Warm up with a bowl of Jacques Pepin’s Quick Mushroom Soup! As the temperature drops, join me and my trusty sous chef, Old Fuzz Face, in the kitchen as we whip up this comforting and hearty soup in just 30 minutes.
Using fresh cornmeal and a medley of mushrooms, this dish is not only quick but also incredibly satisfying. Perfect for cold, dreary days, this recipe from Jacques Pepin’s ‘Quick and Simple‘ cookbook is a must-try. Pair it with freshly baked sourdough bread for the ultimate cozy dinner. Happy cooking!
Why make this amazing mushroom soup?
Hello my friends. Chef Blondie here.
You know it was cold and snowy this morning. And right now it’s dark. It’s dreary and so cold. It’s wild outside.
My somewhat capable sous chef, Old Fuzzface and I want something warm and satisfying for dinner tonight. But we just don’t have the time to prepare a big meal. In cases like this, we turn to Jacques Pepin’s cookbook, Quick and simple.
So for tonight, we’re going to Prepare an easy dish. It’s a pot of mushroom soup. To make this soup a little more filling and comforting, Jacques adds some yellow cornmeal. I think he does this to thicken it up a little bit. And it just so happened that Fuzzy milled some corn yesterday and it’s as fresh as it can be. To go along with this soup, we’re going to have sourdough bread made with all hard white wheat that Fuzzy baked this morning.
Friends, this is the perfect comforting soup to warm you up after a day of shoveling snow. It’s quick and easy, and it’s so very satisfying. You’ve just got to try it!
For this recipe, you’re going to need unsalted butter, mushrooms, leeks or scallions, and chicken stock. We’re going to use vegetable broth, yellow cornmeal, cream, salt, ground black pepper, and chopped chives. We’re going give it a go.
Our 25-pound Maine Coon cat gave us the best RV trip we never had. He did it through a premeditated act of sabotage.
Every year in October, Miss Blondie and I take our Class C RV to Shenandoah River State Park to bask in the colors of Autumn. First we pick up our reservation pass at the Contact Station. With our pass in hand, we head directly to our RV site, hook up our utilities, and set up camp. Then we just sit back and take in all the wonders of the park in this most beautiful time of year. – And that, dear friends, was the plan for this last October 24th.
Malicious Maine Coon Sabotage
If you follow our YouTube channel, and we hope that you do, you know that Mr. Monte sabotaged our hot water system and we had to cancel our reservation. – Little did he know, that in performing his evil prank, our cat gave us … the best RV trip we never had. (To see how he performed his malicious act of sabotage, click here.)
Our Backup Plan – Let’s Have a Day Trip
Yes, Mr. Monte forced us to cancel our trip scheduled for the peak Autumn foliage. Yes, that dang cat thought he had won this round. But Miss Blondie and I resolved that we would not miss the splendors of Autumn. We would see the Shenandoah Valley at its best. – We had devised a backup plan.
A quick telephone call is all it took. Our cancelled RV trip morphed into a magnificent day of exploring and picnicking in the park. It was an unbelievably pleasant day with three of the most charming ladies I know – Miss Blondie, Daughter #1, and Granddaughter #1.
I won’t burden you with a lengthy description of all we did on our day trip. Words would only get in the way. Instead, let’s just look at some of what we saw. Perhaps someday you will be able to visit Shenandoah River State Park in October and see it all for yourself.
The July sun is beating down and the mercury is rising, that makes this the perfect time to try Jacques Pépin’s Summertime Pasta. After all, the last thing the SFH Test Kitchen wants is to spend hours in a hot kitchen. But that doesn’t mean that we’re ready to sacrifice delicious, satisfying meals. The fact is, Jacques’s pasta recipe is the perfect solution for these sweltering July days. It’s quick, easy, and bursting with fresh, seasonal flavors.
Hello my friends. – What I love most about this Summertime Pasta is how it allows the natural flavors of the produce to shine. There’s no need for heavy sauces or complex seasonings – just pure, unadulterated deliciousness. It’s the kind of meal that nourishes your body while delighting your taste buds.
One of the best things about this dish is how easily it can be adapted to suit your personal tastes and the ingredients you have on hand. For example, we added diced shallot to the recipe. Either shallot or red onion work beautifully to add a subtle, savory depth of flavor.
Although Jacques’s Summertime Pasta is similar to his Pasta Primavera recipe, the flavor is different due to the selection of vegetables. See our Post Pasta Primavera Your Grandkids will Love. Also check out Jacque’s cookbook Fast Food My Way for other quick and simple recipes.
Summertime Pasta in 4 Simple Steps
The beauty of this dish lies in its simplicity. With just a handful of wholesome ingredients – ripe tomatoes, zucchini, mushrooms, shallot, etc. – you can create a vibrant, flavor-packed meal that feels indulgent without weighing you down. And the best part? It all comes together in a matter of minutes. – Take a look at the four simple steps.
Step 1 – Mix the Vegetables
Start by dicing up the tomatoes, zucchini, mushrooms, and shallot. The small, uniform pieces not only look beautiful, but they also allow the flavors to meld together seamlessly. Toss these veggies with a bit of olive oil, salt, and pepper, and you’ve already got the makings of a delicious sauce.
Step 2 – Prepare the Pasta
About 20 minutes before serving time, bring salted water to a boil in a large saucepan or pot. Add the pasta, stir well, and return to a boil. Boil, uncovered, over high heat until cooked to your liking (slightly al dente for us).
Step 3 – Microwave Vegetables for 2 Minutes
While the pasta is cooking, put the bowl containing the vegetables in a microwave oven. Cook on high for 2 minutes, or until lukewarm. This helps to soften the tomatoes and zucchini, creating a perfectly balanced texture.
Step 4 – Drain the Pasta and Add to Vegetables
Drain the pasta thoroughly and add it to the warmed vegetable salad. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and basil and toss well. Divide among four warmed soup plates. Serve immediately.
Summertime Pasta – Summary
So, the next time the summer heat has you feeling uninspired in the kitchen, turn to Jacques Pépin’s Summertime Pasta. It’s a celebration of the season’s bounty and a testament to the power of simple, seasonal ingredients. What more could you ask for?
Happy Cooking!
Jacques Pépin's Summertime Pasta recipe is the perfect solution for sweltering summer days. It's quick, easy, and bursting with fresh, seasonal flavors.
When you prepare it with the help of your children or grandchildren, Pasta Primavera becomes special. This adaptation of a recipe by Jacques Pépin gives you the opportunity to share in making a simple, tasty dish. It teaches the young ones in your life about the joys of fresh, seasonal ingredients. There’s nothing better than watching their faces light up as they savor all the vibrant flavors.
Hello, my Friends. Chef Blondie here. – Spring is here! What could be better than making a dish with a name that literally means Springtime? Today, my Test Kitchen staff and I tried out the versatile pasta dish called Pasta Primavera. Jacques Pépin adapted a recipe made by his friend Ed Giobbi. Jacques so loved the recipe that it appears in at least four of his cookbooks.
Now that our test is complete, we understand why Jacques has devised so many tasty variations of this recipe. – This is a perfect springtime dish. You’re going to love it!
Why This Recipe Works
There is a type cooking freedom and freestyle celebrated in this dish. The ingredient list for this recipe is not set in stone. Rather, it is set in springtime, or whatever season it may be when you choose to make it.
In the four recipe variations we reviewed, there was the simple theme – choose the vegetables you like from what’s fresh in your garden or available in the store.
Of the four recipe Pasta Primavera variations available to the Serendipity Farmhouse Test Kitchen staff, we selected one that Jacques Pépin calls Bow-Tie Pasta in Garden Vegetable Sauce for our test. This recipe appears in A Grandfather's Lessons: In the Kitchen with Shorey. We thought it important to remind folks that cooking with the young ones in your life can be such a great gift.
I prefer camping. She prefers glamping. But it really doesn’t matter. Autumn saw to it that we were both surrounded by the vibrant colors of serendipity. And it wasn’t just in our RV.
If you’ve visited our About Serendipity Farmhouse page, you know Blondie and I have a special definition for the word ‘serendipity’. – Serendipity is the answer to a prayer you never prayed but should have.
For us ‘serendipity’ is not mere chance. It’s something you must seek. It’s like the trail marker hidden in the shadows. You must look for it and recognize it for what it is. It’s far more common than you think. You can find it everywhere. – Even on an RV trip or in your own backyard.
Serendipity is not just good luck. It is a gift freely given by a firm Guiding Hand. And accepting that gift is an act of faith.
Vibrant Colors – First Reflections
October 24th was the first day of the last RV trip for the year. There was no special purpose for the trip. It was just an opportunity for us to break from routine farmhouse chores and be together. Little did we know that during this trip we would see some of the most spectacular Autumn views ever.
Despite Monte’s criticism and complaints, we arrived at Site #1 with no undue problems. Setup was quick and easy. Sweet Miss Blondie and I took a short rest and then headed down to the river. We decided to walk along River Trail. And that’s where the surprisingly vibrant colors of our serendipitous trip came into full view. They reflected off the still water and made fast a pleasant memory in my mind. – Here’s just a bit of what we saw.
Views along River Trail
As afternoon turned into evening, Chef Blondie performed her kitchen magic in our somewhat less than commodious RV kitchen. She decided that her ever-popular Indian Chicken Curry – The ECDM Way would suit the weather and the season.
I assisted with the menial tasks of making rice and general cleanup. My great diligence and effort were rewarded by one of my favorite camper meals.
Indian Chicken Curry for Dinner
Upon Further Reflection
This wasn’t the trip of a lifetime. This trip was but another treasured part of a lifetime with the one I love. It was a moment in time. Serendipity is knowing that those special moments are always there.
Those moments can be as simple as waking up in our RV and doing the morning chores surrounded by magnificent Autumn colors. Should you want more than that, you can have a brunch cooked outside. Perhaps you would start with sizzling, fried bacon. If you’ve planned ahead, you just might have a fresh loaf of homemade sourdough bread. – Could anything be better for brunch than French toast on sourdough bread with crispy bacon and hot coffee?
Brunch on an Autumn Day
After brunch, we set out to do just exactly what we had planned to – that would be not much of anything. Basking amidst the vibrant colors, it was so pleasant to simply take another walk, play a few hands of Rummy, and spend time relaxing in the shade of the RV awning. After all, this trip was just an opportunity for us to break from routine farmhouse chores and be together.
The afternoon silently slipped away, and the shadows began to lengthen. Soon, the setting sun intensified the hues and vibrance of the Autumn colors. We took it all in for one final moment and then closed the RV door. There would be no supper this evening. Brunch was more than enough for the day.
Mr. Monte requested Blondie and me to join him in watching Jacques Pépin. He did his best to persuade Blondie to have the soon-to-be-world famous Test Kitchen try more of Jacques’s recipes.
With all the fresh air and beautiful views this day, though, Mr. Monte soon joined us in closing our eyes. We all slipped off to the Land of Nod. – The day was beautiful, but even the most beautiful days must come to an end.
Mr. Monte Watches Jacques Pépin
Vibrant Colors – A Final Reflection
Yes, it was a wonderful and relaxing RV trip in the Shenandoah Valley. But when your farmhouse is at nestled in the Blue Ridge, within sight of Skyline Drive, the vibrant colors of serendipity are present right there on your doorstep.
Whether you go to the Rappahannock County Court House to vote or walk to the mailbox or pray for the Poor Souls, the Autumn colors are there to remind you of how that firm Guiding Hand brought you here.
Vibrant Autumn Colors of Serendipity on our Doorstep
Upon final reflection, the vibrant colors of serendipity are one more answer to a prayer we should have prayed but didn’t. – We are thankful for trail markers and the firm Guiding Hand that brought us here.
There’s more to see in the video of the Vibrant Colors. Check it out and subscribe to our YouTube Channel
At Serendipity Farmhouse we have a plan to make Autumn cleanup and maintenance easy. It may not be the world’s best plan, but it works for us. Perhaps some of our tips for cleanup and maintenance will work for you too.
Hi! Ol’ Fuzz Face here.
Despite what my 24-pound, Maine Coon cat tells you in his posts, I’m the one who does the real work around here. – More precisely, I do what Miss Blondie tells me to do – or else.
That said, Blondie and I both know, we would get nothing done if we didn’t have a plan. So, Let’s talk about our 2023 Autumn Cleanup Plan and how it works.
How we make our Autumn cleanup easy.
We’ve been living in our beloved Serendipity Farmhouse for almost 10 years. The seasons here follow a pattern unique to the Blue Ridge and rural life. We synchronize our tasks and chores to that pattern. With each passing year, we are more attuned to that pattern.
Lesson Learned: We let the pattern of life and experiences of preceding years be our guide. Because we do, our Autumn cleanup planning becomes easier every year.
Best Use of Time & Effort
Early Autumn is a tricky time of year. One day it’s in the 80’s and clear, the next day it’s in the 40’s and rainy. We’ve learned that our cleaning plan must be flexible. So, we break down our work by indoor and outdoor chores. On good days, we work on the three outbuildings, the yard, and the gardens. On rainy days, we work inside to put the house in order before the holidays arrive.
October 2023 was for outdoor work.
This October has been very dry. With just a few exceptions, we were able to complete almost all of our outdoor work before we headed out on our last RV trip of the year.
Miss Blondie and I tackled Vegetable Garden #1 first. We weeded the asparagus and cleared out the old plant debris from all the boxes. The we turned over the soil and added a layer of new soil and our own compost to each. Finally, we planted almost two box sections of garlic.
Outbuilding Autumn Cleanup
In our post How to Have a Firewood Party, you saw how the woodshed had to be cleaned and how the new firewood was stored in the shed. Well, thanks to the previous owner of SFH, we also have a large storage shed with three ground-level bays and an upper storage area. During the Summer, it gets exceptionally dirty. Additionally, all the hornets and wasps in these parts think our shed is the perfect place to set up housekeeping.
My sweet and industrious wife tells me that I must play the role of the nasty landlord and evict all the unwanted tenants. Once they’ve been removed, Miss Blondie insists that each bay must be cleaned to the same standards as a room at the Inn at Little Washington. – It comes down to a simple question: Stinging Insects or Unhappy Wife? As you can see, the shed is getting cleaner every day.
Outbuilding #3 – The Portal to Hades
I usually don’t admit my fears. But as you saw in Mr. Monte’s post My Security Staff Jackwagons, I have been very unhappy with Monte’s employee Rusty the Rat Snake. The well house has always been a place of dread for me. Rusty has only made it worse.
Well, I finally mustered the nerve to enter this place of dirt and filth, infested with vermin of every kind. In fact, I was actually somewhat proud of myself when I saw the progress I had made.
BeforeAfter
Yes, I was really proud of myself for being so brave. I went into that Portal to Hades, and I had survived.
That is when reality hit me in the face, almost literally. – As I was making a victory lap around the well house with the leaf blower, I encountered this guy, just six inches from my nose.
Next year, maybe I can talk Son-in-law #1 into cleaning the well house. It’s worth a try.
Here’s what our Autumn Cleanup List looks like today.
Now you know how we go about our Autumn cleanup. Here’s the list of what we’ve done so far, and what we have yet to do.
The delight of bread, berries and shallots are just part of a summer day at Serendipity Farmhouse. In the course of a day, any number of surprises can fill our home with unexpected joy. And this day, joy came in the form of a fresh loaf of bread, a container full of wild berries, and a basket of our own garden-grown shallots. Each serves to remind me of why Hubby and I love our life together in this little old farmhouse.
Shallots Bring Flavor to the Table
Whether it’s Julia Child, Jacques Pépin, or just good old-fashioned American cuisine, shallots bring a unique flavor to the table. Last year, we planted shallots, and this year we harvested. – This was success on a first try.
Last night, some of our shallots joined us for dinner and today some joined us for lunch. – They were welcomed guests!
Sourdough Bread – Almost Ready for the Great Reveal
Hubby was up at 4 AM today. With Mr. Monte’s help, he continued his series of sourdough bread recipe tests.
Once, Hubby is satisfied that this recipe is foolproof, he’ll provide a post with all the details.
Hubby Beat the Bear to the Berries
The last few days, there have been several sightings of a black bear in our neighborhood. Perhaps the bear is looking for the patch of raspberries that Hubby spotted while mowing today. – Well, today, Hubby beat the bear to the berries.
As soon as he saw the berries, he ran to the house and yelled to me. “Give me my camera and a plastic bowl! – I’ve got to get those berries before the bear does!”
Within a minute, my brave (sometimes foolish) Hubby was out picking those berries. He had his signature gnat net covering his head to protect him from ticks. He put on his rubber boots to protect himself from snakes. And all the while he picked berries, he kept checking to make sure his multitool knife was close by. Who knew when the bear might come?
Hubby’s bravery was rewarded. He came back to the farmhouse with a container of the most beautiful raspberries. There wasn’t a single one of them that had a flaw.
My knight in shining armor, having been most successful in his quest, presented the berries to me. – In his own way, he showed me that to him Serendipity Farmhouse is his castle, and I am his queen.
To my 23,417 feline followers, especially my many cat cousins residing in Virginia and Ohio, Winter is not over yet. We know that because we have instincts and highly advanced feline intellects. Nevertheless, a warm, sunny day like today informs us that Spring will come. Days like this make the mind leap ahead and think of what Spring will bring and cause the heart to imagine the possibilities.
Autumn surrounds us now. It’s only natural to pause and reflect during this time of year. What is Autumn’s meaning and message? We all seek after the ‘truth’ in this season, but all too often it seems to be hidden or distorted. We hear some say they have ‘their truth’ and you have ‘your truth’. Because words mean something, we here at Serendipity Farmhouse reject that notion. Truth cannot be two different things at one time. Instead, we seek after truth by way of perspective – the proper perspective. And what might that proper perspective be?
V. Requiescant in pace. R. Amen
The Last Four Things are death, judgment, heaven, hell. On November 2nd each year, this point is made abundantly clear on the Feast of All Souls. The sequence “Dies Irae” reminds us of the “Day of wrath and doom impending.” – This is not only truth, this is inescapable truth. This is the proper perspective that leads us here at SFH to say “Pray, Prepare, Preserve.” That is because, as have gone the souls before us, so too shall we go.
Off to Fetch the Mail
For dearest Wife and me these days, a walk to the mailbox is not just a walk. It is an Autumn adventure. There’s so much to see and enjoy along the way.
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The Harvest Blessings Continue
Another first for Serendipity Farmhouse this year will be preserving our own Tarragon. We will use it in a variety of recipes, including salad dressings, sauces, and fish and chicken dishes. This herb is commonly used in French cooking. So, we will have to consult with Julia Child when making our next menu.
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SFH is under attack!
Recently, my beautiful Spouse declared to the Facebook world:
SFH is under attack!
We have a nasty racoon that keeps leaving his scat on our front porch by the door. –
We have cleaned and it keeps coming back.
Anyone have some solutions?
Guided by the nearly infallible words of wisdom offered by Mr. Monte, the SFH Chief of Security, the porch was cleared, cleaned, and sanitized – twice. Every square inch was sprayed with Repels-All liquid; the entire perimeter was covered with Repels-All granules; packets of mothballs were strategically fastened to porch furniture; and mothballs were also wedged under the door jam. A close viewing of this photo will reveal some of our countermeasures.
We Continue …
Although the “Day of wrath and doom impending” is ever foremost in our thoughts, we must continue. We must continue to mark the passage of time with hopeful prayer; continue to prepare for whatever may come; and preserve all that is good.
To my 23,416 feline followers, especially my many cat cousins residing in Virginia and Ohio, life is hard these days. I dearly grieve my departed Miss Fleur. All around me seems to be a deep, unlit void. I conduct my daily security duties without enthusiasm. I would rather just sleep – sleep until a better time. But, without Miss Fleur, how can there ever be a better time? (See A Valentine’s Day Reality)
Then, in the midst of my sorrow, in the moment of my greatest need for the solace and comfort of sleep, there comes that annual insane intrusion on feline sensibility, that modern monument to the ignorance of humankind – Daylight Saving Time!
The invention of this most unnecessary and unjustifiable perversion of the natural order is unquestionably the most convincing proof that humankind is on a path bound for self-destruction. We felines, however, have done our best to remind our humans that natural body rhythms, perfectly in accord with the universe around us, are the only sure way to attain balance and stability in daily life. – If one is drowsy, it’s time to sleep. If one is cheerful, it’s time to play. If one is angry, it’s time to growl. And, most importantly, if one is hungry, it’s time to eat. But, somehow, humans just don’t seem to get it.
So, yesterday and today, Ol’ Fuzz Face’s alarm clock made its wretched noise one full hour before my ultra-high precision, internal time standard said that it should. To say the least, this was disturbing to my inner peace. I rolled over and went back to sleep. Unfortunately, Fuzzy was already an hour into his daily routine and was nowhere to be seen when I emerged from the bedroom. That meant that he wasn’t there to give me my first feeding or to spar with me in our mandatory morning play session. – There is a price to pay for that negligence on his part. – Tomorrow, he will suffer my wrath!
The First Robin of Spring Contest
The remainder of the animal kingdom has a much better understanding of time than does humankind. For example, each Spring we can count on the robins to return to our area. Humans, with all their so-called science, can never figure out for sure when they are coming, but robins know precisely when they should make their way north. Serendipity Farmhouse extended family members have made a ritual of their collective ignorance concerning nature’s timetable. For example, each Spring, they compete to be the first one to see a robin. Whoever snaps the first picture of a returning robin is awarded a prize, usually a candy bar. Last Monday, Blondie spied a robin and immediately ordered Fuzzy to take a picture. He did. They reported to all that they had won. Blondie rightfully should be awarded a candy bar. Fuzzy might get a piece for his assist – if he’s lucky.
Spring is Here! – Really???
Another example of humankind’s ignorance concerning the world around them is Fuzzy’s last post Spring is Here! (Meteorologically speaking). The old goat was so very clever, he thought, in the way that he had discussed the various definitions of the beginning of Spring. As was usual, his best example for his argument, the uncovering of El Camino Del Monte, was to be the most illustrative proof of his ignorance. The picture that you see here of ECDM shows a snow-covered, ice-laden Class C RV on Saturday morning. – Good job, Fuzzy, do you still think it’s Spring??? Really???
As a suggestion, Fuzzy, why don’t you take your highly prized “Daylight Saving Time” alarm clock out to your springtime RV and sleep out there with the heat off for a few nights while I get some good sleep here in a warm house without any of your useless interruptions?
SFH Gardens – By the Numbers
The following links will provide the latest ketchup on what has been planted, harvested, and preserved since our last Journal post:
Likewise, the following links will provide the latest ketchup on what has been recorded by the Serendipity Farmhouse Weather Station – KVAFLETC4 since our last Journal post:
