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Get cozy with comfort food


As the weather gets colder and the days shorter, our attention turns to food that’s comforting and filling as well as warming. Gone are the light salads and cold plates that are so refreshing on hot summer days – it’s time to welcome stews and soups, casseroles and more substantial fare. To save time, I like to make bigger portions of favourite meals so there are leftovers that re-heat well to make a second meal a couple of days later, or meals that freeze well so there are portions tucked away for a quick meal down the road.


Jude’s Kitchen JUDIE STEEVES


At this time of year, we also have different options when it comes to the vegetables that


grace our tables and nourish our bodies. In an effort to maintain my commitment to eating fresh and local foods grown by my neighbours and friends in agriculture, I opt for long-keeping root vegetables like carrots, parsnips, turnips, potatoes, onions and rutabagas. Luckily, we have a burgeoning greenhouse sector that provides us with cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes and a variety of other vegetables.


So, our options are not very limited. Even on the fruit side of things, we not only have fresh BC apples and pears available to us through the winter months, but also freshly-frozen berries and other fruits which were grown, harvested and processed in summer to capture and keep those flavours alive for us to brighten the winter months.


Many of us also canned summer favourites such as tomatoes and peaches or dried herbs and fruit, ready to release their flavours when flakes of snow are spiralling down outside. So, dream up a menu, push away the dark with candles and firelight, and invite some friends over for a meal of homegrown BC meat, fish, cheese and produce.


WHOOPS! In the October edition of Jude’s Kitchen, we neglected to add the headline for the second recipe, Simple, Spicy Soft Tacos, above the bold text, “Taco Seasoning.” We apologize for the oversight and any confusion it may have caused.


Comfort food at its best: beef and spinach casserole. (Judie Steeves photo) BEEF AND SPINACH CASSEROLE


This is a great dish for a potluck supper or a meal-in-one-dish dinner for the family or for company. All the mess and dishes can be cleaned up ahead of time, then the casserole popped into the oven before guests arrive, or at the last minute, while you relax. You could add chopped kale to this as well and it’s delicious. I have made extra to freeze for another meal a week or two later. Pair it with the CedarCreek 2013 Platinum Desert Ridge Merlot which has complex, spicy flavours that are perfect with the complex, spicy flavours of this special casserole.


1 lb. (454 g) lean ground beef 12 oz. (300 g) spinach or kale 1 c. (250 ml) mushrooms 1/2 tsp. (2 ml) nutmeg 1 egg


1 tsp. (5 ml) oregano


1/4 c. (60 ml) butter 1 c. (250 ml) milk


1/2 c. (125 ml) Swiss cheese 1 large onion 1/4 c. (60 ml) flour


salt and pepper to taste 1 c. (250 ml) chicken stock


2 c. (500 ml) uncooked pasta 1/4 c. (60 ml) Swiss cheese


• Brown ground beef and wilt chopped spinach (or kale) and sliced mushrooms. (I use a wok.) Turn off the heat and add beaten egg and spices.


• In another fry pan, chop up onion and saute in some of the butter until limp, then add the rest of the butter. When it's melted, add the flour and stir and cook for a minute.


• Slowly add warm chicken stock and whisk in well until it thickens, then gradually add milk until it thickens. Stir in a half cup of cheese.


• Meanwhile cook pasta such as macaroni, shells, bow ties or corkscrews until just 'al dente.' • Pre-heat oven to 350 F. • In a large greased casserole dish, layer pasta, ground beef mixture, sauce and then repeat, ending with sauce. Sprinkle the top with grated cheese. • Bake for about 30 minutes. Serves 4-5.


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This is simple and delicious; an easy one-dish meal to make in a hurry for company or just the family. You could substitute pork for the chicken for a quite different flavour and you could add your choice of spices such as a garam masala with the salt and pepper for a change. Serve with rice or pasta for a complete meal. It can be re-heated in the microwave, in the oven or on top of the stove in 20 minutes or less, ready to serve.


3 lb. (1.4 kg) chicken 1 c. (250 ml) carrots 1/2 green pepper 1 tsp. (5 ml) salt


1 large onion


1/2 c. (125 ml) celery 1 tbsp. (15 ml) oil


1/2 tsp. (2 ml) pepper


1 c. (250 ml) mushrooms 1/2 red pepper


2 tbsp. (30 ml) flour 1 c. (250 ml) plain yogurt


• I like to use thigh pieces, but any will do just fine, even a whole chicken which has been disjointed. Skin the pieces.


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• Chop vegetables and set aside. • Pre-heat oven to 325 F. • Briefly brown chicken in a Dutch oven or frypan in a drizzle of oil. • Remove to a plate, or to the casserole dish you’re planning to cook it in. • Cook chopped onion in hot oil over medium heat until just limp, then add to chicken pieces. • Lower the heat, and in the remaining fat, briefly brown flour, salt and pepper, stirring constantly.


• Stir in plain (I use fat-free) yogurt, blending until smooth and thick. • If using a Dutch oven, add chopped vegetables to the sauce, and return chicken and onions. Otherwise, pour sauce over the chicken in the casserole and mix in chopped vegetables. • Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, until vegetables and chicken are cooked through. Serves 5-6.


COUNTRY LIFE IN BC • NOVEMBER 2016


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