CSA Week Seven

YESSSS!  Cherries are finally here!  Here's what else I got in my CSA this week:

-Cucumbers
-Corn
-Parsley
-Basil
-Purslane
-Summer squash
-Garlic
-Peppers
-Cherries
-Melon
-Peaches
-Eggs
-Zinnias

Ahhhh!  What to do with purslane?  I found this Shell Bean Salad that may do the trick.
If you can resist eating some of the cherries, this Dark Cherry Crumble Cake with Cinnamon is delicious.
Or try this Dutch Baby with Peaches for breakfast this weekend.
These corn fritters are definitely on the list to make this week too!
This Green Beans with Parmesan Gremolata is perfect for all the parsley we got.
And if you want to use some peppers, try a Rick Bayless Salsa.  Ha cha cha.
Cucumber Cocktails anyone?  I am obsessed with cocktails this summer.

CSA Week Seven

I can't believe it is already Week Seven - almost two months of delicious, fresh food.  The produce has definitely shifted form the beginning.  At one point I was so sick of all the greens, but now I miss them.  It was always a good excuse to make tacos or tostadas.  The good news is that I got loads of corn this week.  Corn is one of my favorite summer time treats.  I don't care if I have just eaten the biggest meal of my life, if I walk by a street fair I have to stop and get the roasted corn on the cob with lime juice, salt, and chili powder.  I will say that sadly this corn does not compare to the sweet corn of Iowa.

Here is what I got this week:

-14 ears of corn
-Small head of lettuce
-Dill
-Basil
-Carrots
-Zucchini
-Cucumbers
-Half a head of cabbage
-Peaches
-Cherries
-Eggs

I combined this week's and last week's basil and made pesto Wednesday night.  This is very quick and easy if you have a food processor, but have no fear - you can also use a mortar and pestle (hence where the name "pesto" comes from), which will take a bit longer, but is the traditional way.  I combined Martha Stewart's recipe from Martha Stewart's Cooking School and the Joy of Cooking.

Ingredients for pesto (1 cup):
-2 cups fresh basil leaves
-1/3 cup walnuts or pine nuts, toasted (I used walnuts because they are cheaper and don't spoil as fast, but pine nuts are delicious)
-1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
-3 cloves garlic, peeled*
-1/2 cup olive oil, or more if needed
-salt and pepper to taste

*Martha Stewart recommends blanching the garlic to mellow its flavor, creating an overall sweeter pesto.  To blanch - place garlic cloves in a small sauce pan and cover with 1 inch of water.  Bring to a boil over high heat, then immediately drain and let garlic cool to room temperature.

To begin, toast the walnuts and then cool completely.  Combine basil, walnuts, garlic, and Parmesan cheese in food processor until everything in chopped into very small bits and the basil is pulverized.  While food processor is on, slowly add olive oil until the pesto is pretty smooth.  Use immediately on pasta, sandwiches, or pizza, or cover with a layer of oil and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Stay tuned for many delicious corn recipes!  Gotta run - I am making this amazing looking bread called Zucchini and Olive Breakfast Cake.  Click here for the recipe.

CSA Week Six

Here is what I got last week from my CSA:

-Cucumbers
-Swiss chard
-Half a head of cabbage
-Dill
-Beets
-Basil
-Lettuce
-Blueberries
-Cherries
-Peaches

My friend has been busy making pickled goodies with both the cucumbers and the beets.  I will share recipes soon.  I plan to make some pesto with the basil this week with some homemade pasta (it is really easy).  And even though it hard to resist just eating the luscious fruit, I actually turned on the oven this weekend and made some seasonal treats.  Sometimes I wonder how long it would take to bake something on my window sill - seriously.

I found this really delicious recipe for Dark Cherrie Crumble Cake with Cinnamon from a British food blog called Mowielicious.  I had to do some conversions from British to American measurements.  I don't own a food scale, but I tried to get as close as possible using measuring cups and spoons.  The recipe turned out great, but the cooking time took a bit longer.

Here is the converted recipe for Dark Cherrie Crumble Cake with Cinnamon from Mowielicious:

For the cake:
-14 tablespoons of unsalted butter, softened
-1 1/2 scant cups of granulated sugar
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-3 large eggs
-1 1/2 scant cups of all-purpose flour
-2 teaspoons baking powder
-1/2 cup milk (I used whole)
-1 1/3 cup cherries, pitted and stems removed, and cut in half

For the crumble:
-7 tablespoons of unsalted butter
-1/3 cup granulated sugar
-1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
-2/3 cup all-purpose flour

To begin preheat oven to 345 degrees and start making the cake batter.

Cream butter, sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time and mix until incorporated.  Gently fold in flour and baking powder.  Do not overmix.  Add milk and stir until just combined.

Pour batter in greased and parchment paper lined 9"x12" pan.  I used a 12 inch spring form and it worked fine.  Sprinkle halved cherries on top of batter.

To make the crumble, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, and butter with your hands.  Mix until it is about pea size crumbles.  Sprinkle on top of cake batter and cherries.  Place in the oven for 45 minutes or until golden brown.  Mine took about an hour, so just keep checking.  Serve warm or cold.  This lasts about a week in the refrigerator, although I don't know if it would actually last for that long.  It is so tasty.  For original recipe, click here.

Right after I finished the crumble cake, I set my oven for 375 and popped in individual peach-blueberry cobblers.  I didn't have another baking dish, so I just used my muffin tins.  These are very tasty too, I just wish I had time to make vanilla ice cream to go with it.  The recipe is from one of my favorite food blogs, Alexandra Cooks.  Click here to get the recipe.

Last year around this time, I made blueberry muffins.  Click here for the recipe.

CSA Week Five

I have been busy these last couple weeks with visiting friends.  And on top of that, the hot weather has really reduced my enthusiasm for cooking. That said, I am far behind this week eating my way through my CSA food.


Here is what I got last week:

-A beautiful head of lettuce
-Beets
-Kohlrabi
-Cucumbers
-Dill
-Summer squash
-Broccoli
-Tat soi - what is tat soi? Click here to find out.
-Peaches
-Cherries
-Eggs (not pictured)

Tat soi.

Fortunately, most of these vegetables are hardy enough to keep for a while.  I am definitely going to try to make this zucchini spiced bread I made last year again.  Click here for the recipe.

CSA Week Six

Here is what I received from my CSA this week:

-3 pounds summer squash
-1 pound potatoes
-1 bunch flat leaf parsley
-2 heads of garlic
-mesclun greens
-1 kohlrabi
-1 bunch red beets
-cherries
-blueberries
-3 peaches

This morning I preheated my oven to 400 degrees and chopped up my potatoes and tossed with olive oil, rosemary, chives, sage and two cloves of minced garlic. I roasted them for about 25 minutes until they were soft and had browned on the edges.My roommate and I had a BBQ last week so we grilled the squash, and I ate all the cherries and peaches already. I plan to make blueberry muffins today. Click here for the recipe. I used the parsley I had on a quinoa salad for a picnic on Friday. Click here for the recipe.