{nutrition info: courtesy asparagus.org}

other new projects – phew!

Here’s my fast Clam Chowder. Should it go in the new book???

I’m SO excited: I’m just starting to write a small cookbook called 30 Soups in 30 Minutes, and would enjoy some ideas you might have about what soups you’d like to know how to make quickly–or which soups from either blog you particularly like. There’ll also be some simple accompaniments for the soups, wine pairings, and a few tiny (read instant) desserts. It looks like I’ll be publishing through amazon on Create Space and then on to Kindle. Thoughts? Anyone done this before? I have July and August to work hard on it; I’m not directing a choir and only have some lessons and a seminar to teach. If you’d like to test any soup recipes, let me know; I need testers. The first recipe, Broccoli Soup with Toasted Brie, is ready for testing. Someone once wanted to do wine pairings for this book. Still up for it?! I’m so grateful to each of you for your support over the last three years (or more) and can’t wait to show you the book! Now that I’ve put it out on the blog, I’m gonna have to come through, eh? Sounding real.

Sing a new song; cook a new soup,

Alyce

50 Women Game-Changers – # 45 – Diana Kennedy- Fresh Salsa Mexicana from Jerez

April 27, 2012December 22, 2013 / More Time at the Table / 17 Comments

Wake up and smell the salsa.
This is not salsa made in New York City.
Nor in San Antonio.
This salsa is made in your house. On your cutting board.
And not in your Cuisinart.

Plant your gardens and sharpen your knives.

This salsa is worth the time it takes to grow the ingredients and make it by hand. But you can make it in its glorious Mexican-flag colors this weekend in honor of Cinco de Mayo if you’d like!

If you’ve not been part of this journey thus far, welcome to my addition to a great group of food bloggers who are, week by week, cooking dishes from the 50 Women Game-Changers in Food from Gourmet Live. This Friday we feature Mexican chef, teacher, and cookbook author, Diana Kennedy, a Brit (b. 1923) who ended up in Mexico in love with Mexican food for more than fifty years. Intent on sharing her passion, Kennedy wrote many cookbooks, (I count about twenty, though some are in English and some in Spanish.) but has remained most intent on passing on information about the culture of ingredients, agriculture, and cuisine all over the country.

“I’m a very active person,” she said. “I want to spend the rest of my days doing what I know best and that’s identifying what people are using in the culture.” Read more

Want to check out a recent interview? Read a 2011 interview with 88 year-old Diana Kennedy here.

But let’s get to the good stuff. How do you make this salsa? And what’s it good for?

fresh salsa mexicana from jerez

1 poblano chile—stems, seeds, and veins removed and flesh finely chopped
1 red jalapeño chile—stems, seeds, and veins removed and flesh finely chopped
2 yellow chiles—stems, seeds and veins removed and flesh finely chopped *
2 serrano chiles, finely chopped
3 tablespoons finely chopped white onion
1 ripe medium tomato (about 4 ounces), finely chopped
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon crumbled dried oregano
Salt

Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl; season with salt to taste. Set aside to macerate for about 1 hour.

*Not wanting an overly-hot salsa, I substituted red bell pepper for these chiles. My salsa was quite mild. For a hotter salsa, try adding first one and then another yellow chile.

Recipe courtesy FOOD & WINE.

This salsa was really tasty with eggs, and while I’m not a chip-eater, I did try it with some tortilla chips and would have eaten more if I weren’t saving some for a Friday night movie. I think it would make a great veggie dip; I’m always looking for vegetable-based dips. You could ladle this sauce over simple greens or plain steamed vegetables. I thought I’d try it with some plain grilled chicken and then in a chicken taco salad over the weekend. My guess is it won’t keep more than a couple of days, but who would want it to?

I just loved the colors and intrinsic beauty of the ingredients and kept taking photographs of the greens and the reds….