Debbie Macomber's Cedar Cove Cookbook (27 page)
Read Debbie Macomber's Cedar Cove Cookbook Online
Authors: Debbie Macomber
at
74
SEASIDE AVENUE
with
Bobby and Teri Polgar
O
utside of family, Bobby and Teri Polgar are two of my favorite people in Cedar Cove. Bobby is such an unconventional young man and so smart, and Teri—well, Teri is definitely her own person. She’s been cutting my hair for years and I’ve come to appreciate her warmth and optimism. Not once in all the time I’ve known her has Teri hesitated to share her opinion. And she has the most unexpected sense of humor; just listening to her laugh makes me want to laugh, too.
A few years ago she made her first Thanksgiving dinner. She and Bobby hadn’t been married long and she wanted this meal to be special. I was flattered that she asked my advice, although I hadn’t expected her to plan the usual Thanksgiving menu, complete with turkey, stuffing, pumpkin pie and all the rest.
Naturally I was more than happy to share a few of my holiday specialties, starting with a stuffing recipe. Of all the ones I’ve tried—including the traditional bread stuffing—
I prefer the Rice, Sausage and Pecan Version. It just doesn’t seem like Thanksgiving unless I actually stuff that turkey (although some people, me included, would rather have the stuffing and gravy than the turkey itself).
Teri told me afterward that her Thanksgiving dinner turned out perfectly.
Dealing with her family, however, was a disaster. If you’re acquainted with her mother, who’s on her fifth or sixth husband, you’ll know what I’m talking about. Nevertheless, Bobby and his driver friend, James, and Teri’s younger brother, Johnny, praised her dinner to the skies, and they were all the family that really mattered to Teri. Her sister, Christie, is equally important to her, of course, but I gather that Christie behaved quite badly at that dinner. Teri and Christie have had a pretty ambivalent relationship, although it appears to be improving, which is nice to hear.
When I gave her my recipes, I explained that my family’s always loved the Sweet Potato Puree. I got it from my aunt Maryanne, who’s been gone for many
years now. My mother wasn’t fond of sweet potatoes and never made it herself but I, on the other hand, love them. So does everyone else in my family.
Getting back to Teri, I want to tell you how impressed I am with that young woman and Bobby, too. I’ve never seen a husband who loves his wife more than Bobby loves Teri. I realize that sounds sentimental and perhaps excessively romantic, but I’m sincere. For most of his life, Bobby has lived and breathed chess.
He’s a world champion so that’s understandable. But in my opinion he didn’t know what it was to love or feel loved until he met Teri. The story of how that happened always makes me smile….
Despite her disappointing Thanksgiving-dinner experience, Teri’s determined to cook again. She wants to establish family traditions and since she and Bobby are about to become parents, it’s a good idea to begin now. As Teri reminded me not long ago, she has much for which to be grateful. I do, too, and if we stop to think about it, we all do, one way or another. That’s something we should acknowledge
every
day of the year.
So let’s give thanks with humility, happiness—and a sense of fun!
S
tick this savory fruit-and-nut-studded side dish in the oven to warm while the turkey is resting.
Serves 10 to 12
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth, divided
1 cup water, divided
½ cup wild rice
¾ cup long-grain white rice
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 small onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
½ pound sweet sausage, casings removed
1 tart apple, peeled and diced
½ cup dried cranberries
½ cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon dried sage
¾ teaspoon dried whole thyme
Salt and pepper
1.
In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup of the broth and ½ cup water; bring to a boil over high heat. Add wild rice; bring to a boil again. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook 45 to 50 minutes, until rice is tender and liquid absorbed.
2.
In another medium saucepan, combine remaining 1 cup broth and ½ cup water; bring to a boil over high heat. Add white rice; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook 17 minutes, until rice is tender and liquid absorbed.
3.
Preheat oven to 325°F. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large heavy skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion and celery; cook 7 minutes, until softened, stirring. Scrape into large bowl. In same skillet over medium heat, cook sausage until no longer pink, breaking up meat clumps with the back of a wooden spoon. Drain and discard fat; add sausage to bowl with vegetables.
4.
Add cooked wild and white rice to bowl with vegetables. Stir in apple, cranberries, pecans, sage, thyme, salt and pepper. Spoon into a 2-quart casserole; dot with remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Cover pan and bake 30 minutes, until warmed through.
TIP
Get a jump start on the dish by cooking the rice a day in advance.
G
rand Marnier adds elegance and a shot of extra flavor to this zesty relish. If you prefer not to use it, substitute orange juice.
Serves 8
¾ cup granulated sugar
½ cup water
¼ cup orange juice
1 12-ounce bag fresh cranberries
1
/
3
cup dried cranberries
¼ cup Grand Marnier Pinch salt
1.
In a heavy medium saucepan, combine sugar, water and orange juice. Bring to simmer over high heat until sugar dissolves. Add cranberries; reduce heat and cook at gentle simmer until cranberries begin to pop.
2.
Remove from heat and stir in dried cranberries, Grand Marnier and salt. Transfer sauce to medium bowl; let cool. Cover and refrigerate until cold.
TIP
Make the sauce up to one week in advance. Refrigerate, tightly covered.
T
he reason Brussels sprouts have a bad reputation is because they are so often overcooked. In this savory side dish, the tiny cabbages are first browned and then braised in the oven until just cooked through, which brings out their nutty flavor.
Serves 6 to 8
3 slices bacon
1 ½ pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved if large
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth, or more if needed
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried whole thyme
Salt and pepper
1.
Preheat oven to 350°F. In large heavy skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Crumble into large pieces.
2.
In same skillet over medium heat, cook sprouts in bacon fat about 5 minutes, until they start to brown, shaking the pan often. Add broth (it should come about
1
/
3
of the way up the sides of the sprouts); bring broth to a simmer. Transfer to oven, cook 15 minutes, until sprouts are cooked but still have some bite.
3.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer sprouts to a medium serving bowl, season with thyme, salt and pepper and garnish with crumbled bacon.
TIP
Test sprouts for doneness by poking one with a paring knife. The knife should slide in easily, yet with some give. The sprouts should not be soft.