Spicy Super Bowl with Hatch Green Chiles

Here we are ... Super Bowl Sunday! This year I've had the pleasure of using hatch green chiles directly from The Hatch Chile Store (in new mexico, of course!)  for my recipes and the results have been beautiful!

If you don't know what hatch chiles are, let me tell you. True hatch green chiles are grown only in New Mexico in Hatch Valley. Conceivably you could take the seeds and grow these strains elsewhere, but then they wouldn't be "Hatch" chiles, now would they?

Hatch chiles range from very mild with almost no heat to Extra Hot. I was lucky enough to get the Hot version for my forays in the kitchen. They aren't an overbearing heat, which is good for me, I like to be able to taste my food and not be overwhelmed by the spiciness some chiles have. They have a very short season, which makes them highly coveted; mid August to late September, so when you can get them, make sure you do! If you can't, please visit The Hatch Chile Store for fresh and frozen varieties.

I took two recipes I already had and adapted them to use the Hatch chiles and they are wonderful. Firstly I used them in my Pulled Pork sandwiches which usually are made with jalapeños. The flavor of a Hatch chile is different, but the heat is close to the same in Scoville units to the jalapeño so the end result is very good. I also used them in the "mayo" that's put on the top of these sandwiches. 

Next up was chili, of course! I took my recipe for White Bean and Sausage Chili and added these in where there were no hot peppers at all originally. Coupled with the smokiness of the meats (bacon, ham and sausage) and the mild flavor of green bell peppers, it played very nicely and added a bit more of a kick than cayenne pepper alone. 

Lastly I used the whole peppers in a Chile Relleno Casserole. Yes, I cheated. I don't have time to batter and fry a whole batch of chiles, so I went second best and shrouded them in a lovely puffy batter that baked up beautifully. 

Spicy Pulled Pork and Hatch Chile Mayo

Spicy Pulled Pork and Hatch Chile Mayo
Printable Recipe

5 pound pork shoulder
1 cup diced Hot Frozen Chopped Hatch Green Chiles - thawed and divided
3 Tablespoons Kosher salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
6 large cloves garlic - minced
2 cups water

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Rinse pork and dry well. Place in a large roasting pan, fat side up.
3. Rub salt, pepper and garlic all over pork.
4. Add 1/2 cup chiles around roast and pour water into bottom of pan - do not pour over pork.
5. Roast for 5 hours or until fat forms a crisp crust and pork is easily shredded. Strain pan drippings well and set aside.
6. Cool until able to handle and remove excess fat and shred well.
7. Add remaining 1/2 cup of chiles to pork.
8. Pour 1 cup pan drippings over shredded pork and mix well.
9. Mound onto rolls and top with hatch Green Chile Mayo.

Hatch Green Chile Mayo

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
2 Tablespoons minced Hot Frozen Chopped Hatch Green Chiles - thawed
2 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice

Combine all and let stand for 10 minutes before using for shredded pork sandwiches.

White Bean and Sausage Chile with Hatch Chiles

White Bean and Sausage Chili
Serves 8
Ready In: 1 hour 15 minutes
Printable Recipe

2 slices bacon - diced
1 cup diced tavern ham or other ham
1 shallot - minced
1 white leek - sliced thinly
4 cloves garlic - minced
1 medium onion - diced
1 large green pepper - diced
1 cup Hot Frozen Chopped Hatch Green Chiles - thawed
1 pound bulk sausage
4 cups cooked white beans such as cannellini, northern or navy
4 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon dried and crushed oregano
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Sliced and fried green onion (a.k.a. scallions/spring onion) and leeks and sour cream for garnish

1. Heat a heavy soup pot over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until crisp.
2. Add ham, reduce heat to low and cook for 5 minutes.
3. Add shallots, leeks, garlic, chiles, onion and pepper. Stir well and cook for 10 minutes.
4. Crumble sausage well and cook until no longer pink - stirring often to break up.
5. Add stock and beans and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour.
6. Stir in oregano and cayenne and simmer for another 10 minutes.
7. Serve with sour cream and fried green onions and leeks.

Chiles Relleno Casserole

Chiles Relleno Casserole
Printable Recipe
Serves 8
Ready In: 1 hour

8 Hot Whole Frozen Hatch Green Chiles - thawed
1 1/2 cups finely shredded Monterey Jack cheese
6 large whole eggs
1 cup milk
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Freshly ground black pepper - several turns or 1/4 teaspoon
Relleno Sauce - see below

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Cut stems from chiles and open to lay flat. Remove seeds and as much of the ribs as possible without tearing the chile.
3. Divide cheese evenly among chiles - this will depend on the size of the chile, they each vary. Roll up and set into a greased baking dish (9 x 11 works well) seam side down. Repeat with each chile.
4. Blend together eggs, milk, flour, salt, pepper and paprika until smooth. Pour over chiles.
5. bake for 30-35 minutes or until puffy and just beginning to brown on top.
6. Let stand for 15 minutes before cutting into squares.

Relleno Sauce

1 (28 ounce) can whole tomatoes
1 cup chopped Spanish or sweet onion
2 large cloves garlic
1 cup water

1. Put ingredients into a blender and puree until smooth.
2. Pour into a saucepan and cook over low heat for 30 minutes.
3. Serve hot with chiles relleno or chiles relleno casserole.

*Hatch Green Chiles provided by The Hatch Chile Store. All opinions are my own and not influenced in any way by free product.

You bought WHAT?

Last night I bought a 4 pound jar of peanut butter. Not odd really considering I have 6 kids. I don't think it's the healthiest thing on the planet, and I prefer all-natural for myself but, the kids love the stuff and it goes way beyond PB& J and PB Cookies in usefulness. Of course, we don't have any peanut allergies here so we're lucky in that respect.

I'll bore you with a standard PB cookie recipe down the line here but, for now, let's look at some different things about the all-American favorite goo.

Nutritionally speaking, peanut butter isn't so bad. Look at the stats:

2 Tablespoons of PB give you 13% of your daily requirement of protein, 8% of your needed fiber, 22% of vitamin E, 24% of niacin (way important for neurological health!), 7.5% of folate (pg women, this is VERY necessary to keep neural tube defects like spina bifida at bay!), plus a host of other nutrients~all in a tiny package. Good deal, I think.

There's peanut butter history here~please give it a read, it's quite interesting. It isn't all George Washington Carver either!

History and nutrition aside, my favorite part of any food are the recipes.

This first one is odd, yes, please don't balk though. I must admit, my initial reaction was just flat out "Ew!" and then I tried it, not as the recipe states but, I had a bowl of steaming tomato soup, I was pregnant so my taste horizons were limitless, and I dropped a spoonful of pb into the soup and was hooked. Campbell's is usually pretty on the mark even if they do make cream-of soups. Be adventurous.

This comes from "A Campbell Cookbook, Easy Ways to Delicious Meals" last revised in 1970.

Creamy Peanut Butter Soup
Printable Recipe

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) condensed tomato soup
1/4 cup peanut butter (chunky or smooth)
1 1/2 soup cans milk.

Stir soup into peanut butter, a little at a time, until well blended; add milk. Heat, but do not boil; stir occasionally. 3 to 4 servings.

**********
In Africa peanuts are refered to as "groundnuts" and some of the best recipes I've seen come from that continent.

West African Chicken and Groundnut Stew
Printable Recipe

2 whole boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 tablespoon peanut oil or oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 can whole tomatoes, (28-oz.) undrained, cut up
1 can Great Northern beans, (15.5-oz.) undrained
1 can corn, (11-oz.) drained
1 sweet potato, peeled, chopped
1/4 cup peanut butter
3/4 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon chili powder
3 cups hot cooked rice

Cut chicken breasts into 1/2-inch pieces. In 4-quart Dutch oven
over medium-high heat, cook chicken in oil until chicken is lightly
browned and no longer pink, stirring frequently. Add onion and
garlic; cook and stir 3 to 4 minutes or unti l onion is tender.
Add remaining ingredients except rice; mix well. Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and cook 30 minutes or until sweet
potat o is tender, stirring occasionally. If stew becomes too thick
add additional water. Serve stew over hot rice.

**********
When I owned a small cafe in Allentown (for about 2 minutes) an older patron asked if I could serve peanut butter soup. I didn't have a recipe then but I quickly came up with one and he was more than satisfied.

Peanut Butter Soup
Printable Recipe

1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced celery
1 clove garlic, minced
3 T Butter
1 T Flour
1 c Peanut butter
4 c Chicken stock or vegetable stock
Salt, pepper
1 c heavy cream

Cook onion, celery and garlic in butter until soft in 2-quart saucepan.
Add flour and cook, stirring, until smooth. Stir in peanut butter, add chicken
broth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, over low
heat until thickened and smooth. Add cream and blend well.

**********
Bangkok Beef
Printable Recipe

1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
1/3 cup soy sauce
1-1/2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3/4 pound boneless beef sirloin steak
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 large carrots, julienned
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup unsalted peanuts
3 cups cooked rice

Combine peanut butter, soy sauce, sesame oil, cilantro,
lemon juice, garlic powder, black pepper and red pepper
flakes in small bowl; set aside. Partially freeze steak;
slice across grain into 1/8 inch strips. Stir-fry beef in
oil in large skillet or wok over high heat 1 to 2 minutes.
Add carrots, onions, red pepper, and peanuts; cook 1 to 2
minutes. Add rice and peanut sauce; heat thoroughly. Serve warm.

Note: For Shrimp Bangkok, substitute 3/4 pound cooked and
de-veined shrimp for beef strips.

**********
Baked Peanut Butter Chicken
Printable Recipe

1 chicken-2-3 lb-cut into pieces.
1/4 c flour
1 egg
1/3 c peanut butter
1 t salt
1/8 t pepper
1/3 c milk
1/2 c bread crumbs,dry
1/4 c peanut oil

Wash and dry chicken pieces-dip in flour. Blend egg
with peanut butter, salt, and pepper. Gradually add
milk, beaten with fork to blend. Dip floured chicken in
peanut butter mixture and then in crumbs. Place on oiled
baking pan. Drizzle remaining oil over chicken pieces
and bake 375'F 45 minutes or until tender.

**********
Cold Sesame Noodles
Printable Recipe

4 T peanut butter
3 t warm water
2 t sesame oil
1 dash soy sauce
1/2 t sugar
1 dash Tobasco-to taste
3 c cooked spaghetti noodles

Cook spaghetti-drain and rinse with cold water
Mix peanut butter with water until creamy and light in
color. Add remaining ing. Pour over spaghetti. Toss well
to coat.

**********


Cinda's Peanut Butter Cookies
Printable Recipe

1 c Peanut butter
1 c Sugar
1 Egg

Mix ingredients together-form into balls-flatten with
fork. Bake at 350 until edges are lightly browned.

**********
Melt-in-Your-Mouth Peanut Butter Cookies
Printable Recipe

1/2 cup butter (don't use margarine - butter is best)
1/2 cup solid shortening (I use butter-flavored Crisco sticks)
1/2 cup peanut butter (I use creamy - but crunchy would be good too)
1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 beaten egg
2 cups sifted flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cream of tartar

Cream butter, shortening and peanut butter. Add sugar and beat until mixture
is fluffy. Blend in vanilla and egg until creamy. Combine remaining
ingredients and add to creamed mixture; blend well. Roll into 1-inch balls, roll the balls
in granulated sugar, and put them on a cookie sheet; then flatten with a fork.
Bake at 350° for 12 minutes.

Also check out:

National Peanut Board
and
Peanut Butter Lovers

Soup's On!

"Eat soup first and eat it last, and live 'til a hundred years be passed"

~French Proverb

This morning the temperature was a balmy 11 degrees F with a wind chill of 1. That was at 6 AM when I first checked. I have no idea how much colder it may have been at 4 AM when I was numbly doing my paper route.

One thing screamed at me when I hit the warmth of the house this morning and that was, "SOUP!".

There is nothing better, more satisfying or more comforting on a cold day.
On your coldest day, I should think one of these would serve you well.




Translated as 'pasta with beans' and known as 'Pasta Fazool' in Philly, this soup that has so many variations I can't count them. Everyone has a family favorite recipe and each one is the 'right' one. This is the way I like it - sometimes with red kidney beans and larger chunks of tomato - but always with lots of garlic.

Pasta e Fagioli
Serves 8
Printable Recipe

4 Tablespoons olive oil
1 small yellow onion - chopped
2 stalks celery - chopped
2 medium carrots - peeled and chopped
6 cloves garlic - minced
8 cups chicken stock
1 bay leaf
1 handful freshly chopped parsley
4 cups cooked cannellini beans
1 cup crushed tomato
1 cup small pasta such as ditalini, small elbows or small shells
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus more for serving

1. Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery, carrot and garlic and turn the heat low. Stir and cook until softened - take your time with this step, it will add a lot of flavor. Keep the heat low - it takes about 10 minutes or so.

2. Add stock, parsley and bay leaf and bring to a boil - reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, or until veggies are tender.

3. Bring to a boil again and add beans, tomato and pasta. Reduce heat once more and cook until pasta is done - about 20 minutes longer.

4. Take off heat and add Parmesan. Stir well and serve with more Parmesan for the top.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Basque Vegetable Soup
Serves 8-10
Printable Recipe

3/4 lb Polish sausage-sliced
1 broiler-fryer chicken (2-3 lbs.)
8 c water
2 leeks, sliced
2 carrots, sliced
1 lg turnip, peeled and cubed
1 lg onion, chopped
1 lg potato, peeled and cubed
1 clove garlic-minced
1 1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1 T snipped fresh parsley
1 t dried thyme
1 c shredded cabbage
2 c cooked navy or great northern beans

In a skillet, cook the sausage until done. Drain and set
aside. In a large dutch oven, cook chicken in water
until tender. Remove chicken-let cool. Strain broth and
skim off fat. Return broth to dutch oven. Add parsley,
thyme and all vegetables except cabbage, beans and
cooked sausage. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and
simmer for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, remove chicken from
bones and cut into bite size pieces-add to the dutch
oven. Add cabbage, beans and cooked sausage. Simmer,
uncovered, for about 30 minutes or until vegetables are
tender.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pistou Vegetable Soup
Serves 10
Printable Recipe

1 lb. dried white beans, cooked
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic
3 carrots, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
4 potatoes, diced
28 oz. whole tomatoes, diced
1/4 head cabbage, shredded
8 leaves kale, shredded
6 cups chicken broth, canned or homemade
1 tsp. thyme
Salt and pepper to taste

Puree half the beans in your food processor and set aside. In a large
pot, heat olive oil and saute onion and garlic for about two minutes
or until translucent. Add carrot, celery and potato and saute another
2 minutes. Add tomatoes and their liquid, beans, bean puree and
seasoning. Let simmer 5 minutes.

Add chicken broth to the mixture (sooner if it seems to be drying
out). Add cabbage and kale, correct the seasoning and simmer until
veggies are tender. Serve with a dollop of pesto
(homemade or readily prepared from a jar) on the top.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prince Edward Island Potato Soup
Printable Recipe

1/4 c butter
1 lg onion-diced
4 med P.E.I. potatoes-diced
6 carrots-diced
3 c water
2 chicken bouillon cubes
freshly ground pepper
3 T flour
3 c milk
1/4 c dried parsley
1 t dried Thyme

In a large stock pot melt butter, add onion and cook
until onion is transparent. While onion cooks, place
diced potatoes, carrots, water and bouillon in another
large stock pot and bring to a boil. Cook until tender,
about 10 minutes. Season with pepper to taste.
When vegetables are cooked, add flour to onion to make a
paste. Add milk gradually. Mix well and heat over low
until warm. Add vegetables and liquid. Stir thoroughly
and heat for 5 to 10 minutes, over medium heat, stirring
occasionally until mixture thickens slightly. Add
parsley and thyme. Heat thoroughly and serve.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Martha Washington's Crab Soup
Printable Recipe

1 T Butter
5 ts Flour
3 Eggs; hard boiled;sieved
1 Lemon; grated rind of
1 pinch -Salt
1 pinch -White pepper,freshly ground
4 c Milk
1/2 lb crab meat - cooked
1/2 c Heavy cream
1/2 c Dry sherry
1 ds Worcestershire sauce


In a 2 qt saucepan, combine butter, flour,
sieved eggs,lemon rind, salt and pepper.
In a separate saucepan, bring milk to a boil, remove
from heat.
Gradually pour in the hot milk into the egg mixture,
stirring with a wire whisk. Add crab meat, and cook over low heat for
5 minutes-do not boil. Add cream and remove from heat. Stir in
sherry and Worcestershire sauce and serve piping hot.

Cooking For Dad

This past April my father fell ill with pancreatic cancer. He had jaundiced and went to be checked out. After several intense days of waiting my step-mom called and told me that the big C word was mentioned. I recall, when I hung up the phone with her, sitting down on the kitchen floor and crying like a baby. Nobody wants their daddy to die.

Eventually dad found that he has pancreatic cancer and he decided to go an alternative route at the Hoxsey Clinic (renamed Bio-Medical Center) in Tijuana, Mexico.

I wanted to see him, be there for him. I was so afraid for him, I was scared that HE was scared and I somehow couldn't bear that thought. Daddy's are invincible, aren't they? My first instinct was to run right up there, knowing it was not a possibility but struggling nonetheless to figure it all out. I emailed many, checked websites and made phone calls to several different areas near where he lives, all in an attempt to figure out how to move my family there, I even had my husband call a prospective employer in that area, so I could be near dad.

Life happens, as it always does, and things here happened in such a way that it was undeniable that we should remain where we were. I knew I should stay put and yet I felt like I couldn't breathe, I felt like I HAD to be there or at least be doing something to help. I was paralyzed in a way by the whole thing~cancer is one of those things that happens to "other people" like murder and car accidents.

Well, happen, it did. Dad went to Tijuana and came home with a treatment plan that includes a very strict diet. No acids, organic only, little dairy and meat. Finally, I knew there was a way I could help-even if it wasn't much.

Dad and I email back and forth over recipes and diet topics-and hopefully I'm helping.

The most amazing thing about this whole deal, and if you have ever known anyone with pancreatic cancer, you will have already picked up on it, is that dad is still here. Not just here but, for lack of better wording, IN REMISSION.

He has been to TJ 3 times so far and the last time turned up news that the big cancer marker was absolutely normal-where just 3 weeks prior it was at very bad levels. I could write a book about the whole thing (and dad could write a novel akin to War and Peace, I'm sure) but these are the basic facts of it all. God still knows what He's doing.

Some things I've learned over these last 8 months:

1. Dads are human.
2. My dad doesn't know everything there is to know (which is a real disappointment ;o) but I'll live)
3. My dad is smarter than I thought in many ways.
4. My dad loves me more than I thought.
5. I love my dad more than I thought.
6. I don't know all there is to know about food and cooking (another disappointment)
7. My step-mom is the very best person for my dad-her response to dad's illness was that she would support him, no matter what his decision was~which is exactly what the best partner does.

Well, here's a recipe for the food end of this, since that's what my blog is supposed to be about :)

Dad sent an email to let me know this recipe I shared with him is good stuff:

Fassoulada-Greek Bean Soup
Printable Recipe

1 lb dried navy beans
2 medium onions - diced
2 celery stalks - chopped
2 carrots - peeled and diced
1/4 cup freshly chopped parsley
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs fresh mint or thyme
Salt & freshly ground pepper


Wash beans and soak overnight in water to cover by at least one inch. On the following day, cover beans with water and cook until tender. Rinse well. In a heavy soup pot, heat olive oil and add onion, celery and carrots. Saute until onions are translucent. Add in remaining ingredients and simmer for half an hour. Remove bay leaf and mint/thyme sprigs before serving.

What's Cookin' Today

I recently purchased a 5 pound bag of black beans from the "dented cans" section at my local grocery. Here are 2 recipes for them. I made the soup 2 days ago and am in the process of making the chili. Mmmmm it sure smells good here!

Black Bean Soup
Printable Recipe

2 cups dried black beans
2 cloves garlic-minced
1 medium carrot-peeled and diced small
1 large stalk celery-diced small
1 small onion-diced small
1 can tomatoes with chiles (Rotel) or tomatoes concassé
1 ham hock
4 cups chicken, vegetable, or other stock
1 bay leaf

Sort and soak beans overnight; drain and discard soak water.
In a 4-quart pot, saute garlic, onion, carrot and celery in olive oil until tender
but not browned. Add beans, stock, ham hock, bay leaf, and tomatoes.
Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Cover and simmer until beans are tender, 1 to
1-1/2 hours. Remove ham hock and bay leaf before serving.


Black Bean Chili
Printable Recipe

1 pound lean ground pork
1 medium red OR green bell pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 Tablespoons chili powder
1 Tablespoon paprika
2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup water
2 teaspoons dried oregano, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon lime juice
Shredded cheddar cheese

Coat a heavy, large, covered pot with olive oil.
Heat over medium-high heat.
Add pork, bell pepper, onion, garlic and cumin. Cook and stir until pork is brown and vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Drain off fat.
Stir black beans, undrained tomatoes, water, oregano and salt into mixture in pot. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.
Uncover; simmer about 15 minutes more or until desired consistency.
Stir in lime juice. Ladle into soup bowls. Sprinkle each serving with cheddar cheese. Serve with tortillas, if desired.
Serves 4 to 6.


I got this recipe from Paula and plan on making them today. They sound awesome~and we all know this is one of my favorite combos~pumpkin and chocolate.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Printable Recipe

2 cups canned pumpkin

2 cups sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

4 cups flour

2 tsp. cinnamon

2 tsp. baking soda combined with 2 tsp. milk

1 11 oz. bag chocolate chips

Blend pumpkin, sugar, oil and eggs together - set aside.

Stir together flour and cinnamon. Add flour to pumpkin mixture and stir in baking soda mixed with milk. 

Fold in chocolate chips and drop by teaspoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet, 2 inches apart.

Bake at 350F for 8-10 minutes

These are a delicious, soft, moist cookie.

I use only half a bag of chocolate chips, and I think that's perfect, but the recipe calls for a whole bag.

Photos and Leftover Soup

Left out of my last post was the fact that my mother had fallen into Grandma's little white lie and believed that Grandma's brownies could only be made properly in certain pans; these are the very pans Grandma made those brownies in and then brought the pans with her when she moved here to Pa. with mom:


This is a Bake King pan - no info on that one since I forgot to ask Dad (he's in antiques).

This pan is a Crisco pan that Dad says is most likely from Depression Era through the 50's when giveaways with purchases were a big thing.

They are great pans, but way before I acquired them I was still making Grandma's brownies (the right way) in glass pans and other aluminum pans. They're very neat to have.

Leftovers? Who doesn't have them from Thanksgiving? Our favorite for leftovers from T-Day is this soup but think leftovers before you up and look for the exact ingredients. I've made this with leftover gravy thinned out instead of stock; leftover corn; leftover potatoes both mashed and whole - whatever I had on hand. It's hard to mess this one up - it's great no matter what!

Turkey Corn Chowder
Printable Recipe

4 slices bacon-diced
1/2c. celery-small dice
1/2c. onion-small dice
8c. stock-turkey or chicken
1 clove garlic
2c. peeled and diced potato
2c. chopped cooked turkey
1 can creamed corn
1/2 can whole kernel corn
1 bay leaf
1/2t. marjoram
1/2t. dill
to taste
roux~ 1/4c. flour 1/4c. oil

Saute bacon, celery, onion & garlic until translucent.
Add stock and potatoes-bring to a boil and reduce to simmer until potatoes are tender. Add corn, turkey, and seasonings. Simmer 20 min. Add roux in a thin stream-whisking constantly. Cook until thickened, remove bay leaf and serve.

On the Stove Today

This soup is so simple and so good. It's getting around to what I call "soup weather" here, but today is a little warmer than usual and this is not too heavy.

Italian Wedding Soup
Serves 6-8

Printable Recipe

Meatballs:

1 pound meatloaf mix (ground pork/veal/beef)
1 large egg
1/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs
2 Tablepoons fresh chopped Italian parsley (flat leaf)
1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic - minced
1 teaspoon salt

Soup:

10 cups chicken stock
1 clove garlic - minced
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced yellow onion
1 cup diced carrot
1 pound chopped fresh spinach or 9 oz. frozen chopped
1 cup small pasta such as acine di pepe

1. Mix together all ingredients for meatballs until very well combined.
2. Bring 10 cups of chicken stock to a slow boil.
3. Drop meatball mixture by the teaspoonful into the boiling stock - one at a time.
4. When all meatballs have been added to the stock, add remaining ingredients and simmer until carrots are tender and pasta is cooked - about 20 minutes.
5. Serve with extra Parmesan cheese sprinkled in each bowl.