Thayer in the Kitchen

This is an easy recipe to use some of your acorn or festival squash. It was posted in a Harmony Valley Farm newsletter. Southwestern Stuffed Acorn Squash 2 acorn or festival squash 6-8 ounces bulk turkey sausage (I used spicy Italian) 1 small onion, chopped ½ medium red bell pepper, chopped 1 small clove garlic, minced 2 tsp chili powder 1 tsp ground cumin 1# can chopped tomatoes 1# can black beans, drained and rinsed 1/2 tsp salt Several dashes hot red pepper sauce, to taste ¾ cup shredded cheddar or Swiss cheese --Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly coat a baking sheet with oil. --Cut squash in half horizontally. Scoop out and discard seeds. Place the squash cut side down on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until tender, about 45 minutes. --Meanwhile, lightly coat a large skillet with oil; heat over medium heat. Add turkey sausage, red pepper and onion and cook, stirring and breaking up with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned, and the peppers and onions are tender. Stir in garlic, chi...

Russian Cabbage Borscht (adapted from Mollie Katzen's The New Moosewood Cookbook) 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced potatoes 1 cup thinly sliced beets 4 cups vegetable stock or water 2 tablespoons butter 1 1/2 cups chopped onions 1 teaspoon caraway seed 1-2 teaspoons salt 1 celery stalk, chopped 1 large carrot, sliced 3-4 cups coarsely shredded cabbage black pepper to taste 1 teaspoon fresh dill weed (or dry if fresh isn't available) 1 tablespoon cider vinegar 1-2 tablespoon brown sugar or honey 1 8 oz. can tomato sauce sour cream, for topping Place sliced potatoes and beets in a medium saucepan over high heat; cover with stock, and boil until vegetables are tender. Remove potatoes and beets with a slotted spoon, and reserve stock. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in onions, caraway seeds, and salt; cook until onions become soft and translucent. Then stir in celery, carrots, and cabbage. Mix in reserved stock; cook, covered, until all vegetables are tender, about...

The first recipe is from a Harmony Valley Farms newsletter. Parsnip, Potato & Squash Puree with Nutmeg 8-10 oz potatoes, peeled (about 2 large or 4 medium) 1 small-medium festival squash 4-6 medium parsnips (about 6-8 oz) 1 tsp kosher salt 1-2 Tbsp butter Nutmeg First, roast the squash whole. Lately this is how I've been handling winter squash that I'm going to puree. I roast them in a 400 degree oven until tender. Then cut in half and scrape out the seeds. For more details on this method, check out this blog: http://upacreekwithoutapatl.blogspot.com/2006/10/roasting-and-pureeing-butternut-squash.html Cut potatoes and parsnips into 1-inch pieces. Combine vegetables in a saucepan with garlic, salt, and enough water to almost cover. Simmer, partly covered, until vegetables are soft, about 20 minutes. Set aside 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Pour contents of pan into a colander to drain. Transfer to a mixing bowl and add the cooked squash. Using a potato masher, make a fairly sm...

We liked this soup using celeriac and potatoes. Creamy Celeriac Soup (adapted from Farmer John's cookbook) 3 tablespoons butter 3 leeks, sliced 1 large celeriac, peeled and roughly chopped (about 3 1/2 cups) 1 or 2 large potatoes, scrubbed and roughly chopped 4 cups either chicken or vegetable broth 1/2 cup chopped blanched almonds 1/4 teaspoon mace or nutmeg 1/2 cup cream or half and half 1 teaspoon salt freshly ground pepper Note: I didn't have enough celeriac so I added some chopped celery which worked out fine. Melt the butter in a large soup pot. Add the leeks; cook until soft, 5-7 minutes. Add the celeriac, potatoes, broth and almonds; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 25 minutes or until vegetables are completely tender. Puree the soup with an immersion blender or a food processor. Stir in the cream, salt and pepper. Reheat if necessary.

This is a tasty and very easy recipe for using some of your sweet potatoes. It actually has some meat (chicken) in it too. Coconut Curried Chicken and Sweet Potatoes (adapted from a Spice Islands recipe) 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided 1 pound chicken breast tenders 2 large shallots, finely sliced 1/2 cup coarsely chopped red onion 2-1/2 teaspoons Curry Powder 1/4 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper (more if you like it spicier) 1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt 1-2 large sweet potato, peeled and diced (1/2-inch piece size) 1 can (14 ounce) coconut milk (lite works fine) 2 green onions, chopped 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (or more--we really like cilantro) Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper, saute for 5 to 7 minutes, or until center is no longer pink. Remove chicken and cover. Add remaining oil to pot. Saute shallots and red onion for 3 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle in curry powder, crushed red pepper and sea salt. Add sweet potatoes ...

My friend from work shared this recipe from her former CSA (Blue Moon Community Farm) with me. Its a very simple recipe. Arthur gave it a strong thumbs up. Turnip Risotto 3 slices bacon 1 small-medium onion 1-2 turnips (about 1/2 #--the gold turnip that I got from HVF was just the right size) 3 1/2-4 cups chicken broth 3/4 cups Arborio rice 1-2 cups spinach, if available and desired. Freshly grated Parmesan cheese Cook bacon in a heavy saucepan until crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Reserve 1 tablespoon fat in pan. Chop onion. Peel turnips and cut into 1/4 inch dice. Bring broth to a simmer and keep warm. Chop spinach coarsely if using. Saute onion in reserved bacon fat until the onion begins to soften. Stir in turnips and rice and saute, stirring constantly, about 1 minute. Stir in 1 cup simmering broth and cook, stirring constantly until the broth is absorbed. Continue simmering the rice and adding the broth, about 1/2 cup at a time. Let each addition be absorbed before addi...

Tonight I made a stir fry that helped to use a number of our vegetables including some daikon. We are not normally daikon fans but the ones that we got in our share from HVF farm were much smaller and milder than those that we've received in the past. In other words a big improvement. Gingered Vegetable Stir-Fry (adapted from Epicurious) 3 tablespoons chicken broth 2 tablespoons medium-dry Sherry 1 teaspoon sugar 1 teaspoon cornstarch 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 pound fresh shitake mushrooms, stems discarded 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1/2 pound carrots (about 3 medium), cut into julienne strips 1/2 pound daikon (an Asian radish), cut into julienne strips (about 2 cups) 1/2 pound Napa or Savoy cabbage, sliced thin (about 4 cups) 2 large garlic cloves, minced 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger root 1-2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil In a bowl stir together broth, Sherry, sugar, cornstarch, and salt until combined well. Cut mushroom caps into 1/8-inch-thick slices. Hea...

More vegetables for breakfast: Butternut Squash Bread Pudding (adapted from Cooking Light) 3 cups (1/2-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash Cooking spray 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided 1 teaspoon olive oil 1 cup chopped onion 1 garlic clove, minced 2 cups low-fat milk 1 cup (4 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided (I used 2 ounces of cheddar in the pudding and 2 ounces of Parmesan on top) 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg 3 large eggs 2 large egg whites 8 ounces (1-inch) cubed day-old bread (about 9 cups) Preheat oven to 400°. Arrange squash in a single layer on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bake at 400° for 12 minutes or until tender. Remove from oven; reduce oven temperature to 350°. Heat oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Add garlic, and sauté 1 minute. Remove from heat; cool slightly. Combine remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, milk, 1/2 cup cheese of your ...

I made these yummy pancakes for breakfast. Got to get your veggies in even at breakfast time if you need to use your produce from a CSA share. Sweet Potato Pancakes (adapted from About.com:Southern Food) 1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 1/4 cups mashed cooked sweet potatoes 2 eggs, beaten 1 1/2 cups milk 1/4 cup butter, melted handful of coarsely chopped pecans (optional) Combine dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Combine remaining ingredients; add to flour mixture, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Add pecans if using. If the batter seems too thick add more milk as needed although it is quite a thick batter. Drop by 1/4 cup measure onto hot greased griddle or skillet and fry, turning once, until browned on both sides. Serve with pure maple syrup for a great breakfast.

I've lost track of which days I made what but this is a good recipe for kale that I want to post. Arthur said its even better the next day. I didn't get to find out--he ate all the leftovers which is a good sign. Sweet and Savory Kale (adapted from Allrecipes.com) 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 small onion, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon cider vinegar (balsamic vinegar would probably be good too) 1 1/2 cups chicken broth 4 cups stemmed, torn and rinsed kale (exact amount doesn't matter) 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, 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 re...

Arthur and I went to my brother and sister-in-law's get-away weekend farm in Missouri for Thanksgiving. We had a pleasant drive there on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. I hoped to help with a lot of the cooking on Wednesday. They were having the roof on their house and studio redone by one of their Amish neighbors who ran out of shingles. This meant my brother and I needed to make a trip to Menard's in St. Joseph for more shingles. Unfortunately its a 90 minute trip each way. Cut down a lot on our cooking time. I did however make two of the dishes that were served and both of them were big hits so I thought I'd share the recipes. Both of them used produce from our CSA farm. The first one is a great sweet potato recipe which is delicious and also very easy: Bourbon-Walnut Sweet Potato Mash (adapted from Epicurious) 4 pounds red-skinned sweet potatoes or yams or whatever kind you have 1/2 cup whipping cream 6 tablespoons butter (3/4 stick) 1/4 cup pure maple syrup 2 ...

This soup is fabulous! Potato, Onion and Blue Cheese Soup (adapted from Farmer John's Cookbook: The real dirt on vegetables) 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 medium onions, thinly sliced (about 1 cup) 1 medium to large clove of garlic, minced 3 medium potatoes, (about 1 1/2 pounds) cut into 1 inch chunks (no need to peel) 2 cups chicken broth 1 cup half and half 1/3 cup heavy cream 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese (the smoked blue cheese from the HVF cheese share is perfect for this soup) salt & a sprinkle of white pepper Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the onions, cook, stirring, until the onions are limp but not brown, about 15 minutes. Add the garlic, cook for 30 seconds. Add the potatoes and stir until well coated with butter; cook for 5 minutes, stirring them a few times. Add 2 cups of broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the potatoes are tender, 20-30 minutes. Add the half-and-half and the cream; gently heat but do not boil. Stir in ...

Ah the occasional challenges of cooking with a voracious eater in the house. So here's the story. I committed to making a Carrot Mushroom Loaf for potluck lunch at work on Wednesday. I knew that I would be going to book club on Tuesday evening. So, I started preparing the ingredients on Monday evening; thinking (incorrectly as it turned out) that this would give me a head start. I chopped and sauteed the onions, garlic, mushrooms and herbs. Then I prepared and added the bread crumbs to the mixture. I made a sweet potato, apple, corn, veggie burger casserole for dinner. It was OK but not worth posting. Arthur eyed the mushroom, bread crumb, onion mixture in the pan. I said no, that's the beginning of another dish that I'm taking to work. I went to book club on Tuesday. It was a really fun meeting because every November we pick the books for next year. Each person proposes 2-3 books and describes them to the group. Then we vote for 10 of them. The books getting the most vot...

I had a large head of escarole that I need to use. Its lovely to look at but a bit on the bitter side served raw. My friend, Lora, gave a recipe that incorporated escarole and that she thought was excellent. She got the recipe from Blue Moon Community Farm, her CSA farm from last year. Escarole Celeriac Dressing 1 celeriac, peeled and chopped 3 cloves garlic, chopped 1-2 medium leeks, washed well and sliced 2 or more portabello mushrooms, chopped 3 T. olive oil Saute above ingredients until tender. 1 head escarole, blanched, drained and chopped 1/2 t. salt Pepper to taste 2 eggs, beaten 4-5 cups bread cubes Mix all and bake for 40 minutes at 375 degrees. I baked the dressing in a 9 x 13" pan and put chicken breasts on top of the dressing to bake at the same time. Rub a little olive oil or butter on them and season. Next time I would add about 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning or sage and thyme to the dressing. It turned out very well. Arthur said it was delicious. And v...

I took a bit of a break from cooking--nice once in awhile. Thursday, November 13, the Women Who Dine (myself and 3 friends) had dinner at Sardine here in Madison. www.sardinemadison.com/ We shared seared scallops with potato purée and mushroom sherry cream sauce as an appetizer. Then I had a delicious cream of mushroom soup. For my entree I had: Roasted Arctic char over crispy potato purée, wilted spinach and horseradish cream sauce. Char is similar to a very mild salmon. For dessert a couple of us shared chocolate pot de creme; plus we had a couple of bottles of a nice Argentine wine. Great meal. Friday, Arthur stopped by to pick up some leftovers and go to his second job. He'll be home Saturday around 11 PM. I made some great soup which we had with some bread I bought at the indoor farmers' market on Saturday morning. Roasted Pear-Butternut Soup With Crumbled Stilton (adapted from MealsMatter.org) 2 Ripe pears, quartered and cored 2 pounds Butternut squash, peeled, ...

Last night a friend and I met at Swagat Indian Restaurant for dinner and then went to the public library for a planning session. We're planning a Mardi Gras dinner for the Madison Herb Society in March. We met to coordinate the menu which I really enjoy. It should be a great dinner. Arthur was on his own for dinner. For dinner on Wednesday I made Cheddar Polenta with Sauteed Greens and Garlic-Roasted Portabello Mushrooms which was a recipe in the cheese newsletter from Harmony Valley Farm. 4 medium portobello mushrooms 3 1/2 tablespoons olive oil 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley 4 cups water 1 teaspoons salt 1 cup polenta (coarse cornmeal) 2 tablespoons butter 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese (about 4 ounces) (other cheeses can be used) 1 bunch Swiss chard, ribs cut away, leaves cut in 3x1-inch strips (other greens can be substituted) I used some brussels sprouts leaves that came in one of my boxes--I didn't even know you could eat t...

I got some flowering kale in my CSA box from HVF last week. It was so beautiful I sort of hated to chop it up and eat it. I've seen it growing in people's gardens but I didn't realize that it was actually edible. I used another recipe from the Passionate Vegetarian which utilized both the kale and some of my sweet potatoes. Parky's Southern Braised Kale with Sweet Potatoes (a slightly adapted version) You could serve it over brown rice or with some corn bread. 3 large sweet potatoes (or about 1-1 1/2 pounds) 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 1/2 cup onion, chopped 3-4 red & orange mini peppers or 1 full size red pepper 1 jalapeno pepper, (seeds in if you want it hot--I removed mine--this wasn't a spicy night), minced 1 bunch flowering kale or whatever kind you have (remove stems because they're often tough) 1/2-1 cup broth (vegetable or chicken) 1 orange 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 1 tomato chopped (I would probably leave this out the...

Yesterday was the Madison Herb Society herb fair. I made a couple of items to take to be sold at the treat table, Sage Cornbread and some savory cranberry herb muffins. This cornbread was made in an iron skillet and it turned out too dark and you couldn't see the sage leaves. The muffins were fine. Afterwards Arthur and I were invited to the Vice President's house for supper. I brought some Tomato Confit Cheddar from our HVF cheese share with crackers and wine. Lauri served a wonderful caramelized onion tart and Gary made a very nice acorn squash soup. This evening I decided to deal with the Beauty Heart Radishes that we got in our box yesterday. We don't really like radishes very well. I saw the following recipe and decided to try it. Creamed Radishes with Pimenton (adapted from a Veggie Venture) 1 pound of grated radishes (I used our Beauty Heart radishes) Peel the radishes depending on what kind you use. Cook until tender in water in a covered pot (about 10-15 m...

One of my favorite winter squash has become delicata squash. The delicata squash is actually an heirloom variety, a fairly recent reentry into the culinary world. It was originally introduced by the Peter Henderson Company of New York City in 1894, and was popular through the 1920s. Then it fell into obscurity for about seventy-five years, possibly because of its thinner, more tender skin, which isn’t suited to transportation over thousands of miles and storage over months. Like other heirloom varieties, it is valued for its taste, not its transportability. I use this squash before the harder shell varieties such as kabocha, acorn or butternut because it does not keep as long. Delicata Delish (adapted from Allrecipes.com) "Delicious baked delicata squash is stuffed with and served over a fragrant mixture of quinoa, shallots, and pine nuts. This recipe is a great way to use the squash and shallots in your farm share delivery!" 1 large or 2 medium delicata squash, halved leng...

Let's hear it for Brussels sprouts. An interesting tidbit on the correct spelling: You say Brussel, I say Brussels. While some say "Brussel sprouts" and others say "Brussels sprouts" the correct spelling is actually "Brussels sprouts", since they are named after the capital of Belgium - Brussels. Brussels Sprouts and Leeks and Clonbo Cheese (a recipe from Harmony Valley Farm using their Brussels sprouts and cheese) ½-3/4 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed 1 medium leek, sliced thin 2 tbsps butter Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg 4-6 tbsps grated Clonbo cheese * Salt & Pepper, to taste Steam Brussels sprouts over boiling water for 15 minutes, or until tender. Melt 1 tbsp butter in a sauté pan and sweat leeks until tender. Add remaining butter and allow it to become golden brown. Add sprouts and cook over low heat for a few minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and add the nutmeg. Transfer to a warm serving dish, sprinkle with th...

Last night I went to a potluck in our building complex and didn't cook anything when I got home. Tonight its back to preparing something for dinner (no leftovers to be found). Spinach, Tomato Couscous Skillet Supper (another recipe from the Passionate Vegetarian) Again this is good but not "to die for." 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 medium onion, peeled and sliced vertically into thin crescents 2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 package of fresh, preferably baby spinach (8 oz. or whatever you have) 1 1/2 cups whole wheat couscous (white couscous would also work) 2 cups of water or broth (I used chicken broth) 1/4 teaspoon salt Pepper 1 tomato, chopped 2-4 ounces cheese, the original recipe called for feta, but I used Italian flavored DreamFarm goat cheese because this is what I had. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Heat the oil in an ovenproof skillet and saute onion until it becomes translucent. Lower heat and add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the spinach, including st...

This was a good soup for Halloween- Carrot Red Pepper Soup because its bright orange. (recipe adaped from the Passionate Vegetarian by Crescent Dragonwagon) 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 tablespoon butter 1 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup) 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and chopped 1 pound carrots (no need to peel), remove ends and cut in chunks 1-2 red or yellow peppers, I used a combination of the mini peppers from HVF, (about 1 cup) 2 tablespoons curry powder (the original recipe called for 3 T), I think I'd use less next time, its a bit overwhelming 6-8 cups vegetable or chicken broth, you can add more if you think its too thick 2-4 tablespoon honey, or to taste Salt to taste Chopped cilanto Plain yogurt or sour cream for a dollop in the finished soup Heat the butter and oil in a large pot. Add the onion and ginger and saute until the onion softens. Add the carrots and peppers and stir fry for another 5 minutes. Add the curry powder and cook for another minute. Pour the broth o...

I have a potluck to go to in our building complex for the Green Committee on Tuesday evening to hopefully celebrate the elelcton results. Obviously they are not getting away without sharing some of our vegetables. I found a reduced-fat version of carrot cake on the America's Test Kitchen website that uses ONE POUND of carrots! Yes! Light Carrot Cake (adapted from America's Test Kitchen) Vegetable cooking spray 2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (12 1/2 ounces) 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/8 teaspoon allspice (optional) 1/2 teaspoon table salt 3 large eggs 1 cup packed light brown sugar (7 ounces) 1 cup granulated sugar (7 ounces) 1/2 cup canola oil 1 pound carrots (about 6 medium), peeled and grated (about 3 cups) 1 cup chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts) 1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a 13 by 9-inch metal baking pan with vegetabl...

This morning I made a trip to the Westside Farmers' Market in Madison to buy meat for the stew I wanted to make with my sweet potatoes from my CSA box. Of course, I had to buy other food as well. Its hard not to buy lots of lovely vegetables, but I know I'll be getting all sorts of good things in my box from HVF. This is a picture of our produce this week. Leeks, potatoes, brussel sprouts, carrots, broccoli, baby beets, sweet potatoes, Delicata squash, Kabocha squach and flowering kale (its in the upper right of the picture and is beautiful). Cuban-Style Pork and Sweet Potato Stew 1# or a little more sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice 1 pound lean pork loin, cut into 1-inch pieces 14 1/2 oz canned diced tomatoes, with green chiles 1 large garlic clove, minced 1/4 cup orange juice 2 medium scallions, chopped 1/2 tsp table salt 1/4 tsp ground cumin 1/4 tsp black pepper 2 tbsp cilantro, fresh, chopped Place potato, pork, tomatoes, garl...

This is one of my favorite times of the year for food. I read that in a food writer's column and I would have to agree. I just love all the winter squash, wonderful varieties of potatoes, sweet potatoes, leeks, cranberries, apples, pears, etc. I'm looking forward to going to the Westside farmers' market Saturday morning and checking out all the great food. Its such a temptation to buy lots of food, but since I'll be picking up my CSA box from Harmony Valley Farms, I'll have to keep my purchases to a minimum. We also belong to a fruit CSA and get locally grown certified organic apples and pears from Future Fruit in Ridgeway, Wisconsin. http://www.savorwisconsin.com/AllListings/detail.asp?recordid=646&table=producer I'll be picking up a box of fruit too. I definitley think an apple crisp will be on the menu this weekend. Time to cook our Kabocha Squash tonight. I decided to try this super simple recipe: Kabocha Squash With Sage and Leeks (adapted f...

Time for more greens. Spinach tonight. We got spinach, potatoes and leeks in our CSA box this week. The makings of a tasty soup. Potato, Leek, Spinach Soup 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 large (14 ounces) leeks, coarsely chopped 2 large (1 pound) potatoes, coarsely chopped (I used Mountain Rose Potatoes, which are red, inside and outside--very pretty as potatoes go) 1 ounce garlic 5 cups chicken stock, more as needed to thin the soup 8-10 oz. spinach (other tender greens, such as saute greens can also be used) 1/4-1/2 cup sour cream 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon white pepper 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg In a 4-quart saucepan, heat the olive oil. Over medium-high heat, sweat the coarsely chopped leeks for about 5 minutes. Add the potatoes and garlic and continue to sweat 2 or 3 minutes longer, stirring occasionally. Pour in 5 cups stock, lower the heat, and simmer until the potatoes are very tender, 20-25 minutes. Add the spinach, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Cook until spinach is wilted. With an ...

I wanted to get started on using the greens from our farm. They are the most perishable items and need to be consumed sooner than later. Veggies like squash, onions, potatoes, carrots and garlic will all keep very nicely for a long while. I made a new recipe tonight: Fresh Greens Enchiladas (adapted from a recipe on Care2 by Annie Bond) Sauce: For the sauce I used Salsa Verde that I made with a kit from our farm. The kit has tomatillos, onion, garlic, jalapeno and cilantro. You just need to peel and cook the tomatillos in boiling water for about 5 minutes. Drain the tomatillos and blend in a blender or food processor with the remaining ingredients. Adjust the heat by using more or less of the jalapeno with or without the seeds. You can make it as smooth or chunky as you like. I don't completely puree the mixture. I also add more cilantro than comes in the kit. Add salt and pepper to taste. As it sits it gets thicker but can be thinned with a little water if necessary. ...

Tonight I went to my Asian cooking class at MATC. Chef Ng was discussing purchasing "safe" food and changes that will eventually be made to the US food laws. I suggested purchasing locally was one way to avoid many of these foods containing dangerous substances. I haven't received any food from my CSA farm or meat suppliers with melamine lately! We made sushi rolls with sushi rice, pickled and fresh vegetables. They were OK. I think I'll continue to get my sushi at Sushi Muramoto (Hilldale Shopping Center, Madison) or Takara Japanese Restaurant. Supper tonight for Arthur consisted of vegetarian meatballs (out of a package), jarred spaghetti sauce and spaghetti. I guess this happens to all of us once in awhile.

Breakfast today was one of my favorite pancake recipes. Carrot Breakfast Pancakes (adapted from RecipeZaar) 1-3/4 cups milk 2 eggs ¼ cup butter 4 medium carrots 1¼ cups unbleached flour 1¼ cups whole wheat pastry flour 2 tablespoons flaxseed meal (optional) 2 tablespoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt ¼ cup sugar ½ teaspoon nutmeg ½ teaspoon cinnamon Put milk in blender or food processor; add eggs and butter. Blend. Add carrots and blend well, until carrots are completely chopped with no visible pieces. Pour into a bowl and add flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and spices until thoroughly combined. If you think the batter is too thin add a little more flour. Spray frying pan or griddle with cooking spray or oil lightly. Pour batter into pan using ¼ cup measure and cook until bubbles appear on top; turn and cook until golden brown on the other side. Serve with maple syrup. Sometimes I add a few pecans to the batter. Again this is optional. These pancakes are si...

Today we went to visit our friends Janine, Raj and 2 of their sons who live on a farm in New Glarus, Wisconsin. They have goats for milk, goats for wool, sheep, 2 pigs, a turkey, chickens and ducks. Janine is a great cook and planned a wonderful menu: Tex Mex Stuffed chicken breasts wrapped in bacon, homemade tortillas, black beans, coleslaw and pumpkin crunch for dessert. Pumpkin crunch is a truly decadent dessert. I brought Autumn Harvest Soup . This is adapted from a combination of several different recipes from A Veggie Venture, Recipe Zaar, and Meals Matter. 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth (1 box organic) 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or butter 2 apples, chopped (3 cups) 1 large onion, chopped (1 cup) 1 red pepper, chopped (1/2 cup) 2 carrots, peeled and diced (3 cups) 1 stick celery, diced 1 large Yukon gold potato, diced 1/4 cup currants (these were great, don't skip them, raisins would work too) 1 tablespoon curry 1/2 teaspoon thyme 1 bay leaf Salt & Pepper 1/2 -1 cup h...

This morning I made breakfast before I went to work which is very unusual for me. I rarely give myself enough time. I made an omelet using the baby bok choy from our CSA box. I only got 2 so I wasn't sure what I was going to do with them. Start with a large frying pan. Heat a little olive oil. Stir fry the following: 2 small red onions, chopped (yellow would be fine too) 2 mini red or yellow peppers, seeded 1 large clove garlic, chopped 2 small head of baby bok choy stir fry the stems first and add the chopped leaves at the end a little toasted sesame oil Add 5 eggs, beaten and let set before stirring so that you can fold in half a few chopped fresh herbs if available (not essential) salt and pepper to taste I served the omelet with some of the fruit cocktail scones that I made last night and hot coffee. For supper I made Broccoli, Walnut and Bulgur Salad . I doubled the recipe and it was too much, but I wanted to use at least 2 cups of broccoli. It turns out it w...

Tonight I made the stuffed squash that I intended to make last night and then made a menu change. Nut-stuffed Delicata Squash (adapted from Sunset on the My Recipes site) 3 tablespoons butter 2 medium yellow onions, finely chopped (about 1 cup) 3 garlic cloves, minced 3/4 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage 1/3 cup chopped walnuts 1/3 cup chopped pistachios (I substituted cashews) 1/3 cup chopped almonds 1/3 cup chopped pine nuts (I substituted pecans) 1/3 cup plain low-fat yogurt 2 eggs, lightly beaten About 1/2 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese 2 delicata squash (about 2 lbs. total), halved lengthwise and seeded 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Melt butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add onions, garlic, and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft, about 3 minutes. Stir in sage and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in nuts. Set aside. 2. In a large bowl, combine yogurt, eggs, and 1/2 cup Parmesan. Stir in nut mixture. ...

Decided tonight I needed to review the veggie situation in the frig and find out what needed to be used first. I found some broccoli which was more than I planned for. I found a recipe for a vegetable stew with onions, carrots, squash and broccoli with coconut milk. Coconut-Squash Vegetable Stew (recipe adapted from Vegetable Love cookbook) 3 tablespoons butter or olive oil 2 cups of onions, diced (I used red ones just because I happened to have a lot) 2 good sized carrots, sliced (1/2-1 cup) (I used more because the carrots from the farm are rather small) 1 small butternut squash, peeled and cut in chunks (probably any winter squash would work)-Original recipe called for 6 cups. I didn't have that much 4 small white turnips (the original recipe didn't call for them, but they needed to be used) 5 cups chopped broccoli 1 can coconut milk 1/2 cup broth (whatever you have available) 1/2 tablespoon ground cardamom 1 tablespoon celery seeds Salt & Pepper to tas...

Tonight book club was at our place. Since things are never too tidy I didn't have time to make dessert. I took care of the beverages and had apple cider and hazelnut decaf coffee. Lora made a delicious pumpkin cheesecake with a pecan crust. Very welcome indeed! After they all left a I made a batch of basil pesto with basil that I brought home from Tracy's in Chicago. I didn't use Parmesan in this batch. My basil is coming to the end. It hasn't been bitten by frost yet, but the leaves are looking sad. We had some green tomatoes from the farm that I needed to use so for supper I made Fried Green Tomato "BLT"s. I had a recipe from the farm but it seemed a bit complicated and made a huge amount. I used a recipe I found on the Kitchen Guy's website. This was for 2 large sandwiches: 3 or 4 green tomatoes sliced thick (you don't need this many for the sandwiches but you might as well make what you've got) fresh basil leaves 4 slices of bacon Sliced mozz...

Tonight I went to a Asian cooking class at MATC downtown with a new instructor, Chef Ng. We didn't participate for the most part but watched him prepare a Vietnamese dish of noodles, stir fried vegetables, and beef in a sauce. It was quite good, but he doesn't believe in recipes so it would be next to impossible to duplicate the recipe. But since I'm a senior citizen it costs me next to nothing to take the class. I got to take a little bit home for Arthur but I knew it wouldn't be enough for him. I prepared Pasta with Uncooked Tomato, Basil and Mozzarella Sauce (adapted from a Food Network recipe) 3/4-1# ripe tomatoes, chopped 1 garlic clove, minced 1/4 cup packed fresh basil leaves, chopped coarse 1/4 pound mozzarella, diced 2-3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoons balsamic vinegar Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1/2 pound dried shaped-pasta of choice, I used macaroni In a large bowl combine the tomatoes, garlic, basil, mozzarella, oil, vinegar, sa...

Saturday we were in Chicago for the christening of Arthur's twin niece, Stacy and nephew, William. It was at a large Greek Orthodox church in Glenview followed by a reception at country club in Wilmette. The club was right on the lake and we had a lovely view from the windows. I went out to dinner with Tracy and Kenny to a good sushi restaurant on Saturday night. Sunday we met Paul, Jenny, Jake and Roberta for brunch at Rose's Wheat Free Bakery & Cafe in Evanston. Jake doesn't tolerate glueten or casein well, so this is a great choice because he can have almost anything on the menu. I had a very tasty vegetable quiche and fried potatoes with good coffee. http://www.rosesbakery.com/cafe.html By Sunday evening we were back home. I made: Roasted Sausages, Peppers, Potatoes, and Onions (adapted from Recipezaar.com) 1 lb potato, cut into 1 inch chunks 1 green bell pepper, cored,seeded,and cut into 1 inch pieces 1 red bell pepper, cored,seeded,and cut into...

We planned to drive into Chicago on Friday night, so I wanted to make something simple and still use some of our veggies. I made: Garlic-Tarragon Eggs on Salad Greens (adapted from Care2) This deliciously sophisticated herbed version of deviled eggs makes a lovely salad served on a bed of fresh mesclun greens. 8 large eggs 12 cloves mild garlic, peeled or less if the cloves are very large 3 teaspoons drained capers 4 tablespoons reduced fat mayonnaise 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar Salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste Baby salad greens or torn leaf lettuce 1. Place the eggs and garlic in a medium saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium and simmer 10-12 minutes. 2. Take the eggs out of the saucepan and immerse them in a bowl of cold water for 5 minutes. Remove the garlic from the saucepan and set aside to cool. 3. Drain the eggs, remove the shells, then slice the eggs in h...

I stopped at Whole Foods on my way home from work and picked up some wild caught salmon that was on sale for dinner tonight. Sesame Salmon Fillets and Bok Choy (adapted from Recipezaar) 1/2 cup sesame seeds 1/2 tablespoon grated fresh ginger 1 teaspoon cracked black peppercorns 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 egg 1 # salmon fillets 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 4 or more cups thinly sliced baby bok choy 1/2 sweet red pepper , diced 1 teaspoon rice vinegar 1 teaspoon soy sauce 1 teaspoon sesame oil In shallow dish, combine sesame seeds, grated ginger, peppercorns and salt. In another dish, lightly beat egg. Dip each salmon fillet into egg, letting excess drip off. Gently press into sesame mixture, turning to coat. In large nonstick skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat; cook salmon, turning once, for 4 to 8 minutes or until golden. Depending on how thick the fillets are, it may take a bit longer. Transfer to plate. Add bok choy, red pepper, vinegar, soy sa...

These are some of the websites I refer to on a regular basis to get ideas for how to use my CSA produce: Cook’s Thesaurus is a cooking encyclopedia that covers thousands of ingredients and kitchen tools. Entries include pictures, descriptions, synonyms, pronunciations, and suggested substitutions. http://www.foodsubs.com/ A Veggie Venture http://kitchen-parade-veggieventure.blogspot.com/ American Institute for Cancer Research Recipe Corner http://www.aicr.org/site/PageServer?pagename=dc_rc_veggies Recipes from Debbie’s Kitchen Online, Live Earth Farm CSA (including pictures of the vegetables) http://www.writerguy.com/deb/recipes/keyingred.html Vegetarian Recipes around the world (searchable by ingredient) http://www.ivu.org/recipes/ Cookie and Kate - Whole Foods and Vegetarian Recipe Blog  www.cookieandkate.com Simply Recipes Food and Cooking Blog   www.simplyrecipes.com  ( A family cooking and food blog with hundreds of healthy, whole-food  r...

After a couple of nights of leftovers from our dining extravaganza, it was time to cook and get busy trying to use the produce from our CSA box. Greek Style Spinach Omelet (adapted from Weight Watchers) 8 cups spinach (baby leaves) or chopped if large leaves 4-5 medium scallion(s) (trimmed, sliced) 1-2 tablespoons fresh dill (minced) 8 large egg(s) Salt to taste Black pepper to taste 1/2 cup plain fat-free yogurt Chopped fresh tomatoes Coat a medium nonstick skillet with cooking spray or little olive oil. Add spinach, scallion and dill; cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until greens are limp, about 2 to 3 minutes. Beat eggs, salt and pepper together in a small bowl and pour over greens; cook until eggs are set, about 5 minutes. Spoon yogurt down center of omelet; fold over and serve with tomatoes on top. I served the omelet with whole wheat toast.

I am overstocked at the moment with sweet peppers from the farm so I made Mexican Pepper Casserole to use up some of them. It would also make a good brunch dish. Mexican Pepper Casserole (from Astray recipes) About 3 cups of Red and green bell peppers 1½ cup Thinly sliced onion 2 tablespoons Butter 2 tablespoons Olive oil 1 teaspoon Salt 1 teaspoon Cumin 1 teaspoon Coriander ½ teaspoon Dry mustard ¼ teaspoon Black pepper ¼ teaspoon Red pepper 2 tablespoons Flour 6 ounces Colby cheese; thinly sliced (or whatever cheese you have available) 4 large Eggs 1½ cup Sour cream, lite is fine Paprika, smoked paprika is tasty if you have it available Preheat oven to 375 F. Slice the peppers in thin strips. Heat butter and olive oil together in a heavy skillet. Saute onions and garlic with salt and spices. When onions are translucent, add peppers. Saute over low heat for about 10 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour. Mix well and saute until there is no extra liquid. Butter a deep casserole. Spread in ...

Tonight was the night of our gourmet group dinner. Jim E. was the host and the theme was soul food. Lora made: Down Home Green Beans and Potatoes, Chicken 'N Dressing, Chocolate Coconut Pecan Pie Mollie made: Country Pinto Beans, Scalloped Potatoes, Blackberry Cobbler Victoria made: Bourbon Pork Roast, 3 Bean Casserole, Pickled Black-Eyed Peas, Cucumber Salad Frankie made: Banana Pudding Edith made: Kentucky Country Ham Salad, Southern Fried Chicken, Fried Green Tomatoes, White River Cornbread (Arkansas style cornbread recipe from The Cornbread Gospels by Crescent Dragonwagon ) Jim provided great wine to accompany our dinner as well as sliced tomatoes & onions & hot pepper sauce. The ham salad was made with candied apples and pecans, salad greens, watercress, ham, Port Salut cheese and a dressing with balsamic vinegar and sour cream. The recipe I used for fried green tomatoes can be found on the Food Network site: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/fri...

Tonight I went to a cooking class taught by Marge Snyder, president of the Madison Herb Society in her home. The title of the class was Cooking with Herbs. There were ten of us in the class. First we toured her garden and then had some Honeyed Feta Cheese with herbs & Bread while Marge talked about herbs and making your own blends. Then we were off to the kitchen to make Herbed New Potatoes, Oven Roasted Vegetables (cauliflower, carrots, parsnips and brussel sprouts), Baked Tomatoes (this is what I worked on), Spice & Herb Rubbed Pork Tenderloin and Quick Fruit Turnovers. Baked Tomatoes 4 tomatoes salt 4 Tablespoons olive oil 1/2 cup minced shallots 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 1/2 cup panko crumbs 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs or 1 1/2 tablespoon dried 1-2 tablespoon fresh parsley , minced Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a shallow pan with aluminum foil. Halve tomatoes and remove the seeds. Lightly salt and drain upside down on paper ...

I had to make cookies for lunch bunch tomorrow. I'm still dealing with quite a bit of leftover granola from when we volunteered with Bike the Barns. So I decided granola cookies were the way to go. CRUNCHY DROP COOKIES (adapted from The Recipe Link website) 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1/4 tsp. salt 1 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 egg 3 tbsp. milk 1 tsp. vanilla 2 cups granola Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a cookie sheet. In small bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt; mix well and set aside. In large bowl, beat together brown sugar and butter until light and fluffy; blend in egg, milk and vanilla. Add flour mixture; mix well. Stir in cereal. If the dough doesn't seem firm enough add a bit more flour. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes at 350 degrees. OK so this took care of lunch bunch on Wednesday but not our dinner. I bought raspberries on sale so I decided to try a Raspberry Patch C...