The Easiest Eggplant

Posted on April 16, 2025 by Marilyn

Click here to view recipe.

The Easiest Eggplant

Eggplant, eggplant.  I grew up in Iowa, and my Uncle Lou and Aunt Esther lived nearby. They had a large garden and grew eggplant.  In those days, eggplant was exotic, and I don’t remember seeing it in the supermarket or anywhere else for that matter.   As a youngster, I  certainly did not like eggplant, mostly because of the texture. 

Fast forward more than 65 years (gulp).  I love everything eggplant and try to make it often! This is one of my go-to recipes, often to serve as a simple side vegetable dish for poultry, fish or meat.

Reminds Me of Iowa!

The Easiest Eggplant

Serves 8-10

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Ingredients
  • 1–2 large eggplants  
  • 3 Tbsp of neutral oil, some for the pan and some to brush on top  
  • Sea salt to sprinkle  
  • Juice of half a lemon for serving and lemon wedges for those who love lemon 
  • Fresh dill sprigs or chopped Italian parsley (for garnish) 
Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees with rack in the center of the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.

Wash and dry the eggplants.  Slice them into ½-inch thick rounds. 

Drizzle oil onto the prepared baking sheet and arrange the sliced eggplant in a single layer, ensuring they don’t overlap.  Brush one tablespoon more oil over the top and sprinkle with sea salt.  

Bake for 45–50 minutes, flipping halfway through with kitchen tongs to ensure even cooking.  Keep an eye on the color of the slices to prevent burning.  

Serve hot or at room temperature with a splash of fresh lemon juice and garnished with fresh herbs.  This is also delicious when accompanied with a side of tzatziki for a Mediterranean flair!

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Anytime Tuna Orzo Salad

Posted on April 2, 2025 by Marilyn

Click here to view recipe.

Anytime Tuna Orzo Salad

Pasta tuna salad is a little different but not much more difficult than making a plain old tuna salad.  Since I always have cans of line-caught tuna on hand, this “recipe” goes into my dinner menu every so often when I am too lazy to turn on the oven but when I want a dinner with enough leftovers for the next day.  This kind of thing can typically be pretty bland, so the fresh herbs kick it up a notch!

I started with a recipe from St. Jude Tuna, the place where I order cans of line-caught albacore here in Seattle.  You could add other blanched vegetables (green beans especially) to make it your own. And I have prepared this in Guatemala, using Israeli couscous (no orzo easily available) and cilantro-again because it is readily available.

Anytime Tuna Orzo Salad

Serves 4-6

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Tuna Salad Ingredients
  • 8 oz orzo pasta, cook according to directions.
  • 1 small can line-caught albacore tuna
  • ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • ½ cup English cucumber, diced (no need to peel but I do seed it)
  • ¼  cup red onion, finely diced
  • ⅓ cup pitted kalamata or pitted green olives, sliced
  • ¼ cup toasted walnuts (optional) 
  • ⅓  cup fresh dill, chopped
  • ⅓ cup crumbled feta cheese, if you have it
Dressing Ingredients
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon or lime juice
  • 1 tbsp white wine or champagne vinegar
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp maple syrup or honey
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • Salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
  1. Cook orzo or another tiny pasta according to directions until al dente. Then run cold water over it, shake dry. 
  2. Make the Dressing: Whisk together olive oil, lemon or lime juice, vinegar, mustard, maple syrup,  garlic, salt, and pepper.
  3. Assemble the Salad: In a large bowl, toss orzo with tuna, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, olives, nuts, and herbs.
  4. Dress and Serve: Pour dressing over salad, toss well, and top with feta if using. Let sit for ten minutes for flavors to meld.
  5. Enjoy! Serve chilled or at room temperature.  Leftovers are excellent the next day.

 

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Elan’s Everyday Orange Cake

Posted on March 19, 2025 by Marilyn

Click here to view recipe.

Elan’s Orange Cake

Our in-town family (13 of us!) gathered this February to celebrate January and February birthdays.  Honestly, it was just an excuse to get together for dinner!  I was about to leave town but hosted the meal and did most of the food prep. That said my kids always offer to bring whatever I need.

I decided to make a “new” recipe as a birthday cake , using a recipe for an orange coconut cake (coconut optional if you’re not a coconut fan). The 12-cup bundt pan I used was really too large, and next time I will make it in a 10-cup pan.  I also made my brownies for those of us who are chocoholics.

The kids went bonkers for the cake, asking for seconds and even thirds.  I served it with fresh raspberries and would absolutely make this again.  I like bundt cakes because it takes very little effort for them to look fancy… and fancy is not my strong suit.  I love food to be appealing and nicely presented, but I move fast and don’t have the time to fuss with fancy icing, piping decorations, etc.  

Simply Delicious!

This is the cake I made, which originally came from Sivan’s Kitchen.  I did change a few things and added missing instructions.  Note that there is instant vanilla pudding mix in here, something I very rarely use.  Having said that, the cake can be whisked together quickly, and the vanilla pudding kept the cake moist for a few days.

I named this cake for my soon-to-be-7-year-old grandson Elan, Jakey Boy’s oldest.  He ate three pieces, and I promised to make this for his April birthday.

Elan’s Everyday Orange Cake

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Cake Ingredients
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup avocado oil or neutral oil of your choice
  • 1 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice (yes, it has to be fresh-squeezed)
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, sifted
  • 3.4 oz package Jello brand instant vanilla pudding mix, sifted with the flour
  • 1 Tbsp baking powder, also sifted with the flour
  • ½ cup shredded coconut, unsweetened
  • Zest of 1 ½ oranges
Orange Icing Ingredients 
  • 2 cups sifted powdered sugar
  • ¼ cup orange juice ( actually used a bit less, maybe 2 Tbsp)
  • Zest of 1 large orange
Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 with the rack in the center of the oven.  Spray or grease a 10-cup bundt pan well so the cake doesn’t stick!

In a large bowl, whisk eggs, then add sugar.  Keep whisking a few minutes.  Slowly add the oil and then the orange juice.

Combine the flour, vanilla pudding mix, and baking powder in a sifter and sift right on top of the liquid mixture.  Whisk until combined and then fold in the shredded coconut and orange zest.  Mix until there are no lumps.

Pour the batter into a well-greased bundt pan and tap to remove bubbles.  Bake for 30-35 minutes until a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean.  Cool 20 minutes in the pan on top of a rack, then gently rock the cake pan, and once it seems loose, invert onto the cake rack.  Cool completely before icing, or you can ice it the next day if you wrap the cake well overnight in foil.

Icing Instructions

Whisk together the powdered sugar and gradually add fresh orange juice until smooth.  I added less because it started to look too runny.   Keep the cake on a rack with something underneath to catch the drips (parchment paper or waxed paper or foil), and brush the icing evenly over the cake into the cracks and crevices…some of the glaze will drip onto the paper below.  Garnish with orange zest (press it in) and wrap well for up to five days.  When ready to serve, put it on a serving plate, slice it into a serving portion, and accompany it with fresh berries.

 

PS: I have had two requests for the recipe before posting it from people who tried my cake!

 

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Seeded Whole Wheat Bread

Posted on March 5, 2025 by Marilyn

Seeded Bread

I spotted this recipe written by Mark Beahm for seeded whole wheat bread a while ago and just got around to making it.  I was drawn to try this because it is fairly healthful, it has lots of crunchy seeds and it turns out I love it toasted with butter and jam or with peanut butter and jelly.  It cuts beautifully and keeps for a few days if you store it airtight.

I did change this around so I could work with what I had in the kitchen: the seed combo is mine, I only had sea salt, and I prefer avocado oil to olive oil in the bread.

 

Ready to eat!

Seeded Whole Wheat Bread

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Dough Ingredients
  • ½ cup (70g) mixed seeds, such as raw pumpkin, raw sunflower, and sesame
  • 2 ¾ cups (330g) whole wheat flour (I always use King Arthur white whole wheat)
  • 1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour 
  • 1 tablespoon (9g) sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon regular dry or instant yeast
  • 1 ¼ cups (300ml) warm water (105 to 115°F)
  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil, plus more for greasing the pan
  • 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
Topping Ingredients
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • ¼ cup (35g) raw mixed seeds, such as pumpkin, sesame and sunflower
Instructions

Toast the seeds for the bread: Preheat the oven (I use my toaster oven) to 350°F. Spread the ½  cup mixed seeds into a single layer on a baking sheet and toast in the preheated oven for 3-5 minutes, until fragrant and light brown. I actually put the seeds in when I turn the oven on, and once preheated, they are ready.  Set the seeds aside to cool a bit, or do this the day before you make the bread.

Mix the dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, toasted seeds (it’s okay if they’re still warm), salt, and yeast.

Add the wet ingredients: Pour in the combined water, oil, and honey. Mix with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together into a rough ball.

Knead the dough: Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead by hand for 10 minutes until smooth. At first, the dough will seem too sticky, but it will become more manageable as you knead it. Try not to add much flour. If the dough sticks to your hands or the countertop, let it be and reincorporate it into the dough once the dough loses some of its stickiness.

Full disclosure:  I used a dough hook on my stand mixture and kneaded it for six minutes.  Then I hand-kneeded it for a minute with maybe an additional teaspoon or two of flour.

First rise: Shape the dough into a taught ball. Grease a clean bowl with a thin layer of avocado oil and place the ball of dough in the bowl. Cover with a towel and leave it in a warm place to rise for about one hour or until roughly doubled in size.

Shape the dough: Grease an 8-inch loaf pan with oil and set aside. 

Lightly dust a clean work surface with a teaspoon or two of flour. Place the dough upside down on the surface so the smooth side is facing down. Gently press and stretch the dough to shape it into a square the same width as the bottom of the loaf pan. Roll the dough into a log and pinch the seam. Place the loaf in the greased pan.

Make an egg wash by beating an egg and one tablespoon of water in a small bowl with a fork. Brush the top of the loaf lightly with the egg wash. Sprinkle the top with 1/4 cup of untoasted mixed seeds.

Proof: Cover the pan loosely with greased saran wrap. Leave it in a warm place to rise for 30 minutes or until the dough reaches about one inch above the rim in an 8 1/4×4 1/2-inch pan. 

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F with the shelf mid oven

Bake the loaf in the hot oven until it’s golden brown, 40-50 minutes  If you have a digital thermometer, the loaf is done when the interior reaches 190°F.

After five minutes, run a knife around the edge of the pan, remove the loaf from the pan, and place it on a rack to cool. Let it cool completely before slicing.



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Lemony Chicken-Feta Meatball Soup With Spinach

Posted on February 19, 2025 by Marilyn

Click here to view recipe.

Lemony Chicken-Feta Meatball Soup

Soup is my best friend, especially in the cold winter months.  I have my usual nourishing soups: matzo ball, meat barley, and lentil to name a few. But when I spotted this in the New York Times this October (from Yasmin Fahr – Updated Oct. 24, 2024), I had to try it.

It’s very very easy and extremely good with a different flavor profile due to the dill, cumin, and turmeric.  I called my son Jake to suggest he make this for his kids and he informed me he has made this several times already.  I guess I am late to the party!

I made this more or less like the printed recipe from the New York Times.  A lot of people prefer orzo to oatmeal for the final thickening.  I went with oatmeal and it disintegrated and thickened the broth beautifully.  This was incredible for dinner and a couple of lunches too.

Lemony Chicken-Feta Meatball Soup With Spinach 

Yields 4 servings


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Ingredients
  • 1 pound ground chicken 
  • ½ cup crumbled feta
  •  ¾ cup old-fashioned rolled oats 
  • 1 small red onion, (½ diced, and ½ grated, then squeezed with a paper towel to remove excess liquid) 
  • ⅓ packed cup fresh dill leaves and fine stems, finely chopped 
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin 
  • ½ teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon ground turmeric
  • Sea salt and black pepper 
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil 
  • ½ (I use less) teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more for serving if your people like spicy
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth (I use Better Than Bouillon, regular type so I don’t add extra salt per the recipe) 
  • 2 medium peeled carrots, sliced thinly
  • 4 packed cups baby spinach (about 5 ounces)
  • 2 carrots, thinly sliced
  • 2 lemons (1 juiced and 1 cut into wedges for serving) 
Instructions

In a medium bowl, add the chicken, feta, ¼ cup oats, grated onion, most of the dill (reserve about 2 tablespoons for garnish), cumin, ½ teaspoon turmeric and 1 teaspoon salt. 

Gently combine without squeezing too hard or overworking the meat. Lightly wet your palms and shape the meat into small balls, a little smaller than the size of a golf ball, about 1½ inches. (You will have approximately 25 balls.)  I do this early in the day and put them on a small sheet pan in the fridge.

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or wide pot over medium until shimmering. Add the diced onion, season with salt, and cook until it begins to soften, about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Add the remaining one tablespoon of turmeric and the red pepper flakes, and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Push the onions to the sides as best you can, then add the meatballs. (They will be close together, and that’s OK.) Cook until browned on two sides, 5 to 7 minutes total.

Pour in the broth and remaining ½ cup oats, add the carrot slices then gently tilt the pot to the right and left to distribute the oats and broth without disturbing the meatballs. Bring to a gentle boil, then immediately reduce the heat to maintain an active simmer. Season with salt. Cook gently, stirring occasionally to ensure nothing is sticking to the bottom, until the oats have softened and the meatballs are cooked through, about 4 minutes more. 

Stir in the spinach and lemon juice until the spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes more. Adjust the seasoning to taste. Spoon into bowls and top with pepper and the remaining dill. Serve with lemon wedges. 

Serve any leftovers with a fresh squeeze of lemon juice to brighten the soup.

 

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Whole Cauliflower with Pesto

Posted on February 5, 2025 by Marilyn

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Cauliflower with Pesto

Our family has adopted this recipe for gatherings.  The first time I tasted or saw this preparation was a year ago when my daughter-in-law made it and brought it for a family “break the fast” meal.  I think she wanted something keto-friendly and vegetarian, and she made several heads of cauliflower, which disappeared rather quickly. This Thanksgiving, this was one of our side dishes and was loved by almost everyone.

The pesto coating can be made ahead and the roasting of the cauliflower heads is easy.  For Thanksgiving, we sprinkled the final dish with pomegranate seeds. Red and green? SO festive.  This would be an amazing Christmas dish, too.  

The original recipe, which is a little changed here, came from the New York Times Cooking section and was written by Susan Spungen.  I always read the comments for their recipes and agreed with the reviewers that you can swap out the kind of nuts, or the herbs if you are cilantro averse.

Whole Cauliflower with Pesto


Serves 4-6 (easily doubled or tripled for additional servings)

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Cauliflower Ingredients
  • 1 head cauliflower (about 1½ pounds)
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 small yellow onions, sliced ¼ inch thick lengthwise
  • ¾ teaspoon sea salt
  • Pinch of black pepper
Pesto Ingredients
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • ½ cup lightly packed cilantro and flat-leaf parsley leaves, plus more for garnish
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • ¼ cup raw shelled pistachios
  • 1 garlic clove, sliced
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • Pinch of black pepper
Garnish Ingredients (optional but recommended)
  • Pomegranate seeds
  • Fresh parsley and/or cilantro
Instructions

Make the cauliflower: Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat it to 400 degrees. Trim the cauliflower, ensuring the stem is cut flush with the head so it sits flat. Heat a 10-inch cast-iron or other heavy ovenproof skillet on the stove over medium heat. Add one tablespoon oil, the onions, and ¼ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, until translucent and turning golden on the edges, 7 to 10 minutes. Stir in ¾ cup water and remove from the heat.

Rub the cauliflower with the remaining tablespoon oil, then with the pepper and remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Clear the center of the skillet and place the cauliflower in it. Cover the pan tightly with foil and place in the center of the oven. Bake until a paring knife meets no resistance when inserted into the cauliflower, 20 to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the pesto: Reserve a bit of lemon zest for garnish. Place the rest in a food processor, along with the herbs, oil, pistachios, garlic, salt, and pepper. Pulse until well combined. (This can be done a day ahead of time.)

Turn the oven to up to 450 degrees on the regular setting or, if you have a convection option, 425 degrees. Uncover the cauliflower and baste with some of the pan juices. Cook, basting occasionally and adding ¼ cup of water to the pan if it threatens to dry out, until nicely browned, 20 to 30 minutes more. Spoon the pesto over top, sprinkle with reserved lemon zest and more herbs, and serve.

Note: for Thanksgiving, we made four heads of cauliflower and did all the roasting on a parchment lined, rimmed sheet pan.

 

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Cinnamon Steamed Plantains

Posted on January 22, 2025 by Marilyn

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Steamed Plantains

Plantains are grown in Central America and the Caribbean and are part of the diet throughout the regions.  You may have seen these in the tropical fruit section of your grocery store in the USA. Plantains resemble bananas, but they are bigger, thicker-skinned, starchier, and firmer.  They don’t peel like a banana and have to be cooked to be consumed. 

I have eaten many fried plantains in my life.  This November, I was visiting a friend in a small village near Antigua, Guatemala.  We went out for breakfast and I was served boiled plantains that were so good -I asked the mesero (waiter) how they were prepared.  Naturally, I went home and made them right away!  From now on, I’ll use this method because I adore sweet plantains but am not a huge fan of fried foods.  Central Americans serve plantains fried as part of a breakfast plate but for me, it screams dessert.

Plantains

Peeling plantains is tricky, so I refer you here (scroll to the part about how to peel a plantain). Buen provecho!

Cinnamon Steamed Plantains


Serves 2-3

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Ingredients
  • 2 plantains, somewhat ripe (speckled with some black –  like bananas.  Keep the skin on but cut into 2-inch segments)
  • 2 tsp of sugar
  • 1 cinnamon stick 
  • Water to reach 2 inches in a 3-quart saucepan
Instructions

In a 3-4 quart saucepan, boil water with sugar and the cinnamon stick until the sugar dissolves.  Add plantain segments and cover the pot, simmer for 15-30 minutes until the plantains are soft.  I test mine with a toothpick, which should slide into the center of a chunk of plantain easily. 

Remove the cinnamon stick and rinse and dry so it can be used again and again.

Remove the flavored water with the unpeeled plantain chunks and let them cool.  The plantain chunks need to be peeled before eating, but I serve them with a little of the liquid.

As a dessert, I drizzle a little honey on top or  add some coconut cream and chopped peanuts.  However, they are great AS IS. 

 

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Crunchy Chickpeas

Posted on January 5, 2025 by Marilyn

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Crunchy Chickpeas

Thanksgiving is probably the most hectic time for me in Seattle. I don’t mind –  it is my favorite American holiday and involves gathering with lots of family near and far.  Early during Thanksgiving week, I drove to my brother’s home nearby to bring the “Nancy’s Yams.” I often arrive at his cabin too close to our Thanksgiving dinner with time to bake the yams, and we just can’t have that.  

He shleps hundreds of pounds of food to the cabin ahead of time. So, I always bring him a little treat, something I have recently made.  This year I arrived with a container of my seeded crackers, which he loves.  His house smelled so good, the aroma of oil and cumin nearly floated out the front door.  He was making baked chickpeas and gave me some to take home.  Of course I asked for his recipe, which he promptly sent (the original is from Good Housekeeping Magazine).  

Be careful when making these so that they don’t burn.  I used my Breville toaster oven and they were delish.  If you want something fairly healthful and different, MAKE THESE!

Crunchy Chickpeas

Serves 5

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Ingredients
  • 1 can chickpeas (I used my freshly cooked chickpeas, about 2 cups)
  • 2 T extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 t salt
  • ½ t ground black pepper
  • 1 t coriander
  • 1 t cumin
Instructions

Drain the can of chickpeas and dry them with paper towels as much as possible.  Then mix the dry ingredients with the olive oil and toss with the chickpeas.  Roast on a parchment- or foil-lined cookie sheet in a preheated 425 degre3e oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until they look crispy.  Remove from oven and let cool.   I must admit, I almost burned them to get them to a crunchy stage for eating.



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Nancy’s Yams

Posted on December 18, 2024 by Marilyn

Every single Thanksgiving, I cook this recipe for Nancy’s Yams.  Nancy was my sister-in-law who died 23 years ago of colon cancer.  She was just 51 years old at the time, but it seems like yesterday and yet an eternity.  

Including this dish that she always made evokes memories of times spent together, family gatherings, and special occasions.  For me, it honors her memory and keeps her spirit alive every single Thanksgiving.  

We all miss Nancy.  She was one of a kind:  fearless, fun, a great athlete, a good sister and a wonderful aunt.  And she loved family get togethers as much as I do!

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Originally published November 21, 2012

Click here to view recipe.

Sweet & Savory Sweet Potatoes

Sweet & Savory Sweet Potatoes

As I wrote last year, Thanksgivings are major celebrations in our family. So much so that I wrote down copious notes after last year’s extravaganza so I could adequately describe the day’s events. That said, it’s difficult to bring to life last year’s Thanksgiving…but I shall try…

In attendance last year we added my East Coast sister, her husband, their three grown boys, one girlfriend and two new babies. This clan joined my brother Kal, my brother Tim and his kids, my husband and our children, their spouses, a significant other, and four grandchildren – for a total of 23. That’s a lot of mouths to feed. Not to mention the nursing babies … we brought six gallons of milk and came home with zero, folks.

The Entire Clan

Knowing how much food we needed to prepare, my brother Kal’s twin sister Katie came out the Monday of Thanksgiving week to help cook while my brother Kal was working. Operating on East Coast time, she was up at the crack of dawn at his house here in Seattle baking, chopping and organizing for the big day. We both decided it was best to have lots of side dishes for Thanksgiving – even more than in years past so that there would be lots of leftover food to have the following two days. Braised fennel with olives, two squash dishes, sweet potatoes, mashed new potatoes, coleslaw, two kinds of cranberries, two kinds of stuffing, Pan Asian green beans…so much food it wasn’t even funny.

As always, we had the best time ever. Kal made two fried turkeys, and this year he had the peanut oil ratio for the deep fryer down to a fine science. I used a lot of leftover carcass and meat for a tremendous pot of turkey soup as always, and that was our lunch on Friday. In addition we lay out and consumed a smorgasbord each morning for breakfast, and 15 pounds of salmon for Friday night. Thankfully my son Jake and his uncle Tim took over dinner that night, concocting a soy/ginger/garlic topping for the fish that was fantastic. Marinated asparagus and a spinach/apple/walnut salad with pomegranate dressing rounded out the meal. Of course we ended with our unbeatable Black Bottom pies, a family tradition. Layers of bittersweet chocolate, pillowy soft custard and whipping cream in a flaky pie crust…what’s not to love?

A plate FULL of food

Each Thanksgiving I include a sweet potato dish topped with a brown sugar/butter/pecan crust in memory of my late sister-in-law Nancy. This was always the item she brought to Thanksgiving and I would not dream of eliminating it from our list of foods. I do all the prep at home and just bring it ready to pop into the oven for an hour. The sweetness of the dish is a nice accompaniment to the many savory dishes on Thanksgiving, and there is never so much as a crumb left.

Nancy’s Candied Yams

Serves 12-15

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Ingredients for the yams:
  • 4 lb garnet yams, peeled, cut into 1 inch pieces, steamed until soft and mashed
  • ½ cup fresh orange juice
  • 1 T grated orange rind
  • 2 T brandy (use more Orange Juice if you don’t want to use brandy)
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 4 T melted butter
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 3 egg yolks
Ingredients for the topping
  • 2/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1 stick melted butter
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
Instructions:

Mix first list of ingredients and place into casserole (9 x 12 dish). Mix second list of ingredients and spread over yam mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

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Minestrone Soup (Take Two)

Posted on December 4, 2024 by Marilyn

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Delicious Minestrone

I first posted this over 12 years ago! It’s still a favorite, especially during these cooler months. Enjoy!

Minestrone Soup

Serves 8

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Ingredients
  • ½ medium yellow onion, peeled and diced ½ inch
  • 3 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small yellow zucchini, diced ½ inch
  • 2 large carrot, peeled and sliced ¼ inch
  • 1 small parsnip, peeled and sliced ¼ inch
  • 2 celery, sliced ½ inch
  • 1 cup cabbage, thinly sliced
  • ¼ cup fennel root, diced ¼ inch
  • 1 medium yukon gold potato, peeled and cubed ½ inch pieces
  • 1 ear corn, kernels cut from the cob
  • 8 cups chicken broth (or water)
  • 2 cups fresh spinach, chiffonaded
  • 1 Tbsp tomato paste
  • ½ cup frozen or fresh shelled peas
  • ½ cup orzo pasta uncooked
  • ½ cup cooked fresh beans if available, or canned beans (I often use garbanzo beans or white beans)
  • Parmigiano-Reggiano
Instructions

In a large, heavy pot, sauté onion until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the rest of the vegetables (except spinach, peas and beans) and sauté an additional 5 minutes.

Add broth or water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook 15 minutes.

Add spinach, tomato pasta, peas, pasta and beans.

Cook briefly until orzo is done. Serve with fresh grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese on top and some slivers of fresh basil (if it is summer).

A couple of cook’s notes:
  • I often add a bit of tomato paste to soups to deepen the flavor and so I buy a tube of tomato paste at the supermarket in lieu of a can. Napoleon makes a fairly generic version.
  • Sautéing the vegetables rather than just simmering them raw imparts a deep, sweet flavor.
  • Feel free to add vegetables such as green beans or parsnips when they are in season.
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