my muffin thursdays

Warning: this recipe is not for mushroom haters. My sincerest apologies (and condolences) to those of you who don't like mushrooms. It's a hard burden to bear in life (I would know...poor Michael hates everything to do with mushrooms).

I really liked this soup. I've been searching high and low for a version that doesn't have meat as the star. Last year, I ate a great version of brown and wild-rice soup at a little deli on campus, and it was really what I wanted to re-create at home. I felt like I was pretty successful. The soup was hearty and comforting, while still incredibly simple. The soup comes together beautifully and goes well with crusty bread or a salad. It was delicious!


I should let you know now that the only challenge in preparing this soup is allotting time for the rice to cook. Which is why I'll let you in on a little secret: I cooked my rice the night before I wanted to make the soup. Brown and wild rices usually take 45-50 minutes to simmer and soften, which makes this hard to whip up in 30 minutes after getting home from work.

If you've never worked with leeks before, you should know that they tend to be sandy and need more than a quick rinse. While the bacon was browning in the soup-pot, I sliced the leek and soaked it in a large bowl of water, to let all the sand and grit come out. By the time the bacon was done, the leeks were clean and ready to go!


Brown and Wild Rice Mushroom Soup
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
3/4c brown and wild rice blend (not instant)
4 slices bacon, diced
1 leek, light green and white parts only, washed, sliced in half vertically and sliced thinly horizontally
8oz button or baby portobello mushrooms, finely diced
2 Tbsp flour
4 1/2c chicken broth
1c half-and-half
3 Tbsp minced fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)

Directions:
Cook rice according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large soup pot, brown bacon over medium-high heat until crisp. Set aside and drain all but 2 tsp of the bacon drippings (if you'd rather not use bacon drippings, you could empty all of it and substitute olive oil or butter). Add leeks and mushrooms to pot and reduce heat to medium. Salt and pepper to taste. Saute until softened and mushrooms are slightly browned.

Add bacon back to pot and sprinkle all with flour. Cook, stirring 2-3 minutes over medium heat. Add chicken broth and cover. Bring soup to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer 5-7 minutes or till everything is tender. Add in half-and-half and cooked rice. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Stir in parsley for garnish.

I am about to confess something to you about Thanksgiving that some may consider blasphemy:

Turkey is my least favorite part of Thanksgiving.

There, I said it. It's the truth, and I am all about the truth here at My Muffin Thursdays.

You may wonder then, if not turkey, what does it for me at Thanksgiving? My answer: The starches. Pile on the mashed potatoes, vegetables, rolls, etc. What really makes my day though, is the sweet potatoes. I love Thanksgiving sweet potatoes.

If you haven't been a sweet potato person before, really, honestly, truly, these are incredible. As in Heaven-in-your-mouth good. Forget marshmallow-topped; these babies are delicious.

I usually only eat them at Thanksgiving, but, let's be honest folks, they're good any time. I eat meatless several nights each week, and in the cold months, I'll often make these as my main dish and pair them with a salad or other vegetable for a simple meal. Certainly they aren't diet sweet potatoes, but I love them and they're delicious.

You can make these with either sweet potatoes or yams. I've used both with excellent success. My mom even makes them with canned yams and they're great. Whatever works well for you. Another beautiful thing about these sweet potatoes is that you can prepare them the night before or the morning of Thanksgiving and then just pop them in the oven when you're ready to cook them. If you don't want a full 9 x 13" pan full, you can certainly half the recipe and cook it in an 8 x 8" pan.They are very simple to prepare, and the leftovers are fantastic.

(To prepare the sweet potatoes, I peel them and then boil them until soft. Then I mash them well.)

The recipe comes from my Aunt Kelly, who has the cutest baby ever of all time, but that's another story for another day. In the meanwhile, I get very most especially nostalgic when I eat them around the holidays and think of her.


Aunt Kelly's Sweet Potatoes
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
6c mashed sweet potatoes (3-4 large sweet potatoes)
1c sugar
1/2c milk
1/4c butter, melted
3 eggs
1tsp salt
1tsp vanilla

For the topping:
1c brown sugar
1c chopped pecans
1/2c flour
1/4c butter

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine sweet potatoes, sugar, milk, and butter. Add eggs one at a time, stirring well after each addition to fully incoporate the eggs. Stir in salt and vanilla. Pour into a 9 x 13" baking dish.

In a medium bowl, combine brown sugar, pecans, flour, and butter until very crumbly and well combined. (a pastry blender or two forks work well for this). Sprinkle over the sweet potato mixture.

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or till golden.

Last year, my family and I were over visiting my grandma one night. She and my grandpa had just put up about a million jars of spiced pear jam. She sent us each home with a little jar to sample, and I wolfed it down embarrassingly fast on toast every morning for breakfast and in the afternoon for a little snack.

I haven't stopped thinking about that jam since. I got the recipe, but, having only about 20" x 20" of counter space to my name, I've given up hopes of canning my own at present. So, instead, I just think about it, remembering how a-ma-zing it was. Sigh...

So, how to capture that same unbelievably delicious flavor without canning jam?

Pie.

I find this is often the answer I'm looking for in my life. Pie is the i-ching of desserts. What should I make for my big family dinner? Pie. What should I take to my neighbor who just had a baby? Pie. What am I craving right this very minute? Pie.

It's what The Godfather is to men in You've Got Mail.

Michael and I lay in bed the other night discussing food as we were falling asleep and we made a plan for capturing the flavor of spiced pear jam in a pie. This was the brain-child of our musings.

A few notes about this pie: 1) you can expect that your house will smell like heaven on earth and the holidays and lots of good memories. 2) You can expect it to be magically delicious. 3)You can expect that it's not especially subtle when it comes to spices.


I love the combinateion of apples and pears. The cranberries look like little jewels, and the crumble topping just sends this baby over the edge. It's everything a fall pie should be.

If you feel iffy about pears in pie (have no fear), you can certainly use all apples. If you're nervous about having an over-spiced pie, you can tone it down by using less than the recommended amount of spices. If you don't like cranberries, you can leave them out. It's very flexible and forgiving. Just as a pie should be.


Fall Fruit Pie
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
1 pie shell
5 small apples, peeled, cored, and diced
3 small pears, peeled, cored, and diced
1/3c dried cranberries, (or more or less to taste)
1/4c sugar
1/4c brown sugar
1/4c flour
1 tsp vanilla
1/2tsp cinnamon
scant 1/2tsp ginger
1/4-1/2tsp cloves (I used a generous, heaping 1/4tsp)
pinch salt

For the topping:
1/2c cold butter
1c brown sugar
1/2c oatmeal
1/2c flour
1/4-1/2c chopped pecans
1/4tsp salt

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine apples, pears, and cranberries. Add in sugar, brown sugar, flour, vanilla, spices, and salt. Pour filling into pie shell.

In a medium bowl, blend topping incredients until well combined and very crumbly. I use a pastry blender, but you could use two knives or two forks. Sprinkle over filling.

Bake at 375 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until crumble topping is very golden and set.

Cool completely before serving.

I feel like I end up saying this almost every other post, but dear reader, it's been a few of those weeks all strung together.

For the past few days, I've slunk in the door with my shoulders drooping, purse practically dragging on the floor (I love my purse too much to actually let it drag on the floor), the bags under my eyes sagging so far down my face that I've considered naming them.

Okay, fine. I exaggerated.

But just a little.

Mostly.

For some reason, I've had all the energy drained right out of me for the past few weeks. I wish I could tell you it was for some exciting or mysterious reason (i.e. H1N1 flu, pregnancy, saving orphans from burning buildings on my lunch break), but the truth is... I can't put my finger on anything. I've just been a little drained. So by the time dinner is made and cleaned up, I'm ready for nothing more than laying down next to Michael watching Leverage reruns online through Netflix. (I highly recommend the show, by the way. We just started watching it last week, and it's VERY well done.)

So we've had rather simple (but delicious) fare at our house these past few weeks. This salad is one of those simple things.

I first tried maple dressing at one of my favorite soup/salad/sandwich places, and have been on a quest to re-create it at home. Michael likes my version better, which I'll take as a compliment. But I PROMISE that as much as a maple dressing might sound sticky or too sweet or funky, it's incredibly good. Especially when paired with tart apples, dried cranberries, and toasted pecans.

Oh, baby, is it good.

The dijon and balsamic vinegar balance out the sweetness and add just the right notes to tie everything together. I must warn you though, dear reader, not to make this with maple flavored syrup. You have to use the real stuff. Okay, you don't HAVE to, but it will be better. I promise.

Anyway, here's to simple, delicious, and fall-inspired meals.

Coming soon... wild rice soup and a fantastic fall fruit pie.


Fall Salad with Maple Dressing
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
Lettuce (I used romaine, you could use anything--spinach, spring mix, whatev)
Pecans, toasted
dried cranberries
a tart apple, diced (I used Granny Smith, but Jonathan or other tart apples are good too)
parmesan cheese (optional)

For vinaigrette:
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp dijon mustard
1/4c olive oil
salt and pepper

Directions:
Make vinaigrette by whisking together maple syrup, vinegar, and dijon mustard. Wisk in olive oil. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary (you may want a bit more maple, salt, ,etc.)

Toss dressing with lettuce, pecans, cranberries, and apple. Top with parmesan cheese, if using.

It snowed yesterday.

In October.

As in not yet Thanksgiving and not yet the Christmas season (contrary to the over-zealousness of certain retail establishments which shall remain nameless).

Did I mention that it is still October? Oh, because I think it’s perfectly indecent of the weather to snow in October. In-de-cent.

While we stared in disbelief periodically at the snow yesterday at work, one of my co-workers emerged from the break room with warm air-popped popcorn with butter and salt to share. It tasted heavenly. When I commented on how good it was, she looked at me and said “Honey, there are just some things you do on days like these.”

Park City Stew is also one of the things to do on days like these, where the weather is uncooperative and you just need something cozy and warm and homey. Beyond that, this meal is made for Laura, who requested a homey stew.

Park City Stew is something my mom used to make occasionally when I was growing up and I loved it. It tastes like an ideal hearty homemade meal should. As an added bonus, it’s incredibly simple to make (7 ingredients if you don’t count pepper), makes your house smell fantastic, and requires very little attention.

I like it best served over rice, though you can certainly eat it more like a soup. You can make this in a slow-cooker or, if you’d rather, bake it in a Dutch oven or large oven-safe pot.

I hope you enjoy this as much as I do!



Park City Oven Stew
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
2lbs stew meat
8-10 carrots, peeled and sliced into 4-5 pieces each
6 medium-sized potatoes (fist-sized or smaller), cut into 6 pieces each or quartered
1 can cream of mushroom soup (I use low-fat)
1 can cream of celery soup (I use low-fat)
1 (8oz) can tomato sauce
1 packet dry onion soup mix
Pepper

Directions:
***Layer half of the beef on the bottom of your slow-cooker or Dutch oven. Sprinkle with pepper. Layer half of the carrots and potatoes over the beef. In a large bowl, combine soups, tomato sauce, and onion soup mix. Pour half of this mixture over the vegetables and beef. Repeat layers.

Cook in a slow cooker on low for 8-10 hours or in the oven at 250-275 degrees for 8-10 hours. Stir once or twice throughout cook time if you can.

Serve over rice or in bowls.

**If you aren’t going to be home to stir the stew, combine all the ingredients and pour it all in at once.

Thank you SO very much, dear readers, for your suggestions. I will MOST happily take more suggestions as long as you want to give them.

The overwhelming response was for soup recipes. I was delighted, since it gives me more opportunity to make something I already love.

This recipe is a fun way to update chicken noodle soup. It's not the most traditional thing ever, but it was delicious. I was inspired by a recipe I saw Tyler Florence make once that used sausage to make little meatballs for the soup. It was SUCH a great idea.

I loved the texture and flavor of the meatballs. Chicken apple sausage has a sort of sweetness to it that paired REALLY well with a little bit of thyme and made me feel snuggly and fall-ish. The orrichette made a fun change from normal egg noodles, and it was really a perfect combination.

As an added bonus, meatballs magically make soup a uni-gender food for those of us who cook for manly male types who sometimes scoff at soup as "girl food."

As always, soup gets better the second day. The flavors meld together, and (especially when you use any type of sausage) the broth intensifies in flavor. You can absolutely make it ahead of time, and it froze remarkably well with only a slight texture change in the pasta.


Chicken Meatball Noodle Soup
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

For the meatballs:
1/2 medium onion, finly diced
1lb chicken apple sausage, casings removed
1/4c minced fresh parsley
1/4c parmesan cheese
1 egg
1/4tsp pepper
1/4tsp salt
pinch dry thyme
olive oil

For the soup:
8oz orrichette pasta (or other small shape, such as shells)
olive oil
2 carrots, sliced
2-3 stalks celery, sliced
1 medium onion, diced
2 large garlic cloves, minced
pinch dry thyme
salt
pepper
2 1/2-3 quarts chicken broth
1/4c minced fresh parsley, plus more to garnish

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions.

In a medium pan, cook the onion in a drizzle of olive oil on medium-low heat until caramelized, stirring often. Combine sausage, parsley, cheese, egg, salt, pepper, and thyme.

Meanwhile, in a soup pot, saute carrots, celery, and onion in a drizzle of olive oil about 5 minutes or till somewhat tender. Add garlic, salt, pepper, and thyme and cook 1 minute longer. Add 2 1/2 quarts chicken broth and parsley and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer.

Remove onions from heat and stir into the sausage mixture. In the same pan you used to saute the onions, add a drizzle of olive oil and heat over medium heat. Scoop meatballs out of the sausage mixture with a tablespoon or small cookie scoop into the oil, cooking half of the meatballs at a time. (Depending on the size of your pan, you may need to do them in three batches instead of two).

Brown the meatballs and add them to the simmering soup, where they will finish cooking. Simmer 4-5 minutes, or until meatballs are cooked through. Stir in the cooked pasta. Add more broth, salt, or pepper as necessary.

Please ignore that this photo has nothing to do with anything, other than it's fall. and also Michael looks dreamy in orange.
p.s. sorry it's all pixel-y for some reason...woof.

Dear friends, family, neighbors, blog-friends, non-relations, silent wallflower blog readers, frequent commenters, and compatriots:

I want to hear from you.

I've done this once before, without sufficient committment on my part, but I want to try again. I have this question:

What are you looking for?

Soup? Thanksgiving recipes? Something to use all your apples? Meatless meals? Meals on the cheap? Pie recipes? Something for the slow-cooker? Tutorials on how to work with bread? New ways to dress up your vegetables?

What is it you want a recipe for?

Here's why I ask:
I have a fall/winter cooking agenda of my own, but what are you looking for? I'd love to meet some of your needs, dear reader.

Having started a job recently, I've found that I'm not posting as much as I'd like, even though I HAVE been cooking. But I miss posting. A lot.

So...

My committment:
Depending on feedback, I will commit to making at least one reader-inspired recipe per week. I'd really love to make what it is you're looking for.

So talk to me! I'd love to hear from you. Especially those of you who visit often but may not normally comment. Please let me know! What is it you want me to make? There are very VERY few things I wouldn't try (I don't cook with alcohol, but that's about it), so lay it on me! Be as specific as you want! For instance, I myself am looking for the perfect creamy wild rice soup recipe (that doesn't call for a can of "cream of anything").

Don't hold back, feel free to challenge me, and let the games begin.