Organic Escarole Soup with Turkey Meatballs

Warm hearty soups are a go to meal for me.  I make a huge pot of soup, freeze it in Chinese food soup containers, and then I have it for the winter.  I always cook in bulk to save myself time later.  Why make three small pots of soup when you can make one big one?

So here is my version of Escarole Soup.  I make it will all organic ingredients (except for the salt, pepper and cheese) and use turkey meat to make it healthier than the beef meatballs.  It is easy to prepare and easy to eat.  The meatballs fills you up while the escarole gives you your green vegetables.  This recipe can be made with conventional products or using a combination of ingredients.

Ingredients:

1 lb of organic ground turkey
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
cup finely chopped organic fresh parsley
4 large organic garlic cloves, finely chopped, divided
1TBS plus 1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided
3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided
1/2 cup Organic Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
1/3 cup organic milk
2 organic eggs
2 TBS Organic Olive Oil
2 heads of organic escarole ( I find mine at Whole Foods), cut up into small strips
1 large organic white onion, chopped
4 quarts (4 32 oz containers) organic chicken broth, either homemade or store bought
cheese rinds from Parmigiano Reggiano
2 15 oz. cans Organic Great Northern Beans, rinsed

How to do it:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 

First make the meatballs:

Combine the turkey, cheese, parsley, 2 cloves of garlic, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, bread crumbs and milk into a bowl. 

All the meatball ingredients ready to combine

Mix until it is a homogeneous mixture.  Use a fork to do this and do not mash the meat, just combine it.

Make a well in the middle of the meat and add the eggs.  Scramble the eggs inside the well, then combine into the meat mixture.

Mixture combined, eggs added. 

Make the meatballs.  They should be one inch in diameter.  You should get about 50 bite sized meatballs.

Ready for the oven. 

Place them on a greased baking tray and cook for 20 minutes.  They will look light brown and cooked int he middle.  Do not overcook them, the turkey meat is very lean and will dry out easily. 

Cooked and ready for the soup

Prepare the escarole:

Fill your sink with 3 inches of water.  Chop the escarole into thin strips and place it in the sink. 

Organic escarole head

Sitting in the sink

Mix it around for a few seconds.  Let it sit for 5 minutes.  This is to get all of the sand and grit out the escarole and to keep it out of your soup.  Take the escarole out of the sink and place it in a strainer.  Be careful not to mix up the water as you remove the escarole.  You want to keep the sand at the bottom of the sink.

Make the soup;

Heat a large soup pot on low with 2 TBS of olive oil.  Add the onions, 2 cloves of garlic, 1 TBS salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper and cook on low for about 10 minutes until the onions and garlic are translucent.  Do not burn them. 

Add the escarole and let it saute for 5 minutes until it is wilted down.

Escarole wilted down and ready for the broth

Add the stock, cheese rinds and meatballs.  Cook for 30 minutes until the meatballs absorb the stock and the cheese has had a chance to flavor the stock. 

Chicken stock

Cheese rinds

Stock, cheese rinds and meatballs added

Add the beans.  If you are going to freeze the soup, keep the beans out until you are ready to reheat it.  The beans will break down too much and get mushy.

Beans

Rinsed beans, ready to add to the soup

Remove the cheese rind.  Eat and enjoy.



Ready to serve



Soup's on

Packaged and ready to eat



Avalon Park and Preserve

One of the best kept secrets in the Three Village Area of the North Shore of Long Island is Avalon Park and Preserve, located at 200 Harbor Road, Stony Brook.  It is located on the west side of the Mill Pond, across the street from the Grist Mill.  It is owned and operated by the Paul Simons Foundation.  The Foundation honors the memory of Paul Simons and celebrates his love of the outdoors.  The Park and Preserve combined with the Nature Conservancy's East Farm Preserve provide over one hundred forty acres of natural habitat to enjoy.

The entrance to Avalon Park is marked with a beautiful wooden gate which leads to you to a wooden path along the Mill Pond.  Below is the view from inside the park looking eastward to the Pond.

If you turn around the pond goes under the wooden walk to a smaller pond, Green Pond, that is located behind the caretakers house.  There are stone waterfalls into this smaller pond area which is surrounded by beautiful foliage.

After you pass the Pond you head up some stone stairs.  Here is the view looking back towards the Pond though the trees.

At the top of the stairs you can continue to the trails or head to the labyrinth.  The labyrinth was being re-seeded after the heavy foot traffic season of the summer so getting close was not possible, but the stones in the back provided a stunning background to the inlaid stones on the ground.

The park is so large and we wanted to spend 1 hour walking, so we headed across Rhododendron Road to the Wildflower Meadow which is located in the Avalon Preserve.  It is a large open area where the birds fly overhead and land inside the field.  There are colored markings and we followed the yellow signs.  The fall colors were spectacular and the temperatures in the 50s made it perfect for an autumn stroll through nature.  The views in the field looking back towards the treed areas were taken up with the reds, golds and yellows of the trees.

After walking through and around the meadow we headed to the dirt road known as Shep Jones Lane back down toward Harbor Road. 

Here is what you see at the exit to the park as you pull onto Harbor Road from Shep Jones Lane - a private vineyard.

If you are looking for a tranquil spot to take a walk and enjoy natural beauty head to Avalon Park and Preserve.

Halloween Theme Party Tips

Halloween parties are about more than just the costumes.  There are great drinks and snacks to be made. There are so many options to choose from. 

I have posted my Halloween cupcakes and I recommend all of the varieties.  I think they are all simple and give a great impact to any party buffet.

Here are some of my tips for putting out a great food experience at a Halloween party:

If you are making cupcakes or other food that are decorated for kids, make sure all of the decorations are edible.  Don't use a mix of edible spiders and fake spiders.  It can be dangerous.

Have some child friendly drinks if kids are invited.  I like Apple Juice Boxes.  They are themed for the season and are harder to spill than a big glass.

Serve up some seasonal beer.  Our favorite is John Harvard's Pumpkin Ale.  It is locally brewed 4 miles from our house and they give you cinnamon sugar to line your glasses with.  They are sold in growlers for you to take home.

Women (and some guys) usually like a fancy drink.  We serve up Pumpkin Martinis.  Here is the recipe:

1 part Pumpkin Liquor - I use Hiram Walker's Pumpkin Spice
1 part Vanilla Vodka - My favorite is Stoli Vanil
1 part half and half
Splash of Goldschlager if you like cinnamon (this is optional).

Place all the ingredients in a shaker, shake and serve in martini glasses.  You can also make a pitcher of the liquors in advance.  When your guest are ready for them, simply add the half and half to each martini.  Adding the half and half to the pitcher can cause it to separate.

Put wine charms on the martini and wine glasses.  I found Halloween themed ones.  A pack of 6 cost  $1.99.  This helps people to remember the glass and they are cute.  Place them on the glasses before your guests arrive - don't count on them to do it.

Place the food on different levels.  It is more pleasing to the eye and gives people something to look at. 

Sprinkle some confetti on the counters.  It adds some seasonal charm.  Beware - they get everywhere.

Place some fake spiders, flies and rats around the buffet, on the counters etc.



Buffet all set up.

Find some themed stirrers for the drinks and place them in the glasses before as well.  They add to the theme and make the bar look great.  Here are the ones I found - they are finger bones (candy, of course).

Stirrers and wine charms in place.

Set up a bar with the liquors and glasses you think you will need.  Don't put all everything in your liquor cabinet.  A red and white wine and the fixings for your pumpkin martini are fine.  Have the beer in the cooler or the fridge.  Leave the recipe out for the pumpkin martini if it is self serve.  If you know someone only drinks one thing, you can put that out too.  Don't forget the cork screw and the bottle opener.

Have the plates, napkins and silverware at the beginning of the buffet line.  Only put out the plates you are using for a specific course if you are having courses.  Don't put out the dessert plates with the dinner because people may use the wrong ones and you will find yourself short.

Have cups and other soft drinks available and set out as well.

Plates and family friendly drink area.

If you have a crock pot, fill it with apple cider and some cinnamon sticks.  Turn it on low before your guests arrive for warm cider.  Make sure you place heat safe cups next to it - not plastic.  Don't forget the ladle!

Relax and have fun.

Pumpkin Carving Party

There are so many activities to do here on Long Island for the fall.  Fall is the season of the harvest.  One thing that is fun for people of all ages to do to celebrate Halloween is carve pumpkins. 

Every year we gather our friends and family for a pumpkin carving party.  It is fun and relatively easy to do.

What you need:
Pumpkins
Pumpkin carving tools
Pumpkin carving patterns
Tape
Marker
Scissors
Tea lights, preferably battery operated
Garbage pail and bags

Here's how:

Invite all of your friends over for a BYOP Pumpkin Carving Party.

Set up a table for carving.  If you live in a warm climate do it outside.  Here at Homemade on Long Isalnd, we carve in the dining room.  I take cardboard to cover the table, move the chairs away and cover the table with plastic, disposable tablecloths.

Set out the tools and patterns.  I buy mine at local craft stores and megamarts.  If you want to re-use your patterns from year to year (and I do) make photocopies of each pattern.  You can also enlarge or shrink each pattern to fit the pumpkins.  I do this in advance so they are ready to go when everyone arrives.

Ask your friends to clean out the inside of the pumpkin before they come - it makes clean up A LOT easier.  I still provide a garbage can and bags in the room for those who forget.  Just do not fill the bags too much because you will be surprised how heavy pumpkin guts can be!!

Also set out tape to attach the patterns to the pumpkins.  You may also need scissors to cut the patterns to fit onto the pumpkin.  Some people use markers to help them figure out where they are cutting, so, provide them too.

Once everyone arrives, let them do their thing. The basic premise is to tape the pattern to the pumpkin, punch holes in the pumpkin using the poker tool to outline the pattern, then cut out the pattern using the saw tool. 

Once the pumpkins are done place the tea light inside and place the pumpkins outside together.  Take a photo to remember what a great job you all did.

I have a very wise friend who suggested using fake, carve-able pumpkins for this activity.  It has some advantages:
If you do not live in a place where you can get pumpkins, these are available at craft stores nationwide.
You do not have to clean it.
It does not rot.
You can keep it year after year, thus creating an ever growing collection.
They come in orange and white.

This year I carved 2 of these fake pumpkins.  They look great and I am excited about having them to re-use each year.  Just remember that you cannot use a real flame in them, you must use a battery operated light.  Here are what mine looked like when they are all done:

This is a fun way to get together with friends for a very seasonal activity.  This can also be a local activity - if you go to your local farms and pick the pumpkins. 

I made cupcakes and snacks themed for the season - the recipes are found on this blog.  We also serve pumpkin beer made at our local microbrew restaurant.  This makes the party even more local.

Try having your own party.  You may find the adults are reluctant at first, but once they see all the pumpkins done, I assure you they will come back year after year.

Halloween Cupcakes - Midnight Madness

Halloween cupcakes can often be complicated.  Here is a simple one that is still impressive.

What you need:

Cupcakes
White or vanilla icing
Black food coloring (preferably black gel from Wilton)
Autumn colored non-pareils
Candy corn pumpkins

How to do it:

Take your Icing and add the food coloring until the icing is black.  You can leave it white if you want.  The flavor will not be effected.

Ice your cupcake.

This is the white icing version

Place the non-pareils in a dish.

Place the edge of the cupcake in the dish to cover with non-pareils and twist until the entire edge of the cupcake is covered. 

This is the white icing version

Place the candy corn in the middle of the cupcake and press into place.

The completed black version is located on the upper right

Halloween Cupcakes - Bats

Bat cupcakes are in the botton row

Everyone loves cupcakes.  They are cute and easier to make than a cake. 

For our pumpkin carving party I make lots of decorated cupcakes.  Here is one that everyone loves.

What you need:

Any kind of cupcake you like
Chocolate icing
Regular size Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
Small size Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
Wilton Black Cookie Icing
Small red candies or cookie decorating balls
Orange Wilton Cookie gel

How to do it:

Take your cooled cupcakes and ice them with chocolate frosting.

Next, unwrap one small peanut butter cup and regular peanut butter cup for each cupcake.

Cut the regular sized one in half horizontally - these are the bat wings.

Then, take the small peanut butter cup and make two eyes with the black cookie icing.  This is going to act as the glue for the red candies.  If you want, you can stop here and use the black dots for eyes.  Once you add the candies, let them dry completely onto the icing.  If you don' t you will have a candy catastrophe.

Bat eyes

Next, make the fangs.  Use the gel for this.  You can also use the black cookie icing for this too.

Fangs added

Face complete.  Let them rest for about an hour.

Now that the face is dried, you can assemble the rest.  Place the regular sized peanut butter cups, cut side facing down, onto the cupcake about 2/3 of the way up.  You need to leave room for the face.  Push the pointed side into the middle of the cupcake and leave some of the wing sticking out.

Wings inserted

Now it is tine to add the face.  Place the face on its side, with the face right side up into the center of the cupcake, up against the wings, but not pushing on them.  Make sure it is securely in the frosting.

They are ready to eat or display with other cupcakes

All the cupcakes on display for your next party

Halloween Cupcakes - Pumpkins

What says Halloween more than Pumpkins?  I make cupcakes in the shape of pumpkins that are pretty simple to do.  There are several steps, but do not confuse time with difficulty. 

What you need:

Cupcakes
White or vanilla icing
Orange food coloring or Wilton Orange food coloring gel
Orange Wilton Sparkle gel
Green M & Ms or green licorice or green Starburst candy or green soft Jolly Rancher candy
Orange Sparkles from Wilton (for eating)

How to do it:

Make your favorite cupcakes and cool.

Make your icing.  Take your icing and dye it orange.  I prefer the Wilton gel, it gives a much stronger color and does not make the icing runny.

Ice the cupcakes.

Sprinkle the cupcakes with the orange sparkles.  You can skip this if you want, it still looks good with plain icing. I do this in a bowl to contain the mess.

Use the sparkle gel to make lines on the pumpkin.  Start in the middle and work your way out. 

Add gel to make the lines of the pumpkin

 Add the stem.  Use any green candy.  I had M & Ms on hand so I used those.  You can also take green licorice and cut it into small pieces and place them in the top.  Or green Starburst or Green soft Jolly Ranchers cut into small piece to make a stem. No matter what you do, just add it to the center of the orange lines.

Yummy!!

This is made with Dots candy for the stem.