What’s in the box – week 21

We’ve reached week 21 of our CSA share from Siena Farms. Only a few weeks left in this year of boxes of veggies.

In the top row we have 2 butternut squash, celeriac and a bag of mixed greens.

The second row has a bunch of kale, 2 leeks, an eggplant and a pile of green peppers.

The bottom row has a mess of carrots, some baby bok choy and a bunch of potatoes (fingerling & yellow).

What’s in the box – week 20

We are now at week 20 of our CSA share from Siena Farms. Fall greens and root veg rule the box this week. Who has a creative use for cabbage and parsnips?

In the top row we have a head of Samantha cabbage, a bunch of kale and a pile of parsnips.

The second row has a small mound of Tiburon (aka poblano peppers) a small head of green oakleaf lettuce, a pile of watermelon radishes and a pile of sweet potatoes.

The bottom row has Hungarian hot wax peppers, a yellow copra storage onion, a bunch of dill, turnip greens and a head of Boston lettuce.

Saturday night – 10/15/11

The youngest members of our Saturday night dinner crew is little G who, at this point in his young life, thinks he only likes chicken. In reality he likes “chicken” ham and “chicken” pork roast, “chicken” sausages and probably “chicken” crown roast of beef if we gave it to him. Basically as long as we call it chicken he seems to go along. Isn’t it delightful the little fibs we tell children. In any event the “chicken” lasagna from last week didn’t quite work for him so this week I figured I’d just do a basic chicken breast.

The rest of the menu came about via pantry, TV and CSA box surfing.

Menu
Baked chicken breast with onions, thyme & tarragon
Barley and red quinoa “pilaf”
Greens ‘n Beans
Pureed butternut squash

Bread from Davidian Farms
Homemade chocolate pudding

What’s in the box – week 19

We are now at week 19 of our CSA share from Siena Farms.

In the top row we have escarole, a Long Island cheese pumpkin and some Tuscan kale.

The second row has a bunch of fall French breakfast radishes, some rainbow carrots, red ace beets and a bulb of kohlrabi.

The bottom row has a handful of bok choy, a couple of leeks, a small bunch of cilantro and a pile of fingerling potatoes.

Apricot & Oat Squares

I found this recipe in an old issue (Jan/Feb 2003) of Saveur magazine. I made it this past weekend to bring to an event and it was very well received. I suppose a pound of butter will do that. 🙂

Apricot & Oat Squares

Prep time: 30 minutes
Bake time: 50 minutes plus cooling

Ingredients:

• 2 cups dried apricots, coarsely chopped
• 1 lb. (4 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1/4 tablespoon cubes
• 4 cups flour
• 3 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 2 cups light brown sugar
• 4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Put apricots into a medium saucepan and cover with 1″ of water. Bring to a rolling boil. Remove pot from heat and set aside until apricots are swollen and soft; about 5 minutes. Drain well and set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 13″x9″ glass baking dish with butter or a baking spray.
3. Mix the flour, oats, sugar, baking soda and salt together in a large bowl. Work the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles a coarse meal. I found it easiest to work in batches, adding about a third of butter to the flour and mixing that in with my hands by pinching the flour together with the butter cubes. Then I added another third and again working it in with my hands. Add the final third and work it again. I then put the bowl into the fridge for 5 or 10 minutes to let the butter firm up. Finally I used a pastry blender on the mixture for 3-5 minutes to make sure all the butter was blended in. You want to end up with something that is rough and crumbly, not a smooth dough.
4. Put 1/2 the flour/butter mixture into the bottom of the 13″x9″ pan and press it down with your hands or the bottom of a measuring cup. Scatter the apricots in an even layer on top of the flour mixture. Spread the remaining flour/butter mixture over the apricots and again press down. The flour/butter mixture doesn’t need to be packed densely, just enough so it stays together.
5. Bake until golden brown, about 50 minutes. Set on a rack to cool. Try to avoid consuming the entire pan in one sitting.

Saturday night – 10/08/11

Smaller group this week and no vegetarian so I made a main that integrated both the meat & starch. Ted made the stir fries and the bread.

Menu
Greek Lasagne (Pastitsio)
Stir fried broccoli
Stir fried leek, poblano, bell pepper, carrot, and broccoli stems

homemade bread
bread pudding with blueberry sauce

What’s in the box – week 18

We are now at week 18 of our CSA share from Siena Farms. The newsletter indicates that this is the last week for eggplant (hurrah!) and peppers (boo!). We were overwhelmed with eggplant this year, to the point where we were giving them away. Peppers on the other hand fit into almost anything.

In the top row we have a bag of mesclun mix, a head of arrowhead cabbage, a bunch of red Russian kale and a bunch of parsley.

The second row has several machiaw eggplant, a bunch of fall radishes, a bunch of golden beet and a couple parsnips.

The bottom row has a yellow “storage” onion, a green bell better , a couple Tiburon (poblano) peppers, a dozen or so small fairytale eggplants and a parcel of jalapenos.

Saturday night – 10/01/11

The weather went from warm and muggy to cool and muggy so the menu shifted to something a bit heartier. Other than wanting/needing to use a cabbage from last weeks CSA box I didn’t have much of a plan. A chance encounter with a likely preparation for the cabbage Friday afternoon pretty well set the rest into motion.

Menu
Baked chicken with bacon
Israeli Couscous with butternut squash, leeks, golden raisins and pine nuts
Braised cabbage (recipe in notes)
Salad greens with radishes & roasted beets

Ted’s homemade bread
Apple Crisp

What’s in the box – week 17

We are now at week 17 of our CSA share from Siena Farms. No eggplant this week, which is a pleasant surprise.

In the top row we have a bag of mesclun mix and a bag of braising mix, a butternut squash, a bunch of fall beets.

The second row has French breakfast radishes, 2 heads of broccoli and a pile of bac choi.

The bottom row has a pile of fingerling potatoes, some broccoli raab, 3 Tiburon (aka poblano) peppers and 2 leeks.