Fall Comfort Foods.....Maine Style! (kids, pizza, room)

[CoastalMaine]

Originally Posted by RANGER.101ST

i went to dysart's restaurant.
being just me it was easier then cooking.
i love chili.as long as it isn't to hot i like to enjoy the flavor and i cant if its so hot it melts my tongue.

I use a little fresh jalapeno diced into the chili as it's cooking. Can't say I want it so hot my tongue melts off either. lol A little heat is good.

I save the wicked hot for when I saute jalapeno's in olive oil, seeds and all just til tender, then pour into a chafing dish, toss in some pepperoni slices and top with provolone. I slop it up (oil and all) with crusy italian bread. OMG that is SO hot, but SO good!!!

[Eastport4me]

A Maine baked bean supper was a hit tonight. A delicious recipe by Martha Greenlaw is a keeper. Also made a corn pudding and for variation added 1/4 cup chopped green pepper and 1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese...yummy, served with coleslaw and hot dogs.

[Maineah]

Friday night we made a Goodbye Summer dinner at my local Amvets hall. We cooked 200 lobsters two bushels or steamers and 150 ears of corn. There are some summer foods I will miss for a while!!

[CoastalMaine]

Thanks Ode!!!! Sounds hearty and filling!!! Yum!!!!!!!!!

Originally Posted by Ode

Try a cottage pie, which is the English version and made with beef. It can be pretty good for those who don't like lamb, though I can never understand not loving lamb in all of its savory delishishness! Thank goodness all my kids loved lamb, shepherd's pie was a winter staple in our home and still is now that the kids are all grown and gone.

Other cool weather comfort foods here include colcannon, which is really easy to make. Recipe below for those who haven't tried it before, it is another Irish dish. We also love garlic cheese grits, and baked butternut squash with the hollows filled with thinly sliced leeks or caramelized onions mixed with chopped browned country style bacon (cook the leeks or onion in the bacon for extra yummyness!). Of course, nothing is complete without hot bread at the table, either biscuits or a homemade loaf, with butter.

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Colcannon

Steam 5 pounds of small yukon gold or redskin potatoes in their skins, then peel a bit off the potatoes when done, leaving as much skin as you like in mashed potatoes. Mash them with butter, salt, cream, and black pepper. Set aside to keep warm. I use a hand masher, so the potatoes have texture, it is better for this dish than smooth whipped potaotes.

While potatoes steam, prepare the bacon and cabbage. Dice a pound of good country style bacon, the thick and drier type. Saute until crisp but not too brown. Pour off most of the bacon fat, leave about 1 TBSP with the bacon to cook the leeks. Thinly slice 3 leeks (Use about the bottom third, cut off most of the green tops and save them for making a stock later) and gently cook them with the bacon until very soft, but not browned. Stir intto the potatoes after mashing them.

Meanwhile, have a large pot of salted water boiling. Add a couple of tablespoons of butter to the pot. Then add a cored and quartered cabbage to the pot, and cook for about 5 minutes or until the cabbage is still very green but tender. Pour out into a strainer, then chop the cabbage. Add cabbage to the potato mixture, and combine well. Serve this in a bowl with a dollop of butter, it is actually better with cultred butter rather than the sweet cream style. Add additional salt and pepper to taste.

This is a traditional dish in Ireland, and can also be made with boiled bacon or ham if you prefer.It is rather heavy on the fat due to the butter, cream, and bacon, but oh boy it sure does taste good.

[S Williams]

What a fun thread!

Went to the Orono Farmer's Market yesterday and bought pink-gold potatoes and leeks.
Just made (and ate!) the yummiest potato leek soup! My goodness, there is nothing like "farm fresh".
Also bought a couple "Long Pie" pumpkins. We're waiting for them to turn orange to make pie and pumpkin bread.
Hooray for fall's bounty!

[Maineah]

We're having lasagna tonight. Nothing too fallish or particulalry "Maine" about it but I sure do like it!!

[Maine Writer]

Pizza tonight!

[CoastalMaine]

Put a bottle of Shipyard Pumpkin Ale in my chili last night and let that simmer in for about 5 hours. OMG.... the meat is so tender and there is a wonderfully subtle hint of pumpkin in the chili! Puts this rainy weather in perspective, that's for sure!!!

[Maineah]

Originally Posted by CoastalMaine

Put a bottle of Shipyard Pumpkin Ale in my chili last night and let that simmer in for about 5 hours. OMG.... the meat is so tender and there is a wonderfully subtle hint of pumpkin in the chili! Puts this rainy weather in perspective, that's for sure!!!

That's a good idea! I'll try it in a pot roast sometime. I always put a bottle of Geary's in my pot roast, pumpkin ale might be just right for fall!! Five in the cook and one in the pot...that sounds about right!!

[Maineah]

Originally Posted by Maine Writer

Pizza tonight!

I used to make pizza from scratch every Friday night when the kids lived at home. It was a ritual and they brought a pile of their friends over here for pizza night. They LOVED my home made dough pizza. I don't make it much now but when they're home I always have to revive pizza night one more time.
Personally I like to let the dough age a day or two in the fridge as it gets a sour dough flavor I love!