Sunday, August 23, 2009

Week 12--The Half-Way Mark


The end of August already! I can't believe it. The gardens went from full and lush to fall very quickly. It some ways I am not ready, but I know there are good things in store like sweet melons and squash...and cooler nights.



Garlic Harvest was abundant and they should serve us well into the winter. This week, onions will come out of the field too...now I just have to find a place to dry them! Both onions and garlic take about 4 weeks to dry. Either can be eaten "fresh" or "green". But curing them in a cool, dry place allows their skins to cure and will allow for long time storage. Hope you are enjoying the bounty!




SAVE THE DATE!!! (I did change it)


Pick Your Own Pumpkin and Potluck.
October 17th from 10am-1pm.
A wagon ride into the pumpkin patch and then enjoy a nice lunch!

This week's Loot: Purple Majesty Potatoes, red onions, garlic, summer squash, cucs, zucchini, corn!, lettuce (sorry inside may be slightly bitter), tomatoes, green cabbage, cilantro, dill

Next Week's Loot: Carrots, Beets, Cucs, Zucs, Summer Squash, Lettuce?, Corn?


Spicy Bean and Cucumber Salad
2 c cooked beans
1 c finely chopped cucumber
1/2 c finely chopped onion
2 Tbs fresh cilantro
2 Tbs red wine or cider vinegar
2 tsp fresh chili pepper (or jalapeno) or 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1 tsp honey
1/2 tsp salt
Mix all ingredients together. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Summer Food
A large pinch of saffron threads
1/2 cup olive oil
7 ounces red or yellow cherry tomatoes
4 ounces green beans
1 zucchini, diced
3 ounces freshly shelled peas (or frozen if fresh are not available)
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 fresh rosemary sprigs
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
3 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1/4 cup slivered almonds, lightly toasted

Put the saffron in a bowl with 1/3 cup hot water and set it aside to infuse.
Heat half the oil in a heavy-based skillet over high heat and add the tomatoes. Cook for 2 minutes, shaking the skillet so that the tomatoes soften and start to split. Use a slotted spoon to remove the tomatoes from the pan and set them aside. Add the beans, zucchini, and peas and stir-fry over high heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Set the vegetables aside with the tomatoes until needed.
Add the remaining oil to the skillet with the garlic and rosemary and cook over low heat for 1 minute to flavor the oil. Add the rice to the skillet and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes, until the rice is shiny and opaque. Add the broth and the saffron water to the skillet. Stir, then increase the heat and let the liquid reach a boil. When the broth is rapidly boiling and little holes have formed in the rice, reduce the heat to medium and let the liquid simmer gently for about 20 minutes, until almost all the broth has been absorbed.
Scatter the cooked vegetables over the rice, cover the skillet tightly with foil, and cook over low heat for 5 minutes so that the vegetables are just heated through. Sprinkle the almonds on top to serve.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Week 11--The beautiful colors

The fields are looking good! And I am having fun despite the heat. I actually like it : )

Looks like there will definitely be no surge of tomatoes this year, so be sure to fill up on other summer veggies like cucumbers and summer squash.

Just thought I would put this photo in case you were hot. Simon is running over where your carrots are now growing : )

This week's loot: Lots of herbs!!!! They all dry or freeze nicely, so don't be shy.
Lime Basil--use like a lime; in drinks, pasta, Thai dishes...

Holy Basil--this great in Thai dishes too, but I really like it as a sun tea

Lemon Balm--use it like a lemon...

Mint--sun tea, mix it with some of the other herbs

The last of the beans, lettuce, carrots, onions, potatoes, chard, cucs, zucs, summer squash, a tomato

Next week's loot: lettuce, green cabbage, potatoes, cucs, zucs, summer squash, garlic, a tomato...


Sun Tea

Pack mason jar with your choice of herbs
Cover with water
Set Jar in the sun for at least 2 hours
Pour over ice, while straining out the herbs
Sweeten with honey or maple syrup

Gratin of Potato and Summer Squash

1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1# of zucchini or yellow squash, cut 1/8 inch thick
1# potatoes, cut 1/8 inch thick
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2 tsp sage, thyme, rosemary
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 c grated parm cheese


1. Combine oil and garlic, simmer for 2 minutes. Set aside for 15 to allow garlic to infuse into oil. Remove and discard garlic (or reuse)
2. Lightly grease a 12x9 pan. make 2 layers of the zuc, potatoes and onion, sprinkling each layer with the herbs, salt and pepper. Top with cheese and drizzle the oil over.
3. Cover dish with foil and bake for 1 hour at 350F (or less since potatoes are new taters). Let stand for 10 minutes.
Zucchini Feta Pancakes
4 eggs, separated
4 c. shredded zucchini
1 c. finely crumbled feta cheese
1/2 c. finely chopped green onions
1 T. fresh of
1 t. dried mint
1/2 t. salt
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
Oil for frying
1. Combine everything except egg whites, toppings and oil. Mix well.
2. Beat egg whites until stiff. Fold into batter mixture.
3. Heat oil until very hot. Drop about 1/8 cup batter for each pancake. Cook on both sides until crisp.

Monday, August 10, 2009

Week 10--The Heat of Summer...finally!

Thank you Potato Pickers!

Saturday turned out to be a beautiful day--perfect for picking potatoes! We picked three rows (almost 900#!), using our "new" 100 year old potato digger. It was just given to us from a friend down the road. It was his father's, drawn by his horse, many years ago. It certainly made the job easier, although it had a few quirks : )


Not to worry if you missed this fine day--we have three more rows to go!

Pick Your Own Flowers!!! The flower garden is in full bloom and you are welcome to bring some home with you. There are scissors on the sill by the back door of the barn, along with baggies to put water in to keep them fresh on your drive home. Most flowers like to be picked when they are not quite open all the way. This way they will open in your home and you can enjoy them longer. Pick the lilies when the bottom two flowers have opened and the gladiolas are picked when the bottom 3 flowers have opened. Don't be shy--we planted them for you!


This week's loot: POTATOES!!!, lettuce, green beans, the last of the turnips, beets, cucumbers, zucchini, onions, basil, oregano

Next week's loot: potatoes, green beans, carrots, chard, cucumbers, zucchini, sorrel...I probably will NOT have lettuce--sorry!

The idea behind the CSA is that when the harvest is good, you share in the bounty. So even though I may have the poundage for the week set "high" don't feel like you HAVE to take it all. It's just an amount that you can take "up to", because we have food a plenty.
There are WORMS in my broccoli!!!! Soak your broccoli in salt water before cooking--this will bring all the worms to the surface so you can fish them out befiore they end up on your plate :)
Chocolate Potato Cake
4 oz unsweetened chocolate
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups cake flower
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup butter
1 3/4 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 cup mashed potatoes
1 cup buttermilk
melt chocolate with vanilla, cool slightly. sift dry ingredients. cream butter and sugar and beat in eggs one by one. add the chocolate and mashed potatoes. beat in dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk. pour into a greased 13x9 pan and bake in a preheated 350 oven for 40 minutes. cool before frosting.
Frosting
3 oz unsweetened chocolate
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 lb confectioner's sugar
dash of salt
1/2 cup softened butter
hot milk
chopped walnuts
melt choc and vanilla, let cool slightly. cream sugar, salt and butter. add just enough hot milk to make a spreadable consistency. beat in melted choc. spread on cake and sprinkle nuts on top.
Classic Potato Salad
1 medium onion, sliced thin
apple cider vinegar
1 tbs finely chopped basil
1 tbs finely chopped oregano
1 tbs finely chopped dill
1 cup mayo
4 medium taters, cooked and cooled
2 hard cooked eggs
salt and pepper
place onion in a small bowl and add enough vinegar to cover. mix together herbs and mayo in a separate bowl. slice taters and place them in a large bowl with the eggs. drain onions and add them to the taters. add the herb-mayo mixture and stir

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Week 9--The Potato Harvest

Yeah the sun is shining!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Well, the potato harvest has begun! Even though I know these tasty spuds won't last through the winter, picking taters is still fun, it's like an easter egg hunt. Since it is so fun I would like to invite you to join us! We are having a little Potato Picking Party this Saturday August 8th from 10am-1pm. Bring the whole family--even kids can do it! Bring a bucket : )


Freezing/Canning beans for sale. $2.00/#. They will be set up in the barn on the big scale behind the welcome sign. Help yourself and leave money in the cash box. Feel free to buy for friends and family. Extra potatoes are for sale too, $2.00/#. Let me know of you are interested.


Speaking of money, Please be sure to pay your IOU's and when you do throw your slip away!

This Week's Loot: The last of the sugar snap peas, hakuri turnips, baby carrots, summer squash/zucchini, potatoes, A tomato, beans, lettuce, chard, dill, cilantro

Next Week's Loot: The last of the Hakuri Turnips, beets, summer squash/zucchini, beans, lettuce, onions, basil

Stampfenbohnen

stampfen means pounding or stamping, bohnen means beans

1 # taters

1.5 # green beans

6-8Tbs butter

1 cup chopped onions

Roughly chop potatoes and cut beans into one inch pieces. Cover taters with salted water and bring to a boil, cooking gently for about 15 minutes. Add beans and cook another 10 minutes or until all veggies are soft.

Melt butter and saute onions. Drain veggies, setting aside some of the liquid. mash taters and beans together until taters are mashed and beans are broken up. Ad cooking liquid as needed. Add butter and onions and remaining Tbs of butter, if desired.