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Tuesday, July 8, 2014

ALL HAIL, GLORIOUS KALE






If you and your family, like the dwarf above think "I don't like green foods", then kale can be a little scary.  But, for a seasoned green foods veteran, kale comes as a pleasant treat in this week's farmthisway CSA Distribution. 

I took a peek at Marty's distribution video and from what I can see...this week includes both summer squash and zucchini, cauliflower, eggs, cherry tomatoes and kale!  My kids will be excited about this, especially my oldest, 14 year old, Caitlyn.  I know the first thing she will want to do it make kale chips.  They are SIMPLE, quick and tasty! 

To make kale chips, take one bunch of kale, get the leaves off and torn up into bite size pieces.  Wash and dry (I use a salad spinner) and drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with a teaspoon of sea salt.  Bake in an  350 degree oven for about 10 minutes, or until the edges start to get a little brown.  My daughter took these into school one year and her teacher was impressed and tells me to this day that she still makes them because she LOVES them, but would have never tried them if Caitlyn hadn't brought them in that day!

If kale chips are not your thing, how about adding pancetta to your kale?  Pork fat never disappoints in my house, so my plan is to make Kale, Apple & Pancetta Salad
 
And sometimes for a straightforward kale side dish, this  Bobby Flay recipe for Sauteed Kale hits the spot.

Let's not forget the other greens in the basket...This week, we remembered one of our favorite squash recipes.  First we sliced up 2 each (small to medium) summer squash and zucchini, and sauteed them in butter with about a quarter of a sweet onion, salt and pepper.  Next we tossed them in a big bowl, with about a cup of panko bread crumbs, and about 2 cups of cheddar cheese.  I put this all in a Pyrex 9x13 pan, topped it with a few pats of butter,  and baked at 350 for about 20 minutes, putting the broiler on for the last 2 minutes to brown/crisp up the top a little.  Sometimes, for a little something different, we will also mix in either a can of cream of mushroom soup or cream of chicken soup, but this time, we went for less added to the veggies.  SO GOOD that the little bit that was left was highly contested for leftovers as lunch the next day. 

I'm sure you have plenty of ideas for what to do with cherry tomatoes, mine don't usually make it past being rinsed and eaten straight out of the container.  And the cauliflower in our house is usually either eaten raw with dip or steamed with a little butter and salt.  

I hope you like green foods, and that if you don't you give them another try.  And stop by the Blasdell Farmer's Market on Wednesdays from 9AM-2PM at the farmthisway stand and say hi! 


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