Author: Judi

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JUDI’S RECIPES – WEEK 22 OCTOBER 29, 2019

October 29, 2019

Hi Everyone,

We are nearly at the end of our season. Lovely fall vegetables are coming our way.

I hope you’re all coming to the potluck dinner on Tuesday, December 3. Families are welcome and you will have a great time!

It’s time to liven up our potato repertoire. How about a very simple but fancy presentation? It comes from the Hasselback Hotel in Sweden.

HASSELBACK POTATO FANS

Ingredients

4 medium potatoes

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1 TBS each minced fresh chives, sage, and thyme

 

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°. With a sharp knife, cut each potato crosswise into 1/8-in. slices, leaving slices attached at the bottom.

2. Fan potatoes slightly and place in a greased 13×9-in. baking dish.

3. Mix butter, salt and pepper, and drizzle the mixture over the potatoes.

4. Bake, uncovered, 50-55 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

5. In a small bowl, toss the cheeses with the herbs and sprinkle over the potatoes.

6. Bake about 5 minutes longer or until the cheese is melted.

 

HELPFUL HINT:

This recipe can be used for sweet potatoes, too.

VERY HELPFUL HINT:

A wooden spoon can help you avoid cutting through the bottom of the potatoes. Position the spoon alongside the potato, then cut carefully until the blade hits the handle.

ANOTHER HELPFUL HINT

For a crispier potato, use olive oil instead of butter.

I hope you enjoy this dish through the winter.

Have a delicious week!

Best,

Judi

 

 

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JUDI’S RECIPES – WEEK 21 – OCTOBER 22, 2019

OCTOBER 22, 2019

Hi Everybody,

Well, it’s pretty clear that summer is over, and nearly so is our CSA season. If you haven’t yet volunteered to help at the site , please do so. There are only 4 weeks to go and volunteer service for one shift is an obligation of your membership. Please help out. I think you’ll find it enjoyable.

On to the business at hand. This week we have a mixture of greens and fall root vegetables. Here’s a great recipe for roasting and serving those root vegetables.

ROASTED POTATOES AND CARROTS WITH HONEY, HERBS AND GARLIC

INGREDIENTS

For the Roasted Potatoes and Carrots

  • 1 lb carrots — peeled, and cut in half lengthwise, if they are thick
  • 1 lb small red potatoes — halved
  • 2 TBS extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 TBS honey or pure maple syrup
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 3/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper — omit if sensitive to spice
  • 1 TBS chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1 clove garlic, minced

For the Honey Yogurt Sauce:

  • 1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 1/2 TBS honey

Instructions

    1. Place a rack in the lower third of your oven, then preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with foil and coat the foil with nonstick spray (or use baking parchment instead).

    2. Place the carrots and potatoes in the center of the baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil and honey, then sprinkle with cumin, smoked paprika, salt, garlic and cayenne. Toss to coat, then spread into a single layer.
    3. Bake until the vegetables are browned in spots and tender when pierced with a small, sharp knife ( about 25 to 30 minutes), tossing halfway through. Sprinkle with rosemary and toss to coat.

  1. While the vegetables bake, prepare the honey yogurt sauce: In a small bowl, stir together the Greek yogurt and honey. Transfer the vegetables to a serving plate. Serve warm with yogurt on the side.

    HELPFUL HINT: If you are using a sheet of baking parchment, you can spray it with olive oil or butter it to prevent any of the vegetables from sticking. You can also use a Silpat mat, which has a nonstick surface. This makes cleanup much easier.

    Enjoy The vegetables. And have a delicious week! Best, Judi

 

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JUDI’S RECIPES – WEEK 20 – OCTOBER 15, 2019

October 15, 2019

Hi Everybody,

Greens are back! One of the delights of Fall is that cool weather vegetables return.

So this week, I have a recipe for you that contains squash and greens. It’s a twist on panzanella salad, a popular Italian dish.

 

BUTTERNUT SQUASH PANZANELLA SALAD

Ingredients
8 oz. country bread (torn into chunks)
4 TBS olive oil
1/4 c. grated Parmesan

Kosher salt

Pepper

1 lb. 2-inch cubes butternut squash

1 red onion (cut into wedges)
5 oz. baby kale, arugula, lettuce or any other green
1/4 c tahini
1/4 c. lemon juice
1/4 c. water
1/4 c. pomegranate seeds (optional)
Directions
  1. Heat the oven to 425°F. In a large cast-iron skillet, toss the bread with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and grated Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Bake until it is golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
  2. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the skillet and toss together with the butternut squash cubes and the red onion. Season with salt and pepper and roast, tossing after  12 minutes, until golden brown and tender, 20 to 25 minutes total. Remove from the pan and place in your serving bowl. Fold in the greens and the reserved bread cubes.
  3. Meanwhile, whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, and water. Season with salt and pepper. Toss with the squash mixture and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds, if you are using them.

Enjoy!

HELPFUL HINT: Pomegranate seeds are a pain to remove from the outer skin. Buying them is a little pricey, but I think it’s worthwhile to pay the price and skip the additional labor.

Have a delicious week!

Best,

Judi

 

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JUDI’S RECIPES WEEK 19 – OCTOBER 8, 2019

OCTOBER 8, 2019

Hi Everyone!

This was a nasty weekend, weather-wise, but the rest of the week looks fine for savoring Nature’s and Stoneledge Farm’s bounty.

This week we’re getting sweet potatoes! This casserole recipe will impress your friends and wow the family at Thanksgiving.

 

SWEET POTATO CRUNCH CASSEROLE

INGREDIENTS

Casserole:

3 sweet potatoes

1 orange, zested (scrape off the orange part of the peel) and juiced

1 tsp cinnamon

1 TBS honey

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup diced dried apricots

Topping:

1/2 cup oatmeal (uncooked)

1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

2 TBS extra-virgin olive oil

2 TBS cold butter, cut into pea-sized pieces

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

 

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Put the sweet potatoes on a sheet tray and roast them for 35 to 40 minutes. If they are still a little firm in the center, don’t worry about that.
  3. While the sweet potatoes are baking, make the topping: In a food processor, combine the oatmeal, brown sugar, olive oil, butter, and walnuts and pulse until the mixture firms up and comes together.
  4. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel them and cut them into 1-inch chunks.
  5. Put the potatoes into a large bowl and add the remaining ingredients. Mash them together until thoroughly mixed.
  6. Turn out the mixture into a 2-quart casserole dish. Crumble the topping over the potatoes. Bake the casserole until it is heated through and the topping is brown and crispy, about 30 minutes.
  7. Enjoy!

Have a delicious week!

Best,

Judi

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JUDI’S RECIPES – WEEK 18 – OCTOBER 1, 2019

OCTOBER 1, 2019

Hi everybody!

Welcome to Fall, although you wouldn’t know it by the weather, which is about to heat up again. Still, those wonderful cool weather vegetables are arriving, and they are both versatile and delicious.

Today’s recipe is a yummy cauliflower dish, featuring parmesan cheese and capers, those delicious tiny pickled peppers.

 

CAULIFLOWER WITH CAPERS AND PARMESAN

 

 

1  head of cauliflower
  • 5 TBS extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 oz. grated  Parmesan cheese
  • 2 TBS capers, drained and divided
  • 1 lemon

 

DIRECTIONS

1. Set a rack in the lowest position of your oven and preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place the cauliflower on a cutting board and snap off the green outer leaves. Use a knife to shave off the end of the stem, which will give you a flat surface for the cauliflower to stand up.

2. Starting from one end, cut the entire head of cauliflower into half-inch slices, letting the pieces fall off. The pieces connected to the root will remain in slabs.

3. Transfer the cauliflower to a sheet pan and drizzle with it with 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste and then toss with your hands to make sure all the pieces are evenly coated, and then arrange them so their flat surfaces are on the pan.

4. Roast the cauliflower on the bottom rack until the pieces  are brown around the edges with deeply browned undersides, approximately 25–30 minutes.

5. While the cauliflower is roasting, that’s the time to grate the parmesan cheese on the largest side of a box grater. Reserve about half the grated cheese for garnishing.

6. Coarsely chop 1 TBS of capers, then toss all of the capers in a small bowl with the remaining 2 Tbsp. of oil. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice onto the capers.

7. When the cauliflower is browned on the first side, remove the baking sheet from the oven and place it on a work surface. Using a spatula, turn the pieces over. Sprinkle the grated parmean that has not been set aside for garnish over the cauliflower.

8. Return the cauliflower to the oven and continue to roast it until the other side is browned and the parmesan is fragrant and browned,  about 10 to 12 minutes.

9. Let it cool a few minutes, then transfer the cauliflower to a plate  and drizzle lemon-caper dressing over it. Season it with a bit more salt and pepper, then top with the reserved parmesan.

 

NOTE: This dish, like all roasted vegetable dishes, is good hot or cold.

Enjoy.

And have a delicious week!

Best, Judi

 

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JUDI’S RECIPES – WEEK 16 – SEPTEMBER 17, 2019

SEPTEMBER 17, 2019

Hi Everyone,

As the days get shorter and cooler, we must all acknowledge that summer is over. The first day of Fall is  next Monday, September 23.

So, as we get more root vegetables and other fall produce, a nice hearty soup is in order.

Years ago, I was affiliated with a group that produced a phenomenal acorn squash soup.  I spent years perfecting a copy of that soup, and now I’m going to share it with you. It is a low calorie, extremely low fat, vegan heartwarming brew – perfect for a cool fall afternoon or evening.

 

ROASTED ACORN SQUASH SOUP

INGREDIENTS

1 acorn squash

1 apple

1 small onion

1 large clove garlic

olive oil

2 cups vegetable or chicken stock

salt and pepper

 

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
2. Peel both the squash and the apple and remove core and seeds. Dice both into medium-sized chunks.
3. Peel the onion and cut into large chunks.
4. Place the squash, apple and onion chunks in a roasting pan  or on a baking sheet  with the garlic, unpeeled, and drizzle with a little olive oil. Toss so everything is lightly covered.
5. Roast for approx 30-40 minutes, until the squash is tender and the apple and onion are just starting to brown.
6. Peel the garlic and place everything in a pot along with the stock. Add salt and pepper to taste. Blend until smooth and either serve or freeze until needed.
HELPFUL HINT: An immersion blender is an inexpensive kitchen gadget that allows you to puree the soup easily, without removing it from the pot.
ANOTHER HELPFUL HINT: This is great garnished with a swirl of plain fat free yogurt  or sprinkled with some chopped nuts.

I hope you enjoy this soup as much as I do.

Have a delicious week!

Best,

Judi

 

 

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JUDI’S RECIPES – WEEK 16 – SEPTEMBER 10, 2019

Hi Everyone!

As summer draws to a close, the vegetables are getting heartier – and heavier. Time to save your back – get something with wheels!

This week we find ourselves with  an array of beautiful ripe vegetbles that won’t have a long shelf life. They have to be used right away. So, it clearly is time for ratatouille! You can make it now and freeze it for a warm and rich treat during the cold winter months.

RATATOUILLE

INGREDIENTS

1 eggplant

3 Roma tomatoes

1 yellow squash

1 zucchini

 FOR THE SAUCE
1 TBS olive oil

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 yellow bell pepper, diced

salt, to taste

pepper, to taste

14 oz crushed tomatoes (half of a 28 oz. can)
1 TBS chopped fresh basil

 

Herb Seasoning

2 TBS chopped fresh basil
1 tsp garlic, minced
2 TBS chopped fresh parsley
2 tsp fresh thyme

salt, to taste

pepper, to taste

1 TBS olive oil

SEASONING MIX

1 TBS chopped fresh basil, from 8-10 leaves
1/2 tsp teaspoon garlic, minced
1 TBS chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp fresh thyme

salt, to taste

pepper, to taste

2TBS olive oil

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees
  2. Slice the eggplant, tomatoes, squash, and zucchini into thin slices and then set aside.
  3. Make the sauce: Heat the olive oil in an oven-safe pan over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion, garlic, and bell peppers until they are soft, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and  then add the crushed tomatoes. Stir until the ingredients are fully mixed. Remove from the heat and then add the basil and thyme. Stir again and then smooth the surface of the sauce with a spatula.
  4. If you want to go for a killer presentation, arrange the sliced vegetables in  rows, (for example, eggplant, tomato, squash, zucchini) on top of the sauce in concentric circles, from the outer edge to the middle of the pan. Season with salt and pepper.
  5. Cover the pan with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover, then bake it for another 20 minutes, until the vegetables are softened.
  6. Mix the herb seasoning ingredients and pour the mixture over the ratatouille.
  7. Serve while it’s hot. The ratatouille is also excellent the next day–cover with foil and reheat in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes, or simply microwave.

I hope you enjoy this way to extend your enjoyment of nature’s bounty.

NOTE: You can add other vegetables: shallots, tomatillos, potatoes, different peppers. Go crazy! There’s no wrong way to  make this!

Enjoy!

And have a delicious week!

Best,

Judi

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JUDI’S RECIPES – WEEK 14 – SEPTEMBER 3, 2019

SEPTEMBER 3, 2019

Hi Everybody,

I hope your Labor Day holiday was great and that in all the variety of weather this weekend, you found something you loved.

This week, fall vegetables are beginning to arrive. Potatoes are here, as are leeks and the last week or so of tomatoes. The farm urges you to use them up. The winter squashes are arriving too; this week it’s delicata, one of the most delicious squashes of all.

So, let’s use those potatoes to make Tortilla Espagnola, one of Spain’s national dishes. I first sampled it in sandwich form on a train from Barcelona to Madrid. Yummy!

 

TORTILLA ESPANOLA

INGREDIENTS

8 large eggs

Kosher salt

2 cups  extra-virgin olive oil (see note)

1 1/2 lbs potatoes (I love Yukon Golds the most), peeled, halved, and thinly sliced crosswise.

3/4 lb onions, thinly sliced

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl, beat the eggs well, with a large pinch of salt until frothy. Set them aside.

2. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet until it is “wavy”. Add potatoes and onions; they should gently (but not vigorously) bubble in the oil. Adjust the  heat to maintain a gentle bubbling. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes and onions are tender, about 25 minutes. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a heatproof bowl and drain the potatoes and onions of excess oil. Reserve the oil.

3. Transfer the potatoes and onions to a heatproof bowl and season them generously with salt, stirring well to combine. Beat the eggs vigorously to make them frothy again, then scrape the potatoes and onion in and stir until they are thoroughly combined. Set aside for 5 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, wipe out the skillet. Add 3 tablespoons of the reserved frying oil to the skillet and heat over medium-high heat until it is wavy. Scrape the egg mixture into the skillet and cook, swirling and shaking the pan rapidly, until the bottom and sides begin to set, about 3 minutes. Using a spatula, press the edges in and continue to cook, adjusting the heat to prevent the bottom of your tortilla from burning, while it is starting to set around the edges, about 3 minutes longer.

5. Place a large overturned flat plate on top of the skillet and, in one very quick motion, invert the tortilla onto it. Add 1 more tablespoon of the  reserved oil to the skillet and return it to the heat. Carefully slide the tortilla back into the skillet and continue to cook until the second side is beginning to firm up, about 2 minutes. Press the sides in all around to form a rounded puck shape. Continue to cook the tortilla until lightly browned but still tender in the center when pressed with a finger, about 2 minutes longer.

6. Carefully slide the tortilla out of the skillet onto a clean plate  and let it stand at least 5 minutes before serving. The tortilla can be cut into wedges for a larger meal or into cubes for an hors d’oeuvre–sized snack. It is just as good, if not better, at room temperature. Leftover tortilla can be refrigerated up to 3 days.
HELPFUL HINT: This is a lot of olive oil, which can get expensive, but it’s necessary for properly cooking the potato and onion, and adds tons of great flavor to the dish. You can use a less expensive oil, since cooking neutralizes a high-quality oil’s nuances You can reuse the leftover oil in other dishes. You will find it quite flavorful, having been infused with the flavors of the onion and potato.
ANOTHER HELPFUL HINT: Flip the tortilla over the sink.
I hope you love this dishas much as I do! Enjoy, and have a delicious week.
Best,
Judi
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JUDI’S RECIPES – WEEK 13 – AUGUST 27, 2019

AUGUST 27, 2019

Hi Everyone!

As summer wanes (oh boo hoo, it went so quickly!), we are getting  such an abundance of lovely vegetables that we are  presented with a big job: we have to use these gems while they’re still sparkling.

Today’s recipe uses some of that abundance in a cold, soothing soup. It’s a gazpacho of sorts, and features those lovely sweet peppers and cucumbers.

 

PEAK OF THE HARVEST GAZPACHO

Ingredients

1 3/4 lbs assorted sweet peppers

1 1/2 lbs tomatoes

1 1/2 c. peeled seeded cucumber chunks

2  garlic cloves

2 TBS sherry vinegar

3/4 tsp kosher salt

5 TBS olive oil, divided

1 1/2 TBS fresh lemon juice, divided

2 TBS thinly sliced green onions (white parts only)

 

Directions

1. Dice the peppers until you have  1/4 cup and set aside. Dice the tomatoes until you have 1/4 cup and set aside. Roughly chop the remaining peppers and tomatoes, and place in a blender or food processor. Add the cucumber, garlic, vinegar, salt, 3 tablespoons of the oil and 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice. Process on high until very smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Chill for one hour.

2. Stir together the reserved 1/4 cup of peppers and 1/4 cup of tomatoes in a small bowl. Add the onion slices and the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons of lemon juice, and mix.

3. Ladle the chilled soup into 6 bowls. Top each serving with some of the pepper-tomato mixture, and drizzle evenly with the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil.

NOTE: You can make this up to a day ahead and refrigerate it. It’s great with crusty bread and a cool drink.

 

So, I hope you enjoy this really easy, cool, refreshing recipe. Have a delicious week!

Best,

Judi

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JUDI’S RECIPES – WEEK 12 – AUGUST 20, 2019

August 20, 2019

Welcome to Week 12! I hope everyone has a wheeled cart or enormous muscles . We are getting 14 different items this week!

One of the most questioned items  all season is undoubtedly the tomatillo. Many people don’t know what to do with them . But, I’m here to help.

Let’s begin with identifying a tomatillo. What is it? The dictionary definition of the tomatillo is “a small edible fruit that is purplish or yellow when ripe, but is most often used when green for salsas and preserves.”

Today’s recipe is not a salsa or a preserve. It’s a great appetizer or tapa and, in honor of the ongoing heat and humidity, it’s served cold.

 

 

TAPAS TOMATILLOS

INGREDIENTS

4  medium tomatillos, husks removed, rinsed and quartered
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 ciabatta loaf
1 TBS olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 garlic clove, finely grated
1 small green tomato, thinly sliced (optional)
Flaky sea salt
DIRECTIONS
  1. Toss the tomatillos, kosher salt, and sugar in a small bowl. Gently massage them until they feel soft and juicy. Cover them and let them stand at room temperature, tossing occasionally, until the tomatillos have released some of their liquid. This should take at least 4 hours and up to 12 hours.*
  2.  Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Slice the ciabatta in half crosswise (as if you are making a sandwich). Slice each piece in half lengthwise, then cut each strip on a diagonal into  4″ pieces. Drizzle 1  tablespoon of oil over the bread and rub or brush each piece to evenly distribute the oil. Place the bread on a baking sheet and bake until browned all over, dried out and crisp. This will take about an hour. Let cool.*
  3. Meanwhile, transfer the tomatillos to a food processor while leaving the juices in the bowl. Pulse the tomatillos until they are finely chopped but not smooth (the mixture should look pulpy with little bits of skin). Transfer to a bowl and add the garlic.

  4. Spoon the tomatillo mixture over the toast, then drizzle some of the reserved juices over. Top with the green tomatoes, if you are using them, drizzle with oil and sprinkle with sea salt.

*HELPFUL HINT: The tomatillo mixture can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. The toast can also be made ahead and kept in an airtight container overnight.

I hope you enjoy this – it’s a little different and  it’s very refreshing. Terrific with a cool drink.

Have a deiciousweek!

Best,

Judi