All American Pot Pie

I have to admit that I just plain cut and pasted this recipe, including the pictures, from a different blog. I wanted to use this recipe for this week's post, but didn't want to type it all out. A wee google search led me to this fabulous entry. However, the other blog didn't credit the author of the recipe. I will. I will also include my notes in italics. It's a mighty tasty way to use a ton 'o veggies and have a really filling meal. There's no reason why this has to stay vegetarian, cooked chicken chunks would be a wonderful addition. I like to make the dough ahead of time so it can chill while I'm making the filling.

All American Pot Pie from Vegetarian Planet by Didi Emmons.

Filling:
1/2 T butter
4 C total of any of the following veggies: corn, carrot, red bell pepper, zucchini, spinach leaves (firmly packed), sliced onions, potato...(left over roasted winter squash chunks, mushrooms, summer squash, parsnips from last week's share, even beets would be tasty).
1 small garlic clove, minced
3 T flour
1 C warm milk
1 pinch fresh or dried thyme
3/4 t salt
black pepper to taste

Melt the butter in a skillet. Saute the vegetables for five minutes, stirring often. Add the garlic, saute for five minutes more. Sprinkle three tablespoons flour over the veggies and stir over the heat for two more minutes. Add the warm milk slowly, stirring all the while to avoid lumps. Stir in the thyme. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook it until the it thickens. Continue to cook until the vegetables are tender. Add one-fourth teaspoon of salt and plenty of pepper. Put into a 9 or 10 inch casserole or deep pie dish. (At this point you can cover the dish and chill it for up to 2 days, if you'd like to bake it later).

The Dough:

(the recipe originally calls for twice as much dough as is written here. I have to agree that it was too much, so I'll leave the modified amounts here).
1/4 Cup (1/2 stick) cold butter
3/4 cups flour
1/4 t salt

Cut a half-stick of cold butter into three-fourths cups of flour and one-fourth teaspoon of salt (cut the butter until the pieces are no larger than a pea). Add two tablespoons of ice water and stir to incorporate all the flour. Add more water or flour as necessary to make a soft moist dough. Work it in the palm of your hand on a hard surface. Form it into a flattened ball. Chill the dough for thirty minutes.

Roll the dough into a circle slightly larger than the diameter of the casserole dish. Place it on top and pinch the rim so it clings to the dish. Cut four one-inch long slits in the dough.

Bake at 400 degrees for about twenty minutes, or until the filling is bubbling and the crust golden. (I like to bake it on top of a cookie sheet to catch any spills. ..and there will be spills). Serve and enjoy!

For those of you who are members of the Salt Creek Farm CSA: Don't forget to comment to this entry so I can do a drawing for an end of the season gift. Sorry to all of you who aren't here in Port Angeles, the prize is a huge book and I can't mail it. . . so just locals this time!

Food ingredients to avoid

I've wanted a little pocket guide for food ingredients to avoid for a long time. I finally made one and decided to put it here for you to enjoy too. Print it out and fold it in half long ways (hot dog way . . . you'll know what I mean if you have kids) and put it in your wallet, purse or pocket. Most of these are "no-brainers", but the list of other things MSG is listed as is handy. Of course, the best way to avoid all of this crap is to buy whole foods (no, not the grocery store, I mean actual foods that are whole) and make your own snacks etc. But, I know that it's a busy world and we can't always avoid EVERY processed food out there. It's also a great list to use as a starting point when working with the schools to change their lunch program.
You can either copy and print the picture file above or click on the PDF file below to download it. This method will make a more clear image for you.

Enjoy!

Delicata

Delicata squash is an unsung hero. People think that all winter squashes are the same: stringy, messy, hard to peel. I had no idea what to do with delicata when I first saw it, but it's easy: cut off the ends, cut in half long ways, scoop out the seeds, cut half moons with the skin on, fry in olive oil and dip in some yogurt sauce. . . sweet goodness.

Deceptively Delicious

(Photo by Scott Robinson via Flickr)

This fabulous recipe is a go to favorite for crazy week nights. I use flat breads or whole wheat pita bread to make these. You can substitute beet greens or kale or steamed chard for the spinach. It is from the book Vegetarian Planet by Didi Emmons. I found the recipe all typed up and pretty on-line at this great CSA website that has lots of other things to check out too.

Spinach and Mozzarella Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with Chile Dipping Sauce

Sandwiches:

6 ounces fresh spinach (large stems removed)
2 fresh pieces of lavash bread, or 1 large split pita pocket
2 plum tomatoes, cut in half lengthwse, then sliced crosswise
2 ounces mozzarella cheese, grated (or sliced, if it's fresh mozzarella)

Chili Dipping Sauce:

1 teaspoon hot chili sauce
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons plain whole, low-fat, or nonfat yogurt, or nonfat sour cream
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

Make the dipping sauce: in small bowl, combine the chili sauce with the mayonnaise, yogurt, mustard, cider vinegar and garlic. Stir well.

Steam the spinach over high heat for 2 minutes. Let the spinach cool.

Lay one of the pieces of lavash or pita on your work surface, with a short side of the bread directly in front of you if you are using lavash. Lay half the tomatoes across the bread, about 3 inches from the side closest to you. Squeeze any excess water from the spinach, then lay half of it on the tomatoes. Sprinkle or lay half the mozzarella on top of the tomatoes and spinach. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Then roll the bread, starting with the side closest to you, as tightly as possible. Follow the same procedure for the second sandwich. (For pita pocket, fill in same order.)

Heat the olive oil in a large (preferably non-stick) skillet over medium heat. Place the two rolled sandwiches (or pita pocket) in the skillet, and place another skillet on top to weigh the sandwiches down. Cook the sandwiches for about 4 minutes or until they are golden brown, then turn them and cook the other side for 4 more minutes, checking the undersides frequently. Cut in half and serve with a small bowl of the dipping sauce.

(edited to add Lee's Kohlrabi recipe from the paper crop sheet!).

Soy Sauce Vegetables

(This resembles the little pickled side dishes served at Japanese cafes)

2 cups any firm vegetables-turnip, daikon, kohlrabi, carrots, beets and so on

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons sugar

mild soy sauce

Cut vegetables along the grain into julienne strips. Put them in a large jar with a lid. Add salt and sugar and shake well so that vegetables are coated. Let stand at room temperature for at least an hour or up to overnight.

Pour in enough soy sauce to cover vegetables. Press down to get rid of air pockets and let stand at room temperature for a day. Drain off soy sauce. (it can be reused for pickling or cooking). The vegetables will keep indefinitely in the refrigerator.

MAKES 2 CUPS

Recipe Maven Musings

Well, you all had great responses to my ravings, I mean musings last time. Thanks so much for your comments. Barbara Blackie sent me this link to a really great New York Times article that addresses almost the exact issue I was talking about last time: picky kid eaters. The highlight of the article, to me, was the point that little kids between ages 2-5 are prone to picky eating and that it's okay. From the article: "It’s an evolutionary response, researchers believe. Toddlers’ taste buds shut down at about the time they start walking, giving them more control over what they eat. “If we just went running out of the cave as little cave babies and stuck anything in our mouths, that would have been potentially very dangerous,” Dr. Cooke said." This makes a whole lot of sense to me and gives me hope that Abby will someday take a bite of chard and dig it. The article also does a mini-review of Deceptively Delicious written by Jerry Seinfeld's wife. This is another book that has mom's grinding up the good stuff to hide it from their kids. This method gets the "strong food" into the kids, but it doesn't teach them to like it or understand it.
Interestingly, the day after sending out the last cropsheet, I caught wind of the 2 Angry Moms movement. This is a documentary that follows two mothers as they attempt to change what's in their children's school lunches. The movie is wonderful and the idea of trying to change things here is even more wonderful. Even if you don't have children, your tax dollars pay for the crud that gets served to the children of our community. And, eventually, we'll all have to pay for the health care costs of the next generation from eating High Fructose Corn Syrup, Hydrogenated Fats and MSG (among other nasties). The sound bite that struck me the most from this movie is that the current generation of children are the first ever to have a shorter life expectancy than their parents. Shocking. Now, if that isn't reason enough to start fighting for change locally, I don't know what is. To get involved and see the film, go to the Port Angeles Public Library Saturday October 27th at 3pm or Monday Oct. 29th at 6:30pm.

Whirled Peas Cookies

Okay, my propensity to making food that looks a little like piles of pooh is getting out of hand. But these World Peace Cookies are so tasty it hurts a little bit. I found them by way of pietown (Hi Shannon!) and enjoyed them oh so much. I couldn't find "fleur de sel" here in this little town, so "flower of bali salt" did just fine as a replacement. As long as you don't use a smoky or spicy salt, I imagine it would be alright. This recipe made about 2 dozen and, as you can see, two days later, there's only 4 left.

World Peace Cookies, or Korovas, from Baking From My Home to Yours, by Dorie Greenspan

- 1 1/4 cups flour
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 11 Tbsp butter at room temperature
- 2/3 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp fleur de sel
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 5 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate (I used really dark chocolate)

Mix together flour, cocoa and baking soda.

Beat butter until soft, then add sugars, salt and vanilla. Beat for 2 minutes. Add dry ingredients and mix slowly until just combined; mix in chocolate. Do not overmix this dough. Divide dough into two portions, and form into logs of 1 1/2 inch diameter. Chill in refrigerator for at least 3 hours.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line baking sheet with parchment. Slice dough into 1/2" thick cookies, squishing back on any bits of dough that fall off (the dough is crumbly). Bake for exactly 12 minutes even though cookies will look underdone, and cool on baking sheet on wire rack.

No Knead Bread

I've been making the infamous no knead bread for a long while, but haven't posted the recipe. I LOVE this bread. It is infinitely satisfying. It is tasty and chewy and crunchy on the outside. It is better than most breads I've ever eaten and I made it. It's that good, and that easy.
Over the year that I've been making this bread, I've made a few tweaks:
I like replacing a cup of the flour with whole wheat.
I add dried or fresh rosemary at the beginning.
I like to use wheat bran.
I bake it in the ceramic insert from my big crock pot. Other people have gone crazy buying up fancy $100 le creuset pots, but I think it's just not necessary.
I've heard of great success adding cheeses and olives and other stuff after the first, long rising.
This bakes up great even after rising in our cold drafty old house. I thought it wouldn't be warm enough here, and it does just fine.
Here then, the recipe:

Recipe: No-Knead Bread

Adapted from Jim Lahey, Sullivan Street Bakery
Time: About 1½ hours plus 14 to 20 hours’ rising

3 cups all-purpose or bread flour, more for dusting
¼ teaspoon instant yeast
1¼ teaspoons salt
Cornmeal or wheat bran as needed.

1. In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add 1 5/8 cups water, and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours, preferably about 18, at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.

2. Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it; sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest about 15 minutes.

3. Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface or to your fingers, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel (not terry cloth) with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal; put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal. Cover with another cotton towel and let rise for about 2 hours. When it is ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.

4. At least a half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450 degrees. Put a 6- to 8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hand under towel and turn dough over into pot, seam side up; it may look like a mess, but that is O.K. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 15 to 30 minutes, until loaf is beautifully browned. Cool on a rack.

Yield: One 1½-pound loaf.

Sneaky Food

So, it's a month or so into school. I imagine that some of you are starting to lose that feeling of excitement and new-ness in packing lunch every day. Last fall, I did a little musing about how to pack more healthy lunches. You can find it here. This fall, I'm thinking a few words on getting kids to eat the good stuff are in order. A farm member family I know talks about "strong food" to their son. I thought this was a good description of all the stuff I'm trying to get my kiddo to eat and started using this term too. It didn't take long before Abby started saying, "no strong food mama, I want snack food." So, we struggle along, trying to get the kid to eat something other than cheese, whole wheat tortillas and peanut butter (not necessarily together).
There's a new-ish book on the market called The Sneaky Chef. The basic premise of the book is to sneak "strong food" into foods your kids will eat. There's a lot of puree-ing involved and making sure you don't put green food in something that's not green (like, no spinach in macaroni and cheese, they'll find it and refuse to eat it) and the like. I'm torn about this idea. I want Abby to know what spinach is, what it looks like, how and where it's grown. I also want her to eat it. Right now, unless it's drown in ranch dressing or hidden in a smoothie, she's just not that into spinach. . .or lots of other strong foods. So, I'm sneaking it into the raviolis that she likes or dicing it into meatballs.
Abby's much more likely to eat something if she helped prepare it or helped put the vegetable into the bag at the farm share drop site. She's learning what kale is and that cauliflower and potatoes can come in a purple variety. Someday we'll get her to appreciate eating the good stuff on it's own, but in the mean time, a little sneaky food will get us through! If you have hot tips on getting kids to eat "strong food" drop me a line and I'll include it in next week's cropsheet.
Here's a not so sneaky food recipe that Abby digs. As always, I threw in some extra veggies and reduced the spice by about half so Abby would eat it. Corn, zucchini, fresh tomatoes and homemade broth made the refrigerator emptier and me happier. I didn't bother blending this one and it made a hearty stew that's good with quesadillas or plain tortillas. Warning: this is one of those soup recipes that takes half a day to make. Don't start it at 4pm hoping to eat by 5:30. . . not that I have any personal experience in this or anything. . .
Smokey Black Bean and Vegetable Soup
1 (7 ounce) can chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (you only use part of this can and you can freeze the rest to use later)
Cooking spray (or some olive oil)
2 cups coarsely chopped onion
1 cup chopped carrot
3/4/ cup thinly sliced celery
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 bay leaves
2 cups water
3 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
2 (14.5 ounce) cans vegetable broth
2 (14.5 ounce) cans no-salt added plum tomatoes, undrained and chopped
1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
8 lime wedges

1. Remove 2 chiles from can; reserve remaining chiles and sauce for another use. Finely chop chiles. Heat a large Dutch oven coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, celery, and garlic; saute 8 minutes or until onion and carrot are tender. Stir in chiles, cumin, basil, oregano, chili powder, and bay leaves; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in water, beans, broth and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Partially cover, reduce heat, and simmer 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
2. Remove from heat; discard bay leaves. Place 3 cups of soup mixture in a blender. Let stand 5 minutes; process until smooth. Return pureed mixture to pan, stirring to combine. Ladle 1 1/4 cups soup into each of 8 bowls; top each serving with 1 tablespoon yogurt and 1 1/2 teaspoons cilantro. Serve with lime wedges. Yield: 8 servings

Nutritional Information

CALORIES 162(6% from fat); FAT 1g (sat 0.1g,mono 0.1g,poly 0.1g); PROTEIN 10.1g; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 145mg; SODIUM 740mg; FIBER 10.9g; IRON 3.8mg; CARBOHYDRATE 36.9g

Cooking Light, JANUARY 2003

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.