the red chasseur

the red chasseur

Every year we host a Fall Outdoor Gathering for a large group of backpackers and canoeists in Algonquin Provincial Park. The first year we did this we had a chili cook-off and my friend Alison made a chili that was just a little bit different than the traditional style of chili I am used to.  The flavor was vibrant and dish delicious.

What I remember, other than the great dish, was that Alison actually brought her red chasseur to cook her chili in. Imagine — taking a beautiful piece of kitchen gear like that car camping! I teased Alison the entire weekend. Not about her bringing such a wonderful vessel but that I was going to take it home with me. I ended up buying my own.

After the event Alison sent me the recipe for the chili she made and it has now become a family favorite. I liked it so much that I bought the cookbook that the recipe came from, Looneyspoons, by sisters-in-law Janet and Greta Podleski.

grocery cart chicken chili

from the Looneyspoons Cookbook © 1997 Janet and Greta Podleski
makes 6 servings

One man’s junk is another man’s treasure! This super-spicy creation is based on a recipe that was found in an abandoned grocery cart at the side of a dirt road. Yes, we’re serious, and no, we’re not garbage pickers.

1-1/2 cups chopped red onions
3 cloves garlic, minced
1-1/2 cups chopped green bell pepper
3 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
3 cups chopped cooked chicken breast (about 1-1/4 pounds)
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) tomatoes, undrained, cut up
1 cup tomato-based chili sauce
1-1/2 cups low sodium, reduced fat chicken broth
1-1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon each Dijon mustard and “lite” Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon each cayenne pepper and  black pepper
1 can (15 ounces)  red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (15 ounces)  white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese (2 ounces)

Spray a large sauce pan (or nice red Chasseur) with non-stick spray. Add onions, garlic, green peppers, and jalapeños. Cook over medium heat until tender, about 7 minutes.

Add remaining ingredients, except kidney beans and cheese. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add kidney beans and cook 5 more minutes. Ladle chili into individual bowls and top each with a sprinkle of cheese.

one of my favorite soups

I’ve been on a bit of an Italian food kick of late so I thought I would share this recipe. It is one of my favorites and if I do say so myself; delicious.

Italian wedding soup

wedding soup

© 2006 Laurie Ann March
makes 6 to 8 servings

Italian wedding soup is, by far, one of my favorite meals on a cold and rainy day. It is a light meal yet fulfilling and very soothing.

1/2 pound ground chicken
1/2 pound ground veal
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup dried bread crumbs
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon dried basil
3 tablespoons minced onion
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
2 1/2 quarts chicken broth (homemade is best)
2 cups spinach or escarole – packed, rinsed and thinly sliced
1 cup very small pasta

In a medium bowl, combine the meats, eggs, bread crumbs, cheese, basil, garlic and onion. Shape mixture into small balls and set aside.

In a large stockpot heat chicken broth to boiling; stir in the spinach (or escarole), pasta and meatballs. Return to boil; reduce heat to medium. Simmer, stirring frequently, for 6 minutes or until pasta is al dente, and meatballs are cooked through. Serve hot with freshly grated parmiggiano-reggiano cheese and Italian bread.

orecchiette with clams

a home version of the recipe from A Fork in the Trail ©2008
makes 2–3 hearty servings

Italian for “little ears,” orecchiette has a shell-like appearance and holds delicate sauces well. If you cannot find it in your grocery store, you can use baby shells or linguini. I like to use a good quality extra virgin olive oil in this dish.

orecchiette with clams

1/2 pound orrechiette or linguini (uncooked measurement)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 – 2 cans whole baby clams
1 tablespoon dried parsley
Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Chop garlic finely. Shave Parmesan cheese. Set both aside. Boil salted water and add the pasta. When the pasta is about halfway through cooking start the clam sauce in another pot or frying pan. Heat 2 tablespoons each of butter and olive oil. Add the garlic and cook for a few moments, over medium heat, being careful not to brown it. Add 1/4 cup white wine and lemon juice. Let simmer for about 5 minutes. Add the clams and parsley and heat through. Drain the pasta when it is al dente. Meanwhile season the clam mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Pour the sauce over the pasta and stir gently to coat. Garnish with plenty of shaved Parmesan.

my recipe appears in Get Out!

A magazine called Get Out! Outdoor Adventure in the Ohio River Region used a recipe from my book A Fork in the Trail called Banana Breakfast Bars in their March issue. It is a filling a decadent treat for the trail that you make at home for a grab-and-go breakfast. The beauty of this recipe is that it makes a great bar for other activities too. It will give you energy for that bike ride on the city trails or working in the garden.

Here is the recipe.

banana breakfast bars

© 2008 Laurie Ann March
this recipe is an excerpt from the book A Fork in the Trail

makes 10–12 servings

This is another one of those make-at-home recipes where the bars seem to disappear before the trip.

1/2 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 egg
3 ripe bananas
3 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup malted milk powder, such as Ovaltine, or chocolate-flavored protein powder
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup raisins or chocolate chips (or 1/2 cup of each)

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Mix the butter and sugar together in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Beat the egg and pour it in the bowl. Mash the bananas in a separate bowl, add them to the eggs, and mix well. Stir in the oats, salt, and milk powder combining well. Add the walnuts and the raisins or chocolate chips and stir to combine.

Line the tops and sides of a 9 x 9 inch baking pan with a single piece of parchment paper. Then butter the top of the paper. Pour the batter into the pan. Bake at 350º F for 1 hour. After the slab has cooled, cut it into bars and wrap them in waxed paper. Place the wrapped bars in a ziplock freezer bag. These bars freeze very well for several months.

Tip: To make the parchment paper easier to manage, place a little butter in the bottom of your pan and then place the parchment paper in the pan. The butter underneath with hold the paper in place, making it easier for you to butter the top of the paper.

banana protection

banana guard

Last fall I was in the Oakville Hiker’s Haven store and I found this great little product called a Banana Guard.

One thing I dislike is a bruised banana and my little boy is the same, so I thought this would be great for his school lunches. If you ever saw how that boy throws his backpack to the ground you’d be surprised that anything in his lunch survives, let alone a banana. So, using my son as the tester, we put it through the rigors and it has held up extremely well, as did the contents.

The company says that it also protects the banana from premature ripening. I decided to do a test with two organic bananas from the same bunch. I put one in the Banana Guard and the other just sat in the basket on the kitchen counter. It seems that the guard does prevent the banana from ripening too fast. That’s another thing I don’t like — overripe bananas.

You can find out more about the Banana Guard and the companies other fruit protection products at www.BananaGuard.com.