Today is my best friend Julie's birthday. Most years, I feel terrible because I always forget her birthday given it's two days after Christmas. With all the hustle and bustle going on before Christmas, once Christmas is over, regrettably I go into shut down mode and forget her birthday. Sorry Juls. :( Well not this year, I've been thinking about her a lot these last few months, especially the last few days since I made this amazing soup and decided to blog this recipe for her. She has graciously allowed me to tell her story in hope that it will help others. Julie had a pretty tough year health-wise. Early this summer she told me that she had been experiencing some weakness and numbness on one side that was noticeably disruptive and limited her being able to do normal everyday things. She knew there was something wrong because it did not go away after a few days, as you would expect with muscle fatigue. She went to the doctor and after many visits, tests and an MRI she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). My typical Julie, with her unshakable positive attitude and empowering outlook on life, took it in stride. At least that's the side she showed me. I know she was worried, as I was, but we hugged and talked about what it meant for her. Where she approaches life positively in the face of adversity, I approach troubling news clinically, hiding my fears by going right into trouble shooting and knowledge seeking modes ...What's the treatment plan? What's the prognosis? What's next? ...Are you okay?
Julie bravely gave herself injections as she struggled through treatment of her first episode of MS. Her doctor gave her information about keeping cool and limiting overly exerting exercises and then put her on a diet that helps to lessen symptoms and shorten MS episodes. The diet is vegetable heavy with animal protein sources recommended, limiting soy and dairy, and gluten. Last month, Julie asked me if I could help come up with some recipes for her since filling up half your diet with primarily vegetables is a challenge on a good day. I gladly accepted and I've been thinking about vegetables ever since. How do I incorporate them in dishes so that they are filling and satisfying? Last week, I experimented with an amazing vegetable sauce that I used to top some mushroom ravioli and it was amazing. But, since ravioli has gluten, I'm having to retool the dish omitting the pasta. I already know this sauce will be amazing on marinated grilled chicken. Once it's perfected you'll see it on the blog as well. I also made some delicious Roasted Sweet Potatoes over Thanksgiving that I plan to blog for her as well. They were to die for.
All this experimentation with veggies, brings me to this Rustic Minestrone Soup. It is gluten and dairy free with heavy vegetables and a little bit of leftover Christmas ham, which can be swapped with other meats or omitted if you want a meatless meal. I actually found this recipe in an old magazine (circa 2003) as an advertisement for Turning Leaf Wine. Strangely enough what caught my eye in this recipe was the use of butternut squash and fennel. I remember Julie told me that root vegetables and other vegetables like butternut squash were good things for her to eat. So I gave it a go on Christmas Day and it was phenomenal! That's a Julie word. Julie is always complimentary and uses great words, like phenomenal to let you know she likes something. :) I adapted the recipe just slightly by roasting the fennel and butternut squash first to sweeten the vegetables up a bit. Plus roasting the fennel transformed the Anise taste into something buttery and absolutely phenomenal. It was even better the next day as all those flavors blended together beautifully. Happy Birthday Julie! I love you!
Stay tuned for more Julie recipes to come.
Rustic Minestrone (adapted recipe from Turning Leaf Wine) Serves 4-6 2 T olive oil 1 lb (~2 cups) butternut squash, peeled, seeded and chopped into even chunks 1 small fennel bulb, quartered with fiberous core removed salt and pepper, to taste2 t olive oil 1 1/2 cups ham, chopped 1 small onion, chopped 1 large carrot, chopped 5 cloves of garlic, minced (about 2T) 2 t fresh thyme, finely minced 2 t fresh rosemary, finely minced 1 can (14.5oz) diced tomatoes in Italian herbs 6 cups chicken stock 2 bay leaves 2 cups Swiss Chard,chopped (or Spinach) 1 can (15 oz) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed salt and pepper, to taste Heat oven to 400 degrees. Toss butternut squash and fennel with 2 T olive oil and transfer to parchment lined cookie sheet. (I used a pie plate) Salt and pepper to taste and roast for 30-35 minutes. Allow fennel to cool and then chop. Set the butternut squash aside to add to the soup later.
Add 2 t olive oil, ham, carrots, onions, garlic, roasted fennel and herbs to a large Dutch oven and saute until onions are translucent and the carrots are tender crisp, about 10 minutes. Add chicken stock, tomatoes with juice, and bay leaves and simmer for 20 minutes. Add Swiss chard, roasted butternut squash and cannellini beans and simmer for another 15 minutes or longer. Salt and pepper to taste and enjoy! (For gluten free: omit the rolls.)
For more information about Multiple Sclerosis, contact the National MS Society at this link.
This time of the year is always busy and hectic but this year was crazy busy because I had a seasonal job where I worked 6 days a week. It was hard to have only one day off when you have a mountain of laundry, housework and grocery shopping to do all in one day, then you add Christmas shopping, school Christmas programs, PTA events and meetings and cub scouts...Ugh!! I am totally wiped out and thankful to finally have some time to recharge. I plan to do as little as possible today. It's Christmas morning
and the kids are happily playing with their new toys which includes a
drum set and and electric guitar. (What? Are we crazy?) Yep, it's loud in here as I write. A
peaceful loudness that makes me smile as my kiddos learn to play their
new instruments. Later today, I'll head to the kitchen and
make some homemade soup with left over Christmas ham and
then go for a long walk with my husband and kids. The perfect day. Aside from the crazy schedule this year, I did find a little time to do a little decorating. I stress, a little decorating. Here are a handful of ideas. Enjoy! Merry Christmas!
Snow Globe Christmas Village
This idea is a variation of the Haunted Hamlet I made for Halloween, just on a much smaller scale and not haunted. The Dollar Tree sells these little Christmas houses, but as you can see the paint job is not the best but that didn't stop me. I decided to make it more Christmas-y by giving them a coat of white paint. Then I used a few accents of color and some glitter paint to give some dimension to the features on the houses.
Rather than just placing the village on my sideboard on a blanket of cotton snow, I placed three of the houses in a large 12" fish bowl vase so that it looked like a snow globe. The remaining house fit perfectly in a smaller fish bowl. I lit up the larger bowl using a small string of lights I placed on the bottom of the bowl and covered up with a snow drape and then I poured two containers of table salt over the drape. I placed the houses and some snowy trees in strategic places to hide the power cord and plugged it in. Pretty cool huh?
Deck the Halls I did manage to make a new wreath this year. I didn't buy anything new, rather I re-purposed some old ornaments and garland. I think it turned out great!
My dining room and kitchen are the heart of my home so I love to decorate the dining room for every holiday...well at least for Christmas and Halloween.:) This year I wanted to use all those simple Christmas tree cones I'd picked up over the years. The 99centsOnly Stores have these each year which is great because they are only a dollar each. This year, I picked up two cones, one blue and the other gold, not exactly the colors I wanted but that was easily solved. I also picked up some garland in the colors I wanted and I wrapped the cones in garland. An easy inexpensive way to make them in any color you want to match your decor. Plus they look so cool when they are different, sizes, textures and colors.
Handmade Ornaments
I made these handmade ornaments many years ago...I guess it was nearly 20 years ago. Wow! Just a few lifetimes ago. I alternate my tree every couple of years. Some years I do my handmade country tree where I hang all the ornaments I've made and other years, like this year, I just use red and silver bulbs. Each year, when I open up the Christmas bins, I take a look at all the ornaments I've made over the years and I remember each one. I remember when I got the idea and when I began creating the pattern and designing the details. Each one special and so much fun to put together. I thought I'd share a few of my favorites. Enjoy!
I started a seasonal job today and I'll be working six days a week, 7+ hours a day, so I've been frantically trying to finish this blog. Eek! I actually ran out of time this year. With the PTA keeping me out of my kitchen/home and working me more hours than when I actually got paid to work...now, I have a full time job for the next four weeks. So naturally, I'm not going to be able to blog much. I'll be getting home at sunset and won't have time to cook let alone have daylight to take photos. A. Complete. Bummer. :( No blogging? Bad. Having a job, that pays? Good! Anyway, here's a little peek at my house this fall. I didn't finish all the decorating I wanted this year so you'll see some of those ideas next year. Take a look around and enjoy! :) I'll be back from my blogging hiatus in Mid-December. Fall Leaves Artwork
I had a date set with my best friend, Julie to scrapbook two weeks ago and I was frantic because I had no idea what I was going to scrap. Julie lives nearly 35 miles away so I usually pack up my supplies with a particular project in mind. Since I was two years behind on scrapbooking my boys' photos and I was hard pressed to find a current picture of my boys...I was desperate to make something. So instead of scrapbooking my kids, I ended up making this Fall inspired artwork.
A few years ago I picked up some Martha Stewart die cut leaves on clearance and some clearance paper. I made both of these for less than a dollar! Confession...I spent a little more on the frames however, and I think they turned out great! Don't you? I may just leave them up all year!
Entry Simple welcome sign and pumpkins frame my door. A wreath from last year and a small bucket of fall foliage hang on the wall. Simple and lovely.
Buffet This year I keep the ceramic pumpkin collection in storage and instead opted for real pumpkins inside and out. Here's a peek at my dining room. :)
Sideboard These brown and orange candles were the inspiration for this arrangement. I picked up these candles on clearance for about a $1.50 each over the summer at Kohl's. Regularly priced at 6.99 each. Such a steal!
It had been about three weeks since I'd last talked to my mom. Daily life, weekends brimming with things to do, obligations, homework and all around exhaustion taking hold at the end of each day prevented us from talking as frequently as we would've liked. So last Saturday was the day we scheduled to be able to talk and catch up. Yes, we actually had to calendar the phone call. My husband and the boys were at an early morning Cub Scout event and I was out running errands when she called. I was expecting her call even though I was at the grocery store. It was early and there weren't too many folks there at that time of the morning. But despite my opinion that people who talk on cell phones in public are rude, I was one of those rude people. It couldn't be helped or rather at least I didn't care all that much if I was being rude. I wanted to talk to my mom. We talked and talked as I shopped the aisles. The epitome of rudeness, I know. Yeah, I even checked out with my phone stuck to my ear, completely ignoring the checker! Yikes. We talked and laughed as I made my way home. (Hands free of course!) We talked about my boys, talked about the food, what we got on sale, and the new recipes we'd tried recently. What was good. What wasn't. She told me about this recipe, from Cuisine at Home that she adapted by adding cauliflower along with the potatoes to this Potato Gratin to make this amazingly delicious Potato and Cauliflower Gratin! The original recipe calls for Swiss cheese, which I didn't have at home, but she told me that she just uses any cheese she has on hand. So I used a blend of Asiago, Havarti and White Cheddar, since I had a little bit of each and it was incredible! Can't go wrong with Asiago and Havarti cheeses! I made these creamy, cheesy, yummy potatoes that night and it was just what I needed to soothe my weary soul, comfort food and a long phone call with my mom. The perfect day! Thanks Mom, I love you.
Potato and Cauliflower Gratin (adapted recipe from Cuisine at Home) Makes 8 cups 6 cups potatoes, cut into even chunks 2 cups cauliflower, cut into even pieces 1 1/2 c. heavy cream 1 1/2 c milk 1/2 cup onion, diced 1 T garlic, minced salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste 1 cup Swiss cheese (I used Asiago, Havarti and White Cheddar)
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Bring potatoes, milk, cream, onion, garlic, and seasonings to a boil in a large saucepan. reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes. Layer half the potatoes and cauliflower in a greased, 4 quart casserole dish and top with half the cheese. Repeat layering: pour milk and cream mixture on top. Bake, uncovered, for 25 minutes, or until potatoes are cooked through. Let stand 10-20 minutes before serving.
I'm not a big fan of stuffing which isn't so good this time of year when stuffing and dressing recipes are everywhere. I am a fan of onions however. Especially grilled, sauteed, caramelized, pickled, fried and creamed onions. Oh my! Yummy! Here's one of my mom's recipes that strikes a perfect balance between a dressing and a casserole with onions as it's main ingredient.:)
I prepared this dish two ways. The first time, for those onion lovers like me, I made it like my mom's recipe, with the stuffing layer topped with delicious sauteed onions, cheese. I changed my mom's version just a bit by adding some crispy French fried onions to the stuffing layer and to the top. The second time, I made it with my kiddos in mind. I wanted to hide all those onions so I mixed the stuffing and onions together to make a dressing of sorts. I still topped it with cheese and french fried onions. Both versions of this casserole were absolutely delicious! I ate them both for breakfast and lunch for three days in a row! Enjoy! Happy Thanksgiving!
Sweet Onion Casserole Serves 6 3 c. Vidalia onions (yellow onions can be substituted) 1 c. Stove Top Savory Herbs Stuffing Mix 1/2 c. plus 1/4 c. French's French Fried Onions 1/4 cup butter plus 2 T. butter 2 eggs 3/4 cups milk salt and pepper 3/4 c. shredded cheese (I used Cheddar and Asiago) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut onions in quarters and slice very thin. Melt 2 T butter in a large skillet. Add onions and saute until tender about 8 minutes. Set aside. In a large bowl, add Stuffing Mix and 1/2 cup of French Fried Onions. Melt 1/4 cup of butter and pour over the stuffing/fried onion mixture. Transfer stuffing/French's Fried Onion mixture into a 1 quart casserole dish and spread evenly on the bottom of the casserole dish. Now layer the sauteed onions on top of the stuffing mixture. Mix eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Pour
egg mixture over the stuffing/onion layers. Sprinkle with cheese and
bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle additional French
fried onions and more cheese and bake for an additional 5 minutes.
Enjoy! (Note: For our kiddos that don't like onions, here's a more kid-friendly version that hides the onions. Mix the stuffing, fried onions and sauteed onions together and then transfer into a 1qt casserole dish. Add milk/egg mixture, top with cheese and bake as directed above. This version has a more stuffing-like consistency. Equally delicious, but the onions are less obvious! See picture below)
Two weekends ago we finally had a small bout of actual fall weather, which surprisingly enough, came with a full day of rain. Yay! For us here in Southern California, it was a nice departure from our endless hot days that it got me in the kitchen to make two comforting fall dishes. The first one being my mom's recipe for this delicious Mustard Braised Chicken. I love Dijon mustard and this sauce is absolutely to die for. The flavors of the sauce are so complex with the layers of thyme, rosemary and marjoram bending with the Dijon, onions and wine...one word, Amazing! Stay tuned for the second recipe. I made an adapted version of my mom's Sweet Onion Casserole that's completely addicting. I ate it for breakfast for three days in a row. It's the perfect side dish for Thanksgiving...or even breakfast! :) Enjoy!
Mustard Braised Chicken Serves 4 3 T olive oil, divided 2 T minced fresh thyme, divided 3 t. minced fresh marjoram, divided 1 1/2 t. dry mustard 1 t. minced fresh rosemary,divided 3.5 lbs chicken, cut into 8 pieces (I used thighs and legs) salt and pepper 1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion 2 T minced garlic 1 cup dry white wine 1 cup low sodium chicken broth 6 T Dijon mustard Stir 1 T olive oil, 1 T thyme, 1 1/2 t each of marjoram, dry mustard and 1/2 t of rosemary in a small bowl until a paste forms. Rub paste all over chicken. Place in a bowl and chill 2 hours or overnight. Heat 2 T olive oil in heavy large pot over medium high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken to pot and cook until brown on all sides, about 12 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Add onions to the pot, saute over medium high heat until tender, about 8 minutes. Add garlic; saute 2 minutes. Add wine, broth, Dijon mustard and 1 T Thyme, 1 1/2 t marjoram and 1/2 t rosemary to pot. Bring to boil. return chicken to pot, reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until chicken is cooked, about 25 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and cover to keep warm. Reduce liquid in pot until thickened to sauce consistency, whisking often, about 15 minutes. Pour over chicken.
