Is this clutter or color?

Stuffed Chicken Thighs

It is great to wake up in the morning, turn my computer on, and see the above message.

Yesterday I spent a few hours at the bookstore, went to the market, returned home and began to make braised stuffed chicken thighs, homemade tomato sauce, and spaghetti.

I begin by thawing a package of frozen chopped spinach.

I make fresh breadcrumbs.

I take out my cleverly designed cutting boards with a variety of cutting surfaces.



I assemble ingredients for the stuffing.


Thyme, parmesan cheese, chopped spinach, fronds from fennel, bread crumbs, shallots, minced garlic, and an egg.
I recently discovered these eggs which are somewhat more expensive but oh so good.




The stuffing refrigerated for at least 30 minutes and then is spooned onto skinless boned chicken thighs.

Notice that spindle of kitchen string which was given to me years ago. It seems endless.




I roll up the thighs and tie them in bundles.
Next I brown them in olive oil in a large skillet and set them aside.

Next I make a tomato sauce.

I cook 2 cups of chopped onion, 1/2 cup chopped carrot, 1/2 cup of diced fennel bulb, 1/2 cup chopped scallion, and some minced garlic in the same skillet.

I add 1 1/2 cups of white wine, bring it to a boil, scraping up the brown bits until the wine is reduced by half.

Next I stir in 3 cups of chicken broth, a 28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes, some fresh basil and thyme, and the chicken thighs.

Bring to a boil and then simmer for 45 minutes.

I served it over spaghetti.

A loaf of warm chiabatta bread completed the meal.

Cod with potatoes and fennel

A sharp-eyed person might notice that the fish is haddock.

I would prefer Cod beacuse of the thicker pieces.



I got this recipe from Martha Stewarts' Everyday food cookbook.

The fish is cut into good sized pieces, placed on top of the potato mixture, covered, and allowed to cook for about 10 minutes.

I brought the skillet directly to the table.
I forgot to take a photograph of the finished dish but we enjoyed it and we especially liked the flavor of the fennel and the orange zest.

Please note the new quotation in my profile.

One of the very best things about getting old becomes crystal clear when you consider the alternative.

Shchee

I make Schchee, a Russian cabbage soup about once every two years for Mary.

First I pour 2 quarts of beef stock into a large pot and let it simmer while I prepare the vegetables.

I chop 2 1lb cabbages and set it aside.

It is amusing that the recipe book in which I found this recipe years ago says to chop the cabbage and put it aside. That is the last time the cabbage is mentioned. Each of the first few times I made the soup I came to the end of the process and would say to myself, "Hey I have this large bowl of cabbage here." You can see I have made a penned reminder on the recipe page.

Chop a cup of carrots.

Dice 2 cups of potatoes.

Finely chop 1 cup of onion.

Peel, remove seeds (better than I did), and chop 2 cups tomatoes.

The vegetable, celeriac, which is known as celery root really adds flavor to the soup.

You cant really peel this vegetable. You have to cut and scrape it but then you can cut it into strips.

Its time to season the broth.

Add some dill weed.

Toss in a bay leaf

Some salt

add pepper at the end of cooking

How do you like my marble salt and pepper prep bowl.

Add the potato, tomato, and some parsley to the pot.

Saute the carrots, celery root, and onion in a covered skillet for about 10 minutes.

Add the carrot mixture to the pot

Fry kielbasa pieces in the skillet that the carrot mixture was cooked, until they are slightly browned and fat is released. Use a slotted spoon to add to pot.

Add the cabbage and simmer about 40 minutes.

The finished product.

Serve with thick slices of pumpernickel with sweet butter, sour cream to stir into the individual bowls of soup, and freshly ground black pepper.

Happy 80th Birthday, Bill Duke

This weekend I drove to Saco, Maine to attend Bill's (Cissy's father) surprise birthday party.

Kathleen aka Cissy