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

There's a change today:

Pickup Today on the FRONT PORCH

This week’s share:

broccoli

chard

cucumbers

wax, purple & green beans

sweet peppers or hot peppers

kale

thyme ?

musk melon

rutabaga

summer squash

tomato

This Past Week…

We planted more lettuce, radish, and carrots. We also replanted the buckwheat that we planted previously. That got washed away with the rains, so we’ll try it again. Buckwheat helps keep the weeds down, is good erosion control, and also adds nutrients to the soil for the next crop next year.

Thyme and marjoram were grown from seed, and now that both are mature, this amateur doesn’t know which one is which. If you know what your mystery herb is, please let us know!

The muskmelons have ripened, and are so ripe that you can chose to take one if you wish. They really should be eaten right away.

Much of your produce has been washed, but we want to remind you to wash your food before you eat it.

Some of the broccoli has a disease that kills the plants. Some of the plants are just getting it, and we sorted through the side shoots as best as we could. If you see any that are turning black or grey, this is a sign of the mosaic disease. Just throw that piece away.

Summer squash…are you tired of it yet? It just keeps on coming, so if you want more of it, feel free to take some. The kids have had their fill of it at my house.

Until next week, enjoy life!

~ Kathy


Enchiladas

(using spinach, kale, chard, etc.)

1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup sliced green onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch greens
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
10 (6 inch) corn tortillas
1 (19 ounce) can enchilada sauce

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and onion; cook for a few minutes until fragrant, but not brown. Stir in spinach, and cook for about 5 more minutes. Remove from the heat, and mix in ricotta cheese, sour cream, and 1 cup of Monterey Jack cheese.

In a skillet over medium heat, warm tortillas one at a time until flexible, about 15 seconds. Spoon about 1/4 cup of the spinach mixture onto the center of each tortilla. Roll up, and place seam side down in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Pour enchilada sauce over the top, and sprinkle with the remaining cup of Monterey Jack.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, until sauce is bubbling and cheese is lightly browned at the edges.



R and R Pudding
(Rice and Rutabaga!)

1 cup water
1/2 cup long-grain white rice
1 pound rutabaga, peeled and cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 cup milk
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 dash ground nutmeg
2 eggs, separated

Place the water into a saucepan, add the rice, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir once, cover, reduce heat to low; and simmer until all moisture is absorbed and rice is tender, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the rutabaga into a large pot, and fill with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and cook until the rutabaga are tender and can be pierced with a fork, about 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 2 quart casserole dish.

Drain the rutabaga, and place into a mixing bowl. Add the milk, butter, sugar, salt, pepper, and ground nutmeg. Beat or mash the rutabaga until smooth. Stir in the cooked rice, and beat in the egg yolks.

Beat the egg whites in a separate bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold gently into the rutabaga mixture. Spoon mixture into prepared casserole dish.

Bake in preheated oven until top is lightly browned, about 1 hour.

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

Week # 9!

This week’s share:

broccoli
cucumber
fennel
wax, purple & green beans
kale
Summer Squash
tomatoes

This Past Week…

We have the weeds under control – for now. What a relief. We spread out 30 bales of straw to try to keep them at bay. Now onto the next mini-crisis, Colorado Potato Beetles. They munch on potatoes, but also tomato, eggplants and peppers. Controlling them is as simple as picking them off the plants and squishing them. But it takes a watchful eye and lots of patience.

This week’s share includes some small tomatoes called German Lunchbox. They are an heirloom tomato, which means the seeds have been kept and passed down throughout the years. They are tasty and just the right size for snacking.

Most of the nearly 200 tomato plants have succumbed to an early blight. Luckily the plants were mature and will survive, as will much of the fruit.

I’m disappointed in the Cherokee Purple heirloom tomatoes. The green tomatoes were large and plump, nearly ready to ripen when we received the deluge of rain. This much moisture can cause the tomatoes to crack, which is what happened. Once they crack, they decay very quickly. I’m afraid we won’t see much of the beautiful Cherokee Purple tomato.

Yesterday I pulled 25 or so carrots out of the ground, and only six of those were not split. The water did a number on the carrots and the rutabagas, too.

Today there is a head of purple cauliflower. They are so pretty in the field I almost hate to cut them. They will lose most of their purple color when cooked, but taste the same as the traditional white cauliflower.


We have more slicing cucumbers than we can give away, and the pickling cucumbers are just starting to pick up speed. The same with the summer squash – they come fast and furiously. We’re trying not to overwhelm you with more than you can handle, but please let us know if you could use more cucumbers or squash.

The extra food will never be wasted – on Wednesday’s there is the Columbus Downtown Farmer’s Market, and on Thursday is the food pantry distribution day.

We THANK YOU for flexing your schedules so that we can take a vacation. We are really looking forward to it, and we will see you on Tuesday, August 10th.


Cauliflower Salad


1 head cauliflower, trimmed and cut into bite-size florets
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon mustard
1 teaspoon salt
ground black pepper to taste
3 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3/4 cup frozen green peas, thawed
1/4 cup dill pickles, chopped
3 slices crisply cooked bacon, crumbled

Place cauliflower in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook until just fork tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and cool slightly.

In a large bowl whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, salt, and pepper. Add the cauliflower, eggs, onion, peas, dill pickles, and bacon to the dressing and stir until well coated. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 24 hours. The longer the cauliflower salad chills, the better the flavor.


Baked Whole Cauliflower

1 large head cauliflower
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup margarine, melted
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 pinch red pepper flakes
1 pinch dried oregano

Clean cauliflower, and trim off leaves and any brown spots. Place the whole head of cauliflower into a steamer basket, place the basket in a large pot, and add one inch of water.

Cover, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook for about 20 minutes or until tender.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, melted margarine. Season with garlic powder, salt, red pepper flakes, and oregano, and mix well. Place the head of cauliflower into a baking dish, and coat with the breadcrumb mixture.

Bake for about 10 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.

Kale Chips – Variations


Several weeks back we included a recipe for kale chips. Since then, a few variations have been brought to my attention. Along with the olive oil, add sherry vinegar, red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, honey w/ lemon juice to the kale. I can’t wait to try these!

Sweet Pepper Pasta Toss with Kale


1 (8 ounce) package farfalle pasta

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium red bell pepper, chopped

1 medium yellow bell pepper, chopped

1 cup roughly chopped kale

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 pinch dried basil

1 pinch ground cayenne pepper

salt and ground black pepper to taste

8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled



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

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in red pepper, yellow pepper, kale and garlic. Season with basil, cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper. Cook until vegetables are tender.

In a large bowl, toss cooked pasta with skillet mixture. Sprinkle with feta cheese to serve.



CUCUMBER SALSA
from Taste of Home Magazine

2 medium cucumbers, peeled, seeded and chopped
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 teaspoons minced fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon dill weed
1/2 teaspoon salt baked tortilla chip scoops

In a large bowl, combine the first 11 ingredients. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Serve with chips. Yield: 4 cups.

We hope you have a great week!

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:

Pickup:

Front porch if rainy
Right side yard if nice

This week’s share:
basil
Chioggia beets
flat-leaf cilantro
green beans
kale
kohlrabi
red leaf lettuce

This Past Week…

We’ve kept busy staking and trimming tomatoes. They’re between three and four feet tall right now, and love this heat. The sunflowers and pumpkins have really taken off. They’ve grown over a foot in four weeks! We’ve even picked a few carrots. Yumm.

How is it going?

How have your CSA bags been? How can things be improved upon? Tell us how we’re doing.

Chioggia Beets
Not Grandma’s Beets!

What about it: Chioggia is an Italian coastal town situated on a little island. It's here that this wonderful beet originated, which is highly sought after for its striking colors.

When its round root is cut, it reveals superb rings, alternating white and deep pink. After cooking, the flesh turns completely pale pink, which is why it is preferred in its raw form.

It matures early and has a mild flavor, and so requires less cooking time than most varieties of beet. (from theworldwidegourmet.com)

The news: Still found mainly in farmers’ markets but starting to show up in specialty grocery stores, these red-and-white–striped roots are sweeter than other beets, and so beautiful, they might win over any beet doubters.

Feel-good factors: Beets have lots of fiber, potassium, iron, and folic acid, a B vitamin. Betacyanin, the pigment that gives beets their color, is a powerful antioxidant.

Ways to try them: Sauté the greens. Roast beets until just tender; cut up for salads (they’re great with avocados). Slice raw beets paper-thin; add to soup. From sunset.com.



Roasted Beet Salad

6-8 small beets, scrubbed, tops trimmed to 1 inch
Olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste
¼ cup pecans
1 tbs Dijon mustard
4 tbs white wine vinegar
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 cups baby salad greens
½ small bottle onion or sweet onion, thinly sliced
¼ cup crumbled blue cheese

Heat grill. Place beets on heavy foil; drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Wrap tightly, grill until beets can be easily pierced with a fork, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, toast pecans in a dry pan on the grill, tossing frequently. Finely chop the nuts. When beets are cooled a bit, use a paper towel to remove the peel, stems, and tails. Cut beets into quarters. Combine mustard and vinegar in a bowl. Whisk in olive oil until thickened. Add salt and pepper. Toss salad greens in a bowl with a little dressing. Portion the greens onto 2-4 plates. Top with beets, onions, blue cheese, and pecans. Drizzle with as much dressing as you like.

Adapted from Michael Waupoose’s winner in the 2001 Food for Thought Recipe Contest. Printed in “From Asparagus to Zucchini”.





Fried Beets & Carrots from Linda Derrickson, Sunporch Café

2 tbs olive oil
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 medium beets, quartered, sliced ¼ inch thick
2 medium carrots, sliced ¼ inch thick
Tamari sauce
Beet tops, fresh spinach, or Swiss Chard

Heat olive oil in a skillet. Add cumin, cook about 1 minute. Add beets and carrots; fry until tender. Remove from heat, sprinkle on a little tamari, and serve. Variation: if using young beets, save the tops. When the beets and carrots are tender, add chopped greens, cover, and cook until soft. Toss mixture, sprinkle with tamari, and serve. Makes 2-4 servings.


Enjoy what may be the last of the basil – looks like all the plants are diseased and they may succumb quickly. Big sad face :(

We are running low on brown paper bags. If you have any you could spare, we would sure appreciate it!

Have a stress-free week!

~Kathy

June 29, 2010 CSA News

A Note Regarding Pickup:


If there is inclement weather, you can pick up your bag on the front porch, in a large Styrofoam cooler. If the weather is nice, you can pick up your bag on the shady side (right side) of the house in a large white Styrofoam cooler.

This week’s share:

flat-leaf cilantro

green bean sample

kale

kohlrabi

green head lettuce

red leaf lettuce

Swiss chard

Such Lovely Weather!

It was beautiful early this morning as we harvested your food. We were really looking forward to providing beans this week, and we did, but there aren’t that many yet. Never fear, with 75 linear feet of bean plants, you will undoubtedly get your fill.

We are growing two varieties of cilantro. This week you are getting what you are probably used to seeing in the grocery store. If there is too much for you to use, lay it in a single layer on a cookie sheet in the freezer. Wait a few hours for it to freeze, then place it in a zip-lock bag for use in the next six months. Just take out a sprig or two as needed, and use immediately. It is a treat to use home-grown cilantro all winter long.

Compost Share
Good compost is black gold to gardeners, and we have been making our own. Approximately every 30 days we should have a new batch completed. The struggle we’ve been having is our kitchen waste cannot keep up with the demand. This is where you come in:

Fill up an ice cream bucket/coffee can, etc. with food scraps, and then bring your full bucket of compostables at the pick-up site when you pick up your share and we'll have an empty bucket waiting for you. This is good for you and your food, and good for the environment.

Acceptable:
• All fruit and vegetable peelings and pits

• Non greasy food scraps or leftovers

• Rice, pasta, bread, cereal etc.

• Coffee grounds with filter, tea bags

• Hair and nails (animal or human)

• Egg and nut shells

• Cut or dried flowers, wreaths

• Houseplants and potting soil

•Dryer lint

•Vacuum cleaner bag contents

Not acceptable:



• Meat, chicken and fish

• Greasy food scraps

• Fat and oil

• Dairy items: cheese, butter

• Dog or cat feces, kitty litter

• Coal or charcoal

• Coconuts

• Diseased and/or insect-infested houseplants and soil

How is it going?

How have your CSA bags been? Have things been squished, wilted, or otherwise not in good shape? How can things be improved upon? Any feedback you can provide will make a positive impact on our operation and on your food. We welcome you, and well, beg you to tell us how we’re doing.



Want Eggs?

If you are interested in getting eggs every week with your CSA share from an organic farmer, let me know and I may be able to arrange this.



What to do with Kohlrabi?

Kohlrabi can be one of those intimidating vegetables if you haven’t been around it much. It has the look of an organic green Sputnik, with a taste like fresh, crunchy broccoli stems accented by radish. The name kohlrabi comes from the German kohl, meaning cabbage, and rabi, or turnip.

Handling: If the kohlrabi leaves are still attached to the bulb, trim them and store separately. If the leaves are in good shape—firm and green—they can be cooked but will need to be used within a couple of days. The bulbs should be stored, unwashed, in a plastic bag. They will hold for about a week in the refrigerator. Smaller kohlrabi are the sweetest and most tender. Bulbs much bigger than the size of a tennis ball won’t be as tasty and often have a pithy flesh.

• Tender, young kohlrabi is delicious eaten raw. Peel the outer skin with a paring knife. Slice, dice, or grate, and add to salads. Use on raw vegetable platters or serve with a creamy dip.

• Substitute in recipes calling for radishes. Grated kohlrabi can be added to slaw, but lightly salt it first and let stand for several minutes. Squeeze to remove any excess water before adding dressing.

• Kohlrabi can also be steamed or boiled. For this preparation don’t peel until after they are cooked. Steam or boil until bulbs are tender, peel skin, and season with butter, salt, and pepper, a cheese sauce, or just enjoy plain.

• The leaves attached to the kohlrabi bulb can be enjoyed as a cooked green. Wash the leaves and remove the ribs. Blanch in boiling water until just wilted, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain and squeeze excess water from leaves. Chop leaves, then saute in a little olive oil or butter. Season with salt and pepper. Add a splash of vinegar or squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

The next two recipes came from the Madison Area CSA Coalition’s cookbook: From Asparagus to Zucchini

SOUTH OF THE BORDER SNACKS

Peeled kohlrabi, chili powder, fresh lime juice. Slice the kohlrabi into rounds (not too thick). Dip the lower third of each round into lime juice, then into chili powder. Makes any number of servings.

Bratwurst Kohlrabi Vegetable Soup with Pumpernickel Dill Croutons

1 tbs butter, divided

2 cooked bratwursts

1 cup of chopped onions

2 medium kohlrabis, peeled, thin-sliced, and chopped

½ cup thin-sliced celery

2 tsp fennel seeds

3 cans (each 14.5 ounces) beef broth

1 cup thin-sliced potatoes

1/3 cup thin-sliced dill pickles

½ tsp dill weed

Salt and pepper

Croutons:

1 ½ tbs melted butter

½ tsp dill weed

1 ½ cups cubed pumpernickel bread

Brown bratwurst in a pot with ½ tsp butter. Remove and reserve meat. Add remaining ½ tbs butter, onions, kohlrabi, celery, and fennel seeds; sauté 5 minutes. Stir in beef broth, potatoes, pickles, dill weed, bratwurst, and 2/3 cup of water; simmer 40 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Let stand one of more hours to develop flavor. To make croutons, combine ingredients; bake 10-15 minutes in 400-degree oven, tossing occasionally. Serve with reheated soup. Makes six servings.

Cilantro Pesto

(A Luna Circle Farm original recipe)

1 bunch cilantro

2-3 garlic scapes or cloves, chopped

¼ cup walnuts, pine nuts, or almonds

½ cup olive oil

¾ cup parmesan cheese

Salt to taste

Put everything into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Serve on hot pasta.

I made this recipe up on Sunday. It was enough to make a pasta salad with 1 pound of pasta. I also lightly steamed sugar snap peas, snow peas and asparagus. I chilled them and added them to the pasta salad. Later in the season I add tomatoes, sweet peppers and steamed zucchini.



***************************************

Tips on Using Swiss Chard

• Include chard in stir-fries

• Sauté the leaves in garlic butter or with onion

• Use chard in any recipe calling for fresh spinach, like quiches, lasagna, omelets, etc.

• For soups, add chard stem chunks 10 minutes and leaves 4-5 minutes before soup is done.

• Raw baby chard leaves are wonderful in green salads. Many salad mixes include them.

Rainbow Swiss Chard Appetizer

3 tbs butter

2 tbs minced shallots

4 stems chives, chopped

¼ tsp dried, ground thyme

1 bunch chard (about 10 stalks) finely chopped (use the greens for another recipe)

Cream cheese, softened

Toasted, sliced French bread or gourmet whole wheat cracker

Melt butter over medium heat. Add shallots and sauté 2 minutes. Add chives, thyme, and chopped chard stalks; sauté until stalks re tender, tossing to coat with butter. Transfer to bowl and let cool, patting it with paper towels to soak up excess butter. Spread cream cheese on toasted bread or crackers. When chard is cool, spoon some onto each cracker. Makes about 4 servings.



Happy Fourth of July!  Kathy

June 22, 2010 CSA News

A Note Regarding Pickup:


If there is inclement weather, you can pick up your bag on the front porch, in the large Styrofoam cooler. If the weather is nice, you can pick up your bag on the shady side (right side) of the house in the large white Styrofoam cooler.

This week’s share:

cilantro

basil

dill

kale

green head lettuce

red leaf lettuce

oregano

Swiss chard

Hello! Summer is here, and I am happy not to harvest in the rain this week. But, it rained last night, so I spent a good portion of my time today rinsing lettuce.

Trying to keep up with the weeds is NOT going to kill me…I keep telling myself. That has been a challenge in between all the rain. Another challenge that has come up is the finding of Colorado Potato Beetles in the community gardens. My son helped pick the bugs off, and so far we have been safe from them. They like to feed on potato, peppers, eggplant, and tomato. These little bugs can be quite devastating, so “drop everything & pick bugs” is the directive.

We found five beans yesterday, which are signaling the onslaught of bean harvesting which will begin soon. We also harvested one kohlrabi today, so the other’s time is near! There are tomatoes forming, and the potatoes, watermelons, and muskmelons all have blossoms.

Compost Share

Good compost is black gold to gardeners. We have been making our own compost, and approximately every 30 days we have a complete batch. The struggle we’ve been having is our kitchen waste cannot keep up with the demand. This is where you come in: You reduce the amount you put into the landfill, and at the same time help us build healthy soil. You fill up an ice cream bucket/coffee can, etc. with food scraps, and then bring your full bucket of compostables at the pick-up site when you pick up your share and we'll have an empty bucket waiting for you. This is good for you and your food, and good for the environment.



Acceptable:
• All fruit and vegetable peelings and pits

• Non greasy food scraps or leftovers

• Rice, pasta, bread, cereal etc.

• Coffee grounds with filter, tea bags

• Hair and nails (animal or human)

• Egg and nut shells

• Cut or dried flowers, wreaths

• Houseplants and potting soil

•Dryer lint

•Vacuum cleaner bag contents

Not acceptable:


• Meat, chicken and fish

• Greasy food scraps

• Fat and oil

• Dairy items: cheese, butter

• Dog or cat feces, kitty litter

• Coal or charcoal

• Coconuts

• Diseased and/or insect-infested houseplants and soil

Thank you CSA member Kris S for the following recipes:

Baked Kale Chips (from smittenkitchen.com)

Adapted from a bunch of inspiring places

1 bunch (about 6 ounces) kale (I used Lacinato or “Dinosaur” Kale but I understand that the curlier stuff works, too, possibly even better)

1 tablespoon olive oil

Sea salt, to taste

Preheat oven to 300°F. Rinse and dry the kale, then remove the stems and tough center ribs. Cut into large pieces, toss with olive oil in a bowl then sprinkle with salt. Arrange leaves in a single layer on a large baking sheet (I needed two because mine are tiny; I also lined mine with parchment for easy clean-up but there’s no reason that you must). Bake for 20 minutes, or until crisp. Place baking sheet on a rack to cool.

Kale-Dusted Popcorn If you’re making the chips with the intention to grind them up for popcorn, I’d use less oil — perhaps half — so they grind without the “powder” clumping. I ground a handful of my chips (about half) in a mortar and pestle (well, actually the “pestle” was MIA so I used the handle of an OXO reamer, not that anyone asked) and sprinkled it over popcorn (1/4 cup popcorn kernels I’d cooked in a covered pot with 1 1/2 tablespoons oil over medium heat, shaking it about with potholders frequently). I seasoned the popcorn with salt. I liked this snack, but I think Parmesan and Kale-Dusted Popcorn would be even more delicious. Next time!

Freezing Greens

So, you've been enjoying all the kale, spinach, and lettuce you can eat. But let's be honest. There might still be some greens left over, and perhaps you are thinking, "Gee, I wish there was some way we could save these greens for later."

Luckily, there is a fast and easy way to preserve greens like kale, chard, spinach and mustard. Greens freeze VERY well, and with a little preparation you can fill your freezer with packets of greens that will make your day in January!

HOW TO DO IT
Wash and chop the greens into roughly 1-2 inch square pieces, removing any tough stems. Then plunge the greens into boiling water for the following periods:

Beet greens, kale, chard, mustard greens, turnip greens, spinach......................................2 minutes

Collards............................……………........................................................................3 minutes



As soon as the cooking time is up, plunge the greens in cold (preferably ice) water to stop the cooking process. Drain VERY well, and pack into storage containers (I use quart ziplock bags). Cool completely, label, and freeze! It is not only delightful, but quite convenient to pull a bag of parboiled greens out of the freezer for use in soups, stews, stir-fry, or for braising or sautéing. The thawed greens will require less cooking than they did when fresh, but, as always, cook to your tenderness preference.



How is it going?

How have your CSA bags been? Have things been squished, wilted, or otherwise not in good shape? How can things be improved upon? Any feedback you can provide will make a positive impact on our operation and on your food. We welcome you, and well, beg you to tell us how we’re doing.

Want Eggs?

If you are interested in getting eggs every week with your CSA share from an organic farmer, let me know and I may be able to arrange this.


Hope your week is fantastic! Kathy

June 15, 2010 CSA Newsletter

Pickup Week #2

Tuesday, June 15th

3pm-6pm

232 S. Birdsey
If there is inclement weather, come to our front porch to pick up your food If the weather is nice, we will be on the right side of the house, sitting in the shade. Please bring your own produce bags to help reduce waste.



This week’s share contains:

chive
lettuce: red & green
mint
oregano
rhubarb
spinach
Kale
edible violets

A Blessing of the Land

Olivet United Church of Christ is holding an informal blessing of the land, its produce, the gardeners and all those who will be recipients of the food grown. This event will occur at the Community Garden on June 16th at 6:30 p.m., rain or shine. Everyone is invited to attend this short service.

Compost Share

You reduce the amount you put into the landfill, and at the same time help us build healthy soil. You fill up an ice cream bucket/coffee can, etc. with food scraps, then bring your full bucket of compostables at the pick-up site when you pick up your share and we'll have an empty bucket waiting for you. This is good for you and your food, and good for the environment.

If you know of others who may want to participate, please pass on this message.

Acceptable:

• All fruit and vegetable peelings and pits

• Non greasy food scraps or leftovers

• Rice, pasta, bread, cereal etc.

• Coffee grounds with filter, tea bags

• Hair and nails (animal or human)

• Egg and nut shells

• Cut or dried flowers, wreaths

• Houseplants and potting soil

•Dryer lint

•Vacuum cleaner bag contents

Not acceptable:
• Meat, chicken and fish

• Greasy food scraps

• Fat and oil

• Dairy items: cheese, butter

• Dog or cat feces, Kitty Litter

• Coal or charcoal

• Coconuts

• Diseased and/or insect-infested houseplants and soil


What’s Happening in the Gardens
The gardens have been getting enough rain and they are growing profusely, as are the weeds. Weeds are taking up a good portion of our time right now. But since the food seems content, we will not complain.

The blue potatoes that were planted are sending up blue leaves and are very striking. The popcorn is growing tall, and the Swiss Chard variety Bright Lights is lovely.

We’ve been having a problem with the flea beetle, which eats holes in the leaves of plants. In last week’s share, the radishes had some damage to the leaves courtesy of the flea beetle. Fortunately, that is the extent of the harm done. Unfortunately, they love a variety of plants and are hard to control. We’ll be trying several different methods to see what works best. As the plants mature, the flea beetles will be less of a problem.

We welcome you to stop out for a tour. The kids are working hard, and all of us are feeling a little proud of our little farm. We’d love to show it to you.

We hope you enjoy this week’s share, and as always, we would love to know how things are going.

Greek-Style Grill Sauce

For lamb, chicken, fish, or vegetables

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

2-3 tbs chopped fresh oregano

2 tsp minced garlic

Juice of one lemon

½ tsp ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients. Use this sauce to drizzle over grilled shoulder-cut lamb chops, chicken breasts, fish steaks, or “grillable” vegetables like eggplant or zucchini (cut into planks). Apply the sauce right after the food comes off the grill. Serve immediately. Inspired by a recipe from How to Cook Meat by Chris Schlesinger and John Willoughby. Makes enough for four servings.



Herbed Greek Salad

½ cup crumbled feta cheese

½ cup sliced black Greek olives

1 cup sliced radishes

¼ cup chopped green onions

2 small cucumbers, thinly sliced

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tbs lemon juice

2 tbs chopped fresh parsley

2 tbs chopped fresh oregano

1 tsp chopped fresh basil

½ tsp chopped fresh thyme

1-2 tsp minced garlic

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine cheese, olives, radishes, green onions, and cucumbers in a large bowl. Combine remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Toss dressing with vegetable mixture. Chill 1-2 hours. Makes 6-8 servings.


Have a fantastic week!

Kale with Caramelized Shallots

Kale with caramelized shallots


2 bunches kale
6 large shallots, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper

In a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat, sauté shallots in 1 tablespoon olive oil for 6-8 minutes or until very soft and caramelized.

Add lemon juice and sauté another 2-3 minutes to brown. Remove from heat and set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cut and remove dried stem ends from kale and submerge whole leaves in boiling water for 2-3 minutes or until tender and bright green. Remove from heat, drain water and cut leaves into bite-size pieces. Add kale to pan with shallots and sauté 1 minute. Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil, season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.  Makes 6 servings

- "Clean Food: A Seasonal Guide to Eating Close to the Source," by Terry Walters (Sterling Epicure, $30)