Editorial
Front Page - Friday, December 18, 2009
Kay's Cooking Corner
Kay Bona
Well, a new year is quickly approaching. They are beginning to fly by so quickly that it seems they are bumping into one another. You can hardly get into one year without reading about something that will be bigger and better come the next year, or the year after that. This certainly aids in keeping the world moving faster and faster. The older generation seems to be struggling with most of the technology, but the younger generation is keeping up quite nicely!
I was sitting in church one Sunday evening not long ago, and one of a pair of 6-year-old twin girls wanted to know if she could sit with me. (I had candy.) After we ate all the goodies in the little box, she started getting bored, so I whipped out my iPod to allow her to play some games.
One particular game that I had a difficult time completing, she had completed in about five minutes and was wanting to play a different one. So much for keeping her entertained for about an hour. I was fairly amazed.
I received more offers in my e-mail this year for shopping Black Friday online than I have ever before. I would venture to say that if you have stock in UPS or FedEx, then you are going to do very well in the next decade.
A new concept in the food business is getting more and more attention – especially for working mothers. That is the catering stores opening up around the country where you can walk in, grab a pre-made casserole and some sides. You can take it home and pop it in the oven and by the time you have changed clothes, brought in the mail and helped with homework, dinner is ready. What a time-saver and convenience. Even better, if you are “cooking-challenged.” You no longer have to opt for fast food, or spend an hour in the kitchen stumbling through a recipe you don’t quite understand.
Well, as I have stated before, hearty winter soups are one of my favorite things to cook and eat, and I have the perfect one below, and you don’t have to be to culinary trained to prepare it. It is easy and quick. It only serves about four, so if you want leftovers, better add to the ingredients a little.
Sausage and Vegetable Stew
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large red onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, smashed
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
6 ounces kielbasa, cut into bite-size chunks
3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
2 parsnips, peeled and cut into large chunks
8 small red-skinned or new potatoes, quartered
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped
3/4 cup sour cream
Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until soft. Add the paprika and 1 teaspoon salt; cook until the oil turns deep red, about 1 minute. Add the flour and cook about 30 more seconds. Immediately whisk in 4 cups water. Add the kielbasa, carrots, parsnips, potatoes and salt to taste. Bring soup to a boil, then reduce to a simmer; cover and cook until the vegetables are tender and the broth has thickened, about 20 minutes. Add the vinegar and season with pepper.
Combine about half of the parsley with the sour cream in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper. Ladle the stew into bowls; top with the remaining parsley, a dollop of herbed sour cream and a sprinkle of paprika. Serve with hot crusty bread.
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