Here is a recipe sent in by subscriber Terry Niehoff. She says "I'm attaching a recipe for Spicy Mixed Vegetable Curry, one of my absolute favorites of all time. It is from 1000 Vegetarian Recipes. Many different kinds of vegetables are used; and even better, substitutions work well."
Enjoy!
Anneke Seely
SPICY MIXED VEGETABLE CURRY
½ # turnips or rutabaga
1 eggplant
¾ # potatoes
½ # cauliflower
½ # mushrooms
1 large onion
½ # carrots
6 T vegetable ghee or oil
2 garlic cloves
2 inch piece ginger root
1-2 fresh green chilies, seeded and chopped
1 T paprika
2 t coriander
1 T curry powder
2 c vegetable bouillon
2 c canned chopped tomatoes
Salt
1 green pepper
1 T cornstarch
2/3 c coconut milk (lite coconut milk works fine, and is less calories)
2-3 T ground almonds
Chop vegetables.
Heat ghee/oil in large pan. Add onion turnip potato and cauliflower and sauté 3 minutes.
Add garlic ginger chilies and spices and cook 1 minute while stirring. (I used double the amount of spices.)
Add bouillon, tomatoes eggplant and mushrooms and season with salt. Simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the green pepper and simmer 5 minutes.
Blend the cornstarch with the coconut milk to a smooth paste, and add to vegetables along with the almonds and simmer 2 minutes.
Friday, September 26, 2008
9/26
Springdale Farm News
This week's vegetables: sweet corn (the last!), lettuce, onions, potatoes, cherry tomatoes (for full shares), tomatoes, green beans (for half shares), broccoli, European cuke (some half shares), peppers, carrots, spinach, basil, roma tomatoes, cauliflower, eggplant
Please note: Not everything fit in your boxes this week. Full shares and half shares should take a bag of potatoes from the appropriate crates (which will be marked at your site). Half shares should also take one box of green beans. Boxes are heavy -- be careful when transporting!
Next week: swiss chard (last time!), leeks, lettuce/salad mix, cauliflower, tomatoes, delicata squash, broccoli, peppers/eggplant
Directions to the Farm for those of you coming to the Farm Day this Saturday: Take I43 north. A 1/2 mile past the Saukville/Port Washington exit Hwy 57 splits off from 43. Take 57 north. You'll go for 20-25 miles or so until you've passed through a tiny town called Waldo. A couple miles past Waldo take a left on County Rd. U. After a couple of miles take a right on County Rd. S. Then take the first road to the left called Silver Spring Ln. If you started going uphill on S you've gone too far. Our farm is the first farm you see on the left.
Recipe: Cauliflower Cheese Pie with Grated Potato Crust from Moosewood Cookbook
Crust:
2 cups (packed) grated raw potato
1/4 cup grated onion
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg white, lightly beaten
flour for your fingers
a little oil
Filling:
1Tbs. olive oils or butter
1 cup chopped onion
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. salt
black pepper to taste
1/2 tsp basil
1/4 tsp thyme
1 medium cauliflower, in small pieces
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 cup (packed) grated cheddar
paprika
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Oil a 9-inch pie pan.
Combine grated potato and onion, salt, and egg white in a small bowl and mix well. Transfer to the pie pan and pat in to place with lightly floured fingers, building up the sides into a handsome edge.
Bake for 30 minutes, then brush the crust with a little oil and bake it 10 more minutes. Remove from oven, and turn the temperature down to 375.
Heat the olive oil or butter in a large skillet. Add onions, garlic, salt, pepper, and herbs, and saute over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add cauliflower, stir, and cover. Cook until tender, stirring occasionally (about 8 to 10 minutes).
Spread half the cheese onto the baked crust (ok if it's still hot). Spoon the sauteed vegetables on top, then sprinkle on the remaining cheese. Beat the eggs and milk together, and pour this over the top. Dust lightly with paprika.
Tomato Pie from subscriber Melanie De Vriend.
pie crust
sliced tomatoes
In a bowl, mix:
mayo
fresh basil
fresh chives
pepper
Smear this concoction on top of the tomatoes in the pie crust
top the whole thing with shredded cheddar. Bake.
YUM!
Olive Garden's Alfredo from subscriber Melanie De Vriend
1 stick butter
1/2 cup half and half cream
8 oz cream cheese
3/4 cu grated Parmesan
Dash of salt
Garlic - to taste
Place first 4 ingredients in a sauce pan and heat, stirring, over low heat until melted and creamy.
Add salt and garlic. Serve over cooked pasta and a pile of the Seely's veggies, stir fried!
Reminders: Schedule of remaining deliveries: Oct. 3, 10, 17 and 24, Nov. 7 and 21, and Dec. 5. Farm day this Saturday! Come anytime between 10:30 and 4:30; we'll have a pot-luck at 12:30! Tour of the fields after lunch, and help with harvesting (leeks, cabbage) either before or after lunch. if you would like to come out to the farm, but can't make this one, we'll be doing it again on Oct. 25th.
Get ready for radiation of spinach and lettuce: Last month the FDA issued a new federal regulation permitting the use of ionizing irradiation for the control of food-borne pathogens and extension of shelf life in lettuce and spinach. (The USDA is also considering allowing low-level radiation of animal carcasses at slaughtering plants.) Have there been studies done on the long-term effects of such radiation? Certainly not that have been made public. Is there a more obvious solution to minimizing the amount of e-coli, salmonella, and other cases of food poisoning? Perhaps we should be taking a look at our factory farming methods of agriculture, and see how those methods are contributing to the occurrences of food poisoning; that evidence is out there, should any official or legislator have the courage to take a look at it!
Just to be safe, though, would anyone be willing to donate funds (tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars) to our farm so that we could purchase a radiation machine, too? We love new toys! (JUST KIDDING!)
Have a good (radiation-free) week!
The Seelys
"We know that dictators are quick to choose aggression, while free nations strive to resolve differences in peace." George W. Bush UN Speech Sept 2004
This week's vegetables: sweet corn (the last!), lettuce, onions, potatoes, cherry tomatoes (for full shares), tomatoes, green beans (for half shares), broccoli, European cuke (some half shares), peppers, carrots, spinach, basil, roma tomatoes, cauliflower, eggplant
Please note: Not everything fit in your boxes this week. Full shares and half shares should take a bag of potatoes from the appropriate crates (which will be marked at your site). Half shares should also take one box of green beans. Boxes are heavy -- be careful when transporting!
Next week: swiss chard (last time!), leeks, lettuce/salad mix, cauliflower, tomatoes, delicata squash, broccoli, peppers/eggplant
Directions to the Farm for those of you coming to the Farm Day this Saturday: Take I43 north. A 1/2 mile past the Saukville/Port Washington exit Hwy 57 splits off from 43. Take 57 north. You'll go for 20-25 miles or so until you've passed through a tiny town called Waldo. A couple miles past Waldo take a left on County Rd. U. After a couple of miles take a right on County Rd. S. Then take the first road to the left called Silver Spring Ln. If you started going uphill on S you've gone too far. Our farm is the first farm you see on the left.
Recipe: Cauliflower Cheese Pie with Grated Potato Crust from Moosewood Cookbook
Crust:
2 cups (packed) grated raw potato
1/4 cup grated onion
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg white, lightly beaten
flour for your fingers
a little oil
Filling:
1Tbs. olive oils or butter
1 cup chopped onion
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. salt
black pepper to taste
1/2 tsp basil
1/4 tsp thyme
1 medium cauliflower, in small pieces
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 cup (packed) grated cheddar
paprika
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Oil a 9-inch pie pan.
Combine grated potato and onion, salt, and egg white in a small bowl and mix well. Transfer to the pie pan and pat in to place with lightly floured fingers, building up the sides into a handsome edge.
Bake for 30 minutes, then brush the crust with a little oil and bake it 10 more minutes. Remove from oven, and turn the temperature down to 375.
Heat the olive oil or butter in a large skillet. Add onions, garlic, salt, pepper, and herbs, and saute over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add cauliflower, stir, and cover. Cook until tender, stirring occasionally (about 8 to 10 minutes).
Spread half the cheese onto the baked crust (ok if it's still hot). Spoon the sauteed vegetables on top, then sprinkle on the remaining cheese. Beat the eggs and milk together, and pour this over the top. Dust lightly with paprika.
Tomato Pie from subscriber Melanie De Vriend.
pie crust
sliced tomatoes
In a bowl, mix:
mayo
fresh basil
fresh chives
pepper
Smear this concoction on top of the tomatoes in the pie crust
top the whole thing with shredded cheddar. Bake.
YUM!
Olive Garden's Alfredo from subscriber Melanie De Vriend
1 stick butter
1/2 cup half and half cream
8 oz cream cheese
3/4 cu grated Parmesan
Dash of salt
Garlic - to taste
Place first 4 ingredients in a sauce pan and heat, stirring, over low heat until melted and creamy.
Add salt and garlic. Serve over cooked pasta and a pile of the Seely's veggies, stir fried!
Reminders: Schedule of remaining deliveries: Oct. 3, 10, 17 and 24, Nov. 7 and 21, and Dec. 5. Farm day this Saturday! Come anytime between 10:30 and 4:30; we'll have a pot-luck at 12:30! Tour of the fields after lunch, and help with harvesting (leeks, cabbage) either before or after lunch. if you would like to come out to the farm, but can't make this one, we'll be doing it again on Oct. 25th.
Get ready for radiation of spinach and lettuce: Last month the FDA issued a new federal regulation permitting the use of ionizing irradiation for the control of food-borne pathogens and extension of shelf life in lettuce and spinach. (The USDA is also considering allowing low-level radiation of animal carcasses at slaughtering plants.) Have there been studies done on the long-term effects of such radiation? Certainly not that have been made public. Is there a more obvious solution to minimizing the amount of e-coli, salmonella, and other cases of food poisoning? Perhaps we should be taking a look at our factory farming methods of agriculture, and see how those methods are contributing to the occurrences of food poisoning; that evidence is out there, should any official or legislator have the courage to take a look at it!
Just to be safe, though, would anyone be willing to donate funds (tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars) to our farm so that we could purchase a radiation machine, too? We love new toys! (JUST KIDDING!)
Have a good (radiation-free) week!
The Seelys
"We know that dictators are quick to choose aggression, while free nations strive to resolve differences in peace." George W. Bush UN Speech Sept 2004
9/19
This week's vegetables: beets, lettuce mix, basil, cilantro, parsley, scallions, zucchini/yellow squash, sweet corn, tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, roma tomatoes (for half), broccoli, baby turnips with greens, peppers
Next week: potatoes, carrots, onions, salad mix, sweet corn, lettuce?, tomatoes, peppers/eggplant, winter squash?, spinach, chinese cabbage?, cauliflower?
Soon: kohlrabi, cauliflower
Recipe: Butter-Braised Turnips adapted from How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman
2 Tb. butter
1Tb. canola or other neutral oil
1 pound baby turnips, more or less, with the greens trimmed off.
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup white wine or broth
1 Tb. balsamic vinegar or other vinegar
1 tsp. sugar
Minced fresh parsley leaves for garnish
Combine the butter and oil in a medium to large skillet that can later be covered; turn the heat to medium. When the butter melts, add the turnips and cook, stirring, until they are coated with butter, just a minute or two longer. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the remaining ingredients, except the garnish, stir, and cover. Turn the heat to low and cook until the turnips are barely tender, about 5 minutes.
Uncover and raise the heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring, until the turnips are glazed and the liquid is syrupy, another few minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning, garnish, and serve.
Basil salad dressing from epicurious.com, send in buy subscriber Julia Kathan
1 cup loosely packed fresh basil
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped shallot
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Preparation
Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth.
Cooks' notes:
• Use dressing on mixed greens or sliced tomatoes or for chicken salad.
• Dressing keeps, covered and chilled, 1 day.
Warm Turnip Green Dip from myrecipes.com
5 bacon slices, chopped
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 (16-oz.) package frozen chopped turnip greens, thawed (Of course, substitute our fresh ones!)
12 ounces cream cheese, cut into pieces
1 (8-oz.) container sour cream
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1. Cook bacon in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat 5 to 6 minutes or until crisp; remove bacon, and drain on paper towels, reserving 1 Tbsp. drippings in Dutch oven.
2. Sauté onion and garlic in hot drippings 3 to 4 minutes. Add wine, and cook 1 to 2 minutes, stirring to loosen particles from bottom of Dutch oven. Stir in turnip greens, next 4 ingredients, and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Cook, stirring often, 6 to 8 minutes or until cream cheese is melted and mixture is thoroughly heated. Transfer to a lightly greased 1 1/2-qt. baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.3. Broil 6 inches from heat 4 to 5 minutes or until cheese is lightly browned. Sprinkle evenly with bacon.
Vegetable tidbits: We had not planned on giving beets out so soon again, since we know some of you don't especially care for them, but the newest bed of beets was growing so fast, and the beets were getting bigger and bigger, that we figured before they get too large we should give them out. Although on the large side, they are still tasty, so don't be afraid to cook them up. (Throw them in the Exchange Box if you don't care for them! There are only a few in there!) Or grill them! Days are getting shorter, the nights are getting colder, and it's getting closer to the time when a freeze wipes out the remaining basil, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, and cucumbers. The cool temperatures are also important, on the other hand, to produce excellent cole crops (of the brassicas family, including broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and brussels sprouts); we 'surprise' you today with some baby turnips (also a member of the brassica family), with greens; we wonder if you are pleased with this addition! (Our guess: 2/3 of you like, or don't mind, them, while 1/3 of you would just as soon not get them.)
Further salad mix suggestions: From two different subscribers we received the following, both of which offer tips for making the salad mix last longer:
"We found a way to improve storage time by using 'green bags' which absorb the gases that causes fruits and vegetables to spoil. They do work, and allow us more time to eat the food. I think they cost $10 for 20 bags. They are reusable for 8-10 uses. I'm not sure if they are biodegradable. There is an inconvenience though. The inside of the bags get wet, so must be dried with a paper towel." and, (coincidentally),
" I usually slide a sheet of paper towel (well, you could use a dishtowel) into the bag under the greens, which absorbs the moisture which will eventually start to create yucky leaves. It seems to hold that off from happening longer than when there's no towel in the bag."
The lettuce leaves do seem to last longer if they are not dripping wet, though with our spinners that we acquired this year, they should leave the farm without pools of water like sometimes has happened in the past. But it might be worthwhile to get the leaves even drier, especially if they have been, and will be, sitting in their bag for a number of days.
A possible action: We haven't been suggesting very much letter-writing, or phoning, so far this year, to help influence decisions that guide our agriculture and food policies, maybe partly because it seems both our legislators, and (especially) the non-elected members of the regulatory agencies (FDA, USDA, etc.) have been overwhelmingly coopted by the lobbyists of the major corporate entities, that citizen feedback, no matter how well-reasoned or passionately expressed, does little to sway those whose decisions affect us all. In case that's not true all the time, here's one message you could send to food processors and packages: let's not used cloned animals for food, even though the FDA has apparently okayed it. See http://ga3.org/campaign/cloning_companies, and/or click on the other 'Urgent Actions' on the Center for Food Safety's website!
What perhaps works better is for us to express ourselves through our pocketbook, as evidenced by Monsanto's giving up on its bovine growth hormone due to consumers seeking dairy products without the added hormone. Watch out, though, for what they might be trying to sneak into our food (e.g. the sugar beet industry is now beginning to accept genetically modified beet seed, after initially being against it, and all the while knowing that consumers, if given the choice, would opt for non-GMO sugar), or into our laws, without our notice! Can you believe that this very same company (Monsanto) is trying to claim patents on the pig? (I don't mean to be too harsh on Monsanto, since others are also guilty of similar feats, but how brazen, and how greedy, can they get?) If you are dubious of this last accusation, check out the article at: http://www.greenpeace.org/international/news/monsanto-pig-patent-111
Reminders: Unfold your box neatly. (Now you should know how, with both the sheet with pictures, as well as the You-tube clip, that we have made available to you!) And place it neatly in a pile at your pick-up site. The containers that we send cherry tomatoes, green beans, eggs, etc., in can be brought back to your pick-up site, but at this point don't bring back odd-shaped containers that you get from the store that contained other produce, that don't nest neatly with the containers you have received from us. Work/fun day at the farm on the 27th of September; details again next week. We do have chickens and pork available in case you've missed an earlier newsletter; contact us for details. Grass-fed beef info coming soon as well.
Have a great week!
The Seelys
"It is part of the general pattern of misguided policy that our country is now geared to an arms economy which was bred in an artificually induced psychosis of war hysteria and nurtured upon an incessant propaganda of fear." -General Douglas MacArthur, Speech, May 15, 1951
Next week: potatoes, carrots, onions, salad mix, sweet corn, lettuce?, tomatoes, peppers/eggplant, winter squash?, spinach, chinese cabbage?, cauliflower?
Soon: kohlrabi, cauliflower
Recipe: Butter-Braised Turnips adapted from How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman
2 Tb. butter
1Tb. canola or other neutral oil
1 pound baby turnips, more or less, with the greens trimmed off.
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup white wine or broth
1 Tb. balsamic vinegar or other vinegar
1 tsp. sugar
Minced fresh parsley leaves for garnish
Combine the butter and oil in a medium to large skillet that can later be covered; turn the heat to medium. When the butter melts, add the turnips and cook, stirring, until they are coated with butter, just a minute or two longer. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the remaining ingredients, except the garnish, stir, and cover. Turn the heat to low and cook until the turnips are barely tender, about 5 minutes.
Uncover and raise the heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring, until the turnips are glazed and the liquid is syrupy, another few minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning, garnish, and serve.
Basil salad dressing from epicurious.com, send in buy subscriber Julia Kathan
1 cup loosely packed fresh basil
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped shallot
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Preparation
Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth.
Cooks' notes:
• Use dressing on mixed greens or sliced tomatoes or for chicken salad.
• Dressing keeps, covered and chilled, 1 day.
Warm Turnip Green Dip from myrecipes.com
5 bacon slices, chopped
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 (16-oz.) package frozen chopped turnip greens, thawed (Of course, substitute our fresh ones!)
12 ounces cream cheese, cut into pieces
1 (8-oz.) container sour cream
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1. Cook bacon in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat 5 to 6 minutes or until crisp; remove bacon, and drain on paper towels, reserving 1 Tbsp. drippings in Dutch oven.
2. Sauté onion and garlic in hot drippings 3 to 4 minutes. Add wine, and cook 1 to 2 minutes, stirring to loosen particles from bottom of Dutch oven. Stir in turnip greens, next 4 ingredients, and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Cook, stirring often, 6 to 8 minutes or until cream cheese is melted and mixture is thoroughly heated. Transfer to a lightly greased 1 1/2-qt. baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.3. Broil 6 inches from heat 4 to 5 minutes or until cheese is lightly browned. Sprinkle evenly with bacon.
Vegetable tidbits: We had not planned on giving beets out so soon again, since we know some of you don't especially care for them, but the newest bed of beets was growing so fast, and the beets were getting bigger and bigger, that we figured before they get too large we should give them out. Although on the large side, they are still tasty, so don't be afraid to cook them up. (Throw them in the Exchange Box if you don't care for them! There are only a few in there!) Or grill them! Days are getting shorter, the nights are getting colder, and it's getting closer to the time when a freeze wipes out the remaining basil, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, and cucumbers. The cool temperatures are also important, on the other hand, to produce excellent cole crops (of the brassicas family, including broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and brussels sprouts); we 'surprise' you today with some baby turnips (also a member of the brassica family), with greens; we wonder if you are pleased with this addition! (Our guess: 2/3 of you like, or don't mind, them, while 1/3 of you would just as soon not get them.)
Further salad mix suggestions: From two different subscribers we received the following, both of which offer tips for making the salad mix last longer:
"We found a way to improve storage time by using 'green bags' which absorb the gases that causes fruits and vegetables to spoil. They do work, and allow us more time to eat the food. I think they cost $10 for 20 bags. They are reusable for 8-10 uses. I'm not sure if they are biodegradable. There is an inconvenience though. The inside of the bags get wet, so must be dried with a paper towel." and, (coincidentally),
" I usually slide a sheet of paper towel (well, you could use a dishtowel) into the bag under the greens, which absorbs the moisture which will eventually start to create yucky leaves. It seems to hold that off from happening longer than when there's no towel in the bag."
The lettuce leaves do seem to last longer if they are not dripping wet, though with our spinners that we acquired this year, they should leave the farm without pools of water like sometimes has happened in the past. But it might be worthwhile to get the leaves even drier, especially if they have been, and will be, sitting in their bag for a number of days.
A possible action: We haven't been suggesting very much letter-writing, or phoning, so far this year, to help influence decisions that guide our agriculture and food policies, maybe partly because it seems both our legislators, and (especially) the non-elected members of the regulatory agencies (FDA, USDA, etc.) have been overwhelmingly coopted by the lobbyists of the major corporate entities, that citizen feedback, no matter how well-reasoned or passionately expressed, does little to sway those whose decisions affect us all. In case that's not true all the time, here's one message you could send to food processors and packages: let's not used cloned animals for food, even though the FDA has apparently okayed it. See http://ga3.org/campaign/cloning_companies, and/or click on the other 'Urgent Actions' on the Center for Food Safety's website!
What perhaps works better is for us to express ourselves through our pocketbook, as evidenced by Monsanto's giving up on its bovine growth hormone due to consumers seeking dairy products without the added hormone. Watch out, though, for what they might be trying to sneak into our food (e.g. the sugar beet industry is now beginning to accept genetically modified beet seed, after initially being against it, and all the while knowing that consumers, if given the choice, would opt for non-GMO sugar), or into our laws, without our notice! Can you believe that this very same company (Monsanto) is trying to claim patents on the pig? (I don't mean to be too harsh on Monsanto, since others are also guilty of similar feats, but how brazen, and how greedy, can they get?) If you are dubious of this last accusation, check out the article at: http://www.greenpeace.org/international/news/monsanto-pig-patent-111
Reminders: Unfold your box neatly. (Now you should know how, with both the sheet with pictures, as well as the You-tube clip, that we have made available to you!) And place it neatly in a pile at your pick-up site. The containers that we send cherry tomatoes, green beans, eggs, etc., in can be brought back to your pick-up site, but at this point don't bring back odd-shaped containers that you get from the store that contained other produce, that don't nest neatly with the containers you have received from us. Work/fun day at the farm on the 27th of September; details again next week. We do have chickens and pork available in case you've missed an earlier newsletter; contact us for details. Grass-fed beef info coming soon as well.
Have a great week!
The Seelys
"It is part of the general pattern of misguided policy that our country is now geared to an arms economy which was bred in an artificually induced psychosis of war hysteria and nurtured upon an incessant propaganda of fear." -General Douglas MacArthur, Speech, May 15, 1951
Friday, September 12, 2008
9/12/08
In your box this week: watermelon or cantaloupe, sweet corn, cucumbers, roma tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, yellow squash (for full shares), scallions, carrots, onions, cherry tomatoes, salad mix, tomatoes, peppers, green beans, bok choi, lettuce (for full shares), kale. Look for chard and/or arugula in the Exchange Boxes.
Next week: tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, salad mix, parsley, basil?, cilantro?, chinese cabbage, beets
Soon: potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, delicata squash
Recipe: Simple Carrot Salad, a Springdale Farm Special
Grated carrots
mayonnaise
salt
dried dill
nutritional yeast (optional)
raisins
toasted sunflower seeds
Mix as much mayonnaise as you'd like. Add salt, nutritional yeast (optional) and dried dill to taste. Mix in raisins and sprinkle the toasted sunflower seeds over the top of the salad. Enjoy!
Kale-Potato soup - The New Laurel¹s Kitchen
1 Tblsp. butter 1 large onion, chopped 2 large potatoes
1 clove garlic, minced 1 large bunch kale salt & black pepper to taste
5 cups chicken or vegetable broth, divided (or use part stock part water)
Heat butter in skillet, add onion and sauté until nearly tender. Add garlic and continue to cook until onion is translucent and golden. Add potatoes and 2 cups of the stock; simmer, covered, until potatoes start to soften around the edges. Meanwhile, wash kale, remove stems, chop and steam. When potatoes are very tender, pureé half of them with remaining stock, salt and pepper. Combine everything and heat gently, thinning, if necessary, by adding hot water or milk. Four servings.
Schedule of remaining deliveries: Here are the dates for the remaining deliveries for this season: Sept. 19 and 26, Oct. 3, 10, 17, and 24, Nov. 7 and 21, and Dec. 5. Note that there will be no deliveries on Friday, Oct. 31, and Nov. 14 and 28. The storage share delivery date is still to be determined.
Feedback received on the salad mix: Perhaps not surprising, given that we have over 500 full and half shares, the variety of responses to our request for feedback on the addition of non-lettuce greens to the lettuce mix was extensive. For example:
" I LOVE the stronger tasting greens. The other mixes, with no arugula or other spicy or strong tasting greens, can be very boring and dull."
"We prefer the plain salad mix, but it is still nice to change it up every now and then."
"We pick through and find that much of the less traditional greens in the salad mix have overpowering flavors (one in particular is quite bitter) that detract from what WE are used to. We've given it the ol' college try and just cannot develop an appreciation for that taste. So we just pick many of the more 'flavorful' greens out. It doesn't take much to overpower the rest, just like--if you're not a fan of cilantro--a few sprigs of cilantro completely change the entire flavor of the recipe."
"LOVE IT"
"We do like the Asian greens mixed in"
"We prefer the plain salad mix, but it is still nice to change it up every now and then. We REALLY like the washing and spinning!"
"Loved the arugula and other spicy bits in the salad mix"
"We did not care for the salad mix this week at all. The addition of the chard and beet tops made it taste pretty bitter. All of the other salad mixes have been wonderful, but this week we had to pick out the beet/chard leaves (took a while because there were a lot!). I should mention that white I do like beets, I don't use the beet tops, and we are not swiss chard fans, so that goes in to the exchange box for us. Just wanted to give you some feedback on the thought of adding these greens to our lettuce mix on a more regular basis as you were considering. It is the one thing so far this year that we didn't care for. Again, we absolutely adore the lettuce mixes though!"
Perhaps, as a compromise, we will often include some of the other greens, but not always! Thanks for the feedback!
On the longevity of the salad mix: Sometimes the salad mix stores well, and other times it goes bad quickly. Why? Some of the factors include the growing conditions -- including fertility and moisture levels --in the field the lettuce is planted in; the varieties of lettuce chosen; how 'old' the salad mix is when it is harvested; how densely the lettuce is planted; the length of time between harvesting and delivering; how tenderly it is handled in harvesting, washing, drying, and bagging; how hot it is on the delivery day; and how long it is kept without refrigeration (i.e. when it is picked up and placed in your home refrigerator). If we have made good and timely decisions on all of the above (and perhaps other) factors, then it is likely that the salad mix would last for the better part of a week. If we (or nature or you) did not do a good job on one or several of the above, then the mix can start to deteriorate in a day or two. Besides picking up your box as soon as possible, and refrigerating the mix asap, there's not a whole lot that you can do about it to influence its longevity. (Perhaps you could also pick out the bad leaf or two that may be found upon initially receiving your box.) We could also possibly look into vacuum sealing bags which, by limiting the oxygen that the leaves are exposed to, drastically curtails the spoilage rate. We are not sure of the expense of such a solution, nor how much we'd actually gain by vacuum sealing the bags we put the mix in, so we're not actively looking at that possibility, though it certainly might be worth considering. Actually we are considering moving over to the rigid plastic containers like the ones we put cherry tomatoes in, since there are now biodegradable clamshell containers. They are much more expensive than the ziplock bags we currently use, but at least they do not contribute to the problems associated with plastic production and disposal. A couple of you suggested not washing the lettuce at all, with the hope that it would store longer by not getting wet, but the leaves would actually become limp within hours if they are not hydrated, so we do need to get them wet, and keep them moist, for them to stay fresh. We also expect that many of you like the convenience of not having to wash the lettuce so thoroughly, if at all, before putting it into your favorite salad bowl. We do, too!
In other news: Hooray for Monsanto's unloading their rBST (also called rBGH, or bovine growth hormone) product, after consumer concern over its safety, as well as the pledge of many food processors to use only milk that was not produced from cows injected with their bio-engineered sex hormone. Although somewhat successful in inducing cows to give more milk, Posilac (their trade name for the product) was not healthy for the cows, and was not proven to be safe for humans. Monsanto had fought tooth and nail to prevent Posilac milk to be labeled as such, and legally fought farmers and dairy processors and retailers who labeled their products that didn't contain milk from Posilac-injected cows as rBGH free, but even giants such as Wal-Mart responded to consumer rejection of rBGH by selling milk without the hormone, and so Monsanto has apparently decided to sell their Posilac line. Consumers can claim a small victory, though another competitor has bought the product, so we cannot yet exclaim R.I.P.
Have a great week!
The Seelys
Next week: tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, salad mix, parsley, basil?, cilantro?, chinese cabbage, beets
Soon: potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, delicata squash
Recipe: Simple Carrot Salad, a Springdale Farm Special
Grated carrots
mayonnaise
salt
dried dill
nutritional yeast (optional)
raisins
toasted sunflower seeds
Mix as much mayonnaise as you'd like. Add salt, nutritional yeast (optional) and dried dill to taste. Mix in raisins and sprinkle the toasted sunflower seeds over the top of the salad. Enjoy!
Kale-Potato soup - The New Laurel¹s Kitchen
1 Tblsp. butter 1 large onion, chopped 2 large potatoes
1 clove garlic, minced 1 large bunch kale salt & black pepper to taste
5 cups chicken or vegetable broth, divided (or use part stock part water)
Heat butter in skillet, add onion and sauté until nearly tender. Add garlic and continue to cook until onion is translucent and golden. Add potatoes and 2 cups of the stock; simmer, covered, until potatoes start to soften around the edges. Meanwhile, wash kale, remove stems, chop and steam. When potatoes are very tender, pureé half of them with remaining stock, salt and pepper. Combine everything and heat gently, thinning, if necessary, by adding hot water or milk. Four servings.
Schedule of remaining deliveries: Here are the dates for the remaining deliveries for this season: Sept. 19 and 26, Oct. 3, 10, 17, and 24, Nov. 7 and 21, and Dec. 5. Note that there will be no deliveries on Friday, Oct. 31, and Nov. 14 and 28. The storage share delivery date is still to be determined.
Feedback received on the salad mix: Perhaps not surprising, given that we have over 500 full and half shares, the variety of responses to our request for feedback on the addition of non-lettuce greens to the lettuce mix was extensive. For example:
" I LOVE the stronger tasting greens. The other mixes, with no arugula or other spicy or strong tasting greens, can be very boring and dull."
"We prefer the plain salad mix, but it is still nice to change it up every now and then."
"We pick through and find that much of the less traditional greens in the salad mix have overpowering flavors (one in particular is quite bitter) that detract from what WE are used to. We've given it the ol' college try and just cannot develop an appreciation for that taste. So we just pick many of the more 'flavorful' greens out. It doesn't take much to overpower the rest, just like--if you're not a fan of cilantro--a few sprigs of cilantro completely change the entire flavor of the recipe."
"LOVE IT"
"We do like the Asian greens mixed in"
"We prefer the plain salad mix, but it is still nice to change it up every now and then. We REALLY like the washing and spinning!"
"Loved the arugula and other spicy bits in the salad mix"
"We did not care for the salad mix this week at all. The addition of the chard and beet tops made it taste pretty bitter. All of the other salad mixes have been wonderful, but this week we had to pick out the beet/chard leaves (took a while because there were a lot!). I should mention that white I do like beets, I don't use the beet tops, and we are not swiss chard fans, so that goes in to the exchange box for us. Just wanted to give you some feedback on the thought of adding these greens to our lettuce mix on a more regular basis as you were considering. It is the one thing so far this year that we didn't care for. Again, we absolutely adore the lettuce mixes though!"
Perhaps, as a compromise, we will often include some of the other greens, but not always! Thanks for the feedback!
On the longevity of the salad mix: Sometimes the salad mix stores well, and other times it goes bad quickly. Why? Some of the factors include the growing conditions -- including fertility and moisture levels --in the field the lettuce is planted in; the varieties of lettuce chosen; how 'old' the salad mix is when it is harvested; how densely the lettuce is planted; the length of time between harvesting and delivering; how tenderly it is handled in harvesting, washing, drying, and bagging; how hot it is on the delivery day; and how long it is kept without refrigeration (i.e. when it is picked up and placed in your home refrigerator). If we have made good and timely decisions on all of the above (and perhaps other) factors, then it is likely that the salad mix would last for the better part of a week. If we (or nature or you) did not do a good job on one or several of the above, then the mix can start to deteriorate in a day or two. Besides picking up your box as soon as possible, and refrigerating the mix asap, there's not a whole lot that you can do about it to influence its longevity. (Perhaps you could also pick out the bad leaf or two that may be found upon initially receiving your box.) We could also possibly look into vacuum sealing bags which, by limiting the oxygen that the leaves are exposed to, drastically curtails the spoilage rate. We are not sure of the expense of such a solution, nor how much we'd actually gain by vacuum sealing the bags we put the mix in, so we're not actively looking at that possibility, though it certainly might be worth considering. Actually we are considering moving over to the rigid plastic containers like the ones we put cherry tomatoes in, since there are now biodegradable clamshell containers. They are much more expensive than the ziplock bags we currently use, but at least they do not contribute to the problems associated with plastic production and disposal. A couple of you suggested not washing the lettuce at all, with the hope that it would store longer by not getting wet, but the leaves would actually become limp within hours if they are not hydrated, so we do need to get them wet, and keep them moist, for them to stay fresh. We also expect that many of you like the convenience of not having to wash the lettuce so thoroughly, if at all, before putting it into your favorite salad bowl. We do, too!
In other news: Hooray for Monsanto's unloading their rBST (also called rBGH, or bovine growth hormone) product, after consumer concern over its safety, as well as the pledge of many food processors to use only milk that was not produced from cows injected with their bio-engineered sex hormone. Although somewhat successful in inducing cows to give more milk, Posilac (their trade name for the product) was not healthy for the cows, and was not proven to be safe for humans. Monsanto had fought tooth and nail to prevent Posilac milk to be labeled as such, and legally fought farmers and dairy processors and retailers who labeled their products that didn't contain milk from Posilac-injected cows as rBGH free, but even giants such as Wal-Mart responded to consumer rejection of rBGH by selling milk without the hormone, and so Monsanto has apparently decided to sell their Posilac line. Consumers can claim a small victory, though another competitor has bought the product, so we cannot yet exclaim R.I.P.
Have a great week!
The Seelys
Friday, September 5, 2008
Week of 9/5
This week's vegetables: salad mix, lettuce (for half shares), garlic, basil, cucumbers, tomatoes, roma tomatoes (for full shares), cherry tomatoes, leeks, cilantro, peppers, sweet corn, watermelons, cantaloupe, beets, zucchini, yellow squash (for full shares), swiss chard (for full shares), spinach
Next week: salad mix, scallions, bok choi?, sweet corn, tomatoes, carrots, cukes, cantaloupe, peppers/eggplant
NOTE: The watermelons and cantaloupe did not fit into the full share boxes, so the full shares should take one watermelon and one cantaloupe from the black crates situated close to your boxes. No kale (as promised) this week. You will receive it next week.
FALL FARM DAYS: Join us on Saturday, Sept. 27th, and/or Saturday, Oct. 25th, at the farm to see where your produce is coming from. We'll probably be harvesting something on both of those days, perhaps even planting garlic on the October date, amidst sharing a potluck meal, and touring around our fields and buildings. (Unfortunately, no chickens this year!) Come anytime between 9:30 and 4, and we'll have the potluck meal at 12:30.
St. Germain Soup from subscriber Alicia Hitzler Burke
The name is in honor of a group vacation to the Northwoods of Wisconsin. My friend Jill created this using fresh veggies from her garden and froze it and shared it with friends in St. Germain.
3-4 pounds of medium sized zucchini chopped into approx 1" pieces.
1 very large onion chopped (any kind but red)
3-4 Tbl. olive oil
1-2 cloves garlic crushed
1/2 cup to 1 cup (depending on your taste) of fresh basil chopped.
salt and pepper to taste
1 large can of tomato juice
Heat oil in large frying pan, add chopped onion and zucchini, cook on med-hi heat until soft and breaking down about 10-15 minutes, add salt and pepper, stir as needed, add garlic and basil. Cook for a few additional minutes. Mixture should appear soft/loose but semi firm.
Add 1/2 of this mixture into the blender and add 1/2 the can of tomato juice, puree.
Do the same with the remaining mixture and juice, combine all of it in a large sauce pan, heat on med-low, when gently simmering, add 1 cup heavy whipping cream or 1/2 and 1/2. FYI, do not boil or simmer once cream is added.Turn off and serve, garnish with basil ribbons, croûtons, hard cheese shavings( Fontina, Parmesan, Romano,)
To make ahead and freeze follow all of the instructions, but omit the cream, when ready to defrost and heat, simmer until heated through then add the cream and serve.
HOMEMADE ZUCCHINI RELISH sent in by subscriber Edel Logan
Hands-on time: 60 minutes up front, an hour or so to can
Time to table: 6 hours
Makes 8 or so pints but can be canned in half pints if preferred
VEGETABLES
15 cups grated zucchini, from about 4 + pounds of fresh zucchini
1 pound carrots, grated
6 cups chopped onion, from about 5 onions
8 sweet peppers, a mix of red and green, chopped (I used 2 red, 6 green)
1/3 cup table salt (Linda's sister suggests using pickling salt)
Mix these together in a very large bowl. Let stand at least three hours. (This batch stood overnight.) Drain in a colander or wrap in cheesecloth so the excess liquid can be squeezed out.
LIQUID & SPICES
3 cups vinegar (cider is preferred because it's gentler and more fruity but I used plain white vinegar and it was fine)
6 cups sugar
3 teaspoon celery seed
1-1/2 teaspoons black pepper
1-1/2 teaspoons turmeric
1-1/2 teaspoons nutmeg
3 tablespoons cornstarch stirred into a little cold water to make a paste
Mix ingredients in a very large kettle, stir until sugar is dissolved. Add drained vegetables and bring to a boil. Let cook just a few minutes, until liquid is mostly gone. Transfer relish into sterilized jars and seal. Process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes.
KITCHEN NOTES
Large zucchini can be seedy and spongy in the centers -- cut this out before grating. If large pieces of skin get through the grater, pull these out, they'll likely be tough. The small slivers cook fine, however.
Grate the zucchini and carrots in the food processor. Onion and peppers get mushy in the food processor so should be chopped by hand.
Mexican Vegetable Medley (Colache) from Rolling Prairie Cookbook
2 tablespoons oil
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 small onion, chopped
3 or 4 small summer squash (any variety or color), cut in 1/4 inch thick slices
1 red bell pepper, cut in matchsticks
2 cups corn kernels (fresh is best)
2 medium tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup (or more to taste) chopped fresh cilantro
Heat oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and onions. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the squash and bell pepper. Saute for another minute or two. Add corn and chopped tomatoes. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer vegetables until just tender - approximately 5 minutes. If vegetables begin to stick, or mixture seems too dry, add a small amount of water. Season with salt and pepper. Toss in the cilantro. Serve immediately. Serves 6.
Cheese and Leek Quiche from subscriber Marsha Christensen
3 eggs
1 8-oz container whipping cream
9 inch deep pie crust
6-oz cheddar cheese
1 leek, finely chopped
chives, optional
dash of salt, pepper, garlic pwd, garlic salt
If you like things spicy, I usually add Louisiana hot sauce and crushed red peppers. Add everything together and stir, pour into crust and bake at 425 for approximately 30 minutes. Enjoy!
Have a great week!
The Seelys
Next week: salad mix, scallions, bok choi?, sweet corn, tomatoes, carrots, cukes, cantaloupe, peppers/eggplant
NOTE: The watermelons and cantaloupe did not fit into the full share boxes, so the full shares should take one watermelon and one cantaloupe from the black crates situated close to your boxes. No kale (as promised) this week. You will receive it next week.
FALL FARM DAYS: Join us on Saturday, Sept. 27th, and/or Saturday, Oct. 25th, at the farm to see where your produce is coming from. We'll probably be harvesting something on both of those days, perhaps even planting garlic on the October date, amidst sharing a potluck meal, and touring around our fields and buildings. (Unfortunately, no chickens this year!) Come anytime between 9:30 and 4, and we'll have the potluck meal at 12:30.
St. Germain Soup from subscriber Alicia Hitzler Burke
The name is in honor of a group vacation to the Northwoods of Wisconsin. My friend Jill created this using fresh veggies from her garden and froze it and shared it with friends in St. Germain.
3-4 pounds of medium sized zucchini chopped into approx 1" pieces.
1 very large onion chopped (any kind but red)
3-4 Tbl. olive oil
1-2 cloves garlic crushed
1/2 cup to 1 cup (depending on your taste) of fresh basil chopped.
salt and pepper to taste
1 large can of tomato juice
Heat oil in large frying pan, add chopped onion and zucchini, cook on med-hi heat until soft and breaking down about 10-15 minutes, add salt and pepper, stir as needed, add garlic and basil. Cook for a few additional minutes. Mixture should appear soft/loose but semi firm.
Add 1/2 of this mixture into the blender and add 1/2 the can of tomato juice, puree.
Do the same with the remaining mixture and juice, combine all of it in a large sauce pan, heat on med-low, when gently simmering, add 1 cup heavy whipping cream or 1/2 and 1/2. FYI, do not boil or simmer once cream is added.Turn off and serve, garnish with basil ribbons, croûtons, hard cheese shavings( Fontina, Parmesan, Romano,)
To make ahead and freeze follow all of the instructions, but omit the cream, when ready to defrost and heat, simmer until heated through then add the cream and serve.
HOMEMADE ZUCCHINI RELISH sent in by subscriber Edel Logan
Hands-on time: 60 minutes up front, an hour or so to can
Time to table: 6 hours
Makes 8 or so pints but can be canned in half pints if preferred
VEGETABLES
15 cups grated zucchini, from about 4 + pounds of fresh zucchini
1 pound carrots, grated
6 cups chopped onion, from about 5 onions
8 sweet peppers, a mix of red and green, chopped (I used 2 red, 6 green)
1/3 cup table salt (Linda's sister suggests using pickling salt)
Mix these together in a very large bowl. Let stand at least three hours. (This batch stood overnight.) Drain in a colander or wrap in cheesecloth so the excess liquid can be squeezed out.
LIQUID & SPICES
3 cups vinegar (cider is preferred because it's gentler and more fruity but I used plain white vinegar and it was fine)
6 cups sugar
3 teaspoon celery seed
1-1/2 teaspoons black pepper
1-1/2 teaspoons turmeric
1-1/2 teaspoons nutmeg
3 tablespoons cornstarch stirred into a little cold water to make a paste
Mix ingredients in a very large kettle, stir until sugar is dissolved. Add drained vegetables and bring to a boil. Let cook just a few minutes, until liquid is mostly gone. Transfer relish into sterilized jars and seal. Process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes.
KITCHEN NOTES
Large zucchini can be seedy and spongy in the centers -- cut this out before grating. If large pieces of skin get through the grater, pull these out, they'll likely be tough. The small slivers cook fine, however.
Grate the zucchini and carrots in the food processor. Onion and peppers get mushy in the food processor so should be chopped by hand.
Mexican Vegetable Medley (Colache) from Rolling Prairie Cookbook
2 tablespoons oil
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 small onion, chopped
3 or 4 small summer squash (any variety or color), cut in 1/4 inch thick slices
1 red bell pepper, cut in matchsticks
2 cups corn kernels (fresh is best)
2 medium tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup (or more to taste) chopped fresh cilantro
Heat oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and onions. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the squash and bell pepper. Saute for another minute or two. Add corn and chopped tomatoes. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer vegetables until just tender - approximately 5 minutes. If vegetables begin to stick, or mixture seems too dry, add a small amount of water. Season with salt and pepper. Toss in the cilantro. Serve immediately. Serves 6.
Cheese and Leek Quiche from subscriber Marsha Christensen
3 eggs
1 8-oz container whipping cream
9 inch deep pie crust
6-oz cheddar cheese
1 leek, finely chopped
chives, optional
dash of salt, pepper, garlic pwd, garlic salt
If you like things spicy, I usually add Louisiana hot sauce and crushed red peppers. Add everything together and stir, pour into crust and bake at 425 for approximately 30 minutes. Enjoy!
Have a great week!
The Seelys
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