Stir My Soul: Recipes to Nourish and Inspire

By Roxie Kelley and Kathleen Taylor

A beautifully illustrated collection of 100 easy-to-prepare recipes laced with thoughtful reflections on cooking and life.

Have you ever noticed how the words that describe the cooking process also resonate in a more meaningful way to describe the very act of living? Stirring, blending, mixing, and measuring are terms that apply to how we live as well as how we cook. Bestselling cookbook author Roxie Kelley takes this correlation to heart and pairs her observations on life in and outside the kitchen with Kathleen Taylor's distinctive bright, whimsical folk artwork inside Stir My Soul.

From a Rustic Vegetable Breakfast Bake and Chunky Chicken Salad Sandwiches to Sweet and Sour Pork Chops, White Cheddar Potato Pancakes, and Roxie's Favorite One Bowl Chocolate Chip Cookies, Stir My Soul presents more than 100 recipes alongside definitions of cooking terms and how those words translate to life experiences. As Roxie explains, "The words that describe actions required in cooking are the same ones that make up daily life: my family and friends are part of my "fold," I "measure" my words when speaking to my children . . . all these life activities, like good recipes, lead to a satisfying result just like a completed dish or favorite dessert." Consider Stir My Soul a coming to terms with terms, if you will—a collection of recipes certain to nourish your body and stir your soul.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
• Release date: Oct 26, 2021
• ISBN: 9781449435868

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To Jerry Huisenga, my father who became my friend. With love, Roxie

To my parents, who gave me art lessons and encouragement; and FDA, who believes I can do anything. With love and gratitude, Kathleen

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Hello Again, My Friends!

Appetizers

Spinach Artichoke Nachos

Miniature Meatballs

Brooke’s Sweet Potato Hummus

Greek Nachos

Cheesy Cracker Bread

Classic Potato Skins

Everything Pretzel Bites

Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese Tartlets

Castle Wings

Kahlúa and Coffee Sauce

Raspberry-Tequila Sauce

French Onion Dip

Kelly’s Barbecue Mushroom Bites

Measuring

Main Dishes

Rustic Vegetable Breakfast Bake

Southwestern Chicken Pasta

Spinach and Feta Bake

Parmesan Pork Tenderloin

Chicken, Ham, and Tomato Casserole

Black Bean and Sweet Pepper Casserole

Stuffed Shells

Chicken with Snap Peas and Mushrooms

Baked Ziti

Fettuccine with Asiago and Parmesan Cheeses

Asian Orange Pork

Filled Sole Roll-Ups

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Parmesan Tilapia with Roasted Vegetables

Creamy Tomato-Basil Soup

Chunky Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Shepherd’s Pie

The Best Beef Stew

Mike’s Mexican Chicken Soup

Italian Garden Pasta Soup

Rosemary Pork with Roasted Vegetables

Jack’s Gumbo

Leigh Ann’s Easy Potato Soup

Chicken Salad for 100 of Your Closest Friends

Bella Burgers

Chipotle Barbecue Chicken Club Sandwiches

Sweet and Sour Pork Chops

The Ties That Bind

Side Dishes and Salads

Asian Rice

Roasted Mushrooms

Fake Baked Beans

Spiced Apples

Peppered Pecan Bacon

Canopy Salad

Spinach Salad

Spinach Baked Potatoes

Onion Parmesan Roasted Potatoes

Tuscan Beans

Streusel-Topped Sweet Potatoes

Roasted Asparagus

Kelsey’s Asiago au Gratin Potatoes

Dee’s Peas and Mushrooms

Peach and Prosciutto Salad

White Cheddar Potato Pancakes

Spiced Marinated Tomatoes

Hazelnut Green Beans

Orange and Red Onion Salad

Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

Clarify

Breads

Soft Garlic Breadsticks

Absurdly Cheesy Bread

Pull-Apart Wheat Bread

Cranberry-Walnut Breakfast Bread

Rosemary and Parmesan Focaccia

Orange Spice Muffins

Double Dark Chocolate Chip Muffins

Brooke’s Crisp Banana Waffles

Almond Pancakes

Caramelized Onion Flatbread

Asiago Croutons

Garlic Cheese Biscuits

Caramel Rolls

Orange Rolls

Parmesan Flatbread

Let Rest

Desserts

Zucchini Baby Cakes

Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

Chocolate-Covered Banana Cheesecakes

Hazelnut Fudge Confection Sauce

Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake

Cheese-Filled Chocolate Bundt Cake

Hummingbird Cake

Pumpkin Cupcakes

Cranapple Pie

Paradise Pie

Deep Dark Brownie Pie

Over the Moon Silver Spoons

Peanut Butter–Chocolate Fudge Cups

Apple Turnovers

Roxie’s Favorite One-Bowl Chocolate Chip Cookies

Peanut Butter Dreams

Salted Chocolate Cookies

Lulus

Lush Lemon Bars

Tahiti Sweetie Cookie Mix

Turtle Shortbread Bars

Dee’s Sugar Cookies

Dana’s Caramel Apple Cookies

Mary’s Persimmon Pudding

Chocolate Ganache

To Age

This and That

Jan’s Hot Chocolate Mix

Peppermint Stick Iced Tea

Carol’s Coffee Punch

Simple Syrup

Raspberry Lemonade

Fresh Fruit Shake

Janet’s Tarragon Vinaigrette

Cinnamon Whipped Cream

Hour Power Whipped Cream

Salt and Pepper Tortilla Strips

Julie’s Pet Treats

Stir

Substitutions

Metric Conversions and Equivalents

Index

HELLO AGAIN, MY FRIENDS!

I’m so excited to be able to share Stir My Soul with you.

After writing several cookbooks, I began to notice that the words used to describe the actions required in cooking—stirring, folding, measuring, blending—were the same words and actions that describe my daily living. My friends and family were part of my fold, and I found myself measuring my words when I spoke to my children . . . you see where this is headed. Because I love words, I found a certain pleasure in that realization, and I wanted to share it with you. A coming to terms with terms, if you will.

All the steaming, stewing, tenderizing, and even the aging in the course of my life, had, like good recipes, led to a satisfying result—a becoming, like a completed favorite dish or dessert. There are times in life when compartmentalizing is helpful. But sometimes it’s good to see how all of our ordinary moments blend together to make an extraordinary life.

And so, this book is a compilation of some fabulous and faithful recipes with some thoughts on not just what we are doing with our actions but also who we are becoming in the process. Life is, after all, not only about the list of actions we undertake in the recipe of our days. It is about the people we are becoming and the flavor we add to the lives of those around us.

And speaking of adding flavor: Sharing her incredible and flavorful art with you is Kathleen Taylor, whose work I’ve admired and enjoyed for years. Kathleen’s art is featured prominently in our restaurant, the Paint Box Café, and I often wish I could record our customers’ comments and play them back to her. Her work always produces smiles, and collecting it is definitely habit-forming.

We both thank you for the privilege of sharing our process of becoming with you and sincerely hope these pages will stir your soul.

My Best to You,

Roxie Kelley

introSpinach Artichoke Nachos

This appetizer comes together very quickly. I like the idea of using fresh rather than frozen spinach, as is seen in most spinach artichoke dip recipes. This is especially beautiful when served on a large platter.

SERVES 6 TO 8

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 (5-ounce) package fresh baby spinach, chopped

⅓ cup cream

1 cup shaved Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

1 (7-ounce) bag multigrain tortilla chips

1 (6-ounce) package shredded mozzarella cheese

2 cups salsa of your choice

Preheat the oven to 425°F. In a medium pan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Cook the garlic in the butter for 30 seconds. Add the spinach, cream, Parmesan cheese, Worcestershire, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine and cook until wilted, about 1 minute Stir in the artichoke hearts.

Scatter the tortilla chips on a large ovenproof platter or baking sheet. Spoon the spinach mixture evenly over the chips. Sprinkle with the mozzarella. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly. Serve warm with the salsa on the side

Miniature Meatballs

I’ve served these meatballs at several parties in the past few years. I like preparing them a day or two in advance to minimize the number of last-minute preparations required in entertaining.

SERVES 8 TO 10

2 pounds ground beef chuck

2 large eggs, beaten

1 cup dry bread crumbs

1 (1-ounce) package dried onion soup mix

1 (16-ounce) can whole-berry cranberry sauce

1 cup ketchup

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 (16-ounce) can sauerkraut, rinsed and drained

1 cup water

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Combine the beef, eggs, bread crumbs, and soup mix in a large bowl. Form into meatballs using approximately 2 tablespoons of the mixture for each. Arrange in a single layer in a 13 by 9-inch baking dish.

Combine the cranberry sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, sauerkraut, and water in a medium bowl. Mix well. Pour the sauce over the meatballs. Bake until bubbling, about 1 hour. Serve hot.

Brooke's Sweet Potato Hummus

This is my daughter’s recipe. The first year Brooke lived away from home, we decided to create a traveling journal together. The journal was our across the miles way of sharing the little projects and experiences that we used to do together when she was still at home. If there was a cooking experiment or an art idea, it went lovingly into the journal and then into a flat rate postage box. Three days later, we felt the tug of the heartstrings and got a dose of inspiration as a bonus. So when you taste this hummus or Brooke’s Crisp Banana Waffles, imagine the traveling journal, overstuffed with photos, collages, recipes, and love, making its way from Missouri to California and back again. Joy in a box.

SERVES 4 TO 6

1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes

1 (15.5-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

¼ cup tahini

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 clove garlic, minced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Assorted fresh vegetables or toasted pita bread, for serving

Place the sweet potato in a bowl and add just enough water to cover the potato pieces. Loosely cover the bowl with a damp paper towel and microwave on high power for 5 to 6 minutes, until tender. Drain and transfer the sweet potato to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a chopping blade. Add the chickpeas, lemon juice, tahini, olive oil, cumin, and garlic. Pulse until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Add a little more olive oil to thin if necessary and pulse again. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve with fresh vegetables or toasted pita bread.

Greek Nachos

This recipe reminds me of