2017. Week 4

New this week:

Escarole: Escarole is a lovely bitter green that is in the chicory family along with radicchio and endive. I normally think of escarole as a "soup green." Here is a link to my favorite easy wedding soup.

Kohlrabi: I know this is a weird one.  But trust me, it is good and easy to use. 
--Here is a link to make the famous Kohlrabi Ham Bake--Here is a link to a post I wrote on Kohlrabi

Garlic Scapes: Garlic Scapes are the tender stem found on a garlic plant. Use your garlic scapes raw in salads and they will have a hot peppery flavor. Cooked garlic scapes will have a mellow, sweeter flavor.  Here is a link to a garlic scape salad dressing. Chop garlic scapes into little coins and add to stir-fries and fried rice. Throw whole scapes on the grill, just like you would make grilled scallions.

Zucchini: Zucchini is such a versatile vegetable.  Our family's all time favorite recipe is Stuffed Zucchini, check it out here, it is THE best!  What will you make with yours? zucchini bread, zucchini "crab" cakes", minestrone with zucchini, grill it, roast it?

Arugula: Arugula is a bright, peppery green mostly used in salads.  Here is a link to some recipe ideas

2017. Week 3

New this week:

Broccoli Rabe is a bitter green, very similar to mustard greens.  I love broccoli rabe cooked with lots of garlic!  I recommend blanching the rabe in boiling water to take the edge off the bitterness first then sautéing with olive oil and garlic.  Here is a recipe "Broccoli Rabe with Pasta and Sun Dried Tomatoes"

Red Romaine- Use it the same as green romaine. It is just a little more delicate, but oh so beautiful!

Bok Choy while we have had bok choy previous weeks this is a different variety, Joi Choi.  Joi Choi has beautiful white stems and dark green leaves.  Still makes an excellent stir fry.

Strawberries, Asparagus, and Kale are back! 

2017 Week 2 - When will it start to feel like spring again?

It was great to see so many of you this week.  You are my people, getting excited about produce! Yes! The farm got 2 inches of rain on Saturday, we are hoping to dry off and warm up this week.

New this week:

Lacinato Kale: aka: Dinosaur Kale or Tuscan Kale.  My favorite way to serve this is this Lacinato Kale Salad by Marin Mama Cooks.  You can also use this kale in a soup or sautéed on the stove.

Swiss Chard: In the world of greens, Swiss chard often gets overshadowed by its popular neighbor kale, but it’s a star in its own right. This relative of the beet is a superb source of vitamins A, C, and K, as well as magnesium, potassium, and iron. It makes a colorful and tasty side dish, or a nutritious addition to pasta, soup, quiches, and more. Here is a recipe for Sauteed Swiss Chard, I think adding a fried egg would make an excellent breakfast.

Bok Choy - Last weeks share included the really little delicate baby bok choys.  This week we graduate to the bigger boks.  Here is a link to The Kitchen's 10 ways to Chow Down on Bok Choy

Strawberries and Asparagus are here for another week!

2017 Week 1!

We are back! Huzzah!

I am so excited to be starting a new season of CSA. The next 20 weeks will be delicious. :-)

Each week here on the blog I introduce the new produce and some of my favorite ways to prepare them and how to best clean and store the produce.  

Strawberries need no instructions. rinse and eat! 

If you want your greens to stay fresh and crisp, it is very important to take time to clean and store them well.  Here is a link to specific instructions on how to prep your greens ( romaine, bok choy, kale, collards)

Romaine- I am so glad to be done with grocery store lettuce.  Romaine is perfect for salads, BLTs, and to use as lettuce wraps.

Collard Greens- your body will love you for eating these healthy greens.  I really enjoy using collards as a wrap--stuff it with sandwich fixins and roll it up. Yum!  Here is a link to my favorite recipe using collard greens. Here is a link for a more traditional way to eat your collards.

Asparagus - If you are not going to use it that day, you should store asparagus in your refrigerator in a bowl or mug with some water in the bottom.  The asparagus will slowly drink up the water and you may need to replenish.  Asparagus is delicious roasted or grilled! This asparagus was grown by John Catalano, just down the road from us!

Baby Bok Choy -   is the young, petite and tender counterpart to mature Bok choy. Its spoon-shaped kelly green leafy blades are supported by pale green stalks that join at a common base above the root. The stalks are thin, tender firm and succulent with nuanced cabbage notes and sweet pea undertones. 
This is an easy fast way to serve Bok Choy.  Another recipe idea Spicy Ginger Pork Noodles With Bok Choy

Curly Kale - I know there are some kale haters out there, but I have to say I love it!  Zuppa Toscana is a family favorite for dinner.  Kale Caesar Salad  Sauteed Kale

2016 Week 20

Wow! It really is hard to believe that 20 weeks have passed.  Thank you so much you precious CSA members for your support this season.  Your smiles and words of encouragement are greatly appreciated.

New this week:

Kiwi berries- Kiwi Berries are a small variety of the kiwi fruit with an edible skin. If you have hiked back to the field for pick your own, they are the things on the trellis!  IMPORTANT: They are best eaten when the skin is wrinkled and they yield to pressure.  Really, the softer the better. As they soften they get more and more sweet. Leave at room temperature to ripen. 

Sweet Potatoes - From Spina Farms, Mannington. Sweet potatoes are so good for you and so very delicious.  My family loves these sweet potatoes fries. 

Cabbage is from Laning Bros. Bridgeton,NJ

Recipes to try:

Cabbage: Egg Roll in a Bowl

Buffalo Stuffed Peppers

Crock Pot Sweet Potato Chili

2016 week 19

New this week:

Butternut squash- is a winter squash very similar to pumpkins. Butternut squash is wonderful roasted, pureed in soup, or mashed to mix into casseroles, bread, or muffins.  Here is a link to my favorite butternut squash soup. I tailor the recipe to suit me by -- only using butternut (no acorn squash, I like butternut flavor better) and I don't normally make the fancy toast to go with, crackers work in this house.

Kabocha squash - is very sweet and has a fluffy texture that's similar to a sweet potato crossed with a pumpkin. Kabocha squash is versatile — it can be roasted or steamed and used in much the same way like other hard winter squashes like butternut or pumpkins. Try it in your next pumpkin pie or pureed soup.

Apples- are from Schober's Farm in Monroeville.  A great fall treat to chomp into a crisp Ginger Gold or Gala apple.

Roasted Kabocha Squash

Lasagna With Roasted Kabocha Squash and Bechamel

Roasted Butternut Squash and Swiss Chard

2016 week 18

It is September. School Begins.  Where did the summer go?  We are standing one foot in summer one foot in fall with this weeks share.  I called around to the local orchards and couldn't apples for this week so we get one more week of peaches.  Savor the summer flavor! New this week curly kale and spaghetti squash, which are decidedly fall foods to me.

The kale is from A. Pagnini Farms in Vineland. The spaghetti squash is our own.

How to Cook Spaghetti Squash

My favorite spaghetti squash recipe Pizza Spaghetti Pie

Kale Chips

Slow Cooker Zuppa Toscana with kale