Hello Members -  Sending you a picture of summer's beauty to enjoy on a wintery Monday overcast day!

 Same as last month - after receiving this email - you will receive a second final email from Harvie - so that the software program will generate labels for the share boxes.  There is nothing you need to do.  Each winter share box will contain the same produce.  You do not need to reply - Even though it says adjust cut-off time is 10 am - You do not need to reply. Thank you!

Pick-up  schedule for Thursday - January 14th and Friday - January 15th  

Regional Food Bank (965 Albany Shaker Rd, Latham) – Thursday  3 – 6 pm  Friday  8 am  - 4 pm

Patroon Land Farm (132 Ketcham Rd, Voorheesville)  - Thursday 11 am  – 5 pm  - Friday  9 am – 2 pm

Clifton Park (Exit 8 – 40 Longwood Drive, Clifton Park) - Thursday  12 noon – 6 pm

Great Flats Brewing ( 15 Lafayette St, Schenectady)  -  Thursday  4 – 8 pm

EOC (39 Bath St, Ballston Spa ) - Thursday 12 - 4:30 pm - Please call when you arrive - they will bring out your share  - 518-288-3206

This is our last winter share - we cannot thank you enough for your support - we enjoyed extending the season and bringing to your tables our first winter shares! Some items in this week's share will be - apples, beets, cabbage, carrots, onions, potatoes, turnips, and winter squash!

Currently working with Harvie to set up our 2021 Summer Season - I will be back in touch with you next month with lots of information to fill you in on the summer season ahead!

Very best, Bob

30-Minute Kielbasa and Cabbage Skillet

If you’re new to cooking with cabbage (or skeptical that you’ll like it), I encourage you to give this skillet dinner a try. Once you watch the crunchy crucifer turn tender, golden, and buttery alongside smoky sliced sausage and a sprinkle of caraway seeds, you’ll be hooked. Apples and mustard are classic accompaniments to both kielbasa and cabbage, so you’ll finish this 30-minute meal with a splash of sweet and tangy apple cider vinegar and whole-grain mustard.

INGREDIENTS

• 12 to 16 ounces 

  kielbasa sausage

• 1/2 

  small (2- to 3-pound) head green cabbage

• 2 tablespoons 

  unsalted butter or ghee

• 1/4 teaspoon 

  caraway seeds

• Pinch red pepper flakes

• 1/4 teaspoon 

  kosher salt

• 1/4 teaspoon 

  freshly ground black pepper

• 1 tablespoon 

  whole-grain mustard

• 1 tablespoon 

  apple cider vinegar

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Halve 12 to 16 ounces kielbasa sausage lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide pieces. Core and chop 1/2 head green cabbage into rough 1-inch pieces (about 8 cups).

2. Melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in a large cast iron or regular skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds and a pinch red pepper flakes, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the kielbasa and cook until browned, 6 to 8 minutes.

3. Add the cabbage, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom of the pan to release any browned bits, until tender and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard and 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar and toss to combine.

RECIPE NOTES

Make ahead: The sausage and cabbage can be cut and refrigerated separately up to 3 days in advance.

Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

 

Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls Bowls

YIELD Serves 8

INGREDIENTS

For the oven-braised cabbage:

• Cooking spray or vegetable oil

• 1 

  large green cabbage (about 2 1/2 pounds)

• 1/4 cup 

  low-sodium chicken broth or water

• 1 teaspoon 

  kosher salt

• 1/2 teaspoon 

  freshly ground black pepper

For the sauce and serving:

• 1 tablespoon 

  vegetable oil

• 1 

  medium yellow onion, diced (about 2 cups)

• Kosher salt

• 2 pounds 

  lean ground beef or ground dark turkey

• 3 

  (15-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes

• 3 tablespoons 

  raisins

• 3 tablespoons 

  packed light brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon 

  ground cinnamon

• Finely grated zest of 1 medium lemon

• Juice of 1 lemon lemon (about 3 tablespoons)

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 6 cups 

  hot, cooked white rice, for serving (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

For the cabbage:

1.  Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 325°F. Coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray or oil; set aside.

2. Quarter the cabbage through the core. Cut each quarter in half, leaving a piece of the core attached to each wedge to hold it together, for a total of 8 wedges.

3. Arrange the wedges in a single layer in the baking dish, tucking them in tightly, if necessary. Pour the broth or water over the wedges and season with the salt and pepper. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake until the cabbage is tender but not falling apart, about 45 minutes. Meanwhile, make the sauce.

For the sauce:

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook until softened, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add the ground meat and cook, breaking up the meat into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.

2. Stir in the tomatoes, raisins, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Keep warm over very low heat until the cabbage is ready. Just before serving, stir the lemon zest and juice into the sauce. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.

3. To serve, spoon rice onto serving plates. Top with a wedge of cabbage and ladle the sauce over the top.

RECIPE NOTES

Make ahead: The sauce can be made up to 1 day ahead. Cool, cover, and refrigerate. Cook the cabbage fresh because it does not reheat well.

Variation: Instead of braising the cabbage, grill it! Heat a gas or charcoal grill (or grill pan) to medium. Lightly brush the cut sides of the wedges with vegetable oil. Arrange them cut-side down in a single layer on the grate. Cover and cook until the cabbage begins to wilt and soften and the leafy edges blacken a bit, 6 to 8 minutes. Flip each wedge over, cover, and cook the other side. Charred and crisp-tender are delicious, but burnt and raw hold no charm, so reduce the heat or move the wedges to the cool side of the grill as needed.

Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days

 

Easy Cabbage & White Bean Soup

YIELD Serves 8

 This recipe ushers in a fresh start for cabbage soup. Let’s celebrate its flavor, color, and the fact that it’s chock-full of healthful vegetables. It keeps nicely for days, as big-batch soup should. 

INGREDIENTS

• 1
• medium yellow onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 

  medium carrots, coarsely chopped (about 1 cup)

• 1 

  small fennel bulb, cored and coarsely chopped (about 1 cup)

• 3 

  cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

• 2 tablespoons 

  olive oil, plus more for drizzling

• Kosher salt

• 1/4 cup 

  tomato paste

• 6 cups 

  low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth

• 1 

  very small cabbage (about 1 pound), such as Savoy, cored and thinly shredded

• 2 pieces 

  Parmesan cheese rind (optional)

• 2 

  (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained but not rinsed

• 1 tablespoon 

  fresh thyme leaves

• 1/4 cup 

  thinly sliced fresh basil leaves

• Freshly ground black pepper

• Red pepper flakes

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place the onion, carrots, fennel, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment and pulse until very finely chopped but not pureéd. (Alternatively, chop the vegetables as finely as possible with a knife.)

2. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large soup pot over medium heat until shimmering. Stir in the onion mixture and a big pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft, about 10 minutes. The vegetables will nearly melt into a sauce. Increase the heat to medium-high. Stir in the tomato paste and cook, stirring quickly and continuously, until the mixture begins to sizzle, about 1 minute.

3. Stir in the broth and bring to a simmer. Stir in the cabbage and another big pinch of salt. Drop in the Parmesan rinds, if using. Simmer until the cabbage is very tender, stirring occaisonally, about 25 minutes. Retrieve the cheese rinds and either discard or nibble on them as a cook’s treat.

4. Stir in the beans, thyme, and basil and simmer to warm through, about 5 minutes. Taste and season generously with salt, pepper, and pepper flakes as needed. Serve warm, drizzled with olive oil.

RECIPE NOTES

Shredded cabbage: Instead of a whole cabbage, use 8 cups preshredded cabbage.

Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 2 months.

 

Simple Roasted Turnips

 PREP TIME10 minutes

COOK TIME30 minutes

TOTAL TIME40 minutes

 SERVINGS4

 

 

These Roasted Turnips are crispy on the outside and perfectly seasoned!

 

Ingredients

• 1 ½ pounds turnips peeled and cut into bite sized pieces
• ▢2 teaspoons olive oil
• ▢⅛ teaspoon ground sage
• ▢kosher salt & pepper to taste
• ▢2 teaspoons butter

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Toss turnips with olive oil, sage, salt & pepper.
• Roast 30-35 minutes or until tender.
• Remove from the oven, toss with butter and season to taste.

Recipe Notes

If you cut the turnips a bit larger, they will need longer to cook. Smaller pieces will cook a bit faster.

 

Turnip and Kale Gratin

Ingredients

8 SERVINGS

5

garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2

cups heavy cream

½

teaspoon dried thyme

2

tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

3

medium onions, thinly sliced

 

Kosher salt

3

bunches Tuscan kale, ribs and stems removed, leaves torn

4

medium turnips (about 1¾ pounds total), trimmed, peeled, cut into ½-inch pieces

3

large eggs, beaten to blend

4

ounces Fontina cheese, grated (about 1 cup)

1

ounce Parmesan, finely grated (about 1 cup)

8

ounces day-old white country-style bread, cut into ½-inch pieces

 

Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Step 1

Bring garlic, cream, and thyme to a bare simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and let cream simmer 30 minutes. Let cool.

Step 2

Meanwhile, heat 1 Tbsp. butter in a large skillet over medium-low. Add onions, season with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally and adding a splash or two of water if onions begin to stick to pan, until caramelized and amber colored, 45–60 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool. Wipe out skillet.

Step 3

Heat remaining 1 Tbsp. butter in same skillet. Working in batches, add kale, tossing and letting it wilt slightly before adding more; season with salt. Cook until kale is wilted and tender, 5–8 minutes; transfer to bowl with onions.

Step 4

While kale is cooking, cook turnips in a large pot of boiling well-salted water until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes; drain. Transfer to a bowl of ice water and let cool. Drain; pat dry. Transfer to bowl with onions.

Step 5

Preheat oven to 375°. Whisk eggs, Fontina cheese, Parmesan, and cooled cream mixture in a large bowl to combine. Add onion mixture and bread; season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a 13x9" baking dish and press down on mixture with your hands to form a tight, even layer. Bake gratin, uncovered, until well browned, 40–50 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Step 6

Do Ahead: Gratin can be assembled 12 hours ahead. Cover and chill.

 

Balsamic Roasted Beets Recipe

 

Made with 5 ingredients including fresh beets, this easy Balsamic Roasted Beets recipe is a great side dish or addition to your favorite salad! They are gluten-free, dairy-free, Paleo and vegan-friendly! 

 

 

 

 Prep Time5 minutes

 Cook Time40 minutes

 Total Time45 minutes

 

 Servings6 Servings (about 1/3 cup each)

 

Ingredients

• 3 beets peeled & diced (about 3 cups)*
• 1 TBS olive oil
• ½ tsp sea salt
• 1 TBS balsamic vinegar
• 1 TBS honey (pure maple syrup for a vegan version)

US Customary - Metric

 

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Grease a large baking sheet or dish, set aside.
• Peel and cut 3 beets into 1” cubes.
• Toss beets with 1 TBS olive oil and ½ tsp sea salt.
• Spread onto a greased baking dish in an even layer.
• Bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes.
• After 15-20 minutes, stir and bake for 10 minutes more or until beets feel soft to the touch.
• Mix together balsamic vinegar and honey.
• After 30 minutes (or when beets are soft to the touch), remove beets from the oven and add the honey/vinegar mixture to the baking dish.
• Stir until all the beets are evenly coated.
• Return to the oven for 10 minutes, stirring once half way through.
• Roast until the balsamic/honey mixture coats the beets (and isn’t runny).
• Remove from the oven and serve warm or store and serve later over your favorite salads.

Notes

*Instead of peeling and cutting the beets, you could roast them whole in the following way: 1) Wrap beets individually in aluminum foil and set on a baking sheet. 2) Roast in an oven set to 450 degrees F until the beets are soft to the touch, 50-70 minutes depending on the size of the beets. 3) Remove skin from beets with your hands or a vegetable peeler. (at this point you can store the roasted beets until later when you’re ready to add the rest of the ingredients, dice and roast) 4) dice and toss with recipe ingredients. 5) Roast for 10-15 minutes at 425 degrees F until beets are soft and the balsamic mixture is thick and coats the beets.

 

Note on baking time: 

The size the beets are cut to makes a difference in roasting time. Please be aware of this and check your beets after 15 minutes of cooking to ensure they are not getting overdone! 

 

 

Creamy Beet Hummus

• Prep Time: 5 minutes
 
• Cook Time: 0 minutes
 
• Yield: 1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) 1x

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INGREDIENTS

• 1 cooked beet*
• 1 medium garlic clove
• 1 15-­ounce can chickpeas (1 1/2 cups cooked)
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin (optional)
• Cilantro, to garnish (we also garnished with finely chopped cashews)

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INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cook the beet (it’s easiest to use a leftover cooked beet!): Go to Oven Roasted Beet, Instant Pot Beets, or How to Boil Beets.
2. Peel the garlic. Drain the chickpeas into a liquid measuring cup. Juice the lemon.
3. Add the garlic to the bowl of a food processor and process until finely chopped. Add beet (cut into quarters), chickpeas, lemon juice, tahini, kosher salt, and 3 tablespoons aquafaba (water from the chickpea can). Puree for 30 seconds, then scrape down the bowl. Taste. If necessary, add 1 to 2 tablespoons aquafaba. Puree for 1 to 2 minutes to come to a creamy consistency. Store refrigerated for 7 to 10 days.
4. Top the hummus with cilantro leaves. Serve with veggies, pita bread, or crackers (like these homemade crackers!)

 

Easy Roasted Beets Recipe

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
 
• Cook Time: 1 hour
 
• Yield: 4 1x

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INGREDIENTS

• 4 beets
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Thinly sliced chives, for garnish
• 2 ounces soft goat cheese (optional)

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INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Wash the beets. Trim off all but about 1 inch of the beet greens (you can save them for later and use them in salads). Leaving on the stem helps keep the beets from “bleeding” out red juice in the oven.
3. Rub the beets lightly with olive oil. Place the beets in a covered oven proof dish. (You also can wrap each beet individually in aluminum foil and place them on the oven grates).
4. Roast the beets for 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours, depending on the size and freshness, until tender when pierced with a fork. Check every 10 minutes until tender; we’ve found medium sized beets take about 1 hour.
5. Allow them to cool for a few minutes. Then place them under cool water and rub off the skins with your fingers. You can serve immediately, or refrigerate the whole beets until serving and serve them cold.
6. Slice the beets into rounds and arrange them on a plate. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with 1 pinch kosher salt. If desired, add goat cheese dollops.

 

Apple Muffins with Streusel

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
 
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
 
• Yield: 12 1x

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INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
• 3/4 cup rolled oats, divided
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon, divided
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1 1/4 cups applesauce
• 1 cup diced apple (1 medium apple)
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup turbinado sugar
• 1/4 cup salted butter, cold and cut into small pieces

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INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Add 12 muffin cups to a muffin tin.
2. In a medium bowl, mix the 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup rolled oats, and 2 teaspoons cinnamon with the ginger, allspice, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt.
3. In another bowl, combine the maple syrup, applesauce, unsalted butter (melted), and vanilla.
4. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until a smooth batter forms. Mix in the diced apple.
5. In another medium bowl, add the remaining 1/4 cup rolled oats, 2 tablespoons flour, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon along with the turbinado sugar and salted butter (cut into small pieces). Cut the butter into the remaining ingredients using a pastry cutter or fork until it’s evenly combined and a crumbly streusel topping forms.
6. Divide the batter evenly into the muffin cups. Then top with a thin layer of streusel.
7. Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean (if your oven is uneven, reverse the pan halfway through). Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove the muffins and place them on a cooling rack to fully cool.