Turnips and Carrots

I recently joined a CSA (community supported agriculture) veggie delivery service with my friend. Every other week a large box of organic, delicious fruits and vegetables shows up on her doorstep. Most of these are seasonal veggies (hence the CSA) and this week a bunch of turnips was included. I asked myself, what am I going to do with these? Then I remembered a delicious side dish my Mom and Memere always made for Thanksgiving. I thought I'd give it a try.

I only had 6 small carrots and 5 white turnips (small ones a little bigger than a golf ball) This allowed for about 1 cup of a finished dish.

I'd recommend:

1 whole bunch of carrots and 10-15 turnips to make a dish for all to share.

Basically, this is the easiest dish!

1. Wash and peel the outer layer of both the carrots and turnips- (they are root veggies)

2. Chop to smaller pieces

3. Boil till soft with a fork (just like potatoes)

Then mash and add the following to taste:

salt and pepper

a little paprika

cinnamon and sugar- just a little (Brown sugar can also be used and I'm sure would be equally tasty. )

Yumm!

A healthy alternative to the typical heavy in the wasteline dishes frequently found at your Thankgiving table.

Pat's favorite "Jessica Simpson Chicken"

"Jessica Simpson Chicken" (courtesy of Rachael Ray)

A Patrick favorite!
http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/food/recipes/jessica-simpsons-chicken-dumplings/

As they say, a way to a man's heart is through his stomach :)

What you'll need:

Ingredients and a 9x13 pan (I use a glass pan)
2 rolls of reduced-fat croissant rolls, divided (recommended brand Pillsbury) (RR recipe calls for 3, I find that 2 does just fine)
1 small rotisserie chicken, skin discarded and meat removed from bones
1 can of low-sodium, reduced-fat cream of chicken soup
1 can of low-sodium, reduced-fat cream of mushroom soup
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
Salt and ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400ºF. ( I forgot and used 350...that works too!)

Roll out the cans of croissant sheets and separate into diamond shaped sections. Place a small handful of rotisserie chicken on each diamond, fold dough over and press ends together to create dumplings. Cut up any excess dough into strips.

PAM a 9x13" baking dish and then line with one layer of dumplings. Pour the can of cream of chicken soup over the layer of dumplings, followed by the can of cream of mushroom soup, and chicken broth. smooth out with a spatula.

Place whatever left over croissant rolls parts into strips in a crisscross pattern on the top of the dumplings and soup mixture, season dish with salt and ground black pepper and bake until the dumplings are tender and cooked through and the top is bubbly and brown, about 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

Holiday Time

Wow, and just like that it is winter! Where did fall go? I just love this time of year...pumpkin spice lattes, Christmas music on the radio and hibernation mood taking place all over. Hard to believe Thanksgiving is 2 weeks away! What is it exactly that makes the Holidays so special? Is it the endless buffets, pies and cookies, family dinners and gathering, holiday parties, Xmas trees, or festive music? Is it the glitz and glitter of the season, the warm taste of cognac and eggnog, thanksgiving dinner and all the fixings, football and family time passed out on the couch? Is it the gift exchanges, tree decorations, stockings filled with special treats or the memories of yesteryear that make the holidays fill your heart with joy? I have a better answer.



I recently returned from a week home in MA at my parent's house. During the week we spent much of the time visiting with friends and relatives and just being together. I was able to visit some of my closest friends and their children who have taken a piece of my heart with every visit we share. It was a privilege to photograph their little expressions and engage in much needed and missed face to face conversation with their moms. Friends from childhood, that I've known for over 20 years could still sit together and reminisce about old times, all the while feel like we've never aged. Being home also allowed for wonderful shared meals with my family and just being together. It was the special moments like so sitting with my grandparents and holding hands as they shared old stories.



On one drive Mom said to me "Doesn't this feel like Christmas week?!" I couldn't help but agree! See the holidays are so much more than filling meals, sweet snacks, rushing around and gift exchanges. The part that really matters and fills my soul are those moments spent with the ones we love, family and friends who will always be close at heart.

Rachael Ray's Official Website :: Bacon, Leek and Tomato Spaghetti

Rachael Ray's Official Website :: Bacon, Leek and Tomato Spaghetti

A personality

Yes, why thank you, I have welcomed myself back to blogging too!

It has been quite awhile. I'm still trying to feel out what I'd like to blog about. Finding my voice has been a challenge. I've finally decided what will excite me, photography and delicious recipes! I can post my photos, share what I think is fantastic about them as well as share healthy, yummy recipes that I've come across or made that might excite you too- some of them may even be weight watcher appropriate. (AND take PHOTOS of my favorite dishes!) On occasion I will rant, about 'whatever' but hey it's my blog and I can do so if I want :)


I'm sitting in my fine circa 1950s-1970s rented home, and recently cooked a great pasta dish. I'm returning to MA tomorrow for a week visit and thought I'd be a good wife and cook something for my husband! I'll give the shout out to Rachael Ray for the recipe, it's a good one and super easy. (see the link to the recipe below!)



Bacon and Leek Pasta....yumm (leeks are a kind of mild onion)
super easy, delicious and makes enough for plenty of left overs.

Ingredients:

3 leeks
1 can of crushed tomatoes (garlic and herb)
1 lb of whole wheat pasta
6 slices of bacon (ok I used a lot more than that!)
4 cloves of garlic (chopped or sliced)
2 turns of the pan EVOO (olive oil!)
basically: cook the bacon with a little olive oil till crispy, add the cleansed chopped leeks, add tomatoes. pepper generously add garlic. Then add pasta...yumm!
I withheld the parsley because I'm lazy, might be even more delicious!

Here are some pics!

ok still learning how to arrange stuff.



You get the idea!













I am very much looking forward to my East coast visit. I love Seattle but miss my peeps!

Maybe when I return there will be more reasonably priced newly remodeled, attractive homes on the market in the zip code we are interested in, till then, we wait, semi-patiently!


Don't you just love the changing of the seasons? Me too!