tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149787712024-03-07T14:48:43.839-08:00WendyKateUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger259125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14978771.post-91733611467001348882012-03-28T16:17:00.000-07:002012-03-28T16:17:04.787-07:00Winter CSA, Month 5 (March)Here's what was in the <a href="http://boistfortvalleyfarm.com/" target="_blank">Boistfort</a> box we picked up today:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFzjIv_WoL2FCs0Ko9iT05i0VmQTVf7gKVB6cPl4AZt_czTDKD_fo85Ozlkr7C-9GHneP3_dA4yDtiT95N3mcz90iDX1JnxmWILAHgOIaGezoZkIqFmMh9Kwz3OVMZRmxf5aqx/s1600/IMG_2316.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dea="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFzjIv_WoL2FCs0Ko9iT05i0VmQTVf7gKVB6cPl4AZt_czTDKD_fo85Ozlkr7C-9GHneP3_dA4yDtiT95N3mcz90iDX1JnxmWILAHgOIaGezoZkIqFmMh9Kwz3OVMZRmxf5aqx/s320/IMG_2316.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Apples (Fuji)<br />
Beans, dried<br />
Beets<br />
Brussels sprouts<br />
Celery root (a.k.a. celeriac)<br />
Honey!<br />
Italian kale flowers<br />
Kale (red Russian)<br />
Leeks<br />
Onions (red)<br />
Pears (d'Anjou)<br />
Potatoes (red)<br />
Potatoes (Russian banana)<br />
ThymeUnknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14978771.post-12222931551859905382012-03-28T15:33:00.000-07:002012-03-28T15:33:00.378-07:00Swiss Chard with Golden Raisins and Lemon Bread CrumbsMy mom passed along this recipe that she found in <a href="http://www.theolympian.com/2011/06/15/1687393/bread-crumbs-come-into-their-own.html" target="_blank">The Olympian</a> last summer.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTmJnPrYxQpeuXClA12zgZQ965bt6dAGFCmQ7AHFSHquDaMWTW34n9vbTW_VE2pt_3GrQEixzE6MZEOvP7_XmwdlLUwhFsi-xqdXk4hgYEbgXybYY6kM_TTerWE8yb81RpL5os/s1600/IMG_2269.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" nfa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTmJnPrYxQpeuXClA12zgZQ965bt6dAGFCmQ7AHFSHquDaMWTW34n9vbTW_VE2pt_3GrQEixzE6MZEOvP7_XmwdlLUwhFsi-xqdXk4hgYEbgXybYY6kM_TTerWE8yb81RpL5os/s320/IMG_2269.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<strong>Ingredients:</strong><br />
1/2 c. golden raisins<br />
1 bunch Swiss chard (about 1 pound)<br />
1 onion, halved and sliced thinly into half-moons<br />
Olive oil (a few tablespoons)<br />
Freshly pressed garlic (a couple cloves)<br />
1 1/2 t. lemon zest, divided<br />
Crushed red pepper flakes (just a dash)<br />
Coarse salt, to taste<br />
3/4 c. bread crumbs<br />
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste<br />
Lemon juice (a tablespoon or so)<br />
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Put the raisins in a bowl of warm water to soften. Meanwhile, wash the chard and separate the stems from the leaves. Cut the stems into 1-inch slices. Shred the leaves. Heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet, and add the sliced onions. Cook until somewhat soft--4 minutes or so. Then add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the sliced chard stems, 1 teaspoon of the lemon zest, the crushed red pepper flakes, and 1 teaspoon salt. Cover the skillet and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the stems are very tender--20 minutes or so. Meanwhile, combine the bread crumbs, the remaining lemon zest, and a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a small skillet. Stir to coat the bread crumbs with the oil. Add salt to taste. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until the bread crumbs are toasted--5 minutes or so. Then remove them from the skillet and set aside. Once the chard stems are very tender, add the shredded leaves and the softened & drained raisins. Add salt to taste. Continue to cook, stirring often, until the leaves are tender--another 5 minutes or so. Add freshly ground black pepper to taste, along with the lemon juice. If there's a lot of liquid in the pan, drain it. Taste the chard mixture and add more salt if necessary. Sprinkle each serving with toasted lemon bread crumbs.<br />
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<strong>Comments:</strong><br />
This is quite tasty; we all gobbled it up. However, it is rather work intensive, so it's probably best to save it for a day when you have a fair amount of time and energy to devote to a meal. Also, we had it as a main course, but it would probably be better as a side dish.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14978771.post-49711536689928520182012-03-27T15:58:00.000-07:002012-03-28T16:18:16.187-07:00Winter CSA, Month 4 (February). . . and in February's <a href="http://boistfortvalleyfarm.com/" target="_blank">Boistfort</a> box:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS92obhtRHtUK0CyK_mfr6cWjkraz-Ij7IF_FROquI4c8wTpMcRbisSLk8SPVimzAEmcJqbqUUoHWgsD1ecror5-TjXMrC2kCjGUT0G4Q0UfCuq4dhCDeumOvLcOUkB3gcRO4Y/s1600/IMG_2305.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dea="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS92obhtRHtUK0CyK_mfr6cWjkraz-Ij7IF_FROquI4c8wTpMcRbisSLk8SPVimzAEmcJqbqUUoHWgsD1ecror5-TjXMrC2kCjGUT0G4Q0UfCuq4dhCDeumOvLcOUkB3gcRO4Y/s320/IMG_2305.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
Apples (Granny Smith)<br />
Beets (golden)<br />
Black Sheep Creamery cheese (aged Pecorino)<br />
Brussels sprouts<br />
Carrots<br />
Kale (lacinato)<br />
Leeks<br />
Onions (mixed)<br />
Onions (yellow)<br />
Parsley (flat-leaf)<br />
Pears (Bosc)<br />
Potatoes (fingerling)<br />
Potatoes (russet)<br />
Radishes<br />
Santa Lucia whole-bean coffee (Lucy, its namesake, was our doula!)<br />
TurnipsUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14978771.post-85558027106624355352012-03-27T15:51:00.001-07:002012-03-27T15:58:32.667-07:00Winter CSA, Month 3 (January)Here's what was in January's <a href="http://boistfortvalleyfarm.com/" target="_blank">Boistfort</a> box. Yeah, yeah--I know it's almost April. Hey, better late than never, right?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGSeFIqzXBe7YbTYtFW6opA-0xQes06rKfhLbXZmZfUIJko-1BlZ9kK4oBflgYl0s5XLr04obJh4W4ivkKdLmkP_BuYgiTZy-LAB2F9fojbHIoVSXui-UkjK4W0-9bDsLoaUZx/s1600/IMG_2281.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dea="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGSeFIqzXBe7YbTYtFW6opA-0xQes06rKfhLbXZmZfUIJko-1BlZ9kK4oBflgYl0s5XLr04obJh4W4ivkKdLmkP_BuYgiTZy-LAB2F9fojbHIoVSXui-UkjK4W0-9bDsLoaUZx/s320/IMG_2281.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Apples (Braeburn)<br />
Beets (both red and golden)<br />
Black Sheep Creamery cheese (Tin Willow Tomme)<br />
Carrots (orange)<br />
Carrots (purple)<br />
Celery root (2!)<br />
Kale (curly)<br />
Kale (red Russian)<br />
Leeks<br />
Onions (cipollini)<br />
Onions (red)<br />
Parsnips<br />
Pears (d'Anjou)<br />
Potatoes (purple)<br />
Potatoes (Russian banana)<br />
ThymeUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14978771.post-16372827007160126012012-03-27T15:13:00.002-07:002012-03-27T15:13:51.891-07:00Celery-Root MashHello again! It's been a while, hasn't it? <a href="http://boistfortvalleyfarm.com/recipes/recipe.php?recipe=CLCM" target="_blank">This Boistfort recipe</a> should make up for that; it's absolutely delicious. I can't think of any reason I would go back to plain old mashed potatoes after having this. It's just so far superior in flavor--and much healthier, too!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCit_vMsA40x26ArbnOULAQx5C6vh_rPnpEFFcXZUjX_-kDg0Jf80N5_EYyIFCN8zCXihF2qO6rH6vjNNTcy-7tnIM9QhuIPHgzrh61LYGzHlfapj_HhCWpbV3CpQn1mzJ3Xt9/s1600/IMG_2278.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" nfa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCit_vMsA40x26ArbnOULAQx5C6vh_rPnpEFFcXZUjX_-kDg0Jf80N5_EYyIFCN8zCXihF2qO6rH6vjNNTcy-7tnIM9QhuIPHgzrh61LYGzHlfapj_HhCWpbV3CpQn1mzJ3Xt9/s320/IMG_2278.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<strong>Ingredients:</strong><br />
One celery root (a.k.a. celeriac), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice<br />
12 ounces (about 2 1/2 c.) potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces<br />
1/4 c. whipping cream (not whipped cream, mind you!)<br />
2 T. butter<br />
Coarse salt, to taste<br />
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste<br />
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Add the chopped celery root to a pot of boiling salted water, and cook for 8-10 minutes. Then add the potato, and boil both until they're very tender--10 minutes or so longer. Drain, then return them to the same pot. Add the cream and butter, and mash to desired consistency. We like ours fairly smooth but with a few chunks. Add salt and pepper to taste.<br />
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<strong>Comments:</strong><br />
So, so good. It's wrenching to think about making anything else when we get celery root now.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14978771.post-85925156742177327782012-01-23T16:20:00.000-08:002012-01-23T16:20:00.898-08:00Maple-Braised Carnival SquashThis <a href="http://www.boistfortvalleyfarm.com/" target="_blank">Boistfort</a> recipe is incredible. I can barely stand to look at the picture without eating what's in it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6j_bR9SPhLD8pAcM0ok9FJYdzAMdtfUb86NBwB8t1-5X-IgnbrfJWRCTYNHComcatFPu8PYMlfXzmmD9WNSqp3wwRq8i14DjGrWkxIASnCF6g_wfOvJbaRmqFZjXoBgm9UMgY/s1600/IMG_2265.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" nfa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6j_bR9SPhLD8pAcM0ok9FJYdzAMdtfUb86NBwB8t1-5X-IgnbrfJWRCTYNHComcatFPu8PYMlfXzmmD9WNSqp3wwRq8i14DjGrWkxIASnCF6g_wfOvJbaRmqFZjXoBgm9UMgY/s320/IMG_2265.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<strong>Ingredients:</strong><br />
6 T. butter<br />
One 3-to-3 1/2-lb. carnival squash, butternut squash, or other winter squash (halved lengthwise, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch chunks)<br />
1 1/4 c. chicken broth (I made some with Better than Bouillon)<br />
1/3 c. <em>maple</em> syrup (none of that Aunt Jemima fake crap)<br />
1 T. minced fresh thyme leaves (or some dried thyme, which is what I used, because we didn't have any fresh)<br />
Freshly ground black pepper<br />
Coarse salt, to taste<br />
<br />
Melt the butter in a very large, heavy-bottomed skillet over high heat. Add the chunks of squash, and sauté for 1 minute. Add the broth, syrup, and thyme. Bring to a boil. Then cover the skillet and reduce the heat to medium. Continue to cook until the squash is tender--8 minutes or so. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked squash to a bowl. Boil the liquid in the skillet, uncovered, until thickened--4 minutes or so. Return the squash to the skillet, and toss to coat it with the reduced sauce. Add some pepper, then taste and add salt if desired.<br />
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<strong>Comments:</strong><br />
Oh my. This is amazing and decadent.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14978771.post-38883701951747356842012-01-22T14:33:00.000-08:002012-01-22T14:33:00.206-08:00Simple Radish SaladThis is my own creation. It's quick, easy, and tasty.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXfuxE6tKfemhmHdLJhe8Ci6s6OBkiUxXqgakU_CgB1m0nTPcOn3gPRuw92iZcLE5pGJSuvI4i7jtiMJjH6zBqcqRieCfzxMo0vVBH_xIfgfAz9ukQM9dhPKz83mSPPbplUjTj/s1600/IMG_2264.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" nfa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXfuxE6tKfemhmHdLJhe8Ci6s6OBkiUxXqgakU_CgB1m0nTPcOn3gPRuw92iZcLE5pGJSuvI4i7jtiMJjH6zBqcqRieCfzxMo0vVBH_xIfgfAz9ukQM9dhPKz83mSPPbplUjTj/s320/IMG_2264.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<strong>Ingredients:</strong><br />
Radishes, sliced into thin rounds<br />
Red wine vinegar, to taste<br />
Coarse salt, to taste<br />
Fresh or dried herbs, to taste (this time, I used dried oregano)<br />
<br />
Drizzle the radish rounds with vinegar, then sprinkle with salt and herbs. Toss to coat. <br />
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<strong>Comments:</strong><br />
Liam, Annika, and I all gobbled this up at lunchtime a couple weeks ago.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14978771.post-74166095364609750592012-01-21T16:01:00.000-08:002012-01-21T16:01:00.226-08:00Roasted Pork with Carrots and OnionsYet another recipe from <a href="http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/recipes/r-penzeysPorkRoastWithCarrots.html" target="_blank">Penzeys</a>. Their version is waaaaaaay more photogenic than ours.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFBQ3t-aP3zQW_Rv8ErUjK4yWcGv-CbIiEjNhH5EGYiKUieASnGylbLO080-Ln4vkt-6iyqeWU3QBq72aeXA6scU6n-y1fWn4krGxL-coX0tnjk1Sh01rWPbAiUsHfo6V6Qwl8/s1600/IMG_2252.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" nfa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFBQ3t-aP3zQW_Rv8ErUjK4yWcGv-CbIiEjNhH5EGYiKUieASnGylbLO080-Ln4vkt-6iyqeWU3QBq72aeXA6scU6n-y1fWn4krGxL-coX0tnjk1Sh01rWPbAiUsHfo6V6Qwl8/s320/IMG_2252.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<strong>Ingredients:</strong><br />
4-5 lb. pork shoulder roast (we used bone-in, but boneless would work too)<br />
Vegetable oil (a tablespoon or so)<br />
2 T. (or so) pork seasoning (we used Penzeys' <a href="http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/p-penzeys33rdgalena.html" target="_blank">33rd & Galena</a>)<br />
2 onions, sliced into thin rounds<br />
1 lb. carrots, cut into large chunks<br />
1/2 c. (or more) apple juice<br />
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Rinse and pat dry the roast. Rub it with a little vegetable oil, then coat it with the pork seasoning. Place the onions in the middle of a roasting pan, drizzle them with a little oil, and toss to coat. Put the seasoned roast down on top of the onions. Arrange the carrots around the roast, and drizzle them with a little more oil. Roast at 375 degrees F for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 325 degrees F. The roast will need about 2 hours total cooking time if it's bone-in, slightly less if it's boneless. Stir the carrots and any exposed onions every 20 minutes or so during the 2 hours of cooking. After the first hour, sprinkle them with the apple juice. Add more apple juice if everything seems to be drying out too much during roasting.<br />
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<strong>Comments:</strong><br />
We could <em>not </em>figure out how to cut this roast, so we ended up hacking it to pieces. It tasted pretty good, but I'm not sure it meets our criteria for a repeatable meal.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14978771.post-89168591974434218642012-01-20T15:42:00.000-08:002012-01-20T15:42:00.660-08:00Baked Beets and ShallotsThis is another <a href="http://www.penzeys.com/" target="_blank">Penzeys</a> recipe. Don't let the small ingredient list fool you--it's excellent.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs6yU6tRzRZQAIBn6xaykA3CGMPlEvXIuHs0jcmx-jSQr34uumcfxZ7vYPjumsk2wIqeBfJ_-6uKH5TLHJu0IufJ7B_KkAQynDNhKAKdiQ2jRUHxKhzk3TVh3lU_iQGQ6YZe4G/s1600/IMG_2250.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" nfa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs6yU6tRzRZQAIBn6xaykA3CGMPlEvXIuHs0jcmx-jSQr34uumcfxZ7vYPjumsk2wIqeBfJ_-6uKH5TLHJu0IufJ7B_KkAQynDNhKAKdiQ2jRUHxKhzk3TVh3lU_iQGQ6YZe4G/s320/IMG_2250.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<strong>Ingredients:</strong><br />
4-6 beets, cut into large chunks<br />
4-6 shallots, sliced<br />
Olive oil (a tablespoon or so)<br />
Coarse salt, to taste<br />
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste<br />
Freshly pressed garlic (a couple cloves)<br />
1 t. crumbled rosemary<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Put the beets and shallots in a cast-iron skillet, other type of oven-safe & heavy-bottomed skillet, or a heavy metal baking dish. Add the other ingredients, and toss to coat. Cover the skillet with foil, and bake for about 60 minutes. The beets are done when a sharp knife can pierce them fairly easily. Add more salt and pepper to taste, if desired.<br />
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<strong>Comments:</strong><br />
This is such a simple recipe, but it's really quite incredible. We cooked it for a dinner with some dear friends, and everybody raved about it.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14978771.post-52550064635980095412012-01-19T15:33:00.000-08:002012-01-19T15:33:00.826-08:00Shredded Balsamic Brussels Sprouts and ShallotsAnother <a href="http://www.boistfortvalleyfarm.com/" target="_blank">Boistfort Valley Farm</a> recipe.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghtgdS5ylzMWbwxfG7Skz80D0aa0uBGOBpidho9j5dg4yRHfNUHkE6ba4OzVmgyNILxSFCSSrHEpKU-eG1THO_Sh2KeZz-eYSUvIt-nob4WotCHFhq6Q8sBhIXqOTMKY3ZVPnF/s1600/IMG_2240.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" nfa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghtgdS5ylzMWbwxfG7Skz80D0aa0uBGOBpidho9j5dg4yRHfNUHkE6ba4OzVmgyNILxSFCSSrHEpKU-eG1THO_Sh2KeZz-eYSUvIt-nob4WotCHFhq6Q8sBhIXqOTMKY3ZVPnF/s320/IMG_2240.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<strong>Ingredients:</strong><br />
Olive oil (a tablespoon or so)<br />
2 shallots, thinly sliced<br />
3/4 lb. Brussels sprouts, trimmed, cored, and shredded<br />
1/2 c. water<br />
Balsamic vinegar, to taste<br />
Coarse salt, to taste<br />
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste<br />
<br />
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots, and sauté until softened--about 3 minutes. Stir in the Brussels sprouts and water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sprouts are tender--about 8 minutes. Add the balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper.<br />
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<strong>Comments:</strong><br />
This tasted fine, but it was so <em>not</em> worth the tremendous effort of coring and shredding all those darned Brussels sprouts.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14978771.post-49645297230002849862012-01-18T15:25:00.000-08:002012-01-18T16:11:49.184-08:00Chicken Pot PieOkay, I know it's been a long time since I last posted, but hopefully this <em>amazing </em>recipe will make up for my long absence. As a bonus, there'll be a whole lot of recipes to follow in the days to come. (Even though I've been blog-silent, we have indeed been cooking, complete with photo documentation.) <br />
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This is another recipe from a <a href="http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/shophome.html" target="_blank">Penzeys</a> catalog. We've made it two different ways--with puff pastry and with biscuit topping. I know puff pastry might scare some of you away from a calorie standpoint, but calorie-wise, these two come out about even, assuming you only do a top crust with each. However, they do have different features, which I'll point out in the comments.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGSdSYURX1mR-MxjQmD7t_sY4dqK2FHuynbpbOnz8rv2hVkSWUhxpXGDu0w1yV9mb__449qmarQclsGx9WpXt76ab5CN9irXPhfi38UTVrUWZCg1P8jet-p76oFwScI3lMXSvj/s1600/IMG_2243.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" nfa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGSdSYURX1mR-MxjQmD7t_sY4dqK2FHuynbpbOnz8rv2hVkSWUhxpXGDu0w1yV9mb__449qmarQclsGx9WpXt76ab5CN9irXPhfi38UTVrUWZCg1P8jet-p76oFwScI3lMXSvj/s320/IMG_2243.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">with puff pastry</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP_faIcRq72Z-h9-LqC8YsTBLFbrOLomPJJ1xSryV2bqTfkB_SI_QeokV9CXTsPP1miULGx37mfMDGLG1WWUDN3Rq5q04ruK32N6axlM9-S17XMHp9G24ZAokETc2BoyNUlfrX/s1600/IMG_2258.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" nfa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP_faIcRq72Z-h9-LqC8YsTBLFbrOLomPJJ1xSryV2bqTfkB_SI_QeokV9CXTsPP1miULGx37mfMDGLG1WWUDN3Rq5q04ruK32N6axlM9-S17XMHp9G24ZAokETc2BoyNUlfrX/s320/IMG_2258.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">with biscuit topping</span></div>
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<strong>Ingredients:</strong><br />
2 c. <em>cooked,</em> diced chicken<br />
1/4 t. (or so) dried rosemary*<br />
1/4 t. (or so) dried thyme*<br />
1/4 t. (or so) poultry seasoning*<br />
1/4 t. (or so) rubbed sage*<br />
1/4 t. (or so) celery seed*<br />
1/4 t. (or so) herbes de provence*<br />
1/4 t. (or so) curry powder<br />
Ground cayenne pepper, to taste<br />
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste<br />
Puff pastry (1 sheet) or biscuit topping (see recipe below)<br />
Olive oil (a tablespoon or so)<br />
2 stalks celery, diced<br />
1 carrot, diced<br />
1 onion, diced<br />
1 c. potatoes, somewhat finely diced<br />
One 13-oz. can coconut milk<br />
2 t. chicken base (I use Better than Bouillon)<br />
2 T. flour (to thicken)<br />
1-2 c. frozen mixed vegetables, or a mixture of fresh veggies if it's summertime<br />
1/2 to 1 c. water<br />
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Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. If you don't have 2 c. cooked and diced chicken, cook and dice some before proceeding. Mix together all the herbs/spices and set aside. If using puff pastry, take it out of the freezer to thaw. Lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish and set aside. Heat the olive oil in a stock pot over medium heat. Add the celery, carrot, onion, and potatoes. Cook until softened, 4-5 min. Stir in the coconut milk and the chicken base, and cook until heated through--about 2 min. Add the flour. Cook, stirring, until the gravy is fairly thick. Add the pre-mixed herbs/spices, along with the cooked chicken and the frozen veggies. Stir until heated through. Add water to thin the gravy to the desired consistency. Then pour the mixture into the greased baking dish. If using biscuit topping, proceed to the recipe below. If using puff pastry, press/roll it out until it's big enough to cover the baking dish. Drape it over the dish, then pinch it around the edges of the dish to seal in the filling. Cut a few slits in the top of the puff pastry, and bake at 375 degrees F for 50-60 minutes, until the top is nicely browned.<br />
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*You don't absolutely have to use all of these if you don't have them on hand. (Case-in-point: I didn't have any celery seed, and the pie still turned out great.) Just use this list as a general guideline.<br />
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<strong>Biscuit-Topping Ingredients (if not using puff pastry):</strong><br />
1 3/4 c. flour (plus some extra for rolling out the topping)<br />
1 t. salt<br />
1 T. baking powder<br />
4 T. butter, softened<br />
1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper<br />
1/4 t. granulated garlic powder<br />
1 t. crumbled dried rosemary (optional)<br />
3/4 c. milk<br />
1 egg yolk mixed with 1 T. water (optional)<br />
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Sift flour, salt, and baking powder into a large bowl. Add the butter, spices, and milk. Stir well. Dust your rolling surface and a rolling pin with flour, then roll out the topping gently and evenly, turning twice. Make sure it's big enough to cover the baking dish. Drape it over the dish and seal the edges with a fork. Cut a few slits in the crust. Brush with the egg-yolk mixture if you want a deep golden crust. Bake at 375 degrees F for 50-60 minutes, until the top is nicely browned.<br />
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<strong>Comments:</strong><br />
This is delicious. I never would have thought to use coconut milk in a pot pie, but it's an amazing touch, as is the spice mixture. My mouth is watering just thinking about this meal. The puff-pastry version was wonderfully buttery and flaky. The biscuit-topping version had a pleasant crunchiness, with a nice rosemary flavor boost. Either way you make it, you're in for a treat.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14978771.post-75936240186118520952012-01-03T16:05:00.000-08:002012-01-03T16:06:44.571-08:00Barley SoupThis recipe from <a href="http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/shophome.html" target="_blank">Penzeys</a> is a cheap, easy, and tasty cold-weather classic. It's also great if you're recovering from illness, as I found out recently when I made it for some friends recovering from The Stomach Plague of 2011 . . . which we passed along to them. Sorry, Goffs! I imagine you enjoyed the gift of soup more than the gift of nausea that preceded it.<br />
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The soup's ingredient list is quite flexible. For example, you can add more carrots or leave out celery, depending on what you have on hand.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_KaZmTXeHGNSGMB-x1PDNuX6DajEBezM19t-M49tnro8wW741EZMctlKcr03JLDsdK6ybcz9JX0tLMtvgubChbxY2Skyku9ZVRgmBO4Px1NSvYzavdSrWnbnKIaxqGrqjoyEh/s1600/IMG_2238.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_KaZmTXeHGNSGMB-x1PDNuX6DajEBezM19t-M49tnro8wW741EZMctlKcr03JLDsdK6ybcz9JX0tLMtvgubChbxY2Skyku9ZVRgmBO4Px1NSvYzavdSrWnbnKIaxqGrqjoyEh/s320/IMG_2238.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<strong>Ingredients:</strong><br />
6 c. beef, chicken, or vegetable broth (or 6 c. water and 6 t. Better Than Bouillon, which is what I used)<br />
1/2 c. pearled barley<br />
2 carrots, finely chopped<br />
2 stalks celery, finely chopped<br />
2 small potatoes, finely chopped<br />
1 onion, finely chopped<br />
2 cloves garlic, minced<br />
1/3 c. (or so) fresh parsley, chopped<br />
Salt, to taste<br />
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste<br />
<br />
Add everything to a stock pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 50-60 minutes, until the barley is soft.<br />
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<strong>Comments:</strong><br />
I'm making it again this week!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14978771.post-75208161370059276392011-12-15T15:16:00.000-08:002011-12-15T15:16:48.276-08:00Baked Delicata Squash with Apple FillingThis is another <a href="http://www.boistfortvalleyfarm.com/recipes/recipe.php?recipe=SQDL" target="_blank">Boistfort</a> recipe. I like what Heidi and Mike posted about the recipe: "Get crazy when it comes to filling choices and use up your carrots or fennel or whatever. This dish is the meaning of fall. We often top with a little cheese and have even been known to add sausage to filling."<br />
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<strong>Ingredients:</strong><br />
1 delicata squash<br />
1 apple, chopped*<br />
1 stalk celery, chopped<br />
1/4 c. (or so) leeks, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced<br />
1/4 c. (or so) slivered almonds or chopped walnuts<br />
Butter (a tablespoon or so)<br />
Water (a couple tablespoons)<br />
Salt, to taste<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cut the delicata squash in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds, and compost them. Place the squash halves facedown in a shallow, ovenproof dish. Add about a quarter-inch of water to the dish. Combine the remaining ingredients (except the salt) in another small, ovenproof dish. Cover this dish with foil (or a lid, if it's fancy like that. I used a glass loaf pan, so foil it was for me). Put both dishes in the preheated oven, and bake for 45 minutes or so--until the squash is tender. Stir the filling once or twice during baking, re-covering it each time. Once everything is cooked, salt the squash halves. Add salt to the filling to taste, then scoop the filling into the squash halves.<br />
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*We rarely peel our produce (apples, beets, carrots, potatoes, etc.). It just doesn't seem necessary, because the texture of the peel doesn't bother any of us, it's often quite nutritious, and since we're using organic produce, we don't need to worry about the pesticides that would otherwise be present in large amounts in the peel.<br />
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<strong>Comments:</strong><br />
Tasty. Liam and Annika loved it especially well. Steve and I liked it a lot too but felt that it could use a bit more salt to balance out the sweetness of the delicata and the apples. (We didn't sprinkle the filling with salt, but I added that to the recipe above, and we'll do it next time.)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14978771.post-54639822710118332682011-12-14T15:33:00.000-08:002011-12-14T15:33:45.022-08:00Winter CSA, Month 2 (December)Here's what was in this month's box from <a href="http://www.boistfortvalleyfarm.com/" target="_blank">Boistfort</a>:<br />
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Apples (cameo)<br />Beets<br />
Cabbage (red)<br />
Carrots (purple)<br />
Celery Root (a.k.a. celeriac)<br />
Chard<br />
Garlic<br />
Kale<br />
Leeks<br />
Onions (yellow)<br />
Parsley (Italian, a.k.a. flat-leaf)<br />
Pears (d'Anjou)<br />
Potatoes (Yukon gold and French fingerling)<br />
Radishes<br />
Winter Squash (carnival, delicata, and orange kabocha)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14978771.post-60208063876948561222011-12-09T13:42:00.001-08:002011-12-14T15:17:09.378-08:00Buttercup Squash and Leek SoupHere's another delicious, easy soup recipe for you. This one uses buttercup squash (different from butter<em>nut</em> squash). The recipe comes from <a href="http://www.boistfortvalleyfarm.com/recipes/recipe.php?recipe=BSQL" target="_blank">Boistfort</a>. I made a half recipe, and it yielded about 4 servings. You can easily double the ingredient amounts if you want a bigger batch of soup.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghBH3dtIYUVxsx8uUmqnym76D4bOrFGsP5YDbuK5QV_xGKXA50XEJrzvucr-JTalx_YQ7S2t5dg7XPuWqmKMW_4KY2_8hQPk9WTjlcfIgxz90Nu-julj4Z7Cc4XMDc-fmGpmNe/s1600/IMG_2233.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" mda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghBH3dtIYUVxsx8uUmqnym76D4bOrFGsP5YDbuK5QV_xGKXA50XEJrzvucr-JTalx_YQ7S2t5dg7XPuWqmKMW_4KY2_8hQPk9WTjlcfIgxz90Nu-julj4Z7Cc4XMDc-fmGpmNe/s320/IMG_2233.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">I know this looks a whole lot like the <a href="http://wendykate.blogspot.com/2011/11/esaus-soup.html" target="_blank">Esau's Soup</a> I posted last week, but I promise it's not the same photo.</span></div>
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<strong>Ingredients:</strong><br />
2 c. (or so) sliced leeks--white and light-green parts only<br />
1 medium buttercup squash, peeled, seeded, and chopped<br />
1/4 c. dry white wine (e.g., Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay)<br />
3 c. chicken stock (or 3 c. water and 3 t. Better than Bouillon organic chicken base, which is what I used)<br />
Salt, to taste (I didn't add very much)<br />
White pepper, to taste (start small, because it can be powerful stuff)<br />
Chopped fresh chives, for garnish (optional; I didn't use them because I didn't have any--my garden is sleeping until spring)<br />
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Put the sliced leeks, chopped squash, white wine, and chicken stock into a stock pot. Cover the pot and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes--until the squash is tender. Remove the pot from the heat and let cool for 15 minutes or so. <em>Carefully </em>purée the soup with an immersion blender (a regular blender will work too). Add salt and white pepper to taste. Garnish with chives if desired.<br />
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<strong>Comments:</strong><br />
This soup is smooth, thick, and delicious. We all loved it. The white pepper is a perfect touch; I don't recommend skipping it unless you absolutely can't find some.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14978771.post-26713592616635086362011-12-05T15:03:00.001-08:002011-12-06T10:46:40.646-08:00Sweet-Potato Black-Bean "Enchiladas"I saw this recipe in a recent <a href="http://www.penzeys.com/" target="_blank">Penzeys</a> catalog, and it looked too tasty and intriguing to pass up.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ipfJjb1v_8Gm6DKMtKlpIVq3WpGpjaYP8uzyqv4N4Ikqos1SLqkZGbbNrRrpNl8ZkYFMRtwsxZA2B_dZmIzNfWL91B9pFGanwfZC6UhF16OgyPEdJZaKAzFEqe-7PqEPtCaT/s1600/IMG_2232.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dda="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ipfJjb1v_8Gm6DKMtKlpIVq3WpGpjaYP8uzyqv4N4Ikqos1SLqkZGbbNrRrpNl8ZkYFMRtwsxZA2B_dZmIzNfWL91B9pFGanwfZC6UhF16OgyPEdJZaKAzFEqe-7PqEPtCaT/s320/IMG_2232.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">In retrospect, I really wish I'd cut the "enchilada" open so you could see the filling in this photo.</span></div>
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<strong>Ingredients:</strong><br />
2 large sweet potatoes, diced (no need to peel them)<br />
1/2 c. shoyu (soy sauce) or tamari<br />
1 c. apple cider vinegar, divided<br />
1 T. (or so) neutral-tasting cooking oil (I used canola)<br />
2 leeks, thinly sliced<br />
4 cloves garlic, chopped<br />
1/2 lb. chorizo (optional; we opted for it)<br />
1 t. (or so) cumin<br />
Red pepper flakes, to taste<br />
One 15-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed (or about 1/2 c. dried black beans, soaked overnight)<br />
3 c. (or so) shredded cheddar, divided<br />
Flour tortillas (6 big ones if you want huge enchiladas, or maybe 12 medium ones for more reasonable-sized portions. I used 6 huge ones and ended up eating half of one, because it was ridiculously enormous.)<br />
Salsa<br />
Sour cream<br />
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Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Put the potatoes, shoyu/tamari, and 2/3 c. of the apple cider vinegar into a large saucepan over medium-ish heat. Bring the liquid to a boil. Cover the saucepan and boil, stirring occasionally, until the sweet potatoes are very soft and the liquid is mostly absorbed (30 minutes or so).* Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks and garlic, stir to coat, then add the chorizo and cumin and cook until everything is wonderfully fragrant and the chorizo is cooked through. Add the remaining 1/3 c. of apple cider vinegar, the pepper flakes, and the black beans. Turn the heat down to medium-low, cover the pan, and continue to cook until it looks and smells too delicious not to taste. When the sweet potatoes are soft, mash them (but leave them somewhat lumpy). Combine the sweet potatoes with the chorizo/bean deliciousness, and stir in 1 c. of the cheddar. Divide the mixture evenly between the tortillas. Fold and roll each filled tortilla <a href="http://ihavetosay.typepad.com/randi/2010/07/how-to-make-a-chimichanga.html" target="_blank">the way you would a chimichanga</a> (go to the link and scroll down for photos of this process; skip the toothpick part unless you want to be picking splinters out of your teeth). Snuggle the filled tortillas together in a lightly greased 9x13" pan. Even if you pack them super tightly, you may end up needing a smaller auxiliary pan to hold the overflow tortillas. Top the tortillas with the rest of the cheddar. Bake them at 375 degrees F for 25 minutes, or until the cheese starts to bubble. Then broil them for 3-5 minutes more, until the cheese is golden brown. Serve with salsa and sour cream.<br />
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*I actually had a lot of trouble with this step. I cooked those darned sweet potatoes for a <em>long </em>time, and I kept having to add more vinegar and shoyu, because it was absorbing (I suspect it was actually evaporating) at a rapid rate, while the sweet potatoes remained resolutely firm. I think part of the issue was that I cut the sweet potatoes into large-ish chunks. Dice would've cooked through more quickly. I've also upped the amount of liquid in the recipe to help, and I think covering the saucepan (which the source recipe didn't mention and I didn't do) should keep the liquid around longer. I'll admit that the instructions I've posted in the recipe are a bit of a guess; I'll update the recipe more firmly once I've tried my new method (I'd welcome your comments if you try it). It's possible that you may actually end up needing to uncover the saucepan to allow some liquid to evaporate once the sweet potatoes soften. I do think this recipe is worth a try, though. After all, I loved the finished product despite the procedural difficulties.<br />
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<strong>Comments:</strong><br />
These were delicious. We all liked them well, and we'll definitely make them again. The cheese on top formed a delicious crust on the flour tortillas, and the filling had a wonderful spicy-sweetness to it. I put <em>enchiladas </em>in quotation marks in the recipe title, because these are not like any enchiladas I've ever had. I'm used to my enchiladas being made with corn tortillas and drenched in sauce. These were much drier (prior to the application of salsa and sour cream). And in texture, they were really more like chimichangas, though without the deep-frying.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14978771.post-43752115853061736592011-11-29T10:36:00.001-08:002011-11-30T15:45:52.983-08:00Esau's SoupI originally got this recipe from a <a href="http://www.penzeys.com/" target="_blank">Penzeys</a> catalog; it was called Red, Red Soup. When looking [unsuccessfully] for a link to it, I found a virtually identical version <a href="http://lollygirl.com/blog/2008/02/26/esaus-soup" target="_blank">here</a>. The soup's two names come from the biblical account of Jacob and Esau--specifically the time when a very tired and hungry Esau (who, as an interesting side note, was very red and hairy at birth) got home, saw Jacob cooking some lentil stew, and demanded, "Give me some of that red stew!"<br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">As you can see, this soup, unlike Jacob's, is not in fact red. But don't let that deter you.</span></div>
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<strong>Ingredients:</strong><br />
Olive oil (a couple tablespoons)<br />
1 onion, roughly chopped<br />
2 celery stalks, roughly chopped<br />
2 carrots, roughly chopped<br />
1 potato, roughly chopped<br />
The cloves from 1 garlic bulb, peeled and roughly chopped<br />
At least 1 c. red lentils (I probably used about 1 1/2 c.)<br />
6 c. vegetable or chicken broth (or 6 c. of water and 6 t. of Better than Bouillon, which is what I used)*<br />
2 bay leaves<br />
2 lemons, halved (if you're using lemons that are really big, you might want to use just one)<br />
Ground cumin (1/2 t. or so)<br />
Ground cayenne, to taste<br />
Salt, to taste (I didn't add much at all, because I didn't think it needed much)<br />
Fresh parsley, chopped (optional; I didn't use it, because I didn't have any)<br />
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Heat the oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Add the onions, and cook until soft--about 5 minutes. Then add the celery, carrots, potato, and <em>half </em>of the chopped garlic. Cook for a few more minutes, stirring occasionally, until the veggies begin to soften a bit. Add the lentils and the broth, stir to combine, and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover the pot, and simmer the soup for about 20 minutes. Then add the bay leaves, the remaining garlic, and two of the lemon halves (save the other two for later). Cook for 10 more minutes, then remove the bay leaves and compost them. Using tongs, squeeze the juice from the cooked lemon halves and stir it into the soup. Squeeze the juice from the two fresh lemon halves as well, and stir it into the soup too. Compost all the lemon halves. Using an immersion blender or a regular blender (in batches, if the latter), <em>carefully</em> purée the soup. Stir in the cumin, cayenne, and salt. Garnish individual servings with parsley (if using) and an extra dash of cayenne, if you like.<br />
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* Both source recipes called for only 4 c. of broth, so that's what I initially added. Once I puréed it, it was so thick that it was kind of like a cross between mashed potatoes and soup. I wanted it a bit soupier, so I added some extra broth. It was still nice and thick the way I made it.<br />
<br />
<strong>Comments:</strong><br />
This was absolutely delicious--we all thought so. It was so creamy and flavorful that Steve almost couldn't believe it didn't have any cream in it. I have a feeling it will be making its way into our stock pot on a regular basis this winter. The lemon and cumin were great touches. And I love that the soup is so inexpensive to make!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14978771.post-26205142260379623642011-11-25T15:49:00.000-08:002011-11-26T11:23:46.961-08:00Garlic Mashed ParsnipsI've occasionally heard people talk about mashing parsnips like potatoes, and since I have so many parsnips on hand right now, I decided to try it. This particular recipe comes from <a href="http://www.lifeasaplate.com/2010/11/03/garlic-mashed-parsnips/" target="_blank">here</a>. I made 3 pounds' worth of mash, but I'll do what the recipe's creator did and list amounts for a 1-pound recipe instead.<br />
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<br />
<strong>Ingredients:</strong><br />
1 lb. parsnips, chopped into big pieces<br />
4-6 cloves of garlic, peeled but not chopped (you could use granulated garlic instead)<br />
1/3 c. (or so) milk<br />
1 t. dried parsley (you could use chopped fresh parsley instead)<br />
1 T. butter<br />
Salt, to taste<br />
Freshly ground pepper, to taste<br />
<br />
Put the parsnips in a pot and cover them generously with cold water. Bring the water to a boil. Add the garlic cloves to the boiling water, and continue boiling until the parsnips are tender. Drain. Add the milk, parsley, and butter, and mash everything together. (I, like the recipe's creator, used an immersion blender, and it worked well. You could also use a food processor or even a mixer.) Once everything is mashed up, taste the mixture and then add salt and pepper as desired.<br />
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<strong>Comments:</strong><br />
These are really yummy. I'm glad I made such a big batch, because we're going to enjoy the leftovers!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14978771.post-15135414969132468622011-11-24T15:47:00.000-08:002011-11-24T15:47:00.883-08:00Italian Kale with Almonds and RaisinsHappy American Thanksgiving, everyone! In honor of Thanksgiving, here's a thoroughly unThanksgiving recipe. (That doesn't mean it doesn't make you want to give thanks!)<br />
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I've cooked with kale before, but this is the first time I've used Italian kale (a.k.a. lacinato kale). I got the recipe from <a href="http://www.boistfortvalleyfarm.com/recipes/recipe.php?recipe=IKAR" target="_blank">Boistfort</a>. I know a lot of my recipes lately have come from their site; they just have such a great database of recipes! You could make this with regular kale instead if you don't have any lacinato.<br />
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<br />
<strong>Ingredients:</strong><br />
1 bunch lacinato (or regular) kale<br />
1 T. olive oil, divided<br />
1/4 c. (or so) slivered almonds<br />
4-6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced<br />
1/3 c. water<br />
1/4 c. (or so) raisins<br />
1/2 t. salt (Seriously, start with just this much. You can always add more after cooking if you want.)<br />
<br />
Remove the stems from the kale, and save them for another recipe (or compost them). Coarsely chop the kale greens. Heat 1/2 T. of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the almonds and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until they're beautifully golden and fragrant. Remove the almonds from the skillet and set aside. Add the remaining 1/2 T. of olive oil to the skillet, along with the sliced garlic. Cook for a minute or two, stirring frequently, until the garlic starts to brown just a little. Don't let it burn, though. Add the water, kale, raisins, and salt. Toss/stir to coat. Cover the skillet and cook until kale is tender (about 8 minutes), stirring once halfway through the cooking time. Stir in the almonds.<br />
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<strong>Comments:</strong><br />
This is simple and delicious; it's got great flavor without being overwhelmingly salty. Of everyone at the table, Steve was its biggest fan. He thought it was fantastic.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14978771.post-41827055929089087572011-11-23T15:31:00.000-08:002011-11-23T15:31:00.336-08:00Celery-Root BisqueThis is actually a hybrid recipe of <a href="http://www.boistfortvalleyfarm.com/recipes/recipe.php?recipe=CRBT" target="_blank">this one</a> and <a href="http://www.boistfortvalleyfarm.com/recipes/recipe.php?recipe=DCPS" target="_blank">this one</a> from the Boistfort site. This is my first experience cooking with celery root.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzsVMSVvnEkGRPzycyrBmaRWFbV5OKreXzaWEnA0ESSo8F-CKNLOntl6aEkI8R0agTs3tjSzcvBjeN01SGfDWPRTHlg8hCP9XZw2Zr0Tq7grtPq1tVjzX0Bfc_4MDsjhoglZBn/s1600/IMG_2224.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzsVMSVvnEkGRPzycyrBmaRWFbV5OKreXzaWEnA0ESSo8F-CKNLOntl6aEkI8R0agTs3tjSzcvBjeN01SGfDWPRTHlg8hCP9XZw2Zr0Tq7grtPq1tVjzX0Bfc_4MDsjhoglZBn/s320/IMG_2224.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<strong>Ingredients:</strong><br />
2 tablespoons butter <br />
1 tablespoon olive oil <br />
2 large leeks (white and pale green parts only), thinly sliced (about 2 c.) <br />
1 large onion, chopped <br />
Celery root (celeriac), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 5 1/2 c.) <br />
Russet potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 12 oz.)<br />
2 c. chopped celery stalks (including leaves) <br />
1 1/2 t. minced fresh thyme <br />
1 bay leaf <br />
7 c. chicken broth (or 7c. water and 7 t. chicken base, which is what I used)<br />
1/3 c. whipping cream<br />
Salt, to taste<br />
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste<br />
Additional chopped fresh thyme (as a garnish)<br />
<br />
Melt the butter with the oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. When sizzling subsides, add the leeks and onion, and sauté for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the celery-root cubes, potato cubes, chopped celery, 1 1/2 t. thyme, and the bay leaf. Add broth, increase heat to high, and bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 40 minutes. Compost bay leaf (oops--I forgot to do this and puréed it together with everything else). Using immersion blender, carefully purée soup in pot. (Alternately, carefully purée in batches in a regular blender or food processor.) Stir cream into soup. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with additional chopped thyme.<br />
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</div>
<strong>Comments:</strong><br />
This is very, <em>very </em>good. It's smooth, rich (but not overly so), and has a beautiful celery flavor. The chopped thyme sprinkled on top complements the flavor of the bisque so well.<br />
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Happy birthday, Steve!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14978771.post-37907887010809852102011-11-22T15:43:00.000-08:002011-11-22T15:43:00.262-08:00Stir-Fried Radish GreensI've been holding on to this recipe for months now, waiting for another bunch of radishes. I found the recipe <a href="http://www.ehow.com/how_5620696_use-radish-greens.html" target="_blank">here</a>, though I've since found several similar ones elsewhere online.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ePsl-k_1CG89PwxqiW0QBvXZ5f0vFguIHzjAyq73hICU5DhbZBMhYMFuBvDTiJKnZcn8KnwGTPIH0jzxJJ1HtWsuRGDhL5iRtTV2hyphenhyphen_CxvFp0gQq-VIJ99sbcwIjpAfHhYbS/s1600/IMG_2220.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ePsl-k_1CG89PwxqiW0QBvXZ5f0vFguIHzjAyq73hICU5DhbZBMhYMFuBvDTiJKnZcn8KnwGTPIH0jzxJJ1HtWsuRGDhL5iRtTV2hyphenhyphen_CxvFp0gQq-VIJ99sbcwIjpAfHhYbS/s320/IMG_2220.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<strong>Ingredients:</strong><br />
1 T. (or so) sesame oil<br />
Freshly pressed garlic (a couple cloves)<br />
Radish greens (1 bunch), roughly chopped<br />
1 T. (or so) shoyu (soy sauce) or tamari<br />
1 t. (or so) rice vinegar<br />
Hot sauce, to taste (we used <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sriracha_sauce" target="_blank">Sriracha</a>)<br />
<br />
Put the sesame oil and garlic in a small, unheated skillet. Put over medium heat and cook until the garlic is sizzling and fragrant but not browned. Add the radish greens and stir/toss to combine. Continue cooking until the radish greens are wilted and tender--a couple minutes. Transfer the greens and garlic to a small bowl (discarding any liquid left in the skillet). Add the shoyu and rice vinegar to the greens, and toss to combine. Add hot sauce to taste. You can add the hot sauce to individual servings if desired.<br />
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<strong>Comments:</strong><br />
These were absolutely delicious; I look forward to repeating the recipe. The one downside is that radish greens reduce so much during cooking that we were left with a total of maybe half a cup once I cooked them. One of the similar recipes I found mentioned using chard in addition to the radish greens or instead of them. That could definitely increase the yield and subsequent deliciousness.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14978771.post-58592610289120693372011-11-21T15:57:00.000-08:002011-11-21T15:57:00.580-08:00Twice-Baked PotatoesI've always been intrigued by the idea of twice-baked potatoes. They just seem like one of those naughty, delicious comfort foods that immediately decrease artery function by 50 percent. This is the first time I've ever made them, and it's also the first time I've ever tasted them. I got the recipe from <a href="http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/shophome.html" target="_blank">Penzeys</a>. I won't say it's healthy, but I think it's downright artery-friendly compared to some T-B-P recipes.<br />
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<br />
<strong>Ingredients:</strong><br />
2 medium russet potatoes<br />
1 T. butter<br />
1/2 c. (or so) cheese (I used shredded white cheddar)<br />
2 T. sour cream or Greek yogurt<br />
Seasoning of choice, to taste (I used <a href="http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/p-penzeysnorthwoods.html" target="_blank">Northwoods Seasoning</a>)<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Poke the potatoes several times with a fork. Bake them right on the oven rack for 1 hour, then remove them from the oven (but keep the oven on). Let the potatoes cool until you can handle them without burning yourself. Cut each one in half lengthwise. Scoop out the innards, leaving just enough potato in the skins so that they keep their shape. Put the potato innards into a bowl along with the butter, and break up/stir until the butter is melted. Add the cheese, sour cream, and seasoning. Mash everything together. Then scoop the mixture back into the potato skins. Put them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (foil should work too). Bake for 15 minutes, then broil for another 5 minutes until they're pleasantly browned.<br />
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<strong>Comments:</strong><br />
Yum. These were a hit.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14978771.post-53233584480361096112011-11-20T15:40:00.001-08:002011-11-20T15:56:05.370-08:00Apple-Cinnamon-Raisin OatmealI know this one is a little out-there for a CSA recipe, but we did indeed get apples in our CSA box this month, so it's not cheating to post this! I came up with this particular iteration of the apple-cinnamon-raisin-oatmeal concept on my own, though I realize many people have done this before me.<br />
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<strong>Ingredients:</strong><br />
4 c. water<br />
2 c. rolled oats<br />
1/4 c. (or so) raisins<br />
1 1/2 t. (or so) ground cinnamon<br />
1 large-ish apple, chopped<br />
Brown sugar, to taste (I probably used about 1/4 c.)<br />
<br />
Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the oats to the boiling water and stir. Reduce heat so the mixture is barely simmering. Cook for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the raisins, and continue cooking for another couple minutes, until the liquid is fairly well absorbed and the oatmeal is the desired consistency. (If it gets too thick, you can add a little water or milk to thin it out a bit.) Remove the saucepan from the heat, and stir in the cinnamon, apple, and brown sugar.<br />
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<strong>Comments:</strong><br />
This was a perfect breakfast for a snowy Saturday morning (a rarity around here). Everybody liked the oatmeal; Liam and Annika were particularly vocal and enthusiastic in their enjoyment. Steve thought it could stand to be a bit sweeter, but that problem can be easily remedied by having more brown sugar available for individual servings. I figure it's better to err on the side of not-sweet-enough and let people add more sugar as they see fit.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14978771.post-33609608722162208822011-11-19T15:52:00.000-08:002011-11-19T15:52:00.155-08:00Sautéed ChanterellesI was thrilled to see <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanterelle" target="_blank">chanterelles</a> in our share this month. I've heard rave reviews but have never (before now) had occasion to verify them for myself. This recipe comes from <a href="http://www.boistfortvalleyfarm.com/recipes/recipe.php?recipe=CHST" target="_blank">Boistfort</a>.<br />
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<strong>Ingredients:</strong><br />
Butter (a tablespoon or so)<br />
Olive oil (a tablespoon or so)<br />
Fresh chanterelles (half a pound or so), halved or quartered depending on size<br />
Dry white wine (a splash or two)<br />
Coarse salt, to tast<br />
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste<br />
Chopped fresh herb of choice (I used about a tablespoon of chopped fresh thyme)<br />
Lemon juice, to taste <br />
<br />Melt butter with oil in a skillet over moderately high heat. Once the foaming mixture quiets down, add the chanterelles and sauté, stirring frequently, for 4 minutes or so. Then add the salt, pepper, and wine. Cook, stirring frequently, for a few more minutes--until the wine has evaporated and the chanterelles are pleasantly tender. Transfer the chanterelles (but not the remaining butter/oil mixture) to a bowl. Add the chopped herbs and lemon juice, and toss to coat.<br />
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<strong>Comments:</strong> <br />
Mmmmmmm. Chanterelles definitely deserve the rave reviews. And this method of preparing them definitely bears repeating.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14978771.post-60085510109619171462011-11-17T16:01:00.001-08:002011-11-18T21:51:48.991-08:00Black Bean SoupThis is one of our trusty stand-by recipes. It ranks among my favorites because it is:<br />
<br />
1. inexpensive,<br />
2. easy,<br />
3. healthy, and<br />
4. delicious.<br />
<br />
I got the original recipe from <a href="http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008/02/crockpot-black-bean-soup-recipe.html" target="_blank"">Stephanie O'Dea</a> (a.k.a. The Crock-Pot Lady). A bonus about her slow-cooker blog is that almost all the recipes are gluten free. Which I'm not. But I know lots of people who are, so I can still appreciate it! <br />
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I'm not sure which labels/tags to attach to this recipe, because you really could probably use almost any veggie combination you wanted in it. I've tried lots of different veggies. This time around, I used a couple large carrots, some radishes, and some corn that I had in the freezer from our Pigman's summer CSA.<br />
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<strong>Ingredients:</strong><br />
Black beans (three 15-oz. cans, drained and rinsed, or about 1 1/2 c. dry beans that you've soaked overnight and then drained)<br />
Tomatoes (one 15-oz. can [I use diced with green chiles] or a couple fresh tomatoes, chopped)<br />
Your choice of veggies, chopped if needed (a pound or so. I've used a bag of unthawed frozen organic veggies in the past, and that works great too.)<br />
3 c. broth (or 3 t. Organic Better than Bouillon base and 3 c. water)<br />
Hot sauce, to taste (enough to add flavor but not a lot of heat)<br />
Garnishes (any or all of the following: shredded cheese, sour cream, cilantro, avocado, lime wedges, more hot sauce)<br />
Tortilla chips<br />
<br />
Put the beans, tomatoes, veggies, broth, and hot sauce in a slow cooker. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, stirring occasionally if you, like me, can't just let it cook undisturbed. Using an immersion blender, carefully purée the soup until it's smooth. If you don't have an immersion blender, you can <em>carefully</em> transfer the soup--in batches--to a regular blender and <em>carefully</em> purée it that way. You may notice that I'm using the word <em>carefully</em> a lot. That's because this soup is, not surprisingly, hot. Stir more hot sauce into individual bowls as desired (I always add a lot), and garnish with some or all of what I listed. Serve with tortilla chips for dipping. You can also crumble chips over the top if you like.<br />
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<strong>Comments:</strong><br />
Need I repeat that this soup is inexpensive, easy, healthy, and delicious?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0