Next Year's Garlic
Hello Members - One of the best loved and most productive crops this season was our garlic! That all started last fall - when the garlic was planted. Garlic is a perennial and planting in the fall allows the plant to get its roots established. Once the temperature begins to drop the plant will go dormant for the winter. Due to our very cold winters, mulching is necessary to protect the plant. We cover our garlic with 6 inches of straw mulch. Within the next couple of weeks it will be time to plant our garlic for next year's crop. We will need volunteers to help us plant over 20,000 cloves. Will keep you updated - on planting dates if you would like to help.
Featured Vegetables this week
Bush Green Beans
Simple Skillet Green Beans
INGREDIENTS
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flake, or to taste
- 1.5 pounds green beans, trimmed
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons water
INSTRUCTIONS
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add red pepper flake and stir to coat the pepper in the oil. Add green beans and cook, stirring often until the beans are blistering and browning in areas, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic and salt and cook, stirring constantly until the garlic is fragrant and browning, about 30 seconds. Add water and immediately cover. Cook covered until the beans are bright green and crisp tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve immediately.
Butternut Squash
Mexican Hash
Ingredients
- 2 cups cubed butternut squash approx 1 small squash
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 onion diced
- 1 tbsp jalapeno pepper finely diced + more for garnish
- 1 red bell pepper chopped into small pieces
- 1/2 cup chopped chorizo
- 1 1/2 cups spinach
- 1 tsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp cilantro
- 3-4 eggs depending on the size of your skillet
- 1 avocado
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 175 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit)
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Peel and remove the seeds from the butternut squash and cut into small 1/2 inch sized cubes. Place the cubes in a bowl with 1 tbsp oil, smoked paprika and 1 tsp cumin and toss so that each cube is well seasoned. Place the butternut squash on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
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While the butternut squash cooks, in a cast iron skillet or oven proof frying pan saute the chorizo in 1 tbsp oil with a pinch of salt, the diced onion, peppers and 1 tbsp of the diced jalapeno. Once the onion becomes translucent (4-5 minutes) add in the spinach, 1/2 tsp lime juice and 1 tsp cumin. Cook for another minute.*
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Add the butternut squash to pan with the veggies and stir to ensure everything is evenly mixed. Create 3-4 wells in the mixture and crack an egg into each.
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Place the pan in the oven and cook for 8-10 minutes depending on how runny you prefer your eggs.
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Remove from the oven and serve with sliced avocado and wedges of lime.
Notes
This will be the last fruit share for the season. And as always Jim at Altamont Orchards likes to include some special fall treats in your share - and this year is no different - the share will include: Cortland Apples - Empire Apples - Concord Grapes - Apple Cider and Cider Donuts!
Cortland Apple - They are bright red and covered with dark red streaks; often they are capped with a green blush. Their crisp, finely-grained white flesh is exceptionally juicy with a sharp, sweet-tart flavor. Extremely slow to brown when cut, the Cortland apple is perfect for use in fresh apple preparations. Also very good for all cooking or baking applications.
Empire Apple - It is a medium sized apple and round with a creamy white interior. Its crisp and juicy flesh has a flavor that is sweet like a Red Delicious and tart like a McIntosh. Empire apples can be roasted, baked or sautéed. Their crisp flesh and sweet tart flavor make them perfect for fresh preparations such as chicken salad and coleslaw.
Easy Apple Cake
Ingredients
- 1-3/4 cups sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1-1/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups finely chopped peeled apples
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- 1-1/4 cups whipped topping
Directions
- 1. Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, beat the sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla until well blended. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and baking soda; gradually beat into sugar mixture until blended. Fold in apples and walnuts.
- 2. Transfer to a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35-45 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Serve with whipped topping.
- After testing many apple cake recipes with fresh apples, this old-fashioned cake is moist, dense and down-home delicious. Even better, it 's quick to fix and, served warm with whipped cream or a dollop of frozen custard, one of my family’s very favorite recipes for decades. —Sherry
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This cake is excellent! I cut the sugar back by 1/2 cup, substituted 1/2 cup applesauce for 1/2 cup oil and added an extra 3/4 cup of chopped apples. Since I had Golden Delicious Apples on hand this is what as used. The cake was still plenty sweet. I used a glass 13x9 and my gas oven took 41 minutes. This moist and delicious cake is a keeper and I am so thrilled to have found this easy recipe that utilizes ingredients that I have on hand. I will make again and would not hesitate to make for friends, neighbors and family!Concord Grapes
Concord Grape and Peanut Butter CrumbleIngredients
For Filling
- 480 grams (1.1 lb) Concord grapes roughly 3¾ cups
- 100 grams (½ cup) granulated sugar
- 7.5 mL (1½ teaspoon) fresh lemon juice
- 15 mL (1 tablespoon) minute tapioca
For the peanut butter crumble
- 70 grams (¾ cup) rolled oats (or large flake oats)
- 45 grams (⅓ cup) all-purpose flour
- 50 grams (¼ cup) light brown sugar
- 60 grams (¼ cup) all natural, unsweetened smooth peanut butter
- 58 grams (¼ cup) unsalted butter
Instructions
To make the filling
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Rinse the grapes thoroughly and dry them.
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Pinch grapes to push out the green flesh. Put the flesh into a medium saucepan, reserving the skins in a 7 inch round ramekin baking dish (like this one on Amazon).
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Add sugar and lemon juice to the pan, and cook on medium-high heat to bring the mixture to a boil. Continue heating for 6 to 8 minutes, until the flesh breaks down and releases the tiny seeds.
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Strain the mixture and push it through a sieve placed over the bowls of grape skins.
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Let the mixture cool for 10 minutes, add the tapioca, and then let it sit for 1 hour to cool at room temperature.
To make the peanut butter crumble
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Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
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Mix all the dry ingredients in a medium bowl, then work in the butter, followed by the peanut butter until the mixture resembles a coarse crumble (you can use your hands, a fork, or a pastry cutter for this step).
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Crumble the mixture over the grape filling.
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Bake the crumble for about 40 minutes, until the fruit filling is bubbling hot and the crumble is beginning to brown on the top.
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Let the crumble cool about 30 minutes before serving. Serve warm or cold.
Looks like another great weather weekend - Build some memories with family and friends -
Thank you for your very valued support of the CSA and Farm - as we feed the hungry together!
Very best, Bob
