Rustic Food Wednesday

The temperatures are dropping outside, we are enjoying some mighty cool mornings which works perfectly with the Pumpkin spice latte that I crave from Starbucks. Yes I am back on the bucks as much as I adore local coffee shops the green awnings are just far to convenient for me to pass up after I drop the twins off at school. One of the things that I love about fall in the Midwest is the brightly colored foliage, the leaves are just so perfect and crisp and they crunch under your feet when you walk upon them. I always feel like a child in the autumn running, dancing, whirling about in the leaves sometimes without a care in the world. The most relaxing and blissful part of fall are the yummy rustic soups and stews that I love to make because they take me back to coming in from school on a chilly 50 degrees day in Alabama. My grandmother Viviane (cool name) huh? Used to enjoy cooking rustic soups, stews and dumpling dishes in the fall months in Alabama which start in late October and never really end until spring because there is never a real winter in the heart of Dixie. Two of my favorite fall dishes are Northern Beans Moroccan style called lobbiah which is so yummy and packed with protein and Granny’s chicken and dumplings. Loobiah I pack of great Northern beans I can of tomato paste I use 365 brand from Whole Foods 2 punches of cilantro finely chopped 1 small onion finely chopped 2 garlic cloves minced A dash of salt to taste I like sea salt Pepper to taste For brave soul about two Spoons of Urban Accents Marrakech spice mix found at whole foods or goggled online.

Cook in a large pot of pressure cooked if you use the pot 3 hours watching water levels and if you use the pressure cooked about two hours opening every half hour to watch water levels. We enjoy with cornbread …………….. Yummy I use a Jiffy two for one dollar box mix and cook in a well-oiled cast Iron pan! Well a girl cannot be just like granny in these times now can she? Or for a more European twist get a French baguette! Not your Granny’s Chicken and Dumplins but still good ! 1 pack of chicken breast cut in small chucks 1 punch of parsley 1 can of cream of chickie soup I use Amy’s organic 1 chicken cube I use Maggi Brown in the bottom of the pan add 4 cups of water Dumplins 3 cups of Arrowhead 7 grain pancake mix 2 eggs 2 large tablespoons of butter , margarine , I use vegan butter ½ cup of milk Salt and Pepper to your liking Slowly add to boiling water your common sense will let you know when they are done or in about an hour ! So I food process the dough but you can beat and kneed if no processor is on hand or you are feeling like you want to experience some of the old ways of our ancestors.