Sherrie's Sausage, Spinach and Polenta Soup

•  1 lb mild Italian Sauage (I use Johnsonville)
• 1 to 2 Tbs olive oil
• 1 sweet onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 3 cans (14.5oz) chicken broth
• 1/2 cup coarse, stone-ground yellow cornmeal
• About 2 to 3 cups spinach, coarsely chopped
• opt: 1 can Canellini beans, rinsed and drained
• Grated Parmesan for garnish

 In a dutch oven start sausage browning in the olive oil while you chop the onion and mince the garlic. Stir them into the sausage and continue cooking until they are tender.

 Add broth, then slowly whisk in cornmeal. Bring to a simmer, reduce to low and cook (uncovered) for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally and scraping bottom to prevent sticking.

 Stir in spinach and optional beans and continue cooking for another 5 minutes. Serve with grated Parmesan (the cheese is salty, so individual diners can adjust their own seasoning to taste).

Sherrie's Italian Pasta Salad

This salad can be served as a side with a meal, but is hearty enough to be a meal by itself--really good in Summer when it is hot and you don't feel like cooking. You can, of course, omit the meat for a vegetarian version.

1/2 pound dry fusilli or rotini pasta

1 six-oz can whole black olives, sliced

8 or 9 whole green Spanish olives, sliced

1/3 cup or so pickled banana pepper slices, chopped

8 to 10 marinated artichoke pieces, sliced to bite-size

about one cup diced summer sausage or salami

1/2 of a medium red onion, peeled and roughly chopped

(see notes for additional suggestions / ingredients)

Vinaigrette Dressing:

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup red-wine vinegar

2 teaspoons Italian seasonings

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

4 or 5 dashes of Red's Hot Sauce

3 or 4 squirts of bottled Italian dressing with aged Romano

Cook the pasta in a large pot of generously-salted water about one minute more than the package directs--for cold pasta salads you really don't want "al dente." Drain pasta and rinse under cold water until no longer hot. Drain.

While the pasta is cooking and draining, slice and chop the other ingredients and place them in a large container. Add all vinaigrette ingredients into a glass jar with lid, and shake to combine.

Add drained pasta to the bowl, pour vinaigrette over and stir to combine. Although this can be eaten right away, it is best to let it marinate in the refrigerator for a while to let the flavors meld. It will keep in the refrigerator for several days to a week.

Notes:

This recipe is flexible and can include more vegetables, meats, cheeses, etc. as desired. Including the tomatoes and/or broccoli add a nice punch of color to this salad. Other suggested ingredients:

• Broccoli florets, cut into small bite-sized pieces (add them to the boiling pasta during the last couple of minutes to cook, then rinse them with cool water along with the pasta)
• Grape tomatoes, halved (these can be added with the other ingredients when making the salad, but halved ones tend to look a little sad if not served soon, so I prefer to add them right before serving. Of course you can put them in the salad whole, but they're tricky to stab with a fork)
• Fresh mozzarella or other cheese, cut into bite sized pieces, or grated (not the dry powdered stuff!) Parmesan or Romano cheese stirred into the salad
• Pickled Italian vegetables (giardiniera), but NOT pickles

  

  Aunt Peggy's Baby Shower 1946
  (She's in the mddle, with Mom right behind her;
  this salad would go well at a party like this!)

Halibut Olympia

This is a very simple and tasty way to prepare Halibut, which can taste fairly bland otherwise. The final Panko-crumb and cheese mixture adds a nice crunch to the recipe.

Halibut Olympia

Four 6-oz Halibut fillets

3 tablespoons lemon juice 

Topping:

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup softened butter

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp white pepper

1/4 cup prepared mustard

(Dijon, champagne, stone ground or other interesting mustard)

3 Tbs chopped green onion (optional)

1/2 cup Italian-flavored* Panko crumbs

Additional 3 or 4 Tbs. grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter a 9x13 pan. Place halibut in pan, sprinkle with lemon juice. Bake for about 7 to 8 minutes until almost done (almost opaque, but not quite).

While fish is baking, mix topping ingredients in a small bowl, and mix Panko crumbs and additional Parmesan in a separate bowl.

Remove halibut from oven and spread with topping mixture, and sprinkle Panko-Parmesan mixture over topping. Return fish to oven for additional 4 to 5   minutes until the mixture on top started to bubble or brown slightly and the crumbs begin to brown.

*The Italian-flavored Panko crumbs are excellent, but if you don't have them the plain will work fine

December 1945: Mom, Gram & Gramps on the Right; Aunt Peggy back left

Sherrie's Tamale Pie

Sherrie's Version of Tamale Pie

Adapted from a Corpenny's Restaurant recipe, which was originally adapted from a Fannie Farmer cookbook. This version makes a very large batch of filling, which is enough for two 10-inch casseroles (and maybe a little bit more--I sometimes end up with one or two small extra individual casseroles that may only have the cornmeal mixture on top).

3 pounds Jimmy Dean Original Flavor sausage (the big Costco "chub")

Salt & Pepper to taste

Bro loved to fish!

1-1/2 cup diced mild onion

1 diced red bell pepper

3/4 cup diced celery

4 to 6 cloves garlic, minced

(I usually just use the stuff in a jar)

2 14-oz can petite-diced tomatoes

(I prefer S&W with onions & garlic)

2 small cans diced green chiles

about 1 cup black olives, sliced

3 Tbs chili powder

1 Tb ground cumin

6 Tbs butter (3/4 stick)

2-1/4 cups cornmeal

3 tsp salt

2-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (divided)

2-1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (divided)

Optional Accompaniments: Salsa, Sour Cream, Guacamole

Crumble the sausage into a large Dutch oven, seasoning with salt & pepper. Brown over medium-high heat, stirring frequently.  When the sausage is almost browned, add the onion, red bell peppers, celery,  and garlic.  Continue cooking until the vegetables are tender, about 10 - 12 minutes.

While the sausage and vegetables are cooking, place the tomatoes, diced green chiles and olives in a large colander to drain.  When the vegetables are tender, pour the sausage mixture over the tomatoes in the colander and drain (if your colander isn't large enough, put the drained, canned vegetables into a separate bowl, then drain the meat & vegetable mixture). Return the mixture to the Dutch oven and add the chili powder and cumin.  Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 to 30 minutes.  The mixture can be cooled and refrigerated or frozen at this point, if assembling casserole(s) later.

To make the cornmeal mixture: bring 6 cups of water and the butter to a boil in a large, deep saucepan.  Meanwhile, stir together 3 cups cold water, 2-1/4 cups cornmeal and 3 tsp salt.  When the water-butter mixture has come to a boil, slowly stir in the cold water-cornmeal mixture.  Return to a boil, stirring constantly, then reduce the heat to as low as possible; cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

Lightly grease a two 10-inch inch baking pans.  Spread about 1/4 of the corneal mixture in each pan.  Refrigerate for about 10 minutes to cool and slightly firm. Spread the sausage mixture evenly over the cornmeal layer, making sure to spread to the corners.  Top with half of the cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese (or you may, especially with pre-made, cooled filling, mix the cheeses into the filling).  Spread remaining cornmeal mixture over the cheese and top with the remaining cheeses. 

Bake at 350° F for 1 hour or until heated through and golden brown on top.  Serve with Salsa, Sour Cream and Guacamole, if desired.

NOTE: Since this makes two casseroles, you can freeze half the filling to make another casserole at a later date and adjust the cornmeal layer ingredients and cheese appropriately.

Sherrie's Taco Soup

Sherrie's Taco Soup

1 or 2 Tbs olive oil

1 lb Johnsonville Chorizo Sausage

Salt & Pepper, to taste

1 large sweet onion (usually Maui or Vidalia), chopped

2 Tbs garlic, finely minced (I usually just use the jarred stuff)

1 can (6 oz) tomato paste

1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce

1 can (14.5 oz) petite-cut tomatoes

2 cans (14.5 oz) low-sodium chicken broth

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can corn, drained *

Tortilla Chips

Sour Cream

Me & Bro

This recipe makes quite a bit, so you’ll need to use a Dutch oven or a very large saucepan. Brown the sausage in the olive oil over medium-high heat, seasoning with salt & pepper. Add the chopped onions and sauté for 5 or 6 minutes, add the  garlic and sauté for another 2 or 3 minutes.

Add all the canned ingredients and bring to a boil; lower heat and simmer for 10 - 15  minutes. Serve with tortilla chips and sour cream.

* You can, of course use fresh or frozen corn kernels.

Sausage and Cabbage Casserole

Mom didn't like cooked cabbage, but I really enjoy
this casserole, especially on a cold winter's day.

Rick and Terri during a rare
snowfall on the Peninsula

Sausage and Cabbage Casserole

1 large Savoy cabbage (about 2 pounds)

1 pound sweet or mild Italian pork sausage

2 Tbs butter, cut into small pieces

(plus more for buttering casserole)

Salt and Freshly ground black pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Lightly butter a deep 2-1/2 quart casserole dish (preferably glass, with a lid). Cut cabbage in half and slice off of core, then chop slices roughly. Discard core.

Turn oven to 300°F. Place cabbage in boiling water, cover, and let water come back to the boil. Uncover and boil for 3 minutes. Drain cabbage in a colander and run cold water over it to stop cooking.

Put about 1/3 of the cabbage in buttered dish and cover with 1/2 the meat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and dot with half the butter. Repeat, ending with a final layer of cabbage. Press layers together gently, and dot top with remaining butter.

Cover* dish and bake for 2-1/2 hours total, uncovering for the 30 minutes (If there is not much moisture in the bottom of the casserole after two hours, only leave uncovered for the last 15 minutes).

*If you do not have a covered casserole dish, cover dish tightly with foil, but try to avoid having the foil touch the top layer.

Bacon Mushroom and Parmesan Pasta

This recipe is pretty flexible on the quantity and type of some of the ingredients. The first time I made this for my brother was in the fall when the wild mushrooms are plentiful in the Northwest; I used some Matsutaki and "Green and Orange" (we're not sure what their real name is, that's just what Grandma called them) he'

Grandma Irene

d foraged, but if you don't have access to wild mushrooms Cremini would be fine too. Since he prefers Fideo, or "cut" spaghetti and we didn't have any, I just broke up Angel Hair pasta (I'm impatient--who has 7 minutes, when you can cook it in 4 minutes?). However, this recipe would be good with most any type of pasta.

5 - 6 slices Bacon

2 - 3 cloves garlic, minced (or use jarred)

1-1/2 to 2 cup sliced and/or chopped mushrooms

Pasta of your choice

Salt and pepper

about 3/4 cup Heavy cream

about 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Start large pot of water to boil for pasta. In a large skillet fry the bacon until desired crispness (strips to be crumbled after frying, or chop it first--up to you).

Meanwhile, add salt to boiling water and start cooking your preferred pasta--this recipe comes together rather quickly, so try to time it so the pasta is cooked correctly by the time the remainder of the recipe is done.

Remove bacon to drain on paper towels and pour off some of the bacon grease if you feel there is too much. Add mushrooms to skillet, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper. Cook until browned and excess moisture has cooked off. Add garlic during last few minutes, so it won't burn.

Push mushroom and garlic mixture to the edges of the skillet and pour heavy cream into center. Stir cream as it warms and add the grated cheese to incorporate into a sauce, add the crumbled bacon, stirring together with the mushrooms and sauce. Drain and add pasta, reserving a little of the cooking water which you can add to the mixture to thin the sauce somewhat--the starch in the water also helps the sauce cling to the pasta.

Season to taste with additional salt, pepper and grated Parmesan. Makes 2 or 3 servings.

Savory Chicken-Mushrom Crepes

Savory Chicken-Mushroom Crepes
(aka "Frenchiladas")

Normally I use the breast meat from rotisserie chicken to make chicken salad for sandwiches, but one day I decided to go all wild and crazy and came up with this idea instead. (Of course, if you don't want to make crepes, my brother says the filling is great in tacos.)

Filling:

Cousin Terri and Aunt Peggy
In San Francisco

1 large shallot, peeled, sliced and chopped

10 cremini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced (or use jarred)

5 Tbs butter (divided)

2 Tbs flour

3/4 to 1 cup chicken broth (or a combination of broth and white wine)

breast meat from one rotisserie chicken, chopped (about 2 to 2-1/2 cups)

1/4 cup oil-packed sun dried tomatoes (blotted to remove excess oil)

1 tsp seasoning blend*

optional: 
Sour Cream and/or Avocado to serve

Melt 3 Tbs butter in 12-inch skillet over medium heat; add shallots and mushrooms and sauté until tender; add garlic during last minute or so of cooking, then move vegetables to edges of pan and add 2 Tbs of butter to melt. Stir flour into melted butter, combining with vegetables. Cook several minutes, then add broth (and wine, if desired) and stir until sauce thickens. Add chicken, sun-dried tomatoes and seasoning and stir to combine. Simmer until chicken is heated. Note: filling can be made ahead of time and reheated to fill crepes.

Place about 1/4 to 1/3 cup of filling on the lower half of each crepe. Fold the bottom part of the crepe over the filling, then fold in sides and roll up to enclose the filling.

*Note: The seasoning blend I use contains salt, onion powder, paprika, garlic granules, cayenne pepper, ground black pepper, sage, thyme, oregano and cumin.

Basic Crepes:

3 eggs

1-1/2 cups whole milk, divided

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus whole butter for cooking crepes

Whisk the eggs and 1/2 cup milk together in a large bowl; add flour and salt and whisk until you have a smooth batter. Add the remaining cup of milk and gently whisk to combine. Cover the bowl and refrigerator the batter for at least 30 minutes or up to several hours. When you are ready to cook the crepes, melt 3 Tbs of butter and whisk into the batter. Batter should be the consistency of heavy cream--if it is too thick add a small amount of milk.

Heat a 9-inch non-stick skillet or crepe pan over medium heat. Melt a teaspoon of butter in the pan or spray with vegetable spray. The pan should be hot enough that a drop of water dances across the surface.

Using a ladle or a measuring cup, pour about 1/4 to 1/3 cup of the batter into the pan, swirling the pan while pouring so the batter covers the pan thinly and evenly for each crepe and trying no to leave any holes. Pour off any excess batter.

Cook the crepe over medium-high heat until the edges turn brown, about 15 to 20 seconds. Gently flip the crepe using a small spatula and your fingers. Cook on the second side for another 10 to 15 seconds--the second side will not be as evenly browned as the first side. Remove the pan from the heat and invert it over a warm plate to stack the crepes. Keep warm in a low oven while cooking the remaining batter.

If not using all crepes immediately, place waxed paper between each crepe, wrap in plastic wrap or place in a resealable plastic bag and refrigerate for up to two days. Crepes can be reheated (uncovered) in a 250° F for 15 minutes or until warm.

EZ Beef Stew version 2.5

Family vacation in Lincoln City
(this guy was Rick's stand-in)

 The new and improved version. My brother likes the meat more than the vegetables (naturally!) so I increased the beef and slightly decreased the potatoes. To pump up the flavor even more, I also added some Campbell's French Onion Soup and some minced garlic.

2-1/2 pounds beef, cubed

(I used boneless beef strips--believe they're from what is known as the "rump roast" section, but I've also had good luck with cross rib roast)

2 - 3 Tbs oil

2 onions, chopped (I usually use Maui or Vidalia)

2 stalks celery, sliced

2 Parsnips, peeled and chopped into about 3/4-inch pieces

5 medium carrots, peeled and cut into about 3/4-inch pieces

   (or you can substitute a similar amount of the ready-to-eat “baby” carrots)

1-1/2 to 2 russet potatoes, peeled and chopped into about 3/4-inch pieces

one 14-1/2 oz can petite-diced tomatoes

about 20 oz beef broth (about 1-1/2 cans)

about 3/4 of one can French Onion Soup

3 or 4 Tbs red wine (optional)

2 or 3 minced garlic cloves

3 to 4 Tbs Minute Tapioca

1 tsp sugar

2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground pepper

1/2 tsp Italian seasoning blend (or you can use a little Oregano & Thyme)

2 Tbs chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 325° F. Peel and chop the vegetables; reserve a little less than half of the onions. Place the remaining vegetables and onions in a large bowl and mix. Cube the beef. Heat oil in large dutch oven and brown in oil in batches. Remove to separate bowl. Place reserved onions in bottom of dutch oven, top with beef, then cover with the remaining chopped vegetables and onions.

Combine the tomatoes, broth, onion soup, garlic, tapioca, sugar, spices and herbs and pour over the vegetables and beef. Mix it just slightly (mainly the top vegetable part). Cover and cook for 3-1/4 hours—do NOT peek!

Sherrie's Meatloaf

Rick's first birthday
(he's slightly less messy these days!)

My brother Rick loves this meatloaf--this is the recipe we used to "inaugurate" his new stove.


8 ounces canned diced tomatoes with juice 

(I use S&W petite cut with roasted onion & garlic)

1 egg

1-1/4 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 cup uncooked oats

1/2 cup minced onion

1 pound ground beef (I usually use 80%/20%)

Topping:

1/3 cup ketchup

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon prepared mustard

Line a 9x5 loaf pan with plastic wrap. Sauté the onions slightly to eliminate the "raw" flavor. While they are cooking mix the tomatoes, egg, salt, pepper and onions into a "slurry" in a large bowl. Stir in the onions. Gently mix in the ground beef, using your hands. Press (don't pack!) the mixture into the loaf pan. Refrigerate for at least an hour—this lets the oats absorb the liquid.

Preheat oven to 375° F. Line a small pan (such as a broiler pan) with foil and invert the meatloaf onto it. Mix topping ingredients together and spread over meatloaf.  Bake about 55 to 60 minutes.

NOTES: I normally buy the beef they grind "in-store" because the meat in the "tubes" seems a little too compacted for me, plus I like to see what I'm getting. I also sometimes buy a little more than one pound (more beef!). Since the canned tomatoes are in a 15-oz can, if I make two meatloaves I usually just use the one can and add a spoonful or so of salsa to bring it up to 16 oz. If I only make one loaf I sometimes cook the remaining tomatoes with a little brown sugar and vinegar and make a sauce to serve on the side.

Easter Pâté

Mom made cute cakes for my birthdays!

When I was about 11 years old I was tasked with preparing Easter dinner for my family because my Mom worked. I cranked the oven up to 500° F to preheat while I lined the the roasting pan with foil. I put the ham in the oven and started whipping the cream to frost a cake Mom had baked. 

I poured the pint of cream into a bowl, and then I dumped a one-pound box of powdered sugar into the bowl and started beating the cream. Apparently I'd never really paid attention when Mom had whipped cream, because I thought this one-to-one ratio was correct. After running the beaters on high for about 5 minutes the cream was still not achieving the correct texture, so I added MORE sugar and continued beating. After another five minutes chunks of butter began floating around. That's when I smelled the ham burning. When I opened the oven door I found the ham completely charred on the outside. I can't remember for sure, but I think I started crying about then. I turned the oven down to a normal temperature and gave up on the churned cream. 

How did our Easter dinner turn out? Well, after removing the charred fatty layer from the outside, that was the juiciest and most succulent ham EVER, and Mom made some quite nice buttercream frosting for the cake. So it all ended well.

This recipe is good as a sandwich spread (especially if your ham is a little dry) and uses up some of those boiled Easter eggs. It is also good on crackers. You can substitute leftover beef roast for this recipe to make a sandwich spread.

Easter Pâté

3/4 to 1 cup ham, cut into chunks

2 or 3 hard boiled eggs, peeled

2 or 3 small sweet pickles (or use relish)

2 or 3 Tbs (or squirts) of prepared mustard (I use stone ground)

Enough Mayo to moisten the mixture
Salt, Pepper, Paprika, Dill Weed to taste

Place ham, eggs and pickles in food processor and pulse until very finely minced. Add mustard and mayonnaise and mix to combine. 

Turkey Croquettes

Aunt Peggy & Mom
ca. 1938 Oysterville, Washington

These croquettes are a good way to use up the Thanksgiving leftovers when you're tired of sandwiches.

Turkey Croquettes

4 Tbs butter

1 medium onion, finely diced

1-1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 to 1 tsp Poultry seasoning

(if available you can use abt 2 total tsp fresh herbs

such as sage, rosemary, thyme)

1 clove finely minced garlic

2 cups finely chopped cooked turkey

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 cup mashed potatoes

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 large egg, lightly beaten

2 cups finely ground fresh breadcrumbs

Oil for frying*

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until limp, approximately 3 minutes. Stir in salt, pepper, seasonings and garlic and cook for another minute. Stir in turkey and cream, and cook until liquid is reduced, another 1 or 2 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl, and let cool for 15 to 20 minutes. Add potatoes, flour, and egg to turkey mixture, and stir to combine thoroughly.

Place breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl. Drop rounded tablespoonfuls of the  turkey mixture into crumbs and turn to coat completely, flattening mixture into 2-inch patties. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet, and refrigerate for at least 10 minutes to set.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook croquettes in a single layer until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Keep warm in oven while frying remaining croquettes. Serve immediately with cranberry sauce. Makes about 20.

*for added flavor you can use a mixture of melted butter and oil for frying.

EZ Beef Stew

My Dad and me, about 1953

This stew is fairly easy because you don't have to brown the meat first (but I usually do because I think it enhances the flavor just a bit!), and once you've got everything into the oven all you have to do is wait. Waiting patiently may not be easy during the last hour or so when your kitchen fills with the delicious aroma of the stew. The parsnips add a hint of sweetness--of course if you don't like parsnips you should add another potato.

EZ Beef Stew

2 pounds beef stew meat, cubed

2 onions, chopped (I usually use Maui or Vidalia)

2 stalks celery, sliced

2 Parsnips, peeled and chopped

6 medium carrots, peeled and cut into about 1-inch pieces

   (or you can use a large bag of ready-to-eat “baby” carrots)

2 lg baking potatoes, peeled and chopped into about 1-1/2 inch pieces

one 14-1/2 oz can petite-diced tomatoes

2-1/2 cups beef broth (abt one and a half 14-1/2 oz cans) 

3 or 4 Tbs red wine (optional)

3 Tbs Minute Tapioca

1 tsp sugar

2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground pepper

1/2 tsp Italian seasoning blend

2 Tbs chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 325° F. Scatter about 1/3 of the chopped onions in the bottom of a Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid. Place the raw beef* on top of the onions (do not brown the meat), then cover with the remaining onions and chopped vegetables.

Combine the tomatoes, broth, Tapioca, sugar, spices and herbs and pour over the vegetables and beef. Do not stir. Cover and cook for 3 hours—do NOT peek!

* If you prefer you can sear the meat first--it usually has to be done in 2 batches--then remove and layer as described above.

Incredibly Easy Baked Chicken

This recipe is so simple, but the chicken turns out tasty and moist. Even better, the preparation time is ridiculously quick—about 5 minutes tops! As you can see, there is no quantity shown for the seasoning ingredients, it just depends on the how much chicken you’re baking.

Incredibly Easy Baked Chicken

Chicken (quarters or pieces--whichever you prefer)
Garlic powder
Salt
Other seasonings, if desired
Brown sugar

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a pan with foil (you don’t have to, but it makes cleanup easier), and lightly grease the foil. Place chicken pieces on the foil. Generously season with garlic powder, and sprinkle with salt. If you want to get fancy, you can add other seasonings such as turmeric, paprika, dried lemon peel, etc. Sprinkle pieces with brown sugar. Place in oven and bake. Check after approximately 40 minutes, and cover with foil if chicken appears too dry.

Approximate total baking time:

Whole wings and/or drumsticks: 50 minutes

Thighs or thigh/drumstick quarters: 55 to 60 minutes

Breasts or breast/wing quarters: 60 to 65 minutes

My niece Treeva, with unknown friend, ca 1982

Sausage and Hash Brown Casserole

This is good for breakfast but also makes a great dinner casserole. For dinner I usually add some chopped broccoli florets with the hash brown mixture, and serve with a green salad.

Sausage and Hash Brown Casserole

1 pound pork sausage

16 oz frozen hash browns, thawed

   (I use Shreds O'Brien which includes chopped red and green bell peppers)

about 3/4 of a can (10-3/4 oz) cream of mushroom soup *

1 cup sour cream

3/4 cup chopped onion

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

1-1/2 cups (about 8 oz) cheddar cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350° F. and lightly grease a 2-quart casserole. Brown sausage over medium heat until no longer pink. While sausage is browning place hash browns in a large bowl (thaw in microwave on low power, if necessary). Add soup, sour cream, onion, salt, pepper and about 3/4 cup shredded cheese. Mix to combine, then place half of mixture in casserole dish, spread browned sausage in middle and top with the remaining potato mixture. Spread reserved cheese over the top. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes; uncover an bake 10 minutes longer. Makes about 6 servings.

Grandma, Rick & Terri, Nahcotta, WA ca 1951

Lasagna Soup

Fall is the season of comfort food--warm, hearty fare to keep out the chill and help prepare you for Winter hibernation. This soup fits the bill and is pretty healthy too (Not counting the sausage!). The original recipe was in the December, 2005 issue of Cuisine At Home magazine, but I've modified it a bit to suit myself . The recipe can be made to suit both gluten-free and lactose-free diets.

Lasagna Soup

1 or 2 Tbs olive oil
1 lb Sweet Italian Sausage
Salt & Pepper, to taste
Dried Italian seasoning, to taste
1 large sweet onion (usually Maui or Vidalia), chopped
2 medium carrots, shredded
2 cups mushrooms, sliced (I prefer Cremini)
2 Tbs garlic, finely minced (I usually just use the jarred stuff)
1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1 can (14.5 oz) petite-cut tomatoes
2 cans (14.5 oz) low-sodium chicken broth *
1 cup mini-farfalle or campanelle pasta (optional: omit if you want gluten-free)
2 cups fresh spinach, chopped (preferably baby spinach)
Optional: diced mozzarella and/or Parmesan cheese

This recipe makes almost a gallon of soup, so you'll need to use a Dutch oven or a very large saucepan. Brown the sausage in the olive oil over medium-high heat, seasoning with salt, pepper and dried Italian seasoning. Add the onions and carrots and continue to sauté for 3 or 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms and garlic and sauté for another 3 or 4 minutes.

Add all the canned ingredients and bring to a boil. Add pasta (if using), lower heat and simmer for about 10 minutes (or amount of time required to cook pasta almost al dente, per package directions). Stir in spinach and cook until wilted, about 1 or 2 minutes.

The original recipe says to ladle the soup over 1/4 cup of cubed mozzarella to give the soup that "gooey cheese element" of lasagna and further garnishes the top with grated Parmesan. I find stringy cheese in my soup unpleasant, so I leave it out—this is also a good idea for those who are lactose-intolerant. This is not a soup to be served with crushed crackers—I usually serve it with toasted slices of a crusty sourdough bread for dunking, or if I don't have any of that I top it with croutons.

*Note: leftovers are great, but if you have them and need to reheat the soup you should add some additional chicken broth, as the soup seems to get thicker when refrigerated.

Hijinks at Roads End, Lincoln City, Feb 1998
Cousin Terri, Mom, Aunt Peggy & Uncle Lee

Smoked Cheddar and Bacon Quiche

I adapted a classic Quiche Lorraine recipe to use the smoked cheddar cheese I had on hand. My brother Rick used the old "Real Men don't eat quiche" line, but then went ahead and had two pieces. Of course "Real Men" probably don't care what other people think about them, so can have all the quiche they want!

Rick with a Real Sturgeon

Smoked Cheddar and Bacon Quiche

8 to 10 slices bacon, cooked and coarsely crumbled

1-1/2 cups grated smoked cheddar cheese
  (of course I use Tillamook cheese!)

10 inch unbaked pie shell
  (I use a thawed Marie Callender’s ready-made)

Softened butter

4 eggs

Scant 2 cups cream (can substitute some milk)

3/4 tsp salt

Pinch of each: sugar, nutmeg, paprika, pepper

In a medium bowl beat together the eggs, cream and seasonings.

Sprinkle bacon over bottom of pie shell. Cover with the cheese and pour egg mixture over all.

Bake at 425° F. for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 325° F and bake until custard is set, about 30 to 40 minutes longer.

Bacon, Leek and White Cheddar version: Same as above, but saute use only 5 slices of bacon, then saute cleaned and sliced leek half-moons in bacon grease until softened. Place about half the grated medium white cheddar cheese in the bottom of the pie crust, cover evenly with the bacon and leeks, then top with the remaining cheese and pour the cream mixture over and bake.

Slug Pie (aka Earthworm Casserole)



Treeva and Teena with friend Tarry Ray
near Willapa Bay, Nahcotta, WA



Actually this is just a Tuna Melt, but when my nieces were young and I fixed them lunch I'd ask "What would you like, Slug Pie or Earthworm Casserole?" (I also told them they'd never really met their "true" Aunt Sherrie, that I was from the planet Zeckarahr and we'd done a "cultural exchange" many years ago ... of course that was true.)

Tuna Melt

1 can good-quality tuna, drained (preferably solid, water-pack)*

1 celery stalk, diced

Salt, Pepper and/or Seafood Seasoning

Mayonnaise

English Muffins, split, toasted and lightly buttered

Medium Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese

Mix Tuna, celery, seasonings and Mayonnaise. Spread on English Muffin halves and top with slices of cheese. Place on foil-lined pan under broiler (or in toaster oven set to broil) until heated through and cheese is bubbly. One can usually makes enough for 6 muffin halves.

*To make a "deluxe" Slug Pie, use canned Salmon