Serenbe Style and Soul

with Marie Nygren

Monthly Archive: September 2009

Thursday

10

September 2009

0

COMMENTS

An afternoon in Marie’s kitchen

Written by , Posted in georgia emc, inn at serenbe, marie nygren, serenbe, southern cooking


I am excited to be a guest blogger today to tell everyone about spending a day in Marie’s kitchen.
The other day I was a part of a really fun filled afternoon. A group of co-workers from Georgia EMC had called the Inn at Serenbe and wanted to plan a team building day in Serenbe.
Their day began with visiting Serenbe farms with farmer Paige Witherington. They participated in picking vegetables and learning about organic farming.

After spending an hour on the farm, off to Marie’s house for a fantastic cooking demo, family stories and of course a great meal in the end.
When the six co-workers first arrived, Marie began the day with a wonderful display on her kitchen island featuring different stations set up with ingredients for each course. The menu was Serenbe farms tomato salad, chicken stuffed with goat cheese, fried okra fritters and one of my personal favorite desserts, blueberry cobbler!
Along with great cooking tips from Marie, each guest participated in creating the meal. They learned the proper way to slice tomatoes for the salad, chop onions, fry okra, etc. Several of the guests said that they did not cook much yet were eager to learn some simple cooking techniques.
Between the stories, tips and the inevitable way Marie makes everyone feel so welcome, within just a few minutes everyone jumped right in and the prepping began.
Soon the okra was being fried, the chicken was stuffed, the cobbler was in the oven and the dressing was being whisked!
Before we knew it the meal was complete and I think everyone was really proud to say that they had participated and learned something about being a better cook.
The fun really began at the dining table when Marie shared stories from Mary Mac’s, the history of Serenbe and her passion for cooking. With both the wonderful company and the amazing meal, our guests from Georgia EMC had a great time. Between their satisfied appetites and the sparkle in their eyes, you could see they were very pleased with the choice of Serenbe for their team building day.
Now they were off to a tour of the Serenbe community with Steve Nygren to finish out their day.
I had the pleasure of seeing Marie doing what she loves and what she does best. Cooking for others, sharing her passion not only through her food but also sharing her family stories with others in her personal kitchen.
Check back shortly as Marie plans to post the recipes from the day so she can share with her readers!
As her friend and guest blogger, I must admit it was an amazing day. I would recommend this for everyone looking for a wonderful way to experience Serenbe. If you are interested in a day with Marie, please contact the Serenbe Inn.
~Dana Widmer

Monday

7

September 2009

0

COMMENTS

Tomato, Vidalia Onion and Watercress Salad

Written by , Posted in cooking blog, marie nygren, Recipe Articles, serenbe, Serenbe Farmers Market, tomatoes


If you are looking for a way to enjoy a last blast of your summer tomatoes, this salad recipe makes a lovely addition to your collection.

Tomato, Vidalia Onion and Watercress Salad with Buttermilk Vinaigrette
  • 6 large ripe heirloom tomatoes, sliced
  • 1 large Vidalia onions, thinly sliced
  • 2 bunches watercress
  • 1 buttermilk vinaigrette recipe (see below)
On a platter, scatter the watercress. Lay the tomatoes on watercress and scatter onions across tops of tomatoes. Pour vinaigrette over entire salad.
For the Buttermilk Vinaigrette dressing, I love Frank Stitt’s recipe. He is one of my favorite Southern chefs.
  • 2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar or cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 shallot, finely minced
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 1 cup of mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, lemon juice, shallot, and salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in the buttermilk, mayonnaise, and sour cream. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Taste and adjust the seasoning. (The vinaigrette can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.)

Tuesday

1

September 2009

1

COMMENTS

Bringing Serenbe style to Quinn’s house

Written by , Posted in black bean casserole, marie nygren, Recipe Articles, serenbe


Recently I took my youngest daughter back to school at the University of Colorado-Boulder to set up her first house and kitchen. Quinn has a house on campus with two girlfriends. All three girls invited their mom’s to help them set up.
Upon leaving Atlanta Quinn said to me, “Mom, you are going to bring Serenbe style and soul to this house, aren’t you?” With that I responded, “Of course!!

It was a fast filled two and a half days setting up their house. Luckily one of the girls moms got the kitchen organized with three sets of pans from each girl. It was so evident that the girls liked to cook as each had their own set of cookware, utensils, etc. Probably the best set up kitchen for three college seniors, fully equipped with a Cuisinart, wonderful knives, coffee pots, rice cookers, etc.


The one thing Quinn really wanted was for me to show her how to make her favorite childhood dish that I created when my girls were little. When they were growing up one of their favorite things to eat were black beans and rice. One day it came to me to make a casserole, kind of like a Mexican lasagna. So simple and easy to make and best to make in a Lodge black cast iron skillet which I will tell you more about in my post below this one!

Here is the recipe for my Black Bean Casserole:

  • 12 6″ corn tortillas

  • 1 lb. bag of black beans, cooked or 2 cans black beans (rinsed)
  • 1 4oz. can chopped green chiles
  • 3 cups cooked rice
  • 3/4 lb. pepper or monterey jack shredded cheese
  • 1 1/2 – 2 cups salsa (depending on taste)
  • 1 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 375º. Mix cooked rice with black beans, salsa, sour cream and green chiles. Using a 12″ Lodge cast iron skillet layer 4 tortillas, then rice mixture, then shredded cheese.

Repeat with remaining tortillas, filling and cheese. You will have a total of three layers. On the top layer add additional salsa. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until cheese is melted.


Tuesday

1

September 2009

2

COMMENTS

The Beauty of Lodge Cast Iron skillets

Written by , Posted in Miscellaneous

When setting up a kitchen for the first time or even if your kitchen is complete, I believe everyone should have a black cast iron skillet and I love Lodge skillets. I love them because they are pre-seasoned!
It used to be that you had to work for days just to get your skillet perfectly seasoned. A cast iron skillet is a coveted item in everyone’s kitchen.
Some people even collect old Lodge cast iron skillets and I know many who have fought over their mom’s or grandmother’s old skillets!
In a Southern kitchen I really consider it to be a priceless item.
“The beauty, which I told Quinn, is that they are multifunctional. You can scramble an egg, caramelize onions and use it for a casserole dish. That to me is one of the beauties of a Lodge black cast iron skillet.”

So while in Boulder we found one at Target and I was so excited and I showed Quinn how to make my black bean casserole. It’s simple and everyone loves it. 

And there is nothing better than cooking together with your daughter having a lovely night together!
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About Marie Nygren

MarieNygrenBio-200x300

When people ask me what I do, I tell them I’m the co-founder of the Serenbe community and the Inn at Serenbe. But, the truest Read More...

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