The Deliciousness of Autumn (a.k.a. What to Make for Dinner in the Fall)

If you are a fan of winter squash, then autumn is your season. Walk through the grocery store or farmers' market, stop by a local farm or farm stand, or check a backyard garden and you might find squash in every size and shape imaginable! Just yesterday at our final Mud Creek Farm CSA pick up (Community Supported Agriculture), we were treated to butternut, buttercup, and red kuri squash. Don't they look wonderfully delicious?!?

If you love the taste but are afraid to actually prepare winter squash, fear not. If I can do it, you can do it!

1. Grab a sharp, sturdy knife, large soup spoon or ice cream scoop, and a large cutting board. You may also want to have a garbage bowl or small bag handy for the stem, seeds, etc.
2. Carefully but firmly, cut the squash in half lengthwise. You may trim off the stem and bottom, or leave them intact. If you are roasting the squash halves, you may want to leave the stem for aesthetic purposes.
3. Using your soup spoon or ice cream scoop, scrape out the seeds and strings. Discard.
4. If you plan on mashing the squash, place the two halves, cut-side down, into a baking dish prepared with cooking spray. Bake at 375 F for 45 - 60 minutes; pierce with a fork after 45 minutes to check for doneness and adjust remaining time accordingly. When squash is done, remove from oven and let cool slightly. Use a spoon or ice cream scoop to remove the squash from the skin and into a bowl; discard skin. Use a potato masher to mash the squash with any desired ingredients (e.g., broth, milk, butter, spices, honey).
5. If you plan on roasting the squash, cut into large pieces and trim the skin away (optional on some squash, such as butternut and delicate which have edible skin). Next, cut the large pieces to uniform chunks and add to a baking pan prepared with cooking spray, along with additional ingredients (e.g., sliced onion or garlic, herbs, spices, olive oil). Roast at 400 F for 35+ minutes, stirring halfway through. When squash is tender, broil on high for 5 minutes to brown the squash a bit.

So easy! Well, maybe not easy...but definitely manageable. Give it a try.

Now what are we going to make with our lovely fall veggies? Well, in addition to the squash, we received potatoes, onions, garlic, spinach, arugula, lettuce, carrots, broccoli, kohlrabi, and leeks. Then we went into the pick-your-own garden where there were still some items to pick. My farm-hands collected parsley, thyme, sage, and scallions.

"What am I going to eat for dinner?" seems to be the inevitable, daily, pesky question. Whether you do the cooking, or your significant other, or your kids, or your hired help...you probably want meals that are fresh, delicious, and appropriate for the season. Thanks to our CSA share and some recipe search engines, we've been enjoying meals like that for months. Now for this week's game plan. Okay, it's more like a week and a half. Bonus!

First, I'm going to roast and freeze one butternut squash, and chop and freeze the herbs and three-quaters of the scallions. Need tips for freezing produce? Click here. The greens will be the first to turn, so I plan to use the arugula and spinach as soon as possible. So, here's the plan for the rest of this week:

• Ricotta Pasta (adapted from The Vegetarian 5-Ingredient Gourmet by Nava Atlas; recipe at the end of this post) with Italian sausage (we use Tofurky's meatless Italian Sausage)
• Twice-Baked Butternut Squash, plus quinoa (prepared according to package directions) mixed with peas, sautéed mushrooms & onions, and sage 
• Spinach Artichoke Alfredo Pizza and Tomato Basil Soup

Next week we'll have:

• Winter Squash Soup with Fried Sage Leaves - using the red kuri squash, plus Roasted Potato Stacks
• Kohlrabi Gratin (with Quorn Chik'n Tenders to replace the ham), plus brown rice (prepared according to package directions) mixed with parsley and sautéed carrots and onions
• Huevos Rancheros in Tortilla Cups (I plan on adding some scallions from the farm), plus a garden salad
• Butternut Squash & Goat Cheese Pasta - using the buttercup squash instead
• Chicken (we like Quorn Naked Cutlets; they're meatless) with mushroom gravy (we have some leftover in the freezer), plus Broccoli Cheese Patties

I hope these meal ideas have been helpful, and have inspired you to make some delicious dishes with fresh autumn veggies. What's your favorite autumn meal? Be sure to Post a Comment and let us know. As always, thanks for reading.


Ricotta Pasta
- adapted from The Vegetarian 5-Ingredient Gourmet by Nava Atlas
Serves 4.

12 oz. your favorite pasta
2 Tbsp. margarine or butter
2 roasted red peppers (jarred is fine), chopped
1 c. part-skim ricotta cheese
1/3 c. Parmesan cheese, grated; plus additional for serving
6-8 c. arugula, washed and stemmed
Salt and pepper, to taste

1. Cook pasta according to package directions and drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Transfer the pasta to a serving container, toss with 1 1/2 tablespoons of the margarine and the chopped peppers, and cover.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the ricotta with the reserved pasta cooking water and stir until well blended. Add Parmesan and mix well; set aside.
3. Cover and steam the arugula using just the water clinging to the leaves in the same pot used to cook the pasta (about 1-2 minutes). Drain and chop the arugula; add to the cheese mixture.
4. Stir cheese and arugula mixture into the pasta, and season with salt and pepper.
5. Serve with additional Parmesan and crushed red pepper (optional).

Enjoy!

A Rainbow of Recipes for Late-Summer Veggies

If you've read my blog before, you probably know how I feel about CSAs - Community Supported Agriculture (see here, here, here, and here). Every week it's like winning a lottery, a vegetable lottery. I never know what goodies are going home with me until my boys and I walk up to the sign-in table, canvas totes in hand, and get a first glimpse at the huge board listing the week's treasures.

This time around, it's all about the late-summer harvest. The time is quickly passing for leafy greens - so long, Swiss chard - and has made way for a whole rainbow of delicious vegetables. Check out our loot:

• red peppers
• tomatoes
• cherry tomatoes
• carrots
• summer squash
• leeks
• tomatillos
• green beans
• scallions
• okra
• jalapeños
• basil
• cucumber
• lettuce
• zucchini
• eggplant
• purple basil
• onions

So, what can we make? Let's see, let's see. I love the challenge of combining the veggies in my share with items I have on hand, mixing it up, creating new dishes. For this round, how about:

• Frittata with red peppers, summer squash, leeks
• Pizza Margherita (tomatoes, basil or purple basil) and tossed salad (cherry tomatoes, carrots, cucumber, lettuce)
• Tortellini with roasted cherry tomatoes and pesto sauce* (basil or purple basil)
• Enchiladas with salsa verde (tomatillos) and guacamole (tomatoes, jalapeños, onions)
• Eggplant Parmesan
• Grilled peppers, zucchini, eggplant, and onions over quinoa
• Carrot-Apple-Coconut Muffins
• Green Beans Amandine as a side dish
• Stir Fry (red peppers, carrots, summer squash, scallions)

There are links in the list above to recipes for the frittata, pizza, roasted tomatoes, pesto, salsa verde, guacamole, eggplant parm, grilled veggies, muffins, amandine, and the stir fry. Just click around to embark on deliciousness.

* If you make a big batch of pesto, pour the leftovers into an ice cube tray and freeze overnight. The next day, pop the cubes out into a freezer-safe ziptop bag or container and store in the freezer. You can add a cube or two to sauces or soups (excellent addition to minestrone!), or heat up a bunch over pasta one night for a quick dinner.

The one item I don't really care for is okra. I've tried it and I just don't like it. I decided to pick up a few anyway to try out a craft idea with the kids that I had seen in Kiwi magazine. Here is a link to a similar idea. By all means, feel free to make some Jambalaya with your okra, but I'll stick to painting with it.

Whether you belong to a CSA, frequent a farmers' market, or just want to stock up on in-season goodies at the grocery store, I hope these ideas inspire your culinary curiosity. Bon appetit! And as always, thanks for reading.

5 Dinner Ideas Using Fresh Farmers' Market or CSA Veggies

If you've been reading this blog, you probably know that I'm a fan of community-supported agriculture. This is the first year we've joined one, and I'm definitely hooked on my CSA share. I'll admit I was a bit hesitant at first, but hopeful as well. What in the world would I do with bok choy, kohlrabi, and Swiss chard? As it turns out, there are lots of delicious ways to prepare them.

The past few weeks have felt a bit like a Food Network challenge: take the items in the CSA share, plus pantry items and make one or two weeks' worth of meals. Don't forget about accounting for different tastes, providing variety in protein sources, and making sure the kids will at least try it. Challenge accepted.

My last CSA pick-up from Mud Creek Farms provided us with:

• shelling peas
• kohlrabi
• napa cabbage
• green cabbage
• scallions
• Swiss chard
• white turnips (Hakurei turnips, to be exact)
• garlic chives
• lettuce

I almost left my kohlrabi behind. It looks a bit alien-like, a green bulb with some stems sticking out all over.

Thank goodness they had cut one up for skeptics to sample. Of course it can be cooked, but it's delicious raw. It's crunchy, with the texture of a raw potato and a bit of a broccoli-taste to it. If you've never tried one, all you have to do is cut away the outer green skin, slice and serve. I think it would be amazing with a fresh spinach dip!

5 Dinner Ideas with In-Season, Fresh Veggies

With any of these recipes, feel free to substitute the protein source (tofu, tempeh, seitan, chicken, pork, fish, etc.) and to substitute the vegetables with whatever you have on hand, and the amount you have on hand. Go crazy!

1. Sesame Carrots & Cabbage (from Mollie Katzen's Vegetable Heaven) with marinated tofu and brown rice

• Marinate cubed tofu OR chicken OR any other protein source in a mixture of 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon honey, and 2 tablespoons soy sauce. After marinating at least one hour in the fridge, sauté in wok or skillet, turning frequently, until cooked through.
• Start simmering (or microwaving) the brown rice.
• In a wok or skillet, sauté chopped carrots in 2 teaspoons sesame oil for 5 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons rice vinegar; cover and cook 5 more minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons honey and 2 teaspoons tahini (or any other nut butter or seed butter); cover & cook 5 minutes. 
• While carrots are starting to cook, heat a second wok or skillet with vegetable oil; sauté chopped onion for 10 minutes, then add chopped cabbage. Stir fry 5 minutes, until cabbage wilts but is still crunchy. Stir in a few tablespoons each of sesame seeds and minced garlic chives.
• To serve spoon rice on each plate and top with cabbage, then carrots, then tofu OR chicken. For my picky eater, I served each of these items in a separate section of a divided plate instead of piled on top. The leftovers are also yummy cold the next day.

2. Swiss Chard & Tomatoes with Italian Sausage and Baked Risotto with Mushrooms

• Preheat oven to 375 F. In a casserole dish combine 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice and 32 ounces of vegetable broth. Cover and bake 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. For the final 15, you may wish to add 1 cup of water if the liquid has all been absorbed already. Meanwhile, sauté some sliced mushrooms to stir into the finished risotto.
• In a skillet, cook one package Italian sausage, sliced (Tofurky makes delicious vegetarian Italian sausages). Set aside.
• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in large skillet. Add chopped garlic chives, scallions, chopped tomatoes, and chick peas (rinsed & drained). When heated through, add Swiss chard (rinsed and chopped) and cover to steam for 2 minutes. Stir and continue to cook & cover until chard is wilted. Optional: if you like things cheesy, you could add a small container of part-skim ricotta to the chard mixture.
• To serve, spoon some risotto on each plate; top with chard mixture and sausage slices. For picky eaters, try some risotto and some of the chard mixture in separate piles. Top with Parmesan cheese.

3. Tarragon Tempeh (or Chicken), Kohlrabi & Peas with Tarragon, and Quinoa

• In a small pot, mix 1 cup of quinoa with 2 cups water or vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer 15-20 minutes, until all liquid is absorbed.
• Meanwhile cut one package of tempeh into 4 triangles or rectangles (or use chicken cutlets). Prepare two shallow bowls: one with 1 tablespoon olive oil/1 tablespoon honey/1 tablespoon milk or soymilk/1 teaspoon Dijon mustard; the second with 1/4 cup plain breadcrumbs/ 1/2 cup crushed nuts or seeds/ 2 teaspoons dried tarragon. Heat olive oil in a skillet then dredge tempeh pieces (or chicken) first in liquid, then in crumbs and add to pan. Cook until heated through, a few minutes on each side.
• While tempeh (or chicken) is cooking, heat another skillet with 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter. When butter has melted, add chopped kohlrabi, shelled peas, chopped garlic chives, and shredded carrots. Cook for about 5-8 minutes.
• Serve each item next to each other, or pile it all together. For picky eaters, let them dip the tempeh or chicken in ketchup (or other favorite dipping sauce). You could even stir a little honey (for children over 1 year) or agave syrup into your kid's serving of quinoa to make it a bit sweet.

4. Mexican Lasagna and Turnips with Chipotle Butter
This recipe is great for using up leftovers and freezer items you might have on hand. Or make this one night, and use the rest of the beans, salsa, and cheese to make nachos over the weekend.

• Preheat oven to 350 F and spritz a pie plate with olive oil. Place one tortilla on bottom and keep two more tortillas handy.
• Heat a skillet with olive oil, and add frozen pepper & onion stir-fry mix and frozen corn. 
• In a microwavable bowl, mix half a can of refried beans with half a can of black beans (rinsed and drained), and half a jar of salsa. Heat in microwave for one minute, stirring halfway through.
• Grate about one cup - or more, if you like - of cheese (cheddar, pepper jack, mozzarella, or a mixture of anything in the fridge); set aside. Dice one tomato; set aside. If you like jalapeños, slice a fresh one or open a can of sliced jalapeños & drain; set aside.
• In prepared pie plate, spoon half of the bean mixture on top of the tortilla and spread with a spoon. Top with half of the veggies and one-third of the cheese. Layer a tortilla on top, then beans, veggies, and cheese. Top with final tortilla and remaining cheese. Add sliced jalapeños, if desired (we put them on half in our house). Bake 25 minutes. Remove from oven and top with diced tomatoes. Use pizza cutter to slice and cake server to serve.
• While "lasagna" is baking, trim and chop turnips. Heat chipotle butter in a skillet. If you don't have Wegmans near you, mix butter with honey, lime juice, and chipotle chili powder. Stir in turnips, cover and cook 10 minutes, until tender. Serve alongside each slice of lasagna.

5. Asian Chik'n & Pasta

• Cook one package of pasta according to directions on box (whole wheat or enriched pasta is great here; any shape will do). Set some plain pasta aside for picky eaters.
• In a skillet, cook one package of chik'n strips or tenders - try Quorn Chik'n Tenders or Morningstar Farms Meal Starters Chik'n Strips or Gardein Seven Grain Crispy Tenders (or real chicken). Set aside & scoop out some for picky eaters.
• In a second skillet, heat olive oil and add chopped veggies; we used Napa cabbage, carrots, scallions, red pepper, and asparagus. Stir-fry until cooked but still crisp; set some cooked veggies aside for picky eaters.
• In a small microwavable bowl, heat 1/4 cup of peanut butter for 20 seconds. Add: 1/4 cup rice vinegar, 1/4 cup sesame oil, 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup canola oil, 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds, and 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper. Whisk until smooth.
• Once pasta is drained, combine the drained pasta, cooked chik'n, veggies, and peanut sauce. Stir until completely combined, and serve. Top with chopped peanuts or additional sesame seeds, if desired. Picky eaters can enjoy their foods separately and without sauce.
• Orange segments are a nice way to end this meal! Also, leftovers are delicious cold for lunch the next day.

I hope you enjoy these recipes - - or that they inspire you to get a little culinarily creative too! If you need some more inspiration, please check out my earlier post with recipes inspired by a previous CSA bounty.

Do you belong to a CSA or frequent a farmers' market? If so, Post a Comment and let us know what was in your basket this week. Happy cooking, and as always, thanks for reading.

A Whole Week of Dinners with My First CSA Share

On Monday afternoon, I made sure my boys were excited about our first trip to Mud Creek Farm to pick up our CSA share. A while back, I wrote a post about community supported agriculture (CSA) and why I'm a fan. Now my boys are fans too.

We arrived early for our pick up, and went straight to the Pick Your Own Garden.

Each crop that was ready to be picked was marked with a flag and a sign. The boys took their job seriously: finding the flags in the field. Our first stop was a pink flag by the sugar snap peas. I showed the boys how to find the pea pods, then to pull and twist them off the stems. We filled a big Solo cup (this week's allotment) in just a few minutes.

Next we saw a yellow flag by the flowers. My four-year-old picked a white snapdragon, my two-year-old picked a pink snapdragon, they each picked out some flowers that look like giant mums, I picked a purple wildflower, and we added some maroon Queen Anne's Lace (or perhaps some strain of baby's breath?) to our bouquet. Pretty.

Our last stop was an orange flag at the other end of the field by the garlic chives. I'd never had - or heard of - garlic chives before, and I admit I was excited. I snipped a couple of handfuls, and then we made our way over to pick up this week's share. Holy greens, Batman! My canvas bags were overflowing with leafy goodness in no time.

The final tally: a ginormous bag of kale, more Swiss chard than I know what to do with, a head of Romaine lettuce, 2 1/2 pounds of spinach, some broccoli, garlic scapes, plus the snap peas and garlic chives. Now, what to do with it all? Well, we had my older son's birthday party this past weekend which left us with lots of extra food but not an entire meal's worth of anything. Our surplus included stale rosemary-olive oil bread which I turned into breadcrumbs, a few types of cheese, parsley, basil, celery, carrots, pasta salad, and potato salad.

As I added items to my bag, I kept thinking, "What in the world am I going to do with all this?" And around this time last year, I remember seeing some Facebook posts from friends asking for recipes for their CSA bounty. So, I know I'm not alone. I figured that some of you might be wondering what to do with your fridge full of new produce, so I'm sharing my week's menu.

A Whole Week of Dinners with My First CSA Share

1. Quiche (recipe follows) and Tossed Salad, plus leftover Potato Salad
2. Chik'n and Veggie al Forno with Jarlsberg cream sauce 
3. Curried Lentils & Kale with Basmati Rice
4. Ravioli & Roasted Red Pepper Sauce with Sauteed Kale, Spinach & Garlic Scapes
5. Marinated Tofu with Stir Fried Bok Choi, Snap Peas, Carrots & Garlic Chives and Brown Rice
6. Swiss Chard with Garbanzo Beans and Fresh Tomatoes over pasta
7. Leftovers!

The quiche was delicious, if I do say so myself (I made up the recipe)! Try it yourself:

Swiss Chard Quiche

1 Tbsp. olive oil
4-5+ leaves Swiss chard, de-ribbed and roughly chopped
2 garlic scapes, chopped
1/4 c. white wine
1 c. sausage or vegetarian sausage, cooked to package instructions and crumbled
10 sun dried tomatoes, chopped
1 roasted red pepper (jarred is fine), chopped
5 eggs
1/2 c. milk
4 oz. shredded cheese (pepper jack is a good option)
1 tsp. salt-free seasoning
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 to 1/2 c. fresh bread crumbs

1. Preheat oven to 375. Coat a pie plate with cooking spray and set aside.

2. In a skillet over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the chopped garlic scapes and heat 1 minute. Add the chard and wine. Toss to coat, then cover until chard is wilted. Allow to cool then squeeze out excess moisture using paper towels.

3. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and milk. Add the cheese and four seasonings and mix well. Add the Swiss chard and garlic scapes, the cooked sausage, sun dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, and mix well. Pour into prepared pie plate and top with bread crumbs. Bake 30-35 minutes.


I made up this recipe as well:

Chik'n and Veggie al Forno with Jarlsberg Cream Sauce

3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
1/4 c. white wine
1 pkg. Quorn Chik'n Tenders (or real chicken)
2 garlic scapes, chopped
6 c.+ combined Swiss chard (de-ribbed) and spinach, chopped
1 Tbsp. whole wheat flour
1 c. milk or milk alternative
4 oz. Jarlsberg cheese, shredded
1 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
1 Tbsp. fresh basil, chopped
1/4 to 1/2 c. fresh bread crumbs

1. Preheat oven to 350. Coat a casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside.

2. In a skillet over medium heat, warm 1 Tbsp. oil and wine. Add the chik'n or chicken and cook until browned and liquid is absorbed. Remove chik'n to a dish and set aside.

3. In same skillet, warm 1 Tbsp. oil and add chopped garlic scapes; heat 1 minute. Add chard and spinach; toss then cover until greens are wilted.

4. In a small saucepan, heat remaining oil and add 1 Tbsp. flour. Whisk and cook 1 minute. Slowly whisk in milk and continue whisking until sauce thickens. Add cheese and stir until melted. Turn off heat and add parsley and basil; mix well.

5. In a large bowl, combine chik'n, greens, leftover cooked veggies, and cream sauce. Pour into prepared casserole dish and top with bread crumbs. Bake 30 minutes.


Cooking with all these fresh-from-the-ground foods is exciting. Trying to pair them with other foods from our pantry and fridge is challenging, but it's sparked some culinary creativity - which is usually a good thing. Plus, my grocery bill this week was only $52 for some fruit, tomatoes, mushrooms, peppers, bread, milk, eggs, string cheese, and juice. Not bad.

As always, thanks for reading and happy cooking! If you have a great farm-market or CSA-related recipe, please Post a Comment to share it.