Pinewood Castle

File These Away for Next Year

Remember those pies?

This is the first year I have made these particular recipes. I got them online and just have to share because they garnered rave reviews this weekend.

My in-laws said that this apple pie was the best they had ever tasted and I don't think it was just because the apples in the pie came from their trees. It might have something to do with the caramel sauce you pour over the top of the lattice top before baking. They said they might ask for the recipe after my FIL has his cholesterol checked next week!

My in-laws also grow Hubbard squash. We were the grateful recipients of six of them this year. I used two cups of pureed squash per pie for this Hubbard Squash custard pie and my husband declared that he liked it far better than the normal back-of-the-can recipe for pumpkin pie. It was definitely more substantial.

The other hit was not a dessert pie, but a pot pie or shepherd's pie using Thanksgiving leftovers. My six year old boy who is the hardest to please at mealtime told me tonight that this is the best thing I have ever made. Thank you Chef Marcel! So glad I saw this on TV and asked my husband to look it up on the zip-loc website! All his co-workers will be jealous when he heats this up for lunch tomorrow!

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend. We did our shopping (online, not in stores - I'm not a doorbuster kind of gal),  decorated for Advent, learned new things at the nature center's Turkey Time class, hit some craft stores for O Antiphon blocks (no houses to be found this year, though), picked out some luscious colors of merino wool yarn to knit a baby blanket, and finally got to the new Ben Franklin exhibit today after Mass. I will be blogging about that later. All I can say now is that if you didn't make it this weekend you missed out on a lot of extra fun stuff for the kids!

Happy first week of Advent!

More Fall Favorites

Fettuccine with Bolognese Sauce

from Real Simple

very good, very rich, serve with red wine and artisan bread

Takes a couple of hours – start early and enjoy the smell and a glass of wine while it simmers.

The sauce makes a double recipe:

2 T olive oil

2 yellow onion, diced

6 stalks of celery, diced

2 carrots, peeled and diced

8 cloves garlic, minced

½ pound pancetta, chopped

3 pounds of lean ground beef

2 C dry white wine

2 C whole milk

2 6 oz cans of tomato paste

2 14 ½ oz cans diced tomatoes

¼ tsp red pepper

4 T fresh oregano or 2 T dried

2/3 C fresh flat-leaved parsley, chopped

5 tsp kosher salt

½ tsp black pepper

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

½ C grated Parmesan

Chop the veggies.

In a Dutch oven over medium heat, heat the oil.

Add the onion and saute 2 minutes.

Add the celery, carrot and garlic. Saute 5 minutes.

Add pancetta and cook 5 minutes more.

Add the ground beef and cook until browned.

Add the wine, milk and the remaining ingredients and simmer 45 minutes.

Serve with fettuccine and sprinkle with Parmesan.

Apple Cake with Caramel Glaze

from Real Simple

3 ½ sticks of unsalted butter, divided

1 ¼ C sugar, divided

1 ¼ C brown sugar, divided

3 eggs

3 C flour

1 tsp baking soda

3 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp nutmeg

½ tsp salt

5 granny smith apples, peeled, cored and diced

1 ½ C chopped pecans

2 ¼ tsp vanilla

½ C heavy cream

For the cake:

Chop the apples.

Heat oven to 325.

Mix 3 sticks of butter, 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup brown sugar for 3-5 minutes.

Add eggs one at a time.

Combine dry ingredients in another bowl. Stir into egg/butter/sugar mixture.

Add the apples, pecans and vanilla.

Transfer to a buttered and floured 9x13 pan.

Bake 50 minutes.

Poke holes in the cake with a toothpick. Let cool 10 minutes.

For the glaze:

In a saucepan over medium heat, heat the remaining butter and sugars with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring for 2 minutes. Add the cream and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring for 2 more minutes. Pour the glaze over the cake. Serve warm.

Friday Fall Favorites - Recipes

My Husband's Favorite

Very Creamy Potato – Cheese Soup

from Moosewood

(I make this for his birthday)

6 T butter

4 cups onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 large potatoes, peeled and chopped

2 carrots, chopped

6 cups vegetable or chicken broth

2 tsp dill

8 oz cream cheese

3 cups milk

2 cups shredded cheddar

salt and pepper

Set out cream cheese to soften.

Chop vegetables.

In a large pot, saute the onion and garlic in butter until onions are translucent.

Ass potatoes and carrots and saute 5-10 minutes longer.

Add the broth and dill.

Simmer until all the vegetables are tender.

Cool.

In a blender, puree the vegetables in batches with the cream cheese and milk.

(I use a wet kitchen towel as a blender lid if the soup is still a bit hot)

Put blended mixture into another soup pot.

Season with salt and pepper.

Stir in cheddar and reheat gently.

Squash Soup

from Parents Magazine

1 T olive oil

2 onions, diced

¼ tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp ginger

1/8 tsp nutmeg

2 cans chicken broth

1 baking potato, peeled and chopped

12 oz squash (1 ½ to 2 cups)

2 T maple syrup

¼ cup half & half

Saute onion in olive oil 3 minutes.

Add seasonings and saute another 2 minutes.

Add broth, potato and squash.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer about 15 minutes until potato is cooked.

Cool 10 minutes.

Puree in blender using a wet kitchen towel as a lid.

Add soup back to a pot and reheat gently.

Stir in syrup and creamer.

Turkey Time!

Basic Roast Turkey

Thaw in fridge for 3 days. Let stand at room temperature for 1 ½ hours.

Position rack in lower 1/3 of oven. Preheat to 425°.

Remove giblets and neck. Rinse turkey and dry with paper towels. Trim off fat. Season inside and out with salt and pepper. Put 2T of poultry seasoning inside and rub 2T of butter outside. Put 2T of herbs inside.

Roast 30 minutes at 425°.

Roast another 1 ½ hours at 325°.

Roast yet another 1 ½ hours basting every 15 minutes until meat registers 170°.

In the meantime:

Place giblets and neck in a saucepan with another 2 C water and ¼ C wine. Simmer 30 minutes. Add 2T butter and some salt and pepper. Use this to baste turkey.

Transfer turkey to carving board and tent with foil 20 minutes.

For the gravy:

Put fat drippings in a fat separator.

Place roasting pan over medium heat on the stove and add drippings. Add some chicken stock and scrape the bottom of the pan. Add some flour mixed with water and simmer a few minutes to thicken.

Impromptu Cookbook Project

It seems I am constantly reorganizing here at Pinewood Castle! Just when I finally arranged a monthly file file system I started typing up my Circle Time Plans (which I need to finish, bty) and most of the crafts and recipes I had filed were transferred to that notebook. Trouble is, I don't like hauling my Circle Time notebook to the kitchen all the time so I decided to arrange my favorite recipes into seasonal 3 ring binders with page protectors.

This is also why I have been posting recipes - I am typing them up from recipe cards and magazines pages so that I can print them out for these notebooks. It's easy enough to copy, paste and share over here!

I figure I can print them out for my children when they fly the coop as well as bridal or baby shower gifts. I have also been doubling most of them as I go since our family has grown. This way we have leftovers or a second batch for the freezer.

I started out by moving them to a cardboard pocket folder a few months ago. I think the binders will be much better. Now I just need several more packages of page protectors!

Here's what I have so far:

The Fall Favorites and Winter Warm-Ups hold feast day recipes in the front, every day soups, stews and baked dishes in the middle, and desserts in the back third, and Thanksgiving in the very back. Recipes using apples, pumpkin, squash, beans, potatoes and cranberries go here.

Advent & Christmas/Winter Celebrations are my special recipes for feasts that fall from December through the end of Lent. This is also for Christmas cookie recipes, Liturgical Teas, Christmas and New Year's meal ideas and other seasonal treats. 

Meatless Meals are for Fridays, fast days and Lent. We don't give up meat for all of Lent, but do try to increase our meatless meals. This one holds plenty of soup, pasta, seafood and bread recipes.

Spring Specials will hold everything from Easter through about June. Asparagus, rhubarb, lamb, mint, lemon, stir-fry, salads and stove-top recipes have found a home here. 

I started Summer Cooking months ago to hold recipes using summer berries, zucchini, greens, salads, corn and tomatoes. I am also putting no-bake meals and grilled foods here.

I hope this helps us in our efforts to eat more seasonally and locally. I also hope it helps me find what I am looking for and better remember what we have eaten in years past!

More Fall Favorites

Butternut Squash Casserole

Parents Magazine Nov. 2009

this is a great way to use up that squash we bought from the farmer down the road before it starts getting soft

1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into ½ inch cubes

4 tsp olive oil

½ tsp salt

1 lb. elbow pasta

4 T butter

4 T flour

3 C milk

3 ½ C shredded cheddar, divided

Preheat oven to 375. Toss squash with oil and salt in a zip-loc bag. Spread on foil lined tray. Bake 30 minutes or until tender. Set aside.

Cook pasta for 2 minutes less than package directions. Drain and place in a bowl with the squash.

Melt butter over low heat in a saucepan. Whisk in flour, cook 2 minutes.

Slowly whisk in milk. Bring mixture to a boil, then simmer. Cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add 3 cups of cheese and stir until melted. Stir cheese sauce into pasta and squash. Spoon into a 9x13 or bigger casserole dish and sprinkle on remaining cheese. Bake 10 or 20 minutes. Serves 12.

Cranberry-Orange Apple Crisp

the cornmeal gives the topping an interesting and crunchy texture

Topping:

½ C flour

½ C cornmeal

½ C sugar

½ C brown sugar

1 stick butter (½ C)

Fruit:

Lots of apples, like 14 cups or 6 lbs, peeled and sliced

2 C fresh or frozen cranberries

4 T sugar

4 T grated orange rind

6 T orange juice (2 T more than ¼ C)

Preheat oven to 375.

Combine topping with a pastry blender until crumbly.

Combine fruit and the rest in a large bowl and toss well. Spread in a 9x13 or larger baking pan and sprinkle with crumb mixture. Bake 45 minutes or until golden brown.

Friday Fall Favorites - Recipes

Linguine with Squash, Bacon and Goat Cheese

1 pkg. Bacon, cooked and crumbled

4-5 cups butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 ½ cups chicken broth

1 tsp salt

4 oz goat cheese

1 lb. linguine, cooked

1 T olive oil

pepper

Cut up squash. Cook bacon.

Drain off most of the fat from the bacon pan. Add squash and deglaze with broth.

Saute 3-5 minutes.

Stir in broth and salt.

Cover and simmer 20 minutes.

During this time, cook the linguine.

Add half the goat cheese to the squash, stir to combine.

Stir this into the cooked linguine.

Drizzle with olive oil and add crumbled bacon and goat cheese. Season with pepper.

Typepad automatically deletes my carriage returns I want to add space between recipes!

Saturday Pumpkin Waffles

from epicurious.com

Yield: Makes 12 (4-inch) waffles Active Time: 35 min Total Time: 35 min 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 4 large eggs 1 cup whole milk 1 cup well-shaken buttermilk 1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin 3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted Vegetable oil for brushing waffle iron Accompaniment: warm pure maple syrup Special equipment: a waffle iron (preferably nonstick) Preheat oven to 250°F and preheat waffle iron. Sift together flour, brown sugar, baking powder and soda, salt, and spices. Whisk eggs in a large bowl until blended, then whisk in milk, buttermilk, pumpkin, and butter until smooth. Whisk in dry ingredients just until smooth. Brush waffle iron lightly with oil and spoon batter (about 2 cups for four 4-inch Belgian waffles) into waffle iron, spreading quickly. Cook according to manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer waffles to rack in oven to keep warm and crisp. Make more waffles in same manner.

Friday Fall Favorites - Recipes

Maple Roasted Chicken and Sweet Potatoes

1 cut-up chicken, trim off the fat

1 onion in wedges

2 small yams, peeled and cubed

2 T olive oil

1 tsp salt

¼ tsp black pepper

3 T maple syrup

some dried thyme

Heat oven to 400.

Rinse and dry chicken.

Arrange chicken and vegetables in a 9x13 pan.

Drizzle with oil and syrup, sprinkle with thyme.

Roast 1 hour 15 minutes, turning once.

Gingered Pear, Cranberry and Blueberry Cobbler

Topping:

1 cup flour

¼ cup sugar

1 tsp baking powder

3 T butter

2 eggs, slightly beaten

¼ cup milk

Fruit Mixture:

4 cups pears, peeled and sliced

2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen

1 cup cranberries, fresh or frozen

½ cup sugar

2 T cornstarch

1 tsp ginger

Heat oven to 400.

Spray 8 inch square baking pan. (I double the recipe and use a 9x13)

Mix dry ingredients.

Cut in butter with a pastry blender.

Add egg and milk, stir. Set aside

In a large bowl combine fruit mixture.

Spoon into baking dish. Spoon topping over fruit.

Bake at 400 for 45-50 minutes.

For Tomorrow

Feast of St. Martin de Porres - Peanut Butter Mice!

For Tomorrow

From Faith & Family

Our Lady’s Victory Vessels

8 large baked potatoes
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup bacon bits (optional)
1/3 cup butter
1/2 cup sour cream
2/3 cup milk
salt and pepper
white paper
3 skewers
10 toothpicks (cut in half)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake potatoes for 1 hour. When potatoes are done, allow them to cool for 10 minutes. Carefully cut off the top skin of the potato. Gently scoop the flesh into a mixing bowl. Set the potato shells on a tray. Mix all the ingredients except cheese and bacon. Fill the potato shells and top with cheese and bacon. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees until cheese melts.

Cut nine rectangular pieces of paper to put on the skewers in honor of Our Lady. Decorate the “sails” with blue crosses, rosaries, or other Marian symbols. Insert toothpicks in the “hull” of the potato as the oars — 10 on each side.

* Note: If you are pressed for time, just decorate a plain baked potato!

— Maryan Vander Woude

Growing Mint?

Here's a nice recipe for mint tea I found in the paper.

Pick about 20 mint leaves. I love sending a child out to do this while I out the kettle on!

Rinse and pat dry with a paper towel.

Bring water to almost a boil.

Place 3 bags of green tea or 1 T. of loose tea into teapot.

Add hot water, let steep for 2-3 minutes. Remove bags.

Add mint and 2 tsp. sugar. Serve warm or cool and serve over ice. Nice!

Our Lady of Fatima Dinner Plans

Once upon a time I had a friend who visited her relatives in Portugal. Here are two of several family  recipes she shared with us upon her return:

Portuguese Chicken

6 chicken breasts
seasonings: salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, ground cloves, sage
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 large can of peeled tomatoes
7 medium red potatoes, halved
1 large onion, sliced
1 cup olive oil
1 cup white wine
water enough to cover
3 bay leaves

Coat breasts with seasonings and garlic. Arrange the onion, potatoes, tomatoes in a a large covered casserole. Add liquids and bay leaves.

Bake at 375 degrees for one and a half hours.

(I am trying this one in the crock pot today for a quick dinner between dance and soccer!)

Pasteis de Leite (Milk Sweets)

2 C milk
lemon zest
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup butter, melted
3 eggs

Preheat oven to 400. Boil milk with lemon peel. Set aside.

Mix flour and sugar. Beat in eggs. Add melted butter. Pour in hot milk, discarding lemon peel. Stir and let batter cool.

Pour mixture into buttered muffin tin, about 2/3 full. Reduce oven to 250. Bake custards until edges pull away from sides and turn light brown, about 45 minutes. Test with toothpick.

Makes about 20.