The Autumn Harvest is among us. It’s a time to gather our ripe crops and to plow our fields in anticipation of the winter frost. With the harvest comes a large feast for friends and family to dine on. We thought we’d share some of our favorite harvest foods in hopes you may use them this season! Enjoy!
Dandelion Soup with Tortellini
As you may have remembered from past blogs, Jill’s family tradition is enjoying a hearty bowl of Dandelion soup! Although dandelions are often harvested in the Springtime, you can still enjoy it in the Fall. Here’s her family recipe:
Ingredients
- 2 olive oil
- 1onion, chopped, 1 cup
- 2carrots, peeled and sliced, 1 cup
- 2cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 kosher salt
- 1/4 pepper
- 6cups chicken broth
- 1 (16 ounces) frozen cheese tortellini
- 4cups chopped dandelion greens; tough stems discarded*
- 1/4cup chopped fresh basil leaves
- 1/4cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Heat oil in saucepot over medium-high heat.
- Add onion, carrots, garlic, kosher salt and pepper and cook until tender-crisp, about 5 minutes.
- Add broth and greens and bring to a boil. Add tortellini and cook until tortellini is al dente and greens are tender, 5-7 minutes.
- Stir in cheese and fresh basil.
Makes 8 cups/6 servings.
*Delicious also with kale, spinach or mustard greens!
Alexander enjoys making his Homemade Jellied Cranberry Sauce!
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 12-ounce package fresh or frozen cranberries, rinsed and drained
Instructions
Combine sugar and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil; add cranberries, return to a boil. Reduce heat and boil gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Place a wire mesh strainer over a medium mixing bowl. Pour contents of saucepan into strainer. Mash cranberries with the back of a spoon, frequently scraping the outside of the strainer, until no pulp is left. Stir contents of bowl. Pour into serving container or bowl. Cover and cool completely at room temperature.
Refrigerate until serving time. Makes 1 cup.
Amy is currently obsessed with croquettes. She has combined her mother’s recipe and a recipe she found when she was on vacation and has combined the two to make turkey croquettes. Here is her recipe:
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp butter
- ¼ cup olive oil
- Medium onion finely diced
- A little less than a cup of flour
- 1 liter of whole milk at room temp
- Leftover turkey
- 2 beaten eggs
- Breadcrumbs
Instructions
Heat the butter and olive oil in a large frying pan. Add onion and cook until browned. Takes about 5 minutes. Once onions are cooked add flour. Cook until browned. Add turkey (I usually take it from my Thanksgiving leftovers and put enough in where I think it’s good. It’s up to the cook as to how much you want!)
Once turkey is added, start to pour the milk in little by little. It should take about 20 minutes total. This should leave you with a thick batter.
Take a casserole dish and line it with either butter or plastic wrap. When batter is cooled spread in dish and cover with plastic wrap. Place in fridge for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight.
When ready to fry, cut the batter into equal pieces (I usually get 28 croquettes out of this recipe). Roll them into imperfect logs and then dip them into the breadcrumbs, then egg, then breadcrumbs again. Fry them in olive oil. Flip them once.
Once fried, place on paper towel and allow to cool for a couple of minutes so you don’t burn your mouth!
I enjoy these as the entrée, and you can also enjoy them with some of Alexander’s Cranberry Jelly!
After this delicious feast, Heather enjoys a freshly baked apple crisp with vanilla ice cream! We like the way you think, Heather! Here is her recipe for homemade apple crisp! Enjoy with your favorite vanilla ice cream!
Ingredients
Topping
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup old fashioned oats
- 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/3 cup butter, diced into small cubes
Filling
- 2 lbs Honey Crisp apples (at room temperature) peeled, cored and sliced thin (about 1/8-inch)
- 3 Tbsp butter, melted (I prefer Irish butter!)
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 3 Tbsp water
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup light-brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees and position oven rack one level below the center. Butter an 8×8 inch baking dish (or small casserole dish, or cast-iron skillet), set aside.
In a mixing bowl whisk together 1/2 cup flour, the oats, 1/2 cup brown sugar, the baking powder, and 1/4 tsp cinnamon for 30 seconds.
Add diced butter and rub butter into dry mixture until it comes together into small crumbles. Transfer to refrigerator to chill while preparing filling.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together melted butter and flour until well blended, then mix in water, lemon juice and vanilla. Stir in 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1/2 tsp cinnamon.
Place apples in a large bowl then pour butter mixture over apples and toss to evenly coat, then pour apple mixture into prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer.
Remove topping from refrigerator and sprinkle into crumbles evenly over top of apples.
Bake in preheated oven until top is golden brown and apples are tender when pierced with a toothpick, about 35 minutes.
Remove from oven and allow to rest 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream!
Food Banks
Keep in mind during the harvest season that many food banks and food pantries could use the extra supplies. St. Vincent de Paul society is part of our online giving for the diocese. Although we are not at the holidays yet, they are still in need of your donations. Whether you bestow a monetary amount, your valuable time, or food, they will appreciate it! Sign up and donate today with us on Parish Giving.