An Italian Feast for Father Winter

We had an Italian feast yesterday.

We also had a blizzard.

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Definition of a blizzard as defined by the National Weather Service. 24 hour snowfall, 35 mph winds, 1/4 mile visibility.

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Definition of a blizzard by Dylan Thomas in A Child's Christmas in Wales:

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"Our snow was not only shaken from white wash buckets down the sky, it came shawling out of the ground and swam and drifted out of the arms and hands and bodies of the trees; snow grew overnight on the roofs of the houses like a pure and grandfather moss, minutely ivied the walls and settled on the postman, opening the gate, like a dumb, numb thunder-storm of white, torn Christmas cards."

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Not surprisingly, I prefer Dylan Thomas's description. After years of performing that piece, I love that so much of it is muscle memory and a part of me. Especially as I rage against winter and the need to drive in it! If you are a lover of words and have never read A Child's Christmas in Wales, find it here.
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I thought creating the Italian feast would appease Father Winter.

It didn't work.There is a new coating of 16-20 inches in the Twin Cities. The Metrodome's roof collapsed, The Guthrie Theatre cancelled A Christmas Carol and every theatre and concert venue did the same. Office parties cancelled, busses pulled out of service and even the snowplows were pulled off the road until visibility improved. With few shopping weekends until Christmas, even the Sprawl- that would be Mall of America finally shut down at 4 p.m.

The feast did not halt the blizzard. But it did nourish the spirit. Baked polenta sticks with a simple warm, blue cheese sauce was the starter. The sauce reminiscent of melting snow - a thought near and dear to my heart.
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Father Winter railed and reigned outside. Inside was all sugar-and-spice aroma and Christmas music. I will admit that when "Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow!" came on, I shut off the radio. That's just overkill.

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This is so easy and so soothing. It makes about 16 polenta sticks. Make the polenta early in the day according to package directions. (I used 1/2 box of the five-minute version). Pour into a brownie pan and let it firm up. Then you can do one of 3 things: Bake it for 30 minutes in a 400 degree F oven or broil it for about 5-7 minutes per side or simply fry it. It also keeps well.

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In a small saucepan combine 6 ounces of blue cheese (or gorgonzola) cheese slices or crumbles with 1/4/-1/3 cup of cream (you decide how piquant you want it). Heat gently under low heat. Pour over baked (or broiled or fried) polenta sticks. Serve. Add chopped Italian parsley if you wish.

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And because I could....I also made Mushroom and Parmigiano Bruschetta from Cooking Light. Or adapted - I used small wheat pitas instead of bruschetta and a different mix of mushrooms and skipped the fresh basil because there was no going to the store for ingredients! You would need a sleigh and eight flying reindeer.

Luckily a good Parmigiano-Reggiano is a staple in this house! It's a virtuous recipe many vegetables, low-fat, etc. But more importantly it's a warming, taste treat. Just the thing to grab while you're cooking and listening to Christmas Carols that don't have the words "let it snow" in them. This topping would also be good over polenta. If you like garlicky, soft mushrooms with brighteners like capers and sherry vinegar all topped with nutty Parmigiano - check it out here.

Dinner was pasta. I cannot think of any dish that provides more solace than a bowl of pasta.

Also from Cooking Light, I adapted their Pasta with Broccoli Rabe, Chickpeas and Prosciutto to what I had on hand. If you like your prosciutto crispy, your beans creamy and your broccoli rabe steamy and sultry, this easy pasta dish will ease you into the winter night. Click on the above link for the recipe.

I believe the recipe originally came from Lidia Bastianich who always knows how to take a vegetable and heighten it.

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And what's a snow day without cookies baking? It soothed the family and we may even have shared one with the dog. A round-up of Italian cookies will come later this week. Meanwhile, I leave you with this light and elegant pine-nut biscotti.

Also from Cooking Light, it's just crunchy enough for espresso or vin santo. Just giving enough to be on its own. Just sweet enough from the sugar and pine nuts. Delicate with its light champagne color - it's part air and part earth. Just like Father Winter. Find the recipe here.
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The Italian feast may not have soothed Father Winter but it was a soft, comforter wrapped around our home.
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And if you're dreaming of a White Christmas or want to go walking in a Winter Wonderland...

Be careful what you wish for.

And to those who sent me Facebook message, e-mails and left comments wishing me warmth and to be well during the blizzard, I want to thank you! Made me smile through the snow!

Zuppa Confessions with Cake

I have a confession- that sunset posted on my entry last week - was not my yard. I would love Lake Superior to be in my backyard (maybe... but not necessarily during the Gales of November - Lake Superior is a lake you must respect).
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Paul and I are in agreement that if we did indeed have a lake to gaze upon from our window - we would do nothing but gaze upon said lake. In the a.m. we'd gaze with our morning coffee right until we switched to cocktails or wine in the evening and nothing would ever get done. So, we remain happy to have White Bear Lake three blocks away for when we need our "gaze-at-a-lake-fix."
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Below is my yard. Exactly as it looked this morning. We knew it was coming.

Sigh. If you live in the southern part of the country and post photos of your flowers from your yard, I may weep.


You can see why I needed to make soup. And not just any soup. The sort of soup that could go vegetarian - if you were in the mood. The sort of soup that could be waistline-happy brothy - if you were in that mood. Or just a tad creamy - which is not a bad alternative when the day is wintery and you want dinner to feel like a balm for the icy roads and chills.


There are so many variations to this Zuppa Toscana - I know because in my soup-questing life, I've tried them all. If you don't eat meat, omit the sausage and increase the onions, carrots and celery by a third. If you like your Tuscan bean soup brothy, leave out the evaporated milk. If you want more fat, use Italian sausage rather than turkey sausage in the soup. Substitute escarole or kale for the spinach. The important thing is to deliver a broth packed with flavor from aromatics (onions, carrots, celery and garlic) and herbs.



Zuppa Toscana Ingredients - serves 8 as a first course, 4 as an entrée
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onions (about one large onion)
1 cup chopped carrots (2-3 carrots)
1 cup chopped celery (2 celery stalks)
2-3 (or more) garlic cloves - minced
1 pound turkey sausage*
8 cups chicken broth
2 (or more) tablespoons dried Italian seasoning
2-14 oz cans cannellini beans, thoroughly rinsed (I used organic)**
1 bag baby spinach
1-14 oz can evaporated milk or evaporated skim milk (I used skim)

*Make your own turkey sausage: for each pound of ground turkey add: 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes, 1-2 tablespoons Italian seasonings (I use a lot of seasoning), 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper. Mix well with turkey, cover and refrigerate at least one hour or up to a day.)

**Substitute dried beans (1/2 pound approximately equals 2-14 oz cans. Simply soak over night as directed on the package. Your beans will be firmer.)

This was so soul-satisfying, I think I'm in love. Zuppa Toscano and I shall live happily together. And it doesn't interfere with my marriage at all.
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Zuppa Toscana Preparation
In large stockpot over medium heat, heat olive oil. (Hot but not sizzling.)
Add onions, carrots and celery and toss to coat with oil. Reduce heat to medium low and cook till all is softened - stirring occasionally (7-8 minutes).
Add garlic, stirring for 30 seconds.
Add turkey sausage and stir - breaking up clumps. Cook till turkey is browned (another 7-8 minutes).
Add broth, cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes.
Add beans and simmer uncovered for ten minutes.
If using, add evaporated milk and simmer for five minutes.
Add spinach and stir until just wilted - about two minutes.
Serve. Pass pepper mill around. If you did not use the evaporated milk, consider passing freshly-grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
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And then there was the cake. Someone in my home had a birthday. The day after I joined Weight Watchers. (It had to be.) And in the wonders of her new age, she had found a recipe in Cooking Light that she asked me to make.
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Chocolate Cake with Orange-Chocolate filling and Bittersweet Chocolate Glaze
(or in the spirit of this post - Chocolate Gaze)
How could I say no? And it was from Cooking Light....

It taunted me with it's lowfat lip. You know how some cakes are so pretty you proclaim, "It's a shame to cut into it." (But you do.) This richly dark cake proclaimed it was made to be eaten. It sang it. It heralded its edibility.

And we gobbled it. One my second day of Weight Watchers. I ate every moist, delicate crumb of my slice greedily.

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The cake soothed. The cake sated. Orange and chocolate - a little citrus, a depth of sweetness. For the rest of the evening, people sneaked down to the fridge in the basement to have a sliver.

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If you like dark chocolate spiked with orange and cake with a creamy-oozing layer topped with a glitzy glaze, find the recipe here. A word of advice - wherever it says "non-fat," substitute low-fat. Nobody else claimed to notice... but I could taste the non-fat. And deep inside I know - non-fat is not real food.