Jessica

For the Love of Minestrone Soup

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Everyone is sick.

Chuck, my dad, work folk, and even I’m fighting off something.

Work is nuttier than squirrel turds right now. Seriously there is so much going on I can just feel the stress pile on every time I walk through the door. I just need to get through the next 3 weeks and it will be smooth-er sailing.

When I am stressed or sick I almost always crave a blanket, my slippers and soup. I love soup so much. The only problem is that I rarely feel like making soup when I’m stressed or sick, and canned soup is not an option. Call me a snob if you want, but I firmly believe that real homemade soup is better by a LONG shot. The flavor, the health benefits, and the love. Oh the Love. How can you make soup and not put some love in it? I don’t think it’s possible. Maybe that’s why I like it so much.

This particular day I was not anticipating wanting soup so I had no chicken, no ham or anything else ready to go that meant it had to be vegetarian. It brought me back to my high school days of working at a local Italian restaurant after school, and practice. I loved it there. I only wish I could have stayed, and that they didn’t eventually retire. It was like my home away from home. They opened their arms and treated me like family. They even had a family meal every night, and I was expected to sit down and eat with them. Even if I had to answer phones or toss wings between courses.

One of the things I remember most is the minestrone. I swear Nona made it every. Single. Night. I mean she made it from scratch every night, not just made a bunch and served it all week. She said it tasted better that way, because that how it was supposed to be made. I learned how to make it from watching her, and her deft hands as they chopped, tossed, and stirred. It was so good, and filled with love; the perfect thing to pull me out of my funk, and nurture poor Chuck.

For the Love of Minestrone Soup

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 30 mins

Total time: 40 mins

Serves: 4 Servings

Ingredients

2 TBSP EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
1 LARGE ONION, DICED
4 CLOVES OF GARLIC, MINCED
1 STALK CELERY, CHOPPED
2 LARGE CARROTS, CHOPPED
1 TSP DRIED OREGANO
1 TSP DRIED BASIL
1 28 OUNCE CAN DICED TOMATOES
6 CUPS LOW SODIUM VEGETABLE BROTH
1 CAN LOW SODIUM KIDNEY BEANS
2 CUPS FRESH BABY SPINACH
2 CUPS COOKED DITALINI (OR SMALL PASTA)
PARMESAN CHEESE FOR GARNISH
2 TBSP CHOPPED FRESH BASIL

Instructions

IN A LARGE THICK BOTTOMED SAUCE PAN HEAT OIL, AND SAUTE THE ONION FOR ABOUT 3 MINUTES, OR UNTIL IT BECOMES TRANSLUCENT.
ADD GARLIC, THEN CELERY, CARROT, OREGANO AND BASIL, AND COOK FOR 6-7 MINUTES.
STIR IN THE TOMATOES, AND BROTH, AND BRING THE POT UP TO A BOIL.
REDUCE THE HEAT AND ALLOW IT TO SIMMER FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES BEFORE ADDING THE SPINACH, KIDNEY BEANS AND PASTA.
COOK FOR ANOTHER 5 TO 10 MINUTES TO ALLOW THE SPINACH TO WILT.
ADJUST THE SEASONINGS AND SERVE WARM WITH PARMESAN CHEESE, AND BASIL FOR GARNISH.

Apple Spice Cake

By Jessica

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Anyone else feel this overwhelming rush toward the holidays?

I know that people get excited for them to come and start
pulling out decorations the day after Halloween, but I simply cannot do that.

I love fall! And thanksgiving should not be lumped in with Christmas.
It is its own holiday, with its own meaning and I want to celebrate it on its
own damnet!

So I’m keeping it fall themed around here and sharing my
Apple Spice Cake Recipe.

You see every first Friday of the month someone brings a
cake into work. November 1st was my day, and after some googling I came
across this recipe from Martha Stewart. You see I am not really the baker type.
I like to stir things while they cook. I also like to fiddle with recipes (surprised?)
but you can’t really do a whole lot of that with baking, or you get a huge
mess.

In other words I followed
the recipe pretty closely, except my lazy butt is not about to dirty so many
dishes so I changed around the method, oh and added a pinch of nutmeg, because I
just felt like it was needed. Oh and I used store baught caramel because I have yet to make a caramel that even touches the wonder that is Vermont Candy Dish (sorry I douldnt find their website, but I’ve seen them at a number of farmers markets). One day maybe I’ll find some patience and figure it out.

Apple Spice Cake

1 1/3 Cups vegetable oil

2 Cups Sugar

3 Large Eggs

1 tbsp ground cinnamon

1 pinch of nutmeg

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

3 cups all purpose flour

3-4 tart apples, cored, peeled and cut into ½ inch pieces

1 tsp vanilla extract

One container prepared caramel sauce

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Blend together oil, sugar,
and eggs. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt, mixing well. Slowly add
in the flour while continuously mixing the batter. Gently stir in the vanilla
and apples. Pour batter into a large, greased bunt pan and bake for 75 minutes.
Remove from oven and let cool for 10- 20 minutes before inverting onto a serving
tray and drizzling with caramel sauce. Serve warm.

Spaetzle

By Jessica

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I’m going to continue on this whole German Style Food Kick I’m
on and spend a whole post talking about spaetzle.

Spaetzle is basically a quick and easy to make German pasta.
It is one of my favorite things to make at home because it adds texture and a
little finesse to our usual dinners in the place of pasta, potatoes or rice.

The secret is to sauté it after it has been cooked in the boiling
water. I don’t mention this in my instructions because it’s not necessary, and I
don’t think it’s the traditional way it’s made either, but I really believe a
little sauté in butter or oil to give it
a little brown and crisp a few of the individual noodles makes all the
difference. I have been known to cook the spaetzle this way with a few herbs and
have that for a meal. I just love the textures!

I for some unknown reason always make it with pork, but
there’s no reason to, I just usually do. It can go as a basic side dish for
nearly anything. It’s great for sopping up gravy, from something like say
roulade, or the sweeter drippings from Apple Pork Chops. Just a few ideas for
you.

I don’t know why I’m getting up on my soap box here to try
and talk you into loving spaetzle as much as I do. It really doesn’t need my
enthusiasm but it’s getting it any way I suppose.

Spaetzle

2 cups all-purpose flour

6 eggs

¼ cup milk

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile in a
bowl beat the eggs together with the milk to form an incorporated mixture.
Slowly add in the flour until smooth dough is formed. Either with a spaetzle
maker or a colander (I always use a colander). In small batches lightly press
the dough through the colander into the boiling water. When the spaetzle begins
to float remove it with a slotted spoon and set it aside. Add a drizzle of oil
to keep the pasta from sticking and serve warm, once all the spaetzle has
cooked.

IHello German! Roulade

By Jessica

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I think I’m on a German kick. as evidenced here.

Way back in August when I read My Berlin Kitchen I really wanted to make so many of the recipes but it was far too hot outside to be cooped in my tiny kitchen so I waited patiently, day dreaming about all of her wonderful soups and stews. Since her setting was obviously in Germany, there was definitely a German lilt to my daydreaming.

Growing up I was lucky enough to try a cornucopia of different German dishes, thanks to my step mother, Miss Amy. She spent some time working for a family friend at their German restaurant The Brauhaus in my home town and subsequently learned to cook many them.

Roulade is a dish that I avoided at a young age but learned to love as an adult. I mean warm pickles in gravy? W-E-I-R-D right? Yes. But also delicious.

To many of you this may seem so far out of the realm of good food, but for others it will be something that you must try now. Even if you are on the fence about it allow me to give you a little push by saying that it has a surprisingly mild flavor that I think many pallets can appreciate. I STRONGLY suggest you give it a try.

Besides look how pretty it looks!

Classic German Roulade

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp olive oil

1 lb beef sirloin or eye round steak, sliced thin

4-5 dill pickles

4-5 slices of thick cut bacon

1 medium onion, chopped

1 cup beef broth

1 tbsp flour

Fresh Parsley for garnish

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Slice the steak into 3-4
inch wide strips, and lay one piece of bacon on each piece of steak, then a
pickle, and roll the meat around the pickle securing with either cooking twine
or tooth picks. In a large oven safe pan melt butter and oil over medium-high
heat then sear the meat rolls for 2-3 minutes per side, or until it has
browned. Remove the meat rolls from the pan and set aside. Add the onion to the
pan and sauté it for 2-3 minutes or until it begins to soften. Add the flour
and cook for an additional minute, then deglaze with broth, stirring thoroughly
until thickened. Return the rolled meat to the pan and toss with gravy. Place
in the oven for 20 minutes, or until the meat has been cooked through. Serve
immediately garnished with parsley.

Classic Venison Stew

By Jessica

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Hunting season is/has been in full swing around these parts.
That basically means that I don’t see hide nor hair from Chuck, my father, my
brother, and many of the other men in my life. I like this time of year because
I get a lot done, I get to have girly dates, and it means that venison is/will
be in the house soon.

I know a number of people have varying feeling on hunting,
its ramifications, and ethics, but I love it. I grew up with it as an
integral part of my life, and couldn’t imagine my life without it. No it is not
necessary for my personal survival, but it holds a place in my heart from the tradition
and the ties to my Native American ancestors. Another bonus is that I really
love most meats. I have eaten elk, pheasant, turkey, deer, rabbit, squirrel, a
plethora of fish and I’m sure a few other animals that I or someone close to me
has killed, and it doesn’t bother me one bit. We are careful with the food that
we catch, and are sure to use as much of it as possible, even saving some of
the furs.

I hope that this honesty doesn’t turn any of you off, but it’s
a part of me, my heritage and is no different from any of the other things I share
on this blog.

This recipe is a basic stew recipe that showcases the
natural flavor of the venison. I know that many people think that the meat can
be gamey, so for those people I suggest adding a little more thyme and just a
teaspoon or two of Worcestershire sauce, while the vegetables are sautéing. In
my experience these little tweaks really change the flavor, and help with the
gaminess. Please let me know if you have any other suggestions, I’d love to
hear them!

Classic Venison Stew

2 tbsp butter

2 large leeks, diced

2 large carrots, peeled and chopped

2 large parsnips, peeled and chopped

3 large celery stalks, chopped

2 tbsp flour

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp pepper

2 cups potatoes peeled and chopped

1 lb venison, cut into 1-2 inch pieces

3 cups low sodium beef or vegetable broth

In a large thick bottomed sauce pan melt butter and sauté
leeks, carrots, parsnip, and celery for 2-3 minutes, or until they begin to
soften. Stir in flour, thyme, pepper and cook for an additional minute before adding
venison meat, potatoes, and broth. Stir well to combine then bring to a boil,
before reducing to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Adjust
seasonings and serve warm. (Serves 4-6)

How do you feel about hunting? I’m interested to know.

Jessica

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