It is the season to give thanks — autumn is here and we all look forward to long-awaited visits with family and friends, or just some time to relax.
It is also a time when the table is filled while we enjoy a warm meal that has garden harvest as ingredients and a grand finale of a sweet seasonal dessert.
And perhaps while enjoying an after dinner cocktail or warm tea, we can all enjoy the early evening sunsets that make way for the starlit nights.
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Chicken and potato gnocchi soup
My daughter just made a batch of this soup for her evening meal after a day on campus. As with many recipes, the taste gets better each time you reheat it.
- 3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tsp. paprika 5 mL
- 1 stalk of celery chopped 1
- 1/2 onion diced 1/2
- 2 tsp. minced garlic 10 mL (equal to 1/2 tsp./2 mL powder)
- 1 c. shredded carrots 250 mL
- 1 tbsp. olive oil 15 mL
- 4 c. chicken broth 1 L
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tsp. thyme or Italian seasoning mix 10 mL
- 2 c. potato gnocchi 500 mL (available in the pasta section at most grocery stores)
- 2 c. half and half cream or milk 500 mL (not low fat)
- 1/2 c. fresh chopped parsley 125 mL (or fresh dill greens if available)
Note: I used my cast enamel pot for this recipe.
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Saute the chicken, sprinkled with a little paprika, until cooked through and remove from the pot. The chicken can now be cut into small pieces. In the same pan add celery, onions, garlic and carrots and saute for two to three minutes until onions are translucent.
Add the chicken back in along with chicken broth, salt, pepper and seasoning, bring to a boil, and gently stir in gnocchi. Boil for three to four minutes longer before reducing heat to a simmer and cooking for 10 minutes.
Stir in half and half and parsley and cook another one to two minutes until the parsley is tender. Taste, add salt and pepper if desired. Makes four to six servings.
Source: adapted from www.lecremedelacrumb.com.
Beef tenderloin
A tenderloin delivers a mouth-watering fall meal. It’s delicious with mashed potatoes and roasted fall vegetables. We were given a large beef tenderloin as a gift and I cut it up into sections and froze for use on certain dishes such as this smaller loin roast.
Rub
- 4 tbsp. butter, softened slightly 60 mL
- 2 tsp. minced garlic 10 mL (1/2 tsp. powder)
- 1 tsp. Italian seasoning 5 mL
- 2 lb. beef tenderloin roast .9 kg
- salt and pepper , to taste
- 2 tbsp. olive oil 30 mL
- 1 tbsp. butter 15 mL
- 1 tsp. minced garlic 5 mL (1/4 tsp. powder)
- 1 tsp. Italian seasoning 5 mL
- 1/2 c. wine or broth 125 mL (beef, veggie or chicken broth both work)
Cream sauce
- 1 tbsp. butter 1
- 1/4 c. broth 60 mL
- 1/4 c. heavy cream 60 mL
- Salt and pepper, to taste
To prepare the rub, combine in a small bowl the butter, garlic and seasonings. Mash with a fork until blended. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 425 F (220 C) .
Pat beef tenderloin dry and rub all over with one tbsp. olive oil and salt and pepper generously on all sides.
Drizzle a cast iron Dutch oven or skillet with remaining one tbsp. olive oil and add one tablespoon butter over medium-high heat.
Once butter is almost melted, add beef and sear until browned on all sides (about four to five minutes, turning until all sides are browned). Remove from heat.
Spread the rub over the top of the beef, and then add broth (or wine) to the pan (just pour it around the beef, not over the beef), along with garlic and seasonings.
Transfer the baking dish to preheated oven on lowest rack.
Cook for 20 to 25 minutes until centre temperature reads 135 F (for very pink centre) to 145 F (for more well-done centre).
Remove from oven and allow meat to rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
The cream sauce is optional , but it takes the beef to another level of taste.
Add to the skillet one tablespoon butter, broth and heavy cream. Stir over medium heat until reduced and slightly thickened (should be able to just coat the back of a spoon) and add salt and pepper to taste. Spoon over sliced tenderloin and serve.
Notes: For the wine/broth, if you like to cook with wine, this is a perfect time to use a little red to keep your beef nice and tender. I don’t keep wine on hand so I use broth, such as vegetable or chicken, and it works great.
Serves four. Adjust the size of the recipe depending on your crowd. Any leftovers are delicious in a sandwich.
Source: www.lecremedelacrumb.com.
Traditional carrot cake
This is a very old recipe that has graced many recipe collections and been passed down through the generations.
Freshly dug carrots transform nicely into this decadent cake that is sure to please. It just needs a little elbow grease to grate this root vegetable because it is the main ingredient.
- 2 c. sugar 500 mL
- 1 1/4 c. oil 300 mL
- 4 large eggs 4
- 2 c. flour 500 mL
- 2 tsp. ground cinnamon 10 mL
- 2 tsp. baking soda 10 mL
- 2 tsp. baking powder 10 mL
- dash of salt
- 3 c. grated carrots 750 mL
- 1 c. walnuts, chopped 250 mL (optional)
Frosting:
- 1/2 c. butter, softened 125 mL
- 1 8 oz. (250 g) cream cheese, softened 1
- 2 tsp. vanilla 10 mL
- 3 c. icing sugar 750 mL
Cake instructions
Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C).
In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar and oil. Once mixed, add the eggs.
In another mixing bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
Gently beat into egg mixture. Then fold in carrots, followed by chopped nuts if desired.
Pour into a prepared nine X 13 inch (22 X 33 cm) pan. Bake at 350 F (180 C) for 35 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean. Cool.
Frosting Instructions
In another large bowl, cream butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar. Add a bit of milk or water if the consistency becomes too thick. Spread over the cake. Enjoy.
Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.
Chocolate zucchini Bundt cake
This is straight out of my mother-in-law’s recipe collection. It’s great for those autumn birthdays or for the upcoming holiday. Get that grater out.
- 1/2 c. butter 125 mL
- 1/2 c. oil 125 mL
- 1 3/4 c. sugar 425 mL
- 2 large eggs, beaten 2
- 1 tsp. vanilla 5 mL
- 1/2 c. buttermilk 125 mL (you can also add 1 tsp. vinegar or lemon juice to regular milk)
- 2 1/2 c. flour 625 mL
- 1/4 c. cocoa 60 mL
- 1 tsp. baking soda 5 mL
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 2mL
- 1/2 tsp. salt 2 mL
- 2 c. grated zucchini, with or without the skin 500 mL
- 1 c. chocolate chips 250 mL
Preheat oven to 325 F (170 C). Prepare a bundt cake pan or a nine X 13 inch (22 X 33 cm) baking pan.
Cream together the butter, oil and sugar. Add beaten eggs, vanilla and buttermilk and mix.
In another bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl. Slowly combine the dry mixture into the butter sugar mix. Stir in the zucchini.
Pour the batter into the pan and sprinkle chocolate chips over top. Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the thickest part of the cake comes out clean. Depending on the pan used, the time may vary. Serve with a dollop of ice cream if desired.
Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies
These cookies were a hit in the harvest coolers and a sure win in a school or office lunch.
The difference in this cookie batter is that it must be made ahead of time and rested in the fridge for a successful outcome. From an hour ahead or even overnight, this was so convenient in harvest as I baked fresh in the mornings without having to mix.
There is just something soothing about a home-baked chocolate chip cookie. It’s a little love in a bite to make your day.
- 1 c. all-purpose flour 250 mL
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda 2 mL
- 1/2 tsp. salt 2 mL
- 1/2 c. unsalted butter, room temperature 125 mL (if you are using salted butter, simply just cut back on the salt added)
- 1/3 c. granulated sugar 75 mL
- 2/3 c. brown sugar, packed 160 mL
- 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract 10mL
- 1 large egg 1
- 1 1/2 c. rolled oats 375 mL
- 1/2 c. semisweet or dark chocolate chips 125 mL
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda; set aside.
Combine the butter with both sugars; beat on medium speed until light and fluffy.
Reduce speed to low and add the salt, vanilla and eggs. Beat until well mixed, about one minute.
Add flour mixture; mix until almost combined.
Stir in the oats and chocolate chips. Chill dough for one hour to overnight.
Preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C) and prepare the baking sheets.
Drop heaping tablespoon-sized balls of dough about two inches apart onto the baking sheet.
Bake until cookies are golden around the edges but still soft in the centre, eight to 10 minutes.
Remove from oven, and let cool for one to two minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. Makes 24 to 30 cookies.
Source: www.preppykitchen.com
Notes: Chopped walnuts or pecans make an excellent addition to this cookie. Try adding in 1/2 c/ 125 to the batter with the chocolate chips.
Spiced pumpkin cookies
This is a cake-like cookie that I always make in the fall. I often add chocolate chips to this mix, but this year I added a few cranberries to each cookie for a bit of pucker.
- 2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour 625 mL
- 1 tsp. baking powder 5 mL
- 1 tsp. baking soda 5 mL
- 2 tsp. ground cinnamon 10 mL
- 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg 2 mL
- 1/2 tsp. ground cloves 2 mL
- 1/2 tsp. salt 2 mL
- 1 1/2 c. sugar 375 mL
- 1/2 c. butter, softened 125 mL
- 1 c. canned pumpkin puree 250 mL
- 1 egg 1
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract 5 mL
- 1/2 c. chocolate chips or cranberries (fresh or frozen) 125 mL
Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C). Prepare the cookie sheet.
In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt.
In another large mixing bowl, cream together sugar and butter in a mixing bowl until fluffy, about two minutes. Add pumpkin, egg and vanilla; beat until creamy.
Mix in flour mixture until combined. Drop by the tablespoon onto the cookie sheets. Add a few chocolate chips or cranberries to each cookie. I pushed them in the batter slightly with a small spoon without flattening the raw cookie.
Bake in the preheated oven until centres are set, about 15 to 20 minutes, and then cool.
Variations
This cookie allows you to customize every time that you make it. Along with the suggested chocolate chips or cranberries, my additional favourites are:
Adding 1/2 c. /125 mL chopped nuts or raisins to the mixed batter.
Making a glaze for these cookies by mixing 1 c./250 mL icing sugar, 1 1/2 tbsp./22 mL milk, 1/2 tbsp./7 mL melted butter and 1/2 tsp./2 mL of pure vanilla extract and drizzling over top of the cookies.
Mixing a rich frosting to spread over the cookies using 1/2 a brick (8 oz.) of softened cream cheese, 1 1/2 tbsp. softened butter, 1/2 tsp./2 mL vanilla and 1 c./250 mL of icing sugar.
Jodie Mirosovsky is a home economist from Rosetown, Sask., and a member of Team Resources. Contact: team@producer.com.
