Box #17

What we got:

Broccoli romanesco
Yellow onion
Italian garlic
Tomato variety bag
Grape tomatoes
Orange Ukraine
UW Roaster
Jalapeño
Teggia horticultural bean
Green top carrots
Watermelon
Cantaloupe/French orange melon
Spigarello
Cucumber
Summer squash
Red or French breakfast radish
Salad or spinach
Colorado Rose or Carola Gold Potatoes
Edamame


What we did with it:

Friday Night Pizza with Poblano, Tomatoes and Goat Cheese




Home Fries with Poached Eggs




Roasted Garlic and Broccoli Pasta with Sauteed Greens and Tomatoes




Poached Eggs over sauteed spigarello, tomato and onion.

Box #16

I'm only a month behind in posting! Here goes catching up.

What we got:

Yellow onions
Italian garlic
Green beans
Edamame
Sweet corn
Tomato variety bag: Carolina Gold (yellow), a variety of black tomatoes, Copia (striped heirloom type), Rose (pink heirloom type) and some red slicing tomatoes.
Grape tomatoes
Carrots
Squash
Cucumbers
Watermelon
Melon
Poblano peppers
Jalapeños
Bell pepper
Amaranth
Salad Mix
Eggplant
Cauliflower

What we did with it:

Cheeseburger with jalepenos and cheddar, lemony green beans and melon.






Hummus Sandwich with Cucumber, Tomatoes, Eggplant, and Hot Peppers





Friday Pizza Night: Goat Cheese, Salami, Pear Tomatoes, Hot Peppers




Tuna Burger with Amaranth and Carrot Soup




BLT and Melon

Box #15

What we got:

Italian garlic
Yellow onions
Green top carrots
Summer squash
Cucumbers
Tomatoes
Green Bell peppers
Italia or UW roaster peppers
Green beans
Tomatillo salsa pack: This was awesome! Everything we needed to make some great salsa.
Melons
Sweet corn
Salad mix
Amaranth
Eggplant


What we did with it.


Friday Night Pizza

This was definitely our best pizza yet. Tomatoes (a mixture of tomatoes from our garden and our crop share), basil and fresh mozzarella. Delicious!




Corn, Squash, and Green Beans with Jalepeno Butter
(Via The Heavy Table)

The downside of blogging only once a week is that I forget what we had with this. I think we had a burger and maybe it wasn't photo worthy? Who knows. But this side was pretty tasty. The jalepeno butter was great and I think I would like to slather that on just about anything.



2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, smash to a paste with a little salt
4 cups corn kernels (from 8 ears of sweet corn)
2 lbs zucchini or summer squash, diced
2 lbs green beans, topped and tailed and cut into ½-inch pieces
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup water (only if you need it)
Jalapeño Butter (see recipe below)
Optional garnish: cilantro leaves, chopped

Over medium flame, heat olive oil in a large pot. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, corn, zucchini (or squash), and green beans. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Turn heat to high and, stirring, cook for 2 minutes. Add water. [A note about the water = I don't think you need all of it. We ended up having to cook a lot of it off. The veggies released their own water and with adding water, it was just too much.] Cover pan, then cook five to seven minutes, stirring occasionally. When the vegetables are soft, but not mushy, mix in jalapeño butter. Top with cilantro. Serve in a warmed bowl. Serves 8 to 10.

Jalapeño Butter:
Stick butter, softened
1 jalapeño pepper, seeds removed and minced (if you like it spicier, you can leave the seeds in)
Salt and pepper to taste
Juice and grated zest of 1 lime
1 tbsp chives, cut into 1-inch pieces

In a small bowl and with a wooden spoon, mix jalapeño into butter. Season with salt and pepper. Add lime zest, lime juice, and chives and mix well.


Miso Flank Steak, Edamame, Sungold Tomatoes, Melon, and Apple Crisp Hard Cider

A perfect summer meal! We have a bunch of miso to use up so it was great to find another use for it. I was so excited to get edamame but after Owen had so much fun eating it, I remembered that he had "trouble" with it when he was younger. And once again, he had "trouble". Poor kid. No more edamame for him.



1 tablespoon miso paste, I used shiro-miso
1 tablespoon mirin
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon chili pepper
1/2 inch piece of ginger, grated
Flank steak, 9-ounce
Canola oil

Add the miso paste, mirin, soy sauce, sesame oil, chili pepper, and grated ginger to a bowl. Whisk until combined.

Add the meat to the bowl and toss until well coated. Let marinate for about 30 minutes, flipping the meat about halfway through.

Set a grill pan or iron skillet over high heat. Add the meat and cook for about 2 minutes per side. This will depend on the thickness of your flank steak. If you have very thick ones, then cook it on the grill pan and then finish it in a 400 degree oven for 5 to 10 minutes.

Let the steak rest for a few minutes, and then slice against the grain into 1/4 inch pieces. Serves 2.


Zucchini, Potato and Amaranth Tacos

I can't take any credit for these. Mike whipped them up and they were fantastic! We topped them with the tomatillo salsa we made from the salsa pack.




Eggplant Parmesan
(Recipe from Cooks Illustrated, let me know if you want the recipe)

This is hands-down the best eggplant parmesan recipe. Just ask anyone we've made it for. If you want the recipe, let me know and I'll type (ugh) it up. But, the recipe is so good, I'm willing to share.

Look at this beauty.

Homegrown Tomatoes

Could life get any better?

Aruija, Isis Candy and Yellow Pear tomatoes in Mike's palms.

Box #14

What we got:

Italian garlic
Onions
Green Top carrots:
Summer squash:
Cucumbers:
Tomatoes
Peppers
Eggplant
Potatoes
Green beans
Red & gold amaranth
Yellow Watermelon
Salad or sauté mix

What we did with it:

Zucchini and Corn Pasta
(Recipe from A Good Appetite via Serious Eats via Gourmet)

This was a fantastic dish. It was much better than I imagined, as the blogger who I got the recipe from said. The bacon makes the dish, so don't skip it.



Pesto:

1 c fresh basil leaves
1/3 c pine nuts, toasted (we skipped the pine nuts)
1 clove garlic
1/4 c freshly grated Parmesan
1/4 c olive oil
salt & pepper

Put the basil, nuts, garlic & cheese in a food processor & process until they create a chunky paste. Add the olive oil & process until smooth. Salt & pepper to taste.

The Pasta:

3 sliced of bacon, chopped
2 ears of corn, kernels cut off the cob (not cooked)
2 large zucchinis, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
1/2 lb pasta (fusilli, penne, farfalle)
Pesto (from above)
Parmesan
Pepper

In a large skillet, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel to drain. Leave about 1/2 - 1 T of the bacon fat in the skillet for later.

Meanwhile, bring the water for the pasta to a boil. Salt the water & cook the pasta according to directions. When the pasta has 2 minutes left add the corn kernels & zucchini. When the pasta is done drain it & the vegetables, reserving a little of the cooking water.

Add the pasta & vegetables to the skillet with the reserved bacon fat & stir to coat. Stir in the pesto & bacon pieces. If the pasta seems dry add a bit of the cooking water.

Serve topped with Parmesan & pepper.

Serves 2



Saturday Night Pizza: Tomato, Green Pepper, Bacon, Zucchini, Garlic and Fontina

We had guests on Friday night and had a lovely dinner - unfortunately the camera battery was dead so we couldn't get a shot of it. So, we rescheduled our Friday Night Pizza for Saturday.





Buttermilk Pancakes with Bananas and Walnuts

These pancakes are fabulous and the recipe is a real keeper. The recipe is from Cooks Illustrated.





Stuffed Green Peppers

We actually didn't use a recipe for this one which is highly unusual for us. This use of green pepper was suggested in our farm newsletter. We combined browned italian sausage, onion, sauteed amaranth, garlic, brown rice. We stuff that in the green pepper (picked from our garden, we ate the peppers from our farm raw) and topped it off with some cheese. Yum!




Penne with Tomato, Brie and Basil
(Recipe from Whole Foods Market)

This is one of our all time favorite recipes. As soon as tomatoes are in season, I whip this up. I originally found it on a handout at Whole Foods - I couldn't find my copy so I did an online search and luckily WF had it posted.

5 tomatoes, cored and roughly chopped or 2 cups halved cherry or grape tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
8 ounces brie, with rind, or other semi-soft cheese such as Fontina, cut into (1-inch) pieces
1/2 cup olive oil
3 to 4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pound whole wheat penne
1 cup basil leaves, torn

Put tomatoes, garlic, brie, oil, vinegar, salt and pepper into a large bowl and toss gently to combine. Cover and set aside at room temperature to let marinate for 2 to 3 hours.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add penne and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain well and transfer hot pasta to bowl with tomato mixture. Add basil and toss gently to combine. Serve immediately.

Greek Orzo
(Recipe from Allrecipes.com)

This recipe was a little "meh" but it used up some cucumber. I've decided that cucumbers are definitely not my favorite veggie. The worst part about this recipe is that it made a TON and I feel like we've been eating it for a year.



1 1/2 cups uncooked orzo pasta
2 (6 ounce) cans marinated artichoke hearts
1 tomato, seeded and chopped
1 cucumber, seeded and chopped
1 red onion, chopped
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 (2 ounce) can black olives, drained (we used kalamata)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain. Drain artichoke hearts, reserving liquid.

In large bowl combine pasta, artichoke hearts, tomato, cucumber, onion, feta, olives, parsley, lemon juice, oregano and lemon pepper. Toss and chill for 1 hour in refrigerator.

Just before serving, drizzle reserved artichoke marinade over salad.

Box #13

Well, I was behind on blogging and by the time I got around to posting this, it seems we only made four meals in a week. I don't remember what else we ate but maybe it wasn't notable.

What we got:

Italian garlic
Sweet Spanish onion
Green Top carrots
Savoy cabbage
Summer squash
Cucumbers
Tomatoes, variety
Peppers: Italia, Green Bell, Jalapeño
Salad mix
Romance or Satina Gold potatoes
Green komatsuna
Celery

What we did with it:


Thai Cabbage Salad
(Source unknown - sorry original recipe writer)

We enjoyed this one. You can control the heat - Mike bumped it up to super hot. I wouldn't recommend that. Although, I suppose it did give me permission to down a beer.




1 tablespoon Thai red curry paste
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
2 tablespoons lime juice
Zest of 1 lime

For the salad:
2 chicken thighs, cooked and shredded
1/2 head of green cabbage, thinly sliced
2 medium carrots, shredded
1/4 cilantro leaves, chopped, plus whole leaves for garnish
1 cup peanuts, coarsely chopped, plus more for garnish

Toss the sliced cabbage with 1 tablespoon kosher salt and set in a colander over a bowl (or your sink, you don’t need the liquid) for 30 minutes. Rinse thoroughly and dry well. Set aside.

Whisk together the curry paste, fish sauce, vinegar, salt, sugar, oil, cayenne and lime zest and juice. Set aside.

Combine the cabbage, carrots, cilantro and chopped peanuts with the dressing and toss well to coat. Divide among four plates, and top with shredded chicken, a sprinkling of nuts and a few cilantro leaves.



Chicken Tacos

We used up some extra stuff to whip up some tasty chicken tacos.





Komatsuna in Ginger Miso Sauce
(Recipe from Cupcake Punk)


This dish was pretty good. It was a little on the salty side, even after making adjustments,

1 bunch Komatsuna Greens, stems and leaves separated
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, diced
1 lb firm tofu
2 tablespoons soy sauce (low-sodium might be good to reduce the salt)
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. 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.

Pulled Pork Sandwich, Potato Salad and Corn
(Recipes from Allrecipes.com: Pork and Potato Salad)

I was rushing to get the pork started and botched the recipe but it still turned out really well. I added the BBQ sauce with the pork and beef broth and then didn't bother putting it in the oven. I think fixing those two mistakes would make this a winner. Make sure you use a good BBQ sauce. The potato salad was quite tasty as far as potato salads go.



Pulled Pork

1 (14 ounce) can beef broth
3 pounds boneless pork ribs
1 (18 ounce) bottle barbeque sauce

Pour can of beef broth into slow cooker, and add boneless pork ribs. Cook on High heat for 4 hours, or until meat shreds easily. Remove meat, and shred with two forks. It will seem that it's not working right away, but it will.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Transfer the shredded pork to a Dutch oven or iron skillet, and stir in barbeque sauce.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until heated through.


Potato Salad

8 medium red potatoes
4 eggs
8 slices bacon
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
3 green onions, diced
3 fresh jalapeno peppers, diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
2 1/2 cups mayonnaise
2 tablespoons brown mustard
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
salt and pepper to taste

Place potatoes in a pot with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook until tender. Drain, dice, and cool.

Place eggs in a pot with enough cold water to cover. Bring to a boil and immediately remove from heat. Cover saucepan, and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Drain, cool, peel and chop.

Place bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat, and cook until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.

In a large bowl, mix chopped eggs, 1/2 the bacon, black beans, green onions, jalapeno peppers, bell pepper, mayonnaise, mustard, and Cajun seasoning. Gently mix in diced, cooled potatoes.

Season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with remaining bacon. Cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

One of my favorites

This didn't use any of our CSA stuff, but it's one of my favorite breakfasts.

Soft Scrambled Eggs with Ricotta and Chives

Box #12

What we found in Box #12:

Italian garlic
Sweet Spanish onion
Green Top carrots
Saute Mix
Arugula
Romance Potatoes
Yellow & Green beans
Summer Squash & Zucchini
Cucumber
Red mizuna
Tomatoes
Dill
Green Bell or Italian Frying Pepper

What we did with it:

Penne with Beef and Arugula(Giada De Laurentiis, Food Network)
My friend Traci posted this on Facebook. It looked delicious and it was delicious.

1 (1-pound) New York strip steak
1 teaspoon herbs de Provence
1 garlic clove, minced
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons (we used much less oil)
1 pound penne pasta
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for steak and pasta water
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for steak
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 cups chopped arugula

Season the steak with salt and freshly ground black pepper, herbs de Provence, and minced garlic. In a skillet, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Cook steak about 7 minutes per side. Remove the meat from pan and let it rest for 5 minutes. Thinly slice the steak. Set aside.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta, reserving 1/4 cup of pasta water.

In a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, fresh herbs, and 3/4 cup olive oil. In a large bowl toss the pasta with half of the salad dressing and the reserved pasta water. Add the arugula and steak, more dressing, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, as needed. Toss, pack for the picnic, or serve.

Grilled Potatoes and Carrots

We grilled up some carrots and potatoes to accompany grilled pork chops. Why is it that cooking on the grill makes everything taste better?

Wilted Asian Greens (Mizuna)(Recipe from Noble Foods Farm)
I told a friend of mine, Tami, that she shouldn't be afraid of Mizuna. I was mistaken - you should be afraid, very afraid. Ha! I was picturing something else when I said this and forgot how I don't really care for Mizuna. I think it's mostly a texture thing. But, this recipe was pretty good. Would I make it again? Probably not.

¼ cup water
¼ cup tamari (or soy sauce)
2Tbs rice vinegar
2 Tbs rice wine (mirin)
1 Tbs dark sesame oil
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 garlic clove, minced
6 cups Asian greens (mizuna, mustard, bok choy, chinese celery)
1 mango, pitted, peeled, julienned
¼ cup red onion, thinly sliced
Toasted sesame seeds

Whisk together water, tamari, vinegar, rice wine & sesame oil. Set aside. Heat vegetable oil in saucepan. Cook garlic for 1 minute. Add vinegar mixture; heat 2 minutes. Toss greens, mango & onion in a large serving bow. Pour warm dressing over salad; sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.


Friday Night Pizza
Ah, Friday night is pizza night and we try to use whatever we have on hand. This time we ended up with salami, hot pepper (from our garden), green pepper, onion and goat cheese. On the side, we had a salad with tomatoes from our garden, cucumber, and cashews. Oh how I love Fridays!

Poached Eggs with Yellow Tomato, Saute Greens on Homemade Bread
I also refer to this meal as, "another reason I would marry my husband again in a heartbeat". I slept in and had this waiting for me. Heaven! It not only contains a beautiful yellow tomato (tomatoes are finally here!) but it also contained one of my favorite seasonings - smoked paprika. Life doesn't get much better than spending time with my family and eating such delicious food.

Box #11

What we got:

Sweet Spanish onions
Green Top carrots
Amaranth
Cauliflower
Broccoli
Salad mix
Potatoes
Green/yellow beans
Zucchini/squash
Cucumbers
Chioggia beets
Fennel

What we did with it:

Pav Bhaji
(recipe from allrecipes.com)

We used garam masala instead of pav bhaji masala, so technically what we made is not Pav Bhaji. We also left out the tomatoes which I think would have been a good thing to include. It turned out okay. Not sure I would make it again. The buns, however, were divine.



1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
1 teaspoon finely chopped green chile peppers
1 cup chopped onions
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 cup chopped roma (plum) tomatoes
2 cups cauliflower, finely chopped
1 cup chopped cabbage
1 cup green peas
1 cup grated carrots
4 potatoes, boiled and mashed
3 tablespoons pav bhaji masala
salt to taste
1 tablespoon lemon juice

8 (2 inch square) dinner rolls
1/2 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon finely chopped green chile peppers
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Heat the oil in a wok over medium heat. Saute garlic and green chile for 30 seconds, then stir in onions and ginger. Cook until onions are brown. Add tomatoes, and cook until pasty. Stir in cauliflower, cabbage, peas, carrots and potatoes. Season with pav bhaji masala. Cover, and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt, and stir in lemon juice.

Toast the dinner rolls, and spread lightly with butter. Serve garnished with chopped onion, green chile and cilantro.


Greek Salad
(Secret Family Recipe - ha!)

It's a little strange, but Greek Salad is to me what Tater Tot Hot Dish is to a Minnesotan. I grew up eating Greek Salad all the time. What's up with that, Mom? Anyway... this time we roasted our own beets instead of using the canned variety. Yum!




Carrot Top Soup
(Recipe from HVF Newsletter)

Yes, I'm serious. We've been trying to eat our entire crop share this year, leaving little waste. That means eating all the greens - beet greens, carrot greens, etc. I wasn't very skeptical about eating carrot greens but this soup actually ended up being tasty. I think it has everything to do with the fennel and coconut milk and little to do with the carrot greens.



4 green top carrots with greens
2 bulbs fennel with fronds
2 scallions, sliced thin
2 Tbsp butter
1 bay leaf
1 can (14 oz) coconut milk
¼ tsp ground black pepper
1½ tsp salt
2 Tbsp fresh basil, chiffonade
½ cup vegetable stock or water

Remove green tops from carrots and chop coarsely, set aside; cut carrots into small dice. Remove stalks and fronds from fennel bulbs. Coarsely chop the fronds and stalks, set aside with carrot tops. Cut fennel bulbs into small dice and add to carrots.

In a medium saucepan, melt butter. Add scallions and sauté until softened. Add carrot tops and fennel fronds and stalks. Add vegetable stock, coconut milk, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and puree in a blender. Return the soup to the saucepan and bring back to a simmer. Add diced carrots and fennel and simmer until vegetables are tender. Immediately prior to serving, add basil and adjust seasoning. Serves 3-4.


Grilled Chicken with Grilled Summer Squash and Green Bean Salad
(Midsummer Bean Salad recipe from HVF Newsletter)



Midsummer Green Bean Salad, Adapted from Barbara Kafka’s Vegetable Love
(From HVF Newsletter)
Serves 6

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons kosher salt (we used a lot less salt and it was still really salty)
2 pounds green beans, tipped and tailed
1 pound sliced cucumber or sliced and sautéed summer squash
½ cup fresh onions, sliced thin
½ cup olive oil
Generous amount of freshly ground black pepper
½ cup coarsely chopped fresh dill
½ lemon

Bring 3 quarts water plus the ¼ cup salt to a rolling boil in a large pot. Add the beans. Return water to a boil and boil for 5 minutes. While the beans cook, prepare a very cold ice water bath in a large bowl. Drain the beans and plunge into ice water. Stir and toss.

While the beans are chilling, combine the cucumbers/ summer squash with remaining 2 Tbsp salt and sliced onions in a bowl. Toss and allow to sit for 20 minutes.

Drain the beans and add to the squash/cucumber mixture. Add the olive oil and pepper and toss to coat evenly. Allow to sit until ready to serve, or up to 1 hours.

Before serving, toss in the dill and squeeze lemon over the top.


Home Fries

We take turns sleeping in on the weekends/Mike's days off and on my turn, I woke up to the heavenly smell of home fries. Mike served this up with a couple of runny eggs on top.

Box #10

What we got in Box #10:

Fresh garlic
White cipollini onion
Green Savoy cabbage
Green Top Carrots
Gold beets
Arugula
Green beans
Cauliflower & broccoli
Summer squash
Cucumbers
Chard

What we did with it:

We've been making quite a bit of hummus as of late and eating it with raw veggies.




Our first ever homegrown broccoli:




Hmong Stuffed Cabbage
(recipe via Carrie - originally from St. Paul Farmers; Market Cookbook 2005)

This recipe is a keeper! So very tasty! We sauteed some beans as a side.



4-16 green cabbage leaves (we used 8-10)
1 lb. ground pork
2 green onions, minced
1/2 c brean thread vermicelli noodles, cooked and cut into 1-2 inch lengths
1/4 c fresh carrot, shredded
1/4 c new potatoes, shredded
1 clove garlic, minced
1 egg, beaten
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. oyster sauce
1 tsp. soy sauce

Boil cabbage leaves in boiling water 3-4 minutes. Drain. Using a sharp knife, remove the ribs of the cabbage leaves. In a wok kor skillet, stir-fry pork over high heat until cooked and set aside to cool. In a medium bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Mix thoroughly. Divide mixture into as many portions as you have cabbage leaves. put a portion of hte meat mixture at the end of a cabbage leaf. Fold it up like an egg roll. Place the rolls seam side down on a steamer rack and steam for 15 minutes. Steamed rolls can be served hot or refrigerated and served cold.


Hamburger with Roasted Garlic and Spinach and Grilled Summer Squash

The weekly newsletter from the farm suggested roasting the garlic and wilting some spinach to top a burger and we did just that. Mike ground the beef from some leftover meat we had in the freezer. I think we'll be doing that more often now that we know it's so easy to do with the Kitchenaid mixer. What impressed me most about this meal is that Owen loved the roasted garlic...who knew??




Garlicky Greens Tacos
(Rick Bayless via Martha Stewart)

First of all, Rick Bayless rocks so I knew this recipe would be good. Second of all, using chard to make tacos? Even better! Chard isn't really my favorite thing so finding this recipe was super exciting.



8 to 10 corn tortillas (plus a few extra, in case some break)
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, plus more for blanching
6 cups loosely packed sliced green or red chard leaves (one 12-ounce bunch)
1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
1 medium white onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick
4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
1/4 cup finely crumbled Mexican queso fresco; queso anejo; dry feta; pressed, salted farmer's cheese; or Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup Rick's Essential Roasted Tomatillo Chipotle Salsa
Cilantro sprigs, for garnish

1. Warm the tortillas: Place a vegetable steamer in a large saucepan filled with 1/2 inch of water. Bring to a boil. Wrap tortillas in a heavy kitchen towel, lay them in the steamer, and cover with a tight lid. Boil 1 minute, turn off the heat, and let stand without opening for about 15 minutes.
2. Prepare the filling: While tortillas are steaming, bring 3 quarts salted water to a boil in a large pot. Add greens, and cook until barely tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain in a colander, and spread out on a large plate or baking sheet to cool. When cool enough to handle, roughly chop.
3. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, stir for 1 minute, then add greens, and stir for about 1 minute, just long enough to heat them through. Season with salt.
4. Prepare the tacos: Scoop the filling into a deep, warm serving dish, and sprinkle with cheese. Serve with the warm tortillas, salsa, and cilantro sprigs. Makes 8 to 10 soft tacos.

The Best Zucchini Brownie Ever
(From Allrecipes.com)

This recipe will come in handy in a few weeks when I'm SO sick of eating zucchini. I actually had some frozen shredded zucchini from our winter crop share to use up. These brownies were awesome and my 5 tasters could not pick out the secret ingredient, including Mike who claims he despises hidden-zucchini dessert recipes.



1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups shredded zucchini
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup margarine
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the oil, sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla until well blended. Combine the flour, 1/2 cup cocoa, baking soda and salt; stir into the sugar mixture. Fold in the zucchini and walnuts. Spread evenly into the prepared pan. Warning: The batter will be really thick and not what you'd expect. Press it to the pan and don't add any extra liquid - the zucchini will release water when it's heated.
   
3. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until brownies spring back when gently touched. To make the frosting, melt together the 6 tablespoons of cocoa and margarine; set aside to cool. In a medium bowl, blend together the confectioners' sugar, milk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Stir in the cocoa mixture. Spread over cooled brownies before cutting into squares.

Pizza with Salami, Queso Fresco, Pepperoncini, and Queso Fresco

We've designated Friday evenings as Pizza Night. We threw some stuff on here that we needed to use up. It made one tasty pizza!!




Steak Tacos with Queso Fresco, Cilantro, Onion and Cabbage

Another use up random leftovers (and abundant cilantro from garden) recipe. Yum!

Cauliflower and Sweet Potatoes in Spicy Tomato Sauce with Cashews
(Adapted from Things Cooks Love)

[Great recipe! Sadly, no photo.]

2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 cup unsalted raw cashews
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 cup chopped onion
4 teaspoons peeled, finely chopped fresh ginger
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes with juices
1 Serrano pepper, stemmed, seeded, and quartered
1 head cauliflower, stems removed and cut into 1-inch florets
1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1-inch chunks
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup frozen peas
handful cilantro

1. Pour the oil into a large skillet or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the cashews and cook for 30 seconds and then remove with a slotted spoon. Add the cumin and mustard seeds and cook for another 30 seconds.
2. Add the onions. Cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes or until they are lightly browned. Dump in the tomatoes and serrano pepper. Turn heat to medium high and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes.
3. Add the cauliflower, sweet potatoes, water, and salt. Stir to combine and then cover, turn the heat to medium-low, and cook for about 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. It might take 20 minutes. Stir halfway through. Add the peas, cover the pot, and cook for an additional 3 minutes.
4. Serve with a sprinkling of cilantro and the cashews. Season to taste with salt.

Box #7, #8, and #9

I'm finally catching up on blogging! The good news is that we're plowing through our veggies but just haven't had time to document it all.

Sadly, we gave our box #7 to friends since we were out of town. The box contained one of my favorites - sugar snap peas. Our friends just had to mention they were the best they've ever had. *sigh*

We made a stop home during vacation (between Michigan and going back to Wisconsin for a long weekend at the cabin) just for our veggies. We used some veggies at the cabin but the rest were left at home. The week following the 4th, Owen was really sick and I can't even remember what we made to eat but I do know that we used a lot of veggies. So, that week is forever lost. But here are the few things that we documented making with boxes 8 and 9.

Traditional Caesar Salad
(recipe from Allrecipes.com)

This was our first attempt at making a traditional caesar salad. We don't order them at restaurants unless we know they're the real deal. None of that creamy white "dressing", please.




2 cloves garlic, crushed
6 tablespoons safflower oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon mustard powder
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 (2 ounce) can anchovy filets
1 egg
1 French baguette, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
4 tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
1 large head romaine lettuce - rinsed, dried, and torn into bite-size pieces
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C).
2. Prepare the dressing in a glass jar by combining the garlic, oil, salt, mustard, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne, and lemon juice. Rinse anchovy filets under warm water, pat dry on paper towels, and roughly chop them. Place anchovy in jar with other ingredients. Cover with tight fitting lid and shake to mix.
3. To coddle the egg, bring 2 inches of water to a boil in a small saucepan. Carefully lower egg into water; remove from heat and let stand for 1 minute. Remove and set aside to cool. Crack open the egg and with a spoon, scrape out all yolk (even the runny white). Use a wire whisk and whip in a small bowl until very frothy. Pour egg to the rest of the dressing and mix well.
4. Prepare the croutons by combining the bread cubes, melted butter, Italian seasoning, Worcestershire sauce and 1 tablespoon grated cheese. Toss well to coat bread, then place in a single layer on a 10x15 inch jelly roll pan and bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes.
5. Prepare salad in a large bowl by combining the romaine, 1/2 cup grated cheese, dressing and croutons to taste. Toss well to coat and serve.

Baked Rigatoni with Italian Sausage and Fennel
(Recipes from Allrecipes.com)

This is one of my favorite pasta bake recipes. I feel the need to pause for a moment and explain my obsession with Allrecipes.com. While there's a lot of crap on there, you can also find some hidden treasures. I love reading the reviews and seeing how people manipulate the recipe to make it better. We found this recipe last year and have made it several times.



1 pound hot Italian sausage links
1 (16 ounce) package rigatoni pasta
1 (24 ounce) jar marinara sauce
1 bulb fennel, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 roasted red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves (we use a lot more)
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup grated Asiago cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until almost tender, about 10 minutes.
2. Fry the sausages in a large skillet over medium heat, turning frequently until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Remove from the skillet, cool slightly and slice into rounds. Add the garlic, fennel and onion to the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Cook and stir for about 5 minutes, then add the roasted red peppers, basil, sliced sausage and pasta sauce. Heat through over low heat until warmed.
3. Combine the pasta with the sauce and vegetables in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Spread the mozzarella, Parmesan and Asiago cheeses over the top. Garnish with a few fennel leaves left from the bulb. Cover with aluminum foil.
4. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, then remove the aluminum foil. Set the oven to broil, and cook for another 5 minutes or until cheese is browned.

Grilled Pizza with Beets and Goat Cheese
(Found through random google search on cookingequipment.about.com)

I love finding recipes that use not only the root but also the greens. We are doing so much better this year using all the vegetables, including the green tops. And combining beets with goat cheese is just heavenly. Our favorite pizza dough recipe can be found in Baking Illustrated.



1 pound beets with greens
Extra virgin olive oil ( 3 to 4 tablespoons, divided)
Salt and pepper
1 shallot, minced
Dough for 1 pizza, either homemade or store bought
All-purpose flour, semolina or cornmeal, for dusting
4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

1. Preheat oven to 375˚F. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil. Cut beet greens from the beets and reserve. Trim the stems from the beets and peel them. Then cut them into 1/2 inch cubes and spread them on the foil-lined pan. (Some juice will come off on your hands and the cutting board, but you can get most of it off if you wash your hands and any surfaces right away) Drizzle the beets with about 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with salt and papper, stirring or tossing with a spatula to coat completely. Loosely cover the pan with another sheet of aluminum foil and cook in the oven for 40 minutes to 1 hour, removing the foil after about 20 minutes. Beets should be tender when pierced with a fork. Reserve until you're ready to assemble the pizza.

2. Meanwhile, remove any tough stems from the beet greens and roughly chop them. Wash them thoroughly and dry them in a salad spinner or by squeezing them gently in a clean dishtowel. In a skillet heat about 1 tablespoon olive oil, tilting pan to spread over the bottom of the pan. Add the shallot and saute over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the shallot is translucent. Add the greens and cook, turning with a spatula, until they begin to wilt down. Cover the pan and cook over low heat for 5 minutes, until wilted and tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. Make your pizza dough. Dust the pan with flour or cornmeal and form the dough on the pan. Brush the pizza with olive oil, and evenly spread the roasted beets and beet greens over the pizza. Sprinkle evenly with crumbled goat cheese. If using a pizza peel and a stone, carefully slide the pizza off the peel onto the pizza stone. If using a pan, place pan in the oven. Bake at 400˚F for 10 to 15 minutes, until exposed crust is turning golden and firm, and goat cheese is beginning to turn light golden. Let pizza rest for a few minutes, then cut into wedges.

Grilled Pork Chop with Grilled Summer Sqaush and Cabbage Slaw
(Slaw recipe from ... can you guess? Allrecipes.com)




Mike's Mom has made this slaw many times since I've known her and it's absolutely delicious. I can't find the exact recipe we used (I think we just adapt whatever recipe we can find).

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 (3 ounce) package chicken flavored ramen noodles, crushed, seasoning packet reserved
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
1/4 cup sliced almonds (toasted, if you prefer)
1/2 medium head cabbage, shredded
5 green onions, chopped

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, sugar, ramen noodle spice mix (we did not include this), salt and pepper to create a dressing.
2. In a large salad bowl, combine the cabbage, green onions and crushed ramen noodles. Pour dressing over the cabbage, and toss to coat evenly. Top with toasted sesame seeds and almonds.

What we did with Box #6

Chili Lime Kohlrabi Salad
(recipe included in our CSA newsletter)

While this recipe was very tasty, it wasn't the best choice for a main course. I felt like I needed a side of cheese or cream. With that said, I'd definitely eat it again as a side dish.



Makes 2-3 Servings

2-3 small kohlrabi
1 bunch scallions
1 small or medium head bok choi or Yukina Savoy
Small head leaf lettuce
½ cup lime juice
1 tsp chili powder
2 Tbsp sunfl ower oil (we used peanut oil)
Salt and pepper

1. Wash kohlrabi and trim off leaves at the base, leaving a bare bulb. Slice the bulb crosswise as thinly as possible. Reserve leaves.
2. Wash and chop scallions. Toss scallions and sliced kohlrabi with lime juice and chili powder in a medium-size mixing bowl. Refrigerate 1 hour to marinate kohlrabi.
3. Rinse bok choi or Yukina Savoy and chop into bite-size pieces. Cut kohlrabi leaves crosswise into ¼” thick strips. Rinse leaf lettuce and tear into bite-size pieces.
4. Drain excess lime juice from kohlrabi mixture. Toss with chopped bok choi, kohlrabi leaves, lettuce, and sunfl ower oil. Salt and pepper to taste.


Picnic Sandwich



We used a basic italian bread, topped it with arugula pesto one one slice and sage (from our garden) and green garlic spread. We stacked turkey, bacon, cheese, arugula and red leaf lettuce between the bread and voila! This was one heck of a lunch!

A note about the sage and green garlic spread. I have recently discovered greek yogurt and am obsessed with it. I've been adapting this recipes for chive and onion spread in all sorts of ways and the sage and green garlic is one of the trials. The possibilities are endless! Good thing I discovered 2% greek yogurt.


Radish and Arugula Sandwich



I love radishes - am I repeating myself yet? My favorite way to enjoy them is by eating them raw or eating them thinly sliced on buttered (I break down and buy Plugra butter during radish season) bread. Mike thinks this is too simple of a concept. So, he made these radish sandwiches which is pretty much the same thing but with arugula and it's not served open-face. Give me radish, Plugra and some bread and I'm set. Add arugula and I'm sold!


Smoked Salmon, Asparagus and Goat Cheese Pizza

We had a crust in the freezer from last time we made pizza so we whipped up this one with salmon, asparagus and goat cheese. Smoked salmon and goat cheese make it on to my favorite things list (along with radish, Plugra, and arugula). All we did for this pizza is brush the crust with olive oil and sprinkled some sliced green garlic. We then topped it with blanched asparagus, smoked salmon and lumps of goat cheese. We ended up eating the whole pizza between the two of us. I could really go for another piece right now.




Italian Sausage and Spinach Pasta
(Mike found this recipe somewhere, sorry person we stole it from)

This pasta was a lot tastier than I expected. The best part? It only used one pot! That's my kind of recipe. Owen ate a big serving of this and didn't even pick out the spinach. We'll definitely be making this again!



serves 2-3

1 pound spicy Italian sausage, split in half and sliced into 1-inch pieces
1/2 onion, chopped
3 cups chicken broth
1/2 pound spaghetti
10 ounces spinach, washed and roughly chopped
1/2 cup half-and-half
Handful grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper

1. Set a large pot over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook until they begin to release some of their fat. Toss in the chopped onion and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Spoon off any accumulated fat.
2. Pour in the chicken broth. Bring it to a boil. Add the spaghetti. It probably won't all fit in the liquid, but just keep stirring every 10 seconds or so, until it is tender enough sink into liquid. Keep stirring every 30 seconds to allow the noodles to cook evenly. Cook until the pasta is al dente, about 8 minutes.
3. Toss in the spinach, stir, and then cover the pot and cook for 3 minutes. Stir, and then add the half-and-half. Let the sauce thicken, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.
4. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with parmesan and serve.


Rhubarb Cardamom Sorbet
(by way of A Good Appetite, originally from Garrett McCord of Vanilla Garlic)

We have this in the works as I type this, more to come later...

3 1/2 c fresh rhubarb, chopped
2 1/2 c water
1 2/3 c sugar
1/4 t salt
2 t dried lemon zest
1/2 t cardamom
1 t vanilla extract
2 t corn syrup

Place the rhubarb, water, sugar, salt & lemon zest in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover & let simmer for 5 minutes. The rhubarb should get very soft. Let cool. Press through a fine strainer to remove the pulp. Stir in the cardamom, vanilla & corn syrup. Cover & chill until very cold. Process in your ice cream maker until creamy. Place in a container & freeze. Makes about 1 quart.