Fall Menu Ideas featuring Field Roast Stuffing

Fall has arrived in Seattle as though a curtain has dropped, ending the summer act and beginning the autumn intermission. The days are slow to start, and quick to end, with raindrops battering against windows as we all feverishly try to hold onto the glorious sunny days we’ve just left behind.

Seattle in the Fall…what a beautiful place to be.

With this transition comes the inevitable shift in behavior. Days on the lake are replaced with afternoons spent reading on the couch, the soft snore of a puppy interrupting thoughts and inspiring a refill to a glass of wine or bowl of truffle popcorn. Evening BBQs and bonfires quickly turn into game nights, where a crackling fire provides the backdrop to the hoots and howls that come from confessions of Cards Against Humanity, or the poorly hummed tunes of Cranium.

With a dinner this grand, appetizers can be modest.

Of course the blissful suppers of Capreses and Cava no longer seem quite right, but what replaces them is something while perhaps less glamorous, no less delicious. This Fall Sunday Supper, is relatively easy to put together and a perfect feast to begin or end your weekend. The Field Roast stuffing is the dark horse, making a table even sans Turkey a worthy destination.

What are your favorite Fall traditions?

Fall Menu Ideas: Roasted Acorn Squash with Nutmeg and Cinnamon

Fall Sunday Supper

• Olives, Hummus topped with Chili Sauce, Crackers, and Cheese
• Spinach Salad with Toasted Almonds, Blue Cheese, Dried Cranberries in a Anchovy Infused Balsamic Dressing
• Roast Chicken
• Field Roast Stuffing
• Roasted Acorn Squash with Cinnamon and Nutmeg
• Malarkey’s Best Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Field Roast Stuffing

With this hearty yet sophisticated Field Roast Stuffing you don’t even need a Roast Chicken or Turkey

• 5 cups stale bread, cubed
• 1 shallot, thinly sliced
• 4 Field Roast links, diced
• 4 TB Butter
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• Salt and Pepper
• 1 cup vegetable or chicken broth

1. In a 400 degree oven, toast the cubed bread on a cookie sheet until golden brown about 5 – 8 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, saute the shallot and field roast in the butter until beginning to slightly brown, 5 – 8 minutes. Add seasonings and salt and pepper to taste.
3. In a large bowl combine the bread with the shallot/field roast mix and stir well to combine.
4. Slowly adding the broth a few tablespoons at a time, mix until slightly moistened. Pending on how stale your bread is this will take anywhere from 1/2 – 1 cup of broth.
5. Add to a 9×9 glass baking dish and bake at 400 degrees until warmed through, about 20 minutes.

Good Looking: Baked Tomatoes Stuffed with Curried Quinoa

When you write a food blog, it is very important to be strategic about your posts. You want to be consistent for your readers…but not post too often, lest they get sick of you. There are certain times of day that you want to publish, thereby generating higher traffic, and you always want to make sure you cover a variety of recipes and topics so you can rest assured you’ve got the proverbial “something for everyone”.

The latest bounty from our CSA.

Tonight, I’m going to break all those rules. Why? Because on Day 11 of “No Buying Groceries-gate 2012” I had a deliciously, fun dinner, and thanks to my new camera, a finally legitimate picture (or three) to back it up!

Who needs diamonds when a girl can have this?

Before I share the recipe for these perfect bites of summer, can I just say how stinking fun it was to read all your comments?? I must admit I was a little nervous letting you all in to the neurosis that is my psyche, but to hear that there are other folks out there that have similar feelings about foods, and budgets, and some weird Boxcar Children like enjoyment from using up the dredges of their refrigerator, honestly makes me feel better.  We are a funny bunch, we foodies and writers, but at least we’re in good company. And with that, I proudly present to you…

Baked Tomatoes Stuffed with Curried Quinoa

These are a spectacular vegan side or main, yet are hearty and flavorful enough to satisfy the most voracious of carnivores. They can be easily made ahead, and are a lovely addition to a dinner of grilled fish and salad.

Serves 2 + leftover quinoa

Baked Tomatoes Stuffed with Curried Quinoa. [Insert Happy Sigh Here]

• 2 tablespoons olive oil + drizzle
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons curry powder (less if you don’t want it to have any kick)
• 4 medium tomatoes
• Kosher Salt

1. Heat 2 TB oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring until slightly softened, about 4 minutes. Add quinoa and cook and stir until lightly toasted, about 5 minutes.
2. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Then, pour broth into the pan, return to heat, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, add curry,  and stir well to combine; cover and simmer until tender, about 25 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375.
4. Cut the tops off of four medium tomatoes. Using a grapefruit spoon, scoop out all the flesh and seeds.
5. Sprinkle salt in cavity of tomato, and put upside down on paper towel to absorb moisture.
6. Once the quinoa is done, stuff tomatoes with quinoa, drizzle with olive oil, and put in a bread pan.
7. Bake until tomatoes are softened and top of quinoa is slightly toasted, about 15 minutes.
8. Serve immediately.

Bad Behavior: Slow Roasted Tomato Quiche with Leeks and Gruyère

Like so many before me, I’m afraid to say, I have some unflattering qualities. I’m prone to interrupting and am wildly competitive. My hair makes me look like a Fraggle when I wake up and I have been told on more than one occasion that I am nearly unbearably cheerful in the morning. I think To-Do lists are fun, and find a timer a helpful addition to more situations than is healthy. And I am a hideous control freak. It’s bad. I’m working on it. Well, sort of…part of me has just given in to this reality that I have a strong, undulating need to control most situations. Like I said…it’s bad.

Such little jewels…cherry tomatoes waiting to be roasted.

As proof of this dreadful quality I input all my receipts into a monthly Excel spreadsheet. Are you shuddering yet? You should be. And yes I know about Mint but am too much of a control freak to trust it. This past weekend as I was closing out August I gasped in horror at my Groceries line item. As you would probably expect I tend to spend more on food than some people do, but August was out of control. Let’s just say if you can feed a starving child in Africa for $1 a day I could have fed a few children for a few years. And this doesn’t even address my “Eating Out” or “Fun” line items. It was time for drastic measures.

And so, with the determined resolution you could only expect from someone like myself, I put a moratorium on all food purchases. Admittedly, I have a very stocked kitchen to begin with (add “obsessive and irrational fear of second potato famine” to the list of faults), but I’m actually now having fun seeing how many gourmet meals I can create with just what’s in my kitchen at the moment.

This quiche was one of my first attempts to take a classic and fake it a bit with ingredient swaps. Craving a rich quiche, but not having any milk or cream I decided to use some yogurt, of which I have loads. The result was nearly as good as if I’d made it with the traditional heavy cream or half and half, and as an added bonus was healthier to boot.

What are your favorite “Use Up Everything In the Refrigerator” recipes?

Roasted Tomato Quiche with Leeks and Gruyère

Slow Roasted Tomato Quiche with Leeks and Gruyere

• 1 pate brisee crust
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved (learn about how to support Slave Free tomatoes here)
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 TB + drizzle Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Grind of Salt and Pepper
• 1 leek, white and light green parts finely chopped
• 1 cup Gruyère, grated (or whatever cheese you like…chevre or cheddar would also be lovely)
• 4 eggs beaten
• 3/4 plain nonfat greek yogurt

1. Preheat oven to 365.
2. Toss the tomatoes, garlic, drizzle of olive oil, and grind of salt and pepper in a cast iron pan, and roast until liquid is melted and flavor is concentrated. About 30 minutes. Set aside.
3. Meanwhile, saute the leek in remaining 1 TB olive oil, until softened, about 6 minutes. Set aside.
4. Combine the eggs and yogurt, and vigorously beat to combine, there should be no lumps from the yogurt
5. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pate brisee until a slightly larger circle than the pie plate. Fold in half for easy transfer, and move over to the pie plate. Unfold, trim the edges so even, fold crust under itself, and flute the edges.
6. Add the leeks, cheese, and tomatoes to the pate brisee. Cover with the egg/yogurt mixture and bake 20 – 25 minutes on the middle rack, until golden brown, egg set, and cheese slightly bubbling.
7. Can be served warm or room temperature.

Total Control: Vegetarian Carbonara with Summer Greens

Her single command thus far….”Sit”, which she does eagerly and quite brilliantly (or so I’m told).

My life is a little nuts right now. It’s all good, and I’m very lucky, but things are a little crazy. I have my husband, my family, and my friends with whom I want to spend time. I have my job, my food blog, and my volunteer work with puppy rescue.  I have many wonderful trips to look forward to this summer including a wedding in Vermont, a clambake in Massachusetts, and girl’s wine weekend in Walla Walla. I have my meager attempts to get some sort of exercise to balance out said food blog and wine trips, not to mention my book club, my horseback riding, and my laundry. I have lots and lots of laundry lately it seems.

Happily chewing on an elk antler…and my running shoes…and my coffee table…

So it will come as no surprise that what seemed like the most logical decision, the most sensible way to go, was to get a puppy. In all honesty, I’m blaming this one squarely on Matt. He found a darling Neapolitan Mastiff puppy in Tacoma on Wednesday, emailed me in Boulder about it on Wednesday night, and by Thursday at noon she was happily chewing on Duke’s ear and quickly climbing the ladder to Number One Cute Pup In Town if you ask any non-biased person. To be fair, I didn’t exactly kick her out of bed for eating crackers either.

She is incessant in her need to be near Duke and he graciously obliges…I think he even likes it.

So this Monday night when I realized this was my only night off this week, and my fridge was exploding with goodies from our Hand Farmed Organics CSA and another box was arriving tomorrow [insert panic and self loathing at thought of throwing away organic vegetables HERE], I figured I’d better get cooking. A little quiet time in the kitchen always calms my nerves, and the self-righteousness that comes with making a delicious meal out of what’s in your fridge is hard to beat.

We try to do Meat Free Mondays, but honestly we usually don’t. Add that to the list of things that have gone to the wayside in our busyness. But tonight I succeeded, creating a sort of Vegetarian Carbonara and triumphantly using all the chard, spinach, and radishes up. It was surprisingly delicious, light and yet satisfying, and on the table in less than 30 minutes. A perfect meal when all you really want to do is play with the new puppy, and ignore the piles laundry building up in your temporarily empty guest room.

Vegetarian Carbonara with Summer Greens

Vegetarian Carbonara with Summer Greens

Serves 6

Carbonara is typically made with pancetta or bacon, but I didn’t have any and thought a vegetarian twist on the Italian classic might work. The radishes give it some nice bulk, and when the beaten egg is slowly added as you vigorously toss the pasta you get a rich sauce you’d swear had heavy cream in it.

1 lb pasta, whatever is in the cupboard

3 TB Olive Oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 leek, white part only, thinly sliced

1 bundle of radishes, about 6, washed and thinly sliced with a mandolin

1 bunch chard, washed and coarsely chopped

1 bag spinach, washed

1/2 cup chives, thinly sliced (this seems like a lot, but is delicious and gives it a nice kick)

3 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup good parmesan cheese grated, plus more to taste

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to directions. Drain and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, in a large non-stick pan over medium-low heat, cook the garlic in the olive oil until just beginning to turn golden, 2-3 minutes.
3. Increase heat to medium, add the radishes and the leeks, and cook until turning translucent, about 5 minutes, stirring regularly.
4. Add the chard and spinach, returning heat to low, and cook until wilted and radishes and leeks fully cooked, another 5 minutes.
5. To assemble take the warm pasta (you don’t want it too hot or the egg will scramble), and vigorously tossing with tongs slowly add the beaten egg, until it creates a rich coating.
6. Add the chard/spinach mixture, chives, and the parmesan and continue tossing vigorously until all nicely mixed and coated.
7. Serve with additional parmesan to taste and truffle salt.

Rainy Monday: Roasted Cauliflower, White Bean, and Cheddar Soup

These beans give soups a wonderfully creamy consistency without the guilt.

If you live in Seattle right now you are likely cursing the rain. For it has returned. In droves. Or sheets. Or buckets. Pick your poison.

Admittedly the past two weeks have been abnormally spectacular with gorgeous day, after gorgeous day, taunting and teasing us with the idea that perhaps this year the Seattle Summer Curse of not beginning until after the 4th of July would be broken. Well friends, as I sit here typing and the rain sits outside pounding, I’d say we might have spoken too soon.

While I’m going to grumble like a good Seattle-ite, I should also confess that there’s something fun and cozy about the rain returning. It’s an excuse for a few more winter meals and big red wines. And sweatshirts. Big sweatshirts.

This soup is a piece of cake to make, very healthy, and just so damn good. Roasting the cauliflower gives it an even richer flavor, and the white beans add a creaminess you would swear was the result of gallons of half and half. It’s quick to make, healthy to eat, and when served with a crusty piece of bread and mixed greens the perfect Rainy Monday Meal.

Roasted Cauliflower, White Bean, and Cheddar Soup
Serves 5+
Adapted from Closet Cooking

Roasted Cauliflower, White Bean, and Cheddar Soup

1 small head cauliflower, cut into florets
3 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 can cannellini beans or white beans, rinsed
1 1/2 cups aged white cheddar, shredded
1 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Toss the cauliflower florets in two TB of oil along with the salt and pepper and arrange them in a single layer on a large baking sheet.
3. Roast the cauliflower oven until lightly golden brown, about 20-30 minutes.
   

   Roasting the cauliflower, which really brings out the flavor.

4. Heat the remaining oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat.
5. Add the onion and saute until tender, about 5-7 minutes.
6. Add the garlic and thyme and saute until fragrant, about a minute.
7. Add the broth, cannellini beans, and cauliflower, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.
8. Puree the soup until it reaches your desired consistency with a stick blender.
9. Mix in the cheese, let it melt and season with salt and pepper.
10. Mix in the milk and remove from heat.