Weird Winter Veggies and Green Chile Stew

This muddy looking bunch of vegetables just arrived from my Mom's root cellar.

Yes, people still have those sorts of things... root cellars. To store roots. Like these!

I realize these look like.. well, like dirt. But they are actually hiding some beautiful vegetable colors!

*Ahem!* Should you be wondering what in the world some of these nondescript, dirt-covered things are, pictured are: beets, yellow carrots (which are really sorta pale green), a small kabocha squash, Walla Walla sweet onion and an... um.. three-legged purple carrot.

Seriously though - Check out the purple carrots when cut up, the brilliant purple color goes about half-way through, it looks SO cool!

So tomorrow for Thanksgiving's non-turkey dinner I'm doing roasted root veggies. They looked so pretty all cut up in my roasting pan I just had to get a picture. Apples, squash, yams, three kinds of carrots, beets and onion. Tomorrow I'll drizzle with olive oil and a little cider and roast until tender. Yum!

The kitchen's still full of half-finished baking and cooking projects. I'll post more after the big day!

I'll close with this final picture and a super-easy recipe.

Not much to look at, but it's my most favorite soup in the world. New Mexico's own Fire-Roasted Green chile stew made with Hatch chiles.

Once you've had New Mexico's signature roasted chiles you won't be happy with anything else, I swear. I'm addicted to the peppers and to the area and am always counting the days until my next trip back to the blue skys and sunshine...
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But I digress. OK, so I added little dumplings because my kids like those. Maybe not so traditional but still quick and easy, warm, spicy comfort food.

Green Chile Stew
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2 Tablespoons Earth Balance
1 cup chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cup roasted, peeled and chopped fresh, or frozen green chilies (I use the frozen tub of Bueno Foods Fire Roasted Green Chiles)
1 Tablespoon flour
3 cups vegetable or vegetarian-"chicken" stock
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
2 medium white potatoes, (I often leave these out - you can also use sweet potatoes here)
Fresh ground pepper to taste
1/2 cup tvp - I use medium chunks - that has been rehydrated in 1 cup boiling water. OR you could use 1 can drained, rinsed pinto beans.
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Boil potatoes until almost tender - if using them. I often don't, just because it's quicker to make this without, but they are nice in the soup too.
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Sautee onion in Earth Balance until soft and translucent. Add garlic and allow to brown slightly. Stir in roasted chiles. Sprinkle flour over onion mixture, stir in and let brown slightly.
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Stir in salt, stock, oregano and potatoes. Reduce heat to simmer. Stir in drained tvp or pinto beans. Pour stew into buttered casserole dish and top with small teaspoon-size dumplings made with biscuit mix or your favorite recipe.
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Bake at 450 for 20 minutes or until dumplings are firm and exposed bits are golden brown. Serves 6 if you're lucky.
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HAPPY AMERICAN THANKSGIVING to all my US friends. HAPPY REGULAR OLD THURSDAY to everyone else.

Winter Veggies

This afternoon my Mom gave me some awesome garden-fresh beets, orange carrots, parsnips, garlic and these really cool carrots called (honestly)Cosmic Purple Carrots.

Check them out! Well, the picture isn't all that great, but trust me, they're bright purple with an orange center.

I'm lucky. My mom has root veggies all winter long in her garden and she's always experimenting with unusual varities - (summer and winter). These purple carrots were definitely different but they taste pretty much like any other sweet carrot.

And no, lest anyone worry, these aren't some genetically-engineered weirdness. They're actually an heirloom variety. With a little (highly scientific) 'Google' research I discovered that carrots used to come in many colors, mostly reds and purples, until the Dutch in the 17th century bred the carrot orange to honor their national colors.

Interesting.

So what to do with all this colorful, garden goodness?

Again, no specific recipe - I just scrubbed the veggies, cut them up, (about 4 cups total) and tossed in a baking dish with some halved garlic cloves, olive oil and kosher salt.

Then I roasted 'em at 400 degrees for about an hour until tender.

They turned out great!

<<-- Finished result. The veggies were soooooooo sweet and intense, the garlic mellow and 'roasted'. Drool.

Some orange juice would have been yummy I think? I may add some cracked pepper, rosemary and/or thyme another time too.