Winter CSA Week 4

Sorry for the blog silence lately dedicated blog reader.  LJ hasn't been sewing much lately and I've mostly just been too lazy to write about the food I've been working on.  Don't worry though, I have lots of exciting things to write about in the near future.

This week received buttercup squash, red onion, celariac, parsnips, tokyo bekana, garlic, beets,and kale.

We've been getting overwhelmed with fall/winter vegetables lately so we are open to new ideas of what to do with squash, leeks, onions or parsnips.  As you can see the parsnips are starting to pile up in the fridge.

Winter CSA Week 2 and 3

We were out of town last weekend for a wedding and forgot to post the photo from our CSA so this is a catch up post.

Last week we received two rutabagas, four delicata squash, potatoes, beets, red onions, garlic, and kale.

This week we received Brussels sprouts, onions, parsnips, a pie pumpkin, potatoes, red cabbage, tokyo bekana, and leeks.

And since I've been slacking on the blog posting lately I figured I should share an updated photo from Movember.  I'm sure you are thankful for that.

Winter CSA Week 1

LJ and I signed up for a winter CSA share which started this week.  We will be getting plenty of quality ingredients for soups and stews for the next few months and as long as it doesn't get too cold at night we will also get plenty of hearty greens.

This week we received six leeks, three acorn squash, celaric, two cloves of garlic, chard, mizuna, and bok choy.

Blueberry Rhubarb Crisp

After picking 20 pounds of blueberries this summer, my mentor and colleague at work let me take home some produce from her amazing garden, including a bunch of stalks of rhubarb.  HH was pretty excited, but I had no idea what to do with it.  I knew that rhubarb is often paired with strawberries, but we were all out of strawberries.  The only other fruit that we had in abundance at that time was, obviously, blueberries.  The interwebs led me to a rhubarb and blueberry crisp recipe that sounded just right for a summer dessert.

The first time around, I followed the ingredient list as written.  Although I had never put nuts into a crisp before, I was pretty excited about the idea because I love nuts (stay until 0:55).  In theory it was a good idea, but in practice we preferred a version without the nuts.  They seemed to distract from the other delicious ingredients a little too much and it was a little too crunchy.  The second, third, and fourth (and fifth?) time we had the crisp, I left out the nuts and it was perfect.

No Bake Cookies

When I want a quick chocolate fix, nothing is easier than making a batch (or double batch) of no-bake cookies.  They come together in no time and contain all the sugary, chocolatey, peanut buttery goodness that I need to satisfy my sweet tooth.  The interwebs are full of no-bake cookie recipes that are all basically the same with some minor variations; I use this one and usually always double it as they store very well in the freezer and it doesn't take any extra time since there is no baking involved. 

Melt the butter.

Stir in the cocoa, sugar, and milk (we use reconstituted dry milk since we don't keep regular milk in the house).

Add vanilla, peanut butter, and oats.  (And a pinch of salt, which is not included in the recipe.)

Form them on waxed paper lined cookie sheets.  Let them set up in the freezer, then transfer the frozen cookies to storage containers.

Applesauce

When your parents are apple farmers, you get more than your fair share of apples on a regular basis.  Making applesauce is an easy way to preserve the abundance for later enjoyment.  My mom used to make applesauce when I was a child, and she taught me the basic steps involved a while back.  All it takes is a bunch of apples, some sugar, and a little water.  Some people like to spice theirs up with cinnamon or other spices, but I prefer the simplicity of apple and sugar alone.  Having a mix of different varieties of apples is nice, but not necessary.  For this batch, I used galas, fujis, and a small amount of granny smiths. 

Peel the skin off with a vegetable peeler.

Chop the apples and add to a big pot with about 1/4 cup water and 1/2 cup sugar.  You can add more sugar to taste later on.

Cover and cook on medium low for about half an hour, then turn the heat down until they get mushy.

Stir every once in a while.

After a couple of hours, mash with a potato masher until it gets to a good consistency (I like mine a little chunky).

At this point, add more sugar to taste.

I put the finished product into tupperware to keep in the freezer.

CSA Week 21

The final week of our summer CSA, though it sure doesn't feel like summer out any more. We are definitely in the season for root vegetables, cool season greens, and storage crops.

Left to right we received beets, Chinese cabbage, carrots, parsley, rutabaga, buttercup squash, and red onions.

We have been getting a lot of parsley lately and have no idea what to do with it.  Any suggestions?