Thayer in the Kitchen

This soup turned out to be tastier than I expected which is why I'm including it in my blog so that I don't forget about making it again. I think it is due to the celery root puree. This makes it necessary to add another step to preparing the soup but it is definitely worthwhile.  You could substitute another grain for the cracked wheat, such as farro.  However, I happened to have cracked wheat available and it cooks quickly. 1 celeriac (celery root 3/4 - 1#) 1/2# onions, sliced (yellow or red) 3 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced or chopped 3 tablespoons unsalted butter Kosher (or sea salt) and cracked black pepper 2 tablespoons olive or sunflower oil 1 cup cracked wheat Several sprigs fresh thyme if available, otherwise use dried thyme 1 stalk celery, diced -- note, I used my vegetable chopper to chop all the root vegetables so they were about a 1/2 inch dice 1 carrot, diced 1 turnip, diced (I didn't have a turnip so I used a daikon radish) 1 medium potato, unp...

I loved this Rachael Ray recipe for Red Cabbage soup!  It was so hearty and filled with so many good winter vegetables.  It helps if you have a hand chopper to chop up the vegetables and a food processor to slice the cabbage. 2 tablespoons olive oil or sunflower oil 2 tablespoons butter 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped 1 parsnip, peeled and chopped 3 ribs celery with leafy tops, chopped 1 leek, quartered lengthwise, cleaned and chopped (I forgot to buy a leek and substituted 1/2 chopped red onion--worked fine) 1 large firm apple, such as Honeycrisp or Gala, peeled and diced Salt and pepper ½ teaspoon whole allspice 1 teaspoon juniper berries (I didn't have any, so I skipped them) 1 teaspoon cumin, ground or seed 1 teaspoon celery seed 1 teaspoon caraway, seed  1 tablespoon paprika 2 large fresh bay leaves or dry if fresh isn't available 1 small red cabbage, quartered, cored and very thinly sliced 2 tablespoons light-brown sugar 2 tablespoons sherry o...

Our last gourmet dinner was an upscale soup and sandwich supper with appetizers and desserts.  I made this chicken noodle soup and thought it was excellent. Stock 1 (2 1/2 to 3-pound) fryer chicken 3 1/2 quarts water 1 onion, peeled and diced 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning 1 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning 3 cloves garlic, minced 4 bay leaves 1 tablespoon chicken stock base Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste Soup: 2 cups sliced carrots 2 cups sliced celery, with leafy green tops 2 1/2-3 cups uncooked egg noodles 2 cups sliced mushrooms 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves 1/3 cup cooking sherry 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves 1/2-1 cup grated Parmesan, optional 3/4 cup heavy cream, optional Seasoning salt Freshly ground black pepper For the stock: add all ingredients to a soup pot. Cook until chicken is tender, about 35 to 45 minutes. Remove chicken from pot and set aside to cool. Remove and discard bay leaves. You should have approxima...

We joined Sitka Salmon Shares http://sitkasalmonshares.com this year.  "We home deliver fish-loving Midwesterners high quality, responsibly-sourced seafood direct from small boat family fishermen in Southeast Alaska through our Community Supported Fishery."  In July we received Pacific Cod and Rockfish.  This chowder was a good solution for an easy dish that combined some of our fish plus quite a few vegetables. 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil or sunflower oil 2 medium carrots, thinly sliced 2 medium stalks celery, 1/4-inch pieces 1 medium onion, chopped medium 1/2 - 1 medium red bell pepper, diced Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 2 Tbsp. flour 2 cups milk (fat free or 1%) 1 cup or 1 small bottle clam juice (water or broth can be substituted) 2 large unpeeled red potatoes, diced into 1/2-inch pieces 2 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning 1 cup half and half (fat free is OK) 1 cup frozen yellow corn 1 pound cod or tilapia fillets, ski...

Our extended CSA winter share was coming to an end along with all the wonderful sweet potatoes we got in our boxes.  When I was a child I was convinced I hated sweet potatoes except for the sweet potato puffs we had for Thanksgiving.  I never make those anymore but I have come to really appreciate sweet potatoes and their versatility. This recipe is for a hearty winter soup which features sweet potatoes. Sweet Potato Corn Chowder 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed     1 tablespoon   oil  (sunflower oil which we get from our CSA farm is good)                                      12 oz. frozen corn kernels, thawed                1 cup water 1 tablespoon oil 1 ...

Some time ago I posted a recipe for Cream of Broccoli Soup on the blog.  At that time I was still looking for an even better recipe.  This recipe that I found on Mel's Kitchen Café website is excellent.  Give it a try when you've got a bunch of broccoli and are craving a warm thick comforting soup.  The author said it was hearty and delicious.  I also like this soup because it has other vegetables besides the broccoli and I'm all about using vegetables! 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth 1 cup peeled and chopped carrots, diced small 1 cup chopped celery, diced small 3 cups chopped potatoes, diced small 1/2 cup finely chopped onion 4-5 cups coarsely chopped broccoli; peel the outside of the tough stalks before using 4-6 slices bacon, chopped 3 tablespoons butter 1/3 cup flour 3 cups milk (I used 1/2 skim milk and 1/2 half and half) 3-4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese   1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1 teaspoon dry mustard In a ...

I've posted recipes for stuffed delicata squash previously but I just made this one this week and we thought it was delicious.  Leftovers heat up well for lunch too.  I love this squash!  It is so sweet and tender.  It doesn't keep as well as some of the harder shelled squash so be sure to use it sooner than later. 4 delicata squash, halved and seeded l large onion finely diced (about 1 cup) 4 cloves of garlic, minced 2-4 stalks of celery, finely diced 2 large carrots, finely diced 1# of bulk Italian sausage 1 cup soft whole wheat breadcrumbs 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place halved and seeded squash cut side down in a large roasting pan.  Cover with foil and roast until tender.  It can take from 40-60 minutes.  While the squash is baking, brown the sausage.  Make sure it is broken up into small pieces.  I use my potato masher as it cooks to break up the sausage...

This might sound like a strange combination of flavors to be found in a chicken salad, but get brave and try it.  Delicious!  My version underwent a number of revisions from the original.  The original recipe called for grilled chicken breasts which would be very tasty, but I had just roasted my giant chicken and was looking for ways to use the leftovers.  I also didn't have any fresh corn and substituted some frozen.  I just thawed it out.   3-4 cups of cubed leftover chicken 3 stalks celery, finely diced 2 ears fresh corn if available otherwise use 1 cup of thawed frozen corn (no need to cook) 1/4 cup of finely diced red onion 1-2 cups fresh blueberries (frozen are not a good substitute) 3 tablespoons fresh dill, minced 6 tablespoons mayonnaise 6 tablespoons sour cream 1/4 cup 1/2 and 1/2 lemon juice to taste 1 teaspoon sugar Salt & pepper 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese Salad greens or torn lettuce as a bed for the salad Remove the corn...

March/April are a time of the year that there isn't a lot of local produce available. The greens are starting, but otherwise we need to look to some of the basic fruits and vegetables.  I seem to have an overabundance of celery in my frig right now so I tried this soup which uses quite a bit of celery and combines it with apples for what turned out to be a tasty and easy soup. 2 tablespoons butter 1 small to medium onion, chopped 1/4 cup flour 6-7 celery stalks, sliced 1 potato, sliced or chopped (optional) 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth 2 apples, peeled cored and sliced 2 tablespoons snipped fresh chives 2/3 cup of half and half (fat free or regular) Melt the butter in your soup pot.  Add the onion and saute until tender.  Stir in the flour and cook for a minute.  Add the broth slowly and whisk in.  The add the celery and potato.  Bring to a boil; reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.  Stir in the apples and cook for an a...

Last night I made a tasty chicken stew with lots of vegetables for dinner. The name of the game is use those veggies! Chicken Fricassee with Green Peppers and Tomatoes (adapted from LifeScript website) 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 1/4 lbs. skinless, boneless chicken thighs Salt to taste Freshly ground black pepper 1/2 cup red wine (white would be fine too) 1 large yellow onion, sliced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 green bell pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips 1 medium carrot, finely chopped 1 stalk celery, finely chopped 2 cups chopped canned tomatoes with their juice 12 ounces hot, cooked pasta of your choice I made Trader Joe's multi grain rotini with flax 1. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. While the oil heats, season the chicken with salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the pan and brown on all sides. As the chicken pieces finish browning, transfer them to a plate and set a...