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Welcome to American Homestead. I'm happy you have found my blog. Make yourself comfy and see what's been happening around here. I write about the things that interest me ~ creativity, travel, food, nature and a happy life. I'd love to read your comments.

Sunday, December 28, 2014

Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks - Volume 10

Cover Girl!


My block made the cover of Quiltmaker's
100 Blocks Magazine - Volume 10!  There
she is, second row from the right, second
block from the bottom, named Dutch Treat.


I also submitted a quilt using the block 
and it was chosen to be in the Designer's
Gallery.


Here is my photo of the quilt, I call it
"Going Dutch".



Friday, December 5, 2014

Elle's Kitchen: Cape May Mushroom Soup


We have moved into the grays of Winter around
here and to warm up from the chill a lovely soup
is always a great addition to the menu.


Many, many moons ago, Mr. Wonderful and I
got engaged in one of our favorite places ~ Cape
May, NJ.  Cape May is a lovely little seaside 
village located at the southern tip of the New
Jersey peninsula.  When you drive to the very 
end of the state, it looks like you have come to 
the end of the world so it is nicknamed, "End of
the World, NJ".


Cape May is a Victorian jewel.  There had been a 
devastating fire that burned much of the town during
 the Victorian era.  Since it was such a popular vacation
destination, the town was quickly rebuilt and we now 
have a wonderful collection of Victorian architecture
in one small town.  On this visit, we were getting engaged
and we stayed at the Columbia House.  We chose this 
place because we could rent an apartment with a 
kitchen.  Even back then we were cooking on our travels.


Ingredients:

1/2 pound mushrooms
2 mediums onions
2 cloves garlic
1/2 stick butter
3 tablespoons dry white vermouth
5 cups mild chicken stock (reduced sodium)
3 egg yolks
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
salt and pepper


Peel and chop the onions and garlic finely 
and melt the butter in a large pan.  Sweat 
the onions and garlic in the butter while you
chop the mushrooms finely.


Add the mushrooms to the onions and stir them 
around for a few minutes and then add the vermouth.


In another pan bring the chicken stock to the boil
and then pour it into the vegetables.  Simmer for
15 minutes or until the taste of the mushrooms has
really permeated the broth.


Beat the egg yolks with the cream.


Add a few ladles of the soup to the eggs and 
cream to temper them.


Pour the mixture into the soup.  Season to taste.
Depending on the stock you use, you may not need
any more salt.  Heat very slowly, stirring.  Do not 
allow the soup to boil or it will curdle.  When the 
mushrooms are suspended in the soup, serve
immediately.


I made some popovers to go with the soup 
that really formed some prehistoric looking
shapes ~ but they were tasty!


We have been making this soup for decades.
The vermouth adds a nice touch and the soup
isn't gloppy like so many cream of mushroom
soups can be.

I can't remember where I got the recipe, so 
we just refer to it as Cape May Mushroom Soup.
When I make it, it always takes me back to that
kitchen in the Columbia House when we were
filled with the hopes and dreams of our future.

And we are still cooking.  Tomorrow we are 
heading down to Mexico for a few weeks and
we will be cooking.  We have already decided
we can get terracotta dishes down there to 
make  Gambas al Ajillo, but think we better 
bring our own scallop shells to make Coquille
St.Jacques...

Enjoy!