It's Pasta Week

This week Marilyn's Table has only one dish. I have begun putting together things to take for Thanksgiving, so next week should be a full meal. Pasta is my 'go to' meal. This one was outlined in a blog I follow, "Octoberfarm'. Bacon, eggs and cheese are the main ingredients in a Carbonara. Some unexpected extras make this a great meal.

Shrimp Carbonara with Creamed Spinach and Mushrooms

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.

The bacon is cooked until crisp and set aside. Spinach and mushrooms are sauteed in the bacon fat. Salt and Pepper are added along with a bit of cream. Remove from pan. Shrimp, garlic and a bit of butter are added just until the shrimp are pink and cooked through. Salt and Pepper and Paprika are stirred in and set aside.

Cook linguini in the salted water. Drain saving about a cup of the pasta water. Dump the hot cooked pasta into the bowl with the eggs, butter and herbs. Toss until well mixed. Add grated Parmesan and toss again. Stir in enough of the pasta water to make the sauce smooth and creamy. Add crumbled bacon. To serve, spoon the pasta into a shallow bowl; top with the spinach and mushroom mixture and arrange the shrimp on top. Sprinkle with a bit more Parmesan.

In a large bowl put egg yolks and cubed butter. Add some of your favorite fresh herbs; I used thyme.

I thought I would share a photo of the pumpkin ravioli from last week. It to was excellent.

I look forward to sharing photos from our Wisconsin Thanksgiving. Have a great week and a blessed holiday with family and friends.

A Bit of Nostalgia....

During my growing up years, my parents, aunts, uncles and cousins vacationed together. We stayed at a resort on Lake Kaubashine in northern Wisconsin for two weeks every summer. Later on when my boys were in high school, we returned with my parents. It was always a good time. One meal became a staple of our vacations. This week it was on Marilyn's Table with a couple of new twists.





Pot roast with sliced onions, canned tomatoes and mozzarella cheese.


Pumpkin Ravioli with browned butter and sage





Mom always brought our electric frying pan (remember those?) to prepare it. I used my slow cooker. The roast is seared in a bit of oil until all the sided are browned. Thick slices of onion are laid over the top and a couple of cans of tomatoes poured over everything. I had some kale and some Swiss chard which I chopped and added to the tomatoes along with salt and pepper. The lid is replaced and the dish is slow simmered until the meat is falling apart. Slices of mozzarella cheese are layered over the top and slightly melted. The meat is served with mashed or baked potatoes. The gravy is spooned over all. This is one of my favorite winter dishes and I will prepare it again when the snow flies. I expect to use the leftovers by shredding the meat and spooning some of the gravy over the top and serving it on a Ciabatta roll. Messy but good!





While doing my shopping this week, I came across frozen pumpkin ravioli. I don't usually buy prepared foods, but this was pumpkin ravioli. Pumpkin is a favorite of mine, I even put it in my oatmeal. To my surprise the ravioli pillows were excellent. A bit of sweetness and some spices gave it a lot of flavor. After they were cooked in boiling water I spooned browned butter and sage over the top. Excellent with a bit of grated Parmesan cheese over the top. I will purchase more of the ravioli and keep them in the freezer for later on.



I appears that fall is slowly changing to winter. The colored leaves are pretty much gone and we even had some snow flurries on Thursday. More comfort food will be on the table in the next weeks and, of course, Thanksgiving is only a few days away. Stay warm!

The Great Pumpkin...

One of the reasons I love fall so much is the availability of fall vegetables. Pumpkin is one of my favorites and this week I have three dishes on the table using it. All three use pumpkin from a can, not pumpkin pie mix, but plain pumpkin puree.

Oatmeal with Pumpkin, Nuts and Cranberries

Pumpkin Chili
Pumpkin Cornbread

Breakfast for me as soon as the weather cools down is oatmeal. I use Kashi Go Lean instant. It is mixed with hot soy milk and pumpkin, cinnamon and chopped nuts are stirred together. The oatmeal is topped with blueberries and dried cranberries. This is a filling way to start the day. Very tasty too I might add paired with a cup of tea.

Soups and stews are great ways to warm the body and soul as the seasons change. I have many variations of chili, but this one was new and quite good. Good quality ground beef is browned with chopped onions and minced garlic. Chopped green peppers are added and cooked until slightly softened. Canned diced tomatoes are added along with pureed pumpkin, drained kidney beans, chili powder and cumin. Salt and pepper to taste and served with sour cream and grated sharp cheddar cheese. The leftovers will make for great lunches since the weather is to be cool and wet in the next week.

Cornbread is a natural to accompany chili. This one has the addition of pumpkin and spices. Whisk together all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. In a separate bowl beat two eggs. Whisk in pumpkin, brown sugar oil and molasses. Make a well in the dry ingredients and gradually add the wet ones. Pour mixture in a greased square baking pan and bake for about 30 minutes. Served warm with cinnamon butter, this is excellent with the chili.

This weeks' table was all about comfort foods. My annual bottle of egg nog is in the refrigerator to add to morning coffee and hot tea. It does seem that our summer is gone and winter is in our future. Next weeks' menu is still in the works. Stop by and see what's on Marilyn's Table next week. Stay warm!

Kohler Food Revisited

This weeks table has a dish from the Kohler Food and Wine Experience of last week. Andrew Zimmern prepared two chicken dishes, one of them is on the table today. Along with the dish is a pilaf. I will also show the dish that I prepared as part of my class mid-term. This table is an interesting mixture of flavors and textures. I was very pleased with everything. Here is the table:

Pan-Roasted Chicken with Apples and Cider

Brown and Wild Rice Pilaf with herbs and Cranberries

Toasted Couscous Salad with Grilled Vegetables and Smoked Shrimp

I used chicken thighs and a breast cut in half. Since there is heavy cream in the dish, I removed the skin. The chicken is sauteed in a bit of butter until nicely browned on all sides. The chicken is moved to one side of the pan and sliced shallots are added and cooked until softened. A mixture of cider vinegar, apple jack, apple cider and broth are added with two thinly sliced Granny Smith apples. The liquid is reduced by half and a cup of cream is added. The sauce thickens quickly and dried cranberries and fresh tarragon are stirred in. The sauce is served over the chicken pieces. Lots of flavor, though not a lot of color.

The pilaf begins with chopped onion and fresh thyme are heated in EVOO. Celery and chopped butternut squash are added along with chicken stock, salt and pepper. Brown and wild rice are added and simmered until the broth is absorbed. Dried cranberries are added before serving. This was a nice dish to accompany the chicken. A nice comfort meal for a rainy afternoon.

The toasted couscous salad was a dish I was very proud of. The couscous is toasted in a pan with a spritz of EVOO. Hot stock is added and the pan covered so that the broth can be absorbed. In a bowl a dressing/marinade is prepared with white balsamic, Dijon mustard, garlic, EVOO and S&P. Zucchini, yellow squash, asparagus, cherry tomatoes, red and yellow peppers are cut in pieces and marinated in the dressing. They are then grilled until slightly soft with grill marks. The vegetables are cut in bit size pieces and tossed with the couscous. The smoked shrimp are cut in thirds and added to the salad. The dressing is poured over the salad and a squeeze of lemon over the top. The tomato rose in the photo was a bit large, but since it was my first and it actually worked, I left it. The rose in class was not so successful so I garnished the salad with a plump whole shrimp. I like this salad a lot and will use it often with seasonal vegetables and a different protein....or none at all.

Midterm Trial Run

The midterm for my class is in two weeks. We will need to prepare a cold soup, a composed salad and a sandwich. This weeks table shows the recipes I elected to try. We shall see if the other two in my group agree or if we will select something different. Here is what on my table:




Gazpacho with Herbed Goat Cheese
Roasted Root Vegetable Salad with Chili Rubbed Tenderloin
Goat Cheese and Caramelized Onions




Gazpacho is the simplest of all soups. Not exactly a soup for the fall, but I think it could also be heated. Everything goes in a blender and chilled. Chopped cored tomatoes, diced cucumber, diced red and green peppers, sliced onion, chopped garlic and jalapeno. Bread cubes are soaked in tomato juice and added to the vegetables. White wine vinegar, salt and pepper are the seasonings with more tomato juice to thin the consistency. I did have to blend it in batches, and it came out slightly chunky. I served it with a round of herbed goat cheese and some fresh herbs. I think I have finally found a recipe I will repeat.








The salad is made up of oven roasted beets and sweet potatoes; a very colorful combination. The tenderloin is rubbed with a chili based mixture, grilled, finished in the oven and cooled slightly. The beets and sweet potatoes are arranged over a bed of arugula and chopped herbs with the sliced tenderloin along one side. The vinaigrette is standard; vinegar, Dijon, salt and pepper whisked with EVOO. The addition of a teaspoon of the beet juice gave the dressing a nice red color. I was not crazy about this. I think I would have liked better without the meat.




Instead of the traditional sandwich, I chose to do a crostini. A whole grain baguette is cut in half inch slices and toasted in the oven. Onions are caramelized in a pan and cooled slightly. Goat cheese is spread on the toasts with the onions on top. This is going to be a regular for me. Very flavorful.



This table had it's high points and some not so high. It will be interesting to see how the rest of my group respond.



I will not be here next week. I will be at the Kohler Food & Wine Experience. One of my favorite Food Network chefs, Alex Guarnaschelli is doing two demonstrations for which I have tickets. The event is always fun and informative. Kohler is a lovely town and some of the activities are in The American Club resort. Have a good week and try to stay warm. It sounds like the weather is going to turn chilly.

Vegetarian Delight

This was a glorious fall weekend. So...I decided the menu for the Table would be quick and easy. I planned a visit to the Chicago Botanic Garden with my camera. Also with the produce being extra special, I used as much fresh as I could. Here is what is on the Table:





South American Squash and Vegetable Ragout
Tomato-Basil Granite






The ragout is a variation of an Argentinean stew. A lot of fresh vegetables are used along with a surprise. The surprise is dried fruit! Apricots and prunes are put in a jar with a cup of boiling water over them. They sit for at least a couple of hours, drained (save the water) and rough chop. Set aside while onion, garlic and dry oregano are sauteed. Chopped red pepper and diced canned tomatoes and juice are added. Simmer about 15 minutes. Coarsely chopped Yukon gold potatoes and a sweet potato are added and cooked until slightly soft when fresh sweet corn kernels, the apricot and prunes and their soaking water are added. Heat through and add a can of drained, rinsed kidney beans. Season with salt and pepper to taste. I filled half an acorn squash (slice off the bottom so it will sit flat) with the stew and baked until the squash is soft, but not collapsed. This is a hardy filling meal. The rest of the ragout will be heated and served as a stew, perhaps over rice later in the week.













Because the dish is filling, I thought a simple light dessert was in order. I chose a Granite made with more fresh produce. Tomatoes (cut an X in the bottom) are dropped in boiling water until the skin begins to loosen. Immediately remove them and put in ice water. The peels will come away easily. Seed and chop the flesh; put in blender with some simple syrup (water and sugar heated until sugar is dissolved, set aside to cool) lemon juice, tomato paste, salt and chopped basil. Blend until smooth and pour into a glass dish. Put in freezer. Check on it and as it begins to freeze, scrape with a fork to that is becomes slushy. This should take several hours. Serve in a glass dish with basil leaf garnish. I had never done this before and was pleased with the result. More Granite in my future.













This is was a great meal and more vegetarian dishes will appear on the Table. By the way I did roast a turkey breast to use the rest of the week, but it did not appear on this table. Have a great week and enjoy the lovely weather.

October Day

This was a perfect autumn weekend. Lots of sun, the trees are well into the color change and it was Apple Fest in Long Grove. Way too many people, so I stayed only long enough to have my annual cider donut, then came home to put together the meal for this weeks Table.

Pumpkin Spider

Tuna Confit

Grilled Vegetables

Parsley Salad with Grilled Figs and Gorgonzola

Baked Apple with Spiced Cranberry Relish

The spider (spiked cider) is an interesting drink to take the chill off a cold day. Fresh cider is simmered with cinnamon sticks and cloves. Canned pumpkin is whisked in and heated through. The mixture is drained into a mug; a shot of rum added as well as a cinnamon stick. Very pretty, but the rum didn't add anything at all so I left it out of the second cup. I expect this will be a new staple on a cold winter evening. Very simple.

The tuna confit was a new experience. The tuna steak is salted and refrigerated over night. Into a pot goes yellow onion and fennel, thinly sliced, garlic, a split serrano pepper, basil, thyme, bay leaves and pepper corns. EVOO and Canola oil are added to cover and simmered for about half an hour. The herbs will be wilted and the oil very fragrant. The tuna is added and simmered until pink in the middle, about 10-15 minutes. Be sure there is enough oil to cover the tuna. The tuna is set aside until it is room temperature. The herbs are pressed through a sieve to get all their flavor out and into the oil. It's a terrific base for a vinaigrette. The vegetables are placed on an oiled grill and basted with the herb oil. I used red potato and acorn squash slices, thick onion and tomato slices, and red and yellow peppers. After grilling the vegetables are placed in the center of the plate and the tuna steak on top. A bit more of the oil is drizzled over all. I was very pleased with this dish and look forward to the leftovers.

Using Parsley for a salad is new in the last weeks. I tossed the parsley with a bit of the herb oil mixed with some balsamic vinegar. The fresh figs are cut in half and grilled basting with balsamic vinegar, just until soft. They top the parsley salad and a bit of crumbled Gorgonzola cheese is a garnish. Figs are new thing for me. Had not had them until a few years ago (Fig Newtons don't count) Fresh ones have a short life so I enjoy them while I can.

Last year about this time I did a baked apple, so I decided to do another this year. I found a different recipe that incorporated another of my favorite fall/winter foods, cranberries. I had a bag in the freezer and cooked them in ruby port wine with diced red onion, fresh ginger slices, dark brown sugar, salt, pepper and cinnamon. When the cranberries have popped, set aside to cool a bit. The apple is hollowed out with a melon baller and the hole filled with the relish. Cover with foil and bake until apple is soft, but not collapsed. I let it cool a bit and added a bit of whipped cream and a sprig of mint. I particularly liked this relish because it was not overly sweet and I will use this recipe again during the holidays.

This table was one I am very proud of. It looked wonderful and tasted the same. A very fitting table for this time of year.