Sept 8 - 15

In the box:

Gala apples - lunches
Asian stir-fry mix - T
Carrots - T
Chard - W
Green beans - T, R
Lettuce - Su
Radishes
Summer squash - M
Sweet peppers -
Heirloom tomatoes - Su
Dry-farmed tomatoes (lots!) - canning

In the house:

Beets - R
Leeks
Peppers
scallions - W
heirloom tomatoes
Tomatoes - M, canning

Dinners:

Sunday: Salad with Heirloom Tomatoes

Monday: Enchilada Pie, Steamed Summer Squash

Tuesday: Stir Fry

Wednesday: Chard and Feta Pie with Heirloom tomatoes and Fresh Mozzarella

Thursday: Beet Gnocchi with steamed green beans

Recipes:

Chard and Feta Pie
from "Your Organic Kitchen" by Jesse Cool

2 C shredded potatoes (I used more!)
2 green onions, minced (I chopped up the light green stalk of the fresh onions)
3/4 tsp. salt
6 eggs (I only used 4)
1/4 C unbleached all purpose flour
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 red onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 bunches green or red chard or spinach, coarsely chopped (I used mixed mustards and beet greens, but would also easily substitute kale or other dark-leafys)
1 1/2 C (8 oz) crumbled feta cheese
1 C milk (I used much less)
2 tbsp. chopped fresh oregano (I didn't have fresh and so used dried; you could've used the marjoram we got last week!)
1/2 C toasted bread crumbs (I toasted 'em in a toaster oven -- worked fine!)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly oil a 9" deep-dish pie plate (I just used a regular glass 10" pie-plate). Place potatoes and green onions in a colander and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. of the salt. Drain for 5 minutes, gently squeezing out any excess liquid. Place in a medium bowl and add 1 of the eggs, the flour, and pepper. Stir until well blended. Press into the prepared pie plate to form a crust. Brush with 1 tbsp. of the oil. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the crust is browned. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tbsp. oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the red onion and cook for 4 minutes, or until soft. Add the garlic and chard or spinach (or other greens) and cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes, or until the greens have wilted. Remove from heat, drain off excess liquid, and cool slightly. In a large bowl, combine the remaining 5 (or in my case, 3) eggs, 1 C of the cheese, the milk, oregano, remaining 1/4 tsp. salt and greens mixture. Pour into the baked crust. Sprinkle the top with the bread crumbs and remaining 1/2 C cheese. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for 35 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let stand for 15 minutes before cutting.

Beet Gnocchi with Rosemary
[that’s pronounced “NYO-kee”]
from another Bon Appetit clipping; serves 8 as a first course; 4 as a main course

3 small beets, trimmed
1 lb. fresh ricotta cheese
1 large egg
¾ C freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 ¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 ½ C flour, divided
½ C (one stick) unsalted butter
8 3-inch long fresh rosemary sprigs
Additional freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Wrap beets in foil and roast until tender, about 1 hour. [Note from Debbie: because we tend to keep our beets in the fridge, this adds to their baking time. If you think of it, take ‘em out so they can come to room temperature first. They may cook a little quicker. Of course I always forget to do this, but I thought if I wrote it down I might remember!] [Beets are done when they pierce easily with the tip of a sharp knife.]

Allow beets to cool enough to handle, then slip off skins; discard [compost] skins.

Coarsely grate beets. Place ¾ C grated beets in large bowl (reserving any remaining beets for another use [i.e. in one of those ‘beet sandwiches’ from last week!]. Stir in ricotta, egg, and ¾ C parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Mix in 1 C of the flour.

Lightly dust baking sheet with flour. Place remaining ½ C flour in a small bowl. Using a tablespoon measure as an aid, scoop dough into rounds; transfer to bowl with flour. Coat rounds with flour, then roll each into little oblong footballs in the palms of your hands. Hold each gnocchi in the palm of one hand and gently press centers with fingertips to make slight indentations [the better to hold sauce or butter with!!]. Transfer gnocchi to prepared baking sheet.

Melt butter with rosemary sprigs in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Cook until butter begins to brown, about 3 minutes. Set aside.

Working in batches, cook gnocchi in a large pot of simmering salted water until gnocchi float to the surface, about 2 minutes. Continue to cook 1 ½ minutes longer. Using a slotted spoon, transfer gnocchi to skillet with butter and rosemary. Heat butter and gnocchi over medium heat, stirring gently to coat. Transfer to plate; sprinkle generously with additional Parmesan cheese and serve.

July 16 - 22, 2011

In the box:

Basil - Su, F
Beets - R
Broccoli - Su
Carrots - Su
Cilantro - W
Collard Greens - T
Green Beans - F
Leeks - T
Lettuce - Su
Potatoes - T
Summer Squash - W
Strawberries

In the fridge:
Leftover Basil - Su
Leftover Leeks - T & Onions & Garlic
Cabbage
Radishes that will probably sit there until they get gross and I throw them out.

Menu:

Saturday: BBQ @Laura and Jesse's in Santa Cruz!
Sunday: Dinner Salad, Process and Freeze Basil
Monday: DEHYDRATE APRICOTS!,
Tuesday: Rebeccas Leeks, Potatoes, and Poached Eggs
Wednesday: Couscous Salad with Summer Squash and Dried Apricots
Thursday: Ruby Pasta, Chocolate Beet Brownies
Friday: Beans with Tomatoes with baked chicken
Make and Freeze: leftover Veggie Lasagna

Grocery List: 
Red Wine Vinegar
Lemon Juice
Wheat Germ
Garbanzo Beans

Recipes:
All recipes in text are copied from the Live Earth Farms Recipe Database

REBECCA'S GREENS, LEEKS, POTATOES and POACHED EGG

Any greens from the fridge waiting to be used (kale, collards, spinach...)
1 leek, cleaned well, sliced lengthwise, then crosswise into half moons
1-2 small cooked potatoes (steamed or boiled), cut into small cubes
a few sprigs of cilantro and basil, to taste
GARLIC cloves to taste!
onions, if I have any left over from the CSA, chopped into small dice
freshly grated nutmeg to taste
sea salt and pepper
1 egg per person

1. Chop all the greens into bite size and place them in a bowl. Set aside.
2. In a large frying pan, heat some grapeseed oil; just enough to coat the pan. Add the onions and leeks and saute until wilted, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add the potatoes and saute for a few more minutes, then add the cut greens and garlic, mixing and sauteeing until the greens are wilted and tender. It is completely up to the individual as to when they are done... I like mine on the crispy side. Remove from the heat.
4. Add in torn cilantro and basil to taste, mixing well. Set aside.
5. Poach an egg.
6. Place a large helping of the greens mixture on a plate and top with the poached egg. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. If you have a favorite hot sauce or salsa, this is the time to bring it on!

This is such an easy and satisfying breakfast, or even as a light evening meal. It is great way to use those greens that are left in the refrigerator which need to be eaten.

Couscous salad with zucchini and dried apricots
serves 4

2 C water
1 small zucchini (or summer squash), diced
1/2 tsp. salt
1 10-oz. box of couscous (or equivalent quantity from bulk bin or other source)
1/4 C olive oil (see note below for alternative!)
3 tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
pinch of ground ginger
1 C cooked garbanzo beans
3/4 C diced dried apricots
1/4 C chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 C chopped fresh parsley
2 scallions, trimmed and sliced (maybe you can use some of the green tops from Tom's fresh new onions!)
1/2 C sliced almonds

In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil. Stir in zucchini and let water return to a boil. Stir in couscous, cover pot and remove from heat. Let sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together olive oil and lemon juice, cumin and ginger. Stir in garbanzos, apricots, cilantro, parsley, scallions and sliced almonds. Fluff couscous with a fork to break up any lumps. Stir couscous into above mixture, mixing well. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, through, about 3 hours.

Note: To reduce fat (or just for a different flavor combination!), substitute 1 C of plain yogurt and 1/4 C orange juice for the olive oil and lemon juice.

Chocolate Beet Brownies!
"Delicious AND nutritious," says recipe creator Marion Owen (see her webpage for the full story: http://www.plantea.com/chocolatebeetbrownies.htm)

1/2 C butter (or 1/4 cup butter and 1/4 cup applesauce)
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate
4 eggs
1 C brown sugar (packed)
1 C applesauce
1 tsp. vanilla
1-1/2 C unbleached white flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking powder
1 C cooked beets, pureed
1/2 C finely chopped almonds
1/2 C wheat germ

Melt butter and chocolate over low heat. Set aside to cool. In a separate bowl, beat eggs until light in color and foamy. Add sugar and vanilla and continue beating until well creamed. Stir in chocolate mixture, followed by applesauce and beets. Sift together flour, salt, spices and baking powder and stir into creamed mixture. Fold in wheat germ and almonds. Turn into greased 9x13-inch pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes. Cool before cutting into squares.

Ruby Pasta
serves 2

3 med. beets (remove greens and save for another use)
1 can vegetable broth
2-4 tbsp. minced chives
1 tbsp. butter
1/2 lb. pennette (or similar dry pasta)
1 tsp. black peppercorns
grated parmesan
water
salt

Scrub beets well. Cut in half & place in saucepan w/about 1” water. Bring to a boil then reduce heat & simmer, covered, 20 - 30 min. until tender (pierces easily w/fork). Saving the cooking water, remove beets, slip off skins & cut into bite size pieces. In a bigger pot, combine beet water, broth, peppercorns & about 2 C water. Bring to a boil & cook pasta in this until done. Saving broth again, drain pasta & set aside. Over high heat, boil broth 15-20 min. to reduce to about 1 C. Whisk butter into broth until melted, then stir in pasta, beets, chives, & salt to taste. Ladle into bowls & top w/grated parmesan.

Beans with Tomatoes - "the essential vegetarian cookbook" Murdoch Books (2005) p. 209

Power Pesto

This is by far my favorite way to eat Arugula thus far.  The kids and Lance ate it and I didn't get any complaints!  Green Pasta will be a repeat!


Spaghetti w/Arugula Pesto
from Cucina Italia magazine
Serves 4

1 bunch arugula, washed and dried
1 tbsp. capers
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped (aw, go ahead and use a stalk of green garlic!)
1/4 C grated fresh Parmesan
1/4 C good olive oil, plus extra
12 oz. spaghetti
2 med. tomatoes, chopped (or 1/2 sm. can chopped tomatoes, drained, if out of season)
salt and freshly ground pepper

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta. In a food processor, combine the arugula, capers, garlic, Parmesan, olive oil and a pinch of salt. Process until a smooth paste forms, adding more olive oil if necessary. Salt the water, and add the pasta. Cook until the pasta is al dente. Drain pasta and mix with the pesto. Toss with tomatoes, sprinkle with pepper, and serve.

July 2 - 9, 2011

In the box:

Arugula - R
Asian stir-fry mix (Mizuna/Tatsoi) - T
Broccoli - F
Carrots (new crop; baby and bunched) - W, F
Kale - Su
Lettuce - W
Fresh onions - M, T
Radishes
Spinach - Su
Strawberries

Leftover from last week:


Cabbage - M
Potatoes (forgot to put them on the pizza - doh!) - M
basil - R
parsley - Su
onions - M, T
garlic -Su, T, R
carrots - M (some), W

Menu:

Saturday - Dinner Out
Sunday - Cornmeal Crusted Cod with Garlicky Spinach/Kale
Monday - Coleslaw (make ahead), Cheese Burgers, Oven Fries, Strawberry Shortcake
Tuesday - Asian Greens w/tofu, pineapple, garlic, and ginger
Wednesday - Sunday's Dinner or Dinner Salad
Thursday -  Spaghetti with Arugula Pesto
Friday - Chicken with Broccoli and Carrots

Groceries:
Pineapple
Lemon
Ginger
Capers
Parmesan
sour cream
Buttermilk
Milk

Recipes

All non-linked recipes are from the Live Earth Farms Recipe Database.

Cornmeal-crusted Cod with Garlicky Spinach
from "Your Organic Kitchen" by Jesse Cool
serves 4

"The combination of cod, cornmeal, and spinach in this recipe is wonderful. A few drps of hot sauce can really pull it all together. Allow about one bunch of fresh spinach per person."

[Since we never get that much spinach in our box in any one week, I'd feel free to supplement with chard or kale! - Debbie]

4 cod or scrod fillets (~4 oz. ea.)
1 1/2 C buttermilk
1 C cornmeal
3 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley (I'm sure cilantro would do if you don't have parsley - Debbie)
1 tbsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. dried thyme
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 to 1 tsp. ground red pepper
4 tbsp. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 lbs. fresh spinach, steamed
Juice of 1 large lemon
1 tbsp. soy sauce
Zest of 1 lemon

The night before serving, place the fillets in a bowl and pour the buttermilk over all. Toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate.

Pre-heat oven to 250 degrees F.

In a pie plate, combine cornmeal, parsley, oregano, thyme, salt, black and red pepper. Remove fish from buttermilk, shaking off any excess. Dip in the cornmeal mixture, turn-ing to coat completely.

Heat 1 1/2 tbsp. of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 fillets and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, turning once, or until browned and the fish flakes easily. Place on a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven. Repeat with 1 1/2 tbsp. of the remaining oil and 2 fillets.

Wipe the skillet clean and heat the remaining tbsp. oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the spinach, lemon juice, and soy sauce and cook for 3 minutes, or 'til heated through. Place on a serving platter and top with the fillets. Sprinkle with the lemon zest.

Creamy Coleslaw

Asian greens w/tofu, pineapple, garlic & ginger
serves 4
modified from recipe by Jesse Cool (Jesse's recipe was for wild greens -- I modified it to use asian greens)

2 tbsp. olive oil
1 small onion, sliced thin
1 C chopped fresh pineapple
2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
2 tbsp. chopped ginger
4 tbsp. chopped oregano
3/4 lb. very firm tofu, cut into large,
bite-sized pieces
2 tbsp. soy sauce
6 C cleaned, chopped asian greens
1/2 C chopped fresh green onions
Fresh chiles, to taste (optional)

Over medium heat in a wok or large pan, heat oil and add onion, cooking it until slightly softened. Add pineapple, garlic, ginger, oregano, tofu, & soy sauce. Cook until tofu is slightly browned. Add greens & mix thoroughly, cooking until greens are wilted. Add green onions & chiles, mix & serve.

Spaghetti w/Arugula Pesto
from Cucina Italia magazine
Serves 4

1 bunch arugula, washed and dried
1 tbsp. capers
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped (aw, go ahead and use a stalk of green garlic!)
1/4 C grated fresh Parmesan
1/4 C good olive oil, plus extra
12 oz. spaghetti
2 med. tomatoes, chopped (or 1/2 sm. can chopped tomatoes, drained, if out of season)
salt and freshly ground pepper

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta. In a food processor, combine the arugula, capers, garlic, Parmesan, olive oil and a pinch of salt. Process until a smooth paste forms, adding more olive oil if necessary. Salt the water, and add the pasta. Cook until the pasta is al dente. Drain pasta and mix with the pesto. Toss with tomatoes, sprinkle with pepper, and serve.

Pesto
makes about 1/3 cup (can be easily doubled)

1/2 C firmly packed fresh basil leaves
1 tbsp. pine nuts
1 small clove garlic, minced/crushed
1 1/2 tbsp. grated (quality) parmesan
3 tbsp. good olive oil
salt to taste

Toast pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat, shaking pan and stirring often, until they just begin to brown and become fragrant. Remove from pan and cool a bit. Place all ingredients but oil in a food processor and process quickly to make a coarse, grainy paste. With motor running, pour in olive oil slowly (not painfully slowly, just not all at once). Season to taste with salt. Can be used immediately, or refrigerated (place in a jar and cover with a thin drizzle of olive oil, or a piece of plastic wrap pressed against surface of pesto to minimize surface discoloration). Pesto is great with plain old pasta, or grilled veggies and pasta, or, heck, try it on potatoes and green beans!!

June 26 - July 1, 2011

In the box:
Basil - T
Broccoli - M
Carrots (Lakeside Organic Gardens) - R
Garlic - R, F
Kale - T
Lettuce - W
Fresh onions - R
Parsley - R, F
Red potatoes - F
Radicchio - F
Salad mix - W, R?
Raspberries - Already gone!
Strawberries - missing from share :(

Left from last week:

fennel bulb - T
cabbage - M
carrots -M
arugula - M
scallions - M

Menu:

Monday - Aromatic Whole Wheat Pasta
Tuesday - Asian Veggie Miso Soup Bowl
Wednesday - Dinner Salad
Thursday - Braised Fennel and Tofu with Kale
Friday - Debbie's Radicchio, Potato and Artichoke Heart Pizza

Grocery List

miso paste
peanuts
tofu
soba noodles
ginger
tumeric
chickpea flour
artichoke hearts
mozzarella
apples

flax seed

For a snack with leftover greens: 

Blend It and Mend It Smoothie Recipe

Ingredients:

1/2 bunch red leaf lettuce
4 Red Delicious apples
1 Tbsp. ground flax seed
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
2 cups ice

Recipes

Aromatic Whole Wheat Pasta
serves 4
from Moosewood Restaurant New Classics

1 tbsp. olive oil
3 C diced onion
1 C peeled and diced carrots
1 C diced celery
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1/4 C Marsala, red wine, or vegetable broth
2 tbsp. minced fresh parsley
12 oz. whole wheat penne, elbows or shells
1 C finely chopped arugula or Swiss chard
1 tsp. salt
ground black pepper to taste
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 to 1 C grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Bring a large covered pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile in a large skillet, heat the olive oil on medium heat. Add in order, the onions, carrots, celery and garlic and sauté until the vegetablse are just tender. Add the Marsala and parsley, cover, lower the heat, and gently simmer. When the water boils, add the pasta, stir, cover the pot, and bring back to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente. Meanwhile add the greens to the vegetables and stir for 1 minute, until bright-colored and wilted. Add the salt and pepper, cover, and set aside. When the pasta is al dente, drain it and toss with the extra-virgin olive oil. Spoon the vegetables over the pasta and serve immediately, passing the grated cheese at the table.

ASIAN VEGETABLE MISO SOUP BOWL
1 C arugula and or spinach leaves
4 tbsp. sliced scallions
1/2 C cabbage, thinly sliced
1/2 C broccoli florets (or chopped broccoli)
4 tbsp. carrots, very small dice or finely chopped
2 tbsp. chopped cilantro
2 tbsp. roasted peanuts
1/2 C small cubed tofu
1 C cooked soba noodles, or noodles of choice (optional)
toasted sesame oil, to taste
2-4 tbsp. miso paste (I like the mellow brown rice miso; the darker the miso, the stronger the flavor)
boiling water, about 6 cups

1. Boil the water in a large saucepan
2. Divide the carrots, cabbage, broccoli, arugula-or-spinach, tofu, noodles (if using), among 2 large bowls and mix together in each bowl.
3. Pour the water over the mixture and let it sit for a minute.
4. Divide the miso and add to taste (I like mine strong, so I keep adding until it tastes good to me), Stir in well.
5. Top with the scallions, cilantro, and peanuts and drizzle with the sesame oil, to taste.
6. I like mine spicy-hot, so at this point I add a little Thai chili paste or freshly slice jalapenos!

If you have any other Asian greens, add those in too -- they add a great flavor and boost the nutrition. You can play with the amounts of the ingredients you put in according to your tastes and what you have available. The measurements above are more or less to give you proportions but don't really have to be measured. The miso is always added after the water is off the heat, because you want it to stay "alive". Boiling water kills the active culture in miso that is so important for our digestive tract.

[Additional tip from Debbie: about 1 tbsp. miso per cup of water is a good rule of thumb; you can go more or less from there. Also, pre-dissolving the miso paste in a little water first makes it easier to work with. Scoop a quarter cup or so of the water soaking your veggies into a small separate bowl, dissolve the miso into that, then add it back into the original bowl with the patiently waiting veggies and noodles, etc. Repeat for the other bowl. Mind what Rebecca said about the boiling water - never boil miso! Always add it to already heated (but not boiling) liquid. If you have to re-heat it, same deal: don't boil it!]

BRAISED FENNEL and TOFU with KALE
2 tbsp. organic plain yogurt (can substitute coconut milk)
2 tbsp. plus 1/4 C water
1/2 C raw organic sugar
2 tbsp. ghee or coconut oil
2 tbsp. fresh grated ginger
1 tbsp. ground fennel seeds
1 tbsp. ground coriander seeds
1/2 tbsp. turmeric
1 fennel bulb, cut into small chunks
1 C tofu cubes, approx 1/2-inch cubes) (can substitute cooked chicken or omit entirely)
1/4 C vegetable stock
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 bunch kale or Asian greens or spinach
Sea salt

1. In a small bowl, stir together the yogurt or coconut milk, 2 tbsp. water, and sugar. Set aside.
2. Melt the ghee or coconut oil in a large saute pan over medium-low heat. Add the ginger and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add the fennel seeds, coriander, and turmeric and saute for 1-2 minutes more. Add the fennel and saute for an additional 2-3 minutes.
3. Add the tofu or cooked chicken, remaining water, stock, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 10-12 minutes. Add the greens and stir to combine the ingredients. Cover the pan again and continue to cook until the fennel and greens are tender-crisp, about 5 minutes.
4. Stir in the reserved yogurt mixture. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thoroughly heated through, about 5 minutes. Arrange on a serving platter or on individual plates. Season to taste with sea salt.

I love to serve this with the following mint-coconut sauce:

Mint-Coconut Sauce
2 tbsp. ghee or coconut oil
1 tbsp. chickpea flour (or flour of choice)
2 tbsp. mild curry powder
1 1/2 C coconut milk
3 tbsp. yogurt
10-20 fresh mint leaves, torn into small pieces
Freshly ground black pepper and sea salt

Heat the ghee or oil in a sauce pan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and stir with a wire whisk to form a paste. Cook for about 2 minutes more.
2. Whisking continuously, slowly pour in the coconut milk. Continue whisking until the mixture begins to thicken into a creamy consistency. Remove frot the heat.
3.Whisk in the yogurt and mint leaves. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Variations: You can use soy milk instead of the yogurt and basil leaves instead of the mint, and can add a pinch of cayenne pepper.

These recipes come from an Ayuvedic cookbook called EAT TASTE and HEAL by Thomas Yarema, MD, Daniel Rhoda, and Chef Johnny Brannigan-a great book, full of luscious recipes and Ayurvedic guidance.

Debbie's Radicchio, Potato and Artichoke Heart Pizza

homemade dough for one pizza** (you could probably use a boboli in a pinch)
tomato sauce (home canned, if you have it!)
1 head radicchio, pan caramelized, with balsamic (see last week's newsletter for "Pan-Browned Radicchio" recipe)
2 medium potatoes, boiled or steamed whole, until just done, then cooled and sliced
Chopped fresh parsley and garlic (say, ¼ C parsley, 3 cloves garlic)
several artichoke hearts (Trader Joe's has 'em frozen in a bag)
Lots of mozarella cheese!

**if you would like the recipe I use to make homemade pizza dough, email me and I'll put it in next week's newsletter and update this recipe in the database.

Preheat your oven to 500 or more degrees, and stick a pizza stone in there if you have one. Haven't tried this, but I imagine a flat, cast-iron griddle would work if you don't have a pizza stone.

Sprinkle a generous amount of coarse cornmeal and flour onto a rimless cookie sheet (or pizza peel), so that your dough does not stick to it. Stretch and shape pizza dough into a big circle (you know, like pizza!) and lay it on top of the cornmeal/flour.

Prepare toppings: chop up the caramelized radicchio, slice the potatoes, chop the parsley and garlic, slice the artichoke hearts into wedges, grate the mozarella.

Spread tomato sauce, then lay on the radicchio, potatoes (I like to sprinkle in a little salt here), parsley-garlic mixture; scatter artichoke hearts on top, then cover all with a generous amount of grated mozarella cheese.

Slide pizza from peel (or cookie sheet) onto hot pizza stone and bake 10 minutes, or until crust is golden and cheese is brown and bubbly! Yummo!!!

For later date:

When we have both beets and carrots

SUNNY BEET and CARROT BURGERS
These burgers are a colorful surprise! Use your food processor to grate and mince the vegetables and the burgers will be quick and easy to make. You can frezze these individually. If you want to make them without cheese, add an additional tbsp. of flour and a bit more beaten egg.

2 C grated beets (about 3/4 lb.)
2 C grated carrots (about 1/2 lb.)
1 C cooked brown rice, or cooked grain of choice
1 C cheddar cheese (optional)
1 C sunflower seeds, toasted
1/2 C sesame seeds
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 C grated onion
1/4 C olive oil
3 tbsp. flour of choice
3 tbsp. chopped parsley
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp. tamari or soy sauce

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and generously grease a rimmed baking sheet.
2. Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl, stirring to combine evenly.
3. Form the mixture into patties using a packed half-cup of mixture for each. Arrange them on the prepared baking sheet.
4. Bake the burgers for 25-30 minutes or until firm ant the vegetables are cooked through.
5. Serve on a sprouted whole grain bun with your choice of condiments. Top it with a generous helping of the salad mix!

Try making some baked potato "fries" to accompany these great burgers. All I do is cut the potatoes into half-inch wedges, toss in a bowl with some olive oil to coat and -- now her is where it gets good -- I sprinkle the coated potato wedges with Panko bread crumbs to coat, and add a sprinkle of garlic granules mixed with sea salt and fresh pepper. Place prepared potatoes on a cookie sheet and bake in a preheated oven (about 400 degrees) until golden, at least 20 minutes. I keep checking them; I like mine super crispy! When they come out of the oven, you can sprinkle them with some freshly-chopped parsley for flavor and color.

June 20 - 25, 2011

In the box:

Arugula - F
Red and golden beets (mixed bunch) - F
Broccoli - M
Green cabbage (2) - W
Carrots - W
Fennel (Lakeside Organic Gardens) (2) - TH
Green garlic (bulbs getting more mature now; cloves forming)
Red Russian kale - T
Lettuce - RJ's party & lunches
Bunching onions (scallions)
Spinach - RJ's party & lunches
Watermelon radishes - RJ's party
Strawberries - lunches, breakfast

Menu:
Monday - Broccoli Chicken Pasta
Tuesday: Kale with Chicken Apple Sausage
Wednesday: Cabbage Rolls (half recipe)
Co-op: Dino sandwiches and fruit, carrots and dip, green smoothies
Thursday: Chicken Leek and Fennel Risotto
Friday: Beet Fish Tacos

Recipes (from LEF website):

Kale with Chicken-Apple Sausage

Okay, while we're in 'make it up' mode, here's another suggestion for kale, some-thing I did about two years ago and liked... so I wrote it down (actually, I just jotted down the ingredients, but...) Serves 2.

1 bunch kale, washed, greens stripped from stems and chopped (clinging water is okay)
1 smoked chicken-apple sausage (I like Aidell's, but any similar apple sausage'll do)
1 apple, quartered, cored, and then cut into bite-sized pieces
half a small onion, chopped (optional)
small spoonful of honey
salt
paprika

The smoked sausage is usually already cooked, so it is just a matter of heating it through. Slice or chop up the sausage. If using, sauté the onion in a little oil 'til it starts to get soft. Add a splash of water, and the cut up sausage and apple. Bring to a simmer. Simmer a bit, until the sausage starts to give off flavors to the juice and the apples start to soften. Stir in honey, sprinkle with salt and paprika. Dump in kale and cover to steam/wilt with the now-formed pan juices (add a splash more water if the pan is getting dry). Stir to incorporate, then turn off heat and keep warm until ready to serve. This goes really well with a side of winter squash (baked, steamed... whatever you like) and mashed potatoes, but would also go well over rice (brown or white). Be sure to pour on the flavorful juices!

Cabbage rolls
from an undated SJ Mercury News clipping.

This is a very old-fashioned very basic and simple recipe for a real winter comfort food. Rolls are better the next day and can be frozen. They suggest serving the rolls over wide egg noodles. Note that although the recipe calls for 2 heads of cabbage, you can easily halve it (or wait until we get another head of cabbage, probably next week!). Also it doesn't matter if you use red or green cabbage.

2 heads cabbage
2 lbs. ground beef
1 onion, grated
1 C cold, cooked rice
1 tsp. salt

Sauce
½ C dark brown sugar
½ C raisins
Juice of one lemon
1 28-oz can chopped tomatoes, with juice [recipe says 'Italian-style tomatoes' which generally have seasoning like basil and such, so if you use plain tomatoes, feel free to include a little Italian-type seasonings of your choice]

Cut core from cabbage heads** and boil in a large deep pot of water for about 5 minutes [this loosens the leaves so they can be removed from the head]. Mix together beef, onion, rice and salt. Pull off cabbage leaves, and place [a scoop of; maybe ¼ C or so?] in individual leaves, folding like an envelope. [I remember making these in Home-Ec in Jr. High School!! ;-) Takes me back.] Place rolls on a layer of chopped cabbage in a large pot. Spread chopped cabbage on top.

**Since further on in the process it talks about chopped cabbage as well, I'd suggest boiling the heads to remove the big outer leaves, and then when they start getting small, stop peeling leaves and use the inner part of the head for the chopped part!

Mix brown sugar, raisins, lemon juice and tomatoes and pour over everything. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 3 hours. Baste with juices every hour, being careful not to stir.

For later date:

Roasted Beets, Fennel and Arugula Salad (from the newamericanvegan.com website)

Ingredients

3 cups of beets (cut into 1/2 inch cubes)
1 cup of fennel (cut into 1/2 inch pieces)
1/2 cup red onion (cut into 1/2 inch pieces)
1 teaspoon olive oil

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoons balsamic vinegar ...or 1 tablespoons red wine vinegar 1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of black pepper ...or 1/8th teaspoon freshly ground peppercorns 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder
1 teaspoon oregano

4 to 5 ounces of arugula or baby arugula (washed) ...or 4 to 5 ounces of any mixed greens

Instructions
1) Add the cut beets, fennel and onions to a large bowl. Add 1 teaspoon of olive oil and mix well.

2) Spread the beet, fennel and onion pieces onto a baking pan. Place baking pan on the top rack of oven and roast the vegetables for about 30 minutes at 500 degrees. The beets are done when a fork can pierce them. Remove the roasted vegetable from the oven and let cool them for 20 minutes. Place them in a bowl and refrigerate.

3) Combine the 1 tablespoons of olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, garlic powder and oregano in a small bowl or jar and mix well. This is the salad dressing.

4) Add the arugula to a large serving bowl and pour the salad dressing on top of it. Mix the dressing with the arugula or mixed greens so every leaf is covered.

5) Add the roasted beets, fennel and onions to the arugula or mixed greens and mix well. Serve.

Serves 4 to 6 people.


Variation #1: Peel 1 orange and separate the sections. Cut each section into 3 pieces. Gently mix the cut oranges into the salad after adding the roasted beets, fennel and onions in step 5. Make sure the oranges are sweet before adding them to salad. Crimson Coleslaw
Bon Appetit (undated clipping)
serves 8

5 tbsp. olive oil, divided
5 tbsp. cherry balsamic or regular balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp. prepared horseradish
1 C (packed) coarsely grated peeled raw fresh beets (about 2 medium)
1 C paper-thin slices red onion
8 C very thinly sliced red cabbage (about 1 ¼ lbs) [one head of cabbage]

Whisk 4 tbsp. oil, vinegar, and horseradish in large bowl to blend. Add beets and onion; toss to blend.

Heat remaining 1 tbsp. oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add cabbage and toss until wilted and just crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Stir into beet mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Let stand 10 minutes before serving, stirring occasionally.

Arugula Salad with Oranges and Caramelized Fennel
modified from an undated Bon Appetit clipping
serves 4

1 large fresh fennel bulb, trimmed, cut vertically into 12 wedges with some core attached [to hold it together while cooking]
3 fresh thyme sprigs
3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 tbsp. Sherry wine vinegar
1/2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 oranges, all peel and white pith cut away, halved vertically, thinly sliced crosswise
Four large handfuls of fresh arugula

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine fennel wedges, thyme, and 2 tbsp. oil in a large bowl; toss to coat. Arrange fennel, cut side down, on a large rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until fennel is tender and brown, turning once, about 40 minutes. Remove from oven, discard thyme sprigs, and let rest and come to room temperature.

Whisk vinegar, mustard, and 1 tbsp. oil in a large bowl. Season dressing with salt and pepper. Add fennel, orange slices, and arugula. Toss to coat. Transfer salad to a large shallow bowl and serve.

Spanikopita
Heat 2 tbsp. of oil in a large pot.
Add 2 chopped onions (incl. the greens).
Add 1 chopped fresh clove of garlic.
Sauté until translucent.
Add one enormous bunch of roughly chopped greens.
Cook down to about a quarter of their original size.Let mixture cool.
Crack 8 eggs and fold them into the greens.
Crumble 8 oz. of feta cheese into the greens.
Sprinkle a little salt and pepper into the mix.
Set aside your filling and start working with your pastry.
Thaw one package of filo dough on your kitchen counter for 2 hours.
Unwrap the dough and cover with a cloth.
Melt one quarter pound of butter.
Brush butter on the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan.
Lay two sheets of pastry on the bottom of the pan, letting the edges hang over the side of the pan.
Brush the pastry leaves with butter.
Continue layering the pastry and buttering each sheet until you have used 10 sheets.
Pour in your egg/greens/cheese filling.
Wrap up the spanikopita with the dangling leaves of pastry.
Layer any remaining pastry dough on top and brush with butter.
Bake at 350 degrees about 30 minutes.

Shredded Beets and Greens with Sliced Oranges
from "Greens, Greens, Greens" by Johnna Albi and Catherine Walthers

1 lb. greens (beet greens, chard, kale, etc.), about 2 - 3 bunches
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced into half moons
1 C coarsely grated beets
1 orange, peel and pith removed
Dressing
Juice from one large orange
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tbsp. olive oil
pinch of salt

Tear greens off from center stem and cut into strips about 1/2 inch wide. Wash and set aside. Sauté onion in oil 5 - 8 minutes until soft and translucent. Peel and grate beets (I use my food processor). Add beets to onions and sauté for about 2 minutes. Add greens and stir well. Cover and cook on medium low heat for 8 - 10 minutes, until the greens are tender. Whisk the dressing ingredients together and drizzle over beets and greens just before serving. Top with sections of orange and serve warm. Serves four as a first course and makes a beautiful presentation full of holiday colors. Enjoy!

June 12 - 17, 2011

In the Fridge:

Arugula - Su
Kale - Su
Lettuce - Lunches

In the box:

Red beets (2 bunches) - T
Broccoli - Su
Green cabbage - P?
Chard - M
Green garlic - M, R
Lettuce - P, Lunches
Mei qing choi - W
Bunching onions (scallions) - W
Radicchio - M, R
Radishes - Snacks
Spinach - W
Strawberries - Lunches and Cake

Menu:

Sunday: Green Smoothies, Easy Lentil Veggie Salad, Pickled Radishes (make more too)

Monday: Chard, Radicchio and Green Garlic Saute and Rotisserie Chicken

Tuesday: Lombardy Pie

Wednesday:

Co-op: Spinach Waffles with Fruit, Making Play-doh activity

Dinner: Mei qing Choi stir fry

Thursday: Radicchio Pasta

Friday: Leftovers or Chicken Salad

Saturday:  RJ's birthday party - Salad, Coleslaw ?

Grocery List:
Chicken

Cheddar Cheese

Flour

Ginger

Strawberries from Tracy Farmers Market (Wed)- For RJ's cake filling

Organic Sugar from WinCo

Cream of Tarter (for playdoh) - Check Winco

Recipes (From Live Earth Farms unless otherwise specified - all modifications are also from LEF):


Radicchio Pasta
Sauté some sliced onion or green garlic in olive oil, then stir in some finely chopped radicchio. Optionally you can add some anchovies, lemon zest, or white wine. Pour everything over cooked pasta.

Easy Lentil-Veggie Salad
This was something I made up last week, two variations, and it could easily be modified to work with what you have in the box. It’s good leftover the next day too. No cooking necessary! It has essentially three parts: the lentils, the veggies, and the dressing.

Canned lentils, rinsed and drained
Feta or chevre (optional)

Veggie options:
grated carrots
grated cucumber (or summer squash)
broccoli nubbins (cut off the very top green parts of broccoli, making tiny tiny florets)
cold cooked chopped greens (see ‘planning ahead,’ above)
cold cooked green beans, cut crosswise into small (1/4”) pieces (ditto)

The dressing, variation 1:
crushed clove of garlic
grated zest of a lemon or lime
juice of same lemon or lime
olive oil
ground cumin
minced fresh cilantro
salt, to taste
optional hot sauce like Tabasco or such

The dressing, variation 2:
crushed clove of garlic
grated zest of a lemon
juice of same lemon
olive oil
a bunch of chopped fresh basil
salt, to taste (or use some soy sauce)

Combine all parts – lentils, veggies, dressing – and eat (or refrigerate and eat later). I served this either on a bed of lettuce leaves, or with a wedge of cool, crisp green cabbage. Use the lettuce or cabbage as ‘scoops’ to eat the salad with.

Lumdardy Pie
Member Piper McNulty who submitted this says, “This is an amazing recipe for plain red beets (does not work well with striped or yellow beets, must be solid red). It is a savory pie to be served as a side or main dish. It is from ‘The good Huswifes Handmaide for the Kitchin,’ by John Partridge, 1594 - given to me by my cousin, who was a member of the Society for Creative Anachronism in college. It sounds crazy but it looks gorgeous and tastes amazing - (and I don't like red beets particularly). Slices are a beautiful hot pink and hold together firmly.”

1 1b. fresh red beets, finely grated (about 4 smallish beets)
2 tbsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. to 1 tbsp. bread crumbs (you can make your own from a bit of bread)
3/4 C sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 C currants
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger or 1 tbsp. fresh ginger, finely grated
3 egg yolks (or you could try 2 whole eggs?)
4 tbsp. butter, melted

1 bottom crust in pie pan [if you want an easy pie crust recipe, see the crust in the “Debbie’s Apple Pie” recipe, which ran in the last newsletter, Winter Share week 3]

Mix all ingredients.
Fill pie crust.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes.
Cool.

Children’s School Playdough (from the Carnegie Mellon Children's School)

Ingredients:

1 cup of flour 2 teaspoons of cream of tartar

1/2 cup of salt 1 cup of water

1 tablespoon of oil 1 teaspoon of food coloring

Directions:

•Combine flour, salt, and teaspoons of cream of tartar in a saucepan.

•Mix water, oil and food coloring and gradually stir them into dry ingredients.

•When the mixture is smooth, cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until a ball

forms.

•Remove from heat and knead until smooth.

Playdough should be stored in a plastic bag or container.

Chard, Radicchio and Green Garlic Saute
Bon Appetit, Dec 2010 (modified)
serves 4 to 6

1 large bunch chard
1 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 or 2 stalks green garlic, white and light green parts, sliced thinly
1 large or 2 small heads radicchio
about 1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
3 tbsp. currants (optional)
1/4 C toasted pine nuts

Wash chard, chop leaves and stems separately (you're going to use both). Quarter, core, and chop radicchio.

Melt butter with olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add onion and green garlic; cook until both are tender, stirring occasionally, about 4 - 5 minutes. Add chopped chard stems, cover and cook until tender, about another 5 minutes. Remove lid and add chard and radicchio (in batches if necessary; they will cook down considerably) and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted [I'd cover the pan and check on it periodically; shouldn't take long - a few minutes]. Cook uncovered until vegetables are tender, stirring often, 6 to 8 minutes more. Stir in vinegar and optional currants. Season with salt, pepper and more vinegar, if desired. Using a slotted spoon, transfer greens to a bowl and sprinkle with toasted pine nuts.

May 21 - 27, 2011

From the CSA box:

Arugula - M
Red beets - R
Broccolini - F
Carrots - Su & W
Cauliflower - Su & W
Green garlic - R
Cooking greens (either Chard, or Red Russian or Lacinato kale) - T
Lettuce - Su,
Mustard greens - T
Bunching onions (scallions) - Su, M
Watercress (Santa Cruz Aquaponics) - W
Strawberries - probably will be devoured immediately
Radishes - Su

Menu:

Saturday - Pizza (Cooking Day off)
Sunday - Steak salad
Monday - Pasta Arugula
Tuesday - Saag Paneer or Aloo with leftover Chicken Curry
Wednesday -
Co-op Snack - carrots and hummus
Co-op Lunch - Cauliflower waffles with fruit'
Dinner - Watercress Artichoke Quiche
Thursday - Honey Ginger Beets and Mashed Potatoes
Friday - Barefoot contessa broccoli with salmon and orzo

Grocery List:

milk

flour 

powdered sugar

lemon (2)

ginger powder

fresh ginger root

goat cheese

romano cheese

Recipes (from Live Earth Farms Database):

Pasta Arugula

from Rosemary Webb

1/2 to 1 bunch of chopped arugula (one inch sizes) 3/4 pound of pasta (I used tiny shells) Juice of one half lemon 2 tablespoons of dry white wine 2 cloves of finely minced garlic 3 teaspoons of olive oil 1/8 to 1/4 cup of chicken broth or other mild broth Cook pasta and toss with raw arugula, while the pasta is cooking place the rest of the ingredients in a glass bowl and heat for 1 minute in the microwave. toss everything at once. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.


Saagmodified from "Classic Indian Cooking" by Julie Sahni with comments from Ursula

You can use various greens: spinach, mustard, kale, collard, beet greens (fresh or frozen).

2 lbs greens, fresh or frozen
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1 tsp. finely chopped garlic
1/4 tsp. red pepper (optional)
1/2 tsp. ginger powder
3/4 tsp. Kosher salt
3/4 tsp. garam masala
ghee, butter or oil

Chop the fresh greens coarsely. Heat a large shallow pan over medium-high heat. Ursula suggests spraying with oil or butter-flavor spray (the original recipe calls for quite a lot of ghee). Add the cumin seeds and stir them until they turn dark (10 seconds or so) then add the garlic and chili/red pepper. Add the greens a bunch at a time as they get limp. Add the ginger powder and salt, stir well. Add 1 1/4 C boiling water, reduce heat and cook for about 20 minutes, then uncover to cook off any excess water. At the end stir in the garam masala and turn off the heat. The original recipe also called for potatoes, but Ursula left these out. Instead she bought paneer cheese from an Indian food store and served that with the saag (for saag paneer) and says it was great, but that the flavor of the saag on its own was great too.

Honey Ginger Beets and Mashed Potatoes (add beans to potatoes for protein)

Cook the beets. Cut stems to 1" from root, scrub. Cut up potatoes and boil (also about 20 minutes). Wash and thinly slice green garlic (1 stalk per person), and sauté in butter and olive oil, with a pinch of salt, covered, over low heat, stirring occasionally, also for same 20 minutes or so until soft and golden. When beets are done, slip off and discard peel and slice 'em. In a skillet, melt some butter, grate in some fresh ginger root, add a goodly sploosh (maybe two) of orange juice, a big spoonful of honey and a pinch or two of salt. Simmer a bit, add sliced beets and continue to simmer until sauce reduces some and gets slightly syrupy. Now drain and mash your potatoes (I like to use buttermilk, but make 'em however you like). To serve: on each plate top mashed potatoes with a heap of caramelized garlic, side with some beautiful beets. Yum!

Recipes for later:

Chicken, Wild Rice And Pecan Salad In Romaine Spears adapted from Bon Apetit

3 Cups chicken broth
4 oz. wild rice
1 pound cooked chicken
1 bunch arugula -- chopped
1/4 cup green onions -- chopped
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 cup walnuts or pecans -- toasted and chopped
1 large or 2 small heads romaine lettuce, or 3 cups baby lettuce greens

For chicken - roasted chicken, skinned, boned, meat cut into 1/-inch pieces Bring broth to a boil in medium saucepan. Add rice and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until just tender, about 50 minutes. Drain well.

Transfer the rice to a large bowl. Mix in chicken, arugula and green onions. Mix soy sauce, vinegar and oil in small bowl. Pour over salad and mix to coat. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover and chill.)

Mix nuts into salad. Place salad in center of platter. Reserve outer romaine leaves for another use. Arrange inner leaves on platter around salad.

Great recipe for if I had a pressure cooker:
http://spicingyourlife.blogspot.com/2011/04/cauliflower-peas-pulao-recipe.html

May 14 - 20, 2011

From the CSA:

Broccolini - x

Carrots - x
Cauliflower - x
Fava beans - x
Green garlic - x
Kale (Red Russian or Lacinato) x
Lettuce (romaine or bibb) x
Bunching onions (scallions) x
Fresh "green" onions (red or yellow) x
Oyster mushrooms - x
Sugar snap peas - x
Watercress - x

Menu:

Saturday - Salad with Lettuce, Sugar Snap Peas, beans, Scallions, sunflower seeds, etc.

Sunday - Split pea Soup with Ham from freezer & Bread

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Easy-Split-Pea-Soup-1919

Monday - Crock pot Cauliflower Chili

Tuesday - Broccoli Pasta with Garlic-Lemon Breadcrumbs

Wednesday -

Snack - Fava Bean hummus with veggies/pita

Lunch - Watercress Egg Salad Sandwiches, sugar snap peas

Dinner - Meat Curry with Kale

Thursday - Baked Salmon in Green Garlic Puree

Friday - Scallion Pancakes with carrots and chicken

http://www.rachaelraymag.com/recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-search/appetizer-starter-recipes/Scallion-Pancakes

All recipes below from Live Earth Farm website

Crock Pot Cheesy White Cauliflower Chili
Another recipe submission by member Lauren Thompson, who says, “I don't know if we are going to be getting any more cauliflower, but I hope so, because I want to make this again. This is a nice recipe for using up a whole head of cauliflower in one go. It's also the first crock pot recipe that I've made that people finished up the whole crock over the course of a day, which is saying a lot for our small family. I wouldn't call this gourmet, more homey, but it is solidly good eats. A nice filing meal made in crock pot that uses fresh ingredients instead of ‘cream of x’ soup!”

1 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 onions finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp. cumin seeds
1 tbsp. dried oregano leaves
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cracked black peppercorns
1 can (14 to 19 oz) white kidney beans, drained and rinsed, or 1 C dried white kidney beans, cooked and drained
3 C vegetable stock
3 C cauliflower florets, cooked for 4 minutes in salted boiling water and drained
1 to 2 jalapeno peppers, minced
1 green bell pepper, minced
2 C shredded Monterey jack cheese
4 oz. cream cheese, cut into 1/2 inch cubes and softened
1 can chopped mild green chilies
finely chopped green onions (optional, for garnish)
finely chopped cilantro (optional, for garnish)

1. In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic, cumin seeds, oregano, chili powder, salt and peppercorns and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Transfer mixture to slow cooker stoneware. Add beans and stock and stir to combine.

2. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours, until hot and bubbling.

3. Stir in cauliflower, jalapeno pepper, green pepper, Monterey jack cheese, and cream cheese and chilies, if using. Cover and cook on high for 25 to 30 minutes, until the green peppers are softened and cauliflower is heated through. Ladle into bowls and garnish as desired with chopped green onions and cilantro.

If you prefer thicker chili, mash some or all of the beans or puree in a food processor before adding to the recipe.


Debbie's Broccoli Pasta with garlic-lemon breadcrumbs, Bon-Appetit-style

What you'll use from the box:
Broccolini
Green garlic
Carrot (optional)
Oyster mushrooms (optional)

Also you'll want:
Meyer lemon (zest, and juice)
Olive oil
Butter
Sea salt
Pasta of some sort (Fettucini, Linguine, Capellini, Spaghetti; any would be fine)
Fresh Parmesan or Romano, or similar hard-grating cheese
Bread crumbs (see below for how to make your own)
Fresh parsley (optional, for breadcrumbs)

to make the garlic-lemon breadcrumbs
To make breadcrumbs, tear fresh or day-old (but not dried out) bread into pieces and pulse in a food processor. Finely mince up about 1 to 2 tbsp. of green garlic. Cut zest from lemon (i.e. the yellow part of the skin only) and finely mince up 1 to 2 tsp. Mince up some optional parsley. In a small skillet or saucepan, melt some butter and olive oil together (don't skimp!). Add garlic and lemon zest and simmer a moment or two, then add breadcrumbs and toss/stir to mix with the fat/garlic/zest, then cook until they begin to crisp and brown, stirring in optional parsley near the end. Remove from heat and set aside.

to make the pasta
Cut broccolini into small floret tidbits (i.e. quarter the florets if they are bigger, leave 'em whole if they are small, and cut stalks into inch-ish or smaller segments if they are long). Slice up all the white and light-to-medium green of a large green garlic stalk (use two if small). Be sure to check for dirt between the leaves, just like you would with leeks.

Optional carrots: if you want to add color, scrub or peel a carrot, slice it lengthwise, then crosswise on the diagonal into thin half-moons. (You can leave it out and this will be just fine.)

Optional mushrooms: chop some into tidbits. (Ditto)

Bring well-salted water to a boil; cook pasta about 2 minutes less than package directions. Scoop out a cupful of the cloudy, starchy pasta water and save before draining pasta.

While pasta is cooking, start sauteeing the green garlic in olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat (make sure this pan is big enough to hold all the ingredients, including the pasta). Add broccolini (and mushrooms and/or carrots, if using), sprinkle with a little additional salt (optional) and continue to saute for a few minutes, adding pasta water in splashes and maybe covering for a minute or two so the steam from the water hitting the pan will begin to cook the vegetables.



Drain the pasta, transfer it to the pan with the veggies, and toss everything together with tongs, adding more of the reserved pasta water and juice from half a Meyer lemon. Keep cooking, tossing, etc. until the pasta is al dente and veggies are just barely tender, and everything has that light, unctuous coating formed by the emulsification of the olive oil and starchy pasta water. Remove from heat, grate in a generous amount of cheese and toss some more to incorporate (it will melt quickly and become part of the sauce). Plate the pasta and top with garlicy-lemon bread crumbs.



Hummus from Fresh Fava Beans
Debbie's version

I am modifying my favorite hummus recipe from Jane Brody's Good Food Book. What I've always loved about this version of hummus is that the onion and garlic are sauteed first, making them sweet instead of sharp. This will be a gorgeous emerald green color!

1 large onion, minced (perfect use of the big fresh onions we're getting!)
1 - 2 cloves garlic, minced (substitute 1 stalk green garlic, white and light green parts)
oil for sauteeing
2 C cooked and peeled fresh fava beans (or if you don't have enough favas to make 2 cups, substitute garbanzo beans for some portion)
juice from 1 lemon (about 1/2 C)
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1/4 C tahini
additional flavorful olive oil (optional)

Saute onion and garlic in oil until translucent and soft. In a blender or food processor, puree the favas with the onion and garlic, lemon juice, soy, and tahini. Add a couple blorps of flavorful olive oil at the end to incorporate, or serve with flavorful olive oil drizzled on top. Use as a veggie dip, or with pita, or however you like to use hummus!

Watercress Egg- salad sandwich spread

Ingredients

The main ingredients are ½ cup watercress, chopped finely and 2 hardboiled eggs. The other ingredients are:

2 Tbsp chives or minced onion

2 Tbsp mayonnaise

Salt and pepperPreparation

1)The hardboiled eggs are mashed with a fork and mixed with watercress and chives.

2)Moisten with mayonnaise then season gently with salt and pepper.

Optional: One can add a teaspoon of horseradish to make this spread extra wonderful

Jiten's standard meat curry using fresh ingredients
from member Alicia Woodrow, who says, “as new members, your veggies exceed expectations. My husband Jitendra (Jiten for short) is from Maharashtra, India. We used the fresh garlic and fresh onions in a standard curry recipe where we usually use the mature versions. This was sooooo good. It was spectacular. This was not a restaurant curry where they cook the bejeepers out of the veggies in a quart of oil and throw in a handful of garam masala. This is more of a home-style recipe where you can taste the ingredients. Here is that recipe, with quantities adjusted for fresh garlic and onions from the farm.”

Ingredients:
whole spices and oil
¼ C oil
2 sticks cinnamon
8 whole cloves
6 cardamom pods (black cardamom is very good, but regular pale cardamom is good too)

wet ingredients
1 C of LEF fresh garlic, chopped. Use white and green, or all green. Don't use the top part of the leaf that has sand under it (Or 3 tbsp. chopped up regular dry/cured garlic) [note from Debbie: the green garlic is getting pretty mature now; the cloves are fairly fully formed. The garlic is still less strong-flavored than regular dry-cured garlic, so you could easily use one to two heads worth of peeled cloves in this recipe, I think]
3 C fresh onions, chopped
3 - 4 tbsp. ginger, finely chopped

powdered spices
1 tbsp. turmeric
1 ½ tsp. powdered chilies

final ingredients
28 oz. can of (organic) tomatoes
2 ½ lbs. meat, cut up for curry
3 C water

Directions:
1. Fry the whole spices gently in the oil until they puff up slightly.

2. Add the onions, garlic, and ginger. Fry gently until they are very soft, approximately 20 to 30 minutes. Add small amounts of water as needed to prevent burning.

3. Add the powdered spices and fry for two minutes more.

4. Increase heat to high, and add the tomatoes. Cook until the tomatoes are hot.

5. Add the meat, get it hot also, then fry it for 6 minutes.

6. Boil the 3 C of water separately, then add it to the curry. Simmer everything very gently until the meat is cooked.

Notes:

A. This can be made with no meat. Just pour over hard-boiled egg halves for egg curry.
B. Good choices for meat are organic chicken thighs, whole organic chicken, skinned and "cut for curry,” lamb pieces without fat, beef pieces. [note from Debbie: even better than 'organic' try to get your meat from pasture-raised animals. Read "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan and you'll know why I say this.]

C. If desired, if using the lamb or beef, after frying the spices you can brown the meat in the oil. Set the meat aside until time to add to the curry in step 5 and cook as directed.

D. Serve with rice or naan or bread.



Baked Salmon in green garlic puree
created by member Lisa Bautista!

Lisa says, “I took a (smaller) stalk of green garlic and cut it into 1" pieces, half a preserved lemon* (I didn't rinse it off because I wanted the salt) and about 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper. I blended it all with enough olive oil to make a paste. I placed a salmon fillet on a piece of foil, slathered it with the green garlic goo, wrapped it up and baked until done. Yummy!

*If share members don't have preserved lemons, they could use the juice and pulp from a lemon with about 1/2 tsp. of salt as a substitution.”

Future -

Penne with Oyster Mushrooms in Garlic and Lemon Cream Sauce
serves 4 to 6
[it's an old typed card from my recipe file; source was a caterer I assisted in preparing a big fundraising meal for a nonprofit decades ago. I've forgotten the caterer's name, alas.]

8 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 lbs. fresh oyster mushrooms, stems trimmed, tops wiped clean as needed [obviously you'll need to either scale down the recipe, or be satisfied with less mushrooms in the overall recipe, which would not be the end of the world]
4 tbsp. minced or pressed garlic
3 C heavy cream [don't use ultra-pasteurized! Yuck!]
4 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 C tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced [I just use canned chopped tomatoes when fresh tomatoes are out of season]
1 lb. penne rigate
¾ C grated asiago cheese

Greens-n-Beans

a bunch of greens (whatever you have on hand: kale, chard, dandelion, beet), cleaned and coarsely chopped
2 heads of green garlic, chopped
2 tsp. olive oil
1/3 C sun-dried tomatoes, rehydrated in a little water and then chopped
1 1/2 C cooked fava beans (see last week’s newsletter), or a can of small white beans
2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. brown sugar
Salt, pepper, and grated Parmesan or Romano cheese to taste

Sauté the garlic in oil until soft. Add greens and stir-fry until just wilted. Add the tomatoes (and their liquid) and simmer until the greens are cooked. Add beans, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, and salt/pepper. Simmer a minute or two to warm up the beans and meld the flavors. Serve in bowls with some cheese sprinkled on top.

Friday February 18 - Thursday February 24, 2011

Friday - Butternut Squash Casserole
Saturday - Chinatown!
Sunday - Pumpkin Polenta, leftover lamb, leftover asparagus and frozen green beans and peas
Monday - Soba Stir Fry
Tuesday - Fish Tacos
Wednesday - quinoa stuffed peppers
Thursday - spinach shrimpy fusilli

Pumpkin polenta (The Petit Apetit p.164), chicken, and veggie
Wild Polenta p. 174
Fish Tacos (The Petit Apetit p. 186)
Soba Stir Fry p. 201
Quinoa Stuffed Peppers 230
Spinach Shrimpy Fusilli  234

Citrus Corn Muffins (need cornmeal, buttermilk) p. 99
Curry and herb peas p.108
cereal batons for snacks p. 126
Mom's Meat Loaf p 142
Graham Crackers p 143 (need graham flour)
Baked Ricotta Cake p 144
Multigrain Scones p 163
St. Pats Spinach Pesto p 169
Gabby's Gaspacho p 194
Black Bean Soup p 217
Pork Roast with Blackberry Sauce p. 219
Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya p 225
lamb stew 227
Ratatouille 232
Stuffed Squash Boats 235

October 9 - October 15

Friday: Taco Salad
Weekend 
Pureed Kohlrabi for baby food
Baked Chicken with Wild Rice with Butternut Squash, Leeks, and Corn (from Fresh Edibles Newsletter) Puree other half of the squash for baby food

Swiss Chard with Garbanzo Beans and Tomatoes (use garbanzos from freezer & make more baby food with extra beans and chard)

Stuffed Vegetables (use ground lamb too for some protein)

Carrot Fennel Sausage Pasta

Groceries
Milk
Bbars
Fennel
ground lamb or beef

September 2 - 8, 2010 Dinner Plan

Plan
Thursday - Linguine Alfredo with New Zealand Spinach
Friday - Tacos with Peppers, Salsa, and Beans  and Avocado & Squash with salty cheese
Saturday - Chicken, Grated Beets, and Beet Green with Orange Butter, Roasted Radishes
Sunday - Tuna and Potato Stuffed Ancho Chiles
Monday - BBQ @ McCauley's - Bring Green Bean Salad and a drink
Tuesday - Swiss Chard Pie (Page 80 of Vegetarian Cookbook), add grated yellow squash
Wednesday -Spaghetti Sauce with ALL tomatoes, with spaghetti and meatballs and garlic bread

CSA veggies:
New Zealand Spinach- make more baby food out of leftovers from Thursday
Tomatoes - use up with sauce on Wednesday
String Beans - Monday
Yellow Beans - Monday
Purple Beans - Monday
Beets - Saturday
Radishes - Saturday
Swiss Chard - Tuesday
Shallots - Saturday
Lemon Cucumbers - Use instead of Lettuce Monday
Cucumber - Use Instead of Lettuce Monday
Strawberries
Melons
Ancho Chiles - Sunday
Jalepenos - Salsa Friday
Squashes - make leftovers into baby food and squash cookies (once oven is clean)
purple peppers -
red peppers - with tacos
green peppers -

Grocery List
goat cheese (3 oz)
Sherry Wine Vinegar
buttermilk
butter
ahi tuna
whipping cream
horseradish
whole grain mustard
lime juice
Red Potatoes
cilantro
avocados (2)
Salty mexican cheese