A Life, Lived

Roasted Salsa Verde

A basic salsa verde made with simmered tomatillos and cilantro.

There is nothing basic about this!

This salsa verde is fresh, bright and not too salty like those store-bought versions. I tried making it with raw tomatillos, but they’re borderline sour. Roasting them really brings out their best side. Tomatillos look like small green tomatoes with husks, but they aren’t tomatoes—they’re cousins. I’ve had an easy time finding them at grocery stores lately.

Some purchased roasted tomatillo salsas I’ve tried taste too roasted/smoky (artificial flavourings, anyone?), but not this one. You can also control just how roasted those tomatillos get when you roast them yourself. I think it turned out just right with the times specified in the recipe below.

Roasted Salsa Verde

4 lb. tomatillos, husks removed
2 medium-size white onions, each cut into 8 wedges
2 jalapeño or serrano peppers
6 garlic cloves, peeled
1⁄2 cup lime juice (about 6 limes)
1⁄4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper

Preheat oven to 425°F. Arrange tomatillos, stem side down, on a large rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Place onions, jalapeño peppers, and garlic on prepared baking sheet. Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes or until garlic is softened. Remove garlic from baking sheet. Bake onion mixture 15 more minutes or until onion is tender and tomatillos and peppers are slightly charred. Remove from oven and cool slightly. When peppers are cool enough to handle, remove stems and seeds.

Process roasted vegetables and garlic, in batches, in a food processor until smooth. Transfer to a 4-qt. stainless steel or enameled saucepan. Stir in lime juice and remaining ingredients. Bring to a simmer. Remove from heat.

Ladle hot salsa into a hot jar, leaving 1⁄2-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rim. Center lid on jar. Apply band, and adjust to fingertip-tight. Place jar in boiling- water canner. Repeat until all jars are filled.

4. Process jars 20 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Turn off heat; remove lid, and let jars stand 5 minutes. Remove jars and cool.

Debate Night Kit

Last night was the last debate for our American brothers and sisters. You know that the political discourse has reached a low when you start seeing things like this trending on social media.

Hallowe'en Ideas

It will not be long before people are thinking about carving their jack-o-lantern.

I think that there will be quite a few variations of this one this year:

Travel Tuesdays - Acqui Terme

Facebook reminded me that we checked into the Baur B and B 5 years ago today. It was to be our last visit to this wonderful spot on the hills overlooking Acqui Terme as Diane and her husband sold the B and B and moved on to other exciting adventures. Here are some shots from that visit.

Leftover Turkey and Wild Rice Soup

It happens every Thanksgiving...

What to you do with all that leftover turkey?

I'm happy to say that I've got a solution for you right here.

This soup is a perfect 'leftover' meal that is easy to toss together.

If you're turkey day meal is anything like ours, I'm guessing post holiday that you'll have leftover celery and onion to go along with that perfectly cooked up turkey. And who wants to eat the same thing over again?

Pull out a soup pot and turn your leftover Thanksgiving into something a little different! 

Leftover Turkey and Wild Rice Soup

3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped carrot
3/4 cup chopped celery
6 oz mushrooms, diced
2 cloves garlic
4 tablespoons flour
4 cups turkey stock (or chicken stock)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup wild rice
2 1/2 cups chopped leftover turkey
1/4 cup half and half
1 tablespoon chopped, fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

In a large stock pot, melt the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook about 10 minutes until onions are soft and translucent.

Add the mushrooms and garlic and cook about 5 minutes more.

Add the flour and cook, stirring often, for 3-4 minutes until flour is brown and cooked through.

Add the turkey stock, soy sauce, and bay leaf. Stir to break up any flour bits. Turn the heat up to medium-high and bring soup to a boil. Turn heat back down to medium and let simmer for 30 minutes.

Add wild rice and simmer for 35 minutes.

Add turkey, milk, thyme, salt and pepper. Cook for 20 minutes more.

Serve soup in large bowls and garnish with extra thyme if desired. I love to eat this soup with a leftover roll slathered in cranberry sauce!

A Visit to the Pumpkin Patch

There is a farm on the edge of Burlington which used to be famous for strawberries. Over the years they have transformed themselves into a more full-season operation - plants in the spring, strawberries, raspberries, veggies all summer, and now pumpkins in the fall.

I was at the farm last weekend (without my camera) to buy some pumpkins. I popped back up today WITH my camera to grab some shots.

Photo Hunt - Breakfast

This week's Photo Hunt theme is 'breakfast'.

This was our first breakfast in Athens. Our apartment had a balcony and it was a great spot to hang out and watch the world go by.

Corn and Bacon Casserole

Traditionally we serve a number of sides with our Thanksgiving Dinner - in fact, we usually serve everyone's favourite. When I asked Paul what he wanted as 'his' side dish he asked for a corn casserole. This was an odd request since I doubt he had ever had one before . . . whatever I was happy to accommodate this request.

Corn casseroles seem to be more of an American thing. I found 100s of recipes online but most were from American sites. Some were like puddings, others are filled with mayo and other 'quality' ingredients. Paula Deen has a number of offerings (see aforementioned mayo varieties).

This one from the folks at Taste of Home looked pretty yummy. I realized now that I forgot to add the chives at the end prior to serving. Oh well. I did add some chopped red pepper because I had one which needed using and I thought a bit of colour would be a good thing. There is nothing really healthy or low-calorie about this but for Thanksgiving you're not really looking for that are you?

We both really liked it!

Corn and Bacon casserole

6 bacon strips
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
3-1/2 cups fresh or frozen whole kernel corn
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon minced chives

In a large skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Drain, reserving 2 tablespoon of drippings. Crumble bacon; set aside.

Saute onion in drippings until tender. Add flour, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until bubbly; cook and stir 1 minute more. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream until smooth. Add corn, parsley and half of the bacon; mix well.

Pour into a 1-qt. baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining bacon. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with chives.

A Needed Time Out

The US election has riveted much of the world's focus for some time now. It has been punishing to watch it play out 24/7 on the steady stream of media. I think most people would agree that the political discourse has reached a low never seen before. Teachers in the US are reporting a sharp rise of children saying and doing inappropriate things - things that they have seen politicians aspiring for elected office saying and doing on TV.

This cartoon struck home . . .

Stop Trump

SIGH