Sunday Supper

Reading food blogs is so inspirational, recently some of my favorite bloggers posted dishes that I knew I had to cook. Lucy. of Sweets, Savories, Etc. Sticky Chicken has graced our table several times. The food critic is addicted to this chicken. Paula over at It's All Gouda posted a Scottish Savory Oat Stuffing that intrigued me and appealed to my Scots-Irish roots. Marie, the Proud Italian Cook and Grace of A Southern Grace both posted roasted, glazed Acorn squash. I couldn't decide which squash dish to make because they both sounded so good, so I made both. Supper was finished off with rosemary & thyme roasted root vegetables and fried okra.

I prepped the chicken for Lucy's sticky chicken, stuffed it with Paula's oat stuffing and cooked it at the high heat. The only complaint I heard was there was not enough stuffing, next time I will double the recipe. This stuffing is a great alternative to the standard bread stuffing. The glazed and roasted acorn squashes were absolutely divine, I can't pick between the two because I loved them both. Please click on their blogs for these wonderful recipes.

Sticky Chicken and Oat Stuffing

Balsamic Glazed Acorn Squash

Maple-Cinnamon Glazed Acorn Squash

Thank you ladies for a wonderful Sunday Supper!

The Potato

I was talking with a friend recently and we were reminiscing about a different time in our lives. As children of depression era parents, we grew up eating "in season". At that time the outer suburbs had many family farms (not housing developments) and I can still remember the farmers bringing their trucks full of produce to the West Side Market before the sun rose. Everyone in our community had a kitchen garden, and what we didn't grow could be purchased from the numerous farm stands just outside the city limits. Fruit trees grew in abundance in my neighborhood, we children would spend the summer climbing in and out of trees loaded down with apples, pears, peaches, cherries and plums. Berry bushes seemed to grow wild, and our hands and mouths would be stained with their sweet, purple juices.

Returning to a sustainable way of life did not take a lot of effort on my part, I simply returned to my roots. There were seven people living in our small 1,000 sq. foot home, yet there was only one trash can on the curb on pick up day. Everything was recycled, reused and re-purposed. Kitchen scraps went into the compost pile or worm bin, clothing was mended, or when no longer mendable, torn into strips and made into rag rugs or cleaning rags. Waste not want not was not just a phrase in our household, but a way of life.

Which brings me (finally) to the "potato". Potatoes were a staple in our winter diet, stored in baskets and boxes in the root cellar, they were served at just about every meal. So when we speak of comfort foods, I would have to put the potato near the top of my list. Baked, roasted, fried, I could eat potatoes every day. The following recipe is simple, and the aroma while baking will have your mouth watering.

Roadhouse Potatoes

4 medium potatoes, unpeeled and grated
1 1/2 cups whole milk or half-n-half
1/4 cup butter
Salt & Pepper, to taste
1/4 to 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Parsley

Heat milk (cream) and butter. Add salt and pepper. Place the potatoes in a lightly greased baking dish (2 quart). Pour milk mixture over top. Add the Parmesan cheese over top. Sprinkle lightly with dried parsley.

Bake in a pre-heated 325 degree oven 1 hour or until golden brown.

To live is so startling it leaves little time for anything else ~ Emily Dickinson

Winter Squash

The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance, the wise grows it under his feet ~ James Oppenheim

For a change of pace, instead of adding sweetness to winter squash, one of my favorite ways to prepare it is to simply peel and cut up the squash into one-inch pieces. Then toss with olive oil, minced garlic, fresh parsley, salt and freshly ground pepper.


Place in a small roasting pan and sprinkle with freshly-grated Parmesan cheese. Roast in a 400 degree oven for about an hour, or until squash is tender.

Enjoy when you can, and endure when you must ~ Goeth

Lemon Squash

We have arrived at that time of year when Ohio-grown summer squashes are abundant. This is just one way to enjoy your grilled squash, add some lemon flavor. The sprig of Oregano is from my urban container garden.

Lemon Squash

Recipe:

1 zucchini squash
1 yellow squash
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. cornstarch
2 tsp. butter
1 Tbsp. dried Oregano
Salt & Pepper, to taste
Fresh Oregano sprig

Slice squashes and grill till crisp tender.
Combine broth, lemon juice, cornstarch, butter
Oregano and salt and pepper in a small saucepan
over medium heat; cook stirring constantly until
slightly thickened.

Pour over vegetables, toss gently. Garnish with
Oregano sprig.

Loosely adapted from "Cooking Light" (1995)

Note: This is also the time of year when you want to store away produce for the cold months ahead. I grate zucchini and store it in 2 cup containers (or freezer bags) for muffins, cakes and fritters, that way I can enjoy locally grown produce year round.

Spicy Chicken Cakes & Veggies

The Spicy Chicken Cake ingredients are an adaption of a recipe from the cooking forum, courtesy of Doucanoe. Served with Brussel Sprouts and the Savory Sweet Potatoes I made yesterday.

Spicy Chicken Cake

1# ground Amish chicken
1 Tbsp. parsley
2 Tbsp. Hellmans
1 tsp. cayenne
Salt and Pepper, to taste
1 cup bread crumbs
2 eggs, beaten

Mix all ingredients together and form into patties. Heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil in skillet, fry patties over medium high heat about 5-7 minutes each side.

Brussel Sprouts

Toast 1/2 cup of pecans in a 400 degree oven for 5 minutes. Steam 2# of brussel sprouts until tender. In a large skillet sautee 1 onion and 3 cloves of garlic in 2 Tbsp. butter until yellow. Add sprouts and brown lightly. Stir in pecans. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Preserving the Harvest

Trip to the farmers market yielded lots of seasonal vegetables. This is the time for "now and later".

Put aside some of each purchase of your fresh seasonal produce for later in the year when it is no longer available. Freezing is easy and a less time consuming way to preserve the harvest.

Wash and drain the veggies and fruits you like and pop into freezer bags. I blanch corn, green beans, carrots and okra. Peppers, onions (green and yellow), celery I just chop up and pop into bags.

Tomatoes can be frozen fresh off the vine or stewed (which is what I will do) for fall/winter soups, stews and chili. I am also going to oven dry some this year with olive oil and garlic.

Berries freeze well. Just wash and drain whole blueberries, blackberries and strawberries and spread on wax-papered cookie sheet. Set inside freezer till frozen and pop into bags. When using them for baking *Do Not Thaw*. They also can be used for fruit fillings.

I picked up an 18 inch homegrown zucchini yesterday and shredded up six (two cup) bags for zucchini bread. The rest I will cut up for salad and roast in the oven with olive oil and seasonings (garlic, parmesan cheese and pepper).