We've Done It!

As promised, our very own self-directed, self published cookbook has been born! The recipes are scrumptious and the pictures (if we do say so ourselves) are stunning. We couldn't be more pleased with the result of our excited efforts on this project. It took several days of shooting, creating all of these images from our own imaginations, changing a few recipes out and adding others, and one or two typos, and we are pleased to present "In Season; Winter Recipes".

Here are a few of the recipes that we thought you'd like, just to tease you into wanting a copy of your very own! Please let us know what you think!

p.s. In an earlier post we included several more images from this book. If you have a minute, check those out too!

We love stew but wanted a lighter alternative to traditional beef recipes. Our chicken stew is a crowd-pleaser that’s just as good the day after. Serve with our heavenly Sage Biscuits.

Chicken Stew

Makes 6 servings

Easy

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

8 ounces button mushrooms, cut in half

2 stalks celery, sliced

2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced

1 medium yellow onion, sliced

3 cups low sodium chicken broth

4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, cut into 2-inch pieces

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or 2 teaspoons parsley flakes

Salt and ground black pepper to taste

1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage (optional)

Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large saucepan over high heat. Add mushrooms, carrots, celery and onions and cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes. Stir in chicken broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in chicken, reduce heat, and simmer until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Stir in cream and parsley and cook just until hot. Remove from heat and stir in remaining butter. Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with sage and serve hot.

Tip: This recipe can be doubled or tripled if made in a stockpot.

Tip: Make this recipe a day ahead of time. Refrigerate in an airtight container. Reheat over medium heat until heated through.

Tip: Replace the breasts with chicken shredded from a whole roasted chicken.

Tip: Spoon leftover stew into a casserole dish and cover with prepared puff pastry for a quick chicken pot pie. Place in a casserole dish on a baking sheet (to catch any spills) and bake in a 350 degree F oven until pastry is golden brown.

Paella originated in Valencia, Spain. The name comes from the wide, flat-bottomed pan traditionally used to cooked paella. They are inexpensive and well worth the investment but a very large skillet will do. Recipes vary from region to region, town to town, family to family but they all have three ingredients in common: rice, tomatoes and saffron.

Seafood Paella

Makes 6-8 servings

Healthy

5 cups low sodium broth

1/2 teaspoon saffron threads

1/4 cup olive oil

1 large yellow onion, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups medium grain rice

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 pound small clams

1 pound mussels, beards removed

1/2 pound halibut or other thick white fish, cut into 1-inch pieces

4 medium tomatoes, diced

1/2 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

Lemon wedges for garnish

In a large saucepan, bring chicken broth and saffron to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and keep at a simmer.

In a large paella pan or very large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium high heat. Add onions and peppers and sauté for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium low, add garlic and continue cooking until garlic turns golden. Remove onion mixture from pan and set aside.

Add remaining olive oil to pan. Increase heat to medium high. Add rice, salt and pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until slightly golden, about 5 minutes. Pour broth over rice and stir in onion mixture. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until liquid is nearly absorbed, about 15 minutes.

Uncover pan and place shrimp, mussels, clams, monkfish, tomatoes, and parsley on top of rice. Cover and continue to cook an additional 10 minutes or until shrimp is cooked through. Garnish with lemon wedges before serving.

Tip: You can double this recipe if you make it in two paella pans or very large skillets.

Tip: In place of the clams and mussels use 1/2 pound of sliced pre-cooked spicy sausage.

Tip: In place of the halibut and shrimp use 1 pound of chicken breast cut into 2-inch pieces.