Pickup Today on the
FRONT PORCH
Be prepared to carry a pumpkin, a watermelon, and your bag of food!

This week’s share:

broccoli

celeriac

cilantro

fennel

green pepper

eggplant

Florence long red onion

Yellow of Parma onion

marjoram

parsley

pumpkin

summer squash

tomato

thyme
sunflower

watermelon

We need a rating!

Can you help us out?

Tell everyone how we’ve been doing

at localharvest.org

Usually around this time of year we are getting the garden tucked in for winter. This year, we are planting new things that will hopefully grow into the winter. We’re using special fabric to cover some of the rows.

People claim you can grow lettuce into December, and I hope they’re right! We have been putting the row covers over the peppers and eggplants. We did this to make it nice and warm in there, so they produce. This week we did get a small amount of both.

New in your bags this week is celeriac. Celeriac will keep in the refrigerator up to one month, or store the root in a cold, moist place for 2 to 3 months. Leaves can be used as an herb in soups and stews.

The whole plant can be eaten. Slice off the stalks at the root, and soak the root in water to loosen dirt in the crevices. Then scrub thoroughly with a vegetable brush. If the exterior is too tough, peel it with a sharp knife.

Peeled celeriac will darken when exposed to air. Just toss it with lemon juice to stop the darkening.

There is a heavy load of herbs in your bag today. Whatever you can’t use now, you can either dry (except cilantro) or freeze for later use.

The watermelons have been spotty – I’ve had three sweet and juicy melons and one that wasn’t sweet at all. I’d like to know how yours were last week. There are more melons this week, too.

We asked another farmer how he manages to get the cilantro ripe when the tomatoes are ripe, and he just said he plants cilantro every two weeks in hopes he gets it right. We will be trying that next year.

Sunflower

You can then dry your sunflowers whereever you want to, as long as it is warm and dry with good ventilation to prevent molding. A small shed might be perfect, or even in your house. You may still want to cover the seed heads with paper bags, especially if drying in an outdoor shed.

The seeds are ready when you hold up the head and rub your hand over the seeds and they fall right out. From there you can eat the seeds, feed them to the birds, or save some to grow next year.

We are struggling to understand how a whole row of radishes, all planted at the same time, are not all ready to be picked at the same time. It is maddening, thinking we’ll have enough radishes for your shares the next week, but then they don’t all ripen. One of the mysteries of nature!

Garlic Parsley Pesto with Pasta

– Madison Herb Society Cookbook

1 cup low fat cottage cheese or part-skim ricotta
 TBS grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup boiling water
½ cup loosely packed fresh parsley
½ cup fresh basil
2 large cloves of garlic
Salt and coarse pepper to taste
3 cups tender-cooked pasta

Have cheeses at room temperature. Blend with remaining ingredients (except pasta) until smooth in blender or food processor. Toss with pasta. This is also good on baked potatoes, cooked rice, or steamed vegetables.

What to do with Fennel:

- add to soups: pureed or chopped
- substitute for celery in most recipes
- bake it, steam it, or sauté it
- use in place of dill – excellent on fish!

What to do with Cilantro:

- chop into pasta or potato salads
- toss fresh leaves into a green salad
- add to soups, stews, and stir-fries

Tangy Celery Salad

1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbs lemon juice
¼ cup lowfat yogurt
1 large or 2 medium celery root
1 tbsp chopped parsley
1 head of radicchio

In a medium bowl, combine mustard, lemon juice, and yogurt. Set aside. With a sharp knife, peel celery root and cut into julienne strips. Add to mustard mixture, mixing well to coat celery root. Cover and marinate overnight. Toss together with cut chives and parsley. Serve on radicchio leaves.

Have a splendid week! ~ Kathy

Pickup Today on the


FRONT PORCH

Be prepared to carry a pumpkin, a watermelon, and your bag of food!

This week’s share:

acorn squash

brussels sprouts

gourds

red, yellow, or bronze onion

popcorn

pumpkin

rutabaga

summer squash

tomato

watermelon

Can you help us out?

Tell everyone how we’ve been doing

at localharvest.org

Have we told you how much we are enjoying growing food for you? We are so thankful that you have entrusted us with the all-important job of feeding you. We hope you have been satisfied, as well! In only five short weeks we will be done for the season. It has gone so fast – we are not ready to be done with 80 degree days.

As we are thinking ahead to next season, we want to know your thoughts and advise on how to make our CSA the best experience you could have. One of the hardest aspects of this profession is knowing that everyone’s tastes and preferences are not all the same. Would you share your thoughts with us? In a few weeks you will receive a survey. You can fill it out anonymously, and please do not worry about hurting our feelings. We are new at this, and we know there are things we can do better. But we need your input in order to improve, so don’t be shy!

In farm-related news, we have picked some of the popcorn for this week’s share. It isn’t ready to pop yet, as it needs more time to dry. Store the ears in a warm, dry, well-ventilated location. Once or twice a week, shell a few kernels and try popping them. When the test kernels are popping well and tasting good, shell and store the rest of the kernels. If the popcorn is "chewy" or the popped kernels are jagged, it is too wet and needs to continue drying.

Store the kernels in sealed, airtight containers. If stored properly, popcorn should retain its popping quality for several years. Unshelled corn should be stored at temperatures near 32F and high relative humidity. The storage location should also be rodent proof.

If stored popcorn fails to pop, it may be too dry. Add 1 tablespoon of water to a quart of popcorn. Cover and shake at frequent intervals until the popcorn has absorbed the water. After 3 or 4 days, test pop a few kernels to see if it is ready. Add more water and repeat the process until the popcorn pops well.

Stuffed Acorn Squash Supreme
1 (6 ounce) package broccoli and cheese flavored rice mix
1 pound turkey breakfast sausage
1 med acorn squash, halved and seeded
1/2 cup chopped apple
2 teaspoons crushed coriander seed
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Prepare rice mix according to package directions; cover, and set aside.
Place squash halves cut side down onto a plate. Cook the squash in a microwave oven for 5 minutes on High, until tender but firm.
In a medium skillet over medium heat, cook sausage until evenly browned; drain, and set aside.
In a large bowl, mix together the prepared rice, sausage, apple, and coriander. Stuff each squash half with the mixture.
Cover stuffed squash halves with plastic wrap, and heat in the microwave until squash is cooked through and soft, about 5 minutes. Remove plastic, and top stuffed squash with cheese. Continue to cook until cheese is melted, about 1 minute.

Jasmine’s Brussels Sprouts

3 cups water
1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 ounces bacon, diced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Bring the water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add Brussels sprouts, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes. They should still be slightly firm. Drain, and rinse with cold water. Slice the sprouts in half, and set aside.

Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and pancetta; cook and stir for about 5 minutes, until garlic is lightly browned. Add the remaining olive oil and Brussels sprouts. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring until the sprouts are well coated with the flavor. Season with salt and pepper, and cook for 5 more minutes before serving.

Have a super week! ~ Kathy

This week’s share:

acorn squash

green, purple & yellow beans  

broccoli

eggplant

hot pepper

pumpkin

summer squash

tomato

watermelon

This Past Week…      

The watermelons are fashionably late, and they are big and juicy! 

How to Store Watermelon
According to The Old Farmer's Almanac, store an uncut watermelon at room temperature.  It should stay fresh for up to a week if the room is warm, over 60 degrees Fahrenheit. If it's kept in a room that stays around 55 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit, an uncut watermelon should stay fresh for up to 10 to fourteen days.

How to Freeze Watermelon
Leftover watermelon can be frozen so you can use it for a recipe later. Simply dice it up and spread it out in one layer on a cookie sheet or two. Place the watermelon in the freezer for several hours until it freezes. Then, remove it from the sheet and place the watermelon in
zippered freezer bags. It should stay fresh for up to 2 weeks in the freezer. Be warned that the mushy texture may not be appealing to everyone, and may be best suited for smoothies.  Enjoy!

For the past week I put a row cover over the eggplant and peppers to keep them warm so they would grow. There were many blossoms, and I’m pleased that the row covering helped us squeak out a few more.  The delicious heirloom eggplants are smaller than the recommended 4-6”, but they will taste great.

The teeny tiny hot peppers started off as a beautiful purple Christmas bulb.  As they mature, some of them turn yellow, some turn orange, and some turn red.  Don’t let their size fool you – they have a bite to them.

The pumpkins this week came from jack-o-lantern seeds.  In the past I’ve had no problem using this type of pumpkin for pie or bread.  There will be more in the weeks to come.

                Soon we will be digging up potatoes.   The blue potatoes are very small, and we are worried about them.  But the vines on the sweet potatoes are gigantic, which hopefully means the  sweet potatoes are, too.

Watermelon Fire & Ice Salsa

3 cups chopped watermelon

1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper

2 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon chopped green onions

1 tablespoon chopped jalapeno pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

In a large bowl, combine the watermelon, green bell pepper, lime juice, cilantro, green onions, jalapeno and garlic salt. Mix well and serve.

Watermelon Muffins

From gourmetkitchen.com

1 1/2 c Flour

2 tsp Baking soda

1 tsp Baking powder

1 pinch  Salt

1/8 tsp Cinnamon

6 tbs Butter; room temperature

2/3 c Sugar

2 Eggs

1/2 c Milk

1/2 c Watermelon juice

1/2 c Watermelon pulp

1/2 c Raisins

Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in large bowl. Cream butter and sugar; add eggs. Whip in milk, juice, pulp and raisins. Add wet mixture to dry ingredients; blend just to incorporate. Fill greased muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake 25 minutes. Transfer to wire rack; cool. Source: Restaurants & Institutions, June 15, 1993

Watermelon Milkshake

From allrecipes.com

1 1/2 cups diced watermelon

2 1/4 cups milk

2 teaspoons white sugar

Process the watermelon and milk together in a blender until smooth. Add the sugar and blend another 10 seconds to incorporate. Serve immediately.

Hope you have a terrific week!  ~ Kathy

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

Pickup Today on the

FRONT PORCH

Be prepared to carry a pumpkin, a watermelon, and your bag of food!

This week’s share:

acorn squash

brussels sprouts

gourds

red, yellow, or bronze onion

popcorn

pumpkin

rutabaga

summer squash

tomato

watermelon

Can you help us out?

Tell everyone how we’ve been doing

at localharvest.org

H

ave we told you how much we are enjoying growing food for you?  We are so thankful that you have entrusted us with the all-important job of feeding you.  We hope you have been satisfied, as well!  In only five short weeks we will be done for the season.  It seems to have gone so fast.
As we are thinking ahead to next season, we want to know your thoughts and advise on how to make our CSA the best experience you could have.  In a few weeks you will receive a survey, which you can fill out anonymously if you would like.   We are new at this, and we know there are things we can do better.  We need your input in order to improve, so don’t be shy!

In farm-related news, we have picked some of the popcorn for this week’s share.  It isn’t ready to pop yet, as it needs more time to dry. Store the ears in a warm, dry, well-ventilated location. Once or twice a week, shell a few kernels and try popping them. When the test kernels are popping well and tasting good, shell and store the rest of the kernels. If the popcorn is "chewy" or the popped kernels are jagged, it is too wet and needs to continue drying.

Store the kernels in sealed, airtight containers. If stored properly, popcorn should retain its popping quality for several years. Unshelled corn should be stored at temperatures near 32F and high relative humidity. The storage location should also be rodent proof.

If stored popcorn fails to pop, it may be too dry. Add 1 tablespoon of water to a quart of popcorn. Cover and shake at frequent intervals until the popcorn has absorbed the water. After 3 or 4 days, test pop a few kernels to see if it is ready. Add more water and repeat the process until the popcorn pops well.

Stuffed Acorn Squash Supreme

1 (6 ounce) package broccoli and cheese flavored rice mix

1 pound turkey breakfast sausage

1 med acorn squash, halved and seeded

1/2 cup chopped apple

2 teaspoons crushed coriander seed

1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Prepare rice mix according to package directions; cover, and set aside.

Place squash halves cut side down onto a plate. Cook the squash in a microwave oven for 5 minutes on High, until tender but firm.

In a medium skillet over medium heat, cook sausage until evenly browned; drain, and set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together the prepared rice, sausage, apple, and coriander. Stuff each squash half with the mixture.

Cover stuffed squash halves with plastic wrap, and heat in the microwave until squash is cooked through and soft, about 5 minutes. Remove plastic, and top stuffed squash with cheese. Continue to cook until cheese is melted, about 1 minute.

Jasmine’s Brussels Sprouts

3 cups water

1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

8 ounces bacon, diced

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Bring the water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add Brussels sprouts, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes. They should still be slightly firm. Drain, and rinse with cold water. Slice the sprouts in half, and set aside.

Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and pancetta; cook and stir for about 5 minutes, until garlic is lightly browned. Add the remaining olive oil and Brussels sprouts. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring until the sprouts are well coated with the flavor. Season with salt and pepper, and cook for 5 more minutes before serving.

Have a super 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

This week’s share:

broccoli
cauliflower
cucumber
wax, purple & green beans
musk melon
red onion
summer squash
tomatoes

This Past Week…


Our vacation to South Dakota was very memorable, and we sincerely THANK YOU for your flexibility. We cannot thank you enough!

This week’s share includes a mix of tomatoes in various stages of ripeness. The green tomatoes will ripen in a few days if you let them sit on your counter.

The ripening of the cauliflower doesn’t seem to happen when we need it to happen. For today, the cauliflower heads have been cut and portioned out so that everyone gets some. You’ll need to refrigerate it promptly.

The musk melon is here! And it is super sweet when ripe. It is likely that yours is not ripe right now. All you will need to do is put it in a brown paper bag on your counter over night, or maybe two nights. Enjoy!

There will be some containers of extra food - cucumbers, squash, and sweet corn. Take as much as you can use or give away. The sweet corn was given to us with instructions that “it must be eaten or frozen by Tuesday.”

The peppers have been appearing, as are the eggplant, and we hope to have some for next week’s share. The watermelon is huge, but are not showing any signs of ripeness yet.

Not to put a damper on things, but signs of fall are also showing up. The pumpkins are huge, and some are turning colors already. The acorn squash have magically appeared while on vacation, and the corn is starting to turn brown.

Speaking of corn, the popcorn is ripe! It will be picked this week and left to dry out so that it will be ready for you to pop this fall. The sweet corn is almost ready, but the ears seem small to me. That doesn’t seem to matter to the raccoons, who have been snacking on it.

As we head toward fall, we have been making plans for next year. One thing we would like to add is a worker-share program. If you have any experience or knowledge of worker share programs, we would love to hear from you. Specifically, what worked well and what did not work so well. Kathy is looking forward to having some help next year!

Cucumber Freezer Pickles

Submitted by Mary Jo, CSA Member

3 ½ cups unpeeled, thinly sliced cucumbers
2 T. sea salt
Salt cucumbers and set aside for 2 hours
Rinse off salt
Add 1 medium onion slice
½ green pepper – sliced or chopped
Add brine to cucumber, onion, and pepper. Mix well and put in freezer containers.

Brine

1 cup sugar
½ cup cider vinegar
¼ tsp celery salt
1/3 tsp mustard seed

Mix all ingredients until sugar is dissolved



Fried Green Tomatoes
From equinoxcommunityfarm.com

4 large green tomatoes
2 eggs
½ cup milk
1 cup all purpose flour
½ c cornmeal
½ cup bread crumbs
2 tsp course kosher salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
1 quart vegetable oil for frying

Slice tomatoes ½ inch think, discard the ends. Whisk eggs and milk together in a medium-size bowl. Scoop flour onto a plate. Mix cornmeal, bread crumbs, and salt and pepper on another plate.

Dip tomatoes into flour to coat. Then dip the tomatoes into milk and egg mixture. Dredge in breadcrumbs to completely coat. In a large skillet, pour vegetable oil (enough so that there is ½ inch of oil in the pan) and heat over a medium heat. Place tomatoes into the frying pan in batches of 4 or 5, depending on the size of your skillet. Do not crowd the tomatoes – they should not touch each other. When the tomatoes are browned, flip and fry them on the other side. Drain on paper towels.

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