CSA- November 18 - Just us 3

What's in the Box:
Oh my! Sweet Potatoes, red potatoes, onions, garlic, Queensland Blue Squash, Spaghetti Squash, Eggplants, Strawberries, Pomegranates, carrots, beets, peppers, flowers, eggs and herbs.

This weeks special gift: Pumpkin Bars

'Queensland Blue' is an Australian squash with jade-green skin and smooth deep-orange flesh, whose high sugar content makes it perfect for pumpkin pie.

What's coming in the garden: Greens of all nations, today I spotted baby bok choy. What's leaving the garden? Today is the last of the zukes and strawberries. Okay the berries are very pale and not up to my standards, but hey we have to wait all the way till May to get them again, so what the heck, I picked them anyway. Tomorrow it will freeze. I am confused though, the pictures say it's spring...check out the paper whites and the falling walnuts. Hmm. I must say I have never picked peppers the week before Thanksgiving.

A bumper load of eggplant and peppers. I will be making salsa of all kinds. Tomorrow I begin canning tomatoes (again!). I pretty much going to call this the year of the pepper. We have never had such big bells, Anaheims, or Anchos...ever.

You all have a wonderful Thanksgiving and Hooray for Pumpkin Pie!

Messy & Picky's Queensland Blue Soup Recipe

1 QB Squash, seeded and roasted Stick it in a 400°F oven for about 1 hour. You may have to cut the squash further to get the innards nice and soft in a reasonable amount of time.
1 can of unsweetened coconut milk (the original recipe called for an 8 oz. can, we used 13.5 oz. and it tasted awesome)
2 ribs celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 small onion chopped
1 clove of garlic
3 aji Dulce Peppers (the little ones)
6-8 cups vegetable stock
splash of dry sherry
salt and pepper

Saute the onion, celery, garlic, and peppers. Toss in the stock, cubed cooked pumpkin and coconut milk. Cook for about 30 minutes. Make it smooth with an immersion blender...or get with messy and put it in the food processor and give it a whirl. Ladle into bowls and give it a bam of sherry.

Pumpkin Pie
1 (9 inch) unbaked deep dish pie crust
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 t. vanilla
1/2 allspice
3 eggs
2 C. cooked pumpkin, whirred in food processor
1 can evaporated milk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Combine sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves in small bowl. Beat eggs lightly in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk. Pour into pie shell. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees F.; bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate.

CSA - November 3, 2010 - SCVWD

This is the last box of the season. Thank you all for being such wonderful customers and keeping the farm going. If you want to sign up again for next season, see Leo.

What's in the Box
Banana Squash, Sweet Potatoes, Corn, Pomegranates, Peppers-Sweet and Hot, a few tomatoes, Eggplant, Potatoes, Chives/Cilantro/Parsley, Spaghetti Squash, Eggs, Delicata Squash & a Sweet Dumpling Squash.

This weeks special gift: Cranberry/Pumpkin Seed Bread or Coffee Cake or Gluten Free Pumpkin Bars.

Thank all of you for saving egg cartons during the off season. I'm out of cartons and packing eggs without cartons is precarious. You can give cartons and jars during the off season to Leo.

Banana Squash is simple, cut it in half, spray a pan with olive oil and the squash. Sprinkle with brown sugar and bake at 350 for about 25 minutes. You can also butter the squash, honey the squash and add orange peel. We like even just salted.

PUFFY CHILI RELLENOS CASSEROLE
8 oz. Jack cheese, cut in 12 strips
12 peeled chiles. To peel grill peppers till they are blistered and scrape off skin. (This can be done over a gas burner as well).
8 eggs
2/3 c. milk
1 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 c. Cheddar cheese
Salsa

Put cheese strips in chiles and arrange on a greased 8x13 pan.
Beat eggs, milk, flour and baking powder until smooth. Pour evenly over chiles. Sprinkle with Cheddar cheese.
Bake uncovered at 350°F for 45 minutes.

“Sun-Dried” Tomato Pesto
Makes 1 cup

1 cup packed “sun dried” Tomatoes
2 small garlic cloves
2 tablespoons Italian parsley, coarsely chopped
¼ cup pumpkin seeds
About 4 tablespoons or more light olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place all of the ingredients in the food processor and pulse to grind. You can make the pesto a bit grainy or process to a smooth puree. Taste to adjust seasoning, and have fun with the ingredients. If you want more garlic, add it. If you crave a little tartness, add a squeeze of lemon. You may need to add more olive oil.

Cover with a bit of light olive oil and refrigerate. Holds for about a week. Or freeze for up to 6 months.

I have sent the farm survey to each of you by e-mail. I must order seeds by the end of November, so vote early and often.

For those of you who asked again for the chicken and jam recipe:

Jammin' Chicken
2 T. any yellow jam
2 T. olive oil
2 T. Soy Sauce or Teriyaki Sauce
6 chicken thighs

Mix the first 3 ingredients, pour over chicken thighs and bake for 30-40 minutes. We have tried this with the Melon Ginger Jam, the Apricot Pineapple and the Peach Pepper Jam. All are good. Zack and Casey like Melon Ginger. With a side of rice and baked banana squash, you have dinner!

Have a great winter, see you in January.