Rains, Relief, and Ripeness
Good things have arrived! The coming of Fall suddenly feels all the more real as temperatures this week have chilled out just a bit, bringing with them these relieving rains. There are rumors of more rain to come, and our hopes are high. Our farmers have been busy at work tilling the fields to finally ready for fall planting, which will include next year's garlic! Not only are our human farmers busy turning the soil....our pigs, which get bigger and bigger by the day, are rooting like crazy now that the soil is loose, damp, and easy to work. Yep, we consider them farmers too, since they fertilize the ground with their nourishing, nitrogenous pig poop and squash out any weed competition by eating them out by the root. Next year, the field our pigs run through will be ready for planting.Our first real step into autumn also has us dealing with the ripening of so many of our winter squashes, pumpkins and melons! We couldn't help but split open some of our melons for a taste....they are delicious! I am not a canteloupe fan but the flavors of homegrown varieties are irresistible. What varieties do we have? Boy the list is huge, and I can't even remember them all....Sugar Babies, Carnivals, Butternuts, the list goes on and some of the names get quite crazy.
We hope that soon our CSA members will be graced with the presence of this year's tasty melons, since we are pulling in so many...but in the meantime....
CSA This Week:
- Braising Greens Mix
- Garlic
- Leeks
- Red Zeppelin Onions
- Choice of Kale Varieties, Collard Greens, Chard or Dandelion Greens
- Zucchini
- Potatoes
- Heirloom Tomatoes
- Roma Tomatoes
- Sweet Peppers
- Mixed Cherry Tomatoes
- Hot Peppers
- Patty Pan Summer Squash
- Apples or Pears
Looking at this list we've still got quite the selection for you this Fall....we hope you enjoy. See you at market!
Recipes
Healthier Nachos Supreme (www.delish.com)
Ingredients
- 8 corn tortillas, cut into quarters
- Salt
- 1/4 cup(s) sliced jalapeño chiles
- 1 can(s) (15-ounce) no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup(s) low-fat (1-percent) milk
- 1 tablespoon(s) cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon(s) water
- 4 ounce(s) reduced-fat (50-percent) extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
- 2 tomatoes, finely chopped
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
Directions
- Sprinkle 1 side of tortillas with 1/4 teaspoon salt. In 4 batches, place tortillas between 2 paper towels on microwave-safe plate in single layer, spacing 1/2 inch apart. Microwave on High 2 minutes or until crisp.
- Finely chop half of jalapeños; reserve remaining for serving. Reserve 1/4 cup beans; place remaining in medium bowl.
- In 1 1/2- to 2-quart saucepan, heat milk on medium until just bubbling around edges. In small bowl, stir cornstarch and water until cornstarch dissolves. With wire whisk, stir cornstarch mixture into hot milk. Heat to simmering, whisking constantly; simmer 2 minutes or until thickened, whisking constantly. Remove from heat. Add cheese and whisk until melted and smooth. Stir in chopped jalapeños.
- Pour 1/4 cup sauce over beans in bowl. With potato masher or fork, mash beans until almost smooth.
- Place tortilla chips on serving plate. Spoon mashed beans over, then top with remaining sauce. Top with tomatoes, green onion, reserved beans, and reserved jalapeños.
Sauteed Apples and Leeks (low-cholesterol.food.com)
Ingredients
- 2 large leeks, white parts only
- 2 teaspoons margarine (divided) or 2 teaspoons butter, preferably unsalted (divided)
- 2 large granny smith (or any variety) apples, cored and thinly sliced
- salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
1 Split the leeks in half lengthwise and trim the bottoms, leaving a little of the root end intact so that they stay together. Wash well several times and dry. Cut lengthwise into thin strips, about 2 inches long.
2 In a medium skillet (nonstick is best) over medium heat, melt teaspoon of margarine. Add the leeks and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.
3 In the same pan, melt the remaining teaspoon of margarine and add the apple slices. Turn the heat to high and cook until the apples are lightly browned and softened, about 3 minutes.
4 Return the leeks to the pan and toss together to combine.
5 Serve immediately.
Fresh Corn, Tomato and Zucchini Salad (www.recipegirl.com)
Ingredients:
- 6 medium to large corn on the cob (shucked and rinsed)
- 3 small to medium zucchini, rinsed
- 1 pint pear or cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/4 cup slivered fresh basil leaves
- 4 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions:
1. Cut corn off the cob by placing it upright in a deep bowl and cut down the sides of the cob with a sharp knife.
2. Dice zucchini into 1/2-inch pieces (leave skin on) and add to the bowl. Add tomatoes and basil.
3. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, olive oil, honey and lime juice. Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and toss to combine. Cover the salad with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour and up to 4 hours until ready to serve. Toss again before serving to re-distribute the dressing. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper just before serving.
2. Dice zucchini into 1/2-inch pieces (leave skin on) and add to the bowl. Add tomatoes and basil.
3. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, olive oil, honey and lime juice. Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and toss to combine. Cover the salad with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour and up to 4 hours until ready to serve. Toss again before serving to re-distribute the dressing. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper just before serving.
Tips:
*If the salad sits in the refrigerator overnight,
it may gather additional liquid from the fresh vegetables. Just drain
any additional liquid and enjoy the leftovers.
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Please tell us if you can't identify something on the market table, don't know what to do with a particular item, have a food allergy we should know about, or if you have other questions or comments. We love to hear from you!
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