What's for Supper?

I was so busy in the kitchen last evening that I didn't get around to posting the menu. So here's what we ate...

Southwestern Corn Chowder
Nouveau Iowa Potato-Black Bean Pie
A lovely Cabernet Sauvignon for the Big People
Zen Soy Chocolate Pudding

...a wonderfully hearty meal for a chilly autumn evening. It took me quite awhile to throw it all together, but that's mostly because I was chatting with my mother-in-law and trying to keep the kids occupied, all the while attempting to chop and stir and devote the proper attention to the dinner preparations. Still, I can't wait to make it again.

The chowder recipe, unlike any I'd tried before, is from Simply in Season, a terrific cookbook by Mary Beth Lind and Cathleen Hockman-Wert. The book is organized according to season, with sections titled Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter, and All Seasons. Under each section, you'll find the fruits and vegetables that are in season at that particular time. The Autumn page has got a beautiful orange photo of pumpkins with the list of produce: broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, collards, cranberries, grapes, kale, pears, persimmons, pumpkin, swiss chard, and winter squash. Simply in Season is my go-to cookbook when I bring home an interesting farmer's market find that I hadn't bought with a plan in mind.

And while I might sound like a paid spokesperson, the cookbook is a project of an organization called Mennonite Central Committee, "...to promote the understanding of how the food choices we make affect our lives and the lives of those who produce the food. MCC is a relief, community development, and peace organization of the Mennonite and Brethren in Christ churches in Canada and the United States."

The Southwestern Corn Chowder recipe was different from most in that it didn't have a creamy milk-type base. You simply saute onion in olive oil, add vegetable broth and sweet corn, simmering gently, and puree part of the soup. Finish with some chopped tomatoes and sweet red peppers (I used orange peppers for some added color), and then top with a splash of lime and a sprinkling of cilantro. In keeping with the southwestern feel of the soup I added a nice amount of cumin. I wish we had leftovers.

The Nouveau Iowa Potato-Black Bean Pie (what a fancy name!) is from the enormous cookbook by Crescent Dragonwagon (again with the names!) called Passionate Vegetarian. And I was pretty sure that my kids would either passionately love the recipe, or passionately hate it. Turns out they thought it was great. Plus I think the fact that the meal didn't arrive at the table until nearly 7:00pm and their tummies were rumbling helped a little, too.

I could put mashed potatoes on top of most savory dishes and the children would chow down without bothering to ask "what else is in here, mom?" They are some mashed potato loving kids. Fortunately they like the mashed potatoes made with soy milk,too. If my mom had tried to pull that shit when I was a kid I would've sat at the dinner table and gagged with a vengeance.

Under the delicious pile of potatoey fluff is an equally delicious combination of sauteed onions, celery and garlic mixed together with lots of refried beans, taco-style crumbles, and a can of diced tomatoes with green chiles. The combination of the two layers is absolutely delish. Lucky for me there are leftovers of the pie. Is 10:00am too early for lunch?