Soup's On!

I know, I know, it is still Summer and you don't normally want to think about soup until Fall, but I LOVE soup and eat it year round.  I turn the Air Conditioning a degree or two colder and it is time to cook and eat a meal in a bowl.  This week with our farmthisway distribution, we received all of the makings of a delicious potato leek soup.  Or Leek Potato Soup as Alton Brown calls it.  Whatever it is, it is a favorite in my family and for that reason, I doubled the recipe and invited my parents over as well.  I served it up with some of the farmthisway fresh white corn (OH MY GOSH!  THIS IS SO GOOD!!!) and accompanied by crab cakes.  For these I used some lump crab meat, panko bread crumbs, and some onion (left from a previous distribution), green pepper (we have half a bushel this week), and garlic (also from past distribution).   Dinner was a hit with everyone. 

Now, what to do with all of those green peppers.  Well this morning is SALSA morning.  No, you won't find me dancing to Spanish music around my kitchen, I will be taking some onion, farmthisway heriloom tomatoes, green peppers, jalapenos (from last week) and a lime, and mixing them up for a lovely home made chunky chip topping.  I will make too much, so I will can some as well.  Then I will have fresh tasting salsa in the coming months.  But, that won't use them all, so I found this.  Roasted Green Pepper Soup recipe to try.  I love red bell pepper soup, so why not the green pepper?  And like I said, I love soup year round, so a new recipe to add to my repertoire will be a welcome friend, especially in the coming cold months!  The recipe calls for roasted jalapenos but I may use some of the roasted/frozen farmthisway hot banana peppers that are in my freezer for the heat component on this one. 

And I cannot say enough about that white corn.  Part of me wants to put some in the freezer for winter, but most of me wants to eat it ALL, right now.  Since I already have one of my 4 freezer compartments almost filled with my earlier in the summer veggies, sweet corn and green beans mostly, I feel like this special treat will be gone by tonight....Just too good to save for later, though I might scrape an ear or two into my salsa as I make it, that always gives it just a little extra crunch and sweetness to cut the bite from the jalapeno a little bit.

Enjoy your week folks!  Have fun in the kitchen!

In love with Green Peppers

I LOVE green bell peppers.  You can do so much with them.  Usually we slice some up in a salad.  They make an AMAZING accompaniment, sauteed up with some onion, and served with sausages.  They are always in my homemade pasta sauce and homemade salsa, and often eaten raw, sometimes with a little ranch dip. 

This week, since we got quite a few in our distribution, I am making one of my favorite comfort foods.  STUFFED GREEN PEPPERS .  Meat, onion, rice and seasonings, make this a delicious all in one piece meal.  The kids get a kick out of anything that is a self contained meal, so this goes over well with everyone in the family.  Sometimes instead of the tomato sauce called for in the recipe, I use tomato soup instead.  It gives a slightly different flavor.  I like it either way, but I think this week I am going to opt for the tomato soup.  I may also opt to sprinkle a little cheese on them toward the end, just because I LOVE cheese as well.

Sometimes for fun, I also make this recipe as UN-STUFFED peppers.  Just sautee the peppers, onions, meat and spices up, and toss them in a casserole dish with the cooked rice, sprinkle with cheese (parmesan or cheddar are our favorites) and bake til bubbly. 


Hope you enjoy your peppers this week, I know I will!

Our friend the Aubergine (AKA Eggplant)

If you are lucky enough to get some eggplant, as I did this week with our farmthisway CSA distribution, you may wonder "What the heck am I supposed to do with this?!"  There is always the stand by Eggplant Parmesan, and you can use your favorite recipe for that or search one out on the internet, where everyone seems to have a must try recipe. OR you can think outside the box, and use it a little differently.  Here are a few ideas.  Some I have tried, some I have on my To Do List.

This one, by Rachel Ray, I have tried and I really enjoy it.  It also comes in handy if you are having vegetarian friends over for dinner.  Linguine with Eggplant Ragout .  It is simple, light and tasty. 

This recipe for an Eggplant Parmesan PIZZA really looks great to me.  I think I might try this out for a potluck that I am hosting on Sunday.  I like to use the Tuscan Six Grain crusts from Rustic.  Plus, they hold up well on the grill, and I love grilling pizza. 

Here is another fun way to serve up eggplant.   Eggplant Fries make great side dish and for those who think they don't like eggplant, this is a different way to try them.  They take on a different texture than eggplant normally does and that is the biggest complaint I have heard from people who don't like it, is that the texture throws them off. 

This recipe for Ratatouille my kids enjoyed.  I am not sure if it is because of the Disney movie of the same name, or because it was tasty.  Either way, it works for me.  It also includes zucchini, which many people are also looking for some new recipes for. 

Another recipe I look forward to trying is this one from Bobby Flay Grilled Eggplant Salad.  Simple and easy and mostly done on the grill, this sounds like a GREAT side dish. 

So, don't be afraid of eggplant, and don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and try something new with it.  I look forward to trying out some new ways to cook our eggplant this summer. 

 

It's Not Easy Being Green (especially if you're a tomato)

 Many people shy away from a green tomato.  If they aren't a fan of Fried Green Tomatoes, the dish, not the movie, they aren't sure what else to do with them.  Since we got some in our farmthisway distribution basket this week, along with jalapenos, here is something you can try with them...

Salsa Verde - Take 3 green tomatoes, 2 jalapenos, 1 large red tomato (or use some of the heirlooms if you like), 1/2 a medium onion (chopped), 1/2 cup of chopped cilantro, and 1/4 cup of lime juice, along with salt and pepper to taste.  Place tomatoes and jalapenos in a pot, and cover with water. Bring to a boil, and cook about 15 minutes. Drain well, and place in a blender with the onion, lime juice, salt, pepper, and cilantro. Puree to desired consistency and chill.  Salsa Verde can then be used in your favorite recipes to spice things up.  Add to chicken, enchiladas, or eat with chips.  

Or, how about Green Tomato Soup? 


2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 oz thinly sliced Black Forest ham, chopped
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced scallions
1 tablespoon chopped garlic 
1  bay leaf
2 lb green unripe tomatoes, chopped
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
 
Prepare:
Heat oil in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then cook ham, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Add scallions, garlic, and bay leaf and cook, stirring occasionally, until scallions are tender and lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes.
Add tomatoes, broth, water, salt, and pepper and simmer, partially covered, until tomatoes are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Discard bay leaf and season soup with salt and pepper.Garnish with Sour Cream if Desired. 

AND...If you still aren't sure about green tomatoes, I recently heard that you can substitute green tomatoes for zucchini in a zucchini bread recipe!  I have not tried this yet, but here is a recipe I found online!  Let me know if you try it!  Green Tomato Bread

I hope you enjoy your green tomatoes this week!  Ours will be being served fried, my daughter is great at making them that way.  Looking forward to yet another week of good eating farmthisway style! 

Eat A Rainbow

If I remember anything from all of the healthy food initiatives I have heard over the years, it is to try and eat a rainbow.  No, they aren't talking about a bag of Skittles, as my children once suggested.  However, Summer time is the perfect time to eat a rainbow!  It becomes that much easier when you have your own farmer, who grows you a rainbow! 

This week's distribution had many colors.  We had a surprise visit from the Watermelon Fairy again, so there is a lovely watermelon that my kids can't wait to cut open.  There is corn...in case you missed it...LOTS of corn.  A whole crate of it in fact.  Something like 3 1/2 to 4 dozen ears can fit in that crate.  Yum!!!  Green Cabbage is winding down for the summer, but there is still one head of that in there (It will return again again in the Fall, along with its friends Red Cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower) along with onions, banana peppers, zucchini, yellow summer squash, green peppers, cucumbers, onions, heirloom tomatoes and green beans.  And don't forget farm fresh brown eggs.

 If that list doesn't have you eating a rainbow, no much else will.  So many possibilities with all of those wonderful fruits and veggies that I will share a little of what I am looking forward to this week.

FRESH SALSA!!!

Chopping up some tomatoes, green pepper, onion and a little banana pepper for heat.  Salt, a little cilantro if you like, and my favorite for this time of year, some raw corn, right off the cob, adds a great taste and texture to the salsa. 

100 WAYS TO COOK CORN

Well, maybe it is actually only 5, but if you get bored of boiling pots of corn on the cob, here are some other fun things I have done with it. 

Quick corn - if you want an ear, but don't have time to boil water, peel an ear of corn, wrap it in a wet paper towel, and stick it in the microwave for 2 minutes (thanks Tom!)

Corn for Winter - Peel corn, scrape corn from cob, put it in a freezer bag, label and store for later.  When you want to use it, I just take it out of the freezer, pop it into a microwave steamer (not with the bag!) and it is better than any of the frozen veggies you can buy at the store. 

Corn Chowder - Here is my favorite Corn Chowder Recipe and if you don't like soup in the Summer, freeze the corn for later, and use this in the Fall or Winter.  But, I like soup year round. 

Cornbread - pick a recipe and get to work on some yummy cornbread

Corn Salad - fresh corn off the cob, tossed with diced sweet peppers (green works, or use any color you like) a can or two (depending on how much you are making) of black beans, drained, some diced onion, cilantro, olive oil, cumin and other spices to taste. 

SAUERKRAUT!

I got a lot of cabbage last year, and wasn't sure exactly where to go with it.  But, it lasts almost forever in the back of the fridge, and also it can be turned into Alton Brown's Sauerkraut Recipe which can then be canned and used through winter, or used as a topping for your summer grilled hot dogs. 

SUMMER SALAD

I don't know if that is its real name, but that is what my mom always called it, and we have the ingredients for it in the distribution this week.  Chop up some tomatoes, some of the sweet onion, and cucumbers.  Toss it all with your favorite Italian dressing, and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Simple, fresh, delicious!

There are many, many more possibilities of things to do with your veggies.  Share some ideas in comments if you like. 

I'm hungry now, how about you?

Veggies galore!!!

It is finally here!  Full swing harvest season!  If you are a member of the CSA at farmthisway you are in for some pretty great eating! 

This week the basket was BOUNTIFUL.  Zucchini and Summer Squash, onions, cauliflower, kale, cabbage, green beans, CORN, farm fresh eggs and hot banana peppers.  Did I miss anything?  Probably, the distribution boxes were brimming with good stuff and that came with a large potted Citronella Geranium to keep those bugs away! 

Last night's dinner was all farmthisway!!  We had fresh corn (some of us cooked it (the boys) and some ate it fresh/raw (the girls)) steamed green beans and egg salad made from our farm fresh eggs.  It was delicious!  My 7 year old son cleared his whole plate, which almost never happens.

More farmthisway for lunch today.  I boiled some pasta, and while that was cooking, I tossed some summer squash and zucchini, onions, tomatoes from my farmthisway patio planter, with olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic.  Topped it with Parmesan and had my sister in law and one of my daughter's friends over for lunch, and everyone ate it up.  My sister in law pointed out to my kids that they are very lucky, because most kids are eating a peanut butter sandwich for lunch, while they're getting the really good stuff.  Again, my son cleared his plate. 

Later in the week, I will stuff some of those hot banana peppers with cream cheese, shredded cheddar, and some panko bread crumbs for a late night snack while watching the Tour de France on the DVR in the evening with my husband. 

Need any ideas for your veggies?  Just leave a comment below and I can get you some recipe ideas! 

For now...here is something fun to try with your cauliflower.  Being from Buffalo, I can't say it is as good as wings, but it is a fun and healthier snack for sure, and also works if you are having guests who don't eat meat, or you yourself do not..  Buffalo Cauliflower Bites Let me know what you think! 

A sneak peak

As you may or may not know, the way a CSA program works is you get what is ready to harvest and what the farm has enough to share with you that week.  Different years yield different weather and growing conditions, and some weeks, even the farmer's themselves don't know exactly what will be in the distribution until they are finished packing them up.  So, while the website may list what members got last year for each week, it may differ greatly to this year's harvest.  But it is fun to get an idea of what you might get.  Almost like hints of a Christmas present.  But even better because you get a distribution every week for the length of your membership!

That being said, I would like to offer you a sneak peek at what you will likely see tomorrow, whether you pick up your distribution at The Blasdell Farmer's Market or directly at the farm at farmthisway.  The chickens are still laying, despite a skunk in the chicken tractor incident, so there will be eggs.  Farm fresh brown eggs!  So many ways to use these.  We usually do a breakfast for dinner night once every week or two.  Over easy, scrambles, omelets, or in crepe batter, these eggs are tasty, healthy and just plain wonderful!  This week it looks like we will be getting some green peppers in the mix, so these may favor strongly into an omelet station for breakfast for dinner night this week!

Also in the mix for this week is some more cabbage (see my early post about cabbage if you are looking for something new to try with cabbage), beets (YAY!  These are one of my favorites!) , heirloom tomatoes and a special surprise item....Don't worry, you won't need any recipe for this surprise item, you will know just what to do with it!

I will re-visit my favorite beet recipe for you, as I know some folks are a little beet opposed.  This is a recipe my whole family loves, it is easy and delicious, and I stole it from my chef brother....

Roasted Beets

First, wash your beets.  Spread out a small sheet of aluminum foil for each beet (enough to wrap around with a little extra room).  Put one beet on each piece of foil.  Sprinkle each with a little Extra Virgin Olive Oil, salt and pepper (and any other herbs/spices you like) and wrap tightly.  Place all of the beet packages in a roasting pan and cover.  Cook at 350 degrees until tender, this will depend on the size of the beet.  Usually anywhere from 30 minutes for smaller beets to an hour for the really big ones.  You will notice that you have not peeled your beets yet.  That's ok.  They are FAR easier to peel after they've been cooked!  After they are taken from the oven and cool a bit, so they can be handled, grab a couple of paper towels, and basically just peel off the skin in a turning motion.  You can do this bare handed if you don't mind stained hands for a few days...Slice the beets and arrange either plain on a platter, or on top of a bed of spinach or arugula, and then top with crumbled Feta, and splash with your favorite balsamic vinegar.  One of our favorite salads ever.

Running out of ideas for your heirloom tomatoes?  They can be tossed with olive oil and whatever herbs you have and put on the grill as well.  Last week, we did these tossed with oil, salt, pepper and rosemary and used them as a side with our steaks on the grill, along with some portabella mushrooms.  MMMMM.....

Happy, Healthy Eating my friends!