Dinner

Submitted by Koren & William Warden
Warden Meat & Maple
Korenwarden@gmail.com

Lazy Lasagna
16 oz extra wide egg noodles
2 cups ricotta or creamed cottage cheese
1 1/3 cups mozzarella cheese
2/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
5 cups spaghetti sauce
Add 2 lbs cooked Warden grass fed ground beef, sweet Italian sausage or breakfast sausage to spaghetti sauce.

1. Bring water & 2 tbsp salt to a rapid boil. Add noodles to water. Boil uncovered, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Drain
2. Preheat oven to 375°.
3. In a large bowl, toss noodles with ricotta, mozzarella & parmesan cheeses.
4. In a 2 quart oblong baking dish, spoon enough sauce to cover bottom. Layer half the noodle mixture & half the sauce, repeat.
5. Bake 25-30 minutes

Submitted by Susan Gallagher

I love this recipe, but I do not know where it came from. I have had it for a long time.

• 1 broiler/fryer cut up (or thighs)

Pulverize the following spices until very fine:

• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/8 tsp ground coriander
• 1/4 tsp cumin seeds
• pinch ground clove
• pinch ground cinnamon

When the above is finely pulverized, stir it into:

• 1 cup plain yogurt
• juice of 1/2 a lime or a lemon
• 2 tbsp peanut oil (vegetable oil works fine)
• 2 tbsp ketchup
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1/2 clove garlic, crushed

Place chicken skin side up in a glass or ceramic baking dish, cover with yogurt marinade, cover, refrigerate for at least 12 hours or overnight. No turning necessary.

To cook:
Remove all from the refrigerator, wipe excess marinade from chicken parts and SAVE!

With chicken back in the dish, broil 5 inches from heat 8 to 10 minutes to brown skin side. When browned, recover and bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven, drain, strain and reserve drippings. Raise oven temp to 375.

Mix 1/2c strained drippings with 1/3c reserved marinade. Pour over chicken and bake uncovered for another 15 minutes. Baste 2 or 3 times.

Serve with hot drippings, which may be thickened with a little cornstarch.

Good with rice.

Prep time: 10 minutes.
Total time: 45 minutes
Servings: 4

Traditionally a Middle Eastern street food which is wrapped or stuffed into a pita. This is another riff with the shawarma served atop a warm pita layered with a spread of yogurt, tahini and turmeric, and fresh greens which gently wilt under the warm mixture. Leave off the chicken, ramp up the vegetables and you’ve got yourself a great vegetarian meal. Leftovers warm up beautifully.

Ingredients:

1-2 Tbs olive oil
1 1/2 lbs boneless and skinless chicken thighs cut into bite sized pieces
2 large portobello mushrooms sliced 1/2“ thick
1/2 red onion thickly sliced
1 medium seeded delicata squash, unpeeled sliced into 1/4-1/2” half moons
1 15 ounce can of chickpeas rinsed, drained and patted dry
A few handfuls of baby greens
1/4-1/2 cup Greek yogurt mixed with 1 tsp tahini (optional) and a rounded 1/8 tsp of turmeric.
4 pita breads
Parsley or cilantro for garnish

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line large, rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment.
2. Scatter chicken, chickpeas and vegetables in one layer on to sheet pan.
3. Toss with 1-2 Tbs of **shawarma spice blend and a generous drizzle of olive oil.
4. Roast for approximately 40 minutes until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender.
5. On to warmed pita bread, slather a Tbs or so of yogurt mixture, followed by a generous handful of greens followed by the warm chicken mixture.
6. Top with a small handful of chopped parsley or cilantro and a drizzle of olive oil.

** SHAWARMA SPICE BLEND – makes 4 tablespoon servings

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp cardamom (or cloves)
1 tsp ground coriander
1 1/2 ground turmeric
1/2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp smoked paprika
2 Tbs ground cumin
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper or to taste (or 1/2 tsp ground black pepper)

Add all spices into a small jar and shake or stir to combine. Will keep at room temp for several months. This can also be used on chickpeas, roasted veggies, eggs or tofu scrambles and more.

A runza is a yeast dough bread pocket with a filling consisting of beef, cabbage or sauerkraut, onions, and seasonings.

For the dough:
4 1/2 cups all purpose flour, divided
1/2 cup sugar
2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup milk, at room temperature (or your favorite non-dairy milk)
1/2 cup water, room temperature
1/2 cup unsweetened plain yogurt, at room temperature

For the stuffing:
3 cups finely chopped cabbage (or sauerkraut )
1 lb. ground beef or seitan
1 onion
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350

1. Combine two packets of yeast with a half cup of sugar
2. Proof the yeast in a half cup of warm / hot water and a half cup of room temperature soy milk. Stir until dissolved and then wait for it to foam a bit.
3. Add in 4 and a half cups of flour , 1 teaspoon of salt and a half cup of yogurt
4. Add in oil. Gently knead until you make a ball of dough with no visible flour. Cover bowl with a towel, let rise for an hour or until it doubles in size.
5. At about 40–45 minutes into said hour, chop up one onion, three cups of cabbage (or sauerkraut) and one pound of ground beef or seitan
6. Sauté the cabbage and onion in a bit of oil, add salt and pepper to taste.
7. Add in the seitan or the ground beef. Brown the beef.
8. Pull the dough into 6 equal pieces
9. Flour down your assembly surface, add in a half cup of filling to each approximately six inch disk of dough. Tuck in the sides first then roll up the ends.
10. Fold the top and bottom edge of the dough and press corners to seal. Then fold the left side in and pinch to seal. Fold the right side over covering the left and pinch to close.
11. Place on a greased baking pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Ingredients:
20 oz ground turkey
8 oz crumbled bleu cheese
¼ cup Frank’s RedHot Sauce

Mix all in a bowl and form five 4 oz patties.

Put 2 tablespoons of oil in a frying pan, cook the burgers in the oil until cooked through and crispy on the outside (about 6 minutes each side)

Serve on a bun with bleu cheese dressing and your favorite burger toppings.

Around the end of January, beginning of February, the Celtic feast of Imbolc, also known to many of Celtic descent as St. Brigit’s Eve, celebrates signs of winter’s end. In many of our nimbler years, in the dead of winter, we celebrated Imbolc with lobster bisque, friends, a bonfire in the field out back, and in its warmth, stories and song.

This recipe will make enough for a large bowl a piece for 6, or up to 12 to each have a substantial cup. You’ll need a long handled ladle to dredge the lobster bits from the bottom of the pot when you serve.

Ingredients:
3 pound-and-a-half live fresh lobsters
2 medium onions, finely diced
2 large carrots, peeled and finely diced
2 stalks of celery, leaves included, diced
1 stick of butter
2 tbsp flour
3 bottles of Underwood Clam Juice
1 small can of tomato purée
1 jar of Better Than Bullion Lobster Base
1/2 pint heavy cream
1 can unsweetened evaporated milk
1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 cup sherry
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Preparation: Steam the three lobsters, allow to cool enough to handle, and extract all the meat, including the meat in the honeycomb (which is the most tedious to extract but also the most delicious meat in the beast), the green tomalley and the bright red coral (if these are present). Do all this over a large bowl or basin to save all the liquid that drains from the lobsters as you pick them apart. Save all the meat. Separately, save the liquid. Save the eight skinny legs. Discard only the empty shells (but NEVER in an outdoor compost pile that your dog can get into: ingested lobster shell can be deadly to dogs).

In a large heavy pot melt the stick of butter over low heat, and add the diced onion and diced celery. Stir these frequently until they soften and become translucent.Sprinkle over this the 2 tbsp of flour, stir it into the veggie mix thoroughly and continue to cook 5 more minutes over low heat. Do not brown.

Add the diced carrots and continue cooking over low heat, stirring frequently. Toss in the eight skinny lobster legs, pour in the three bottles of clam juice, and the can of tomato purée. Strain the reserved lobster liquid (to catch any tiny fragments of lobster shell) and it to the pot. Raise the heat to bring the ingredients to a simmer, and cook slowly for about 40 minutes. Allow to cool. Remove and discard the eight skinny lobster legs.

While the stock is cooling, cut up the larger pieces of lobster meat, the tails into six pieces each, the large claws into whatever size you prefer (and also depending on how many you plan to have at table).

When the stock is cooled, calculate how much liquid you will need when the cooking is finished, and make , and add, lobster base bouillon (boiling water and successive teaspoons of Better-Than-Bouillon Lobster base stirred in, with frequent testing).

Next you’ll need to allow the bisque to cool enough to purée it. (Never attempt to purée really hot liquid as it’ll blow the top off your blender and paint both you and the kitchen.) So, while the bisque liquid cools, add to it roughly a quarter of the lobster meat you’ve saved (including the tomalley and the red roe), and then purée the bisque in small batches, and pour it back into your large pot.

Add the 1/2 pint of heavy cream, the (well-shaken) can of unsweetened evaporated milk, the nutmeg, and the sherry. Stirr will and correct seasoning to your taste. Do not add the remaining 3/4 of your lobster meat until the very last minute before actually serving the well heated (but never boiled) bisque. Stir all this well, and keep warm over low heat.

I got this recipe from the New York Times and we have really liked it. I have given their ingredients but changed the quantities of some. I have also made this with sliced apples instead of peaches. Just thinking about this recipe makes me want to jump up and make it again.

In a large bowl mix together:
1 ½ Tbs. minced fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 ¼ tsp. ground cumin
1 ¼ tsp. kosher salt
1 pound ground pork
1/3 cup panko
3 Tbs. basil leaves, finely chopped

Using your hands, gently mix all together into 1 ¼” balls. Do not overwork.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 2 Tbs. EV olive oil and let it heat up. Add meatballs in one layer. Cook, turning and shaking the pan until meatballs are browned all over – about 5-7 minutes.

Pour 2 Tbs. red wine into the skillet and move the meatballs over to one side scraping up any browned bits. Add 3 cups of diced ripe peaches, a pinch of salt and 2 Tbs. water. When the peaches are simmering, cover the pan, lower the heat to medium, and let cook until the meatballs are no longer pink at their centers and the peaches are juicy and tender – about 5-10 minutes longer.

Uncover the pan. If the mixture seems too runny, let it cook down for another minute or so. This sauce should be chunky. Add ¼ cup thinly sliced scallions and mix them in so they wilt slightly. Squeeze the juice of ½ lime over all and then taste for any needed salt or more lime juice. Sprinkle with some cumin and garnish with some torn basil leaves. Serve over crisp salad greens.

I got this recipe from the New York Times. It has a little bite to it. I changed some things – more broth and fresh ginger instead of ground ginger.

Ingredients:
2 leeks, including 2” of green, roots trimmed
2 Tbs. olive oil
2 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 celery rib with extra leaves, coarsely chopped
2 Tbs. finely minced garlic
2 tsp. curry powder
2 tsp minced fresh ginger
8 cups chicken broth
Juice of ½ lemon
1 head of cauliflower, cored and broken into florets
1 cup ½ and ½
Salt and pepper to taste

Cut leeks in half lengthwise, wash to remove dirt, pat dry and slice thinly crosswise.

Heat oil and butter in a heavy pot over low heat. Wilt the leeks and celery with leaves until softened – about 10 minutes and add garlic during the last 5 minutes. Stir in the curry powder and ginger and cook over very low heat to permeate the vegetables – about 1 minute.

Add the broth, lemon juice and cauliflower florets. Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, until the cauliflower is very tender – about 15 minutes. Cool slightly.

Puree in a food processor until very smooth, adding ½ and ½ through the feed tube. Add extra broth (or not) for desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper.

This has been my go to recipe for this year. I put them on the grill or on the stovetop and serve on a plate with salad of romaine with feta or on a pretzel roll for a real treat. They freeze so I can pull them out when frantic.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup grated zucchini
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey
1/3 cup red onion chopped
2 garlic cloves chopped
1/4 cup unseasoned bread crumbs
1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
1T mint chopped if you have it
1t cumin
1/2 t coriander
1/4t allspice
1/4 t chili powder
1/4 t kosher salt
Pepper

Mix all and make patties. Freeze, refrigerate or eat.

Serve with romaine and feta salad. Also make a cherry tomato,red onion,lemon juice, Grace’s olive oil, salt and pepper salad to add. The colors are gorgeous and taste alive.

Ingredients:

2 16 oz cans chickpeas or 1 cup dried chickpeas and 5 cups water. If you are not using canned chickpeas, cook the raw chickpeas until tender, drain and reserve liquid. If you are using canned, drain and reserve the liquid.
3 T olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
3 cloves crushed garlic
1/2 diced green pepper
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp chili powder
1 1 lb can diced tomatoes
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp curry
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground cloves
Optional: 1# ground lamb

I make this both as a vegetarian meal but dress it up for company with lamb.

Heat the oil in a fry pan and fry the onion until soft. Add garlic, green pepper, turmeric, curry, cumin, and chili powder and fry for 3 minutes. If you choose to add lamb, do it now. Put in lamb and brown it.

Add tomatoes, salt, cinnamon, cloves and simmer, uncovered 30 min.

Add the chickpeas and enough of the reserved liquid to make a sauce consistency. Simmer, uncovered 15-20 minutes. You can stir in a little lemon juice (1 T).

Serve over rice or with pita bread or lavash.

The lamb we use is raised in Fairlee (Cami Buster; Ledgestone Farm) and processed and packaged by Bryan’s Custom Cutting in Barnet, Vermont.

Ingredients:

2 lbs boneless/skinless chicken thighs
1/4 cup of olive oil
1/4 c. tarragon, white wine, rice or plain white vinegar
1/4 c. lemon juice
2 tsp dried tarragon
1 tsp ground black pepper
3 T Dijon mustard
2 T butter, softened and melted
1 T honey (optional)

Gather all the liquids, including the melted butter, and mix them in a bowl. Add chicken and marinade to a large plastic bag massaging once or twice, refrigerate for at least one hour. Overnight is better.

Prepare your wood fire (the smoke enhances the flavor) or barbecue (medium heat). Place chicken on barbecue. Cover and grill over low heat until chicken is almost cooked through, turning every 5 minutes and basting with marinade, about 30 minutes. Grill at higher heat to crisp the outsides. Serve chicken hot, warm, or at room temperature. Makes super sandwiches on soft buns.

Ingredients:

2 T olive oil
1 large red onion
1 large red pepper
3 medium carrots
2 celery stalks
6 garlic cloves
1/4 tsp salt
2 T chili powder
1 T smoked paprika
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp cumin
2 14.5oz cans of diced tomatoes and sauce
1 19 oz can black beans
1 19 oz can dark red kidney beans
1 14.5 oz can chickpeas
1 14.5 oz can of veggie broth
2 bay leaves

Directions:

Dice red onion, red pepper, carrots, and celery.

Open, drain, and rinse black beans, kidney beans and chickpeas.

In a Dutch oven, warm 2 T of olive oil. Add the diced vegetables with 1/4 tsp salt. Saute for 7 to 10 minutes.

Add 6 cloves of minced garlic, 2 T chili powder, 1 T smoked paprika, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp cumin to the sauted veggies

Cook all together for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Add 2 14.5 oz cans of diced tomatoes and juice.

Add all drained beans and chickpeas along with the can of veggie broth and bay leaves.

Simmer gently for 25 to 30 minutes, slightly uncovered.

When serving, may be garnished with chopped cilantro, sour cream, avocado, and grated cheddar cheese. Serves 6; ages beautifully.

It’s been so long now, I don’t remember where the original recipe came from, but I do know that I’ve made it so many times over the last year that it has been perfected and made into my own. I’ve provided the recipe in a single serving size since that is how I’ve made it for the last year. I’ve been completely alone and working from home, and this food has been my comfort food. I see it as an ode to everyone who has persevered through this year alone. It is an easy and quick recipe, but luxurious and delicious. I am not vegan, but I appreciate vegan foods and always hated cashew-based vegan cheese sauces. So here’s my vegan mac n cheese recipe!

Ingredients (serves one)

1/2 tbsp of vegan butter
1 tsp of flour
1/2 cup of unsweetened soy milk
3/4-1 cup of nutritional yeast flakes (more flakes will make it a thicker sauce)
1/8-1/4 tsp of Coleman’s English mustard (more mustard will make it spicier)
1/2 tbsp of Frank’s hot sauce (or similar hot sauce)
pinches of salt & pepper
2oz (about 1/2 cup) of Barilla protein+ pasta

Method

Set the pasta to boil while you make the sauce.

Begin by melting the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, add flour and mix until smooth. Allow to come to a bubble and then add soy milk. Whisk frequently and remove from heat once the mixture begins to let off steam. Once off heat, add in yeast flakes and mix until smooth. Then add mustard, hot sauce, salt and pepper to taste, and mix again. Add boiled pasta, mix, and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

As with the English mustard, add more or less hot sauce depending on your preferred level of spice.
Unlike the English mustard, you can remove the hot sauce from the recipe, however I’ve found the hot sauce to really round out the taste.

This sauce can also be used as a dipping sauce for soft pretzels, and whatever else you like to dip into cheese sauce!

Ingredients:
24oz sliced mushrooms
30 oz./2 jars prepared pesto sauce
1 bunch spinach, chopped
1 ts. black pepper
1 Tb. onion powder
1 Tb. minced garlic/2 cloves
30 oz./2 jars prepared alfredo sauce
15 oz. ricotta cheese
2 eggs
12 pieces oven-ready lasagna, uncooked
16 oz/2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

PREPARATION: Heat oven to 400F. In a large skillet or slow cooker combine: mushrooms, pesto, spinach, black pepper, onion powder & garlic, cook 3-4 hours low/simmer. In a bowl, stir together ricotta cheese & eggs.

ASSEMBLY: In a 13X9X2 inch greased baking dish, spread alfredo sauce to cover the bottom of the baking dish. Place 3 pieces of uncooked pasta crosswise over sauce. Spread ⅓ of mushroom pesto mixture evenly over the pasta. Spread ⅓ of ricotta mixture over the mushroom pesto, sprinkle with ¼ cup mozzarella cheese, sprinkle ⅓ of parmesan cheese. Repeat steps 2 & 3 TWO more times. Top with remaining pieces of pasta. Pour remaining alfredo sauce over pasta, sprinkle remaining mozzarella cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 35 minutes. Remove foil & bake for an additional 10 minutes. Let stand 50 minutes before cutting or for best flavor and consistency serve the following day.

Looking for some comfort? This is a winner. Can be economical to make as well. I made this many times during the pandemic. I generally make this vegetarian, but you can certainly add in 2 cups of cut up cooked meat. To save time, I use frozen mixed vegetables, but you can cut up fresh broccoli or whatever fresh vegetable(s) you’d like into bit size pieces and lightly steam/cook (lightly cooked as you don’t want the veggies to turn to mush when it gets baked). Get creative with this. I often add in a can of drained mushrooms or a bit of leftover rice or cooked potato. Try different types of cheeses. I like to throw in 1/3 cup of parmesan. Use up what you have in the kitchen. Also, instead of the traditional crumb topping try scattering the top with French fried onions or arrange frozen tater tots on top before baking. Don’t skip the topping! It really makes this casserole so delish. If you use tater tots, bake at 350 for 45 minutes so the tater tots get brown and crispy.

Ingredients:
4 to 5 cups of frozen vegetables or lightly cooked fresh vegetables
1 can cream of mushroom soup (or other cream soup variety of your choice)
1 cup of mayonnaise or sour cream
1/2 cup of milk
1 tsp of garlic powder
1 tsp of Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp of onion powder
1/2 tsp of ground pepper
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese

Crumb topping
2/3 cup dried bread crumbs or crushed Ritz crackers
2 tbl. of butter

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Or 350 if using tater tot topping. Lightly grease an oblong (9 x 12 etc.) casserole type baking pan/dish. In a large bowl combine all except crumbs and butter until well combined. Spread mixture into baking pan/dish.
For the topping, melt butter in a small pan and add in the crumbs and combine until butter is incorporated. Sprinkle crumbs evenly on top of casserole and bake at 375 for 35 to 40 minutes or until bubbly and crumbs are golden brown. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 large sweet potato ((peel and grate with a food processor or cut into thin strips like small French fries))
1 onion (cut into strips)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
Cheddar cheese (or any cheese of your choice grated)
Tortillas of your choice

Add oil to a pan on med heat. Sauté onion 1 minute. Add garlic, sweet potato, cumin, chili powder, oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir, cover pan, and reduce heat to as low as possible. Let cook for about 15 minutes, stir a couple of times until sweet potato is fully soft and cooked through. Then remove from heat. Heat a skillet on med. heat. Add a little oil. Quickly brown one side of a tortilla, remove and do another. Construct the quesadillas by adding the sweet potato mixture and cheese on the cooked side of the tortilla and place the other tortilla cooked side down on top. Return to the skillet to cook the uncooked sides of the quesadilla on med-low heat. Cook one side and flip and do the other. You can cover the quesadilla with a lid to help the cheese melt. Remove from skillet. Cut the quesadilla up like a pizza and arrange pieces on a platter. Optional: Serve with salsa, sour cream, guacamole, and Lefty’s Passionate Hot Sauce. (or any hot sauce of your choice.) Enjoy and Cheers, Lefty

Mushrooms and gin both have earthy, woodsy flavors, so I was imagining a stroll through a mossy, coniferous forest as I was inventing this soup. As you make it, tailor the amount of salt, gin, and herbs to your own preferences. Every time you season, think about whether the seasoning you’re adding is enough to bring the flavors into balance, but not enough to overwhelm the other flavors. Seasoning is an art, and learning to use salt, and acidity, to make your dishes stand out, will benefit every recipe you ever cook.

For veg stock:
1 large onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced (or some celery seed)
2 carrots, peeled and cut into rounds
4 cloves garlic (no need to peel)
7 dried mushrooms, if available
A few sprigs of rosemary and thyme, or 1 tablespoon dried rosemary and 1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 bay leaves
5 peppercorns

In a medium saucepan, combine the ingredients with 8 cups of water. Simmer for an hour, and then set aside.

For the soup base:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 lb. mushrooms, preferably local, chopped (I used half oyster, half lion’s mane)
Salt and pepper
½ cup Barr Hill Tom Cat Gin
¼ cup sherry vinegar

In a heavy bottomed skillet, heat the butter over medium-high heat until it just starts to brown, and add the mushrooms, salt, and pepper. Sauté, stirring, until the mushrooms are browned. Reduce the heat to low, and deglaze the pan with gin and vinegar, stirring to remove any flavorful “fond” from the bottom of the pan. If the gin and vinegar evaporate too quickly to do the trick, add water, a little at the time, until you have a little bit of a pan sauce for the mushrooms, and you can scrape the mushrooms and the sauce into a bowl, leaving the pan mostly clean.

For the roux:
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 cups vegetable stock (you can substitute chicken stock, if you prefer)

Clean your sauté pan, and dry it over medium heat. Add the flour, and toast, whisking constantly, until it is light brown. This will give your roux a really nice, nutty flavor. Add the butter, and whisk until the butter and flour are combined. This will involve a lot of sizzling. Reduce the heat to low, and immediately, but very slowly, drizzle in the stock, whisking constantly, and making sure to get the flour & butter mixture evenly moistened, as you go. Keep adding stock, in small increments or a steady stream, until the roux is smooth and thin enough to coat the bottom of the pan, and the possibility that it will form lumps is no longer present. Then, you can add the remaining liquid in one fell swoop. Whisk, and return the heat to medium. Let the roux simmer until thickened.

To finish:
Roux
Soup base
1 cup heavy cream, plus more to garnish, if you’d like
¼ cup (or less) Tom Cat Gin
¼ cup (or less) sherry vinegar
Salt & pepper
Thyme leaves, to garnish

Combine the roux and the soup base, and purée with an immersion blender, or in a blender or food processor. Be careful…it’s hot! Return the soup to the pan, if you used another device for blending, and add the heavy cream. Taste the soup, and begin to add more gin, vinegar, salt, and pepper, in order to bring the flavors into balance. Continue until the soup tastes well rounded and flavorful. Garnish with more cream, if desired, and thyme leaves.

This recipe uses many of the spices that make up Garam Masala, but is not authentic. Feel free to change the proportions and the spices, as you desire. I made this with a new squash variety called Robin’s Koginut. If you can find one, please use it…these squash are incredibly delicious. Other amazing varieties include kabocha, sunshine, buttercup, and sweet dumpling. Use local pork shoulder, if you can.

For the spice blend:

Whole spices:
2 tablespoons coriander seed
1 tablespoon cardamom seed
1 tablespoon cumin seed
3, 2” cinnamon sticks
2 teaspoons mustard seed
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
3 bay leaves

Other spices:
½ teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon rose petals

For the squash & braise:
Neutral oil, such as grapeseed
1 winter squash of your choice, halved and seeded (if you are using small squash, cook more than one)
2.5 or so pounds boneless pork shoulder, cubed (or, to save time, buy pre-cut cubed pork)
Kosher salt
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch ginger, peeled and grated
2 cans coconut milk
8 oz. unsulphured dried apricots, quartered
Brown sugar to taste
Lime juice or vinegar, for acidity

To make the spice blend: In a small, dry skillet over medium heat, toast the whole spices until fragrant and lightly browned. This will happen quickly, so watch the pan the whole time, and swirl the spices around as they’re toasting. Once cool, add the turmeric, nutmeg, and rose petals, and grind in a coffee or spice grinder.

Preheat the oven to 400. When hot, place a piece of parchment paper on a sheet pan, oil the parchment lightly, and put the squash on the pan with its cut sides down. Roast until the squash is tender, but still holds its shape (if you cook it until it is soft it’s not a problem, you can serve the curry over mashed squash instead of squash slices). Remove from the oven and set aside until the rest of dinner is ready.

Using paper towels, pat the pork cubes dry, and season them liberally with salt.

Find a Dutch oven, rondeau, or a large sauté pan with a heavy bottom and high sides. Heat the pan over medium high heat, add a couple tablespoons of oil and add the pork cubes. Let them stay on the first side until brown. Then turn them. If you’re feeling patient, you can brown the cubes on all sides. If not, two would be fine. When you are happy with the browning of the pork, add the onion, and cook, stirring, until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and ginger, and cook, stirring, for one more minute. Then add the coconut milk, apricots, and a couple teaspoons of brown sugar. To this mixture, add 1 ½ tablespoons of your spice blend.

Bring to a simmer, and adjust the heat so that the mixture continues simmering gently. As soon as the pork is cooked enough that you are comfortable doing so, taste the sauce and adjust the seasonings. You can add more of the spice blend, more of an individual spice that you would like to highlight, more salt, or more sugar. Use lime juice or vinegar to add acidity to the dish.

Simmer until the pork is completely tender — timing will depend on the size of the cubes, and the temperature at which you are simmering. Adjust the seasonings one more time. Serve over slices of winter squash, or over mashed squash, if you’d prefer.

Throughout these days of social distancing, I have been thinking a lot about building a robust pantry and cooking from it. This meal was a result of looking at what was in the house, and trying to find a fresh new way to combine them.

This dish was inspired by Shepherd’s Pie, but hardly uses any of the same ingredients. I think of it as a modular, three-layer recipe, with hundreds of possible variations: the bottom layer consists of some sort of meat with aromatics and perhaps vegetables; the middle layer adds more complex flavors that play well with the ingredients in the bottom layer; the top layer is either a mashed starchy item, or something made with a batter or dough, to bring carbohydrates to the equation, and to cover the casserole while it bakes. Using that format, what can you dream up?

For the bottom layer:
1 pound bacon slices, diced
1 large onion, diced
Fresh or dried rosemary
Fresh or dried sage
½ of a large head green cabbage, chopped
Lemon juice
Salt & pepper

Start the bacon in a cold pan, and turn on to medium. When enough fat has rendered out to coat the pan, add the onion and the herbs (to taste), and cook, stirring, until the onion is translucent. Add the cabbage, and cook until it is just tender. Season with lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

For the middle layer:
2 tablespoons butter
1 pound mushrooms, sliced (oyster mushrooms would be great, but crimini work quite well)
1 cup roasted chestnuts (optional), roughly chopped
Salt & pepper
Lemon

In the same pan you just used, over medium high heat, melt the butter, and when it sizzles and has just started to brown, add the mushrooms. Cook, stirring, until the mushrooms have begun to soften. Add the chestnuts. Cook until the mushrooms are slightly browned, and season with salt and pepper, and a squeeze of lemon, to taste.

For the top layer:
2 large sweet potatoes, roasted, mashed with butter, salt and pepper, and a little lemon juice, and cooled
8 ounces chèvre (goat cheese)
1 pear, cut into thin slices
Nutmeg

To assemble:
Preheat the oven to 350. Put the bottom layer into a casserole dish or Dutch oven. Top with the middle layer. Smooth on the mashed sweet potatoes, dot with dollops of goat cheese, and then arrange the pear slices in some aesthetically pleasing fashion. Sprinkle with grated nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes, or until the top browns slightly, and the pear slices are cooked through. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving, but expect the first portion to be particularly messy.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
1 cup carrots, sliced in thin half-rounds or quarter-rounds
1 tablespoon minced garlic (equivalent to 6 cloves)
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup split red lentils
2 cans (15 oz. each) chickpeas (This comes to 3 cups – sometimes we cook our own dried chickpeas, one cup dried becoming 3 cups cooked)
32 oz. vegetable broth
Juice of one lime (about 2 tablespoons)
Chopped fresh cilantro for garnish

Directions:
Heat olive oil in a medium to large pot over medium heat. Add onions and sauté for 5 minutes.
Add carrots and sauté for another 5-8 minutes, or until onions and carrots begin to become tender.
Add garlic, curry powder, cumin, ginger, and cinnamon. Cook for one minute stirring frequently.
Add chickpeas, lentils, and remaining broth. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer.
Simmer over medium heat for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lentils are cooked through.
Stir in lime juice, garnish with fresh cilantro, and enjoy!

This a creamy nutritious soup which is gluten-free and can be dairy-free depending upon ingredients. It requires a handheld blender(which is much easier) or a regular blender. I use organic veggies-support our local growers!- since they are more nutritious and fuller flavor.

To begin: wash & chop 4 cups of root veggies: potatoes/carrots/parsnip, or potatoes/beets/carrots (this will give a pink soup!).
In a 2-3 qt saucepan cover these with stock (veggie, chicken, or beef). Add 3TBSP coarsely chopped fresh ginger & 1 leaf dried kelp or other sea veggie. Bring to a boil and turn down to medium and cook til tender, about 25-35 minutes.
While these are cooking, chop up 3/4 cup onion, 1/2 cup celery (and/or fresh fennel), 2TBSP fresh garlic, and 2 cups greens such as kale, collards, chard, spinach-may mix 1-3. Sauté the onions & celery in butter and/or olive oil on med high heat for about 15 minutes. Add the garlic & greens, mixing well. You may also add a few herbs to your taste; I like some curry and fresh parsley.
When the roots are done put it all together and simmer for about 15 minutes. Then blend it all up with the handheld blender or remove to a regular blender 1/3 at a time. Season with sea salt or Braggs liquid aminos or a good soy sauce. The advantage of the handheld blender is less equipment to wash and it all gets done together.
This soup may also be a great sauce over pasta; or you can add a little pesto. It also freezes well. Feel free to play with different combos of veggies and enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 medium eggplants, peeled and cubed
1 large onion, chopped
2 small peppers, 1 red and 1 green, seeded and chopped
1 celery heart, more or less, cleaned and chopped
1 large tomato, cored, seeded, and cubed
Handful of parsley, leaves only, washed and cut into ribbons
1 / 3 cup sliced green olives
Salt and pepper
3 to 4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Approx. 1 tablespoon sugar

Extra virgin olive oil, for roasting and finishing

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

A variation on traditional recipes. Roasting rather than sauteing the vegetables allows for the use of less oil and creates a lighter, still flavorful caponata. Select small to medium sized eggplants when possible; large eggplants are best sliced, salted, and set on paper towels for 30 minutes or so to remove the bitter juices. Pat gently with additional paper towel before chopping.

Line a large baking tray with parchment paper. Pour a small amount of olive oil onto the parchment and spread. Place the cubed eggplant in a bowl, toss with a tablespoon of olive oil, season lightly with salt and pepper, and distribute across the parchment. Roast eggplant for 20 to 25 minutes, turning with a spatula once or twice. Add the onion, peppers, and celery, and another tablespoon or so of olive oil, season lightly, and combine gently. (If you like, use a separate tray lined with lightly oiled parchment for these vegetables.) Roast another 20 minutes, stirring midway. Add the tomato (to second tray, if using two) and roast briefly, another 5 to 10 minutes. Roasting times are approximate. Since the eggplant is the star of this show, you’ll want to roast long enough for it to be tender, nicely golden, and infused with the fragrant oil.

Remove vegetables from the oven. In a large bowl, mix the vinegar and sugar together, and add the sliced olives and the roasted vegetables. Toss together well but gently. Taste and adjust the seasonings as desired. If the caponata is too dry for your liking, add an extra tablespoon of olive oil, a sprinkling of vinegar, and a pinch of sugar. Serve tossed with penne or other short pasta if desired, or with bread and cheese for a light meal, or chilled as an antipasto.

I gravitated towards comfort food during the pandemic and took the opportunity to use up some carrots and cabbage from our garden. I used local angus beef from Mud Creek Angus to keep it local!

Ingredients:
1 pound lean ground beef
3 cloves minced garlic
1/2 head chopped cabbage
1 can diced tomato (28 oz) –I like Hunt’s tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano
1 chopped onion
2 celery stalks chopped
4-6 carrots chopped
1 can kidney beans-drained
3 1/2 cups beef stock (I like Better Than Bouillon)
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning or (1 tsp basil, 1 tsp parsley, 1/2 tsp oregano, and pinch of thyme)

Instructions:
1. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pot or dutch oven to a simmer. Add onion and ground beef and cook until brown.
2. Add garlic and salt and pepper to taste and saute for about 30 seconds until garlic is fragrant.
3. Add cabbage, tomatoes, celery, carrots, beans, broth, and spices to the pot.
4. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and let simmer for an hour or until veggies are soft.
5. Garnish with parsley and serve!

I’ve been trying to cook with what’s in the pantry, freezer, and garden this year and limit trips to the grocery store. This was a version of scallops in creamy marinara. I didn’t have grape tomatoes, so I used some canned yellow from last summer’s garden, red onions instead of green, and thai rice noodles because that’s what we had and added peas for color.

Ingredients
1-2 lbs. of bay scallops
1 pint of grape tomatoes, cut in half (or canned tomatoes from your garden-which I used)
1 bunch of green onions, chopped, or 1 red onion chopped small
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup marinara sauce
1-2 cups peas
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup dry white wine
2-3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 dried oregano
parmesan cheese

Cooked thai rice noodles (or your favorite)

In a large skillet, heat olive oil and garlic over medium heat.
Add scallops. Cook for about 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until scallops are opaque.
Remove scallops from the skillet and set aside.
Add scallions or onions, tomatoes, basil, and oregano. Saute until tomatoes soften, about 5 minutes.
Pour in white wine and peas and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes. Add marinara sauce and heavy cream and stir all ingredients together.
Stir scallops back in. Lightly simmer for an additional 3-4 minutes.

Serve over your favorite pasta and grate some fresh parmesan over the top

Ingredients:
12 ounces of penne
1 bunch of broccoli, cut into florets
12 ounces of sausage
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh basil, chopped
1/4 cup freshly grated pecorino romano cheese
Black olives, halved
Salt and pepper to taste
1 clove of garlic, minced

Cook pasta as directed on the package. Add broccoli during the last three minutes of cooking. Drain, reserving ½ cup of cooking water. Thinly slice the sausage on the diagonal. Cook sausage 7-8 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Remove sausage, and drain most of the fat. Return pan to heat, add about ¼ cup of the pasta water, the tomatoes and garlic, and cook for about 5 minutes. Stir together the pasta, broccoli, remaining pasta water, sausage, and black olives.

Remove from heat and stir in the basil and cheese.

Serves about 4.

Ingredients:
2 1/4 pounds broccoli
10 slices of bacon
1 red onion
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons of vinegar
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 cup almonds, sliced or chopped

Cut broccoli florets into bite size pieces. Add tender parts of the stem- cut small. Should total about 8 cups. Saute bacon until crisp, set aside. Slice onion into julienne strips.
Combine broccoli, onions, raisins, and crumbled bacon. Refrigerate.

Mix mayo, sugar, vinegar, and pepper. Add dressing to broccoli mixture shortly before serving.

This recipe makes a lot! It can also be halved.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds lamb stew meat, cut into 1 ½ inch cubes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups dried mixed fruit (apricots, peaches, prunes, raisins, etc.), chopped.
Salt and coarsely ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp ground cloves
Minced garlic
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup of water
3 tablespoons pine nuts
Roasted almonds

Saute lamb in olive oil until browned. Put in Crockpot and set to low. Add fruit, spices, wine, and water. Cook on low for 8 hours, stirring occasionally. Add more liquid if needed. In the last 10 minutes of cooking, add pine nuts and stir. Sprinkle with almonds when serving.

Serve over couscous, rice, or noodles.