FROMONLINE | 2012-10-03

  • By Daphne Ross
  • October 3, 2012
  • 312
                        
When walnuts fall, I am just not happy Column Summary I like to sleep-in but my sleep-in is no longer, I awaken at 5:30 a.m. Early for some maybe, but no one wants to be sleep startled at any time when walnuts fall. It’s a quiet night; it’s a fairly warm night, we can still open our bedroom windows. The window air conditioner has been silenced for several weeks now, which I am indeed happy about. Advertised as quiet, AC window units are never truly very quiet, at least not back a country lane quiet. Fresh air coming in through the screens, ever so lightly breezing the curtains away from the sash is my personal choice for sleep time comfort. It chills my pillow, I love a cold pillow. But during the heat of our summer 2012 I was indeed grateful to the inventor of the window air conditioner. God Bless him. The low sounds of the late night darkness and the mild hums of an early morning are calming; a distant train through Shreve, a combine in the west field, a barn kitty meowing on the front stoop. My appreciation for this sleep that I know I can hold onto for a couple more hours is shattered a loud boom, it breaks wide-open my comfort zone sleep. My dreamland state is disrupted and I am perturbed, is someone throwing rocks? It wasn’t a raccoon who could easily grasp a stone and throw it aside, or grab an apple and toss away the core, which he would only do if there were more fleshy apples to nibble away at. It wasn’t a loft kitty jumping onto the lean-to roof or another night critter knocking over the tomato stakes against the tractor. I finally put two and two together the loud boom was the work of Mother Nature; her night breeze was shaking up the branches of the tallest walnut tree, the tree that branches over top the metal roof of my barn and lean-to. When walnuts fall from the grand walnut tree and they hit the ground directly, they might moan the earth some when they land. But when walnuts fall on a metal roof that leans south and down, they drop and hit loud, then they tumble and roll off the roof’s edge and then they are caught in the garden tractor wagon, a second big boom. My husband loves the walnuts but only in his cookies and brownies, and this year they are quite an abundant harvest. Like little league baseballs at a wide-open batting cage or a driving range the walnuts are scattered all over certain areas of the yard. One would not want to casually stroll under a walnut tree, that’s why you don’t see them planted along city sidewalks or along parking lot curbs. And while the tasty walnut is coveted by many baked good consumers, they are not favored by any dog living in the doghouse under the shade of its branches. In the fall the walnut tree is one of the first to lose its leaves, and we never really get a chance to appreciate their falling leaves either. How about sharing grandma’s cookie recipes with the rest of us? Send recipes to Country Cupboard, 5973 Blachleyville Rd., Wooster, OH, 44691. Emails are always welcome; thewritecook@sssnet.com Ham and Bean Soup 1 pound dry baby lima beans 8 cups water or chicken broth 4 whole cloves garlic, crushed 1 1/2 pounds smoked ham bone or ham hocks 2 bay leaves 2 potatoes, peeled and cubed 4 large carrots, peeled and sliced 4 stalks celery, thinly sliced 1 large onion, chopped 1/2 teaspoons thyme, crushed 1 to 2 tablespoons low sodium chicken or ham soup base 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper Pinch of cayenne pepper, or to taste Rinse the beans in cold running water and sort to remove any stones or debris, or split beans. Wash several times. Cover the beans with water in a large stock pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 3 or 4 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover, and let stand for 1 or 2 hours. Or, the beans may be soaked overnight in a covered pan. Do not drain. Bring the beans and liquid to boiling. Add a large meaty ham bone or ham hocks, onions, celery, garlic, thyme, pepper and bay leaves. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer over very low heat for 1 hour or until the beans are nearly tender. Remove the bone or ham hocks. When the ham is cool enough to handle, remove any remaining meat from the bones and chop. Add the meat back to the soup. Add potatoes and carrots. Remove 1/2 cup of the soup broth and stir the soup base in until dissolved; add this back to the soup. Cover and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Baked Tomato Soup 2 large cans tomatoes 1 large onion, chopped fine Salt and pepper to taste 1 tablespoon granulated sugar 1/2 cup cornstarch 1 quart milk Butter Cook first four ingredients and let simmer for 5 minutes, then bring to a boil. Stir cornstarch into cold milk, stirring until completely dissolved. Add milk slowly, stirring constantly. Heat over low heat until steaming hot and simmer for 20 minutes. A sprig of fresh basil may be floated on the soup, if desired. Finish with several squares of butter. A little cream may be added or substituted for milk for a richer soup. Season to taste with salt and pepper. When ready to serve, ladle soup into warm serving bowls. Top with a piece of bread covered with two pieces of American cheese. Broil until cheese melts. Fresh Vegetable Soup 1 can chicken broth 3 tablespoons chicken base 2 quarts water 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1/8 teaspoon salt 1 inch chunk ginger, peeled and crushed 2 bay leaves 8 large cloves garlic, crushed 2 stalks celery, thinly sliced 1/2 Bermuda onion, thinly sliced 1 large red pepper, chopped 12 baby carrots, thinly sliced 1 leek, thinly sliced 5 mushrooms, thinly sliced 1 scallion, sliced in one-inch pieces Put everything into a soup pot and simmer gently for 1 to 2 hours adding water as needed. Season to taste, and remove from heat. Serve accompanied by toasted Italian bread spread with garlic butter and Parmesan cheese. Cream of Potato Soup 8 or 9 potatoes 2 onions Yolks of 2 eggs 1 cup rich cream Salt and pepper, to taste Peas or corn, optional Boil together potatoes and onions. Mash thoroughly in just enough of their own liquid to make the mashing possible. Season with salt and pepper. Beat yolks in rich cream and stir into potatoes. Do not allow soup to boil but cook until eggs are slightly cooked. Cooked corn, creamed corn or peas can also be added to the soup, if desired. Baked French Onion Soup 6 large white onions, thinly sliced 3 to 4 cloves garlic, finely minced 3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil 9 cups beef broth 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon onion powder 1/3 teaspoon ground black pepper 8 slices white bread 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese 8 slices Gruyere or provolone cheese Remove the crusts from slices of white bread. Bake bread pieces at 325 degrees for15 to 20 minutes or until lightly golden and crisped. Set aside. Sauté sliced onions in olive oil over medium heat until onions become translucent but not brown. Add minced garlic cloves to onions during last few minutes, making sure garlic does not brown. Stir in beef broth and seasonings. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes. Adjust seasonings to taste adding salt and pepper as required. Remember that Parmesan cheese is salty, so don't overdo with the salt. Ladle the soup into ovenproof serving bowls, one for each serving. Cover soup with a slice of bread. Top with Gruyere or provolone and sprinkle with Parmesan. Place serving bowls under broiler set on high. Broil six to seven minutes or until cheese is bubbly and has some browning. Serve with additional grated Parmesan cheese for sprinkling at table. Makes about eight servings. Chicken Mushroom Soup 1/2 cup egg noodles 6 cups chicken stock 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced 1/2 cup cooked chicken, diced 1/2 cup celery cabbage, cut diagonally into shreds 1 teaspoon salt Heat chicken stock. Add noodles, vegetables, chicken, garlic and salt and pepper, to taste. Cook for 15 to 30 minutes. Serves 4. Stuffed Pepper Soup 2 pounds ground beef 1 large onion chopped 5 green peppers, chopped Brown the above ingredients and drain well. Now add: 6 cans of tomato soup and 5 soup cans of water 1 can of beef broth and 1 broth can of water 2 teaspoons of brown sugar 2 small cans of tomato sauce 3/4 cup of uncooked white rice Simmer on low until the rice is cooked. You may eventually want to add about another cup or so of water, if the soup gets too thick. Roast Beef Soup 1 can Campbell's Cream of Mushroom soup 1 package precooked roast beef au jus 1 can peas 1 package wide egg noodles Cook noodles to desired tenderness. Fix meat according to package directions. Return noodles to pan. Add peas, meat and soup. Warm over low heat.


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