Whatever Soup - Crockpot Style

When I was a child my mother used to make "Whatever Casserole". It was one of those dished that nearly each ingredients could be changed and it would still be a delicious meal. There was only one core ingredient and it was curry powder.

Now, I know I am a curry snob. Marrying an Indian and learning the beautiful, subtle, powerful and delightful depth and color that turmeric, garam masala, chili powder, coriander and cumin can have on a dish. But, in whatever casserole, it was the quintessential curry powder that you get at the local mega mart. Its flavors are exotic enough to be foreign, but plain enough to be enjoyed by the un-adventurous American palate.

Now it is my turn to have a "Whatever Recipe".

On Thanksgiving, we had a pot luck dinner party. One friend brought her favorite soup. The heart and soul warming soup that her mother would make her when she was a child. In tasting, slurping, relishing and enjoying i asked her how it was made. She described how she makes without giving a formal recipe. The key ingredients, garam masala and no tamarind.

Since then, I have made it several times and enjoy it more and more every time. If you are a meat eater this soup could easily have chicken, shrimp, beef, beef stock or chicken stock in it. As a vegetarian it is a conglomerate of whatever veggies I have and sound good.

And because I am a lazy woman, I just dump all the veggies, dry beans and rice in the crock pot, cover with water, add some salt, ground pepper or pepper corns, a spoon of garam masala and anything else that sounds exciting.

Delicious, hot, comforting, spicy, something you can never go wrong with.

With all this reminiscing about 'Whatever Casserole" I think I know what we will be having for dinner :)

Please enjoy!

A Pickel in History

It was the 1930's and my Fathers Uncle Paul and Aunt Madie were homesteaders in the West Hills of Portland. Paul build their family home by hand and Madie provided for the family by growing bountiful harvests in the summer, while preserving enough for the winter.

Their modest family home was off of what is now Skyline Road at the top of Portland's West Hills. A luxurious area of giant houses and panoramic views. Paul and Madie stayed in their home until the end of their lives.

In the summers, Madie would sit on her porch with her shot gun in hand waiting for, as she called them "Greydiggers", the fat, grey, bushy tailed squirrels that torment my vegetable patch and hers. As they would scanter along, legend has it, she would shoot them dead and call it fertilizer!

One of her recipes that has been passed down in the family is her Seven Day Choke Pickles. I have made it for the last two years in a row and cannot wait for this years cucumber crop.

Ingredients:
17 pickling cucumbers
Water
1 Quart Apple Cider vinegar
7 Cups sugar
4-5 teaspoons Pickling Spice
2 Tablespoons Salt

Day 1: Place the cucumbers in a large pot, cover the cucumbers with boiling water and let sit.
Days 2, 3, &4: Drain the water, boil fresh water, cover the cucumbers with the boiling water and let sit.
Day 5: Drain the water. Chop the cucumbers into 1/4 to 1/2 inch slices. Smaller if you want chips, larger if you want to grind to relish in the end. Make the syrup. Combine the vinegar, sugar, spice and salt in a pan, stir over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil and pour over the cucumbers.
Day 6: Drain the syrup back into a pan, bring back to a boil, and cover the cucumbers again.
Day 7: Drain the syrup back into a pan, bring back to a boil. Place the cucumber chips into a clean, sterilized, new, canning jar, or grind into relish and spoon into a jar. Ladle the boiling syrup over the cucumbers in the jars leaving 1/2 inch head room at the top of the jar. Wipe the rim with a towel to remove any spilt syrup. As soon as you can, seal the jars. As the jars cool on the counter, they should all cause their own suction vacuum and the lids will cave in. If not, make sure to store in the refrigerator.

When canning is it very important that you use fresh, clean, sterilized jars with fresh lids. No one wants to botulism from a pickle.

And that's my 2 cents of history, for both my family and my hometown.

Loose Leaf Tea

Hello readers,

I write to you today asking for your help. I am looking for some nice loose leaf tea that will be a good drink without adding sugar, milk or cream. I have always been a fan of mint (with sugar) and earl grey (with milk and sugar), but from there I am a bare canvas.

Please comment on any teas that you enjoy or would recommend.

I know what your thinking... why don't you just go down to the tea shop??! And I could, but that always seems so overwhelming, and frankly I like the personal advise much better.

Many thanks!

Vegetarian Stroganoff

After waking up from a long winter afternoon nap and with a little growling in my tummy, I longed for my moms stroganoff. She made hers with beef and I do not, but all the same, it has turned out great. It is the kind of food that warms the heart and the stomach :) Thanks Mom!

As I mentioned, this recipe usually uses beef or other meat products, as a vegetarian I have replaced the meat with Morning Star Farms Vegetarian Griller patties and have omitted any beef broth.

The ingredients:

1 T oil

2 cloves of garlic - chopped

1 small onion - sliced

3 Morning Star Farms Vegetarian Griller patties (or other meatless "meat" patties e.g. Boca, Morning Star Farms Crumbles) - chopped

1 cup green beans - chopped

1 T butter

3 cups sliced mushrooms - sliced

1 cup sour cream

Salt and pepper to taste

Noodles (traditionally egg, but I used whole wheat spiral pasta)

The How-To:

1. Put a pot of water on for the pasta.

2. Over medium, heat the oil in a large nonstick pan, put in garlic and onion. Saute for a minute or two and add the griller patties and green beans. Saute until the onions are translucent. Remove from the pan and set aside.

3. In the same pan used for the onion mixture; melt the butter over a medium-low heat and brown the mushrooms. Mushrooms don't like to brown if there are to many in the pan. If you need to cook the mushrooms in 2 batches it is worth it. As Julia Child said, "Don't crowd the mushrooms!"

4. Return everything to the pan, stir in the sour cream, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for five minutes or until the beans are cooked.

5. Drain the pasta, serve and enjoy!

And if your family is anything like mine, after every bite you'll hear "MAN, this is awesome!!!"

Adventures in Crock-pottery

This week has been filled with crock pot cooking. From bean soup to jambalaya, veggie soup to banana bread.

Yes, you read that right... banana bread. Who would have thunk it :)

These little one pot wonders have been not only fun but very functional. And let me tell y0u... the easiest clean up possible, just one dish.

I strongly advocate, if you have a crock pot, USE IT.

As for soup and stew, well it makes sense. But the banana bread turned out really well. Nice, light, fluffy and with way less energy use than the oven. I even found recipes that are for cornbread, regular bread, cake and pudding.

From dinner to dessert the crock pot is a great tool and rather fun to use!

Rasam Reinvention

The Problem: I just had a wisdom tooth extracted.
The Need: Tasty, warm, savory, nourishing dinner.
The Solution: A pumpkin soup seasoned with instant rasam powder made in the crock pot.

2ish cups pumpkin pieces (i used 1/2 butter nut squash and 1/2 delicita squash)
some aromatics (i used about 2 inches leek, cut in rounds)
some tomato (i used 1 roma, cut in 8ths)
one heap instant rasam powder
a little tamarind (i used about 1/4 teaspoon tamarind concentrate)
water to cover
salt to taste

Put it on high in the crock pot until aromatic. Enjoy chunky or blend (if your broken...like me)

The Outlook: might be able to attempt solid-ish food tomorrow...wish me luck

Christmas Gastronomic Inspiration

For Christmas I received 2 books that I asked for. Both are cooking related but not actually cookbooks. First, i received The Flavor Bible. It is a beautiful book that inspires salvation and creativity in the kitchen. At its core, it is a flavor matching resource. I read through each flavor and my mind swirled with the endless opportunities.

When I was thinking about lunch, I looked at my produce and grabbed my new gift. I settled on butternut squash. It pairs nicely with coconut, ginger and cilantro.

Cold day outside + warming ginger + creamy coconut + savory cilantro + needed to be used butternut squash = delicious warm and warming winter soup

The ingredients:
1 small butternut squash; peeled and cubed
1/2 can coconut milk
1 small thumb fresh ginger; peeled and coarsely chopped
1/8 cup fresh cilantro leaves
salt; to taste
water to cover

Place the squash, milk, ginger and salt in a slow cooker, add just enough water to cover. Turn the cooker on high and check in 2 hours.

After 2-ish hours check your soup. If the squash chunks are falling apart, good... if not, you must wait and let it cook more.

Once the chunks are nice and soft, blend by hand, with a submersion blender or in a blender.

Stir in cilantro and serve!

Merry Christmas and enjoy!
P.S. I will discuss the other book in my next post.