Thayer in the Kitchen

This is Thai style soup which can be served over rice or noodles if you wish. 2 teaspoons canola oil 1 small yellow onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, finely chopped 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh ginger 1 teaspoon red curry paste, more to taste 2 teaspoons light brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces, about 4 cups 2 cups chicken broth 1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk 1/2 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro 1/4 cup shredded coconut, toasted Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic and ginger. Cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant and onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in curry paste, sugar and salt and cook 1 minute longer. Stir in squash, broth and coconut milk and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until squash is tender, 20 minutes. Stir in shrimp and simmer just until cooked through, about 2 minutes. Stir in cilantro a...

Arthur and I went to holiday potluck this week. With all the vegetables I have I always make a dish that uses some of my veggies when I take a dish to a potluck. Since I had almost 6 pounds of carrots, this soup which uses 2 pounds of carrots seemed like a good choice. Herbed Carrot Soup 4 slices uncooked bacon 1/4 c. butter 2 lbs. carrots, peeled and sliced 1 med. onion, peeled and thinly sliced 1 c. chopped celery 1/2 c. peeled and chopped turnip 1/2 c. flour 6 cups chicken stock 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 1 bay leaf 1 tsp. thyme 1 1/2 c. half & half or milk Salt and pepper to taste Don't worry too much about how the vegetables are chopped since you're going to puree them anyway. If you find the bay leaf after cooking you can remove it. I forgot about it and it seemed to disappear when I pureed the soup. Saute bacon until crisp and remove from pan. Add butter, carrots, onions, celery and turnips. Saute until onions are transparent (approximately 5 minutes). ...

This dish makes a simple vegetarian meal served over brown basmati rice. The thick, sweet-savory sauce complements the carrots. 1 cup orange juice 1 cup water 4 cups 1/4" sliced carrots (peeled or not as you prefer) 1/2 cup raisins 2 tablespoons ghee or butter 2 teaspoons curry powder 1/2 teaspoon turmeric 1/4 teaspoon cardamom 2 tablespoons flour 1 banana sliced (do use this--it adds a lot to the dish) 1/2 teaspoon salt freshly ground pepper to taste chopped fresh cilantro, as much as you like Bring the orange juice and water to a boil and add the carrots. Reduce the heat, cover and cook until the carrots are tender. Stir in the raisins. Remove from heat. Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add the spices and cook stirring constantly just until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Sprinkle the flour into the skillet and stir constantly until a smooth paste forms. Remove from heat. Drain the carrots and raisins, reserving the orange liquid. Add about half the liquid to the curry mixture...

Cabbage, Mushroom and Noodle Casserole This recipe turned out very well. My husband was only sorry I hadn't doubled it so that there were more leftovers. 2 tablespoons olive oil 6 ounces sliced mushrooms (I used cremini mushrooms) medium onion, finely chopped 1 teaspoon dried tarragon 1 1/2 cups chicken broth 4 cups shredded cabbage (about 1/2 of a medium head) I used the thin slicing disk of my food processor which made preparing the cabbage really easy 4 ounces broad egg noodles 1/4 cup flour 1/4 cup nonfat dry milk (not essential) 1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard 1 1/2 cups milk 1/3-1/2 cup grated cheese (I used mozzarella, Swiss or Gruyere would work well) Optional: 3 fully cooked chicken sausages, sliced 1/2 cup fresh or dry bread crumbs 1 tablespoon butter (optional) Saute the onions and mushrooms in the olive oil until the onions are tender. Put them in a large casserole and sprinkle with the tarragon. Put the broth in the skillet, add ...

Harvest Meat Loaf 1 lb. lean ground beef or ground turkey 1 tablespoon canola oil 1 large onion, chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced 3 cups grated or minced root veggies (carrots, potatoes, celeriac, turnips, rutabaga--all work well) Easily done with a food processor 1 teaspoon dried oregano ½ Tb Worcestershire sauce 1 Tb Stone ground or Dijon mustard 1 cup breadcrumbs 1/2 cup milk 2 eggs Salt and pepper Heat about 1 Tb canola oil in a heavy skillet. Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes. Then add garlic and root vegetables and sauté another 10 minutes to soften. Stir in oregano, and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside to cool. In a mixing bowl, combine breadcrumbs, milk and eggs and let sit for 5 minutes. When veggies are slightly cooled, combine ground beef, breadcrumb mixture, veggie mixture, Worcestershire, mustard, and a pinch more salt and pepper. It’s easiest if you just get in there and use your hands. I prefer an “open loaf” to using a bread loaf pan because I like the crispy edges. F...