One-Pot main courses, simmering over a fire, serve a crowd!
Today is the first day after the Labor Day weekend, and I wanted to share this “pot” dish with you before we get into the next weekend!
I hope your Labor Day was wonderful, that you were able to play, work, rest, visit or host.
We were at our little lake cottage and were joined by my first daughter and her family, PLUS one, my grandson’s girlfriend. They arrived about an hour after we got there, late on Friday night. Altogether, there were eight of us in a 2-bedroom cottage, so the sleeper-sofa, and 2 air mattresses came out each night.
Saturday morning came early. The sofa was put back together, and the air mattresses were stacked on the bed in the guestroom. All was neat and tidy, while the coffee was just beginning to brew! We ate outside and planned the day. We stayed put, didn’t leave the cottage or property, just “hung out”, enjoying each other’s company!
Jon was happy to have people to fish with! We had “new” old cane fishing poles, and each teen, and my daughter, wanted to fish with them. I realized it’s a novelty, these vintage items, but I first fished with a cane pole, my grandfather taught me how…I think that makes me “vintage” too! After the fishing, there was swimming, kayaking, and a rousing game of corn hole that lasted for hours!
Some of the fish caught, were added to our “dinner”, a gluten-free fish fry.
OK, let’s get to the good part, my side dish of vegetables!
I used a large stockpot, added a mix of fresh vegetables, 2 boxes of gluten-free vegetable broth, and 1 box of gluten-free chicken broth, added salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Greek Seasoning. I layered small potatoes, halved, yellow onion, sliced, baby carrots, and fresh corn on the cob, snapped into quarters. To top it off, I added a handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley. I put the pot on a grate that covers our firepit (bowl) and kept the fire low until the soup started to simmer. Keeping the fire low, I put the lid on the pot and let it simmer for about one and a half hours, until the corn and potatoes were soft when poked with a fork.
The entire time the pot was simmering, I started thinking of all the ways you could make this side dish a main meal. Adding fish, meat, a protein like beans, and choosing different spices, would create an entirely new dish, a dish of your own, and to your family’s liking
We do a similar party each October, called a Hobo Stew party. We pull out an old cast iron kettle, with a handle and a lid to use for a beef and vegetable stew. It simmers over the low fire for hours, until the roast beef almost melts in your mouth. For a dish that’s so easy to make, I’m always thrilled and surprised by the reaction we get from our friends…
“This is the best ever!!! or how did you make this?!”
Well, we had a long weekend, which will be followed by a short week…sounds like a Win-Win to me!
Thanks for following along, it just makes me so happy that you’re here!
We’ll talk again soon,
XO,
