Purple Plan Week of November 27, 2011

Mujudara, Salad
Local Food: Onions, Sweet Peppers
see NOTE below

Cajun Chicken Straganoff, Broccoli

Local Food: Broccoli

I have bags of frozen broccoli saved from CSA season.  I will prepare it the way I always do frozen broccoli...heat olive oil in a pan, add frozen broccoli and season with salt.  Cover and let steam.  When defrosted add a little more salt and sauté until broccoli begins to brown.  Finish with sesame oil.

Pizza with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce, Salad
Local Food: Sweet Peppers, Frozen Summer Squash

Saturday we got invited to dinner at a friend’s house.  I’m bringing Beet Red Velvet Cupcakes.
Oh my goodness do I have beets...so many left from CSA season.

NOTE: I actually made the Mujudara last night.  It was delicious and I simply followed the recipe.

Purple Plan Week of November 20, 2011

Hamburgers, Fries, Sauté Spinach Local Food: Spinach

Japanese Noodles with Cabbage and Edamame
Local Food: Red Onions, Garlic
Cabbage is also available at farmer’s markets.  I just happen to have some in the fridge I need to use.
 
NOTE: Don’t forget about the Seasonal Ingredient Map – an interactive map that tells you what is likely to be available at your local farmer’s market.
 
Sausage and Kale Soup, Crusty Bread
Local Food: Kale, Potato, Onion
This is soup is frozen, made earlier in the season and perfect for dinner one night as we get ready for this big Thanksgiving feast.
 
Braised Chicken with Butternut Squash and Cranberries, Broccoli, Cous Cous, Carrot Cake
Local Food: Onion, Butternut Squash, Carrots
As family gathers Wednesday night, this is what I’m making for dinner.

The Communal Table – Pasta and Bean Stew with Tomatoes and Broccoli Rabe

My contribution to the Thanksgiving Feast is soup to be enjoyed mid-day.  It took me awhile to decide on the soup I wanted to make.  I wanted my soup to be as local as possible.  I’m pleased with this recipe and am thrilled to share that every produce item is local – Tomatoes frozen from earlier in the CSA season, Onions from our last CSA pick up, and Broccoli Rabe and Garlic from the winter farmer’s market. 

Scroll to the bottom of the post to see what other local foods will grace our Thanksgiving Weekend Celebration and to see all the other food on The Communal Table.

Pasta and Bean Stew with Tomatoes and Broccoli Rabe
adapted from Pasta & Bean Stew from Williams-Sonoma Soups & Stews

serves 10-12 adults

Printable Version

¾ cups olive oil
3 small onions, thinly sliced into half-moons
4 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 14 oz. bags frozen tomatoes (canned tomatoes work great too!)
1 t crushed red pepper flakes
8 cups broth
3 15 oz. cans cannellini beans
salt and pepper, to taste
3 cups orecchiette (ear shaped pasta)
2 bunches broccoli rabe, small, rough chop
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
Shredded Parmesan cheese, for serving

In a large soup pot heat olive oil over medium-low heat.  When the oil is hot add onions, cook until they begin to soften, 5 minutes.  Add the garlic, cook 1 minute till fragrant.  Add the tomatoes (with juices), red pepper flakes, broth, and beans (with liquid).  Stir to combine.  Season with salt and pepper.  Raise the heat and bring to a boil, then add the pasta.  Turn down the heat, but maintain the large bubbles.  Cook 15 minutes, until pasta is tender.  Add the broccoli rabe and tomato paste, cook 10 additional minutes. 

Before serving, sample the stew.  If dull add more salt, pepper, or crushed red pepper.  If you would like a looser consistency add more broth.

To serve, ladle into bowl and sprinkle with shaved Parmesan.

Thanksgiving Weekend Celebration
Here are the other dishes I’m sharing with food from my CSA and the winter farmer’s market.

I’m doing dinner Wednesday night as we gather together from far and wide.  We are going to have the blog favorite of the fall – Braised Chicken with Butternut Squash andCranberries.  For dessert we’ll have Carrot Cake.

Here is what else is being served at The Communal Table

Cocktails, Appetizers, Soups and Salads:
Sweet Life Bake: Pumpkin Margarita
Easy Peasy Organic: Thanksgiving Ginger Cocktail
Dishin and Dishes: Butternut Squash Bruschetta With Sage Pesto
Mooshu Jenne: Green Salad
Two Peas and Their Pod: Maple-Roasted Butternut Squash Apple Salad
Jones is Hungry: Roasted Vegetable Salad
Purple Cook: Pasta and Bean Stew With Tomatoes and Broccoli Rabe
From My Corner of Saratoga: Curried Pumpkin Soup

Mains:
CIA Dropout: Turkey and Stuffles Roulades With Squash Mash
FN Dish: Alton Brown's Good Eats Roast Turkey
My Angel's Allergies: Cranberry-Glazed Cornish Hens

Sides:
Cafe Terra Blog: Cranberry Pumpkin Stuffing
Virtually Homemade: Twice-Baked Cheddar and Chive Potatoes
Easy Eats Magazine: Sausage and Dried Cranberry-Walnut Stuffing
The Sensitive Epicure: Oyster Dressing and Gravy
Daily*Dishin: Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes Supreme
What's Gaby Cooking: Rustic Herb Skillet Stuffing
Family Fresh Cooking: Coconut Brown-Butter Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Silvana's Kitchen: Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Mushroom-Rye Stuffing
The Cultural Dish: Cranberry Sauce

Desserts:
I Am Baker: Pumpkin Cake
Heather Christo: Pumpkin Vanilla Ice Cream Pie
And Love It Too: Pumpkin Custard (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
Haute Apple Pie Girls: Double Pumpkin Mini Pies With Candied Pecans
Ladles and Jelly Spoons: Not Your Same Old Pumpkin Pie
Daydreamer Desserts: Cuban Diplomatic Pudding
Thursday Night Dinner: Red Wine Chocolate Cake
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Caramel Apple Pie

Purple Plan Week of November 13, 2011

Vegetable Korma, Rice

Local Food: Pre-Prepped Frozen meal from earlier in the CSA season.

The link lists lots of CSA vegetables that would work in this dish.  That was written back in summer, since then we’ve also gotten potatoes, sweet potatoes, and winter squash – all which would work great in this dish.

Turkey & Vegetable Meatloaf, Roasted Potatoes, Carrots

Local Food: Spinach, Onions, Garlic, Potatoes, Carrots, Frozen Summer Squash Puree

This meatloaf is always a crowd pleaser.  I’m planning on adapting the recipe to use the vegetable I’ve got stored in the freezer.

Pasta & Bean Stew with Tomatoes and Broccoli Rabe

Local Food: Onions, Garlic, Tomatoes, Broccoli Rabe

On Wednesday the Food Network’s Blog will be celebrating a Virtual Thanksgiving.  I will be sharing the recipe for this warming soup and some other plans for local food at our Thanksgiving Celebration.

Turkey Tetrazzini

Great weeknight meal!

Tuesday Menu – Turkey Tetrazzini
Local Food – Carrots, Peas

Turkey Tetrazzini
original recipe from EveryDay with Rachael Ray

Printable Version

8 oz. cut spaghetti (I use Barilla)
3 T olive oil, divided
1 pound ground turkey
1 t poultry seasoning, divided
salt and pepper
½ cup frozen peas
½ cup diced carrots
6 T butter, divided
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
½ T dried thyme
3 T flour
2 cups milk
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided
½ cup bread crumbs

Boil pasta water and cook cut spaghetti for 5-6 minutes, aim for 1 minute shy of cooking the pasta al dente.  Drain and set aside.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Grease a 9x13 baking dish and set aside.

In a skillet heat 1 T of oil and 1 T of butter over medium heat.  Add ground turkey, salt and pepper to taste and ½ t of poultry seasoning.  Cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon throughout.  Transfer to the baking dish.

In a small saucepan bring 2 cups of water to a boil, add fresh diced carrots and boil for 3-4 minutes.  Drain and add to turkey mixture with frozen peas. 

In that same skillet add 2 T of butter.  Add mushroom and thyme.  Cook until the mushrooms start to soften, 3 minutes.  Transfer to the baking dish and stir with the turkey.

Add the remaining 3 T of butter to the skillet.  When melted add the flour and whisk, cook 1 minute.  Whisk in the milk and broth, simmer until thickened, 2-3 minutes.  Stir in the parmesan cheese.  Add sauce to the turkey mixture and stir to combine.

Mix the remaining ½ cup parmesan with bread crumbs and remaining 2 T of oil.  Sprinkle this mixture on top of the casserole.  Bake tetrazzini until top is golden-brown and sauce is bubbling, 12-15 minutes. 

Check out the original recipe for freezing tips.

Can I just say sometimes my kids drive me crazy?!?  I started dinner by giving them each a small sample of the tetrazzini.  I explained that it’s things they like – turkey, noodles, peas, carrots, and cheese.  They each took a small bite and said no thank you.  They told me they don’t like flavor!  What does that mean?  So we were back to piece meals.  They each ate some pasta with cheese, some peas, and some turkey – all separate and not touching each other.  ARRRRGGGGHHHH!

Fall Fest: Vegetable Biryani with Turnips

This was the recipe that introduced me to turnips and sent me in search of my first Dutch Oven.  When I was first getting into cooking I was at a friends and she had this strange vegetable on her counter which I learned was a turnip, she then cooked it into this amazing dish.  I tried to recreate the recipe.  It came out all wrong and I figured it was because I didn’t have a Dutch Oven-which is key to cooking the rice in this recipe correctly.  To make it right I needed to get myself a Dutch Oven.   So I thought the best way to celebrate Turnips with Fall Fest was to share that amazing recipe, Vegetable Biryani.

Meatless Monday Menu – Vegetable Biryani
Farm Share Food – Jalapeno, Onion, Sweet Potato, Turnip

Vegetable Biryani
a recipe from a good friend who introduced me to turnips

This dish is substantial enough to be a meal on its own.  It also makes a great side dish for a feast, like Thanksgiving.

Printable Version

Simple Raita

2 cup plain, unsweetened yogurt
¼ t salt
¼ t cumin
1 cucumber, peeled and diced

Stir ingredients together and store in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Spice Paste

4 cloves garlic
1 T minced ginger
1 jalapeno, seeded and roughly chopped
½ small onion, roughly chopped
1 t garam masala
½ t cumin
¼ t turmeric
2 T water

Combine ingredients of the spice paste with an immersion blender or food processor, puree until a paste forms.  Store in a small bowl until ready to use.

Vegetable Biryani

3 T olive oil, divided
4 whole cloves
1 (3 inch) cinnamon stick
1 ½ cups cauliflower florets, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 ½ cups sweet potato, peeled and diced small
1 bunch turnips, diced small
1 ¼ cups basmati rice
¼ cup raisins
2 cups water
1 t salt
1 cup frozen peas
1 T unsalted butter
2 medium onions, thinly sliced


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat 2 T of oil over medium heat in Dutch Oven.  Add cloves and cinnamon stick and cook for 1-2 minutes.  Add the reserved spice paste and cook until paste begins to stick to the bottom of the oven, 2-3 minutes.  Add cauliflower, sweet potato, and turnip and stir to coat vegetable completely with spice paste.  Add rice and stir to coat.  Add raisins, water and salt.  Stir to combine.  Bring to a boil, then cover the pot, and transfer to the oven for 30 minutes, until rice is cooked.  Remove from oven, stir in the peas, and then let sit covered for 15 minutes. 

While the rice is in the oven heat 1 T oil and 1 T butter in a skillet over medium heat.  Add the onion slices and slowly caramelize.  Stir the onions often, constantly moving them around the pan until they are golden and beginning to crisp.

Transfer the rice to a serving platter, sprinkle with the caramelized onions, and serve with the Raita on the side. 

Check out the great recipes from other blogs celebrating Fall Fest:

The Sensitive Epicure: Roasted Turnips With Olive Oil and Rosemary
Virtually Homemade: Turnip Gratin With Parmesan and Nutmeg
And Love It Too: Turnip Pancakes
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Turnips, Really?
Purple Cook: Vegetable Biryani With Turnips
Glory Foods: Turnip Greens With Potatoes and Mushrooms
Big Girls Small Kitchen: Creamed Turnips With Their Greens
FN Dish: Simply Roasted Turnips

Purple Plan Week of November 6, 2011

Turkey Tetrazzini

Local Food: Peas and Carrots

Sriracha Spaghetti and Meatballs

Local Food: Kale, Ground Beef, Onion, Parsley

Thai Butternut Squash Soup

Local Food: Butternut Squash, Onion

Welcome Back to "The Purple Plan"

During the CSA off-season I replace the weekly post stating what we got from the farm and my plans for that farm share food with “The Purple Plan”.  “The Purple Plan” is a post sharing 3-4 meals I plan to make in that upcoming week with CSA stored food or food from other local sources.   
I’m a lover of lists!  Following are two lists I’ll use to come up with my meal plans shared in “The Purple Plan” over the next several weeks. 
 
Local and CSA Food Stored in my Freezer
 
Vegetables:

Broccoli (2 packages)
Broccoli Rabe (use it like frozen spinach)
Butternut Squash (4 packages)
Carrot Slices (2 packages)
Crushed Tomatoes
Herbs:
Basil (3 packages)
Dill
Parsley
Sage (2 packages)
Jalapenos (2 packages)
Kale (use it like frozen spinach)
Parsley Pesto
Parsley and Sun Dried Tomato Pesto
Peas
Poblanos
Strawberries
Summer Squash Puree (2 packages)
Tomatoes Diced (2 packages)
Zucchini Puree
Zucchini Shredded (2 packages)
 
Meat:

Ground Beef (2 packages)
Oscar’s Bacon (6 packages)
Oscar’s Chicken Sausage
Rib Steak
Short Ribs
Stew meat
Strip Steak
 
Pre-Prepped items:

Braised Turnip Greens (2 packages)
Broccoli Rabe Pasta Dish starter
Pear and Cranberry Crisp
Sausage, Kale, and Potato Soup
Vegetable Korma
 
Stored Vegetables
 
Beets
Butternut Squash
Carrots
Onions
Potatoes
Red Onions
Sweet Potatoes

Weeknight Vegetable Curry

This was a warm and creamy dish that was a perfect weeknight meal. 

Wednesday Menu – Cauliflower and Sweet Potato Curry with Rice
Farm Share Food – Onion, Sweet Potato, Cilantro

 This recipe could utilize any number of vegetables – squash, potatoes, sweet potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, peas or greens.  Just a couple of ideas off the top of my head.  I made it as written with cauliflower and sweet potatoes.  It’s a great vegetarian dish, tofu could even be added.  Or if you would like to add some leftover chicken, another great idea for this versatile dish.  Again, my cilantro was frozen cubes from the summer that I stirred in at the end.

 
Simple Vegetable Curry

Coriander Glazed Carrots

I really liked these carrots.  The citrus really brightened them up and they were an easy side dish to make.  My husband did not like the citrus flavors in these carrots.  
Tuesday Menu – Arugula Pesto Salmon, Arugula Pesto Roasted Potatoes, Coriander Glazed Carrots.
Farm Share Food – Arugula Pesto, Potatoes, Carrots, Cilantro
 
Arugula Pesto
I defrosted the Arugula Pesto I made a couple of weeks ago.  I spread some on the salmon filets and then cooked those on the Foreman Grill.  I cut up the potatoes into 1 inch cubes and tossed them with some pesto.  I roast them at 400 degrees for 40 minutes, turning them once during the cooking time.
 
Coriander Glazed Carrots
originally from Food Network Magazine

 Printable Version

1 T unsalted butter

½ t coriander seed, lightly crushed

1 pound carrots, cut into sticks

¼ cup orange juice

1 T lime juice

1 ½ T brown sugar

salt and pepper

2 T chopped cilantro, I used my frozen cubes

 

Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the coriander seeds and toast 30 seconds.  Add the carrots and stir in orange juice, lime juice, brown sugar, 2 T water, and salt and pepper to taste.  Bring to a boil and then cover and reduce heat to medium low.  Simmer, stirring occasionally, 13-15 minutes until carrots are tender.

 

Uncover, increase heat to medium high and cook until liquid is reduced 8-10 minutes.  Stir in cilantro and serve.

Week 21 of 2011

With vegetable pick up this week our CSA comes to a close for the 2011 season.  Our farm lost thousands of pounds of vegetables due to Hurricanes Irene and Lee, and so we finish up the first week of November.  Every week since the Hurricanes I’ve been delightfully surprised at the abundance of wonderful vegetables I bring home.  I didn’t think we would see any more greens after the storms, but delighted again we’ve enjoyed several weeks of salad greens and I have Kale and Broccoli Rabe in the freezer to use in soups and stews.   
Thank you for a wonderful season!
 
We got...
 
Beefsteak Tomatoes, Beets, Butternut Squash, Carrots, Onions, Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes
 
Fruit: Apples
 
My plans...
 
Beets
I have so many beets!  They store nicely in the refrigerator, so we can use them over the next couple of months.  Here are some ideas I may try.
 
Vegetable Pancakes

Michael Symon made a Goat Cheese and Beet Ravioli on the “Chew”

I’ve never made Borscht and this recipe looks yummy!

Butternut Squash

I’ve been freezing my Butternut Squash.  In the coming weeks I will make...

 

...Thai Butternut Squash Soup

...Butternut Squash Risotto

and if you haven’t made it yet the Braised Chicken with ButternutSquash and Cranberries, it is this season’s winner!

Carrots, Onions, Potatoes, and Sweet Potatoes

I’m so happy to have these.  I’ve got them stored and will chip away at them over the coming weeks.