CSA Week 11: Patty Pan Squash

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patty pan
The picture is of Patty pan squash. Just when I think I’ve seen it all, the CSA throws me a curve ball! This is a summer squash that I have never eaten before! I always get excited to try new things. ;)

CSA Week 11 Bounty:

  • Zucchini
  • Patty pan squash
  • Cucumber
  • Cauliflower
  • 1 bunch kale
  • bag of red potatoes
  • 3 tomatoes
  • 1 bell pepper
  • 2 wax peppers

We are halfway through the CSA season. This year has been very different so far! I have not gotten as much food this year, which is a blessing and a curse. Obviously I love getting tons of organic, local, ripe veggies! However, I was on serious overload last year, and I sometimes felt like it was a full time job just to keep up with the amount of food I had to preserve. This year has been plenty to keep me stocked up for the week, but I haven’t preserved anything yet. I am sure some zucchini bread will be in my future, and who can forget about salsa? In all, it’s been much more manageable, which I welcome after the past few years!

CSA Week 10: Cucumber Cocktail

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cucumber cocktail
Out of my own garden right now, I am flooded with cherry tomatoes! I’m also harvesting chard, herbs, green peppers, and blackberries.

CSA Week 10 Bounty:

  • 1 zucchini
  • bag of beets
  • bunch of scallions
  • bunch of basil
  • bunch of carrots
  • 2 cucumbers
  • 1 bunch kale

I don’t like cucumbers but I do like cucumber juice! What better way to get all those nutrients than a refreshing cocktail. ;)

Cucumber Cooler:

  • juice 1 cucumber w/mint sprig
  • gin
  • soda water

CSA Week 9: Tomato, Basil, Mozzarella Salad

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CSA Week 9 Bounty:

  • bag of onions
  • 1 cucumber
  • bag of green beans
  • 1 bunch of chard
  • head of lettuce
  • 3 kohlrabi
  • Tomato, Basil, Mozzarella Salad
  • cherry tomatoes
  • basil leaves torn
  • pearl mozzarella balls
  • balsamic vinegar (I used ginger blackberry from Olive Branch)
  • EVOO
  • salt and pepper

Marinate your mozzarella balls in a splash of balsamic and a couple Tbsp of EVOO and refrigerate while you are doing other things. Halve your cherry tomatoes, tear your basil leaves, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to combine after the mozzarella has been marinating for about 30 minutes and serve immediately.

This is perfect as a summer dish or a party plate, etc. One friend I have brought this to the beach when we went and included the cutest toothpicks so people could stab what they wanted!

CSA Week 8: Smashed Potatoes. Mmmmm

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potatoes1

CSA Week 8 Bounty:

  • 3 beets
  • bag of green beans
  • 1 bunch of kale
  • 2 heads garlic
  • 1 bag of red potatoes
  • 1 bunch of scallions
  • 1 cucumber

I am a huge fan of mashed potatoes. Maybe because of the copious amounts of butter I mashed them with?! However, when I saw the big bag of red potatoes this past week, I thought “You know what? I saw this one idea on the Food Network…Smashed Potatoes…and now I have to try it.” After the fact, I am still partial to mashed potatoes, but these are a nice change of pace for sure!

Smashed Potatoes:

Boil salted water that covers as many red potatoes as you would like prepare. Boil them until they are fork tender. While they are boiling, preheat the oven to 450 degrees and grease a baking sheet. When the potatoes are fork tender, transfer them to the greased baking sheet and take the bottom of a glass and smash them. They will look like a cookie or a thick pancake. Brush them with butter, salt generously, and sprinkle whatever herb you have growing like crazy! Cook for 25 minutes in the oven until the outsides are crispy. Enjoy. ;)

CSA Week 7: Banana Zucchini Bread

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zucchini bread

Week 7 Bounty:

  • 4 new onions
  • bag of snap peas
  •  bunch kale
  • 1 bunch chard
  • 2 zucchini
  • 1 head bok choy

Banana Zucchini Bread:

Ingredients:

  • 8 eggs
  • 3/4 cup mashed banana
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 3/4 cup grated zucchini
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 3/4 cup sifted coconut flour
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp. cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix topping ingredients together in a bowl with a fork until crumbly. Set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs, banana and honey with electric mixer (or whisk well).
4. Mix in zucchini and vanilla.
5. In a separate bowl, mix coconut flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon together.
6. Combine dry ingredients with wet ingredients and mix until there are no lumps.
7. Pour into greased loaf pan.
8. Bake at 350 for 55-60 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

*Store in fridge.

*UPDATE: I have made this a few different ways now due to ingredient availability, so I wanted to report. One time I ran out of coconut flour while making a double batch, so I was forced to sub about 1/4 cup of almond flour or so, and I really enjoyed the texture of those loaves. That same time, I only had maple syrup on hand and no honey. I also subbed all the banana with pumpkin. The second time I made this, I used all coconut flour, subbed all banana for pumpkin, and used maple syrup; I did not like the texture quite as much but tasted pretty much the same. Third time I made it, I used all coconut flour but ran outta pumpkin (because I made pumpkin ice cream ;) ), so I subbed 1/4 cup of pumpkin with grassfed butter. I also finally had more honey on hand, so used that as my sweetener. I think this may have been my favorite loaf. However, I don’t think it was because of the taste…they were all pretty similar. It was because I used parchment paper in my bread pans! I was able to just lift the loaves out with the edges of the paper that were sticking up and put them on a cooling rack before they went into the fridge. This was wonderful for the texture, and ALL of the edges stayed in tact. When I simply greased the bread pan, it always stuck and I am convinced that weird things happened the parts that sat in the pan too long. So, If I was going to make one recommendation, USE PARCHMENT PAPER IN THE PAN! Other than that, use what you have in the pantry. You can use almost anything with that consistency to replace it. Try using pumpkin, sweet potato, banana (it will taste like banana), butter, coconut oil, etc. Hope this helps!

CSA Week 6: Stuffed Squash Blossoms

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SONY DSC
CSA Week 6 Bounty:

  • 3 beets
  • 1 head garlic
  • 1 bunch green onions
  • 1 bunch kale
  • 1 bag salad
  • 1 bag snap peas
  • 1 bag squash blossoms

Stuffed Squash Blossoms

Ingredients:

  • blossoms
  • organic whole milk ricotta cheese
  • diced green onions
  • chopped parsley
  • lemon juice
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 egg, whisked
  • tapioca flour

Directions:

Mix together the ricotta, salt, pepper, lemon juice, parsley and green onions. Stuff your blossoms with the mixture. Dip them in egg and coat them with tapioca flour. Fry in a pan or bake at 350 for 10 minutes!

CSA Week 5: Turnip Latkes

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turnip latke
CSA Week 5 Bounty:

  • 1 bunch beet tops
  • 1 bunch kale
  • 1 bag snap peas
  • 1 bunch new onions
  • 1 bag salad
  • 1 huge turnip

Turnip Latkes

  • Shredded turnip
  • 1 egg
  • paprika
  • salt and pepper
  • Cooking oil

Heat cooking oil of choice in a cast iron skillet. Combine shredded turnips, egg, and spices. Scoop some of the turnip mixture into the hot pan and cook like a pancake! Make sure each side has a nice browned exterior.

CSA Week 4: Olive Branch Olive Oil and Balsamics

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strawberry salad

CSA Week 4 Bounty:

  • 1 bunch chard
  • 1 head bok choy
  • 1 bunch kale
  • 1 bag snap peas
  • 1 bag lettuce

I’m drowning in lettuce here people! I hardly eat salad! So, I’ve been giving a lot away. ;) However, having all this lettuce has forced me to make beautiful salads and experiment with dressings (and I don’t even like condiments). I wanted to say that I have a couple balsamic vinegars from the Olive Branch and if you have never been to one of the stores, get on it! They have tons of flavor infused olive oils and balsamic vinegars. Currently my addiction has been EVOO with the Blackberry Ginger Balsamic. It goes perfectly with greens, strawberries, pecans, and chicken!

I’m getting ready to make my Roasted Almond Olive Oil Ice Cream again too….so good and creamy straight out of the freezer!

CSA Week 3: Mashed Turnips

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CSA Week 3 Bounty:

  • 3 turnips
  • 1 bunch scallions
  • 2 garlic scapes
  • 1 bunch radishes
  • 1 bunch kale
  • 1 bag baby lettuce
  • some snap peas

These are some of the usual stuff that I received last year in my CSA share, so I’ve posted lots of recipes with these veggies, but mashed turnips never get old. I used the garlic scapes to make some pesto. I always sauté kale in bacon fat, and I’ve made roasted radishes on several occasions. Roasting them really changes the flavor, and you should try it.

Back to the turnips. I use them like potatoes! I peel them and chop them into uniform sizes and boil in homemade chicken stock until all the stock is absorbed. (Put in just enough stock to cover the turnips.) Once they are tender and full of stock, I put in enough butter to make them creamy when I mash them. Add salt and pepper. Feel free to mix with other root veggies like parsnips or potatoes!turnips

CSA Week 2: Storing Cilantro

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cilantro_i

CSA Week 2 Bounty:

  • bag of baby greens
  • 1 bunch beet tops
  • 1 head lettuce
  • 1 bunch of kale
  • 1 bunch of cilantro

I love cilantro. I put it in tacos, guacamole, and even on top of eggs. However, when you have a bunch of cilantro and don’t want to use it all at one time, you need to store it properly so it will keep for 2 WEEKS! Put some water in a glass, place the cilantro stems in like you would flowers in a vase, and cover the leaves with a produce bag from the store. Place in the fridge. Fresh cilantro at your finger tips.