Welcome to Community Supported Agriculture!

A little note arrived in my inbox last weekend.  It held so much promise and I was just bursting to say "Yes!" as soon as I saw it. 

The email came from my favorite farmer and he invited us to buy a share in his farm's CSA.  I love the romantic notion of supporting local farmers but I also love the hint that spring could be right around the corner.  This note assures me that someone is thinking about how many crops to plant and chickens to feed.  In the middle of another gloomy and gray winter week, I am desperate to hang onto this hope for warmth and sunshine.

Right now you might be asking....

What is Community Supported Agriculture? 
"Over the last 20 years, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) has become a popular way for consumers to buy local, seasonal food directly from a farmer. Here are the basics: a farmer offers a certain number of "shares" to the public. Typically the share consists of a box of vegetables, but other farm products may be included. Interested consumers purchase a share (aka a "membership" or a "subscription") and in return receive a box (bag, basket) of seasonal produce each week throughout the farming season." Source

Lovely.  Count me in.  We decided to purchase the large share from TerraVita Farms.  The box feeds 3-4 people and the average weekly cost will be $27.50.  (The full amount is due at the beginning of the season.) Last summer, I budgeted $20 for each trip to the farmer's market and then filled in gaps with additional purchases at the grocery store.  Even though $550 paid up front feels like a lot of money, it really does fall in line with our typical grocery budget for fresh veggies in the summer.

Think about the excitement every week (for 20 weeks!) when I stop by the Granville Farmer's Market to pick up our box of vegetables, eggs, honey, and flowers.  We eat tons of vegetables and we love the adventure of trying new ones, so the spirit of the unknown is quite exciting.

I love the notion of knowing that my food was grown 5 miles from my house.  Organic?  Local? Natural?  Check! Check! Check! 

Take action my friends!
Are you interested in finding your own CSA?  Please visit http://www.localharvest.org/ to find the options available in your area.  You can enter your zip code to select farms near your home.  Browse through the farms' website, learn about their farming practices, and select the right price range for you.  If you live locally and are interested in TerraVita Farms, please see their website for all of the information.

A Chicken In Every Pot - Part II

We cooked our fresh chicken on Wednesday night and found it to be delicious, full of flavor, and a (mostly) welcome departure from the grocery store variety.  Here is a recap of the big event:

I chose to brine the chicken.  If I did it again with this type of chicken, I would have allowed it to brine overnight and then "dry out" during the day. 

I used Ina Garten's Lemon and Garlic Roast Chicken as my template, with a few adjustments.  (Do you ever watch Barefoot Contessa?  If so, then you know Jeffrey loves his chicken!  It makes us laugh whenever Ina makes chicken for Jeffrey, so I had to pay homage.  Plus, I trust her recipes.  Trust is very important to me when I use other people's recipes.  Well, trust is just important all the time, isn't it?)  Wow...that was a HUGE digression.

Back to the chicken...
The chicken had flavor.  It reminded us a little bit of turkey.  When you buy your typical boneless skinless chicken breast at the store, it is really a blank canvas for your recipe.  This bird had its own tremendous flavor that was simply enhanced with some butter, salt, and pepper.  The inside was stuffed with garlic, lemon, and thyme, but those flavors didn't really stand out to me.

I was most intrigued by the differences in anatomy between my bird and the typical one at the grocery store.  Simply stated, there was very little (if any) fat; the leg meat was very dark; and the breast meat was much smaller.

There was a fair bit of, shall we say, "wrestling" involved in the preparation of our bird.  This is not for the faint of heart and certainly not for people who wish to forget their dinner ever had a life.  I prefer not to work with whole birds just because it doesn't come naturally to me; I need to remind myself every time how to tie it, how to break it down, etc.  This was especially difficult with two little munchkins circling my feet the enitre time.

My favorite moment of the entire experience was when I was breaking down the chicken for us to eat.  As I twisted a leg to pop the joint, Andrew walked in and said, "Mommy, you made us a frog?"  I love it!  I wish you could see the scene; we are still laughing, days later.  I also love that he took it in stride and didn't think it was weird.  (I also love that he asked for me to add nutmeg to his cereal that same morning!)

Would I do it again?  Definitely!  The flavor was great, I learned a lot, and I will be able to improve my techniques next time.  Most importantly, I took comfort in knowing how the chicken was raised.  There was no question that I was feeding my family something wholesome. 

A Chicken In Every Pot - Part I

What do you really know about the food you eat?  Not much.  Sometimes I feel it's better that I don't know what happened to the cow or chicken or tomato before it graced my plate.  Some really terrible stuff is going on with the food we eat and ignorance really isn't bliss in this case.  I recommend you spend some time reading Michael Pollan.  Skinny Bitch was a gateway for me; it's so fun and informative that I return to it often.  Bottom line: I know that I can't ignore the food I feed my family.

Tonight will be different.  Tonight when I roast a chicken and lay it down in front of the people I love the most, I will know where that sweet bird came from.  The chicken lived a few miles from us.  It ran in a field (do chickens run?  I'm sure this one did.  And smiled too.), moved freely, and had a healthy life.  Until Tuesday. But I digress.

By now you know that I am loving this process of exploring the foods produced at our local TerraVita Farms.  So when they offered to deliver a fresh, never frozen, free-range chicken from their farm, I couldn't resist.  My only experience with chicken involved grocery stores, factory, pumped up breasts (not in a good way), and uncertain living conditions.  I had a lot of questions, and you might too.  For example:

Q. Will it be whole or in parts?  (Please say parts, please say parts, please say parts....)
A. It is whole.  That's ok; I've been working being brave anyway.

Q. Will there be bits and pieces? (I'm thinking about gizzards and other unmentionables.)
A. No.  *Sigh of relief*

A question I should have asked, but didn't: How long will the neck be?
Hmmm...wasn't ready to see that one.  At least the turkey people have the decency to detach it and shove it in the cavity.  Luckily, my husband knows me and loves me.  After I went to bed, he removed the chicken from the brine, "took care" of the neck, and returned the chicken to the refrigerator.  That's why I married that man.

Ok, so the chicken is resting comfortably in my refrigerator and I am getting ready to make a great dinner for my family...one that can make us all feel good.

Stay tuned for more about our feathered friend...

Finding Okra

I like to find a new ingredient that is intriguing to me, learn more about it, and develop a great recipe.  That is exactly what happened on Saturday at the Farmer's Market when some Jing Orange Okra grabbed my attention at the Terra Vita Farms stand. 

 

Up to this point, my only experience with okra was in soup (maybe even a gumbo), and probably only a couple times.  I didn't have anything against okra, but it just didn't register on my radar.  The color of this particular fruit (yes, it's a fruit; I checked) caught my attention.

 

After some quick research about okra, I learned just enough to be dangerous in the kitchen.  Fortunately, I stumbled upon a DELICIOUS side dish!  This is basically how it went:

Okra and Sun Dried Tomatoes with Rice

 

Ingredients
Olive oil
Sun dried tomatoes, julienned
Mild peppers, sliced thin (they were from my parents' garden so I am not sure the variety I used; they looked like banana peppers but didn't have any heat)
Garlic, minced
Okra, sliced thin into wheels
Brown rice (cooked)
Kosher salt

 

Directions
Saute the sun dried tomatoes in the olive oil until fragrant.  Add the peppers and garlic; saute for 2 minutes.  Add the okra and salt; saute for about 1-2 minutes.  If the okra cooks too long, it will get gooey and sticky; you really want it to stay firm.  Stir in some rice.  Eat and enjoy!

Are you interested in learning more about okra?  I was.  Here is a little bit of what I learned this week:

Okra originates in Africa and is a member of the same family as the hibiscus.  Because it has seeds, it is a fruit.  Okra is commonly found in Middle Easter, Cajun, and Creole dishes.  It is a common thickener used in soups and stews, such as gumbo.
 
To Buy:

• Choose colorful fruits that are long and thin.  When the pods grow longer, they get woodier, drier, and tougher. 
• Fresh is best when it comes to okra; it does not store well (even in the refrigerator) and is best when eaten a few days after harvest.

 To Cook:

• Flavors that pair well with okra include: tomatoes, onion, pepper, curry, coriander, oregano, lemon, and vinegar.
• Stir-fry tender pods whole; add at the end of cooking and quickly heat through.
• Steam pods and dip them into seasoned oil or butter.
• Cut the pods into cross-section "wheels," bread, and fry.
• Pickle it.
• To avoide releasing the mucilage and turning it into a goopy mess, keep the pod intact and do not cut off the base or tip.
• Feeling adventurous?  The mature seeds can be toasted and used as a coffee substitute.

 To Eat:

• Okra is high in fiber and low in calories.  it contains significant amounts of vitamin C, vitamin A, folate, calcium and iron.  (Delicious and good for you...what could be better?)

I hope this inspsires you to try a little okra the next time you find it at the store or the farmer's market.  Let me know how it goes!

Bon appetit!

Try It, You’ll Like It (Big Flavors for Little Palates)

Anna’s Food at 7 Months


Anna is busy exploring some chunkier textures in her food and even trying to get those pesky little Cheerios into her mouth. So cute!


Here is what a typical day looks like for Anna this summer:

Breakfast: Oatmeal, oatmeal, oatmeal! We eat a lot of oatmeal in this house, we really do. I usually serve about 1/3 cup of oatmeal with a sprinkle of cinnamon or freshly grated nutmeg. Sometimes I add a couple tablespoons of applesauce (all natural, no added sugar) or minced banana for variety. I haven’t been cooking the oatmeal, but rather just letting the milk soak into the oats.

In this picture, Anna is feeding herself some Cream of Wheat. I make a batch of the cereal (or use some leftovers), pour it into a shallow container, and refrigerate. When it is time to serve, I simply cut it into ¼” cubes, warm it slightly, and serve.

Lunch: I can’t resist sharing fresh, local summer fruit with Anna. Branstool Peaches are at the peak of freshness, so there isn’t a good reason not to eat many each day! We have the amazing opportunity of eating peaches at lunchtime that were harvested that morning. I usually cut and peel the peach, then dice it into tiny pieces. Most days I also mix in one plum that has been prepared in the same way. She loves it!

Dinner: Vegetables are usually the focus of our dinners. Anna can eat most vegetables now, but we tend to eat a lot of sweet potatoes, peas, zucchini, yellow squash, acorn squash, butternut squash (oh yes, we love our squash too!), carrots, broccoli, and potatoes. I try to incorporate veggies from our main dinner into Anna’s meal as much as possible. Brown rice often makes an appearance with the veggies; although she likes the flavor, I think she gets frustrated when the grains get stuck in her gums so I try to make it creamy by giving it a quick puree in my Magic Bullet.

Drinking: The sippy cup still feels a little forced, but she likes to sip water from a small, open cup. I am grateful that she is still nursing well and plan to continue until she is one year old.

Bumper Crop Cooking

My mom was my inspiration to dig up new new-to-me recipes for zucchini. One day she told me that she froze SEVENTEEN loaves of zucchini bread! This was all in an attempt to use the zucchini from her garden and anything she inherited from friends. These 17 loaves were in addition to the loaves they ate fresh from the oven and the other recipes that used up zucchini in some fashion.

 

I started to think…there has to be another way. And so began my search for new recipes that breathe life back into those summer staples. You know how the story goes: you grow zucchini and have to use it up, then a friend leaves a bag of it on your porch, a co-worker brings some in to share, and on and on. I hope these recipes will give you a little inspiration the next time you find your countertops piled high with fresh summer zucchini, corn, tomatoes, or cantaloupe.

The recipes included below are:

• Roasted Tomato Zucchini Boats
• Grilled Zucchini with Lemon Vinaigrette
• Baked Zucchini Sticks
• Carrot Zucchini Muffins
• Tomatoes Stuffed with Prosciutto and Mozzarella
• Tomato and Corn Risotto
• Honey Lime Cantaloupe
• 20 Ideas for Corn and Cantaloupe

 Roasted Tomato Zucchini Boats

 

Ingredients:

 2 zucchini

 3 cloves garlic, minced

 ¼ c olive oil, plus more for drizzling

 2 t kosher salt

 1 t fresh cracked black pepper

 2 large tomatoes or 4 Roma tomatoes

 ¼ c bread crumbs

 ½ c Mozzarella, shredded or cubed

 ¼ c Parmesan cheese

  

 Directions:

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, mix the olive oil, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Taste the mixture and adjust seasonings to taste.

  

Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise. Trim a thin piece off each bottom to help the zucchini sit in the baking dish. Using a spoon, scoop out the seeds in the center of the zucchini. Place zucchini in a 9x13 baking dish. Brush the surface with the mixture of olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper.

  

Slice the tomatoes into ¼ inch slices. Place the tomatoes along the center of each zucchini. Sprinkle the bread crumbs over the tomatoes and zucchini.

  

Bake for approximately 30 minutes. Remove the baking dish from the oven and sprinkle with mozzarella. Return the dish to the oven and place under the broiler until the cheese begins to brown.

  

Remove from the oven and drizzle with a little olive oil and add a sprinkle of grated parmesan cheese.

  

Grilled Zucchini with Lemon Vinaigrette

 

Ingredients:

 2 zucchini, quartered lengthwise

 1 t olive oil

 Kosher salt and cracked black pepper, to taste

 1 T pine nuts, toasted

 1 T feta cheese, crumbled

 1 T basil, chopped

  

Lemon Vinaigrette:

 1 T olive oil

 ½ T Dijon mustard

 ½ lemon, zest and juice

 Kosher salt and cracked black pepper, to taste

  

Directions:

 Whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients in a small bowl. Adjust the seasonings to taste and set aside.

  

Toss the zucchini with the olive oil and season with the salt and pepper. Grill the zucchini until grill marks appear, approximately 2 minutes. Flip the wedges and grill and additional 2 minutes.

 

Cut each spear in half to create shorter pieces for serving. Transfer to a serving dish.

  

Toss gently with the vinaigrette, pine nuts, feta, and basil.

 

 

Baked Zucchini Sticks

 

Ingredients:

 2 large zucchini

 2 eggs

 1/2 cup bread crumbs

 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese

 ¼ t garlic powder

 1 t dried basil

 1 t dried parsley

 ½ t dried oregano

 Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste

 Non-stick cooking spray

 

 Directions:

 Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.

  

Trim the ends of the zucchini and then cut in half lengthwise. Cut each half into quarters for a total of 8 spears; cut the spears in half to make them shorter.

 

In a large shallow bowl, combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and seasonings; mix thoroughly. In another large shallow bowl, beat the eggs. Dip the spears into egg then bread crumb mixture, making sure to coat evenly.

 

Place on baking sheet and spray the top of each spear with cooking spray. Bake for 10-12 minutes then turn the oven to broil and cook, watching carefully, until they become golden brown (approximately 1 minute). Serve with marinara sauce or Ranch dressing.

  

Carrot Zucchini Muffins

 

Ingredients:

 Cooking spray (optional)

 ½ cup all-purpose flour

 ½ cup whole-wheat flour

 2 tablespoons wheat germ

 ½ cup old-fashioned oats

 ¼ cup ground flax seeds

 1 teaspoon baking soda

 1 teaspoon baking powder

 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

 ¼ t salt

 1 large egg

 ¼ cup packed light brown sugar

 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 2/3 cup milk or buttermilk

 ½ cup grated carrots

 ½ cup grated zucchini

 3/4 cup raisins or dried cranberries

  

Directions:

 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 24-cup mini muffin pan with paper liners or mist with cooking spray.

 

Whisk the flours, wheat germ, oatmeal, flax seeds, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl; set aside. Beat the egg and brown sugar in a medium bowl with a wooden spoon until smooth. Add the olive oil, vanilla, milk, vegetables and fruit and mix well.

 

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture and stir just until blended.

 

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, filling each cup about three-quarters of the way. Bake for 20 to 24 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool on a rack.

 

Tomatoes Stuffed with Prosciutto and Mozzarella

 

Ingredients:

12 Roma tomatoes; halved, seeded, and cored

¼ c olive oil

½ c bread crumbs

 1 garlic clove, minced

 3 oz prosciutto, sliced medium

 ½ cup mozzarella cheese, shredded or small dice

 Salt and pepper, to taste

  

Directions:

 Preheat oven to 350. Heat the oil in a small skillet. Add the bread crumbs and sauté until golden and crisp. The mixture should resemble wet sand; adjust the oil and bread crumbs accordingly to achieve this texture.

 

Transfer the breadcrumbs to a bowl and add the garlic, prosciutto, mozzarella, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.

  

Place 1 T of filling in each tomato half. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Serve as an appetizer or side dish.

 

 

Tomato and Corn Risotto

 

Ingredients:

4 T olive oil, divided

1 T butter

1 ½ c Arborio rice (risotto)

1large shallot, sliced thin

 4 c vegetable broth

 2 ears of corn on the cob, husked & kernels removed

 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

 1 t dried basil

 Salt and pepper

 ¼ c parmesan cheese, grated

 Fresh basil or parsley to garnish

 

 Directions:

 Heat a large skillet or medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the butter and 2 T olive oil. When the butter has melted, add the shallot and cook until tender but not brown. Mix in the rice and stir for 30 seconds. Add one cup of broth and stir.

  

Over the next 20 minutes, continue to add ½ to 1 cup of broth and stir; allow the rice to absorb the liquid each time before adding more. Reduce heat if the rice begins to stick.

 

Meanwhile, in a bowl combine the tomatoes, 2 T olive oil, basil, salt and pepper. Reserve the tomato mixture.

 

When there is about 10 minutes and 1 cup of liquid remaining, add the corn kernels to the pan and stir. When the final liquid is almost completely absorbed, turn off the heat. Stir in the parmesan cheese and tomato mixture. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley if desired.

 

Serves 4-6

 

 

Honey Lime Cantaloupe

 

Ingredients:

 1 cantaloupe seeded, peeled, and cut into bite-size pieces

 ¼ c honey

 1 lime, zested and juiced

 Fresh mint to garnish

 

 Directions:

 In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, lime juice, and lime zest. Pour over the melon and toss gently. Serve immediately or allow to chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour to all the flavors to blend.

 

 

20 Ideas for Corn and Cantaloupe:

 

Corn

 1. Grill it with the husk off

 2. Add some to your salsa

 3. Sprinkle over your salad

 4. Mix into cornbread batter

 5. Sauté with sliced zucchini, olive oil, salt & pepper

 6. Make homemade creamed corn

 7. Toss with cherry tomatoes, basil, orzo, and red wine vinaigrette for a cool salad

 8. Slather with garlic butter and parmesan cheese

 9. Make a salad with black beans, sweet peppers, and avocados

 10. Freeze ears or kernels…enjoy in the middle of winter!

 

 Cantaloupe

 1. Scoop balls, drizzle with honey, lime juice & zest

 2. Cut into chunks and wrap with prosciutto

 3. Make a salsa for fish: dice melon, red onion, cilantro; mix with lime juice and salt

 4. Grill it, drizzle with balsamic vinegar, and serve with pork

 5. Serve with blueberries, granola, and yogurt for breakfast

 6. Puree with honey, lemon, ginger, and milk or yogurt for a cold summer soup

 7. Puree with gingerroot to make a salad dressing

 8. Serve with blueberries, vanilla ice cream, and balsamic glaze for dessert

 9. Freeze chunks and add them to a strawberry smoothie

 10. Make a granita by blending with brown sugar, freezing, and crushing

 

Originally published July 29, 2010