A couple of years ago, on a dark, stormy fall night, my husband was gone on a fishing trip, and I was stressing...a week of being the lone parent...cooking, cleaning, and doing the bedtime routine was wearing on me. I was coming back across the ferry with three hungry, cranky kids, wondering what the heck I was going to make for dinner, when my friend Melissa called. She invited my mom, the kids and I over for dinner, and I was so relieved to not have to cook, I can't even tell you! Melissa lives in this gorgeous house that could easily grace the pages of Coastal Living magazine....(she has the best laundry room...I know that sounds weird, but someday I will post on her perfectly organized, pottery barn like laundry room.) She had a big fat fire going, wine, and the most perfect fall-stormy-night-kind of meal you could dream of...I don't know if it was the fact that my kids were far in another room being entertained, or the fact my husband was coming home the next day to offer some serious kid relief, but my mom and I just sat there drinking our wine in front of the fire, looking at each other like, "man, we really needed this..." She had a giant pot of sausage tortellini soup, a huge autumn salad, homemade Gruyere macaroni and cheese for the kids, (and adults), and toasted french bread with melted mozzarella cheese on top. Total carbfest, but who doesn't need that once in awhile? She had cider, and candles and it was just plain cozy. So cozy that it seems I had to tell you all about it instead of just posting the recipes....I have recreated this several times over the last couple of years at my own house, and I think you should too! Here's to fall stormy nights!
The soup came from the Celebrate the Rain cookbook
Cheese Tortellini Soup with White Beans, Kielbasa, and Spinach
2 Tbs olive oil
12 ounces thinly sliced, fully cooked, smoke kielbasa sausage
1/2 cup diced onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 tsp chopped thyme or 1/2 tsp dried thyme
scant 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste
5 cans (15 ounces each) chicken broth
1 can diced tomatoes (14 1/2 ounces) with liquid
1 can cannellini white beans (15 ounces) rinsed and drained
1 package (9 ounces) fresh cheese tortellini
1/2 bunch fresh spinach, rinsed, dried and tough stems removed
grated Parmesan cheese for serving
Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or other large pot over medium-high heat. Add kielbasa, onion, garlic, thyme, and red pepper flakes, and saute until browned, about 12 minutes (if garlic seems to be getting too brown, reduce heat to medium to avoid burning).
Add the broth and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the beans and tortellini to the soup. Simmer until the pasta is just tender to the bite, about 10 minutes. Stir in the spinach and turn off the heat. Let stand about 2 minutes. Ladle soup into bowls and sprinkle with Parmesan before serving. Makes about 6 servings.
Homemade Gruyere Mac and Cheese
Kosher salt
vegetable oil
1 lb elbow macaroni or cavatappi (corkscrew pasta)
1 quart whole milk
8 Tbs (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup all purpose flour
12 ounces Gruyere cheese grated (about 4 cups)
8 ounces extra sharp cheddar grated (about 2 cups)
1/2 tsp freshly ground black or white pepper
1/2 tsp nutmeg
3 shakes tobasco
4 small fresh tomatoes (optional)
1 1/2 cups fresh white bread crumbs
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water. Add macaroni and cook according to directions on package, 6-8 minutes. Drain well.
Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it. Melt 6 Tbs butter in a large pot and add flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or two more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyere, cheddar, 1 Tbs salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add the macaroni and stir well. Pour into 3 quart baking dish, (it will seem soupy.) Slice tomatoes on top. Melt the remaining 2 Tbs of butter, combine with bread crumbs, and sprinkle on top. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on top. Can be made ahead and refrigerated before baking.
Need a great wine to pair it with? I am loving Indian Wells Cabernet 2009 from Chateau Ste Michelle.
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