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Simple Summer Supper simmers as you play – Sally’s Chicken Cacciatore, lemony cookies too

An invitation to dinner at Sally and Ken Stier’s home is always a delight.  You know dinner will be great and you’ll have the fun of watching Sally – the most naturally gifted cook I know – prepare it.

Stepping through the door on our latest visit, we were greeted by the aroma of Chicken Cacciatore simmering away on the stove.  Handed a glass of wine, other guests  joined artist Ken in the studio where his watercolors are displayed.

But I hung out in the kitchen where Sally moved effortlessly from sink to counter to stove – washing and trimming green beans, cutting up vegetables for a salad,  giving the chicken an occasional stir – and chatting all the while.

Served in the dining room with salad and the aforementioned green beans, the Cacciatore was superb. The recipe for it originated with Sally’s Italian mother Millie Ruggieri Pannell  who made it often.

“Our family didn’t have a lot of money so my mother was thrifty.  This recipe using chicken thighs was easy on the budget,” she said.

Sally shares it here.

Millie Ruggieri Pannell’s Chicken Cacciatore

1 Tablespoon olive oil

8 Chicken thighs

(Sally used skinless, deboned thighs her supermarket had on sale but says using bone-in thighs with skin on works well too)

1 whole red pepper diced

1  16-ounce can diced tomatoes (any good brand)

1  8-ounce can diced tomatoes (any good brand)

Handful of mushroom slices (optional)

(You’ll need a large saucepan or skillet.)

Heat oil over high heat and brown the 8 thighs on both sides.  Remove thighs from pan to a plate.

Saute diced pepper in remaining fat (if excessive pour a bit off)

Return thighs to pan.

Pour both cans of diced tomatoes into pan over chicken and toss in mushrooms if using.

Turn down heat and allow to simmer for two to three hours

Serve over spaghetti or linguine

I like to serve Chicken Cacciatore over spaghetti with a simple green salad.

Note: The diced red pepper and long simmering time develop an amazing depth of flavor…without adding any salt.  Sally’s family grows mushrooms so she’ll sometimes add a handful but they’re optional.

Since both the tomatoes and red pepper in this hearty recipe are packed with vitamins and a good source of dietary fiber,  I find a  green salad the perfect complement.

For a light dessert, I like to trot out a recipe for lemon sugar cookies that I discovered over a decade ago in a book called “Lighthearted Everyday Cooking” by Anne Lindsay published in conjunction with The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada in 1991.  It’s still available.

I got my copy in 1994 at a time when the American Medical Association was recommending that polyunsaturated margarine be used in place of butter.  Thus, margarine is the fat listed in the recipe.  I recommend using a “trans-fat free” margarine like Land O’Lakes .

I’ve made only one ingredient switch to the original recipe substituting finely ground millet for some of the flour as it adds a light but interesting texture.

Lemon Sugar Cookies

1/4 cup soft trans-fat free margarine

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

1-1/4 cups all purpose or unbleached flour

2-1/2 Tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon more unbleached flour mixed with 2-1/2 Tablespoons of finely ground *millet  (or 1/3 cup wheat flour)

Grated rind of 2 lemons

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 Tablespoon granulated sugar for sprinkling

Mix together soft margarine and sugar and add egg.  Mix well.

Then squeeze and add two Tablespoons lemon juice.  Beat until light and fluffy.

 

Add flour, millet/flour mixture (or whole wheat flour), grated lemon rind and baking soda.

 

 

 

Shape tablespoonfulls (I use two soup spoons) of dough into balls.

 

 

 

Place on greased cookie sheets.  (I coat my timeworn favorite cookie sheets with canola oil.)  Use the tines of a fork to press the balls of dough flat. Sprinkle a little granulated sugar on top.

Bake in 350 degree oven for 10 minutes or till firm.  Makes 40 cookies that smell heavenly while baking and taste even better.

Light and lemony, these cookies are wonderful on their own or served with a piece of fruit and tea or coffee.

 

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Anyone for a cookie? Betcha can’t eat just one.

Nothing like a cookie with friends over coffee…or as a bribe to get a husband or son to remove the dead bird your cat just dropped at your feet.

The recipes for peanut butter cookies and oatmeal cookies that follow fill the bill in either case.  I’ve made both kinds  hundreds of times and often serve them as after-dinner dessert.

I’ve adjusted the measurements of ingredients so each recipe now provides 2-1/2 dozen cookies…enough for guests with only a few left over for me to pig out on.

My recipe for Peanut Butter Cookies comes from the well-thumbed pages of the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook I was given by my Aunt Ann as part of her wedding gift.  (Since I didn’t even know how to boil water, it was a great gift.)

I’ve changed just two ingredients over the years. The recipe called for “shortening” which I was told  meant “Crisco”.   Never had any on hand so have used butter or trans-fat free margarine.  I’ve also used chunky as opposed to smooth peanut butter.

Peanut Butter Cookies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1/2 cup shortening  (I like to use  www.landolakes.com butter or trans-fat free margarine)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup peanut butter (hubby’s favorite SKIPPY® chunky peanut butter)

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I prefer unbleached)

1 teaspoon soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

Cream shortening, sugars, egg, vanilla and peanut butter.  Sift and stir dry ingredients into creamed mixture.

Drop by rounded teaspoons or soup spoons) on ungreased cookie sheet.  Press back of fork into each to make crisscrosses.

Bake on ungreased cookie sheet  in 350 degree oven for approximately 10 minutes till lightly browned

I have to hide these peanut butter cookies or they’ll get eaten before I’m ready to serve them.

My second go-to cookie also began as a Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook recipe called Oatmeal Crisps.  Due to my penchant for changing recipes, the original version has evolved quite a bit.  I love incorporating unusual grains in my recipes so this variation for Oatmeal Raisin Cookies with Amaranth includes amaranth, millet, sunflower seeds and raisins.  The cookies are yummy.

Cultivated centuries ago by the Aztecs, amaranth is not a grain that’s well-known today.  It’s gluten-free and a high-quality source of plant protein.  It’s also high in iron and calcium.  I use just a handful in this recipe to add texture and a delightful crunch.  Amaranth can be found in organic markets as well as some supermarkets.

Millet is another gluten-free grain that originated in Africa.  It’s high in essential minerals and has a sort of nutty taste that I’m fond of.  I use millet in many recipes, usually grinding it first in a coffee grinder.  The millet adds additional texture to the recipe along with sunflower seeds.  Look for millet in supermarkets or organic stores.

The addition of amaranth gives these oatmeal raisin cookies a pleasant crunch.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies with Amaranth

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and plump 1/4 cup of raisins and/or dried cranberries in hot water

1/2 cup shortening (or substitute butter or margarine

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup all purpose flour (I use unbleached)

Scant 1/4 teaspoon of cinammon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1-1/2 cups old fashioned oats

1 handful of amaranth grains

1 handful of millet (ground in a coffee bean grinder is best though can leave whole)

Approximately 1/4 cup of hulled sunflower seeds (or can use walnuts)

1/4 cup of plumped raisins (and/or dried cranberries)

Cream shortening or butter and sugars.  Add egg and vanilla.  Beat well.  Mix together and add flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda.  Stir in oats, handful of amaranth, handful of millet, and sunflower seeds.  Mix.  Fold in plumped raisins and/or cranberries.

Form into rolls and refrigerate in plastic wrap.  When chilled, slice dough into 1/4 inch thick rounds and place on cookie sheet……or simply cover dough in the bowl with plastic wrap and chill. Then scoop dough from bowl with teaspoon or soup spoon.  Place on ungreased cookie sheet at 350 degrees and bake until lightly browned (10 to 12 minutes).

 

 

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Pumpkins, Pumpkins, Pumpkins!

Driving about beneath bright October skies, I was deep into my annual hunt for the perfect pumpkins, seeking small, solid varieties that could stand in as autumn porch decorations and later be baked or pureed.

I’d spotted numerous specimens at my local supermarket, a garden center and two churches. But most were large and ornamental …not what I was looking for.

Then I visited Diehl’s Produce stand in Olde Severna Park, Maryland which was surrounded by colorful mums and pansies. Inside, I found late season produce and more than 20 varieties of pumpkins, squash and gourds.

There were giant pumpkins suitable for jack-o-lanterns, modestly-sized “Spookies”, and crates full of mini-pumpkins with names like Wee Bee Little, Jack be Little, and Orange Mon.

Hoping to find baking varieties, I cornered produce guru Elliott Enderkin for suggestions. He recommended “sugar pumpkins” which come in various sizes and are noted for their sweet, solid flesh. But “peanut pumpkins” – so named because the rinds are covered with growths resembling peanuts – were his second choice since they also make good pies. His third choice, orange-fleshed long-necked squash – are equally flavorful.

Winter squash are decorative and just as yummy as pumpkins for roasting, making soups or baked goods. Diehl’s selection included dark green or orange acorn squash, striped Mexican Hat and Carnival squash, pale orange Butterkin squash, Speckled Hound squash, and emerald gooseneck squash with speckles. It was hard to choose but I bought a large sugar pumpkin and two acorn squash.

Stopping next at Pumphrey’s Farm Stand in Millersville, Maryland, I passed by bins of squash, heirloom tomatoes and colorful peppers to a table piled high with small orange pumpkins that felt very solid. Assured they were perfect for cooking and baking, I bought several.

I displayed my purchases as porch decorations along with pots of yellow chrysanthemums, an autumn-hued wreath and a door decoration of “fall corn” with a few kernels missing thanks to an ambitious mouse.

After Thanksgiving, I retrieved the pumpkins and then baked, cooled and pureed them as bases for pies, cakes, cookies, muffins, pumpkin bread, pancakes and soups. Here’s my easy method.

Pumpkin Puree

Wash pumpkins – Do not peel

Fill a large baking pan with 2 to 3 inches of water.

Add 1 large or two small pumpkins to each pan.

Bake at 375 degrees until done. (Rind will darken, take on a sheen…sides will collapse and flesh will be soft.)

Cut pumpkin in half

Scoop out seeds (rinse and save for roasting)

Scoop out flesh into large container

Use hand blender to turn the flesh into a smooth puree. Alternatively, add the flesh to a food processor or blender.

Divide the puree into ½ cup and 1 cup portions and use or freeze.

Pumpkins and squash are loaded with Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol), Thiamin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Iron, Magnesium and Phosphorus, and are good sources of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Riboflavin, Potassium, Copper and Manganese. The seeds are nutritional powerhouses and when ground, add wonderful flavor and texture to pancakes, muffins and cookies.

The recipe for pumpkin muffins  below is a nutritional powerhouse

I’m most  inspired to make them when autumn leaves begin to fall.  But, truth be told, I like these muffins any time of the year.

The recipe’s based on one for banana muffins I cut out of a newspaper and modified by substituting pumpkin for bananas and increasing the amount of sugar used.  I continue to play around with ingredients that add texture including pecans, walnuts, sunflower seeds and/or ground pumpkin seeds.

Pumpkin muffins are hearty and perfect to serve for breakfast or afternoon tea.  I’ve even served them  to hungry jazz musicians taking a break from rehearsing.   Here’s the recipe.

Perfect Pumpkin Muffins

(Makes 1 dozen)

1 cup old fashioned oats uncooked

1 cup all-purpose or unbleached flour

1 pinch salt

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 cup brown or white sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 pinch ginger

1 egg

1 cup whole or low fat milk

1/2 cup pumpkin puree (thawed if frozen)

1/4 cup canola oil

1/2 cup raisins and/or dried cranberries

1/4 cup pecans, walnuts, or sunflower seeds

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Grease muffins tins or line 12 muffin cups with paper baking cups

Plump raisins and/or cranberries in hot water

Combine oats, flour, baking powder, pinch salt, cinnamon, and ginger. Add

Add combined wet ingredients.  Mix until dry ingredients are moistened.

Drain and add raisins/cranberries

Fold in  nuts or sunflower seeds

Fill muffin cups 3/4 full and bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown

Pumpkin puree may also be used to make the fantastic dessert below.

The best recipe for pumpkin cake I’ve ever eaten came from my mother Margaret. It’s easy to make and smells wonderful when baking.

The cake is so moist, rich and delicious that I serve it simply with a dollop of whipped cream. However, it may be iced with cream cheese frosting.

Margaret Owings’ Pumpkin Cake

4 eggs

1-2/3 cups sugar

1 cup oil (I use canola)

2  1-cup portions of pumpkin puree (thawed) or 16 ounces canned pumpkin

2 cups flour

2 tsps. baking powder

2 tsps. cinnamon

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

Combine eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin puree and mix well

Blend dry ingredients together in a separate bowl

Add to wet ingredients a bit at a time beating well after each addition

Bake in ungreased sheet pan at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. (You can halve the recipe and bake in an 8 inch round pan.)

My mother used canned pumpkin but I substitute homemade pumpkin puree as it produces a better texture. For an unexpected twist, sprinkle pecans across the top of the batter before baking.

 

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My Mother’s Cake

Like an echo from the past, a dinner guest tasting a dessert I made from scratch, exclaimed “That’s my mother’s cake!”

Indeed, the two-layer yellow cake with chocolate icing that I served was likely made from the same recipe his mom used. It was printed on the pages of a popular woman’s magazine  where my mother Margaret spotted it.

Years later, she shared the recipe  with me.  I prefer this versatile, easy-to-make cake to cakes made from mixes.

You can divide the batter between two eight- inch rounds for a layer cake or pour it into a rectangular pan for a sheet cake.

The recipe can substitute for “shortcake” when topped with strawberries, raspberries, black berries or peaches and a dollop of whipped cream.  Or, one can use the first half of the batter to make a pineapple, apple or berry upside-down cake and the remaining half for cupcakes.

For the original version of the cake, my favorite icing is a simple one made with cocoa and confectioner’s sugar.  My mother used a recipe printed on the back of Domino confectioner’s sugar boxes.

Today’s busy cooks will love this homemade cake that’s quick to make.

My Mother’s Cake – Original Version

Two-layer yellow cake with chocolate icing                                                     

                                                                   Recipe 

1 stick shortening – (Original recipe called for Crisco. Can substitute butter or Land O’Lakes margarine which is trans-fat free)

1-1/3 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 cups flour

½ tsp. salt

3 tsp. baking powder

1 cup of milk

½ tsp. vanilla or to taste

Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans or line with rounds of parchment paper and preheat oven to 365 degrees.

Mix shortening and sugar together on low speed. Add eggs and cream until smooth. Combine and/or sift dry ingredients together. Add slowly to the creamed mixture along with ½ cup of the milk. Beat on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add vanilla and remaining ½ cup of milk. Beat until smooth. Pour into pans. Bake at 365 degrees approximately 30 minutes. When done, cool 5 minutes and remove from pans onto a cooling rack. When cool, ice both layers.

Chocolate Icing

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter or margarine on burner in heavy pan

Add 3 tablespoons of cocoa and whisk until melted together, smooth and shiny

Add half a box of confectioner’s sugar and two tbsp. of milk

Mix at high speed until smooth adding more milk if necessary

Place first layer of cake on serving plate and spread with icing. Then add the top layer and ice top and sides.

My Mother’s Cake – Version 2

                                                  Apple Upside-Down Cake

In autumn, when local  produce stands and farmer’s markets are carrying apples, I buy lots.  A tart apple works best for this upside-down cake and I personally prefer Winesaps or Granny Smiths.  Pumphrey’s Farm stand in Millersville, Maryland carries Winesaps all the way through Thanksgiving. If unable to find tart apples, sprinkle lemon juice over slices of sweeter varieties.

I like to add fresh cranberries, blackberries, raisins, and pecans or walnuts between the slices of apples. Feel free to experiment.

Apple Upside-Down Cake version of recipe using Winesaps

I make a full recipe of My Mother’s Cake (recipe above) using half the batter for this cake. I reserve the other half for a second dessert.

First:

Melt 2 tbsp. of butter or margarine in an 8 or 9-inch round pan

When melted, crumble brown sugar over the melted butter to cover bottom of pan

Wash and cut 2 apples into slices (peels on) and arrange over the brown sugar in circular pattern.

In the openings between slices, layer cranberries, blackberries, raisins and/or Craisins and pecans or walnuts.

Pour one half of My Mother’s Cake batter over the apple slices, berries and nuts

Bake at 365 degrees for approximately 30 minutes.

Let cool for 5 minutes.

Run knife around edge of pan

Invert pan over plate. Cake should come out easily with apples intact