2010 September | Rocky Mountain Woman

Archive for September, 2010

HOW TO MAKE BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

Written by Rocky Mountain Woman on September 29, 2010 – 1:39 pm -

The only thing that keeps me from sinking into a deep depression when the weather turns colder, is that I have a good excuse to make homemade soup. For me, since I typically like to cook healthier dishes, cream soup is the way to go.

I adapted this recipe from a Williams Sonoma recipe I found in one of their “Thanksgiving” handouts. While we are on that subject, my local Williams Sonoma store has these cute little handouts they give away every year with Thanksgiving recipes. I try and get in there a few weeks before Thanksgiving to get one. The recipes are always great and it’s an excuse to go feed my Williams Sonoma habit…

You’ll need the following:

4 bacon slices
1 yellow onion
2 celery stalks
1 bay leaf
1 tsp of chopped fresh sage
4 t kosher salt
1 t pepper from the mill
2 potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/4 cup white wine
3 cups low sodium chicken broth (healthy!)
1 package of butternut squash
1/2 cup of heavy cream (be brave)

Start with that very healthiest of all foods, bacon! Chop three or four slices of bacon coarsely (four is better)

then chop one whole onion – yellow or white works best for this recipe

and two sticks of celery

Fry the bacon in a dutch oven until it starts to crisp up and then add the vegetables, saute until they are soft

add the seasonings

cube the potatoes

add them to the pot and saute for a few minutes…deglaze the pot with the wine

add the chicken broth (healthy!) and the package of butternut squash

then, you can do what you want, but I like to kick off my shoes, pour some of that wine into a glass and put a little Eric Clapton on the stereo…
Let the whole thing simmer while you listen to Eric and sip wine until the potatoes are soft, about 20 minutes

then, ta da! the good part..add the cream and let simmer for just a minute or two…

Lovely, easy….serve with some crusty bread, a green salad and a crisp Chardonnay for a light fall supper….

HOW TO MAKE CLASSIC CAESAR SALAD

Written by Rocky Mountain Woman on September 28, 2010 – 6:05 am -

This recipe is adapted from Williams Sonoma. I don’t think I’ve ever made something from one of their books that hasn’t turned out perfectly!

Anyway, I’m trying to hold on to summer as long as I can by making salads, and this is one of my all time favorites:

Ingredient list:

2 cups cubed sourdough bread
3 T plus 1/2 cup of EVOO
3 cloves of garlic (wow!)
6 anchovie filets
1 T Worcestershire Sauce
2 t red wine vinegar
2 heads of hearts of romaine lettuce
1 egg
parmeson shavings

First, cube the bread

Then put the cubes on a baking sheet, sprinkle them with 3 T of olive oil and 1/2 t each of Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper.

Put them in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown

After they cool, rub one side of them with an unpeeled clove of garlic

Then peel the garlic cloves and smash in the bottom of a large salad bowl with 1/2 t Kosher salt

Smash 4 anchovie filets into the salt/garlic mixture.. Isn’t this fun?

Whisk in the Worcestershire sauce, vinegar and 1/2 t pepper. Then drizzle in 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil while whisking constantly

Chop the lettuce into large pieces and dump it on top of the dressing

Toss the lettuce with the dressing, break the egg into the bowl and toss again (if you aren’t absolutely sure that your eggs are salmonella free, skip this part!)

Shave the parmesan in long strips from a chunk of parmesan

Right before serving, add the croutons and parmesan and toss lightly.

Garnish with the remaining anchovie filets

Easy peasy..So, I think if we all just keep making salads, maybe winter will stay away for a while! Whatya think?
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ARTICHOKE PASTA

Written by Rocky Mountain Woman on September 23, 2010 – 5:50 am -

The weather has turned a little cooler up here, so I decided some comfort food was in order. Here’s what I made to warm my old bones….

This recipe starts where all good recipes start, butter! Melt about 1/4 cup of butter (more or less – more is better!) in a skillet.

add 1/4 cup of olive oil and a whole onion, chopped coarsely and saute until soft

chop about a cup or so of canned artichoke hearts

add them to the onions, along with a cup of dry white wine.

Let this simmer while you pour any left over wine into a glass, put a little music on in the background and start some salted pasta water boiling.
Then add about 2 cups of some sort of summer sausage (I use venison sausage, but any kind of dry, smoked type sausage will do.)

Add a full cup (be brave!) of whipping cream

some freshly ground pepper and kosher salt and let simmer while the pasta finishes cooking

Grate about 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese

dump it on top of the sauce

drain the pasta, pour another glass of white wine, and then put the pasta in a big bowl with the sauce on top and toss it all together. Ahhh…comfort food at it’s finest: