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

CSA 2013 Winter Share 1

Winter Share 1 Bounty:

Green tomatoes 
Turnips (and greens)

Onions
Acorn Squash
Kohlrabi
Garlic
Carrots 

Leaf lettuce Mix

Broccoli spears

Peppers

Spicy Greens Mix (brassicas, oriental kale, purple kale)

Gold Potatoes

Cilantro

Red Cabbage

Bright Lights Chard

Kale

Bok Choi

Collard Greens

Dilled pickles in a glass canning jar 
Tomato sauce in a glass canning jar

Meal #1: (tomatoes, potatoes, turnips, onions, squash, kohlrabi, garlic, carrots)

Image from whatwouldcathyeat.com

Slow Cooker Moroccan Chickpea and Vegetable Stew
I used all carrots from share, two small squashes (which I pre-roasted so that I could scoop out the meat), and I added turnips, turnip greens and kohlrabi.  I doubled the broth and spices to balance the recipe.  When it was all cooked I put it in the Ninja and pulsed it a few times.  We served it over whole wheat couscous. Everyone devoured it.  Definitely a recipe to make again.  Fortunately, we still have leftovers and two more containers that went into the freezer!  

2 large carrots, cut into bite-sized pieces (or a big handful of baby carrots) 
1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed
2 small gold potatoes 

(I also added turnips and greens and kohlrabi)
2 cups soaked dried chickpeas (or 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed)
14 oz. diced tomatoes with juices
2 c vegetable broth
2 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon curry powder
½ teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon ginger
1 cinnamon stick
4 large cloves garlic
1 yellow onion diced
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
Place carrots, butternut squash, potatoes, chickpeas, and tomatoes in the slow cooker. Add vegetable broth, spices, salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Cover and cook at low heat for 6 hours or until vegetables and beans are tender. Taste and add more salt and pepper and spices if more flavor is desired. Serve over rice or couscous or with flatbread. Sprinkle with cilantro, almonds, and raisins. * Recipe from yummymummykitchen.com

Meal #2 (onion, carrot, garlic, bok choi, tomatoes, mushrooms)
I modified this for the crock pot. We used the entire duck, inerds removed. Put all other ingredients on the bottom of crockpot and placed the duck on top. Cooked for 3 hours on high, checked that inner temperature was 185 degrees Fahrenheit.  Then we removed the skin and bones and placed meat in our Kitchen Ninja and pulsed a few times to shred the meat.  We used an immersion blender to puree the vegetables and stock.  Then combined and served over pasta.  Love, love, LOVE this dish!

Image from thepalladiantraveler.com

Bigoli al'anatra (Duck Bigoli)
4 duck legs and thighs, skin removed
4 tablespoons virgin olive oil
1 medium Spanish onion, chopped into 1/4-inch dice
1 medium carrot, peeled and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
1 stalk celery, chopped into 1/4-inch dice (substituted bok choi stems)
8 ounces red wine (Chianti preferred)
1 (28-ounce can) tomatoes, peeled whole
1 cup chicken stock
2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
Salt and freshly ground black pepper Wash the duck legs and remove all fat. Pat dry. In a heavy-bottomed casserole or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil until smoking. Add the duck legs and cook until brown on all sides and remove, about 10 to 12 minutes. Add the onion, carrot, garlic and celery and cook until softened, about 7 to 9 minutes. Add the wine, tomatoes, chicken stock and dried mushrooms and bring to a boil. Add the duck legs and return to a boil, lower the heat, cover and allow to simmer for 1 hour. Remove the duck legs and allow to cool. Pull all meat off the bones and return to pot, without the bones. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, or until quite thick. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. Fill a large pot with 6 quarts water and add 2 tablespoons salt. Cook bigoli until "al dente", about 8 to 9 minutes. Heat the sauce, drain pasta and toss in pan. Toss to coat and serve immediately. * Recipe from Mario Batali

Meal #3 (chard)
Chard and Bacon Pasta
We pan-cooked the bacon until crispy and removed from the pan onto a paper towel.  Then we sauteed the chard in the bacon grease.  We crumbled the bacon into the chard and served it over pasta. Salt and pepper as needed.

Side #1 (leaf lettuce mix)

Side salad with chia seeds and olive oil and balsamic vinagrette.  We shared this at a dinner with friends.

Side #2 (kale)
Baked Kale Chips
(Served with leftovers)
1 head kale, washed and thoroughly dried
2 tablespoons olive oil
Sea salt, for sprinkling
Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F. Remove the ribs from the kale and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Lay on a baking sheet and toss with the olive oil and salt. Bake until crisp, turning the leaves halfway through, about 20 minutes. Serve as finger food. * Recipe from Melissa d'Arabian at foodnetwork.com

Other (spicy greens, collard greens, cilantro)
Greens - steamed, pureed and frozen (we add to sauces and eggs, etc.)
Cilantro - frozen

Bread
A new endeavor, making homemade bread.  It has been wonderful.  I found a great recipe and modified it based on the comments.  * The whole family has been eating solely this bread for the past two months.  Everyone enjoys it.  I have forgotten the yeast once and lost count on cups of flour while dealing with a child "emergency," but all other attempts have been perfect.  It is great with sandwiches and toast.  
100% Whole Wheat Bread
For 1 1/2 lb. bread machine (2 lb.)
1 1/4 cups water (1 2/3 c)
2 tablespoons (7/8 ounce) olive or vegetable oil (2 T + 2 t)
1/4 cup honey or maple syrup (1/3 c)
3 cups (14 ounces) 100% White Whole Wheat or Traditional Whole Wheat Flour (3 1/2 c)
1/4 cup oats (1/3 c)

1/4 cup wheat bran (1/3 c)

1/4 cup sunflower, sesame or flax seeds, or a combination (I used ground flax) (1/3 c)
1 tablespoon vital wheat gluten (1 T + 1 t)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt (2 t)

1/4 cup bakers dry milk (1/3 c)
2 teaspoons instant yeast
Put all of the ingredients into the bread pan in the order listed. Program for basic white bread, and press Start. * Recipe adapted from kingarthurflour.com

CSA 2013 Week 20

Week 20 Bounty:
Brussels Sprouts
Assorted tomatoes
Peppers
Greens Mix
Beets
Yellow Potatoes
Onions
Eggplant
Winter Squash
Arugula
Kale


It has been a while and I just realized that I failed to ever post about our last regular season share.  All of these dishes were superb.  The chili is a mainstay at our house.  The Pizza with Arugula we have enjoyed previously, but this time we added prosciutto.  The truffled mashed potatoes were scrumptious.  It really was one wonderful meal after another!

Meal #1 (chard, garlic, onion, kale)
Stir Fried Swiss Chard with Spicy Honey Cashew Sauce2 tbsp olive oil
4 garlic cloves, pressed with a garlic press
1 medium size onion, sliced
4 kale leaves, roughly chopped
2 Swiss chard leaves, roughly chopped
1 carrot, julienned
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp garam masala
4 green onion stalks, minced
8 fresh basil leaves, torn
1/2 cup cashews (I used raw, unsalted), chopped well
1 inch nub of ginger, grated
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp Sriracha (substituted chili pepper)
Chop the cashews with a nut chopper or food processor until broken into teeny, tiny pieces and some particles are powdery. In a small bowl, mix well together the ginger, honey, and soy sauce. Heat a small nonstick pan over medium heat. When the pan is hot, toast the cashew pieces for about 2 minutes until fragrant and golden. Stir often to avoid getting the cashews burnt. Pour the wet mixture all over the cashews and turn the heat down to medium low. Stir well for about a minute, making sure all cashew pieces are coated with the sauce. Add the Sriracha and stir for another minute. Move pan away from heat. Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot, sauté the garlic until fragrant and golden brown. Throw in the onions and sauté until soft and almost caramelized, about 4 minutes. Toss in the kale and Swiss chard and cook, stirring often, until it wilts, about 3 minutes. Add the carrots and cook for 2 minutes, stir often. Mix in the spice mixture and stir well. Turn off the burner and remove pan from heat. Throw in the green onions and basil leaves, mix well. We mixed the nuts and greens together and served over rice. * Recipe adapted from Let's Cook and Be Friends blog

Image from annmariavolpi.com

Meal #2 (arugula, basil)
Pizza con Rucola/Arugula
Whole wheat Trader Joe's pizza crust
Frozen pesto cubes from the freezer, thawed
Sliced fresh mozzarellla

Prosciutto
Arugula
Spread pesto on crust, added mozzarella slices and prosciutto and baked at 400 degrees for 12 minutes. Added arugula just before serving.

Meal #3 (brussels sprouts, garlic, scallions)

Pork and Brussels Sprouts Stir Fry

3 tablespoons oil1/2 pound boneless pork loin chops, cut into 1/4-inch thick strips
1 pound brussels sprouts, halved2 scallions, whites and greens sliced separately
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
Heat 1 tbsp. oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; add pork and cook until golden; transfer to plate. Add remaining 2 tbsp. oil and sprouts to pan; cook, stirring occasionally, until brown and tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Add scallion whites and garlic; cook 1 minute. Add soy sauce, brown sugar and 1/4 cupwater; cook until sauce is slightly thickened. Return pork to pan and toss to coat. Top with scallion greens. *Recipe from rachelraymag.com

Meal #4 (tomatoes, bell peppers, garlic)

Image from kalynskitchen.com

Vegetarian Black Bean Chili

3 cans black beans
2 yellow or green bell peppers
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
5 to 6 medium-sized garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon lime juice
two 4 oz. canned diced green chiles (or 1-2 medium-sized minced Anaheim or poblano chiles)
2 teaspoons dried basil (or 1 tablespoon fresh basil)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
black pepper and cayenne pepper to taste
1/2 cup tomato puree
Heat oil in skillet. Add garlic and all other seasonings, lime juice, bell peppers, and chiles. Sauté over medium heat until peppers and chiles are tender (about 15 minutes). Add sauté to beans and tomato puree. Simmer covered over low heat for about 20 min., stirring occasionally. Serve with dollop of light sour cream, sprinkle of cheese, or without any toppings. We served with taco chips. *Recipe from FitSugar.com.

Side (potatoes)

I do not even remember what we served this with, but know that we still have some in the freezer and I cannot wait to break them out again!  We used real black truffle, shaved, that we brought back from a trip to Italy last year.  We spent $20 on what would cost us around $100 for the same here in the U.S.  As for the recipe, we cut out the dill as we wanted to just let the truffle work it's magic!

Rustic Truffled Mashed Potatoes with Garlic and Dill

2 pounds Idaho russet potatoes (~4 big ones, wash but do not peel)
1 heaping teaspoon table salt
4-5 garlic cloves, peeled
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 tablespoons truffle oil (yes, I know it is ridiculously expensive!)
1 tablespoon fresh chopped dill (or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried dill weed)
Scant 1/2 teaspoon flaked sea salt (may need more)
Grinding of fresh black pepper
A fresh black truffle, if you can afford it (optional)
Place potatoes and salt in medium pot. Fill with water so it comes to about 1-1 1/2 inches above potatoes, and bring to a boil. Throw in garlic cloves, partially cover pot and turn heat down so it is just boiling (not furiously boiling). Boil 18-20 minutes. Remove lid and poke a bamboo tester or toothpick into potatoes to make sure they are done. If done, drain water and leave potatoes and garlic in the pot. To the pot, add butter, oil, dill, salt and pepper, and mash a bit with a potato masher. Put lid back on pot and let potatoes rest about 3-5 minutes, so butter can fully melt into the hot potatoes. Uncover pot and mash with potato masher further, until you have desired consistency. I like to leave them a bit rustic; not too smooth. As you mash, the potato skin will break up charmingly. Taste and adjust for salt, adding a bit more if you need it. Remember, you can always add more salt, but it is difficult to repair a dish that is too salty, so go slow on the salt. Put lid on pot and let rest until serving time. At serving time, grate some fresh truffle over each mound of mashed potatoes on plates, and be sure to serve with a dramatic flourish. If you don’t have fresh truffle, that’s OK. There will still be plenty of truffle flavor infused from the truffle oil. Just make a mental note to save up for a fresh truffle, at least once in your life. Serves 4-6, depending on appetites. * Recipe from shockinglydelicious.com

Other (beets, eggplant, sqush, greens)
Beets roasted, pureed and frozen
Eggplant roasted, pureed and frozen
Squash roasted, pureed and frozen
Greens, steamed, pureed and frozen

CSA 2013 Week 16

Week 16 Bounty:

Peppers
Squash
Zucchini
Cabbage
Okra
Hercules carrots
Green beans
Beedy Camden's Kale
Spicy greens mix
Assorted tomatoes
* Image from Scotch Hill Farm, Broadhead, WI

Meal #1 (beets, carrots)
Roasted Chicken and Beets With Couscous and Yogurt Sauce

2 1/4 pounds chicken drumsticks and thighs (8 total)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
3 tablespoons olive oil
kosher salt and black pepper
2 pounds beets, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch wedges (I also added carrots)
1 cup couscous
3/4 cup plain yogurt
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, plus wedges for serving
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
Heat oven to 425° F. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the chicken with the cumin, paprika, 1 tablespoon of the oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. On a second rimmed baking sheet, toss the beets with the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Roast, tossing the beets once, until the beets are tender and the chicken is cooked through, 30 to 35 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the couscous according to the package directions.
In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, lime juice, and cilantro. Serve the chicken with the couscous, beets, yogurt sauce, and lime wedges. * Recipe from realsimple.com

Meal #2 (spicy greens, potatoes)
Salmon in Lemon Brodetto with Greens Puree
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 shallot, diced
2 lemons, juiced
1 lemon, zested
2 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves
2 cups frozen peas, thawed (about 10 ounces) - I used the spicy greens
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
1 clove garlic
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
Salmon:
1/4 cup olive oil
4 (4 to 6-ounce) pieces salmon
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
To make the Lemon Brodetto, warm the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots and saute until tender, about 7 minutes. Add the lemon juice, zest, and broth. Bring to a simmer, and keep warm, covered, over low heat. To make the Puree, combine the greens, mint, garlic, salt, and pepper in a food processor and puree. With the machine running, add the olive oil in a steady drizzle. Transfer the puree to a small bowl and stir in the Parmesan. Set aside.To make the Salmon, warm the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over high heat. Season the salmon pieces with salt and pepper. Sear the salmon until a golden crust forms, about 4 to 5 minutes on the first side. Flip the fish and continue cooking until medium-rare, about 2 minutes more depending on the thickness of the fish. To assemble the dish, add the tablespoon chopped mint to the Lemon Brodetto and divide between 4 shallow dishes. Place a large spoonful of Puree into the center of each bowl. Place a salmon piece atop each mound of Puree. Serve immediately. * Recipe adapted from Giada De Laurentiis at foodnetwork.com

Pan-Fried Potatoes
Diced or chopped potatoes
Olive oil
Seasonings
Heat olive oil in pan. Add potatoes. Cook until desired. We like them brown and crunchy. We add salt and seasoning a few minutes before they are finished.

Meal #3 (squash, zucchini)
Cheesy Zucchini Quinoa
1 3/4 cups vegetable broth or water
1 medium zucchini, grated (1 zucchini and 1 small squash)
1 cup cheddar, shredded (I used 1.5 cups of mild brick)

(I added a can of garbanzo beans, drained)
Salt and pepper to taste
Bring the quinoa and broth to a boil over medium heat, reduce the heat and simmer covered until the broth has been absorbed and the quinoa is tender,about 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat and mix in the zucchini, cheese, salt and pepper. * Recipe from closetcooking.com
Other (kale, green beans, okra)
Fruit and Veggie Shake
Add kale, lots of fruit (anything we have on hand: watermelon, cantalope, pineapple, apricot, kiwi, mulberries). Add a little whole fruit juice and coconut water and blend. Occasionally I add yogurt.

"Bean" Dip

1 cup cashews
2 cups green beans, cleaned and ends removed
2 Tbsp lemon juice
3 Tbsp oil (I used olive)
2 tsp onion powder
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
Dash cayenne pepper
Soak 1 cup cashews in water for 30 minutes. Drain most of liquid, but not all. Puree 1 cup soaked Cashews into a paste. Leave cashew paste in your food processor or blender and add the remaining ingredients. Puree everything together until well blended. * Recipe adapted from www.addictedtoveggies.com

Easy Indian Style Okra (for the freezer)
1 pound sliced fresh okra (about 1/2 inch thick)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon garam masala
salt to taste
1 medium onion, chopped
3 Tablespoons oil
Place the sliced okra in a large ziploc bag, add cumin, ginger, coriander, garam masala, pepper and salt. Freeze. When ready to eat, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, and cook until tender. Add frozen, spiced okra and stir for a few minutes, then reduce the heat to medium-low, and cover the pan. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until okra is tender. It may take longer depending on size of okra. *Recipe adapted from CALIGAL76 at allrecipes.com

Leftover 
Peppers, cabbage, tomatoes

CSA 2013 Week 15

Week 15 Bounty:
Squash
Tomatoes
Peppers
Green beans
Cabbage
Bok choi
Chard
Beets
Cilantro
Melon

Meal #1 (cucumber, carrot, sweet potato)
This was for our Good Food Club. Four couples who just enjoy great food and want to try new things.  The theme for this dinner was Chile.  We also enjoyed empanadas, cherry-glazed chicken, and tres leches cake that our friends provided.  The Cucumber/Carrot Salad used a lot of chili powder for our taste.  It was very powerful for everyone in our group, but still good.  If I make it again, I will cut the chili in half.  The sopaipillas were fantastic and I can't wait to make them again.

Chilean Cucumber and Carrot Salad
1 cucumber, sliced
2 carrots, sliced
1 fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon chili powder, can use more if you like
salt, to taste
red pepper, to taste (optional)
Toss sliced veggies with fresh lime juice and sprinkle with chili powder. Adjust the seasoning to your own taste and serve. This salad does not hold well so please enjoy right away. * Recipe from Debbwl at food.com

Chilean Style Sopaipilla
9 ounces zapallo squash (we used sweet potato)
4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons butter, melted
2 cups canola oil for pan-frying
Peel, seed, and cut the zapallo into chunks. Place in a saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook until zapallo is soft and easily pierced with a fork, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and allow to cool slightly.
Mix the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a mixing bowl, and set aside. Stir together the squash and melted butter. Stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture until blended. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until soft and satiny, adding a little more flour if necessary. Cover dough with a towel and allow to rest 15 minutes.
Roll out the dough to 1/8 inch thick, and cut into 3 inch diameter circles. Poke each circle a few times with a fork to make holes and prevent rising.
Pour vegetable oil into a large, deep skillet and heat over medium-high heat until hot, 385 degrees F (195 degrees C). Place several of the dough circles into hot oil; cook until lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Cook remainder of dough circles in batches. * Recipe from allrecipes.com

Meal #2 (chard, bok choi) 

This was really very, very good!
Stir Fry with Mahi Mahi and Bok choi
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Four 6-ounce filets Mahi Mahi
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
4 bok choy (about 3 pounds total), cut crosswise into 1-inch-/2.5-cm-wide ribbons
½ cup raw macadamia nuts, sliced (I used cashews)
½ cup thinly sliced green onions
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juicePlace a large nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle 2 tablespoons/30 ml of oil over the pan. Sprinkle the filets with salt and pepper. Place the filets in the pan and cook for about 4 minutes per side or until golden brown on the outside and just cooked through.
Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons/30 ml of oil in a large wok over medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger and sauté for 30 seconds or until fragrant and tender.
Add the bok choy and stir fry for 5 to 10 minutes or until the green parts of the bok choy have wilted and the white parts are crisp-tender. Season the bok choy to taste with salt.
Divide the bok choy evenly among 4 serving plates. Remove the filets from the pan and place them atop the bok choy. Gently wipe out the nonstick sauté pan and return it to the heat. Place the macadamia nuts in the pan and stir for about 2 minutes or until golden brown.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon/15 ml of olive oil, the green onions, and lemon juice and sauté for 2 minutes or until the onions soften slightly. Remove from the heat and spoon the nut mixture over the fish and serve. * Recipe from the Take Home Chef

Other (tomatoes, beet greens, chard, melon, cilantro)

Tomato Bruschetta 
Tomatoes, seeds removed
Garlic
Basil
Olive oil
Put in food processor and serve with crackers, chips or toasted bread.

Fruit and Veggie Shake
We used the chard greens, beet greens, lots of fruit (anything we have on hand: watermelon, cantalope, pineapple, apricot, kiwi, mulberries). Add a little whole fruit juice and coconut water and blend. Occasionally I add yogurt.

Melon eaten with lunches

Cilantro, chopped and frozen

Leftover 

beets, green beans, cabbage, squash

CSA 2013 Week 14

Image from Scotch Hill Farm, Broadhead, WI

Week 14 Bounty:
Tomatoes
Arugula
Peppers
Melon
Squash
Okra
Green beans
Basil
Cucumber
Chard

Meal #1 (squash, eggplant)
We enjoyed these with some Italian sausages.  They were delicious.  We make sure to make them small and thin so they crisp up or the kids don't like them.

Zucchini/Eggplant Cakes
1 whole Large Zucchini
1 Tablespoon Minced Garlic
1/2 cup (to 3/4 Cup) Breadcrumbs
1/2 cup 4-cheese Italian Blend (or Parmesan Or Romano)
2 whole Eggs
Kosher Salt To Taste
Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
Olive Oil
Wash and cut the end off of one large zucchini. Shred it using the large holes of a cheese grater. Squeeze the shredded zucchini inside of a clean towel until you’ve removed as much liquid as possible. Place shredded zucchini into a medium sized bowl. Add minced garlic, breadcrumbs, cheese (shredded), eggs, kosher salt and pepper to taste. Stir with a fork until well mixed. Heat olive oil (about ¼ inch deep in bottom of skillet) to a medium heat. When the oil is hot enough drop a glob of zucchini batter into the skillet and flatten it a bit. After about two minutes, turn the cakes over ( they should be nice golden-brown) and cook on the other side until done (about 2-3 minutes). Serve with the dipping sauce of your choice and enjoy!  *Recipe from thepioneerwoman.com

Meal #2 (arugula)

My husband, Allen, loves pizza with arugula and this effort was well worth it!
Pizza con Arugula

Whole wheat Trader Joe's pizza crust

Frozen pesto cubes from the freezer, thawed

Sliced fresh mozzarellla

Arugula

Spread pesto on crust, added mozzarella slices and baked at 400 degrees for 12 minutes.  Added arugula just before serving.

Meal #3 (chard, onion, garlic, parsley)

This was not a hit with the little ones, but Allen and I enjoyed it.
Honey Lemon Salmon with Parsley Rice and Swiss Chard
4 tbsp lemon juice, separated
1 tbsp honey (21g)
2 salmon fillets
About 1/2 lb raw Swiss chard, chopped
1/2 onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups of cooked rice
About 1/4 cup fresh parsley, separated
Kosher Salt
Cook rice according to package directions. Season salmon fillets with salt and pepper. In a separate pan, add 1 Tbsp of olive oil and onion slices. Heat on medium, stirring every so often so they don't stick or burn in the pan. When they start to get soft add the Swiss chard. Lower heat slightly. Toss occasionally as the Swiss chard cooks down. While the Swiss chard cooks, combine honey and lemon juice in a small bowl. Set aside. When the Swiss chard is tender transfer to a serving bowl. This process should take about 15-20 minutes. If you like very wilted Swiss chard add about 1/4 of water to pan when cooking to speed up the steaming process. Wipe out pan and add 1 tsp of olive oil. Heat on medium. When hot add salmon fillets. Cook for about 5 minutes on each side. When the salmon is almost done add the honey/lemon sauce to pan. Cook for about 1 minute longer for the sauce to thicken. Be care not to burn the honey (I turn the heat to low at this point). To plate add 1/2 of the Swiss chard to the center of the dish. Place salmon on top of the Swiss chard and top with a few sprinkles of fresh parsley.  Add remaining parsley to rice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve on the side. * Recipe from lifeonfood.blogspot.com

Sides (basil, garlic, green beans, okra)

Some fabulous repeats to stock up the freezer.
Basil Walnut Pesto
2 cups packed basil leaves
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
2 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons softened butter (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
Place basil, olive oil, walnuts, garlic and salt (if using) in food processor. Blend until thoroughly combined. Add Parmesan and butter (if using) and blend 5-10 seconds more. Just before serving, add 2 Tbsp of hot pasta water from cooked pasta. Serve over pasta with bread and salad.* Recipe by dahlia at Food.com

"Bean" Dip
1 cup cashews
2 cups green beans, cleaned and ends removed
2 Tbsp lemon juice
3 Tbsp oil (I used olive)
2 tsp onion powder
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
Dash cayenne pepper
Soak 1 cup cashews in water for 30 minutes. Drain most of liquid, but not all. Puree 1 cup soaked Cashews into a paste. Leave cashew paste in your food processor or blender and add the remaining ingredients. Puree everything together until well blended. * Recipe adapted from www.addictedtoveggies.com

Easy Indian Style Okra (for the freezer)
1 pound sliced fresh okra (about 1/2 inch thick)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon garam masala
salt to taste
1 medium onion, chopped
3 Tablespoons oil
Place the sliced okra in a large ziploc bag, add cumin, ginger, coriander, garam masala, pepper and salt. Freeze. When ready to eat, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, and cook until tender. Add frozen, spiced okra and stir for a few minutes, then reduce the heat to medium-low, and cover the pan. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until okra is tender. It may take longer depending on size of okra. *Recipe adapted from CALIGAL76 at allrecipes.com

Other (melon, tomatoes, cucumber)
Melon with lunch
Leftover - tomatoes and cucumber

CSA 2013 Week 12

*Image from Scotch Hill Farm, Broadhead, WI

Week 12 Bounty:

Beautiful Swiss chardSmall tomatoes
Large tomatoes
Melon
Beans
Squash
Large pepper
Small pepper
Broccoli
Cucumber
Corn

I never realized that I hadn't posted last week, so now here is this week one day early.  Our vegetable drawer is empty and we have barely taken up any room in the freezer yet.  We have been mostly staying on top of things and using recipes chock full of vegetables.  

Meal #1 (eggplant, squash, onion, garlic, tomato)

Tunisian Vegetable Ragout with Quinoa

We cut the raisins and threw it all in the crockpot on high for four hours.  Delicious!1 medium eggplant, cut into 1/2- to 1-inch cubes
1 large onion, halved and sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1 cinnamon stick
1 -2 teaspoons harissa or chili sauce (to taste)
1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
2 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced into 1/4-inch pieces
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, canned
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup vegetable broth
8 cherry tomatoes, halved (or 1 large tomato, coarsely chopped)
1 cup quinoa, well rinsed
2 cups vegetable broth, fatfree
1 clove garlic, minced
Cover a large plate with unbleached coffee filters. (4 cone-shaped filters fit a dinner plate perfectly.) Toss the eggplant in a bowl with a little salt, and arrange it on top of the filters. Microwave for about 8 minutes, while proceeding with the rest of the recipe. (Note: You can skip this step and sauté the eggplant along with the onion. Allow additional cooking time as needed to fully cook eggplant.) Sauté the onion in a large non-stick pot until it begins to brown, adding a little water if necessary to prevent sticking. Add the garlic, and cook for another minute. Add all spices, including cinnamon stick, and stir for another minute. Add the zucchini, canned tomatoes, chickpeas, raisins, and vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and add the eggplant and cherry tomatoes. Cover and cook on low while quinoa is cooking.
Heat a medium-sized nonstick pot. Add the rinsed quinoa, and cook, stirring, for a few minutes until the quinoa is fairly dry. Add the vegetable broth and garlic, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cover. Cook until quinoa absorbs all of the water, about 15 minutes. (If quinoa is tender and doesn’t seem to absorb all the water, remove the cover and turn up the heat for a few minutes.)
Remove cinnamon stick. Spread a bed of quinoa on each plate and top with ragout.  * Recipe from fatfreevegan.com

Meal #2 (broccoli)

Roasted Broccoli

This is one of the kids favorite vegetables.  They particularly like the leaves because they are like kale chips.  We served with pan-fried diced fingerling potatoes and emu sausages.  See Week 11.

Sides (chard, green beans, garlic, cucumbers, tomato, bell pepper, onion, parsley, cilantro, dill, melon, corn)

Fruit and Veggie Shake
We used a handful or two of mixed chard, lots of fruit (anything we have on hand: watermelon, cantalope, pineapple, apricot, kiwi, mulberries). Add a little whole fruit juice and coconut water and blend. Occasionally I add yogurt.

"Bean" Dip

This dip is simply delightful.  We enjoy it with crackers and some red wine.

1 cup cashews
2 cups green beans, cleaned and ends removed
2 Tbsp lemon juice
3 Tbsp oil (I used olive)
2 tsp onion powder
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
Dash cayenne pepper
Soak 1 cup cashews in water for 30 minutes. Drain most of liquid, but not all. Puree 1 cup soaked Cashews into a paste. Leave cashew paste in your food processor or blender and add the remaining ingredients. Puree everything together until well blended. * Recipe adapted from www.addictedtoveggies.com

Cucumber Salsa

This is really good.  I have one child who loves the Freezer Salsa and one who loves cucumbers, so this seems to satisfy them both!

2 medium cucumbers, peeled,seeded,chopped
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded,minced
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon fresh parsley, minced
2 teaspoons fresh cilantro, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
1/2 teaspoon salt
In a medium bowl stir together all ingredients. Cover and refrigerate at least one hour. Serve with tortilla chips. (I actually tossed it all in the Ninja (peeled and seeded) and with the touch of a button, it was done) * Recipe from Kaarin at food.com

Melon was enjoyed as a snack and the corn was cooked and frozen as in Week 11.

CSA 2013 Week 7

Week 7 Bounty:

Image from Scotch Hill Farm, Broadhead, WI

Onion
Shuyho long cucumber
Beets
H19 cucumbers
Garlic
Summer squash
Basil
Lettuce mix
Green beans
Broccoli

Allen and the kids and I visited the farm last Saturday to "help." I picked 11 pounds of green beans and helped weed/mow the carrot patch. We were only able to stay about 2 hours. I wish that we could have helped more, but we had two kids running circles around the farm. They helped very little, but were most entertained by the many animals and Tony's tractor ride. Dela and Tony were wonderful and welcoming and we hope to make it out there again! While there we purchased the new Farm-Fresh and Fast cookbook. It is amazing. Really beautiful layout and the recipes are so interesting. We tried the Chard Tacos, but I can't wait to try out more! These tacos are delicious and the kids both ate them, which is always a win. Meal #2 was shared with new friends and a wonderful time was had sharing fabulous food. 




Meal #1 (chard, onion)Black and Green Tacos
Mushrooms and Beans:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 large onion, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
1/2 pound crimini mushrooms, caps and stems thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 jalapeno, finely diced (used 1 teaspoon of frozen hot peppers from 2012)
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Greens:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
8 ounces mixed greens, cut into 1 inch strips (I used chard)
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 (8-inch) flour tortillas, warmed
1 large avocado, sliced
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded Cheddar
Mushrooms and Beans: In a medium pot, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the onion and saute for 5 minuts, stirring occasonally. Stir in the mushrooms, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and continue to saute for 5-8 minutes, or until the mushrooms and onion are soft. Stir in the jalapeno, black beans, cumin, and more salt if needed, and keep warm until the greens are finished.
Greens: Start the greens while the mushrooms and onion are softening. Heat the olive oil over medium-low heat in a large saute pan. Sprinkle in the crushed red pepper and heat for 1-2 minutes. Add the greens, sprinkle with salt, and saute for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, just until the greens wilt.
To Serve: Put the tortillas, mushrooms and beans, greens, avocado, sour cream, and Cheddar in separate serving dishes for individual taco assembly.
*Recipe from Farm-Fresh and Fast, page 173


Meal #2 (potatoes, broccoli, carrots)
Griglia Mista (Mixed Grilled Meats)
Ribs
Pork roast
Sirloin
Cheddarwurst

Pan-fried Potatoes
Diced or chopped potatoes 

Olive oil
Seasonings
Heat olive oil in pan. Add potatoes. Cook until desired. We like them brown and crunchy. We add salt and seasoning a few minutes before they are finished.

Roasted Carrots and Broccoli 

12 carrots, peeled and chopped 

Bunch of broccoli, with leaves and stems, chopped 

3 tablespoons good olive oil
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons minced fresh dill or parsley
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. If the carrots are thick, cut them in half lengthwise; if not, leave whole. Slice the carrots diagonally in 1 1/2-inch-thick slices. (The carrots will shrink while cooking so make the slices big.) Toss them in a bowl with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Transfer to a sheet pan in 1 layer and roast in the oven for 20 minutes, until browned and tender. Toss the carrots with minced dill or parsley, season to taste, and serve. * Recipe from Ina Garten at foodnetwork.com.

Unbelievable Coconut Brownies
1/2 cup coconut oil (or unsalted butter)
1/2 cup cocoa or cacao plus 1 tablespoon
6 eggs (I used 4 eggs plus flaxseed with water)
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup coconut sugar (I did the brown sugar substitution below)
1/3 cup honey or agave
1/2 cup coconut flour
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut (I used 2/3 cup walnuts instead)
Tiny pinch of salt
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line an 8 by 8-inch pan with parchment paper. Melt the coconut oil (just to melting, not hot) and whisk in the cocoa/cacao. In a medium sized bowl whisk the eggs, sugar, honey, and vanilla together. Pour in the chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Add the coconut flour and coconut and mix until combined.  Pour into prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes or until set in the middle.
Recipe Notes and Substitutions:
Coconut: Substitute 2/3 cup of nuts for coconut.
Flour: Though I haven’t tried it, I’m pretty confident that if you wanted to try this out with whole wheat flour, oat flour or gluten-free flour, it would work.
Sugar: Not ready to try coconut sugar? 3/4 cup packed brown sugar would work too, but omit the honey. * Recipe from csmonitor.com

Shake (lettuce, pineapple, cantalope, apricot)

Image from Scotch Hill Farm, Broadhead, WI

Pina Colada Shake

pineapple

cantalope

apricots

lettuce

coconut water

milk

ice

Add to blender and crush/blend.

Bread (summer squash)

Double Chocolate Zucchini Cake/Bread
I made 2 times this recipe and I poured it into two bread pans. I baked the loaves at 325 degrees for 60 minutes. It is absolutely wonderful! A great treat!
3/4 cup oil
1 1/4 cups sugar (I only used 1 cup)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups grated zucchini
1/2 cup sour milk or buttermilk (or 1 Tbsp lemon juice in 1 cup measuring cup and fill with milk)
3 Tbsp cocoa or carob powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp each cinnamon and cloves
2 1/2 cups flour (used half white and half whole wheat flour)
Small bag of chocolate or carob chips (used Ghiradelli dark chocolate)
Heat oven to 350 degrees; grease a 9-by-13-inch pan. Mix all ingredients and bake 30-35 minutes. Makes 16 servings. *Recipe in From Asparagus to Zucchini via Scotch Hill Farm.

Other (cucumber)

Again, we have eaten the cucumber like chips with our lunches daily.  The beets, garlic, and green beans are holdovers for next week.  The basil is hanging to dry.  

CSA 2013 Week 6

Week 6 Bounty:

Image from Scotch Hill Farm, Broadhead, WI

zucchini
radishes
cucumbers
patty-pan squash
green beans
snow peas
chard
mixed greens








Another fun week of experimentation. The Squash Bacon Pasta is a regular at our house. It was a favorite of mine in Italia and we recreate it often. Everything else was new. The Fruit and Veggie Shakes I happened to hear someone talking about them and thought why not try them. They were really wonderful and my kids look forward to more!
Meal 1 (zucchini, patty-pan squash)
Squash Bacon Pasta
1 pound pasta (we like whole wheat tagliolini with this dish)
4 ounces bacon, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
2 pounds zucchini, (about 2 large), diced
1/2 to 1 cup reserved pasta water
3/4 cup very loosely packed, finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Coarse salt and cracked black pepper
Cook the pasta in boiling, salted water to al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water. Return the pasta to the pot and set aside. In a large saute pan, add the bacon and cook until the fat is rendered and the bacon is crispy. Add the zucchini and cook until it starts to soften. Place the cooked pasta over low heat. Add the reserved pasta water, cooked bacon, zucchini and the grated cheese. Toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve immediately.

Meal 2 (green beans, onions)
Green Beans with Mushrooms
1 1/4 pounds green beans, trimmed and cut in half
Coarse salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
1 tablespoon butter
1 onion, chopped
2 portobello mushroom caps, halved and thinly sliced
1/2 cup dry sherry
Directions
Simmer green beans in salted boiling water 5 minutes. Drain green beans and return skillet to moderate heat. Add oil and butter to the pan. Add onions and saute 2 to 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Saute mushrooms 3 to 5 minutes with onions, add green beans back to the pan. Heat green beans through and add sherry. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer green beans and mushrooms to a serving plate. * Recipe from Rachel Ray at foodnetwork.com.
Baked Chicken and Rice
1 cup long-grain rice
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, roughly chopped, plus more for garnishing
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half
Heat oven to 400° F.  In a large bowl, combine the rice, tomatoes and their juices, broth, orange juice, parsley, onion, garlic, cumin, 3/4 teaspoon of the salt, 1/4 teaspoon of the black pepper, and the red pepper (if using). Transfer to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Rinse the chicken and pat dry. Season with the remaining salt and pepper. Nestle the chicken pieces among the rice mixture. Cover the dish tightly with foil. Bake until the chicken is cooked through, about 35 minutes. Remove from oven. Let stand for 5 minutes. Spoon the rice and chicken into individual bowls. Sprinkle with additional parsley. * Recipe from realsimple.com

Meal 3 (chard, basil, tomato)
Naan Pizza with Prosciutto and Chard
Homemade Sauce: 
Chard, steamed
Garlic scapes
Seasoning salt
Tomato paste
Olive Oil
Sweet Red Wine
Basil 
Put the above ingredients in Ninja and blend.  Spread sauce on naan, top with mozzarella cheese and prosciutto.  Bake at 400 degrees for 12 minutes.  

Side (mixed greens)
Fruit & Veggie Shake
This is a new discovery and we've tried them a few times this week with much success.  They are different every time, but just as delicious.  I used a handful or two of mixed greens, lots of fruit (I've used anything we have on hand: watermelon, cantalope, pineapple, apricot, kiwi, mulberries).  I tossed in a few pureed veggie cubes from the freezer (beets, greens, etc.).  Add a little whole fruit juice and coconut water and blend. Occasionally I add yogurt.

Other: (radishes, zucchini, cucumber)
We just have radishes, one zucchini, some chard and a little bit of sliced cucumbers left.  We have been eating the cucumbers like chips and it is so refreshing on these hot days.  One of our children loves them and the other we are still trying different dips to get him interested. (The snowpeas were used with last week's snowpeas so the recipe is in Week 5.)

CSA Share Week 16

Only a couple of repeat dishes this week in the pesto and cabbage soup.  The rest of the recipes were all new to us and they were all wonderful.  It is amazing that we seemed to have used a lot of vegetables, but somehow still have beets and turnips leftover.

Week 16 Bounty: 

Photo courtesy of Scotch Hill Farm, Broadhead, WI

Endive
Cabbage
Tomatoes
Beets
Eggplant
Turnips
Bok Choi
Basil
Patty Pan Squash
Zucchini
Peppers

Meal #1: eggplant, tomatoes, bell peppers, hot pepper, onion, garlic, basil

We shared these at an appetizer party.  They we a big hit.  All my husband, Allen's, crazy creation.  He just threw together some vegetables and came up with something wonderful!

Vegetable Sauce

Olive oil
1 jalapeno pepper
2 green bell peppers
2 red bell peppers
1 onion
3 medium eggplants
Bag of tomatoes
4 cloves garlic
Red wine
Balsamic vinegar
Salt
Pepper
Basil
Italian seasoning
Chopped vegetables and cooked until very soft in a pan, added spices and pureed.

Meatballs
1 lb. ground pork
1 lb. ground venison
Salt
1 egg
Whole wheat bread crumbs
1 onion, diced
Full recipe of Vegetable Sauce (divided)
Mixed all ingredients together with only 1/2 cup of Vegetable Sauce and formed into balls.  Baked on a sheet in oven at 375 degrees for about 15 minutes.  Then warmed the above recipe of Vegetable Sauce and poured sauce over meatballs in a serving dish.

Meal #2: tomatoes, onions, celery, green bell pepper, garlic, cabbage

Stewed Tomatoes
6 to 8 ripe tomatoes
2 tablespoons margarine
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
3/4 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
3 tablespoons sugar (more or less)
1 small bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepperCore tomatoes; place in boiling water for about 15 to 20 seconds, then into ice water to cool quickly; peel. Cut tomatoes in wedges. In Crock Pot, combine all ingredients. Cover and cook on low 8-9 hours. Remove bay leaf. Sprinkle top with parsley, if desired. Serve as a side dish or freeze in portions for soups or other recipes. *Recipe from Diana Rattray at About.com

Healing Cabbage Soup

We didn't have any bouillon or enough broth, so I used 4 cups of broth and 12 cups of water. This made a thicker soup, which we may even like more than the original recipe.
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
6 quarts (24 cups) water
8 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules
2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 head cabbage, cored and coarsely chopped
2 cup Italian-style stewed tomatoes, drained and diced
2 cups quinoa
In a large stockpot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Stir in onion and garlic; cook until onion is transparent, about 5 minutes. Stir in water, bouillon, salt, pepper and other spices. Bring to a boil, then stir in cabbage. Simmer until cabbage wilts, about 10 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and quinoa. Return to a boil, then cover and simmer 15 to 30 minutes, stirring often. Done when quinoa is tender but still chewy and white spiral-like threads appear around each grain. Serves 16. *Recipe adapted from JGCase at allrecipes.com

Meal #3: endive, bok choi, basil, garlic

Basil Walnut Pesto - frozen into cubes
2 cups packed basil leaves 
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
2 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons softened butter (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
Place basil, olive oil, walnuts, garlic and salt (if using) in food processor. Blend until thoroughly combined. Add Parmesan and butter (if using) and blend 5-10 seconds more. Just before serving, add 2 Tbsp of hot pasta water from cooked pasta. Serve over pasta with bread and salad.* Recipe by dahlia at Food.com

Bacon Wrapped Chicken 

Pound chicken breasts flat.  Spread about 2 Tablespoons of Basil Walnut Pesto.  Roll chicken breasts and wrap with bacon.  Hold together using toothpick.  Grill until cooked thoroughly.  

Grilled Polenta

Until recently we had only found tubes of pre-made polenta in the refridgerated section.  Slicing them for grilling never worked out quite like we hoped.  But then we found Polenta Valsugana.  This is much more like what we were accustomed to in Northern Italy.  We cut it into 1/2 inch slices and grill.  Then drizzle with olive oil and salt.  

Braised Belgian Endive and Bok Choi
2 Tbsp. butter
10 to 12 Belgian endives
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/3 cup water (feel free to use chicken stock or white wine, if you like)
1 tsp. sugar (optional)
Melt the butter over medium low heat in a large, heavy frying pan, saute pan, or pot with a tight fitting lid. Meanwhile, trim and discard any browned bits on the ends of the endives and any bruised or browning exterior leaves. When the butter is melted, lay the endives in a single layer in the pan. Sprinkle them with the lemon juice and salt. Pour the water down along the side of the pan. If you want to cut the bitterness in the final dish, sprinkle the endives with the sugar.Cover the pan and reduce heat to low. You want a nice, tight fit with the lid. If steam is escaping, lay a piece of foil over the pan and then put on the lid. Let cook, undisturbed, until endives are very tender, about 30 minutes.* Recipe by Molly Watson at food.com


Meal #4: zucchini, squash, onion

Squash Fritters
2 medium zucchini, grated (about 2 cups)
1 small onion, very finely chopped
1/3 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 cup shredded parmesan
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup olive oil
Garlic salt
Fresh cracked black pepper
Non-stick cooking spray
Preheat oven to 400º. Spray baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray and set aside. Use a box grater to shred the zucchini. Place shredded zucchini in several layers of paper towels or in a tea towel and press out extra moisture.  After removing excess water, place zucchini shreds into a medium size mixing bowl. Add onions, corn meal, flour, thyme, parmesan and beaten egg. Add a sprinkle of garlic salt and fresh cracked black pepper to the mixture. Stir until well mixed. (Hands work best for mixing and forming the fritters!) Use your hands to form 8 fritters, placing each one individually on the prepared baking sheet. Fritters should be at least 2 inches apart and not touching. Drizzle ¼ teaspoon olive oil over the top of each fritter. Place pan in the in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Take pan out of the oven and flip fritters over with a spatula. Sprinkle ¼ teaspoon olive oil over the top of each fritter and return plan to the oven.  Continue baking for 10 minutes or until fritters start to get crispy and slightly brown around the edges. Remove pan from oven. Sprinkle fritters with garlic salt. Serve and enjoy! * Recipe from theundercovercook.com

Pan-fried Tilapia
Tilapia filets
Olive oil
Soy sauce