Thayer in the Kitchen

I know a lot of people don't like beets.  Arthur and I both like them.  Now I'm not sure if you dislike beets this soup will convince you that you do.  However, if you think they're OK or really enjoy them, then I recommend you try this tasty soup.  Arthur voted it a definite keeper. It is good served either hot or cold. 6 medium sized beets (1 1/2#) 1/4 cup butter 1/4 cup flour 3 cups of chicken broth 1 cup sour cream (lower fat is OK) 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice (taste after adding 1) 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 2 tablespoons fresh chopped dill (if you don't like dill you can substitute chives) Cook the beets, covered in boiling salted water or in the microwave for 45 minutes or until tender.  Drain and peel when cool enough to handle.  Chop the beets, reserving 1/2 cup.  Place the rest of the beets in a blender.  Melt the butter, stir in flour and cook for 2-3 minutes.  Stir in the broth until smooth....

This is a delicious comfort food supper.  Easy to make and great to eat.  We've been getting great potatoes from our CSA farm.  This is an excellent way to use some of them.  Here in Wisconsin it is getting chilly, but I still have my rosemary plant outside on my deck in our container garden.  Your kitchen will smell wonderful as you roast your chicken dinner with fresh rosemary. 1-2 navel oranges 3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil 1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more as needed 1/2 tsp. dried chile flakes 1# red potatoes, cut into chunks 2 medium red onions, sliced into 1/2-inch-thick circles 2- 5-inch sprigs fresh rosemary, plus 3/4 tsp. minced 6 chicken thighs (about 6 oz. each), trimmed of excess fat and skin (bone in or boneless--either would work) Heat the oven to 425°F. Finely grate 1 tsp. orange zest. Stir together the zest, oil, 1 tsp. salt, and the chile flakes in a small bowl. On one end of a large rimmed baking sheet, toss 1 Tbs. of the oil ...

I have had problems making dishes with the bunches of pea shoots that have come in my CSA box.  I've made the mistake of not getting rid of the stems.  That was definitely not good.  It was like chewing on a bunch of little sticks.  No matter what the dish is, this is an unpleasant experience. The most recent thing I tried was this soup. Good!  I avoided using the stems in the soup. I'd make it again which is why I'm posting it. •1 Onion •3 Slices Bacon •1-2 Medium Potatoes •1 bunch of Pea Shoots •2 cups Chicken Stock •Sour Cream •1-2 tbsp chopped fresh chives Chop the bacon and chop the onion finely.  Fry in a saucepan together until the bacon and onion are starting to brown. Chop the potatoes coarsely. Add the potato and the chicken stock to the saucepan. Boil for 10 minutes until the potato is soft. Place the contents of the sauce pan into a blender, and blend until smooth.  Then add the pea sho...

The woman who sits in the cube in front of mine was having a birthday a couple of weeks ago.  Typically people from your department bring in treats to help celebrate your birthday.  They aren't usually as good as this treat was.  I think it can be served as a dip with Scoops tortilla chips or a salad--just skip the chips. It is almost as easy to make as it is tasty to eat. 2-3 avocados, cubed (they have to be ripe, but not mushy) 4 diced tomatoes 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion (or whatever kind you have) 4 oz. crumbled or cubed feta cheese (original recipe called for 8 oz. which I think would be too much) Dressing 3 minced cloves of garlic 3 tablespoons parsley 1 teaspoon oregano 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar Pour the dressing over the vegetables.  Add the cheese and mix.  Serve with the chips. You can also substitute fresh basil in the recipe for the parsley.  The oregano could still be used or not.

I forwarded this recipe to our CSA farm as a good way to use tomatillos other than salsa verde.  "Here is the recipe for the chicken dish with the tomatillos. We had company for dinner and everyone thought it was delicious. I served it with a salad made from your beets & tomatoes with a shallot vinaigrette." 2# tomatillos (husks removed, washed & halved) 1 whole chicken cut in pieces or a pkg of breasts & legs coarse salt & pepper 2 jalapenos, seeds removed and chopped (if you prefer a hotter dish you can leave in the seeds) 1 medium onion, chopped 3 garlic cloves, chopped 1 large can hominy, drained (this is optional--you could leave it out and serve the dish with brown rice) 1/4-1/2 cup chopped cilantro Puree the tomatillos in a blender or food processor. Brown the chicken pieces in a little hot oil and season with salt & pepper. Remove chicken and saute onions & jalapenos until tender. Add the garlic for another minute. Stir in the toma...

We actually like Swiss Chard, but I know quite few people are not fans.  I tried this recipe with our most recent bunch of Swiss Chard from our farm.  It is layered potatoes, cheese and tender greens and makes a lovely skillet cake.  Arthur and I both decided it was a keeper. 1 tablespoon butter 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped 3 medium russet, white, or yellow finn potatoes, thinly sliced (no need to peel) Salt and pepper to taste 1 bunch Swiss chard, leaves coarsely chopped, chop the stems and keep separate 1 cup grated Jarlsberg or Gruyere cheese (or whatever you have available) Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat butter and oil in a (10-inch) seasoned cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, onions and chard stems, cook until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Spread out vegetables evenly in the bottom of the skillet and remove skillet from heat. Arrange a third of the...

Apparently my CSA farm had a bumper crop of Asian eggplant this year.  A book club friend mentioned this recipe which I decided to try with some of our eggplant bounty.  I highly recommend it.  The original recipe included a recipe for a homemade Mexican red sauce.  I purchased a can of enchilada sauce and think it works quite well.  I used a can marked medium (heat).  I guess next time I would use mild because Arthur thought the sauce was too spicy.  If you like spicy I'd go for it because I thought it was just fine.  8-12 tortillas (I used Gitto Family Farms 8" whole wheat tortillas--which are available at the Madison farmers' markets)  1 package was just the right amount for the filling 1-2 tablespoons olive oil 1 cup chopped onions 2 tablespoons minced garlic 1 1/2 teaspoon salt black pepper to taste 6 cups cubed eggplant (approx two medium sized ones) into 1/2 in. pieces 1 chopped sweet pepper (red or green) 1 cup toasted almond...