Z A Maxfield’s New Years Progressive Dinner

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Z A Maxfield’s New Years Progressive Dinner

December 31, 2014 by Elin Gregory

Welcome to the first annual New Year’s Eve M/M Authors’ Progressive Dinner! (Maybe the last too, haha!)

You can “choose your own dining adventure” from appetizers to soup, salad, main dish, and dessert, but those of you who visit and comment at each and every blog will be entered into a drawing for one of three (3) $35.00 gift cards to the venue of your choice: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or All Romance Ebooks.

Dinner starts on 12/31/14 at 12:00 p.m. (noon) Eastern. Winners will be chosen randomly Jan 6, 2015. Only those who comment on EVERY blog will be chosen for the drawing. If I mistyped a link, please let me know, ASAP!

You are cordially invited to click on the author’s name below to link directly to their blog!

Appetizers:

Soups:

Salads:

Main Dishes:

Desserts:

Welcome to my little part of Z. A Maxfield’s New Year’s Progressive Dinner!! A progressive dinner is one where one goes from place to place finding good food, both for the belly and for thought. In this event, you’ll find links to follow to many blogs and websites where authors of all genres are offering recipes to gladden the stomach and presents to gladden the heart and stimulate the mind. Comment to every single blog post and your name sill go into the pot for a chance to win the BIG prize.

Me? Well, I’m offering a recipe that is one of my favourites at this time of year. Once the party is over, the guests have departed and you look around at the debris and think “I can’t bear to throw all this away. What can I do with it?” And as an individual I’m offering a suitably medieval prize – a copy of my book A Taste of Copper. Here’s the recipe:

Leftover Soup

Cooking is a big adventure for me at the moment because I’ve been without a kitchen since August – the old one had water running through the roof and the electrics were iffy – and I only got into the new one to start making proper meals on 23rd December. Coming to terms with a new hob and oven is always edgy but to my delight this one will actually simmer instead of boiling everything to a crisp. Simmering is what you need for soup!

I made my version of this on St Stephen’s Day and used leftover veg saved from Christmas lunch – potato, brussells sprouts, peas, carrots and parsnips – the turkey carcass, leftover stuffing, a handful of chestnuts and the skin of the piece of gammon I was baking that day. In addition to this I got some sticks of celery, a leek and a large onion and chopped them up roughly. I have a huge old stock pot and melted butter in the base of it to fry up the raw veg.

I deliberately let it get a bit too hot so the onions and leeks would singe – it’s reassuring to be able to taste the fire a little, plus if my other half can smell an onion frying he’ll assume all is right with the world and leave me to it! Once there was a bit of brown on the bottom of the pan I added the turkey carcass, broken roughly into pieces, the cooked veg, gammon skin, a couple of bunches of fresh herbs tied up with thread, two smashed garlic cloves and three pints of water. Then I remembered I had a jug of gravy in the fridge and slung that in too.

Lid on, temperature down to a sprightly simmer, and I settled down with a cup of tea, my cat on my knee and a gay lit novel to beta [very interesting, I hope it’ll be out next year some time]. I checked the pot about every twenty minutes to make sure it wasn’t sticking at the bottom, gave it a good stir and left it to bubble.

About three hours later, it had reduced and smelled gorgeous. I fished out the bones and this would be the time I’d have used one of those little hand held whizzy blender things, if I have been able to find it. I couldn’t so I used the spud masher, which works just as well if a bit chunkier. Then, because it was Christmas and I wanted to be decadent, I added a few tablespoons of left over cream and a large glass of tawny port wine.

This isn’t my soup but it looked a bit like that. I do like a soup that you can eat in heaped spoonfuls. We had it with freshly baked bread and butter.

Comment below for a chance to win one of the very generous main prizes offered by Z.A Maxfield, and you also have a chance to win a copy of my book, A Taste of Copper, a medieval tale of mud blood and lard in funny places. You have until 6th January to get around all the blogs so get hopping.

Posted in contest | 40 Comments

40 Responses

on December 31, 2014 at 11:39 pm | Reply Jewel

This progressive dinner blog hop is such fun! So many great recipes from so many fantastic authors. Happy New Year!!
- on December 31, 2014 at 11:43 pm | Reply Elin Gregory
  
  Happy new year, Jewel. Thanks for commenting and good luck with the big draw.
on December 31, 2014 at 11:57 pm | Reply Marcine

I have been totally collecting the recipes. Thanks for yours. It looks good.

Happy New Year.

dejamew@centurylink.net
- on December 31, 2014 at 11:58 pm | Reply Elin Gregory
  
  🙂 I’m not a sophisticated cook, Marcine, and this one is great for putting in whatever you have to hand. Enjoy the hop and good luck in the big contest!!
  
  Happy New Year
on January 1, 2015 at 12:01 am | Reply ardent ereader

Hi Elin I love the idea of leftover soup. Thanks for sharing. Happy 2015! Ardent(dot)ereader(at)gmail (dot)com
- on January 1, 2015 at 12:26 am | Reply Elin Gregory
  
  It’s a good hearty soup, suitable for big hearty men 😀
  
  Happy New Year!
on January 1, 2015 at 12:04 am | Reply DebraG

I am not the best cook but what a plethora of recipes I am collecting. Thanks so much
debby236 at gmail dot com and hotmail
- on January 1, 2015 at 12:21 am | Reply Elin Gregory
  
  It’s our very great pleasure, Debra 🙂 Happy new year.
on January 1, 2015 at 12:24 am | Reply kissedbymidnigh

Thanks for the recipe and a chance at one of your books. Happy New Year.
- on January 1, 2015 at 12:27 am | Reply Elin Gregory
  
  You’re welcome and thanks for commenting 🙂 Happy New Year!
  - on January 1, 2015 at 1:13 am kissedbymidnigh
    
    Also, do u need my email?
  - on January 1, 2015 at 1:16 am Elin Gregory
    
    No need to post it publicly, thank you. I can get it from my dashboard. But thanks for asking 🙂
on January 1, 2015 at 12:39 am | Reply Waxapplelover

Like the idea of using whatever is left around to make something yummy. (I had to look up what gammon was, though.) Thanks for sharing.

Waxapplelover (at) gmail (dot) com
- on January 1, 2015 at 12:42 am | Reply Elin Gregory
  
  Mmmm gammon. 😀 Happy new year and good luck in ZAM’s draw.
on January 1, 2015 at 12:44 am | Reply Jbst

A good way to use up leftovers and to enjoy hot soup for the cold weather.
strive4bst(AT) yahoo(Dot) com
on January 1, 2015 at 1:18 am | Reply Barbra

I was going to ask what gammon is, but I see someone else Googled it, so I’ll look it up. Not sure I’ve ever had a chestnut either. Thanks!
on January 1, 2015 at 1:26 am | Reply Kaytee

Sounds very interesting. At least you had a good reason not to cook. I can’t because of an injury and I miss cooking. Someday I hope to cook again. Happy New Year!
on January 1, 2015 at 1:44 am | Reply M/M Writers’ Buffet | Posy Roberts

[…] Lou Harper Alex Beecroft Lou Silvre Posy Roberts Elin Gregory […]
on January 1, 2015 at 2:06 am | Reply Antonia

This is a great idea. Thanks for sharing! Happy New Year!
on January 1, 2015 at 2:22 am | Reply Trix

Leeks are great in all sort of things…I think they’re the best in chicken broth too, subtler than an onion.

vitajex(at)Aol(Dot)com
on January 1, 2015 at 2:48 am | Reply Jen CW

I love the idea of using up my leftovers in a soup! Thank you for sharing and Happy New Year!
jczlapin(at)gmail(dot)com
on January 1, 2015 at 2:54 am | Reply bn100

Nice idea

bn100candg at hotmail dot com
on January 1, 2015 at 3:58 am | Reply Heather Rawlins

Your soup sounds yummy. I wish I had turkey leftovers. (well, not really, cause that would mean I’d have had to make Christmas dinner). Happy New Year!
on January 1, 2015 at 4:08 am | Reply Tracy Faul (@tracykitn)

My mom is a big fan of leftover soup. I must confess I never have enough leftovers to do it, though! I have a teenage daughter and two boys who are verging on teenagerdom and food doesn’t last long in my house.

tracykitn AT yahoo DOT com
on January 1, 2015 at 5:26 am | Reply Saruby

Yummy. saruby213ATgmailDOTcom
on January 1, 2015 at 12:09 pm | Reply Rain

We didn’t actually have much veggie leftovers from Christmas, but we used ham for soup and other things. Your recipe would have fitted right in. 🙂
on January 1, 2015 at 12:46 pm | Reply juliesmall1959

Thank you for the recipe! I do love a hot soup on a cold day!

juliesmall2016(at)gmail(dot)com
on January 1, 2015 at 3:49 pm | Reply cmucha319

This sounds truly decadent! We are a family of soup eaters. Happy New Year!

cmucha319 AT yahoo DOT com
on January 1, 2015 at 6:19 pm | Reply Dawn Roberto

love the recipe. Thanks for sharing!
love2read28@gmail.com
on January 1, 2015 at 8:17 pm | Reply H.B.

I’ve never made soup from leftovers but it’s something to think about and actually do now. Thank you for the idea =) Happy New Year!

humhumbum AT yahoo DOT com
on January 1, 2015 at 9:06 pm | Reply Denise Dechene

I’m not much of a cook. Truth be known, I’m only allowed to fix certain things in the kitchen, I’ll have to ask the hubby if he has ever made Leftover Soup

nisee1966@gmail.com
on January 2, 2015 at 2:45 am | Reply dusty273

Love the recipe! Thanks for sharing! anamaribelcardenas@yahoo.com
on January 2, 2015 at 4:01 am | Reply Tamika

I’ve been bookmarking recipes most of the day! Trying to cook more at home this year, thanks for these recipes

tamikamclaurin(at)hotmail(dot)com
on January 2, 2015 at 5:05 pm | Reply jenf27

You and Alex Beecroft must be cooking on the same wavelength. 🙂

Thanks for the post and Happy 2015!!

jen.f {at} mac {dot} com
on January 2, 2015 at 5:39 pm | Reply Melora Derryth

Another “chef” helping me use up all those pesky leftovers, gotta love it.
on January 3, 2015 at 3:01 am | Reply alishead

What a great way to use up the leftovers.
alishead1@yahoo.com
on January 4, 2015 at 3:21 am | Reply Mandy

I love to repurpose leftovers, so new ideas are always welcome – this sounds delicious!
on January 4, 2015 at 6:34 pm | Reply Christy Duke

What a great use of holiday leftovers! Looks delicious.
on January 6, 2015 at 3:19 am | Reply Jillian T

Wow! It must have been an adjustment to be without a kitchen. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
on January 6, 2015 at 3:41 am | Reply Juliana

Sounds fun! Thanks for sharing!
OceanAkers @ aol.com