Cooking Looking Good

Bought this new English version of a French classic for a friend's birthday.  Forget the recipes, this book is too pretty for the kitchen.  The illustrations are frame-worthy and that's what I crave.  That and some succulent beef bourguignon.  (FYI: Was a deal at Costco if you can find one there.)

Hot, Hearty Soup

Try this super simple squash soup to warm up a cold fall night.  It worked for me.  Really filling, too.

2 butternut squash, peeled, seeded & chopped
3 leeks, chopped
3 carrots, peeled
3 ribs celery, chopped
2-3 Tbsp. (each) butter & extra virgin olive oil

In large saucepan, saute vegetables with butter & oil for 15 minutes, until slightly softened.  Then add several sprigs fresh thyme & sage and enough cooking stock to cover vegetables.  Simmer until soft.  Remove any hard thyme stems.


In batches, puree in blender or food processor.  Add plenty of pepper, then salt to taste.  Garnish with herbs and/or parmesan if you're feeling fancy.

*I added toasted fennel seeds to the mixture before I pureed for added depth of flavor and complexity.

Duck Night

3 days following the duck hunt, I gathered a few friends and a few more duck for a fall duck dinner.  Basically, we just filled the seasoned cavity with onions and apples alongside a few lemons, carrots, sage & thyme and roasted the waterfowl with a bottle of wine in a roasting pan for a couple hours.

Once it was cooked, we let it rest before carving it into thin slices.

Then it was served with some Mushroom Risotto and Parmesan & Bacon Sauteed Brussel Sprouts.  The sprouts were a hit (no kidding, they were cooked in bacon drippings).

Bacon & Parmesan Sauteed Brussel Sprouts:

Cook sprouts in boiling stock until tender.  (I used the leftover stock as the liquid in the risotto)  In a saute pan, render chopped bacon until crisp and browned.  Drain bacon and reserve drippings in pan.  Add cooked brussel sprouts to hot drippings in medium-high pan until browned and carmelized.  Season to taste.  Toss with fresh Parmesan and serve immediately.

Cozy by the Oven.

The first chilly, gusty fall evening of the season called for some warming up. Cookies were deemed too demanding, but I thought I could still use the ingredients from my favorite cowboy cookies to whip up some satisfying granola for a little snack tonight and a quick breakfast in the morning.

To 3 cups of old-fashioned oats, I added chopped walnuts, almonds, cinnamon, salt and a little shredded coconut. I stirred in a good amount of agave nectar, mixed it up and toasted it golden in the oven at 350' stirring 2-3 times. About 20 minutes later, out of the oven, I grated some dark chocolate over the hot oats, mixed in some flax meal and repeated with more chocolate and flax until it was coated to my liking. Serve at room temperature with plain yogurt, mixed berries and a little drizzling of agave nectar.

The lingering warmth of the toasty oat & cinnamon will keep things cozy until morning.