By Kathryn Washburn Breighner
Perry and I have both been in the kitchen with squash soups, his using buttercup and mine using butternut. In the fall, squash soups are popular as these hearty winter vegetables hold up to a myriad of flavors.
I wanted a savory, curry soup. Many of the squash soup recipes call for cubing the uncooked squash and then simmering in stock. Since I like the sweet flavor that roasting brings to vegetables, I roasted the butternut squash first. I pierced two medium size butternut squash and roasted on a baking sheet at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes until a knife could pierce the squash and come out easily. Then I cut them in half and let them cool.
While they were cooking, I sauteed:
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced, in
3 T olive oil
As the vegetables softened, I added 2 t of curry powder and stirred for a minute (the fragrance that comes from the pan is amazing!). To this pan, I added 1 cup of water and brought to a simmer.
I scooped out the cooked squash and pureed in a food processor. To the squash, I added the water/garlic/curry/water along with 2 1/2 c of water and 3 t of chicken base (Penzey's). Puree until smooth adding more water, if desired, for a thinner soup
Back to the pot went the puree with some salt and pepper and it simmered on low heat for 15 minutes. The soup was served with a dollop of sour cream. Wow!
Showing posts with label Penzey's. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Penzey's. Show all posts
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Chicken Dumplings in Green Curry
By Perry Washburn
My son Daniel rang me midday from college. "I'm coming home tonight to get winter clothes. Let's cook."
After much debate, and on a quest for something "new", he found this recipe for dumplings - perhaps better called meatballs - in The Complete Asian Cookbook. Luckily we have one great and several good Asian groceries in town. As I teach Thai classes, I keep more basic Asian ingredients on hand than most people, and know where to find the rest. Daniel marveled at my fav Asian grocery, and the Asian ladies pulling lively blue crabs out of a bushel basket, barrel-full-o-monkeys style. (Double Dragon on 2nd Ave. for Des Moines locals.) The lemon, lemon grass, curry and basil flavors in this dish were stellar.
Here's the recipe, with my additions or changes in parentheses.
1 lb chicken minced
3 green onions, diced
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
1 stalk lemon grass, white part only, finely diced
1 tsp chicken stock powder (I used 1 tsp Penzey's chicken soup base)
1 1/2 cups cooked jasmine rice
1 egg plus one egg white (I used 2 whole eggs)
(1/2 cup bread crumbs)
2 Tbs oil
2 Tbs Thai green curry paste
3 cups coconut milk (or 4)
4 fresh kaffir lime leaves
1/2 cup basil
1 Tbs lemon juice
Mix together the chicken mince, spring onion, cilantro, lemon grass, 2 Tbs fish sauce, the stock powder (I mixed in the Penzey's soup base with the fish sauce before adding), and some pepper. Add the rice and mix well with your hands. (I found my "dice" or "mince" was not fine enough, so I threw it all in the food processor. Much easier.)
Beat the egg and the white (or in my case both eggs) with a mixer until thick and creamy, then fold into the chicken mixture. (I had NEVER tried to beat whole eggs. Didn't know it would work. A revelation! You don't quite get to soft peaks, but close. Because I used the extra yolk, and Penzey's paste, these may have been slightly more soupy than normal. I wanted the binding power of the extra yolk. But they were too loose to roll, so I added bread crumbs to get to meatball consistency.) With floured hands (I used lots) roll tablespoon sized balls, and place on a tray. Cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours. (I cheated, and we put them in the freezer for 15 minutes).
Heat the oil in a large frying pan (I used my 18-inch cast iron skillet for this, and needed all of it). Add the green curry paste, and stir over medium heat for 1 minute. (I added some of the thick cream from the coconut milk at the beginning, as this is the traditional way to start a curry. Make sure you DON'T shake the coconut milk, or you will mix it all up. It naturally separates; use the thick part first. Don't ever buy "light.") Gradually stir in the remainder of the coconut milk, and reduce to simmer. Add the lime leaves and the dumplings, cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. (I used a stiff spatula to turn them. I found in my cast iron skillet, these actually browned; I had to get under them to turn them. They would have broken with a spoon. I turned them often.) (If the sauce gets too thick, add more coconut milk. As the cans are commonly 19 oz each, you will have extra.) When the dumplings are done, stir in the basil, remaining fish sauce and fresh lemon juice. Serve over rice.
My son Daniel rang me midday from college. "I'm coming home tonight to get winter clothes. Let's cook."
After much debate, and on a quest for something "new", he found this recipe for dumplings - perhaps better called meatballs - in The Complete Asian Cookbook. Luckily we have one great and several good Asian groceries in town. As I teach Thai classes, I keep more basic Asian ingredients on hand than most people, and know where to find the rest. Daniel marveled at my fav Asian grocery, and the Asian ladies pulling lively blue crabs out of a bushel basket, barrel-full-o-monkeys style. (Double Dragon on 2nd Ave. for Des Moines locals.) The lemon, lemon grass, curry and basil flavors in this dish were stellar.
Here's the recipe, with my additions or changes in parentheses.
1 lb chicken minced
3 green onions, diced
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
1 stalk lemon grass, white part only, finely diced
1 tsp chicken stock powder (I used 1 tsp Penzey's chicken soup base)
1 1/2 cups cooked jasmine rice
1 egg plus one egg white (I used 2 whole eggs)
(1/2 cup bread crumbs)
2 Tbs oil
2 Tbs Thai green curry paste
3 cups coconut milk (or 4)
4 fresh kaffir lime leaves
1/2 cup basil
1 Tbs lemon juice
Mix together the chicken mince, spring onion, cilantro, lemon grass, 2 Tbs fish sauce, the stock powder (I mixed in the Penzey's soup base with the fish sauce before adding), and some pepper. Add the rice and mix well with your hands. (I found my "dice" or "mince" was not fine enough, so I threw it all in the food processor. Much easier.)
Beat the egg and the white (or in my case both eggs) with a mixer until thick and creamy, then fold into the chicken mixture. (I had NEVER tried to beat whole eggs. Didn't know it would work. A revelation! You don't quite get to soft peaks, but close. Because I used the extra yolk, and Penzey's paste, these may have been slightly more soupy than normal. I wanted the binding power of the extra yolk. But they were too loose to roll, so I added bread crumbs to get to meatball consistency.) With floured hands (I used lots) roll tablespoon sized balls, and place on a tray. Cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours. (I cheated, and we put them in the freezer for 15 minutes).
Heat the oil in a large frying pan (I used my 18-inch cast iron skillet for this, and needed all of it). Add the green curry paste, and stir over medium heat for 1 minute. (I added some of the thick cream from the coconut milk at the beginning, as this is the traditional way to start a curry. Make sure you DON'T shake the coconut milk, or you will mix it all up. It naturally separates; use the thick part first. Don't ever buy "light.") Gradually stir in the remainder of the coconut milk, and reduce to simmer. Add the lime leaves and the dumplings, cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. (I used a stiff spatula to turn them. I found in my cast iron skillet, these actually browned; I had to get under them to turn them. They would have broken with a spoon. I turned them often.) (If the sauce gets too thick, add more coconut milk. As the cans are commonly 19 oz each, you will have extra.) When the dumplings are done, stir in the basil, remaining fish sauce and fresh lemon juice. Serve over rice.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Black-eyed Chicken
By Perry Washburn
This fall finds me on the run, frequently looking to make something tasty - fast.
I had thawed a package of chicken thighs, and I knew I had a bag of basil from an Asian market run that needed to be used. And a bunch of leftover white rice. The rest was a fridge raid. My girls loved this! Here's how this really fun dish came out.
1 pound of chicken thighs, cleaned, boned and diced
Sesame oil
4 stalks celery, chopped
1 small onion, diced
1 cup green onion, with the white and green separated
1 cup basil, chopped
2 Tbs spicy brown bean sauce (check your Asian market)
1/2 tsp ground chili garlic oil (ditto)
1 can black-eyed peas, including the juice
1 tsp Penzey's vegetable soup base
Saute the chicken in a tablespoon or so of sesame oil until it's starting to lose its pink. Add the celery, the onion, and the white/light green part of the green onions. Continue cooking until they are beginning to wilt. Add the bean sauce, the chili/garlic oil, the blackeyed peas and the soup base. Cook for 5 minutes or so, until it's all well mixed. Stir in the basil and green onion, and serve over steamed (or in my case, reheated) rice.
This fall finds me on the run, frequently looking to make something tasty - fast.
I had thawed a package of chicken thighs, and I knew I had a bag of basil from an Asian market run that needed to be used. And a bunch of leftover white rice. The rest was a fridge raid. My girls loved this! Here's how this really fun dish came out.
1 pound of chicken thighs, cleaned, boned and diced
Sesame oil
4 stalks celery, chopped
1 small onion, diced
1 cup green onion, with the white and green separated
1 cup basil, chopped
2 Tbs spicy brown bean sauce (check your Asian market)
1/2 tsp ground chili garlic oil (ditto)
1 can black-eyed peas, including the juice
1 tsp Penzey's vegetable soup base
Saute the chicken in a tablespoon or so of sesame oil until it's starting to lose its pink. Add the celery, the onion, and the white/light green part of the green onions. Continue cooking until they are beginning to wilt. Add the bean sauce, the chili/garlic oil, the blackeyed peas and the soup base. Cook for 5 minutes or so, until it's all well mixed. Stir in the basil and green onion, and serve over steamed (or in my case, reheated) rice.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Spicy Chickpeas & Tomatoes
By Kathryn Washburn Breighner
Oh, is this tasty! I love spicy, Indian flavors and have fond memories of a chickpea & eggplant stew that I had at diner in Maine years ago. This version comes close.
This dish can be done with just the chickpeas and tomatoes but because the garden is flourishing right now, I added onions, green pepper, and eggplant to it. The result is a thick vegetable stew that makes a great side dish (would be great with the lamb we just got) or for lunch as I had it today.
The hands-on time for this dish is less than 10 minutes. If you stick with just the tomatoes and chickpeas, it takes about 5 minutes to prepare, another 20 to simmer. Fast and tasty!
3 T olive oil
3 T cumin
2 T coriander
1 t ginger
1 t cinnamon
cayenne pepper to taste--I added about 1/2 t--I love Penzey's black & red
1/2 med onion, diced
1/2 green pepper, diced
1 qt canned tomatoes juice included
2 cans chickpeas/garbanzo beans
1 1/2 c chopped eggplant (I used a long, thin variety)
salt, pepper to taste
1/2 c chopped Italian parsley
Saute the onion and green pepper in the olive oil over medium heat until they just begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the spices and saute, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes or until the oil turns a deep, rich color. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve hot, cold or at room temperature and top with chopped parsley.
Oh, is this tasty! I love spicy, Indian flavors and have fond memories of a chickpea & eggplant stew that I had at diner in Maine years ago. This version comes close.
This dish can be done with just the chickpeas and tomatoes but because the garden is flourishing right now, I added onions, green pepper, and eggplant to it. The result is a thick vegetable stew that makes a great side dish (would be great with the lamb we just got) or for lunch as I had it today.
The hands-on time for this dish is less than 10 minutes. If you stick with just the tomatoes and chickpeas, it takes about 5 minutes to prepare, another 20 to simmer. Fast and tasty!
3 T olive oil
3 T cumin
2 T coriander
1 t ginger
1 t cinnamon
cayenne pepper to taste--I added about 1/2 t--I love Penzey's black & red
1/2 med onion, diced
1/2 green pepper, diced
1 qt canned tomatoes juice included
2 cans chickpeas/garbanzo beans
1 1/2 c chopped eggplant (I used a long, thin variety)
salt, pepper to taste
1/2 c chopped Italian parsley
Saute the onion and green pepper in the olive oil over medium heat until they just begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the spices and saute, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes or until the oil turns a deep, rich color. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve hot, cold or at room temperature and top with chopped parsley.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Blueberry Clafouti
By Kathryn Washburn Breighner
Yes, clafouti which is pronounced cla foo' tee. Translation: yum! I first discovered clatoutis about 10 years ago and the first one I made was with fresh peaches. A clafouti is a custard like dessert dish with just enough flour added to give it different texture than custard.
You can use any kind of fruit with a clafouti but we have fresh blueberries right now so I used them in this dessert last night. We love any kind of clafoutis. They are meant to be served right out of the oven as the mixture rises a bit. But once it cools and falls a bit, stick it in the fridge for a completely different version the next day as a cold dessert.
The hot version is somewhat light while the cold version is thicker, more custard like. I don't have a preference; I love them both. And a clafouti is not just for dessert. They can be for breakfast which is how I had it today--fruit, milk, eggs--breakfast!
The total hands-on time for a clafouti is about 10 minutes, less if an easy to use fruit like blueberries are used, a bit more if you have to peel and slice peaches, or pit fresh tart cherries (which are in season right now in Michigan!).
Blueberry Clafouti
3 cups blueberries--enough to create a single layer of fruit on the bottom of a greased 9" baking pan
4 eggs
3/4 c sugar
1 c milk
1 1/2 t vanilla
1 t grated lemon peel (I used the dried version from Penzey's)
3/4 flour
powdered sugar for dusting
Beat the eggs until well blended then add the sugar and beat until light and frothy. Mix in milk, vanilla, and lemon peel. Then add flour and beat until smooth.
Place the fruit in a greased 9" pan. Pour the batter over the fruit. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes until the top is browned and the dessert begins to pull away from the edge of the pan. Dust with powdered sugar and enjoy!
Yes, clafouti which is pronounced cla foo' tee. Translation: yum! I first discovered clatoutis about 10 years ago and the first one I made was with fresh peaches. A clafouti is a custard like dessert dish with just enough flour added to give it different texture than custard.
You can use any kind of fruit with a clafouti but we have fresh blueberries right now so I used them in this dessert last night. We love any kind of clafoutis. They are meant to be served right out of the oven as the mixture rises a bit. But once it cools and falls a bit, stick it in the fridge for a completely different version the next day as a cold dessert.
The hot version is somewhat light while the cold version is thicker, more custard like. I don't have a preference; I love them both. And a clafouti is not just for dessert. They can be for breakfast which is how I had it today--fruit, milk, eggs--breakfast!
The total hands-on time for a clafouti is about 10 minutes, less if an easy to use fruit like blueberries are used, a bit more if you have to peel and slice peaches, or pit fresh tart cherries (which are in season right now in Michigan!).
Blueberry Clafouti
3 cups blueberries--enough to create a single layer of fruit on the bottom of a greased 9" baking pan
4 eggs
3/4 c sugar
1 c milk
1 1/2 t vanilla
1 t grated lemon peel (I used the dried version from Penzey's)
3/4 flour
powdered sugar for dusting
Beat the eggs until well blended then add the sugar and beat until light and frothy. Mix in milk, vanilla, and lemon peel. Then add flour and beat until smooth.
Place the fruit in a greased 9" pan. Pour the batter over the fruit. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes until the top is browned and the dessert begins to pull away from the edge of the pan. Dust with powdered sugar and enjoy!
Monday, February 23, 2009
Bacon Cheese Potato Frittata
By Kathryn Washburn Breighner
It was clean out the refrigerator night. So I made a frittata! This Italian egg dish is so versatile and can have veggies, cheese, or meats in it. For this dish, I used leftover bacon bits, along with a leftover chopped onion, green pepper, and fresh chives from my AeroGarden and some cheddar cheese that needed to be used. This is an excellent dish....a perfect dinner for the two of us but could be a great breakfast treat as well.
I love frittatas both with and without potatoes. If you are not using potatoes, add more eggs. For a more filling frittata, the potatoes really help make it a one dish meal. In the summer months, I'll throw in garden veggies with kielbasa or chorizo and make a simple dinner dish. This dish served 2 of us for dinner with leftovers and was outstanding!
Bacon, Cheddar Cheese, Yukon Gold Potato Frittata
1/2 pound bacon bits or pieces
1 chopped onion
1 chopped green pepper
1 minced garlic clove
4 medium Yukon gold potatoes, thinly sliced
4 eggs
3/4 c milk
2 T chopped fresh chives (or whatever herbs you have--mine came from my AeroGarden)
1 c shredded cheese, I used cheddar
2 T olive oil
Saute the bacon until cooked but not crisp in a well-seasoned (of course) cast iron skillet. Remove the bacon to a plate lined with paper towel. Drain off the bacon grease (yes, get rid of it!) and add 2 T extra virgin olive oil.
Saute the onion, green pepper, and garlic. Remove the veggies from skillet--I added it to the plate with the bacon bits. Add the sliced potatoes and saute until they just begin to brown--do not cook completely through. The thinly sliced potatoes become like a crust on the bottom of the frittata. To the skillet, top the potatoes with the bacon and sauteed vegetables but do not stir--leave the potatoes intact as the bottom layer.
In a bowl, beat 4 eggs with the milk, chives (or any fresh or dried herb--super tasty with basil!), salt, pepper (I used Penzey's black and red). Add to the skillet. Top with the grated cheese.
Frittatas can be both stove top or oven baked and we do both. For this version, I used the oven just to be a bit different. I put the skillet in a 350 degree F oven and baked for 10-15 minutes until the cheese browned. Cut into pie shaped wedges and enjoy!
It was clean out the refrigerator night. So I made a frittata! This Italian egg dish is so versatile and can have veggies, cheese, or meats in it. For this dish, I used leftover bacon bits, along with a leftover chopped onion, green pepper, and fresh chives from my AeroGarden and some cheddar cheese that needed to be used. This is an excellent dish....a perfect dinner for the two of us but could be a great breakfast treat as well.
I love frittatas both with and without potatoes. If you are not using potatoes, add more eggs. For a more filling frittata, the potatoes really help make it a one dish meal. In the summer months, I'll throw in garden veggies with kielbasa or chorizo and make a simple dinner dish. This dish served 2 of us for dinner with leftovers and was outstanding!
Bacon, Cheddar Cheese, Yukon Gold Potato Frittata
1/2 pound bacon bits or pieces
1 chopped onion
1 chopped green pepper
1 minced garlic clove
4 medium Yukon gold potatoes, thinly sliced
4 eggs
3/4 c milk
2 T chopped fresh chives (or whatever herbs you have--mine came from my AeroGarden)
1 c shredded cheese, I used cheddar
2 T olive oil
Saute the bacon until cooked but not crisp in a well-seasoned (of course) cast iron skillet. Remove the bacon to a plate lined with paper towel. Drain off the bacon grease (yes, get rid of it!) and add 2 T extra virgin olive oil.
Saute the onion, green pepper, and garlic. Remove the veggies from skillet--I added it to the plate with the bacon bits. Add the sliced potatoes and saute until they just begin to brown--do not cook completely through. The thinly sliced potatoes become like a crust on the bottom of the frittata. To the skillet, top the potatoes with the bacon and sauteed vegetables but do not stir--leave the potatoes intact as the bottom layer.
In a bowl, beat 4 eggs with the milk, chives (or any fresh or dried herb--super tasty with basil!), salt, pepper (I used Penzey's black and red). Add to the skillet. Top with the grated cheese.
Frittatas can be both stove top or oven baked and we do both. For this version, I used the oven just to be a bit different. I put the skillet in a 350 degree F oven and baked for 10-15 minutes until the cheese browned. Cut into pie shaped wedges and enjoy!
Saturday, February 21, 2009
And More Basil--Tomato Soup, too
By Kathryn Washburn Breighner
Perry is right that for those of us in northern climates, finding basil in the winter is a task. Perry's find of inexpensive fresh basil at the Asian grocery store spurred Nathaniel to visit his nearby Asian grocery in Tampa and he came home with the same large bag of basil for only a few dollars.
There are no Asian groceries near us so sadly, that option is not available. I have an indoor AeroGarden which I use in the winter months to grow herbs. I love it! I currently have an abundant crop of purple basil, sweet basil, dill, mint, thyme, chives, and parsley. I don't know how I made it through the winter without the AeroGarden. There is a separate post on the blog about the AeroGarden.
In the summer, I usually have 3 different kinds of basil in the garden and as the season ends, I 'put up' the basil in a variety of ways. We can marinara sauce, lots of it using my tomatoes (70 tomato plants last summer!) We dried baskets full of basil using the dehydrator--wow, does each tiny jar of basil require a large quantity of fresh basil.
And I freeze basil in cubes as I described to Perry in my comments to his posting. Easy to do with any herb that you have extra of: rinse and chop, pack into ice cube trays (I had to buy some to use for the herbs since we no longer use ice cube trays to make ice!), top with water to cover, freeze, and then pop out of the trays and put in a freezer bag. I typically freeze 8-10 trays of basil to use in the winter.
One of our favorite quick winter soups is a Tomato Basil
2 32-oz. jars of tomatoes, I only used the ones I've canned, so if you have to buy canned tomatoes (AAGGHH!), use 2 28-oz cans
2 T olive oil
1 minced onion
4 garlic cloves minced
2 c vegetable stock
8 cubes of frozen basil (or 1 1/2 t dried or 1/4 c fresh basil, minced)
salt and pepper
Saute the onion and garlic in the oil. Add the tomatoes, vegetable stock, basil cubes, salt and pepper (I use Penzey's black and red pepper).
Simmer for 15-20 minutes breaking up the tomatoes while they cook.
Serve with fresh croutons. I make mine with cubed leftover bread tossed with a little olive oil and Penzey's Sandwich Sprinkle and baked at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, tossing occasionally.
Perry is right that for those of us in northern climates, finding basil in the winter is a task. Perry's find of inexpensive fresh basil at the Asian grocery store spurred Nathaniel to visit his nearby Asian grocery in Tampa and he came home with the same large bag of basil for only a few dollars.
There are no Asian groceries near us so sadly, that option is not available. I have an indoor AeroGarden which I use in the winter months to grow herbs. I love it! I currently have an abundant crop of purple basil, sweet basil, dill, mint, thyme, chives, and parsley. I don't know how I made it through the winter without the AeroGarden. There is a separate post on the blog about the AeroGarden.
In the summer, I usually have 3 different kinds of basil in the garden and as the season ends, I 'put up' the basil in a variety of ways. We can marinara sauce, lots of it using my tomatoes (70 tomato plants last summer!) We dried baskets full of basil using the dehydrator--wow, does each tiny jar of basil require a large quantity of fresh basil.
And I freeze basil in cubes as I described to Perry in my comments to his posting. Easy to do with any herb that you have extra of: rinse and chop, pack into ice cube trays (I had to buy some to use for the herbs since we no longer use ice cube trays to make ice!), top with water to cover, freeze, and then pop out of the trays and put in a freezer bag. I typically freeze 8-10 trays of basil to use in the winter.
One of our favorite quick winter soups is a Tomato Basil
2 32-oz. jars of tomatoes, I only used the ones I've canned, so if you have to buy canned tomatoes (AAGGHH!), use 2 28-oz cans
2 T olive oil
1 minced onion
4 garlic cloves minced
2 c vegetable stock
8 cubes of frozen basil (or 1 1/2 t dried or 1/4 c fresh basil, minced)
salt and pepper
Saute the onion and garlic in the oil. Add the tomatoes, vegetable stock, basil cubes, salt and pepper (I use Penzey's black and red pepper).
Simmer for 15-20 minutes breaking up the tomatoes while they cook.
Serve with fresh croutons. I make mine with cubed leftover bread tossed with a little olive oil and Penzey's Sandwich Sprinkle and baked at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, tossing occasionally.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Black Beans & Yellow Rice
by Kathryn Washburn Breighner
Many years ago, we had this dish at Barnacle Phil's on North Captiva Island, just across the water from David T, and I was hooked. This restaurant used to sell a take-home black bean package mix with a recipe and packaged spices and I could recreate back in Michigan this wonderful dish.
Black beans served on yellow rice is traditionally a Cuban-style dish and we are Cuban food fans. I love black beans any style--in a simple salad with chopped onion, green peppers, fresh corn, cilantro, olive oil, and vinegar. For a side dish, I love a cumin style black bean side dish with sauteed onions and garlic, toss in a can of rinsed black beans, add a little chicken stock, salt, pepper, cumin.
But black beans and yellow rice----my favorite. This dish is a meal by itself served with a salad or bread. This is a meatless dish but I also have made it with ham. And now, medical reports show that turmeric is good for many health concerns so this turmeric yellow rice is not only tasty but good for you!
This is my version, a take off on the Barnacle Phil's dish. These beans are just as good a day or two later!
1 lb. Black beans
1 med. onion
1 med. green pepper
2 garlic cloves
2 bay leaves
2 T cumin
1 T chili powder (I use the new Penzey's Chili 9000--awesome!)
1 t paprika (home dried, of course, from Serbian paprikas)
½ t white vinegar
1/4 c. oil
salt
pepper
Bring 3 qts. water to a boil and add rinsed beans and chopped onion and green pepper. Simmer for 1 hour and keep beans covered with water at all times. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 1 hour adding water if necessary.
Yellow Rice
2 T oil
2 cups rice
3 3/4 c water
1 small onion
½ green pepper
1 T turmeric
1 T chicken base (Penzey's)
2 cloves garlic
Saute onion and green pepper in oil. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil, simmer for 15 min. or until rice is tender.
Serve beans on rice topped with chopped onions, olive oil, and hot sauce.
Many years ago, we had this dish at Barnacle Phil's on North Captiva Island, just across the water from David T, and I was hooked. This restaurant used to sell a take-home black bean package mix with a recipe and packaged spices and I could recreate back in Michigan this wonderful dish.
Black beans served on yellow rice is traditionally a Cuban-style dish and we are Cuban food fans. I love black beans any style--in a simple salad with chopped onion, green peppers, fresh corn, cilantro, olive oil, and vinegar. For a side dish, I love a cumin style black bean side dish with sauteed onions and garlic, toss in a can of rinsed black beans, add a little chicken stock, salt, pepper, cumin.
But black beans and yellow rice----my favorite. This dish is a meal by itself served with a salad or bread. This is a meatless dish but I also have made it with ham. And now, medical reports show that turmeric is good for many health concerns so this turmeric yellow rice is not only tasty but good for you!
This is my version, a take off on the Barnacle Phil's dish. These beans are just as good a day or two later!
1 lb. Black beans
1 med. onion
1 med. green pepper
2 garlic cloves
2 bay leaves
2 T cumin
1 T chili powder (I use the new Penzey's Chili 9000--awesome!)
1 t paprika (home dried, of course, from Serbian paprikas)
½ t white vinegar
1/4 c. oil
salt
pepper
Bring 3 qts. water to a boil and add rinsed beans and chopped onion and green pepper. Simmer for 1 hour and keep beans covered with water at all times. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 1 hour adding water if necessary.
Yellow Rice
2 T oil
2 cups rice
3 3/4 c water
1 small onion
½ green pepper
1 T turmeric
1 T chicken base (Penzey's)
2 cloves garlic
Saute onion and green pepper in oil. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil, simmer for 15 min. or until rice is tender.
Serve beans on rice topped with chopped onions, olive oil, and hot sauce.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Stilton Spread
By Dave Washburn
OK, I had some Stilton left so I made dip. Really good even by my own standards.
4 oz Stilton cheese room temp crumbled.
4 oz cream cheese room temp
8 oz sour cream
half red onion minced fine
1 clove garlic minced fine
good shot Worcestershire sauce
sea salt
fresh ground pepper (I'm using a combo of Penzey's black and white)
Mix well in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate 3 hours. Use on anything.
OK, I had some Stilton left so I made dip. Really good even by my own standards.
4 oz Stilton cheese room temp crumbled.
4 oz cream cheese room temp
8 oz sour cream
half red onion minced fine
1 clove garlic minced fine
good shot Worcestershire sauce
sea salt
fresh ground pepper (I'm using a combo of Penzey's black and white)
Mix well in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate 3 hours. Use on anything.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Borchst
By Kathryn Washburn Breighner
When I was in Russia a few years ago with cousin Jan Washburn, we had various versions of borscht. I was hooked. The complexity of flavors surprised me as did the use of fresh dill in this stew. So here is my version:
Brown 1 1/2 pounds of stew meat--I used caribou, just run down to your local butcher and make sure he/she trims the fat off the caribou. I had it in my freezer just as, I'm sure, you do--doesn't everyone?
To the browned meat add these ingredients and simmer for 90 minutes:
10 cups beef broth, Penzey's, of course
1 can tomato paste
salt and pepper
Saute in 2 T olive oil and then add to the pot:
1 onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
Add to pot:
2 c shredded cabbage
2 c peeled and shredded beets
1 c shredded carrots
1 c thinly sliced celery
2 T fresh dill
1 t celery seed
4 bay leaves
2 t sugar
salt and pepper to taste
Simmer 45-60 minutes until thick. This is a rich red and orange colored dish and oh, so tasty. Top with a dollop of sour cream and fresh dill.
This makes a lot!
When I was in Russia a few years ago with cousin Jan Washburn, we had various versions of borscht. I was hooked. The complexity of flavors surprised me as did the use of fresh dill in this stew. So here is my version:
Brown 1 1/2 pounds of stew meat--I used caribou, just run down to your local butcher and make sure he/she trims the fat off the caribou. I had it in my freezer just as, I'm sure, you do--doesn't everyone?
To the browned meat add these ingredients and simmer for 90 minutes:
10 cups beef broth, Penzey's, of course
1 can tomato paste
salt and pepper
Saute in 2 T olive oil and then add to the pot:
1 onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
Add to pot:
2 c shredded cabbage
2 c peeled and shredded beets
1 c shredded carrots
1 c thinly sliced celery
2 T fresh dill
1 t celery seed
4 bay leaves
2 t sugar
salt and pepper to taste
Simmer 45-60 minutes until thick. This is a rich red and orange colored dish and oh, so tasty. Top with a dollop of sour cream and fresh dill.
This makes a lot!
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Minestrone Soup
by Dave Washburn
This is a recipe that we got from one of Karen's co-workers years ago- don't know it's origins but it is a really good solid soup- simple, thick, rich and you can feed a lot of people. Serve with garlic bread and a good salad.
1 lb. Italian sausage
olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic minced
1 medium onion chopped
1 C sliced carrots
1 t dried basil
2 small zucchini sliced
1 large can tomatoes undrained
2 cans beef broth or 2 cups water and 1 tbs Penzeys beef base
2 C finely shredded cabbage
1 small can great northern beans undrained
Partially freeze the sausage- I use 3 links of sweet and 2 links of hot- slice with a serrated knife in to bite size pieces.
Brown the sausage in the olive oil in your favorite pot.
Add the carrot, onion, garlic and basil- cook for five minutes.
Add the zucchini, tomatoes(undrained) (I usually squish them up at this point) cabbage and stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer covered for 1 hour.
Add the beans undrained and cook for another 30 minutes.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Serve in large bowls and stuff madly into your pie hole.
This is a recipe that we got from one of Karen's co-workers years ago- don't know it's origins but it is a really good solid soup- simple, thick, rich and you can feed a lot of people. Serve with garlic bread and a good salad.
1 lb. Italian sausage
olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic minced
1 medium onion chopped
1 C sliced carrots
1 t dried basil
2 small zucchini sliced
1 large can tomatoes undrained
2 cans beef broth or 2 cups water and 1 tbs Penzeys beef base
2 C finely shredded cabbage
1 small can great northern beans undrained
Partially freeze the sausage- I use 3 links of sweet and 2 links of hot- slice with a serrated knife in to bite size pieces.
Brown the sausage in the olive oil in your favorite pot.
Add the carrot, onion, garlic and basil- cook for five minutes.
Add the zucchini, tomatoes(undrained) (I usually squish them up at this point) cabbage and stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer covered for 1 hour.
Add the beans undrained and cook for another 30 minutes.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Serve in large bowls and stuff madly into your pie hole.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Chicken Enchiladas Verdes
By Kathryn Washburn Breighner
It is cold outside so I am on the hunt for dishes that are hearty. This recipe came from fellow foodie Kathy Gibbons 20 years ago! I make it about once a year and make enough to freeze. Perry, your girls will love this!
Filling
10 chicken breasts with skin and bones
6 c chicken broth
2 chopped carrots
1/2 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves
4 parsley sprigs
2 bay leaves
Sauce
6 T butter
1 T oil
3 med. onions, chopped
1 box frozen spinach, thawed
1 1/2 c sour cream
4 green onions, chopped
1 or 2 4-oz. cans of diced jalapeno chilies, drained
6 c grated Monterey jack cheese
Corn tortillas
Filling: Place chicken and broth (for broth, you can also use 6 c water and appropriate Penzey's chicken stock base) in large saucepan with all filling ingredients. Bring to boil, cover and simmer 5 minutes. Turn off heat and let stand until chicken is cooked through, about one hour.
Remove chicken from broth; remove skin and bones and shred meat and place in medium bowl and chill. Strain cooking liquid and return the saucepan to heat and simmer the broth is reduced to 3 cups.
Sauce: Melt butter in a heavy medium saucepan over low heat. Add flour and cook until light brown, stirring frequently, javascript:void(0)about 5 min. Whisk in reduced chicken stock, increase heat to medium and cook until sauce thickens. Cool.
Heat 1 T oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add spinach and simmer 5 minutes. Transfer this mixture to a food processor with sauce, sour cream, green onions, and chilies.
Grease two 9 x 13" baking pans. Spread 1/2 c sauce over the bottom of each. Add 1 c of sauce to chicken and mix in 5 c grated cheese. Heat a heavy skillet or griddle and cook each tortilla for a few seconds per side, just to soften. Divide chicken filling among tortillas and roll up. Place seam side down in the baking pans. Spoon remaining sauce over the top.
Cover with foil; bake at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes, uncover, top with remaining 1 c cheese and bake until cheese melts, about 5 minutes.
This makes a lot of enchiladas. Two 13 x 9 pans, each pan holds 12.
It is cold outside so I am on the hunt for dishes that are hearty. This recipe came from fellow foodie Kathy Gibbons 20 years ago! I make it about once a year and make enough to freeze. Perry, your girls will love this!
Filling
10 chicken breasts with skin and bones
6 c chicken broth
2 chopped carrots
1/2 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves
4 parsley sprigs
2 bay leaves
Sauce
6 T butter
1 T oil
3 med. onions, chopped
1 box frozen spinach, thawed
1 1/2 c sour cream
4 green onions, chopped
1 or 2 4-oz. cans of diced jalapeno chilies, drained
6 c grated Monterey jack cheese
Corn tortillas
Filling: Place chicken and broth (for broth, you can also use 6 c water and appropriate Penzey's chicken stock base) in large saucepan with all filling ingredients. Bring to boil, cover and simmer 5 minutes. Turn off heat and let stand until chicken is cooked through, about one hour.
Remove chicken from broth; remove skin and bones and shred meat and place in medium bowl and chill. Strain cooking liquid and return the saucepan to heat and simmer the broth is reduced to 3 cups.
Sauce: Melt butter in a heavy medium saucepan over low heat. Add flour and cook until light brown, stirring frequently, javascript:void(0)about 5 min. Whisk in reduced chicken stock, increase heat to medium and cook until sauce thickens. Cool.
Heat 1 T oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add spinach and simmer 5 minutes. Transfer this mixture to a food processor with sauce, sour cream, green onions, and chilies.
Grease two 9 x 13" baking pans. Spread 1/2 c sauce over the bottom of each. Add 1 c of sauce to chicken and mix in 5 c grated cheese. Heat a heavy skillet or griddle and cook each tortilla for a few seconds per side, just to soften. Divide chicken filling among tortillas and roll up. Place seam side down in the baking pans. Spoon remaining sauce over the top.
Cover with foil; bake at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes, uncover, top with remaining 1 c cheese and bake until cheese melts, about 5 minutes.
This makes a lot of enchiladas. Two 13 x 9 pans, each pan holds 12.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Pasties--Michigan's Upper Peninsula Style
By Kathryn Washburn Breighner
Pasties are really wonderful and it surprises me how many people have not had this tasty meat pie. Legend has it that immigrants moving to the Upper Peninsula brought the pastie tradition with them. Miners wrapped the pasties in newspaper to keep them warm in their lunch pails.
Even though we live just 30 minutes from the Upper Peninsula, very few restaurants in our area serve pasties. So I have to make them. This recipe makes 10 pasties and is adapted from a recipe given to me years ago by former food editor and current restaurant owner Kathy Gibbons. Kathy got it from an Upper Peninsula pasty maker. Each pastie is enough for a meal.
2 lbs. of ground or chopped meat; beef or a beef/pork blend
4 large potatoes
1 med. rutabaga (don't skip the rutabaga!)
1 large onion
2 t. Penzey's beef base dissolved in 2 T hot water
salt and pepper to taste
And pie dough--enough to make 5 single pies. Each pastie requires 1/2 of the dough used in a single crust. So for our Mom's pie crust, I made 2 batches for double pies, and 1 batch for a single pie crust recipe giving me enough for 10 pasties: 5 cups of flour, 1 2/3 cups of Crisco, 2 1/2 t salt, about 1 1/4 cups ice water. I made the pie dough in separate batches, divided into 10 small pieces, wrapped each piece and chilled. When making each pastie, I removed one piece of dough from the fridge at a time leaving the rest to stay chilled.
Chop the potatoes and rutabaga into cubes. Chop the onion. Mix all the ingredients until well blended.
Roll out pie dough for one pastie into a circle. Place the meat filling on 1/2 of the circle, fold the dough over the meat filling to make a 1/2 circle. Brush with milk. Repeat for remaining 9 pasties. This takes a while but these freeze well so I usually make this large batch.
To prepare for freezing and later use, bake pasties at 350 degrees F for 20 min. until the crust is slightly firm. Flip over the pastie and bake for another 10 min. to firm up the other side. Cool, wrap, and freeze. To reheat, bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes until the crust is brown.
If you are eating the pasties the same day you make them, bake for 45-50 min. at 350 degrees F until the pasties are nicely browned.
We serve the pasties with gravy made from Penzey's beef base, flour, and water. Many pastie die hards only use Ketchup on their pasties!
This website, www.upper-peninsula-now.com/pasty-recipe.html, illustrates how to make a pastie although the recipe is a bit different and it uses store bought pie crust (shame, shame!).
Pasties are really wonderful and it surprises me how many people have not had this tasty meat pie. Legend has it that immigrants moving to the Upper Peninsula brought the pastie tradition with them. Miners wrapped the pasties in newspaper to keep them warm in their lunch pails.
Even though we live just 30 minutes from the Upper Peninsula, very few restaurants in our area serve pasties. So I have to make them. This recipe makes 10 pasties and is adapted from a recipe given to me years ago by former food editor and current restaurant owner Kathy Gibbons. Kathy got it from an Upper Peninsula pasty maker. Each pastie is enough for a meal.
2 lbs. of ground or chopped meat; beef or a beef/pork blend
4 large potatoes
1 med. rutabaga (don't skip the rutabaga!)
1 large onion
2 t. Penzey's beef base dissolved in 2 T hot water
salt and pepper to taste
And pie dough--enough to make 5 single pies. Each pastie requires 1/2 of the dough used in a single crust. So for our Mom's pie crust, I made 2 batches for double pies, and 1 batch for a single pie crust recipe giving me enough for 10 pasties: 5 cups of flour, 1 2/3 cups of Crisco, 2 1/2 t salt, about 1 1/4 cups ice water. I made the pie dough in separate batches, divided into 10 small pieces, wrapped each piece and chilled. When making each pastie, I removed one piece of dough from the fridge at a time leaving the rest to stay chilled.
Chop the potatoes and rutabaga into cubes. Chop the onion. Mix all the ingredients until well blended.
Roll out pie dough for one pastie into a circle. Place the meat filling on 1/2 of the circle, fold the dough over the meat filling to make a 1/2 circle. Brush with milk. Repeat for remaining 9 pasties. This takes a while but these freeze well so I usually make this large batch.
To prepare for freezing and later use, bake pasties at 350 degrees F for 20 min. until the crust is slightly firm. Flip over the pastie and bake for another 10 min. to firm up the other side. Cool, wrap, and freeze. To reheat, bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes until the crust is brown.
If you are eating the pasties the same day you make them, bake for 45-50 min. at 350 degrees F until the pasties are nicely browned.
We serve the pasties with gravy made from Penzey's beef base, flour, and water. Many pastie die hards only use Ketchup on their pasties!
This website, www.upper-peninsula-now.com/pasty-recipe.html, illustrates how to make a pastie although the recipe is a bit different and it uses store bought pie crust (shame, shame!).
Friday, January 2, 2009
Pumpkin Pecan Pie
By Kathryn Washburn Breighner
Perry is right about Penzey's; a wonderful place for herbs and spices. Perry is lucky because there is a Penzey's in Des Moines where he lives. Dave and I have to settle for online ordering.
This recipe for Pumpkin Pecan Pie came from Penzey's (www.penzeys.com) in 2007 and it is now a holiday favorite for our family and of course, I use only Penzey's spices in this recipe! The Washburns are Pie People. Our Mom was a champion pie baker. So you'll often see pies on the table in are our homes. I think I'll make this pie tonight!
One 9" unbaked pie shell
1 15 oz. can solid pack pumpkin
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3/4 t cinnamon
3/4 t powdered ginger
1/8 t salt
1 t vanilla
2 eggs, beaten well
1/2 c milk
Topping:
1/4 c butter
1/2 c brown sugar
3/4 coarsely chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare the pie shell--in the Washburn family, this means using Mom's tried and true recipe with Crisco--no store bought shells for us. We seriously frown on those who use anything but home made pie crust.
Combine all of the pie filling ingredients and mix until well blended. Pour into the unbaked pie shell and bake at 350 for 40 min. Meanwhile, mix the topping ingredients until crumbly. Sprinkle the topping on the pie and bake an additional 25 min. Cool and then refrigerate at least a few hours for easiest slicing.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Black-eyed peas!
By Perry Washburn
In honor of the new year, I made black-eyed peas today. This is a take-off on an Emeril recipe, with a nod to my friend Suzette, who stunned me years ago with her New Orleans red beans recipe. I also made etoufee, a staple for us on New Years. I EXPECT that to be great. But the peas were really the star of the meal today.
1 lb dried black-eyed peas, rinsed and soaked overnight
2 Tbs bacon grease (come on Kath, admit you have some in your fridge)
1/2 lb andouille roughly chopped (I used 3 links of Emeril's Kicked Up)
2 onions chopped
2 Tbs garlic chopped
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp cumin
3 Tbs parsley (I used dried)
8 cups stock
2 tsp Penzey's chicken base (Penzey's ROCKS)
1 tsp salt
4 bay leaves
2 Tbs Worchestershire sauce
1 small ham bone
Dried bean recipes always call for rinsing and picking over beans (in this case, peas). Fine. Did that. But they then want you to drain the beans/peas. For this dish, I did not do that, as I assumed the rinsing had cleaned the peas, and I hate to throw away flavor. If you have to throw the soak water away, OK. But for this dish, I soaked the beans in 2 quarts of water, which yielded 6 cups. For the stock, I used that, with 2 cups of water added.
Brown the andouille in the bacon grease. Add the onions and garlic, and sautee for a few minutes. Add in the thyme, parsley and cumin and cook for a couple of minutes more. Add in the soak water (or stock, or just water). As I was using soak water, and not stock, I added Penzey's chicken base; omit if using stock. Add the salt, the Woo-sauce, and the ham bone (doesn't everybody save, in their freezers, ham bones, rib bones and roasted chicken carcuses?).
Bring to boil. Reduce to a bare simmer, and cover. Stir frequently. Simmer for 3 hrs or so. An hour or so before dinner, take the lid off if this is still soupy. Mine was.
Remove the bone and the bay leaves. Serve over rice. This was creamy and spicy and fantastic.
In honor of the new year, I made black-eyed peas today. This is a take-off on an Emeril recipe, with a nod to my friend Suzette, who stunned me years ago with her New Orleans red beans recipe. I also made etoufee, a staple for us on New Years. I EXPECT that to be great. But the peas were really the star of the meal today.
1 lb dried black-eyed peas, rinsed and soaked overnight
2 Tbs bacon grease (come on Kath, admit you have some in your fridge)
1/2 lb andouille roughly chopped (I used 3 links of Emeril's Kicked Up)
2 onions chopped
2 Tbs garlic chopped
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp cumin
3 Tbs parsley (I used dried)
8 cups stock
2 tsp Penzey's chicken base (Penzey's ROCKS)
1 tsp salt
4 bay leaves
2 Tbs Worchestershire sauce
1 small ham bone
Dried bean recipes always call for rinsing and picking over beans (in this case, peas). Fine. Did that. But they then want you to drain the beans/peas. For this dish, I did not do that, as I assumed the rinsing had cleaned the peas, and I hate to throw away flavor. If you have to throw the soak water away, OK. But for this dish, I soaked the beans in 2 quarts of water, which yielded 6 cups. For the stock, I used that, with 2 cups of water added.
Brown the andouille in the bacon grease. Add the onions and garlic, and sautee for a few minutes. Add in the thyme, parsley and cumin and cook for a couple of minutes more. Add in the soak water (or stock, or just water). As I was using soak water, and not stock, I added Penzey's chicken base; omit if using stock. Add the salt, the Woo-sauce, and the ham bone (doesn't everybody save, in their freezers, ham bones, rib bones and roasted chicken carcuses?).
Bring to boil. Reduce to a bare simmer, and cover. Stir frequently. Simmer for 3 hrs or so. An hour or so before dinner, take the lid off if this is still soupy. Mine was.
Remove the bone and the bay leaves. Serve over rice. This was creamy and spicy and fantastic.
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