8 oz. yellow peas, soaked
8 oz. ham, cubed
4 stalks celery, chopped
1 large carrot, diced
2 or 3 red potatoes, medium and cooked
6-8 small pearl onions or one white onion, minced
1-2 tbl. fresh thyme or 1 tsp. dried ginger
Cook peas in 3-4 cups water. Bring to boil, then simmer for 1 hour. Leave in the refrigerator overnight or continue cooking until soft enough to mash.
Saute in large soup pan. When half done add onions. When nearly done add celery, do not brown.
Add mashed pea mixture, thyme, carrots and potatoes. Add enough broth to allow cooking. Bring to boil, then simmer for 15-20 minutes. Check and add more broth as necessary.
Mash potatoes and the peas you missed with a fork. Serve with bread or crackers.
Serves 8
4-5 lb. Turkey breast, fresh or thawed
1/2 cup butter melted
1/4 dry white wine or apple juice
2 tbl. fresh thyme or 1 1/2 tsp. dried
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. paprika
2 cloves garlic minced
2 tsp. cornstarch
2 tsp. cold water
Mix the butter, wine, spices, and garlic in small bowl. Baste turkey with half the mixture in oven proof pan. Bake for 1 hour at 325 degrees. After 1/2 hour baste with other half of mixture.
Collect drippings when turkey is done and drain off most of the fat/oil. Add drippings back to pan and heat on stove at medium. Mix cornstarch and cold water and whisk into the drippings slowly.
Serves six
In every era, the horizon was dominated by what was central to life. In ancient times it was a pyramid or monuments. These were replaced by the tower of a monastery or the steeple of a church. We now have the buildings of commerce.
We all have a tendency to fret about small problems while neglecting big problems or issues. The hypnotism of life traps our attention and we meander through the day going from one small obsession to the next. I want to eat that but I’m trying to lose weight. Does that person really like me? The project at work is not going well.
And so our life is frittered away without ever considering the big problems. What do we really want from life? Why do we suffer?
We are too accustomed to thinking in a small way where everything is practical and safe. This may seem to be judicious but it stunts our growth and leaves us with the feeling of being stuck in a rut. Everything in life is a repetition. This is the metaphor of the cicada and the dove.
We need to think big. Crazy-assed big. There are tremendous faculties and resources within us but they lie latent. Why? Because these things are outside of our normal everyday world. Like a fish a thousand miles long that can change into a bird and fly.
Cook and drain noodles (to al dente).
In large (> 1 qt) pot saute vegetables in butter at medium heat. Do not brown.
Add spices and flour to form a roux. Do not brown.
Slowly add 48 oz. of chicken stock while stirring.
Add chicken, stir occasionally for five minutes.
Turn heat to simmer, add noodles, stir occasionally for five to ten minutes or until noodles are soft.
Add additional stock when needed, especially when reheating left-overs.
Melt butter in sauce pan and add flour. Stir to form a roux, don’t let it darken. Slowly stir in milk to form white sauce. When it’s hot add the cheese and stir until smooth. Put potatoes and sauce in buttered baking dish and mix well. Bake in oven at 400 degrees for one hour or however long it takes for potatoes to be done.
Add as much as your taste buds can handle to chicken or ground beef.
Sauce:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Trim the woody ends from the asparagus. Spread the spears in a single layer in a shallow roasting pan baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and roll to coat thoroughly. Roast the asparagus until lightly browned and tender, about 10 minutes, giving the pan a good shake about halfway through.
Meanwhile, put the egg yolk, lemon juice, and cayenne in a blender. Pulse a couple times to combine.
Put the butter in a small microwave proof bowl and heat in a microwave until just melted. With the blender running, gradually add the melted butter into the egg to make a smooth frothy sauce. If the sauce is really thick blend in a teaspoon of lukewarm water to loosen it up. Season with the salt and serve immediately or keep warm in a small heat-proof bowl set over hot (but not simmering) water until ready to serve.
Spread the roasted asparagus on a serving platter. Grind a generous amount of pepper over the top.
Preheat oven to 425°.
Combine asparagus, 2 teaspoons olive oil, salt, and garlic in a large bowl, tossing well to coat. Arrange asparagus mixture in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 425° for 12 minutes or until crisp-tender.
Combine remaining 2 teaspoons oil, rind, juice, mustard, and pepper in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Arrange asparagus on a platter; drizzle juice mixture over asparagus. Sprinkle with parsley.