Sauté Carrots with Cilantro

Wednesday Menu – Korean Meatballs, Sauté Carrots with Cilantro, Dinner Roll
Farm Share Produce – Carrots, Cilantro

I’ve blogged about this sauté method for carrots before. Fall, though, is a good time for carrots, so it’s worth mentioning again. In this method the carrots don’t become mush, get a beautiful browning on the edges, and it is versatile with different flavor profiles. Any fresh herb can be added at the end – cilantro with a Mexican meal, flat leaf parsley for Italian night, or sage for a meal full of fall comfort.

Sauté Carrots
http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1932668

Here what I had to say about them before.
http://purplecook.blogspot.com/2010/04/broiled-tuna-with-cilantro-sauce-and.html

Delicata Squash, Fried Sage, and Chicken Sausage Pasta

This was one of those dishes that just smelled so good while it cooked. My husband did not like the texture combination of squash and pasta. I really enjoyed the fall dish.

Tuesday Menu – Delicata Squash, Fried Sage and Chicken Sausage Pasta, Salad
Farm Share Produce – Delicata Squash, Salad Mix, Tomatoes, Carrots
Other Local Produce – Sage from our garden

Delicata Squash, Fried Sage, and Chicken Sausage Pasta
Based on http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Butternut-Squash-and-Fried-Sage-Pasta-357109

8 oz. penne
1 T olive oil
8 sage leaves
4 links of chicken sausage, Italian style, sliced
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 Delicata Squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
Salt and Pepper
Parmesan for sprinkling
Cook penne as directed on package. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup cooking water. Reserve pasta.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry sage, turning once, until crisp on both sides, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to a paper towel.
Add onion and garlic to skillet. Cook, stirring frequently, until soft and golden, about 3 minutes. Add sausage slices to the pan and brown on both sides, about 3-4 minutes. Add squash, 3/4 cup water, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until squash softens, about 15 minutes.
Add reserved pasta to squash mixture; stir over low heat, adding some reserved cooking water if necessary, until pasta is coated, about 1 minute. Serve, garnished with cheese and sage.

Week 17 of 2010

We got…
Arugula, Broccoli, Broccoli Rabe, Carrots, Fennel, Red Russian Kale, Salad Mix, Tomatoes, Winter Squash, Cilantro
Fruit – Apples

My plans…

Arugula
This arugula and mustard salad sounds good.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/arugula-mustard-salad-recipe/index.html

Broccoli
I love roasted broccoli and I like this recipe using garlic and a little red pepper.
http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/roasted-broccoli-with-garlic-and-chile

Broccoli Rabe
I made this garlickly broccoli rabe this past week and never got to blog about it. I added cranberries for my husband. He loved it.
http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1559208
Carrots
This is my favorite way to make carrots. I’ve been looking forward to some carrots showing up in the CSA so I could make this. Any herb works great.
http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1932668

Fennel and Winter Squash
I think I’m just going to roast these and serve them as a side.

Green Goddess Green Beans

I’ve wanted to make a Green Goddess dressing for a long time now. Last night was the night. Easy!

Thursday Menu – Honey Mustard Glazed Chicken, Fruity Cous Cous, Green Goddess Green Beans
Farm Share Produce – Green Beans, Parsley

Green Goddess Green Beans
based on http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Green-Goddess-Green-Beans-231809

1 ½ cups green beans, trimmed
1/3 cup parsley
¼ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup sour cream
1 ½ t red wine vinegar
½ t lemon juice
Salt and pepper

Place Green Beans in a pot of salted water and cook for 6-8 minutes, until tender. Transfer to a bowl of ice water at the end of the cooking time. Pat dry when you are ready to add dressing to the beans.

Use immersion blender to combine the remaining ingredients.

Toss Green Beans with dressing.

NOTE: The original recipe also had ½ t of anchovy paste in the dressing. My husband tends to not like things with this ingredient, to I left it out. The comments suggested substituting pesto for the anchovy paste.

Apple Pie

This pie just came together so nicely. I’ve been intimidated for a long time about making my own pie crust. I did it for this pie, and have to say I’m excited about how pretty it looks.

Apple Pie
Crust based on http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/melissa-darabian/potato-bacon-torte-recipe/index.html

Filling based on http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Apple-Pie-3/Detail.aspx

For the crust:
2 sticks of butter, cubed and chilled
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 t salt
8-10 T ice water

Pulse butter, flour, and salt in food processor until mixture looks like wet sand. Add 1 T of water at a time and pulse briefly after each spoonful. Add water until the dough begins to gather in large clumps. Dump the dough onto a work surface. Divide the dough into two equal portions, wrap in plastic wrap and rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

When ready to roll out, dust work surface with flour and using a dusted rolling pin roll out dough to 9 to 10 inch rounds.

For the filling:
½ cup of sugar
½ cup of packed brown sugar
3 T all-purpose flour
1 t cinnamon
¼ t ginger
¼ all spice
7 cups of apples, peeled and sliced
1 T lemon juice
1 egg white
1-2 t water

Combine sugars, flour, and spices; set aside. In a large bowl toss apples with lemon juice. Combine apples and sugar mixture and toss well to coat. Line a pie pan with one 9 inch crust from above, place filling in the crust, and fit pie with remaining crust. Cut a few slits in the top. Beat egg white with water. Brush egg mixture on top of pie. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Increase temperature to 400 and bake an additional 10 minutes.

Tomato, Potato, and Pea Kheema

I’ve been saying I was going to make this Kheema for weeks. We had it last night. The recipe suggests serving it with plain Greek yogurt, almost didn’t do it. The yogurt added a perfect bit of creaminess to the spicy dish. Kheema is a traditional meat dish of Pakistan and India. It has many variations. This was a yummy first attempt at making this type of dish at our house.

Wednesday Menu – Kheema and Rice
Farm Share Produce – Beefsteak Tomato, Potato

Tomato, Potato, and Pea Kheema
http://thespicedlife.blogspot.com/2010/09/comfort-kheema.html

I’m just sharing the link because I didn’t change anything about it. I do have a few thoughts. The recipe suggests combining ground meats. I used beef and turkey. The recipe suggests beef and lamb are also great. I hate to admit this, but I think it was too spicy. I did use a green chile, the original recipe makes this optional. I also used cayenne, the original recipe suggest cayenne or paprika. Next time I would either use a chile or cayenne, not both. I served it with rice, but Naan would also be good. The yogurt was a great addition!

Week 16 of 2010

We got…
Arugula, Broccoli, Broccoli Rabe, Delicata Squash, Green Beans, Italia Sweet Peppers, Red Russian Kale, Salad Mix, Beefsteak Tomatoes, Golden Rave Tomatoes, Roma Tomaotes, Parsley
Fruit - Apples

My plans…

Arugula
I love this Arugula Pesto. I’ll probably freeze it.
http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/arugula_pesto/

Delicata Squash
I’ll probably make some version of this Squash and Sage Pasta.
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Butternut-Squash-and-Fried-Sage-Pasta-357109?mbid=ipapp

Green Beans
We had so many Green Beans this year. I’m always looking for something new for them. I’m looking forward to trying this Green Goddess Green Beans.
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Green-Goddess-Green-Beans-231809?mbid=ipapp

Red Russian Kale
I have a recipe for Chicken Cutlets with a White Bean and Kale Sauce that is the perfect fall meal. I’ll try to make that soon.

Using up the Cilantro Pesto

Here is the recipe I use for Cilantro Pesto
http://purplecook.blogspot.com/2010/06/strawberry-sauces-and-cilantro-pesto.html

I had some that needed to get used; here is what I came up with.

Tuesday Menu – Grilled Cilantro Tuna Steak, Cilantro Pesto Bruschetta, Salad
Farm Share Produce – Cilantro, Roma Tomato, Salad Mix, Golden Rave Tomatoes

Grilled Cilantro Tuna Steak

2 Tuna Steaks
2 T Cilantro Pesto
2 T olive oil

Marinade tuna in pesto and olive oil for up to 2 hours, minimum of 30 minutes. Grill 6 minutes each side or 6 minutes total on a grill like a George Foreman.

Cilantro Pesto Bruschetta

Spread Cilantro Pesto on a crusty baguette slice. Layer on a tomato slice and a fresh mozzarella slice. Put under the broiler for 2-3 minutes to melt the cheese.

Pasta with Lentils and Arugula

My husband saw this recipe while watching a cooking show years ago. It has been a well loved dinner in our house for years. The original recipe suggests substituting Parsley for the Arugula. Last night I had some Arugula, some Cilantro, and some Parsley left. The combination of the three worked great.

Meatless Monday Menu – Pasta with Lentils and Arugula, Salad
Farm Share Produce – Arugula, Cilantro, Parsley, Salad Mix

Pasta with Lentils and Arugula
http://www.pbs.org/everydayfood/recipes/Pasta_with_Lentils_and_Arugula.html

Mexican Bean Salad

For the last month or so I was feeling like my CSA was getting ahead of me, I felt like it would be pick up day again and I still had lots from last week. This week I feel like I’m doing much better. Heading into the weekend all I have left is salad mix, arugula, and herbs. AND I have plans for most of it before pick up on Tuesday. I think it’s being back in a routine. As summer came to a close we would wind up staying late at the pool or being with friends for dinner, which meant I didn’t cook every day. I like being in a routine, I like cooking every day.

Friday Menu – Chard and Pepper Quesadillas, Mexican Bean Salad
Farm Share Produce – Chard, Carmen Peppers, Roma Tomato, Green Beans, Jalapeno, Cilantro

Mexican Bean Salad
http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/mexican_three_bean_salad/

I made a few minor changes. I had kidney beans on hand, not pinto, so I used kidney, black, and green beans for the salad. I realize while writing this post I left out the scallions – I’ll add those to the leftovers. Finally, I didn’t put the cheese in because I didn’t have any, but that’s okay with me since I don’t really like cheese (I know, everyone finds that very STRANGE!).

My husband loved it! I knew he would, that’s why I made it. I needed to make up for having Chard in the quesadillas; he’s not so keen on the bitter greens.

Chard and Pepper Quesadillas
I used Chard and Carmen Peppers as the veggies in these Quesadillas. I also added sliced Roma Tomatoes to the quesadillas. I enjoyed this quick Friday night dinner.
http://purplecook.blogspot.com/2010/06/spinach-and-mushroom-quesadillas.html

Apple Picking

We went apple picking Labor Day weekend. Here are some of the fruits of our labor…

I have made Mini Apple Muffins for my 4 year olds nursery school snack and for my 6 year olds soccer team.
http://purplecook.blogspot.com/2010/09/mini-apple-muffins.html

I made this fabulous cake. My husband ordered half of it be given away so that we didn’t eat up all those ooey gooey calories.
Ooey Gooey Apple Cake
http://purplecook.blogspot.com/2010/09/ooey-gooey-apple-cake.html

I want to make an Apple Pie for us next week. Now it 9/24 and I've made my pie. Here it is...
http://purplecook.blogspot.com/2010/09/apple-pie.html

And finally, I want to make an apple pie filling for the freezer to be used on one of those cold days coming up.

Mini Apple Muffins

Mini Apple Muffins
Adapted from http://www.thenaptimechef.com/2010/09/apple-snack-muffins-for-her-teacher/

3/4 c. sugar
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
2 egg.s
1 c. all-purpose flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
1 t. ground cinnamon
2 apples, coarsely grated
1 t. vanilla extract
Yields about 24 mini-muffins

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease or use liners for mini-muffin tins.

Beat together sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and continue to mix until completely combined. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon. Then, add it to the wet ingredients and completely incorporate flour mixture.
Add in the apples and vanilla and mix through.

Fill each muffin tin until 3/4 full. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the tops of the muffins spring back when touched. Cool on a wire rack and serve.

Ooey Gooey Apple Cake

Ooey Gooey Apple Cake
From my very good friend

For the Topping:
3 cups powdered sugar
8 oz. lowfat cream cheese
2 eggs
1/4 c oats

For the cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsps ground cinnamon
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup butter -- melted
2 eggs
1/2 c buttermilk
2 c apple slices

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix together topping ingredients and set aside.

Combine the flour, baking soda, and cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside.
Mix melted butter and sugar with a mixer. Add eggs and beat well. Add half the flour mixture, mix well. Add the buttermilk, mix well. Add the remaining flour mixture, mix well. Fold in the apple.

Spread cake batter in a 13x9 well greased or sprayed baking pan. Spread topping mixture on top all the way to the edges.

Bake for 40 – 45 minutes.

TIP: No Buttermilk on hand? Make it by adding 1 T lemon juice to your measuring cup. Fill with milk to the 1 cup line. Let sit for a few minutes, allowing the milk to sour. For this recipe I just did ½ T to ½ cup of milk.

Eggplant Curry

Thursday Menu – Spinach Chicken, Eggplant Curry, Brown Basmati Rice
Farm Share Produce – Eggplant, Tomatoes, Jalapeno, Cilantro

Eggplant Curry
Adapted from http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/baingan-bharta-eggplant-curry/Detail.aspx

1 eggplant
(mine was on the small side, about the size of two medium apples – the following amounts are for a small eggplant, double them if you have a medium or large eggplant)
2 T olive oil
1 t cumin
1 small onion, sliced
1 T red curry paste
1 small tomato diced ( I used 6 Golden Rave Tomatoes)
4 T plain yogurt
1 small jalapeno, seeded and chopped
Salt
Cilantro, chopped for garnish

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place Eggplant on a baking sheet. Baking 20-30 minutes until tender my small eggplant took 27 minutes). Cool, peel, and chop.

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add cumin and onion. Cook until onion is tender, stirring occasionally. Add curry paste and tomato, cook 1 minute. Stir in yougurt. Add eggplant and jalapeno. Salt to taste. Cover and cook 10 minutes. Garnish with cilantro.

Week 15 of 2010

We got….

Arugula, Broccoli, Chard, Eggplant, Peppers – Italia Sweet and Jalapeno, Tomatoes – Beefsteak, Golden Rave, and Roma, Cilantro and Parsley
Fruit - Pears

My plans…

Arugula
This Arugula, Lentils and Pasta dish is one of our favorites. I think I’ll make it for Meatless Monday.
http://www.pbs.org/everydayfood/recipes/Pasta_with_Lentils_and_Arugula.html

Broccoli and Jalapeno
I think I’ll make this roasted Broccoli with Garlic and Chile as a side one night. Maybe I’ll find a way to substitute a Jalapeno for the Crushed Red Pepper
http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/roasted-broccoli-with-garlic-and-chile

Chard and Tomatoes
I think I’m going to make these Chard and Tomato bundles again.
http://purplecook.blogspot.com/2010/08/chard-bundles-with-tomato-and.html

Eggplant
My friend made a very yummy Eggplant recipe where you roast the whole eggplant. I’m chasing it down, I don’t know a whole lot about it yet – except that she said it was really good and we’d love it.

Cilantro
Since I still have Green Beans from last week I think I’ll use my Cilantro to make this 3 Bean Salad
http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/mexican_three_bean_salad/

Parsley
Everyday Food has a recipe for Chick Pea and Parsley Mash. I think I’ll give that a try as a side dish one night soon.

Lemon Rice and Eggplant-Chick Pea Curry

I had gotten an eggplant from a family member’s garden and thought I would make this dinner and freeze it, but then I thought why not just make it as a meatless dinner on Monday. I love cooking this dinner because the Lemon Rice smells delicious as it bubbles away. The eggplant curry at the end is tasty and fulfilling. This meal makes a great vegan meal. I often send it to a vegan family when they welcome a new baby or when they come for dinner.

Meatless Monday Menu – Lemon Rice and Eggplant-Chick Pea Curry
Farm Share Produce – Italia Sweet Pepper, Mariachi Pepper
Other Local Produce – Eggplant

Lemon Rice and Eggplant-Chick Pea Curry
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/lemon-rice-and-eggplant-chick-pea-curry-recipe/index.html

The only change I made to the recipe was I leave the butter out of the rice. It keeps it vegan and I don’t think it needs the fat or flavor – once the curry is on the rice this dish is full of flavor. I used the peppers we got from our CSA – Italia Sweet and Mariachi- as a substitute for the bell pepper.

The Naptime Chef had a nice piece on Meatless Mondays recently.
http://blogs.babble.com/family-kitchen/2010/09/06/meatless-monday-5-reasons-why-it-matters/

Sage Chicken

Sunday Menu – Sage Chicken, Garlicky Spaghetti with Arugula, Corn on the Cob
Farm Share Produce – Arugula, Sweet Corn
Other Local Produce – Grape Tomatoes, Sage (from Garden)

Sage Chicken

4 bone in Chicken Breasts
½ cup Sage leaves
2 T olive oil
Salt and Pepper
½ cup Chicken Broth or water
2 T Lemon Juice

Lift up the skin on the chicken breast and place 3 – 4 large Sage leaves under the skin of each breast. Reserve remaining Sage.

Heat oil in a skillet. Add salt and pepper. Brown chicken breast 1-2 minutes on each side. End skin side up. Add broth, lemon juice, and reserved sage to the skillet and simmer for 25 minutes.

Garlicky Spaghetti with Arugula
http://purplecook.blogspot.com/2010/05/garlicky-spaghetti.html

Spicy Roasted Squash Soup with Squash Seed Pesto

We celebrated Eid al-Fitr, the end of Ramadan, with friends yesterday. I brought this soup. I love that you used the seeds from the squash to make the pesto.

Farm Share Produce: Acorn Squash, Kabocha Squash, Cilantro

Spicy Roasted Squash Soup with Squash Seed Pesto
Adapted From http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Spicy-Roasted-Squash-Soup-with-Pumpkin-Seed-Pesto-104548

For Soup:
2 acorn squash, halved and seeded
NOTE: I used half of our Kabocha Squash we got from our CSA and one Acorn Squash. I think any winter squash would work well in this soup.
1 t ground cumin
1 fresh jalapeño, minced and half the seeds removed
4 cups of broth, additional broth or water for thinning
1 T lemon juice

For Pesto:
3 T extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup roasted seeds from the squash used for soup
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup water or broth
½ cup cilantro, roughly chopped
2 scallions, roughly chopped
1 ½ T lemon juice

For Soup:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Place squash, cut sides down, on greased baking pans and roast for 45 – 1 ½ hours, depending on the size of your squash. Roast until very tender. Cool and scoop our flesh.
In a soup pot place roasted squash, cumin, jalapeno, and broth and bring to a boil. Puree with an immersion blender or in batches in the blender. Simmer the soup for 10 minutes and then stir in lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste
For Pesto:
Heat olive oil in a small skillet. Add seeds and garlic and cook until garlic begins to brown, 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and allow and cool slightly. Puree oil, seed, garlic mixture with remaining ingredients. Serve with soup.

Dahl with Chard

Thursday Menu – Dahl with Chard
Farm Share Produce – Chard, Golden Rave Tomatoes

I made this Dahl last night with a few minor changes.
http://purplecook.blogspot.com/2010/03/indian-dahl-with-spinach.html

I used Chard as the greens instead of spinach. I also have tomatoes! (From my CSA, friends, the farmer’s market, and our few potted plants). Since tomatoes and chard go so well I added some chopped Golden Rave tomatoes to the onion mixture.

We enjoyed dinner last night. I think it was because yesterday was an overcast chilly day with the wind blowing all day.

Spicy Chicken Casserole

This was the perfect dinner last night! We needed to get out the sweatshirts and came home to eat after an hour on the soccer fields for practice in that fall wind that ripped right through us.

Wednesday Menu – Spicy Chicken Casserole
Farm Share Produce – Green Beans, Italia Sweet Peppers, Mariachi Peppers

Spicy Chicken Casserole
Here is the recipe.
http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/spicy-coconut-chicken-casserole

I love coconut milk, but too many calories for a regular day – so I substitute about 1 ½ cups of plain low-fat yogurt. Also you can use any of those great peppers that are in season – Italia Sweet, Carmen, Mariachi, and good old Bell.

Piece Meal for Kids: After browning the chicken I take out a piece or two for the kids. I finish them by putting them in a skillet with broth or water and simmer them for 15 -20 minutes. I give them some of the green beans off the top and butter bread – and that’s their piece meal dinner.

Week 14 of 2010

We got….

Arugula, Bok Choi, Broccoli, Corn, Green Beans, Head Lettuce, Peppers – Italia Sweet, Mariachi, Potatoes, Salad Mix, Tomatoes – Beefsteak, Golden Rave, Roma, Cilantro
Fruit- Peaches

My plans…

Arugula and Golden Rave
I’ve been waiting a couple of weeks for Arugula to show up. I’m making this Garlicky Spaghetti again that features Arugula.
http://purplecook.blogspot.com/2010/05/garlicky-spaghetti.html

Bok Choi, Broccoli, and Cilantro
I plan to make a stir-fry

Green Beans and Peppers
I love this Spicy Chicken Casserole (one pot dish). I use plain yogurt in place of the coconut milk and will use Carmen, Italia Sweet and Mariachi peppers in the dish.
http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/spicy-coconut-chicken-casserole

Potatoes and Tomatoes
I’ve been wanting to try and make Kheema. The Spiced Life Blog had a recipe for Comfort Kheema this week.
http://thespicedlife.blogspot.com/2010/09/comfort-kheema.html

Tomatoes and Cilantro
I’m going to make the following Cilantro Pesto and then make a tomato tart similar to one I made last week.
Cilantro Pesto
http://purplecook.blogspot.com/2010/06/strawberry-sauces-and-cilantro-pesto.html
Tomato Tart
http://purplecook.blogspot.com/2010/09/tomato-tart.html

Contributing to Dinner with Friends

Sunday Night we shared dinner with some friends. I took a wonderful soup made with all the peppers we’ve been getting and a tomato tart. Both yummy!

This picture is my breakfast the next morning. I couldn’t wait to eat the leftovers.

Sunday Dinner Contributions – Red Pepper Soup with Toasted Cumin Seed, Tomato Tart
Farm Share Produce – Carmen Pepper, Bell Pepper, Beefsteak Tomatoes
Other Local Produce – Sage (from the garden)

Red Pepper Soup with Toasted Cumin Seeds
http://purplecook.blogspot.com/2010/09/red-pepper-soup-with-toasted-cumin.html

Tomato Tart

http://purplecook.blogspot.com/2010/09/tomato-tart.html

Tomato Tart

Tomato Tart
Based on http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/patrick-and-gina-neely/ginas-summer-tomato-pie-recipe/index.html

1 pie crust (store bought or homemade)
2 t extra virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing crust
½ t crushed red pepper flakes
¼ Sage, thinly sliced
3 large tomatoes (a variety of colors adds visual appeal)
8 oz. Mozzarella, sliced

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Line a pizza sheet or pizza stone with parchment. Roll out pie dough to form a 10-inch circle. Leaving a 3-inch border brush on oil. Sprinkle oil with crushed red pepper flakes and sage. Starting in the center alternate two tomato slices and a mozzarella slice and work your way out to the edge of the oil border. Fold the uncovered edges of the dough inward over the filling to create a crust. Brush with oil.

Bake for 35 minutes.

Red Pepper Soup with Toasted Cumin Seeds

Red Pepper Soup with Toasted Cumin Seeds
Adapted from http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/red-pepper-soup-with-toasted-cumin-seeds-recipe/index.html

2 T olive oil
1 small onion, chopped (preferably red)
2 T grated garlic
1 T garam masala
1 t asafoetida
1 t mustard seeds
1 t cumin
1 t smoked paprika
3 Carmen Peppers
1 Red Bell Pepper
1 cup broth (vegetable or chicken)
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 T cumin seeds

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or soup pan and add the onion and garlic. Cook until the onions are soft, about 4 minutes and then add the garam masala, asafoetida, mustard seeds, cumin, and smoked paprika and cook for 10 seconds. Add the red peppers and cook for about 2 minutes and then pour in the broth. Season the mixture with salt and pepper and then simmer until the peppers are soft, about 20 minutes.

With an immersion blender or in batches in a blender carefully puree until very smooth. Toast the cumin seeds until they begin to lightly smoke and smell good and fragrant. Serve soup garnish with toasted cumin seeds.

Garden Bounty

We visited some family on Saturday night. The house we were at has a fabulous garden. We were looking at an aerial view of the property before going to pick vegetables from the garden and the garden took up more space on the property than the house. That gives you the idea of the bounty in this garden. I almost felt like I’d come home from CSA pick-up.

We got…

Eggplant, Peppers – long, sweet, green ones, Tomatoes – beefsteak, small plum, and little round ones, Zucchini

My plans…

Eggplant
I have this eggplant curry that freezes really well. I’m excited about my bonus eggplant and will probably make the curry to freeze. I make the rice when I serve the dish – this rice is so aromatic it fills the house with good smells.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/lemon-rice-and-eggplant-chick-pea-curry-recipe/index.html
TIP: Swap out the chicken stock for vegetable stock and you’ve got a perfect vegan dish. I never use the butter in the rice.

Peppers
I cut these up into strips and froze them. Perfect for fajitas sometime in the winter.

Tomatoes
I was getting all geared up to make sauce when my husband came to me and asked me to please just leave the tomatoes alone. He asked, “Couldn’t we just eat them, especially the small ones – they are like candy?” You know I tend to want to make something out of everything and forget that lots of our summer treasures are just so good all by themselves.
BUT some of them were really banged up and perfect sauce tomatoes, so I made this tomato broth. It is going in the freezer and in the winter I’ll make my favorite Creamy Tomato Pesto Soup – stayed tuned.
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Tomato-Sauce-232014
This broth could be used as vegetable broth, especially in recipes where tomatoes are the star or you’d like to highlight the tomato flavor.

Zucchini
I’m going to make loaves and loaves, and maybe some muffins of Zucchini bread.
http://purplecook.blogspot.com/2010/07/zucchini-trade-curried-zucchini-soup.html

Guesstimate Week 14

Next week’s guesstimate…

Chard, Green Beans, Lettuce, Onions, Peppers – Bell, Italia Sweet, Potatoes, Sweet Corn, Tomatoes – Beefsteak, Small, Cilantro

Fruit – peaches

Please send any favorites ideas or recipes for these items. I would love to include reader suggestions in my menu planning and on the blog. Contact me through the comments or e-mail me at purplecook8@gmail.com

Broccoli Rabe with Roasted Peppers

Thursday Menu – Spicy Shrimp and Scallops, Broccoli Rabe with Roasted Peppers, Crusty Rolls
Farm Share Produce – Broccoli Rabe, Carmen Peppers
Other Local Produce – Sweet Pepper

Broccoli Rabe with Roasted Peppers
Based on http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Broccoli-and-Broccoli-Rabe-with-Roasted-Red-Peppers-108246

2 large peppers (any variety – I had Carmen and another sweet, a mild hot would have been nice)
1 bunch Broccoli Rabe
1 T olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic, sliced
Salt and pepper

Optional Add Ins – Sausage, Pasta

Place peppers on the grill for 15 minutes. Turn every few minutes to char all sides. Place peppers in a shallow bowl and cover with plastic wrap for 10 minutes. Remove peppers from bowl, remove skins and seeds. Cut peppers into 2-3 inch strips.

Meanwhile boil salted water. Add Broccoli Rabe for 3-4 minutes. Remove to an ice bath.

Heat oil in a skillet. Add garlic, salt and pepper. When garlic begins to brown add drained Broccoli Rabe and Pepper strips. Heat through until moisture evaporates and vegetables begin to brown.

Optional Add Ins – any type of sausage (add to the oil with Broccoli Rabe and Peppers), pasta, especially penne (toss in at the end)

Pesto Sausage and Peppers with Cous Cous

This was on the menu last week. I made it last Thursday. It was one of those days when I knew what I was making for dinner and all day I looked forward to the dish. While I was making it yummy smells filled the kitchen and when it was done, it looked GOOD! I never bring food to the table in serving dishes – we always just get our food in the kitchen and bring it to the table. Well it looked so pretty, I decided to serve it at the table and on the way there I dropped it. Shards of glass everywhere and dinner ruined!!!!

I’m not quite sure I’m over it yet, but I tried again last night and very much enjoyed dinner.

Wednesday Menu – Pesto Sausage and Peppers with Cous Cous
Farm Share Produce – Bell Pepper, Carmen Pepper, Mariachi Pepper, Roma Tomato, Basil

Pesto Sausage and Peppers with Cous Cous
Adapted from http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/sausage-and-pepper-skewers-recipe/index.html

1 cup Cous Cous
½ large Bell Pepper
1 Carmen Pepper
1 Mariachi Pepper
1 large Onion
1 large Roma Tomato
4 links Chicken Sausage
2 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
½ cup of Basil leaves
1 T White Wine Vinegar

Prepare Cous Cous according to package directions.

Roughly chop peppers, onion, tomato and sausage into chunks. Grill vegetables and sausage for 5 minutes on the grill. (I used my Foreman Grill and just spread them out, but a grill basket would work great on the grill).

Meanwhile, puree the oil, salt and pepper, basil, and vinegar (Great time to get out that immersion blender!)

At the end of the 5 minutes on the grill, brush the sausage and vegetables with the pesto and cook an additional 5-6 minutes.

Toss the Cous Cous with half of the remaining pesto. Serve the sausage and vegetable on top of the Cous Cous with the remaining sauce for dipping.
NOTES: The original recipe and my first attempt were made with Cilantro pesto. I didn’t have any yesterday, so we went with Basil. The original recipe skewers the sausage and vegetables. When making dinner for a weeknight, I just don’t think it is worth the extra step.

Week 13 of 2010

This week marks the halfway point of CSA season – that makes me a little sad. We get 25 weeks of vegetables and then week 26 we pick up our 40 pound winter storage box. It’s been a great year so far, I’ll just look forward to the second half!

We got….
Acorn Squash, Broccoli Rabe, Carmen Peppers, Green Beans, Salad Mix, Tomatoes – Beefsteak, Small Red, Roma
Fruit - Nectarines

My plans…

Acorn Squash
My Kabocha Squash from the farm was in need of some attention, so I cut it up and roasted it the other day. That is in the freezer. I also roasted it’s seeds. I’m thinking of combining the Kabocha and the Acorn Squash to make this, especially fun because it puts the seeds to use.
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Spicy-Roasted-Squash-Soup-with-Pumpkin-Seed-Pesto-104548

Broccoli Rabe
This side dish with roasted peppers looks good.
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Broccoli-and-Broccoli-Rabe-with-Roasted-Red-Peppers-108246

Carmen Peppers
This soup looks delicious!
http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/red-pepper-soup-with-toasted-cumin-seeds-recipe/index.html

Mmm…I might not have enough peppers right now – time to head to a farmer’s market.

Green Beans
I love this one pot chicken casserole. It has green beans, oh and peppers!
http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/spicy-coconut-chicken-casserole

Tomatoes
I haven’t made this Tomato Tart yet.
http://blog.cookingchanneltv.com/2010/08/25/easy-summer-tomato-tart/

Summer Corn and Tomato Pasta

I love this simple and quick sauce that captures all the flavors of the end of summer – corn, tomatoes, and basil. It is perfect for leftover corn on the cob.

Tuesday Menu – Summer Corn and Tomato Pasta, Grilled Chicken, Salad
Farm Share Produce – Small Tomatoes, Sweet Corn, Basil, Head Lettuce, Beefsteak Tomato
Other Local Produce – Cucumber

Summer Corn and Tomato Pasta
Based on http://www.rachaelraymag.com/recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-index/dinner-recipes/Summer-Corn-and-Tomato-Pasta

Pasta (any variety, I like this with ravioli)
2 T olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ t crushed red pepper
1-2 cups tomatoes, cut into bite size pieces
3 ears of corn, kernels cut off
¼ cup fresh basil, torn

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic, crushed red pepper and salt to taste. When garlic begins to brown add tomatoes. Cook 5 minutes until tomatoes begin to soften. Stir in corn and continue to cook until heated through. Stir in basil. Toss sauce with cooked pasta.