Ask A Minnesota Expert: Best Fall Family Dishes
Michael "Mickey" Slitts has been cooking for family and friends as long as he can remember. He has since honed his skills in the kitchens of Smack Shack, 1029 Bar and Moose on Monroe, among others. Slitts' chemistry background (he received a degree from St. Thomas in 2012) also translates into some of the finest dishes to come out of the kitchen — remember, it's not just about the ingredients. As the weather cools, he offers a few recipes you can share with the whole family.
Mickey Slitts
1029 Bar
1029 Marshall St. NE
Minneapolis, MN 55413
(612) 379-4322
www.the1029bar.com
The minds behind Smack Shack, who also designed the kitchens for 1029 Bar and Half Time Rec in St. Paul, have taken the Twin Cities food scene by storm, and you'll find some of the Twin Cities' finest in casual dining coming from behind the line. Needless to say, Slitts knows a few things about comfort food. His years of working in kitchens all across the U.S. have brought him here to Minneapolis to share with us his favorite recipes for fall — those perfect, soul-hugging meals that add just a little something extra to those cool evenings of autumn.
"After the dog days of summer, it's time for soups and stews to return to our tables," Slitts said. "And what signifies the arrival of fall more than pumpkin?"
Here are two ways to use pumpkin in nice, hearty soups.
Creamy Pumpkin Soup
Up to 6 servings
- Pumpkin puree, 1 can
- Cream, 1.5 cups
- Vegetable stock, 4 cups
- Flour (all-purpose), 2 tbsp
- Butter, 2 tbsp
- Salt, 1 tsp
- Cinnamon, 1 tsp
- Cayenne pepper, 1 tsp
Directions:
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.
Stir in the flour for about 3 – 4 minutes, or until it looks nice and golden. Then, whisk in the vegetable stock.
Bring to a boil over high heat. Add the pumpkin puree and whisk until it is as smooth as it can possibly be.
Add salt, cinnamon and cayenne pepper, then bring your soup down to a simmer.
Keep it cooking on low heat for about 10 minutes, when it will be nice and thick and ready to serve.
Pumpkin Beef Chile
serves 6 - 8 people
- Ground beef, 1 lb
- Canned tomatoes, 1 can
- Pumpkin puree, 2 cups
- Onion, 1 cup, chopped
- Bell peppers, 1 cup, chopped
- Garlic, 1 clove, minced
- Chile powder, 1.5 tbsp
- Cayenne pepper, 1 tsp
- Cinnamon, 1 tsp
- Salt, 1/8 tsp
- Olive oil, 1 tbsp
Optional toppings:
- Sour cream
- Shredded cheese
- Shredded lettuce
Directions:
On medium heat, get your oil hot to saute your onion, bell peppers and garlic.
Once they are nice and soft and have that slight browning around the edges, stir in the ground beef.
When that has cooked to a nice brown color, mix in the can of tomatoes and the pumpkin puree.
When that is fully mixed, season it with chili powder, cayenne pepper, salt and cinnamon.
Turn to low heat and cover, letting it sit and simmer for 15 – 20 minutes.
Serve with the sour cream, shredded cheese and shredded lettuce as you like.
Related: Recipe: Chile Con Carne
"I also lived in Houston for a few years, and those southern flavors have stuck with me ever since," Slitts said. "Incorporating a little Southern spice into a classic dish can warm up the whole family on a cool night. Also, you can never go wrong with chicken."
Roast Chicken
- 1 whole chicken
- Olive oil, 1 tbsp
- Oregano, dry, 1/4 tsp
- Basil, dry, 1/4 tsp
- Cayenne pepper, 1/2 tsp
- Salt, 1/4 tsp
- White pepper, 1/4 tsp
- Crystal hot sauce, 1/2 tbsp
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.
While the oven is preheating, rinse your chicken and get rid of all the unnecessary fat. Dry and put into a baking pan.
Rub the olive oil with the hot sauce over the entire surface of the chicken.
Mix your oregano, basil, cayenne, salt and white pepper together and cover your chicken with it. Just a light sprinkle over the chicken until it has a nice, even coating of spice.
Roast the chicken for 15 – 20 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 400 degrees and roast for another 45 minutes
Voila, you have a spicy roast chicken the whole family is sure to enjoy!
Adrian Schramm is a resident Saint Paul writer with a passion for all things local. Through his work with Saint Paul Almanac and Minneapolis Examiner at Examiner.com, as well as in the kitchens of bars and restaurants around town, he has discovered what truly makes the Twin Cities tick.
