A reader asked me to recount the Pledge-a-Pie event for those
who may not have been in town very long. Here’s a brief
synopsis:
A reader asked me to recount the Pledge-a-Pie event for those who may not have been in town very long. Here’s a brief synopsis: Five years ago, I baked a couple of pies for the annual Thanksgiving dinner at The Lord’s Table. The dinner is held each Thanksgiving and it’s no slouch: beautiful brown turkeys, mashed potatoes, gravy and all the fixings.
This feast is prepared by dedicated volunteers who sometimes feed as many as 300 people in one day. Imagine the number of turkeys!
When I arrived at the St. Mary’s gymnasium to drop off my pies, I noticed a group of volunteers hauling grocery store pies into the hall by the dozens. I thought how nice it would be for the less fortunate people of our town to have more homemade pies to taste. So I asked my readers if anyone would like to donate a pie.
That first year, I think we had about 50 bakers and donors and The Lord’s Table had to purchase far fewer pies. The second year, The Lord’s Table called me and asked if our readers could take care of all the pies so that none would have to be ordered. We had about 80 pies and it has just climbed from there. For the last two years, we have had about 100 pies, which is just about perfect. Some diners want a piece of two different kinds.
Sometimes the volunteers get a piece. The point is, there’s plenty for everyone.
And we accept all pies: storebought, apple, pumpkin, strawberry rhubarb.
If you’re just too swamped or cannot or will not bake a pie, you are not alone. I have several readers each year who bring in beautiful storebought pies and we like those, too.
We are thankful for the St. Mary Youth Group, whose members will be helping collect the pies, and the following people who have already pledged a pie: Lois Thorne, Judy Mikrut, Barbara Orth, Jean Lance, Stephanie Chisolm, Lanora Bousfield, Chris Bevilacqua, Cynthia Walker, Judy Lazarus, Joan Hill, Donna Pray, Kathy Goldsmith and Sharon Ransom, Connie Rogers, Lori Jeske, Jeanne Gage, Therese Bonesio, Joanne Kramer, Patricia Midtgaard, Gondie & Tom Chavez, Iris Kabert, Diana Dragt, Penny Lockhart, the Malinao family, Bob Dillon and Phyllis Armenta, Michelle Bennett, Laura Simono, Ruth Goldsmith, Kathy Bouchey, Juanita Baker, Clementine Regalado, Julie Gopp, Diane and Jenna Stuenkel, Lisa Weiby, Leighan Perales, Frances Costa, the McRae family, Jan Paterson, Erwin & Barbara Boggs, Heidi Gonzales and Sue Goodwin.
So far we have pledges for 71 pies, so we need 29 more. Please consider bringing one or two to our Pledge-a-Pie collection at the St. Mary’s Gymnasium from 3 to 7 p.m. on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. Thank you for everything!
• This satisfying Italian-style soup features a delicious combination of red kidney beans and spinach, which makes it high in fiber and calcium. Add more garlic, if you want to. I usually do. This comes from Cooking Light.
Hearty Bean & Barley Soup
7 cups chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
6 garlic cloves, crushed
2 (4-inch) rosemary sprigs
1 (19-ounce) can dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 tsp. olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup finely chopped carrot
1/4 cup chopped celery
1 (14 1/2-oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup uncooked quick-cooking barley
10 cups torn spinach leaves (about 1/4 lb., if you’re weighing leaves at the store)
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
Bring first 4 ingredients to a boil in a Dutch oven; reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 15 minutes. Drain through a sieve into a large bowl; discard solids. Measure 1 cup beans, and mash with a fork in a small bowl.
Reserve the remaining whole beans.
Heat oil in pan over medium heat. Add onions, carrot, and celery; cook 4 minutes. Add broth mixture, mashed beans, whole beans, tomatoes, and barley; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 15 minutes.
Stir in spinach and black pepper; cook 5 minutes or until barley is tender. Sprinkle each serving with cheese. Makes 8 servings.
• Red ravioli: From Bon Appetit, this 10-minute sauce for ravioli is creamy and good. You can substitute basil for the tarragon, depending on which spice you like better. Unless you have time, don’t bother with homemade ravioli. Just buy good-quality ones at the store. If you have a vegetarian in the house, serve this sauce over cheese ravioli for a satisfying meal.
Ravioli with Cream Sauce
9 oz. ravioli
3 T. extra-virgin olive oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 lbs. ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 cup dry white wine
1/3 cup whipping cream
2 T. chopped fresh tarragon (or basil)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Cook pasta according to package instructions; drain.
Meanwhile, heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic; sauté 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and simmer until juicy, about 5 minutes. Stir in wine; simmer 3 minutes. Stir in cream and tarragon; simmer until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in cheese. Season sauce with salt and pepper. Place ravioli in serving bowl. Spoon sauce over. Makes 4 servings.
• Lentils for winter: This hearty soup takes about 45 minutes, which isn’t bad for a very good and rich homemade soup. Take the time or make it on a weekend and save it to reheat on a busy weeknight. You’ll be happy you did, especially with rainy weather on the way. This is from Gourmet magazine.
French Lentil Soup with Sausage
3 T. olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 medium carrots, finely chopped
1 celery rib, finely chopped
1 1/4 cups lentils (preferably French green)
6 cups water
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
4 oz. smoked sausage
1 T. balsamic vinegar, or to taste
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 4-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté onion, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 6 minutes. Add carrots and celery and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add lentils, water, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and cook, covered, until lentils are tender, about 30 minutes.
While lentils are cooking, heat remaining tablespoon oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown sausage on all sides, about 5 minutes. Cool sausage slightly on a cutting board, then cut into 1/2-inch-thick pieces. Add sausage to soup and stir in vinegar. Cook for 5 minutes more to blend flavors. Serves 6.
Tip of the Week:
Keep frozen peas in your freezer. They’re a quick and healthy vegetable side dish, tossed with a little butter, pesto sauce and pepper. Also, if your child gets a bumped head or ankle, they’re a great ice pack since they conform to the wounded body part.
Notes from Jenny’s Kitchen
• Cooking for dollars: Do you have a light recipe that you’d like to see in Cooking Light? If so, send it to Reader Recipes, P.O. Box 1748, Birmingham, AL 35201. You’ll get $50 for each recipe they print, plus a T-shirt and a set of recipe cards. Include your address and daytime telephone number.
• Shopping for newlyweds? You don’t always know what they want and sometimes you don’t live near the store where they’re registered. Another option for cooking fans: a gift certificate from epicurious.com, a site filled with cooking staples (spoons, great knives, bowls, servingware). If you want to pick out something personal, go to the site’s ‘gift’ section, where you can purchase spices, dinners delivered to their house, or flowers, among other goodies. Examples: Prices for full dinners range from $60 to $75. A wonderful stainless steel cooking utensil set is $60.
• End notes: “Cleaning your house while your kids are still growing is like shoveling the walk before it stops snowing.” ~ Phyllis Diller
Happy cooking!
