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

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It is cooked slowly in tomato, pepper, onion, and celery. The tomato helps to tenderize the meat. The flavor of this is incredible, totally understandable that it was so popular with Mrs. Cleaver’s crowd back in the day.  One thing I changed that I really loved was I added a chopped Poblano pepper in place of the bell pepper. Added just a touch of spice, and caused my tastebuds to pay attention.

I got the round steaks for 50 percent off on clearance. You know, have some recipes that you can pull out when you find a great deal like that. For the eight of us this Swiss steak dinner was less than five dollars. I was happy and so was my budget.

In a tough economy it is a good idea to browse cookbooks from the earlier decades of the 1900s for frugal recipes. So many of them have been forgotten. I hope you will give this a try. You can make it in the oven as I did here, or in a slow cooker.

Swiss Steak

• 3 to 4 pounds of round steak
• 2 slices of bacon
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2  1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• Drippings from bacon
• Olive oil as needed
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 1 cup celery, chopped
• 1 poblano pepper, chopped
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 2 lbs canned organic tomatoes
• 1 cup water or beef broth

1. Preheat the oven to 300
2. Cook the bacon until crisp, remove bacon from pan but leave drippings
3. Pound meat until thin with a tenderizer
4. Mix flour, salt, and pepper
5. Dredge the meat in the flour
6. Add about 2 tbs of olive oil to pan with bacon drippings
7. Heat oil  until it shimmers a bit, add steak
8. Fry until just golden
9. Flip and fry on the other side.
10. Repeat with all steaks. You may need to add a little more olive oil
11. Lay steaks in a 13 x 9 inch pan
12. Cover with crumbled bacon, peppers, carrots, onions,  and celery.
13. Pour tomatoes over  and add broth or water.
14. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 2 hours.

Serves 8 (freezes well)

image: Marye Audet

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Mole can be time consuming..but the best way to make this is in a slow cooker so that all the flavors meld together.  I like to stir in corn at the last minute but that isn’t totally required.

Don’t let this dish intimidate you.  It is a little non-traditional because I found, quite by accident, that I like it better made with dates than raisins.

Ready?  Put the Mexican music on the AM dial and let’s go…

Chicken Mole Stew

Mole:

1 tablespoon chile infused oil or olive oil

2 cups orange juice

2 lbs diced onions

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

6 garlic cloves, chopped

3 cups chicken broth

3 tablespoons of cumin

1 teaspoon of dried  chipotle granules or to taste

1/3 cup pitted dates

1/4 cup bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1 tablespoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons brown sugar or agave

1/4 cup red wine

Saute onion, garlic, and pumpkin seeds in oil until onion is transparent.  Stir in remaining ingredients except for wine.  SImmer for 20 minutes.

Place in a blender, a little at a time and blend until smooth.  Stir in wine.  Taste and adjust seasoning.

Chicken:

Cut 4 lbs of chicken breast into chunks.  You can also use thighs or whatever you like.  Brown quickly in oil.

Stew:

Add chicken and mole sauce to a slow cooker.  Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.  Stir in corn in the last hour if desired.  Serve with rice, tortillas, and salad.

Serves 8

image:marye audet

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Soup is the best food ever.  Really. Think about it.

It is versatile, generally inexpensive, and is there a better way to get rid of the leftovers in the fridge? I think not.  You can toss everything into a slow cooker or cook it in a stock pot on top of the stove and the results will be the same.  Hot steamy goodness that makes the house smell like home.

As you can see, Chef Kyrie takes her soup seriously.  Real seriously.  She likes it with ABCs in it, or spaghetti rings, or the new pasta shapes that you can find in some grocery stores.  She is not a big eater but I can always  guarantee that she will eat vegetable soup.

The biggest secret for a fantastic veggie soup?  Use V-8 juice as the base.  Ready made flavor right there.  One thing that I do is to keep a plastic storage container in the freezer.  Whenever we have leftover vegetables they go right into the container.  When it is full then I make soup…a meal that is virtually free.  You can adjust anything in this anyway you want, use what you have.

The vegetables listed below are suggestions and approximations.  You just need to throw it together, it iwll work every single time…and you can’t say that about very many things.

Vegetable Soup

2 large cans V-8 juice

2 onions, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

4 carrots, cubed or sliced

2 cups of green beans

1 cup peas

2 cups corn

1 cup lima beans

2 cups chopped, fresh spinach or kale or chard

1 lb of small shaped pasta, cooked

grated parmesan to garnish

Mix everything but the pasta and parmesan together.  Slow cook for 8 hours or simmer on the stove for at least an hour for flavors to blend.  About fifteen minutes before serving add pasta and simmer.

Serve in bowls with parmesan sprinkled on top.

8-10 servings.

images:(c) marye audet 2009

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We got a blue norther through today. I have not seen one that color since one August in Michigan.  It was my Aunt and Uncle’s fiftieth anniversary and we were having a picnic…a blue norther blew through and dropped it 40 degrees in about 30 minutes.

Our temperature didn’t really drop today..too much..it’s supposed to get down to 42 tonight.  I have no way of predicting the winter..I used to depend on the horses’ coats for that..thick meant a colder than normal winter.

Anyway, all of a sudden it is soup season and I didn’t even realize it! One of our favorites is Chicken Tortilla Soup.  I like to keep it on the spicy side for several reasons..besides flavor the substance that makes things hot also happens to be good for your health.  It bumps up your immune system as well as other benefits.  You can buy tortillas to serve with the soup but the homemade ones are so much better. Just cut corn tortillas in strips and fry in deep, hot fat (375F).

I made a vat of this on Sunday because my friend, Andrea, was dealing with a very bad cold/flu/upper respiratory and I wanted to have enough to send over there.  I probably made at least two gallons…anyway..sent some to them, and my family at the rest before monday morning.

If you are having a chilly, blustery day and need something to make you feel loved, cherished, and spicy this is your soup.  You can make it in a crock pot as well.  Just put everything in there except the cheese, tortillas, and sour cream and let it simmer all day.  The house will smell incredible!

Don’t forget to vote in the Boobie Bake-off!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

•   2 onions, chopped
•   4 cloves garlic, minced
•  1 bell pepper, chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons chili powder or Mexican seasoning
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried chipotle granules (1/2 tsp of chipotle powder)
• 3  14 oz cans ro*tel tomatoes
• 2 pints organic free range chicken broth
• 1 pound  whole corn kernels, cooked
•  2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
•  3 boneless chicken breast halves, cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces
• Cheddar or Monterey jack cheese, shredded
• Sour cream
• Tortilla chips

1. Heat oil over medium heat. Saute onion, green pepper, and garlic in oil until soft. Stir in chili powder, chipotle, oregano, ro*tel tomatoes, and broth. Bring to a boil, and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
2. Stir in corn,  beans, cilantro, and chicken. Simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Serve in bowls topped with tortilla chips, sour cream, and cheese.

This is great with Sopapillas for dessert, as long as you are heating up the oil for the chips anyway!

Image:Marye Audet

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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

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I have such a backlog of recipes and cookbooks that I could probably cook something different, three times a day, all year long, until I died and I would still never have to repeat anything.  I love vintage cookbooks for several reasons, but the main one is practicality.

Now, if you are reading this, and you have the perfect family of 4 people you can buy any cookbook and follow a recipe with out a glitch. But when you have 6 or 8 or 12 people ot cook for then you need a vintage cookbook.  They are family friendly.

Anyway.  Our garden is producing okra like gangbusters and  we are eating tons of it.I needed a recipe that would use alot of okra, a little meat, and everyone would eat so I browsed my 1948 Cooking for American Homemakers..I think it is 1948….anyway….Oops..nope it was the 1954 Federation of Women’s Clubs, America Cooks,cookbook.  There.  Whew.

Honesty is important don’t you think?

Anyway, this recipe is great.  Okra is in season now here in Texas and will continue to be until it gets cold.  Fresh okra, fresh tomatoes, a good amount of onions and some ground beef is a great, quick lunch or supper meal.  The recipe called for it to be served over rice but I preferred egg noodles.  This my submission in Presto Pasta Night.  This week it is hosted by Abby of Eat the Right Stuff.  Head over there and check out the other pasta meals..they are awesome every week.

Turkish Beef and Noodles

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 3 medium onions chopped
• 1 lb ground beef
• 2 pounds of okra, sliced (I used more)
• 1 quart home-canned tomatoes or 4 cups of fresh tomatoes chopped or 2 big cans of Muir Glen Fire Roasted tomatoes
• 2 green peppers, chopped
• 1 teaspoon chipotle (o.k..ya got me, that was not in the original recipe but it was good)
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 3 cups beef broth or water
• 2 lbs of egg noodles cooked

1. Brown the onion and the beef in the oil in a large saucepan.
2.  Add all the remaining ingredients except the noodles.
3. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes
4. Serve over the noodles

Serves 8  generously, with leftovers.

This is definitely one of those mid-century comfort foods. It freezes well so would be great for OAMC, or you could do it in a slow cooker…all in all it is the perfect dish for a busy night.

Images:Marye Audet

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Sandra over at Diary of a SAHM is having a slow cooking thursday recipe exchange. I like these because you get alot of different recipes..Run on over there and check it out and leave your personal favorite! Here is my submission…

Red, white and blue cobbler
serves 6-8

1 c flour
1 c sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
2 eggs beaten
2 Tbs milk
2 tbs unsalted butter
2 c fresh blueberries
2 c fresh straxberries, cut in quarters
3/4 c water
1 tsp grated lemon peel
3/4 c sugar

vanilla ice cream

1.combine flour, 1 c sugar, baking powder, salt, and spices.
2.combine eggs, milk, and butter.
3.stir into dry ingredients until moistened
4.spread batter over bottom of greased 5 qt slow cooker
5.in saucepan combine berries, lemon peel and 3/4 c sugar
6.bring to boil, remove from heat immediately and pour over batter.
7. cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours or until toothpick inserted in batter comes out clean.
8.turn off cooker. uncover and let stand 30 minutes before serving with a scoop of vanilla ice cream

Post from: Baking Delights