Lancaster Farm Fresh CSA Recipe Group

Panch Phoran Shalgam (Indian Turnip Recipe)

2012-03-02T09:30:00.008-08:00

Thanks to Blisstree for this spicy Indian turnip dish. Enjoy!

Panch Phoran Shalgam (Indian Turnip Recipe)
Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients
4 cups turnips, peeled and cubed
1 cup onion, chopped
4 teaspoons vegetable or canola oil
4 to 8 teaspoons coarsely ground Panch Phoran (see note below)
2 teaspoons turmeric powder
salt, black pepper, or chili flakes, to taste

Directions
1 In a medium pan over medium heat, add vegetable or canola oil. When the oil is hot, add Paanch phoran. Start with 4 teaspoons and add more later, to taste.
2. Mix for a half a minute and then add chopped onion. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until onion is translucent. Add teaspoon turmeric powder and mix.
3. Add turnips, salt, pepper, and chili flakes. Mix well and cook covered on low heat for 10 to 12 minute, or until tender (depends on the size of the cubes). Serve hot as a side.

Panch Phoran is typically made up of a mix of fenugreek seed, Nigella seed, cumin, radhuni, and fennel seed. Celery seed or mustard seed can be used as a substitute for radhuni. The mix can be made at home or purchased at an Indian grocery store.

Spicy Ethiopian Style Beets

2012-02-27T13:17:00.008-08:00

This recipe comes highly recommend from Wyomissing CSA shareholder, Kevin. He's been making this with the delicious red beets that have been arriving in the 2012 Winter Pantry CSA Share and serves the dish with yogurt, a little dry cilantro, sesame seeds, and a boiled egg. Thanks, Kevin!

Spicy Ethiopian Style Beets
Ingredients
1 bunch/bag beets
2 to 3 onions, diced
2 to 3 spoonfuls of butter
3 to 4 spoonfuls of Berbere (see recipe below)
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
salt and pepper, to taste
water to volume

Directions
1. Cut the tops and ends off the beets and soak for half day (skip this step if you don't have time, but it will make the beets easier to peel and helps to keep you from over-salting the meal generally). Peel and cube the beets.
2. Over low heat in a sauté pan, sweat the onions in 2 spoonfuls of butter. When the butter is softened, salt and pepper the onions to taste, then stir in the berbere. (This is like cooking a roux. If a more watery/soup-like dish is desired, add a can of unsalted crushed tomatoes after the onions have taken the color of the spices).
3. Over medium-high heat in a stock pot, add the beets and can of chicken stock. Cover the beets with additional water. Once the chicken stock is bubbling, add the onion mixture.
4. Serve when the beets are tender.

Berbere Recipe (From The Africa News Cookbook: African Cooking for Western Kitchens. Published in 1985 by Africa News Service)

Ingredients: 1 teaspoon ground ginger, ½ teaspoon ground coriander, ½ teaspoon ground cardamom, ½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds, ½ teaspoon grated nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, 2 tablespoons salt, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, ¼ teaspoon allspice, 1¼ cup cayenne pepper (substitute with paprika or a milder red chili for a milder result), 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and ½ cup paprika

Directions: In a heavy saucepan or cast iron skillet, toast the following over low heat for 4 to 5 minutes: ginger, cardamom, coriander, fenugreek, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, and allspice. Shake or stir to keep from burning. Add the salt, cayenne pepper, paprika, and black pepper and continue toasting, stirring constantly, for 10 to 15 minutes.

Happy Valentine's Day from Lancaster Farm Fresh Cooperative! (And Molten Chocolate Beet "LoveCakes" Recipe)

2012-02-14T07:16:00.000-08:00

LFFC Red Beets

Happy Valentine's Day from Lancaster Farm Fresh Cooperative! It's been a while since we've posted - it's very busy here at the Co-op as we're midway through our first-ever Winter CSA Season and preparing for what promises to be an awesome Spring/Summer Season. (If you haven't signed up yet - we're still accepting applications! Sign-up for both the Spring/Summer AND Fall Seasons at the same time and receive a $35.00 discount through April 20th).

In the meantime, here is a delicious-looking recipe adapted from one of our favorite blogs, The Vegetable Centric Kitchen. Definitely check this one out come summertime for some great veggie inspiration. This recipe comes highly recommended from LFFC staff member, Jamie.

Molten Chocolate Beet "LoveCakes"
Ingredients
3 ounces dark chocolate (at least 70%, plus some chunks for stuffing)
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons evaporated cane juice organic sugar (can substitute with honey)
1 egg
1 cup cooked beet puree
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
½ teaspoon vanilla or orange extract (or ¼ teaspoon of each)
pinch sea salt

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter and chocolate together in a small pan over low heat. Once completely melted, remove from heat and add remaining ingredients. Mix together and pour into cupcake liners. Place a chunk of chocolate into the center of each cup of cupcake batter. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Enjoy while still warm!

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

2011-12-22T11:41:00.000-08:00

Today is the last delivery of the 2011 season. We would like to thank our shareholders for their continued support and our site hosts for their hard work and dedication this year! Have a wonderful holiday - we hope to see you in the new year! (Be sure to check out our blog for information on 2012 share options.) In the meantime, here is a holiday recipe to enjoy...

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
1 butternut squash
1 onion, diced
1 cup chicken stock (vegan version: 1 cup vegetable broth)
1 to 2 cups milk (vegan version: 1 to 2 cups coconut milk)
3 tablespoons flour
1 package cooked pasta
2 cups cheddar cheese, grated (vegan version: 1 package Daiya "cheese", cheddar style)
4 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated (optional)
pinch nutmeg, rosemary, OR thyme, to taste (optional)
salt and pepper, to taste
breadcrumbs
butter (vegan version: Earth Balance)

Directions
1. Cut butternut squash in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Place face down in a pan and cover with ¼-inch water. Bake at 350 degrees until squash is tender. Once cool, scoop out flesh and set aside.
2. In a large saucepan, heat 2 to 3 tablespoons of butter or Earth Balance over medium heat. Add onion and cook 2 to 3 minutes, or until translucent. Add flour and stir until butter or Earth Balance has been absorbed. Add milk slowly and stir constantly, until the mixture is smooth. Add squash, cheddar cheese, spices (if desired), and salt and pepper to taste.
4. Prepare a 9- x 13-inch casserole dish with butter or Earth Balance. Add pasta and pour butternut squash/cheddar cheese mixture on top. Top with Parmesan (if desired) and then breadcrumbs. Broil in the oven until topping is golden brown. Serve warm.

Pan-Roasted Salsify

2011-12-14T06:01:00.000-08:00

This recipe comes from New York Magazine, published by Robin Raisfeld and Rob Patronite on February 24, 2008. Let us know what you think!

Pan-Roasted Salsify
Ingredients
4 large salsify roots
juice from 1 lemon
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
5 sprigs thyme
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 to 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions
1. Peel the salsify and place in a shallow pan with water to cover, lemon juice, black pepper, 3 sprigs of thyme, bay leaf, coriander, and salt to taste. Bring to a simmer and cook until tender.
2. Remove salsify from liquid and once cooled, cut into small pieces of equal size. Heat sauté pan over medium heat and add olive oil.
3. Add salsify and season with salt and pepper. Cook until golden brown. Add the butter and the remaining sprigs of thyme and toss until the butter foams. Remove from heat and transfer to paper towels. Serve immediately.

Komatsuna Greens in Ginger Almond Miso Sauce

2011-12-07T17:26:00.000-08:00

Sent to us by Janet Ballatore.

It’s hard to post something fabulous after a bake-off win, but let me introduce you to my new friend, the Komatsuna Green. This delicious little leafy thing came in my first Vegetable Husband basket (a service I’m eternally thankful to Leigh for posting about) and I knew it was the first ingredient I wanted to use this week. After a bit of research, I learned that Komatsunas are a relative of the turnip but are also called Spinach Mustards in the US. Grown almost exclusively in Japan, Taiwan, Korea, and now, apparently, the state of Georgia, it’s a rich source of calcium that can be stir-fried and pickled, or used like bok choi in any dish.

I decided to stir fry it with dry-fried tofu in a ginger almond miso sauce recipe from

About.com. As much as I love cookbooks themselves, I kind of majorly love the internet as well. I would have never used this sauce otherwise. I chopped up the komatsuna greens like I would bok choi, stir-frying the stems first and then the leaves, and the recipe worked perfectly. The flavor is a bit stronger that bok choi–more green? if that’s a flavor…–and the sauce was bit too salty for me–maybe you should use a red miso instead of white–but I like the combination mostly. If you have the chance to pick up some komatsunas, do! I’d love to see them turn up in my next basket!

1 bunch Komatsuna Greens, stems and leaves separated

1 onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, diced

1 lb firm tofu

2 tablespoons soy sauce/Bragg’s Amino Acids

1 tablespoon miso

1 teaspoon rice vinegar

2 tablespoons sliced almonds

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 cup cooked red quinoa (or rice or other grain)

Dry fry the tofu. I divide to tofu into 2 batches to do this. After it is crisped the way you prefer it, set it aside on a plate to add to the stir-fry later. Chop the komatsuna stems into 1/2 inch pieces. Julienne the leaves.

Heat up a wok (without oil) and add the almonds. Stir-fry quickly until fragrant and toasted, about 45 seconds. Remove. Then in the wok, heat up 1-2 tbsp of sesame oil on medium heat. Add the onion, cook for 6-7 minutes or until the onion turns clear and soft. Add the garlic and cook for one minute. Add the komatsuna stems and cook for 5 minutes. Add the leaves and cook for another 5 minutes.

While the komatsunas are cooking, combine the soy sauce, miso, and vinegar until smooth and set it aside. When the greens are tender, add the tofu and then drizzle with miso sauce and sprinkle with almonds. Serve immediately.

Dana Mead's Turnip Recipes

2011-12-07T10:01:00.000-08:00

I have two recipes with turnips and other root veggies to share. My family has enjoyed both of these and we hope other members will too.

Sincerely,

Dana Mead

Cheesy turnips and carrots (from allrecipes.com)
Prep time 10 minutes; cook time 20 minutes
4+ main dish servings for vegetarians, 8+ side dish servings.

3 cups diced peeled turnips
2 cups sliced carrots
¼ tsp ground ginger
¾ c water
1 tsp salt, divided
½ cup chopped onion
½ cup diced celery
3 Tbs butter or margarine
3 Tbs all purpose flour
¼ tsp pepper
1 ½ cups milk
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1. Combine turnips, carrots, ginger, water and ½ tsp salt in a sauce pan, cover and cook on med. high heat until tender ~(10-15 minutes). Drain and reserve liquid.
2. In a skillet sauté onion and celery in butter until tender; stir in flour, pepper and remaining salt.
3. Add milk and vegetable liquid; bring to a boil. Stir until thickened and bubbly.
4. Stir in cheese until melted; stir in the vegetables and heat through.

Vegetable Cornish Pastries (from allrecipes.com; I’ve included my adaptations )
Prep time 30 minutes; cook time 45 minutes; great entrée to serve with a salad or soup.

1 recipe whole wheat pastry dough for a double crust pie (I use packaged refrigerated pie crust)
¼ cup butter (I use olive oil)
1 sliced onion thinly
1 carrot, thinly sliced
1 turnip, peeled and diced small
1 large potato, peeled and diced small
¼ lb mushrooms, chopped
2 Tbs water
1 tsp yeast extract spread (hard to find outside the UK, but home beer brewers might have some on hand; I omit this one)
¼ cup milk
1 egg
¼ lb shredded cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
1 egg, beaten

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Divide pastry dough into four equal portions and form into squares.
3. Melt butter in large skillet and sauté onion until translucent and beginning to brown. Add carrot, turnip, potato, mushrooms, and water. Lower heat and cover skillet. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. In a small bowl whisk on egg in milk. Stir into cooked vegetables. Stir until mixture thickens. Add cheese and season to taste. Set aside to cool.
5. Place ¼ of filling on one half of each pastry square. Fold pastry over and seal edges. Brish tops of pastry with beaten egg.
6. Place pasties on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes until pastry is golden brown.

Saag Sauce

2011-11-22T13:10:00.000-08:00

Here's a recipe I have been meaning to share. I use it whenever I have a selection of miscellaneous greens. Saag sauce is traditionally made with spinach, but I have been making it with Tatsoi, bok choy, beet, turnip, and radish greens, all of which come out delicious. My husband is not a huge fan of greens, but he'll eat anything I put in this recipe!

Saag sauce:

Ingredients:
-6 cups miscellaneous tender greens, washed and chopped
-1 medium onion, diced
-2 cloves garlic, diced
-1 tsp. of fresh ginger, peeled and minced
-1 cup canned diced tomatoes or 1 fresh tomato, seeded and diced.
-2 Tbsp Garam Masala (an Indian spice mix, available in most grocery stores)
-1 Tbsp tumeric
-1 Tbsp ground coriander
-1/4 c heavy cream -brown sugar and cayenne pepper to taste

Directions: In a large dutch oven, saute the onion in a little olive oil until translucent and soft. Season to taste with salt. Add the garlic and ginger and saute until fragrant, about a minute. Add the ground spices and continue to cook until they release a toasted aroma, again about one minute. Stir in the greens. Cook, stirring to mix the heat through the greens until greens are wilted and becoming tender. Add the tomatoes and about 2 cups of water. Simmer until the liquid is nearly gone, the greens are softened, and the tomatoes have been incorporated. Season to taste with additional salt, cayenne, and brown sugar if necessary to take the bitter edge off of the greens (depends on which kind of greens you use). Remove from the heat and stir in the cream.

This sauce would be great with any protein in it. I tend to add canned chickpeas to keep it vegetarian. Serve over brown or white basmati rice.

Enjoy!
Becca Burnett

Julia's Plain Mashed Sweet Potatoes

2011-11-22T10:11:00.000-08:00

This second holiday recipe comes from Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home by Julia Child and Jacques Pepin, originally published in 1999. Enjoy!

Julia's Plain Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Serves 6

Ingredients
2 lbs. sweet potatoes
1 teaspoon or more salt
freshly ground white pepper
2 tablespoons or more room temperature butter
half-and-half or heavy cream or milk
a few gratings of fresh ginger, to taste (optional)

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Meanwhile, scrub the potatoes under running hot water, remove any blemishes, and plunge a small sharp knife down about an inch into each potato in 5 or 6 places, to let out baking steam.
2. Arrange the potatoes a prepared baking pan, in 1 layer. Bake in the lower middle level of the preheated oven for about an hour, or until they are thoroughly tender when squeezed and a knife pierces through them easily. Cut each potato in half lengthwise and then open up to cool.
3. Scrape the flesh into a heavy-bottomed saucepan, and mash with a mixing fork or potato masher. Or put them in your heavy-duty mixer to break out at slow speed with the paddle attachment--careful not to go too fast and turn them gluey. Blend in salt and pepper, and the butter and/or cream or milk. Taste very carefully and correct seasoning, folding in the optional fresh ginger to taste.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Mushrooms and Cream

2011-11-22T09:36:00.001-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving from Lancaster Farm Fresh Cooperative! A few holiday favorites for some of our share items this week. This first recipe is another favorite adapted from Fine Cooking.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Mushrooms and Cream
Serves 6

Ingredients
5 cups Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved lengthwise (5 cups)
olive oil
Kosher salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
¾ lb. mushrooms, halved if small or cut into 1-inch wedges
1 large shallot or 1 small onion, thinly sliced (½ cup)
¼ cup dry white wine
1 cup heavy cream
freshly ground black pepper

Directions
1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 450 degrees.
2. Put the Brussels sprouts on a rimmed baking sheet, and drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. Spread in an even layer and season generously with salt. Roast until tender and browned, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
3. Heat a skillet over high heat. When the pan is hot, add a tablespoon of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter. When the butter has melted, add the mushrooms in an even layer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are golden-brown and tender and the mushroom liquid (if any) has evaporated, about 5 to 8 minutes. Season to taste with salt and transfer to a plate.
4. Set the skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter. When the butter has melted, add the shallot or onion, season with a pinch of salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and golden, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the wine and cook until reduced by half, about 1 minute. Return the mushrooms to the pan and add the Brussels sprouts and cream. Stir in a few grinds of pepper and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the cream thickens and coats the vegetables nicely, about 3 to 4 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Yummy Tatsoi Recipe

2011-11-18T10:50:00.001-08:00

(E-mailed to us from Laura, CSA Shareholder.)

Ingredients
6 cups tatsoi, chopped
1½ cups carrots, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus 1 additional tablespoon
1 tablespoon season oil
¼ onion, chopped 5 tablespoons peanut butter
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
Egg noodles

Directions
Sauté oil and garlic for 5 minutes. Add carrots and onion sauté for 5 mintues. Add tatsoi and sauté till tender. In a bowl, mix together peanut butter, white wine vinegar, and soy sauce. Poor over vegetables and fry for a few minutes. Serve over egg noodles.

Easy Broccoli-Cauliflower Stir Fry

2011-11-11T11:17:00.000-08:00

This is one of my favorite ways to prepare broccoli and cauliflower when I don't have much time to cook. It's simple yet delicious.

Easy Broccoli-Cauliflower Stir Fry
Ingredients
1 head broccoli, broken into florets
1 head cauliflower, broken into florets
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
1 to 2 onions, finely diced
butter or olive oil, depending on preference
soy sauce

Directions
In a large saucepan, heat butter or olive oil over medium heat. When the butter/olive oil is hot, add onions and garlic and sauté until onions are translucent. Add broccoli and cauliflower and cook until lightly browned. Add a few dashes of soy sauce for flavor and serve hot.

Curried Cauliflower with Chickpeas

2011-11-10T07:19:00.001-08:00

This recipe comes an NPR article titled "Cauliflower: A Love Story", by Nicole Spiridakis, published on April 9, 2008. Read the article here. Nicole notes that if you have the time, this dish is even more delicious if the cauliflower is pre-roasted with garlic.

Curried Cauliflower with Chickpeas
Serves 4

Ingredients
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons peeled, minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon curry powder
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon salt
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 medium or large head cauliflower, washed and broken into florets
¼ cup water
1 8-ounce can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
rice or couscous

Directions
1. In a large frying pan, cook the garlic, ginger, and spices in olive oil over medium heat for 1 minute to form a paste.
2. Add the onions and turn heat to low; cook for about 5 minutes until onions begin to soften.
3. Add the cauliflower and ¼ cup of water, and cook on high heat for 1 minute, then turn heat to low and simmer gently. Cook for about 10 minutes until cauliflower becomes tender, but not mushy.
4. Add chickpeas and cook a few minutes more to let the flavors blend and the dish is hot.
5. Serve over brown or white rice, or couscous.

Raspberry Angel Food Dessert

2011-11-10T07:06:00.008-08:00

LFFC Red Raspberries

This recipe comes from LFFC member farm Maple Valley Organics, one of the Co-op's raspberry growers.

Raspberry Angel Food Dessert
Makes 3 desserts (9"x13"x2" pans)

1^st layer: broken pieces of angel food cake
2^nd layer: vanilla pudding with cream cheese
3^rd layer: raspberry mush

Angel Food Cake Ingredients
2½ cups egg whites (approximately 12 eggs, separated)
¾ teaspoon salt
1½ teaspoons cream of tarter
1¼ cups evaporated cane juice organic sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour

Angel Food Cake Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Beat egg whites with salt until foamy. Add cream of tarter and continue to beat until very stiff. Fold in ¾ cup of sugar, a little at a time and add vanilla. Mix together the remaining ½ cup of sugar and flour and sift 3 times. Fold into egg whites, 2 to 3 tablespoons at a time. Pour into greased cake pan and bake for 40 minutes or until golden on top.

Vanilla Pudding Ingredients
9¼ cups milk
¾ cup evaporated cane juice organic sugar
½ teaspoon salt
⅓ cup brown sugar
4 eggs, well beaten
½ cup flour
½ cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons butter

Vanilla Pudding Directions
Pour 9 cups milk into large saucepan and add sugar and salt. Heat, stirring until hot but not boiling. Meanwhile, mix brown sugar, eggs, flour, and ¼ cup milk. Beat until well mixed. Pour this into hot milk and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, then add 1 teaspoon vanilla and 2 tablespoons butter. Properly cool the pudding by setting in cold water and stirring every 5 minutes. This will prevent a "skin" from forming on the top. If you feel the pudding is too thick or make it more creamy, add some cold water after it has cooled completely and beat well.

Raspberry Mush Ingredients
2 quart raspberry juice (unsweetened)
1½ evaporated cane juice organic sugar (or more or less, to suit your taste)
1 cup thermflo or clear jel

Raspberry Mush Directions
Heat juice until hot, but not boiling. Meanwhile, mix sugar and thermflo or clear jel. Slowly add water until it is free-flowing. Pour into hot juice, stirring constantly until it boils and thickens. Cool.

Roasted Turnips with Maple and Cardamom

2011-11-08T07:27:00.000-08:00

This recipe is adapted from one of my favorite resources, Fine Cooking. (Originally created by Susie Middleton.)

Roasted Turnips with Maple and Cardamon
Serves 4

Ingredients
1 bunch/bag of purple top turnips, peeled and cut into ¾-inch cubes (about 4 to 5 cups)
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoons butter
1 to 2 tablespoons maple syrup
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
a generous pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
¼ teaspoon ground coriander
⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro (or a mix of parsley and mint) (optional)
salt, to taste

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat turnips with olive oil and spread out evenly on a baking pan. Sprinkle with salt bake until tender and nicely browned.

2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Whisk in the maple syrup, vanilla, and red pepper flakes, and then the coriander and cardamom, until the sauce is heated, about 30 seconds. Remove the pan from the heat.

3. Transfer the turnips to a large mixing bowl. Gently reheat the sauce, if necessary, and stir in the lemon juice. Toss the sauce with the turnips. Add half of the cilantro and salt to taste and toss again. Transfer to a warm serving dish and garnish with the remaining cilantro.

Turnip and Potato Mash

2011-11-08T07:19:00.000-08:00

This recipe comes from a December of 2010 issue of Martha Stewart's Everyday Food. A simple and delicious way to enjoy two fall favorites!

Turnip and Potato Mash
Serves 4

Ingredients
1 pound turnips (about 2 medium), peeled and diced large
1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes (about 2 medium), peeled and diced large
1 dried bay leaf
coarse salt and ground pepper
3 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon butter

Directions
In a medium saucepan, bring turnips, potatoes, and bay leaf to a boil in a salted water over high and cook until vegetables are tender when pierced with a knife, 20 minutes. Drain, discard bay leaf, and return vegetables to pan. Add sour cream and butter and mash until mostly smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Hey all, it's fall!

2011-10-29T16:31:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone!

Our fall season is upon us, and along with the changing blog background (hello speckled hound squash!) and the new fall produce additions, I wanted to announce a new recipe blog addition.

Raven, an LFFC fan from the San Francisco Bay area, has her own recipe blog, the link can be found on the rightside of the page. I'm also posting it below for all to enjoy.

http://www.cookeatdelicious.com/

As always, thanks to everyone who contributes time, ideas, and love to our recipe group and CSA. We're changing the world, one organic meal at a time!

Warmly,

Evan

LFFC CSA Manager

Sweet Potato and Pear Soup

2011-10-27T06:35:00.001-07:00

Chris, LFFC's CSA Operational Coordinator, shares this fall favorite with us. Enjoy!

Sweet Potato and Pear Soup
Ingredients
4 tablespoons butter
1 large white onion, finely chopped
1 small white onion, finely chopped
5 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ¾-inch cubes
3 firm pears, plus 2 to 3 more
3 cups vegetable stock
½ cup cream
nutmeg, to taste
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions
1. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, add the onion, and cook for 5-6 minutes or until softened but not brown.
2. Add the sweet potatoes and pears and cook, stirring, for 10-12 minutes with the lid on.
3. Add the stock to the pan - just enough to cover the vegetables, and bring to a boil. Cook for 20 minutes or until sweet potatoes and pears are soft.
4. Remove half the liquid with a ladle - keep to add back in after blending.
5. Blend the mixture until smooth with an immersion blender. Stir in cream and reserved liquid.
6. Add nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Serve hot.

Sweet Potato Peanut Soup

2011-10-20T13:51:00.001-07:00

The following is adapted from an Emeril recipe, courtesy of www.planetgreen.com, and it's perfect for a chilly fall evening! A few of us are still getting Roma tomatoes in our shares, but if you don't have them on hand you always can substitute with canned tomatoes.

Sweet Potato Peanut Soup
Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients
1½ pounds sweet potatoes
5 tablespoons peanut oil
8 each Roma tomatoes, halved and seeded
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 cup onions, julienned
3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
½ to ⅓ cup smooth peanut butter (depending on preference)
1 cup unsweetened light coconut milk
1 quart vegetable broth
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
2 tablespoons chopped, roasted peanuts (optional)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Coat the sweet potatoes with 1 tablespoon of the peanut oil and roast in the oven for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until the potatoes are fully roasted and fork tender. Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, remove the skin from the potatoes and discard the skins. Reserve the sweet potato flesh until ready to use.
3. Place the tomatoes in a small mixing bowl and coat with 1 tablespoon of peanut oil. Lay the tomatoes on a baking sheet, skin side up, and season with salt and pepper. Place the sheet pan in the oven and roast the tomatoes until the skins are caramelized and wilted, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the tomatoes from the oven, discard the skins, and set the tomatoes aside until ready to use. (Disregard this step if you are using canned tomatoes.)
4. Set a 4 quart stockpot over a medium high heat and add 2 tablespoons of peanut oil. Add the curry powder to the pot and toast for about 30 to 45 seconds, stirring constantly. Add the onions and saute for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the minced garlic to the pot and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.
5. Add the roasted sweet potatoes and tomatoes to the pot. Add the peanut butter, coconut milk, and vegetable stock to the pot and stir to blend. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
6. Blend in batches until smooth. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with the chopped peanuts. Serve hot.

Low fat, Full flavor Broccoli Mushroom Soup

2011-10-20T06:44:00.000-07:00

This soup is great way to incorporate all the items we willing receiving this week and leftovers from last week! I am not a fan of cream soups so this recipe was created inan effort to get a creamy texture without the heaviness of a cream and its fat.I also had leftover mashed potatoes at the time and they became the creamyelement in the soup. Broccoli andmushrooms are a great combo and sautéing the mushrooms in Marsala or Sherry cookingwine and some evo before incorporating them into the soup, in the end gives thesoup a rich full bodied flavor. Anotheradded richness is the roasted garlic. When I get a sleeve of garlic, I roast half the heads so I always havesome on hand in the frig. It is soft andcreamy, like butter and the flavor is incredible! Kick it up with some truffle oil when bakingand it’s really awesome. Another addedgarnish that I am going to use this time is some oven roasted potato chips tonestle in the bowl when serving to resurface the creamy potato base of thesoup. This is one of my husband’s favsbecause he really enjoys creamy soups and this is one that he doesn’t miss thecream!

Low fat, Full Flavor Creamy Broccoli Mushroom Soup
8-10 servings
3lb organic broccoli heads
4 cloves roasted garlic
1 large onion, chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
2T Extra virgin olive oil
Splash of white balsamic vinegar
2 T of basil pesto (prepared or homemade)
1 heaping cups of mashed potatoes
32 oz. container + 1 cup of organic chicken broth

1 cup thinly sliced portabella or cremini mushrooms
Marsala or Sherry cooking wine
2T Extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
fat-free half and half or 2% milk (optional)

1. Lightly steam the broccoliheads to retain bright green color, roughly chop. Reserve 1 cup of the broccoli for finishing.

2. Heat 2T of oil inyour soup pot. Add the onions and celeryand sauté until soft. Add the splash ofbalsamic vinegar while tossing over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until the garlicbreaks down into the onion and celery mix. Add the broccoli (reserve 1 cup) and potatoes; stir to combine over lowheat. Add the broth slowly, gently foldingeverything together. Let the soup simmeron low heat for about 20 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, heat 2T of evo in medium sauté pan over medium high heat. Add the mushrooms, cook until they start torelease their liquid and add at least a ¼ cup of cooking wine to pan. Keep sautéing on the higher heat, until thewine is absorbed into the mushrooms. Sautéthe mushrooms until they are almost golden and somewhat caramelized. You could add a 1/2T of butter while sautéingthis if you feel you need it.
4. When all the soup ingredients arebroken down, turn off heat and use a hand blender to puree it. If you feel the soup is too thick at thispoint, add a little water or you could add fat free half & half, 2% milk, etc.to thin it out to your liking. Stir inthe reserved chopped broccoli and the mushrooms. Give the soup about two quick hits with theblender if you want to incorporate them a little more. You could also serve them on the side to beplaced in individual servings, as well as a cheddar cheese or oven baked potatochips.

Spaghetti Squash Pancakes

2011-10-14T06:30:00.000-07:00

Fritters, latkes, pancakes, call them what you will, theyhave endless potential and make a unique alternative for an appetizer, sidedish, snack, lunch, or just about any time! I was on a real kick with zucchini fritters a few years ago when my sonabsolutely loved them (now won’t touch them). A recent recipe I used was Mario Batali’s Zucchini-Ricotta Fritters. He uses fresh sheep-milkricotta but I used my own homemade cows-milk ricotta and they werefantastic! But now that zucchini seasonis past, I charge into fall looking for new frontiers in fritters! We have been getting spaghetti squash in ourfarm share and while I like it, I seem to always treat it like pasta or makefritatas with it, and I’m bored with that. Itook a look at a recipe for Gingered Carrot Latkes from Epicurious and came up with Spaghetti Squash pancakes. I call them pancakes because the consistencyof the batter because of the difference in texture of a carrot versus roastedspaghetti squash is quite different. Thesquash releases a little bit more moisture and the batter is like wet pancakebatter. With the addition of potatostarch, these get a nice lift and are light and airy, with a slightly butterytaste. They also have a little kick tothem, so serving them with a Greek yogurt sauce or sour cream is advised. These really taste good! I have many times just looked at a recipe andswitched out the ingredients to utilize what ingredients that I have to workwith, try it, it’s fun and they are so easy to make! They freeze well too!

Spaghetti Squash Pancakes

adapted from Gingered CarrotLatkes, Gourmet, December 2004

Makes about 18

1 medium sized spaghetti squash , cut length-wise in half,inside cleaned

1 chile pepper in adobo sauce (finely chopped)

1 t garlic chili sauce

1 t fresh thyme

½ cup Monterey jack cheese, shredded

1T stone ground mustard

6 T all-purpose flour

3 t potato starch

1 1/2t salt

¾ t baking powder

½ t ground black pepper

2t garam masala

1t paprika

3 t finely grated peeled fresh ginger

3 t finely grated peeled fresh turmeric (optional)

2 eggs, beaten to blend

1. Preheat oven to 350. Place the squash halves ,cut side down, in abaking dish with a water bath just covering the bottom of the pan. Bake for 35 minutes. Cool slightly and scoop out the inside fleshinto a large bowl. Press the squash withpaper towels to absorb any moisture.

2. In another large bowl, whisk flourthrough paprika to blend. Mix in squash,chile pepper, chili sauce, thyme, and cheese, then eggs.

3. Lightly butter or oil a griddle orheavy large skillet and heat over medium heat. Working batches and adding more oil/butter as needed, drop the squashmixture by scant ¼ cupfuls into the skillet or griddle. Fry until golden, about 4-5 minutes perside. Check after a few minutes andadjust heat accordingly. You may adjustamount of batter used to accommodate desired size. Transfer pancakes to rimmed bakingsheet. (Can be made 6 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Rewarm in 350 degree oven until crisp, about10 minutes.) These do freeze well, justmake sure to place wax or parchment paper between them.

Serve pancakes with sour cream and fresh thyme or the relishand salsa in the Epicurious recipe would also work well if you have the time to preparethem.

Meat Stuffed Collard Cakes

2011-10-04T07:05:00.000-07:00

In this month’s issue of Food and Wine Magazine, I found a recipe for “MeatStuffed Cabbage Cakes”. I made someadaptations to the recipe, mainly using my collards instead of cabbage andreplacing the ground veal in the filling with ground turkey. This dish is delicious, packed withnutrients, and one cake with the broth is very filling and satisfying. Perfect for a fall night!

I personally think that the collard leaves were much easier to roll and preparethan cabbage in this recipe. They wiltin a matter of seconds and do not require the hassle of peeling apart ahead. My addition of fresh turmericadded another flavor level to the broth that the cakes bath in as well asjacking up the health benefits of the dish.
This definitely made a lot of filling so I placed the rest in a loaf panand froze it as a meatloaf main for another meal, bonus!

Meat-Stuffed Collard Cakes

Adapted from F&W magazine, October 2011 issue
http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/meat-stuffed-cabbage-cakes
1.5 pound ground turkey
1/2 pound (2 link) sweet or hot Italiansausage, casings removed
1 1/2 cups cooked Arborio rice (I sautéed it with onion and a little dicedpeppers)
1 medium shallot, minced
1 onion, chopped
2 black garlic cloves, minced
½ cup green peas
3T Dijon mustard
½ cup grated parm cheese
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
½ t paprika
At least 14-16 large, flat collard leaves, rinsed with ribs cut out
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large onion, finely diced
¾ cup chopped celery
1 medium carrot, thinly sliced
2 t fresh minced turmeric
3 cloves chopped white garlic
1/2 cup dry white wine or Marsala cooking wine
2 cups chicken stock

1. Ina bowl, combine the turkey, sausage, rice, shallots, garlic, green peas,cheese, mustard, eggs, 2 tablespoons of the cilantro, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt,1/2 teaspoon of pepper and the paprika.
2. In a large pan of boiling water, submerge thecollard leaves, a few at a time. Simmer until the leaves are softened, about 30seconds. Using tongs transfer the leaves to paper towels and pat dry. 3. Line a small bowl with an 8-by-10-inch piece of plastic wrap. Drape a leave inthe bowl. Spoon 1/2 cup of the stuffingin the center of the leaf and fold the leaf over to enclose the stuffing. Coverwith the overhanging plastic wrap and twist to form a compact, round cake.Unwrap the cake. Repeat with the remaining collard leaves and stuffing.

4. Preheat the oven to 350°. In an enameledcast-iron casserole, melt the butter. Add the onion, celery, garlic, turmeric,and carrot and cook over moderately low heat until softened, about 10 minutes.Add the wine and bring to a boil. Add the stock and season with salt andpepper. Add the collard cakes, seam sides down.5. Cover and bake for about 35 minutes,until the filling is cooked through. * Ihad to add a little water to my broth because the veggies had absorbed it. Transferthe cakes to shallow bowls and ladle in the broth. Sprinkle with the remaining2 tablespoons of cilantro and serve. * Alittle freshly grated cheese was nice with this too.

Portabella Mushroom "Fries"

2011-09-29T14:13:00.000-07:00

Friedvegetables, in my opinion are a nutritional oxymoron. Maybe after a few hours of happy hour at thebar, they may seem like a “healthy” munchie, but let’s be real. The draw of the “fries”, are their crunchyand crispy exterior and added flavor to just about anything. The problem with most fried veggies is thatthe veggie is lost inside a glob of greasy breading or fried batter. I am not a fryer, so I set out on a missionto find a healthy alternative!
So ifyou seek the crunchy without the fat and fryer, try this method of makingveggie “fries”.
The prep is a two-fold cooking process but it is worth the effort, and can be madein the background of preparing other things for your meal. Organic mushrooms are not necessary but mychoice. You can vary your seasonings andtype of bread crumb, but the rice flour is a must for the breading to adhere tothe roasted mushrooms.
OrganicPortabella Mushroom “fries”
Time: 40-50 minutes makes Four side dish servings5-6 organic portabellacaps or baby bella caps (could use cremini mushrooms as well)
(Mother Earth Organics are amazing!)
FOR ROASTING the shrooms:
Olive oil, kosher salt, pepper, a splashof balsamic or red wine vinegar, fresh thyme

FORBREADING the shrooms: (about 1 cup of each) rice flour (sweet white or brown rice), buttermilk, bread crumbs (I use a mix ofhomemade bread crumbs and panko, herbs, and sometimes a few tablespoons of finelygrated parmesan-romano cheese)

FORGRILLING:
a veggie grill basket-type pan or a slotted broiler sheet pan may work(anything that lets the veggies get some directed heat.

STEP ONE: Cut stem off mushrooms and wipe themoff. Toss mushrooms with a coating ofolive oil, a pinch of salt and pepper (don’t overdo!), a splash of thevinegar. Place on a baking sheet preppedwith cooking spray or some olive oil, and lay the thyme on top of themushrooms. Bake, uncovered, in apreheated 350-400 degree oven for 25-30 minutes. They will look a little shriveled but, willnot release their water.

STEP TWO: In the meantime you can set up your breadingstation. You will need 3 shallow dishes-first is the rice flour. If you don’thave rice flour, get it! All-purposeflour is too heavy and that’s the reason why breading slides off things! Rice flour is finer, has nice flavor, andadheres/coats evenly. Next dish is for isthe buttermilk. I use 2% organic milkmixed with 1 T of apple-cider vinegar to make it. The third dish is for the bread crumbs. Have some extra breadcrumb mix available, youmay need to replenish this dish depending on the size of your caps.

STEP THREE: Once the mushrooms are cooled, you can cutthem into the fried shape of your choice. I like steak-fry style for the mushrooms because they are meaty, but youcould do more of a mc d style too. Placea baking pan lined with parchment or wax paper at the end of your assemblyline.

STEP FOUR: Dredge the mushrooms througheach bowl, making sure that any excess is shaken off before dipping in the nextdish. (You will notice how the roastingprocess has brought out enough water content to allow the mushrooms to coateasily and evenly.)
Place them on the baking sheet. At thispoint you could freeze them for another time. Just place the sheet in the freezer for about an hour and when they aresomewhat frozen, transfer them to a container.

STEP FIVE: Place the grill basket pan on a preheated 400degree gas grill. Place the mushrooms onthe basket pan and close the grill. These are great to make if you are grilling meat of other meal items atthe same time. The ‘shrooms should takeabout 20 minutes. Turn themoccasionally. They should become a nicegolden color and may become slightly charred, depending on the height of yourgrill flame. Remove from the heat.

Drizzle with olive oil andseason more to taste. Serve as a side,with your fav condiments.

Healthy Homemade Medjool Date Caramel

2011-09-23T09:03:00.001-07:00

Here’s a great, simple way to turn the season’s amazing apples and pears into a dessert (or anytime) treat. I served this date caramel drizzled on top of a pear and apple tart at the raw dinner/demo at Fresh Thymes last week. But it is so good just drizzled on fresh fruit slices (or even on its own – naughty!), you don’t even need to go to the effort of making a tart! Tastes just like the caramel apples I used to love to get at the fair when I was a kiddo…even better! Dip some slices and sprinkle on some crushed nuts or coconut for an extra tasty treat.

Date Caramel
Makes about ½ a cup
½ cup (packed) of medjool dates, pitted and soaked for at least an hour
1 heaping tablespoon almonds (or cashews) (soaked for a few hours is best – not the end of the world if you forget!)
1 tablespoon coconut oil
½ teaspoon vanilla (or more, to taste)
2-3 small pinches of sea salt
Several teaspoons agave nectar, to adjust sweetness (optional)

In a blender, combine almonds or cashews with 3 tablespoons of water. (You could also just use 3 tablespoons of an already-prepared nut milk or soy milk, and skip the blending.)
Blend to a milky consistency, straining out solid particles if necessary (if there are only nut tiny particles, and you aren’t picky, don’t sweat it).
Add soaked and drained dates, coconut oil and vanilla, and blend until smooth, pausing frequently to scrape down sides. (This step can also be done in a food processor.)
Add salt – a pinch at a time, so you don’t over salt – and blend again. Taste for salty/sweet balance, adding a little agave or a date or two more if you prefer a sweeter caramel.
Refrigerate in an airtight container to chill the caramel prior to using, if desired.

Mizuna Salad with Kohlrabi and Pomegranate Seeds

2011-09-21T14:04:00.000-07:00

Martha Stewart Living, February 2005

Yield Serves 6

Ingredients

2 large celery stalks
1 medium kohlrabi bulb (8 ounces), trimmed and peeled
1 small pomegranate
3 1/2 cups mizuna (3 ounces) or other tender, bitter salad greens such as arugula or dandelion
2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
1/8 teaspoon coarse salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/8 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

Using a mandoline or a sharp knife, thinly slice the celery and kohlrabi. Cut kohlrabi slices into 1/4-inch-wide strips.
Halve pomegranate; remove enough seeds to yield 1/2 cup (reserve remainder for another use). Add seeds, celery, kohlrabi, and mizuna to a serving bowl.
Whisk together vinegar, salt, pepper, sugar, and mustard. Whisking constantly, add oil in a slow, steady stream; whisk until emulsified. Toss with salad.

Edamame Spread

2011-09-21T13:53:00.000-07:00

This recipe comes from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food (March 2006).

Ingredients
coarse salt and ground pepper
2 cups shelled edamame
3 large garlic cloves, peeled
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon olive oil
radishes (or other vegetables) and rice crackers, for serving

Directions
1. In a medium saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the edamame and garlic until edamame are tender, about 5 minutes. Drain.
2. In a food processor, puree edamame, garlic, lemon zest and juice, oil, and 1/2 cup water until very smooth, about 2 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl. If needed, thin by adding water one tablespoon at a time. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
3. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 day. (If needed, add additional water.) Serve with radishes and crackers.

Baby Bok Choy with Chile and Garlic

2011-09-21T13:45:00.000-07:00

This side is easy enough to make for the holidays or any night of the week. It goes well with tofu, steamed fish, or meatloaf.

Everyday Food, November 2010

Yield Serves 4

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 1/2 pounds baby bok choy, leaves separated
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Soy sauce

Directions

In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium-high. Add garlic and stir until fragrant, 10 seconds. Add baby bok choy and cook, stirring frequently, until leaves are wilted and stems are crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Add red-pepper flakes and sesame oil. Season to taste with soy sauce and toss to combine.

Sweet Dumpling Squash Stuffed with Quinoa

2011-09-19T09:52:00.000-07:00

There are two main ways that I prepare squash -- the quick and easy way (microwave), or the slow and tastier way (oven). Microwaving it cooks the insides faster and makes the vegetable easier to cut with a knife. But baking it in the oven gives it the tasty caramelized flavor and brings out the natural sweetness of the squash. For this recipe, I do half and half (5-8 minutes of microwaving, and 20-30 minutes of baking) to save time and maintain flavor.

Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa
3 sweet dumpling squashes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 diced onion
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (or nut of choice)
1/4 cup raisins (currants or chopped dates work as well)
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
Salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

1 tablespoon Grade B pure maple syrup (optional, depending on if you like sweet)
1 tsp butter or Smart Balance

Directions:
1.) Preheat oven to 400 F.
2.) Place 3 whole sweet dumpling squashes on a large microwave-safe plate and nuke for 5-8 minutes (depending on the strength of your microwave).

3.) Rinse and cook quinoa in 1 and 1/2 cups of boiling water then let it simmer in pot covered with lid for about 15 minutes.

4.) Saute chopped onions in olive oil until transluscent and then add nuts, spices and raisins and sauté an additional minute (be careful not to burn the nuts). Mix in the cooked quinoa and salt/pepper when done. At this point you can add a teaspoon of butter or Smart Balance for some heavenly buttery flavor :-)

5.) Take the squash out of the microwave and carefully cut squash in half and scoop out seeds.

6.) Spray a baking dish with cooking spray and place squash halves upright on it and stuff it with quinoa/onion/nut/raisin/spice mixture. If you like your squash sweet like me, drizzle some maple syrup on top before putting it in the oven for 20 minutes.

7.) Serve immediately

Note: Organic sweet dumpling squash, unlike acorn, pumpkin or other types of squash, has a thin edible peel therefore less waste! So go ahead and eat the whole thing (except the stem of course)

Golden Peach Cake

2011-09-11T18:05:00.000-07:00

This recipe was developed by Epicurious using nectarines; I had peaches that needed to be used quickly and this cake was a simple, tasty way to use them. I didn't bother peeling the peaches. I think almost any fruit would work well in this recipe.

Serve it warm with vanilla bean ice cream - late summer heaven.

Golden Peach Cake

Adapted from Epicurious

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

Rounded 1/4 teaspoon salt

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup plus 1/2 tablespoon sugar, divided

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon pure almond extract

2-3 peaches, pitted and cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges

1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Lightly butter a 9-inch springform pan.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.

3. In a large bowl, beat butter and 3/4 cup sugar with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in extracts. At low speed, mix in flour mixture until just combined.

4. Spread batter evenly in pan, then scatter peaches over top. Stir together nutmeg and remaining 1/2 tablespoon sugar and sprinkle over top.

5. Bake until cake is golden-brown and top is firm but tender when lightly touched (cake will rise over fruit), 45 to 50 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove side of pan and cool to warm.

Eggplant and Tomato-Mint Salsa

2011-09-11T17:46:00.000-07:00

This is an old favorite of mine from a 2005 issue of Cooking Light. It's not the most beautiful-looking dish, but it sure is tasty and worth the effort.

The Cooking Light instructions tell you to grill the eggplant; you get a smokier flavor from the eggplant using a grill. I've also roasted the eggplant in the oven and it turned out fine. I've included this method as an alternative in the directions.

Eggplant and Tomato-Mint Salsa

From Cooking Light

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1/2 cup)

Ingredients

2 medium eggplants (about 1 1/2 pounds)
Cooking spray
1 1/2 cups chopped seeded tomato
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, minced

Directions

1. Cut each eggplant in half lengthwise. Lightly score cut sides of eggplant.

2. Place eggplant, cut sides down, on grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill 20 minutes or until very tender, turning occasionally. Alternatively, place eggplant, cut sides down, on a baking sheet. Bake in a 425°F oven for about 45 minutes or until very tender.

3. Scoop pulp from eggplant halves and place in a sieve over a bowl. Discard peels. Let pulp stand 1 hour or until cool and thoroughly drained. Discard liquid.

4. Coarsely mash pulp, and place in a small bowl. Stir in tomato and remaining ingredients. Serve at room temperature, stirring just before serving.

Beet Hummus

2011-09-11T17:12:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone,
I've been having a great summer full of cooking and baking using my CSA vegetables and fruit, so I decided to start contributing to the recipe blog. I live in Center City Philadelphia with my husband and four-year-old daughter. We get a full share of vegetables, a fruit share, and eggs and milk from the buying club. We love Lancaster Farm Fresh!

I have about four bags of beets in my fridge right now, so I needed a way to use some since more are coming this week. I found this recipe on Simply Recipes and thought it sounded interesting; I wasn't sure how it'd taste, but I was willing to try it. It's delicious! I love the fact that it can be frozen and I told my daughter it was Pinkalicious Dip, which convinced her it was worth a try.

Beet Hummus
Yield: 2.5 cups
Adapted from Simply Recipes .

Ingredients
3/4 lb. beets (about 5 medium sized beets), scrubbed clean, cooked, peeled, and cubed*
3 T. tahini (Sesame Paste)
5 T. lemon juice
1 large clove garlic, chopped
1 1/2 T. ground cumin
1 T. lemon zest (zest from approx. 2 lemons)
Generous pinch of Kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper to taste

*To cook the beets, I use Mark Bittman's roasted beets recipe. Wrap a few beets (unwashed, uncut) in aluminum foil. Make as many packets as you need for the beets you're roasting; each packet of beets should be similarly sized. I usually put 3-4 beets in one packet. Place your aluminum foil packets of beets on a baking sheet and bake at 375°F for about an hour, or until easily penetrated with a knife or fork. Once the beets have cooled, the skin will peel off easily.

Directions
1. Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings and ingredients as desired.
2. Chill and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for longer storage.

We ate this with flatbread, baby carrots, and the baby bell peppers that were in our share last week.

Twice Baked Mashed Potatoes

2011-09-02T10:15:00.000-07:00

This recipes comes from AllRecipes.com.

Twice Baked Mashed Potatoes
Serves 6 (Side Dishes)

Ingredients
½ cup chopped onion
½ cup chopped green pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 cups mashed potatoes (prepared with milk and butter)
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
¼ cup crumbled cooked bacon, optional
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper

Directions
In a small skillet, sauté onion and green pepper in oil until tender. In a large bowl, combine the onion mixture, mashed potatoes, ½ cup cheese, bacon (if desired), salt, and pepper. Spoon into a greased 2-quart baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Baked Eggs with Summer Vegetables and Capers

2011-08-24T13:44:00.000-07:00

Adapted from TheKitchn blog.

Baked Eggs with Summer Vegetables and Capers
Makes 2 hearty servings

Ingredients
2 cups yellow straightneck squash and/or zucchini (green or gold) and/or patty pan squash, cut into ½-inch pieces
⅔ cup chopped tomatoes
½ teaspoon Kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 teaspoons capers
⅓ cup fresh mozzarella cut into 1/2-inch pieces
6 large fresh basil leaves, cut into long, thin strips and divided
4 eggs
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Heat 2 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add squash/zucchni and tomatoes. Season with Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir in capers. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the vegetables are just tender.
3. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in 4 large fresh basil leaves, cut into long, thin strips, and fresh mozzarella. Divide the vegetable mixture between two ramekins. Crack two eggs into each ramekin, taking care not to break the yolks.
4. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet and place in the oven. Bake until the whites are almost cooked, 7 to 8 minutes. Sprinkle each serving with 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Bake for 2 additional minutes, or until the white are cooked and the yolks are still soft.
5. Sprinkle each serving with remaining fresh basil and serve immediately.

Honey Zucchini Bread

2011-08-24T13:41:00.000-07:00

This recipe comes from Food.com and it's only sweetened using honey!

Honey Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
3 eggs
1 cup honey
1 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 cups grated unpeeled zucchini
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1½ teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup chopped walnuts or 1 cup pecans (optional)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Butter two 8- by 4-inch loaf pans.
3. Beat eggs well.
4. Add oil, then honey (put honey in measuring cup after oil because the oiled cup will allow the honey to drip out more easily) and vanilla.
5. Stir in zucchini.
6. Mix dry ingredients together.
7. Stir into zucchini along with nuts.
8. Pour into the prepared loaf pans.
9. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until tested done.
10. Cool in pans for 15 minutes before turning out.

Raw Zucchini Salad with Red Onion

2011-08-24T13:39:00.000-07:00

This is a Martha Stewart creation. She writes, “Raw zucchini, sliced into ribbons with a peeler, is mild-tasting; a short soak in vinegar and oil mellows and softens the onion but leaves enough bite to keep it interesting.”

Raw Zucchini Salad with Red Onion
Serves 4

Ingredients
1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
coarse salt and ground pepper
½ small red onion, very thinly sliced
4 small or 2 large zucchini (about 1½ pounds total)

Directions
1. In a medium bowl, whisk together vinegar and oil; season with salt and pepper. Stir in onion, and let stand 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, using a vegetable peeler, slice zucchini into paper-thin ribbons, avoiding seeds. Add to bowl with dressing, season with salt and pepper; toss to combine.

Sausage-Stuffed Portobello Mushroom Caps

2011-08-24T13:34:00.000-07:00

Adapted from The Food Network.

Sausage-Stuffed Portobello Mushroom Caps
Ingredients
3 Portobello mushroom caps (1 package)
1 teaspoon plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
12 ounces hot and/or sweet Italian sausage
¼ cup finely chopped onion
¼ cup finely chopped green bell pepper
⅛ cup finely chopped celery
1 teaspoon minced garlic
¼ cup plain bread crumbs
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan
⅛ cup plus 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves
1 teaspoons spice mix (see recipe below)
1 egg, lightly beaten
Balsamic vinegar, for drizzling

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Using your hands, lightly rub mushroom caps with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
3. Cook the sausage in a medium skillet until browned, about 4 minutes. Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat.
4. Transfer sausage-vegetable mixture into a food processor. Add half of the bread crumbs and grated Parmesan, ⅛ cup parsley, spice mix, and the remaining teaspoon of olive oil. Pulse until mixture is finely chopped and comes together slightly, about 30 seconds. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, add the egg, and stir until well combined.
5. Divide the filling among the mushroom caps, about ½ cup for each mushroom. Place the filled mushrooms on a baking sheet. Combine remaining bread crumbs Parmesan in a small mixing bowl. Divide the bread crumb mixture evenly among the tops of the mushrooms. Bake until golden brown on top and the mushrooms are tender, about 15 to 18 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Garnish with remaining tablespoon of parsley, drizzle with olive oil and vinegar and serve warm or at room temperature.

Spice Mix (The Food Network’s Creole Seasoning): 2½ tablespoons paprika, 2 tablespoons salt, 2 tablespoons garlic powder, 1 tablespoon black pepper. 1 tablespoon onion powder, 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, and 1 tablespoon dried thyme.

Tomato Okra Soup

2011-08-24T13:32:00.000-07:00

The following recipe comes from Coffee&Cornbread blog.

Tomato Okra Soup
Ingredients
6 to 8 okra pods, sliced
4 large ripe tomatoes, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, diced
3 to 4 cups chicken broth
dash of red pepper to taste
salt and pepper, to taste
chives, for garnish

Directions
Place all ingredients but chives in a stock pot. Bring to boil and then simmer until okra is tender, about 20 minutes. Garnish with chives.

Ground Cherry Salsa

2011-08-22T09:32:00.001-07:00

Thank you to CSA member Rebecca for sharing her adaption of the following Cook's Illustrated recipe! She writes, "As long as it adds up to 3 cups, you can vary the proportion of ground cherries and tomatoes."

Ground Cherry Salsa
Ingredients

1 pound ripe ground cherries, halved or smaller (about 2 cups)
½ pound Roma or cherry tomatoes, diced (about 1 cup)
1 large jalapeno, seeds removed and finely minced
½ red onion, minced
1 small clove garlic, minced
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
½ teaspoon salt pinch ground pepper
2 to 6 teaspoons lime juice (1 to 2 limes)
sugar to taste (up to 1 teaspoon)

Directions

Place chopped tomatoes in a colander and let drain for 30 minutes. As they drain, layer ground cherries, jalapeno, onion, garlic, and cilantro on top. Shake colander to drain off excess juice; discard juice. Transfer to a bowl and add salt, pepper and 2 teaspoons lime juice. Toss to combine, taste, and add more lime juice and sugar to taste.

This salsa can be made 2 to 3 hours in advance, but hold off adding the salt, lime juice, and sugar till just before serving.

Easy Peanut Butter Chard

2011-08-22T09:28:00.000-07:00

Easy Peanut Butter Chard
Ingredients
1 bunch chard, stems removed and cut into thin strips
1 clove garlic, minced
1 half onion, finely chopped
1 bell pepper, seeds removed and chopped
1 tomato, diced
1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon peanut butter (depending on preference)
salt and pepper, to taste
olive oil pinch
crushed red pepper flakes, optional

Directions
Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. When hot, saute the garlic and onion until onion is translucent. Add bell pepper and tomato and saute a few minutes more until soft. Add chard and saute to your liking. When the dish is just about ready, add peanut butter and seasonings. Serve hot and enjoy!

Quick Pickles with Dill

2011-08-22T09:25:00.000-07:00

This is a Rachel Ray recipe from The Food Network.

Quick Pickles with Dill
Ingredients
½ cup white vinegar
2 rounded teaspoons Organic evaporated cane juice sugar
1 teaspoon mustard seed
1 teaspoon salt
1 clove cracked garlic
2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
1 bay leaf
4 pickling cucumbers, cut into 1-inch slices

Directions
Heat small saucepan over medium high heat. Add vinegar, sugar, mustard seed, salt, and garlic to the pan and cook until it begins to simmer and sugar dissolves. Toss the dill, bay leaf, and sliced cucumbers together in a bowl. Pour the simmering liquid over the cucumbers and stir to evenly coat. Allow to cool to room temperature or chill before serving.

Roasted Tomatoes

2011-08-22T09:24:00.000-07:00

Roasted Tomatoes
Ingredients
tomatoes, cut into ¼-inch slices
olive oil
balsamic vinegar
red wine vinegar
garlic, minced
chopped fresh herbs (basil, parsley, oregano, etc.)
salt
pepper
breadcrumbs

Directions
Mix olive oil, balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, garlic, and seasonings together in a bowl. Arrange tomato slices on a baking sheet and pour olive oil/vinegar mixture on top. Top with breadcrumbs. Broil in the oven until lightly browned. Serve hot – this is a tasty side dish that pairs well with pasta, steak, or chicken.

Red Beet Risotto with Rosemary, Goat Cheese, and Pistachios

2011-08-22T09:21:00.000-07:00

Red Beet Risotto with Rosemary, Goat Cheese, and Pistachios
Ingredients
1 onion, finely chopped
3½ tablespoons butter
1 half cup white wine
2½ cup Arborio rice
6 cups vegetable stock
3 to 4 red beets, peeled, boiled, and diced into small cubes
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
goat cheese, crumbled
pistachios, chopped

Directions
In a large pot, heat butter over medium-low heat. Add onion and saute for a few minutes. Add rice and stir to coat with butter for a few minutes more. Meanwhile, heat wine and vegetable stock in separate pots. Add white wine to the rice and stir until absorbed. A half a cup at a time, add the vegetable stock. Stir until absorbed before adding the next helping. If you run out of vegetable stock, you can add hot water. Make sure to stir rice constantly. When the dish is nearly done, add beets and rosemary, as well as salt and pepper to taste. The rice will turn a beautiful pink/magenta. Serve topped with crumbled goat cheese and chopped pistachios.

Fresh Corn and Black Bean Salad

2011-08-22T08:12:00.000-07:00

Fresh Corn and Black Bean Salad

makes about 8 servings

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes
Chill time: 30 minutes

3 ears organic sweet corn

1 organic red pepper, chopped

1 organic red onion, chopped

1 18 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

1/4 C fresh cilantro leaves

1 C organic grape or cherry tomatoes, halved or whole

juice from one lime

1-2 avocados, cut into small chunks [optional]

1. To prep the corn, shuck each ear, and cut each cob in half.

2. Place the prepped corn cobs in a large pot of boiling water, and boil for 3-5 minutes, or until the corn is tender. [Alternately, you could skip this step and use raw corn kernels.]

3. Remove the corn from the water and let cool until you can safely handle them. (Since I was in no rush, I let the ears cool in the fridge overnight.)

4. After the corn has cooled, use a sharp knife to carefully cut the kernels from each cob.

5. Place the kernels into a large serving bowl.

6. Stir in the chopped red pepper, red onion, and black beans.

7. Add in the tomatoes and stir to combine.

8. Stir in the fresh lime juice.

9. Garnish with fresh cilantro.

10. Place in the fridge and let chill for at least half an hour. Give it a stir before serving.

11. If you want to take it up one more notch, top with chunks of avocado just before serving.

12. Serve the corn and black bean salad by itself or over a bed of quinoa.

Eggplant Parmesan

2011-08-10T08:52:00.000-07:00

This is a SimplyRecipes.com take on a classic favorite.

Eggplant Parmesan
Ingredients
1 Italian eggplant
Kosher salt
4½ cups peeled tomatoes, chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
olive oil
freshly ground black pepper
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup fine dry breadcrumbs
4 large eggs, beaten
1 pound fresh mozzarella, sliced into ¼-inch rounds
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ to 1 cup fresh basil leaves

Directions
1. Cut eggplants lengthwise into ¼-inch slices. Arrange one layer in the bottom of a large colander and sprinkle evenly with salt. Repeat with remaining eggplant, salting, until all eggplant is in the colander. Weigh down the slices with a couple of plates and let drain for 2 hours. The purpose of this step is to have the eggplant release some of its moisture before cooking.
2. While the eggplant is draining, prepare tomato sauce. Combine tomatoes, garlic and ⅓ cup olive oil in a food processor. Season with salt and pepper to tasted and set aside.
3. When eggplant has drained, press down on it to remove excess water, wipe off the excess salt, and lay the slices out on paper towels to remove all the moisture. In a wide, shallow bowl, combine flour and breadcrumbs. Mix well. Pour beaten eggs into another wide shallow bowl. Place a large, deep skillet over medium heat, and pour in a a half inch of olive oil. When oil is shimmering, dredge the eggplant slices first in the flour mixture, then in the beaten egg. Working in batches, slide coated eggplant into hot oil and fry until golden brown on both sides, turning once. Drain on paper towels.
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In the bottom of a 10- by 15-inch glass baking dish, spread 1 cup of tomato sauce. Top with one third of the eggplant slices. Top eggplant with half of the mozzarella slices. Sprinkle with one third of the Parmesan and half of the basil leaves.
5. Make a second layer of eggplant slices, topped by 1 cup of sauce, remaining mozzarella, half the remaining Parmesan, and all of the remaining basil. Add remaining eggplant, and top with the remaining tomato sauce and Parmesan.
6. Bake until cheese has melted and the top is slightly brown, about 30 minutes. Allow to rest at room temperature for about 10 minutes before serving.

Tomato and Watermelon Salad

2011-08-09T10:28:00.000-07:00

This recipe is courtesy of Girl Cooks World blog.

Tomato and Watermelon Salad
Ingredients
2 cups halved or quartered small cherry tomatoes
1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into ½-inch to ¾-inch cubes
1 cup chopped, seeded watermelon, cut into ½-inch to ¾-inch cubes
1 avocado, cut into ½-inch to ¾-inch cubes
½ cup finely chopped red onion
1 tablespoon of fresh basil, mint, or cilantro
¼ teaspoon ground coriander
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions
1. In a large bowl combine the tomatoes, cucumber, watermelon, avocado, herbs, and coriander.
2. Just before serving combine the olive oil and balsamic vinegar and whisk to combine. Pour over the tomato mixture and add salt and pepper to taste. Be sure to add enough salt to make the flavors pop!

Cool Melon Salad with Hot Bacon

2011-08-09T10:25:00.000-07:00

This recipe is courtesy of The Kitchn blog.

Cool Melon Salad with Hot Bacon
Serves 2 to 4

Salad Ingredients:
4 to 5 strips bacon, cut into 3-inch pieces
1 small, sweet melon, such as canary melon or cantaloupe
several small mint leaves, torn if big
a small handful of arugula or spicy cress, washed and dried well (optional)

Dressing Ingredients:
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
3 tablespoons lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)

Garnish Ingredients:
freshly ground pepper a few mint springs

Directions
1. Slice the melon in half, scoop out the seeds and cut into wedges. Cut the skin off the flesh and the flesh into large cubes. Place the cubes in a bowl and chill in the fridge.
2. Whisk together dressing ingredients and reserve.
3. Cook and drain the bacon. Toss the melon, arugula/cress (if desired) and mint with a drizzle of dressing. Serve immediately.

Stuffed Bell Peppers with Beans and Rice

2011-08-09T10:22:00.000-07:00

The following recipe is adapted from Health Food Lazy People blog.

Stuffed Bell Peppers with Beans and Rice
Ingredients
4 bell peppers
3 cups cooked rice
1 half can black beans
2 ears corn, shucked and kernels cut off the cobs (or can use ¾ cup frozen)
½ onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1¾ cups crushed tomatoes 1
cup cheese (your choice, but cheddar is delicious!)
¼ cup diced jalapenos (optional)
½ cup water
seasoning

Directions
1. Cook rice and set aside.
2. Cut the tops off of the bell peppers and scoop out the seeds. They need to be softened before being stuffed, so either steam them for a few minutes or boil them for about 8 minutes. They should soft but not floppy, able to stand up by themselves and hold their shape, but not crisp.
3. In a small fry pan, sauté the onions and garlic in a little olive oil until the onions become translucent.
4. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked rice, sautéed onions, garlic, jalapenos, black beans, corn, seasoning, and a ½ cup of cheese. Mix well.
5. When the peppers are softened, stand them upright in a baking dish and fill them with stuffing mixture and top with the remaining ½ cup of cheese.
6. Pour a ½ cup of water in the bottom of the dish around the peppers.
7. Set the oven to 350 degrees, and bake covered for 20 minutes. Remove cover and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the cheese on top is golden brown.

Stuffed Bell Peppers with Brown Rice and Ricotta

2011-08-09T10:14:00.000-07:00

The following recipe is adapted from the food section of Michigan Local News.

Stuffed Bell Peppers with Brown Rice and Ricotta
Ingredients
2 bell peppers
1 teaspoon lime juice
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 tablespoons chopped mint
1 minced clove of garlic
½ onion, chopped fine
¾ cup long-grain brown rice, prepared
¼ cup ricotta cheese
salt and pepper, to taste
mozzarella, if desired

Directions
1. After preparing the brown rice, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Wash the bell peppers thoroughly and cut them in half length-wise. Remove the seeds and ribs inside the pepper, but leave the stem, as this will help them maintain their structural integrity.
3. In a bowl, mix the lime and lemon juice, olive oil, parsley, mint, garlic, onions, brown rice, and ricotta. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Grease a small baking pan. Place the cut peppers hollow side up in the pan and fill each pepper-half with a quarter of the prepared mixture from step three. Top with shredded mozzarella, if desired.
5. Fill the bottom of the baking pan with about a ¼-inch of water. This will help the peppers to cook thoroughly.
6. Place the peppers in the oven for 15 to 25 minutes. The baking time will vary, but the peppers will be done when they feel tender.

Summer Corn Chowder

2011-08-04T18:54:00.000-07:00

From Corey, LFFC CSA Shareholder...

Don't know what to do with all the corn that is so bountiful right now? This is a delicious recipe that will not disappoint. It is creamy, a little spicy, and chock full of delicious summer vegetables. You can check out more photos and recipe ideas on my blog, IntheOrganicKitchen.com.

Summer Corn Chowder

3 ears fresh corn, kernels cut off
2 small potatoes, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes -- or to taste
1 handful fresh herbs -- oregano, parsley, chives
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup heavy cream
pepper -- to taste
salt -- to taste

Place onion, carrot, green pepper, in bottom of soup pot with a little bit of olive oil or butter. Cook until onion is translucent. Add garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook about 1 minute more. Add potatoes and corn and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring and making sure mixture does not burn. Add chicken stock and chopped herbs.

Cover and cook for about 1 hour, until vegetables are very soft. Blend half the mixture in blender or by using immersion blender. Add cream and salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!

Beat the Heat with These Peachy Pops!

2011-07-30T10:14:00.000-07:00

I have been loving the fresh, local peaches coming in my share! I had yet to use the popsicle making gadget I received for my birthday, so though a juicy peach concoction might be just the thing to try out. Of course, a good, old-fashioned popsicle stick (or spoon) in a paper cup will do just fine, as well, although there are a lot of these quick-freeze pop makers in stores right now that are kind of nifty.
Here's a quick peachy pop recipe...I bet it would be delish with mango, as well!

Flesh of two medium peaches, peeled and roughly chopped
Two tablespoons water
One tablespoon agave nectar
Two teaspoons lemon juice (Lime would be delish, as well!)

Combine ingredients in a blender until completely smooth...pour into popsicle molds, freeze, and enjoy! My recipe made three largish popsicles, but of course it depends on what you are using as a mold.

Marinated Tomatoes

2011-07-29T18:00:00.000-07:00

From: Pioneer Woman

This is a good recipe for all the summer tomatoes that are starting to come in, from the garden and the farm share. You can use any kind of tomatoes - large, small, red, yellow, etc. A few ideas on how to use them: as a side dish for a grilled dinner, on top of sliced mozzarella with cracked black pepper and sliced basil, piled onto slices of toasted baguette for bruschetta (or, top toasted baguette with the tomatoes, add sliced mozarella, pop into the toaster or under the broiler to melt the cheese), add to a green salad, or spoon over some quinoa or cous cous for a summer side dish.

Ingredients

1 cup Canola Oil (I used less, and substituted olive oil)
1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
4 Tablespoons Sugar
1 teaspoon Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
3 whole Green Onions, Sliced
1/4 cup Chopped Parsley
18 whole Basil Leaves (chiffonade)
1/4 teaspoon Ground Thyme
2 cloves Garlic, Minced Finely
2 pounds Tomatoes, Cut Into Quarters (if Big) Or Halves (if Small)
1 whole Baguette, Sliced, optional
1 clove Garlic, Peeled, optional

Combine all ingredients except tomatoes in a large glass bowl. Whisk to combine, then add tomatoes. (You can increase the quantity of tomatoes if need be.) Use regular red tomatoes, or a mixture of red, yellow, heirloom, etc. Use different sizes of tomatoes, too--pretty!

Allow to marinate for at least 3 to 4 hours, several hours if possible. Tomatoes will give off liquid as they marinate.

Use leftover tomatoes to make bruschetta: slice baguette and brush slices with olive oil. Grill on a skillet or grill pan until golden. Rub slices with garlic cloves. Top with tomatoes, allowing juice to drip on the bread.

Roasted Summer Vegetables with Feta

2011-07-29T12:20:00.000-07:00

Roasted Summer Vegetables with Feta

makes one serving (you can easily double, triple, etc. this recipe for additional servings)

2 T olive oil

1 T balsamic vinegar

1 T brown sugar

1/2 t dried rosemary

1/2 t kosher salt

1/4 t freshly ground black pepper

6 cherry tomatoes, halved

1 small zucchini, diced

1/2 red onion, cut into quarters and chopped

1/4 C feta cheese crumbles

1 C cooked quinoa or grain of your choice

1. In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

2. Add the chopped and diced veggies to the bottom of a glass baking dish.

3. Pour the vinaigrette over the veggies. Gently shake the dish to make sure all the veggies are evenly covered by the sauce. Flip any tomatoes so that they are cut-side up.

4. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and gently toss. Roast for an additional 10 minutes, then gently toss again. Let roast for an additional 10 minutes, then remove from the oven.

5. Serve the roasted vegetables over a bed of quinoa (or couscous, rice, etc.) and top with feta cheese crumbles.

Rustic Onion Tart

2011-07-22T13:05:00.000-07:00

Adapted from: Simply Recipes

While it does take awhile to caramelize the onions, you don't need to stand over the stove stirring them. You can walk away and just give the onions an occasional stir while you go about doing other things. Once the onions are caramelized, this is a very quick dish to throw together. Just pie crust, cheese, onions, fold up and bake. It looks great when it comes out of the oven, too (see the photo on the original blog). Great vegetarian dish, too!

Ingredients

1 flat pie crust dough (pre-packaged or make your own)
3 medium sized red onions (use 4-5 if your onions are small)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp butter
Salt
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 cup (not packed) roughly grated Gruyère Swiss cheese

Method

1 If you are making a crust from scratch, prepare the dough and let it chill in the refrigerator while you are cooking the onions.

2 Peel and slice the onions.

3 Heat olive oil and butter in a large, heavy-bottomed sauté pan or Dutch oven on medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the onions and sprinkle a little salt over them. Cook, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes, until the onions have softened and are translucent. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook for an additional 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are well browned. Add balsamic vinegar and cook for 10 minutes more, until onions are completely caramelized. Remove from heat.

4 Preheat the oven to 450°F. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let stand for 5 minutes before rolling it out. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to a 10-inch diameter. Remove the crust dough to a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

5 Place all but a couple tablespoons of the cheese in the center of the dough. Spread to within 1 1/2 inches from the edges. Add the caramelized onions, layering them on top of the cheese. Fold the edges of the crust dough over so that a small circle of onion is still showing in the center of the tart. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top of the tart.

6 Place in the oven on the middle rack. Bake for 10 minutes at 450°F. Reduce the heat to 350°F and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes, until the crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 4

Raw Slaw

2011-07-15T10:11:00.000-07:00

Another variation on slaw from Raw Food Nation. Enjoy!

Raw Slaw
Ingredients
5 to 6 cups shredded cabbage
½ cup of shredded carrots
½ cucumber, chopped
¼ cup or 1 handful sliced raw almonds
1 tablespoon raw agave nectar
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 to 3 tablespoon raw tahini (if you are not 100% raw, use a spicy hummus of choice)
seasonings: salt, pepper, ground cayenne pepper, and fresh chopped cilantro

Directions
1. Chop up cabbage into small long pieces and place into a bowl. Add shredded carrots, agave nectar, and olive. Stir to coat ingredients.
2. Add raw tahini or spicy hummus, and a pinch of salt, a dash of pepper, cilantro and cayenne to taste. Mix ingredients well.
3. Slice up your cucumbers and lay them out on your plate in a half circle. Pour mixed ingredients onto your plate, slightly overlapping the cucumbers. Top with sliced raw almonds.

Crispy Picnic Slaw

2011-07-15T10:01:00.000-07:00

This recipe is courtesy of The Runaway Spoon blog. The author writes, "Because of the vinegar dressing, this slaw holds very well in a cooler or on a picnic table. The salt water soak keeps the vegetables crispy and mellows the bite of the onions and the dressing is sweet-tart with the tang of vinegar and mustard seeds."

Crispy Picnic Slaw
Serves 8

Ingredients
1 head green cabbage
2 bell peppers
1 medium onion
2 tablespoons salt
1½ cups apple cider vinegar
1½ cups organic evaporated cane sugar
½ tablespoon mustard seeds
½ tablespoon dill seed

Directions
1. Remove the outer leaves of the cabbage, cut it in half and remove the core. Cut the halves in two, then shred the cabbage. Remove the seeds and thick ribs from the peppers, cut into quarters, and slice thinly like the cabbage. Peel and quarter the onion and finely slice like the cabbage and peppers. Toss everything together in a very big bowl.
2. Dissolve the 2 tablespoons of salt in 8 cups of water. Pour the salted water over the vegetables in the bowl and stir to distribute everything. Soak the vegetables for 3 to 4 hours, stirring occasionally. Leave the bowl on the counter while doing this.
3. Meanwhile, stir the vinegar, evaporated cane sugar, and seeds together in a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil for two minutes, then set aside to cool.
4. Drain the vegetables, shaking out as much water as possible. Transfer the mix to a clean tea towel, roll it up and ring out as much water as possible from the cabbage. Rinse and dry the big bowl, then return the cabbage mix, separating it and fluffing it up with your hands. Pour over the vinegar dressing and toss to coat all the vegetables. It may look like a lot of dressing, but that’s fine. Cover the slaw with plastic wrap and refrigerate. The slaw can be eaten as soon as it is cold, but will stay crispy in the fridge for several days. Serve with a slotted spoon to drain off excess dressing.

Caramelized Carrots

2011-07-15T09:54:00.000-07:00

The following recipe is adapted from The Organic Foodie blog.

Caramelized Carrots
Serves 4

Ingredients
1 bunch carrots, scrubbed but not peeled (if any are very fat- half 'em)
1½ teaspoon butter
2 teaspoons olive oil
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon fresh or 1/2 tsp dried tarragon (or more, to taste)
1 tablespoon honey
⅓ cup water
fresh pepper, to taste

Directions
Heat a fry pan on medium high add in your butter and olive oil. When hot, add carrots. Brown (not burn) on all sides. When all sides are browned, add salt, honey, and tarragon. Stir to coat carrots (the honey will caramelize quickly). Add water and cover for 3 to 5minutes, or less if you like your carrots crisper. Remove the lid, stir once more and season with pepper. Enjoy immediately.

Fresh Corn Salad

2011-07-15T09:38:00.000-07:00

This is a really simple and delicious summer salad that can be adapted as needed to use up share items. What are some of your variations?

Fresh Corn Salad
Ingredients
3 ears sweet corn, shucked and kernels cut off, close to the cob
1 large red tomato, diced
1 half fresh red, yellow, or sweet onion
1 half bell pepper, seeds removed and diced
splash sweet balsamic
splash red wine vinegar
splash olive oil
salt and fresh ground pepper
chopped fresh herbs, such as basil or cilantro

Directions
Toss and enjoy! Best eaten fresh.

Stuffed Cabbage

2011-07-15T09:07:00.000-07:00

This Ina Garten recipe is recommended to us by our CSA Manager, Evan. It's a delicious way to prepare green cabbage, and many of the ingredients can be purchased along with your CSA share through the LFFC Buying Club.

Stuffed Cabbage
Ingredients
3 tablespoons good olive oil
1½ cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
2 cans crushed tomatoes or 6 to 8 large slicing tomatoes, diced
¼ cup red wine vinegar
½ cup brown sugar, lightly packed
½ cup raisins
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 large head green cabbage, including outer leaves

Filling Ingredients
2½ pounds ground beef
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
½ cup finely chopped yellow onions
½ cup plain dried breadcrumbs
½ cup uncooked white rice
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves (can substitute with dried)
½ teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions
1. For the sauce, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan, add the onions, and cook over medium-low heat for 8 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Add the tomatoes, vinegar, brown sugar, raisins, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil.
3. Remove the entire core of the cabbage with a paring knife. Immerse the head of cabbage in the boiling water for a few minutes, peeling off each leaf with tongs as soon as it s flexible. Set the leaves aside. Depending on the size of each leaf, you will need at least 14 leaves.
4. For the filling, in a large bowl, combine the ground chuck, eggs, onion, breadcrumbs, rice, thyme, salt, and pepper. Add 1 cup of the sauce to the meat mixture and mix lightly with a fork.
5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
6. To assemble, place 1 cup of the sauce in the bottom of a large Dutch oven. Remove the hard triangular rib from the base of each cabbage leaf with a small paring knife. Place ⅓ to ½ cup of filling in an oval shape near the rib edge of each leaf and roll up toward the outer edge, tucking the sides in as you roll. Place half the cabbage rolls, seam sides down, over the sauce. Add more sauce and more cabbage rolls alternately until you've placed all the cabbage rolls in the pot. Pour the remaining sauce over the cabbage rolls. Cover the dish tightly with the lid and bake for 1 hour or until the meat is cooked and the rice is tender. Serve hot.

Rhubarb-Almond Bars

2011-07-15T09:02:00.000-07:00

This recipe is courtesy of Chow.com.

Rhubarb-Almond Bars
Ingredients
1½ pounds rhubarb stalks, cut into ½-inch pieces (about 6 cups)
2 cups organic evaporated cane sugar
2⅓ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
⅛ teaspoon fine salt
2 sticks (8 ounces) frozen unsalted butter
2 large egg yolks
⅔ cup whole unsalted almonds, toasted

Directions
1. Place the rhubarb and 1 cup sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, stir to combine, and cook until the rhubarb releases some juices, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the rhubarb is soft and just starting to fall apart, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove to a bowl and let cool.
2. Combine the flour, remaining cup sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Grate the butter on the large holes of a box grater, add it to the flour mixture, and rub between your fingertips until the ingredients just hold together when squeezed, about 3 minutes. Add the yolks and combine until the dough forms large, fist-size chunks when squeezed, about 1 minute (the dough will be crumbly). Shape the dough into a flat disk, cover in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
3. Heat the oven to 375 degrees and arrange a rack in the middle. Coarsely chop the almonds and set aside.
4. Evenly crumble the chilled dough over the bottom of a 13-by-9-inch baking dish, then firmly press it into the dish using your fingers or the bottom of a measuring cup. Sprinkle the chopped almonds over top and press them lightly into the dough. Using a slotted spoon, evenly spread the cooled rhubarb over the base. If you have any remaining syrup, pour up to ⅓ cup over the top. Bake until the dough is brown and the rhubarb mixture is bubbly around the edges, about 40 to 50 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting into 2-inch bars.

New Red Potato Salad

2011-07-15T07:04:00.000-07:00

LFFC New Red Potatoes

This recipe is adapted from the Food Network's Paula Deen. A great way to use up three items that are abundant in the shares right now - new red potatoes, green bell peppers, and fresh onions.

New Red Potato Salad
Serves 6

Ingredients
4 cups new red potatoes, cut in small pieces
½ cup green bell pepper, finely diced
¼ cup red onion, finely diced
3 scallions, diced (optional)
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon mayonnaise or vegenaise
salt and fresh pepper

Directions
1. Boil potatoes in salted water until soft, approx 10 minutes. Drain and let cool.
2. While the potatoes are boiling, combine red onion, green pepper, mustard, olive oil, vinegar and mayonnaise and season with salt and pepper. Mix well and let the flavors marinade while the potatoes cook. Once the potatoes are done and cool, mix into the bowl and add scallions and additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve room temperature or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Lambs Quarter Greek Salad

2011-07-14T09:50:00.000-07:00

Lambs quarter is a new item in some of the shares this week! This wild edible is also known as goosefoot for the shape of its leaves and its flavor is often compared to spinach or chard. Lambs quarter can be steamed, cooked, or eaten raw. Enjoy this simple salad recipe adapted from Phoenix Farms blog.

Lambs Quarter Greek Salad
Salad Ingredients
2 cups of lambs quarters greens
2 white cucumbers, diced, or 1 slicing cucumber, diced
2 tomatoes, diced
2 green onions, chopped or 2 heaping tablespoons red onion, minced
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
1 clove garlic, minced
⅓ cup olives, chopped
2 teaspoon dried oregano (if possible fresh)

Dressing Ingredients
1½ tablespoons lemon juice
1½ tablespoons red wine vinegar
½ cup olive oil
¾ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon fresh herbs or 1 tablespoon dried (dill, parsley, oregano, etc.)
¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

Directions
Blend together dressing ingredients until smooth. Coat salad before serving.

To Die For Blueberry Muffins

2011-07-14T09:43:00.000-07:00

This recipe comes from AllRecipes.com.

To Die For Blueberry Muffins
Ingredients
1½ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup organic evaporated cane sugar
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
⅓ cup vegetable oil
1 egg
⅓ cup milk
1 cup fresh blueberries
½ cup organic evaporated cane sugar
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup butter, cubed
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter muffin cups.
2. Combine 1½ cups flour, ¾ cup organic evaporated can sugar, salt, and baking powder. Place vegetable oil into a 1 cup measuring cup; add the egg and enough milk to fill the cup. Mix this with flour mixture. Fold in blueberries. Fill muffin cups right to the top, and sprinkle with crumb topping mixture.
3. To Make Crumb Topping: Mix together ½ cup organic evaporated cane sugar, ⅓ cup flour, ¼ cup butter, and 1½ teaspoons cinnamon. Mix with fork, and sprinkle over muffins before baking.

Zucchini Feta Chopped Salad

2011-07-12T10:02:00.000-07:00

This recipe comes from the Family Fresh Cooking blog. The author recommends enjoying this salad as soon as you prepare it as it tends to get watery when stored in the refrigerator.

Zucchini Feta Chopped Salad
Ingredients
2 large zucchini cut into quarters
1 chopped bell pepper
4 ounces crumbled feta cheese
handful chopped cherry tomatoes
handful of chopped Kalamata olives
splash garlic olive oil (or plain extra virgin olive oil)
pinch of ground black pepper
some fresh or dried dill

Directions
Julienne zucchini in food processor. Put in medium bowl and gently toss with the rest of the ingredients.

Green Bean Casserole

2011-07-12T09:22:00.000-07:00

This recipe is an adaption of chef Joaquin Baca's (The Brooklyn Star), published in the November 3, 2009 edition of The New York Times. It can be adapted to make a smaller dish by halving the amounts.

Green Bean Casserole
Serves 8

Ingredients
1 pound button mushrooms, sliced
2 small red onions, chopped
1 cup butter
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (can substitute with dried, using a lesser amount)
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup vegetable stock
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds green beans, trimmed
¼ cup sliced toasted almonds
½ cup fine dry bread crumbs
½ cup vegetable oil
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
6 pearl onions, thinly sliced (can substitute using fresh or dried medium to large yellow or white onions)

Directions
1. In a food processor, combine half of the mushrooms and onions (red and pearl). Purée to form a paste, and set aside. In a large, wide saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and add remaining mushrooms. Stir, increase heat to high, and sauté until mushrooms release their liquid, then become golden and begin to crisp around edges.
2. Add garlic and thyme, and stir for about 30 seconds. Add mushroom-onion paste and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring constantly, 10 to 15 minutes. Add cream and stock, and season with salt and pepper to taste. At this point mushroom mixture may be cooled, covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours.
3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and set aside a large bowl of ice water. Add beans to boiling water and cook until bright green and barely tender, about 1 minute. Drain and immediately plunge into ice water. Drain well.
4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine green beans, mushroom mixture, almonds and ¼ cup breadcrumbs. Transfer to a baking dish 9 by 12 inches by 2 inches high, patting down to compact and level mixture. Sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup breadcrumbs. Bake, uncovered, until beans are tender and top is lightly browned, about 35 minutes.
5. To garnish, place oil in a small skillet and heat until it simmers. Place flour in a mixing bowl and season lightly with salt and pepper. Add sliced pearl onions, toss to coat and fry until golden, 30 to 45 seconds. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle on casserole.

Dill, Beet, and Potato Salad

2011-07-08T06:56:00.000-07:00

This recipe comes from D.C. CSA Shareholder Steph, who has her own blog - 321delish. Along with triathlon-training updates, she features some pretty tasty recipes using items from her weekly share. Check it out!

Dill, Beet, and Potato Salad
Ingredients
5-6 small red potatoes, chopped
1 large beet handful of baby carrots, sliced (or 2 small carrots, sliced)
½ small onion, finely chopped
2 green onions, chopped
1 can sweet peas
3 dill pickles (more or less, to your liking)
1/3 cup chopped fresh dill
juice of 1 lemon
olive oil
salt and pepper
shredded cabbage, optional

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Wrap the beet in a piece of foil and roast in the oven for about an hour. While the beet is roasting, boil the potatoes and carrots. Be sure not to over cook, or they’ll get mushy!
3. Let all vegetables cool completely. Peel the beet, and roughly chop it into bite-sized pieces. In a bowl, add the onion, green onions, peas, pickles, dill, and shredded cabbage (optional). Stir in the potatoes, beet and carrots. Dress with the juice of one lemon and a drizzle of olive oil. Salt and pepper to your taste.

Refreshing Cilantro and Cucumber Salad

2011-07-08T06:52:00.001-07:00

This recipe is a creation of CSA shareholder Jenna from Philadelphia.

Refreshing Cilantro and Cucumber Salad

Ingredients

1 head of bibb lettuce, torn into small pieces

1 bunch of cilantro (1 cup or more) 1 cucumber
½ cup feta cheese

1 green onion, sliced thinly (you can leave out the darker tops of the onion)

juice of 1 lemon (or more, to taste)

2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Combine the first 5 ingredients in a bowl, top with lemon, oil, salt and pepper. Enjoy!

Cabbage and Apple Casserole

2011-07-08T06:42:00.000-07:00

This recipe was submitted by CSA shareholder Jamie, from Wilmington, DE, from one of her favorite cookbooks - The Vegetarian Cookbook, edited Nicola Graimes and published in June of 2007.

Cabbage and Apple Casserole
Ingredients

1½ pounds red or green cabbage

3 onions, chopped

2 fennel bulbs, roughly chopped

2 tablespoons caraway seeds

3 large tart eating apples or 1 large cooking apple (Jamie prefers granny smith apples)

1¼ cups plain yogurt

1 tablespoon creamed horseradish

salt and pepper

crusty rye bread to serve

Directions

1. Preheat Oven to 300 degrees.

2. Shred cabbage, discard tough stalks. Mix with onions, fennel and caraway seeds in a large bowl Peel core and chop the apples and add to cabbage mix. Transfer to a casserole dish and set aside.

3. Mix the yogurt with the creamed horseradish. Stir the yogurt and horseradish mixture into the casserole, season with salt and pepper and tightly cover.

4. Bake for 1½ hours, stirring once or twice during cooking.

5. Serve with rye bread.

Cucumber Salad with Peanut and Lime

2011-07-08T06:06:00.000-07:00

This cool summer salad is an adaptation by FamilyStyle Food blog, and was originally published in How to Cook Indian by Sanjeev Kapoor (April, 2011). Karen of FamilyStyle Food blog writes of this recipe, "I love the utter simplicity of this salad. With just a few spices, a hit of citrus, toasty peanuts and a sweet exotic touch of coconut, cucumbers are transformed into something complex and unordinary. Be warned, it’s a slightly addictive little salad."

Cucumber Salad with Peanut and Lime
Serves 4

Ingredients
1 slicing cucumber, cut into ½-inch cubes (about 4 cups)
1 Serrano pepper or 2 jalapenos, finely chopped
½ cup roasted unsalted peanuts, finely chopped or pulsed in a food processor
¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon organic evaporated cane sugar (can substitute with honey or agave)
2 tablespoons roasted peanut oil (or olive oil)
½ teaspoon brown mustard seeds
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

Directions
1. Put the cucumber, chile pepper, peanuts, 2 tablespoons of the coconut, lime juice and sugar in a large bowl.
2. Heat the oil in a small saute pan. Add the mustard seeds. When they start to sizzle and pop, stir in the cumin, salt and remaining 2 tablespoons coconut. Turn off the heat.
3. Pour the mustard seed mixture over the cucumbers and toss everything together. Taste to make sure it's salty-sweet enough for your taste.

Sweet-n-Spicy Barbecue Sauce

2011-07-07T06:35:00.000-07:00

Though the long ingredient list may seem daunting, don't let it scare you off! It actually is quite easy to put together and beats the bottled stuff full of unpronounceable this and unpronounceable that. This sauce is an excellent accompaniment to pulled pork, barbecued chicken, or grilled tofu.

Sweet-n-Spicy Barbecue Sauce (adapted from this Food and Wine recipe)

makes about 3 cups

1 T organic canola oil

3 fresh garlic cloves, chopped

1 white onion, chopped

fine sea salt

1/4 C Bacardi Rum [optional]

1 1/2 T chili powder

1/2 T ground black pepper

1/4 t ground allspice

1/4 t ground cloves

1/2 C light brown sugar

1 C water

1 C organic ketchup

1/4 C organic molasses

1/4 C organic yellow mustard

1/4 C organic cider vinegar

1 T hot sauce [use less if you prefer less of a kick]

1. Heat a tablespoon of canola oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.

2. Add in the chopped onion and garlic along with a pinch of salt. Cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally.

2. Pour in the rum, and simmer for two minutes. If not using alcohol, skip immediately to next step.

3. Add in the chili pepper, black pepper, allspice, and cloves. Cook for about 3 minutes, or until the spices become fragrant.

4. Stir in the brown sugar, water, ketchup, molasses, mustard, cider vinegar, and hot sauce. Reduce the heat to low/medium-low and simmer for about 30-45 minutes, or until the sauce thickens.

5. After the sauce has thickened, use an immersion blender to puree the sauce. (Alternately, use a blender, but allow the sauce to cool a bit first before pureeing, and puree in batches.)

6. Use immediately, or refrigerate for up to two weeks.

Blueberry Pie

2011-07-05T11:43:00.000-07:00

This delicious blueberry pie recipe comes from A Hint of Honey blog.

Blueberry Pie
Ingredients
1 Pie Crust (the author suggestions a sweet all-butter double pie crust)
4 cups fresh blueberries (Don’t have enough blueberries? Try substituting black raspberries!)
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ teaspoon lemon zest
¾ cup sugar, plus extra for sprinkling on top (optional)
3 tablespoons cornstarch
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter, cut into tiny pieces
1 egg + 1 tablespoon water, whisked (for the egg wash)

Directions
1. Prepare the pie crust. Roll out half of the dough into a large round and place in the bottom of the pie pan. Set in the refrigerator while preparing the filling.
2. Toss the blueberries and the lemon juice in large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk to combine the lemon zest, sugar, cornstarch, salt, and cinnamon. Sprinkle over the blueberries and toss to coat. Transfer to the dough-lined pan. Dot with butter.
3. Roll out the second half of the dough into a large round and place on top of the filled pie. Trim the edges, leaving about 1 inch of overhang. Crimp the edges to seal. Cut several small slits in the top for steam to vent. Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes or until the dough is firm.
4. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Before placing the pie in the oven brush the top with the egg wash and sprinkle with sugar (optional).
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 45-60 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour before serving.

Fresh Sweet Cherry Salsa

2011-07-05T10:36:00.000-07:00

This savory-sweet cherry recipe comes from SeasonalChef.com.

Fresh Sweet Cherry Salsa
Ingredients
1 cup pitted fresh sweet cherries
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons finely chopped green peppers
1 teaspoon lemon juice
¼ teaspoon each Worcestershire sauce and grated lemon peel
⅛ teaspoon salt
dash bottled hot pepper sauce

Directions
Chop cherries in food processor or manually. Combine all ingredients; mix well. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Fresh Sour Cherry Crisp

2011-07-05T10:30:00.000-07:00

This recipe is adapted from AllRecipes.com.

Fresh Sour Cherry Crisp
Ingredients
4 cups pitted sour cherries
1½ cups organic evaporated cane sugar
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, combine cherries, sugar, and 4 tablespoons flour. Pour into 9x13 inch baking dish. In a medium bowl, combine flour, oats, and brown sugar. Cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over cherries.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until topping is golden brown.

Double-Fennel Pork Chops

2011-07-01T11:54:00.000-07:00

One more Fine Cooking favorite for the day - this one is adapted from the October 2008 issue. Author Lori Longbotham writes, "There's a reason why fennel pairs so well with everything from pork and fish to apples. It's sweet anise flavor elevates everything around it and fills the kitchen with a smell you just can't beat. In this dish, both fennel seed and sautéed fresh fennel bring big flavor to simple pork chops." Enjoy!

Double-Fennel Pork Chops
Serves 2

Ingredients
1 teaspoon fennel seed
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 1-inch-thick center-cut bone-in pork loin chops, trimmed
1½ tablespoons unsalted butter
1 fennel bulb, trimmed, cored, and cut into ¼-inch-thick strips
⅜ cup chicken broth
1½ tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions
1. Lightly crush the fennel seed in a mortar and pestle or with the bottom of a small skillet. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in salt and pepper. Season the pork chops with the spice mixture.
2. Melt the butter over medium heat in a 12-inch skillet. Stir in the fresh fennel, two thirds of the broth, and the remaining spice mixture. Cover the skillet, increase the heat to medium high, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fennel begins to soften and brown, 8 to 10 minutes (reduce the heat if the fennel browns too quickly).
3. Uncover, reduce the heat to medium, and add the remaining broth and 1 tablespoon of the parsley. Cook, stirring frequently and scraping up any browned bits, until tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the remaining parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper, and transfer to a medium bowl.
4. Wipe out the pan, add the oil, and heat over medium-high heat. Add the pork chops and cook, turning once with tongs, until well browned and cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes. (To check for doneness, make a small cut near the bone and look inside.the pork should still have a hint of pinkness.) Serve the pork chops with the fennel.

Summer Cabbage Salad

2011-07-01T11:48:00.000-07:00

Another summer cabbage salad recipe, from Food.com.

Summer Cabbage Salad
Ingredients
2 cups shredded fresh cabbage
½ cup finely chopped red onion
½ cup finely chopped green onion
3 apples, unpeeled, finely chopped
½ cup raisins
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons apple juice
2 tablespoons salad oil
½ teaspoon salt
1 dash ground cloves
1 dash black pepper

Directions
1. In a large salad bowl, combine the cabbage, red onion, green onion, and apples. Add raisins.
2. For dressing, combine the remaining ingredients. Stir to blend. Pour dressing over salad ingrdients. Stir to coat.
3. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

Sesame Cabbage Salad

2011-07-01T11:25:00.000-07:00

We've been seeing lots of green cabbage in the shares lately (one of my favorites!). I've been searching for new summer cabbage recipes, and this one caught my eye - adapted from GroupRecipes.com.

Sesame Cabbage Salad
Ingredients
1 large cucumber
1 cup thinly slivered red onion
8 cups finely shredded cabbage (can mix red and green cabbage, if available)
⅓ cup thinly sliced green onions
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons roasted sesame seeds (stir in a frying pan over medium heat until golden, 5 to 6 minutes)
¾ cup Sesame Dressing

Sesame Dressing: ½ cup rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons organic sugar, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper.

Directions
1. Rinse and thinly slice cucumber. In a bowl, mix cucumber, onion, and sesame dressing. Cover and chill at least 1 hour or up to 1 day.
2. Up to 1 hour before serving, layer cabbage in a large bowl. Pour marinated cucumber mixture over the top. Sprinkle with green onions, cilantro, and sesame seeds. Just before serving, mix well.

Oven-Roasted Cauliflower with Garlic, Olive Oil, and Lemon Juice

2011-07-01T11:17:00.000-07:00

This simple and delicious cauliflower recipe is adapted from The Food Network.

Oven-Roasted Cauliflower with Garlic, Olive Oil, and Lemon Juice
Ingredients
5 to 6 cups cauliflower florets, about 1 1/2 inches in diameter (from 1 medium cauliflower)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon sliced garlic
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan (optional)
chopped chives, for garnish (optional)

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.
2. Place the cauliflower florets in a large saute pan or a roasting pan. Drizzle the olive oil over the cauliflower, and season with the garlic, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Place the roasting pan in the oven and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure even roasting. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with Parmesan and chives, if desired. Serve immediately while still warm.

Cheddar and Cauliflower Soup

2011-07-01T11:02:00.000-07:00

I wouldn't usually be making soup in July, but it might be just right for these beautiful breezy evenings that we've been enjoying this week. This recipe comes the December 2008 issue of Fine Cooking. Author Allison Ehri Kreitler writes, "This creamy soup gets its body from pureed cauliflower, though some tender whole florets are added just at the end of cooking to add texture. Sharp cheddar and cayenne give the mellow flavor a little lift."

Cheddar and Cauliflower Soup
Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients
kosher salt
½ head cauliflower (about 1 pound), cored and cut into 1-½-inch florets
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium yellow onion, small diced
1 medium clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon packed, freshly grated nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon cayenne
2 cups chicken broth
½ cup heavy cream
3 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cups grated sharp or extra-sharp white Cheddar (about 14 ounces)
freshly ground black pepper

Directions
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil the cauliflower until tender, about 4 minutes. Drain and let cool slightly. Trim the stems from 18 of the cauliflower pieces and cut the crowns into mini florets about ½ inch wide; set aside. Reserve the trimmed stems with the remaining larger pieces.
2. Melt the butter in a 4-quart saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and ¼ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring frequently, until soft, 10 to 12 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and cook until the aroma subsides, 2 to 3 minutes. Increase the heat to medium, add the flour, nutmeg, and cayenne and cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Whisk in the broth, cream, and 2 cups water. Add the thyme and bring to a simmer. Stir in the cheese until melted and simmer for 5 minutes to develop the flavors.
4. Remove and discard the thyme stems and stir in the larger cauliflower pieces and reserved stems. Working in batches, purée the soup in a blender. Return the soup to the pot, season with salt and black pepper to taste. Add the mini cauliflower florets and reheat gently before serving.

Variations
To dress up this rustic soup for a special occasion, garnish with a combination of 3 tablespoons toasted chopped walnuts, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, and 1-½ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest.

Baked Zucchini Fries

2011-07-01T10:42:00.001-07:00

LFFC Green Zucchini

These Baked Zucchini Fries from The Comfort of Cooking blog look like the perfect treat for the upcoming holiday weekend. The author writes, "They are flavorful and crispy, easier than potato fries to perfect, and a tasty way to get you and your family a serving of vegetables." Enjoy!

Baked Zucchini Fries
Serves 6

Ingredients
3 medium zucchini, sliced into skinny sticks
2 large eggs, beaten
3 heaping tablespoon flour

½ cup bread crumbs (the author suggests using panko)

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
¼ tsp. garlic powder
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl, beat egg with a fork until frothy. In another bowl, place flour, and in a third bowl, place your bread crumbs. Toss the breadcrumbs with garlic powder and Parmesan cheese, and set aside.
3. Dip the zucchini sticks into the flour, then egg, and then into the bread crumb mixture. Make sure all sides get coated well. Place the sticks on the prepared baking sheet.
4. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy. Serve warm with Ranch dressing, marinara sauce, or just as is.

Strawberry Pie

2011-06-25T18:12:00.000-07:00

Hi! My name is Annette Ramke and I am happy to be sharing some great recipes with you on the Lancaster Farm Fresh CSA Recipe Blog! As a holistic health coach as well as a foodie I really appreciate all of the glorious vegetables and fruit we receive each week via the Co-op!

Today I would love to introduce you to a great raw strawberry pie recipe. I made this pie last year for the Fourth of July. It was so good - that is why more than half of it was gone before I even got to take a picture! So easy to make and a lovely raw dish, perfect for the summertime!

Adapted from a recipe by Christina Pirello
2 lbs. fresh strawberries, quartered
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup brown rice syrup
2 cups raw almonds
1 1/2 cups pitted dates
Water

Combine strawberries, lemon juice, vanilla, rice syrup, and toss to combine. Set aside while you make the crust. Place almonds in a blender and pulse on high until crumbly. Remove from blender. Place dates in blender with about 1 tsp. water and pulse on high until well-chopped; mixture will be a little clumpy (add more water if necessary). Combine almonds and dates in blender and pulse until well combined. Press mixture evenly onto the bottom and sides of pie plate to form a crust. Spoon berries into the crust, making sure to discard any remaining liquid. Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving. Enjoy!

I created a video for this recipe! Take a look here!

Kale, Mushroom and Red Scallion Quiche

2011-06-21T15:31:00.000-07:00

Kale, Mushroom and Red Scallion Quiche
Serves 8

Quiche is my quick and easy go-to meal when I have various vegetables and eggs in the fridge. A personal rule of mine is whenever making quiche, make at least two pies because it is the same amount of effort and you can always freeze one. You pretty much can put any vegetables in quiche and it will taste great. For this reason, I try to always keep extra pie shells in the freezer.

We were a few weeks in to our CSA with LFFC, and did not know what to do with all the kale. So I made a quiche with it using other CSA ingredients, red onions and button & shitake mushrooms. Usually, I make quiche with spinach, but I think it tastes much more substantial with kale.

-Dev

Ingredients
2 tbsp butter
3 red scallions chopped
1 container shitake mushrooms w/ stems removed (cleaned w/ warm paper towel)
1 container white button mushrooms w/ stems removed (cleaned w/ warm paper towel)
2 garlic cloves (chopped) or 1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp paprika
salt and pepper to taste
red chili flakes to taste (if you like heat)
½ tsp of nutmeg (this is the secret ingredient!)
1 bunch of kale, washed and chopped w/ stems removed (remove most of the water with salad spinner to avoid a soggy quiche)
1 tbsp olive oil
5 large eggs
1 ½ cups milk
3 tbsp Parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded cheese (whatever type you fancy. I used a shredded mozzarella/cheddar mix)
2 frozen pie shells

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Melt butter on cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and sauté onions for 2 minutes.

3. Add garlic and mushrooms and sauté for about 4 minutes until mushrooms are fragrant (it will shrink in the pan). Mix in paprika, chili flakes, a sprinkle of salt and nutmeg and sauté an additional 4 minutes (or until mushrooms are brown). Add chopped kale and after drizzling the kale with olive oil, cover with lid for 3-4 minutes). At this time the steam from the kale, mushrooms and onions will wilt the kale slightly.

4. Keep opening the lid every 2 minutes and turn the mixture until the kale is a dark green and wilted. Then spoon the mushroom and kale mixture evenly into pie shells. Cover the mixture with half of the shredded cheese (1/4 cup into each pie shell).

5. In a large bowl whisk together eggs and milk until frothy. Slowly add in Parmesan and continue to whisk.

6. Pour equal amounts of the liquid egg mixture on top of the mushroom kale mixture. Lastly sprinkle the rest of the shredded cheese on top of everything.

7. Bake for about 45 minutes. The egg will rise a bit and the top should be slightly browned and the center set. Allow it to cool for 20-30 minutes, then slice and serve. Makes 8 servings. (Note: You technically can slice and eat it earlier, but it might lose its shape if not properly cooled . . . like mine did)

Cous Cous, Swiss Chard and Chickpeas

2011-06-19T14:47:00.000-07:00

From: Real Simple

from Real Simple, February 2007

This is an easy recipe to adapt to whatever you have on hand, or just to make it interesting to make repeatedly. Instead of chard, try spinach, kale or other greens. Substitute almonds or pecans for the pine nuts. Try quinoa, wheat berries or barley instead of cous cous, etc.

1 10-oz box couscous
1/2 cup pine nuts
3 T olive oil
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced (I chopped it)
1 15.5-oz can chickpeas, rinsed
1/2 cup raisins (dark or golden)
2 bunches Swiss chard, stems trimmed (I used spinach)
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt (I used regular salt)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Place the couscous in a bowl. Add 1-1/2 cups boiling water and stir. Cover tightly and let stand for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, over low heat, toast the pine nuts, shaking the pan frequently, until golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate. (I toasted them in a toaster.)

Return skillet to medium heat, add the oil, and heat for 1 minute. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the chickpeas, raisins, chard, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chard is tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Fluff the couscous with a fork and divide among individual plates. Top with the chard and sprinkle with pine nuts.

Serves 4.

Ravioli with Chard

2011-06-19T14:42:00.000-07:00

Adapted From: Serving up the Harvest

2 pounds (12-16 stems with leaves) red, green or rainbow chard, leaves cut into one-inch ribbons and stems diced
2 T olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 shallot, minced
pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
salt and black pepper
1 package (30 oz.) frozen cheese-filled ravioli
1/2 c freshly grated Parmesan

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the chard stems and boil for 2 minutes. Add the leaves and continue to boil until just wilted, about 30 seconds. Remove the vegetables with tongs or a slotted spoon and drain well.

2. Bring the water back to a boil.

3. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, shallot and red pepper and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the chard and continue to saute until heated through, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Add the ravioli to the boiling water and simmer (do not boil) until the ravioli are all cooked through and rise to the surface of the water, about 5 minutes. Drain well.

5. In a large serving bowl or platter, combine the ravioli and chard and toss together. Sprinkle with half the cheese and toss again. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top and serve.

Pizza with Kale (or Chard), Roasted Garlic and 4 Cheeses

2011-06-19T14:34:00.000-07:00

Adapted From: Eggs on Sunday

Ingredients:
Your favorite pizza dough
2 big handfuls of kale or chard, sauteed in some olive oil until tender, then chopped
cloves from about half a head of roasted garlic, thickly sliced
3 cups of grated cheese: a mix of fontina, asiago, provolone and mozzarella
sprinkling of aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes (optional)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F with a baking stone inside. Heat the baking stone for 30 minutes while you're working on the rest of the ingredients.

Generously dust a pizza peel (or the back of a sheet pan) with coarse cornmeal or flour. Roll or stretch your pizza dough out to a 12 to 14 inch circle directly on the peel (or pan.)

Top the crust with half the grated cheese, then half the sliced roasted garlic and half the sauteed kale. Sprinkle lightly with pepper flakes if using. Repeat with another layer of cheese, garlic, and kale.

Bake in the oven for about 8 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and just starting to brown, and the crust is golden brown.

Blueberry Rhubarb Pie

2011-06-18T12:15:00.001-07:00

From cooks.com

A great pie recipe to make use of the organic blueberries in this week's fruit shares!

Ingredients
Pastry for 9 inch, two crust pie
1 1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup all purpose flour or 3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel, optional
2 cups chopped fresh rhubarb
1 pint fresh blueberries
2 tablespoons butter
Sugar for crust

Directions
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Prepare pastry. Stir together 1 1/3 cups sugar, the flour and the orange peel. Turn rhubarb into pastry lined pan; sprinkle with half of the sugar mixture. Repeat with blueberries and the remaining sugar mixture. Dot with butter. Cover with top crust which has slits cut in it. Sprinkle with sugar. Seal and flute edges. Cover edge with 2 inch strips of aluminum foil to prevent excessive browning; remove foil last 15 minutes of baking. Bake until crust is golden brown and juice begins to bubble through slits in the crust, 40 -50 minutes. Serve warm.

Mexican Purslane Stuffing

2011-06-16T08:30:00.000-07:00

From the Texas A & M Agrilife Extension website
http://aggie-horticulture.tandmu.edu

This is a home type dish that is as simple to prepare as "scrambled eggs with..." but much more nutritious. Serve as a side dish, a brunch main dish, or as a filling in tortillas and pitas.

Ingredients
1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil
1 Small Onion, Finely Chopped
1 Medium Sized Ripe Tomato, chopped (not skinned)
1 Serrano or Jalapeno Pepper, finely chopped, or freshly chopped black pepper, according to taste
2 to 3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1 egg beaten

Directions
Set aside a few raw sprigs of purslane for garnish. Steam or blanch the rest until tender-crisp (three to five minutes). Drain thoroughly, transfer to a plate covered with several layers of paper towels and blot dry.

In a large pan, saute garlic and onion in vegetable oil until soft. Add tomato and chile and saute until the mixture becomes sauce-like. Season with soy sauce. (If you aren't using the chile, add freshly ground black pepper). Saute until the mixture is warm and the flavors marry.

When ready to serve add the beaten egg to the warm mixture in the pan and mix gently. The egg will bind the mixture loosely but should not harden into scrambled eggs. Garnish plate servings with reserved sprigs.

Purslane Potato Salad

2011-06-16T08:01:00.000-07:00

From diaryofalocavore.com

Serves 4 - 6

In a medium pot, boil five cups chopped potatoes until tender. Drain and set aside to cool. In a bowl, mix one cucumber, chopped into half moon slivers, 1 cup purslane leaves and buds, (flowers and stalks are edible as well if you choose) and 1 cup chopped scallions with greens. Add potatoes and mix well.

In a small wide bowl mix one egg yolk until smooth. Drip in, whisking constantly, 1 cup olive oil making sure to add slowly enough to keep mixture opaque. Add 1 teaspoon salt and 1-2 finely chopped serano peppers. Mix well. Spoon over potato and vegetable mixture (there may be some spicy mayo leftover; it will keep in the fridge for at least a week) adding several teaspoons white wine or cider vinegar and fresh ground pepper and salt to taste. Toss well and serve at room temperature.

Sauteed Pea Tendrils

2011-06-16T07:45:00.000-07:00

From Matt Armendariz, mattbites.com

This is my favorite thing to do with these little babies. And by "do" I mean "not much". You'll only need a few ingredients and because it's so simple I'll leave the measurements up to you. I like to add a hint of garlic to the pea tendrils but because their flavor is so subtle I try not to overpower them.

Ingredients

Pea tendrils, a handful or so, rinsed and chopped into 2 inch pieces or so

Some olive oil

Garlic clove, cut in half

A sprinkle of sea salt

Chili flakes, if you like heat

Directions

Rinse and chop the pea tendrils. I like a rough chop as I like to see the little curlies in the final dish. In a skillet heat a little bit of olive oil and the garlic halves until the aroma and essence of the garlic is released; remove the garlic clove from the pan and save for later if you'd like. Add the chopped tendrils and saute until they cook slightly, how long will be up to you. But for pete's sake, don't overdo it, you want them barely wilted and still flavorful and crunchy! Serve with a tiny sprinkle of sea salt and maybe chili flakes if you want a little bit of heat. But like the garlic, don't overdo it!

Fava Bean Puree

2011-06-16T07:34:00.000-07:00

From 'The Very Best of Recipes for Health' by Martha Rose Shulman

You find variations on this fava bean puree in Southern Italy, the Middle East and Morocco. This one, from Apulia, is the simplest. The puree should have the texture of hummus.

Serves 8

Ingredients
4 pounds fava beans, shelled
Salt to taste (about 1 teaspoon)
1 garlic clove, mashed in a mortar and pestle with 1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 to 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
imported black olives for garnish

Directions
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Drop the shelled fava beans in the water, and boil five minutes (if the beans are small or medium-size) to eight minutes (if the beans are large). Transfer the beans immediately to the cold water. Do not drain the water in the pot. Allow the beans to cool for several minutes, then drain and slip off their skins.

2. Place the skinned fava beans, salt and mashed garlic in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Turn on the machinem and with the machine running, add the olive oil in a slow stream. Process until you achieve a smooth puree. If necessary, add enough of the cooking water to give the puree a soft, hummus-like consistency. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, taste and adjust seasoning.

3. Mound the puree onto an earthenware platter or in a wide bowl. Garnish with olives, and serve with crostini or warm triangles of pita bread.

This week keep for three or four days in the refrigerator.

Green Risotto with Fava Beans

2011-06-16T07:21:00.000-07:00

From allrecipes.com

Risotto flavored with fava beans, onion, broth and white wine. Can be made with either chicken broth or vegetable broth.

Ingredients
1/2 pound fresh, unshelled fava beans
4 cups chicken broth
3 tablespoons butter, divided
1 small onion, finely chooped
1 cup Arborio Rice
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup grated Reggiano Parmesan cheese
salt to taste

Directions
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, shell the favas and discard the pods. Boil the favas for 4 minutes, strain and then immediately plunge into ice water. Let cool for 2 minutes then pierce the favas and squeeze them out of their skins. Seperate 3/4 of the favas and puree in a food processor.

2. In a seperate large saucepan bring the broth to a simmer, and keep it hot. Meanwhile, in another large saucepan over medium heat, melt 1.5 tablespoons of the butter and add the onions. Reduce the heat to low and cook for about 5 minutes; do not brown the onions. Add the rice and cook, while stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the wine, increase the heat to medium, and stir constantly. When the wine has been absorbed, add a little of the hot stock. Once the stock is absorbed, add a little more; repeat this process, stirring constantly, until the rice is cooked through.

3. To the cooked rice add the pureed favas, the remaining 1.5 tablespoons of butter, the rest of the favas and the cheese. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the butter and cheese melt and the puree is incorporated evenly. Season with salt.

Grits and Greens Casserole

2011-06-16T07:00:00.000-07:00

From EatingWell: March/April 2010

Here we've combined two favorite Southern side dishes - grits and greens - into one casserole. Try omitting the bacon and using vegetable broth to make it a vegetarian dish.

Serves 6

Ingredients
4 slices bacon, chopped (optional)
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt
16 cups chopped collard greens, stems removed (about 1 large bunch, 1 1/2 - 2 pounds)
2 cups water, plus more as needed
1 cup grits (not instant)
3/4 cup shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, divided
1/4 cup prepared salsa
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat an 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Place bacon (if using) in a large dutch oven . Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until crispy, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Pour off the bacon fat.
3. Return the pot to medium-low heat; add oil, onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until fragrant and starting to brown in spots, 2 to 8 minutes (cooking time will be quicker if you started with bacon). Add 1 cup broth and salt; bring to a boil over high heat. Add collards; stir until wilted down to about one-third the volume and bright green, 1 to 2 minutes. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until tender, 18 to 20 minutes. Adjust heat during cooking to mainatin a simmer, and add water, 1/4 cup at a time, if the pan seems dry.
4. Meanwhile, bring 2 cups water and the remaining 1 cup broth to a boil in a large saucepan. Pour in grits in a steady stream, whisking constantly. Bring to a simmer, whisking constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, whisking often, until thick, about 5 minutes. Combine 1/2 cup cheese, salsa and egg in a small bowl. Remove the grits from the heat and quickly stir in the cheese mixture until combined.
5. Working quickly, spread about half the grits in the prepared baking dish. Top with greens, spreading evenly. Spread the remaining grits over the greens. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup cheese and the reserved bacon (if using).
6. Bake the casserole until hot and bubbling, about 20 minutes. Let stand for about 10 minutes before serving.

Stir-Fried Kale and Broccoli Florets

2011-06-16T06:50:00.000-07:00

From allrecipes.com

"Kale and broccoli are stir-fried with slivered garlic and chopped chili peppers, and finished with a splash of lime juice for a bright-tasting, satisfying side dish."

Ingredients
1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil
7 cloves garlic, sliced
1 chile pepper, chopped (optional)
1 head fresh broccoli, chopped
1 bunch kale, stems removed and chopped
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, cut in thin strips
juice of 2 limes
salt

Directions
Heat olive oil in a large wok or skillet over high heat. Stir in garlic and chile pepper; cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in broccoli; cook 1 minute. Add kale, and cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in sun-dried tomatoes. Pour in lime juice, and season with salt to taste. Toss well.

Traditional Swiss Chard and Beans

2011-06-16T06:39:00.000-07:00

From vegweb.com

Ingredients
1/2 large onion
garlic, minced, to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large bunch red (swiss) chard, chopped
1 (15 ounce) can white or navy beans, drained
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions
1. Saute onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat. Add chard.
2. Add beans, cook the chard until it becomes soft, but not mushy.
3. Salt and pepper to your taste.

Serves: 4-5
Preparation time: < 20 minutes

Green Smoothies

2011-06-15T07:56:00.000-07:00

Green smoothies made by Harlem CSA Shareholders!

CSA Shareholder Meryl presented a demo on Green Smoothies to fellow CSA shareholders in Harlem, NY during pick-up last week. She writes, "Green smoothies are super easy to make, and quick to clean up after. Preparing a pitcher of green smoothie takes less than five minutes, including cleaning. And they're a great way to use up all the produce in your share. While fresh is always best, green smoothies will keep in cool temperatures for up to three days." Click here for an article on the health benefits of green smoothies.

Green Smoothies
Savory Option #1 (Meryl's favorite!):
5 leaves kale or 2 handfuls of spinach
½ bunch cilantro
½ avocado
½ red bell pepper
3 cloves garlic
2 medium tomatoes
½ lime-juiced
Salt to taste
2 cups of water

Sweet Option #1:
½ bunch romaine lettuce or 5 leaves chard
1 mango
1 sweet apple (no Granny Smith for this)
1 banana
2 cups of water or 1½ cups water and 4 ice cubes

Sweet Option #2:
½ bunch Romaine or red leaf lettuce
1 cup strawberries
2 bananas
2 cups of water or 1½ cups water and 4 ice cubes

Sweet Option #3:
6 leaves kale
4 ripe pears or sweet apples
½ bunch mint
2 cups of water or 1½ cups water and 4 ice cubes

Directions for all:
Cut up all ingredients into small pieces (lettuce can be ripped). Add all to blender and blend on high until smooth and creamy. Recipes yield about 1 quart of smoothie.

Warm Root Salad in Horseradish Vinaigrette

2011-06-15T07:32:00.000-07:00

This is another kohlrabi recipe that I'd like to try soon, as the new red potatoes will be in our share for the first time this week! This recipe is adapted from A Veggie Venture blog. The author writes that this is a "concept" recipe, so be creative and adapt based upon what you find in your share.

Warm Root Salad in Horseradish Vinaigrette
"Allow about 2 cups unroasted vegetables per serving for a main dish, about 1 cup per serving as a side dish."

Salad Ingredients
2 medium purple-top turnips, ends trimmed, peeled with a carrot peeler, cut cross-wise about ⅓-inch thick, then diced
2 kohlrabi, ends and knobs strimmed, peeled with a paring knife, cut cross-wise about ⅓-inch thick, then diced
1 sweet potato, peeled with a carrot peeler, cut cross-wise about ⅓-inch thick, then diced
2 small potatoes, skins on, cut cross-wise about ⅓-inch thick, then diced
½ celeriac, peeled with a paring knife, cut cross-wise about ⅓-inch, then diced
3 parsnips, ends trimmed, peeled with a paring knife, quartered lengthwise, woody cores removed and discarded, then diced
3 carrots, ends trimmed, thick ends halved or quartered with carrot left intact, then cut cross-wise
1 onion (or 2 to 3 fresh onions), peeled and roughly chopped
1 ounce pancetta, diced small (optional)
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

Vinaigrette Ingredients
4 tablespoons olive oil
6 to 8 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons horseradish, or more, to taste
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prep vegetables and toss in a bowl with olive oil. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet (you may need two, depending on the amount of vegetables used) and season generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 60 minutes, stirring well after 30 minutes, and stirring well and adding pancetta after 45 minutes.
2. While the vegetables are roasting, whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients in a large bowl.
3. Mix the roasted vegetables with the vinaigrette and taste and adjust seasonings. Serve over lettuce greens (no need to dress the greens, the horseradish vinaigrette will be enough) with good bread and butter.

Kohlrabi Remoulade

2011-06-15T07:01:00.000-07:00

LFFC purple kohlrabi!

Kohlrabi is a new vegetable for me, and I've been searching for some fun and interesting ways to try it out! This recipe is courtesy of Nourish Me blog, originally adapted from a recipe by Nadine Abensur.

Kohlrabi Remoulade
Serves 2 to 3

Remoulade Ingredients
2 kohlrabi, thickly peeled
2 heaping tablespoons of mayonnaise
3 fat green olives, pitted and finely chopped
1 small clove garlic, crushed
small handful hazelnuts, roasted, cooled, and chopped
2 teaspoons of grain mustard
sea salt and pepper

Salsa Ingredients
3 small tomatoes (or a good handful of cherry ones)
1½ tablespoons sweet chilli sauce
1 large avocado
1½ tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil (optional)
1 tablespoon of parsley, very finely chopped (optional)
handful of greens (spinach, lettuce, etc.)

Directions
1. First, make the remoulade. Coarsely grate the kohlrabi. Place in a bowl and add the mayonnaise, chopped olives, garlic, hazelnuts, and grain mustard. Season with a little salt and pepper and mix well. Set aside.
2. Second, prepare the salsa. Chop the tomatoes and place in a bowl with their juices. Stir in the sweet chilli sauce. Peel and cut the avocado into 1-inch dice. Add to the tomato mixture, taste for seasoning (adding a little more sweet chill if need be) and stir gently to just combine. Set aside.
3. Mix the extra virgin olive oil and parsley together (optional).
4. Divide the leaves between two or three plates (depending, of course, on how many you are). Place a mound of the salsa on top. Carefully place a mound of the remoulade on top of this. Drizzle a little of the parsley oil if you’re using it around the plate and serve at once.

Lentil Soup with Kale

2011-06-15T06:36:00.000-07:00

101 Cookbooks, from which I've adapted the following lentil soup recipe, is one of my favorite resources to use when looking for a new recipe to try. Heidi Swanson initially conceived the website as a way to record recipes she cooked from her vast cookbook collection. Swanson is also the author of two cookbooks herself, including Super Natural Cooking and Super Natural Every Day.

Lentil Soup with Kale (adapted from this 101 Cookbooks recipe)

makes 6-8 generous servings

6 C water

2 C green lentils, picked through and rinsed

2 t olive oil

1/2 white onion, chopped

1 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt

1/4 C chopped garlic scapes

1/2 C chopped white mushrooms

1 28-ounce can organic fire roasted diced tomatoes

1 C water

1 C low-sodium organic vegetable broth

3 C loosely packed (torn) kale leaves (I just tore the leaves from the stalks into bite-sized pieces)

1. Bring a large pot of water (6 cups) to a boil. Add in the lentils and cook until softened, about 20-25 minutes.

2. While the lentils are cooking, heat a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil to the bottom of the pot and saute the onions with the salt until softened. Add in the chopped garlic scapes and mushrooms and saute for several more minutes.

3. Stir in the fire-roasted tomatoes, water, and veggie broth. Decrease the heat and allow the mixture to simmer.

4. Add in the cooked lentils and simmer for a few more minutes.

5. Stir in the kale and cook for one to two minutes more.

6. Spoon each serving into a bowl. Top with a drizzle of olive oil or small dollop of Greek yogurt or sour cream.

Swiss Chard Tart

2011-06-14T14:33:00.000-07:00

Hello! My name is Alissa, and I am a CSA shareholder in the Ambler area. This is my third year as part of the LFF CSA. I grew up in Lancaster County, and when I moved to the Philadelphia area I was really missing all the locally-grown fresh produce that I could find on every corner in Lancaster County. I am so glad that I found this CSA a few years ago. I love to cook, and I love being able to do so in a way that is fresh, tastes delicious, and helps support local family farmers to continue their work. I have also contributed to a small group recipe-sharing blog for the last 6 years, so I have lots of great recipes to share here!

You can easily adapt this recipe based on what you have on hand - try some other greens instead of the chard, or add diced ham or sausage for something different. Adapted from a recipe by Mario Batali

2 pounds Swiss chard, washed and spun dry
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 Spanish onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/4 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped to yield 1/8 cup
4 large eggs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
3/4 cup bread crumbs
diced ham or sausage, optional

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Roughly chop the Swiss chard, discarding the rough stems (save for another use). Heat a large saute pan over medium heat. Add 1 Tbsp of olive oil to the pan. Add the Swiss chard to the pan. Saute, turning over until cooked through and still bright green. Remove from pan.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over a medium flame until hot but not smoking. Add the onion and garlic, and cook until soft and golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the Swiss chard back to the pan, and the parsley and ham (if using). Let cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and let cool.

Meanwhile, break the eggs into a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add 3 tablespoons of Parmigiano and, using a whisk, mix until the ingredients are well-blended. Add the egg mixture to the cooled Swiss chard and toss to combine.

Using the remaining olive oil to lightly grease a shallow 9-inch round or oval baking dish. Dust the bottom of the baking dish with 1/2 cup bread crumbs. Carefully place the Swiss chard and egg mixture into the pan. Dust with the remaining Parmigiano and then the remaining bread crumbs.

Bake until the top is golden brown, about 35 minutes. Serve hot or room temperature.

Garlic Scapes!

2011-06-12T11:01:00.001-07:00

Looking for something to do with 8-9 garlic scapes? Look no further. Here's a great recipe for pesto. I tried this last week in the food processor - easy, fast and delicious over pasta with some grape tomatoes tossed on top.

Ingredients:

8-9 garlic scapes, flowery part removed, cut to 1/4 inch pieces

1/3 cup walnuts

3/4 cup olive oil

1/4-1/2 cup grated parmigiano

1/2 tsp salt

black pepper to taste

Directions:

Put scapes and walnuts in the food processor and process until mostly smooth

Drizzle oil into bowl slowly

Spoon into bowl

Add parmigiano to taste

Add salt & pepper

Hoisin, Orange, and Bok Choy White Fish

2011-06-06T18:41:00.000-07:00

This was originally a salmon recipe but not being a salmon kinda gal (and the other half is in the anti-cilantro camp) it required a few tweaks. Original can be found here. The sauce is really flavorful, so I doubled up. So worth it. Cooking on the grill is just a preference, you could also do this in the oven.

Ingredients
2 heads of bok choy
1 good size fillet of white fish - (I like Turbot)
4 tablespoons fresh orange juice
2 green onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoon hoisin sauce
2 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon finely grated orange peel
3/4 teaspoon cracked coriander seeds

Directions
1. Preheat the grill on medium
2. Create tinfoil packet and form bed of bok choy in center
3. Top bok choy with fish
4. Mix orange juice, green onion, hoisin, ginger, and orange peel in small bowl
5. Spoon mixture over fish
6. Sprinkle with salt and coriander
7. Close tinfoil packet
8. Place tinfoil packet directly on the grill & cook to desired consistency

Collard Wraps

2011-06-06T17:41:00.000-07:00

Here's a quick and easy snack or appetizer to use up those collards & mushrooms from this week. Adapted from this recipe at Rawthentic Soul.

Ingredients
Equal parts of the following five ingredients (adjust based on how many collard greens you have to fill)
Avocado
Shredded Carrots
Shredded Zucchini
Thinly Sliced Onions
Chopped Portabello Mushrooms

Enough Bragg's Liquid Amino to coat the ingredients above
Collards (washed, stems removed)

Directions
1. Combine the first five ingredients
2. Toss in Bragg's Amino to coat, stir all ingredients well
3. Open up a collard, inside facing up.
4. Scoop a healthy quantity of veggie mix onto the leaf (drain excess from bowl if there's too much liquid)
5. Roll like a burrito
6. Serve!

Lancaster Farm Fresh CSA Recipe Group

Panch Phoran Shalgam (Indian Turnip Recipe)

Spicy Ethiopian Style Beets

Happy Valentine's Day from Lancaster Farm Fresh Cooperative! (And Molten Chocolate Beet "LoveCakes" Recipe)

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

Pan-Roasted Salsify

Komatsuna Greens in Ginger Almond Miso Sauce

Dana Mead's Turnip Recipes

Saag Sauce

Julia's Plain Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Mushrooms and Cream

Yummy Tatsoi Recipe

Easy Broccoli-Cauliflower Stir Fry

Curried Cauliflower with Chickpeas

Raspberry Angel Food Dessert

Roasted Turnips with Maple and Cardamom

Turnip and Potato Mash

Hey all, it's fall!

Sweet Potato and Pear Soup

Sweet Potato Peanut Soup

Low fat, Full flavor Broccoli Mushroom Soup

Spaghetti Squash Pancakes

Meat Stuffed Collard Cakes

Portabella Mushroom "Fries"

Healthy Homemade Medjool Date Caramel

Mizuna Salad with Kohlrabi and Pomegranate Seeds

Ingredients

Directions

Edamame Spread

Baby Bok Choy with Chile and Garlic

Martha and Laurie David prepare a healthy side dish of baby bok choy.

Ingredients

Directions

Sweet Dumpling Squash Stuffed with Quinoa

Golden Peach Cake

Eggplant and Tomato-Mint Salsa

Beet Hummus

Twice Baked Mashed Potatoes

Baked Eggs with Summer Vegetables and Capers

Honey Zucchini Bread

Raw Zucchini Salad with Red Onion

Sausage-Stuffed Portobello Mushroom Caps

Tomato Okra Soup

Ground Cherry Salsa

Easy Peanut Butter Chard

Quick Pickles with Dill

Roasted Tomatoes

Red Beet Risotto with Rosemary, Goat Cheese, and Pistachios

Fresh Corn and Black Bean Salad

Eggplant Parmesan

Tomato and Watermelon Salad

Cool Melon Salad with Hot Bacon

Stuffed Bell Peppers with Beans and Rice

Stuffed Bell Peppers with Brown Rice and Ricotta

Summer Corn Chowder

Beat the Heat with These Peachy Pops!

Marinated Tomatoes

Roasted Summer Vegetables with Feta

Rustic Onion Tart

Raw Slaw

Crispy Picnic Slaw

Caramelized Carrots

Fresh Corn Salad

Stuffed Cabbage

Rhubarb-Almond Bars

New Red Potato Salad

Lambs Quarter Greek Salad

To Die For Blueberry Muffins

Zucchini Feta Chopped Salad

Green Bean Casserole

Dill, Beet, and Potato Salad

Refreshing Cilantro and Cucumber Salad

Cabbage and Apple Casserole

Cucumber Salad with Peanut and Lime

Sweet-n-Spicy Barbecue Sauce

Blueberry Pie

Fresh Sweet Cherry Salsa

Fresh Sour Cherry Crisp

Double-Fennel Pork Chops

Summer Cabbage Salad