Rutabaga, Onion, and Kale

I can't believe that Thanksgiving is this week! Somehow the year is almost over and winter is sneaking up on me. I'm not ready! Can someone please tell winter to wait a minute? I need to prepare myself for this cold weather.

Thank goodness for things that don't need to do anything special to prepare for the cold... like brussels sprouts. I have left brussels sprouts out all winter before. When I want brussels sprouts I just go out and break the frozen sprouts off the plants. I've sometimes left parsnips in the garden, too. I keep digging them up and using them until the ground freezes and I can't dig them up anymore.

Turnips and rutabaga survive a bit of chill, and so do onions. Kale does quite well through several frosts. But too much cold will destroy these things. Knowing that their days are numbered makes me want them more, especially now, while I can still get them straight out of the garden. So yesterday I combined rutabaga, onion, and kale in a big skillet and sauteed them slowly in some butter and olive oil.

It was really really really really good.RUTABAGA, ONION, AND KALE

rutabaga
onion
kale
butter
olive oil
garlic, minced
salt and pepper

Cut rutabaga into julienne type strips. Thinly slice onion. Tear leafy green parts of kale into small pieces, discard stems. Saute rutabaga, onion, and kale with butter and olive oil in a large covered skillet for about 30 minutes. Uncover frequently to stir. When all ingredients are tender add minced garlic and simmer for a few more minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.

Thanksgiving Mashed Potatoes

Since my last post was about Whipped Rutabaga and Potato, and this post is about Thanksgiving Mashed Potatoes (in which I whip the potatoes instead of mashing them), you are going to start thinking I have a thing for my electric hand mixer.

But I really don't have a thing for my electric hand mixer. I actually generally prefer to mash potatoes by hand.That being said, the overwhelming evidence here indicates that I like to whip out my electric hand mixer.
I guess the more accurate truth is that I have a thing for potatoes in general. Whipped, mashed, scalloped, baked, fried in a skillet, made into chips, simmered into soup, served with pot roast, or transformed into gnocchi, I like potatoes.And lately, since I've been getting some hits on an old post, Thanksgiving Mashed Potatoes, I thought I'd write about them again (and hopefully take better pictures this time around).Thanksgiving Mashed Potatoes are a great Thanksgiving dish. Not only are Thanksgiving Mashed Potatoes extra special, extra tasty potatoes, but they are easy to incorporate into a busy Thanksgiving menu. You can prepare them a day or two ahead of time. Put them in the refrigerator unbaked until the day you want to serve them. Then, on that day, you can bake them early in the day, and then set them aside for a while until it's time for the meal. Thanksgiving Mashed Potatoes stay hot for a long time after being baked.

Long live Thanksgiving Mashed Potatoes!THANKSGIVING MASHED POTATOES

3-4 pounds of potatoes
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons butter
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup milk or cream or evaporated milk
salt, black pepper, and white pepper, to taste
1 egg

Peel potatoes, chop into large chunks, and cook until tender in salted water.

While potatoes are cooking saute onion in butter for a few minutes, just to soften and sweeten the onion. Add minced garlic to saute and cook for just a minute after onion is softened. Remove from heat. (The little bits of onion and garlic will disappear after the potatoes are baked in the oven.)

Drain cooked potatoes. Add onions and garlic. Add cream cheese and milk. Then whip everything together really well with an electric hand mixer. Add salt, pepper, and any additional seasonings to taste.

Let the potatoes cool to just warm and then add the egg and whip again. Pour into a buttered casserole dish. Use a casserole dish slightly larger than your amount of potatoes because these puff up in volume a little bit while baking. Potatoes can now be baked, or you can put them in the refrigerator for a day or two until it's time to bake them.

To bake: Cover casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees for at least an hour (longer if chilled). You will know they are done cooking when the top has puffed up evenly. Remove lid for the last 10-15 minutes to make a nice golden crust.

These will stay warm for a long time after baking if re-covered and set aside in a warm kitchen.

Whipped Rutabaga and Potato

Rutabagas and turnips are related to each other and can pretty much be used interchangeably, so this recipe could just as easily be called "Whipped Turnip and Potato."Rutabagas and turnips are quite easy to grow. Both will keep for a few weeks in the refrigerator (and even longer in a root cellar). Both are good sources of fiber. And they both taste like autumn to me.

But I like rutabagas better.I think I just like the word. "Rutabaga." It's such a fun word to say out loud.

Rutabagas (and turnips) take a little longer to cook than potatoes. So to make Whipped Rutabaga and Potato I boil the chopped rutabaga for a little while first, and then add the chopped potatoes.I like the earthy autumn flavor that rutabaga contributes, and I like how whipping rutabaga with potato seems to cut the starchiness of the potato.

Adjust these ingredients to suit your own taste, but here is how I like to make this...WHIPPED RUTABAGA AND POTATO

2 cups of peeled, roughly chopped rutabaga
6 cups of peeled, roughly chopped potatoes
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup milk, cream, or evaporated milk
2-3 cloves garlic, finely minced
salt, pepper, and white pepper, to taste

Put chopped rutabaga in a large pot, cover generously with salted water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15-20 minutes. Add chopped potatoes (and more salted water if necessary) and simmer another 15-20 minutes, until rutabaga and potato pieces are fork tender. Meanwhile, melt butter in a small skillet, add minced garlic, and cook for just a few minutes until garlic begins to soften, then remove from heat. Drain water from rutabaga and potato pieces. Add milk and melted butter with garlic to rutabaga and potatoes. Whip well with an electric hand mixer until mixture is very smooth. Season with salt, pepper, and white pepper, to taste.

Stovetop Tomato Chicken Stew

Healthy, filling, and full of flavor, this meal cooks up on top of the stove in one pot. It's easy enough to be a quick weeknight meal but it's classy, too, and perfect for company because it doesn't require much attention while it simmers and cooks and teases you with its delicious aromas.

Change the spices to suit your own taste. Use some basil and oregano to give it an Italian flair and serve it topped with Italian cheeses. Give it more of a New Orleans spin with your favorite Creole seasoning. Or, use cumin, paprika, and some heat to give it a Mexican taste.

This time I seasoned mine simply with a bit of my "hot" spice... a variety of hot peppers, dehydrated and then ground. I rubbed the chicken pieces with a mixture of kosher salt, pepper, and "hot." Then I sprinkled more of those same seasonings and pushed a little sprig of fresh thyme into the dish as it was beginning to simmer on the stove. Usually I like to eat this with crusty bread or buttermilk biscuits. I like to push the bread down into the bowl to soak up every drop of that tasty sauce.STOVETOP TOMATO CHICKEN STEW

3-4 pounds, bone in, skin on, chicken parts
kosher salt, pepper, and a hot spice, (cayenne, chili, or chipolte powder, or red pepper flakes)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chicken broth
1 quart jar of tomatoes, undrained
1 cup tomato sauce
2 cups chopped carrots
2 cups chopped celery
2 cups sliced onion
several cloves garlic, roughly chopped
a pinch of sugar
1-2 bay leaves
fresh or dried thyme, to taste
more salt and pepper, and hot spice, to taste

Rub chicken with kosher salt, pepper, and a hot spice such as cayenne pepper, chili powder, or chipolte powder. Heat olive oil in large stock pot and brown chicken on all sides, then remove chicken and set aside. Add chicken broth to pot and scrape up browned bits from bottom of pan. Add canned tomatoes and tomato sauce. (I like to can some 8 ounce jars of tomato sauce and chicken broth because I seem to use "1 cup of tomato sauce" or "1 cup of chicken broth" in a lot of recipes.) Add chopped vegetables and garlic, pinch of sugar, bay leaves, and thyme. Place chicken back in pot, Push pieces of chicken down into liquid. Simmer on stove top for about an hour, until chicken is very tender and falling off the bone. Remove chicken and let sit until cool enough to handle. Pull meat from chicken and return meat to pot (or skip this step and just leave the pieces of chicken whole). Add more salt and pepper and hot spice, to taste. Serve with fresh crusty bread or buttermilk biscuits.

What to Do with Overgrown Green Beans

One of my favorite things about summer is getting to eat this meal.

It's so simple yet so delicious.

You know those green beans that you should have picked a few days ago? Those beans that you now think are probably too big and too tough? Use those beans to make this!

Generally I like fresh green beans to be slightly crunchy. I like to steam them just a little bit, so that they are still bright green and have some bite to them. But this meal is different. In this dish the beans cook for quite a while with small potatoes and a meaty smoked ham hock. Those large, tough beans soften and absorb some of that smoky ham flavor without becoming soggy. They retain their shape and their bite.

On a hot day I like to cook this outside on campfire or grill coals, but I have also cooked it on my kitchen stove.I've never measured any of the ingredients for this because nothing needs to be measured. Just throw the ingredients into a dutch oven and let it simmer for a while.

This is always a crowd pleaser!DUTCH OVEN GREEN BEANS, HAM, AND POTATOES

A meaty smoked ham hock
Small potatoes (or larger potatoes, quartered)
Large green beans
A little bit of chopped onion and/or minced garlic
A generous chunk of butter
A tiny pinch of sugar
Salt and pepper
Water or chicken broth

Place ham hock in bottom of dutch oven. Add remaining ingredients. If cooking on kitchen stove add enough water or chicken broth to half cover ingredients. (If cooking on campfire or grill coals use enough water or broth to almost completely cover ingredients.) Cook until potatoes and green beans are tender and meat is falling off hock (probably about an hour and a half). If using small tender green beans instead of larger tough ones, don't add them until after the potatoes and hock have already partially cooked.

Mushroom and Garlic Pot Roast

I affectionately refer to this as "My Favorite Pot Roast."But don't tell the other pot roasts I said that!

Truth be told, my favorite pot roast is always whatever pot roast is piled on the plate in front of me, regardless of the form it takes.

Sometimes I make a whole pot roast just so I can make it into sandwiches!

As with all pot roasts, this one just takes a little bit of preparation. Then it sits in the oven and does its own magic without any sort of intervention... so cooks and countrygirls and other busy folks can get stuff done while it is cooking.

Pat the meat dry and sprinkle some salt and pepper on it.I always use coarse salt and a pepper grinder when I season the meat. It makes me feel fancy.

Smash and peel some garlic cloves.I leave small ones whole but I cut larger ones in half. (The garlic simmers and turns so sweet and delicious while cooking.)Slice up a large onion.And brush the dirt off of a whole bunch of mushrooms.I didn't grow these mushrooms! I got them at the getting place.I would leave small mushrooms whole but these were giants so I quartered them.

Then I pull a frozen sprig of rosemary out of the freezer.In the summer, when herbs are at their peak, I cut, vacuum pack, and freeze some sprigs of different herbs to use in soups, stews, and roasts the rest of the year. This works great... they add flavor to things just like fresh herbs would and they take up only the tiniest bit of freezer space.

I get the wine and chicken broth ready...I heat some olive oil in my roasting pot and sear the meat a few minutes on each side so that it browns a bit. Then I remove the meat and stir the onions around in the pot for a couple of minutes.

Then I remove the onions, too. The bottom of the pot looks brown and burnt by now... but then I pour in the wine and it helps to release all those delicious brown bits from the pot.

Then I add the broth, some seasonings, and put the meat and onions back in the pot. I also add the herb to the pot.I dump the mushrooms on top and grind a bit of black pepper (and throw a bit more salt) over them.Then I put this in the oven for a long time. It makes the house smell so good...

I like to ladle the hot roast (and the delicious broth it makes) over a pile of mashed potatoes but this time I lost track of time and didn't have the potatoes ready.

I couldn't wait. The house smelled so good and I wanted to eat some right away. No potatoes, no photos, and no napkin. I just ate a big bowl of it.

And then I ate another one.

After a couple of helpings I didn't even miss the potatoes (or the napkin).

But look! There was still plenty left for making sandwiches the next day!MUSHROOM AND GARLIC POT ROAST

a 2-3 pound cut of roasting beef
salt, pepper
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups sliced onion
1/2 cup red wine
1 pint chicken broth
1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
a whole lot of whole or halved garlic cloves, slightly smashed
a sprig of herb (I used rosemary this time)
8 cups whole, quartered, or sliced mushrooms
more salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Pat meat dry and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Heat oil in dutch oven over high heat on stove top. Sear meat 3-4 minutes on each side to make it nicely browned and flavorful, then remove it from pan. Add sliced onions to pot and stir them around until they are slightly softened and have a tinge of tan color, but be careful not to burn them. Then remove onions from the pot, too. Turn off heat and immediately pour in wine to deglaze pan. Add chicken broth. Add worchestershire and liquid smoke. Return meat and onions to pot and add garlic. Place sprig of herb into pot. Add mushrooms. Sprinkle with more salt and pepper. Put lid on dutch oven and place pot in oven. Cook for at least an hour per pound of meat, plus probably one extra hour. It could take even longer, depending on the shape of the meat. A thin cut of beef will cook and get tender much faster than a thick wedge... but the house will smell glorious the whole time this is cooking.

Chicken in Wine Sauce

The name of this dish sounds so decadent, doesn't it? It sounds fancy! But this is really one of the quickest and easiest things I like to make. Lately this is one of my favorite go-to meals, especially if I'm short on time and hungry right now.

I use deboned chicken for this. I pound the pieces of chicken first to make them very tender and evenly flat. Sprinkle them with salt and pepper, then dredge them in flour. I brown the chicken fillets on both sides but then remove them from the pan before they are completely cooked. Add a bit of butter and some flour to the pan, push that roux around a little bit. Deglaze the pan with wine. Add some chicken broth, chopped onion, minced garlic, and seasonings. Put the chicken back in and let it simmer... done!I like to season this with thyme.

I cut sprigs of thyme off the plant when the thyme starts to flower. I tie the sprigs together and then hang them upside down inside a paper sack. I do most herbs this way... the contraption looks silly but the sack collects any leaves that fall off the herbs while they are drying. I also think the bag prevents dust from getting on the herbs. Then I gently pull the dried leaves off the stems and store them in a little jar.I wish I had more thyme!

Please try this fast and tasty chicken some day when you're short on "time!"CHICKEN IN WINE SAUCE

2-3 pounds deboned chicken
salt and pepper
flour
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup of a dry white wine
1 pint chicken broth
1 cup chopped onion
few cloves garlic, minced
salt, pepper, dried thyme, to taste

Pound chicken with a mallet to tenderize it and make it evenly flat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour. Brown pieces of chicken on both sides in olive oil, over medium high heat, then remove chicken and set aside before chicken is completely cooked. Reduce stove to a lower heat. Add butter and flour to pan. Push butter and flour around to make a nice brown roux. Deglaze pan with wine. Add chicken broth. Whisk until well combined. Add onion and garlic. Add salt, pepper, and thyme, to taste. (I use home canned chicken broth that has no salt... you may not want to add salt if using store bought chicken broth.) Return chicken to skillet and simmer over low heat until chicken is cooked. Sometimes I shred a bit of hard cheese over the top of this when serving. If parsley is growing in the garden chop some and sprinkle over top.

Noodles with Romas and Bacon

A while back I wrote about freezing roma tomatoes. It's incredibly easy... drop freshly picked romas into boiling water for about a minute until their skins crack. Transfer romas to ice cold water to cool. Peel the skins off. Place romas on a baking sheet lined with freezer paper and put into the freezer. Once frozen, transfer romas into a large re-sealable plastic freezer bag and return them to the freezer... until you are ready to thaw them for something like this! To make this simple dish, first roughly chop thawed romas and then drain them. (Thawed romas put off a good amount of liquid.) Set chopped romas aside. Next fry up some chopped bacon, and set it aside, too. Drain all but a spoonful of the bacon grease from the pan. Finely mince some garlic and drop into pan. Saute minced garlic for just a minute or so, and then add chopped, drained romas to the pan. Sprinkle some dried Italian spices into tomatoes. I keep a little jar of dried parsley, basil, oregano, and thyme, and I call it "Italian Seasonings." I use this mix quite often. Stir tomatoes in skillet for a few minutes until they cook down to desired consistency. I usually add salt, pepper, and just a pinch of sugar. Toss with cooked homemade noodles. Top with bacon and shredded Parmesan cheese when serving.This meal is so simple, you really don't need a recipe... but here's a guideline...

NOODLES WITH ROMAS AND BACON

5-6 slices of bacon, cut into pieces
1-2 cloves garlic, finely minced
8-10 frozen romas, thawed, chopped, and drained (or substitute a quart of home canned tomatoes, drained)
dried Italian seasonings such as parsley, oregano, basil, and thyme, to taste
salt and pepper, to taste
pinch of sugar
3-4 cups of dry noodles, cooked in salted water (proper amount of noodles may vary when using homemade noodles, use your best judgement)
shredded Parmesan cheese

Fry chopped bacon until crispy, remove from pan and set aside. Drain off all but one tablespoon of bacon grease. Add minced garlic. Saute over very low heat for about one minute. Add thawed, chopped, drained romas (or a quart of tomatoes, drained). Add spices. Stir for a few minutes until mixture cooks down to desired consistency. Toss with cooked noodles. Top with bacon and shredded Parmesan cheese when serving. This amount will feed two people. I like to serve this with a crispy fresh salad and warm buttered bread.

Parmesan Baked Butternut Squash

I love this!

It bakes up into a bubbling creamy casserole reminiscent of baked macaroni and cheese, but with the sweet nutty taste of butternut squash and the warm taste of sage.

If you grow your own sage, use just one dried leaf and rub it gently in between your fingers to crush it into little fuzzy bits just before you add it to the rest of the ingredients. For the best flavor, harvest your sage just before the plant begins to flower. I like to cut my herbs in the morning, as soon as the dew has evaporated. I tie a few sprigs together and then I tie them loosely in the opening of a paper bag. I hang the bag in a clean, dry, dark place for a couple of weeks, until the leaves dry. Then I store those dry leaves in a little jar in my spice drawer.

I realize, however, that sage is a love it or hate it kind of herb. Some people really like it... others, not so much. That's okay! Omit the sage, if you wish. This dish is also nicely flavored by the minced garlic simmering and caramelizing in the cheesy sauce... you do like garlic, don't you???PARMESAN BAKED BUTTERNUT SQUASH

4 cups butternut squash, cut into 1/2" cubes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup finely shredded parmesan cheese
1 cup evaporated milk (or use cream!)
a pinch of crushed dry sage (optional)
a pinch of salt
a pinch of black pepper

For the topping:
1/3 cup bread crumbs seasoned with a pinch of salt and pepper
2 tablespoons melted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix butternut squash, garlic, parmesan cheese, evaporated milk, sage, salt, and pepper together in a bowl. Pour into a well buttered 2 quart size baking dish. Stir bread crumbs and melted butter together and sprinkle over top of butternut. Bake for about an hour, until bubbling and golden on top. Let sit 5 minutes before serving.

Making Gnocchi

Have you ever made gnocchi?

All you need are some leftover mashed potatoes, an egg, some flour, and a few minutes.

Using a food processor helps, but it's not necessary. The ingredients can also be mixed by hand.

Look how easy this is...Put mashed potatoes, an egg, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper in a food processor.Process until smooth.

Add some very finely chopped onion or garlic, or some fresh chopped (or dried) herbs and process again.Add flour, a little at a time, processing after each addition, until mixture forms a ball in the food processor.Remove dough to a floured surface.Knead a bit more flour into dough until dough is less sticky and easy to handle. Pinch off little pieces of dough, roll into small balls, and push your thumb down into the middle of each ball to make an indentation. (The indentation makes a nice little cup to catch a bit of butter or sauce later.)

You might prefer to roll dough into long snakes, cut into pieces, and then press each piece with a fork to make little indentations... but I find my way easier.
Once gnocchi (gnocchis?) are made, they can be cooked or frozen to use later. To freeze, place gnocchi on a cookie sheet lined with parchment or freezer paper and freeze individually first. Then put frozen pieces in a freezer bag.

When ready to make, cook in boiling water for just a few minutes. Gnocchi is ready when all pieces are floating in the boiling water.

Serve with your favorite pasta sauce, pesto, or just toss with butter and parmesan cheese.

I cooked up this little dish of gnocchi with butter and cheese as a snack, just to show you how good it is. See how nice I am? I'm very giving like that...GNOCCHI

1 cup mashed potatoes
1 egg
salt and pepper
optional: very finely minced onion or garlic, fresh chopped or dried herbs
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour (possibly a bit more or a bit less)
another 1/4 to 1/2 cup flour for kneading

Put mashed potatoes, egg, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper in food processor and process until smooth. (Although the mashed potatoes were probably already nicely seasoned, you will be adding flour, which will dilute the seasoning of the potatoes.) Add minced onion, garlic, or herbs, if using, and process again. Add flour, about a half cup at a time, processing in between each addition. A bit more, or a bit less flour might be used, depending on how wet the mashed potatoes were. Gnocchi dough is ready to be kneaded when it forms a ball in the food processor. (Dough will still be slightly sticky.) Knead dough on floured surface until less sticky and easy to handle. Pinch small pieces off dough, roll into balls about 1/2 inch in diameter, and use thumb to make indentation in middle of each ball. Place indented dough balls on cookie sheet to freeze (put into freezer bag once frozen) or cook in boiling water for just a few minutes. Gnocchi is cooked when all dough balls are floating in the boiling water. Toss cooked gnocchi with butter and shredded parmesan cheese or serve with pesto or pasta sauce.