Comfort Food - Shepherd's Pie

Looking forward I know there will be days when comfort food is the only answer. We all have our own ideas of comfort foods. In my life, I think of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, macaroni and cheese, chili, spaghetti, and my mom’s tuna casserole. Notice all the serotonin-raising carbohydrates on my list? Oh well… One warm and soothing dish I made often when my kids were growing up is Shepherd’s Pie. Mine is a simple version – lean, ground beef with sautéed vegetables and a crown of seasoned mashed potatoes baked to golden goodness – but there are many renditions out there and you can make up your own. It’s one comprehensive slice of at least three food groups – add some ice cream for dessert and you’re all set!

Shepherd’s Pie

• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 large onion of your choice, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 2 lbs. lean ground beef
• Worcestershire sauce – a tablespoon or so
• Cracked black pepper
• Salt
• 3-4 cups vegetables of your choice, sautéed in the pan you used for the beef. I use peas and carrots, but you can use anything you want.
• Mashed potatoes to serve 8 people

In large skillet over a medium flame, heat olive oil and add onions. Cook onions until they’re translucent. Add garlic, and sauté just until it begins to turn golden. Immediately add beef and break it up with a wooden spoon until it’s evenly browned and no longer pink. Add Worcestershire sauce, cracked pepper and salt to taste. Gather all the meat to one side of the pan, tilt it a little, and with a spoon, remove excess juices.

Line bottom of buttered casserole dish with a thin layer of mashed potatoes. Layer all of beef mixture above. Add the layer of sautéed vegetables and, finally, the mashed potatoes. Swirl them a little bit to make a peak here and there. Bake in a 350˚ F oven until the tips of the mashed potatoes are beginning to brown, some time between 30 and 40 minutes.

Photo credit: http://www.taste.com.au/images/recipes/sfi/2005/06/1098.jpg

Loss

My friend lost her son this weekend. He was twenty and full of life and vulnerable and now he is gone. I am terribly sad for her family but my heart aches, especially, for her. I worry about how she can possibly survive this. Will she be able to remember his life before his death, will she be able to divert her constant focus away from that awful morning to re-remember the joys of his life? Will this void ever be filled? How does a mother go on after such a tragedy?

At the memorial service, there were posted many photos of a happy family, celebrating this son’s life from the moment of his birth. A number of people commented, "What a beautiful boy." He was a beautiful boy, more beautiful than most. How life has changed now from the scenes depicted in those photos. Who, back then, could have anticipated what was to come?

No one said that children turn eighteen and all the worrying is done. There is no line of demarcation which, once crossed, is safe. Despite the many joys of motherhood, some of us wish to escape, just for a little while, from the often emotional burdens that come with guiding our children through their journeys from infancy to adulthood. But we never wish for this. We’d multiply the burdens a million-fold not to have to do this.

It’s so hard to see people we care about in pain, especially if it is the worst pain we can imagine. If only friends’ love and concern could envelope her, and hold her until the hurt goes away…that would be the next best thing to turning back time.

Photo credit: Picasso's Mother and Child, http://www.mystudios.com/art/modern/picasso/picasso-mother-and-child.jpg

Hancock Shaker Village and Apple Gingerbread

This past weekend found me visiting the museum at Hancock Shaker Village in nearby Pittsfield, Massachusetts. (Follow link below to their official website.) The museum is a fascinating site made up of actual buildings on the location of the authentic Shaker community that dissolved in 1960 due to dwindling numbers. This particular Shaker community originated in the late 1700s in Watervliet, New York, moved east to New Lebanon, and finally settled over the state border in Pittsfield. The Shakers were a celibate community. Their numbers could only be increased by recruitment and the adoption of orphans (who, at the age of 18, could choose to stay or go out in to “The World”) and were eventually reduced to the point where the village could no longer be sustained. Today, only the communities in Canterbury, New Hampshire and Sabbath Lake, Maine remain.

Living celibate, though egalitarian, lives, Shaker men and women were very productive, and lived communally (still with men and women separated, often occupying opposite areas of buildings at the same time) and were agriculturally self-sustaining. All inhabitants of the village were considered family. Shakers were well-known for the exceptional quality of their labors, especially for furniture and also canned kitchen products, which were in demand in surrounding communities.

At Hancock Shaker Village, I took particular interest in the kitchen, located in the basement of a large, rectangular building, named The 1830 Brick Dwelling. Despite its location, the kitchen was filled with sunlight, a bright, cheerful place with many features people look for in kitchens today. As a working museum, in the kitchen there was a young woman making dough. My daughter Katie took some photos and we were both impressed with the simple, homey beauty and efficiency of the space. It was not at all institutional as I had expected.

Leaving the kitchen, I helped curly-haired Henry (16 months) toddle across the lawn to a spot where we found a young volunteer spinning yarn from freshly-shorn sheep. Just beyond, in the Round Stone Barn, another volunteer was tending to chickens, cows, and sheep. Ducks and turkeys walked the grounds. Throughout the day there were presentations in different buildings, though our timing was off and we seemed to miss most of those. (Besides, we were getting hungry for what turned out to be a late lunch at The Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge!).

Saturday was a gorgeous, sun-filled day, perfect for a road trip and for strolling around the museum’s beautiful flower and herb gardens. Of course, at the end of the day, what had interested me most was the kitchen, and I remembered that the young woman making dough was referencing The Best of Shaker Cooking by Amy Bess Miller and Persis Fuller. Of course, I had to buy my own copy from the gift shop. I was disciplined and controlled myself, though there were many items calling out to me – an assortment of wooden, oval Shaker boxes, all sorts of jams and jellies, wooden toys for children (Henry’s parents did buy him a beautiful set of hand-made wooden blocks), books, art work, jewelry, calendars and books.

Once home, I sat down to read the cookbook (a favorite past-time). The recipes are simple and practical, optimizing the star ingredients. I’m sharing with you the recipe for Apple Gingerbread, blog-adapted:

APPLE GINGERBREAD
Sister Olive
Hancock Shaker Village

2 tablespoons brown sugar
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup bread flour (for this, you can use all-purpose flour)
1 cup whole wheat flour (AP flour again if you don’t have whole wheat)
½ teaspoon each ginger, cinnamon, mace, and salt (no mace? – substitute nutmeg)
¾ cup molasses
¼ shortening, melted
¼ cup raisins
2 apples, pared, cored, and cut into eighths
1 egg, well beaten
½ cup milk

Mix and sift together all dry ingredients, add the molasses and shortening melted. Then add the well-beaten egg, raisins, and the milk. Place apples into greased pan.* Pour mixture over apples and bake in moderate 350˚ F. oven about 25 minutes or until it tests done.

Serve hot or warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

*Sister Olive indicated 6 muffin pans, which doesn’t add up to me, measure-wise. I suggest an 8” square pan and bake until it tests done. Watch the top to lose its wet look, give it the bounce test (lightly press center of cake, if it bounces back, it’s done) when the sides leave the edge of the pan, or test it with a tooth-pick.

www.hancockshakervillage.org

More about Shaker cooking at: http://www.nytimes.com/1987/12/02/garden/shaker-cooking-simplicity-s-renewed-appeal.html

Photo credit: http://www.shakerworkshops.com/shaker-villages-and-museums/hancock-shaker-village.jpg

Looking Forward to A Long Labor Day Weekend

All summer I’ve been working a 4-day (though longer days) work week, Monday through Thursday. This is my first week back with the regular schedule. While I surely miss the abbreviated work week, in some ways it feels good to be part of the herd again, realizing that much of the world is synchronized in a similar schedule. There were times when I felt like a real outlaw on those Fridays – sleeping as late as 8:30 or so, enjoying lunch out for more than a rushed hour, wondering what the poor Monday-through-Fridayers were doing while I was enjoying the good life… It was the same feeling I got on those rare occasions when my mom insisted I stay home from school when I actually felt well enough, as if having been given a free pass. Have you ever had a random day off, and taken notice of an entirely different world out there, going on at the same time? I’ve often wondered where all these people come from, what other thing they do for a living, these shoppers who populate stores in the middle of the afternoon, or relaxed people driving around with their sun roofs open, maybe eating an ice cream cone? Do they work at night, or do they not work at all? If they work at night, why aren’t they sleeping? Is this their day off as well, or are they independently wealthy and have all the free time in the world? Rather than try to solve the world’s problems, these are the things that run through my brain.

Fridays are good days. Before I became an NPR junkie, driving to work I’d listen to morning radio talk shows. There was one station that, on Friday mornings, played the reggae song with the lyrics, “I don’t want to work, I want to play on my drum all day.” Just hearing that made me smile. It was such an upbeat, happy tune and set a positive tone not only for Friday but for the upcoming weekend as well.

Working on Fridays allows me to appreciate the weekend so much more. Like many people, the early part of the weekend is filled with things I have to do, that I don’t have time for during the work week. But once that list is cleared, a casual sense of liberation takes over and then my brain has an opportunity to relax. Only as Sunday evening approaches do I consciously consider the following work week. I can plan to my heart’s content Monday through Friday, but weekends are meant for a little less structure.

So, I look forward to this long, Labor Day weekend. I’m headed, on Saturday, to the Shaker Museum in Pittsfield, Massachusetts with my daughter Katie and her family, and then we’ll go on to the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge followed by lunch at the Red Lion Inn. You know I’m going to blog about that! On Sunday, I’m invited to an early Labor Day picnic at my ex-husband’s house (yes, we are able to do that). He and his wife often graciously invite me to their home whenever they have a family function. It’s important to us that our kids never have to worry about divided loyalties, and it works out.

I wish you all a restful, rejuvenating Labor Day weekend. Sleep late and enjoy every minute!

Photo credit: http://www.pixages.com/weekend.jpg

Breakfast Pizza

Once when I’d never heard of breakfast pizza, I made the recipe up for my kids. Now breakfast pizzas are everywhere, but for a while it was a cool and unique dish in our house! It’s one of those things that has me thinking I missed yet another opportunity for fame and fortune!

For my original version, I’d take a Boboli crust and add omelet-like fixings and pop it in the oven until the cheese was melted and it was all nice and bubbly. This became a regular early Friday-morning breakfast before my kids left for school. These pizzas also make a nice contribution to a breakfast buffet, cut in wedges or little squares. They can be as healthy or as decadent as you like - the combination of ingredients and possibilities are only limited by your imagination!

Here are some ideas:

Boboli crust (or your own pizza crust)
Already-scrambled eggs
Hollandaise sauce (you can make it from a packet – McCormick’s)
Sliced mushrooms
Breakfast sausage, cooked and crumbled or links sliced into little rounds (or veggie crumbles)
Diced or thinly sliced cooked ham
Bacon, cooked and crumbled
Broccoli
Roasted red peppers
Salsa

Choose any of the toppings you want and top it off with shreds of your favorite cheese (swiss, cheddar, Monterey Jack – whatever).

Bake at 425˚F until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 10 minutes.

Watch it disappear.


Photo credit: http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&source=hp&q=breakfast+pizza&btnG=Search+Images&gbv=2&aq=f&oq=&aqi=g2

Sutton's Marketplace and Layered Mexican Dip

Sutton’s Marketplace on Route 9 in Queensbury (just south of Lake George, between I-87’s exits 19 & 20) is home to a beautiful gift shop and restaurant with a full bakery and confectionery. You can go for a delicious breakfast or lunch (the food is really good) and at the same time find a special gift for any occasion, even if it’s a gift to yourself! The marketplace also offers an exclusive furniture store (pricey, but a visual treat and well worth a walk-through) and a women’s clothing store. In the gift shop building, there’s a charming section with old-fashioned toys you won’t find in any department store. I like to make an afternoon of it with lunch, browsing, and finally, a little treat to take home. They are famous for their cider donuts, and that season is upon us now.

Sutton’s carries the Stonewall Kitchen line of specialty foods including jams, salsas, dressings, and mixes. There are always samples available and recipe cards for inspiration. The recipes are good and, of course, feature SK products, though you can certainly create these dishes with your own substitutions.

Today I’m highlighting Stonewall Kitchen’s recipe for layered Mexican dip, from one of the free recipe cards in Sutton’s gourmet section. With Labor Day right around the corner, this is a dish that family and friends will dive right in to.

Layered Mexican Dip

• 1 15 oz. can refried beans
• 1 4.5 oz. can green chilies, chopped
• ½ c. sour cream
• ½ c. mayonnaise
• 2 avocados, peeled and diced
• 1 cup STONEWALL KITCHEN Black Bean or Mango Lime Salsa (or your own salsa)
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 4 green onions, chopped

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350˚ F.
2. In a greased deep pie dish, spread the refried beans and then layer the chopped green chilies on top.
3. For the next layer, combine the sour cream and mayonnaise. Continue layering the avocados, lemon juice, salsa, and top with the two cheeses and green onions.
4. Bake for 20-30 minutes until heated through and bubbly.
5. Serve with tortilla chips.

Photo credit: suttonsmarketplace.com

Apple Nut Crisp from Eating Well and The Food Network

It's September 1, and my thoughts turn to apples. Driving by Saratoga Apple on Route 29 the other day, I noticed that the trees are laden with ripe fruit. We'll be apple picking any time now, right through mid-October. Last year when we went to pick, Henry was just a tiny bundle in his Baby Bjorn. This year he'll be pulling (or pushing) his own wagon and picking up "drops." I remember when my kids were young. We'd pick more apples than we could ever use (I didn't can them) and as soon as we got home I'd make a huge pot of applesauce, bake a pie, and we'd eat apples until we all had stomach aches! We used to go to Focastle Farm in nearby Burnt Hills and we'd enjoy apple picking as well as shopping in their beautiful gift shop (which also has a great restaurant for breakfast or lunch). I'm going to try to visit Focastle a few times again during the next few months.

This recipe comes from Eating Well, and offers a somewhat more nutrition-packed Apple Crisp than the traditional version by incorporating whole-wheat flour and walnuts (or hazelnuts) along with the oats. It has a 5-star rating, and the link to the recipe and web page can also be found below.

APPLE NUT CRISP

* 5 medium-large crisp, tart apples, such as McIntosh, Empire, Granny Smith or Cortland, peeled and thinly sliced (about 6 cups)
* 3 tablespoons granulated sugar or Splenda Granular
* 1 tablespoon lemon juice
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided
* 2/3 cup whole-wheat flour
* 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (not instant)
* 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
* 2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
* 2 tablespoons canola oil
* 2 tablespoons frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed
* 1/3 cup coarsely chopped hazelnuts or walnuts

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat an 8-inch square (or 2-quart) deep baking dish with cooking spray.

Combine apples with granulated sugar (or Splenda), lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in a large bowl. Toss to mix. Transfer to the prepared baking dish, cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine whole-wheat flour, oats, brown sugar and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in a medium bowl. Mix to blend. Using your fingers (or a fork or pastry blender), cut in butter until evenly distributed and there are no chunks. Stir in oil, apple juice concentrate and nuts; toss well until evenly moistened and clumpy.

Remove the foil from the baking dish and scatter the topping evenly over the apples. Bake uncovered until the topping has browned and the fruit is soft and bubbling, about 30 minutes more. Let cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.


Recipe and Photo Credit: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/eating-well/old-fashioned-apple-nut-crisp-recipe/index.html