Plum Kuchen

Photos courtesy of the Girl

A few weeks ago, the girl and I were at Whole Foods and she spotted some prune plums. She immediately asked if they were organic because she had a plum kuchen (German for cake) recipe she wanted to try. Unfortunately they were not, so we left the store without the plums.

The next week at the Copley Square farmer's market, I was looking a the fantastic fruit at the stands and what did I find? Organic prune plums! I left the market with a quart of plums and knew a plum kuchen would be baked in the near future.
The prune plums are Italian and are smaller than the standard plums you see at the store. They have a very nice dark color and their firmness stands up well in the kuchen. The recipe original recipe was changed slightly by the girl (changes included below) to have cardamom instead of cinnamon. She also added vanilla extract for a bit more depth of flavor.
Enjoy!

Plum Kuchen
Adapted from The New Elegant But Easy Cookbook

Ingredients
1/4 pound unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup plus 1 or 2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup unbleached flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cardamom or more, to taste
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
24 halves pitted Italian (prune or purple) plums
cinnamon to taste  (can omit this)

Directions
1. Arrange a rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Cream the butter and the 3/4 cup of sugar until pale in color (5 minutes or more is ideal). Sift the flour, baking powder, cardamom, and salt together and add to the butter and sugar mixture. Make a well, add the eggs and vanilla, and beat just to combine. Be careful not to overwork the dough - folding is great for this. Spoon the batter into an ungreased 9- or 10-inch springform pan (or an 8 x 8 square pan). Cover the top with the plums, skin sides down. Mix the cinnamon with the remaining 1 or 2 tablespoons of sugar and sprinkle this over the top.

3. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool; refrigerate or freeze if desired.

4. To serve, let the cake return to room temperature and reheat at 300 degrees until warm, if desired. Serve plain or with vanilla ice cream.

German Potato Salad

Potato salad. A New England cookout staple. Chunks of potato, mixed with mayo, maybe some onion or cherry tomatoes, it's a classic summertime side dish. Unfortunately, mayo doesn't keep very well outside in hot temperatures. It has never been my favorite, unless I get the first scoop from the fridge or cooler when I know it hasn't been baking in the sun.

The solution? German potato salad. The vinegar and mustard based dressing on this style of salad keeps it fresh and delicious all cookout long (although it probably won't last very long!).

The recipe we used is from How Stuff Works (the girl also put it in a cookbook of our favorite recipes for our anniversary). This salad goes well with chicken, burgers or Italian sausage. We used some early new potatoes from my CSA and I'm sure we will make it again with our homegrown fingerlings! Give it a try the next time you are tasked with bringing a side dish to a cookout. I'm sure everyone will be happy with the change of pace from classic pasta salad!

Lemon Romano Vinaigrette

In the summer, the girl and I love a simple grilled chicken salad for dinner. Our go-to dressing is usually a basic balsamic and olive oil drizzle. We were flipping through a recent Everyday Food magazine and came across a section full of simple salad dressings. Wanting something different, we decided to try out a lemon Parmesan recipe. We tweaked it slightly (more lemon, Pecorino Romano instead of Parmesan) and lightly dressed our salad with it.

Lemon Pecorino Vinaigrette
Adapted from Everyday Food

Ingredients
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Pinch of sugar
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano

Directions
In a small bowl, whisk together 1/3 cup lemon juice, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and a pinch of sugar.

Slowly add 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, whisking until emulsified. Or shake the ingredients in a jar, or whirl them in a blender. (We put all ingredients in a small jar and shook...worked like a charm!)

*Another easy salad idea that goes well with this dressing: Thinly slice a large fennel bulb (I had one from my CSA) and half a Granny Smith apple. Toss together with lemon dressing (as much as you'd like, but I'd recommend a small amount so as not to over power the fennel and apple flavors). This is a great hot weather side dish. Crisp, bright, and delicious!

Cream Scones and a Royal Wedding

All Photos From The Girl

Unless you've been hiding under a rock for the past few months, you know that there was a Royal Wedding in London at the end of April. The girl and I decided that we would get up bright and early (5:45 am EST) and watch the wedding of the future King of England. We'd clearly need some breakfast to go along with our tea, so the night before I decided to try my hand at baking up cream scones...with some help from the girl (she's a wonderful baker...I, well - I'm still learning!).

I found a simple recipe for English scones (pronounced "skohns" in the U.K.) and made it as is for the wedding morning. The scones came out okay, but were a little dense. After talking to the girl about the texture, I realized I'd overworked them a bit and that had toughened them. Nevertheless, they were delicious topped with raspberry jam for our morning of wishing we lived in London.

I tried the recipe again about a week later and tweaked it slightly. Instead of the milk listed in the ingredients, I used cream. I also made sure not to overwork them and used the "well technique" for mixing the wet ingredients into the dry (which helped a lot in keeping them lighter). The second batch was even better than the first! They had a wonderful, soft texture with just enough richness, and the butter made beautifully flaked layers. This is now a go-to recipe for me for a breakfast get-together. They are pretty easy to make (even for a non-baker!), and they are sure to be crowd pleasers as you can top them with whatever you like - clotted cream, butter, jam, jelly, lemon curd, or savory cheese and ham!

Scone with raspberry jam

English Cream Scones
Adapted from Taste of Home

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup cold butter or margarine
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 egg
Additional milk or cream

Directions
In a bowl, combine flour, sugar and baking powder. Cut in butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Beat heavy cream and egg; add to dry ingredients using a well technique, stirring lightly. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; roll to 1-in. thickness. Cut with a 2-1/2-in. biscuit cutter. Bake at 425° for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Scones with butter, lemon curd and raspberry jam

Rhubarb Cranberry Conserve

Growing up, I was mystified by the plant in my Mom's garden with bright red stalks and big green leaves. I soon found out that it was called rhubarb. Each year, my mom would harvest stalks off the plant, chop them up, and cook them for hours on the stove with oranges, raisins, and sugar. Eventually, it became something she called "Rhubarb Conserve". I didn't eat a lot of it back then, but as I've gotten older I've learned to love it. Every time she makes a batch, I try to snag a few jars for myself. They get eaten pretty quickly once opened!

My mom was gracious enough to pass on a copy of her old recipe card (originally printed with a typewriter!) to the girl and myself so we could make some ourselves. The girl had the idea to use cranberries instead of raisins, kumquats instead of oranges, and a lot less sugar. The result was amazing, both in color and flavor. We gave some to my parents after it was done, and luckily my Mom gave her seal of approval.

It's great on toast or an English muffin, or stirred into yogurt, frozen yogurt, or ice cream. You could also top a plain angel food, bundt, or pound cake with it for a simple dessert.

Rhubarb Cranberry Conserve

1 qt. sliced rhubarb
12 oz. kumquats, seeds removed and sliced into half-moons
3 1/8 c. sugar (probably could make this just 3 c. even, depending on how sour your rhubarb is)
20 oz. crushed pineapple, or 20 oz. pineapple rings chopped in a food processor

Mix everything together and let stand for 2 hours. Boil for 15 mins, stirring often so it doesn't burn.

Add:

1/2 c. dried sweetened cranberries
1/2 c. fresh cranberries (you could use all dried or all fresh)
1/2 c. walnuts, broken into small pieces

Cook until thick, stirring constantly so it doesn't burn. (The mixture will thicken even more once it's cooled.)

Let cool and then store in the fridge.

Beet Hummus

Photos courtesy of the girl

Two things the girl and I love: beets, and hummus. What could be better than putting them together?! Making your own hummus is pretty simple, and this recipe just uses beets instead of the normal chickpeas.

We used this recipe as a base for our beet hummus and made a few tweaks. Instead of regular black pepper, we used a pinch of smoked pepper for another flavor dimension. (It basically makes anything taste like it's been grilled.) Also, since we didn't have enough lemons, we used the zest from one lime as well.

Cooking the beets is what takes the longest in this whole process, but it's totally worth it. Give this recipe a shot the next time you are having a get-together - the color alone will have people talking about it!

Ropa Vieja

The weather is warming up in New England, but since we've still had some cool nights, I recently got out my crock-pot to make a nice, hot meal. The slow cooker is a great way to cook one-pot meals, even in the summer, because it doesn't give off nearly as much heat as cooking a stew on the stove for hours.

I'd been flipping through loose recipes and found a printout of a Cuban Ropa Vieja. The name literally means "old clothes", because you cook the meat slowly for several hours until the meat just falls apart.

The gist of the recipe is simple: sear a piece of steak in a hot pan to get it nice and brown, then chop a bell pepper and an onion. Put it all together in a crock-pot with some liquid and some spices, set it to cook, and walk away!

The recipe originally calls for adding beef stock to tomato sauce and paste. I decided to change it up, however, by using Newcastle instead. I was initially worried that hours of cooking would make the beer's flavor too bitter, but I found that I really enjoyed the addition of it. (Plus, there was some leftover beer to drink with dinner!)

I served this on corn tortillas with shredded cheese and a little homemade lime crema (read: sour cream thinned with lime juice). I think this would also be good served with some rice on the side, or wrapped up like a burrito.

Ropa Vieja
Adapted from All Recipes

Ingredients
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 pounds beef flank steak
1 cup beer (I used Newcastle)
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 small onion, sliced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon cider vinegar

Directions

1) Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the flank steak on each side, about 4 minutes per side.

2) Transfer beef to a slow cooker. Pour in the beer and tomato sauce, then add the onion, bell pepper, garlic, tomato paste, cumin, olive oil and vinegar. Stir until well blended.

3) Cover, and cook on "High" for 4 hours, or on "Low" for up to 10 hours. When ready to serve, shred meat and serve with tortillas or rice.

Chicken, Spinach, and Pear Stew

What's better on a cold winter night than a nice bowl of stew? I would say pretty much nothing. No set recipe here, just more of a basic idea from a dinner we had recently.

The girl and I browned off some chicken thighs in one pan while sauteing onions and carrots in another. We then added the thighs to the veggie pot, and added enough chicken broth to create a stew-like consistency. The girl seasoned it using yellow mustard seeds and a few spoonfuls of mostarda (we modified this recipe slightly).

Once the mixture came up to a simmer, we added torn spinach leaves (remember, spinach cooks down a lot, so don't be stingy!). Since the mostarda already has pear in it, the girl decided to roughly chop up a pear and toss it in towards the end to enhance the flavor. We didn't let it cook for too long after that, however, because we didn't want it to become mushy. We let it cook just long enough to soften the pear and the spinach, and then it was time to eat! We toasted up fresh whole wheat rolls to soak up any broth left in the bowl.

Graham Cracker Candy

Photo courtesy of the girl

Looking to make your girlfriend smile this Valentine's Day? Skip the boxed chocolates and make her this delicious candy! The girl and I made this for Christmas, but it's perfect for any occasion.

It's a variation on the well-known saltine candy recipe, made instead with graham crackers and almonds. Don't be shy about adding the salt! It may seem like quite a lot initially, but the salty finish really makes the whole thing come together and keeps it from being overly sweet.

Graham Cracker Candy

Adapted by the girl from “Homemade Candy from the food editors of Farm Journal”, and the blog "Not Without Salt"

Ingredients
4.5 graham cracker sheets
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup + 2 T butter
Sea salt or any fine finishing salt (we used pink Hawaiian sea salt)
3/4 bag bittersweet or dark chocolate chips


Directions

1) Lightly butter a 9 × 9 baking dish, and pre-heat the oven to 325*.

2) Arrange the graham crackers on the bottom of the dish and sprinkle the toasted almonds on top. Put aside.

3) In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Add the brown sugar and boil for 3 minutes. Then pour this mixture over the crackers and almonds in an even layer. (I recommend drizzling in up and down rows, then using what's left in the saucepan to fill in the gaps.)

4) Sprinkle with a good amount of salt. You want 3 - 4 grains in every square inch. (The salt keeps the candy from being too sweet, as it's the last flavor you taste.)

5) Place the dish in the oven and bake for 10 - 12 minutes, or until the sugar mixture is bubbling all over.

6) Remove from the oven. Once it's stopped bubbling, sprinkle on the chocolate chips and let the residual heat melt them. Use a spatula or knife to smooth the melted chocolate chips so they cover the entire surface.

7) While still warm, score the candy with a sharp knife. (I'd recommend small squares, as the candy is very rich.)

8) Place in the freezer for 10 minutes to set. Remove, and use the sharp knife again to cut along the score marks.

Serve immediately, or keep in an airtight container for up to one week. The candy can also be frozen for up to one month.

Candied Orange Peels

These candied orange peels are an easy-to-make treat for any occasion, adapted from a Martha Stewart recipe. I picked up a bag of organic oranges for this, as I wanted to avoid using peels that may have wax or chemicals on them.

Martha says to take off all of the white pith of the orange rind before blanching and boiling in the sugar syrup. While it's a good idea to get as much of it off as you can, it's fine if some of it is left on. The slight bitterness of the bit of pith actually pairs very nicely with the sweetness of the sugar.

If you really want to go all out, you can dip the candied peels in melted dark chocolate (to create "orangettes") instead of rolling them in sugar.

Candied Orange Peels

Adapted from Martha Stewart

Ingredients

4 oranges (organic are best)
4 cups sugar plus extra for rolling

4 cups water

Directions

1) Using a paring knife, make 6 slits along curve from top to bottom of each orange, cutting through peel but not into fruit. Using your fingers, gently remove peel. Reserve fruit for another use. Slice each piece of peel lengthwise into 1/4-inch-wide strips. Again using a paring knife, remove excess pith from each strip and discard.

2) Place the strips in a large saucepan, and cover them with cold water. Bring them to a boil, then drain. Repeat this twice.

3) Bring the sugar and water to a boil, stirring the mixture occasionally until the sugar dissolves. Then stop stirring and wash the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush to prevent sugar crystals from forming. Add the strips to the boiling syrup, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer gently until the strips are translucent (about 1 hour). Remove the pan from the heat, and let the strips cool in the syrup. (The strips in syrup will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 3 weeks.)

4) Using a slotted spoon, transfer the strips to a wire rack placed on a rimmed baking sheet. Wipe off any excess syrup with paper towels and then roll the strips in sugar. Arrange them in a single layer on a wire rack, and let them dry for at least 30 minutes. The sugared peels will keep, covered at room temperature, for up to 2 weeks.

Candy Cane Marshmallows

Photo Courtesy of The Girl

As part of the Christmas food making, I made some candy cane marshmallows adapted from Martha Stewart (I kicked up the peppermint flavor!). The girl and I made some vanilla marshmallows last year and they were so easy to make. Try one of these in a cup of coffee or hot chocolate, it's to die for!

Candy Cane Marshmallows
Adapted from Martha Stewart

These can be made by one person but I found it easier to have a second person helping (thanks to the girl's Mom!)

Ingredients:
Vegetable-oil cooking spray
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
4 packages (1/4 ounce each) unflavored gelatin
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 large egg whites
2 teaspoons red food coloring
1 cup confectioners sugar (for tossing cut marshmallows)

Directions:
1) Coat an 8-inch square pan with cooking spray; line bottom with parchment paper. Coat the parchment with cooking spray, and set pan aside. Put sugar, corn syrup, and 3/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Stop stirring; let mixture come to a boil. Raise heat to medium-high; cook until mixture registers 260 degrees on a candy thermometer.

2) Meanwhile, sprinkle gelatin over 3/4 cup water in a heatproof bowl; let stand 5 minutes to soften. Set the bowl with the gelatin mixture over a pan of simmering water; whisk constantly until gelatin is dissolved. Remove from heat, and stir in extract; set aside.

3) Beat egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until stiff (but not dry) peaks form. Whisk gelatin mixture into sugar mixture; with mixer running, gradually add to egg whites. Mix on high speed until very thick, 12 to 15 minutes.

4) Pour mixture into lined pan. Working quickly, drop dots of red food coloring across surface of marshmallow. Using a toothpick, swirl food coloring into marshmallow to create a marbleized effect. Let marshmallow stand, uncovered, at room temperature until firm, at least 3 hours or overnight.

5) Cut into squares 1 to 1.5 inches square. Toss the cut marshmallows in confectioners sugar to keep them from sticking to each other.

Spicy Guinness Mustard

Photo Courtesy of The Girl

Do you love mustard? Is it on or in everything you make? Well as I found out, making your own mustard is really pretty easy and tastes much better than what you get from the store! I found this recipe in Saveur Magazine and decided to make a batch for my Dad for Christmas (and of course some extra for myself!). It was really simple and was delicious with the day after Christmas ham sandwiches!

Spicy Guinness Mustard
Adapted from Saveur Magazine

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Guinness Extra Stout
1/4 cup brown mustard seeds
1/4 cup yellow mustard seeds
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/3 tbsp. kosher salt
1/3 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp. ground allspice
1/8 tsp. ground ginger

Directions:
1. Combine ingredients in a nonreactive mixing bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 1–2 days so that the mustard seeds soften and the flavors meld. You can leave this in the refrigerator for another couple of days and it won't be a problem.

2. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a food processor and process, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, until the seeds are coarsely ground and the mixture thickens, about 3 minutes. If the mixture is too thick, add more vinegar (I used some malt vinegar). You can process this to whatever consistency you like. We left it very thick as we like that texture but you could certainly grind it down to a smoother consistency. Transfer to a jar and cover.

3. Refrigerate overnight and use immediately or refrigerate for up to 6 months. (The flavor of the mustard will mellow as the condiment ages.)

Corn and Chicken Stuffed Cubanelle Peppers (CSA Recipe)

Photo courtesy of Farmer Dave's

My CSA share over the past few weeks has been a steady stream of beautiful tomatoes, all kinds of peppers, and ears of corn along as well as some squash and eggplant. I've put together a quick recipe for chicken-and-corn-stuffed cubanelle peppers. As with most of the recipes on this site, it can be changed in any number of ways based on what you have for fresh ingredients and on your tastes. Enjoy!

Corn-and-Chicken-Stuffed Cubanelle Peppers

Serves 2

Ingredients:
4 Cubanelle peppers (Poblanos would work well too)
2 ears of corn; kernels removed
1 tomato; seeded & diced
1/2 lb ground chicken; browned
1 clove of garlic; minced
1/2 jalapeno; seeds & ribs removed; diced
1 Tbsp ground cumin
salt & pepper to taste
juice from 1/2 Lime
grated Monterey Jack cheese (or Cheddar)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the corn, tomato, ground chicken, garlic, jalapeno, cumin, salt & pepper, and lime juice in a bowl.
2. Add some of the cheese to the mixture and toss until all ingredients are incorporated.
3. Using a paring knife, cut a T shape into the peppers.
4. Carefully stuff the peppers with your chicken and corn mixture, taking care not to rip them.
5. Place in a baking dish and cover with foil; put in a 350 degree oven for 25 - 35 minutes (until peppers are soft).
6. When peppers are soft, sprinkle the top of each pepper with more cheese and put them back into the oven, uncovered, until the cheese is melted and starting to brown.
7. Serve with rice, seasoned beans, or your favorite side dish!

Southwestern Corn Salsa (CSA Week 7 & 8 Recipe)

Since the summer is now in full swing, I've started getting ears of corn in my CSA share for the past couple of weeks. I really love corn from farm stands; it tastes so much better and sweeter than the stuff you get in the grocery store! The first week I got corn, we went the simple route by just boiling it for a few minutes and putting butter, salt and pepper on it. It was delicious!

This week, I decided I wanted to try something else - something simple that would also have good flavor. What came to mind? Salsa. I love salsa, I really do. Corn salsa, mango salsa, peach salsa, just straight pico de gallo...I don't discriminate when it comes to salsa. Luckily, the share this week also contained onions, tomatoes, and cubanelle peppers. The perfect ingredients for salsa fell right into my lap! (By the way, I'm still getting squash of all shapes and sizes. I see lots more zucchini bread in my future...)

I decided that I wanted to roast the corn in the oven (rather than just boiling it), so I soaked it in its husks in water for about 25 minutes while the oven was preheating to 350 degrees. Then I put it directly onto the oven rack, husk and all, for 25 minutes. Next, I roasted the cubanelle by putting the broiler on high and leaving the pepper under it until the skin started to blister. Then I flipped it over and did the same thing for the other side. (Make sure you pay attention, as it can burn really quickly!) Then I pulled off the skin, took the seeds out, and removed the stem. Everything was ready to make the salsa!

I think one of the reasons I love salsa is that it is so simple. There really aren't any rules, you can make it however you like it, and it's one of the easiest things to make. It's also really versatile in terms of what you can pair it with. Below is the recipe I created for my corn salsa, but it's just a base. Change it up however you would like! I would love to hear about which salsas you've made in the past, so feel free to shoot me an email (bostonfound at gmail dot com)!

Southwestern Corn Salsa

Ingredients:
2 Ears of corn (in husk)
1 Cubanelle pepper
1 Small onion; minced
1 Large tomato; diced (seeded if you prefer)
1 Tbsp Ground Cumin
3 Tbsp Olive Oil
Juice from 1 lime
Salt & Pepper to taste
Red Flake
Cilantro; chopped (optional)

Directions:

1) Soak the corn in water in the husks for 25 minutes; Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2) Roast the corn in the preheated oven for 25 minutes; Remove from oven and let cool.
3) Place cubanelle pepper under broiler until the skins starts to blister. Flip and cook other side until the skin blisters; Remove from the oven and let cool. Remove the skin and seeds from the cubanelle.
4) Cut corn kernels off the cob and place in a large bowl.
5) Dice the cubanelle to size similar to the corn kernels and add to the bowl.
6) Add the tomato, onions, juice of lime, olive oil and spices to the bowl.
7) Mix all ingredients together and test the seasoning.
8) Add in the cilantro if using and let sit for 15 minutes in the refrigerator.

Enjoy this salsa with tacos, or as a nice side for a piece of grilled chicken or steak!

Zucchini Bread with Cranberries (CSA Week 5 & 6 Recipe)

The zucchini and squash are still appearing in the CSA baskets, as they have been for the past few weeks. I've made zucchini bread with the girl before, so I decided to use the squash that was the size of my forearm (no, really, it was that big!) to make it again.

This time, however, I added cranberries from one of last fall's farmers' market that I still had in my freezer. (Note: check safety guidelines for frozen foods first, and disregard the fact that I probably should have thrown these out by now.)

They really gave the bread a nice freshness and cut through the sweetness. You could also make these into muffins if you wanted, and add other fruits or nuts (depending on what's in season....or still in your freezer) . It's a good way to experiment!

Zucchini Bread, Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Yield: 2 loaves

3 eggs
1 cup olive or vegetable oil
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 cups grated zucchini
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup fresh cranberries

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk. Mix in oil and sugar, then zucchini and vanilla. Combine flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cranberries. Stir this into the egg mixture. Divide the batter into prepared pans.

Bake loaves for 60 minutes, plus or minus ten, or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

Roasted Veggie & Hummus Wrap (CSA Week 3 & 4 Recipe)

Photo Courtesy of Unversity of Minnesota

The past few weeks have been a whirlwind - I really don’t know where this month has gone! The girl and I went on a short vacation, which was really nice, but now it’s back to the grind.

I’m still getting my CSA each week (thanks to my parents, who picked it up while we were gone), and it's provided a steady supply of greens and yellow, zucchini, and kousa squashes. We are also just starting to get cucumbers.

I have to say, I’m a bit overloaded with squash. Since I've never really eaten much of it, I'm struggling to find a way to use it all. This week I decided to just roast all of it (along with red onion and red pepper), and eat it in wraps for lunches. I used Mediterranean and Greek-inspired flavors for the veggies, which really brought out the flavor of the squash.

Roasted Veggie & Hummus Wrap

What you need:

roasted veggies (recipe below)
hummus (I like the original hummus tahini but use a flavored hummus if you’d like)
flatbread or tortilla wrap
feta

What you do:

Spread hummus on the wrap. Top with roasted veggies. Sprinkle crumbled feta on the top. Wrap and eat!

Roasted Veggies:

yellow squash
zucchini
kousa squash
red peppers
red onion
olive oil
lemon juice
salt
pepper
oregano (I used fresh "Spicy Oregano" from the back porch)

Chop the veggies into bite-sized pieces. Toss the veggies with olive oil, salt, pepper, and chopped oregano. Lay out in a single layer in a Pyrex baking dish or roasting pan and squeeze lemon juice over the top. Put the veggies in the oven at 375 for about 25 minutes (or until soft). Remove from oven and let cool.

Vegetable Photos Courtesy of Farmer Dave's

Garlic Scape & Arugula Pesto (CSA Week 2 Recipe)

Photo courtesy of Farmer Dave's

The second week of my CSA share brought another plentiful basket of lettuces and squash (zucchini, yellow squash and kousa). It also brought beautiful bunches of arugula and spinach, and more garlic scapes.

I decided to make a pesto with the garlic scapes and arugula, to highlight and retain their fresh flavors and beautiful colors. I picked up a wedge of Pecorino Romano from Polcari's Coffee in the North End. (Sidenote: if you've never been here, you really should check it out - they are the nicest guys and they've have a great selection of coffees, flours, legumes, Italian imports, and so much more.)

The sharpness and saltiness of the cheese really brings this pesto together, so make sure your pecorino is of good quality!

Garlic Scape & Arugula Pesto

What you need:
1 1/2 cups Garlic Scapes (trimmed just below the flower; chopped); About 10 scapes
1 cup packed Arugula
1/2 cup Olive Oil
1/2 cup Pecorino Romano; grated
3 tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
Salt/Pepper to taste (don't season until you've pulsed the cheese in or it could get too salty!)

What you do:
1) Add garlic scapes, arugula, Pecorino Romano, and red wine vinegar to a food processor and pulse until all is mixed and finely chopped.

2) Stream (or add in small amounts) the olive oil until the pesto is the consistency you want it to be.

3) Season with ground pepper and salt to taste.

It's that simple! I used my batch of pesto for a quick and easy pizza, using store bought dough. Just roll it out, spread on the pesto, and add sliced fresh mozzarella, halved grape tomatoes, fresh basil, and chicken sausage. (You can substitute any protein you like for the latter, or leave it out for a vegetarian pie.) Then bake until the crust is brown and the cheese is bubbling. Enjoy!

Braised Bok Choy & Chicken Lettuce Wraps (CSA Week 1 Recipe)

Photo courtesy of Farmer Dave's

Summer is finally in full swing around here, and that means fresh vegetables are on the way. A couple of weeks ago, I picked up my first CSA. The selection featured heads of lettuce (curly and Boston), bok choy, kousa squash, zucchini, beets, radishes, cilantro, and garlic scapes.

I was really excited by all the fresh produce, and decided to use some of it right away for dinner. Below is a simple recipe (although it’s more of a starting point - no measurements needed here, just play with it according to your tastes!) for braised bok choy and chicken lettuce wraps. This is a really quick and easy way to use fresh veggies, as cooking them quickly and simply will help retain their flavor, color and nutrients. Enjoy!

(By the way, I'll be posting a weekly update of my CSA's contents. I'll also include a recipe or two throughout the week, featuring the produce from my share. So stay tuned!)

Braised Bok Choy & Chicken Lettuce Wraps

What you’ll need:

1 head of Bok Choy (chopped)

Red Bell Pepper (sliced into 1/4 in sticks)

Minced Garlic

Fresh ginger (minced or grated)

Minced Shallot

Olive Oil

¼ cup water (or chicken stock)

Teriyaki Sauce (optional)

Cilantro (chopped; optional)

Teriyaki Ginger Chicken Sausage (or chicken breast seasoned however you’d like)

Boston Lettuce cups for wraps (or Iceberg Lettuce if you’d like)

What you do:

1) Chop chicken sausage into bit size pieces and sauté in a hot pan until browned (these chicken sausages are fully cooked; If using chicken breast, cook through, about 7 minutes per side). Remove from pan.

2) In same pan, add oil, ginger and garlic (to taste) and heat until the garlic and ginger starts to sizzle.

3) Add the shallot and bell pepper and continue to cook until they start to soften.

4) Add the chopped Bok Choy and sauté with all other vegetables until the Bok Choy is a bright green color (only a couple minutes).

5) Add the water and lower the heat. Continue to cook on a simmer as the Bok Choy gets tender.

6) Toss the chicken into the pan along with some of your favorite teriyaki (or any Asian stir-fry sauce; I like a spicy teriyaki sauce for this). Cook until the Bok Choy is done to your desired tenderness (I personally like it still with a bit of crunch in the stalk)

7) Assemble the lettuce wraps using the Boston lettuce cups. Place a bit of the Bok Choy and chicken mixture into the lettuce cup. Top with a little more of the sauce of your choice and some chopped cilantro.

*You can switch this recipe up in any number of ways. Mix in any of your favorite veggies, leave out the chicken, or change up the sauce if you’d like. You can also use different toppings, maybe some chopped peanuts for some crunch. Also, you can stretch it a little further with some rice.

Ramp Pesto Recipe

Ramps, also known as wild leeks or wild garlic, are a great spring vegetable. They have a garlicky scent but an onion flavor. I have found that the strength of the flavor/scent really varies by each ramp. You can do a lot with them, whether it's grilled along with a piece of grilled chicken or steak, or in a pesto on pasta like this recipe, it really adds great depth of flavor.

This recipe is a quick pesto that I made recently. You'll notice the recipe is really basic (and doesn't have any actual measurements). It can be adapted completely to your taste. Like it spicier? Add more pepper. Want more acidity? Add more lemon juice! Give it a try and make it your own.

Ramp Pesto

Ingredients:
Ramps
Olive Oil
Black Pepper
Crushed Red Pepper
Kosher Salt (just a pinch; the Parmesan already gives a salty flavor)
Grated Parmesan Cheese
Lemon Juice

1) Trim the root end off the bulb of the ramps.

2) Coarse chop the ramps; bulbs and green tops. Put in food processor or blender.

3) Add grated Parmesan cheese, kosher salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper to the food processor.

4) Start grinding the mixture together while slowly streaming in olive oil. Continue this until the mixture comes together and looks like a pesto

5) Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary. Add a squeeze of lemon juice to brighten up the flavor.

Toss with your choice of pasta and any other vegetables or protein you'd like and you have a simple spring meal.

Fresh English Peas

English Peas are one of the earliest signs of Spring, and are also a really quick and easy side dish to any meal! I've never been a big fan of frozen peas, but when the girl and I saw fresh English Peas in the Whole Foods near my house, we had to grab some.

To prepare them, just shell the peas and then simply steam them for 5 minutes or so. Sprinkle with some salt and a little pepper and you have a great, simple side!

Make sure you buy a lot of peas, however - you'll be surprised how many pea pods it takes to get a serving. Trust me, you'll be sad if you don't have enough!