AUTUMN VEGGIES and PUMPKIN SOUP

10/5/16 Cook’s Corner/

Betty Kaiser

“The falling leaves drift by the window…

The Autumn leaves of red and gold…”

Just in case you haven’t noticed, autumn is here. I noticed the change of seasons this morning when I pulled on a sweater and crunched my way through falling leaves to the mailbox. My family knows that Fall is in the air when I start bringing out the soup pot and leafing (pun intended) through my recipe files. Light summer meals have come to an abrupt halt and hearty fare is on the way.

Right now I’m trying to use up the abundance of vegetables that Chuck unearthed as he was shutting down the garden for winter. He gave away most of the beautiful burgundy and green leaf lettuce because there was no way that two of us could eat it all. The root vegetables, however, are a different story. They are keepers.

My biggest problem is where to keep all those beets, carrots and potatoes. An even bigger challenge is how to prepare them. I’m tired after canning all summer. This year I just didn’t feel like adding beets and carrots to my pantry. But I may change my mind before my inventory runs out! Beets are particularly tricky. It doesn’t take eating many of them to cause me to say, “Enough!”

Carrots are more versatile. I have been grating them into everything from coleslaw to carrot cake. I often use a brown sugar glaze on them at dinner. Leafing through my UO Centennial Cookbook (1973) I found a couple of versions of Pineapple Glazed Carrots to share that will brighten up a couple of meals.

Potatoes are usually good keepers but (again) there’s only two of us and I had just bought 10 pounds of "Yukon Golds" before Chuck harvested his crop of Russets. They will all be put to good use. Chuck loves Hot German Potato Salad and my old Betty Crocker Cookbook (circa 1958) has a great recipe for it.  It goes mighty good with pork chops or even hot dogs for dinner. 

Oh, yes, we also have pumpkins. It was a pretty puny crop this year but I don’t do much cooking with them anyway. Things look pretty bare around here when I pull the flowering annuals so I mostly use pumpkins for decoration and an alternative deer food. I may not cook with them but I know where to buy some cans of Libby pumpkin!

If you have an abundance of any of the above root veggies, I hope that one of the following recipes will strike your fancy. None of them r are new or fancy. But they’re all tried and true and delicious. Enjoy!

HOT GERMAN POTATO SALAD

6 medium potatoes of your choice

6 slices bacon, chopped

3/4 cup onion, chopped

2 tablespoons flour

2 teaspoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon celery seed

Salt and pepper to taste

3/4 cup water

1/3 cup vinegar

Scrub potatoes and put in a pot. Cover with water and boil until done. Peel and slice thinly.

Sauté bacon and onions in skillet until golden brown. Blend in flour, sugar and seasonings. Cook over low heat, stirring until smooth and bubbly. Remove from heat. Stir in water and vinegar. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil one (1) min. Gently stir in the potatoes. Remove from heat, cover and let stand until ready to serve.

Serves 6 generously.

Note: This salad can be served at room temperature or put in a Pyrex dish, covered and kept warm in a oven @ 200° F.

PINEAPPLE CHUNKS and GLAZED CARROTS

2 cups cooked, sliced carrots

1/2 cup pineapple juice

1/3 cup carrot stock

1 tablespoon cornstarch

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 cup pineapple chunks or tidbits (can cut chunks in half)

Cover carrots with water and cook until tender. Reserve 1/3 cup stock. Drain and set aside. In a saucepan combine pineapple juice, carrot stock and cornstarch. Bring to a boil and cook until thickened. Add remaining ingredients and heat through. Serves 4.

HARVARD BEETS

This is my favorite way to eat beets!

4-5 large beets (enough for 4 cups sliced beets)

3/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup vinegar

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1/3 cup water

3 teaspoons butter

Dash of salt and pepper

Scrub beets, place whole in saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook until done (about 25 min.). Run cold water over them. Peel and slice. Set aside in a skillet.

Mix sugar and cornstarch in small saucepan; add vinegar and water, boil 5 min. Add to beets in saucepan and bring to a boil. Add butter, salt and pepper. Serve hot. Serves 6-8.  

Simple Pumpkin Soup

(A variation on a Bon Appetit recipe)

2 15-ounce cans pure pumpkin

2 cups vegetable broth

1-2 cups water

1 15 ounce can of coconut milk (or 1 cup Half n Half)

1+ garlic cloves pressed

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

4 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon salt

1-2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice

Dash of cayenne pepper

Bring first 4 ingredients to simmer in large saucepan over medium-high heat, whisking often. Whisk in syrup, 2 tablespoons butter, and pumpkin pie spice. Simmer soup 10 minutes, whisking often. Season with salt and pepper. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat. Divide soup among 6 bowls. Garnish soup with a drizzle of butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Serve with hot rolls and butter.

Note: Soup can be made 1 day ahead. Chill until cold, then cover and keep chilled. Bring to simmer before serving.

P.S. No, I don’t know why they have you melt the butter separately in such a large pan. Probably to brown it.

Keep it simple and keep it seasonal!

Betty Kaiser’s Cook’s Corner is dedicated to sharing a variety of recipes 

that are delicious, family oriented and easy to prepare.