Autumn is my favorite season of all. Back in the day when women were having their colors done I found that I was an autumn, with near black hair that was actually the darkest of dark auburns, extremely light skin and green eyes that I like to describe as the color of fresh cow manure.  Romantic, huh?

I always loved spicy perfumes, spicy scents, and autumn colors so I suppose I am autumn right to the center of my soul. The things I like the best are the easy recipes of the fall season.

Braised Chicken with Farfalle Is Autumn Easy
This recipe is so perfect for those autumn days when you would just rather be outside than cooking. You can make it as a slow cooker recipe and allow the flavors to simmer all day. Be warned though – when you open the door you are going to be smacked in the face with the most intoxicating scent since that amazing fresh from Heaven new baby smell.

This recipe is based on a recipe for braised rabbit in my CIA cookbook. I changed it up and slow cooked it so it was butter tender and perfect for serving over whole wheat farfalle for a rustic, filling meal. Serve it with a simple salad, rosemary-cracked pepper bread, and maybe a baked apple or poached pear for dessert. A glass of Chardonnay was just right with this.

This braised chicken with farfalle is my entry to this weeks Presto Pasta Night. This week it is hosted by Ruth, the Pasta Diva herself.

Braised Chicken with Farfalle

• 1 pound mushrooms, sliced
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 2 Tbs olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups shallots
• 2 cups sliced carrots
• 1 cup celery
• 1 cup canned plum tomatoes
• 1/2 cup roasted red peppers
• 2 cups white wine
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 tsp thyme
• 2 springs fresh rosemary
• 4 cloves
• 1 tbs culinary lavender buds
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Flour for dredging
• 2 lbs of chicken breast, cut in large cubes OR 2 chickens quartered
• 2 lbs of whole wheat farfalle, cooked in salted water

1. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper and brown on all sides in the olive oil about 10 minutes.
2. Remove the chicken from the oil and add the shallots, mushrooms, and celery. Saute until vegetables begin to soften.
3. Add broth and one cup of the wine to a slow cooker turned on medium. Add all of the rest of the ingredients except the pasta.
4. Slow cook for 6 to 8 hours, until chicken is very tender.
5. Add the remaining wine and cook 15 more minutes
6. Serve in shallow bowls over buttered Farfalle, sprinkled with grated Parmigiano Reggiano

serves 8

image:marye audet

Post from: Baking Delights

Laissez les bons temps rouler!

When you are looking for  quick, easy pasta recipes with some spice this is the one to choose.  Farfalle with Smoked Sausage has all the ingredients for a cozy cajun meal,with just enough spice to make it interesting.

This image has an odd lighting because I took this at night and had Matt holding a flashlight.  BUT, the dish is fantastic, especially if you love Cajun food.

This dish freezes well for once a month cooking (OAMC) schedules.  Flavor improves on standing so you can make it up to 2 days ahead and keep it in the refrigerator.  You can also make it in a crock pot, just let the mixture simmer all day and add the pasta just before serving.

I used a spicy beef, no nitrate smoked sausage but you can use whatever type you like.  If your family likes seafood (mine does not for the most part, except me) then toss in a few shrimp or crawfish with the  sausage.

Serve it with a crisp salad, lots of fresh garlic bread, and copious amounts of good coffee.  Jazz music optional.

This is my entry for Presto Pasta Night, hosted this week by Equal Opportunity Kitchen.  Head over there friday to see what everyone has come up with!   It is always  fantastic.  I have been out the last week or two but I have been drooling over the pictures and details!

 Cajun Farfalle with Smoked Sausage

•  1 lb no nitrate smoked sausage
• 1 lb farfalle, cooked
• 2 lbs okra
• 2 cans ro-tel tomatoes
• 1 large onion chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon thyme
• Olive oil

Cook the pasta, drain and set aside.  Meanwhile,  put a little olive oil in a large frying pan and  saute the garlic, okra, onion, peppers, and celery over medium heat until tender but not brown.  Add the sausage (and shrimp if you are using it), ro-tel tomatoes, and seasonings and simmer until the okra is tender.  Stir in the farfalle and heat through.

Serves 8

Image: Marye Audet

Post from: Baking Delights

This is my entry for this week’s presto pasta.  It’s kind of embarrassing because it is so simple that there isn’t even really a recipe.

A few weeks ago I was given a large amount of on-the-edge tomatoes.  I tossed them in the crockpot with garlic, basil, oregeno, onion, and various other sauce ingredients, let them simmer for several hours, and then pureed them and canned them in quart jars.  It was alot of work but I was so glad to have created 8 quarts of free spagetti sauce base!

Things have been nuts around here with the last quarter of the cookbook (sprint, Marye, sprint!) and Matt starting college and totally messing up my schedule…again.. I miss the days when the kids were small and life was predictible.  Anyway..for the first time in memory I have things like leftovers in the fridge. I know, I know..it is so WEIRD!

Yesterday we had a little of this and a little of that…some zucchini but not enough for a meal, part of an onion, a couple of green peppers…..I immediately thought of a fresh pasta sauce with all of those great vegetables tossed in.  There is almost no way I can give you a recipe for this because I used homemade sauce, and then leftovers…but you can do the same thing.  The best way to put this together is to use the crockpot on low for about 4 to 6 hours.

Lots of great vegetables do well in a pasta sauce, so when you have one limp carrot, for example, chop it, grate it, or slice it and toss it in to the sauce. Vegetables that I have used are:

• zucchini
• yellow squash
• carrots
• celery
• spinach
• onion
• shallots
• leeks
• mushrooms
• okra
• peppers of all sorts
• eggplant
• tomatoes
• chopped green beans

Add whatever you like to the sauce and toss in some basil, oregeno, salt, pepper, garlic, a stem of rosemary, about 2 tablespoons good olive oil…cooked leftover meat..shrimp…whatever …(told you this was easy)…

After it has filled the house with an incredible aroma for several hours,  cook enough pasta a la dente for your family and spoon the sauce over the pasta and serve…

This doesn’t even feel like a real recipe..LOL!

It is a great way to get rid of all the leftovers and have an easy meal that everyone will love!

Image:Marye Audet

Post from: Baking Delights