P is for Potpie

I am sick.  I have a cold of the worst variety.  It's the kind where I'm so congested that I can't breathe through even one nostril, my throat is itchy and sore, my skin is pale, my eyes look cloudy and tired, and all I want to do is lie down and rest.  Ironically, when I lie down, it becomes even more uncomfortable to breathe and the coughing commences.  Misery!

This is what happens since I work in a giant petri dish: an elementary school.  Granted, my immune system has become much stronger in the past few years and I've learned a few tricks of the trade.  During cold and flu season, I use Clorox wipes on the table surfaces daily and I pass around the hand sanitizer every few hours.  We use disinfecting spray around handles and doorknobs and I encourage kids to keep their hands away from their faces, but illness is inevitable.  The germs spread and the kids get sick every winter.  The empty seats are a constant reminder to me that we need to pass around the sanitizer again and discuss the elbow sneeze technique.  Covering your mouth with your hand is out.  Elbows are in.    

When you're a teacher, it's tough to be sick.  It's not that we hate to be out of the classroom for a day or two; it's that taking a day off requires several additional hours of work before you're gone and again after you come back.  So many teachers just keep on working through their illness because getting a substitute, writing lesson plans, prepping the materials, and warning all the necessary individuals takes more effort than just trucking through the school day with a tissue wad up your nose.  

I'm guilty.  While I took a sick day on Thursday to moan and groan on the couch, I attempted to return on Friday.   I whispered with my dry, crackly voice throughout the day, popped DayQuil like candy,  and kept a box of tissues nearby.  I could barely talk loud enough to get the attention of my students, and yet somehow they understood and responded appropriately.  Kids sense when you're vulnerable and sick.  They get it.  My class was uncharacteristically sensitive this week and I'm really glad I got to see the sweet, nurturing side of individual students as well as the whole group.  They were great listeners.  They noticed my gestures more than usual.  They asked fewer questions of me and instead helped each other.  They entertained themselves when they finished early instead of nagging me with "now what?!" comments.  They were more responsible with their routines and classroom jobs and made me very proud.  One tender little guy recognized how sick I felt first thing in the morning and said, "What can I do to help you?" before he even took his backpack off.  Isn't that sweet?  

While I can complain about being sick and the hassle of writing sub plans, I also have to admit that this week I appreciated my job.  I get to spend all day with young people who are learning to be empathetic and responsible.  Who am I to guide them through this journey?  Well, I'm lucky.  That's what! 

If you are on your own empathy quest, make this potpie for someone in your life who is sick right now.  It's warm and comforting, and it's a nice break from chicken noodle soup.  It's chicken potpie for the soul.

    

Puff Pastry Chicken Potpie

adapted from Williams-Sonoma Bride & Groom Cookbook

2 Tbsp. olive oil

4 shallots, diced

1 c. peeled, diced carrots

1 c. diced celery

2 c. peeled, diced russet potatoes

1 bag frozen mixed vegetables (corn, peas, carrots, green beans)

3 c. chicken stock

2 c. shredded chicken meat

1 c. pearl onions 

1 tsp. finely chopped fresh sage

1 tsp. thyme

1 tsp. celery salt

3 bay leaves

kosher salt and pepper

2 Tbsp. butter

3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

1/3 c. heavy cream

1 sheet frozen puff pastry

Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add the onions, carrots, and celery.  Sauté the vegetables until slightly softened, 4-5 minutes.  Add the potatoes and frozen vegetables and sauté, stirring often for 3-4 minutes.  Add the stock and bring to a boil.  Lower the heat to medium low and add the shredded chicken and delicate pearl onions.  Bring to a gentle simmer.  Gently stir in the fresh sage, thyme, celery salt, bay leaves, and salt and pepper to taste.  Simmer for 10 minutes.  

Meanwhile, make a roux by melting 2 Tbsp. butter over low heat in a small saucepan.  Add the flour and stir constantly with a wooden spoon to mix thoroughly  Cook, stirring constantly for 3-4 minutes.  Do not allow the roux to brown.  Add the cream and stir vigorously until the mixture thickens.  Stir the roux into the chicken and vegetable mixture and simmer gently for 5 minutes.  It should thicken slightly.  Check the potatoes for doneness; they should be cooked through, but not mushy.  Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, sage, thyme, or celery salt as needed.  Remove the bay leaves from the mixture before pouring it into a 9 x 13" baking pan.  The dish can be prepared up to this point one day in advance or frozen at this stage for future use.  

Preheat the oven to 400 F.  Remove a sheet of prepared puff pasty from the freezer at least 10 minutes before using it so it will thaw.  Cover the 9 x 13" dish with the pastry just before you put it in the oven.  Make several incisions in the pastry with a paring knife to allow steam to escape.  Do not allow the pastry to sit for long at room temperature on top of the creamy chicken mixture as it will become soggy.  Place the potpie in the oven and bake until the pastry is golden brown, about 20 minutes.  Let cool for a few minutes before serving.              

                                    

B is for Butternut Squash Soup

I've had plenty of mediocre butternut squash soups.  They often need salt or lack some type of seasoning and typically they're too watery.  Why do so many chefs add apples and baking spices to butternut soup?  It's not dessert!  In my opinion, it should be more savory and less sweet.  I've ordered squash soup at restaurants before feeling confident that I'm making a smart, healthy choice, but after a few spoonfuls I feel disappointed.  Anyone else felt this way before?  In my mind, butternut squash soup might as well be called "jealousy soup," because I'm usually envious of the appetizers other people ordered.        

Many butternut squash soups disappoint, but this is an absolutely fantastic recipe.  I've made it a dozen times and for some reason, we don't tire of it quickly.  Peter and I like to have a small bowl as a first course to our meal and sometimes we pack it in our lunch bags with half a sandwich.  The flavors from roasting the squash and caramelizing the onions make it very special and give it the savory quality that I crave in a soup.  The blend of herbs--parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme--is absolutely perfect.  Fresh herbs are essential!  If you want to cut back though, at least use fresh rosemary and thyme.  When I prepare this soup, I use homemade chicken stock, but I'm sure the canned version would be just fine as long as you get the low-sodium version to control the saltiness.  If you want to make this vegetarian friendly, substitute vegetable stock for the chicken stock.  Now, as a disclaimer: this recipe is not low-fat.  There will be heavy cream involved.  However, this soup is so rich, flavorful, and creamy, a relatively small serving is satisfying.  Expect to see empty bowls!  

Butternut Squash Soup
adapted from Tim Douglas' Seattle Kitchen

3-4 lb. butternut squash
olive oil for brushing squash
1 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. olive oil
4 c. thinly sliced onions (about 2 onions)
3 c. chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
1/2-3/4 c. heavy cream
1 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 tsp. chopped fresh sage
1/2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1 tsp. sherry vinegar or apple cider vinegar
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
creme fraiche and thyme sprigs for garnish

Preheat the oven to 400 F.  Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds.  Brush the cut edges with olive oil and place on a baking sheet, cut side down.  Roast the squash until very soft, about 80 minutes.  Remove from the oven.  When cool enough to handle, scoop the squash out of the skin and set aside.

While the squash is roasting, caramelize the onions.  Heat the butter with the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat.  Add the onions and cook slowly, stirring occasionally until they are soft and golden brown, 20-30 minutes.  Do not let them burn or become crispy.  Set aside.

In a food processor fitted with a standard chopping blade, process the squash, onions, and 1 cup of chicken stock until smooth.  This may need to be done in two batches, depending on your food processor.  Pour the puree into a large pot.  Add the remaining 2 cups of chicken stock and heat the soup to a simmer, stirring occasionally.  Add the heavy cream, chopped herbs, and vinegar.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve, ladle the hot soup into bowls and serve with a swirl of creme fraiche and a thyme sprig.  This soup can be made a few days before you plan to serve it; just store it in the refrigerator and reheat before serving.     
 

C is for Carrot Cupcakes

These scrumptious little cupcakes are not only precious, but delicious!  I snagged the recipe from the Williams-Sonoma baking book, but I made a couple changes.  I didn't have currants, so I used dates and golden raisins instead.  I didn't have traditional walnuts, but I love the crunch of almonds in baked goods, so I tried that.  No problemo!  Also, Williams-Sonoma instructs that you melt 1/2 c. butter and then let it cool to room temperature.  I had never of this strange melting and cooling process and have certainly never done this to butter [on purpose] when baking.  We've all tried to rush the butter to room-temperature by sticking it in the microwave, but that usually affects a baking recipe in a negative way.  I just used room temperature butter instead of a melted and cooled concoction.  Again, I had no issues with this modification.  

I was first drawn to the recipe because the carrot cake batter doesn't include grated carrots; it requires cooked carrot purée.  This liquid addition made me think the cake would be super moist and it was absolutely that.  It may take a little extra time for the carrots to cook and a few extra dirty dishes from the food processor, but it takes the cupcakes from good to divine!  Try it out!    

Carrot Cake
adapted from Williams-Sonoma Baking Book

3/4 lb. carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
2 eggs
1 1/3 c. firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 c. almond slivers
1/2 c. dried fruit (I used 1/4 c. raisins and 1/4 c. dates)

Bring a saucepan of water to a boil.  Add the carrot pieces and cook until tender, about 10-15 minutes.  Drain and let cool.  In a food processor, purée the carrots.  It should be about 1 c. purée.

Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Line a muffin tin with baking cups and spray with nonstick spray.  Alternatively, line the bottom of a 8-inch square pan with parchment paper.

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together into a bowl.  Set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and brown sugar.  Add the milk to the egg and sugar mixture. On the lowest speed of the mixer, cream the butter.  Add the egg, sugar and milk mixture.  Gradually add the flour mixture, but don't over mix.  Add the carrot purée.  Once the carrots have been incorporated, stir in the almonds and dried fruit with a spatula.  Pour the batter into the cupcake liners or your 8-inch square pan.  Bake at 350 F until the cake is lightly browned.  I made 2 pans of mini cupcakes (24 minis total) and 6 standard-sized cupcakes with this recipe.

Square pan 45-50 minutes
Mini cupcakes 25-30 minutes
Standard cupcakes  35-40 minutes

Let the cupcakes cool on a wire rack.  Frost with your favorite icing: buttercream or cream cheese frosting.  Refrigerate if not serving right away, but let the cake come to room temperature before serving.

 

K is for Kale Chips

I'm not a big fan of kale.  It's okay and I know it's healthy, but kale is just not a green I regularly pick up at the grocery store.  I used to eat it as a kid because my aunt told me it was like horse food and I loved horses.  That logic seems so silly to me now, but children will go along with just about anything, right?

Having a pound and a half in the farm box motivated me to try out a new kale recipe.  And honestly, when I say "recipe," that's a stretch.  This snack practically prepares itself.  I tore the leaves off the stalks into chip-sized pieces and put them on a cookie sheet.  Then I drizzled them with olive oil and tossed the leaves around a bit.  Finally, I sprinkled them with salt and toasted them in the oven at 375 F for 15 minutes.  I turned them halfway through with a spatula, and that was about the most difficult part of this recipe.  Done.

We had enough kale for three cookie sheets, so I did one sheet with plain salt, one with cayenne pepper, and one with garlic salt and grated parmesan cheese.  You just sprinkle on your favorite seasoning before you throw it in the oven.  My favorite was definitely the parmesan cheese version, but they were all good!  Baked kale chips don't shrink down like spinach in the way that it wilts.  They crisp up quickly and stay crisp for about 1 day.  I thought they were significantly better when a little warm and toasty, but you'll have to give it a try and see what you think!

Horses (or kids) would probably love them!        

        

 

B is for Brussels Sprouts

After looking through my past few entries, I felt the need to post something healthy.  I don't only serve baked goods, bacon, and wine at my house.  I'm a huge fan of vegetables and we have some in every meal.  It's just not always something exciting.  Typical veggie side dishes I prepare include steamed broccoli, cauliflower or green beans, roasted squash, broiled zucchini spears, asparagus, steamed spinach, or a mix of  peas like snow peas or sugar snap.  Peter and I both love mashed potatoes (and I make darn good mashed potatoes), but I don't classify that as a vegetable.  It's a starch really.  I think of corn in the same way and unless corn is truly in season, I only serve it mixed in with soups or salsas.  I would eat eggplant, cabbage, and mushrooms more regularly, but Peter isn't crazy about any of those, so I usually just sneak those veggies into recipes instead of featuring them.

Today I will share with you a Brussels sprouts recipe because this vegetable has a terrible reputation and I don't think it should.  I try to choose Brussels sprouts that are pretty large (at least 1" in diameter) and use them soon after buying them because they tend to be less bitter.  My old roommate, Steph, taught me to chop off the base of the sprout and pull off the large, deep green leaves and toss the yellow bitter cores as well as the unappetizing outer leaves.  We would saute the green leaves in olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  This method is pretty fool proof and is a great way to win over folks that aren't crazy about Brussels sprouts.  Without the yellowy core leaves, the flavor is significantly less bitter and reminds me of the flavor of cabbage.  Brussels sprouts are in the cabbage family, after all.

If you already like them, try this way:

Warm Brussels Sprouts Salad

1 lb. Brussels Sprouts
olive oil
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 Tbsp. Balsamic vinegar
Boston lettuce
1 apple, cubed
crumbled bacon (optional)

After rinsing the Brussels sprouts, pull off the outer leaves and cut off the base of the sprout to help the leaves separate as you dice them.  Toss the diced leaves into a skillet with olive oil and garlic.  Saute over medium heat until the leaves are soft and lightly browned.  Toss the leaves with the Tbsp. of vinegar.

Let the Brussels sprouts cool a bit and then spoon them over a salad made with Boston lettuce, apple pieces, and crumbled bacon.  So good!      

On a totally unrelated note, I feel it is important to mention that Peter's new favorite show will be premiering next Monday at 10 pm on Food Network.  It's called Meat and Potatoes.