Zucchini Pie

(Image courtesy of: Scripps Howard News Service).

I do my best to try all of the recipes before I post them here, and I try to offer recipes that are a little more "fresh" than this one. This week, I'm just plain slammed. So, here then, a zucchini recipe I have not tried. It's a very popular American way to use up a lot of Zucchini. If you're interested in how to make your own "bisquick", check out the recipe below. Some time, I'll experiment with making a baking mix that does not have hydrogenated fats in it. If anyone makes "bisquick" using a shortening that is non-hydrogenated, I'd be curious how it goes.
Happy Zucchini!
Edited to include Lee's comments from the paper cropsheet:
(Lee's two cents: I have made biscuit mix by following a baking powder biscuit recipe and just leaving out the eggs and milk. I used canola oil, which I crumbled into the dry ingredients using my hands. It worked fine, but the refrigerator might be the best bet for long term storage. Be aware that you can chop almost any of the veggies in your crate, especially the greens, into the biscuit dough and a simple biscuit can seem like a gourmet treat! Grate some cheese in, and it almost becomes a meal in itself. ) Lee
Zucchini Pie Recipe

Ingredients

• 3 medium zucchini, diced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup baking mix (such as Bisquick)
• 1/2 cup + 1 Tbs olive oil
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/4 cup mozarella cheese, grated
• 1 tsp marjoram (1/3 tsp dried marjoram)
• 1 tsp basil (1/3 tsp dried basil)
• black pepper, freshly ground

Directions

1. Heat 1 Tbs olive oil over medium high heat in a medium size skillet.
2. Cook the onion until it just turns gold.
3. In a bowl combine the zucchini, onion, eggs, baking mix, olive oil, cheese, marjoram, basil, and pepper.
4. Coat a 10x6" pan or a 12" pie pan with oil.
5. Spread the zucchini mixture into the baking dish.
6. Bake at 350F for 30 minutes, or until lightly brown.

Make your Own "Bisquick"

4 ½ c sifted flour

2 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp + 1 ½ tsp baking powder

1 c shortening

½ tsp salt

2/3 c powdered milk

Stir together flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Sift together 2-3 times in a large bowl. Cut in shortening with pastry blender or two knives until the mixture is similar to cornmeal. Add dry milk. Use in recipes that call for Bisquick or all-purpose mix.

Apple Phyllo Tart

This picture makes it look like a pile of pooh. I assure you, it's not. It's quite tasty. I just can't take pictures of food to save my life. I promise, I won't put anything on this blog that is not tasty. You might have to squint a little to imagine how tasty it would be from my pictures. . . that's just how it will have to be until I find time to use my camera better or get a better camera.
I like to make a dessert with phyllo when I make my greek greens pie. This one fit the bill. Tasty, sweet, but not overly sickeningly sweet. A keeper. . . the recipe, not the tart. Eat the tart. Right now! Go!

Apple Phyllo (Filo) Tart Recipe
By Sarah Phillips
Serves 12

2 large golden delicious apples, peeled and cored and cut into 1/2-inch slices

2 TBSP dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Canola Oil spray or 3 TBSP melted butter, cooled to tepid

Eight 12x17 inch sheets phyllo (filo) dough thawed overnight (available from the grocery store)

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. Lightly spray a nonstick baking sheet with canola oil or cover with parchment paper.
2. To make the filling, in a medium bowl, toss the apple slices, brown sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon. Set aside.
3. Place 1 sheet of filo dough on a prepared baking sheet and very lightly spray it with canola oil (or you can brush with melted butter). Top with the other filo sheets, lightly spraying each sheet with oil (or brush with melted butter), and progressively arranging the sheets across each other at angles to form a sunburst pattern. Mound the apple filling in the center. Bring up the filo sheets to completely cover the filling. Spray the top of the filo with oil (or brush with butter).
4. Bake until the filo is deep golden brown, about 35 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet on a wire cake rack for 10 minutes. Slide the tart on a serving platter. Serve warm.

The Healthy Oven Baking Book, by Sarah Phillips, Doubleday, 1999

Summer Minestrone Soup

I love this soup. It's a great way to empty the refrigerator at this time of year and it's super tasty too. I used this recipe as a starting point, but added lots more stock and veggies. I put in a can of organic garbanzos and a can of kidney beans for some added protein. It made about 5 quarts, plus a bit. Give some to your neighbors.

Summer Minestrone – Recipe Page 123

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

Simple Solution
Ah, the bounty of summer! Gardens overflow with tomatoes, zucchini, summer squash, peppers, and dark leafy greens. Who can resist them? But sometimes it can be hard to figure out what to do with all of them! Well, this lovely soup is a perfect way to use those lively colors, flavors, and textures.

Fragrant with herbs and bursting with nourishment from the good earth, you can make this one-pot meal in advance (during those cooler morning hours) or even freeze it. Either way, Summer Minestrone is a favorite with both kids and adults, a key player in the Mediterranean diet and lifestyle.

INGREDIENTS

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, or other medium-sized pasta
12 green beans, washed, trimmed, and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium green or yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into 2-inch by 1/4-inch strips
1 medium 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. Check for seasoning before serving and add more salt and pepper to taste if necessary.
Serves 4 to 8.

Musings:
The fullness of my fridge at this time of year makes me both wonder and panic. How amazing to have such great bounty right here in our little town. How the heck do I use it all up!? Right now, my family is not eating a ton of food, so trying to figure out how to make it through the share each week has sent me whirling. I stumbled upon this great article in the Oregonian online that got me working on small batch preserving. I get overwhelmed when I think about doing a big canning day. It's a lot to manage by yourself. Especially with a little one running around. So, one option is to can with friends, or you can take on a couple of different tactics.

• Freeze stuff. Right now, I have a ton of summer squash that I plan to grate and freeze. Later in the winter, I can add it to soups or thaw it, squeeze it dry and make bread with it. I also make a lot of soups and freeze them too.
  
• Pickle stuff. I do refrigerator pickles, because we eat them fast enough that I can keep adding cucumbers to the brine for a month or so (recipe follows).
• Small batch canning. Put a pot of water on while you're cooking dinner and can a couple of jars of jam or tomatoes while the stove top's on and you're in the kitchen anyway.
• Dehydrate. I love to do apples this way and then we can crunch our way through the crop from our apple tree all year! Abby loves to crank the apple machine (it peels, cores and slices as you turn the crank). We found ours at goodwill for $4 and it's been worth it, plus it's fun.
  

Last year, I did an entry about canning here on the blog. You can check it out here. It has more information on how to be safe with your canning.
Lee's resource for canning from last week's farm news is great too. You can get to it here.

I love the idea of doing a dinner or soup swap. Maybe someone will organize one for us here (not it!). The jist is this: A bunch of people gather and bring 6 or so quarts of frozen soup or frozen containers of dinner or whatever. Then, you all draw numbers and pick items so that you go home with 6 items. That way you can make a whole lot of one thing and then not have to eat it for 2 weeks

Mom's Fridge Pickles
Makes about 1 quart

1 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1 TBS sea salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
6 whole cloves
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp. dill seed
4 to 5 small kirby cucumbers, peeled in stripes and cut into 1/8 inch thick slices
1 small white onion, thinly sliced into rounds

1. Combine the vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper flakes, and dill seed in a quart jar. Place the lid on the jar and shake until the sugar has dissolved.
2. Layer the cucumbers and the onions in the jar using a wooden spoon to press them tightly into the jar, shake it well, and refrigerate it at least 4 hours, shaking the jar occasionally to keep the ingredients mixed. These pickles will keep in the refrigerator for at least 1 month.
From Fresh Every Day by Sara Foster

Simple Late Summer Meal

Cook some pasta.
Melt some butter in a pan.
Add chopped garlic, leek and bell pepper.
Add a chopped tomato once the other stuff is a bit soft.
Add chopped summer squash.
Salt and pepper the bad boy.
Once it's all juicy and squishy.
Pour it over some pasta.
Top with parm.
Yum.

I've been thinking a whole lot about local food lately. There are lots of books out these days about the idea of eating food grown right close to where you live. I just read the book Plenty.
Plenty: One Man, One Woman, and a Raucous Year of Eating Locally by Alisa Smith and J.B. Mackinnon
It was a great read about a couple who live off of food grown and processed within 100 miles of their Vancouver B.C. home. They did it for a year. It was hard. They didn't find wheat until the very end. They lost weight. They are idealistic way beyond anything I am capable of. I applaud their effort. They have a cool website about the 100 mile diet. It's definitely gotten me thinking about eating locally. I've always bristled at eating an organic apple from New Zealand, when we have such fine apples right here in our own state. Heck, right in my own back yard. I've tried to buy produce that was locally grown, but haven't worked very hard with the other stuff. It's a complex issue, because even if you do find local items, who knows how far it's been shipped for processing and packaging. In Plenty, they state that Dungeness Crab is routinely sent to China to be picked apart and processed and then sent back here to sell. That is staggering to me. . . though not entirely surprising. All the more reason to support our local farms and feel darn good about it.
A few other books about local eats to ponder:

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver Local Flavors: Cooking and Eating from America's Farmers' Markets by Deborah Madison

Fruit Stickers

Okay, I'm eating an organic apple the other day and end up chewing up one of the little stickers they put on EACH AND EVERY PIECE of fruit. I fished it out of my mouth, but in the process, started wondering about those stickers. I spent extra money on an organic apple. I expect that it's going to be good for me. I wonder what those stickers are made of, I wonder what the adhesive is made of, I wonder if I just chewed on something really bad for me.
As most people these days, I turned to the internet and though I didn't track most of my research (read: take what I say with the understanding that it could be wrong), I discovered a few things about those little stickers. From what I can tell, the stickers use FDA approved food grade adhesive. I could not find out if EVERY sticker is made of this stuff (I wonder about fruit imported from other countries) or what exactly "food grade adhesive" is (I wonder what the FDA thinks is "food grade" and if I'd agree). I found one company that makes stickers for fruit and on that site, they assured me that the stickers are "lead free." This made me wonder if some stickers are not "lead free."
Here is something that I found all over the web and I find most interesting. By looking at the number on the sticker, you can tell if a piece of fruit is organically grown, conventionally grown, or genetically engineered. Each piece of produce has a universal PLU code that is 4 digits. If it is organic, there is a 9 put in front of the code, if it is genetically engineered, there is an 8 put in front of the code. For example, a conventionally grown banana has a PLU code of 4011. An organic banana would read: 94011. A genetically engineered banana would read: 84011. Now, that is a handy little thing to know. I have to say, I'd really rather eat locally grown fruit that I picked myself, but as that is not always an option, I'm glad to have more tools to understand what I'm buying.
By the way, I don't recommend chewing on an apple sticker, they are not tasty!

So, here's a tasty way to eat up your yummy veggies! I like to serve this over brown rice. You could easily substitute leeks for the onions, garlic tops for the garlic and use any of your greens instead of the spinach. The key to the taste is the homemade curry powder. If this is your main course, it really only serves 2 people. Enjoy!
Indian Chickpeas over Garlic Spinach

This recipe relies on several spices, such as fennel seeds, cumin seeds, coriander, and red pepper, for a simple, homemade curry powder. Measuring out the separate spices is worth the extra effort; it has a brighter flavor than packaged curry powder. The fennel and cumin seeds add a pleasing crunch and pungency.


4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
2 cups sliced onion
1 1/2 cups canned vegetable broth
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (19-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and divided
2 garlic cloves, chopped
16 cups chopped spinach (about 12 ounces)
1/2 cup plain fat-free yogurt

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 5 minutes. Add broth and next 5 ingredients (broth through red pepper), and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes.

Place 1/2 cup chickpeas in a food processor; process until minced. Add minced chickpeas and remaining chickpeas to onion mixture. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes.

Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add garlic, and sauté 30 seconds. Add spinach; sauté 3 minutes or until spinach is just wilted.

Spoon 1/2 cup spinach mixture onto each of 4 plates. Top each serving with 3/4 cup chickpea mixture; dollop each serving with 2 tablespoons yogurt.

Yield: 4 servings

CALORIES 247 (26% from fat); FAT 7.4g (sat 0.8g,mono 3.4g,poly 0.6g); PROTEIN 13.8g; CHOLESTEROL 1mg; CALCIUM 251mg; SODIUM 882mg; FIBER 11.3g; IRON 5.7mg; CARBOHYDRATE 46.1g

Cooking Light, JUNE 2004

Greens Pie

I know, that doesn't sound appetizing, but the recipe to follow kicks some serious butt. It's pretty simple to prepare too. My notes tell me that last time I made this, I wanted more dill and more feta than what's called for in the recipe. You can use any greens for this, including your salad mix. I used some of the leeks from our farm share in addition to the onions. Phyllo dough is often found in the freezer section of the grocery store. At Safeway, it’s with the pre-made crusts and frozen pies. Use your leftover phyllo to make a berry tart. There's a recipe down there. Yum!
Greek Greens and Sweet Onion Pie

Fresh dill and feta cheese flavor this double phyllo-crusted pie. Serve with vegetable soup and crusty bread. Cutting slits into the top phyllo layer allows steam to escape so the crust will be crisp. To serve a larger crowd, double the recipe, and bake the pies side by side in the oven.

Ingredients
2 quarts water
12 cups torn Swiss chard (about 3/4 pound)
8 cups torn spinach (about 1/2 pound)
Cooking spray
2 cups chopped Vidalia or other sweet onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
3/4 cup (3 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
10 sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed

Preparation
Bring 2 quarts water to a boil in a large Dutch oven. Add the chard and spinach; cook 2 minutes or until tender. Drain well. Place chard mixture on several layers of paper towels; squeeze until barely moist.
Preheat oven to 375°.

Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add chard mixture, dill, and parsley, stirring well to combine. Cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat. Combine chard mixture, cheese, eggs, and egg whites, tossing well to combine. Stir in pepper and salt.

Place 1 phyllo sheet on a large cutting board or work surface (cover remaining dough to prevent drying); lightly coat phyllo sheet with cooking spray. Place phyllo sheet in a 9-inch pie plate coated with cooking spray, allowing edges to overlap plate rim. Repeat the procedure with 6 additional phyllo sheets, placing sheets in a crisscross design. Spoon the spinach mixture over phyllo. Lightly coat each of remaining 3 phyllo sheets with cooking spray, and place sheets over spinach mixture in a crisscross design. Roll excess phyllo into the dish to create a decorative edge; press lightly to hold. Cut 4 (2-inch) slits in top of pie; cover with foil. Bake at 375° for 10 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 30 minutes or until crust is crisp and golden. Cut pie into 8 wedges.

Yield
4 servings (serving size: 2 wedges)

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 312(30% from fat); FAT 10.5g (sat 4.8g,mono 3.5g,poly 1.1g); PROTEIN 16.1g; CHOLESTEROL 125mg; CALCIUM 264mg; SODIUM 955mg; FIBER 5.9g; IRON 6.1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 40.3g

Cooking Light, APRIL 2004

We had a lot of salmon berries around here last night and a couple of pears. I used the following recipe as a starting point for a yummy dessert. I used salmon berries, a few pears, lime juice and added some raspberry jam to the filling to help sweeten those perky salmon berries. The end result was very tasty. Especially with ice cream!

Low Fat Blackberry and Apple Tart

This blackberry and apple tart is the result of a morning's apple and blackberry picking at a local farm. Phyllo dough is a great substitute for regular pastry.

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 medium apples, peeled, cored and sliced
• 1/2 dry pint of blackberries
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 8 sheets phyllo dough

PREPARATION:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Toss apples slices and blackberries in a medium bowl with sugar and lemon juice. Meanwhile, remove eight sheets of phyllo dough from the pack. I use 14-inch by 9-inch sheets.

If yours are 14 by 18, then cut them in half. Lay the phyllo sheets on a clean work surface or cutting board.

To prevent the sheets from drying out, cover with plastic or wax wrap and then with a damp cloth. Removing one sheet at a time and covering the remainder, spray each sheet with butter-flavored cooking spray, then lay sheet in a 9-inch pie dish, with the sides hanging over the edge. Repeat with remaining sheets, forming a circular pattern.

Fill the center with the apple and blackberries, then bring up the sides of the dough and fold in, leaving a gap in the center. Spray with butter-flavored spray or brush with egg white.

Bake for 30 minutes, until the crust is golden brown.

Serves 6.

Per Serving: Calories 170, Calories from Fat 16, total Fat 1.7g (sat 0.3g), Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 114mg, Carbohydrate 36.4g, Fiber 3.5g, Protein 2g

Indian Greens

Oh No! I had this all ready to go last week, but totally failed to send it off or post this entry! Oops. Sorry. Here's the post as it was written last week!
People often ask me where I find recipes. Here's a list of my favorite cookbooks. Please note that all of these books except From Asparagus to Zucchini and the Complete Vegetarian Kitchen are available to check out at our library. You might have to put it on hold or request it from another library, but they are easily obtainable. I encourage you to purchase books from our local booksellers. Port Book and News will order anything for you. I've only linked these books to Amazon.com because it's an easy way for you to look at the covers and get the full title and author. If you must buy online, buy from Powells or another independent bookseller.
So, here are my favorites!
Anything by Deborah Madison, including:

Vegetarian Suppers from Deborah Madison's Kitchen; Local Flavors ; Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone
Lorna Sass: Whole Grains Every day Every Way, Recipes from an ecological kitchen ( Now available in paperback by this title: Complete Vegetarian Kitchen)
Feeding the Whole Family, Cynthia Lair
From Asparagus to Zucchini
Victory Garden Cookbook
I also really like the following websites for recipes:
epicurious it's searchable by ingredient
Live Earth Farm CSA: recipes by key farm share ingredient
Green Living
This week's recipe comes from members Hazel and Mike Levine. They've included their notes right in with the recipe. We tried it out too and enjoyed it (see the picture at the top of this post. . . really, it's hard to photograph Indian foods to make it look as yummy as it is!). It would be tasty with cooked chicken or paneer (if you can find that!) instead of the tofu. If you're industrious you can make your own Naan (indian flat bread) to go with it. I like to get a couple of orders of garlic naan to go from India Oven in Port Angeles to go with Indian inspired meals I make at home. Yum!

Spinach Saag (serves 4-6 people as a side dish or 2-3 people as the main event)

Ingredients:
1 chopped onion
6 cloves minced garlic
1 tbsp minced ginger
2 tsp coriander seed
0.5 tsp tumeric
1 tsp garam masala
0.5 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tbsp oil or ghee
1 lb chopped spinach (we added all our farm share greens including most of our salad mix)
1/3 cup chopped coriander
1 cup water
2 tsp salt
0.5-1 cup plain yogurt
1 block firm tofu cut in 0.5" pieces

Method:
1. Saute onions in oil till translucent. Add garlic, ginger and spices and saute for another 2-3 minutes.
2. Add greens, water and salt and simmer for 10-15 minutes over low heat.
3. Remove to a blender and puree in batches.
4. Return puree to the pan and add a little water if necessary. Simmer another 5-10 minutes. Add chopped coriander.
5. Stir in yogurt and tofu and return to brief simmer. Do not boil. Season to tasted and serve.

Variations:
- You can use frozen or fresh greens
- A squeeze of lemon at the end will brighten the flavor of the dish
- Nice when served with naan (located in freezer section of the health food store in PA and at Sunny Farms)

Greens, Glorious Greens!

Recipe Maven Musings:

I found kale in the “leave one, take one” box at the drop site in town last week. I greedily took it all! This time of year, our crop shares are full of greens. When we first became members, I struggled with the amount of greens in our share. I couldn’t figure out how to use them all up. It seemed a bit overwhelming. Over the years, I’ve come to love the greens and have found lots of ways to prepare them and include them in our meals. Last week, I made a huge salad one night, the marinated kale salad from last week’s crop sheet, a bok choi stirfry and threw the spinach into some enchiladas we were making. The greens are all gone.

Most of the greens we get in our shares can be used interchangeably. If a recipe calls for chard, but you have spinach or bok choi greens on hand, use the latter. The only caveat I’d throw in there is that kale generally takes a bit longer to cook/soften. Some people steam it a bit before adding it into recipes. Don’t be afraid to throw extra greens into any stir fry or casserole (enchiladas and lasagna are particularly greens friendly). Step out and try this recipe that lets the greens take center-stage! It has a fancy name, but we just called it “Greens and Beans on Toast” at my house. We mix it up a lot and use kale with pinto beans or spinach or broccoli rabe and Romano beans. The garlic on the toast really is key! Also, check out the recipe for “Green Soup”. It’s a tried and true favorite!

Carrie Sanford

Recipe:

Braised Mixed Greens and garlicky beans on toast
Serves 3 to 4

Any mixture of greens can be spooned over garlic-rubbed toast, as it is here, pasta, or polenta. For wine, try a Spanish red, such as a Grenache-based Priorat wine or a Spanish white Alberinio.
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for finishing
1 small onion, finely diced
2 plump garlic cloves, 1 slivered, 1 halved
1-pound greens, such as chard mixed with the tips and leaves of broccoli rabe, or a mix of small braising greens, washed and chopped
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
if available, a few leaves to a few handfuls sorrel, 5 or 6 lovage leaves, or a handful each of chopped cilantro and parsley
1 1/2 cups cooked beans (borlotti, cannellini, etc.), made from scratch or canned
3 to 4 slices chewy country bread
shaved Parmesan cheese or crumbled Gorgonzola

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven. Add the onion and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Once the starts to soften a bit, after 3 to 4 minutes, add the slivered garlic. Cook a minute more, and then add the greens and any herbs. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt.
2. As the greens cook down, turn them in the pan to bring the ones on top closer to the heat. Once they’ve all collapsed, add 1/2 cup water or bean broth, lower the heat, and cook, partially covered, until tender. Depending on the greens you’ve chosen, this could take as little as a few minutes or as long as twenty. Just make sure there’s some liquid in the pan, for in the end you’ll want a little sauce. When the greens are done, add the beans, heat them through, then taste for salt, and season with pepper.
3. Toast the bread and rub it with halved garlic. Arrange on plates and spoon the greens and beans over the top. Drizzle extra olive oil on top. Garnish with the cheese and serve.

From: Vegetarian Suppers from Deborah Madison’s Kitchen (This is a great book for quick, healthy meals made from whole foods.)

Eat More Kale!

Yay! We’ve made it through another long winter and though spring’s only just arrived with the sunshine yesterday, we’re back into the time of receiving our farm shares! Rumor has it that there’s a large quantity of kale out at Salt Creek, so I’m including kale recipes this week. Kale is such a powerhouse food. Chock full of vitamins A and C and has lots of calcium. It is a VERY nutrient rich food and it tastes great too! So, I say to you, “Eat more Kale!" Farm member and former intern, Suzanne Gray passed these recipes on for us to try. She says the salad is the best and though she’s not tried the soup recipe, it looks pretty yummy.

I did a little organizing of the recipe blog over the winter and you can now comment on entries to leave recipe notes, variations, comments or questions for all to see. You can reach me by e-mail there too. Also, you can search for recipes by clicking on an ingredient or type of dish you’d like to find, either at the bottom of each entry or in the sidebar to the right.

I look forward to sharing lots of tasty recipes this season! I big hooray to Farmers Lee, Doug and Hannah, the interns and working members!

Recipes:

from Sally Eaton (Stonewall Farm CSA, Keene, NH)
Amazing Kale Salad

Mix together:
1 tsp dried mustard (I have used Dijon)
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
2 TB balsamic vinegar
3 TB maple syrup
1 TB lemon juice
1/4 cup cider vinegar
3/4 cup olive oil (or 1 cup for a more Midwestern oily/sweet taste)
1 tsp salt

Pour over 1 bunch of kale torn up for salad and let sit 6 hours of so. Overnight it can make fresh summer kale soggy but is good for tougher late season kale. Essentially the kale needs some time to absorb the dressing a little to both soften and sweeten the kale.

Portuguese Kale Soup
1 lb. kale
1 lb. potatoes
1 lb. (linguisa) sausage (or Kielbasa)
1 cup chopped onions
1 1/2 cups cooked kidney beans
2 tbs. olive oil
2 tbs butter
2 qt. chicken broth (or beef/chicken combo)
2 tsp chopped garlic
3 lb. peeled tomatoes

Strip the leaves from kale, and cut diagonally into wide slices. Should end up with 6-8 cups of lightly packed kale. Wash, peel, and chop potatoes, and keep in cold water. Prick sausages, blanch in boiling water for 5-10 minutes to release fat. Drain, cut into 1/2" slices and set aside. In a large saucepan, saute onions, carrots, and garlic in oil and butter, cooking until softened; about 5 minutes. Add potatoes, broth and simmer partially covered for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are cooked. Mash potatoes against the side of the pot (or puree with some broth and return to pot). Stir in tomatoes and kidney beans and simmer for 10-15 minutes longer. Season to taste. Add kale and sausage, cook 5-10 minutes longer. Serves 6-8.

Monte Cristo Sandwiches

So, I'm a little embarrassed by our winter-time eating. Local food is a little thin here this time of year. We are eating local eggs, winter greens, potatoes, carrots and onions at very the least. But, since it's not been the vision of organic, local really really good for you food around here, I've been slacking on posting recipes. I finally figured that we all need to get through the winter, so I might as well plunge on in with the greasy food too!
I'm adding another winter comfort food because, really, we can't live on kale alone (well, maybe, but I like a little fat now and then too!). I'll put the recipe in the way I found it, but here's what I did differently: I couldn't bear the idea of deep frying these things, so I left the sandwiches whole and fried them like a grilled cheese in some olive oil. We used whole grain bread, turkey and mozzarella cheese (it's what we had around) and added avocado. Tom had fake mozz as he's trying to cut out dairy. Yum. I served it with low-sugar raspberry jam for dipping. Oh, and my little brainstorm for sprinkling powdered sugar on top was to fill up a little loose tea infuser like this and use that! Smart huh?

Sinfully delicious. Now, if I'd added a side of kale? Would that unclog my arteries a bit?
Monte Cristo Sandwich
1 quart of oil for frying, or as needed
2/3 cup water
1 egg
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 slices white bread
4 slices swiss cheese
4 slices turkey
4 slices ham
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 T confectioners' sugar for dusting
Heat 5 inches of oil in a deep-fryer to 365 degrees F (180 degrees C). While oil is heating, make the batter: In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg and water. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and pepper; whisk into the egg mixture until smooth. Set aside in the refrigerator.

Assemble sandwiches by placing one slice of turkey on one slice of bread, a slice of ham on another, then sandwich them with the Swiss cheese in the middle. Cut sandwiches into quarters, and secure with toothpicks.

Dip each sandwich quarter in the batter so that all sides are coated. Deep fry in the hot oil until golden brown on all sides. Remove toothpicks and arrange on a serving tray. Dust with confectioners' sugar just before serving.

Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 5 Minutes
Ready In: 15 Minutes
Yields: 8 servings

Chicken Green Chile Enchilada Casserole

So, if you're feeling cheesy. .. . here's some solid comfort food.

Chicken Green Chile Enchilada Casserole (Vegetarian) Recipe

This was in the "Inspired Vegetarian" section of Cooking Light Magazine. Satisfies both the vegetarian and meat-eater. For non-veggie households, could very easily substitute chicken breast for the meatless chicken.

8 servings
Time to Make: 50 min; 15 min. prep

1 t vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onions
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (4 1/2 ounce) can green chilies, undrained
2 (6 ounce) packages vegetarian chicken strips, chopped (or 2 real chicken breasts, cooked, then chopped)
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
2 (10 ounce) cans green enchilada sauce
cooking spray
8 (4 inch) corn tortillas, cut into quarters
1 1/2 cups preshredded low-fat mexican cheese
chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic, saute 5 minutes or until onion is tender.
3. Add Chilies, cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
4. Remove from heat, stir in chopped chicken strips.
5. Combine cumin, chili powder and enchilada sauce. Pour 1/3 of sauce mixture into an 11 x 7 inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.
6. Arrange 1/2 of tortilla quarters over sauce mixture, top with onion mixture.
7. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup Mexican blend cheese, top with 1/3 of sauce mixture.
8. Top with remaining tortillas and sauce mixture.
9. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes.
10. Sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup of cheese, bake an additional 10 minutes.
11. Sprinkle with cilantro if desired.

Another Soup?!

I seem to be on a soup kick. I enjoy a hearty soup this time of year. I suppose my "soups" are really stews, as I put so much stuff in, there's hardly any broth. This one is simple, yummy and filling. I used penne pasta and kale that I had on hand. I think the smaller pasta is a bit more esthetically pleasing, but as my grandfather used to say, "It all goes to the same place anyway!"
Enjoy!

TUSCAN PASTA AND CHICKPEA SOUP
A bowlful of this hearty soup evokes the flavors of a Tuscan farmhouse
kitchen. The fragrant drizzle of herbed olive oil is so comforting, you may
want to make extra for dipping crusty bread.

INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons marjoram leaves
1/2 teaspoon rosemary
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cans (16 ounces each) chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) chicken broth
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup water
1 cup ditalini pasta
1 package (6 ounces) baby spinach or 6 cups sliced spinach leaves

DIRECTIONS
Heat olive oil with marjoram, rosemary and garlic in large saucepot
on medium-low heat until fragrant (do not allow garlic to brown). Stir in
chickpeas, broth, tomatoes and water. Bring to boil on high heat. Reduce
heat and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, cook pasta in boiling salted water as directed on package.
Drain well and rinse under cold water.
Spoon 1/2 of the chickpea mixture into blender container; cover. With
center part of cover removed to let steam escape, blend until smooth. Return
puree to saucepot. Stir pasta and spinach into soup.
Cook on medium heat until spinach is wilted, stirring occasionally. Ladle
soup into serving bowls.
Drizzle with Herb-Infused Olive Oil (recipe
follows) just before serving.
Makes 8 (1-cup) servings.


Herb-Infused Olive Oil: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon each
basil and marjoram leaves and a pinch ground red pepper in a small saucepan
on low heat for 5 minutes. Strain through small sieve into serving
bowl or cup. Makes about 5 teaspoons.

New Year's Hoppin' John

So, I'm a little late posting this, as it's a new year's day recipe, but it's yummy for any time of year! Here's Abby enjoying her share!

Hoppin' John (vegetarian)
This is a mish-mash of a recipe in the Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant cookbook and a recipe by James McNair in the book Beans and Grains that I found on the internet somewhere. Make it your own by adding or taking out what you’d like from this.
Categories: Entree Vegetable
Yield: 6 Servings
3 cup Blackeyed peas; frozen, I used 1, 20 oz. bag frozen
1tablespoon Peanut oil; plus
Vegetable cooking spray; as needed
1 ½cup Chopped yellow onion
1cup Chopped celery
1cup Red and green bell peppers; chopped
1 tablespoon Minced garlic
1 tablespoon Fresh thyme leaves (I omitted)
1 Bay leaf
1 Pinch Ground allspice
1 Pinch cayenne
1 1/2 Tablespoon Tamari soy sauce
1 cup Long-grain white rice (I used 3 cups cooked, brown rice)
2 cup Chopped tomato; peeled and seeded or one can fire roasted tomatoes, chopped
Salt and black pepper
Bottled Louisiana-style hot sauce (I used Tabasco)
¾ cup Chopped green onions; including tops
½ cup Italian parsley; chopped
Sour cream and grated smoked cheddar cheese to taste

Traditional New Year's good luck dish of the American Southern States has 4 ounces of sliced bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2 wide pieces. (1/4" dice if using slab bacon with its rind removed). Brown, crisp, drain on paper toweling. Reserve 3 tablespoons of the bacon fat and use it to sauté onion etc. McNair's touch: white rice cooked in broth; diced red and/or green peppers. The crisp bacon would be crumbled and used as a garnish. You could always use veggie bacon or soy bacon bits, but I just omitted this part and used roasted tomatoes with the hope of adding in some sort of smoky flavor.

• In a heavy saucepan over medium-high, add oil and onion. Stir to coat onion.
• When hot enough to saute, add celery and bell peppers. Saute until the vegetables are soft, about 5 mins.
• Add cooking spray or a little water if necessary to prevent browning.
• Stir in the peas, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, and just enough water (broth) to cover barely. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook, partially covered, until the peas are tender but still hold their shape, 15 to 25 minutes.
  
• Meanwhile, cook the rice (white or brown).TIP: Brown rice may be cooked in water with a piece of lemon peel (dime-sized).
• Stir tomato into peas and simmer uncovered, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in the rice, season to taste with salt and generous amount of ground pepper and hot sauce, and heat through, about 2 minutes.
• Stir in most of the green onion and chopped parsley. Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with parsley sprigs and serve hot.
  

You can also just serve the pea mixture over rice and put the green onion, parsley, sour cream and cheese at the table for people to serve themselves. Yummy.

I served this with a side of local kale. Collards would be more authentically southern, but any greens go very well with this dish.

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.