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TIP
Look for ready-made wraps at your market. Since this sandwich is stuffed full, you need a strong wrap to hold it all.
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Broccoli and Cheese Soup in a Bread Bowl
Haven’t you always wanted to make your own soup in a bread bowl, like in restaurants? Now you can.
Serves 4
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, chopped
Salt and pepper
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 pound broccoli (about 2 heads), stems thinly sliced and florets cut small
½ cup heavy cream
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
4 small round bread loaves (4-5 ounces each)
Olive oil
1. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; cook 5 minutes, until softened, stirring often. Add garlic and thyme; cook 1 minute, stirring. Sprinkle in flour, stirring constantly until incorporated. Slowly pour in broth, ½ cup at a time, stirring to blend. Add broccoli; cook 10 minutes, until tender.
2. Using an immersion blender, puree soup until smooth. (Or transfer soup to a blender; blend until smooth.)
3. Return soup to pot; add cream and cheese and warm over low heat, stirring.
4. For bread bowl: Preheat oven to 400°F. Using a serrated knife, slice a thin circle off the top of each round. Lift off the circle; use your fingers to pull out the soft insides of the bread, leaving at least a ½ inch of bread around the sides and bottom of the loaf. Set the loaves on a baking sheet and drizzle olive oil into each cavity; spread the oil to coat the inside. Bake rounds about 10 minutes, or until crusty and golden. Ladle warm soup into bowls and serve immediately.
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TIP
Look in the bakery section of your supermarket for bread rounds about 5 ounces in weight to make the bowls.
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August Corn Chowder
Made in August, this soup highlights the sweetness of just picked fresh corn. But it’s still good made other times of the year using a 16-ounce bag of frozen corn.
Serves 4
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion or 2 shallots, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried whole thyme or 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
Salt and pepper
3½ cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
4 medium boiling potatoes, such as Yukon Gold, unpeeled and diced
5 ears corn, kernels scraped off
2 medium beefsteak tomatoes, chopped
1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar Sour cream and chopped fresh tarragon, for garnish
1. Melt butter in medium saucepan or soup pot over medium heat. Add onion; cook 5 minutes, stirring often. Add garlic, thyme, salt and pepper; cook 1 minute, stirring. Add broth and 1 ½ cups water; bring to a simmer.
2. Add potatoes to simmering broth; cook 20 minutes, until cooked through. Stir in corn kernels and tomatoes; cook 15 minutes.
3. Remove from heat; stir in vinegar. Garnish servings with sour cream and tarragon.
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TIP
Substitute always-available cherry tomatoes in the winter months, when beefsteak tomatoes aren’t available.
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Homemade (with Help) Chicken Noodle Soup
This classic soup is made easy by using a precooked rotisserie chicken. You’ll need one small roasted chicken for the soup.
Serves 6
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and very thinly sliced
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried whole thyme
8 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
3 cups shredded meat from a purchased rotisserie chicken
3 ounces wide egg noodles (about 1 cup dry)
¾ cup frozen peas (about half of a 10-ounce box)
Salt and pepper
Chopped fresh parsley leaves, for garnish
1. Warm oil in a large saucepan or soup pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, celery and thyme; cook 8 minutes, until softened, stirring occasionally. Pour in broth, shredded chicken and about 2 cups water. Bring to a simmer; let cook 5 minutes, until vegetables are tender and flavors combine.
2. Add noodles and peas; cook about 8 minutes, until noodles are tender. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with parsley.
* * *
TIP
Because the recipe calls for a large amount of chicken broth, use the reduced-sodium variety.
* * *
Wonton Soup with Pork and Bok Choy
Making wontons is a fun activity for the whole family. Look for dumpling skins (sometimes called wonton wrappers) in the refrigerated section of your supermarket or at Asian markets.
Serves 4
WONTONS
1 head baby bok choy, coarsely chopped, stems and leaves separated
2/3 pound ground pork
2 scallions, minced
1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon Asian sesame oil
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon rice-wine vinegar
36 dumpling skins or wonton wrappers
SOUP
4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 scallions, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
6 ounces snow peas, trimmed
Asian sesame oil
1. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add salt and bok choy stems; cook 1 minute. Add bok choy leaves; cook 1 minute. Drain; run under cold water to stop cooking. Transfer bok choy to a cutting board; press with a clean dishcloth to squeeze dry. Coarsely chop.
2. In a large bowl, combine bok choy, pork, scallions, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and vinegar until combined.
3. Place one wonton wrapper on the countertop. Spoon about 2 teaspoons of the filling in the center of dumpling. Dip your finger in a bowl of warm water and moisten the edges of the dumpling. Fold the wrapper over the filling to make a half-moon shape, pressing the wet sides together to seal. Gently bend dumpling to make the classic crescent shape (this looks sort of like a nurse’s cap). Repeat until all dumplings are finished, storing finished dumplings on a baking sheet under a damp dish towel to keep them from drying out.
4. For soup: In a medium saucepan, combine broth, scallions, garlic and 4 cups of water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add wontons and snow peas and simmer, until filling is just cooked through, about 5 minutes. The dumplings will rise to the top when done.
5. Ladle the soup into serving bowls; garnish with a dash of sesame oil.
* * *
TIP
If baby bok choy is unavailable, regular-sized bok choy is a fine substitute.
* * *
Tea
at 6 RAINIER DRIVEand theVICTORIAN TEA ROOMwith
Justine Gunderson
If it wasn’t for Justine I probably wouldn’t have assembled all these recipes. My granddaughter asked me to compile my favorites when she decided to open the Victorian Tea Room. Needless to say, I was honored by her request.
As any grandmother does, I cherish my grandchildren. However there’s a unique bond between my only granddaughter and me. Tragedy struck Justine’s life early when her twin brother, Jordan, drowned. I’m not exaggerating when I tell you that Jordan’s death changed her life forever. It affected all of us, but it touched her more deeply than anyone else. That stands to reason, of course, since they were so close—and because she was with him when it happened.
I didn’t mean to start this chapter with such sad thoughts, especially since my granddaughter’s experienced so many positive changes in the past few years. The day she married Seth
Gunderson was surely one of the happiest of her life—her mother’s and mine, too.
Justine and Seth are well suited and have a solid marriage. I don’t mean to suggest that everything’s gone smoothly for them because I know it hasn’t. But they’ve worked out their problems, some of them caused (deliberately caused!) by a former boyfriend of Justine’s.
The tea room has replaced The Lighthouse, the restaurant Seth and Justine used to own and which they lost to arson. They’d worked long and hard to make it the success it quickly became. There are other restaurants in town (even if they aren’t quite as elegant as the Lighthouse) but the tea room is one of a kind. The moment she mentioned it, I knew this was exactly what Cedar Cove needed. And now the Victorian Tea Room is thriving.
I hate to say it, but the Lighthouse was perhaps too successful, and I suspect that contributed to their marital woes. Justine’s hours are a lot more reasonable these days, which is a good thing, considering that they have a family (which is about to grow in size).
Justine took my advice about the menu and has included a selection of savory dishes, like a delicious Broccoli Quiche with Ham and Gruyere, and desserts as well. The Chocolate Chip and Pecan Cookies are Sheriff Troy Davis’s all-time favorite. His late wife, Sandy (God rest her soul), gave me that recipe years ago. Justine has much to thank Sheriff Davis for, and I believe she put these cookies on the afternoon tea menu specifically as a tribute to him.
And then there’s the Pumpkin Tea Cake, which I promise will melt in your mouth. You won’t be surprised to learn that this recipe’s from Peggy Beldon who serves it at the B & B she and her husband run. I’m sure her secret is the pumpkins she grows in her huge garden. I’ve never gone to the trouble Peggy does; I use canned pumpkin instead and in my humble opinion it’s almost as good.
A word of advice about the Super Fudge Brownies. If you’re watching your sugar, as so many of us must now, these should be saved for a special occasion. On second thought, a Friday afternoon or Sunday morning might be considered special enough. Justine recently told me that chocolate should be considered its own food group and I agree with her.
Of course, it’s practically mandatory for a tea room to serve scones. The Honey-Walnut Scones are the ones I like best. I can’t recall where I got the recipe; all I can say is that everyone loves these whenever I bake them. The Cheese and Herb variation scones are equally good, whether you serve them with breakfast, tea or brunch.
I know you’ll enjoy reading these recipes—and they’ll whet your appetite for lunch or an afternoon snack at the tea room. Make sure you tell Justine I sent you!
Confetti Crab Salad
Don’t be put off by the number of ingredients in this recipe. Just chop everything up and stir it all together.
Serves 4
½ cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon mustard
1 scallion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Salt and pepper
1 pound lump crabmeat
1 small red bell pepper, diced
1 small yellow bell pepper, diced
1 avocado, peeled and diced
6 ounces lettuce leaves
1. In a large bowl, whisk mayonnaise, lemon juice, mustard, scallions, all herbs, salt and pepper until blended.
2. Fold in crabmeat, then bell peppers and avocado. Season with salt and pepper. Arrange lettuce leaves on a large platter; top with crab salad.
* * *
TIP
Buy precooked crabmeat labeled jumbo, or lump, which is made of large chunks of meat from the body of the fish. It’s usually sold at the fish counter in plastic or metal tubs.
* * *
DD’s on the Cove Crab-Melt Sandwich
Bursting with lots of crabmeat, these warm sandwiches make a luxurious supper.
Serves 4
½ cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons mustard
2 tablespoons snipped fresh chives
Dash hot sauce
Salt and pepper
1 pound lump crabmeat
4 English muffins, split
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup shredded cheddar or Swiss cheese
4 tomato slices
1. In large bowl, combine mayonnaise, lime juice, mustard, chives, hot sauce, salt and pepper until blended. Fold in crabmeat. Refrigerate mixture at least 30 minutes.
2. Preheat broiler. Lightly butter muffins; toast until golden-brown. Lay four muffin halves, buttered-side up, on a baking sheet. Top each with a generous ½ cup of the crab mixture; sprinkle evenly with cheese. Broil muffins until cheese melts and crab is warmed through.
3. Top warm sandwiches with a tomato slice and remaining muffin tops.
* * *
TIP
Always pick over crabmeat, to make sure there are no tiny shell pieces.
* * *
White Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Cookies
Just for fun, the cookies are sprinkled with large grains of salt to offset the sweetness of the white chocolate. Omit the salt on top, if you like. You do need the salt in the cookie batter, however.
Makes 20 cookies
1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon table salt
14 tablespoons (1¾ sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2½ cups old-fashioned or quick oats
6 ounces good-quality white chocolate bar, chopped
½ teaspoon large-grain salt (like coarse sea salt or fleur de sel), for topping
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, soda, and table salt.
3. In a large bowl with electric mixer on high speed, beat butter and both sugars until light and fluffy. Scrape down bowl with rubber spatula; add egg and vanilla and beat until blended. Scrape down bowl again. Slowly add dry ingredients; mix until just incorporated. Stir in oats and white chocolate.
4. Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto prepared sheets. Using fingertips, gently press down each ball to slightly flatten. Sprinkle a flake or two of coarse salt on each cookie.
5. Bake 14 minutes, until cookies are golden brown, rotating baking sheet halfway through. Transfer to wire rack to cool.
* * *
TIP
Use white chocolate bars or blocks; the packaged chips taste artificial and super-sweet.
* * *
Chef’s Salad
A salad makes a hearty meal when it’s chock-full of goodies like bacon, ham, turkey and cheese.
Serves 4
DRESSING
½ cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
½ teaspoon dry mustard
2 tablespoons fresh tarragon
Salt and pepper
SALAD
6 slices bacon
4 ounces sliced roast turkey
4 ounces sliced ham
4 ounces sliced Swiss cheese
1 large head Romaine lettuce, torn or chopped
4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and cut into wedges
1. For the dressing: In a glass measuring cup, whisk all dressing ingredients until combined.
2. Cook bacon in a large heavy skillet over medium heat until crisp; drain on paper-towel covered plate. Coarsely chop.
3. Stack turkey, ham and cheese slices; thinly slice stack to create strips of meat and cheese. In a large serving bowl, toss lettuce, bacon bits, meat and cheese strips and egg wedges with dressing.
* * *
TIP
r /> Add your favorite ingredients to make this salad your own. Some ideas: avocado, tomato, radishes, croutons.
* * *
Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal and Coconut Cookies
Chunky, chewy and chock-full of flavors, and a nice change of pace from the traditional chocolate-chipper.
Makes 24 cookies
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ½ cups quick or old-fashioned oats
1 12-ounce bag semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup toasted pecans, chopped
1 cup sweetened coconut flakes
1. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda and powder, and salt. In large mixing bowl with electric mixer, cream butter and both sugars until fluffy. Add egg, yolk and vanilla; beat until combined. Reduce speed to low; gradually add the dry ingredients. Fold in oats, chocolate chips, nuts and coconut flakes until combined. Cover dough; refrigerate at least 1 hour.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
3. Spoon ¼-cupfuls of dough about 2 inches apart onto prepared sheets. Bake 12 minutes, until just set. Edges will be only slightly browned. Do not overbake. Cool on baking sheet 5 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.