Carmelized Onions

Shared by Jen at November's RS Meeting

Quantities depend on how much caramelized onions you wish to make. In this example, 5 large raw onions yielded about 2 cups caramelized onions.

Ingredients

Several medium or large onions, yellow, white, or red

Olive oil

Butter (optional)

Salt

Sugar (optional)

Preparation

1 Slice off the root and top ends of the onions, peel the onions. Cut the onions in half. Lay them cut side down and slice the onions lengthwise to desired thickness.

2 Use a wide, thick-bottomed sauté pan for maximum pan contact with the onions. Coat the bottom of the pan with olive oil, or a mixture of olive oil and butter (about 1 teaspoon per onion). Heat the pan on medium high heat until the oil is shimmering. Add the onion slices and stir to coat the onions with the oil. Spread the onions out evenly over the pan and let cook, stirring occasionally. After 10 minutes, sprinkle some salt over the onions, and if you want, you can add some sugar to help with the caramelization process. (about 1 Tablespoon). You may want to add a little water to keep the onions from drying out too quickly.

3 Let cook for 30, stirring every few minutes. The trick is to let them alone enough to brown (if you stir them too often, they won't brown), but not so long so that they burn. After the first 20 to 30 minutes you may want to lower the stove temperature a little, and add a little more oil, if you find the onions are verging on burning. A metal spatula will help you scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan as the caramelization proceeds. As the onions cook down, you may find you need to scrape the pan every minute, instead of every few minutes. Continue to cook and scrape, cook and scrape, until the onions are a rich, browned color. At the end of the cooking process you might want to add a little balsamic vinegar or wine to help deglaze the pan and bring some additional flavor to the onions.

Curried Squash-and-Pear Bisque

Shared by Jen at November's RS Meeting
Yields 8 servings (serving size: 1 1/4 cups)

Ingredients

1 Butternut squash (about 2 3/4 pounds)

1 tablespoon butter

2 cups chopped peeled Bartlett pear (about 1 pound)

1 1/2 cups thinly sliced onion

2 1/3 cups water

1 cup pear nectar

2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans vegetable broth

2 1/2 teaspoons curry powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup half-and-half

1 small Bartlett pear, cored and thinly sliced (garnish)

Preparation

Cut squash in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membrane. Place squash halves, cut sides down, on a baking sheet; bake at 375° for 45 minutes or until tender. OR place face down in a glass casserole dish, cover tightly with Saran wrap, and cook in the microwave on HIGH for 15 minutes. Cool. Peel squash; mash pulp. Set aside 3 1/2 cups pulp, reserving remaining squash for another use.

Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chopped pear and onion; sauté 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Add squash pulp, water, and next 5 ingredients (water through pepper). Bring to a boil; partially cover, reduce heat, and simmer 40 minutes. Place one-third of squash mixture in a blender; process until smooth. Pour puréed mixture into a large bowl; repeat procedure with remaining squash mixture. Return squash mixture to pan; stir in half-and-half. Cook over low heat 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Ladle soup into bowls, and garnish with pear slices.

Homemade Stuffing

Shared by Kay at our Nov. RS Meeting
Adapted from recipes by Ina Garten and Paula Deen

Sausage, Apple, & Herbs Stuffing
Ingredients
16 cups 1-inch bread cubes, I prefer brioche, but you can use white or whole wheat (2 baguettes)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
1 cup of shallot, 1 cup of yellow onion (chopped)
2 cups medium-diced celery (3 large stalks)
2 Granny Smith apples, unpeeled, cored and large diced, then mix with1 tsp of apple cider (to prevent discoloring)
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary leaves
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup sliced blanched almonds, toasted, optional
1 pound of Italian sausage (mild), casings removed
1 cup of dried cranberry
Drizzles of maple syrup (real maple syrup)/honey

Directions
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
Put the bread cubes on a 13 by 18 by 1-inch baking sheet and bake them in the oven for 7 minutes.
In a large saute pan, melt the butter and add the onion, shallot, celery, apples, parsley, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Saute for 10 minutes, until the mixture is soft, then remove from the pan.
Use the same sauté pan, heat the olive oil, then stir fry the sausages.
Combine the bread cubes, cooked vegetables, sausage, and cranberries in a large bowl and add the chicken stock, and almonds, if desired.
Put the stuffing into a large ceramic dish, drizzle the maple syrup/honey on the top, then put in the oven, bake in 350 degree for 30 minutes.

Apple Cranberry Casserole Stuffing
Same ingredients as recipe above but change the quantities of items listed below:
1.      Increase chicken broth to 2 cups
2.      Reduce bread cubes to 8-10 cups
3.      Delete shallots, rosemary, and sausage
4.      Change almonds to walnuts, chopped

Add the following ingredients:
1.      1 tsp cinnamon
2.      3 large eggs, beaten, set aside
3.      (10.75-ounce) can cream of celery soup

Directions:
Soak the cranberries with chicken broth.
Dry the bread as the first recipe, then melt the butter and cook the apples and vegetables until softened.
In a large bowl, mix the cooked vegetables, chicken broth, cream of celery soup, cinnamon, cranberries and the walnuts. Move everything to a lightly buttered casserole pan.
Cook at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes until center is set.

Roasted Potato Leek Soup

Shared by Jen at our November RS Meeting
Yields: 6-8 servings

Ingredients:
2 lbs. Yukon Gold Potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch chunks
4 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts, cleaned of all sand (4 leeks)
1/4 cup olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
3 cups baby arugla, lightly packed
1/2 cup dry white wine or apple cider vinegar
6 to 7 cups chicken stock
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
Carmelized onion for garnish

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

Combine the potatoes and leeks on a sheet pan in a single layer. Add the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss to coat the vegetables evenly. Roast for 25-30 minutes, turning them with a spatula a few times during cooking, until very tender. (Watch carefully; they may cook through earlier than 25 minutes.)

Add the arugula and toss to combine. Roast for 4-5 more minutes, until the arugula is wilted. Remove the pan from the oven and place over 2 burners. Stir in the wine and 1 cup of the chicken stock and cook over low heat, scraping up any crispy roasted bits sticking to the pan.

Scrape potatoes and leeks from the pan and throw into a stock pot. Add 6 cups of chicken stock, salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 15 minutes to combine.

Puree in parts using a food processor or blender, and then return to the pan. While in the process add more stock to help the blending process. Add cream and Parmesan and stir well.

Continue to simmer for another 5-10 minutes or until well blended. Garnish with carmelized onions and serve.

Last month we had the pleasure of hearing from Molly R. and Amy M. who both had great tips on picking a book for yourself, reading to your child, and teaching your child to read!

Here are some of the great book recommendations that they had to share as well as some great tips!

Children's Literature Recommendations

Ahlberg, Allan	Each Peach Pear Plum	Hillenbrand, Will	Spring is Here
Alborough, Jez	It's The Bear	Hines, Anna	1,2 Buckle My Shoe
Allen, Jonathan	I'm Not Cute!
Ashman, Linda	Creaky Old House	Jenkins, Steve	What Do You Do with a Tail Like This?
Averbeck, Jim	Except If	Katz, Karen	Counting Kisses
Beatty, Andrea	Doctor Ted	Mayer, Mercer	There's An Alligator Under My Bed
Becker, Bonny	A Visitor for Bear	McGuirk, Leslie	If Rocks could Sing
Bentley, Peter	King Jack and the Dragon	Murray, Marjorie	Hippo Goes Bananas
Berger, Carin	Little Yellow Leaf	Na, Il Sung	The Thingamabob
Blackall, Sophie	Are You Awake?	Newman, Jeff	Hippo, No Rhino!
Bloom, Suzanne	A Splendid Friend Indeed	Patricelli, Leslie	Quiet, Loud
Bond, Rebecca	This Place in the Snow	Pinkney, Jerry	The Lion and the Mouse
Boynton, Sandra	But Not the Hippopotomus	Portis, Antionette	Not a Box
Browne, Anthony	My Dad	Rathman, Peggy	Goodnight, Gorilla
Cabrera, Jane	Old MacDonald Had a Farm	Rayner, Catherine	The Bear Who Shared
Ernst, Lisa	Round Like a Ball	Rosenthal, Amy	Little Hoot
Christelow, Eileen	Five Little Monkeys Wash the Car	Rosen, Michael	We're Going on a Bear Hunt
Crews, Donald	Freight Train	Sauer, Tammy	Mostly Monsterly
Cronin, Doreen	Click, Clack Moo: Cows that Type	Savage, Stephen	Where's Walrus
Deagan, Bruce	Jamberry	Schmid, Paul	A Pet for Petunia
Degman, Lori	1 Zany Zoo	Shaw, Nancy	Sheep in a Jeep
Dodd, Emma	I Love Bugs	Shea, Bob	I'm a Shark
Dunbar, Polly	Happy Hector	Sneed, Brad	Picture a Letter
Edwards, Pamela	Roar! A Noisy Counting Book	Stead, Philip	Jonathan and the Big Blue Boat
Fischer, Scott M	Jump!	Stein, David Ezra	Leaves
Foley, Greg	Thank You, Bear	Taback, Sims	This is the House That Jack Built
Fox, Mem	Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes	Thomas, Jan	Rhyming Dust Bunnies
Gore, Leonid	Worms for Lunch	Tullet, Herve	Press Here
Hall, Michael	My Heart is Like a Zoo	Underwood, Deborah	The Quiet Book
Haughton, Chris	Little Owl Lost	Wright, Michael	Jake Starts School
Henkes, Kevin	Little White Rabbit	Young, Ed	Seven Blind Mice
		Zenz, Aaron	The Hiccupotamus

Juvenile and Young Adult Picks For Adults

Abrahams, Peter	Down the Rabbit Hole	Mystery
Anderson, Laurie Halse	Speak	Realistic Fiction
Asher, Jay	Thirteen Reasons Why	Realistic Fiction
Avasthi, Swati	Split	Realistic Fiction
Barry, Dave	Peter and the Starcatchers	Fantasy
Berg, Ann E.	All the Broken Pieces	Historical Fiction
Billingsly, Franny	Chime	Fantasy/Paranormal
Birdsall, Jeanne	The Penderwicks series	Realistic Fiction
Birney, Betty	The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs	Realistic Fiction
Brashares, Anne	The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants	Realistic Fiction
Bray, Libba	A Great and Terrible Beauty	Fantasy/Paranormal
Broach, Elise	Masterpiece	Fantasy
Buzbee, Lewis	The Haunting of Charles Dickens	Mystery
Carter, Ally	Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy	Science Fiction
Cashore, Kristin	Graceling	Fantasy
Chayil, Eishes	Hush	Realistic Fiction
Cohn, Rachel	Gingerbread	Realistic Fiction
Colfer, Eoin	Artemis Fowl series	Science Fiction
Collins, Suzanne	The Hunger Games	Science Fiction
Dashner, James	The Maze Runner	Science Fiction
Destefano, Lauren	Wither	Science Fiction
Donnelly, Jennifer	A Northern Light	Historical Fiction
Draper, Sharon M	Copper Sun	Historical Fiction
Ephron, Delia	Frannie In Pieces	Science Fiction
Estes, Eleanor	The Moffats	Realistic Fiction
Farmer, Nancy	The House of the Scorpion	Science Fiction
Fisher, Catherine	Incarceron	Science Fiction
Forman, Gayle	If I Stay	Realistic Fiction
Fox, Janet	Faithful	Historical Fiction
Frost, Helen	Crossing Stones	Historical Fiction
George, Jessica Day	Princess of the Midnight Ball	Fantasy
Gidwitz, Adam	A Tale Dark and Grimm	Fantasy
Grimes, Nikki	Dark Sons	Realistic Fiction
Haddix, Margaret Peterson	Uprising	Historical Fiction
Hale, Shannon	Goose Girl	Fantasy
Hannigan, Katherine	Ida B	Realistic Fiction
Harrison, Mettie Ivie	The Princess and the Hound	Fantasy
Headley, Justina Chen	North of Beautiful	Realistic Fiction
Holm, Jennifer L.	Our Only May Amelia	Historical Fiction
Johnson, Maureen	13 Little Blue Envelopes	Realistic Fiction
Kagawa, Julie	Iron King	Fantasy/Paranormal Romance
Kelly, Jacqueline	The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate	Historical Fiction
Kluger, Steve	My Most Excellent Year	Realistic Fiction
Larson, Kirby	Hattie Big Sky	Historical Fiction
Lee, Y. S.	A Spy In The House	Mystery
Lester, Julius	To Be a Slave	Historical Fiction
Marchetta, Melina	Jellicoe Road	Realistic Fiction
Marillier, Juliet	Wildwood Dancing	Fantasy
Mass, Wendy	A Mango-Shaped Space	Realistic Fiction
Matson, Morgan	Amy and Roger's Epic Detourf	Realistic Fiction
McKinley, Robin	The Hero and the Crown	Fantasy
Meyer, L. A.	Bloody Jack	Historical Fiction
Mikaelsen, Ben	Touching Spirit Bear	Realistic Fiction
Myers, Walter Dean	Monster	Realistic Fiction
Ness, Patrick	The Knife of Never Letting Go	Science Fiction
Oliver, Lauren	Delirium	Science Fiction
Parry, Rosanne	Heart of a Shepherd	Realistic Fiction
Pattou, Edith	East	Fantasy
Peacock, Shane	Eye of the Crow	Mystery
Pearce, Philippa	Tom's Midnight Garden	Fantasy
Pearson, Mary E.	The Adoration of Jenna Fox	Science Fiction
Pfeffer, Susan Beth	Life as We Knew It	Science Fiction
Pratchett, Terry	The Wee Free Men	Fantasy
Richards, Jame	Three Rivers Rising	Historical Fiction
Ryan, Carrie	The Forest of Hands and Teeth	Paranormal
Schmidt, Gary D.	The Wednesday Wars	Historical Fiction
Seredy, Kate	The Good Master	Historical Fiction
Shusterman, Neal	Unwind	Science Fiction
Sonnenblick, Jordan	After Ever After	Realistic Fiction
Sorensen, Virginia	Miracles on Maple Hill	Historical Fiction
Spinelli, Jerry	Stargirl	Realistic Fiction
Standiford, Natalie	How To Say Goodbye in Robot	Realistic Fiction
Stiefvater, Maggie	Shiver	Paranormal/Romance
Taylor, Sydney	All-of-a-Kind-Family	Historical Fiction
Ullman, James Ramsay	Banner in the Sky	Historical Fiction
Urban, Linda	A Crooked Kind of Perfect	Realistic Fiction
Webster, Jean	Daddy Long Legs	Historical Fiction
Werlin, Nancy	Impossible	Fantasy
Wiess, Laura	Such a Pretty Girl	Realistic Fiction
Wiles, Deborah	Each Little Bird That Sings	Realistic Fiction
Williams, Carol Lynch	The Chosen One	Realistic Fiction
Zusak, Markus	The Book Thief	Historical Fiction/Fantasy

Tips on finding non-fiction right for you

Molly R.

1) Think of a topic that you'd like to learn something about; some ideas:

pirates, life in Trinidad, origins of (your hobby), helicopters, Japanese political conspiracies, the mafia, lives of people you respect (or strongly dislike), travels through eastern Europe, myths from other cultures, life in 1700s American (or Russia, or any other country), memoirs or 1st-hand stories about adventure, etc.

2) Look for a title that is interesting, intriguing, or engaging

    I recommend you go to the library or book store and browse in the aisles that hold the topic you're interested in.  And then aisles in the vicinity - you never know what you might find.  (And browsing book stores can just give you ideas for books to find in the library, too.)

3) Read the reviews on the cover.  they should say things like "readable," "engaging style" "well researched" "new approach"

4) Read the chapter titles...still interested in the book?  in just a few chapters?

5) If you're still uncertain whether it's for you, check the index for subtopics that interest you.  Any non-fiction book worth reading will have an index; if it doesn't, it's probably not a good source of information (unless it's a first-hand account).

Remember you don't have to read the whole thing - you can read whatever parts interest you...and in any order.  If you don't like it, or finish the one chapter you care about, feel free to put it down.

Some of my favorite non-fiction books:

anything by Terry Deary (the Horrible Histories series)

Born in Blood: Secrets of the Freemasons

Biohazard

1431: The Year the Chinese Discovered America

Long Walk to Freedom (Nelson Mandela autobiography)

Generation Me: Why Today's Young Americans Are More Confident, Assertive, Entitled - and More Miserable Than Ever Before

Why They Behave Like Russians

The Devil's Teeth: A True Story of Obsession and Survival Among America's Great White Sharks

The Great Divorce y C.S. Lewis