Notes From Nikki-Three Great Fall Recipes

Good Old-Fashioned Beef Stew
My son, Kiah, has been begging me to make beef stew (his favorite) ever since the leaves started turning. This dreary day turned out to be the perfect day to hang in the kitchen, and the Inverbrook potatoes and parsley I had on hand sealed the deal. Although it's a cinch to whip together, you need time for this recipe. The meat needs to simmer at least an hour to get to the point where it just falls apart in your mouth. Any less than an hour and your jaws will be begging for mercy as they attempt to chew through all those tough little wads of beef. I started this stew late in the morning, finished it just after noon, and let it sit covered on the stove until dinner time. Perfect. All I had to do was reheat it a touch. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Ingredients
3 lbs. beef stew meat, cut into bit-sized chunks
1 large yellow onion
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 T worcestershire sauce
3-4 T ketchup (or tomato paste)
3-4 bay leaves
6 medium-large russet potatoes, cut into bite-sized chunks
6 medium carrots, sliced/chopped into bite-sized chunks
Generous handful of chopped parsley leaves
Sea salt
Fresh ground pepper

1. Saute the beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat in a large soup pot until the meat is browned on the outside.
2. Season the beef mixture generously with sea salt and fresh ground pepper, and stir in the worcestershire and ketchup.
3. Add 8 C of water, along with the bay leaves, and bring to a boil.
4. Reduce the heat to simmer, cover, and simmer until the meat is tender (about 45 minutes-1 hour).
5. Add in the potatoes along with more sea salt and pepper, and continue simmering until the potatoes are starting to get tender, but are still pretty firm.
6. Add in the carrots, and simmer until the potatoes and carrots are firm tender, and the meat is super tender.
7. Turn off the heat and stir in the parsley.
8. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
9. Serve and enjoy!
Serves 6-8

Kabocha Squash Bowls with Local Drunken Cranberry Turkey Sausage and Greens
If you haven't tried the sausage from the good folks at Maiale, do yourself a favor and indulge the next time you're out at the Kennett Farmers Market on a Friday. It's to die for. Really. I have a slight sausage addiction thanks to these guys. They have vegetarian options as well. The following recipe showcases their "turkey sausage with drunken cranberries". I was told that the "drunken cranberries" are soaked in white wine. Feel free to substitute other turkey based sausage here, or just leave it out. The squash will still be tasty with just the greens. I would throw a bit of fresh minced garlic into the saute pan along with the greens to give it more depth if you decide to leave the sausage out.

Ingredients
1 package of Maiale Drunken Cranberry Turkey Sausage (or approximately 1/2 lb of turkey sausage of your choice)
2 bunches of cooking greens, stemmed and roughly chopped (I used the perpetual spinach from our Inverbrook share)
2 kabocha squash, halved and seeded
2-3 T extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt
Fresh ground pepper
1/2- 3/4 C freshly shredded parmigiano reggiano

1. Rub the the squash halves with a bit of olive oil and season with sea salt and pepper.
2. Roast uncovered in a 400 degree oven until the squash is tender when pierced and slightly browned (about 20-30 minutes).
3. While the squash is roasting, remove the sausage from its casing, and saute over medium heat in a large skillet until cooked through, breaking it up as it cooks.
4. Add in the greens and saute until just wilted.
5. Turn off the heat and cover to keep warm.
6. Once the squash is finished roasting, remove it from the oven and fill each half with 1/4 of the sausage mixture.
7. Sprinkle the top of each squash bowl with parmigiano reggiano, and return to the oven briefly to melt and brown the cheese slightly.
8. Serve and enjoy!
Serves 4

Sweet Potato Apple Cake
This recipe from Whole Foods Market showed up in my inbox today: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/2658?utm_source=Responsys&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2011_10_19_Recipe

The sweet potatoes from this week's share are perfect for this. I changed things ever so slightly, using real maple syrup instead of brown sugar, coconut oil instead of cooking spray, etc. My version is below.
I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

Ingredients
1 C whole wheat pastry flour or white whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
Generous pinch of sea salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4-1/2 C real maple syrup (1/2 C makes for a sweet cake, use less if you're looking for something a bit more mild)
1 large or 2 small eggs
2 small-medium sweet potatoes (about 3/4 lb.), peeled and grated
1 large or 2 small apples, peeled, cored, and grated (I used honey crisp)
1 tsp vanilla extract
Coconut oil for greasing the pan (extra virgin olive oil will work too)

1. Preheat the oven to 350.
2. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl.
3. Combine the apple, sweet potato, eggs, maple, and vanilla in another bowl.
4. Fold the dry and wet ingredients together, stirring until just combined.
5. Grease an 8" cake pan with coconut oil, and spread the cake batter evenly into it.
6. Bake until cooked through (about 40 minutes).
7. Allow to cool, slice, and serve.

Notes From Nikki-Lemony Haricot Vert with Shallots and Chicken Paillards

Lemony Haricot Verts with Shallots and Chicken Paillards

Well, at least all that September rain brought us a bounty of Inverbrook beans! The pretty little yellow haricot verts are my favorite, and make me feel better about the fact that there is mold growing all over my basement. ;-)


The following recipe is super simple to throw together, and showcases the beans in a delightfully rich and tangy way. If you're not into butter, skip it and just use olive oil. The advent of fall always leaves me craving heavier foods (like butter), but I know not everyone feels the same way. Enjoy!

Ingredients
2 bags Inverbrook haricot verts (I'm guessing about 1-1 1/2 lbs, give or take. Snap off the stem ends. I used the yellow ones.)
4 T extra virgin olive oil
6 small shallots, skinned and sliced
2 T butter
Flour for dredging the chicken
Juice of 1/2-1 lemon, plus a little zest for good measure (I used the juice of 1 whole lemon, but I like things really lemony. Use as much juice and zest as you like.)
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts pounded thin (You can also use thin-sliced chicken breast cutlets or chicken tenders)
Sea salt
Fresh ground pepper
Small handful of chopped parsley leaves
1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.
2. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet.
3. Season the dredging flour generously with sea salt and pepper, mixing together well.
4. Dredge the chicken paillards in the flour one at a time, and add them to the pan, cooking in batches (about 3-4 in the skillet at a time to avoid over-crowding), until both sides are golden brown and the paillards are cooked through, but still juicy inside (about 3-5 minutes per side, depending on thickness; they dry out quickly so don't overdo it). Feel free to add more olive oil to the pan if needed.
5. As the paillards finish, place them on a baking sheet in the oven so they stay warm.
6. Once all the chicken is finished and being kept warm in the oven, add the butter to the skillet, along with the shallots.
7. Saute the shallots until they are softened and starting to brown a bit.
8. Add in the haricot verts, tossing to incorporate everything.
9. Cover and steam until the beans are just barely tender (5-10 minutes, tops), shaking the pan every so often to prevent the beans on the bottom from browning. They should still have quite a bit of snap and lots of vibrant color when they're done.
10. Add the parsley, and sea salt and pepper to taste.
11. Lay a chicken paillard on a bed of haricot verts, garnish with a parsley leaf and a bit of fresh ground pepper, and serve.
Serves 6

Notes From Nikki-Happy Birthday Nikki!

Today is Nikki's birthday, hopefully someone else will be cooking for her this evening.  Happy Birthday Nikki, thank you for your great recipe ideas.







Potato, Kale, and Sausage Chowder

Fall is the perfect time of year for soups and stews and chowders. The following recipe is a hearty blend of potatoes, kale, and sausage. Topped with a bit of cheese, and served with a hunk of artisan bread, you'll have the makings for a stick-to-your-bones kind of meal. Enjoy!


Ingredients
1/2-1 lb sausage of your choice (I used mild Italian pork sausage this time around, but have also used smoked kielbasa with excellent results. If you decide to use a low-fat chicken or turkey sausage, you'll probably need to add a splash of olive oil to the pot while you're sauteing the onions and garlic along with the sausage. You can also cook the sausage on the grill or roast it in the oven, slice it, and add it to the chowder at the end when you add the kale, although again, you'll need a splash of olive oil to saute the onions and garlic in.)

2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 large yellow onion, chopped
About 1 dozen small-medium new potatoes (around 2 lbs.), scrubbed and cut into 1/8ths or 1/16ths
1 bunch of kale, stemmed and torn into smallish pieces
8 C chicken or veggie stock (you can also use 1/2 stock and 1/2 water)
Sea salt
Fresh ground black pepper
Grated parmigiana reggiana for topping (or other cheese of your choice; I use cheddar when I use smoked kielbasa)
1. Remove the casing from the sausage and cook over medium heat in a large soup pot, along with the onions and garlic, breaking up the sausage into bite-sized pieces.
2. Once the sausage is cooked through, add in the potatoes, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat.
3. Add the stock, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to simmer, cover, and cook until the potatoes are firm tender.
4. Add in the kale and turn off the heat.
5. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking.
6. Smash up some of the potatoes a little with a spoon to thicken a bit (optional).
7. Serve topped with a sprinkling of cheese and a side of artisan bread.
Serves 6-8


Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Brown Butter, Honey, and Sage

One of the many things I love about winter squash is that it can live on my kitchen counter for quite a while before I have to do anything with it. This is a welcome trait in the midst of our hectic fall schedule. In the following recipe I used spaghetti squash because it was what I had on hand, but any roasted winter squash will work. The carnival squash from our Inverbrook share would work beautifully here (and would be much more beautiful). Just halve the squashes, seed, and roast until tender, then add the brown butter, honey, and sage mixture directly to the squash halves, and serve them as little bowls of buttery goodness. Yum! Enjoy!


Ingredients
2 roasted spaghetti squash (Halve the squashes, seed, and roast on a baking sheet in a 400 degree oven until tender and browned a bit. Once the squashes are done and slightly cooled for handling, scrape the meat from the skin with a fork creating spaghetti-like strands. Set aside and keep warm.)
4 T unsalted butter
Pinch or two of nutmeg
1-2 T finely chopped fresh sage leaves (plus more leaves for garnishing)
2 tsp honey plus more for drizzling
Sea salt
Fresh ground pepper
1. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-low heat.
2. Add in the nutmeg, sage, and a pinch of salt.
3. Simmer over medium-low heat until the butter starts to brown. (Watch very carefully! Butter can go from yummy, toasty brown to burned in an instant. I've learned the hard way. ;-))
4. Stir in the honey.
5. Toss the squash with the brown butter mixture and a bit more salt.
6. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
7. Serve drizzled with more honey and garnished with a sage leaf and some fresh ground pepper.
Serves 3-4 as a side dish

Notes from Nikki-Potatoes and Roasted Poblano Gratin

Potato and Roasted Poblano Gratin
You may have noticed a decrease in my posts since the advent of fall (and by that I mean post Labor Day). For those of you who don't know me, I have four children that I homeschool. Those four children are also involved in a plethora of activities (dance, sports, drum lessons, attending programming at Open Connections [a resource center for homeschoolers], etc). I also work part-time as a teacher at Open Connections, and am a doula and lactation consultant with Well Born Baby (even though I am a busy mama, I am still taking clients... please send me your referrals :-) [nikki@wellbornbaby.com]). Yes, my plate is oh so full (no pun intended), and my time in the kitchen has been limited as a result. So, what does any of this have to do with Potato and Roasted Poblano Gratin? Well, besides providing an explanation for my lack of recipes this month, I also realize that I'm not the only one who is feeling frazzled this time of the year. As the lazy days of summer draw to a close and our schedules become a bit more demanding, we all start to feel tapped out. I don't know about you, but this causes me to crave some serious comfort food. This dish provides just that, comfort. It's warm and heavy and satisfying, just what my body and soul are craving at this time of the year when the days are suddenly shorter and the nights are colder, and by nightfall, I'm simply tuckered out. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did. The roasted poblanos really set if off, so I wouldn't suggest leaving them out or using them fresh. Roasting them gives the dish a depth that wouldn't be possible with fresh peppers. Enjoy!

Ingredients
1 large (or 2 small) yellow onions, chopped
2-3 cloves of minced garlic
3-4 lbs. of potatoes (I used a combination of new purple and red potatoes from our Inverbrook share that have been patiently waiting on my kitchen counter), boiled until tender and sliced 1/8-1/4" thick
2-3 T extra virgin olive oil
6 small poblano chile peppers (anaheims will also work for a milder version), roasted under a broiler until charred on all sides, steamed in a covered bowl for 10 minutes, and then stemmed, skinned, seeded, and chopped (wear gloves, trust me)
1.5 C fresh or frozen corn kernels (thawed if frozen)
2 C half and half
Sea salt
1.5-2 C shredded Mexican cheese of your choice (I used a combination of jack, manchego, and anejo)
1 T butter
1. Preheat the oven to 375.
2. Saute the onions and garlic in the olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet.
3. Add in the roasted chiles and corn, stirring to incorporate.
4. Add in the potato slices, tossing to coat. Season generously with sea salt.
5. Turn off the heat and set aside.
6. Butter a deep casserole dish, and fill with the potato mixture. Press the mixture down into the pan so that it is evenly distributed.
7. Drizzle the half and half over the potato mixture, and top with the cheese.
8. Bake until the gratin is bubbling and the cheese is melted and browned a bit (about 30 minutes).
Serves 8-10

Notes From Nikki-Eggplant Caponata, Mexican Summer Squash Casserole, and more

Eggplant Caponata With a Twist
I must give credit to my friend, Donna Larsen, for inspiring me to mix cocoa powder with eggplant. She emailed me a Caponata recipe recently that included grilled eggplant, sugar, and cocoa powder, among other things. I was intrigued. I ended up googling "Caponata" only to find that there are literally thousands of variations on this classic Sicilian dish... of course. I basically used the lists of ingredients I perused as inspiration, and worked from there. Below you'll find the recipe that I came up with. It turned out rich and earthy, brightened just a touch by the basil and the summer squash (I am desperately trying to use up our bounty). I cannot overemphasize how important it is to taste and adjust as you go with this. Just a little more salt, sugar, cinnamon, balsamic vinegar, or cocoa can make a world of difference. If you're like me, you'll be full before the dish hits the table. :-) Enjoy!

Ingredients

3-4 T extra virgin olive oil
1 medium-large sweet onion, chopped
6-8 small eggplant (I used 4 small and 4 baby-sized), diced
4 small-medium tomatoes, cored and chopped
2 medium-large summer squash (I used 1 pattypan and 1 yellow straight-neck), diced
Dash of red pepper flakes (more if you want more heat)
1-2 T sugar
1-2 tsp cinnamon
1-2 T cocoa powder (I suggest using a high quality variety like Green & Black's for deeper flavor)
1-2 tsp balsamic vinegar
Handful chopped basil, plus more for garnish (I used purple basil)
Sea salt
Fresh ground pepper

Warm artisan bread

1. Saute the onion, garlic, sugar, cinnamon, cocoa powder, sea salt, chile flakes, and pepper in a large skillet over medium heat until the onions have softened.
2. Add in the eggplant, stirring to coat, and continue sauteing for a bit.
3. Add the tomatoes, and do the same.
4. Add in the summer squash, stir to incorporate, cover, and simmer until all the veggies are quite soft (the tomatoes will have fallen apart as well as some of the eggplant).
5. Add in the balsamic vinegar, and taste and adjust.
6. Stir in the basil, and taste and adjust again.
7. Garnish with basil and serve with plenty of crusty, artisan bread.

Makes about 6 cups (enough for at least 8-10 people to enjoy as an appetizer)

Mexican Summer Squash Casserole with Red Haven Farm Grass-fed Ground Beef and Shredded Highland Farm Manchego
This somewhat odd menagerie of ingredients turned out to be a heavenly "one-pot" dish. If you're like me, you have plenty of summer squash on hand. As it turned out, this proved to be an excellent way to use up at least six of the prolific little summer gems. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Ingredients
1.5 lbs. ground beef (I used Red Haven Farm's local, grass-fed beef)
1 large sweet onion, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 tsp cumin
1-2 tsp coriander
1-2 tsp chipotle chile pepper powder (more if you want extra heat)
2-3 tsp paprika
2-3 tsp dried Mexican oregano
4-6 small-medium summer squash, diced (I used 2 small pattypan, 1 medium pattypan, and 3 small yellow straight-neck)
4 medium tomatoes, cored and chopped
Generous handful of chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish
Sea salt
1 C shredded Manchego cheese (I used Highland Farm's local sheep Manchego)

1. Preheat the oven to 400.
2. Saute the beef, onions, garlic, coriander, chipotle powder, paprika, oregano, and sea salt over medium heat until the meat is cooked through and the onions are softened.
3. Add in the tomatoes and squash and cook until the squash is firm tender.
4. Turn off the heat and fold in the cilantro.
5. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
6. Turn the mixture out into a casserole dish and top with the cheese.
7. Bake uncovered until the mixture is bubbling and the cheese is melted and browned in a few places.
8. Remove from the oven, allow to cool a bit, garnish with more cilantro, and serve family style.

Serves 6
Rosemary Mashed Potato Medley; Roasted Orange Mint Carrots; and Grilled Mother Earth Organic Portabellas, Sweet Onions, and Steaks
Three recipes for the price of one! :-) The following three recipes comprised our dinner last night. Make one, or make them all. Red Haven Farm steaks would work beautifully here (I wish we had had some on hand), or leave out the steak and just grill up the portabellas and onions. Portabellas are meaty enough in and of themselves. I hope you enjoy these as much as we did!


Rosemary Mashed Potato Medley
Approximately 2-3 lbs. new potatoes, scrubbed (if necessary) and halved or quartered (halve the small ones, quarter the big ones) [I used a combination of purple, yellow, and red ones, but any combo will do.]
1 stick of butter
2+ C milk
2 T fresh minced rosemary
Sea salt
Fresh ground pepper


1. Boil the potatoes in a large pot until they are tender enough to mash.
2. Drain the potatoes in a colander, returning them to the pot.
3. Add in the butter, rosemary, and 1 C of the milk.
4. Mash the potatoes, butter, rosemary, and milk together using a masher.
5. Switching to a spoon, stir in enough milk to make a smooth-ish consistency (to your liking).
6. Season generously with sea salt and fresh ground pepper.
7. Taste and adjust to your liking.
8. Serve and enjoy!
Serves approximately 8-10 as a side dish (feel free to cut the recipe in half)


Roasted Orange Mint Carrots
3 bunches carrots, bottoms trimmed, tops removed (I used a mixture of the purple and orange carrots from our Inverbrook share)
2-3 T extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 orange, plus some zest (to taste)
1 T honey
Handful of finely chopped mint leaves
Sea salt
Fresh ground pepper


1. Preheat the oven to 400.
2. Drizzle the bottom of a roasting pan with the olive oil.
3. Lay the carrots on top of the oil, creating one single layer, and give the pan a good shake.
4. Season the carrots with sea salt and pepper, and roast in the oven until firm tender, shaking occasionally.
5. While the carrots are roasting, combine the orange juice, mint, and honey.
6. Once the carrots are just shy of finishing, drizzle the juice over the lot, shake the pan, and finish roasting (the juice and honey will caramelize a bit).
7. Taste and adjust the seasoning, and serve.
Serves 6 as a side dish

Grilled Mother Earth Organic Portabellas, Sweet Onions, and Steaks
6 whole portabella mushroom caps, stems removed (I highly recommend local Mother Earth Organic mushrooms)
2-3 sweet onions, quartered
6 steaks (we used mock tender steaks as we're on a budget ;-))
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
3-4 T extra virgin olive oil
1-2 T balsamic vinegar
Fresh torn rosemary leaves
Sea salt
Fresh ground pepper


1. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.
2. Season the steaks with plenty of sea salt, pepper, and a bit of olive oil if they aren't fatty (ours were mock tenders and needed a little oiling :-)). Rub some torn rosemary leaves and minced garlic into them for good measure.
3. While they're upside down, drizzle the portabellas with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Divide the remaining minced garlic amongst the caps, and season with sea salt and pepper.
4. Rub the onion quarters with whatever amount of oil garlic and rosemary you have left (the stuff that's laying on the pan) and season with just a bit of sea salt and pepper.
5. Grill the steaks to your liking.
6. Grill the portabellas upside down until they are well marked and meaty. A little soup of garlic, oil, and vinegar will form in the caps. Don't turn the caps over while they're still on the grill or you'll lose all that goodness.
7. Grill the onions until well marked and softened.
8. Slice the portabellas (if desired), and toss with the onions and all that yummy juice that formed in the caps while they were on the grill.
9. Lay each steak on a bed of the portabella and onion mixture and serve.

Serves 6

Notes from Nikki-Roasted Summer Squash, Eggplant, and Tomato Rotelli

Roasted Summer Squash, Eggplant, and Tomato Rotelli

Wow. What a beautiful bounty of delicious summer goodness we walked away with this week from the Inverbrook Distribution Shed. Even in this wretched heat, I decided to roast the summer squash, eggplant, and tomatoes to create a saucy medley for rotelli pasta. It was a perfect summer meal! I hope you enjoy it too.

Ingredients

2 small-medium pattypan squash, halved and sliced (about 1/4", no need to be fussy)
2 small-medium yellow crook-neck squash (I used the zephyr from this week's share), sliced (about 1/4 ")
2 small-medium eggplant, halved and sliced (I used one small, round white and one small, round purple (Indian variety?) from this week's share)
8-10 small-medium tomatoes, cored and halved or quartered
4-6 T extra virgin olive oil
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
1-2 T balsamic vinegar
Generous handful of chopped basil (I used a combination of purple and lemon basil)
1.5 lbs. rotelli
Sea salt
Fresh ground pepper
Fresh grated or shredded Parmigiano-Regianno


1. Preheat the oven to 400.
2. Set a pot of water to boil for the pasta.
3. Prepare two roasting pans by drizzling the bottoms of both with about 2-3 T of olive oil.
4. Spread the summer squash and eggplant out onto one of the pans and sprinkle with sea salt, pepper, and half of the minced garlic. Toss to coat.
5. Spread the tomatoes out onto the other pan, and do the same.
6. Roast the vegetable in the oven until cooked through and starting to brown, about 20-25 minutes (the tomatoes will break down quite a bit and will create a sauce of sorts).
7. While the vegetables are roasting, cook the pasta al dente, drain, and set aside.
8. Toss the pasta with the roasted tomatoes, squash, eggplant, and basil, and drizzle with the balsamic vinegar.
9. Add in more sea salt and pepper to taste.
10. Top with plenty of Parmigiano-Regianno and serve.

Serves 6-8 as a main course

Notes From Nikki-Eggplant Medley, Roasted Beets/Carrots, and Smashed Pink Potatoes

Here are three great recipes from Nikki. If you are planning on feeding a bigger group, and you don't have time to stockpile your share contents like Nikki, I encourage you to come on out to the Friday Farmstand (2-7PM). I will have many of this week's share items available for purchase, along with cherry tomatoes and bouquets of flowers. Perfect for weekend entertaining. Enjoy Nikki's delicious recipe creations.

Roasted Eggplant Medley with Tomatoes, Lemon Basil, and Feta
I don't know about you, but I tend to stock-pile parts of our Inverbrook share until I have enough of an ingredient to create a dish that will feed my family. This has been the case over the last two weeks with eggplant. Last week I came away from the shed with just two tiny purple and white streaked eggplant, which I promptly put in a plastic bag and stored in the crisper (eggplant can be saved for quite a while this way). This week, I chose a couple with more girth, one white, and one a pale green. Along with the four small yellow tomatoes we came away with on Monday, I used this eggplant medley to produce the following dish. It made a fabulous lunch! Two of my kids and I shared it. I hope you enjoy it too!

Ingredients

4 small eggplant (preferably of different varieties), trimmed and sliced about 1/4" (no need to be overly-precise)
4 small tomatoes, cored and quartered
2 garlic scapes, chopped (or garlic cloves, minced)
3-4 T extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt
Fresh ground pepper
Splash of balsamic vinegar (1-2 T)
Small handful of finely chopped lemon basil (any basil will do... lemon is my favorite for brightening a roasted dish like this)
Handful of crumbled feta cheese (we used Highland Farm's sheep feta, my absolute favorite feta on earth)

1. Preheat the oven to 400.
2. Drizzle the bottom of a roasting pan with the olive oil, and add the eggplant slices, tomatoes, garlic, sea salt, and pepper. Toss a bit, and spread out evenly so that you have one layer.
3. Roast in the oven for about 25-30 minutes, turning the eggplant slices about halfway through. Roast until the eggplant is cooked through. The tomatoes will be super-roasted and will fall apart creating a sauce of sorts.
4. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with balsamic vinegar, fold in the basil, and turn out onto a plate (make sure to get all the yummy juices off the pan too).
5. Top with the feta and a bit more fresh ground pepper if desired.
6. Serve and enjoy!

Serves 4


I am a sucker for banana fingerling potatoes, and, until Monday, I have overlooked the other potato offerings when picking up our Inverbrook share. This week, I decided to give the pink-flesh potatoes a try. What a gorgeous treat this turned out to be! The following recipe resulted in a beautiful array of pink and green that tasted as good as it looked. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

Ingredients

2 bunches of perpetual spinach (or other cooking greens), tough stems removed, chopped
2-3 cloves minced raw garlic (cured cloves are fine too, or use up any garlic scapes you may have lying in the bottom of your crisper... we still have a couple, they seem to last forever)
Glug of extra-virgin olive oil
Approximately 2 lbs. new potatoes (as noted above, we used pink-fleshed potatoes, but any new potatoes will do), scrubbed if needed
1/2-1 stick of butter
Sea salt
Fresh ground pepper
1-2 C milk

1. Boil the potatoes until tender.
2. While the potatoes are boiling, saute the garlic and spinach in olive oil until the spinach is just wilted.
3. Drain the potatoes, add the butter, sea salt, pepper, and milk (start with 1 C) to the pot, and smash the mixture together with a potato masher.
4. Once the potatoes are roughly mashed, stir the mixture together with a spoon, adding more milk (if necessary) to get the consistency you prefer.
5. Fold in the sauteed spinach and garlic.
6. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
7. Serve and enjoy!

Serves 6-8 as a side dish


Roasted Baby Carrots and Beets with Honey Dill Vinaigrette
They may be tiny, but the baby carrots and beets from our Inverbrook share pack a serious punch. They are full of delicious, complex flavor. Roasting them makes the flavor even more intense. I hope you enjoy this simple recipe that is as beautiful as it is delicious!

Ingredients

Approximately 20 or so baby carrots, tops removed
Approximately 10 or so baby beets, greens removed
2-3 T extra virgin olive oil

Handful of dill (no thick stems, we still had some leftover in the crisper from last week's share)
3-4 T oilve oil
2 T white wine vinegar
1-2 T honey
Sea salt
Fresh ground pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 400.
2. Drizzle two small roasting pans with a tablespoon or so of olive oil.
3. Lay the beets on one roasting pan, and the carrots on the other, shake the pans back and forth a bit to coat, and tent both pans with foil.
4. While the carrots and beets are roasting, process the dill, olive oil, vinegar, honey, sea salt, and pepper in a food processor until smooth and emulsified (you can also do this by hand with a wire whisk, just finely chop the dill first).
5. Roast the beets and carrots until firm tender. (They will likely be done at different times.)
6. When cool enough to handle, slip the skins off the beets and discard them.
7. Toss the beets, carrots, and as much of the dressing as desired together, turn out onto a plate, and serve. (Any remaining dressing will save nicely in an airtight container in the fridge.)
8. Serve and enjoy!

Serves 3-4 as a side dish

This Week's Share-Potatoes and Eggplant (Notes from Nikki)

This week's share includes the beginning of summer staples like potatoes and eggplant, a welcome change from all the green, I am sure. This will be the last week for lettuce for a while. It has got quite a bit to it, luckily Nikki has provide a great recipe for it that can be found at the end of this post.

This Week's Share:
Potatoes
Eggplant
Small Bag of Lettuce
Cooking Greens (Chard or Perpetual Spinach)
Carrots
Beets
Herbs (mint, cilantro, and dill)

Notes From Nikki--Three Great Recipes Below:

Summer Picnic Potato Salad

Upon my arrival to pick up our Inverbrook Farm share yesterday, I was pleased to discover that two of the most important ingredients I needed to make the potato salad I was planning on bringing to a 4th of July potluck were right there in the distribution shed: potatoes and dill. Perfect! This salad is best served at room temperature for full flavor, but saves nicely in the fridge and can be eaten cold too. Enjoy!


Ingredients
2-3 lbs. new potatoes, scrubbed, boiled until tender, drained, cooled (enough to handle), and halved or quartered depending on size (I used the banana fingerlings from this week's share)
8 oz. sour cream
4 oz. mayonaise
1-2 T dijon mustard
3 scallions, trimmed and chopped (white and green parts)
6 celery stalks, trimmed and chopped
2 T capers
Handful chopped dill leaves plus more for garnish (you can also use parsley for garnish, and/or even add some chopped parsley to the mix)
4 oz. bacon, fried, drained, and broken into smallish pieces (optional)
Sea salt
Fresh ground pepper

1. Combine the sour cream, mayo, and mustard, and mix with the potatoes, smashing up some of the potatoes in the process. Add more sour cream or mayo if the mixture is too thick. (It's okay if the mixture is warm. This actually helps to bring out the flavor. It will cool to room temp by the time you're ready to serve it.)
2. Fold in the scallions, celery, capers, dill, salt, pepper, and bacon (if using).
3. Taste and adjust to your liking.
4. Serve and enjoy.

Serves 6-8 as a side dish (can be doubled)




















Whole Wheat Rigatoni with Sauteed Shallots, Fresh Garlic, Chard, and Exotic Mushrooms
Admittedly, this dish is a bit heavy for this time of year, but I had a hankering for something substantial after eating so many salads. :-) You could skip the cream and use the parmesan as a garnish, rather than incorporating both ingredients into the dish to create a sauce, for a lighter version. Either way, it is sure to please. The chard can be swapped out for spinach, kale, or any other cooking greens you have on hand. The bacon is totally optional (I've been on a bacon kick lately); again, for a lighter version, just omit it. However you decide to prepare the dish, I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

Ingredients
2 T extra virgin olive oil
2 T butter (optional, just add a tad more olive oil if you decided to omit the butter, I was going for decadence ;-))
2-3 cloves fresh garlic, minced (or trimmed and chopped garlic scapes if you still have some on hand)
6 small shallots, sliced
Red pepper flakes
2 bunches chard, thick stems removed, torn or chopped
10-12 oz. exotic mushrooms (I used a combo of local crimini, shitake, and oyster), roughly chopped
1-1.5 lbs. whole wheat rigatoni (penne or rotelli will work too; you can also use a non-whole wheat version, I just love the nutty flavor that the whole wheat versions produce)
Handful or two of freshly grated or shredded Parmigiano Reggiano (plus more for topping)
1 C half-and-half or cream
Sea salt
8 oz. bacon, minced, sauteed until crispy, and drained (optional)
Fresh ground pepper

1. Put on a large pot of water to boil the pasta in.
2. While you are waiting for the pasta water to boil, saute the shallots, garlic, and pepper flakes in the butter and olive oil over medium heat until fragrant and softened.
3. Add the chard to the pan and continue sauteing until it starts to wilt.
4. Add in the mushrooms and saute until the mushrooms are soft, and the chard is completely wilted.
5. Once your water is boiling, add in the pasta along with some sea salt, and cook until al dente, reserving about 1/2 C of the cooking water for the sauce.
6. Add 1/2 C pasta water to the chard/mushroom mix, plus the half-and-half (or cream), and bring to a simmer.
7. Add in the parmesan, stirring to incorporate.
8. Season with sea salt, taste, and adjust to your liking.
9. Toss the pasta with the sauce, divide among plates, top each plate with a sprinkling of parmesan, some of the bacon (if using), and some fresh ground pepper.
10. Serve and enjoy!

Serves 6-8
Honey Dijon Salad with Pan-Roasted Chicken Tenders
Claire warned us, the salad greens this week have a bit of a bite. :-] Actually, they create the perfect foundation for this salad that sports a simple honey-dijon dressing and pan-roasted, boneless, skinless chicken tenders. Very light and flavorful. A perfect meal on a hot summer night. Enjoy!

Ingredients
1/4 C extra virgin olive oil
1-2 T dijon mustard
1-2 T honey
2 T white wine vinegar
Sea salt
Fresh ground pepper
8-10 oz. baby lettuce (I used two bags from our Inverbrook share)
1 lb.-2 lbs. chicken tenders
Splash of olive oil
Sea salt
Fresh ground pepper

1. Put the olive oil, mustard, honey, vinegar, sea salt, and pepper in a food processor and process until smooth and emulsified (you can also do this by hand with a wire whisk). Taste and adjust to your liking.
2. Season the chicken tenders with sea salt and pepper, and pan-roast in olive oil until browned on both sides and cooked through.
3. Toss the dressing with the salad greens, divide among plates, place 2-3 chicken tenders on top of each, drizzle with a bit more dressing, top with fresh ground pepper, and serve.

Serves 4-6

Notes from Nikki-Sauteed Kohlrabi (and Fridays at the Farm)

The syncrinisity that exists in life never ceases to amaze me. This morning I started off the day picking blueberries for the Friday Farmstand (by next year the blueberries should be part of the CSA share, I just have to fence off the plot to keep the deer out). The fact that I now have a "friday at the farm" enterprise and picking blueberries made me think of the wonderful short film Fridays at the Farm by Rich Power Hoffman. The film features Red Hill CSA and its farmers Chris and Amy. In the film there is a little song about blueberries and this song always seems to pop into my head whenever picking blueberries. Anyway, Nikki sent along this great recipe for cooked kohlrabi today; a recipe she got from the very same Chris of Red Hill CSA. Enjoy the recipe and if you have a spare twenty minutes check out the movie.

Fridays at the Farm from Spring Garden Pictures on Vimeo.

Sauteed Kohlrabi with Cracked Black Pepper and Parmigiano Reggiano
Truth be told, until now, I have never liked kohlrabi. It wasn't for not trying. Honestly. I tried it shaved in a salad, diced in a stir-fry, and pureed in a soup. Just didn't do it for me. Needless to say, the kohlrabi from our Inverbrook Farm share has been collecting in the crisper in our fridge, untouched. It wouldn't even go bad so I could just compost it. ;-) I decided I would have to befriend it... eventually. As luck would have it, a good friend and coworker of mine (and former farmer himself), Chris McNichol, told me just the other day that he loves the stuff. Upon hearing this, I demanded he immediately tell me his favorite way to prepare it. I didn't even have to write down the recipe. It's that simple. And so delicious! I know, I can't believe I just referred to kohlrabi as delicious. Who knew?! Thanks, Chris! I hope you all enjoy it too.

Ingredients

6 small kohlrabi bulbs, trimmed, peeled, and diced (roughly chopped works too)
Glug of extra-virgin olive oil
Plenty of fresh cracked black pepper
A bit o' sea salt
Freshly grated or shredded Parmigiano Reggiano
A few basil leaves for garnish (I used lemon basil)

1. Saute the kohlrabi in olive oil until fairly tender and browned on all sides.
2. Season with sea salt and pepper.
3. Turn out onto a plate, top with the cheese, more pepper (if desired), and the basil.
4. Serve and enjoy!

Serves 1-2 as a side dish

Notes from Nikki-Chinese Snow Peas and Red Haven Pork Chops

Just in case you still have not consumed all your vegetables from this week's share, here are two great meal ideas from Nikki. If the idea of pork chops interests you, the farmstand will be open tomorrow (Friday) from 2-7PM and you still have time to make an order with Red Haven Farm. You can download an order form from the Inverbrook website. I will also have flowers and a few vegetables available for purchase, perfect for your 4th of July gathering. Speaking of the 4th of July, I will have normal Monday CSA pick up on the 4th. Enjoy the holiday weekend.

Chinese Snow Peas
Our family just loves peas. Sugar snap, snow, shelling... divine! We can't get enough! The peas from our Inverbrook share the past few weeks are to die for. So sweet, so crisp. I don't like to mess with them too much. Truth be told, they usually don't make it home as my four kids devour them on the way.
I hope you enjoy the following recipe. Simple as can be. Just snow peas (sugar snaps will also work) tossed in an Asian inspired dressing. Perfect on a hot day.

Ingredients

Snow peas (or sugar snaps), trimmed
2 T tamari or shoyu
1 T honey
1 T rice vinegar
1 T toasted sesame oil
Red pepper flakes to taste (optional)
1 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and minced (optional)
1 small glove garlic, smashed and minced (or 1 chopped garlic scape, both are optional)

1. Whisk together the tamari, honey, vinegar, sesame oil, pepper flakes, ginger, and garlic. Taste and adjust to your liking.
2. Toss the dressing with the peas and serve.

Grilled Red Haven Farm Pork Loin Chops with Roasted Carrots and Fennel

For those of you who are meat eaters, I sincerely hope you have taken advantage of ordering from Red Haven Farm. Their grass-fed, pastured meats are every bit as delicious as they are nutritious. Last night I grilled up a batch of their bone-in pork loin chops. They turned out so juicy and flavorful. I served them with a quick roasted baby carrot and fennel salad. Delicious! Of course, the salad could certainly be enjoyed without the pork chops for the non-pork-eating folks out there. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

Ingredients

Red Haven Farm pork loin chops (we grilled 6 of them)
1-2 T extra virgin olive oil
1-2 cloves fresh, uncured garlic (cured is fine too)
Several sprigs of thyme plus about 1 T of leaves, sprigs soaked in water for several minutes
Sea salt
Fresh ground pepper

2-4 baby fennel bulbs and stems (depending on size and your liking for fennel), trimmed and roughly chopped
2 bunches baby carrots (3-4 dozen, depending on size), bottoms trimmed, tops removed minus about an inch of stem
3-4 peeled and sliced shallots (optional... I wished I had had them on hand; the dish was still delicious without them)
2 T extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt
Fresh ground pepper
Handful of chopped parsley leaves

For the chops:
1. Preheat the grill to medium/high.
3. Mix together the olive oil, garlic, and thyme leaves. Allow the mixture to sit for a bit while you season the chops with sea salt and pepper, and while you're waiting for the grill to heat up.
2. Rub the olive oil/garlic/thyme mixture into one side of the chops.
3. Top each chop with a couple sprigs of the soaked thyme (these will steam and smoke during the grilling process... fantastic!).
4. Grill the chops, seasoned side up, over medium/high heat for about 3-5 minutes (depending on the size of your chops and your grill temperature variance), with the grill top down.
5. Remove the thyme sprigs and flip the chops, grilling for another 3-5 minutes.
6. Remove from the grill and allow to cool for a bit before serving.

For the roasted carrot and fennel salad:
(*Note-If you are grilling the pork chops in addition to making the salad, you should get your carrots and fennel into the oven before you put the chops on the grill.)
1. Preheat the oven to 400.
2. Toss the fennel, carrots, shallots (if using), olive oil, sea salt, and pepper together, and spread out on a baking sheet.
3. Roast, shaking the pan once in a while, until the larger carrots are just tender (the fennel will be nice and toasty), about 10-15 minutes depending on the size of your carrots. The smaller ones will be well-done. Totally okay, and quite tasty. :-)
4. Toss with the parsley and serve. (Serves 4-6 as a side dish.)

Notes from Nikki-Beet and Fennel Salad and Green Smoothie

Two great recipe ideas from Nikki (I am late in posting the green smoothie recipe, but you can substitute other greens for the spinach):

Roasted Baby Beets and Fennel Salad
It's beet season, and I'm in heaven. The baby beets from this week's share are little bulbs of red deliciousness, and are the perfect accompaniment to the baby fennel we received as well. I hope you enjoy the recipe below. Another salad, I know. I promise my next recipe will be a bit more hearty. ;-)

Ingredients

4 thinly sliced baby fennel bulbs, plus a handful or so chopped fronds (or two larger bulbs)

3 shallots, thinly sliced and sautéed briefly in a splash of olive oil

8-10 baby beets, tops removed, bottoms trimmed, roasted in a 400 degree oven until tender

1/4 C good quality extra virgin olive oil
2 T white wine vinegar
1-2 T honey
1 T fresh thyme leaves
Sea salt
Fresh ground pepper

1. Once the beets have cooled, slide the skins off and quarter them.
2. Put the olive oil, vinegar, honey, thyme, sea salt, and pepper in a food processor and process until smooth and emulsified. (You can also do this by hand with a wire whisk.) Taste and adjust to your liking.
3. Toss the beets, fennel, fronds, shallots, and as much dressing as you like together.
4. Lay this mixture on a bed of lightly dressed salad greens (optional, but very tasty :-)), garnish with a piece of frond, and serve.

Enjoy!
Serves 4





















Banana Blueberry Spinach Smoothie

What?! Spinach?! Admittedly, I'm not a huge fan of disguising greens in things like smoothies and shakes. In fact, this is the first time I've ever even attempted to throw a bag of greens into the blender along with our usual smoothie suspects... yogurt, bananas, berries, honey, ice. But tonight was one of those nights when we came home exhausted after a long day, and it was already close to 8 pm, not enough time to put together a substantial meal. Not to mention the fact that we have way more greens than we even know what to do with right now. So, we threw together this rather homely, yet fine tasting concoction. Really delicious, totally satisfying, and full of all kinds of good-for-you stuff. Perfect! Feel free to substitute other berries or fruit for the blueberries. I imagine strawberries would make a nice substitute, as well as blackberries, raspberries, or even mango. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

Ingredients

1 pint of fresh blueberries (frozen is fine too)

2-3 fresh bananas (depending on size, we used 3 small ones)

1 C vanilla yogurt (plain is fine too, or your flavor of choice; we used Seven Stars Farm Original Vanilla yogurt)

5 oz. fresh spinach (kale, chard, and even romaine lettuce will all work as well; I encourage you to experiment)

1-2 Tbsp. honey, agave, or pure maple syrup (We used our favorite local honey, Guinea Hen Garden, Chocolate Mint... this honey doesn't really taste like chocolate, just a touch minty. It's made with chocolate mint flowers.)

A handful of mint leaves if not using minted honey

About a dozen cubes of ice

1. Put all the ingredients except for the ice in a blender and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust to your liking.
2. Add the ice and blend again until smooth.
3. Pour into glasses and enjoy.

Serves 4

Note's from Nikki-Radish and Kale Chips, Burger with a Lettuce Bun

I am so thankful for Nikki's amazing recipes. Last week's heat was fairly overwhelming. When I would come insdie to get a break from the hot sun, I have to say I was feeling less than inspired to do any blogging. I apologize for not even posting the share outline.

This week however, the weather is looking much better. I am so glad we are finally getting a little rain (and not in the form of violent storms). I will update the blog soon with the coming week's share. In the meantime, enjoy these great recipe ideas from Nikki. One note, if you are interested in making an order with Red Haven farm go to my website to download an order form.

Red Haven Farm Burgers with Lettuce Buns




















I am so excited that we can now order Red Haven Farm's delicious grass-fed beef to pick-up at Inverbrook along with our CSA share. How convenient! We have been big fans of Red Haven Farm's meats for quite some time now. Nothing compares to grass-fed beef, in my opinion. The flavor is superb, not to mention the health benefits; and the fact that it's local makes it all the better.
Like you probably do, we have lettuce coming out of our ears right now. The head lettuce that Claire has been growing is outstanding this year. So sweet and refreshing, my kids are even eating it plain.
Last night, as I stared into the fridge and pondered what to make for dinner, I glanced at both the ground beef from Red Haven, and the gobs of lettuce from Inverbrook, and thought, "Burgers with lettuce buns, of course!" Perfect for a hot, summer night (I know, it's not officially summer yet, but it sure feels like it at 97 degrees).
I served the burgers up with kale and radish chips (see "Kale Chips" and "Radish Chips" for the recipes), and a plethora of fixings (cheese, pickles, tomatoes, onions, ketchup, mustard, mayo, etc).
Yum!

Ingredients
Ground grass-fed beef (We used 3 pounds to make 9 good-sized burgers. We like leftovers. :-))
Garlic powder to taste
Sea salt to taste
Fresh ground pepper to taste
Lettuce "buns" (We used the iceberg-type lettuce from our Inverbrook farm share, which is nothing like the iceberg lettuce sold in most grocery stores. It is chock-full of flavor and color, and the crisp succulence that it yields makes for the perfect "bun".)
Burger fixings of your choice (cheese, pickles, sliced tomatoes, onions, ketchup, mustard, mayo, etc)

1. Fire up your grill, or preheat a grill pan on the stove to medium/medium high heat.
2. Combine the ground beef, garlic powder, sea salt, and pepper in a bowl, and form into patties (we make ours about 1/4-1/3 pound).
3. Cook the patties, flipping once, until cooked to your liking. (We like our burgers cooked "medium", so it takes about 3-5 minutes per side).
4. If you are using cheese, throw that on for the last minute or so of cooking time to melt.
5. Situate the burgers in the lettuce "buns", add whatever fixings you wish, and serve. Enjoy!

Kale Chips
When we picked up our farm share this past Monday, my kids were ecstatic to see that kale was part of the bounty. They all shouted, "Kale chips!" This is their favorite way to eat Kale, and the chips made the perfect accompaniment to the burgers with lettuce "buns" we made from the ground beef we ordered from Red Haven Farm (see "Red Haven Farm Burgers with Lettuce Buns" for the recipe), along with and the radish chips (see "Radish Chips" recipe). Normally, I just toss the torn kale with some olive oil and sea salt, but this time I decided to add a bit more flavor to the mix. I hope you enjoy this version as much as we did.

Ingredients
2 bags or bunches of kale, washed, torn, and spun dry (tough stems removed)
3 Tbsp good quality, extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt (You don't need much. I have learned this lesson the hard way. ;-) Go easy, you can always add more later.)
A couple pinches of raw sugar
A couple dashes of paprika
A couple dashes garlic powder
Fresh ground pepper to taste
Sesame seeds

1. Preheat the oven to 350.
2. Toss the kale with the olive oil, sea salt, sugar, paprika, garlic powder, and pepper. I like to lightly massage the oil and spices into the leaves a bit.
3. Spread the leaves onto baking sheets in roughly one layer. (You don't have to be too picky. A little overlap is okay.)
4. Roast until the kale starts to brown and crisp up, approximately 10-15 minutes. Start checking at 7 minutes and keep checking every couple of minutes until they are done. Kale chips go from perfect to burnt very quickly. I have also learned this lesson the hard way. ;-)
5. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, and serve. (These are best eaten fresh out of the oven.)

Enjoy!

Serves 6-8

Radish Chips
I am thrilled to share this recipe, mostly because I have finally discovered a way to get my family to eat radishes. I should say, my son, Emre, and I both love radishes, but we are the only ones in this household who will touch them. As you can imagine, we get mighty tired of them by the end of the season as we're the only ones eating them. Turns out, radishes can be made into "chips". Roasting them gets rid of most of their bite, and, let's be honest, everything tastes better coated in olive oil and salt. ;-) The following recipe is super easy, and delicious. There are many variations on the internet. Just google "radish chips". There seem to be many opinions about the best oven temp for roasting, as well as how thick to slice the radishes. I encourage you to experiment. I don't think you can go wrong, really. Below you'll find what worked for me. Enjoy!


Ingredients
Thinly sliced radishes (I sliced mine about 1/16-1/8")
Good quality, extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt

1. Preheat your oven to 375.
2. Toss the sliced radishes with olive oil (I used approximately 2 Tbsp for about 3 dozen small radishes), and spread out onto a baking sheet (non-stick preferable) in one single layer.
3. Sprinkle with sea salt.
4. Roast in the oven for about 20 minutes. Keep checking on them. Once they start to brown up a bit and shrink, pull one out and test to see if it's done. They will continue to crisp up after you remove them from the oven and as they cool on the baking sheet.
5. Toss onto a serving plate, and enjoy.

Notes from Nikki-Garlic Scape Cilantro Hummus

Garlic Scape Cilantro Hummus
I don't know about you, but I love hummus. It's practically a staple in our house. My kids especially like it, and I can feel good about the fact that they're filling their bodies with good fat, protein, and fiber. Plus, they eat gobs of vegetables as they dip them into that delectable bowl of creamy goodness. I hope you enjoy this twist on an all-time favorite as much as we did. (Incidentally, I don't put sesame tahini in my hummus. I simply don't care for it. I prefer a creamier hummus with more olive oil. If you feel the need though, go ahead and add it in to your liking.)

Ingredients

2 cans garbanzo beans, drained (leave a little bean "juice" behind)
1/4 C + good quality extra virgin olive oil (plus more for drizzling)
2 garlic scapes, trimmed and chopped
Juice of 1 lemon (or less, I happen to love lemon juice and never skimp ;-))
Handful of fresh chopped cilantro
Sea salt to taste
Fresh ground pepper to taste
Smoked paprika for topping (optional)
Smoked finishing salt (optional)

1. Combine the beans, olive oil, sea salt, pepper, garlic scapes, cilantro, and lemon juice in a food processor and process until smooth and creamy. Add in more olive oil if needed to thin (or use water). Taste and adjust to your liking.
2. Turn the hummus out into a serving bowl, drizzle with olive oil, and top with some smoked paprika and smoked finishing salt.
3. Throw on part of a garlic scape as a garnish if desired, and serve with cut up vegetables, pita bread, corn chips, or whatever your heart desires.

Enjoy!

Serves 8-10

Notes from Nikki-Strawberry Salad with Honey Mint Vinaigrette

As luck would have it, I will have strawberries available today at the Farmstand (2-7PM) and they should also be part of next week's pre-season CSA pick up. Butterhead lettuce and mint will also be part of next week's share; everything you need for Nikki's delicious recipe.

First-of-the-Season Strawberry Salad with Honey Mint Vinaigrette

I don't know about you, but I get positively giddy when I see those first-of-the-season red gems cropping up at local farm stands and markets. On the way back to Kennett Square from Newtown Square today, I made a pitstop at Pete's Produce to purchase some of the tantalizing, blushing berries. They made a perfect accompaniment to the mild, sweet head lettuce from our Inverbrook share this week. Tossed with a bit of honey/mint vinaigrette, and sprinkled with sliced almonds and chevre, it was a match made in heaven. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Ingredients

2 small-medium heads of lettuce (something mild and sweet like butter lettuce), washed, torn into bite-sized pieces, and spun dry
Approximately 6-8 strawberries, stems and leaves removed, sliced (plus some whole strawberries with stems and leaves for garnish)
Leaves from two long stems of mint (approximately 12-18 leaves)
6 Tbsp good quality, extra virgin olive oil
2-3 Tbsp white wine vinegar
2-3 Tbsp honey
Dash of sea salt
Pinch of fresh ground black pepper
Sliced almonds
Chevre
Honey for drizzling
Fresh ground black pepper to top it off

1. Combine the mint, olive oil, vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper in food processor and process until smooth and emulsified. Taste and adjust to your liking (most important step!).
2. Gently toss the sliced strawberries and lettuce together in a large bowl.
3. Drizzle the dressing over the lettuce and strawberries, and toss again. (I suggest starting with half of the dressing, and add more to your liking.)
4. Divide the salad among plates, add a few pieces of chevre, sprinkle with sliced almonds, drizzle with a bit of honey, and finish with fresh ground black pepper.
5. Garnish with a whole strawberry and enjoy.

Serves 6

Notes from Nikki-Soup It's What's for Dinner

I am so happy to once again be able to share CSA member Nikki Graham's amazing recipes for items included in your share (or from the farmstand). It is a sign that CSA season is just around the corner. In fact, CSA members should be on the look out for an email about a "soft" opening next week and the official start of the season either June 6th or June 8th, depending on your pick up day.

Soup: It's What's for Dinner (and Dessert)

I am so excited to be writing my first recipes of the season! A visit to Inverbrook this past Friday provided all the inspiration I needed to get back into the kitchen, despite our hectic spring schedule. We loaded our market bags with asparagus, spinach, mint, rhubarb, and eggs. I hope you enjoy the following two soup recipes made with our Inverbrook bounty: one savory, and one sweet. We indulged in both on the same night. It was a soup soiree!


Asparagus Soup
Ingredients
3-4 Tbsp good quality, extra virgin olive oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
6 small-medium shallots, sliced
Red pepper flakes to taste
Sea salt to taste
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
4 bunches asparagus, woody ends snapped off and discarded, tops snapped off and reserved, stalks snapped or sliced into 1.5-2 inch pieces
4-6 C chicken or vegetable broth (more if you want a thinner soup, less for a thicker version)
3 large handfuls fresh spinach leaves, washed well
Generous splash of cream or half-and-half (optional)
Shaved parmesan for garnishing (you can also finish each bowl with a drizzle of good quality olive oil or a dollop of creme fraiche)


1. Saute the garlic, shallots, red pepper flakes, sea salt, and pepper in olive oil until fragrant.
2. Add the asparagus stalks, and saute until the stalks brighten and the shallots have softened.
3. Add the broth, turn up the heat, and bring to a simmer.
4. Simmer until the asparagus is tender, but still has color (about 7-10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the stalks).
5. Meanwhile, saute the asparagus tops in 1-2 Tbsp of olive oil, and a dash of sea salt and fresh ground pepper until just barely tender. Set aside.
6. Turn off the heat, and add in the spinach, stirring to incorporate and wilt.
7. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup.
8. Add in the cream or half-and-half (if using), taste, and adjust the seasoning.
9. Ladle into bowls, topping each bowl with the parmesan (or other aforementioned garnishes), and some of the sauteed asparagus tops.
10. Serve with crusty french bread if desired, and enjoy!

Serves 6-8


Raspberry Rhubarb Soup
(I found this recipe on marthastewart.com, and adjusted the amounts to my liking. The ingredients are virtually the same though. I also cooked and prepared the dish a bit differently. My version is below. Here is the link to the original version: http://www.marthastewart.com/257834/chilled-rhubarb-and-raspberry-soup?czone=food%2Fproduce-guide-cnt%2Fspring-produce-recipes)


Ingredients
12 oz. fresh raspberries (plus more for garnish), rinsed
8-10 stalks fresh rhubarb, trimmed and sliced
1/2 C raw sugar
1/2 of a vanilla bean, sliced open
4 C water
Mint sprigs for garnish
Vanilla ice cream (optional)


1. Combine the rhubarb, sugar, vanilla bean, and water in a saucepan.
2. Bring to a boil, turn down the heat, and simmer until the rhubarb is very tender.
3. Turn off the heat, and add the raspberries.
4. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth.
5. Taste and add more sugar if you wish.
6. Chill the soup for several hours or overnight.
7. Serve in a bowl with a scoop of vanilla ice cream; a sprig of mint; and a few fresh, whole raspberries.
Enjoy!

Serves 6-8

Notes from Nikki--4 great recipes

A big thank you to Nikki, who despite her busy fall schedule has still managed to put together some amazing recipes made from recent share vegetables.
Potato Leek Soup

Admittedly, I do miss those summer nights of yore, but I also love cooking up a pot of soup on a chilly fall evening. The following recipe is for a very simple potato leek soup. I used bacon in the mix, but feel free to nix that. A glug of olive oil will also do. Also, I used the red-skinned potatoes from last week's share, un-peeled, but any variety of potatoes will work just fine, even a mixture. You can't really mess this soup up. Enjoy!

Ingredients

1/3 lb of bacon, diced
3-5 leeks (depending on their size and your taste for them. I say, don't be shy. ;-)), white and light green parts only, sliced (make sure to wash out the grit after you slice them)
2-3 cloves of garlic, smashed and chopped
About 12 small-medium potatoes, quartered
1-2 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves
4-6 C chicken or veggie stock
1-2 C whole milk
Sea salt
Fresh ground pepper
Shredded cheddar cheese for topping
Chopped parsley for garnish

Instructions

Cook bacon in a soup pot over medium heat until fat is rendered.
Add in the leeks, sauteing until softened and fragrant.
Toss in the garlic and saute briefly.
Add the potatoes and thyme, stirring to combine and coat the potatoes.
Pour in the stock and turn up the heat to bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the potatoes are fork tender.
Smash the potatoes using a potato masher (or the back of your spoon).
Add in the milk, sea salt, and pepper.
Using an immersion blender, blend the soup just a bit to incorporate everything. (This step is optional. Feel free to leave the soup alone of you want it more chunky and rustic).
Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Ladle the soup into bowls, top with shredded cheese and a bit of parsley, and serve.




Sweet Potato, Black Bean Quesadillas

I brought these to a potluck yesterday and they were gone before I could even get a slice. Luckily I got to taste and sample them during the cooking process. ;-)
The following recipe makes 4 large quesadillas, which I then sliced into eighths like a pizza. Perfect for a party. Feel free to cut the recipe in half for a smaller crowd or a family dinner (or, if your family eats as much as mine does, keep the recipe as is ;-)).

Ingredients

2 large sweet potatoes, roasted in a 400 degree oven until soft, skinned, and mashed
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2-3 large cloves of garlic, minced
Glug of olive oil
A couple of generous pinches of mexican oregano
2-3 tsp cumin
1-2 tsp smoked paprika
1-2 tsp ancho or chipotle chili powder (just the ground peppers, not a "chili powder" mix)
Sea salt
3 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 lbs (or so) cooked, shredded chicken breast tenders (I simply cooked these over medium heat in some olive oil. Another option would be to use leftover roasted chicken or omit the chicken altogether)
8 large, flour tortillas
3 C shredded cheddar or jack cheese (or a combination of both)
1 bunch cilantro (minus the stems below the leaves), chopped

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400.
Saute the onion and garlic over medium heat until softened and fragrant.
Add in the cumin, smoked paprika, ground chili, and sea salt.
Toss in the black beans, stirring to incorporate.
Saute a bit longer, allowing the flavors to meld.
Kill the heat.
Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Set aside.
Spread about 1/4 of the sweet potato mash onto one of the tortillas.
Top this with about 1/4 of the bean mixture and 1/4 of the shredded chicken.
Sprinkle cilantro over the chicken (don't be shy) and then top the cilantro with about 3/4 C of shredded cheese.
Place another tortilla over top of the cheese and bake in the oven until the tortilla starts to brown in spots and the cheese is all melty and yummy.
Repeat the above steps until you have assembled and baked 4 large quesadillas.
Slice the quesadillas with a pizza slicer and serve.

Enjoy!



Green Beans and Zesty Tomatoes

This is a very simple recipe that will showcase those lovely little green and yellow haricot verts especially, but any of the green beans from your Inverbrook share will do, really. Also, any and all of the tomatoes from your share will work. This a sure fire recipe, really hard to mess up. I happened to serve this with meatloaf and mashed potatoes as you will see in the photo. It's so versatile, it will make a lovely side dish for any number of main dishes, or a beautiful lunch all on it's own. Enjoy!

Ingredients

1-2 lbs or so green beans, stem end snapped off
1-2 large cloves of garlic
Glug of olive oil
1-2 tsp lemon zest
About 1 C or so fresh tomatoes, chopped
Sea salt
Fresh ground pepper
Shaved parmesan for topping

Instructions

Saute the garlic in the olive oil over medium heat until fragrant.
Toss in the lemon zest and beans, stirring to combine.
Cover and simmer, shaking the pan occasionally, until the beans are just barely tender (this will happen within 5-10 minutes, tops, so check very frequently).
Uncover and toss in the tomatoes, sea salt, and pepper.
Saute very briefly, just until heated through.
Turn off the heat, taste and adjust the seasoning, and serve topped with a few shavings of parmesan.

Arugula, Edamame Pesto

This stuff is so yummy, I simply can't stop eating it. I have put it on chicken, eggs, bread, tomatoes, potatoes, etc. Seriously, I have an addiction, and I really don't even care that much for arugula. :-) Anyway, the following recipe makes a vat of this stuff, but it stores really well, so have at it (or, feel free to cut the recipe in half). I hope you enjoy it as much as I have!

Ingredients

1 lb frozen, shelled edamame beans thawed (1 lb of fresh cooked edamame or fava beans would also work)
1/4-1/3 C olive oil
2-3 large handfuls arugula, washed and torn
1/3-1/2 C shredded parmesan
1-2 large cloves of garlic, smashed
Juice of 1 large lemon (add in some zest too, if you like the flavor)
Sea salt
Fresh ground pepper

Instructions

Place all the ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth.
Add in some water to thin, if necessary.
Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Spread on any number of things (or just eat it plain, by the spoonful) and enjoy!

This Week's Share-more arugula and winter squash

This week's share once again features winter squash (the last week for a while) and arugula. Nikki has provided a great simple recipe for the winter squash and if all those bags of arugula are piling up in your refrigerator--I have a solution--Pesto! Click here for a simple arugula pesto recipe that pairs perfectly with salmon. What could be more delicious of a meal of baked salmon with arugula pesto, roasted potatoes, and green beans.

Now for Nikki's simple but delicious squash recipe:

Roasted Maple Rosemary Squash

The squash has been fantastic this year! I don't like to mess with it too much. Just a few ingredients to enhance its tremendous flavor. I am also a huge fan of roasting squash. I roast it before I do anything to it, whether I puree it, chop it up to add to a dish, or blend it into a soup. I hope you enjoy this simple recipe for roasted squash as much as we did. I served this along side roasted chicken and green beans with shallots and applewood smoked bacon. Delicious!

Ingredients

2 medium-large, orange-fleshed winter squash (acorn, ambercup, carnival, or gold nugget will all work, as well as other varieties), halved and seeded
4 pats of butter (about 1/2 Tbsp or so)
4 Tbsp pure maple syrup
2 Tbsp fresh, chopped rosemary leaves
Sea salt
Fresh ground pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400.
Roast squash until just tender and pierce-able.
Pierce the squash in several places with a fork.
Top each half with a pat of butter, a Tbsp of maple syrup, a sprinkling of rosemary, and a pinch of sea salt and pepper.
Return to the oven and roast until golden and caramelized.
Allow to cool slightly, halve or quarter (depending on the size of your squash or the appetite of the folks who will be eating it ;-)), and serve (make sure to pour some of the sauce that spilled onto the pan back on top of each serving).

Enjoy!

P.S. The squash we used from Inverbrook (the orange-fleshed, orange-skinned variety from last week's share) had a skin that was completely edible after roasting. Some folks in my family still decided to scrape the flesh from the skin and leave the skin behind. I ate every last bit of skin and flesh. So good.

Notes from Nikki-Roasted Red Potatoes and Heirloom Tomato Salad

Roasted Red Potatoes, Vidalia Onions, and Green Peppers
This dish is a cousin of the more common "Home Fries". It is super easy to make... roasted in the oven, rather than fried in a pan. A crowd pleaser, for certain. We ate this with fried eggs as a breakfast-for-dinner treat.

Ingredients

3 pints new red potatoes, quartered
1 large vidalia onion, sliced
1-2 large, or 3-4 small green bell peppers, sliced
1-2 large cloves of garlic, minced
3-4 Tbsp olive oil
Sea salt
Fresh ground pepper
Handful of chopped, fresh parsley

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400.
Combine the potatoes, onion, garlic, sea salt, pepper, and olive oil in a large casserole dish.
Roast, tossing occasionally until the potatoes are firm tender.
Toss in the peppers and roast just a bit longer until the peppers are firm tender and roasted just enough.
Remove from oven, top with parsley, and serve.

Enjoy!

Serves 6
Sliced Heirloom Tomoatoes with Rosemary Maple Balsamic Drizzle and Smoked Sea Salt

Ingredients

Sliced heirloom tomatoes

3-4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1-2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp pure maple syrup
1/2 clove of garlic, smashed
1 long sprig rosemary, leaves only
Pinch of fresh ground pepper

Smoked finishing sea salt

Instructions

Process the olive oil, vinegar, maple syrup, garlic, rosemary leaves, and pepper in a food processor until emulsified.
Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking.
Drizzle this magical mixture over the sliced tomatoes and top with smoked finishing salt.
Serve.
(Try not to fight over the drippings leftover on the plate. ;-))