Seasonal Rebellion

I am deep in the depths of winter at this point. Having trouble finding motivation to write, cook, or leave the house. It's cold out and I pay a lot of money to be able to complain when the temp dips below 70 degrees here. And of course tis' the season...for colds - brought into my home by those little petri dishes called kids.
Oh yeah and then there's the holidays.

So many expectations this time of year - cookies, cards, gifts, parties and so much more. I find myself rebelling on so many levels. You can tell by our family's meals last week that I was staging some kind of stand against it all. It's as if I was sub consciously refusing anything holiday in nature - that includes food the color green and apparently anything healthy too.

Here's what's in season and at the farm this week;
Spinach,sweet potato, red potatoes, delicata squash,eggplant, lettuce, Asian pears,cara cara oranges,bacon avocado, lemon, persimmons

Pancakes with M&M's

Home made fish sticks. (these were a real hit and super easy) Pair them with some sweet potatoes cut up and baked in some olive oil salt and pepper like fries and you've got fish and chips.Ho. Ho. Ho. Got to love the giant bowl of boiling oil.

3-4 Tilapia fillets
1-2 cups flour
Tablespoon of Paprika
1 cup Sour Cream or Plain or Greek Yogurt
Milk
Lemons

Mix these together for a tartar sauce:
Mayonnaise
Dill
Lemons

Mix a couple tablespoons milk in with the sour cream and place in a shallow dish (should be more like thick creamy milk consistency). Mix the flour, paprika, salt and pepper in a shallow bowl. Pour enough oil in a deep pan that you can float the fish in without them touching the bottom. Heat on high. Cut the fillets up into strips or chunks, however you like to eat them. dredge the strips in the wet bowl and then the dry bowl and set aside. Make sure all the sides are coated. Drop a small bit of flour or piece of fish in the oil - its ready when you see it bubble and roll. Place your coated fillets 1-3 at a time in the oil and turn as it browns. They should be golden brown color. Don't put too many in at a time. Take them out and dry them on some paper towels. Serve hot with lemons and vinegar. Don't be afraid to salt these up.

Uses: lemons and sweet potatoes

This week is a little more the norm around here thanks to the beautiful produce we have around that I can't bear to let go to waste.

We are enjoyed a whole grain rice salad yesterday. You can buy cooked wild and brown rice in the freezer or dry goods sections of many stores now if you want to speed this up.

3 ½ cups cooked whole grain rice, heated  

4 handfuls baby spinach, stems trimmed

2/3 cup walnut halves, toasted

1 ½ cups sliced oranges or clementines

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

¼ cup white wine vinegar

Salt

A bit of goat cheese, crumbled (optional)

Combine the hot rice, spinach, and most of the walnuts in a large bowl. Toss until the spinach wilts a bit.
Make the  vinaigrette by combining one-third of the oranges, the olive oil, white wine vinegar, and ¼ teaspoon salt and blending until smooth. Add a generous splash of the dressing to the salad.
Tear the remaining oranges in half and stir most of them into the rice. Taste and add more salt, if needed. Turn the salad out onto a platter and finish with the last of the oranges, walnuts, and goat cheese, if using. Serve immediately.


Uses: Spinach, oranges.


I also made Farro Soup yesterday and put it in the fridge for tonight. This is a really yummy warm soup to have around. It fills you up and provides some great nourishment at dinner and/or at lunch.


Farro Soup with Curry Powder, Lentils and Salted Lemon Yogurt (Courtesy of Heidi Swanson, Super Natural Every Day)

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
2 large yellow onions, chopped
1 cup peeled, diced sweet potato or winter squash
Fine-grain sea salt
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons Indian curry powder
2/3 cup semi-pearled farro
1 1/4 cups green or black lentils, picked over and rinsed
6 cups vegetable broth or water (I went with low-sodium broth)
1 cup plain yogurt of Greek-style yogurt or creme fraiche (I've used both)
Grated zest and juice of 1/2 lemon, or to taste
Directions

Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Stir in the onions and sweet potato. Add a big pinch of salt and saute until the onions soften a bit, a couple of minutes.
Add the curry powder; stir until onions and sweet potatoes are coated and the curry is fragrant, a minute or so.
Add the farro, lentils and 6 cups of the broth broth. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer, covered, for 25 minutes. (I used semi-pearled farro and it took me 45 minutes for the soup to cook.  Then I let it sit in the dutch oven, covered, and off-heat for another 15 minutes.)
Taste and season with more salt, if needed. (Don't under-salt or the soup will taste flat.) While the soup is cooking, in a small bowl, stir together the yogurt, lemon zest and juice, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.  Serve each bowl of soup topped with a dollop of lemon yogurt and a drizzle of olive oil.

Uses: Sweet potatoes, lemons

I've still got Kale from last week and I got a bit more this week so I'm going to try these Mashed Potatoes with Kale (I'll use the red potatoes instead of russets) this week as well. Maybe with a roasted chicken.

I'm just not feeling the eggplant this week so if anyone has any ideas please share...maybe I'll just dress it up with some lights and a red hat and see if that gets me in the spirit!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/mashed-potatoes-with-kale-recipe/index.html

You win some you lose some - confessions

My kitchen is full of winners and losers. A couple weeks ago the kids threw up a white flag...even these two little eat-anything munchkins finally (very sweetly I might add) said they just couldn't eat the baked eggplant I served. They played by the rules and tried it first, but I could tell by their faces (and my husband's) that we were having cheerios and buttered tortillas in about 2 minutes.

I am always trying out new recipes and using the family as the guinea pigs. They are a great audience and very kind to the cook! As with all creative outlets..there are winners and losers!

This week many of the CSA items happen to work into many of my "winners" and I'm hoping you'll enjoy them too.

This weeks harvest: from the CSA is baby purple Russian kale, Swiss chard, parsley, butternut squash, pumpkin, mixed greens, apples, tangerine, Meyer lemon,avocado

Confessions:
I'm a a terrible egg cracker - and I crack a lot of eggs, but no matter how often I do it I find myself picking shells out of something a couple times a week.

I often times have to read a recipe repeatedly in order to actually get everything pulled together correctly and even then I'll pick up whole milk instead of whole milk yogurt here and there.

I play and substitute a lot - it's all about using what's on hand.

I made some homemade vegetable stock with the stuff I had laying around...I put into recycled glass jars and filled them to the top like a dummy - they cracked in the freezer and were a big (well intentioned) MESS!

Recent Winners;
Lemony Olive Oil Banana Bread

Although Anthony and the boys think the name is miss-leading and is better than the name sounds...they suggested lemony-tart-sweet banana bread or Mommy's yummy banana bread. Either way Hedi Swanson shares another a great recipe in her blog 101cookbooks.com. this was a big hit and a great Holiday treat! This was HUGE success Very yummy!

Uses: Lemons

Stewed Apples
I served this with Shrimp and Stone Ground Grits. It's really delicious and fun to make with the Butternut Squash. The kids liked it - even my 5 month old niece :)

Uses: Butternut Squash

There was a lot of "juice" leftover from the Hawaiian Style Ribs crock pot recipe (previous blog "Playing in Passion"). I froze it in an egg tray, popped them out and saved them in the freezer in a zip lock. It makes for quick, deep, Asian flavors in some brown rice or as a side sauce or on veggies anytime.

On the Fence
Sweet Persimmons Bread (Previous blog: "Fun with Vegetables")
This was a nice use of the persimmons but very sweet.

Winter Minestrone (Previous Blog: Stuffed Pumpkin)
I used a branch (oops!) of rosemary instead of a small twig so it over powered this soup, but I think if I scale back the rosemary it will be good.

Uses; Swiss Chard

Losers

Spaghetti Squash Carbornara (Previous Blog: Playing in Passion)

I should have drained the squash after pulling the "spaghetti" out of the squash. It was WAY to watery.

Have a great week!

Ritual

Tradition simply means that we need to end what began well, and continue what is worth continuing. - Jose Bergamin

I took a bit of an unplanned pause from the blog this last week and just rested, ate, and walked a lot. Just what I wanted to do this week. On one of my walks I was thinking about the importance of ritual. I think when most people see this word they think candles and magic - I like this kind of ritual too, but there is so much ritual in our every day lives throughout the year that I think is so vital to true nourishment of our selves and our families.

Thanksgiving is the epitome of ritual in America. Many families celebrate this day with their own traditions every year; food, parades, football, beautiful tables lined with favorite dishes.

I think weaving rituals into our weeks and our months provide the same sense of knowing comfort, warmth and dependability that days like Thanksgiving provide once a year. I don't believe ritual has to be as elaborate as the word may sound, or as extravagant as Thanksgiving can be. But I have seen our small, sometimes unintentional rituals bring our family closer over time.

My husband and I have been watching Survivor since the show began. We started watching it in our small, one bedroom cottage we lived in before we got married. I always made the same meal  on the night it aired -"Survivor Casserole" a quick and easy casserole made up of things most homes have (thus the "survivor" aspect!). I've included the recipe below in this week's meal plan. Now that we have kids and all that comes with that, Anthony and I have a bit of nostalgia for when we have Survivor Casserole - a long ago simple ritual that brings back great memories.

These days our "Friday night movie night" serves up home made pizza, mine and Anthony's favorite beer (Chimay) and a movie. This is the one night we're not sitting around our table as we share a meal and it's a nice change of pace on a tired Friday night that everyone looks forward to.

There are so many little rituals - like the Parma Style Carrot Cake I make every year that no one in my family likes but me. It's one of my favorite cake's and I just get such a kick out of the fact that I'm the only one who eats it!

And then there's the "big" rituals. Like our gratitude practice - where each one of us says one thing we're grateful for from the day before the kids go to sleep. (To be fair, some days I'm just grateful that they're going to sleep!)

The other day after school Kai started to tell me a story from his day and then he stopped and said "I'll wait until we're all at dinner Mommy, then I can share it with everyone." That's when I knew that the most fulfilling and important ritual in our home is when we sit down for dinner as a family and enjoy the food (most of the time) and each other (most of the time) for one uninterrupted hour or so a day. It's here where we all know we can settle in and just be.

I know these may seem simple and maybe even silly, but I share them as a means of pointing out how even the silly and simple routines can build strength and nourishment. We don't need to wait for a holiday or a "day" to experience them. Just create your own ritual and end what began well, and continue what is worth continuing...

This week I'm picking up Russian kale, spinach, dill, spaghetti squash, butter lettuce, radishes, Fuji apples, satsuma tangerines, and me yer lemons from the CSA.

Sunday

Mom's Spinach Sausage Quiche (a little piece of heaven that reminds me of my mom and many rituals I've been at where it's been served- baby showers, brunches, Christmas morning...) This is really fun to make and great for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

1 (9-inch) frozen deep-dish pastry shell
8 oz. bulk pork sausage (any sausage works even veggie)
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 (10 oz.) package frozen chopped spinach. cooked, drained well (about 5/8 cup) (I have also used a bunch of fresh spinach and blanched it then chopped it up)
1/2 cup herb-seasoned stuffing mix
1-1/2 cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese (6 oz.)
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1-1/2 cups half-and-half
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Paprika

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Let frozen pastry shell stand at room temperature 10 minutes; do not prick the pastry shell. Bake 7 minutes. Remove from oven; set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees. In a medium skillet, cook sausage, green onions and garlic over medium-high heat until sausage is done, stirring occasionally. Drain sausage mixture. Stir in spinach and stuffing mix. Sprinkle first cheese and then sausage mixture in pastry shell. In a medium bowl, combine eggs and half-and-half with a fork or whisk until mixed well but not frothy. pour egg mixture over sausage mixture in the pastry shell. Bake 30 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and paprika. Bake 15 minutes or until a knife inserted off-center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. makes 6 servings.

Uses: Spinach


Monday

Zucchini, tomato, and lamb lasagna
I used ground turkey but I bet the lamb adds a lot more flavor.
Since we use zucchini instead of lasagna noodles this is gluten free.
If you have a Mandolin - use it to cut the zucchini, if not just use a knife.

Tuesday
Wide egg noodles and dill
Boil egg noodles as package recommends. Add butter, chopped up dill and Parmesan to taste and toss.

TOASTED KALE & COCONUT SALAD WITH SESAME OIL
As printed in Super Natural Every day by Heidi Swanson
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 TSP toasted sesame oil
2 Tablespoons shoyu, tamari, or soy sauce
3 ½ lightly packed cups of chopped kale, stems trimmed, large ribs removed
1 ½ cups of unsweetened large-flake coconut
2 cups cooked farro or other whole grain (optional)
Preheat the oven to 350°F with two racks in the top third of the oven.
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, sesame oil, and shoyu. Put the kale and the coconut in a large bowl and toss well with about two-thirds of the olive oil mixture.
Spread the kale evenly across two baking sheets. Bake for 12 to 18 minutes, until the coconut is deeply golden brown, tossing once or twice along the way. If the kale mixture on the top baking sheet begins to get too browned, move it to the lower rack.
Remove from the oven and transfer the kale mixture to a medium bowl. Taste. If you need a bit more dressing, add some and toss. Place the farro on a serving platter and top with the tossed kale.

Uses; Kale

Wednesday

Survivor Casserole
This is not my usual “healthier” fare. This can be made with low fat natural ingredients but it is one of those comfort food indulgences!

1 can cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup
1 can diced green chili's
1 onion diced
1 pint cream cheese
4 cups shredded, canned or diced chicken
Tsp pepper
6-10 large tortillas - whole wheat or flour
1 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Blend the first 5 ingredients in a large bowl
Layer the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch pan with torn pieces of tortilla (tear tortilla in 4-5 pieces). Then spread half the chicken mixture over the tortillas and top with half the cheese. Repeat the layers once and finish with tortillas covered in cheese. Bake until the cheese is crispy and golden, about 30 minutes. Serve up - best eaten while watching Survivor as they suffer eating their nasty rice!

Thursday
I'm going to try using the "noodles" in this squash and frying them up with some veggies like chow mein. We'll see how this goes...

Prick the spaghetti squash all over with a skewer so it will not burst while baking. Place whole squash in a shallow baking pan and bake in preheated 375 F oven for 1 hour.When cool enough to handle, cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise with a serrated knife. Scoop the seeds and fibrous strings from the center of the cooked spaghetti squash. Gently scrape the tines of a kitchen fork around the edge of the spaghetti squash to shred the pulp into strands. Set it to the side. and let the noodles drain in a colander and squeeze moisture out.

Uses; Spaghetti Squash

Friday
Homemade pizza's

Saturday
I didn't get enough turkey - believe it or not! I'm going to roast a fresh farm raised turkey (good value on these right now!) and have it again, make stock and then use the leftovers for more fun.

Playing in passion

I am so blessed to be playing within my passion these days more so than I ever dreamed. I wasn't even sure I had passions until the last year or so. I remember saying how much I admired people like my husband who have hobbies they adore and can't live without. I finally took a look at my own life and realized how much I love food - eating it, preparing it, photographing it, talking about it, reading about it, and now sharing with others how they can bring their families back to the dinner table around it. I had an opportunity this week to spend time with people who's passions are also in the realm of seasonal, organic, local food at a walk through of the future SOL Markets. It was so energizing to be in a space where I could share my ideas and enthusiasm with others. I think people under estimate how NOURISHING playing in your passion can be. What is life all about if not to be playing, passionate, and nourished? And what better place to share your passions than around your dinner table with family and community?

This week's Co-Op box: lettuce, swiss chard, red potatoes, rosemary, spinach, delacata winter squash,spaghetti squash, apples, tangerine, oranges,and melon.

I usually try to incorporate a slow cooker recipe into the week's mix to help relieve the prep and clean up that comes with a meal. I'm including more than one this week as we get revved up for Thanksgiving. We need all the low maintenance meals we can get!

Sunday
Open to play with the passion!
You can prep the veggies for tomorrow's chili to reduce your prep time on Monday.

Monday
Slow Cooker Vegetable Chili

Uses; add diced delecata squash to this recipe

Tuesday
Off or leftovers

Wednesday
Hawaiian Style Short Ribs and Rice

2 red onions, cut into 1 inch wedges, root ends left intact
4 cloves garlic, smashed
2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
4 pounds bone-in beef short ribs (about 6) in 3 1/2-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
1 cup low-sodium soy sauce
6 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon Siracha or other chili sauce
3 cups 1 inch cubed pineapple (1 pound)

Place onions, garlic, and ginger in a 5 to 6 quart slow cooker. Top with short ribs in a tight layer. In a medium bowl, whisk together brown sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, and chili sauce. Cover and cook on high until ribs are almost tender, four hours. Add pineapple and cook until tender, 1 hour.
With a slotted spoon, transfer ribs, pineapple, onions, and ginger to a platter and tent with foil. Skim fat from cooking liquid. Serve ribs and pineapple mixture with rice: drizzle with some cooking liquid and sprinkle with scallions.

Thursday
Cottage Cheese and Spinach Gratin adapted from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison
Gratin's are a really nice way to use up vegetables in a healthy, quick way. I added some cooked leftover zucchini to this. You can also use your swiss chard here.

1 pound spinach (about 2 bunches)
5 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon dill seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
2 cups small-curd cottage cheese (nonfat or low-fat is fine) and/or greek yogurt
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil
     
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously oil an 8-by-10-inch gratin dish or a 9-inch square baking pan. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the spinach with the water clinging to its leaves, tossing frequently, until the spinach is barely wilted. (Not all the spinach will fit into the skillet at first. Add some first, then as it cooks down, add the rest.) Press out the liquid from the wilted spinach and reserve it in a measuring cup. Finely chop the spinach. In a bowl, whisk the eggs, parsley, dill, coriander, cottage cheese, salt and a little pepper. Stir in the chopped spinach and 1/4 cup of the reserved cooking liquid and mix well. Pour into the prepared dish and bake until set, about 45 minutes. Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes. To serve, cut into diamonds or squares.

Uses; Spinach

Friday
Sausage and Lentil Stew

2 tbsp. EVOO
1 lb. sweet Italian sausage, casings removed, crumbled (I use veggie sausage or chicken/turkey sausage)
1 onion, chopped (about 1 1/4 cups)
1 large carrot, chopped (about 1 cup)
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary
8 oz. brown lentils, rinsed
4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 bunch swiss chard coarsely chopped
1/2 cup Parmesan
Salt and pepper

In a large dutch oven, heat the EVOO over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook until browned; transfer to a bowl with a slotted spoon. Add the onion and carrot to the pot and cook until slightly softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and rosemary and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the lentils, broth and 3 cups water. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer until the lentils are tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Stir in the escarole and sausage, cover the pot and cook until the escarole is wilted and the sausage is heated through, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Uses; Rosemary, Swiss Chard

Saturday
Spaghetti Squash Carbonara

Spaghetti Squash
salt and pepper
6 slices bacon or panchetta equivalent
4 leeks rinsed and thinly sliced
2 large eggs
1/2 ounce grated parmesan
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon

Prick the spaghetti squash all over with a skewer so it will not burst while baking. Place whole squash in a shallow baking pan and bake in preheated 375 F oven for 1 hour.When cool enough to handle, cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise with a serrated knife. Scoop the seeds and fibrous strings from the center of the cooked spaghetti squash. Gently scrape the tines of a kitchen fork around the edge of the spaghetti squash to shred the pulp into strands. Set it to the side.
Cook the bacon until crisp and transfer to paper towels. Use 2 tablespoons fat from skillet and add leeks, and season with salt and pepper and cook stirring often until leeks are golden brown about 10 minutes. Add the hot spaghetti squash, eggs, parmesan, and lemon zest. Add 1/4 cup of hot water or 1/2 and 1/2 if it looks like it needs moisture and mix.
Serve with salt, pepper and parmesan.

Uses: Spaghetti Squash

Stuffed Pumpkin and Spooky Halloween Dinner

The rainy day today was perfect cooking and baking weather. I wanted to share a recipe that one of the Garden of Eden Co-Op members submitted. We tried it tonight and it was delicious, fun, and the kids loved it. It was nice to try it out on the small crew tonight and I will definitely be making it for Thanksgiving since it was a success. It's pretty and tasty...perfect for the holidays. Pumpkin is one of my favorite foods. Dr. Steven Pratt is one of my hero's (he wrote SuperFoods RX and the books that followed) he named Pumpkin one of his 14 SuperFoods so I'll use any excuse to make it.

Pumpkin Stuffed With Everything GoodMakes
2 very generous servings

1 pumpkin, about 3 pounds

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1/4 pound stale bread, thinly sliced and cut into 1/2-inch chunks

1/4 pound cheese, such as Gruyere, Emmenthal, cheddar, or a combination, cut into 1/2-inch chunks

2-4 garlic cloves (to taste), split, germ removed, and coarsely chopped

4 strips bacon, cooked until crisp, drained, and chopped (I used pancetta)

About 1/4 cup snipped fresh chives or sliced scallions

1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme

About 1/3 cup heavy cream (I used half and half)

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment, or find a Dutch oven with a diameter that's just a tiny bit larger than your pumpkin. If you bake the pumpkin in a casserole, it will keep its shape, but it might stick to the casserole, so you'll have to serve it from the pot - which is an appealingly homey way to serve it. If you bake it on a baking sheet, you can present it freestanding, but maneuvering a heavy stuffed pumpkin with a softened shell isn't so easy. However, since I love the way the unencumbered pumpkin looks in the center of the table, I've always taken my chances with the baked-on-a-sheet method, and so far, I've been lucky.

Using a very sturdy knife - and caution - cut a cap out of the top of the pumpkin (think Halloween jack-o'-lantern). It's easiest to work your knife around the top of the pumpkin at a 45-degree angle. You want to cut off enough of the top to make it easy for you to work inside the pumpkin. Clear away the seeds and strings from the cap and from inside the pumpkin. Season the inside of the pumpkin generously with salt and pepper, and put it on the baking sheet or in the pot. Toss the bread, cheese, garlic, bacon, and herbs together in a bowl. Season with pepper - you probably have enough salt from the bacon and cheese, but taste to be sure - and pack the mix into the pumpkin. The pumpkin should be well filled - you might have a little too much filling, or you might need to add to it. Stir the cream with the nutmeg and some salt and pepper and pour it into the pumpkin. Again, you might have too much or too little - you don't want the ingredients to swim in cream, but you do want them nicely moistened. (But it's hard to go wrong here.)

Put the cap in place and bake the pumpkin for about 2 hours - check after 90 minutes - or until everything inside the pumpkin is bubbling and the flesh of the pumpkin is tender enough to be pierced easily with the tip of a knife. Because the pumpkin will have exuded liquid, I like to remove the cap during the last 20 minutes or so, so that the liquid can bake away and the top of the stuffing can brown a little.

When the pumpkin is ready, carefully, very carefully - it's heavy, hot, and wobbly - bring it to the table or transfer it to a platter that you'll bring to the table.

Serving

You have choices: you can cut wedges of the pumpkin and filling; you can spoon out portions of the filling, making sure to get a generous amount of pumpkin into the spoonful; or you can dig into the pumpkin with a big spoon, pull the pumpkin meat into the filling, and then mix everything up. I'm a fan of the pull-and-mix option. Served in hearty portions followed by a salad, the pumpkin is a perfect cold-weather main course; served in generous spoonfuls or wedges, it's just right alongside the Thanksgiving turkey.

I also made these Pumpkin Spiced Cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. They are delicious.
Recipe from Every Day Food Magazine.

¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 cup sugar

3 eggs

1 cup pumpkin puree

½ cup buttermilk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

¼ teaspoon ground clove

1 recipe Cream Cheese Frosting

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat 2 12-cup muffin pans with cooking spray.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
In a separate, medium size mixing bowl, combine the pumpkin puree with the buttermilk and vanilla extract and mix well. In another medium size mixing bowl combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, and clove and mix well. In thirds, alternately add the flour mixture and the buttermilk mixture to the creamed butter, blending gently after each addition.
Using an ice cream scoop or a ¼ cup measure, divide the batter evenly among the 24 cupcake wells and bake until a toothpick inserted into the middle of each cupcake comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool the cakes on a wire rack in the pans for 15 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pans and continue to cool on the wire racks until completely cool.
Frost the cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting and serve.

Halloween's Spooky Dinner was a hit by the way, The menu was;
Mummy Meatloaf
Spiderweb Pizza
Severed Fingers
Blood Vein Soup
Blood berry Punch

Kai and I were having a howling good time preparing it and the dry ice in the punch was the best!!

Fun with Vegetables

I was reminded several times today why I love being part of a Co-Op (see previous post "Geeking Out on the Co-Op). There is the challenge that "new" and interesting produce provides, the conversation amongst friends that it can ignite, and more than anything the fun that seems to follow every box pick up...especially working with the amazing people at Garden of Eden. Today's pick up was especially fun when I was handed this little eggplant character...I'll leave the imagination up to you, but let's just say he's providing many laughs here with my two young boys and the bigger "boy" (daddy). I think I'll wait until later in the week to chop him up...it'll be a good stress reliever, especially living in a house full of men!

In addition to the eggplant in this week's Co-Op box I found spinach, Russian kale, butternut squash, mint, sorrel, pink lady apples, tangerines, dates and fuyu persimmons.

I am learning more and more about persimmons as fall progresses as it's not a fruit I'm used to playing with. I have generally taken the easy route and peeled it, chopped it and thrown it into salads. Fuyu's can be sliced and eaten raw. They can also be peeled and blanched (boiled in water a few minutes and then put into ice water) and eaten when ripe (they'll still be a little firm). Fuyu's can also be dried out and eaten like fruit snacks by peeling,slicing, and rising them with limes juice and setting them on a tray in an oven set on low with the door cracked open about 4 inches until they are leathery and no longer sticky. Around 3 hours.

I'm going to let them ripen this week and then try this Sweet Persimmon Bread later in the week.

• 1 apple or pear, pureed. About 1/2 cup
• 1 egg, white and yolk separated
• 2 egg whites
• 1 cup honey
• 1 1/2 cup mashed very ripe persimmons, skins removed
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup oats
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons nutmeg
• pinch of salt

In a bowl mix together pureed apple/pear, egg yolk, sugar, mashed persimmons, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites with an electric mixer and set aside.
Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Alternate adding the flour and whipped egg whites to the persimmon mixture, stirring well before each addition.
Pour batter into lightly oiled bread pan and bake at 350F 40-50 minutes for cake/bread or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Allow to cool approximately 15 minutes before removing from pan and another 10- 15 before serving.
Tip: To cleanly remove the persimmon flesh from the skin, cut the fruit in half from top (the green stem) to bottom. Take a spoon and scoop out the fruit and toss out the stem and skin.

Uses: Persimmons and apples

This will be a week in which the key to success and nourishment will be in the planning. This s a busy week so some time dedicated to preparation on Sunday will make the week nights much easier.

Sunday (Prep day for this week)
Pulled Chicken

Vegetable Stock
Whenever I find myself with a lot of veggie odds and ends (herbs, onesies of potatoes or carrots, cabbage, etc.) I like to throw it all in a big pot of boiling water and make vegetable stock. Chop it all up and add any stems or skins. Add an onion or leek with trimmings, 2 bay leaves and some garlic or a more robust stock saute the veggies first then boil. The boil should take about 25-40 minutes then drain the broth into a storage container and store or freeze depending on when you're going to use it. This is a great way to to use up some veggies and herbs you don't know what to do with.

Date Bars
1 1/2 cups chopped dates
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1 stick of butter cubed
1 1/4 cups rolled oats
1 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking powder

Boil 1 cup water, dates. 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 tsp salt until jam like. Let cool. Mix remaining  ingredients. Press three-quarters oat mixture into the greased 8-inch baking dish. Top with date jam and remaining oat mix. Bake at 375 until golden, 30 minutes.

Uses: dates and leftover veggies

Monday
Leek and Potato Soup with Sorrel

Uses; Sorrel

Tuesday
Shredded Chicken with Kale and Lentils
Roasted butternut squash

Uses; Kale, squash

Wednesday
Off or leftovers

Thursday

This is a vegetarian recipe by Mollie Katzen. This is a filling, hearty main dish.
Use 2 large or 3 med. sized eggplants

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 5 cups minced onion
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 4 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• black pepper to taste
• 3 cups good bread crumbs (from good bread)
• 1/2 cup ground sesame seeds (use a blender, grind in quick spurts to flour-like consistency)
• 1 cup toasted pine nuts
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• dash of cinnamon
• dash of nutmeg
• dash of paprika
• small amount of finely minced fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 375° F. Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise. Using a teaspoon, scoop out the innards, leaving a shell approximately 1/4" thick. Set the eggplant shells aside.Finely chop the innards. Heat olive oil in a deep skillet. Saute the onions and garlic with the salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring intermittently. When onions are very soft and translucent (10-15 minutes), add the chopped eggplant. Cover and let cook another 8-10 minutes. Add tomato, basil and pepper. Cover and cook another 10 - 15 minutes over medium heat. In a large bowl, combine bread crumbs, ground sesame seeds, pine nuts and crumbled feta. Stir this mixture, along with the lemon juice, into the cooked vegetables. Mix well. Stuff the eggplant shells. Arrange them in a shallow baking pan and cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Ladle some Bechamel sauce or melted cheese sauce over each individual portion. Garnish with cinnamon, nutmeg, paprika and parsley.

Friday
Off or leftovers

Saturday
Winter Minestrone

Have you ever seen a Ham Hock? Happy Halloween!

I've mentioned before my love for soup. I have always wanted to try making a split pea soup and recently stumbled upon an easy crock pot recipe for it. This was a combination I couldn't pass up - split pea, easy, crock pot. Done. I was off to the store to pick up a few things I didn't have handy in my well stocked pantry - Ham Hocks being one of them. I've never cooked with Ham Hocks before. To be fair, I don't cook with much meat and when I do it's the every day chicken, ground beef, and the occasional fillet or short rib. I bounced into Sprouts, eager to find this new ingredient and was directed to a case toward the back of the store. As I rounded the corner and laid my eyes on the Ham Hock, it wouldn't have surprised me to hear the theme from psycho start playing over the grocery store intercom. The Ham Hock looked like a large dog chew toy. It was a leg-like looking thing covered in a brown leathery skin and if you turned it to one angle you could see the bones and cartilage and stuff. I'm not sure what happened to me but I stood there in a bit of shock trying to grapple with the fact that I could not only in no way attempt to cook this, but there was no way I was going to touch it. I settled on a simple package of pork belly instead. I know it sounds crazy that I have no issue throwing a bit of pork belly into a crock pot with my split peas, but was horrified by the Ham Hock.
My husband would just laugh and chock this one up to the "complexities" of me, but I feel it's my duty to save others from the horror of Ham Hocks. Come to think of it they would make great Halloween props...

Luckily, this week's Co-Op box isn't scary at all....Mixed greens,spinach, garlic, zucchini, pumpkin, green beans, potatoes, parsley, persimmon, pomegranate, dates,and oranges.

Sunday
Pumpkin Patch Stuffed Shells
This is a really fun kid-friendly recipe you can make together as a family. You could substitute the pumpkin puree with roasted fresh pumpkin as well.

Uses; spinach, pumpkin

Monday
I'm going to be doing some funny and creepy dishes for the kids to munch on before they head out for trick or treating. I'll share these with you later this week.

Tuesday
Broiled Zucchini Stuffed with Gruyere and Feta
From Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone

I always have Gruyere in the fridge it's a great cheese for just about any kind of melting and mixing. These are more filling than you think so serve them with mixed greens and/or some Quinoa for dinner.

• 4 medium zucchini
• 2 teaspoons butter
• salt and pepper
• 1/3 cup feta
• 1/4 cup cottage cheese
• 1/4 cup Gruyere
• 1 eggs
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
• 2 teaspoons chopped marjoram
• 1 teaspoon flour

Preheat broiler. Lightly oil a baking dish large enough to hold the squash in a single layer. Prepare the zucchini for stuffing, halving each one and scooping out the flesh. Finely chop the zucchini and saute it in the butter, stirring frequently, until browned in places. Season with salt and combine with all the other ingredients.

Fill the zucchini and set side by side in the baking dish. Broil about 6 inches from heat until browned and heated through, about 20 minutes.

Uses; zucchini, parsley,mixed greens

Wednesday
Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup (NO Ham Hocks)

2 pounds split green peas, rinsed and picked through
1 medium onion diced
 1 celery stalk diced
 4 small carrots diced
4 cloves garlic or 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 (1 ¼ pounds) pork belly or ham steak chopped/diced into small squares (or leave out for a veggie version)
10 cups chicken stock or canned low sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons salt
1½ teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper

Combine all of the ingredients in the crock of a slow cooker and cover. Cook until the peas are creamy, stirring occasionally, about six hours on low. Remove the lid and stir using a wooden spoon. Mash the peas with the back of the spoon and adjust seasoning if necessary. Discard skin and bones. Serve hot.

Uses; garlic

Thursday

Hamburger Potato Pie
1 lb ground beef (I always cook with organic farm raised meats because they taste so much better. Since this is the focal point of this dish I encourage you to do the same here but it's not a necessity)
1/2 diced large onion
4-6 small to medium sized potatoes diced
2-4 small carrots diced small
1/2 cup of frozen peas thawed out under warm water
1/3 cup white wine
3-4 tablespoons rosemary or other savory herb you like
pre-made pie shell (I used Trader Joe's frozen pie shells)
Grated Cheddar Cheese (handful or so)
salt
pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Put the thawed out pie crust into a greased pie pan. (I used a metal deep dish pie round).

Saute onion in olive oil until it appears translucent. Throw your carrots in as well and saute a bit until beginning to be tender. Put ground beef in the pan with the onions and carrots and cook up until brown, chopping up into smaller pieces as you stir. Right before you turn the heat off pour wine into the pan.
While the hamburger is browning roast rosemary and potatoes in a separate pan until they are cooked through and browning. Put the potatoes in with the meat and carrots mixture and then stir the peas in.

Pour the meat and veggies mixture into the prepared pie crust pan and cover with the cheese. Cook in the oven for about 25 minutes or until crust looks golden brown. Let cool a bit then serve pie slices with green bean salad.

Warm Green Bean Salad
Wash beans and line then butt them up against the knife to get the ends even, then cut them off (easier and faster than doing them one at a time). Cook the beans in salted boiling water, drain on a paper towel, then while still warm add olive oil. When ready to serve toss with lemon juice and fresh herbs.

Uses; Green beans and potatoes

Friday
Leftovers and Avocado and Orange Salad with Pomegranates and Pistachios
 
1 very small red onion, sliced into thin rounds, about 1/3 cup
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 bunch watercress
1 small pomegranate
3 citrus fruits
2 kiwifruit
1 large avocado
grated zest and juice an orange
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup roasted pistachio nuts, coarsely chopped
 
1. Toss the onion rings with the vinegar and set them aside in the refrigerator. Sort through the watercress and discard the large, heavy stems. Rinse under cool running water, spin dry, then wrap in a towel and refrigerate until ready to use.
2. Cut the pomegranate into quarters, then break out about 1/2 cup of the seeds. Working in the sink, gently squeeze a tablespoon or so of juice from the remaining pomegranate and set it aside. Peel and section the oranges. Neatly peel and thinly slice the kiwi. Peel and cut the avocados into neat chunks.
3. To make the dressing, combine the zest, 1/4 cup orange juice plus 1 tablespoon pomegranate juice, and 1/4 teaspoon salt, then whisk in the oil.
4. Loosely arrange the watercress on a plate with the orange sections (minus their juice). Add the kiwi, avocado, and onions, which will be pickled by now, then pour the dressing over all. Season with pepper and garnish with the pistachio nuts.
 
Uses; Pomegranate, Oranges

Saturday
Here's a yummy looking recipe I found for the persimmons if your feeling like trying something new on this weekend day.
Steamed Persimmon Pudding with Silky Persimmon Puree

Life is a Smorgasbord

Websters Online dictionary defines "smorgasbord" as;

smor·gas·bord noun

[singular] 1 : a meal with many different foods that are placed on a large table so that people can serve themselves : buffet

2 : a large mixture of many different things

 

This month is shaping up to be a smorgasbord of food, friends and family. Last weekend I took a break form the every day to spend some quality time hiking, biking, eating and talking with two of my girlfriends. It was such a nice diversion and I walked away with my "well" filled up and my body tired but relaxed. The week that followed was full of all things kid and work related. This weekend has been a nice chance to reconnect and share meals with family. I didn't find time to do the Fall Detox I was hoping for and I'm late posting this week's blog, but sometimes when life is "a large mixture of many different things," you have to be flexible and go with the flow! I am grateful for the variety that life serves up and the opportunity to learn from it's many lessons.

 

This week's Co-Op box seems to be abiding by this same smorgasbord concept with green ccabbage, spinach, rosemary, basil, eggplant, red potatoes, broccoli, dates, Asian pears, crimson apples and oranges.

 

 

In keeping with the theme, this week's menu will be a variety of old and new recipes and some variations on meals. Somehow this week's menu turned out mostly vegetarian. I'm including some of my favorite recipes for the fall as well. Whether you make them this week or throughout the holidays, they're nice recipes to have around.

 

Before October slips away, I'll have to make my all time favorite Pumpkin-Honey Beer Quick Bread. I love this recipe because it's delicious, uses pumpkin (one of my favorite ingredients) -  and makes two loaves for easy freezing. I make this every year and have it around for breakfast, gifts, school appreciation days etc.

 

I've been wanting to try Daphne Oz's Gladiator Oatmeal and I think I'll give it a whirl this week using some of the rosemary we got in this week's box.

 

Gladiator Oatmeal
1/4 cup cooked steel cut oats
1/4 cup chopped shallots
1 sprig rosemary, chopped
3 dates, chopped
3 slices tofu Canadian bacon, chopped
3 teaspoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Cook the steel cut oats as directed on the container. Saute the shallots, rosemary, dates, and tofu Canadian bacon in the olive oil until shallots are translucent and Canadian bacon is heated. Mix into steal cut oats (or serve over brown rice, millet, etc.), add salt and pepper—cayenne or red pepper flakes are great for a little extra kick—and enjoy! Not only is this recipe easy to make, you'll love the combination of sweet and savory, and the presence of protein, fat, sugar, and complex carbohydrate will be sure to power your life in the lion ring!

If you're looking for ways to use this season's dates (I know I'm always on the hunt for new date ideas) this recipe is ridiculously yummy - very sinful but a nice treat and another favorite.


Cranberry and Carmel Date Bars

Makes about 54

1 cup cranberries
2 tablespoons PLUS 1/2 cup sugar, divided
2-1/3 cups flour, divided
2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup butter or margarine, melted
1-1/2 cups chopped dates
1/3 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
1 cup caramel ice cream topping

Preheat oven to 350 F. In small bowl, combine
cranberries and 2 tablespoons sugar; set aside. In medium bowl stir together 2 cups flour, oats, 1/2 cup sugar, brown sugar, and baking soda. Stir in melted butter, blend well. Reserve 1 cup crumb mixture. Press remaining crumbs in
bottom of 9x13-inch baking pan. Bake 15 minutes. Sprinkle dates, walnuts and cranberry mixture evenly over crust. Stir together caramel topping and remaining 1/3 cup flour; drizzle over fruits and nuts. Sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture. Return to oven for 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars.

Sunday

This recipe landed in my inbox about the same time I picked up the co-op so I'm going to give it a try and see if it was in fact meant to be....

Broccoli-Basil Mac and Cheese

I'd consider making this with delicate squash (skin on) next time, to cut the prep-time on the squash. Play around with the cheese blend if it's more convenient for you -Anna's recipe calls for Cheddar and Manchego, but I always have Gruyere on hand, so I swapped that in. I would also use the creme fraiche vs. the sour cream. Don't cut back on the cheese! I separated it into two square dishes and am freezing one for later.

Serves 8 - 10.
Adapted from Hungry? The innocent recipe book for filling your family with good stuff by Anna Jones, Vanessa Hattersley

Prep time: 35 min - Cook time: 25 min

1 small butternut, acorn, or other winter squash, peeled, seeded and cut into tiny chunks
olive oil
1 bunch of basil, stems removed
2 slices good brown bread, stale or dried out in the oven
1/2 a small head of broccoli (100 g / 3.5 oz), roughly chopped
4 tablespoons creme fraiche or sour cream
~ 1 3/4 cups / 3.5 oz / 100 g grated white cheddar cheese
~ 1 3/4 cups / 3.5 oz / 100 g grated Gruyere cheese
a large handful of (yellow) cherry tomatoes
3 cups / 300 g dried (whole wheat) macaroni elbows

Preheat your oven to 400F / 200C with a rack in the middle. Put a large pot of water on to boil.
Place the squash on a large baking sheet, drizzle with a bit of olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until golden.
In the meantime, pulse half the basil, all of the bread, the broccoli and a lug of olive oil in a food processor until you've got a fine crumb. It'll be a bit damp - that's o.k. Transfer to a small bowl and give the processor a rinse.
In a separate bowl, combine the creme fraiche and grated cheeses.
Place the cherry tomatoes in the food processor with the remaining basil. Pulse a couple times to break things up, then add to the creme fraiche mixture and stir well.
Boil the pasta in well-salted water for a bit less time than the package suggests - you want it ever so slightly undercooked. Drain, reserving a big cup of the hot pasta water for later use. Return the hot pasta to the pan and add the cheese mixture to it. Add the squash and give it a good stir. Add pasta water to thin the sauce to the consistency of cream. It can be a bit runny as the pasta will soak it up in the oven.
Transfer everything to a large baking dish or casserole. Sprinkle the green breadcrumbs evenly across the top and bake for 20 -25 minutes or until the topping is crunchy. Remove from the oven, and wait 10 minutes before serving.

Uses; Broccoli and Basil

Monday

Quinoa-Spinach Bake

Roasted red potatoes with Rosemary and Garlic

 

Uses; Spinach, Rosemary and Red Potatoes

 

Tuesday

Fish Tacos with Cabbage Slaw

Refried Black Beans

• 4 cups very thinly sliced green cabbage
• 1 cup chopped plum tomatoes
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 5 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1 pound tilapia fillets
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 8 (6-inch) corn tortillas

• Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Add juice, 1 tablespoon oil, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; toss well to combine.
• Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle fish evenly with chili powder and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add fish to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness. Remove from heat, and cut fish into bite-sized pieces.
• Warm tortillas according to package directions. Spoon about 1/4 cup cabbage mixture down the center of each tortilla. Divide fish evenly among tortillas; fold in half. Serve tacos with remaining cabbage mixture.

Uses; Cabbage

Wednesday
Leftovers

Thursday
Baked Eggplant with Feta Cheese and Tomatoes
Salad and bread

Preheat oven to 375
1-2 eggplants sliced lengthwise and scored on the cut side in a crisscross pattern
1/3 cup olive oil
2-3 ripe tomatoes peeled, seeded and chopped or a can of diced tomatoes
2 ounces feta cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Heat the 3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet. Add the eggplant, cut sides down, and fry over medium heat until golden. Fry the second sides for a few minutes, then remove to a plate and season with salt and pepper. Wipe out pan. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in the skillet, add tomatoes and cook over medium high heat until they've broken down into a chunky sauce. Season with salt and pepper.

Set the eggplants, cut sides up and snugly side by side, in a baking dish. Crumble the cheese over the tops, spoon the tomatoes over the cheese and sprinkle with the oregano. Cover and bake until the eggplant is tender, about 40 minutes. Uncover and bake 5 more minutes.

Uses; Eggplant

Friday
Off

Saturday
Skillet Tofu Parmigiana

By the way...as you're carving those pumpkins, remember how healthy those seeds are! Rinse the gunk off and put them on a baking sheet. Cover in olive oil and salt and bake until brown at 375 degrees.