Serenbe Style and Soul

with Marie Nygren

Serenbe Farmhouse

Sunday

1

November 2009

0

COMMENTS

Monthly Recipe Contest

Written by , Posted in inn at serenbe, Serenbe Farmhouse

A winner from November will be announced shortly!

Sorry, I am behind with so many holiday activities that I have yet to pick a winner from November. As soon as I try all the recipes, a winner will be announced.

For the month of December, I am not asking for a featured ingredient. This month I would just love to see your favorite recipe you serve as a side dish during the holidays. Possibly one you whip up for your family or for your neighborhood party. Be creative and have fun. After all, it is the holiday season!

Remember, as the winner of the contest, you will receive dinner for two at the Farmhouse and your recipe will be featured on my blog and as part of the menu at the restaurant.
I will be accepting new recipes until December 30th so keep them coming!

Saturday

10

October 2009

0

COMMENTS

Southern Chef Series with Natalie Dupree

Written by , Posted in "atlanta homes and lifestyles", marie nygren, nathalie dupree, Serenbe Farmhouse

I’m on my way to pick up my friend Nathalie Dupree from the airport. The rest of the afternoon will be prep day for our first Southern Chef Series which begins tomorrow!

The day will begin with a photo shoot and video with Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles magazine, Nathalie cooking with 11 of our Serenbe inn guests and then sitting together to enjoy our wonderful meal.

The series continues Monday with more cooking with Nathalie, lunch and an afternoon of fun.

Check back next week for recipes, pictures and video of our weekend!

Thursday

8

October 2009

0

COMMENTS

What inspires me to create a recipe

Written by , Posted in butternut squash, marie nygren, Recipe Articles, Serenbe Farmhouse



Recently we had a multitude of butternut squash come out of the farmhouse garden and I wondered what I would do with all of this squash. After thinking about what our dinner guests would enjoy, I decided to try a candied butternut squash.

It amazed me how many people came into the Farmhouse who had never eaten a butternut squash. Once they tasted what we had prepared, the reviews were all the same.



“Wow, the squash is so delicious!”

I love butternut squash because in addition to being delicious it is also very nutritious.
I hope you enjoy my recipe!

Candied Butternut Squash

  • 2 1/4 pound butternut squash; halved, seeded, peeled, and cut into small 1/2″ chunks.
  • 6 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
Preheat oven to 375º. Place squash in a 8 x 8 x 2 inch glass baking dish. Drizzle with butter, toss to coat. Blend sugar and cinnamon, mix into squash.

Bake until squash is tender, about 35-50 minutes depending on freshness of squash.


Thursday

1

October 2009

0

COMMENTS

Recipe Contest!

Written by , Posted in "green beans", marie nygren, serenbe, Serenbe Farmhouse

Time is up for the October contest. Please check back in November for the chosen ingredient to submit your favorite recipe!

I am excited to tell my blog readers about a great new contest starting today and continuing each month for an entire year.

Beginning on the first day of each month, I will ask my readers to email a recipe featuring one specific ingredient that I choose.

For October we will be featuring green beans which are currently plentiful here at Serenbe Farms.

I would love the recipe you submit to have a southern flavor or twist. Each month I will be accepting recipes from the first of the month until the 20th of the month.

At the end of each month, the winning recipe will be featured on the blog and will also be featured as a part of my Farmhouse menu! In addition to the acknowledgement of using your recipe, I will also be inviting you and a guest for a complimentary dinner here in Serenbe at the Farmhouse restaurant.
At the end of the year I have a big bonus for our Grand Prize winner. The winner will be chosen from all 12 recipes used throughout the year and you will receive a complimentary weekend stay for two at the Serenbe Inn. A panel of judges will have a taste testing day where we cook all the recipes and choose the grand prize winner!
Please email your recipe to marie@serenbe.com.

Wednesday

23

September 2009

3

COMMENTS

Farm to Table on CBS 46 Better Mornings

Written by , Posted in "CBS 46 Better Mornings", "farmer D", marie nygren, Serenbe Farmhouse, Serenbe Farms

I hope you enjoy my cooking demo from yesterday’s CBS 46 Better Morning show. We were thankful we had a chance to get some airtime because due to the Atlanta flood, most of the show was dedicated to the weather. Tracye Hutchins, one of their reporters had planned an entire Farm to Table show where Rebecca and I were to be on for several segments. 


Since this was the biggest flood in 100 years, you can understand why we were so happy to be on the show! Rebecca Williams, one of my Serenbe neighbors did a wonderful container garden presentation featuring lovely vegetables from Serenbe Farms. The beautiful containers she used were from Farmer D, Daron Joffe who was the first farmer in Serenbe!

And my cooking demo featured Kale from the Serenbe farms. One of my favorite ways to cook Kale is to sauté it in olive oil with caramelized onions and salt and pepper. So easy to make and so delicious!


Friday

21

August 2009

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COMMENTS

Harvey’s Garlic Coleslaw

Written by , Posted in inn at serenbe, marie nygren, Recipe Articles, Serenbe Farmhouse

My father only made two things in the kitchen his entire life.
One was popcorn and the other was his garlic coleslaw. To this day, people rave about his coleslaw and it is still one of my favorites.
Harvey’s Garlic Coleslaw
  • 1 head cabbage
  • 3-6 cloves of garlic
  • 1/2 cup of mayonnaise (either Duke’s or Hellman’s)
  • 1/2 cup of Heinz white vinegar
  • salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Slice cabbage with mandolin set at 1/4. Chop the garlic and rub along bottom and sides of bowl. Add the cabbage and mix with your hands. Mix the mayonnaise and vinegar well.

Pour small amount at a time into the cabbage and work with your hands until slightly wet.
Add salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.
One tip I always give everyone is, please do not allow any substitutions in the brand of mayonnaise or vinegar you use. It really does make a difference. And always use fresh ground pepper.
And if you really love garlic, I have been known to add up to 10 cloves per recipe!
The response I received from the eggplant souffle recipe was overwhelming so thank you for that. Going forward I will try to add recipes on a weekly basis so check back often for those.

Wednesday

19

August 2009

0

COMMENTS

Soul Food

Written by , Posted in "soul food", "vidalia onions", marie nygren, serenbe, Serenbe Farmhouse

Soul food feeds you on lots of different levels.

It’s all about soul nourishment, when you see a thing of beauty such as a plate of tomatoes or you smell caramelized Vidalia onions cooking, it’s just another example of nourishment for your soul.
For me the kitchen is the most soulful place in the house. It is the one room where you can play to all five senses. And those five receptors are channels into the soul.
“I feel when all five senses are charged, it just opens you up to so much of the beauty of life, to the creativity of life, the joy and the fun and the grace of it all.”
How do we honor those senses everyday? For me there is no better place to honor who we are than in the kitchen.
That is what I love about the kitchen. It has always been the center of all my houses because when you are cooking, what you are really doing is sharing your heart with others.
Creating a simple nutritious meal is about caring and loving one another. It says you love yourself and your family. It tells others you want to sit down with them and hear how they are. People don’t care if you make an elaborate 10 step soup. They just want to share.
That for me is the essential part of cooking: sharing your heart and soul with another.

Saturday

15

August 2009

1

COMMENTS

Margaret’s eggplant souffle

Written by , Posted in "margaret lupo", eggplant, marie nygren, Recipe Articles, Serenbe Farmhouse

I love to share with people why I am so passionate about cooking and what it brings to my life and others. Today while doing my cooking demo at the Serenbe Farmer’s market, you only had to see this small boy’s face when he tasted my mom’s eggplant souffle to understand. My demo today was “everything eggplant” and a young boy approached my table with his mom. When asked if he would like to try a sample he said no and insisted he did not like eggplant. I told him this wasn’t like regular eggplant and thought he would enjoy it. After some thought, he gave in. With hesitation in his eyes he took his first bite, chewing slowly and looking very serious. Finally he looked up at me, flashed a huge smile and proclaimed “I like it!”

Here is my mom’s eggplant souffle recipe:

Preheat oven to 350. Peel and cut into 1-inch cubes: 1 medium eggplant 
Bring to a boil in a heavy saucepan: 2 cups of water

1 teaspoon of salt
Add eggplant, simmer, covered, 10 minutes. Drain and mash. You should have about 1 1/2 cups of pulp.

Cut crusts off: 1 slice of white bread
Soak bread in: 3/4 cup of milk
Add:
2 beaten eggs
1 tablespoon of grated white onion
2 tablespoons of melted butter
1 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of white pepper

Add eggplant, mix well, and pour into 1-quart buttered baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees on the middle rack until souffle seems “set” in the middle, 30-45 minutes.

Friday

14

August 2009

0

COMMENTS

Serenbe Farmers market

Written by , Posted in Blue Eyed Daisy, cooking, farmhouse, inn at serenbe, marie nygren, serenbe, Serenbe Farmhouse

Tomorrow morning (Saturday, 8/15) at 10 am I will be having a cooking demo at the Serenbe Farmers market!

Come join the fun and shop around for beautiful art work, planters, fresh herbs and of course a wonderful selection of home grown veggies from Serenbe farms as well as other local farmers.
After shopping at the market, don’t forget to stop by the Blue eyed Daisy bakeshop for breakfast.
Tomorrow’s demo will be “all things eggplant”! So many people always tell me they don’t know what to do with eggplant or are afraid to cook it. Come see me and learn how to make three different dishes including my mom’s famous eggplant souffle
Stop by for a sample taste! I look forward to saying hello to you tomorrow.

Monday

10

August 2009

0

COMMENTS

Style and Soul

Written by , Posted in "serenbe blog", marie nygren, serenbe, Serenbe Farmhouse, southern cooking, Steve Nygren

For me, the two words are integrally intertwined. I feel style is an outward expression of the inner aspects of ourselves, our soul.

From our manner of dress, the way we design our homes, to the food we prepare, each of these gives us ways to express ourselves.
I have always felt that personal style should not depend on the latest craze or fad. 


It is about realizing what feels authentic to you and embracing that with passion.