The Charmed Kitchen

Spiced Pear Chutney

I call this dish by a couple of names. It was given to me as a pear sauce. I think it makes people think of apple sauce and that is misleading. This flavorful sauce is more like a glaze or chutney. A mix of savory and sweet flavors it is great served on the side with various dishes and can be used as a glaze. The picture does not do it justice. I have served it with turkey and chicken. It goes well with pork and duck, too. I always make a double batch and freeze some for later use. The recipe follows, along with a recipe using the chutney with pork. I think you will be surprised at just how tasty this stuff is.

Spiced Pear Chutney

½ c. sugar
½ c. balsamic vinegar
1 lb. Pears, cored, peeled and diced
1/4 c. minced onion
1 t. minced garlic
1 t. hot sauce – or more to taste
½ t. allspice
½ t. cinnamon
½ t. ginger
Pinch of cloves
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until thickened, about 20 minutes. Stir often to avoid burning. Serve with pork or lamb roasts. Also great with turkey or duck. Makes about 2 cups.

Pork with Spiced Pear Chutney

1 lb. Pork loin. Sliced or 4 pork chops
oil
1 large onion, sliced
salt and pepper to taste
1 recipe spiced pear chutney, See above

In skillet, cook pork in oil, turning to brown evenly until juices run clear when meat is pierced. Remove meat and add onions, sautéing until onions are browned. Return pork to pan, adjust seasonings and add 1 cup of the pear chutney. Cook 10 minutes, or until heated through and bubbly. Serves 4.

Creamy Tomato and Chicken

This was one of those dinners created with what I happened to have on hand. I started with the idea of chicken with tomatoes – I had chicken in the fridge and home canned tomatoes. I also had some beautiful fresh parsley and an open container of half and half I needed to use so I went from there.  I cooked my pasta while the sauce was reducing. The whole dish took about 30 minutes from start to finish. I love orzo pasta, which looks like large grains of rice, but feel free to try this with other pasta, or maybe even rice.

Creamy Tomato and Chicken

2 T. oil
1 onion, sliced
1 lb. boneless chicken, cubed, I used thighs
1 (14 oz.) can tomatoes – I used a pint of home canned tomatoes
2/3 c. half and half
2 T. flour
½ c. chopped fresh parsley
1 t. hot pepper sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
½ c. grated Parmesan cheese
12 oz. orzo pasta, cooked – use whatever pasta you like

In skillet heat oil and cook onion until tender. Add chicken and cook until chicken is nearly cooked through. Add tomatoes and simmer mixture for about 10 minutes to reduce the tomato liquid a little and concentrate the flavor. In jar with a tight fitting lid combine the half and half with the flour and shake until smooth. Add to chicken mixture and cook until thickened and bubbly. Add parsley and seasonings and cook on low a couple of minutes. Combine chicken sauce with hot cooked pasta and sprinkle with cheese. Serves 4-5.

Very Pink Soup

I had a wonderful time on New Day Cleveland the other day. David Moss is so much fun to work with. You have to like a guy who packs his own spoons, right? I made an assortment of soups that could be enjoyed hot or cold. Great for this time of year when the weather is hot and steamy one day, and chilly the next. We also had an unexpected guest. Fun times.

 
http://fox8.com/2015/09/17/hot-and-cold-soup-recipes-2/

Pavilion at Lake Farmpark

I am going to be doing cooking demos at the Village Peddler Festival this weekend, at Lake Farmpark. If you have not been there before it is a fun event. You can see the farm, of course. There are also over 150 artists and crafters, local produce, great food and live music. My demos will be at 12  and 2 on Saturday and at 1 and 3 on Sunday. Stop in and say “hello”. It promises to be a fun day. Hope to see you there.

Giant Adirondack Chairs. I am located right next to them.

http://www.villagepeddlerfestival.com/

Pumpkin Pancakes

I  am normally a boring breakfast sort of person. Oat bran or toast. Maybe a couple of eggs. Every once in a while I spend a little extra time for something special. Today I just had a taste for pancakes. Since I had some cooked pumpkin in the fridge it seemed natural to make pumpkin pancakes. I topped them with a drizzle of warm maple syrup. So delicious. I am not likely to change my habits about breakfast,  but sometimes you just need to treat yourself to something special.

Pumpkin Pancakes

2 c. baking mix – like Bisquick or Jiffy Mix – I make my own*
3 T. brown sugar
2 t. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg
1 1/2 c. evaporated milk
1 c. solid pack pumpkin
2 eggs, beaten
2 t. vanilla

Combine dry ingredients in mixing bowl and set aside. Whisk together wet ingredients and stir into dry ingredients. Lightly grease a skillet and cook over moderate heat. Use about 1/3 c. of batter per pancake. Turn when edges appear dry. Makes 16.

*Chef Pastry Mix/ Biscuit Mix

8 cups sifted, all-purpose flour
1 c. powdered milk
1 c. powdered buttermilk
¼ c. baking powder
1 T. salt
2 c. shortening or coconut oil*
Sift dry ingredients together 3 times. Cut in shortening or coconut oil  to resemble cornmeal. Keep in an airtight container. Store in a cool dry place and use within six months.

* I use coconut oil and store in the fridge.

Plum Glazed Wings

I love when local fruit is in season. I found myself with lovely red plums and I decided to use some of them to make a sauce for  chicken wings. I started by peeling the plums. You could leave the skins on, if you like, but I prefer them off. I put the plums in boiling water for a minute and then in cold water. The skins came right off. I removed the pits and pureed the plums- I ended up with a cup of fresh plum puree. From there it was a matter of creating the sauce. I minced an onion and cooked it in a little bacon fat- you could use butter or oil.  I added a couple of cloves of minced garlic once the  onions were tender. After that I added the plum puree, 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar, a couple of tablespoons of honey, a tablespoon of hot sauce and salt. I let it cook for about 10 minutes to thicken and gave it a taste. It was pretty good, but needed something more. I added some fresh grated ginger and let it cook a few more minutes. It was wonderful. I decided to smooth the sauce out in the blender but it would be fine to leave it chunky.

To cook the wings I just pan fried them. I cooked them in a skillet, covered for about 20 minutes, turning a couple of times. I poured the sauce over them and turned the heat down to medium. I let them cook, covered, another 10 or 15 minutes. Once I was sure the wings were cooked through, I uncovered them and let the sauce cook down and thicken a little. It created a nice glaze on the wings. Easy and very tasty. I ended up pureeing more plums and tossed them in the freezer so I can make this sauce again when the weather is chilly and no fresh plums are around.

Cabbage and Apple Slaw

Apples are in season and cabbage is abundant at my local market. It seemed just natural to pair them up in a salad. I love cole slaw. I think I could eat it everyday. I make slaw with a creamy, mayo based dressing sometimes. Other times, I prefer a vinegar type dressing. For this slaw I went really simple. Just vinegar, a little honey and celery seeds, along with salt and pepper. Then I added thin strips of crisp, fresh apples to the shredded cabbage. They added a wonderful crunch and sweetness to the dish.  So simple and so good. Here is the recipe.

Cabbage and Apple Slaw

6-8 c. shredded cabbage

2 large apples, cored, unpeeled, cut into thin strips

1/2 c. cider vinegar

2 T. honey

1 t. celery seed

salt and pepper to taste

Combine cabbage and apples in a medium bowl. Combine remaining ingredients in a small bowl and stir until well mixed. Pour over the cabbage mixture and toss to coat evenly. Salad can be eaten right away or chilled for a couple of hours.

Creamy Zucchini Soup

You can never have enough recipes for zucchini. If you have ever planted zucchini, you know what I mean.  This is a recipe I’ve had for ages, but sort of forgot about. I also forgot how much I like it. For one thing, it tastes really good. For another- it can be served hot or cold. That is a plus this time of year, with temps sultry one day, and chilly the next. I leave the skins on my zucchini, I like the way the little green flecks look in the soup, but you can peel, if you prefer. You can also use a combo of green and yellow summer squash. Here is the recipe.

Creamy Zucchini Soup

1 medium onion, chopped
2 T. butter
4-6 medium zucchini, sliced
1 large potato, peeled and diced
1 T. chopped parsley
½ t. each basil, marjoram and thyme
1 t. hot sauce, or to taste
salt and pepper to taste
6 c. chicken or veggie broth
1 c. milk or half and half- I prefer the half and half

In Dutch oven cook onions in butter until tender. Add vegetables and seasonings and cook until hot. Add broth, heat to a simmer and cook 15 minutes. Puree mixture in blender in batches and return to pot. Add milk and heat through. Adjust seasonings. Serve hot or cold. I top with some fresh chopped parsley and a little hot sauce. Serves 6-8.

Classic Apple Cake

I had a request for this recipe today, so here it is. I’ve had this recipe since I was a kid. My Aunt Josie gave it to my mom. Not sure where she got it but it has been a family favorite since we first made it. It’s a simple recipe that comes out moist and flavorful. I normally bake it in a 13×9- inch pan but it can also be baked in a Bundt pan. While the recipe calls for cinnamon sugar- I sometimes add a little fresh ground nutmeg, too. Pretty much any apple works in this recipe- except maybe Red Delicious. Perfect for dessert or even served with brunch.  The batter is really thick. Don’t think you’ve done something wrong.

Classic Apple Cake

1 c. oil
4 eggs
1 t. vanilla
1/3 c. orange or lemon juice
Combine above ingredients and set aside.
Mix together the following dry ingredients. Make a well and stir in egg mixture to make a stiff batter.

3 c. flour
2 c. sugar
3 t. baking powder
¼ t. salt

Mix ½ c. sugar and 2 t. cinnamon and set aside

Peel, core and slice 4 medium apples.
Grease a 9×13 inch pan or a Bundt pan. Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Place ½ of batter in prepared pan. Arrange apple slices on batter and sprinkle on ½ of the cinnamon mixture. Pour on remaining batter and sprinkle with remaining sugar mixture.

Bake 1-1 ½ hours. One hour for 13×9-inch pan and 1 1/2 hours for Bundt. I find that sometimes it takes less than an hour- check at 50 minutes.

Apple Galette

If you like apple pie  you’ll like apple galette. I actually find a galette easier to make. Rather than using a pie pan, for a galette, you just roll out your dough, place on a baking sheet, and then add fruit to the middle. Fold up the sides and bake. I must confess to liking its rustic charm. I made my own crust but you can used pre-made crusts, if you prefer. You can serve with ice cream, whipped cream or dusted with powdered sugar.

Apple Galette

Flaky Pie Crust

2 c. flour

1 t. salt

3/4 c. shortening, chilled

1 T. cider vinegar

4-5 T. cold water

Combine flour and salt and cut in shortening. Toss in vinegar and water 1 tablespoon at a time until dough holds together. Use a fork to toss the ingredients together and as soon as the mixture holds together stop adding water. Makes 2. Chill well before using.

Filling:

5-6 medium apples- I used Jonathan, Gala and Macintosh

2/3 c. sugar- plus extra for sprinkling

3 T. cornstarch

1 T. cinnamon

1 T. Lemon juice, plus extra for treating the apples

1 t. nutmeg

1 t. vanilla

1/2 t. salt

Prepare dough. Roll half the dough into a 10-inch circle- repeat with remaining dough. Keep covered with plastic wrap until ready to use. Peel and core apples and slice thin. Place apples in water with lemon juice added to prevent browning. Drain apple slices well and place in a bowl. Toss with the sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice and seasonings. Place one of the crusts on a baking sheet. Pile half of the prepared apples on the center of the crust. You should have about a 2-inch circle of dough around the edges that is uncovered. Fold edges of the crust up over the apples pressing lightly to hold in place. Sprinkle with a little extra sugar. Repeat with the remaining crust and apples. You will have a little liquid in the bowl from the apple mixture- save that for now. Place the galettes in a preheated 425 degree oven and bake for 15 minutes. Turn down heat to 350 and bake for another 40 minutes or until crust is golden brown. While galettes are baking take the liquid left from the apples and cook in a small saucepan until thickened- it will take a minute or two. This will be used to glaze the galettes. When galettes come out of the oven brush the apples with the thickened  glaze.  Cool on wire rack. Makes 2.