CSA 2014 Week 2

Image from Scotch Hill Farm, Broadhead, WI

Week 2 Bounty:
Early onions
Endive
Red iceberg lettuce
Gold potatoes
Spicy greens mix
Asparagus
Lettuce mix
Hakurai turnips
Radishes
Goat cheese



Meal 1:  (asparagus, potatoes)
Skillet Asparagus
2 lbs. asparagus
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Rinse asparagus in cold water and trim off tough ends of stalks. Put butter in a heavy skillet with a tight-fitting lid and heat until butter is foaming. Lay asparagus in the pan and shake from side to side to coat asparagus gently with melted butter; cover tightly and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes. Check asparagus and turn as needed to make sure the stalks cook evenly and don't burn. Continue cooking 5 minutes longer, or until asparagus is tender but still crisp and bright green. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve hot. * Recipe from saveur.com

Baked Potato Chips
1 1/2 pounds unpeeled potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Place the potatoes into a mixing bowl, and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with kosher salt, black pepper, Parmesan cheese, and thyme leaves. Toss to evenly coat, and transfer to a 9x13-inch baking dish.
Bake in the preheated oven until the potatoes are golden brown on the edges and tender when pierced with a fork, about 1 hour. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Cheddar Wurst


Meal #2: (endive, tomato, garlic)
One pizza was more kid-friendly, as they don't care for goat cheese, and the other was something new for us. We used pesto and added tomato sauce for the pancetta pizza. It was fabulous! Both were great! We prepared them both the same, just a few different ingredients.

Pizza with Endive and Pancetta
Pizza with Endive and Goat Cheese

1 unbaked pizza crust (we love Trader Joe's whole wheat)
6 tablespoons prepared pesto sauce3 roma tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 (8 ounce) package seasoned goat cheese (we seasoned our own)
2 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup fresh arugula (or endive)
1 teaspoon olive oil
Preheat oven according to pizza package instructions. Dab pesto onto the center of the pizza base, and spread toward the outer edges. Cut the goat cheese into thin coins, and spread or crumble across the pizza. Arrange tomato slices over goat cheese. Sprinkle with garlic. Brush the crust edges lightly with olive oil. Place pizza directly on preheated oven rack. Bake for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the crust edges are golden. After taking pizza out of the oven, allow to cool for a few minutes so that the cheese has time to set. After a couple of minutes, cover the pizza with a few handfuls of arugula/endive. Cut, serve, and enjoy! * Recipe from collmarie at allrecipes.com

Meal #3 (sweet potatoes, early onions, lettuce)
Sweet Potato Latkes
1 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and coarsely grated
2 scallions, finely chopped
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup vegetable oil
Stir together potatoes, scallions, flour, eggs, salt, and pepper.
Heat oil in a deep 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Working in batches of 4, spoon 1/8 cup potato mixture per latke into oil and flatten to 3-inch diameter with a slotted spatula. Reduce heat to moderate and cook until golden, about 1 1/2 minutes on each side. Transfer latkes with spatula to paper towels to drain. * Recipe from gourmet via epicurious.com

Hamburgers

Salad
Meal #4 (turnips, radishes, leek)
This was supposed to be a daikon omelette.  I used all of the turnips and radishes from the share and finely grated them.  
Turnip Omelette1/3 of a medium-size daikon, peeled, then finely grated or thinly sliced (refer to photo for size); 1 green onion, finely diced
1 egg, lightly whisked; salt and white pepper
Add some oil to the pan and when oil is heated, add in green onions and daikon and fry briskly. Allow the daikon to cook (about 5-8 mins) in the pan, moving them around in the pan, to prevent strips from sticking together. Add about 2 pinch of salt and dash of white pepper to the daikon and fry well in the pan. When daikon strips start browning in the pan, add in the whisked egg evenly around the pan, to form a round omelette shape. (Note: If you have a non-stick pan, it is easier to get a perfect round omelette shape without much control of the heat. If you are using a stainless-steel wok like me, it is ok, just don't move the omelette so much and make sure the heat of the pan is maintained at medium, NOT low). Wait till the underside of the egg is slightly browned, then flip the egg over, or break the omelette into several big pieces in the pan to get the other sides get cooked evenly and thoroughly. * Recipe from teczcape.blogspot.com
Pork Sausages (that we picked up at Scotch Hill Farm)

Other (greens)

Salad with leftovers

Greens - rinsed, removed stems, steamed with a bit of water, pureed and frozen into cubes

CSA 2014 Week 1

Image from Scotch Hill Farm, Broadhead, WI

Week 1 Bounty:
Nancy butterhead bibb lettuce
Spinach
Norland Red potatoes
Curly cress
Leeks
Spicy greens mix
Oregano
Leaf lettuce mix
Romaine lettuce
Bok choi
Pink beauty radishes


A new season of vegetables!  They are all so beautiful.  When we bring home our bag of vegetables I love to have my kids help inspect them and prepare them for the fridge.  We talk about what we will eat first, what might not last long and what we are really excited to eat.  This week I was most excited about all of the gorgeous salad greens.

We usually embrace many Italian traditions that we learned while living in Italia.  One of these is eating the salad at the end of the meal.  It is supposed to be very good for digestion.  I never have any problem with this, as my family thinks that I am part rabbit, and will grab a handful of lettuce and eat it as is.  However, by the end of the meal the kids usually tell us they are too full for salad.  So we have started serving the salad at the beginning and found a dressing/topping that each likes and guess what?  They actually eat their salads!  It is ridiculously exciting!

The stir fry actually got an "mmmmm" from Greysen.  This kid is so picky that I have actually often wondered why I put so much effort into good food for my family.  But I keep on trying, so these victories, though not frequent, are so important to me.

The other big surprise of the week was the radish dip.  We had to throw something together quite quickly for a dance recital reception and I found with this recipe.  Allen raced to the store for cream cheese and a very delicious vegetable and cracker dip was made.  It was so good that I cannot wait to make it again!


Meal #1: lettuce, cress, sweet potatoes
Pan-fried Sweet Potatoes
Dice potatoes and fry in pan on medium low heat with olive oil until crisp. We add salt and seasonings (sometimes clove, sometimes tarragon or an Italian spice mix).
Hot Dogs
Salad
We use Newman's Own salad dressings.  My favorite is just oil and vinegar, but my family also thinks that I am part rabbit because I will just eat raw lettuce with nothing on it.  We usually have some nuts, seeds or sesame sticks, cress and other toppings available for each of us to create our own salad.  I found that when I make a single kind of salad inevitably someone will not like it.

Meal #2: spinach, lettuce
This slow cooker recipe was an organic creation of Allen's, so I apologize that there are no specific directions.  He just threw things in the crockpot and turned it on.  This would only end in disaster for me, but he can make it work.
  
Slow Cooker Fish, Mushroom and Quinoa
Butter
Prosecco
White fish
Salt
Pepper
Garlic
Mushrooms
Spinach
Truffle oil
Onion
Quinoa
Seasoning salt
Salad (see notes above)

Meal #3: bok choi
Stir-Fried  Bok Choi with Ginger and Garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
8 cups chopped fresh bok choy
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
Salt and ground black pepper
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger and cook 1 minute. Add bok choy and soy sauce cook 3 to 5 minutes, until greens are wilted and stalks are crisp-tender. Season, to taste, with salt and black pepper.  Served with pan cooked pieces of chicken, brown rice and cashews.  * Recipe from Robin Miller at foodnetwork.com

Meal #4: lettuce
Risotto Tartufo
This is risotto with black truffles, a favorite of ours from Italia.  This is a cheat - a delicious box we found at Costco that is the closest we've gotten here to the real thing!
Salsiccia
Northern Italian sausage (with no fennel).  We have them specially made at the local meat market.  I like them best grilled the way our friends did in Italia, butterflied.  So delicious!
Salad (see notes above)

Side: radishes, garlic, spinach 
Radish Dip
4 cloves garlic, peeled
6 radishes, quartered (just used whole bunch from share)

Handful of spinach
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

Creole spice blend

Salt to taste
Place garlic in the container of a food processor, and pulse until finely minced. Add radishes and spinach and mince. Add cream cheese, and mix until well blended. Add spices to taste. Transfer to a serving dish, and chill until serving. * Recipe adapted from kgonier at allrecipes.com

Other: radish greens, spicy greens, oregano, potatoes
radish greens - steamed, pureed and frozen (to use later in sauces, eggs, smoothies, etc)
spicy greens - steamed, pureed and frozen 
oregano - hung to dry
potatoes - leftover

CSA 2013 Winter Share 2

I am finally getting back to writing after taking off the entire winter/spring.  I did not realize that while I had written this back in November, I had never officially posted it.  So here is the end of last season before I begin anew.

Winter Share 2 Bounty:
Thyme
Brussel's sprouts
Leaf lettuce mix 

Cutting celery (smaller, heirloom variety)
Spicy greens mix
Bright Lights Chard
Green tomatoes
Buttercup squash
Beets
Collards
Kale
Bok choi
White turnips
Onions
Carrots

Garlic

Red Norland potatoes (about 5 lbs.)
Some delicious extras: 

Dela's spiced crab apples
Dela's salsa
Gift of cream cheese from our goat milk
A bar of Dela's goat milk soap 

Meal #1: (carrots, onion)
Moroccan Carrot Soup 
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
1 cup chopped white onion
1 pound large carrots, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch dice (about 2 2/3 cups)
2 1/2 cups low-salt chicken broth
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 cup plain yogurt, stirred to loosen
Melt butter in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 2 minutes. Mix in carrots. Add broth; bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until carrots are very tender, about 20 minutes. Stir cumin seeds in small skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant, 4 to 5 minutes; cool. Finely grind in spice mill. Remove soup from heat. Puree in batches in blender until smooth. Return to same pan. Whisk in honey, lemon juice, and allspice. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls. Drizzle yogurt over; sprinkle generously with cumin. *Recipe from Bon Appetit

Meal #2: (chard, garlic, parsley)

Chard and Rosemary Pesto 

served with Chicken and Gnocchi
Kosher salt
10 ounces dried, shaped whole-wheat pasta, such as fusilli
5 to 6 stems dark green Swiss chard (see headnote)
Several stems flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons packed rosemary leaves
4 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, or more as needed
1/2 cup pine nuts (2.4 ounces)
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, or as needed
Freshly ground black pepper
Bring a pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add a generous pinch of salt, then the pasta. Cook for 5 minutes less than the package directs (to keep the pasta from getting mushy), taste-testing a piece for al-dente doneness. Meanwhile, separate the chard leaves from their ribs and stems, reserving the stems for another use if desired and stuffing the leaves into a food processor as you work. Pluck enough parsley leaves to yield 1/4 cup packed and enough rosemary leaves to yield 2 packed tablespoons, and place them both in the food processor. Smash and peel the garlic cloves, then place them in the food processor along with the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and pine nuts. Pulse until finely chopped; stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl. With the motor running, gradually add the oil to form a well-incorporated pesto. Taste, and add cheese if needed. Season with salt and/or pepper to taste. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Return the pasta to the pot (off the heat). Add all of the pesto and 1/4 cup of the cooking water, tossing to coat evenly. If the pesto seems too thick, stir in some or all of the remaining cooking water. Divide among wide, shallow bowls. Serve right away, with more cheese at the table. * Recipe from The Washington Post

Meal #3: (spicy greens)
Mahi Mahi and Spicy greens mix served over nachos

We didn't use a recipe, but threw in what we thought were "taco seasonings." I steamed the greens and finely chopped them.
Meal #4: (celery, sweet potato)
Turkey Wild Rice Soup 
1/2 cup butter, cubed
2 carrots, finely chopped
2 celery ribs, finely chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups chicken or turkey broth
2 cups cooked wild rice
2 cups cubed cooked turkey
2 cups half-and-half cream
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
In a Dutch oven, heat butter over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, celery and onion; cook and stir until tender. Stir in flour until blended; cook until bubbly. Gradually whisk in broth. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in the remaining ingredients; return to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Yield: 12 servings (about 3 quarts). * Recipe from Taste of Home

Meal #4: (brussels sprouts, sweet potato)
Carmelized Brussels Sprouts
1 pound brussels sprouts
2-3 tablespoons olive oilA few heavy pinches of sea salt and/or other seasonings
Trim your sprouts if they have too much stem. Then steam them in skillet for 6-7 minutes until they are just beginning to turn bright green. Next you need to brown them in a shallow skillet with olive oil over medium/high heat. Lay them in the pan in one layer and just let them cook for 4-5 minutes. You can shake the pan a bit to make sure they don’t stick, but resist the temptation to flip them early. You want to get them slightly crispy, but try not too burn them. Then flip and cook an additional 3 minutes. Drizzle on more olive oil as needed, sprinkle on the sea salt or other seasonings. We cook until nicely browned.

Truffle Mac
2 1/4 cups 1% low-fat milk, divided
2 cups sliced onion (about 1 medium)
1 bay leaf
12 ounces uncooked elbow macaroni
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded fontina cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Comte or Gruyere cheese
1 1/2 teaspoons white truffle oil
2 ounces French bread baguette, torn
2 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tablespoon olive oil
Heat 1 3/4 cups milk, onion, and bay leaf in a large saucepan to 180° or until tiny bubbles form around edges (do not boil). Cover and remove from heat; let stand 15 minutes. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Strain milk mixture through a colander over a bowl; discard solids. Return milk to saucepan over medium heat. Combine remaining 1/2 cup milk and flour in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Gradually stir flour mixture and salt into warm milk, stirring constantly with a whisk. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring frequently; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; let stand 6 minutes or until mixture cools to 155°. Gradually add fontina and Comté cheeses, stirring until cheeses melt. Stir in pasta and truffle oil. Spoon mixture into a 2-quart broiler-safe glass or ceramic baking dish. Preheat broiler. Place bread, Parmesan cheese, and garlic in a food processor; process until coarse crumbs form. Drizzle with olive oil; pulse until fine crumbs form. Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture over pasta. Place dish on middle rack in oven; broil 2 minutes or until golden brown. * Recipe from Ann Taylor Pittman, Cooking Light

Glazed Ham

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons chopped thyme
1 (12-to 14-pounds) boneless or semiboneless fully cooked ham at room temperature 1 hour
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup mild honey
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Melt butter with thyme and let stand until ready to use. Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in lower third. Peel off and discard any rind or skin from ham, leaving 1/4 inch of fat on ham. Score fat on top of ham in a crosshatch pattern without cutting into meat. Put ham on a rack in a large roasting pan. Cover ham with parchment paper, then cover roasting pan with foil. Bake 1 3/4 hours. Meanwhile, boil vinegar in a small saucepan until reduced to about 1 tablespoon. Remove from heat and whisk in honey, Worcestershire sauce, and thyme butter. Let honey glaze stand until ham has baked 1 3/4 hours. Discard foil and parchment from ham. If there is no liquid in roasting pan, add 1 cup water (liquid will prevent glaze from burning in pan). Brush ham with half of honey glaze, then bake, uncovered, 30 minutes. Brush with remaining glaze and bake until glaze is deep golden-brown and ham is heated through, about 30 minutes more. * Recipe from epicurious.com

 

Other

Thyme - hung to dry
Squash, Beets, Turnips, Collards - steamed and pureed and frozen
Bok Choi - blanched and frozen
Potatoes - we eventually used these, finely chopped, cooked in olive oil