They’re Back! Black Fly Season & Grilled Mustard Pork Chops

I’m in denial. As I tap away at the keyboard I am listening to Vivaldi’s Spring. Everyone who lives in northern New England knows there is no such thing as spring. Our calendar is divided into five not four seasons … and spring is not one of them.

After a very long winter we make a glacially slow transition to Mud Season. As the temperatures warm, country roads are turned into carnival rides of frost heaves and pot holes. Each year a few more dirt roads are paved but those that are left become mired in mud and ruts. Mud Season usually has a few winter-like flashbacks. In other words, it snows on our daffodils, at least once if not twice.

But Mud Season does offer up a few lovely surprises. Within hours of a soggy blizzard the sun comes out and the temperature soars to 70 even 80 degrees. The sun shines, everyone smiles and for the first time in a long time you get to enjoy a cup of coffee outside on the terrace.

The next day the sun is still shining. With joy in your heart and a bright smile on your face, you head out to garden or for a long walk around the lake. Within a few steps of your backdoor, a small but ardent swarm starts to buzz around your head. Mud Season is over and has given way to Black Fly Season.

Learned scientists offer the following information and advice on black flies:

Black flies sort of ease into the day.You rarely see them out in full force before 9:00. They stretch, have a bite or two and buzz around for a couple of hours. By the time the sun is high in the sky they’re ready for a siesta. Gardening, dog walking and window washing should be scheduled first thing in the morning
or in the early afternoon. Even if it’s balmy with a brilliant blue sky, midmorning coffee breaks should be taken inside until further notice.

After their nap black flies return in full force around 4:00 to buzz and bother until the sun goes down. Afternoon softball, lacrosse and soccer practices should be held indoors. Before you let the kids take over the living room, don’t forget to store breakable heirlooms in a safe place.

However, If you must go out when black flies are at their hungriest and swarmiest:

Mosquito repellents are effective against black flies. Unfortunately some people are sensitive to pesticides, especially those applied directly to their fragile selves. If skin reactions, eye irritation, slurred speech, confusion or seizures occur, it’s best to discontinue use.

On the other hand, you can trick black flies with some clever wardrobe changes. Since they tend to flock to basic black and other dark colors, stick to light and bright spring pastels when you are out and about. And don’t forget to tuck in your shirt tail. Your mom will be happy and it will keep the black flies away from your tender tummy. Button those buttons up to your chin, secure your cuffs and tuck your trousers inside your socks. Complete this eye catching look with a shoulder-length head net. The black flies will laugh so hard they’ll forget to bite you.

Stay safe and bon appétit!

Grilled Mustard Pork Chops
Even if I have to wear a head net, warm weather is calling me to cook outside. It’s time to marinate a few pork chops and get the grill going. Enjoy!
Serves 4

Marinade
1 cup dry white wine
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
1 teaspoon or to taste hot sauce
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 small onion roughly chopped
1 clove garlic
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary or 1/2 teaspoon dried
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

4 pork chops

Put the marinade ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Put the pork chops and marinade in a zip lock bag, seal the bag squeezing out the excess air. Marinate, turning the bag a few times, for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Prepare a charcoal or gas grill. Fire should be medium hot.

Remove the pork from the bag and shake off excess marinade. Sear the pork by grilling both sides on medium-high heat for about 2 minutes each. Reduce the heat to low and continue cooking, turning a few times until the pork registers an internal temperature of 145 degrees, about 8-10 minutes.

Transfer to a platter and let stand for 10 minutes, loosely covered in foil.

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One Year Ago – Black & White Brownies
Two Years Ago – Linguine with Artichokes

What’s cooking on your grill? I’d love to hear from you! Let’s get a conversation going. To make a comment, just click on Comments below. I’d be delighted to add you to the growing list of blog subscribers. To subscribe: just scroll back up, fill in your email address and click on the Sign Me Up button. You’ll get an email asking you to confirm your subscription … confirm and you will automatically receive a new story and recipe every week.

Want more? Click here for lots more to read, see & cook! In addition, I hope that you will take a minute to learn about my philanthropic project Eat Well-Do Good. ©Susan W. Nye, 2011

The Perfect Mom & Honeyed Apricots with Creamy Yogurt

Writing this blog and sharing some of the tales told around my table is a lot of fun. I especially like reflecting back and sharing childhood adventures. My friend Thea calls mine an idyllic childhood. She is sure I grew up in the perfect family. Except for the lifelong trauma and drama of being a middle child, she’s right.

I admit from time to time I hesitate before sharing. A few tales have been left unwritten, even ones that make me laugh out loud or at least grin from ear to ear. Why the hesitation? I can assure you, mine is not a devious past. Well nothing underhanded enough to call out a SWAT team and bloodhounds. There are no scandalous secrets that would get my dad booted out of the golf club or put my mom on the cover of a supermarket tabloid. I have no startling revelations that would destroy careers or fuel a million dollar law suit. My friends, family and I may think ourselves daring, dashing and absolutely fascinating but (sigh) we are a pretty ordinary (although never dull) bunch.

Still from time to time, my fingers hesitate above the keyboard. I fret and worry that someone will mutter or even shout, “What were they thinking?!?” They of course would be my parents. And by parents, the critics would really mean my mother because when it comes to raising children the buck stops with mom. Or at least it did when I was a kid.

So what did Mom do that could warrant a horrified look or whispered criticism? Did she let us skip school, eat ice cream for breakfast and run around with scissors? Of course not! I was just lucky enough to grow up before back-to-back playdates and practices became the norm for ten year olds.

Compared to an average kid today, my childhood was the epitome of slap dash spontaneity. And thank goodness for that. Admittedly, Mom insisted we learn to swim and made a few intermittent, halfhearted attempts at tennis lessons but she never scheduled us from morning to night. Especially in the summer we had lots of time to dream and explore, to find and create our own fun.

On foot or by bike, my friends and I did a fair amount of rambling and roving. We played kick-the-can and hide-and-seek. When we got bored we wandered into the woods to explore and see what we could find. We never got so lost that we couldn’t find our way home. We took a few tumbles and skinned a few elbows and knees. My brother fell in the pond at least once but one of the bigger kids yanked him out. At the end of the day we’d wander home, sometimes a little wet or muddy or covered in poison ivy.

The family dogs Penny and Eeyore usually came along on our escapades. I suppose if anything had gone terribly wrong one of them could have raced home for help. The dogs watched Lassie with us on Sunday nights so they knew just what to do.

Times have changed but as I remember it, Mom was the perfect mother. And my memory, while selective, is so good it is frightening. Besides it’s my fingers on the keyboard; it’s my story and I’m sticking to it. Mom gave my sister, brother and me lots of room to grow and be our best selves. By luck or by design, she managed to raise three very different, never dull kids.

Happy Day Mom and bon appétit!

Honeyed Apricots with Creamy Yogurt
A perfect springtime dessert! Whether it’s brunch, lunch or dinner, sweet and creamy yogurt will make a great addition to your Mothers’ Day feast! Enjoy!
Serves 6

32 ounces nonfat yogurt
1/4 cup (or to taste) honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon Marsala
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch nutmeg
Juice of 1/2 orange
Grated zest orange of 1/2 orange
1/2 cup tiny chocolate chips (optional)
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts for garnish

Put the yogurt in a colander or sieve lined with a clean dishtowel or coffee filter; let drain for at least 2-3 hours. While the yogurt is draining, prepare the apricots.

Put the honey, vanilla, Marsala, cinnamon, nutmeg, orange juice and zest in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Add the yogurt and whisk until smooth. Stir in 1/4 cup chocolate chips.

Spoon the yogurt cream into dessert or wine glasses. Top with a generous spoonful of apricots. Sprinkle with pine nuts and remaining chocolate chips and serve.

Apricots
1 cup dried apricots, cut in slivers
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon Marsala
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Juice of 1/2 orange
Grated zest orange of 1/2 orange

Combine the apricots, honey, Marsala, cinnamon, orange juice and zest. Cover and store in the refrigerator for at least an hour to allow the apricots to absorb the liquid and plump up.

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One Year Ago – Favorite Vinaigrettes
Two Years Ago – Rhubarb Muffins

Is your Mom as perfect as mine? I’d love to hear from you! Let’s get a conversation going. To make a comment, just click on Comments below. I’d be delighted to add you to the growing list of blog subscribers. To subscribe: just scroll back up, fill in your email address and click on the Sign Me Up button. You’ll get an email asking you to confirm your subscription … confirm and you will automatically receive a new story and recipe every week.

Want more? Click here for lots more to read, see & cook! In addition, I hope that you will take a minute to learn about my philanthropic project Eat Well-Do Good. ©Susan W. Nye, 2011

Like a Freight Train & Tuscan White Bean Soup

The other morning I woke up, not to the peaceful quiet of a cold, winter morning in the country but to the sound of a freight train blasting through my backyard. To understand my surprise you need to know that the closest railway line is at least three or four miles away. Plus it’s been out of business for forty years or more. It was still dark but glancing over at my digital alarm clock’s big, red numbers, I registered 5:04 just before … poof, they disappeared.

That’s when I realized that roaring sound wasn’t a train but the wind. Sigh … another power outage. I was sorely tempted to burrow down under the covers and worry about it later. Surely one of my neighbors would call the power company and let them know we were in the dark. But then again it was 5 A.M. If they had an ounce of sense, which I’m sure they all do, they were still sound asleep on this wild and windy Saturday morning. Like I should have been.

Not to make myself out to be as heroic or even important, I figured if I didn’t call it in, no one would. Or at least no one would call until a reasonable hour, when the sun was up and half the State was on the line to PSNH demanding service. The only neighborly thing to do was to haul myself out of bed and make the call. Besides, I didn’t want one of those bigger towns in southern New Hampshire to get the jump on us. If half the State was without power, it could take days before it returned to our little street.

I fumbled out of bed and found my headlamp. A cool little flashlight that straps onto your forehead, it’s made for camping but I use it for power outages. If you don’t have one, I recommend you rush out and buy one before the lights go out again. You’ll probably look absolutely ridiculous in it, I know I do, but it’s great when you need your hands free to find glasses and phone numbers.

Finally, I’m ready to make my call. Poised to dial, I realize that I’m freezing. Afraid that I’ll be shivering on hold for ten or twenty minutes, I head back to the bedroom for long johns, wooly socks and the warm, fuzzy robe my nieces gave me for Christmas. Finally, glasses on with phone number and phone in hand, I’m ready.

Anyone who lives in the country knows you need to have one of those old fashioned phones that tether you to the wall for emergencies. Mine is not just old fashioned, it’s old. My first attempt connects me to an accounting firm somewhere in the Midwest. Their answering machine politely asks me to call back Monday through Friday between 8:30 and 5:00. Thankfully, my second try is successful.  Again, I get a machine instead of a real person. Convinced that these machines are hard of hearing, I always SPEAK LOUDLY and e-nun-ci-ate clear-ly. After two or three questions, I shout OUT-AGE into the phone and settle in to wait for a real person. Curled up under a blanket, I listen to muzak and assurances that my call is important. Unfortunately, all the fumbling around had its price and my estimated wait time is three or four hours or maybe it’s days.

I read, I doze, I wait. I realize that I have not filled the bathtub with water. I don’t have a gallon of soup ready in the freezer. I still haven’t bought a generator. I don’t have a spare battery for my headlamp. The freight train continues to roar. I wonder if it’s too windy to ski.

After about fifteen minutes, a nice lady came on the line to help me. She sympathetically took my information and assured me that help was on the way. I went back to bed and slept soundly until 7:30, waking just in time to see the alarm clock’s red digits start to blink. Some days are luckier than others.

Stay warm and safe. Bon appétit!

Tuscan White Bean Soup
Warm and wonderful soup is perfect for a wild and windy winter day. Enjoy!
Serves 6-8

1 pound sweet Italian sausage (chicken or pork or a mixture), casings removed
Olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 large leek, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 1/2 – 3 cups cooked small white or cannellini beans
3-4 quarts chicken broth (more or less depending on how thick you want your soup)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 piece Parmigiano-Reggiano rind about 2-inches by 3-inches (optional)
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 head escarole, chopped or 1 pound fresh baby spinach

Heat a soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the sausage, breaking up the meat into bite-size pieces, cook until brown about 5 minutes.  Remove the sausage from the pan, drain the fat and reserve.

Heat a little olive oil in the pot and add the onion, leek, carrots and celery and season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes more.

Add the beans, sausage, broth, white wine, Parmigiano-Reggiano rind, bay leaf and rosemary to the soup pot with the vegetables. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes. Stir in the escarole and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the greens wilt, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

While adding a piece of Parmigiano-Reggiano rind to the pot is optional, it will add wonderful flavor and richness to your soup. I keep a re-sealable plastic bag of rinds in the freezer.

Like most soups, this one is best if made 1 or 2 days ahead. Cool completely and store in the refrigerator.

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One Year Ago – Wild Mushroom Risotto
Two Years Ago – Swimming Pool Jello

What are your favorite party dishes? I’d love to hear from you! Let’s get a conversation going. To make a comment, just click on Comments below. I’d be delighted to add you to the growing list of blog subscribers. To subscribe: just scroll back up, fill in your email address and click on the Sign Me Up button. You’ll get an email asking you to confirm your subscription … confirm and you will automatically receive a new story and recipe every week.

Want more? Click here for lots more to read, see & cook! In addition, I hope that you will take a minute to learn about my philanthropic project Eat Well-Do Good. ©Susan W. Nye, 2011

Deep Freeze & Fettuccine with Escarole, Radicchio & Mushrooms

So here’s another one … you know you live in New Hampshire when 13° feels positively balmy. And yes, that’s even if a thick layer of clouds is hiding the sun. That’s how relieved we are that the mercury has crept above zero. Okay, maybe I exaggerate. We all know the temperature needs to climb to at least 20° before we get out our shorts and flip-flops.

Last week’s deep freeze was more than enough to challenge the most diehard New Englander and outdoor enthusiast. I include myself in both these categories, priding myself on my Yankee roots and my inbred tenacity to get out and about despite the cold. (Tenacity sounds much better than stubbornness doesn’t it?)

This is not to say that I am not occasionally forced to throw in the towel and admit defeat. There are those days, happily few and far between, when work, the cold or rain get the best of me. Hey, I may be tough but I’ve got a mortgage to pay and I’m not made of steel (or arctic fleece and Goretex).

My latest ploy to beat Mother Nature at her bone-chilling game is snowshoeing. Snowshoeing keeps you in constant motion and warm, even on the coldest day. Happily, unlike many sports (golf, sailing, skiing, to name a few), it does not require a big investment in equipment, lessons or time.

Lucky me, I hit the snowshoe jackpot at a summer sale at L.L. Bean’s and was equipped for a song. Next, I dug out an old pair of hiking boots and cross country ski poles. Bundled up in long underwear, fleece sweat pants, a warm jacket, hat and mittens, I’m ready to go. What I may lack in glamour or style, I certainly make up in enthusiasm and panache.

Snowshoeing does not require a whole heck of a lot of training or skill. Let me qualify that. It doesn’t require a lot of skill if, like me, you’re in pretty decent shape with little or no inclination to join the elite racing circuit. I’m happy to plod along and let others dash and dart around the trees. My lack of ambition is probably a good thing since I’ve been known to stumble when attempting to walk and chew gum at the same time.

As long as you can put one foot in front of the other you can probably snowshoe. I have found that it helps if you remember to pick up your feet and put them back down heel-to-toe. When I get tired, I have a tendency to do a sort of foot-dragging shuffle which invariably sends me end over tea kettle. But not to worry, the snow is soft so the only thing I’ve managed to hurt so far is my pride.

At least for those of us that live in the country, snowshoeing is terribly convenient. I may not have a Starbucks or two or three within walking distance of my backdoor but there are several snowshoe trails within a mile or two of my house. I don’t think I will ever get tired of the lake and woods or bored by the beautiful views.

All that said; I recently discovered that it could get too cold to snowshoe. Maybe not for every diehard New Englander, but alas, this outdoor enthusiast does have her limits. One day last week, I woke up to find the thermometer in my kitchen window was hovering at -20°. For maybe a nanosecond I thought about a quick jaunt through the woods on my snowshoes. Then caution and commonsense, or maybe it was sloth, quickly took over. It seems that when the going gets rough, this tough girl goes to the movies.

Enjoy the snow, stay warm and bon appétit!

Fettuccine with Escarole, Radicchio and Mushrooms
The escarole and radicchio give this dish a bit of color and bite, the mushrooms add a nice woodsy flavor and the cheeses add richness. All in all, a wonderful combination! Enjoy!
Makes 6 servings

1 pound mushrooms wiped clean and stemmed
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 small red onion, cut in half lengthwise and then in thin wedges
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Red pepper flakes to taste
1 teaspoon anchovy paste
1 small head of escarole, quartered and cut into thin ribbons
1 small head of radicchio, quartered and cut into thin ribbons
12 ounces fettuccine
Freshly grated parmesan and pecorino cheeses

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Put the mushrooms in a large, ovenproof skillet, toss with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Roast, cup side up, for 15 minutes. Turn the caps over and roast for an additional 5-10 minutes or until the mushrooms are nicely browned and shrunken. Remove from the oven. When the mushrooms are cool enough to handle, cut in large strips and reserve, keeping warm.

While the mushrooms are roasting, put 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large heavy skillet, add the onion, garlic and red pepper flakes and cook over low heat until the onion is translucent. Stir in 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar and the anchovy paste and cook for a minute or two more. Add the escarole and radicchio, season with salt and pepper, toss to combine and cook, stirring, until wilted.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions less 1 minute. Drain the pasta, reserving a little of the pasta cooking water. Add the pasta and a little pasta water to the escarole and radicchio; toss together, cover and cook for a minute or two over medium-low heat. If the pasta seems dry, add a little more of the pasta liquid.

Transfer the pasta to a large platter or individual plates, top with sliced mushrooms, sprinkle grated cheese and serve immediately.

If you are short on time you can sauté the mushrooms in the olive oil with the onions. However, roasting intensifies the mushrooms woodsy taste, so roast them if you can.

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One Year Ago – Cassoulet
Two Years Ago – Caribbean Fish Stew

What’s your favorite way to spend an icy cold or snowy day? I’d love to hear from you! Let’s get a conversation going. To make a comment, just click on Comments below. I’d be delighted to add you to the growing list of blog subscribers. To subscribe: just scroll back up, fill in your email address and click on the Sign Me Up button. You’ll get an email asking you to confirm your subscription … confirm and you will automatically receive a new story and recipe every week.

Feel free to visit my photoblog, Susan Nye 365 or my cleverly named other blog, Susan Nye’s Other Blog, or website www.susannye.com. You can find more than 200 recipes, links to magazine articles and lots more. I hope that you will take a minute to learn about my philanthropic project Eat Well-Do Good. ©Susan W. Nye, 2011

Snow, Snow, Snow … Soup!

Snow is on the Way! Here are some suggestions for hearty soups to keep you warm!

When the temperatures plummet and the snow begins to blow there is nothing better than a hearty soup to warm the body and cheer the soul. A few years ago I received a nice email for a reader after a big storm. Just before the snow began to fall they made a batch or my Curried Chicken & Lentil Soup. With no electricity for a day or two, they were happy to have it on hand. A blizzard is about to hit New England … so here are a few suggestions for hearty soups!

Soupe au Pistou: wonderful French vegetables soup.

Potato, Leek & Kale Soup: homey and hearty, it’s stick to your ribs.

Or try an even heartier Sausage, Kale & Potato Soup.

Raviolis in Broth with Meatballs & Escarole: Mama mia, this is one of my favorites!

Curried Chicken & Lentil Soup: hot and spicy, it’ll keep you warm while you are shoveling!

Mexican Chicken Soup: see above!

Harira: this flavorful Middle Eastern Soup with chicken, chick-peas and lentils will hit the spot!

Spicy Chicken (or Turkey) Noodle Soup: a great solution for your leftover turkey!

Nana Nye’s Fish Chowder: an old family favorite.

What’s your favorite soup when the weather outside is frightful? I’d love to hear from you! Let’s get a conversation going. To make a comment, just click on Comments below. I’d be delighted to add you to the growing list of blog subscribers. To subscribe: just scroll back up, fill in your email address and click on the Sign Me Up button. You’ll get an email asking you to confirm your subscription … confirm and you will automatically receive a new story and recipe every week.

Feel free to visit my photoblog, Susan Nye 365 or my cleverly named other blog, Susan Nye’s Other Blog, or website www.susannye.com. You can find more than 200 recipes, links to magazine articles and lots more. I hope that you will take a minute to learn about my philanthropic project Eat Well-Do Good. ©Susan W. Nye, 2010

Spring Skiing & Linguine with Sundried Tomato Pesto & Roasted Eggplant

In other parts of the country and around the world, there is a certain rhythm to the seasons. Spring, summer, fall and winter more or less come and go at three month intervals. In New England, especially northern New England, we certainly have four distinct seasons but they pay little attention to dates on a calendar. Here in New Hampshire, the rhythm and cycle is more than a little lopsided.

Winter is long, about six months long. It comes early and short changes autumn on the front end. From one minute to the next we move from fall into “I can’t believe it’s winter already”. Children in northern New England buy extra large Halloween costumes. They buy these oversized disguises not because they are particularly plump or big for their age but because they need to wear them over their snowsuits. We rarely worry about a white Christmas, most years we are already into “the dead of winter” (or if you prefer “winter in earnest”) before Thanksgiving. When spring officially rolls around in mid-March, we’re right in the middle of “you’ve got to be kidding, it’s still winter”.

Since I am a skier, I don’t feel any particular need to rush into spring. After all spring in New Hampshire starts with a lot of mud and ends with vicious, man-eating black flies. Even though spring is weeks away, March skiing is commonly known as spring skiing. Spring skiing is my reward for putting up with those dark cold days in December. It is payback for enduring those blistering cold days in January and compensation for surviving those blustery cold days in February.

In “the dead of winter”, clouds are cause for celebration and I check multiple weather reports to find out how much lovely white snow is predicted. Whether it ends up as flurries or a blizzard, I make frequent trips outside with my yardstick (I am an optimist) to check the storm’s progress. Once the calendar page is turned to March, clouds are more foreboding. I still check multiple weather reports but it is with the optimistic hope of just one more glorious snowfall. Or please, if it must rain, let it be a short-lived drizzle. The worst case is a heartless downpour which washes away all the fun. Since I am more or less tired of shoveling, lots of dry sunny days and cold and clear nights would suit me just fine. It’s good for the maple sugar harvest as well.

Spring skiing is wonderful because you can enjoy the slopes without looking like the Michelin man’s more colorful cousin or a bank robber. It is great to pare down to a layer or two and (with sunblock!) turn your face to the sun. The truly brave or perhaps foolhardy ski in shorts. Goggles are left at home in favor of sunglasses. Baseball caps replace helmets. I’m feeling particularly colorful these days in my new Sherpa cap, a welcomed birthday gift. While it is cheerful, it doesn’t really cover my ears and so would never do in “the dead of winter”.

Everyone on the mountain is lighter and brighter and the smiles are dazzling. It may be selfish. It may seem unfair but I am hoping that the ground stays covered for at least a few more weeks. I offer a little shrug and my half-hearted apologies to anyone anxious for spring. I don’t think I’m asking for much. Fool that I am; I’d just like to ski until the first of April!

Bon appétit!   

Linguine with Sundried Tomato Pesto & Roasted Eggplant

Whether you spend the day on the slopes or not, this pasta dish will bring a taste of sunshine and Sicily to your table. Enjoy!

Serve 6

4-6 oil-packed sundried tomato halves, drained
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon anchovy paste
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce or to taste
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Extra virgin olive oil
1 medium eggplant, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 large red onion, chopped
12 ounces linguine
1/4 cup large Sicilian or Greek olives (or a mix), pitted and chopped
2 tablespoons capers, drained
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh oregano or mint
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese, grated

1. Make the Sundried Tomato Pesto: Combine the sundried tomatoes, garlic, anchovy paste, pepper sauce, vinegar, salt and pepper in a small food processor or blender. Process to combine and form a rough paste. Add 2-3 tablespoons olive oil, process until smooth. Set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
3. Place the eggplant and onion on non-stick baking sheet, drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Roast, stirring 2-3 times, for about 30 minutes or until lightly browned.
4. While the vegetables are roasting, cook the pasta according to package directions.
5. Drain the pasta, reserving a little pasta water.  Return the pasta to the pot; add enough sundried tomato pesto to lightly coat. Add the eggplant, olives and capers; toss to combine. If the mixture seems dry, add a little pasta water.  Sprinkle with oregano and parsley and toss to combine. Sprinkle with pine nuts and grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese and serve.

I’d love to hear from you! Let’s get a conversation going. To make a comment, just click on Leave a Comment below. I’d be delighted to add you to my growing list of blog subscribers. To subscribe  just scroll back up and click on the Sign Me Up button.

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One Year Ago – Fondue

Feel free to look around my website, you can learn about my new philanthropic project Eat Well – Do Good, link to magazine articles and more on at www.susannye.com. ©Susan W. Nye, 2010

Where Were You When the Lights Went Out? & White Bean Hummus

Where Were You When the Lights Went Out? Like most everyone I know (I don’t know a lot of night owls), I was snug and warm under my goose down comforter. I’d been in bed for about an hour and was in that wonderful stage of deep, deep sleep. Wonderful until the phone rings.

I fumbled with the light switch to no avail and then stumbled to the phone. I was greeted by a woman with a mechanical voice telling me with some sense of urgency what various beeps in combinations of long and short meant. It was some nonsense about power outages and temperature controls or something or other. She kept repeating herself and after several long minutes, I eventually realized that my parent’s house was calling to tell me the power was out. My snowbird parents spend the winter in Florida and I keep an eye on their house while they are gone. As part of the deal, I insisted they get a monitoring device to alert me if the power or heat goes out. Frankly, I would have been happy if the mechanical lady had waited until morning to call.

I mumbled something and the mechanical lady didn’t answer. Instead she told me to hit some keys to acknowledge or disable or something or other.  I hit some keys, said goodnight and hung up. I looked at my watch, it was 11:20. I called PSNH to let them know I was in the dark. A machine picked up.

Since I was up, I wandered around the house looking out various windows. That’s when I realized that hurricane force winds were tearing through the neighborhood. The moon was almost full and to steal a line from Clement Moore, “gave the luster of mid-day to objects below”. Every tree, especially the big tall ones, were swinging and swaying in the gale force winds. This was no gentle hula dance but pretty scary stuff.

I tried to go back to sleep. There is nothing like a phone call in the middle of the night to get your heart pumping and flood your system with adrenalin. I lay in bed, listening to the wind and worried about those trees. It sounded a lot like a freight train was barreling down through the backyard. Sleep was not immediate.

Just as I drifted offffffff, the phone rang. It was my new friend, the mechanical lady over at Mom and Dad’s. She was calling again because, in my sleepy stupor, I had not followed her instructions properly. She patiently repeated her message about the long and short beeps and again told me to press * or maybe it was # or some combination of the two. I’ve never been that good at following directions so I hit a bunch of keys and hung up the phone. I wandered around the house again. The trees were still waving frantically. I put my adrenalin-wracked body back into bed and wondered if I would ever fall asleep.

I did. Just in time for the mechanical lady to call me back, again. I unplugged the phone.

She didn’t give up. The next morning I had no sooner plugged the phone jack back into the wall when she called. Luckily, I’d already had a cup of coffee and, in the light of day, managed to do as she asked. Thankfully, she stopped calling.

Somewhere around 350,000 New Hampshire homes were in the dark after the windstorm. Some of us for three days, some shorter and some longer. I hope that you all survived the power outage well rested, in good health and good humor.

Bon appétit!

White Bean Hummus with Fresh Vegetables & Warm Pita

This yummy dip is great for a casual get-together. I planned to make it last weekend for family and friends … until the lights went out. Enjoy!

3 tablespoons minced red onion
1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
Extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 cups cooked white beans
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into pieces
Red bell pepper, seeded and cut into pieces
Pita bread, cut into wedges and then split in half

1. In a small skillet, sauté the onion and pepper flakes in a little olive oil until the onion is translucent about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and continue cooking for 1 minute. Add the wine and cook until it is reduced by half.
2. Transfer the onion and garlic to a mini food processor. Add the rosemary, both vinegars and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Process until the vegetables are pureed and the rosemary is finely chopped.
3. Add the beans; pulse to combine and mash the beans to a rough paste. If needed, add more olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Store in a covered container for 2-3 hours in the refrigerator to allow the flavors to combine.
4. About a half hour before you plan to serve, remove the bean dip from the refrigerator and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
5. Scatter the pita wedges on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake the pita at 350 degrees until lightly browned, about 3 minutes.
6. Serve the bean dip with warm pita wedges and fresh vegetables.

If you don’t have a mini food processor (or the power goes out), you can use a potato masher or a fork to make this dip. Be sure to mince the onion, garlic and rosemary very fine. The texture will not be as smooth but it will still be delicious.

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One Year Ago – Warm Chocolate Pudding
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I’d love to hear from you! Let’s get a conversation going. To make a comment, just click on Leave a Comment below. I’d be delighted to add you to my growing list of blog subscribers. To subscribe  just scroll back up and click on the Sign Me Up button. For a printer-friendly version of this posting and to find lots more recipes, visit the recipe page on my website: www.susannye.com/id6.htm. Feel free to look around my website, you can learn about my new philanthropic project Eat Well – Do Good, link to magazine articles and more on at www.susannye.com. ©Susan W. Nye, 2010

The Annual Ski Vacation & Greek Pizza

A light snow is falling, I wish it was more but I’ll take what I can get. It has come just in time for the flatlanders’ annual trek north for February vacation. For many years, my family was a part of the mid-February mass exodus from Massachusetts to points north. The best thing my parents ever did was build a small vacation house in the woods near Pleasant Lake. When vacation time rolled around we couldn’t get out of town fast enough. On departure day, our duffels were packed and sitting by the backdoor before we left for school. We struggled through the seemingly endless school day until the last bell finally rang and we were free for the week. We quickly piled everything into the back of the station wagon and headed north.

Big snow guns had not yet found their way to our favorite ski area so we were completely dependent on natural snow. If Mother Nature didn’t cooperate we were out of luck. I’m sure that some years were better than others. There must have been years with lots of rocks and ice and little snow. I don’t remember those times; I only remember the vacations when there was plenty of snow and lots of sunshine. I have particularly vivid memories of one long and snowy February vacation.

It started out as an ordinary weekend. Vacation was still another week away. It began snowing late Saturday afternoon. It was still snowing when we got up the next morning. Since we skied in blizzards and on ice, in the cold and in the rain, we were back on our skis on Sunday. By mid afternoon we were wet and cold and visibility was close to zero. We called it a day.

Luckily my parents decided that driving back to Boston in a blizzard was not only crazy but possibly dangerous. It was a pretty sure bet that school would be cancelled the next day. We would spend a relaxing Sunday night by the fire, ski on Monday morning and then head south in the afternoon.

On Monday morning the sun came out and we watched the newscasts from Boston while we waited for the snowplow. The city and surrounding suburbs were at a standstill. Cars were stuck and abandoned on highways, city streets and suburban roadways. Offices and schools throughout the Commonwealth were closed. No one was going anywhere fast. Massachusetts was at a standstill.

In sharp contrast, New Hampshire roads were free and clear by midmorning. Delighted by our foresight, we were out on the slopes by 10:00, enjoying two feet of beautiful new powder. For the rest of the week we continued to check the newscasts but Massachusetts schools remained closed. It was an epic battle of Snow versus the Flatlanders and Snow was winning. We were all too happy to cheer from afar. We skied every day. It was heaven on earth.

The next week was vacation week. It was beyond a doubt one of the best ever. The snow was fantastic. Every day was clear and sunny and not too cold. As we were packing up to head home, another epic nor’easter blew in. Was it a miracle or had the patron saint of middle schoolers decided that two weeks was not enough? Could we hope for a third week of skiing?  As flakes began to fall, my parents debated the pros and cons of staying or leaving. My mom never really liked to ski but had absolutely no desire to spend a day or two or three snowbound and housebound in suburbia. We stayed. If the storm turned out to be more bluff than bluster, we could leave early Monday morning.

It was the right decision. The storm dumped another two or three feet of snow and Massachusetts closed down for another week. We were in seventh heaven.

Have a wonderful February vacation and bon appétit!

Greek Pizza
After a day on the slopes, let everyone hang out in the kitchen and make pizzas. Add a salad and dinner is done. Have a great vacation and enjoy!
Serves 4

Olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 teaspoon Italian herbs
2 cloves garlic, minced
about 8 ounces frozen spinach or 12 ounces fresh
16-20 ounces pizza dough (your favorite recipe, store-bought or from your favorite pizzeria)
4 ounces feta crumbled
8 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
12 or more kalamata or oil cured black olives, pitted and quartered

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Heat a little olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped red onion and herbs and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 2-3 minutes more. Turn up the heat and add the spinach, sauté until the spinach defrosts (or fresh wilts) and most of the liquid is cooked off. Set aside.

Cut the pizza dough into 4 pieces. Stretch each piece into a round or roll out with a rolling pin.  Top each pizza with spinach, sprinkle with shredded mozzarella, crumbled feta and olives.

Transfer the pizzas to a lightly oiled baking sheet or a preheated pizza stone. Bake the pizza for 12-15 minutes if you use a baking sheet and 8-12 minutes if you use a pizza stone or until the cheese is bubbly and crust is crisp.

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One Year Ago – Triple Threat Brownies
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Feel free to look around my website, you can learn about my new philanthropic project Eat Well – Do Good, link to magazine articles and more on at www.susannye.com. ©Susan W. Nye, 2010

January – The Coldest Month & Lasagna

After almost seventeen years in Switzerland and another three on the west coast, I drove 3,000 miles across the country to New Hampshire in late April 2003. It was snowing as I slipped and slid into the State, exhausted but happy to be home. From the time I was ten, New Hampshire had always been my home-away-from-home. It was a place filled with happy memories of summer and ski vacations.

I decided to take some time to get my bearings. I did a little consulting and a lot of kayaking and skiing. I reconnected with family and friends, cooked a lot and became famous for, among other things, an incredibly rich and decadent chocolate birthday cake. I rediscovered the seasons as only New England has them.

Most if not all of the daffodils and tulips were wilted and gone when I pulled out of Seattle on Easter weekend. Four or five days later when I arrived in New Hampshire, the ground was covered with snow. Eventually spring came, bringing frost heaves, mud and black flies, as well as my favorite daffodils, tulips and lilacs. Spring turned to summer, the black flies disappeared and Pleasant Lake was as magical as ever. Fall was brilliant; the Technicolor spectacle was as good if not better than I remembered.

And then winter came.  I knew that New Hampshire winters were cold but I had forgotten how cold. I tried to adapt. I began dressing-like-an-onion in layers of long underwear, flannel and wool. To answer the question that I’m sure is on your lips … no it is not this cold in Switzerland. Winter temperatures hover between 30 and 40 degrees in Geneva. It doesn’t snow a whole lot; it’s mostly grey and rainy. Yes, there is lots and lots of glorious snow in the Alps but it rarely turns as bitterly cold as a typical January day in northern New England.

From a young age, I was taught to ignore the cold and get my money’s worth out of my season ski pass. Our family skied in arctic temperatures, gale winds and blizzards. When I lived in Switzerland I was hard pressed to find anyone to join me on bitter cold or stormy days. Frigid days were for snuggling up by the fire with a good book. It was wonderful!

Returning to New England triggered something. It might have been old guilt or just a return to old habits. The far-away voice of my father rattled around in my head, telling me to get out on the slopes! And so, in early January of my first winter back I headed for the mountain on a colder than cold morning.

No surprise, the mountain was mostly deserted on that frigid Friday. By the time my chairlift reached the top, I was a block of ice. Given the temperature and the gale force winds, I didn’t hang around to admire the view. I immediately started down the trail. About half way down I came to an abrupt stop. No, I didn’t need to rest or catch my breath. The wind was blowing so hard up the side of the hill that it stopped me dead in my tracks. I froze through a few more runs and then reminded myself that my Dad was playing golf in sunny Florida and rushed home to a hot shower and warm fire.

Perhaps it’s the wisdom of age or a fear of frostbite but since that day I have become something of a fair-weather skier. When the wind is howling and the temperature plummets below zero, I leave the mountain to the true die-hards. And just in case my Dad checks up on me, I still figure I took about 800 runs last year at about 50 cents apiece!

Bon appétit!

Four Cheese Lasagna Bolognese with Spinach

Lasagna is great when you have a houseful of hungry skiers. This classic comfort food is perfect after a cold day on the slopes. Enjoy!
Serves 12 or more

About 6 cups of Bolognese sauce (recipe follows)
1 1/2 cups Béchamel sauce (recipe follows)
15 ounces ricotta cheese
12 ounces shredded whole-milk mozzarella cheese
4 ounces grated Parmesan
4 ounces grated Pecorino Romano
1 pound frozen leaf spinach, thawed and drained
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
About 8 ounces lasagna noodles –12 noodles, enough for 4 layers

Make the Bolognese and Béchamel sauces and set aside.

Combine the mozzarella, Parmesan and Romano cheeses and toss.

Cook the lasagna noodles according to package directions. (Noodles sticking together? Check out my tip to keep lasagna noodles from sticking.

Spread 1- 2 cups of Bolognese sauce in the bottom of a large, deep ceramic or glass baking pan (about 13 by 10 by 3-inches). Arrange 3 lasagna noodles on top of the sauce. Top the noodles with 1/3 of the ricotta, 1/3 of the spinach and 1-2 cups of Bolognese sauce.  Sprinkle with 1/4 of the cheese mixture.  Repeat with a second and third layer of noodles-ricotta-spinach-Bolognese sauce- cheeses.

Arrange remaining noodles on top and spread with Béchamel sauce. Sprinkle with the remaining cheeses.  Tightly cover the baking dish with foil. You can store in the refrigerator for several hours or bake immediately.

When you are ready to bake the lasagna, position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake the lasagna for 45-60 minutes, if the lasagna is cold from the refrigerator it will take longer.  Remove foil, continue baking uncovered until the sauce bubbles and the top is golden, about15 minutes longer. Let the lasagna stand for 15 minutes before serving.

Classic Bolognese Sauce
Makes about 4 quarts, for at least 2 or 3 lasagnas, you can freeze the extra sauce.

9 cups (3 cans – 28 ounces each) crushed tomatoes
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, grated
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon dried Italian herbs
Pinch crushed red pepper (optional)
1 cup dry red wine
1 bay leaf
1/2 pound Italian sausage; hot, sweet or a mix, casings removed
1/2 pound ground beef
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil (optional)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Olive Oil

Heat a heavy casserole over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and ground beef to the pot, breaking up the meat into bite-size pieces, cook until brown about 5 minutes.

Remove from the pan. Drain the fat and reserve.

Add a little olive oil in the pot and heat over medium high heat. Add the onion, carrot, pepper and garlic, sprinkle with Italian herbs, red pepper, salt and pepper. Sauté until vegetables are tender.

Return the meat to the pot. Add the crushed tomatoes, wine and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes. Stir in the chopped basil.

Béchamel Sauce
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole milk
Pinch of nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Melt the butter in a heavy small saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and herbs; cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the sauce thickens, whisking often, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the nutmeg. Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste.

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One Year Ago – Curried Chicken and Lentil Soup

What’s your favorite cold weather dishes? I’d love to hear from you! Let’s get a conversation going. To make a comment, just click on Comments below. I’d be delighted to add you to the growing list of blog subscribers. To subscribe: just scroll back up, fill in your email address and click on the Sign Me Up button. You’ll get an email asking you to confirm your subscription … confirm and you will automatically receive a new story and recipe every week.

Feel free to visit my photoblog, Susan Nye 365 or my cleverly named other blog, Susan Nye’s Other Blog, or website www.susannye.com. You can find more than 200 recipes, links to magazine articles and lots more. I hope that you will take a minute to learn about my philanthropic project Eat Well-Do Good. ©Susan W. Nye, 2010

There’s No Place Like Home for the Holidays & Roasted Green Beans

Dorothy whispered it three times as she clicked her ruby red slippers. College kids mumble it as they struggle out of bed on their first morning of vacation. Business travelers utter it with a sigh of relief as they drive into the driveway after a long trip. There’s no place like home, there’s no place like home, there’s no place like home. Especially during the holidays.

When I was twenty-something I packed a couple of small carry-on bags and flew to Europe. The plan was to complete an eight week internship and then spend a month or so bumming around Italy. Half way into the internship I received an offer for a one year post doing research at a business school. I finished the internship, postponed bumming around Italy, flew home, packed a large suitcase and my old Girl Scout camp trunk and moved to Switzerland.

One thing led to another and before I knew it I had taken up permanent residence in Geneva. Not just for a few years, I stayed for almost two decades. But I always came home for Christmas. Many of my friends rented chalets in the Alps but I could not imagine spending the holidays anywhere but New England. I still can’t.

Christmas in New England is really quite special. Sparkling lights decorate businesses up and down Main Street. As soon as the snow falls, our little town starts to look like a Currier and Ives print. The Christmas lights tour was an annual event when we were kids. We would all bundle into the station wagon and my dad would drive us all over town to see the decorations. He then took us out for a special family dinner.

In the coming days and weeks there will be lots of festive activities to keep us busy. There will be office parties, open houses, cookie swaps and fundraisers. Santa will come to town to have a chat with the kids. We’ll stay fit with a Jingle Bells or Reindeer fun run, maybe both. We’ll shop at craft shows and holiday bazaars and the stores will stay open for an evening or two of late shopping. While it may sometimes seem impossible, we will somehow or other make it through the whirlwind of activities.

December is also packed with special memories. Along with all the hoopla, it’s nice to find a few quiet moments to reflect on the season, special memories and family traditions. This weekend, I’ll put up my tree and deck the house with sentimental chotskies, dust-catchers and boughs of holly and evergreen. I’ll hang the stocking that my dad’s Aunt Bertha knit for me when I was an infant. My sister, brother and cousins, all have one of her hand-knit Christmas stockings. She found the pattern in Woman’s Home Companion sometime in the 1930’s and made stockings for family and friends for decades. When my oldest niece was born, my mother tracked down the pattern. The next generation of Nye children hangs that very same stocking on the chimney with care. My sister Brenda has now taken up the needles for the newest generation and the tradition continues.

Like every family, we share a few holiday rituals and traditions. Some come and go; others hang around for decades, passing from one generation to the next. The night before Christmas is just not the night before Christmas without a reading of Mr. Moore’s famous poem. We can’t go to bed before cookies and milk are set out for Santa and a carrot is left for Rudolf. We are an excitable bunch and so Christmas morning starts well before the sun comes up. Christmas mornings at the Nye’s have always been and probably always will be best described as a riotous frenzy but I cannot imagine spending Christmas anywhere else.

Have a wonderful holiday season surrounded by family and friends!

Bon appétit!

Roasted Green Beans & Tomatoes

This colorful side dish is perfect for the holidays! Roasting brings out the full flavor of the beans and sweetness of the tomatoes. Enjoy!
Serves 6

1 1/2 pounds fresh green beans, washed and trimmed
1 pint cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 small red onion, chopped
1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Put the beans and tomatoes on a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Distribute in an even layer. Roast for 10-15 minutes at 375 degrees.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven, add the chopped onion, toss to combine and redistribute the vegetables. Return to the oven and roast for 10-15 minutes more. When they are done, the beans will be slightly shriveled and have dark golden brown spots. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts and serve.

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©Susan W. Nye, 2009