Fall Dinner Comfort Food

It is finally getting "cold" here. It's not really cold, but it's not hot anymore. Yesterday was especially nice. I had the doors open while I napped on the couch in the sun with Gunter and the breeze just had that particular fall smell to it. I can't define it, but as I lay there drifting images of hand knit sweaters, and tall boots, piles of leaves, pumpkins and canned pears floated through my mind. Strange imagery. After A. came home, Gunter and I went for a walk around the neighborhood. The sun was still shining and there was just the tiniest nip in the air. (Really, the tiniest...imperceptible really. I think I'm just so eager for fall that I feel it!) When I came home, I started reading Alice Water's The Art of Simple Food. It's nice, but a little too preachy for me. I love the slow food movement, and buying organic, but I just can't get into reading someone telling me I should and shouldn't be doing. I just want recipes and ideas. It did get me into the mood to cook though, and last night I made a nice chicken noodle soup and baked apples with caramel sauce and ice cream. It was heavenly.

Bean's Simple Fall Chicken Soup

1. one pot full of chicken broth
2. half an onion (diced)
3. one stalk of celery (diced)
4. one carrot (diced)
5. one sweet potato (diced)
6. one can of tomatoes, drained
7. handful of your favorite pasta
8. crushed red pepper
9. fresh or dried sage
10. fresh Italian parsley
11. cracked black pepper
12. salt
13. sugar

I made the broth ahead of time and froze it. I had roasted a chicken and after we had eaten it with a nice cabbage salad and roasted potatoes (and had chicken salad the next day, wrapped in lettuce leaves), I made my stock with the the bones and the little bit of meat that was left. I did an unusual stock, inspired by my favorite Vietnamese soup, pho.

For the broth:

put the chicken bones into a large heavy pot, add water to cover. Add to the pot:

1. a couple star anise (these are shaped like little stars and taste a little like licorice)
2. a few cloves
3. sliced garlic
4. slices of fresh ginger
5. one stalk of lemon grass
6. plenty of crushed red pepper
7. dried cilantro

Simmer all ingredients until you think the broth tastes good. Skim the nasty stuff off the top as you go along. After it's done and cooled, take out the bones and pick off any chicken meat. Pour the broth through a fine meshed sieve to get the bits and pieces out. You should now have a nice, relatively clear broth. Salt to taste and add meat.

I froze mine, and then defrosted it on the stove in the pot that I was cooking my soup in. That is why I had to cook my onions, carrots, and celery in a separate pan. But if you are using fresh stock, just begin with the veggies in your big pot.

For the Soup:

Begin by pouring a little bit of olive oil into the pot, cook onions, carrots and celery on medium to low heat until fragrant and onions are slightly translucent. Add stock, tomatoes and red pepper. Simmer for a bit and then add your sweet potato. Simmer until potato is tender. Meanwhile, cook pasta in separate pot until done (should still be slightly al dente). Drain and add to soup. Turn down the heat on the soup and add minced up sage and parsley. Taste broth. If it is lacking something, add a little bit of salt, taste again. Still not tasting mmm mmm good? Try adding a tiny bit of sugar.

Bean's Wonderful Marvelously Tasty Fall Baked Apples

1. Baking Apples (or any nice crispy apple you like)
2. Butter
3. Raisins
4. Cinnamon and Nutmeg
5. Pinch of Salt
6. Brown Sugar
7. A Dash of Lemon Juice
8. A Tiny Bit of Half and Half or Heavy Cream

Begin by coring the apples and peeling a strip of skin off from around the middle of the apple. Mix together raisins, sugar, salt, and spices. Fill the centers of the apples with the mixture. Set apples into a deep baking dish with a lid. Add a little bit of water to the dish, just enough to cover the bottom. Put a pat of butter on top of each apple. Bake in a 35o degree oven for 30 or so minute. When the apples are tender, remove to individual serving dishes. Drain baking dish into a small sauce pan, simmer on high until mixture has thickened, let cool and add a bit of cream. If the cream seperates, turn heat back on and whisk until smooth. Let cool and add a dash of lemon juice. Serve apples with vanilla ice cream with sauce drizzled over the top.