New Years Eve breakfast

Happy New Years Eve!  We are in Troy at the moment trying to recuperate a bit before going back and finishing these moves.  How is it possible to collect so much junk in just a year and a half?  But we are in the home stretch.  We have completely moved 3 rooms, cleaned 2.  The main challenge left is the kitchen.  I just hope I can find room to store everything in my apt with no storage.

This morning for breakfast, I decided I needed to use the brussels sprouts.  I cooked them in the microwave until just cooked.  Then quartered them.  Cut up some leftover cheesesticks (yeah, I know).  Then took 2 whole eggs and 4 egg whites and scrambled them with Mrs. Dash and some seasoned salt.  Combined it all and cooked over a medium heat.  I didn't take a picture because it wasn't very pretty looking, but it tasted good. 

A couple more days and I will be able to get back to my life again, including cooking and researching CSA programs for friends.

Christmas morning

One of our favorite traditions on Christmas morning is getting into our stockings.  Every year, even after all these years, my mom puts together stockings for each of us.  This year, it was a little different than usual.  We usually get fruits, nuts, chocolates and a few small gifts.  But this year, I found a red pepper inside my stocking and then another bag on the side that contained a bag of brussels sprouts and another red pepper!  I think that someone is reading my blog!  Thanks Mom!

I now have quite a number of brussels sprouts to play with since I also received a stalk of late brussels in this week's package.  So, I am going to do some research and find a few more recipes to use them, although I really did like the brussels leaves and quinoa recipe I used before. 

I have had a request from my sister for CSA programs in the Lansing area.  I will be researching that and reporting what I find here as well as highlighting a couple stores that I have recently learned about that are owned by acquaintences.  So stay tuned and a very Merry Christmas to you all!!!!

Beef Stew in the Crockpot

I finally have a day that I can do some cooking and get gifts finished.  Maybe today, on Christmas Eve no less, I can finally get into the holiday spirit.  I thawed the beef roast that I received two weeks ago and it is now in the crockpot with a bunch of other CSA veggies cooking into a stew.   Here is the recipe:

 

Crockpot Beef Stew

• 1 3-lb chuck blade roast
• 8 cups water
• 4 medium carrots, large dice
• 4 stalks celery, sliced thick (I had done this and frozen them several weeks ago)
• 6 small red peppers, sliced (also frozen)
• 1 lb fingerling potatoes (larger ones cut into 1" pieces)
• 5 small to medium red onions
• 1 tbsp basil
• 1 tsp oregano
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp garlic powder (I don't have fresh garlic available)

 

Prepare the vegetables as follows: carrots and celery in thick slices, potatoes either whole or cut to 1" pieces, red peppers sliced to 1" slices and red onions halved or quartered (depending on size).  Place vegetables into crock, add water and place roast on top.  Add spices and cover and cook 3-4 hours on high.  Remove roast and cut into bite-sized pieces.  Add meat back to crock and cook on LOW for 1-2 more hours.

 

Normally I would increase heat to HIGH again and add 1 cup barley (cook for 1 hour on HIGH).  Unfortunately, I also don't have barley here, so we will have to "suffer" without.  I also do not have red wine here, so I will check spices once the initial cooking is done and adjust as needed.

 

I am working on a pair of leg warmers as a gift for my mother-in-law while waiting for the stew to cook.  I hope I can complete them.  I cannot believe that I am just now making her gift this year!  It has been a crazy end of the year.

 

I want to wish all of my readers a very Merry Christmas.  We finish the moving next week and then I will have to get busy cooking again.  I am a couple packages behind on using my CSA packages and they are enticing me to do some serious cooking!

Hoping for some highlights

I just found out that a friend of mine has opened an organic food shop in my home town of Midland, MI.  I have contacted him to see if I can get the inside "scoop".  I would like to start highlighting companies and stores that deal with CSA programs and sustainable practices.  So stay tuned for what, hopefully, will be informative articles about companies that may be near you!!!!

Craziness

I feel bad because I have been away for so long.  After the meeting in Orlando, I had to immediately get to work on a grant application.  That was finished, then we had to move my stuff to my new apartment.  And now the holidays are upon us.  Since we are traveling and then doing a second move for my husband back to Michigan, I think it's going to be a while before I get any time to do any cooking.  Thankfully, most of what I've gotten either stores well or freezes well. 

Here is the next package to be picked up this week:

-          1 whole spent hen
-          2 packs Mrs Miller wide egg noodles
-          1 mini-wheel of brie, 6 to 8 ozs
-          1 half pint pepper butter
-          1 lb grassfed ground beef
-          1 lb pork sausage, southern seasoned and in casing
-          2 lbs green tomatoes
-          1 stalk brussel sprouts
-          1 lb organic spelt granola
-          1 lb fresh pasta

The spent hen is supposed to be especially good for soup and stock.  So I am looking forward to making some good homemade chicken soup.  We don't know what kind of pasta yet.  And I am still trying to decide what to do with the sweet potato pasta I received in the last package.  I am thinking a butternut squash sage sauce of some sort.  I am excited about having more brussels sprouts to play with.  I do love some brussels sprouts!

Breakfast in Troy

I almost forgot that Trevor told us there would be a quiche in this week's package.  I didn't tell my husband, who picked up the package.  When he got home, I received a text that simply said "Quiche!".  We had to take a load of stuff to Troy (MI) this weekend and be here to have the cable set up, so I decided we would take the quiche to have for breakfast both this morning and tomorrow.  Here are some pictures of the beautiful Cheese and Onion Quiche.

This beautiful quiche was made by Humble Pie Baking Company (http://www.facebook.com/HumblePieBakingCompany?v=wall#!/HumblePieBakingCompany?v=app_4949752878) in Avon Lake, OH.  This company makes pies and quiches with local produce.  Their crusts are made with organic flour and sugar.  The lard is from locally raised pigs and they use only RBGH butter.  There are six locations (including Fresh Fork Market's CSA program) where you can get their pies and quiches.  These locations include Tremont Farmers' Market and the Country Conservancy Farmers' Market in Howe Meadow.

It was so good, it has inspired me to try and come up with my own version.  I will make the crust with that beautiful red wheat pastry flour and butter I received in the last package.  And this package we received some beautiful red and yellow onions.  So, bear with me.  I will post a recipe and pictures once we get back to Cleveland and I have time to give it a go!

An idea for slow cooker pot roast

I just had a request from my friend Leland to post my recipe for pot roast in the slow cooker.  This is a recipe that I actually developed for English style beef short ribs, but found that it works just as well for pot roast.  The dry rub can be adjusted based on your tastes in chili seasonings.  But I like cumin, so I am more likely to add more of that than less.  I believe the original idea came from Better Homes and Gardens, but I just looked at the recipe and it is quite different from my final version.  However, if you are interested in the recipe that started all of this, you can find it at: http://www.bhg.com/recipe/beef/sizzling-southwest-short-ribs/

Southwest Crockpot Pot Roast Recipe 

• 3 lb Beef roast
• Chili seasonings/Beef Dry Rub (see recipe below)
• 1 can Rotel tomatoes with chiles
• 1 cup salsa
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar

Rinse beef roast and dry carefully.  Rub with chili seasonings.  Spray your crockpot with cooking spray and place the roast inside.  Cover and cook 4-6 hours on LOW.  Mix tomatoes, salsa and vinegar and pour over roast.  Cover and cook an additional 3-4 hours on LOW. 

Chili seasonings/beef dry rub (this recipe can be made in larger quantities using the same proportions of ingredients) 

• 1 Tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp cumin (this can be adjusted to taste)
• 1/8 tsp cayenne
• 1/4 tsp dry thyme
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp minced garlic (dried)

Mix seasonings in a small bowl.  Heat a small dry saute pan over medium heat.  Add seasonings and cook, stirring, until they release their aroma.  Quickly remove from the heat so you do not burn them.  Let them cool and then store in a sealed container or bag.  Possible uses: 

1)Use 2 tbsp in a standard chili recipe in place of the seasonings.

2) Use as a dry rub on beef roast or ribs.

3) Use as an alternative dry rub for pork ribs.

CSA Package #4 (my #3)

So, I received the list of things in the next CSA package today.  I guess my husband will have to pick it up for me again because we are headed to Michigan this weekend for a race.  But here are the contents:

Winter CSA Wk 4 Selection
-          Assorted Grassfed Beef Roast, approximately 3 lbs
-          Quiche Loraine, full size
-          Mild Salsa, 1 pint (made entirely from local ingredients at Maize Valley Farm in Hartville)
-          Quarter Peck Jonagold apples
-          2 lbs sweet potatoes
-          2 lbs red and yellow onions
-          1 lb sweet potato linguini
-          1 lb carrots (no tops)
-          1 lb red beets (no tops)

More beets, just in time to make more borscht for Christmas.  And it looks like it will be a stew week as well.  I have an tried and true beef and barley stew that I haven't made in ages.  I will post the recipe here.  The stew will use some of the items from my first package that I froze. 

Gone to a meeting

I just wanted to post something here to let you know that I am heading out to a meeting in about an hour.  I won't be back to the house until next Thursday, so I won't be doing any cooking.  However, I am taking my tablet PC with me and will try to make some other posts while in sunny Florida!  I will miss having my fresh food this week!!!

This morning for breakfast, I used a bit more of the spinach and one of the eggs.  I have a GT-Express cooker, so I took about a cup of spinach and put it in the bottom of the pan.  Then I cracked my egg over the spinach and added about an ounce of Italian blend cheese and cooked it for 10 minutes.  When it was done cooking, I put it on an Arnolds (r) Sandwich Thin.  So yummy!  The WW PointsPlus value is 7 and it is very satisfying.  Now to have a tangerine (0 points) and I will be really satisfied!

Back to my packing...need my swimsuit and goggles!  Going to be a bit chilly for swimming, but it never phased me when I was a kid!

My version of the Pesto Lasagna

Okay, well, I took the time this morning to go ahead and make the Pesto lasagna that I posted the other night, but I adapted it to use more ingredients from my CSA (I still had chicken to use up).  So, here is the recipe as I adapted it and a picture of the whole lasagna:

Pesto Spinach Chicken Lasagna

Adapted from Better Homes & Garden

• 12 dried regular or whole wheat lasagna noodles
• 1 recipe Lemon-Parsley Pesto (see recipe below) or 1 cup purchased pesto
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 1 15-ounce container ricotta cheese
• 1 8-ounce package shredded Italian blend cheese or mozzarella cheese (2 cups)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 2 cups chopped fresh spinach
• 1/2 of an 8-ounce package fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 2 cups leftover chicken, shredded
• 1 28-ounce can whole Italian-style tomatoes
• Fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley leaves (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a 4-quart or larger pot cook noodles according to package directions until just tender. Drain noodles; rinse with cold water. Drain well; set aside.

Prepare Lemon-Parsley Pesto; set aside. In a medium bowl stir together egg, ricotta cheese, 1 cup of the shredded Italian blend cheese, salt, and pepper; set aside.

To assemble lasagna, lightly coat the inside of a 9-inch springform pan or 13x9x2-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange 4 of the cooked noodles in the bottom of the pan, trimming and overlapping as necessary to cover bottom of pan with 1 layer of noodles. Top with spinach. Spoon half of the ricotta cheese mixture over spinach, spreading evenly. Spoon one-third of the pesto over ricotta layer, spreading evenly. Top with another layer of noodles, trimming to fit. Top with mushrooms and chicken. Spread remaining ricotta cheese mixture over mushrooms. Spread half of the remaining pesto over ricotta layer. Top with another layer of noodles and remaining pesto. Drain tomatoes. Slice, quarter, or halve tomatoes and place on top of layers.

Place pan in a foil-lined shallow baking pan. Bake, covered with foil, in a 375 degrees F oven for 40 minutes; uncover and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, 5 minutes more or until cheese is melted and lasagna is heated through. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Nutrition (8 servings): Calories 513, Fat 26g, Carbs 42g, Fiber 4g, Protein 29g
Weight Watchers PointsPlus Value: 16

Now that we have eaten some, I would make some major changes to this recipe.  The pesto really didn't add anything to the flavor profile.  I think I would choose to just use fresh basil leaves instead.  And there wasn't nearly enough tomatoes.  I would add a layer of tomatoes in the middle too.  But it was very tasty and very hearty.  A good 16 points spent, I believe.

Been too busy to cook

I know I have disappeared for a day or so.  It's been a busy couple days finishing up a grant proposal and getting it submitted.  I have not had time to make that lasagna yet, but was thinking I might throw it together in the morning.  John, my husband doesn't go to class until the afternoon, so he can take it out of the oven for me.

Food & Wine Magazine posted a butternut squash polenta gratin recipe today that looks very yummy, however, I just went back to Weight Watchers tonight and I probably should start being aware of point values in the recipes I am making.  So look for nutritional information and WW Points values (based on the new plan) to be included with the recipes that I do prepare.  It's time to get back on track and all this yummy food from the CSA packages should make it easy to stay on plan!

So, tomorrow, if I manage to get the lasagna put together, I will post some pictures.

What to do with late spinach

Good morning everyone.  Well, we all survived Thanksgiving, so now it's onto Christmas.  It's going to be a crazy month with concerts, meetings, moving....hope we survive!

So, this morning, I have been trying to figure out what I want to do with the spinach I received in this CSA package.  I have never really worked with late spinach.  I usually buy baby spinach.  But I found a recipe that I think will be quite good.

Pesto Lasagna Pie

From Better Homes & Garden

ingredients

• 12 dried regular or whole wheat lasagna noodles
• 1 recipe Lemon-Parsley Pesto (see recipe below) or 1 cup purchased pesto
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 1 15-ounce container ricotta cheese
• 1 8-ounce package shredded Italian blend cheese or mozzarella cheese (2 cups)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 2 cups chopped fresh spinach
• 1/2 of an 8-ounce package fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 1 28-ounce can whole Italian-style tomatoes
• Fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley leaves (optional)

directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a 4-quart or larger pot cook noodles according to package directions until just tender. Drain noodles; rinse with cold water. Drain well; set aside.
2. Prepare Lemon-Parsley Pesto; set aside. In a medium bowl stir together egg, ricotta cheese, 1 cup of the shredded Italian blend cheese, salt, and pepper; set aside.
3. To assemble lasagna, lightly coat the inside of a 9-inch springform pan or 13x9x2-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange 4 of the cooked noodles in the bottom of the pan, trimming and overlapping as necessary to cover bottom of pan with 1 layer of noodles. Top with spinach. Spoon half of the ricotta cheese mixture over spinach, spreading evenly. Spoon one-third of the pesto over ricotta layer, spreading evenly. Top with another layer of noodles, trimming to fit. Top with mushrooms. Spread remaining ricotta cheese mixture over mushrooms. Spread half of the remaining pesto over ricotta layer. Top with another layer of noodles and remaining pesto. Drain tomatoes. Slice, quarter, or halve tomatoes and place on top of layers.
4. Place springform pan in a foil-lined shallow baking pan. Bake, covered, for 45 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with remaining Italian blend cheese. Bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes more or until cheese is melted and lasagna is heated through. Cover and let stand for 20 minutes before serving. Carefully remove sides of pan. Top with parsley leaves. To serve, cut lasagna into wedges. (For 13x9x2-inch pan, bake, covered with foil, in a 375 degrees F oven for 40 minutes; uncover and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, 5 minutes more or until cheese is melted and lasagna is heated through.) Makes 8 to 10 servings.
5. Lemon-Parsley Pesto: In a food-processor bowl combine 4 cups fresh spinach leaves (about 8 ounces), 1/2 cup fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley, 1/3 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese, 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts or walnuts, 2 cloves garlic quartered, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cover and process until nearly smooth. (If desired, use a blender and add 2 to 4 tablespoons water with the spinach leaves.) Makes about 1 cup.
6. Cooking Club Directions: Prepare lasagnas as above for each member except do not add tomatoes and do not bake. Cover each pan with plastic wrap (if freezing, also wrap in aluminum foil). Package remaining cheese in a resealable plastic bag or a resealable freezer bag for each member. Refrigerate up to 24 hours or freeze up to 3 months.
7. Test Kitchen Tip: It is possible to make up to a quadruple batch of ricotta mixture at one time.
8. Reheating and Serving: Thaw lasagna, if frozen, in the refrigerator 48 hours before baking. Place thawed or refrigerated lasagna on a foil-lined baking sheet. Remove plastic wrap; top lasagna with tomatoes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In springform pan, bake, covered with foil, for 60 minutes; uncover and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, 15 minutes more or until heated through. (For a 13x9x2-inch pan, bake, covered with foil, for 40 minutes; uncover and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, 5 minutes more or until cheese is melted and lasagna is heated through.) Cover and let stand for 20 minutes before serving. Carefully remove sides of pan, if necessary. To serve, cut lasagna into wedges. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

I need to run to the grocery store for supplies after going to work, but this should be dinner tonight.

Off to get things done!!!!

One of the things I have always loved about holiday dinners at my brother's is the fact that he is picky about his ingredients. Today, we had fresh roast turkey, garlic parsley mashed potatoes, ham and mushroom stuffing, squash with balsamic glaze and pecorino-romano cheese, bacon cornbread and asparagus with roasted red pepper sauce. I am going to try to get some of the recipes tonight.

Happy Thanksgiving: A combined CSA breakfast

Good morning and Happy Thanksgiving to all!  We are up very early this morning because we have a 5 hour drive ahead of us.  The weather was bad last night, so we decided to stay here last night and then just drive in the morning.  But for that long drive, we need a good breakfast and this morning I used items from both CSA packages to make our scrambled eggs:

 

Broccoli Bacon Scrambled Eggs 

• 2 slices fresh bacon, chopped
• 1 cup broccoli crowns, finely chopped
• 2 whole fresh eggs
• 4 fresh egg whites
• 1 tsp garlic & herb mix
• 1/2 cup 4 cheese Italian mix

 

Chop the bacon and broccoli.  Heat a medium skillet over medium heat.  Add bacon to pan and saute until bacon is slightly browned.  Add broccoli and continue sauteeing until the broccoli is bright green.  While the bacon and broccoli is cooking, scramble the eggs with garlic & herbs.  Pour eggs over the broccoli and bacon.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Cook, stirring constantly, until eggs are just barely wet.  Makes 2 servings.

 

 

So, now that we've had that beautiful breakfast, it's time to get dressed, load up the car and hit the road.  We are taking the Cider Vinegar Pickled Beets with us, but my brother, Bob is the chef for the day.  Can't wait to see what's for dinner!  He usually gets a fresh turkey and it's always so good!!!!

Monday Nov 22 dinner

Today had only one element from the CSA package, but it was the big one.  I roasted the chicken in my crockpot today and it tasted so good!  Although, I could have used a bit more salt.  I obviously don't have fresh from the farm chickens very often!  LOL!  The rest of dinner consisted of plain brown rice and a roasted butternut squash.  And of course, a bowl of borscht!

 

Slow Roasted Chicken

• 1 5-lb fresh chicken*
• 1/2 stick butter*
• mixed herbs (I used a garlic and herb mix)
• sea salt (please remember this, I forgot)

 

Remove chicken from the packaging and rinse inside and out.  Dry chicken thoroughly and place into the crock of a large crockpot that has been prepared with cooking spray.  Bring butter to room temperature and mix your herbs into the butter.  I do this to taste and based on what herbs I am using.  Some herbs are stronger than others and need smaller quantities.  Rub the butter all over the chicken and then sprinkle with salt.  Cover and cook 8 hours on LOW.

 

 

Brown Rice (in a rice cooker)

• 2 scoops brown rice (approx. 3/4 cup per scoop)
• 6 cups water

 

Place water and rice in bowl of rice cooker.  Choose brown rice setting and press start.

 

Note: this is easily done on top of the stove as well.  You will want to use a 3 qt saucepan.  Put the rice and water in the saucepan.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat and cover.  Cook until all water is absorbed.  Fluff rice as soon as it is done to prevent sticking.

 

 

Roasted Butternut Squash

• 1 medium butternut squash*
• 1/4 stick butter*
• mixed herbs (I used garlic and herb mix)

 

Preheat oven to 400.  Remove stem and then with a sturdy knife, cut squash in half lengthwise.  Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil.  Place squash halves cut side up on the sheet.  Cut butter into pats and place them on the squash halves.  Sprinkle with your herbs.  Cover squash with foil and cook for 20 minutes.  Remove foil and cook for another 20 minutes.  Squash is done when it is fork tender.

 

Note: this recipe should work with any type of winter squash.  I prefer butternut squash, but acorn and buttercup squash are good too.

 

 

For Thanksgiving, my brother is cooking dinner.  This is always a treat because cooking is a passion of his.  And the food is always great!  For the first time, he said we could bring an appetizer.  I had some beets left over, so I decided to make pickled beets for the first time.  They turned out great!  Here's the recipe:

 

Cider-Vinegar Pickled Beets
From Food & Wine Magazine

 

• 1 cup cider vinegar with 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced*
• 4 cloves garlic, quartered
• 1 Tsp yellow mustard seeds
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 whole cloves
• 1 1/2 tsp black peppercorns
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp dried thyme (would be better with fresh - 2 tbsp)
• 2 lbs medium red beets, peeled and cut into 2-by-1/2-inch sticks*

 

In a saucepan, bring the vinegar mixture, sugar, onion, garlic, mustard, bay leaves, cloves, peppercorns, thyme and oregano to a boil.  In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the beets until crisp tender, about 10 minutes.  Drain and transfer to a heatproof bowl.  Pour hot liquid over the beets and let stand at room temperature for 4 hours or refrigerate overnight.  Drain the beets, transfer to a bowl and serve.

 

If I find anymore time before we leave (I am thinking this is unlikely), I also have a Crispy Garbonzo Bean recipe I would love to try.  Busy day tomorrow, so not sure I will have the time.

 

Enjoy!  Tomorrow is pickup #2!!!

*CSA ingredients

My week 2 package (program week 3)

I am hoping that I will be able to find time to pick up my CSA package tomorrow so that I have time to process the vegetables, etc.  Despite the fact that it is a holiday week, it is going to be a busy one for me.   We got our list of package contents this morning.  Here's what we will get this week:

Winter CSA Wk 3 Selection
     - 2 lbs salted butter
     - 1 8-oz piece of raw milk Windsor cheese, a cheddar style from Mayfield Road Creamery
     - 1 lb breakfast sausage links
     - 1 lb carrots
     - 1 lb broccoli sprouts
     - 1 dozen eggs
     - 3 ct mixed winter squashes
     - 1 lb grassfed ground beef
     - Quarter peck Cameo apples
     - 1 lb spinach
     - 4 lbs organic soft red wheat flour (wheat pastry flour)

Trevor said that the purpose of the package this week was to provide options for breakfasts and leftovers.  Ironically, I was just lamenting that we never have spinach in the house (because we don't eat salads as a rule).  So, now I can cook with spinach.  I'll have to think about what I want to do with that.  There are always so many possibilities.

CSA fact of the day:
CSA's are typically farm share packages with specific farmers.  But more and more, programs are being set-up by non-farmers who deal directly with multiple farmers and merchants.  The nice thing about these types of programs is that you get a wider variety of products.  It's easy to find these programs in your area by looking up some

http://www.localharvest.org/csa/

http://www.rodaleinstitute.org/farm_locator

http://www.eatwellguide.org/i.php?pd=Home

http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/local_food/urban_ag.html

Saturday soup

Tonight I HAD to use my tomatoes today before they started going bad.  And I had a baguette that had gone stale that needed to be used, so I looked for a recipe for Italian Bread Soup.  Here is the recipe I decided to try:

Tomato Basil Bread Soup

http://www.cookingnook.com/tomato-basil-soup-recipe.html

Ingredients:

• 5 - 1/2" slices Italian bread (ideally stale), crusts removed
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 pounds ripe plum tomatoes,* peeled, seeded and juice reserved or 1 - 35 ounce can Italian plum tomatoes, diced and seeded, juices reserved
• 4 cups chicken stock
• salt and black pepper
• 10 fresh basil leaves
• extra virgin olive oil for drizzling

Preheat the oven to 375°F (only if you are using fresher bread). If the bread is stale, just set it aside. If it is fresh, arrange the bread slices on a baking sheet and toast until they are light golden brown. Watch carefully so they don't burn. Remove and set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until it is golden, about 6 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and their juices to the pot. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Add the toasted bread and stock and return to a boil. Season lightly with salt and pepper and adjust the level of heat to a simmer.

Cook, uncovered for about 40 minutes. After 30 minutes add the basil leaves. Whisk occasionally to break up the pieces of bread. Adjust the seasoning if needed.

Serve with extra virgin olive oil drizzled over.

Makes 8 servings

I can tell you a couple things:  It has been a long time since I have taken the time to actually peel tomatoes, but it is such an easy thing to do and only takes about a minute once the water is boiling!  Definitely worth taking the time.  The baguette we used was sourdough and boy, did the soup smell good when it was cooking!  Definitely use fresh basil if you can.  It just adds another aroma layer that smells so good!  Oh yeah, and I added an ounce of mozzarella as well, for added protein.

Tomorrow we are going to roast the chicken and make brined fingerling potatoes. That will use up most of what I have left.  I haven't even opened the gouda yet and I have a couple slices of bacon left, as well as about 2 cups cauliflower.  Hmmm....need to figure out what to do with all of that.  Next package delivery is this week (Tuesday or Wednesday).  We haven't gotten the list of what's in it yet, but I am excited to see what's next!!!! 

I also can't wait to see my good friend Melissa Tippens and her kids, Henry and Teri for lunch tomorrow.  I do miss them so much!

Borscht

I am sad to say that I didn't manage to get to the beets in time to use those beautiful leaves.  But I made the borscht anyway for consumption now.  Maybe we will get beets again so I can make another batch of borscht (with the leaves) before Christmas.  Here's tonight's version:

 

Simple Borscht

• 2 lg bunches beets
• 8 cups water
• 4 Tbsp chicken base
• sour cream

 Trim the stems of the beets to 3 inches above the beet.  Wash beet thoroughly so that the cooking water may be used as the stock.  Place whole beets and water in a large Dutch oven.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.  Transfer beets to ice cold water.  Peel by rubbing with a paper towel (skins should fall off).  Dice the beets to 1/2 inch dice.  Return beets to cooking water, add chicken base and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer another 5 minutes.  To serve, place 1 cup soup on a bowl.  Add 1 Tbsp sour cream and stir.

 

 

I think my husband prefers beef base to chicken, but I don't have that right now.  So, chicken it is.  The difference for Christmas is that the soup must be vegetarian, so I usually use a mushroom base for that version. 

A guest recipe today!

I didn't manage to get anything done last night because I decided I needed to go swimming and then had to go to the grocery store.  However, I did get a recipe from my collegue and fellow CSA member and he told me I could post it on my blog.  It sounds really good and fresh and I can't wait to try it out!

 

 

Leland’s Beet Soup

By Leland Metheny, M.D.

• 3 medium beets
• 4 stalks of celery, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 3 tomatoes, chopped
• 1-2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp butter
• salt
• pepper
• 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 6 cups chicken or vegatable broth
• sour cream
• cilantro

 

1. Preheat oven to 450 F

2. Wash beets thoroughly, rub with olive oil and wrap in foil.

3. Roast in oven for 30-40 minutes until cooked through

4. Place in ice water and remove the skins with a paper towel (skins should peel off)

5. In the meantime, chop up the celery, carrots and tomatoes

6. Add olive oil and butter to a large cooking pot and heat to medium

7. Add celery and carrots and saute until they are soft

8. Chop peeled beets

9. Add beets and tomatoes and cook for 5 more minutes

10. Add broth.

11. Wrap thyme and any other herbs with twine and place in stew

12. Add 2 bay leaves to pot,

13. Add salt and pepper to taste

14. Cover pot and let simmer for 30 minutes

15. Remove bay leaves and herbs

16. Puree vegetables until smooth

17. Add sour cream and or cilantro on top of puree for extra flavor

 

 

When I was sprucing the recipe up, he mentioned that the herbs he used are his preference, but you could certainly use any fresh herbs that you like: for instance, rosemary, basil, oregano.  Enjoy!!!

Night off

So Tuesday nights are rehearsal nights and this one in particular was our fundraiser: Boston Market Night.  I think I am already getting a bit spoiled with these CSA packages, because while the food was good, you could tell the vegetables were frozen, packaged vegetables and there was a debate going on about whether the potatoes were real or flakes.  These Boston Market people helping us out assured us they were real, but there were a lot of people who said they tasted more like flaked.  Ah, such fun!

Tonight, I need to do something with the remaining tomatoes and start working on the beets.  I am pretty sure that I am going to roast the remaining tomatoes with some garlic and maybe even balsamic vinegar.  Then I will make a sauce with them.  The beets, I need to at least blanch and peel, but I would like to get the Borscht made so I can take advantage of the greens.  Oh, the possibilities!!!!

Monday, Nov 15 dinner

I went back and forth today with what I wanted to make for dinner.  I ran across a recipe for broccoli lemon pasta which sounded really good, but didn't use either bacon or tomatoes.  And I got probably 10 roma tomatoes with my CSA package, so I went back to my original idea.  So, here is the recipe that I found for a Bacon Tomato Carbonara:

Bacon & Tomato Spaghetti Carbonara

From http://www.ontariogreenhouse.com/documents/show/184

(updated on Feb 18, 2009)

• 8       Slices bacon, chopped*
• 2       Tbsp butter*
• 1/3    Pkg (900g) spaghetti
• 4       Eggs, beaten*
• 1/3    Cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 2       Large Ontario greenhouse tomatoes, seeded and diced*
• ½      Cup grated parmesan cheese
•          Salt and pepper to taste

 

In a frying pan, cook bacon until crisp. Drain and reserve drippings. Set aside. Combine the drippings and butter and set aside. In a sauce pan, cook the spaghetti per package directions. Drain and return to the sauce pan. Add butter mixture, eggs, cheese and parsley. Toss to combine. Cover and stir over low heat until mixture is creamy and slightly thickened. Stir in tomatoes. Add salt and pepper. Serve immediately, sprinkled with more parmesan cheese if desired.

Obviously, I just substituted the pumpkin sage linguine for the spaghetti.  Here's the picture:

Here's what I have left:

a couple cups of califlower

half dozen roma tomatoes

half of the bacon

8 oz fresh milk gouda

2 lbs fingerling potatoes

4 cups diced green peppers (in the freezer)

2 bunches of beets with leaves

1 5-lb local whole chicken (which never thawed this weekend, so it's in the freezer for now)

I actually need to at least cook the beets to peel them tonight, but would like to get the borscht put together so the leaves don't go bad on us.  Beet leaves are what give the borscht the flavor we love.  And I should have enough beets to pickle some too....can't wait for that!

*CSA ingredients

A glossery of sustainability terms

So, I keep getting asked what CSA means and I figured that it might be a good idea to publish a glossery of sustainability terms that you might run across as you look into your own CSA program.

CSA - Community Supported Agriculture

Lovacore - people interested in eating locally produced foods

Organic - Growing of products does not consume or release synthetic pesticides, better at sustaining diverse ecosystems, uses less energy and produces less waste per acre

Sustainable practices - "integrated system of plant and animal production practices that will, over the long
                                    term:
                                          -Satisfy Human food and fiber needs
                                          -make most efficient use of non-renewable resources
                                          -sustain the economic viability of farm operations
                                          -enhance quality of life for farmers and society as a whole


So, as you can see, the idea here is to encourage farmers to be kinder and gentler to the environment and to help support the local economies.  These are important needs if we intend to continue living in this world!

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Locavores
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organic_food
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sustainable_agriculture

Tampa CSA programs

So, I was on the phone with my brother yesterday because he asked on Facebook what a CSA was.  When I explained that is stands for Community Supported Agriculture, he wondered if there were any programs like the one from Fresh Fork Market in his town.  He lives in the Tampa, FL area, so I thought I would look it up and see what I could find.  Here's what I found:

Sweetwater Organic Community Farm (http://sweetwater-organic.org/)
While this is not the same type of program as mine, this is a CSA program.  In other words, the community can help by volunteering, shopping at their farmer's market and participating in educational programs about sustainable practices.  This farm is an organic farm, which means that they do not use synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides or irradiation, which is good for the environment.


Gateway Organic Farm (gatewayorganicfarm.com)
This is a small farm located in Clearwater, FL.  Their CSA program runs $500 for pick-up every 2 weeks (15 week program) or $900 for pick-up every week (30 week program).  According to their website, you will receive 6 to 8 different vegetables every week during growing season.  This program is similar to the program I am on, but it is specific to this farm. 


Urban Oasis Hydroponic Farm (http://urbanoasisfarm.com/)
Produce is grown in Carrollton, FL.  For $320 you get 10 weeks of locally grown produce.  You also get a 10% discount on additional purchases.


3 Boys Farm (http://3boysfarm.com/)
Another hydroponic operation, this group also does field growing for 7 months of the year.  They call themselves a Greengrocery.  You pay $100 to join the program for 5 years.  They contact you with a list of what is available each week and if you order, packages over $25 are delivered free.  If your package is less than $25, you pay a delivery fee of $2.50.


Steed Farm (steedfarm.blogspot.com)
Located in Plant City, FL.  They are currently seeking continued support for a local CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) here in Plant City. We will begin putting together produce boxes for weekly pick-up beginning in November 2010. Cost will be $22.50 and will include lettuces, greens, vegetables, herbs, and citrus.  Now, if you ask me, the citrus alone would make this worth it!


These are the programs that I could find with a short search.  There might even be more.  But if you are interested in a specific city, just let me know.  I will do the legwork in finding programs for you and give you some of the details (including website info).  After that, it's all up to you!

Sunday night dinner

Okay, so I will admit....when I am in the process of cutting up vegetables, I do tend to get a little over-ambitious in plans.  Because I knew that it would take the longest to peel the brussels sprouts leaves, I started with that dish tonight.  And then I realized that the dish called for quinoa and decided: "Maybe I don't need to make carbonara tonight".  I think I was probably right with that assessment.  Here's the recipe for the brussels sprouts:

 

Sauteed Brussels Sprouts over Quinoa
Adapted from Vegetarian Times Magazine

• 2 Tbsp pepitas (they called for hazelnuts)
• 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 8 oz Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
• 1 1/2 cup water
• 3/4 cup quinoa
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 2 oz fresh romano (they called for feta), optional

 

1. In a small dry saute pan, toast pepitas over medium heat, stirring constantly, until they begin to pop and turn brown.  Set aside.

 

2. Bring water to boil.  Sprinkle with quinoa. Reduce heat to a simmer, cook 15 minutes or until all the water is absorbed.  Remove from heat and set aside

 

3. In the meantime, peel leaves from Brussels sprouts halves, discarding the cores.  Heat olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add Brussels sprouts leaves and saute for 5 minutes.  Sprinkle with 3 tablespoons water and cook for about 1 minute more or until leaves are tender.  Add minced pepitas, garlic, salt, pepper and cooked quinoa; mix well.

 

4. Place mixture into bowls and sprinkle with romano cheese.  Makes 2 servings.

 

Tip: When they suggest that you cut the brussels sprouts in half, follow the advice.  It does make it easier to peel the leaves from the core.

 

 

 

This was an absolutely lovely dish, but would only qualify for a light dinner.  My husband was not ready for just a light dinner, so I made a soup from the cauliflower. 

 

Curried Cauliflower Apple Soup
Adapted from recipe by Gail Greenblat

• 16 oz cauliflower florets
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp curry powder
• 8 oz applesauce (I used natural)
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup water

 

Steam cauliflower in microwave for 8 minutes on High.  In a smaller bowl, combing olive oil, garlic and curry powder.  Heat 3 minutes on High. Watch closely so it doesn't burn.

 

In a large bowl, combine caulflower, curry mixture, applesauce, broth and water.  Heat at 80% for 5 minutes more.  Cool.  Puree with an immersion blender (I do not have one of these, so I used a good old-fashioned blender).  Adjust seasoning. 

 

 

 

I was surprised how bright green the cauliflower pureed up!  I didn't think that it was quite that green.  I might increase the curry next time and then add a few diced apple pieces as a garnish.  But this is definitely a keeper recipe!

 

BTW, if anyone is wondering what I'd like for Christmas, an immersion blender would be really nice ;).  I am sure I won't get it this year, but it is something that would be quite handy!

My package

It's always interesting to use a GPS or mapping program to find places that you have only been to one time (and you didn't drive the first time), but the best part of where I pick up my package is that it is one of the best little collection of restaurants in town.  The only time I have ever been to the Tremont area is when my brother (a definite foodie) came down to go to Lolita, one of Michael Symon's restaurants.  It was a great evening, but I couldn't remember how to get down there.  So, I plugged the address (behind Lilly Chocolates) into my mapping program on my phone and followed their directions.  I always find it interesting that they never use the same directions coming and going and the going directions were much more direct that the coming directions.

I arrived at the location to find a truck and Trevor waiting.  I handed him one of my fabric bags and he disappeared into the truck.  When he came out, there was a full bag (about 10 lbs!) and the most beautiful beet greens peeking out!  I made a comment about how excited I was to start cooking with all this food and how beautiful the beet greens were.  Trevor mentioned that he was excited about this package for the very same reason, so I told him that I intended to make Borscht with the beets and the greens were ultimately the most important part.  Of course, that peaked his interested and he asked how I use them.  In the end, he asked for my recipe and told me that he would take recipes and pictures from anyone who would like to send them and at the end of the season would award a discount on the next season to whoever had the best recipe/picture.  I am all in for that!

Oh yeah, and in the end, he gave me a second bunch of beets because apparently people had turned them down!  Can you imagine?  Turning down fresh beets?????  I have enough now to have not only to make my borscht but also pickle some beets as well.

This morning, I am deciding what to do with everything.  And I believe tonight we will have pan roasted Brussels sprout leaves, brined fingerling potatoes and a carbonara made with the fresh bacon, roma tomatoes and pumpkin sage linguine.  I just happen to have fresh romano cheese to finish the carbonara.  But I have to go sing first....recipes to follow.

The night before

I find myself feeling like a kid the night before Christmas!  I can't pick up my CSA package until 10 am tomorrow.  And we will need to be there at 10 because tomorrow is the Fabulous Food Show at the I-X Center.  We have tickets to see Alton Brown's cooking demonstration.  And then to buy his cookbook (one for me, one for my brother) and get it signed.  Wine tasting, cooking demonstrations....the only thing I am sad about is that for some reason, Michael Symon will not be in the house tomorrow.  I had to choose between seeing him or seeing Alton Brown.  Since I got to meet Michael last year, I chose Alton this year.

Last year we saw Tyler Florence and learned some great Thanksgiving dishes.  If I get a chance I will copy my note from Facebook that outlined what I learned from him.  It will be a good day, I'm sure!

Borscht recipe published!

In my last post, I mentioned that I would be making borscht with the beets that I get with my CSA package.  Well, my borscht recipe was just published on the Associated Content website!  Here is the link if you would like to take a look.  This is my second publication with Associated Content and I couldn't be more excited about it!

www.associatedcontent.com/article/5991252/another_ukrainian_christmas_eve_dish.html

A new adventure

I am excited to say that I will be participating in a winter CSA program.  For anyone who doesn't know, CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture.  It is an opportunity to support local farmers and merchants and encourage sustainable practices.  A friend introduced me to an organization called Fresh Fork Market last summer.  I looked at the program then, but just didn't see how I could incorporate it into my life.  A lot of things have changed since then and I will be living on my own again starting in January, so actually, I decided that it would be a perfect way to get fresh groceries through the winter. 

The program actually started a week before I actually joined, so I had the benefit of knowing what was included in the first week's package.  And it looked interesting and fun, so I joined.  This week will be my first package pickup.  They send an email at the beginning of the week of pickup letting you know what to expect in the package.  And I have to say, I am intrigued and excited about what I am getting.  I can't wait to plan menus using the items included and will post recipes as I make them.

Here is what I will get my first week:

-          1 whole pasture raised chicken, approx 5 lbs
-          1 8-oz piece of raw milk gouda from Mayfield Road Creamery
-          1 lb pumpkin sage linguini
-          1 lb nitrate free thick sliced bacon
-          1 head green cauliflower
-          1 bunch red beets with tops
-          2 green bell peppers
-          2 lbs fingerling potatoes
-          Quarter peck Goldrush apples
-          2 lbs roma tomatoes
-          1 stalk brussel sprouts

My head is spinning with all the possibilities (including fresh borscht for my husband!).  Stay tuned for how it unravels!