Four Nights A Week – Page 11 – Adventures in Eating

28 Apr 2024: Kripalu’s Spring Pea and Mint Soup

April 28, 2024
The Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health provides a wonderful experience in developing yoga practice whether one is a beginner or an experienced yogi. But Kripalu is also well-known for it’s wonderful and nourishing meals, sometimes eaten mindfully in silence.

I’ve frequently attempted to replicate some of the wonderful, healthy foods served to guests, and so, when I discovered Kripalu Chef Jeremy Rock’s Smith book, The Kripalu Kitchen, I was intrigued. The book and included recipes not only embrace the principles of nourishment practiced at Kripalu, it incorporates Ayurvedic healing practice.

This recipe for Spring Pea and Mint Soup celebrates the rebirth that arrives with Spring time. It can be found on page 106 of Kripalu Kitchen.

Spring Pea and Mint Soup

Jeremy Rock Smith, Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health

Ingredients
- leeks
- fennel
- scallions
- olive oil
- garlic
- peas
- vegetable stock or water
- spinach
- fresh mint
- lemon juice
- salt and pepper
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22 Mar 2024: A Gingersnap Cookie from Childhood

March 22, 2024
Whenever we visited our Grandparents in Kenmore, NY – right outside of Buffalo – we were often treated to a batch of Gingersnap cookies baked by my grandparents’ across-the-street neighbors Marge and Frank Dunham. In fact, my recollection was the Mr. Dunham himself made those cookies which was possibly quite unusual for their generation. What I remember is how deliciously spicy those cookies were; a real treat!

Recently my siblings and I were doing some online exploration of where our family had been living in Buffalo and environs. My paternal grandparents came to Western New York around 1914 or 15 and my maternal grandparents moved to Buffalo from deep in the midwest in the 1920s. So many things have changed and of course, several houses no longer are standing.

This trip down memory lane triggered my own recollection. I had Frank Dunham’s recipe for Gingersnaps! So now that it’s been rediscovered, what could I do, but bake up a batch and fill my kitchen not only with delightful spiciness, but happy memories of childhood.

Frank Dunham’s Gingersnaps

Ingredients
- 3/4 c shortening (I skipped the Crisco and used butter)
- 1 c sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/4 c molasses
- 2 1/4 c all purpose flour
- 2 tsp ginger
- 2 tsp baking sode
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Extra sugar for rolling the dough before baking
Method
1. Preheat over to 350 degrees F
2. Cream the shortening (butter) and sugar. Add egg and molasses and beat well.
3. Sift together: flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and add to the wet mixture. Mix well.
4. Wrap dough and chill thoroughly (about 4 hours)
5. Form the dough into balls about the size of a walnut and dip into the extra sugar
6. Place about 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
7. Bake for about 10 minutes (note on the recipe says “Frank prefers 15 minutes).
8. Remove to racks to cool
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21 Feb 2024: Tortelloni Minestrone

February 21, 2024
Recently, my cooking has been inspired by some genealogical research into my Sicilian family. My sisters and I have been uncovering our family history in Linguaglossa, Sicily and, while the recipes I’ve been experimenting with are not from Sicily, they are rooted in Italy and its culture.

This soup, makes a huge pot of green minestrone – no tomatoes! It made a tasty and thick stew which paired well with a great loaf of crusty bread.

The recipe is fully available on Williams Sonoma’s website and can be accessed here. As always, to help prep for the recipe, I’ve included a shopping list. Don’t let the length of this list stop you – it’s a great recipe, easily expandable and can also be halved for smaller crowds around the dinner table.

Tortelloni Minestrone
- Garlic flavored oil (or do as I did, saute a bit of garlic in olive oil)
- Thyme
- Petits pois
- Leek
- Baking potato
- Celery
- Zucchini
- Green beans
- Canned Cannellini or Flageolet beans
- Tortelloni (fresh spinach-cheese preferred, but I used dried without a problem)
- Basil
- Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
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05 Feb 2024: Slow-Cooker Beef Stew

February 6, 2024
When we were all working or going to school, using a slow cooker – which we always called a Crock Pot – was standard kitchen practice. Two parents coming home after a long workday and a hungry kid, just a little prep the night before and we returned from our respective workplaces to a home filled with some pretty intoxicating aromas. Not to mention, dinner on the table in short order was a giant advantage.

My former Crock Pot broke some time ago and was replaced with an early model Instapot. While I love the convenience of Instapot cooking, the slow cooker insert and the high heat, don’t always work for me. So, I used the advice in the head note (link to gifted recipe here) and cooked this dish in my dutch oven using the stove. Honestly, I don’t know how it could have come out any better.

Sarah DiGregario, the recipe’s developer, is not only a food journalist, but also writes on a variety of health topics. Click on this link to find out more about her.

The cooking instructions are quite easy and adaptable. Because I am a subscriber to the New York Times, the link to this recipe is gifted here.

I’ve listed the ingredients to have on hand, but there is some flexibility. A couple suggestions that I think will be quite useful: one is that this dish easily makes use of other root veg – like turnips and rutabaga. In this iteration, I threw in some portobello mushrooms – also a good idea. For this turn, I did not use stout because I didn’t want to lose the rest of the can of Guiness. Next time, maybe.

Slow Cooker Beef Stew

Recipe from Sarah Digregario, December 1, 2023 NYTimes

Ingredients
- Carrots
- Parsnips
- Large Russet Potatoes
- Thyme
- Rosemary
- Chuck Roast
- Stout Beer or Beef Broth
- Maple Syrup
- Garlic cloves
- Onion Powder
- Garlic Powder
- Balsamic Vinegar
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24 Jan 2024: Sheet Pan Red Curry Chicken with Butternut Squash

January 24, 2024
After a pretty long break, I’ve broken out my camera and gear and worked on photographing food we make in 2024. Just a wee bit rusty with the lighting gear so this shot was done using natural light.

This was last night’s warming supper. Sheet pan dinners are pretty easily assembled and this was no exception. Bonus points for using Thai Red Curry paste on a very cold January evening.

Because I can, I’ve gifted access to Ali Slagle’s recipe published on January 9th in the New York Times. Enjoy! (Also, betting this would be delish with tofu in place of the chicken thighs).

Sheet-Pan Red Curry Chicken with Butternut Squash

Ali Slagle, NYTimes

Ingredients to have on hand
- 1.5 lbs peeled and seeded butternut squash
- 2 TBSP oil (I used coconut)
- 2 tsp fish sauce
- 2 TBSP Red Curry Paste
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 0.5 cups basil or cilantro
- 1 lime
- 1 birds eye chile (optional)
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27 Dec 2023: Beet and Goat Cheese Pasta

December 28, 2023
I absolutely love beets in nearly any form, and this spectacular pasta dish, with a sauce made with beets and pasta is one of the tastiest mains I’ve eaten in a long time. Also true: the beautiful red along with pistachios makes for a very festive dish.

My subscription to the Washington Post allows me to gift the link to the recipe, which you can find here {Beet and Goat Cheese Pasta].

The ingredients are listed below. This was not only tasty and colorful, but easy to put together, making it a great dish for this busy in-between-holidays week.

Beet and Goat Cheese Pasta
- medium beets (14 ounces total), trimmed, peeled and cut in 3/4-inch dice (link to the article for cooking alternatives)
- 1 pound medium dry pasta (I used rigatoni)
- fresh goat cheese (chevre)
- balsamic vinegar
- garlic powder
- cayenne pepper
- chopped pistachios (for serving)
- fresh mint leaves (for serving)
- Pink Himalayan or flaky sea salt (for serving)
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23 December 2023: Nanaimo Bars

December 23, 2023
As of today, my holiday bakes are done! Our house smells outrageously of butter, sugar and spices. After the past four weeks, I admit I have a new and deep appreciation for professional bakers.

These Nanaimo Bars were among the last sweet that I baked this season. I’d seen recipes for them quite frequently and, curiosity piqued, went looking for a (somewhat) authentic recipe. A no-bake treat from Canada, these bars are deliciously fun, even if they do lean heavily of packaged ingredients (looking at you, Bird’s Custard powder).

As a subscriber to the New York Times, I’ve included a gift link to this recipe. Be sure to read the reader comments filled with suggestions from our Neighbors to the North. The list of ingredients follows:

Nanaimo Bars

Sara Bonisteel, New York Times

Ingredient List
- Base Layer
  - unsalted butter
  - granulated sugar
  - large egg
  - cocoa powder
  - vanilla extract
  - graham cracker crumbs
  - unsweetened shredded coconut
  - finely chopped walnuts, almonds or pecans (or a mixture)
- Middle Layer
  - unsalted butter
  - heavy cream
  - custard powder, such as Bird’s
  - confectioners’ (icing) sugar
- Top Layer
  - semisweet chocolate (see reader notes – there is some disagreement about this)
  - unsalted butter
  - Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling (optional)
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02 December 2023: Spiced Cappuccino Kiss Cookies

December 3, 2023
Holiday baking has begun! Along with some of our favorites, I’ll be adding new bakes, including this one from Cynthia Messenger, from Taste of Home.

You can access the recipe here. The list of ingredients to have on hand follows:

Spiced Cappuccino Kiss Cookies
- Unsalted butter
- Brown sugar
- Granulated sugar
- Egg
- Espresso powder (or, do as I did – grind some espresso beans at home on the finest setting)
- vanilla extract
- AP flour, baking soda and salt
- Cinnamon
- Striped chocolate kisses (Hugs)
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08 November 2023: King Arthur Baking’s Sour Dough Sandwich Bread

November 9, 2023
When COVID isolated us, and inflation made the price of bread somewhat ridiculous, I started baking bread on a weekly basis again. Baking bread was something I enjoyed when our family was much younger; there was and still is definitely some deep satisfaction in putting together rather simple ingredients and turning out warm loaves of bread!

I’ve not been a fan of sour dough baking until recently, and I still do not like the taste of overly sour breads. So when I discovered this sandwich bread recipe which relies on just 3 TBSP of sour dough starter, I felt this would be a sourdough loaf even I would enjoy.

The key to this bread’s success, of course, is to allow the levain to rise at least 12 hours. Starting that levain the night before makes that a reasonable task. Additionally, another lesson I’ve learned from Milk Street Kitchen and Flour Bakery is that in order to be consistent, use volume measurements, not English weights.

This sourdough recipe comes from King Arthur Baking and can be found here.

I have to admit that I’ve been a lot more discerning when it comes to flours since bread-baking has been part of my regular routine. Good bread flours are definitely worth seeking out as they are reasonably priced. Custom milled flours would, of course, be more expensive – as they should be.

I’ve listed ingredients so you can be ready for baking. just don’t forget to start the levain 12 hours ahead – the rest is easy.

Sourdough Sandwich Bread from King Arthur Baking

Ingredients

Levain
- King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour
- water, cool (60° to 70°F)
- ripe (fed) sourdough starter
Dough
- King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour
- King Arthur Baker’s Special Dry Milk or nonfat dry milk (I have KAB’s dry on hand, but nonfat dry milk certainly works)
- granulated sugar
- salt
- instant yeast
- unsalted butter, room temperature
- water, warm (70° to 80°F)
- all of the ripe levain (prepared at least 12 hours prior)
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30 Oct 2023: Roasted Carrot, Parsnip & Potato Soup

October 31, 2023
It’s starting to be soup weather again. This roasted carrot, potato and parsnip – yes parsnip – soup comes from Martha Rose Shulman who regularly contributes to the New York Times. I’m often drawn to Ms. Shulman’s recipes as they are easy to follow and, more importantly, delicious.

I’ve gifted the recipe here via my subscription to the New York Times. The list of ingredients follow.

Roasted Carrot, Parsnip and Potato Soup

Ingredients to have on hand:
- Carrots
- Parsnips
- Red Onion
- Yukon Gold potato
- Garlic
- Olive oil
- Salt & pepper
- Either chicken broth or vegetable broth
- Fresh herbs, such as parsley, thyme, tarragon or chives
- Crème fraîche or yogurt
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