Mac and Cheese with Squash yum!

Healthy Macaroni and Cheese Serves 6 Ricotta and pureed squash give this slimmed-down but familiar dish its creaminess.

1 small butternut squash (about 1 pound) peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes (about 3 cups)
1 cup homemade chicken stock, or low sodium canned, skimmed of fat
1 1/2 cups nonfat milk
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch of cayenne pepper
3/4 teaspoon course salt plus more for water
freshly ground pepper
1 lb. of elbow pasta
4 oz. extra sharp cheddar cheese, finely grated (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
4 tablespoons finely grated parmesan cheese (1 oz.)
1 tablespoons fine bread crumbs
1 teaspoon olive oil
olive oil cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Combine squash, stock, and milk in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until squash is tender when pierced with a fork, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Mash contents of saucepan; stir in nutmeg, cayenne, and salt, and season with black pepper. Stir to combine.
2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil; add salt. Add noodles; cook until al dente, according to package instructions, about 8 minutes. Drain, and transfer to a large bowl; stir in squash mixture, cheddar, ricotta, and 2 tablespoons Parmesan.
3. Lightly coat a 9-inch-square baking dish (4 inches deep) with cooking spray. Transfer noodle mixture to dish. In a small bowl, combine breadcrumbs, the remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan, and oil; sprinkle evenly over noodle mixture.
4. Cover with aluminum foil, and bake 20 minutes. Remove foil, and continue baking until lightly browned and crisp on top, 30 to 40 minutes more. Serve immediately.
   

Note: 350 calories, 6 g fat, 18 mg cholesterol, 57 g carbohydrate, 505 mg sodium, 16 g protein, 2 g fiber.

From Martha Stewart's Website. Yummy.

Green Soup

This is a soup that I put in the crop sheet before I started typing it, so this is it's debut on the blog. It was originally called "Lettuce Soup" but that's not very appetizing! I've often just used a salad mix and added any extra winter greens I have around. It's also a great base for adding cooked chicken or beans. Also, I use a hand blender right in the pot instead of getting a whole blender messy. Enjoy

Green Soup

This soup is a great way to use lettuce's outer leaves and ribs, which usually go to waste. Any kind of potato and any salad greens, including lettuce, arugula, spinach, and watercress, will work fine.

1 cup chopped onions, scallions, and/or shallots
1 garlic clove, chopped
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 teaspoon ground coriander
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup diced (1/3 inch) peeled potato
8 cups coarsely chopped lettuce leaves including ribs (3/4 lb)
3 cups water

Cook onion mixture and garlic in 2 tablespoons butter in a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add coriander, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in potato, lettuce, and water and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, until potato is very tender, about 10 minutes.

Purée soup in batches in a blender (use caution when blending hot liquids) and transfer to a 2- to 3-quart saucepan. Bring soup to a simmer, then whisk in remaining tablespoon butter and salt and pepper to taste.

Makes 4 servings.

Gourmet
May 2005

You're gonna put BEETS in CAKE?!!!

Yup. And it's really freakin' good too!
Here's the recipe:

Beet-Chocolate Cake
10 Servings

Ingredients:
2 cups Sugar
4 free range organic eggs
2 cups flour
1/4 cup oil
3-4 ounces unsweetened chocolate (I only had powdered cocoa, so I followed the substitution guidelines on the package: 3 T cocoa and 1 T oil for each oz. unsweetened choc.)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
3 cups shredded beets

Directions:
Combine dry ingredients.
Sift or mix well together.
Melt chocolate very slowly in a double boiler.
Allow chocolate to cool, then blend thoroughly with eggs and oil.
Combine flour mixture with chocolate mixture, alternating with beets.
Pour into 2 greased 9 inch cake pans.
Bake at 325 for 40-50 minutes, or until a fork can be removed from the center cleanly.

Recipe from Zephyr Community Farm
I found it in this book
And then I put this yummy frosting on it. Sorry, I lost the link

1 cube butter, softened
4 oz. cream cheese
2 cups powdered sugar
2/3 cup good quality cocoa

Mix it up and spread it on. It doesn't look like it'll get to frosting consistency, but it does. This one really does need an electric mixer. It's the best (and easiest) frosting I've ever made.

This is all that's left of the cake:

We pretty much killed it last night. Oh, there were at least 10 people, not just me and Tom.

Stew is Yummy

Here's a recipe I'm trying today. I'll post pics if it looks good.
update: This is amazing! I might not put quite as much cayenne in next time so Abby can eat it, but it is VERY good. I didn't have parsnip, so I increased the carrots and added them when the parsnips would have gone in and I used a whole smaller pumpkin instead of two kinds of squash. Yup. . .yummy.

FALL VEGETABLE STEW

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup of carrots, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 cup celery, cut into 1 inch pieces
• ½ onion, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 leek, cleaned and sliced
• 1 cup of pumpkin, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1 cup parsnip, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1 cup squash, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
• 2 cups of potato, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1 cup dark leafy greens, washed and sliced
• ½ cup chopped Italian parsley
• 3 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 can of diced tomatoes (28 oz)
• 2-3 tbsp Moroccan spice
• Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

• Saute the carrots, onions, leek and celery over medium heat until the vegetables turn a caramel brown
• Add the spices and cook for 30 seconds
• Add 5 cups of water, the tomatoes, and the garlic
• Bring the stew to a boil for 15 minutes
• Lower the heat and add the remaining vegetables (except for the greens and herbs)
• Cover the pot and gently cook for another 30 minutes
• Season with salt and pepper
• Add the greens and herbs right before serving
• Garnish with olive oil and toasted pumpkin seeds

Make your own Moroccan spice!

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Blend together and store in an airtight container.

It's already over?!?!

I can’t believe the season is already over. A big round of applause and appreciation to our fabulous farmers Doug, Lee, Hannah, the interns and all of the working members who put in their time, sweat and love to providing all of us such wonderful local food!

Here’s a fun recipe that uses it’s leftovers for an imaginative soup! It’s from the Every Day Food section on the Martha Stewart website.

Roasted Fall Vegetables
Serves 8; Makes about 12 cups; Prep time: 20 minutes; Total time: 1 hour 20 minutes
2 pounds butternut squash (about 1 medium), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
2 pounds red new potatoes (12 to 14), well scrubbed and quartered
1 pound medium red onions (about 2 to 3), peeled and quartered
1 pound carrots (6 to 8 medium), halved lengthwise, if thick, and cut into 1 1/2-inch lengths
4 to 6 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
3 tablespoons olive oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1. Preheat oven to 450°. Divide vegetables and garlic between two rimmed baking sheets (or line with parchment paper, if desired, for easy cleanup); dividing evenly, toss with oil, 2 teaspoons coarse salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper
2. Roast until vegetables are tender and beginning to brown, 40 to 50 minutes, tossing them and rotating sheets from top to bottom halfway through. Serve hot or at room temperature. (To store: Let cool, place in an airtight container, and refrigerate up to 3 days. Pour off any accumulated liquid before using.)

Here’s the other recipe to take your roasted vegetables and make soup! When I made this, I used pumpkin and all of the random roots I had around: carrots, potatoes, onion, garlic, beets, turnip etc. The beets turned the soup a beautiful red/pink color. I used stock instead of water and didn’t bother running the veggies through a sieve. I just used my handy dandy hand blender right in the pot (but not while the pot is over the heat. . . you’ll get a melted little blender).

Roasted Fall Vegetable Soup Serves 4; Prep time: 15 minutes; Total time: 15 minutes
6 cups (about 1/2 recipe) Roasted Fall Vegetables, recipe above
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 1/2 lemon)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
Bread or crackers, for serving (optional)
1. Working in batches, purée vegetables in blender with a total of 4 to 5 cups water. Pour each batch through a fine-mesh sieve into a large saucepan, pressing purée through with a spoon or rubber spatula.
2. Thin purée with additional water, if necessary; heat soup over medium. Add lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste. Serve with bread or crackers, if desired.

Have a fabulous winter everyone! Keep checking back here because I'll keep posting winter recipes!

Kohlrabi Kicks Butt

Okay, here’s a great website to check out for ideas about those wacky vegetables you don’t know what to do with. . . like Kohlrabi!

This is the recipe catalog from the Live Earth Farm CSA in California. This is what they have to say about kohlrabi. Honestly. . . it’s still in your fridge. . .right? So eat it up!

“A favorite way to eat truly fresh kohlrabi is to peel (like a potato; Andy doesn't peel his but I like to) the kohlrabi, slice it like you would jicama or carrots for a dip tray, and then eat the raw pieces plain or with lemon juice. “
Cooking tips:
• Kohlrabi doesn't have to be peeled after cooking.
• It's excellent cooked or raw. Try it both ways.
• Grate kohlrabi into salads, or make a non-traditional coleslaw with grated kohlrabi and radish, chopped parsley, green onion, and dressing of your choice.
• Try raw kohlrabi, thinly sliced, alone or with a dip. Peel and eat raw like an apple.
• Steam kohlrabi whole, 25-30 minutes, or thinly sliced, 5-10 minutes. Dress slices simply with oil, lemon juice and a fresh herb, or dip in flour and briefly fry.
• Sauté grated kohlrabi in butter, add herbs or curry.
• Add sliced or cubed kohlrabi to heart soups, stews or a mixed vegetable stir-fry.
• Chill and marinate cooked kohlrabi for a summer salad. Add fresh herbs.
• Kohlrabi leaves can be used like other cooking greens. Store the leaves and bulbs separately. The globe will last for a few weeks in plastic in the fridge.

Recipe Corner
Fall Stew with Kohlrabi
from The Rolling Prairie Cookbook, a book put out by an alliance of CSA farmers and families in Kansas.
serves 6
2-3 medium kohlrabi, bulbs & greens
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 large onion, cut in slivers
3 medium carrots, cut in 3/4" chunks
2 medium potatoes, cut in 3/4" chunks
1 C peeled chopped tomatoes
4 C vegetable broth
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tbsp. molasses

Separate leaves from kohlrabi bulbs. Peel bulbs & cut into large chunks. Derib leaves & cut into thin strips. Set aside. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions & saute for several minutes. Add kohlrabi bulb chunks, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, broth, bay leaf, oregano, salt, pepper, molasses & mustard. Turn up heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover & simmer for about 15 minutes, or until veggies are not quite tender. Add kohlrabi leaves & simmer, uncovered, for another 10 minutes, or until veggies are just cooked.

Sheperd's Pie is Yummy

Recipe Corner:
I love sheperd's pie because it can include any veggies you might have on hand. I use this recipe as a launching point and every time I make it, it's a little different. This page in my cookbook is riddled with notes and splatters from some good cooking. As a fairly staunch eggplant non-eater (I know, it's blasphemy. . . but I can't stand the stuff), I leave it out and add all kinds of other stuff. Included in my list of extras are: summer squash, roasted winter squash, corn, carrots, broccoli, extra celery, tofu crumbles (the frozen fake ground beef stuff), crumbled veggie burgers, bok choi, kale or other greens or anything else that's on hand. Yum! This recipe is really kid-friendly without the sauce. However, I think the Dilled Horseradish Sauce is what makes this really stand out as a favorite. Put the straight horseradish on the table for those who really want to clear their noses!

SHEPHERD'S PIE
Adapted from The Enchanted Broccoli Forest by Mollie Katzen
Preparation time: 45 minutes, plus 30 minutes to bake.
Yield: 4 to 6 servings

A deep-dish casserole with vegetable hash on the bottom and garlicky mashed potatoes on top.

Mashed Potato Topping
(Make this first):

2 large potatoes.
1 tablespoon butter.
1/2 cup milk.
3 large cloves garlic, minced.
Salt and pepper to taste.
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley

Peel or scrub the potatoes, and cut them into 1-inch chunks. Cook in plenty of boiling water until soft. Drain and transfer to a medium-large bowl. Add the butter, garlic, and milk and mash well. Add salt and pepper to taste, and stir in the parsley. Set aside.

Vegetable Hash:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups minced onion
4 large cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 stalk celery, minced
1 pound mushrooms, chopped
1-pound eggplant, diced
1 medium bell pepper, minced
2 teaspoons dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 cup peas (fresh or frozen)
1 cup (packed) grated sharp cheddar
1/4 cup fine bread crumbs
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
Cayenne to taste
Paprika for the top
Dilled Horseradish Sauce (recipe follows)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 ºF. Lightly spray a 2-quart casserole or its equivalent with nonstick spray. (You can also use a 9 x 13-inch baking pan).

2. Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet. Add the onion andsauteté over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until it begins to soften.

3. Add garlic, salt, pepper, celery, mushrooms, eggplant, and bell pepper. Stir until well combined, cover, and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the herbs, stir, and cover again. Cook for about 5 more minutes, or until the eggplant is perfectly tender. Remove from heat.

4. Stir in the peas, 1/2 cup of the cheddar, the bread crumbs, and the vinegar. Add cayenne to taste. Spread this mixture into the prepared casserole or baking pan.

5. Spoon and/or spread the mashed potatoes over the vegetables. Sprinkle the remaining cheddar on top, and dust with paprika.

6. Bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, or until lightly browned on top and bubbly around the edges. Make the sauce while the casserole bakes. To serve, spoon a little sauce onto each plate. Add a chunk of "pie" potato side-up, and spoon extra sauce over the top. Serve hot.

Dilled Horseradish Sauce
2 Tbs. Butter or Canola oil
1-2 Tbs. unbleached while flour (depending on desired thickness)
1 1/4 cups warmed milk
1 TBS prepared horseradish
a scant 1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbs minced fresh dill
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Melt butter or heat oil in a medium-small saucepan. Whisk in the flour, and cook over low heat, whisking often, for about a minute.

Whisk in the milk, and continue to cook over low heat, whisking frequently for another 5 minutes. Stir in horseradish and salt, and remove from heat. Stir in the dill and black pepper just before serving.

I'm in Delicata Heaven!

I love winter squash. Here are a few hints and tips from The Victory Garden Cookbook:

• Small chunks of squash are a good addition to soups and stews
• Squash cooked with pot roast or a braised dish of any kind will thicken the sauce nicely when mashed.
• Raw squash is a delightful snack or addition to a crudités platter
• Squash is low in sodium, so it’s a good choice for restricted-salt diets.
• Use the flesh as well as the blossoms for squash tempura. Just cut into thin, flat strips, dip in batter, and deep-fry.
• Freeze leftover squash—it’s delicious reheated.
• Use small amounts of cooked squash added to yeast breads or pancake batters to give color and moisture.
• Use pureed in soups.
• Store squash at 50-55 degrees in a dry spot with low humidity. (If stored below 50 degrees, squash will suffer chilling injuries and start to deteriorate.) Don’t put squashes in your basement—it’s probably too moist and they will be more likely to rot; an attic or any other cool, dry spot is your best choice.
• Winter squash stores so well that there’s no need to can or freeze it. However, cooked squash freezes nicely, and it’s a convenience to have it ready to eat.

So, don’t just use your winter squash as autumn decorations. .. eat it up!

Recipe Corner
It’s winter squash time! Yay! Our first year or two getting farm shares, we didn’t really know about delicata squash. In case you don’t know yet, delicata are long skinny winter squash. The look a bit like a more yellow and hardier cucumber. The skin is thin enough to leave on so you don’t have to peel it before cooking or eating. My favorite way to serve delicate is to cut it up into rings, scoop out the seeds and fry it up in some olive oil and salt and pepper and serve it like onion rings. . .yummy.
Here’s a recipe that I found at our farmer’s market a few years back. I think it might have been from Nash’s farm stand, but I’m not sure. I sometimes cook the delicata with the leeks and set aside while cooking the rest. Also good with baked tofu thrown in and served over rice.

Steamed Delicata with Tomato-Leek-Cilantro Dressing
2 lbs delicata
pinch of salt
½ cup cilantro
olive oil
1 cup diced leek
1 ¼ tsp. ground cumin
flaked hot pepper
pinch of cloves
2 tbs. cider vinegar
½ tsp. honey
2 med. Tomatoes

1. Cut squash lengthwise. Remove seeds. Cut into ½ “ slices
2. Set squash in steamer basket over boiling water. Sprinkle with salt and let steam until tender, but not falling apart
3. Chop Cilantro, warm oil in skillet over moderate heat. Add leek. Sauté until just brown, add cumin, hot pepper flakes and cloves. Toss a quick minute.
4. Reduce heat. Add vinegar, honey and tomatoes and toss a few minutes until juicy.
5. Remove from heat, stir in more olive oil and ½ of the cilantro.
6. Spoon over squash, top with remaining cilantro.

Lunch Time Yummies

Recipe Maven Musings:

I've been thinking a lot about school lunches. I imagine folks have gotten a bit bored of the usual lunch fixings and are looking for a few good ideas.
I recently was in Portland and went to one of their fancy upscale natural food markets called New Seasons. They had a handout on healthy school lunches that had some great ideas. I don't neccessarily believe all of what they have to say, but I'll quote it here the way they wrote it. Here's what it had to say:

Build a Better Lunch Box
A healthy lunch box will have 5 main components:
1. A whole grain food
2. A lean protein
3. A whole fruit (not juice, fruit snacks, or fruit rolls)
4. A vegetable
5. A low-sugar beverage such as water, plain cow's milk, rice milk, almond milk or soy milk. Be sure that non-dairy milks are calcium fortified.

Nutrient Dense Lunch Ingredients:
Whole Grain Foods: whole wheat or sprouted grain bread, whole grain crackers, whole wheat or sprouted grain tortillas, whole wheat pasta, brown rice, quinoa, rolled oats, low sugar granola

Lean Proteins: hummus, bean dip, deli turkey, fruit juice sweetened yogurt, string cheese, cottage cheese, cheese cubes, peanut butter, almond butter, beans and rice, leftover roast chicken or meat loaf, chunk lite tuna, egg salad or a hard cooked egg

Fruit: Orange slices, mango chunks, grapes, frozen blueberries (a good stir-in for plain yogurt), apples, pears, cherries, melon, peaches, nectarines, plums, small bananas, pineapple chunks, kiwi slices

Vegetables: snap peas, bell pepper strips, fennel chips, carrot sticks, yam or sweet potato oven fries, broccoli trees (steam, then chill), cauliflower (steam then chill), celery, cherry or grape tomatoes, radishes, corn onthe cob, lightly salted edamame (soy beans, find them in the freezer) in the pod.

Healthy Fats: walnuts, mixed nuts (raw, not "roasted" from a can- these are usually fried in oil), almonds, peanuts, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds.

Lunch Time Favorites

Jicama, Carrot and Cucumber Sticks with Lime and Chili Powder
Slice jicama, carrots and cucumber into sticks, sprinkle lightly with chili powder and throw it all in a baggie with a wedge of lime to squeeze on later.

Whole Wheat Pita Wedges with Hummus
Slice one whole wheat pita round into 4 to 8 wedges and store in a baggie. Spoon about 1/3 cup of your child's favorite hummus into a small portable container for dipping in the lunch room.

Fruit Kabobs: spear cubes of cheese, rolled up deli turkey, grapes, strawberries, melon chunks, or apple and pear chunks (soak for a minute in a little lemon water to prevent browning) on bamboo skewers.

Hummus Dippers: Send hummus with carrots chips, fennel chips, and bell pepper strips for a fun way to get some vegetables.

Cinn-nutty Apple Dippers: Mix peanut butter with a little plain low-fat yogurt and a sprinkle of cinnamon served with apple or pear slices to dip.

Ants on a log: smear celery sticks with natural peanut butter or almond butter and put raisin ants on top.

Crunch-factor Yogurt Send an 8 ounce cup of low sugar, fruit juice sweetened, or plain low fat yogurt in the lunch box. In a zip-top bag, combine some low sugar granola, nuts and sunflower seeds to stir into the yogurt at lunch time. Add some frozen, organic blueberries for a boost of antioxidants.

Just in Quesadillas: Make this ahead of time. Warm a whole wheat or sprouted grain tortilla with cheese and low fat refried black beans in the middle. Wrap with foil and refrigerate until lunch time.

Recipes:

We had a whole lot of summer squash at our house last week. Here are a few ideas for eating it up. I made up a random saute with summer squash, tomatoes, garlic and butter all cut up and sauted together. I added the juice of one lime, some salt and pepper and served it over gnocci that we had around. You could use lemon juice or change the flavor by adding some balsamic vinegar and serve it over pasta or rice and add tofu to round it out. Yummy.

Zucchini chocolate bread

Makes 2 loaves

1 3/4 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups grated zucchini
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1. Set the oven at 350 degrees. Lightly grease 2 9-by-5-inch loaf pans.

2. In a bowl, combine the sugar, eggs, and oil. Beat until well blended. Stir in the zucchini and vanilla.

3. Sift together the flour, cocoa, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and baking powder. Add the flour mixture to the zucchini mixture. Stir just until blended.

4. Stir in the chips and nuts and divide the batter between the pans.

5. Bake the loaves for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the loaves cool in the pans for 20 minutes. Turn them out onto wire racks and set them right side up to cool.

from ''The Classic Zucchini Cookbook''

In Defense of Daikon

Recipe Maven Musings:
That long skinny albino carrot looking thing from last week’s share that is most likely still lurking in your crisper drawer or more likely ditched in the “take one, leave one” crate (there were a whole lot there on Friday!) is a daikon radish. Daikons seem to get a bit of a bad rap. They really are just long radishes and are quite good. I thought I’d give a few ideas as to how to use them so we won’t be as quick to give them to the people we split our shares with (uh, sorry Darek and Allison!).

Lorna J. Sass, author of Recipes from an Ecological Kitchen (which was later published in paperback as this) has this to say about daikon:

“Long prized in Japan. . . .raw daikon is said to aid in the digestions of oils. I prefer to eat it raw and enjoy to the fullest its radishlike bite. Just before serving, scrub daikon gently and then grate it. Toss it into a salad or serve it by itself in mounds, lightly sprinkled with umeboshi vinegar, lemon juice, or soy sauce. Alternatively, slice the daikon into ½-inch rounds and use as a “cracker” base for an interesting spread. Daikon cubes cook quickly and lose their bite: Add them to a stir-fry for the last 1 to 2 minutes of cooking.”
Recipe:
Former Port Angeles resident and farm member, Jen Zawacki was visiting last week and suggested using up the daikon in some fresh spring rolls.

Using the beet and daikon slaw (recipe below) as a starting point, some pretty yummy stuff happened!

Add some grated carrots (the beets and daikon could be grated too), some julienned cucumber and bell pepper to the slaw. Wrap in a spring roll skin (those almost clear, round wrappers. I’ve only found them at McPhee’s on 8^th and Race here in Port Angeles. Don’t use the kind of wrappers that are meant to be deep fried) with a few leaves of basil or mint or cilantro and some soaked bean threads. Roll them up and serve with your favorite peanut sauce or a thai sweet chili sauce (also found at McPhee’s and oh so tasty!). You could put baked tofu slices in there or cooked shrimp or chicken, mung bean sprouts and a squeeze or two of lime would be yummy too.
This is really a very easy meal to slap together and is a great way to use lots of veggies from the share.
If you’d like a good tutorial on how to put a Vietnamese Spring Roll together, this is a great website with pictures and everything:

Beet and Daikon Slaw -from Bill Maddex, member of Drumlin Community Farm (from Asparagus to Zucchini)

2 beets, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch julienne (matchsticks)

1 six-inch daikon radish, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch julienne

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

2 teaspoons canola oil

1 teaspoon unsalted rice vinegar

1 teaspoon sea salt

Combine all ingredients in a non-reactive bowl, cover and let stand at least 1/2 hour, season to taste and serve. Makes two servings.

Summer Minestrone and Spinach ravings!

Recipe Maven's Musings

Okay, I’ve done a little reading on the e coli outbreak, but I’m definitely not an expert. I am, however, opinionated. Just in case you haven’t heard, here’s a little review. Some spinach distributed by Natural Selection Foods in California has been contaminated with e coli. At this point, They, can’t figure out exactly where the contaminated spinach is coming from because it’s grown in such high quantity and is also bought from lots of smaller farms in California. Once they get all of the greens, it’s mixed together, triple washed, cut up and packaged in bags or plastic boxes and sent out all over the country for consumption. They package for Trader Joe’s, Safeway organics, Costco and under other names too. They also haven’t determined if it’s the organic or conventionally grown spinach that’s the culprit. The best guess at this point is that the e coli came from cow manure used for fertilizing, but it will be very difficult to determine exactly where it came from, given that it’s such a huge industry. 100 people have contracted e coli and 1 person has died. Spinach farmers all over the country are destroying their crops. So, I guess there’s another really good reason to buy your food locally. Organic is great, but huge corporate organic? I’m not so sure. Read the article I read here.

Recipe:

I used beet greens and collards instead of chard. Yummy comfort food for the colder weather!

Summer Minestrone
Adapted from The Tomato Festival Cookbook, by Lawrence Davis-Hollander (Storey Books, 2004).

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 or 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, cut into 1/2-inch rounds
1 10-inch stalk celery, coarsely chopped
4 cups (about 12 to 15 large) chopped ripe plum tomatoes
4 to 6 cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1 stem basil, plus extra sprigs for garnish
salt and freshly-ground black pepper
1 cup (4 ounces) penne, elbow macaroni, small shells,

12 green beans, washed, trimmed, and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 green or yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into bite-size strips
1 leek, washed, white and tender green parts cut into 1/2-inch pieces
8 stems Swiss chard, stalks and leaves cut into 1-inch strips
1 medium zucchini, sliced
1 medium yellow summer squash, sliced

1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, warm the oil and stir in the garlic. Let it soften for a couple of minutes, then stir in the carrot and celery. Cook for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, 4 cups of the broth, oregano, thyme, basil, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir. Cover the pan, bring to a simmer, and simmer for 10 minutes.
2. Increase the heat and bring the soup to a brisk boil over high heat. Stir in the pasta, followed by the green beans, bell pepper, and leek. Cook briskly, stirring often, for 3 minutes.
3. Reduce the heat so the soup is simmering and add the chard, zucchini, and summer squash. If the mixture is very thick, or if you would simply like it thinner, add some or all of the remaining broth. Return to a simmer and cover the pan. Continue cooking the soup for 5 minutes, or until the pasta and the vegetables are tender. Serve immediately, or cool and reheat as needed. Garnish with basil leaves

Tomato and Zucchini Tart

Recipe Maven's Musings:

I’ve stumbled upon a few facts as I learn to can that I think would be good to share. Of course, it might just be a reminder to those veteran home preservers out there!

In 1989, the USDA revamped it’s safety regulations regarding home preserving, as too many people were getting sick from home canned goods.

Low acid foods (red meats, seafood, poultry, milk and all fresh vegetables except for most tomatoes) need to be processed in a pressure canner.

Acid foods (fruits, pickles, sauerkraut, jams, jellies, marmalades, and fruit butters) can be processed in a boiling-water canner.

Steam canners (the ones where you put the jars upside down in the water bath and then steam circulates around them) are NOT safe.

Don’t use any recipes published before 1989, as some of them don’t follow the newer processing times and guidelines. Also, the USDA recommends never to revise or improvise recipes because it’s easy to throw the pH level off.

The library has several good, up to date books: The USDA’s Complete Guide to Canning (also available online), The Ball Blue Book, Preserving the Harvest (also has great info on freezing, drying and cold storage).

Happy Canning!

This Week's Recipe:
I’ve never tried the canned pizza dough. I make my own, but you could also try a boboli. This is a favorite for us this time of year.

Fresh Tomato and Zucchini Tart with Mozzarella and Basil
1 (10-ounce) can refrigerated pizza crust dough (can sprinkle with Italian seasoning if desired)
1 cup (1/8-inch-thick) diagonally sliced zucchini
4 plum tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices (about 1/2 pound)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup torn fresh basil leaves

Unroll dough onto lightly sprayed baking pan; let stand 5 minutes. Pat dough into a 12-inch square. Arrange zucchini and tomato over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border. Sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper and Ital. seasoning (if desired). Fold edges of dough over zucchini and tomato (dough won't completely cover the zucchini and tomato).

Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until the dough is lightly browned. Top with cheese; bake 5 minutes or until cheese melts. Drizzle with oil; sprinkle with basil. Cool on baking sheet 10 minutes on a wire rack.

Yield: 4 servings CALORIES 304(30% from fat); FAT 10.1g (sat 4.3g,mono 3.8g,poly 1.4g); PROTEIN 12.9g; CHOLESTEROL 22mg; CALCIUM 164mg; SODIUM 702mg; FIBER 2.5g; IRON 2.5mg; CARBOHYDRATE 40.1g Cooking Light Magazine, MAY 2003

Rosemary Red Soup

Recipe Maven's Musings:

You may have noticed a new look to the printed crop sheet this week. That’s because I (Carrie Sanford) have finally figured out a good way to put in my working member hours for the farm. I’ve been a member for four years and have always done my work at the end of the season and all on one day. I always felt like I wanted to contribute more, but couldn’t schedule the time to get out there! With a little (18 mo.) daughter, being in the fields is even harder now. I wouldn’t be much help if I’m chasing her all over the farm.

So, I asked if we could get creative and Lee suggested I try doing the crop sheets for a while. I’m a bit of recipe maven and am SO glad to have my addiction put to good use.

If you have great recipes to share, by all means, send them to me or if you need help figuring out what to do with all of that . . (fill in the blank), I’ll do my best to find a healthy, relatively easy answer. I hope this space will be used to give you fun farm facts, for the kids corner (should it come out of retirement) and other random information we (me, Lee and Doug, or any of you) find useful!

This week's Recipe:

Farm member Brianna Noach passed this recipe on to share. I LOVE the book it’s from. Our library system has a copy (it’s currently at my house) and I recommend you check it out (when I’m done!).

Rosemary Red Soup

(Recipe from Feeding the Whole Family by Bastyr University faculty member Cynthia Lair)

This soup is a gorgeous red color with a deep, satisfying taste to match. Because of the combination of legumes and vegetables, all you need is some whole-grain bread and salad to make this into a beautifully balanced meal. Try it with Sweet Squash Corn Muffins and Dark Greens Salad (found in Feeding the Whole Family).

• 3 medium carrots
• 2 beets
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary or 2 teaspoons dried
• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
• 1 cup dried red lentils
• 2 bay leaves
• 6 cups water or stock
• 2-3 tablespoons light miso

Scrub and chop carrots and beets. Heat oil in a soup pot; add onion and sauté until soft. Add carrots and beets; sauté a few minutes more. Finely chop rosemary and oregano leaves, if using fresh herbs. Wash and drain lentils. Add herbs, lentils, bay leaves, and water or stock to onion mix; bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer 40 minutes. Remove bay leaves. Puree soup in blender or processor. Dissolve miso in ½ cup water and add to soup. Gently reheat before serving.

Preparation time: 50 minutes
Makes 6-8 servings

For babies 6 months & older:
Steam a few extra carrot slices and puree with water.

For babies 10 months & older:
Reserve some pureed soup before adding the miso and serve.

About this Blog!

I love food and I love to share recipes and ideas. In this blog, you'll find my favorite recipes and random food-related thoughts. I am a member of a local CSA (community supported agriculture) and write the crop sheet every week. This is a way for me to organize the crop sheets during veggie season and also to continue to find yummy healthy recipes to feed my family. Thanks for checking this out!