You say To-MAY-To, I say To-MAH-To

This week brought a lot of tomatoes.  Of course, in my house, this means SAUCE time!  I like to can my sauce when the tomatoes are fresh and then have it all winter long.  Last year I made enough that I had my homemade sauce all the way through early March.  I am hoping to do the same this year, even with the tomatoes ripening later than last year.

I have also just received the gift of a Foley Food Mill.  Hand grind style.  It is wonderful and it means that all of my sauce will NOT be chunky style this year.  Last year it was, and I like it chunky, but some things work better with a smooth, chunk free sauce, so I will probably make mine half and half this year.

I like to throw other veggies in my sauce, like chunks of green peppers (which we also got in the @farmthisway distribution) and onion (ditto), to give the sauce some texture.  Some of my batches last year got squash and/or zucchini added to them as well.

If you like a little spice to your sauce, you can add one or two of the hot banana peppers as well.


Other than sauce, we have found other ideas for our tomatoes.  One of my 13 year old daughter's favorites this week has been to hollow out a tomato a little bit with a grapefruit spoon, and then fill it with cottage cheese and eat it that way.

There are also plenty of nice slicing tomatoes in the box, so some will go toward our Caprese Salad addiction.  We just pull the basil from the back deck, slice the tomato and pair with fresh mozzerella.  Reminds us that it is still Summer, despite the fact that the kids are back at school.

Fried Green tomatoes are on the menu again this week, and eggplant parm casserole as well.

Happy canning, and happy eating, from my kitchen to yours!

All Hail, Glorious Kale

I've had several people ask about the kale in our farmthisway distributions.  What can I do with this?  There are several great things you can do with kale, but first, how about some information on this green powerhouse.  I have pulled some information on kale from various resources.  Here is the low down on the queen of green.

Kale is low in calorie, high in fiber and has zero fat. One cup of kale has only 36 calories, 5 grams of fiber and 0 grams of fat.  It’s also filled with many nutrients, vitamins, folate and magnesium as well as having iron, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K and calcium. 

A leafy green, kale is available in curly, ornamental, or dinosaur varieties. It belongs to the Brassica family that includes cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, collards, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts.

In summer, vegetable choices abound. But during the cooler months, there are fewer in-season choices -- with the exception of kale and other dark, leafy greens that thrive in cooler weather.

To find the freshest kale, look for firm, deeply colored leaves with hardy stems. Smaller leaves will be more tender and milder in flavor. Leaves range from dark green to purple to deep red in color.  

Store kale, unwashed, in an air-tight zipped plastic bag for up to five days in the refrigerator.

NOW you may ask...what should I DO with my kale....

Well, steam it, sautee it, use it as you would cabbage in cooked meals, or shred it up very tiny and you can use it in salads as well.  Baby kale works best for salads, but if you chop the full sized stuff small enough, it is great too.  You can shred some kale and put in in almost any soup.  I searched some creative recipes for kale, and while I am fairly certain I am not up for chocolate kale fudge pops, I may try to make this Kale-onaise

And if you have any potatos left from last week's distribution, sautee up some kale and mix with either mashed or diced, pan fried potatoes for a boost to your potato.  

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?