The snow had been falling heavily all afternoon at our Elk River cottage in Hollywood Beach, Maryland, and my husband and I were feeling housebound.
Growing up in the snow belt in Northeast Ohio I had enjoyed many snowy days. Snow didn’t affect our activities. Folks just went about their business. But here in the Mid-Atlantic, snow means impassable roads, so it was clear we were not going anywhere anytime soon, including home to Wilmington.
We had filled the day with cooking and baking, but finally, these were not enough. Our two Golden Retrievers looked at us imploringly. Clearly it was time to escape for an outdoor adventure.
Rushing out the door, armed with caps, boots, gloves and dog leashes, we encountered a ghostly setting. In the heavy snow, familiar objects took on altered shapes. Our neighbor’s mailbox resembled a snow covered sentinel. Trees were weighed down, some nearly touching the ground.
No cars passed us. There were no other footprints. The blanket of snow muffled all the outdoor sounds. Silence surrounded us. We were alone, accompanied only by the cold wind blowing against our faces.
In the joyful solitude I made my way down the silent street – laying down the first prints, feet sinking into the cottony snow, snowflakes stinging my skin, the sharp bite of the crisp air.
After too short a time, the dogs, impatiently pulling on their leashes, signaled that they were eager to enjoy the snow too. When we let them go, the joy in their eyes was palpable. They took off with exuberant abandon, noses tunneling through the snow, snatching at flakes as if to bite them. Soon, they sprinted out of sight behind a neighbor’s house. In hot pursuit, stumbling through the drifts, I finally caught up with them several houses down, rolling in the snow.
The spell broken and the snow still falling all around, we trudged back home with the dogs in tow, now feeling the bitter cold. Just as eager as we had been to explore the outdoors, we gratefully returned to the warmth inside, despite wet boots, fogged glasses and the smell of damp dog fur.
Entering the kitchen, cooking aromas greeted us. The stew my husband had started earlier in the day was nearly done. Its color had deepened to a mahogany red. The pinot noir wine had cooked off, leaving only a whiff of its essence, and the beef fell apart at the touch of a fork.
Anticipating dinner, we lit a fire and settled in for a quiet night, snacking on the dish I had made – nuts roasted in honey and herbs. As we gazed at the glowing coals and inhaled the smell of wood smoke, we enjoyed a whole new appreciation for being housebound during a storm.
Cashews, Walnuts, Almonds and Pecans Roasted to perfection and Spiced with Herbs
Roasted Nuts with Rosemary and Spice
This simple snack takes advantage of the health benefits of nuts and honey. They offer a great combination of sweet, savory, spicy and crunchy. They are easy to make ahead and stored in an airtight container the nuts will keep for several weeks.
Ingredients:
½ cup whole almonds
2 cups pecan halves
2 cups walnut halves
3 cups whole roasted unsalted cashews
¼ cup honey
¼ cup light brown sugar
¼ cup orange juice
½ tsp chili pepper
¼ cup chopped fresh rosemary
4 Tsp salt
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with vegetable spray or brush with vegetable oil. Combine all ingredients except the rosemary and salt in a bowl. Toss till the nuts are coated evenly. Add half the rosemary and salt. Toss again. Spread the nuts in a single layer on the baking tray. Roast for 25 minutes, turning several times while baking. When the nuts are glazed and golden brown remove from the oven and let cool, turning occasionally to prevent sticking. They can be served warm, or stored after cooling completely in an airtight container.
Burgundy Style Beef Stew with Polenta
Burgundy Style Beef Stew
Ingredients:
2 lbs beef chuck meat cut into cubes and dusted with flour
8 oz button mushrooms, chopped
2-3 carrots sliced thin
2 small white onions diced
2 cloves garlic chopped
1 16-oz can diced tomatoes with juice
2 cups beef broth
1 bottle pinot noir wine
1 cup frozen lima beans
1 cup frozen sweet corn
3 tbs butter
2 tbs peanut oil
6 3-inch pieces of bacon fried and chopped
Preparation:
In a Dutch oven heat butter and oil. Cook beef over med-high heat will brown and remove. This may require cooking in several batches. Cook onion in the same pan until translucent, adding garlic when nearly done. Add bacon pieces. Now add mushrooms and cook for 7 minutes. Return meat to pan and add all other ingredients. Cover and cook on the stovetop for 1 ½ hours.
Creamy Polenta
Ingredients:
4 cups water
1 tsp salt
1 cup corn meal for polenta (yellow or white)
3 tbs butter
½ cup parmesan cheese
Preparation:
Bring water and salt to a boil in a 3-quart heavy saucepan, then add polenta in a thin stream, whisking. Cook over moderate heat, whisking, 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Continue stirring with a wooden spoon until thick and creamy, ~30 minutes total. Remove from heat and whisk in butter and cheese until incorporated. Check for seasoning. Serve warm.
This is my contribution to edition #418 of Weekend Herb Blogging, an event started by Kalyn of Kalyn's Kitchen, now organized by Haalo of Cook (almost) Anything at Least Once and hosted this week by The talented Simona from Bricole will be hosting both the English and Italian editions of Weekend Herb Blogging.
