Pot Roast Quesadillas

A COUPLE OF TIMES A YEAR, I have a craving for a pot roast just like my Mother always made, braised on the stove top. I would eat some of the beef but it was really the potatoes and carrots cooked in that broth that I loved so much. In fact, my brother and I would reach under the table to swap food--I would give him more meat and he would give me his carrots.

My choice of beef cut is grass fed sirloin tip. I season it and then sear it in a screaming hot pan. (I often set off the smoke alarm during this process). I remove the pan from the heat to let it cool down a bit before adding a couple cups of freshly brewed coffee which is Mama's secret ingredient. The coffee helps tenderize the meat and makes a rich and flavorful broth. (Think Southern Red Eye Gravy).

After our original meal, I like to dream up ways to use the leftovers. Sometimes, I make soup. Or it may be enchiladas or tacos. This time I made quesadillas  and served them with some homemade salsa. They were great!

Pot Roast Quesadillas
1 (10-inch) whole wheat tortilla for each quesadilla
1/4 cup grated Monterrey Jack cheese each
1/2 cup shredded beef plus chopped potatoes and carrots each
Sliced onion (optional but delicious) for each
Butter

Heat your black iron skillet over medium heat.

Spread cheese, then the beef mixture on a tortilla. Fold in half. Melt a pat of butter in the skillet then add the folded tortilla. Brown on one side then flip to brown the other side.

I like my quesadillas crisp, so I brown them thoroughly, lowering the heat if necessary.

Serve with your favorite salsa.

Carrot Cupcakes with Pineapple and Golden Raisins topped with Cream Cheese Frosting

I was asked to bring a healthy dessert for a meeting. Is that an oxymoron?

My habit of over thinking things had me wondering. Isn't dessert the final course of a meal? Wouldn't healthy dessert be the quintessential fruit and nuts?

I knew this group wanted a treat, a goody and not a tray of fruit and nuts. I started thinking about my longstanding desire to include at least some nutritional value in the sweets I make--fruit pies, oatmeal cookies, rice pudding, parfaits. (This is not to be confused with celebrations. . .birthday cakes, Christmas cookies).

Personally, I am not a sweetie. Even as a child, I always preferred savory tastes. But I do love to cook and bake. And I love seeing people appreciating my efforts. These cupcakes made the group very happy and that made me happy.

Another way to steer sweets towards a healthier horizon is through portion control; thus the cupcakes rather than an entire cake.

Carrot Cupcakes with Pineapple and Golden Raisins
2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 (3 oz.) package cream cheese, room temperature
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 egg yolk
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup finely chopped pineapple
4 eggs, room temperature
3 cups finely shredded carrots (about 6 medium)
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup golden raisins

Line 24 muffin cups with paper cupcake liners. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl stir together the flour, 1 1/2 cups sugar, baking powder, 1 tsp. salt, and the cinnamon. Set aside.

For the filling, in a mixer bowl combine cream cheese and 2 Tbsp. sugar. Beat with and electric mixer on medium speed until combined. Beat in the egg yolk and a pinch of salt. Fold in the pineapple. Set aside.

In another bowl stir together 4 eggs, the carrots, oil, and vanilla.

Add carrot mixture to flour mixture and stir until combined. Fold in golden raisins.

Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the batter into each muffin cup. Drop about 1 rounded teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture into each muffin cup. Spoon the remaining batter over cream cheese mixture in cups.

Bake for 15 - 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in muffin cups on wire racks for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from muffin pans and cool completely on wire racks.

Frost with Cream Cheese Frosting and store in refrigerator.

Cream Cheese Frosting
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 tsp. vanilla
5 1/2 cups powdered sugar

In a mixing bowl beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in powder sugar to reach desired spreading consistency.

Chicken a la King

Although it was considered by many to be a crip course, I loved Home Ec class in high school. Prior to the cooking section we studied the science of nutrition. Most of my classmates, all girls, moaned about this because it was truly academic study and not the perceived "easy class" they could sail through.

I ate it up and it became a life-long passion of mine. I am still reading and studying ever evolving nutritional science studies and how different foods, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients affect us.

Once we got into the lab (kitchen) the first thing we learned was white sauce--thin, medium, and thick white sauce, which can be the base for so many dishes. And with our white sauce, we made Chicken a la King. We served it over toast points and it seemed so fancy to me at that time.

I thought of that class when I made this. I think Mrs. Columbus would be happy with this colorful and updated version of her recipe.

Chicken a la King
8 oz. boneless, skinless chicken, bite-sized pieces
1/4 cup flour
2 Tbsp. cooking oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced (I used rainbow carrots)
2 stalks celery, sliced
6 oz. mushrooms, sliced
1 cup dry sherry
1 cup broth
1 cup milk
1/4 cup diced roasted red peppers
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
Salt and pepper, to taste
Thinly sliced scallions for garnish, if desired

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Coat chicken pieces with flour, brown in the hot oil, then set aside. Add the other tablespoon of oil into the skillet along with the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook and stir for a few minutes, then add the mushrooms. Stir for a minute or two more.

Stir in the dry sherry to deglaze the pan. Combine the broth and milk with the remaining flour and mix well. Stir into the pan. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook, stirring often, until thickened. Add the roasted red peppers, fresh parsley, and salt and pepper, to taste. Heat through.

Serve over toast, noodles, or rice.

Catalina Carrots

 There is a very old recipe which has cycled in and out of popularity over the years called Copper Pennies. It is a salad made with thinly sliced carrots (pennies) along with onion and bell pepper and dressed with a sweet and tangy tomatoey dressing.

Most recipes I have seen for Copper Pennies use canned tomato soup along with a LOT of sugar and the carrots are literally swimming in dressing.

This recipe is reminiscent of that but I have taken a slight curve from the original. I used carrots only and dressed them lightly in a homemade Catalina dressing. I loved Catalina dressing as a kid and recently discovered after not eating it for years that I still love it.

Pritchard Parker came home from one of his thrift shop adventures with a small crinkle cutter so I decided to try it out. I cut a few slices before I thought to myself, "Since you are going to steam these carrots anyway, wouldn't be easier to cut them afterwards?" 

I put 4 large carrots in the microwave for 4 minutes only and they were as tender as I wanted them. And yes indeed, they were much easier to slice with the rather dull cutter. After they are steamed and sliced, dress them lightly in Catalina dressing.  If you have time, chill before serving.

Catalina Dressing
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup catsup
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup canola oil
1 small onion, grated

Combine all ingredients in a jar. Shake until well blended.

This dressing is good on all lettuce salads and also delicious on a turkey and Swiss cheese sandwich.

Grilled Asian Glazed Tuna

Today, I found this unfinished post in my drafts folder. It was dated 4/17/2010. I don't know why I never finished it. And now, two years later, I don't even know how I made it. Too bad, because I sure would like to have this for dinner tonight.

I can see that I used fresh ginger and garlic, olive oil, and it looks like I was quite generous with the freshly ground black pepper. Most likely there was soy sauce involved. I can see that I grilled in on my cast iron grill pan.

And then I served it with rice and these darling baby carrots. As I said, I wish I had that for dinner tonight.

Do you ever start a post, never finish it, then later don't know how you did it?


 

Farro with Roasted Carrots and Feta

According to the package of Farro Pritchard Parker recently brought home, it is "one of the oldest grains cultivated by humans, which was originally found in the fertile crescent of the Middle East and is now grown primarily in Italy".

I don't know if that is true or if that is just marketing. I tried to do some research on this grain and all I came away with is the fact that it is a type of wheat. It may or may not be emmer and it may or may not be spelt.

This is my first experience cooking farro. It looks and tastes to me like wheat berries, which I quite like, and can be bought much cheaper from the bulk bins at the Natural Foods Store.  But wheat berries are an old hippie standard and have not been elevated in status by trendy chefs.

We did enjoy this dish very much. The addition of  roasted carrots, golden raisins, toasted cashews, fresh lemon juice, feta cheese along with a generous amount of freshly chopped parsley and the scent of cinnamon made for a delicious light supper. I served it at room temperature which really brought out all the flavors.

Farro with Roasted Carrots and Feta
1 cup faro
3 cups water
1 small cinnamon stick
Salt to taste
6 - 8 medium carrots, scrubbed and peeled
3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 large onion, peeled and diced
1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup cashews, toasted and chopped
8 oz. feta cheese, cubed

Combine faro, water, cinnamon stick, and salt to taste in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer until most of the water is absorbed and farro is tender, 30 - 40 minutes. Drain farro, discard cinnamon stick, and transfer to a large bowl.

While the farro is cooking, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Drizzle the carrots with 1 Tbsp. of the olive oil and toss with salt to taste. Roast on a baking sheet until fork tender, about 20 - 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the another Tbsp. olive oil, and saute the onions over medium heat until tender and translucent.

When the carrots and onions are done add them to the bowl with the farro.  Stir in the lemon juice, golden raisins, parsley, and cashews. Toss in the feta cheese and mix gently. Add the remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil.  Taste, adding more salt and additional olive oil if desired.

Steak and Fresh Vegetable Soup

I made this soup over the course of a dismal and rainy Saturday afternoon. It was soothing for me,  repeatedly going to the kitchen, checking and stirring, and adding additional ingredients every few minutes, while doing other things around the house. Plus, the aroma of simmering soup brought cheer into our home.

Because I built this soup in layers, over some length of time, I found no need to add commercially prepared, canned broth to add "cooked all day" flavor. The soup made its own all day flavor. In the beginning, I added a cup of strongly brewed fresh coffee and otherwise I just used water to coach the flavors from the steak and vegetables to make a satisfyingly flavorful broth.  I seasoned the soup simply, using only Celtic sea salt, freshly ground tellicherry peppercorns, and fresh parsley to let the flavors of the individual vegetables shine through.

Steak and Fresh Vegetable Soup
Olive oil or other oil, to saute
3/4  pound sirloin steak
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 jumbo onion, sliced
3 stalks celery, sliced
1 portabella mushroom, chopped
1 cup strong, freshly brewed coffee
Water as needed
2-3 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 pound new red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into chunks
1/2 pound fresh green beans, snapped
1/2 small head cabbage, sliced
Salt, pepper, and parsley, to taste

In a large soup pot, heat a little oil over medium high heat. Sear the steak, which has been salted and peppered on each side. Once the steak is very well browned, remove from pan and set aside. Add a little more oil if necessary and saute the garlic, onion, celery, and mushroom until beginning to soften and brown. Add a cup of hot coffee, stirring to deglaze the pan and loosen all the brown bits from the bottom. Add the steak back to the pot, add some water and salt and pepper, to taste. Cover and simmer for an hour or more until the steak is very tender and the vegetables are breaking down to form a rich gravy.

Remove the steak from the pan, shred the meat then return to the pot. Add the remaining vegetables, as you prep them, seasoning each new addition and adding more liquid as needed. Cover and simmer until everything is tender. Keep warm until ready to serve.

Very Cheesy Garlic Toast
1/2 stick butter, softened
1 clove garlic, crushed
Thick slices of rustic bread
Slices of sharp cheddar cheese

Mix together the butter and garlic. Spread on slices of bread. Top, generously with cheese slices. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and the bread is starting to brown.

Hobo Dinner

I was a Girl Scout Extrodinaire. Of course, I could not have been without the dedication of our Leaders and the bonds formed with the other girls in my troop. We had 3 leaders and 18 girls that went from Brownies, to Girl Scouts, to Cadettes, to Senior Scouts. Everyone in our troop earned the equivalent of the Boy Scout Eagle.  We earned every badge in the Girl Scout Handbook. 

We did a lot of wilderness camping, built a lot of campfires, told so many ghost stories we were too scared to sleep while out in the middle of the woods. We always pitched and trenched our tents and in most places, dug our own latrines. Almost every member of our troop was also in the glee club, so we sang some beautiful campfire songs. 

We gathered our own firewood--tender, kindling, and fuel, then cooked delicious food over the campfire. Anyone who has spent much time outdoors, knows what an appetite occurs and how totally delicious everything cooked in the open tastes. 

We used to make these Hobo Dinners and I still love them. Of course I have such beautiful memories attached.

Hobo Dinner

Sheets of foil

1/4 lb. ground beef

Several slices onion

Slices of potato

Sliced carrot

Salt and pepper

Wrap packets up tightly and cook on hot coals of a campfire until done.  Serve with ketchup.

Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.

Carrot & Raisin Salad

Continuing with my theme of wanting to eat nothing but vegetables, and still thinking about Melynda's Culinary Smackdown, not to mention my little carrot fetish, I made a carrot and raisin salad.

The salad is simply dressed with extra virgin olive oil and fresh lemon, where a lot of recipes call for mayonnaise and other creamy ingredients. Use the best quality of olive oil you can and know that fresh lemon really brightens the taste of the salad and balances the sweetness of both the carrots and the raisins.

The salad can be eaten right away, but I like it best the next day when the raisins have gotten really plump and juicy.

Carrot & Raisin Salad

1 pound carrots, finely and freshly shredded

1/2 cup raisins

3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

2 tsp. lemon zest

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Toss together the finely shredded carrots and the raisins. Sprinkle with the lemon zest and salt and pepper to taste. Whisk together the olive oil and lemon juice, pour over the carrot mixture and stir well to coat. 



Rich and Hearty Beef Stew

Well, we had our first cold weather--down to 25 degrees.  It will get colder, but I always find the first cold days rather shocking until I get used to them.  I don't mind winter, and love certain aspects of it.  For example, I get to wear my favorite garment, the sweater, all the time.  I love snuggling under warm blankets.  And I really enjoy cooking hearty soups and stews, which can simmer all afternoon, to develop rich flavor, and keep the kitchen warm.  And baking, ooh-la-la, I love running my oven. 

Because I knew I would be simmering this stew for a few hours, I did not find it necessary to use beef stock for cooking.  The beef itself makes plenty of its own stock. But I did use coffee, which is a tip I learned from my Mother, and she learned from her Mother, from making the ubiquitous Southern Red Eye Gravy.  Although you don't really taste coffee in the end, it does add richness to the sauce, and more importantly, it helps tenderize the meat. 

The vegetables I added in the beginning mostly melted away and helped make a delicious gravy for the baby potatoes and mushrooms I added toward the end.  Once the potatoes were tender, I found myself staring into the pan and wondering what I would use to to thicken the sauce.  I thought about using flour or cornstarch but didn't like that idea. I also contemplated adding some dumplings to that delicious smelling, simmering broth.  In the end, I just keep simmering, uncovered, until it was thickened.  We were both very happy with the way this tasted. 

Rich and Hearty Beef Stew

2 lbs. stew beef

2 Tbsp. flour

1 tsp. each, salt, pepper, and paprika

2 Tbsp. bacon fat, or vegetable oil

1 large onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 carrots, chopped

3 stalks celery, chopped

1 15 oz. can tomatoes, with their juice

1 Tbsp. soy sauce

1 cup strong, brewed coffee

Several stems fresh thyme

3 bay leaves

Water

1 1/2 lbs. tiny Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed very well

6 oz. tiny white mushrooms, cleaned and inspected

Mix together the flour, salt, pepper, and paprika; coat the beef very well, all over, with the mixture. Heat the bacon fat, in a large soup pot or dutch oven, over medium high heat.  Add the beef and cook until well browned.  Add the onions, garlic, carrots, celery and stir well.  Add the tomatoes with their juice. Stir in the soy sauce and coffee. Add enough water to barely cover all the ingredients in the pan, reduce heat and simmer, covered, until the beef is very tender, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Remove the thyme stems and bay leaves and add more salt and pepper to taste. Drop the potatoes and mushrooms into the simmering stew, cover and continue to cook, covered, until potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes.  Remove the lid and cook the stew until it is reduced to desired consistency. 

Root Vegetables with a Pot Roast

Onion, Turnips, Celeriac, Carrots, Parsnips, and Rutabaga



Root vegetables are not the most beautiful of vegetables, but I love their earthy, sweet flavor, and their health giving qualities. 

Rutabagas, turnips, parsnips, celeriac, and carrots are all excellent sources of potassium (proven to help regulate blood pressure) and good sources of vitamin C, magnesium, and folic acid.  Additionally, carrots are an excellent source of vitamin A.  Onions have been credited with so many medicinal qualities they could be called a panacea.

Root Vegetables with a Pot Roast
1 (approx.) 3 lb. pot roast
Salt and pepper
2 Tbsp. canola oil
1 1/2 cups brewed strong coffee
1 1/2 cups water
Several stems fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
1 large rutabaga, peeled and sliced into "french fries"
2 medium turnips, scrubbed and diced
3 parsnips, peeled and sliced
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 onion, sliced
1 small celeriac, peeled and sliced

Heat the oil in a large soup pot or dutch oven over medium high heat.  Salt and pepper the pot roast on all sides.  Place the roast into the hot pan; sear and brown on all sides.  Once the roast is thoroughly browned, remove from heat for a few minutes.  Add the hot coffee and the water, along with the thyme and bay leaves.  Return to heat, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until the roast is very tender, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Remove the roast to a platter and keep warm.  Discard the thyme stems and bay leaves, and add the prepared vegetables to the simmering stock.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Cook, covered for about 20 to 30 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.  Arrange the vegetables around the roast.  Serve with french bread and the au jus.

Split Pea Soup--Alabama Style

I have been busy canning for a few days, with more days to come. In preparation for turning my kitchen into a cannery, I made a few dishes which could easily be reheated. When I saw Split Pea Soup posted on my friend, Melynda's blog, Mom's Sunday Cafe, I knew that would be one of the things I made. I love having a big batch of soup on hand and this one is great with grilled cheese sandwiches to make a very satisfying supper.

The recipe I use comes from an old and yellowed clipping from my Alabama hometown newspaper. It is the recipe of Jim Nabors who played Gomer Pyle, the dim-witted gas station attendant on The Andy Griffith Show (catch reruns on TV Land). I don't know where Jim Nabors is now, but I do know that he was born and raised in Sylacauga, Alabama.

Split Pea Soup--Alabama Style
1 lb. package green split peas
1 ham bone or ham hock
3 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
3 carrots, diced
1 large onion, chopped
1 bay leaf
Salt
Pepper

Place peas in Dutch oven with ham bone, potatoes, carrots, onion, bay leaf, 4 quarts water, and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook on low heat for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally.

From here, Mr. Nabors instructs removing the ham bone and bay leaf, then pureeing the soup, adjusting the seasoning, and reheating. I skip this step, as you can see from the photo, because I like my soup chunky.

Also, it is delicious to me with a drizzle of soy sauce, hot sauce, and/or extra virgin olive oil.

Light & Crisp Baked Egg Rolls

I bought a small pork loin on sale, roasted it, and had some leftover. As I contemplated what to do with it next, I knew I wanted to include a lot of vegetables. I can only take so much meat. I suddenly thought of egg rolls. I used to make egg rolls rountinely but haven't in years. So, egg rolls it was.
If you don't have any leftover pork roast, you can fry a couple of pork chops to chop up, or you can use shredded chicken, or shrimp, or forget any kind of meat at all and use some mushrooms. Or not.

Because they are baked and not fried these egg rolls are light and crisp, almost like biting into phyllo. Also they are surprisingly tasty the next morning, cold. Not anything like leftover, soggy, and heavy fried food.

Egg Rolls
1 1/2 cups shredded roasted pork
1/2 head Napa cabbage, thinly sliced
2 medium carrots, grated
4 or more scallions, sliced
2 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. grated ginger
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes, or to taste
Soy sauce, to taste
Eggroll wrappers
1 egg, beaten
Gomasio or sesame seeds, optional

Combine pork, cabbage, carrots, scallions, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes in a mixing bowl. Sprinkle with soy sauce to taste.



Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Generously oil a baking sheet.

With an eggroll wrapper on a cutting board, one corner toward you, place a mound of the stuffing onto it and roll up.






Brush on some of the egg to seal the edge.


Place on oiled baking sheet, brush with the beaten egg, and sprinkle with Gomasio, or sesame seeds.

Bake for 15 - 20 minutes.

Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

Yellow Eye Pea Soup

It was a cool and rainy spring day in the mountains. At noon, I had several windows open around the house, the air was so nice, the birds were singing, it was 63 degrees, I was wearing sweatpants, and trying to figure out what to cook for supper. I kept thinking of salads and fresh spring vegetables, but my body kept reminding me that I wanted something warm. Spring is tricky that way. Shhh, don't tell anyone, but Spring is not my favorite season.

I had a ham bone in the fridge, my usual large stash of bean varieties, several jars of tomatoes I canned last summer, and decided to start there to make a soup. I chose yellow eye peas

Yellow eye peas are an heirloom bean dating back to the 1860's. They are a white bean with a yellowish-brown spot around the eye. They are a little larger than a black eye pea but smaller than a pinto bean. Their taste is milder and sweeter than either of the other beans.

I talk about my love of beans a lot. And there is a lot to love about beans. They are a healthy and inexpensive source of protein, they are a nutritional powerhouse, and they are delicious.

I always start every bean recipe by asking you to sort and pick through your beans, and this is why. Those are clods of dirt and/or small stones. If they are dirt clods, they will dissolve and you will have grit in your beans. If they are stones, they can crack a molar! I inspect my beans by pouring about a cup or so into a pie plate, spread them about, look closely, and remove any foreign matter. Then rinse thoroughly.

Yellow Eye Pea Soup

1 pound yellow eye peas

1 ham bone or ham hock

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

3 stalks celery, sliced

2 - 3 carrots, sliced

3 -4 cloves garlic, minced

1 quart tomatoes, undrained

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

1/4 tsp. (or more) cayenne pepper

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/2 cup fresh parsley

Lime for serving

After beans have been inspected and rinsed, cover with water to about 1 inch over the beans. Bring to a boil. Turn off heat, cover, and let beans set for about 1 hour. After an hour, drain and cover with fresh water. Add ham bone to the beans. Bring the beans and ham bone to a boil, then cover, reduce to simmer, and cook for about an hour, until tender.

Remove the ham bone and when cool enough to handle, remove ham pieces and add to the beans. Discard bone.

Saute onions, celery, carrots, and garlic, in the olive oil until tender but not browned. Add to the beans. Stir in tomatoes, soy sauce, cayenne, and salt and pepper. Simmer for about 30 minutes. Stir in the parsley and adjust seasonings.

Serve with a squeeze of fresh lime juice.

Baby Carrots

Baby Carrots

Baby Carrots

Steamed Baby Carrots

Glazed Baby Carrots

Baby Carrots?

Creamy Chicken Bisque

I try not to complain about things that can't be changed, but I have to say I'm getting tired of the record-breaking frigid temperatures we are having. It is not the actual temperatures but the duration--days upon days of single digit temperatures overnight, sub-zero wind chills, and not even making it out of the 20's during the day. We still have snow laying around from our December 18th blizzard. We scurry out to start the car and scurry back inside while it warms up. I don't have the wardrobe to spend any significant amount of time outdoors and the lack of fresh air is starting to make me a little cuckoo.

Making a warming soup like this bisque, with lots of fresh vegetables, cheers and braces me. The slight crunch from the scallions, stirred in at the end, makes a very satisfying texture.

Creamy Chicken Bisque
4 Tbsp. butter
1 celery heart, with leaves, finely diced (5 - 6 cups)
2 medium carrots, diced (about 1 cup)
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp. poultry seasoning
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
leftover roasted chicken
1 cup cream
2 bunches scallions, finely sliced

In a large soup pot, over medium heat, melt butter and stir in the celery, carrots, and garlic. Cook until the vegetables are beginning to soften. Stir in the flour and seasonings, then the chicken broth and chicken. Cover and simmer until the vegetables are tender. Stir in the cream and scallions, saving some for garnish, if desired. Heat through and serve piping hot.

The Southern Relish Tray

The finishing touch on our Southern Thanksgiving table has always been the Relish Tray. Traditionally, it would be served on divided, cut glass trays and include a variety of pickles. In our family we love the fresh crunch of raw vegetables such as carrots, green onions, radishes, and celery (shown here stuffed with pimiento cheese) to cleanse the palate and offset the richness of the other dishes.

Carrots

Carrots are a subject I'm afraid I could go on and on about half the day, or maybe longer. I am a fan of the carrot, as anyone who knows me can attest. I like raw, unadorned carrots to munch on. I like raw carrots in garden salads and in salads such as carrot-raisin and copper pennies--remember those? I like to use them in all kinds of soups and to add sweetness and nutrition in pasta sauces. Carrot cake, cream of carrot soup, carrot souffle, carrot chutney, you get the picture.

I am not going to say anything about those little bags of "baby carrots", which are NOT any such thing, nor about that sickly white coating that forms on them. Anyone who cares to know the truth can easily find out. I love to peel carrots! I once went on a quest for the perfect carrot peeler. Peeling carrots is so soothing to me and I can, and have, stood and happily peeled 25 pounds at a time. I know 101 ways to chop, dice, and slice carrots.

I also like to look at carrots. I'm always drawn to the carrot motif on dishes and other objects. I have a few, shall I call them, carefully selected (or gifted) carrot icons? A few books, a mouse pad, a paperweight, a spoon rest, a mug, a pair of wooden salad servers with carved carrots for handles. Not so much as to be kitschy. A casual acquaintance or visitor in my home would never notice.


Glazed Carrots
(adapted from a Alex Guarnaschelli recipe)

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. thin, young carrots, with tops if possible
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 Tbsp. dark brown sugar
1 Tbsp. molasses
1/2 cup to 1 cup water
2 Tbsp. butter
1 sprig rosemary

Cut off the carrot tops and reserve a few sprigs, which have a parsley-like flavor, for garnish if desired. (Buying carrots with tops assures their freshness.) Half or quarter the carrots, lengthwise, if necessary to have them a similar size.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the carrots, salt and pepper. Stir the carrots around to coat them well. Add the brown sugar and molasses and stir to melt and coat the carrots. Add some water and cook, uncovered, for 5 to 8 minutes, until the carrots are just tender, adding more water if necessary. As the water reduces, a syrup will form.

When the carrots are tender, add the rosemary sprig and butter. When the butter is melted, remove and discard the rosemary sprig. Garnish with chopped carrot tops.



A carrot-bunny paper weight my daughter gave me for Mother's Day a few years ago. Talk about "you are what you eat"!

This little cutie is only about 3 inches long and very handy to keep my papers put.

A dear friend sent me this postcard years ago from her vacation but I don't remember where she was. Wherever it was, she was browsing in a shop and spotted a series of Swiss Fantasy postcards, circa 1917, reprinted, of course. This one is called "Romeo Carrot".

On the postcard she wrote,

R----
Of course my thoughts turned to you upon seeing the carrot romancing the woman. The card was certainly meant for you.
Love, S----