Nathaniel's Favorite Meat Sauce

This is a simple meat sauce, but Nathaniel said I should write it down since it was one of the best he ever tasted. I think it was just good because I cooked it so long while we waited for everyone to be home.

INGREDIENTS

3T olive oil
4 small onions, chopped
1 whole head of garlic, roughly chopped
3/4 t each of dried thyme, oregano, and basil
1/2 t dried red pepper flakes
1 29 oz. can of Trader Joe's Tuscano Marinara Sauce (or other good quality prepared marinara)
1 lb. ground beef (local)
about 1 1/2 cups vegetable stock. I used some I had made and frozen.

DIRECTIONS

1. In a heavy skillet or pot, add olive oil and heat to hot.
2. Add onions and cook to translucent. Turn down to low and caramelize for 5-10 min.
3. Add garlic, herbs, red pepper, and heat through.
4. Add marinara sauce. Bring to boil, then turn down and simmer.
5. In a separate pan, brown the ground beef. When thoroughly browned, add all of it with any fat to the simmering sauce.
6. Add salt and pepper to taste (about 1/4 teaspoon each or so)
7. Simmer on lowest heat for about 40 minutes. Stir occasionally, and add the vegetable stock about a half cup at a time to keep it from getting too dry.

Hearty Winter Potato Leek Pottage

This is a winter favorite based on the potato leek soup in Twelve Moths of Monastery Soups by Brother victor-Antoine d'Avila-Latourrette. It is extremely simple to make. There area many versions of this. The one below makes about 8 good servings.

INGREDIENTS

>butter, 1 stick
>sliced leeks, about 6 cups. About 1/4 in. slices.
This was two very large leeks and one smaller one. Be sure to wash them carefully between the layers as there's often dirt in there.
The following are peeled and chopped into small wedges--about 1-2 in--about 12 cups.
>potaotes, about 12 cups. This was around 20 smallish potatoes.
>turnips, 2 medium
>rutabega, 1 large

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large heavy pot, melt the butter, add the chopped leeks and saute until very soft. Turn down and continue to saute on low while you prep potatoes and other roots. (10 min. or so)
2. Add the chopped roots.
3. Cover with water. Bring to a boil. Turn to simmer, and simmer until potatoes are soft.
4. With a masher, mash the potatoes. Add a bit of water.
5. Add salt and pepper to taste. Continue to simmer, then mash some more until even consistency--but not smooth. Chunky is the idea here.

Serve topped with grated cheddar or other mild cheese. I think Tobasco is a nice addition as well.

Another great version when leeks aren't available is to substitue about 4-5 cups of chopped onions for the leeks and to saute them in about 1/2 lb. of chopped, cooked bacon. Cook the bacon first, then cook the onions with it (Yes, in the fat--it's awesome, and if you use good local bacon, it's not too fatty.)

New Year's Chicken Fricassee

This was a delicious way to bring in the New Year. It's adapted from the chicken fricasee recipe contributed by Mrs. J.C. Dupont in _De Bonnes Choses a Monager_ from Houma, Louisiana.

INGREDIENTS
chicken pieces--large boneless breast and two leg and thight pieces. Cut up in chunks about 3 in. long. (Chicken was local.)
2 large onions, chopped very small
3T butterr
3T olive oil
1/4/ c flour
Cajun Mix seasoning blend
Cayenne pepper
salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS
Melt butter and oil in heavy soup pot. Add chicken pieces and brown on hight heat for five to ten minutes. Remove the chicken with tongs.
Add flower slowly while stirring. On low heat, make a light brown roux. Constantly scrape the bottom of the pan with a metal spatula.
Add the onions and cook on high heat, stirring constantly, until opaque.
Turn heat down under the onions and let simmer, for a LONG time--about 30 minutes or more is good. You have to give them an occasional stir.