Category Archives: Winter

Moroccan-Spiced Lamb Pastitsio

Posted on March 15, 2012 | 2 Comments

Yes spring is springing and yes this is All Seasons Cuisine seasonal food blog and yes this photo is more reminiscent of winter comfort fare than said springing season BUT … ah well. This dish was simply too darn good not to post. And I didn’t factor global warming into my menu planning. Who knows, maybe winter will be back for one last blast, in which case you’ll know exactly what to make for dinner!

I have long hand-written lists of recipes I want to try each season. My spring list has been in the works since last month. These lists are constantly being updated and rewritten. (Yes by hand. I’m antiqued. I like it that way, and I prefer keeping my life as gadget-free as possible, at least for now). This recipe didn’t make the cut last winter. Not for any reason other than there are always quite simply too few nights and too many recipes to try each season. After trying it out, I know last winter will be the last winter we don’t enjoy this dish. It’s what I call a seasonal keeper. And for good reason. So if you’re like me (anyone? maybe just 1 other person as food-obsessed as I?), add this to your running list for next winter. Or throw caution to the wind to make it in July! So long as you promise you’ll try it.

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Posted in Lamb, Mediterranean, Moroccan/North African, Pasta, Winter

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Individual Beef Wellingtons

Posted on February 29, 2012 | 1 Comment

I mentioned these the other day and promised a post. So, voila! Backstory – a couple weeks ago was hubby’s birthday and he specifically requested this dish. For breakfast. Kidding. For dinner of course. That’s what I get for asking! I had neither eaten nor cooked this before so I knew I needed to do my homework to get it right.

Luckily, Chef Gordon Ramsey produced this snappy little 2 minute video on Beef Wellington that I found online! After a couple views, it didn’t seem all that hard. And honestly it wasn’t, but it does take longer to pull it off than it does watching Gordon Ramsey pull it off. And you have to provide your own peppy background music. I did some additional research (more youtube, thank you youtube you are wonderful for this sort of thing) and opted to go a more traditional duxelle (that’s the mushroom paste) route, reducing it down with white wine first and then cream. And is that stuff ever good! How had I never even heard of it before?! You could slather it on stale crackers and be in heaven.

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Posted in Beef, Winter

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Black Bean Chili with Butternut Squash

Posted on February 22, 2012 | 5 Comments

One of the year’s biggest eating weeks in our house doesn’t even take place during the month of December. Or over Thanksgiving. It’s (usually) the third week in February, during which we celebrate both Valentine’s Day and my husbands birthday over the span of a few days. For Valentines I made this Seared Duck Breast over these Peanut Sesame Noodles. A couple nights later (for his birthday) I made the most outrageous Beef Wellington. Then over the weekend I threw a birthday brunch party complete with this mushroom-bacon frittata, baked french toast, and topped it all off with a nice and light German Chocolate Cake. So you could say, it’s time for some detox (I suppose).

Which brings us to the black bean and butternut squash chili, just the ticket after a week of heavy eating. Dried black beans are simmered to tenderness in a smokey-spicy chipotle laced broth with fire-roasted tomatoes. Add cooked butternut squash cubes and your favorite chili garnishes and you have a cleanse in a bowl, no cayenne-cabbage juice-soup concoctions needed. And you’ll get a weeks worth of cleanse-lunches too, because this makes a huge pot of chili.

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Posted in Beans, Gluten-Free, Low-Fat, Southwest, Vegetarian, Winter

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Butternut Squash Lasagna

Posted on February 15, 2012 | 9 Comments

If you’re anything like me, instead of counting down the weeks left until spring you’re frantically trying to cram all your remaining favorite winter comfort foods into your meal plan. I certainly spend a borderline obsessive amount of time planning our weekly menu, varying the proteins and starches whilst also taking into account things like budget, cravings, and most importantly, seasonality. What should I make now because a few weeks from now I may not want to/be able to? So many favorites, too few nights, is always my takeaway at the end of the weekly exercise! If you find this conundrum equally vexing, then rest assured knowing this dish is simply a must-make while you can still play the ‘needed some good comfort food’ card.

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Posted in Italian, Vegetarian, Winter, Winter Squash

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Posole Rojo

Posted on February 9, 2012 | 4 Comments

I have this rather ridiculous photographic memory-like equivalent when it comes to food recall. I can not only remember particular dishes I’ve made even years ago, but I can remember details like which day of the week it was that I made them, and what was going on in my life at the time. It’s like I’m food-wired-in. Though I possess this strange ability in sharp contrast to my husband, because he can never remember anything I’ve made. Thought this was a cute case in point:

ME: “I’m working on a blog about the Posole.”

HUSBAND: “The what?” [Mind you, I only made a vat of it - we had at least 3 meals worth, just last week.]

ME: “The Posole. That spicy Mexican soup.”

HUSBAND: “OHHHH the spicy Mexican soup! That was great.”

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Posted in Mexican, Soup, Winter

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Roast Chicken Thighs with Lentil Stew

Posted on February 1, 2012 | 5 Comments

What is it about winter that makes me want to eat bread all day? Everyday. And pasta too. With garlic bread on the side. I’ve made a bunch of soups these past weeks which I figured would make for healthful lunches (when I make a soup I make like, a bucket of it).  And yes there were healthful lunches, I suppose, if you consider the buttered the roll I ate everyday alongside healthful too. Ah well. And the ironic part is it’s not even been that cold out! Today reached such a balmy 65 degrees that our daffodil bulbs lovingly planted last fall are coming up they’re so confused! So anyway, I needed a meal that was carb-free … ish. And while legumes are technically carbs I guess – (insert scrunched up frowny face here), they’re certainly neither bread nor pasta, which was plenty good enough for me.  The recipe shot to the top of my must-try list.

I’m super glad it did, because this was fantastic! Definitely one of those must-make every season, repeatedly, type recipes. And it’s a simple dish to throw together too. The (abbreviated) rundown – rub colorful red spice with fancy-sounding Spanish name on chicken, bake. Meanwhile, simmer lentils with some stuff. Puree said stuff. Add back to lentils. Serve. OK, maybe I skipped a few minor details, but that’s the rough draft if you will. The point is, it’s not hard. Completely doable on a weeknight. And so rewarding.

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Posted in Chicken, Gluten-Free, Winter