Brined Turkey

How to Brine a Turkey [note amendments below]

1. Cover thawed turkey in large stock pot with apple cider. Figure at least 1-2 gallons, depending on size of turkey. (If it helps, put the turkey in the pot first; cover with *water,* remove turkey, and measure amount of water used. Then go out and buy the cider...)
2. For every gallon of apple cider, mix in 2 cups of *kosher salt* and immerse turkey in brine.
3. Cover stock pot and refrigerate turkey and brine overnight. You may need to place a weight on the lid of stock pot to prevent turkey from buoying up.
4. Pour off brine and rinse well, inside neck cavity and breast cavity. Be sure to rinse the wings, too.
5. Pat it dry, inside and out, and, if time allows, return it to fridge to dry turkey thoroughly.
6. Stuff turkey cavities if desired. Start to cook turkey at 350, covered, and be prepared to remove cover during last third of cooking time to brown breast. The turkey browns very fast because of the sugar in the apple-cider brine.

---

Eh-hem.

This is a humble correction from the person who actually cooked the turkey this year.

DO NOT cover the turkey with cider first. Create the brine with the Kosher salt and cider FIRST, being sure to completely dissolve the salt BEFORE you pour it over the turkey. Also, create at least two gallons of brine for a twelve pound turkey, three for a much larger turkey. We used 3 gallons for our 19 pound turkey this year, and last year just two gallons for our 12 pound turkey. The turkey must be completely submerged. This year we used a 22 quart stock pot.

Also, the drying time isn't completely necessary--I didn't dry the turkey this year and it came out fine (though the comment about the wings was because I neglected to rinse the wings and so they were particularly salty). The turkey cooks much faster being completely covered so use a meat thermometer to check done-ness, about 2/3 into the estimated cooking time.

And boy, is the gravy from a brined turkey super-nummy (if I do say so myself).

:-) Jeanne

Chickpea and Spinach Soup

Recipes

I traditionally make a huge amount of this soup for our New Years Open House. We don't have a pot large enough for all of it, so I make "the base" the day before—doing all the steps up to adding all the liquid. On New Years Day, I start with some of the base plus some liquid and spinach—then keep replenishing the pot as it goes down!

I've reproduced the recipe as it appears in The Tassajara Recipe Book, but I use canned chickpeas and frozen chopped spinach; I often don't include the sherry. Except for salt, I use a lot more of all the spices—sometimes ancho chili plus chili powder, plus paprika, and many more cloves of garlic!

What I most enjoy about making this soup is that the first step?sautéing the onion and thyme—perfumes the house beautifully!

Chickpea and Spinach Soup

Spicy with garlic, chili, and thyme; earthy with chickpeas; tart with spinach; sweet with onions and tomato—this soup has a lot of flavor interest. The ancho chili called for is a large, mild chili with a sweetness reminiscent of prunes. They are occasionally available in large supermarkets and specialty shops, as well as in Mexican markets.

1 ½ cups dry chickpeas
1 medium red onion, diced small
1 ½ teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, coarsely minced, OR ½ teaspoon dried thyme
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 ancho chili, toasted and ground, OR ¼ teaspoon chili powder, OR 1 teaspoon paprika
4 large tomatoes, very ripe, peeled, seeded, and chopped, OR 2 cups canned tomatoes, chopped (juice reserved)
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup sherry
8 cups cooking liquid, from the chick peas, vegetable stock, or juice from canned tomatoes
1 bunch spinach, stems removed and leaves finely chopped salt & freshly grated black pepper

Makes about 12 cups of soup

Soak the chickpeas overnight. Cook them with at least 4 cups of water for 3 hours or more until soft (or pressure cook for 20-30 minutes). Be sure NOT to put in any salt until later, after the beans are soft.

Cook the onions and thyme in the olive oil over a medium flame until the onion is soft.

Increase the heat and add the garlic chili (or paprika), tomatoes, bay leaf, salt and sherry. Stew for 15 minutes.

Add the cooked chickpeas and the 8 cups of liquid?from the chickpeas, tomatoes, stock, or water. Simmer for 20-30 minutes to let the beans absorb some of the flavors.

Add the spinach leaves (cut small enough so that they don't dangle out of the spoon when eating) and cook 5 minutes more.

Check for salt and add pepper to taste.

Chocolate Upside-down Cake and Cranberry Coffeecake

dessert

Hello, one and all.

I feel a bit compelled to add a couple of desserts to this recipe collection. One is completely decadent, the other less so. All in the name of balance.

love, Barb

Chocolate Upside-down Cake

Topping:
1/2 c chopped walnuts
1 c semisweet chocolate chips
1 c powdered sugar
1/3 c evaporated milk

Cake:
1/3 shortening (I'm sure I used butter.)
1 1/4 c powdered sugar
1 t vanilla
1 egg
2/3 c milk
3 T cocoa
1 c flour
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt

Topping: Line a 8x8 inch pan with waxed paper. Sprinkle the nuts evenly over the bottom. Melt the choc chips in a double boiler. Beat in the rest of the stuff til smooth and spread over the nuts. Set aside.

Cake: Combine shortening,sugar, egg, and vanilla. Beat until creamy. Combine the dry stuff and add it alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Spread the batter over the topping.

Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, invert onto plate, and take off the waxed paper.

Eat in small pieces.

Cranberry Coffeecake (though coffeecake for dessert is always good, too)

1 1/2 c fresh or frozen (thawed) cranberries
1 c sugar
1 t grated orange rind (I probably did 2)
1 1/2 c flour
1/2 t salt
2 t baking powder
1 egg
1/4 c orange juice
1/4 c milk
3 T butter, softened
1/2 c chopped pecans (or walnuts)

Arrange (that's what it says) cranberries in greased 8x8 inch pan. Sprinkle with 1/2 of the sugar mixed with the orange rind. Mix the rest of the stuff just til moistened - it's pretty stiff. Drop by spoonfuls onto the cranberries, spreading the batter evenly to the sides of the pan.

Bake at 400 til toothpick comes out clean (25 to 30 minutes) Immediately invert onto serving plate. Serve warm.

Enjoy.

Chocolate Pecan Rum Brownies

[From Daniel]

The rules of the yoga center at Mt. Madonna prevented me from bringing the brownies themselves to Gathering. But in the spirit of sharing the Light over the list, and to satisfy everybody who has asked, here's the recipe I used when I made these for dan on Valentine's Day:

Spiritual Chocolate Pecan Rum Brownies

One hour silence - 15 mins prep time - 30-35 mins baking time - Makes about 16 brownies

Ingredients:
3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup butter or margarine
2 tbsps water
1 pkg (12 oz) semisweet chocolate morsels
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/2 cup chopped pecans
3 tbsp. rum

Approach process as spiritual discipline, with centered soul and working mindfully throughout.

Preheat oven to 325 deg F. Grease a 9 inch square baking pan. In a small bowl, mix together flour and baking soda. In a small saucepan, combine sugar, butter and water. Bring to boil over medium heat; remove immediately from heat. Stir in 1 cup of chocolate morsels and vanilla extract until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl. Cool completely. Stir in rum. Stir in eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually stir in flour mixture until smooth. Stir remaining chocolate morsels and nuts into batter. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 30 - 35 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Cut into squares.

adapted from "The Chocolate Room" at http://www.riversport.com/madcow/chocpecbrown.htm

-Daniel

Egyptian Kusherie

Dear Friends,

Following the lead of Jon and Su . . .

One of my favorite recipes is for Egyptian kusherie (lentils and rice). It is a simple one pot meal and quite yummy.

One cup dry lentils
one cup long grain white rice
1/2 cup uncooked fine angel hair noodles - crushed by hand into small pieces
one onion, chopped
one clove garlic (or more to taste)
minced tamari (to taste)
2 tbs olive oil

Saute the onions in the olive oil, adding the minced garlic once the onions have begun to brown.

Let the onions and garlic get as dark and brown as possible (this actually enhances the flavor in this recipe, sometimes in Egypt they are almost burnt), then add the rice and lentils and brown them for a few minutes.

Add more oil if necessary and add tamari and salt to taste.

Stir in the angel hair noodles (uncooked) and add 4 1/2 cups of water. Note you can substitute bouillion (chicken, beef, or vegie) if you prefer a richer flavor.

Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Eh voila!!

Enjoy,
Love,
Petra

Quick French Bread

Bread Recipe

Dear Friends,

Last year about this time I shared my pesto recipe with you. I just made a fresh batch for a Empanada party to celebrate Bolivia's Independance Day. But I have found another recipe in my notebook. When Bill and I were both school teachers with young children in the early 1970's, we taught our kids to bake bread. I came across some wonderful pictures of Bill teaching in those years while helping to clear Bill's apartment in Cambridge a few weeks ago. There's Bill sitting in one of those tiny chairs with a circle of children sitting on the floor. They all looked like old friends enjoying complete trust in an adult they knew was on their side in a peaceable classroom.

Here's Bill's recipe for bread from his kindergarten. Enjoy.
Thanks, John

Bill's Quick French Bread
1 1/2 cups warm yeasty hospitable water
1 Tbs honey, warmed
1/2 Tbs salt, warmed
1 1/2 Tbs dry yeast or 1 packet 4 cups flour

oven heated to 450
combine water, salt, honey, and yeast
rest for 10 minutes
Slowly add most of flour
make loaves and let rise 20 minutes
warm in blankets pulled up
slash tops diagonally
bake 20 minutes

Greek Stewed Potatoes, Green Beans, and Zucchini

I hope everyone who came to the Gathering made it back home safely! I really enjoyed my first-ever FLGC midwinter gathering.

Several folks asked about getting the recipe for the stew I made for Friday evening for Midwinter Gathering. Here is the recipe as published on www.vegetariantimes.com. I made the following modifications: Since the canned tomatoes have salt in them already, I didn't add any extra salt. I added a bit more herbs than it called for (probably an extra 2 tablespoons for a single batch). I omitted the feta cheese. And I made it the night before, adding the herbs at the end of reheating it, just before serving. I think all soups taste better the 2nd day.

Here it is. Enjoy it! —Kathleen

Greek Stewed Potatoes, Green Beans and Zucchini
6-8 servings—Dairy-free

This zesty stew tastes just as good if made the day before—but don't add the herbs or cheese (if using) until you've reheated it.

Meal plan: A fresh, crusty bread, such as sourdough, makes an excellent partner. To round out the meal, serve a big spinach salad with some chickpeas tossed in.

Ingredients

1 Tbs. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 large baking potatoes (+1 lbs.), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
2 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2 -inch chunks
16-oz. pkg. frozen cut green beans, thawed
28-oz. can diced tomatoes
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
4 oz. feta cheese, cut into chunks (1 cup; optional)

IN LARGE POT, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes.

Stir in potatoes until well combined. Add 1/2 cup water. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook until potatoes are halfway tender, about 10 minutes.

Stir in zucchini, green beans, tomatoes (with liquid) and oregano. Return to a simmer, cover and cook until vegetables are just tender, about 15 minutes.

Stir in parsley, dill, salt and pepper. Ladle stew into shallow bowls and sprinkle some feta over each serving if desired.

PER SERVING: 173 CAL.; 5G PROT.; 3G TOTAL FAT (0 SAT. FAT); 35G CARB.; 0 CHOL.; 411MG SOD.; 6G FIBER

Lemon Bars

[From dan]

Now I need to try out another lemon dessert (thanks Charley!). But here's the one I made yesterday. The Ithaca meeting would sometimes demand these, even when I made something else yummy; there was a potluck where I got yelled at for beinging a blueberry pie instead of lemon bars.

Looks like we're in for a doozy of a storm here in Boston, incidentally. Keep us in your thoughts; I have this vague fear that our building's door won't be openable tomorrow morning...

dan's extremely tart lemon bars (substantially modified from "Jeanette's Lemon Bars," _The Wooden Spoon Dessert Book_)

It's important to use organic lemons. Conventional lemons are heavily sprayed, and it's hard to get the residues and waxes off of the peel, which is very important to this recipe. Organic lemons also taste better.

Crust:
1 c. flour (pref. King Arthur Mellow Pastry Blend Flour)
1/4 c. (1 stick) butter, cut into thin slices
1/2 c. confectioner's sugar
zest of 1 organic lemon

Middle layer:
1/3 c. currant or raspberry jelly (homemade preferred)

Top layer:
2 eggs, separated, room temperature
1 c. granulated sugar (superfine if you have it)
1/2 t. baking powder
2 T. all-purpose flour
zest of 2 organic lemons
1/3 c. fresh lemon juice (this is between 1-2 lemons worth)

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Combine crust ingredients using either a pastry cutter or your mixer until there aren't any large pieces of butter.
3. Pat the crust into an 8x8 pan. Try to get it even (and make sure to cover the corners with crust.
4. Bake until the top is moderately browned, about 20-25 min. It's very important that the crust is not underbaked, but is significantly dark.
5. About 10 minutes into the baking of the crust, make the topping. Combine the egg yolks and the sugar (adding the sugar slowly), until they make a smooth mixture. Then add the baking powder, the flour and the zest, again, mixing well. Last, add the lemon juice. It should be really tart, with two separate blasts of tartness (remember that if you taste it, you're tasting raw yolks, which some folks should avoid).
6. In a separate bowl (copper if possible), beat the eggwhites to stiff peaks. Fold them into the lemon filling very gently, until just combined. It's ok if there's a little un-mixed in white, and much more important than losing all the air beaten into the whites.
7. Take the crust out of the oven when it's done and immediately spread the jelly on top of it. This is a very thin layer; try to make it even.
8. Spread the top layer smoothly on top of this.
9. Put it right back in the oven for 20-25 minutes. It's done when the egg whites that have browned into a toasty-marshmallow-y golden brown. It may still wobble a little when you take it out of the oven.
10. Cool completely before slicing into 20-25 bars.

Lemon Tart

[from Charlie]

Now that we're into dessert recipes, I'll add my own favorite -- an elegantly simple and lushly rich lemon tart. On the academic honestly front, it's not my own recipe, but comes from a very good dessert cook book by a Richard Sax, who if he isn't gay, is clearly a jammer. The book is called "Classic Home Desserts". What's nice about it is that it has both contemporary and "heirloom" recipes in it, some of them, like "Lime Fool" -- basically heavy cream whipped up with lime juice and rum -- are taken from cookbooks as far back as the 17th century.

I haven't seen the book around recently, but it may be in print. The ISBN is 1-881-527-52-2. It was published in cloth in 1994 Chapters Publishing in Shelburne, VT.

The recipe for "The World's Best Lemon Tart" is as follows. [My annotations, originally written for my mother, are in brackets, and a note to the copyright lawyers, that means it can be included in the various publications, as long as the source is cited]:

World's Best Lemon Tart (Tarte au Citron Nézard)

Rich Tart Dough

1.5 cups all-purpose flour
2 T sugar
pinch salt
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces 3 T ice water or cold orange juice, as needed

1. If making dough by hand, sift together the flour, sugar and salt into a large bowl. Cut in the butter with two knives or your fingertips, until the mixture is the texture of crumbly meal. [This works best if all the ingredients are freezer cold, and you use a chilled metal bowl. If the butter gets a little oily while you work it, throw the mixture back in the fridge a bit to chill it down again.]

2. Sprinkle 3 T of the liquid [also ice cold] over the flour mixture and toss with a fork until the pastry just comes together. Add more liquid if necessary, but do not moisten the dough too much. Gather the pastry into a ball, and flatten it into a disk. Wrap the fought in plastic or wax paper, and chill it for at least 1 hour before rolling out.

[OR, if you have a food processor, this works even better:

1. Place the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of the food processor with the blade already in. Put the whole thing in the freezer until it's cold.

2. Take it out, and add the cut-up butter. Pulse the mixture 6 - 7 times, until the butter is broken up and the mixture looks like very rough corn meal.

3. Turn the processor on, and add the water steadily, but no too fast, into the mixture. This should take no more than about 6-8 seconds. Don't overblend the mixture.

4. Turn the mixture out onto your work surface, and using the heel of the palm of your hand, press down and away on the mixture to blend it one more time. It should "smear" across the work surface. It only takes about 4-5 smearings to blend it all. Form a ball with the dough and chill it as above.]

Lemon Curd Filling

Juice of 2 lemons [or more, I err on the side of extra lemon juice. Some day I will get an accurate liquid measure for this, but not yet.]
6 large eggs
1 scant cup sugar
10 T unsalted butter, cold, cut into pieces.
Finely grated zest of 3 lemons [I usually only use the two from the juicing, unless I've juiced three.]
3 T apricot preserves or orange marmalade

1 paper thin lemon slice. [very optional to my mind, but pretty. I tend to melt just a little bittersweet chocolate myself, and spell out "citron" across the top of the glazed tarte, which is how it's often done in France. You can make a simple cone of waxed paper, or put the chocolate, shaved or coarsely chopped, inside a sealed zip lock sandwich bag. Melt it in the microwave using 10 - 15 second bursts, not more, then snip a tiny hole in the corner, which you can use as a "tip" for writing with.]

1. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface into a large circle; the crust for this tart should be thin. Gently fold the crust in half, then quarters, and transfer it into a 9 or 10 inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. [He suggests you lightly butter the pan, I've never found this to be necessary.]

Trim off the excess dough so there's a 3/4 inch overhang [I just trim to the place where the dough hits the counter again] Tuck in the overhang, pressing the edge of the dough against the sides of the tart pan to form a high, smooth border. Chill the tart shell while you preheat the oven to 400 degrees F, with a rack in the center.

2. Line the tart shell with a sheet of buttered foil, buttered side down. Weigh down with dried beans, rice, etc., place the shell on a heavy baking sheet. Bake until the edges are set, about 8 - 10 mins. Carefully lift out the foil and beans/rice. Prick the dough lightly with a fork. Continue to bake until the pastry is very pale gold, about 8 minutes longer. [About half way through this time, I re-check the pastry; it often blows up a bit, and needs to be re-pricked with a fork.] Cool on a wire rack; leave the oven on.

3. Lemon Curd Filling: In the top of a double boiler or a heatproof bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, eggs and sugar until blended. Add the butter, and set over simmering water. Whisk the mixture constantly until thick and smooth, about 8 minutes. Do not let the mixture boil, be sure to scrape the bowl down occasionally as you wisk. [The filling will thicken fairly quickly towards the end of the cooking period. Once it begins to thicken, I usually cook it just a little longer. It will continue to thicken as long as you cook it, but you don't want to get it too stiff. After you cook it a few times, you can learn the right consistency.]

Remove from heat. Strain the mixture into a clean bowl, whisk in the lemon zest. [Be sure to use two separate spatulas to scrape off the underside of the strainer and to push the curd through from inside. What you're straining out is any cooked egg solids and any lemon seeds, and you don't want to transfer the egg solids into the stained mixture.] (If you're not going to use the custard immediately, lay a sheet of waxed paper or plastic wrap directly on the surface and refrigerate.) [I find the tart doesn't bake as well if the curd has been refrigerated, so I try to let it sit out just a bit to warm it up when I do. You can also just stop at this point, and you have a great lemon curd for use with ice-cream or other desserts, it can be spread on top of a cheese cake, used as a filling for a light butter cake, used in petit fours, etc.]

4. Pour the custard into the tart shell. Bake until the filling is set and slightly golden, about 30 mins. [Sometimes in baking, the lemon curd will start to boil and bubble. If it's just a little bit, that's ok, but it may mean your oven's a little hot.] Cool the tart to room temperature on a wire rack, 1 - 2 hours, or overnight.

5. Strain a thin layer of preserves directly onto the surface of the tart. If you are using a stiff marmalade, you may need to warm it before straining. Gently brush it over the surface of the tart, glazing evenly. Brush gently so you don't tear the custard.

[Here, he's just wrong, in my mind. What I do is heat the preserves in a sauce pan with a little bit of water, stirring until it's all liquid, but still thick. Then I strain it through a small strainer directly onto the tart, filtering out any apricot solids, or orange slices for the marmalade. Then I lift the tart and tilt it from side to side, or in a circular motion, to spread the glaze out evenly. Be sure to get the glaze all the way up to the crust all the way around so it seals the custard completely. If you've strained on too much, just let is pour off on point of the crust. It will likely seep into the pan, but you can clean it up once you've removed it from the pan if you're so inclined.]

Lay the thin slice of lemon in the center of the tart; glaze the lemon slice with the preserves. Remove the tart from the rim of the pan and serve at room temperature. [I find the lemon slice gets in the way of slicing the tart. So I let the glaze set (usually about 30 mins to an hour) and then pipe on the chocolate "citron." I also serve it with unsweetened whipped cream, which helps cut some of the tartness of the lemon for some people.]

Enjoy.

Love, Charley

Linguini with Broccoli Rabe & Ham

I loved Neil's explanation about the soup pot. I empathize, having grown up learning to cook for 8. And I have a similar affliction, "pantryitis." I feel like I must go out and buy food unless the refrigerator, freezer and a few food cabinets are full. Mind you, it doesn't matter what they are full of, just as long as I am living on the first 3-4 inches of space. I must have 4 kinds of mustard, many pickles, every condiment known to man, mostly empty jam jars, etc. But I feel like there is peace in the world if I cannot get another thing in it.

Go figure . . . .

I also love to go to the local Italian vegetable market cum deli with fresh mozzarella cheese and bread baked in coal-fired brick ovens, shipped in each AM from Jersey City. I pick out what looks good, and then plan dinner or whatever. Having to cook out of someone else's pantry is also a good challenge. Here is one of my favorites that is very fast and tasty. It is great with or without the ham. Last night it accompanied broiled fish for dinner. Vegetarians may want to try it with toasted walnuts.

Jill

Linguini with Brocolli Rabe & Ham

Recipe by: Jill
Serving Size: 4
Preparation Time: 0:20
Categories : Main Dishes or side pasta

6 -8 cloves garlic -- minced
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 pound good Italian linguine -- cooked el dente and drained
1/3 pound Canadian bacon -- sliced 1/8" thick (a small package)
2 bunches fresh broccoli rabe -- washed and ends trimmed
1 teaspoon butter
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dry red pepper (hot) flakes
1/4 cup grated parmesan or romano cheese

Boil salted water for pasta. Cut Canadian bacon into match stick size strips, or about 1/3 inch by 2 inch strips. Mince garlic. Wash brocolli rabe and trim ends. Cut off any yellowish bits. Cut in half lengthwise. Wash well in a big pan of water. Cook pasta until slightly el dente while you make the rest of the dish. Heat a large heavy frying pan that has a lid over medium heat. When hot, add olive oil and heat til hot but not smoky (oil will get a shine). Add garlic and saute, but don't let it brown. Remove brocolli from water and add to frying pan with sauted garlic. (You want the water that sticks to it to go into the pan to steam it). Toss with tongs until it just wilts and garlic is distributed. Add red pepper flakes & toss a bit. Cover. Toss every few minutes. Heat another small pan and add the butter to melt. Add bacon and brown lightly. Add to brocolli. Cook brocolli for about 8 minutes in total. Each stem should be bright green but tender to the point of a knife. Add drained pasta to brocolli and toss with about 1/4 cup cheese. Serve immediately

Pasta With Artichokes and Tomatoes

Another recipe

Here's another quickie that is very good and plenty elegant to serve anyone. Good left over and eaten cold or hot the next day.

Pasta With Artichokes and Tomatoes

1-2 T Olive Oil
1 medium onion chopped up
1 (or more) cloves of garlic, minced
1 16 oz can tomatoes (I like plum tomatoes but any will do)
1 14 oz can artichoke hearts packed in water, drained and quartered
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp dry basil (or fresh if you have it)
8 oz dry pasta (linguini or fettucini or spagetti work well)
Parmesan for sprinkling

In a big pan start the water for your pasta.

In a mediumish skillet, heat the oil. Add the onions and garlic and cook a few minutes. Add the tomatoes with their liquid to the pan and smoosh them up with a spoon. Add the artichokes and herbs. Bring to a simmer and simmer covered for ten minutes. About five minues into the process (depending on how long your pasta will take to cook) throw the noodles into their water.

After the sauce has simmered ten minutes covered, take the lid off and simmer five more to thicken it up a bit.

When your pasta is done cooking, put it in a serving bowl, pour the sauce over, toss. Sprinkle with parmesan. Eat.

Good with garlic bread and a salad.

Serves somewhere between two and four depending on how hungry you are and what else you serve.

Pesto by Judy

Sweet Garden Love

In the course of concocting this manna, I discovered that there is huge variability among pesto recipes. The Greens cookbook calls for 4 cups of basil to one tablespoon of pine nuts, whereas the Silver Palate gals say 2 cups of basil get a whole cup of walnuts, and The Joy of Cooking calls for three times as much cheese as either of them. I like my pesto pretty garlicky, but not too oily, with plenty of pine nuts.

Therefore, I decided to experiment, and came up with a recipe that I hafta say KICKS BUTT! So here it is, just in the nick of time for basil season:

Judy's Fabulous Pesto
In a food processor, combine:
- 4 cups basil leaves
- 3/4 cup pine nuts
- 1/3 cup grated pecorino romano
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan
- 2-3 sizeable garlic cloves, or 4-5 small ones
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- fresh ground black pepper to taste
Whooze until thoroughly ground. Makes enough for several meals, at a rate of about 3/4 cup pesto to one pound of pasta.

Enjoy! Love, Judy

Potato Cheese Soup

The Best Winter Recipe Ever

This comes from Laurel's Kitchen, but, no kidding, it says, "Your Potato-Cheese Soup gets us through the Minnesota winter."

No better praise than that. And I would concur, living through one of the coldest snowiest winters on record here in the Twin Cities. It's one of the fastest recipes too.

As an aside, Laurel's Kitchen has the best soups on the planet, I think. They are always fast, flavorful and easy.

Potato Cheese Soup
4 medium potatoes
2 carrots
1 onion chopped
1 clove garlic
1-2 T oil or butter
3 C milk
1 C grated sharp cheddar cheese
2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1 T chopped parsley

Cook the potatoes and carrots in water to cover in a large, heavy pan. Remove potato skins. Meantime, saute the onion and garlic in the oil or butter and combine with potatoes, carrots and cooking water. Puree in batches.

Return puree to pan and add milk, cheese and seasonings. Heat until cheese is melted and soup is piping hot, but don't let it boil.

Makes 8 to 10 cups.

Enjoy!
Jeanne

Potato-Leek Soup

As we are currently eating our way through an absolutely sublime pot of potato-leek soup I made last week, I will bite on John's invitation to supply recipes. This soup is my specialty and a favorite winter meal around our house. I like to serve it with fresh bread and butter and a big green salad. The soup is foolproof; the quality of it varies only from good to Gastronomical Ecstasy. And it takes less than 20 minutes to put together, plus simmering-on-the-stove time.

I don't usually plan to make a pot; I wait until I spot really beautiful leeks at the co-op and make a pot then. I like to use Yellow Finn potatoes because they hold up well to sitting in the broth over a period of days in the fridge; other potatoes start to lose their starch into the broth and it changes the texture and flavor of the soup in ways I don't like (but I like this soup with a clear broth; if you want a thicker soup, just smash a few of the potatoes against the side of the pot with a spoon before you serve it).

If you are a person who makes vegetable broth from scratch, more power to you. But I use a recipe for "Tamari-Bouillon Broth" from an old cookbook called "Fast Vegetarian Feasts," and it is swell.

The broth:

Throw 8 cups of water into a pot and add the appropriate amount of bouillon (I recommend experimenting with the bouillon at the co-op; some of the better ones actually make a broth with texture and flavor). Add about 1/3 to 1/4 cup of tamari and a couple of cloves of minced garlic (As a short cut, we buy that garlic juice in a spray bottle and it works just fine, too).

Let the broth come to a boil, then reduce it to a simmer until the bouillon dissolves.

For the soup, you need:

2 tbs butter or oil (don't skimp! The leeks really need to be floating in a bath to cook up right. I use butter unless I have a vegan coming for dinner).
2-3 c. sliced leeks (white part only)
2 tbs. flour

The broth

2 lbs. diced potatoes (peel-on is best but it's up to you.)
Salt & pepper to taste
3-4 tbs. dry vermouth or sherry, to taste

Heat the butter in your soup pot and add the leeks. Stir them around, cover the pan, and let them cook slowly over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes (your temperature is right if in this time they turn translucent and start giving off a mouth-watering leeky odor but do not turn brown. If your temp is too high and they turn brown or even burn a little around the edges, your soup will merely be Very Good). Add the flour and cook about 2-3 more minutes, stirring constantly, until the leeks start to brown. Add about 2 cups of the broth (still hot) and stir. Add the potatoes and the rest of the broth. Add a little salt if you want (though I find the salt in the tamari is usually plenty), bring it to a simmer, cover, and cook about 25-35 minutes, until the potatoes have reached the texture you want.

Add the sherry, add a little fresh-ground pepper, mash a few of the potatoes if you want a thicker-textured soup, and serve it up with a parsley garnish if you like.

I love this soup because, depending on what you serve for appetizers and sides, it works as a quick-and-casual Wednesday night family dinner or as a dinner you can serve to guests and get a lot of praise for. And it really is foolproof; the first time I made it, I was so ignorant about produce the produce manager at Kroger gave me a picture of some leeks to help me find them. And yet the soup came out fine.

Su

Pumpkin/Winter Squash Muffins

Thanks John, for starting a great thread.

I am looking forward to this weekend with great anticipation, as it will be my first full FLGC event, since participating in the FLGC worship sharing group at New England Yearly Meeting last summer.

This trip may also be slightly distracting as I plan to introduce Ann to the pleasures of a Pat's Philly Cheese Steak and all the wonderful foodstuff at Reading Terminal Market . . . . For those of you not familiar w Philly, may I recommend a brief lunch break on Saturday or Monday and walk about 4 blocks east to 11th and Race, to check out this exotic and earthy old marketplace on the street-level floor of the Reading Terminal. Amish bakeries, all sorts of delis, almost any ethnic foodstuff that you might be looking for, rich Bassett's ice cream, and on and on.. I'm originally from Philly, spent my first 21 years there, and Reading Terminal is something to be experienced.

I'll post a favorite recipe of mine here, a very hearty and heavy type of muffin that I have adapted so many times it barely resembles the recipe as I first saw it (originally from the Victory Garden Cookbook). These are NOT light muffins, in weight, density nor calories, but oh, are they yummy, and filling, and they are a great nutritious and handy snack food for a long car trip to Philly! :)

Pumpkin/Winter Squash Muffins

Sift together:
3 cups flour (whole wheat or white)
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup-3/4 cup sugar (depends on your taste)
1 tsp salt

Mix in a separate bowl:
2 cups finely grated RAW Pumpkin or Winter Squash (this is great with acorn, buttercup, or any other sweet winter squash)
2 eggs
1 cup crushed canned pineapple, with juice
1 stick soft butter

Optional add-ins:
*golden or reg raisins, nuts, grated coconut, sunflower seeds, *sesame seeds
(add whichever of these to the wet ingredients before mixing w the dry - I love to put golden raisins and sunflower or sesame seeds in particularly)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees, sift together dry ingredients, then add the add the wet ingredients and cut with a pastry blender or fork until JUST blended, do not beat. Fill greased muffin tins 3/4 full, top with a smidge of sesame seeds, and bake for 20 minutes, or until just golden on top. Makes about 18-24 muffins. They store well for a week if kept covered and are GREAT served warm! They also disappear fast around my house.

Enjoy!
Sadia

Spaghetti Sauce by John's Mom

Tomato Surprise

snow, pasta, Bangladesh, and see you soon

Dear FLGC Friends,

We had 28" of snow the other day followed by an ice storm and now it's zero degrees. Happy Winter! I have been shoveling snow off the roof and bringing in firewood while Marshall is working in Bangladesh. Here is a little casserole that I like to make on these very cold days. Hope to see some of you soon at Mid-Winter Gathering in Philadelphia. Are there some other favorite winter recipes to be shared here? This list serve has been dead as a doornail lately. Thanks, John

TOMATO SURPRISE

1 lb egg noodles
l lb hamburg
3 tbsp butter
16 oz tomato sauce
8 oz cottage cheese
8 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup grated mozzarella

Set oven at 350
Grease large casserole with 1 tbsp butter
Boil and drain noodles, add 1 tbsp butter to noodles & toss
Brown hamburg in 1 tbsp butter & stir in tomato sauce
Combine 3 soft cheeses in a bowl
In buttered casserole layer -1/2 of noodles -3 cheese combination -1/2 noodles -tomato sauce -top off with mozzarella
Bake 30 minutes

John

Vegan and Gluten-Free Deserts

From Liz K.

Vegan Ginger snaps

2 dozen

375 degrees

Ingredients:

1/4 c Apple sauce or apple butter

1/2 c molasses

1 1/2 c flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ginger

granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 375. Mix all ingredients well. If it seems to moist add a little more flour.

Form 2 dozen 1 balls. Roll each in sugar and place on an oiled or sprayed cookie sheet.

Flatten slightly with the bottom of a drinking glass dipped in sugar.

Bake 12-15 minutes until brown and cracked.

Vegan Brownies

9 x13 pan

350 degrees

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups granulated sugar

1 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 cup water

2 Tbs egg replacer mixed with 2 Tbs water

1 cup vegetable or canola oil or melted butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350.

Grease a 9 x 13 inch pan and line it with foil or parchment.

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Make a well and add the remaining ingredients. Stir till blended. Spread into prepared pan.

Bake 25-30 minutes until the top is no longer shiny. Let cool at lease 10 minutes.

Vegan Banana Date cookies

2 Dozen

400 degree oven

Ingredients:

3 bananas

1 c chopped dates

(1/2 cup walnuts optional)

1/3 cup oil

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups rolled oats

Mash bananas leaving some pieces. Add dates and oil. Mix well. Add remaining ingredients and mix. Let stand for 10 minutes so that oats can absorb liquid.

Preheat oven to 400.

Drop by spoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes until nicely browned. Loosen with spatula but let cool on sheet.

Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies

3 dozen

350 degrees

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar

1 cup butter, softened

1 egg

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

2 1/4 c Bobs Red Mill Gluten-Free Baking mix plus some for rolling out

1/4 tsp salt

granulated sugar

cinnamon

Combine sugar and butter in large mixer bowl. Cream on medium speed until light. Add egg and vanilla. Continue beating on medium, scraping down once or twice. Add flour and beat until incorporated. Divide in two. Wrap tight. Refrigerate at least an hour, until firm.

Preheat oven to 350.

Roll dough on surface that has been lightly floured with Bobs Blend. Cut with cutters and transfer to cookie sheet with spatula. Work fast as the dough will become soft as it warms. Sprinkle with sugar or a mix of sugar and cinnamon.

Bake 8-12 until edges are light brown. Let stand 2 minutes and then move from sheet to cooling rack.

Gluten-Free Brownies

9 x 9 pan

350

Ingredients

1 cup butter

2 oz of unsweetened baking chocolate

1 oz of semi-sweet baking chocolate

1 1/4 cups of sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

3 eggs

1 1/4 cups of Bobs Red Mill Gluten Free Baking mix

1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9x9 pan and line it with parchment or foil.

Melt butter, unsweetened and semi sweet chocolate in a 2 quart sauce pan over medium low heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.

Stir in sugar and vanilla. Add eggs one at a time stirring after each addition. Stir in flour and salt and mix until just moistened and smooth.

Transfer to prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 20-30 minutes until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool completely.

Saturday Brunch Waffles

Waffles

Friends: The folowing recipe is taped inside the door of the baking cupboard where most of the baking ingredients in our house are stored. We enjoy variations of this recipe at our house often. I remember well a sunny May morning when we served these as the main feature of a birthday brunch with lots of fresh fruit and jams to top the waffles. The gift we gave our good friend/sister that day was a waffle iron!

A word on a cookbook. I like the idea. In the past 3 or 4 years I have been trying to remember whenever I make something for which I use a recipe, to enter that recipe into my computer in a folder of recipes I keep. In past years when we went off to our family's summer cottage, I would go with a large handful of recipe books so that I could be prepared to take my share of the cooking for the group. Now I just take my laptop. I am regularly entering our FLGC recipes into that folder. The wesite will be great if I travel without my own computer!

I also have a program called Cooking Light which is the kind of prgram Nancy described. I have been trying to think what might be the easiest way to create an e-recipe book. I have even thought of negotiating with Cooking Light or some other recipe book program to have our recipes in their format available for sale at a slightly lower price than the program itself.

Those are just some ideas! Here is my recipe:

Anne's Saturday Brunch Waffles (or pancakes)
Enough for 5 or 6 people for a Saturday and again during the week.

Cook 1 cup of Old Fashioned Oats (or an/other whole grain/s) in 2 cups of water with 2 tsp salt and let cool.

Pre-heat waffle iron.

Mash 3 or 4 over-ripe bananas (black skin, very soft fruit)* in large mixing bowl. Keep beaters going slowly as you add: 5 eggs 2 cup vegetable oil (1/4 cup for pancakes) 2 cups Bisquick or other prepared pancake mix (or 2 cups unbleached all purpose flour, 2 tsp salt, 1 teaspoon baking powder and 2 tablespoons oil) 2 teaspoons baking powder 2 cups of whole grain pancake mix (from health food store) or 2 cups whole grain flour (could be part ground nuts - almonds, pecans or hazelnuts), 2 tsp salt, 1 more teaspoon baking powder Approximately 2 2 cups of liquid (milk, water, soy milk, apple juice, etc.) Blend in the cooked oats or other grain May add fresh berries or finely diced apples

Spray top and bottom of heated iron with cooking oil spray, pour about 1 2 ladels of mix and spread over the iron. If desired sprinkle with finely chopped nuts, (may sprinkle fruits rather than adding to the mix) and bake waffles.

*may substitute lots of things for banana. Examples are: 1 1/2 cups applesauce, pumpkin pulp, pureed squash and appropriate spices or 2 small containers of yoghurt (flavor of your choice) or a can of undiluted tomato soup and 1 2 tsp cinnamon and 3/4 tsp. ea. ginger & nutmeg & approx. 2 cup raisins to the mix