Author: Judi

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JUDI’S RECIPES – WEEK 13 – AUGUST 31, 2021

AUGUST 31, 2021

Hello Everyone,

We are approaching Fall, which means the harvest is in full swing. Look for root crops and winter squash ahead!

Today, we are getting Red Russian kale, a green not easily found in the supermarket. It is sweeter and more tender than other varieties of kale . One cup of kale has 33 calories, double your daily beta-carotene recommendation, and 6 times the recommended amount of vitamin K, which is great for both your blood and your bones. It is also rich in vitamin C, calcium, and potassium.

This recipe calls for Spike, a delicious spice blend that contains no salt and is available in most supermarkets.

RED RUSSIAN KALE AND ONION BREAKFAST BAKE

  • 8 oz. chopped  red Russian kale
  • 1/2 red onion, chopped
  • 1 tsp. minced garlic
  • 1 TBS olive oil
  • salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste
  • 2 tsp. Tamari or other soy sauce
  • 3/4 c. grated mozzarella cheese
  • 1/2 c. coarsely grated parmesan cheese
  • 8 eggs, well beaten
  • 1 tsp. Spike Seasoning
  1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Spray an 8- by -12 inch casserole dish with cooking spray or olive oil.
  2. Cut up the kale by cutting off the stems. Then wash and dry the kale leaves well (A salad spinner is great for this).  Stack the kale leaves and cut them into strips about 3/4 inch wide, then turn your cutting board 90 degrees and cut the leaves again so you have squares approximately 1 inch by 1 inch.
  3. Chop the onion into pieces about 1/2 inch square.
  4. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy pan over medium heat. Then add the onions and cook for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 to 2 minutes more.
  5. Add the kale to the pan, turning it over continuously as it wilts and cooking it for about 5 minutes, or until it is soft.
  6. Season the kale with a little salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste.
  7. Put the wilted kale into the casserole dish. Top it with 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese.
  8. Beat the eggs with the soy sauce and the Spike Seasoning.
  9. Pour the eggs over the kale/cheese in the casserole dish. Then use a fork and stir the mixture gently until the ingredients are evenly mixed. Sprinkle it with the remaining grated cheese.
  10. Bake about 30 minutes or until the eggs are set and the top is lightly browned.
  11. Serve hot. This is good with sour cream!

HELPFUL HINT: This also makes a great late supper meal, accompanied  by a green salad. Maybe a glass of white wine too!

ANOTHER HELPFUL HINT: The addition of bacon bits takes this dish up a notch.

I hope you enjoy starting your day with this delicious dish, or even carrying it along to work to either microwave in the break room, or enjoy cold.

Have a delicious week!

Best,

Judi

 

 

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JUDI’S RECIPES – WEEK 12 – AUGUST 24, 2021

AUGUST 24, 2021

Hi Everyone,

I hope you are all safe and well on this post-storm day. We have been soggy, soggy, soggy!

How about a version of comfort food that will tickle your tastebuds? We are getting sweet peppers this week, and they lend themselves to a multitude of dishes. Today we’re going to pair them with eggs.

RING AROUND THE UOVO

  •  

    1. Slice tops and bottoms off the bell peppers and finely dice them. Remove and discard the seeds and membranes. Slice each pepper into four 1/2-inch-thick rings.

    Combine the diced pepper ends with avocado, onion, jalapeño, cilantro, tomatoes, lime juice, and 1/2 tsp of salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.

    Heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the pepper rings, then crack 1 egg into the middle of each ring.

    4. Season with 1/8 teaspoon each,  salt and pepper. Cook, until the egg whites are mostly set but the yolks are still runny, 2 to 3 minutes. Gently flip (using a wide spatula) and cook 1 minute more for runny yolks, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes more for firmer yolks. Transfer the rings to serving plates

    5. Serve with the avocado salsa and garnish with additional cilantro.

    HELPFUL HINT: Crack each egg into a little bowl and then slip it into the pepper ring. This will prevent any shells from getting into your food.

    ANOTHER HELPFUL HINT: This dish is great with rice on the side.

I hope you enjoy this late-summer dish.

Have a delicious week!

Best,

Judi

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JUDI’S RECIPES – WEEK 11 – AUGUST 17, 2021

AUGUST 17, 2021

Hi Everyone,

The summer is more than half over! That’s a little depressing in light of all the rain and heatwaves we’ve had. But all that rain helped to produce some very lovely vegetables!

This week we have poblano peppers, those mildly hot peppers that make a great conveyance for stuffing of all kinds. This week’s recipe turns one of these peppers into a full meal.

STUFFED POBLANO PEPPERS

  • 4 poblano peppers, cut in half, seeds and membranes removed
  • 1 lb lean ground beef, ground chicken, ground turkey, Italian sausage, or chorizo
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 cup cooked long-grain rice
  • ½ cup canned black beans, drained
  • ½ cup frozen corn or drained canned corn
  • 1  15-oz can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes, drained
  • 1  4-ounce can of diced green chiles
  • 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
  • 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a large baking sheet. Arrange halved poblano peppers in a single layer on the baking sheet so that they aren’t touching. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes.
  • 2. Add ground beef (or turkey or chicken or sausage) and rice to a large skillet and season with the cumin, chili powder, and garlic powder. Saute it over medium heat for 5 to 8 minutes,  until the meat is browned and cooked through.
  • 3. Stir in the black beans, corn, diced tomatoes, and green chiles. Continue cooking for another 1 to 2 minutes. Spoon the mixture into the peppers, sprinkle with cheese, and return to the oven for another 10 minutes or so, until the peppers are tender and the cheese is melted. Allow the peppers to cool slightly before serving.

HELPFUL HINT: Some people don’t like the skin on the peppers. If you’re one of them, place the peppers on your stove burners, if you have a gas stove, and heat until the skin is blistered on all sides. If you don’t have a gas stove, place the peppers on a sheet pan and roast at 450 degrees until the skin blisters. Place the peppers in a paper bag or under a towel or under a bowl or in a plastic bag and set aside to steam. Once the peppers are cool, you can slip the skins off under cold running water.

We are expecting some nasty weather this week, so you might want to stay inside and make this delicious dish. I hope you enjoy it.

Have a delicious week!

Best,

Judi

 

 

 

 

 

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JUDI’S RECIPES – WEEK 10 – AUGUST 10, 2021

AUG 10, 2021

Hi everyone,

The star of the show has arrived. It’s tomato season!

Tomatoes are at their peak right now. Those juicy red jewels are here for our enjoyment.

Someone like me would simply walk into the garden with a salt shaker in her back pocket, just picking and slurping. But, here’s a more civilized recipe, a simple toast with garlic and tomato. It couldn’t be easier to make and it is so delicious!

TOASTED RUSTIC BREAD WITH TOMATOES

  • 2 slices of bread from a plain rustic loaf, about 1/2-inch thick
  • 1 garlic clove, peeled
  • 1 small ripe red tomato, cut in half, seeds squeezed out
  • 1 TBS extra-virgin olive oil
  • Flaky sea salt or fleur de sel to taste
  1. Toast the bread on both sides under the broiler, on a stovetop grill, or over coals, until it is perfectly browned, but a tiny bit soft in the center ( about 1 minute per side).
  2. Cut the garlic clove in half. Pressing down firmly, rub the top of each piece of toast with the cut side of the garlic. Rub the tomato, cut side down, against the toast. Keep rubbing to moisten the toast and give it a juicy red color.
  3. Drizzle with olive oil and finish with a tiny sprinkle of sea salt. Serve immediately.

You never have to worry about making this ahead of time. It takes literally five seconds to make.

HELPFUL HINT: You could zhush this up with anchovy, fresh basil leaves, rosemary sprigs, avocado or grilled shrimp. Or all of them!

ANOTHER HELPFUL HINT: For more intense flavor, try grating the tomato instead of rubbing it onto the toast.

I hope you enjoy this. It’s a wonderful way to start a summer meal. Have a delicious week!

Best,

Judi

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JUDI’S RECIPES – WEEK 9 – AUGUST 3, 2021

AUGUST 3, 2021

Hello everyone!

Here we are at Week 9, and many interesting items are showing up in the weekly share. Some of these veggies are unknown to our newer members. This week it’s cilantro and tomatillos, two things about which I get many questions. So, today’s recipe uses both cilantro and tomatillos. I think you’ll like tomatillo guacamole.

TOMATILLO GUACAMOLE

  • ½ lb fresh tomatillos, husks removed
  • 1 jalapeño or 2 serrano chilies, seeds and ribs removed, coarsely chopped
  • 10 cilantro sprigs
  • Salt to taste
  • 2 small or 1 1/2 large avocados, ripe
  • 1 TBS freshly squeezed lime juice
  1. Preheat the broiler. Line a baking sheet with foil and place the tomatillos on it, stems down. Place under the broiler at the highest possible rack level and broil until the tomatillos are charred on one side, about 2 – 5 minutes. Turn them over and broil on the other side for two to five minutes, until they are charred on the other side. Remove the tomatillos from the heat and transfer them to a blender, adding any juice that has accumulated on the baking sheet. Add the chilies, cilantro sprigs, and salt to the blender and blend to a coarse purée.
  2. Cut the avocados in half. Scoop the flesh into a bowl and mash by hand. Do not use a food processor or a blender, so the mixture retains some texture. Stir in the lime juice, the tomatillo mixture, and the salt to taste and combine well. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and serve with tortilla chips or crudités, or put it in tacos or avocado sandwiches.

HELPFUL HINT: This is not an item that can be prepared in advance and kept in the refrigerator for days until serving time. You can refrigerate it for an hour or so, but that will require you to cover it with plastic wrap that is pressed onto the mixture to seal out the air.

I hope you enjoy this dish. It is perfect for the season – a real fresh and tasty summer treat!

Have a delicious week!

Best,

Judi

 

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JUDI’S RECIPES – WEEK 8 – JULY 26, 2021

JULY 26, 2021

Hi Everyone!

Here we are at Week 8. As I’m sure you’ve noticed, the composition of your shares is changing. As different vegetables reach ripeness, they are added into the share, while those that are “over” are dwindling. So,  no more lettuce until the fall.

This week’s share is bringing us Oriental eggplants, also called Chinese eggplants. These are easy to cook and are tender and delicious. Today’s recipe is for stir-fried Chinese eggplants with garlic sauce.

 

STIR-FRIED CHINESE EGGPLANTS WITH GARLIC SAUCE

INGREDIENTS: No amounts. It’s all to taste!

  • Chinese eggplants, washed, dried, and cut into strips. No need to peel them!
  • Soy sauce
  • Garlic, chopped
  • Sugar
  • Vinegar
  • Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
  • Sesame oil
  1.  Whisk the ingredients for the sauce in a bowl and set aside
  2. Stir fry the eggplant with a little oil for a few minutes over medium heat, until they are tender. Transfer the eggplant to a bowl.
  3. Use the same pan and after cooling them for a minute, return the eggplants to the pan.
  4. Add the sauce and stir fry for a quick minute and drizzle a little sesame oil into the dish.
  5. Serve with brown rice or white rice.

HELPFUL HINT: Always make sure that your eggplant is cooked through before serving it.

ANOTHER HELPFUL HINT: If you’re not a purist, you can add mushrooms, onions, meat, or mixed vegetables to this dish.

 

I hope you enjoy this – it only takes 20 minutes to make and you don’t need to turn on the oven!

Have a delicious week!

Best,

Judi

 

 

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JUDI’S RECIPES – WEEK 7 – JULY 20, 2021

JULY 20, 2021

Hi Everyone!

Our farmers at Stoneledge Farm have suffered along with the rest of us, from too much rain. They caution us to use this week’s vegetables promptly, as they may be more perishable than usual.

Today, we’re getting cabbage, that versatile and hearty vegetable we all love. The recipe this week is for a traditional Japanese dish that’s quick and easy to make and is quite delicious. It’s called Chicken Yaki Udon. I think you’ll enjoy it.

CHICKEN YAKI UDON

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt lightly. Cook the udon noodles in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until the noodles are tender yet firm to the bite (al dente), 10 to 12 minutes. Drain the noodles and rinse them with cold water.

  2. Meanwhile, warm the olive oil in a large saucepan or wok over medium heat. Add the chicken and saute until it is cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the onion, bell pepper, cabbage, carrots, and garlic. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the vegetables are crisp/tender.

  3. Pour the soy sauce over the vegetables and chicken, and saute 1 to 2 minutes more. Add the udon noodles and toss the mixture well. Stir in the gojuchang and ketchup, thoroughly combining to mix all the flavors. Season with salt and pepper.

    HELPFUL HINT: You can use boneless chicken thighs instead of breasts in this recipe. You can also use any color peppers you please. Sometimes I even throw in some mushrooms.  Go crazy – it’s Tuesday!

    Please enjoy this recipe and have a delicious week.

    Best,

    Judi

 

 

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JUDI’S RECIPES – WEEK 6 – JULY 13, 2021

JULY 13, 2021

Hi Everyone,

Soggy, soggy, soggy – and frizzy too! Sorry, the weather is getting to me.

Let’s talk about fennel. Fennel is the vegetable about which I am questioned most frequently: “What the heck is this? What do I do with it?”

Fennel isn’t a root vegetable, but it is a member of the carrot family. And every part of it is edible. It has a licorice flavor and is lovely featured in various dishes, many of them tomato-based. And raw fennel is lovely in a salad.

Fennel is an excellent source of vitamin C and a very good source of fiber, folate, and potassium.

So, here’s a simple fennel recipe for you.

FENNEL RICE

  • ¼ c. extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 lb fennel (2 medium bulbs), trimmed, cored, and cut into small dice.
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 c. long-grain rice, such as basmati, rinsed
  • 2 ½ c. water
  • ¼ c. chopped fresh parsley
  • ¼ c. chopped fresh dill
  • pepper to taste

 

  1. Heat 3 TBS of the olive oil over medium heat in a deep pot with a cover. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the fennel, add a generous pinch of salt, and cook, stirring frequently, until the fennel has wilted and softened, about 8 minutes. Stir in the rice and stir to coat the grains with olive oil.
  2. Add the water, salt, pepper, parsley, and dill and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer 20 to 30 minutes, until the rice is soft and the liquid is absorbed. Remove the pan from the heat, uncover and place a towel across the top. Cover with the lid and let it sit for 10 minutes. Serve hot, with the remaining olive oil drizzled over the top.

HELPFUL HINT: You can substitute quinoa for the rice for an even healthier dish.

ANOTHER HELPFUL HINT: The fennel fronds make a great garnish for a salad or stew.

I  hope you enjoy this dish. Have a delicious week!

Best,

Judi

 

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JUDI’S RECIPES – WEEK 5 – JULY 6, 2021

JULY 6, 2021

Hi Everyone,

Another heatwave headed our way. I confess I am not comfortable in The Baked Apple.

Perhaps a nice cool summer meal would be enjoyable. I have just the ticket: a wonderful Swiss chard dip! It will make you forget hummus, for a little while anyway. And there’s no reason to turn the oven on!

SWISS CHARD DIP

2 bunches Swiss chard (about 1½ lb.)

⅔ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for serving

5 garlic cloves, finely chopped

½ cup tahini

⅓ cup fresh lemon juice

Kosher salt
Pita or flatbread and lemon wedges (for serving)

  1. Remove the ribs and stems from the Swiss chard leaves and finely chop. Tear the leaves into small pieces. Reserve the leaves and the twigs separately.

     

    2. Heat ⅓ cup of the oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. Cook the ribs and stems from the chard, stirring frequently and adding a splash of water if the veggies start to brown. Saute until the stems are tender, 5–7 minutes.

    3. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until it is fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the reserved chard leaves by the handful, letting them wilt before adding more. Cook, tossing, until all the leaves are wilted and tender, 10–12 minutes. Let the mixture cool. Squeeze the excess liquid from the mixture into a measuring cup. You should have about a half cup of liquid.

4. Place the mixture and a tablespoon of the cooking liquid in a food processor or blender and add tahini, lemon juice, and ⅓ cup of the oil. Season with salt, and process. Add more cooking liquid if needed, until the dip is creamy and only speckles of chard are visible. This could take up to 5 minutes. Season with more salt to taste.

5. Transfer the dip to a serving bowl and drizzle with more oil. Serve with bread and lemon wedges.

HELPFUL HINT: This dip can be made up to 3 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate until serving time.

 

I hope you enjoy this dish and all the vegetables in your share.

Have a delicious week!

Best,

Judi

 

 

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JUDI’S RECIPES – WEEK 4 – JUNE 29, 2021

JUNE 29, 2021

Hi Everyone!

Hot enough for you? I detest this weather, and I can’t bring myself to turn on the oven today! So, a nice cool salad should be a great alternative to anything baked or roasted. Try this one, made with quinoa, sugar snap peas, and summer squash.

  • 1/2 c. dried quinoa (about 1 1/2 cup cooked)
  • 2 c. sugar snap peas
  • 1/2 c. grated carrots (about 2 small carrots)
  • 1 zucchini or yellow squash, diced
  • 1/4 c. finely diced red onion (about 1/4 small onion)
  • 1/4 c. minced chives or scallions
  • 1/4 c. olive oil
  • 2 TBS white wine vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1. Cook the quinoa according to package directions. Set aside and allow to cool.
  • 2. Fill a medium saucepan halfway with water and bring to a boil. Add the sugar snap peas and boil for one minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the peas to paper towels to dry and cool. When they are cool enough to handle, cut the pods into 1-inch long pieces.
  • 3. Add the quinoa and the peas to a large bowl along with the carrots, squash, onion, and chives. Toss to combine.
  • 4. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss again to coat.
  • 5. Taste the salad and add additional salt and pepper if desired
  • HELPFUL HINT: To store the salad, transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to two days.

I hope you enjoy this cool and refreshing dish one hot, hot evening.

Have a delicious week!

Best,

Judi