Author: binner216@comcast.net

A New Car and a Visit to The Laurent House

This is a bit of a different kind of post. It isn’t really about food though we did eat and drink. It is about a travel adventure. It is, I think, an interesting story worth sharing.

We (very) recently bought a new car. Our former car had seen many travel adventures and was letting us know that she was tired by displaying a new warning light almost daily. We bit the car payment bullet and came home with a brand new Kia Forte. Besides providing safe transportation for ourselves and the grandkids, we wanted it to be the vehicle for new road trip adventures. First we had to learn about all of its “special features.” The learning curve has been a bit steep, but we are getting there. We decided to put our still limited knowledge to the test this past weekend.

It was another oppressively hot and humid day, one of too many we have had this summer. We wanted to go somewhere far enough to feel away (and see how the car performed), but close enough to make it home before dark. Our destination also needed to be mostly indoors, because, as noted, it was hot and humid. Rockford came to mind. It’s about 70 miles away and has a few museums we have not been to. There were also some interesting dining and brewery possibilities ( see the end of this story). After scrolling through a number of museums, I came to the Laurent House. Not a museum in the literal sense, but a house designed by Frank LLoyd Wright. There were tickets available for a tour that afternoon, so off we went.

We have visited a number of FLW buildings, but this one might be our new favorite. It is a Usonian design completed in 1952. It is unique for several reasons; most importantly, it is the only home to be designed by Frank Lloyd Wright as wheelchair accessible. I also think it is unique in the fact that FLW allowed clients (Kenneth and Phyllis Laurent) to dictate their needs and wants (that was never Mr. Wright’s strong suit). The result is as FLW called it a “Little Gem.”

The home originally only 1400 square feet feels much larger. Several additions were made at the request of the Laurent Family and approved and designed by FLW. These were to create a bedroom for their adopted daughter at one end of the original house.An expanded dining space for entertaining was also added. The Laurent’s welcomed visitors from all over the world to see what FLW had created for them (many invited by the architect himself).Kenneth Laurent wanted a house that focused on his capabilities not his disability. He also wanted to be the “tallest man in the room”. One of the things that I love about this house is that all of the furniture is  the original built in and most of the movable pieces are original as well. Very few FLW homes I have seen, can claim this.

Heights of closets, tables, and chairs were adjusted to accommodate a wheel chair. Even some of the windows  were placed high so that Kenneth in his wheelchair would see the trees and plants instead of the traffic. It seems that every possible limitation was addressed and adjusted (40 years before ADA). Even the grid design of the floor(a feature of all Usonian designs) was adjusted to not catch the wheels of the chair.

The living space featured a wall of floor to ceiling windows that let in the light and showcased the beautiful simplicity of a Japanese inspired garden and pond surrounded by the third element, stone.The banquette offered a tranquil place to reflect on the beauty of nature and was used by the Laurent’s daily. Kenneth Laurent lived in the house until he died at the age of 91. Perhaps the tranquility and accessibility of this “Little Gem” prolonged his life.

I

If you plan on visiting Rockford (and it is not 95 degrees and humid) here are some ideas for points of interest, food, and drink.

Find places that interest you in Rockford:  Rockford Visitor Information:

Unique Beers and friendly people: Urban Forest Brewery

Locally sourced food in an upscale environment: Green Fire

Italian Beef Stew, My Ode to the First Snow

 

We are well into Fall, but it seems that Winter is charging in at warp speed. It has been snowing here the last few days and the first snow and the accompanying colder temperatures always makes me want to hunker down. Thoughts in the kitchen turn to Comfort Food. Those dishes that create warm smells as they cook for an extended time. They are perfect for curling up at home, enjoying said smells and the delicious results that will eventually come to the table. Soups and casseroles and of course the big pot of tomato sauce come to mind, but today it is all about stew.

I think stew is an under appreciated comfort food. It takes a lot of time and usually makes enough to feed an army. It is my belief that it is the perfect dish to make on a cold afternoon. As far as the huge pot of goodness that results goes, the upside is that it usually tastes better the second time around and it freezes very well for one of those nights when you just don’t feel like cooking. It is the dish that keeps on giving.

What makes this stew Italian? A glance at the recipe ingredients should make it perfectly clear. The garlic and herbs are a dead giveaway. Even the wine is Italian.

The amount of vegetables (onions, carrots, and garlic) may seem daunting at first glance of the recipe. They are labeled “divided” as you will be using them two ways. Some will be chopped to create a mirepoix that will flavor the stock and meat during the initial cooking. The rest will be cut into larger chunks to become the vegetable component of the stew.

A word about the seasonings: The quantities listed create a stew that makes all of them identifiable. So, if you don’t like hot spice or the flavor of fennel, feel free to adjust the quantities to your taste. Lemon peel and juice add a touch of acidity as does the wine. If you don’t have Sangiovese , another dry red wine will work. Just make sure it is a wine that you would drink on its own. Bacon will work instead of pancetta, but go easy on it so the smokiness doesn’t overpower the other flavors. As I always say, this recipe is a guideline, make it your own.

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Italian Beef Stew

Rich and hearty, the perfect weekend dinner. The long ingredient list and cooking steps are worth it.

Course: Main Course
Servings: 6
Ingredients
  • 3 Pounds Beef Chuck Trimmed of extra fat
  • Salt & Pepper To taste
  • 1-2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
  • 3 Ounces Pancetta Roughly chopped
  • 3 Medium Yellow Onions Divided
  • 2 Cups Baby Carrots (about a 1#bag) Divided
  • 10-12 Cloves Garlic Divided
  • 3 Tbsp. Fresh Rosemary Chopped
  • 1-1/2 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes Or to taste
  • 1-1/2 Tsp, Fennel Seeds (lightly crushed) Or to taste
  • 1 Tbsp. Tomato Paste
  • 1 Cup Sangiovese Wine More to taste
  • 2 Strips Lemon Zest 1" X 2"
  • 1-2 Bay Leaves
  • 4 Cups Beef Stock
  • 10 Ounces Cremini Mushrooms
  • 2-3 Tbsp. Lemon Juice To taste
  • 1/2 Cup Kalamata Olives Pitted and halved
  • 1/3 Cup Parsley Chopped
Instructions

  1. Adjust the oven rack so that a 5-6 quart covered Dutch Oven will fit in the middle of the oven. Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Begin to heat the Dutch oven on the stove over medium heat.

  2. Cut the meat into chunks about 1-1/2 - 2 inches. Dry it off with paper towels. This helps it brown better. Set aside.

  3. When the Dutch oven is hot, add about a tablespoon of olive oil coating the bottom of the pan. Add the pancetta and cook until it has rendered some fat and is just beginning to brown. Remove the pancetta leaving the drippings

  4. Season the meat with salt and pepper and brown in batches. Place chunks in a bowl as they are browned. Add olive oil if the pot seems dry.

  5. Chop one onion, 1/2 cup carrots and 4 cloves of garlic in 1/2 inch dice. Add to the pot and cook until slightly soft and fragrant. Add the rosemary, fennel, and pepper flakes cooking for several minutes until they become fragrant

  6. Add the tomato paste and cook stirring for 3 minutes or so. Pour the wine into the pot and scrape up any brown bits that have accumulated. Cook about 4 minutes.

  7. Stir in the beef stock and add the beef (and accumulated juices) and pancetta back to the pot. Drop in the lemon zest and the bay leaf. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Cover and place into the oven. Cook covered 1 hour.

  8. While the meat cooks, Slice 2 onions vertically into 3/4 inch wedges. Cut the remaining carrots in half. Slice the garlic into 1/4 inch strips.

  9. After an hour pull out the pot and add the onions, carrots, and garlic. Mix everything together, cover and return to the oven for about 30 minutes.

  10. Cut the mushrooms in half (quarter if large) and gently stir them into the pot after the 30 minute cooking. Cover and return to the oven.

  11. Continue to cook 30 minutes or so. Check the meat occasionally. It should be tender but not falling apart and the vegetables should be tender. When it is done to your liking, add the olives and the lemon juice, stirring to incorporate. Check for seasoning and make any adjustments.

  12. Serve in bowls with crusty bread or spoon over polenta, faro, or rice. Sprinkle with parsley.

Here’s to snowfall, the holidays, and the food that makes it all special in the Kitchen of Love

Upscale Tortellini Soup

Tortellini soup has been a part of our family for many years. When my sons were little it was a favorite request. Simple and easy to make, all it required was some stock, a few vegetables, and store bought tortellini. It was a permanent fixture on our week day menu and when the boys moved out on their own it was the first recipe they wanted to make themselves. This is the recipe I gave them constructed to be novice cook fool proof. It might also have been attached to a care package of the ingredients.

The basic recipe stayed the same for 20 years…why change something that worked so well. A couple of years ago I was looking through my old recipes for some new inspiration and there in its unassuming glory was the recipe. I must have been feeling fancy that day because I somehow knew that this modest little recipe was capable of bigger and better things…it could go “Upscale.”

How does one do that? Will it ruin something so enshrined in our family’s culinary history? Am I selling out? After a bit of thought and some soul searching, I realized that, NO, it would not be any of those things and it would be fun to make a new variation. Here’s how I took that recipe “uptown”.

As with any good soup recipe upscale or otherwise you need a pot and some olive oil. I decided to use chopped up pancetta that I browned lightly allowing it to render some of that yummy fat. The starting line up still had garlic and carrots but I used shallots instead of onions. I added some other players; artichoke hearts, cremini mushrooms, sun dried tomatoes, spinach and in this go round some cooked chicken Italian sausage (chicken could also work here and whichever you choose it won’t hurt to brown it in the drippings before adding the veg and set it aside until later). I used homemade stock and refrigerated tortellini.

The results were outstanding and while it  is a little more sophisticated, it still pays homage to the original.

Upscale Tortellini Soup
Print Recipe
Servings
4
Servings
4
Upscale Tortellini Soup
Print Recipe
Servings
4
Servings
4
Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. Heat a soup pot over medium high heat. Add the olive oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pot. Add the pancetta and cook until it is lightly browned and has rendered some fat.. Remove the pancetta and leave about a tablespoon of oil/fat in the pan.
  2. Add the chicken or chicken sausage to the pan and brown . Remove from the pan and set aside with the pancetta.
  3. Add the shallots, garlic, cremini, carrots, and artichoke hearts to the pot. Cook over medium heat until everything begins to soften and becomes fragrant, stirring often. Add about 1/4 cup of stock to the pot and stir to loosen any brown bits. Add the rest of the chicken stock along with the Italian seasoning(s) of your choice.
  4. Bring to a low boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes or so. Add the spinach, chicken, pancetta, and sun dried tomatoes and simmer for another 10 minutes. While the soup simmers cook the tortellini.
  5. Cook the tortellini in a separate pan following the directions on the package. Drain and divide the tortellini between 4 soup bowls. Spoon the soup over the tortellini, again dividing among the bowls. Serve with shredded parmesan or romano cheese.
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What is White Chili?

I made “White Chili” this week. As I was making it, I wondered why it was called that. It isn’t white, at least not the way I make it. The chilies I used are actually green and the hint of red comes from the ancho chili powder that I lovingly sprinkled in at the beginning. The only actual white was the Chicken Breast. So what is White Chili?

I asked the all knowing Google and found out that it is an American invention, possibly with origins in the south (not Southwest). It is called white because it uses chicken or turkey as its anchor. I also took a look at some of the competition and the images ran from creamy white to a rosy glow much like how mine turned out. What I came away with was that “White Chili” is whatever you want it to be. The constants are poultry and green chilies and it can go whiter with the addition of dairy or pinker with the addition of red chili powder. Oh, and it is really delicious with crumbled tortilla chips and pepper jack cheese.

My recipe began with bacon…never a bad start and followed with chicken breast, onions, garlic and that blush of ancho chili. Three green chilies joined in; jalapeno, green (canned), and poblano. I used cannellini beans, but any white bean would work. Chicken stock provided the liquid and I used Masa Harina to lightly thicken everything up. I ended it all with a good squeeze of lime juice and added Pepper Jack cheese and Tortilla chips to each bowl. delicious, quick and perfect for the fall like days we have been having.

White Chicken Chili
Print Recipe
Quick, easy, and not too spicy
Servings
4
Servings
4
White Chicken Chili
Print Recipe
Quick, easy, and not too spicy
Servings
4
Servings
4
Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. Heat a soup pot over medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and let it get hot. Add the bacon and chicken Sprinkle with the garlic & pepper seasoning and cook, stirring occasionally until the bacon and chicken are lightly browned, about 7 minutes. Remove from pot with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Remove the drippings in the pan, but leave the brown bits
  2. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the pan. Add the onions and cook until they are translucent 5 minutes or so. Add the drained chilies and the garlic and continue to cook for another 3 or 4 minutes.
  3. Heat poblanos under the broiler until well browned on all sides. Place charred peppers in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to rest for 10 minutes or so. Remove the skin, stems and seeds and chop into small pieces. Add to pot with the canned chilis.
  4. Add the herbs and spices and cook for an additional minute or two. Add about 1/2 cup of the stock and stir to deglaze the pot. Return the bacon and chicken to the pot and add the rest of the stock and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer 15 minutes.
  5. Add the drained beans and cook until heated through. If the chili seems a little thin, mix the masa harina with a little of the chili liquid and stir back into the pot. Simmer until the chili thickens slightly and everything is happily hot. Serve topped with the cheese and tortilla chips.
  6. To make Tortilla Chips: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a large cookie sheet with olive oil cooking spray. Tear or cut 3-4 tortillas of your choice into strips. Lay in a single layer on the cooking sheet and spray with the olive oil cooking spray. Sprinkle lightly with coarse salt. Bake 10 - 12 minutes, turning half way through. The chips should be golden brown and crisp.
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Mustard Wet Rub…for Chicken or Pork

 

 

Even though we are unofficially heading into fall, in most places it still feels like summer. I grill no matter the season and I am sure I am not alone. Here is another way to impart flavor into those lean proteins you grill. It falls somewhere between a rub and a marinade so the somewhat questionable name “Wet Rub” seems to be pretty accurate.

The ingredients are simple with mustard as the key player. As with all my recipes, you have my blessing to change it up however you like. Think of all the mustards out there… think of all the herbs…all the spices, you could make variations of this for the rest of your grilling season.

I love this on  boneless-skinless chicken thighs and have done it with breasts as shown here. I think it would be great on pork tenderloin or chops as well.

So, here is the blueprint, make it your own. Happy grilling and a merry, merry Fall to all.

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Mustard Wet Rub

A savory wet rub that is great on chicken or pork. Use whatever herbs you have on hand and feel free to adjust any of the ingredients to suit your taste. This is enough rub for two servings.

Keyword: Rubs and Marinades
Servings: 2
Author: binner216@comcast.net
Ingredients
  • ⅓ Cup Dijon Mustard
  • 2 Tbsp Fresh Herbs Sage, rosemary or your choice
  • ½ Tbsp Lemon Zest
  • 1-2 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1 Tsp Brown Sugar
  • ¼ Tsp Red Pepper flakes
  • 1/2 Tsp Salt free Lemon Herb seasoning
  • Salt & Pepper To taste
Instructions

  1. Combine the ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Give it a taste and make any adjustments.

  2. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to allow the flavors to blend.

  3. Brush evenly on both sides of the chicken (or pork) and refrigerate for about a half hour.

  4. Grill on medium direct heat until cooked through. Time will vary based on the type of protein.