This week’s share:

beans or broccoli

carrots

red cabbage

eggplant

kale

green pepper

leek

summer squash

tomato

This Past Week…      

Has had us worried.  It was too hot for some of the plants to fruit, and too hot for some of the cool weather seeds to germinate.  We weren’t sure how much we would have for you this week, but we used what we had.  We were short a few eggplant, so some of you are getting a dark purple eggplant we bought from Nehmer’s, an area grower. Hopefully the spinach and lettuce grow quickly so we can offer some variety. 

Something new in your share this week – leek.  Leeks can be stored for several weeks in a root cellar standing upright in a box with some sand in the bottom. They can also be placed in a refrigerator for two to three weeks.

Kale – what will you do with this wonderful green?  Kale is an incredible super food. Kale has the most protein of all the cultivated vegetables. It is also high in vitamins A, C and all the B vitamins. Its calcium content rivals the calcium level of dairy products.

TUNA NOODLE CASSEROLE

w/ LEEKS AND FRESH DILL

• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 2 1/2 cups thinly sliced leeks (white and pale green parts only; from about 2 large)
• 1/4 teaspoon celery seeds
• Coarse Kosher salt
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1/2 cup half and half
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 8 ounces wide egg noodles
• 1/2 cup coarsely grated Gruyere cheese (about 2 1/2 ounces)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
• 2 5- to 6-ounce cans albacore tune packed in oil, drained, broken into 1/2-inch chunks
• 2 cups coarsely crushed salted potato chips (about 2 ounces)

Butter 8x8x2 inch glass baking dish.  Melt unsalted butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat.  Add leeks and celery seeds to saucepan; sprinkle lightly with coarse kosher salt.  Cover saucepan and cook until leeks are tender but not brown, stirring often about 8 minutes.  Add flour, stir 1 minute.  Gradually add milk and half and half; simmer until mixture thickens slightly, stirring often, about 5 minutes.  Stir lemon juice.  Season leek sauce to taste with coarse kosher salt and pepper. Remove sauce from heat. 

Meanwhile, cook egg noodles in large pot of boiling salted water until tender, stirring occasionally. Drain noodles, reserving 3/4 cup noodle cooking liquid.  Transfer noodles to large bowl.  Pour leek sauce over noodles.  Add grated Gruyere cheese and dill and stir to blend; add reserved noodle cooking liquid by tablespoons until mixture is moist and creamy (about 8 tablespoons). Fold in tuna.  Transfer to prepared baking dish.  Do AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead.  Cool slightly.  Chill uncovered until cold, then cover with foil and keep refrigerated.

Pre heat over to 375. Bake noodle casserole, covered with foil, until heated through, about 20 minutes if freshly made or 30 minutes if chilled. Remove foil.  Sprinkle crushed potato chips over and continue to bake, uncover, until top is golden brown and filling bubbles, about 10 minutes longer.  serve hot.

Stuffed Pepper Soup submitted by Kim, CSA Member

3/4 lb	Ground chuck
16 oz	Diced tomatoes
16 oz	Tomato sauce
2 cups	Beef broth
4	Green peppers — chopped
1	Red pepper—chopped
1 cup	Cooked brown rice
4 tsp	Hot pepper sauce

Dash of pepper

Salt if needed

Brown beef and onion

Add next 5 ingredients and simmer about 16 minutes or more

Add rice and other ingredients and simmer until peppers are done

Hope you have a pleasant week!  ~ Kathy

This week’s share:
basil
broccoli
carrot
wax, purple & green beans
eggplant
sweet pepper or hot pepper
kale
summer squash
tomato

This Past Week…

Has been very uneventful – love it!

The peppers are sloowwwwly making an appearance, as are the eggplant.

As we were washing the chard today, we noticed that it just wasn’t up to our standards. So, there will be no chard this week, but we’ll see what we can do for next week.

Some carrots are finally getting large enough to pick, so you’ll get some of those. It was not easy finding larger carrots that weren’t split from all the rain. We’ll just keep planting more in hopes that they’ll be delicious this fall.

Today you will either have a green bell pepper (sweet) or a long, thin hot pepper. Hopefully there will be enough for both kinds soon!

We’ve had a surprise visitor to the garden. A great deal of the sweet corn has been either beaten down by the wind and rain, or attacked and devoured by what we think are raccoons. They weren’t very diligent about hiding the evidence.

During the extreme hot weather, the plants slow down their production. Such is the case with the cucumbers. Last week we were begging people to take them so they wouldn’t be wasted, and this week we have none to share. The same with the summer squash and musk melon. Keep your fingers crossed for melons next week.

Pesto

From allrecipes.com

2/3 cup packed, coarsely chopped fresh basil
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons pine nuts or sunflower kernels
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 clove garlic, peeled

Ratatouille

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons dried parsley
1 eggplant, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
salt to taste
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 zucchini (or summer squash), sliced
1 large onion, sliced into rings
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 green bell pepper, sliced
2 large tomatoes, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Coat bottom and sides of a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish with 1 tablespoon olive oil.

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic until lightly browned. Mix in parsley and eggplant. Saute until eggplant is soft, about 10 minutes. Season with salt to taste.

Spread eggplant mixture evenly across bottom of prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle with a few tablespoons of Parmesan cheese. Spread zucchini in an even layer over top. Lightly salt and sprinkle with a little more cheese. Continue layering in this fashion, with onion, mushrooms, bell pepper, and tomatoes, covering each layer with a sprinkling of salt and cheese.

Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes.

Sweet and Savory Kale

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
4 teaspoons white sugar
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
4 cups stemmed, torn and rinsed kale
1/4 cup dried cranberries
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup sliced almonds

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic; cook and stir until the onion softens and turns translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the mustard, sugar, vinegar, and chicken stock, and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in the kale, cover, and cook 5 minutes until wilted.

Stir in the dried cranberries, and continue boiling, uncovered, until the liquid has reduced by about half, and the cranberries have softened, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with sliced almonds before serving.

Stuffed Eggplant

1 eggplant, halved lengthwise
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup olive oil, divided
1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup white wine
2 cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Scoop out the flesh of the eggplant, chop, and reserve. Season shells with salt and pepper, and coat with some olive oil; set aside.

Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium high heat. Saute sausage and garlic until sausage is evenly brown. Stir in the reserved chopped eggplant. Season with parsley, salt and pepper. Pour in wine, and cook 5 minutes. Mix in the bread crumbs and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. If mixture is dry, stir in more olive oil. Stuff mixture into eggplant shells, and sprinkle top with remaining Parmesan cheese.

Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until eggplant is tender.

Eggplant Parmesan

From allrecipes.com

(This recipe still tasted great even without the mozzarella!)

2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
 garlic clove, minced
1 small eggplant, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
1 medium tomato, thinly sliced
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Combine oil and garlic; brush over both sides of eggplant slices. Place on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 425 degrees F for 15 minutes; turn. Bake 5 minutes longer or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

Place half of the eggplant in a greased 1-qt. baking dish. Sprinkle with half of the basil and Parmesan cheese. Arrange tomato slices over top; sprinkle with remaining basil and Parmesan. layer with half of the mozzarella cheese and the remaining eggplant; top with remaining mozzarella. Cover and bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes. Uncover; bake 5 minutes longer or until the cheese is melted.

Dried Basil

I’ve found the easiest way to have chemical-free basil for cooking is to put it in a brown paper bag and set it on your car’s dashboard for a few days in the hot sun. Just shake it a few times when you think of it. When it’s completely dry, grind it in your coffee bean grinder, then put it in an airtight container.

Have a great week!


Kathy

This week’s share:brocolli
carrots
chard
cucumber
fennel
wax, purple & green beans
kale
kohlrabi
lettuce
rutabaga
squash blossoms
wee tomatoes
This is IMPORTANT:

Pickup next week will be on Sunday, August 1 from noon until ? We we will be out of town that week. If this will not work out for you, please let me know and we will work something out. Thank you for your understanding.

This Past Week…

We hope everyone has escaped unscathed from the storms. The gardens faired well, thankfully. The “road” that was mulched in the spring was washed away, as was the buckwheat that was planted last week. On the positive side, it made pulling weeds a whole lot easier!

It seems the tomatoes and carrots did not like all the wetness, as many of them have cracked. There are still plenty of smaller ones that hopefully will develop into ripe and tasty treats for us.

We should be having peppers by now. Some of the plants have flowered and are fruiting, which means we can look forward to their appearance in our shares soon!

We are planting our fall crops this week – lettuce, radish, carrots, and onions. Also, we are putting some of the beds “to bed” for the winter.

These beds are covered with compost or leaves, followed by a layer of cardboard, and then by a final layer of straw. This will help next spring be a whole lot easier than this past spring.

Our main worry is the weeds. We cannot outdo them, we cannot keep ahead of them. We can only keep at them, much like doing laundry, right? But still, we worry.

A Tip from one of our members:

“I have been blanching most of the vegetables I can't eat fresh in boiling water for 2 minutes and the shocking them in ice water. They can be frozen in plastic bags for later feasting when the snow flies. Beets are especially good this way, and so is the chard and kale.”

~Thank you Mary Jo!

Summer Squash is Healthy for You!


Summer squash has fiber, vitamin C, and folate, which prevent cancers, heart disease, and asthma.

Summer Squash also grows extraordinarily quick. In order to harvest it when it is most tender, sweet and juicy, it must not be too large. Since there are large quantities of it, we’ve included several recipes to help you take advantage of its benefits.

The old standby for our family is to slice it and saute it in olive oil, adding onions and garlic until it is translucent. Try this same combination on the grill and see how you like it!


Cream Cheese Summer Squash From Allrecipes.com

(My whole family loved this one!)

• 3 yellow squash, cubed

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, cubed

• 1 tablespoon dried basil leaves

• salt to taste

In a glass serving dish, combine the squash pieces and garlic. Season with salt, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave for 5 to 8 minutes on high, or until tender. Stir after every 3 to 4 minutes.

Sprinkle the cream cheese over the top, and return to the microwave, uncovered for about 1 minute, or until the cheese is melted. Stir until the cheese is smooth and blended into the squash. Let set for a minute or two before serving.



Summer Squash Pizza from kraftrecipes.com

1 Ready-to-use baked pizza crust (12 inch)

2 large Plum tomatoes, sliced

3 Tbsp. KRAFT Tuscan House Italian Dressing and Marinade, divided

1 Zucchini, thinly sliced

1 Yellow squash, thinly sliced

1-1/2 cups KRAFT Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

1/4 cup KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil

Heat oven to 450ºF. Place pizza crust on baking sheet. Arrange tomatoes over crust; brush with 1 Tbsp. dressing. Heat remaining dressing in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add zucchini and yellow squash; cook and stir 4 to 5 min. or until crisp-tender. Arrange over tomatoes; top with cheeses. Bake 10 to 12 min. or until crust is golden brown and mozzarella is melted.

Squash Blossom Frittata

3-4 blossoms

1-2 baby squash

4 eggs

Dash of milk

2 green onions

Asiago cheese

Chopped parsley and snipped chives (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Pick 3 to 4 blossoms per person and 1 or 2 baby yellow or green summer squash. Rinse blossoms well and drain on paper towels.

2. Beat 4 eggs with a little milk. Add fresh chopped parsley and snipped chives, if desired. Add salt and pepper to taste.

3. In a non-stick pan, saute a little butter and cook 2 green onion and thinly sliced baby squash just until soft. Then quickly saute the blossoms for about 30 seconds and remove from pan.

4. Pour egg mix into pan, sprinkle and arrange the onions, squash and blossoms on top and cook over low to medium heat until almost set. Sprinkle with Asiago cheese and put under the broiler until lightly puffed and browned.

Stuffed Squash Blossoms

• 18 squash blossoms, stamen removed

Cheese Filling

• 3 ounces goat (feta) cheese

• 3 ounces cream cheese

• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• Salt and pepper to taste

Beer Batter:

• 1/8 cup cornstarch

• 1/2 cup flour

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

• 1/4 teaspoon celery salt

• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 egg, beaten

• 1/2 cup cold flat beer

• Vegetable oil for frying

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Grated Parmesan cheese and sliced chives for garnish

Gently swish the squash blossoms in cold water to clean. Carefully twirl to remove most of the water, then drain thoroughly on paper towels. Set aside.

Beat goat cheese, cream cheese, red pepper flakes, oregano, basil, garlic, salt, and pepper until blended. Gently fill each blossom with about 2 teaspoons of the cheese filling. Refrigerate while making batter.

In a heavy skillet, heat 2 inches of oil to 375 F over medium heat.

While oil is heating, whisk together cornstarch, flour, salt, pepper, celery salt, baking soda, baking powder, egg, and beer until combined.

Carefully dip a stuffed blossom into the batter, covering the entire flower, and ease into the hot oil. Brown on one side, then turn to brown the other. Cook only a few at a time so they are not crowded. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining stuffed squash blossoms.

Sprinkle stuffed squash blossoms with salt and pepper to taste and garnish with a sprinkling of grated Parmesan cheese and chopped chives.

Sweet Fried Squash Blossoms

Just batter, fry, and dust with confectioners sugar. They come out kind of like weird, delicious funnel cake.

Braised Fennel

Ingredients:

• 2 medium fennel bulbs

• 1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 1 tablespoon chopped fennel fronds

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• ¼ cup dry white wine

• ½ cup homemade or low sodium chicken stock

Trim fennel bulbs from stalks, reserving some fronds to chop for garnish. Cut bulbs lengthwise into 1/3-1/2” slices. Do not trim root end, so the slices stay together.

Heat a 10-12” sauté pan until hot. Add the oil and wait until the oil shimmers before adding the fennel.

Season with some salt and pepper and sear fennel to caramelize, turning once. The fennel should be a rich golden brown.

Add the wine and scrape the bottom of the pan to deglaze.

When the wine has reduced to a syrup, add the chicken stock and put the lid on the pan.

Braise over very low heat for about ten to fifteen minutes, or until the fennel is very tender.

Before serving, garnish with chopped fennel fronds.


Fresh Fennel Bulb Salad

1 large or 2 small fennel bulbs

2 tbs white wine or red wine vinegar

1 tsp Dijon mustard

Salt and pepper

2 tbs frozen OJ concentrate, partially thawed

2 tbs extra-virgin olive oil

Remove fronds from the bulb. Cut away the root and slice fennel into very thin pieces, or grate it. Make dressing by combining vinegar, mustarad, ¼ tsp salt, and OJ in a bowl. Gradually whisk in olive oil. Pour over fennel and allow to marinate at room temperature 20 minutes or longer. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Makes 3-4 side dishes.

Sautéed Fennel with Parmesan From Rouxbe.com

• 2 medium fennel

• 1 clove garlic

• 1 small shallot

• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

• sea salt (to taste)

• 1/2 lemon (juice of)

• Parmesan cheese (to taste)

To start, cut the top and bottom off of the fennel. Then cut it in half widthwise, and then in half again. Remove the core, so that the fennel falls apart. Slice the fennel into about 1/4 - inch strips.

Slice the garlic and thinly slice the shallot lengthwise.

To cook the fennel, gather the olive oil and lemon. Preheat a large fry pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the olive oil, followed by the fennel and a good pinch of salt. Toss to combine and let cook for a few minutes. As the fennel cooks and starts to color, toss occasionally until it starts to caramelize.

Then add the shallots, stir together and continue to cook until the fennel softens a bit more, about 3 to 5 minutes.

If the pan seems to be getting too brown before it has cooked through, just add a touch of water.

Once the fennel has caramelized and softened, but still has a bit of crunch, add the garlic and let cook for another 30 seconds or so.

Then turn off the heat and deglaze with the lemon juice. Grate some fresh parmesan cheese over top and toss. Taste for seasoning and top with more a bit more Parmesan cheese, if desired. Serve immediately.

Sautéed fennel goes well with many meat, fish and pasta dishes.

Don’t forget:

the SWAP BOX

starts today!

Cheers to a great week!

~Kathy

This week’s share:


Chioggia beets
carrots
cauliflower
chard
cucumber
green beans
kale
kohlrabi
lettuce
rutabaga

This is IMPORTANT:


Pickup the first week of August will be on Sunday, August 1 from noon until ? because we will be going on vacation that week. If this will not work out for you, please let me know and we will work something out. Thank you for your understanding.

This Past Week…


So many things are starting to show up in the garden. The eggplant is getting larger, the pepper plants are blossoming (so slowly!) and there have been two ripe tomatoes.

There have been a few squash, a few purple beans, some melons & pumpkins forming, and a sunflower opened up.

I’m having problems with the broccoli. Two weeks ago I had four heads that were the size of a baseball. This week there were just a handful of sideshoots. I’m not sure what’s happening, but keep your fingers crossed for some broccoli quick!

There is purple cauliflower in your share this week. However, I was short one, so if you didn’t get any cauliflower this week, please let me know. There are a few more coming along and I’ll make sure to get you one.

If you would like to view previous newsletters, I post them on the blog at:


columbusurbanfarm.blogspot.com

A Tip from one of our members:


“we haven't been wasting any of the veggies. Whatever doesn't get eaten or gets wilty we put into a gallon ziploc baggie in the freezer. When I have a ham bone or rotisserie chicken bones I add it to the ziploc and use the contents to make a wicked broth for soup.” I love this idea!


Swap Box
Starting next week, I will have a separate cooler labeled SWAP BOX. If there is something in your bag you don’t like, you can swap it with something someone else has placed in the box.

Recipe Section


Sauteed Chard with Parmesan from Allrecipes.com

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 tablespoon minced garlic

• 1/2 small red onion, diced

• 1 bunch Swiss chard, stems and center ribs cut out and chopped together, leaves coarsely chopped separately

• 1/2 cup dry white wine

• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste

• 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

• salt to taste (optional)

Melt butter and olive oil together in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the garlic and onion, and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the chard stems and the white wine. Simmer until the stems begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chard leaves, and cook until wilted. Finally, stir in lemon juice and Parmesan cheese; season to taste with salt if needed. Nutritional Information



Spice Asian Green Beans
From the Willly Street Co-op Reader, July 2010

1 lb of green beans

1 tsp toasted sesame oil

1 tsp peanut oil

1 tsp fresh ginger, peeled & minced

1/16 tsp red pepper flakes

½ tbs soy sauce

2 tbs water

1 tsp sesame seeds, toasted

Cut off the ends of the green beans, unless they are very fresh and thin. Lightly steam the beans while frying the garlic and ginger in the oils over low heat. You want the garlic to turn a golden color and become very aromatic – at this point you can add the red pepper flakes, green beans, soy sauce and the water. Cover and cook everything together over high heat for a few minutes until the water evaporates and the beans look shiny from the oil. Shake the pan and stir occasionally while cooking. Garnish with sesame seeds and enjoy! Yields 4 cups.

Enjoy your week! ~ Kathy

Week #6

This week’s share:

cilantro
Chioggia beets
Carrots
chard
cucumber
cilantro
green beans
kale
red leaf lettuce
rutabaga

This Past Week…

We noticed the muskmelons and the pumpkins forming. The purple beans are blossoming, as are the blue potatoes. We also saw the formation of a patty-pan squash. We are anxiously waiting for these items to ripen so we can share them with you .

We were able to purchase some basil plants from an area farmer, so hopefully we will have basil for you soon!

We are happy that the cucumbers are arriving a little early. There was just enough for everyone to have one today. But next week there will be many more. Start getting ready for cucumber season!

Just a note about washing – some of the produce is soaked or sprayed, but the reason we do this is to cool it down so it lasts longer for you. Please make sure you wash your food before eating.

Cooking Tips for Rutabaga:

• Scrub vigorously with a vegetable brush. For maximum nutrition, do not peel.
• Rutabaga can be grated into raw salads. Try a winter slaw combining grated rutabaga, celeriac, carrot, diakon radish, and apple with chopped parsley and a lemon/oil dressing.
• Steam 1-inch chunks for 30-35 minutes, or until tender. Mash and serve with butter and a sprinkling of black pepper. Mash with other vegetables, such as carrots and potatoes.
• Bake 1-inch chunks brushed with butter or oil for 40-50 minutes, or nestle alongside roasting meats.
• Make rutabaga chips: Deep-fry 1/8 inch-thick slices in very hot vegetable oil until golden brown. Do not crowd pan while frying. Drain on paper towel, sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve.


Storage tips:


• Rutabaga will store adequately at room temperature for up to 1 week, or refrigerated in dehydrator drawer for up to 1 month.

• For longer-term storage, rutabagas may be packed in moist sand and kept in a cool, but not freezing location.

Rutabaga Caserole

by LaDOnna at allrecipes.com

• 4 rutabagas
• 4 carrots
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup milk (optional)

Directions

1. Peel rutabagas and cut into large cubes. Place in cold salted water, and bring to a boil. When fork tender, drain.

2. Mash rutabagas with grated carrots, sugar, and butter.

3. Place in oven at low temperature to keep warm. Cover so that the dish will not dry out. If it does, stir in a little milk.


Chili Roasted Rutabaga by MACSAC


2 tbs vegetable oil

11/2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic salt

½ tsp sugar

½ tsp paprika

¼ tsp cayenne

1 ½ lbs rutabaga



Heat oven to 400 degrees. Mix first 7 ingredients in a medium bowl. Peel rutabagas and cut them into chunks that are about 2 inches long and ½-1 inch wide. Toss with spice mix. Transfer to large baking sheet, spreading pieces out evenly. Bake until tender and somewhat browned, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes. Makes 4-6 servings.



Cilantro Cream Sauce over Chicken

6-8 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cooked & kept warm.
2 cups loosely packed fresh cilantro
1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk
1 cup of water
2 tsp granulated chicken flavor bouillon
3 tbs butter
3 tbs flour
Ground black pepper to taste

Place cilantro, evaporated milk, water and bouillon in blender. Blend until smooth.

Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat. Stir in flour, stirring constantly until smooth. Stir in cilantro mixture. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil and thickens slightly. Season to taste with pepper, and pour over chicken.

Patty-pan Squash:

A Peek at the Muskmelons:

A view of the lettuce and carrots: