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November 11, 2024
Final Pick Up
by Linda Dansbury
Final Pick Up
by Linda Dansbury
This cover crop didn't receive rain for one and a half months but was still able to slowly grow into a lush and vibrant soil enriching protector.
This week is the final pick up, which is always a bit sad. But, I am happy that I spent the extra time during the season to preserve a lot of the harvest: soups; scraps to make into veggie stock; frozen edamame, peppers and tomatoes; eggplant dip; tomatillo and tomato sauce and salsa; pickles and pestos. Wow! So much we get to enjoy for the next several months! Here are a couple of things I prepared recently.
Celery, onion, potato - for the first time, I made celery soup - I really wasn't sure if I would like it, but it was yummy.
Bok choy, onion, garlic, hot pepper (frozen) - enjoyed the Salmon with Bok Choy and Shitake Mushrooms from this site. It was an easy weeknight meal and delicious.
Swiss chard, onion, tomatoes (frozen), garlic - enjoyed the Skillet Gnocchi with Beans and Swiss chard. Every so often I go through the Recipe section of the website and search on ingredients. I always find delicious things to make from our farm veggies.
November 4, 2024
Fall Happiness
by Linda Dansbury
Fall Happiness
by Linda Dansbury
Misty morning amongst the dried flowers.
I am enjoying all of the delicious fall goodies. I continue to roast a pile of mixed veggies at least once per week - the leftovers - if there are any, are great reheated, mixed with a grain or pasta and made into a salad, or added to eggs for a delicious frittata. Here are a couple of other things I have enjoyed.
Sweet potatoes - did a riff on plain oven fried sweets. Cut into fries. Drizzled and tossed in olive oil. Mixed together chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper and tossed with fries. Baked in a 450 degree oven for about 15 min. Flipped fries and baked for another 5-10 minutes. Then broiled until nicely browned and crispy. Very delicious!
Bok choy, sweet pepper, edamame (from freezer) - since it's been warm, instead of roasting the gorgeous bok choy, I made it into a new salad, combining other farm veggies and making a dressing using miso, ginger, rice vinegar and raw cashews. I rough chopped the bok choy and seared it a bit, then added sliced shitake mushrooms and cooked them a bit. I tossed everything with quinoa to make it a complete meal.
Winter squash, arugula - roasted squash, then combined with arugula and a sliced pear. Mixed with a balsamic vinaigrette and topped with spiced pecans and a bit of goat cheese. Great way to enjoy the arugula.
October 21, 2024
Back to Warm Weather Eating
by Linda Dansbury
Back to Warm Weather Eating
by Linda Dansbury
Broccoli and cauliflower may be around in small quantities for another week or so. The quality this year was the best ever. Unfortunately, after several years of misfiring, we reduced the amount of plants for this year so we could focus on a good yield from a smaller patch. And of course this was the year with the best weather for the plants (as long as we could irrigate them regularly).
We are back to really warm weather so eating a little lighter again.
Romaine, sweet pepper, hot pepper, onion, garlic, herbs - made lettuce wraps, using ground pork, Thai style. A very simple and healthy meal. Romaine leaves are perfect for lettuce wraps.
Peppers, onions, kale, Swiss chard, garlic - used the rest of the pound of ground pork in a stir fry - Kale Rice Bowl - that I make frequently, but I change up the veggies based on what is available.
Sweet peppers, edamame (frozen during the season), onion, slivered kale, broccoli - made an Asian style pasta salad. Again, this is another dish that the veggies can be changed up based on what is available. Pasta isn't often paired with an Asian dressing, but this was so delicious - the dressing has soy sauce, fish sauce, rice vinegar, grated ginger, and toasted sesame oil.
October 14, 2024
Sweet Treats
by Linda Dansbury
Sweet Treats
by Linda Dansbury
Farmer Dana rescues a mantis during last week's sweet potato harvest.
Fall is baking season, roasting season, soup season and stew season! I have also continued to make stir fries. Here are a few specific things I have recently enjoyed.
Beets - made the Chocolate Beet Cake recipe on this site. Nothing to say but Yummy!
Broccoli, cauliflower - these are so beautiful! I love snacking on them raw, but I also roasted them. Cut both up into similar sizes. Tossed in olive oil, salt and pepper. Roasted at 375 until tender, about 25 min. Topped with chopped herbs and a grating of parm cheese.
Eggplant, peppers, onion, tomato (added near the end), broccoli - I recently learned about a sauce called tonkatsu. It is a slightly sweet and sour sauce that is delicious when added to stir fried veggies. I also stir fried a little bit of steak and added ramen noodles. It was really good and I will be making it again.
October 7, 2024
Fall Veggie Mixes
by Linda Dansbury
Fall Veggie Mixes
by Linda Dansbury
A healthy bundle of sweets!
Fall is definitely here and will really make its presence known this week with much cooler nights and days. I enjoy cooking all year round but there is something special about this time of year when I especially make soups and stews for the freezer. To me, one of the best things about receiving all of these veggies is pulling something delicious and nutritious out of the freezer in December through April that came from farm fresh produce. Here are a few things we enjoyed recently.
Eggplant, tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic - I have made a few batches of caponata to enjoy as a side dish and more for the freezer over the past few weeks. In addition to a delicious side dish, it is also great as a bruschetta topping. I have also enjoyed it by cooking sausage and mixing it in and then topping with parm cheese and fresh herbs.
Winter squash, rosemary (or thyme) - made a roasted squash side dish - peeled and cubed the squash and placed in a bowl. Drizzled olive oil and maple syrup over the squash and tossed to coat. Added salt, pepper and a bit of cinnamon and mixed again. Placed in a single layer on oiled baking sheet and baked in 400 degree oven for about 30 min (until tender), stirring midway through cooking. Remove from oven, sprinkle with chopped fresh rosemary or thyme and enjoy.
Potatoes, peppers, onions, eggplant, watermelon radish - as I often do, I made a large batch of roasted veggies. They went over big with guests we had.
September 30, 2024
Stir Fries and Roasting - Yum
by Linda Dansbury
Stir Fries and Roasting - Yum
by Linda Dansbury
Lettuce mix under cover for a November harvest.
This is a fun time of the year to cook - still some of the summer staples, but also lots of fall deliciousness. Here are a few things I have recently prepared:
Peppers, onions, beets, eggplant, potatoes, garlic, herbs - roasted a pile of veggies. Cut to about the same size and toss in a little olive oil with salt and pepper and herbs. Roast at around 375 until everything is tender and starting to brown. Leftovers are great added to a frittata or tossed with pasta.
Peppers and tomatoes - don't stress if you can't use all of these up. Both freeze really well. Chop peppers up into bite sized pieces and freeze on a cookie sheet. When frozen, place in freezer bag. Perfect for stews, chili, stir fries all winter long. Tomatoes can just be placed in freezer bags in freezer and used later to make sauce, juice, puree. Skins will slip right off when defrosted.
Onions, peppers, garlic, kale, chard, and cabbage - have made several saute/stir fries with mixes of these ingredients. Depending on what else we are eating, I change up the herbs and other seasonings. Sometimes I add soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger for an Asian flair; or oregano, basil, olive oil and a sprinkling of parm cheese at the end for Italian.
Winter squash - roasted up a couple of these at same time. Ate some with dinner, the rest I pureed and placed in freezer to make soup later.
September 16, 2024
The Roots Are In
by Linda Dansbury
The Roots Are In
by Linda Dansbury
Goldenrod, harbinger of autumn.
I made a very "chefy" dish this past weekend. When I did it, I wasn't sure it was going to be that good, but it turned out great. I used onions, peppers, turnips from the farm, plus a couple of other things from my garden. Place water in a small pot with a nice sprig of thyme and tarragon and salt. One at a time, boil the cut up veggies until desired tenderness. Place in a casserole and keep warm. When all veggies are cooked, boil the liquid down to about a cup. Then add butter 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking it in. when it is a nice sauce, pour over veggies, sprinkle with a lot of chopped fresh herbs - I used parsley and chives - and enjoy. This was really delicious.
Turnip tops and roots, onion, herbs - did a riff on the Asian Turnip Green and White Saute. Added some soy sauce at the end and served them alongside dumplings for a delicious light meal.
Eggplant, peppers, onion, potatoes, squash, tomatoes, Swiss chard and more - prepared and froze a minestrone soup. The great thing about this type of soup is that you can add just about any veggie you have in your fridge. I make it late in every summer season to help use up veggies. I don't add the pasta/rice now, because I freeze it for winter enjoyment and the quality of the grain is better if it is cooked right when you eat it. I also use a parm cheese rind in the soup as it is simmering, which adds a really nice flavor to it.
Arugula, tomato - arugula is delicious as a component of a salad, but also is great when the main ingredient - simply squeeze a bit of lemon juice and olive oil and salt and pepper and enjoy.
September 9, 2024
Cooler Weather Cooking
by Linda Dansbury
Cooler Weather Cooking
by Linda Dansbury
Cooler evenings spur the desire to cook more warming meals and get things in the freezer for enjoyment during the winter. A couple of ways I used my veggies are below.
Peppers, garlic, herbs - made roasted peppers. Grilled the peppers, when cool, removed some of the skin and cut into slices. Sliced garlic and chopped some herbs. Mixed with good olive oil and a couple drops of balsamic vinegar. These will keep in fridge for up to a month.
Tomatoes, onion, hot pepper, herbs - made a large batch of salsa, and canned it so can enjoy all year long.
Winter squash, onion, garlic - made a pumpkin soup - this time I made it in a Thai theme so added ginger, red curry paste and coconut milk. So yummy.
September 2, 2024
Late Summer Veggie Mash up
by Linda Dansbury
Late Summer Veggie Mash up
by Linda Dansbury
Flowering sunn hemp, a legume, originally from India, fixes nitrogen in the soil with the help of bacteria.
One of the things I don't emphasize enough is how versatile many of the veggies are, both in cooking method and in how well they mix together. One of the things I did was participate in a cooking demo at the Wrightstown Farmers Market yesterday. Our goal was to showcase the veggies available at the market right now and how to simply cook them. We walked around the market and selected a large variety, changing up the veggies and mixing the seasoning up. Here is an example of what can be done:
Peppers (sweet and hot as desired), onions, garlic, eggplant, tomatoes, Swiss chard (both stems and leaves), basil, parsley, mint - start out with onions and peppers sauteing in olive oil until a little caramelized. Add a bit of salt and pepper. Add garlic, eggplant and Swiss chard stems and continue to saute until everything is nearing desired tenderness. Add tomatoes and chard leaves and additional salt and pepper. Taste for seasoning - if you want, drizzle in some balsamic vinegar. Remove from heat - finish off with a sprinkling of fresh herbs. Enjoy as a side dish as is or serve over a grain such as brown rice, farro, wheat berries, etc.
August 26, 2024
Late Summer Veggie Dishes
by Linda Dansbury
Late Summer Veggie Dishes
by Linda Dansbury
Garlic chives in their flowering stage.
It's late in the season, veggies are transitioning, but some things are still coming in. Here are a few things I made this past week. Once again did grilled veggies - had friends stay with us and they really enjoyed the mix of eggplant, zucchini, peppers and onions. Simply drizzled with olive oil, flaked Sea Salt and mixed herbs when they came off the grill.
Cucumbers - made a Chinese inspired salad. Cut cucumbers into half inch chunks, lightly salt and let sit for about half an hour or so. Rinse well and pat dry. Mix rice vinegar, grated garlic, honey, sesame oil and garlic chili sauce together. Place cucumbers in serving bowl, pour dressing over and enjoy.
Tomatillos, onions, chili peppers, basil - made the Salsa Verde on this site. Yummy - had to use basil instead of cilantro and it was still great.
August 19, 2024
A Couple New Ideas
by Linda Dansbury
A Couple New Ideas
by Linda Dansbury
Farmer Dana leads the sheep to new pasture.
Strange how every year at this time, no matter what the weather, I start thinking of fall dishes - that is, long cooking, stewing, braising, etc. That includes how I enjoy my veggies. Still making some summery dishes such as salads using tomatoes, beans, etc., but also starting to do dishes that will take us into fall/winter.
Zucchini, eggplant, onions, peppers - made a huge platter of grilled veggies for friends. Finished the platter off by drizzling olive oil and sprinkling lots of parsley and basil over everything. It was as pretty as it was delicious. Served alongside hummus and tzatziki and warmed pita bread. Yummy!
Beans, tomatoes, garlic, onion, small hot pepper, basil, parsley - I have always wanted to make an old style Italian bean dish and finally did so this week. I slow sauteed onions and the hot pepper until translucent but not brown. Added sliced garlic and let it go for 2-3 minutes, again, not allowing it to brown. Cut up several tomatoes and added them to the pan, and let them cook down slowly into a sauce. At this point, boiled the beans for 3 or 4 minutes, drained in a colander and then added to the sauce. Let it all simmer for several minutes until beans were coated with the sauce. Added salt, pepper, and topped with lots of fresh herbs. We ate it as a side dish, but it would also be delicious with rice or pasta. I made a lot, so it will be frozen for enjoying later in the fall.
August 5, 2024
No Lettuce? No Problem!
by Linda Dansbury
No Lettuce? No Problem!
by Linda Dansbury
Peppa the washroom frog.
As I have said many times in my posts, I enjoy so many of the summer veggies made into salads. The more veggies in the salad, the better. Here are a few things we have enjoyed recently with our veggies:
Cucumbers, garlic - prepared a Chinese style marinated cucumber salad. It was refreshing and delicious! Sliced cucumber in half lengthwise, then into half moons. Placed in a bowl and salted the cucs and allowed them to sit for about 45 minutes. Meanwhile, made a dressing of rice vinegar, a bit of grated garlic, a little honey, toasted sesame oil and a bit of garlic chili oil, which is optional. The one I use is a Thai brand and it isn't very spicy. Drain any liquid from cucumbers and dry them a bit, then toss with dressing and enjoy - they were also good leftover.
Tomato, peppers, garlic, scallion, basil - my absolute favorite tomato salad is the one I grew up eating - and friends I made it for over the weekend loved it as well. The tricks here are the tomatoes need to be nice and ripe and you peel them - trust me it is worth the effort - and ripe tomatoes peel easily. Quarter the tomatoes, peel each quarter and either leave that size or cut each into bite sized pieces. Place in bowl. Chop sweet pepper into bite sized pieces and slice scallion and add both to bowl. Add just a bit of grated garlic. Dress with salt and pepper to taste, oregano, good quality olive oil and red wine vinegar. Toss and enjoy - it's a good idea to have some crusty bread to sop up the dressing left in the bottom of the bowl because it is so delicious!
Zucchini, onion - made a new recipe I am adding to the site - Zucchini Pie. I served it as a side dish instead of potatoes or rice. It is so delicious and would be equally delicious as a breakfast entree or lunch with a nice side salad. It incorporates all purpose and whole wheat flours, eggs and cheese - it calls for cheddar cheese but I used Gruyere instead. Definitely a part of my zucchini rotation now!
Eggplant, peppers, scallions, zucchini and potatoes (par boiled first), herbs - grilled everything and then chopped and tossed together with salt, pepper, lots of herbs and olive oil. Summer's finest.
July 22, 2024
Welcome Summer Veggies
by Linda Dansbury
Welcome Summer Veggies
by Linda Dansbury
That's a sight for sore eyes!
Most of what I enjoyed this past week were repeats with slight variations based on what was in my fridge - green bean salad, cucumber salad, veggie packed lettuce salads, served alongside a simply grilled steak, marinated and grilled chicken, or a nice piece of fish. Here are a few new things:
Cucumbers, garlic, onion, dill - made Narrow Bridge Refrigerator Pickles from this site - very easy and yummy.
Green beans, scallions, cilantro - prepared a green bean salad Asian style (I normally lean more toward Italian style for green bean salads).
Tomatoes, zucchini, onion - found a new delicious dish: Italian Zucchini Casserole. It took a little while to prep, but then was great! We added a layer of sweet Italian sausage that we precooked so that it was a complete meal. It was delicious reheated as leftovers a couple of days later and we plan to make it ahead of time and serve to friends that are coming next weekend.
July 15, 2024
Ugghh, the Heat Goes on!
by Linda Dansbury
Ugghh, the Heat Goes on!
by Linda Dansbury
Farm dog Finch having a play on the strawbales.
It is difficult to get in the mood to cook when it is this hot - I have been eating large salads for lunch and making different types of salads to enjoy with dinner. Please share how you have been enjoying your harvest by emailing me at lindadansbury@comcast.net. I will share with fellow members.
Lettuce, tomato, cucumber, scallion, celery - enjoyed my simple version of a Greek Salad by chopping everything and placing in a large bowl. Sprinkled sea salt, pepper and oregano over the top. Drizzled with red wine vinegar and good olive oil and crumbled some good feta over the top - delicious!
Zucchini, cherry tomatoes - made a simple but yummy dish. Spiralized a zucchini and put the "zoodles" in a colander. Roasted some cherry tomatoes that had been tossed in olive oil, salt, pepper and oregano just until they started to brown. Cooked a bit of spaghetti and when cooked, poured the pasta with the water over the zucchini noodles, to barely cook them. Place all noodles back into the pot, added pesto (I happened to have made a batch the day before) to our liking, a drained can of white beans, and some grated parm cheese. Mixed everything up well, plated it, topped with the roasted cherry tomatoes, a little more cheese and a few small basil leaves. A nice summer dinner.
Fennel, celery, carrots, parsley, tomato - since it was supposed to rain all day/night on Friday, and we had a large piece of cod in the freezer, we decided to make a very traditional fish soup - I guess that's what made the rain go away completely, at least in our locale.
Cucumber, scallions, parsley - my grandmother always made cucumber salad by very thinly slicing cucumbers and scallions or onions, and making a vinaigrette of salt, pepper, celery salt, a light vinegar and light oil. To this day, when I make it, I am taken back to being at my grandparents house.
July 8, 2024
Summer Daze
by Linda Dansbury
Summer Daze
by Linda Dansbury
Fresh garlic.
Last week gave us some truly pleasant days/evenings but now and into the future it looks like we will need to find ways to stay cool. Please send your favorite summer ways to enjoy your veggies at lindadansbury@comcast.net. I will share with fellow members.
Beets, parsley - I needed to use my beets up so made a version of the Mama Aleta's Pickled Beets and Eggs on this site. I just did beets and onions and skipped the eggs this time around.
Green beans, scallions, basil, parsley - made a salad, Italian style - made a red wine vinaigrette, added dried oregano in addition to the fresh parsley and basil. Sometimes I add chickpeas and/or feta cheese to make it a bit hardier and will add cherry tomatoes once they are available.
Cucumbers, scallions, parsley - one of the cucumber salads I like to make is a German version, but not creamy - the dressing is a light oil and vinegar with a bit of salt, pepper and celery salt. My grandmother always prepared it this way. I may add some thinly sliced celery to it this week.
Fennel, thyme, garlic, parsley - enjoyed the Lentil Salad with Fennel and Herbs alongside a grilled salmon filet.
Cabbage, scallions - wanted to saute the cabbage but wasn't sure what to do to make it more interesting - the recipe on this site Roasted Cabbage with Black Bean Sauce was a delicious side dish for grilled chicken.
July 1, 2024
So Much Deliciousness
by Linda Dansbury
So Much Deliciousness
by Linda Dansbury
Farmer Derek washing scallions.
The veggie variety is expanding almost weekly - there are so many choices of produce and of how to enjoy them as so many of these veggies are versatile in the ways you can enjoy them. Here are a few things we enjoyed this past week. Since we are getting into high zucchini season, I will probably be bringing out the air fryer for zucchini fries and will prepare some type of zucchini pizza boats in the coming week(s). Please share how you are enjoying your harvest by emailing me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please put Anchor Run in the subject line.
Lettuce, radicchio, fennel, parsley, scallions, cucumber - made a "veggie" salad - saying this because there was a high ratio of veggies to lettuce. I shave the fennel so it doesn't dominate and made a slightly more vinegary dressing. Topped with a few crumbles of feta cheese - a very nice counterpoint to a grilled steak.
Cucumber, scallion, cilantro - made the Spiced Cucumber Sticks from this site - I found this recipe last year and made it a couple of times but this summer it has become our go-to snack. Although I make it pretty much as stated in the recipe, I am sure you can change up the spices - maybe substitute cumin or coriander for the chaat.
Cucumber, scallion, cilantro - enjoyed the Vietnamese Cucumber Salad, again on this site - yum!
Zucchini, scallion, radicchio - grilled these up and loved them with just flaky sea salt and good olive oil. The leftovers I had in a frittata for lunch the next day.
June 24, 2024
Beat the Heat with Salads!
by Linda Dansbury
Beat the Heat with Salads!
by Linda Dansbury
Black swallowtail butterfly larva on the bronze fennel in the herb garden.
Hope everyone is managing in this heat. Here are a few "cool" things we enjoyed this week.
Romaine, snap and snow peas, mint - prepared a delicious main dish type salad this past week. Placed cut up romaine in a large bowl. Sliced peas julienne style and added to bowl, along with a nice handful of sliced mint leaves. Cooked a few slices of bacon until crispy. Saved a couple of tablespoons of the bacon fat in pan and deglazed with about a tablespoon each of red wine vinegar and lemon juice. Added a tablespoon of olive oil to mixture, mixed well. Chopped up bacon and added half to salad bowl, poured dressing over salad and mixed well. Add fresh ground pepper, grated parm cheese and mixed everything up. Plated and topped each plate with more chopped bacon, cheese and pepper. Yum!
Snap Peas, mixed herbs - we were grilling anyway, so tossed a bunch of peas in olive oil - placed in grill basket and put on grill for about 3 minutes, shaking every minute. When peas had a bit of a char, remove from grill, place on a plate, drizzle with a bit more oil, flaky sea salt and a handful of chopped fresh herbs.
Lettuce, radicchio, fennel, turnips, peas - summer salads for me often turn into veggie salads, meaning I add some of whatever I got at the farm into my salad. The mix changes throughout the summer. The thing I do with my vinaigrette is make it a little more "vinegary" - the heartier lettuce and added veggies can take it and actually enhances the veggies. I like to mandoline the fennel for this salad.
Beets, parsley, lettuce - another salad! Roasted the beets, cut them into bite sized pieces and marinated them in a Dijon vinaigrette for a little while. When ready to eat, mixed with lettuce and topped with goat cheese.
June 17, 2024
Peas Please!
by Linda Dansbury
Peas Please!
by Linda Dansbury
Summer plot of lettuce, herbs, and celery.
I feel like I can never have too many peas. They are so delicious raw - all by themselves or dipped in something delicious. Here are a few things we enjoyed recently:
Radish, turnips, peas, mint, chives - made the Radishes with Goat Cheese Dip and enjoyed the raw veggies as an appetizer. So easy to make and delicious - the recipe says to use a processor to mix the dip, but it comes together by hand easily, with less to clean up.
Peas, mint - my favorite way to cook snow/snap peas is in a pan with a little olive oil or butter (or sesame oil writes Farmer Derek) - it only takes 2-3 minutes in a hot pan for them to be a perfect texture. They are amazing with just a bit of sea salt added at the end. This week I julienned a few mint leaves and tossed them in along with a few chili flakes after cooking was finished.
Swiss chard, garlic scapes - I have talked about this simple method of enjoying greens before - chop up chard stems and scapes - add them to pan heated with olive oil. A sprinkle of chili flakes is a nice addition. Saute for a couple of minutes then add the chopped chard leaves, or any greens you want to add. Cook until desired tenderness. Add salt and pepper to taste and enjoy with or without a squeeze of lemon.
Escarole, scapes, parsley - made an easy, but delicious dinner: cooked Italian sausage in a pan - and removed to a bowl. Added olive oil to same pan and added chopped scapes and chopped up escarole. When nearly cooked, added a can of white beans and mixed together well. Added sausage back into pan, heated everything through. Added salt and pepper. Removed from heat and tossed in a lot of chopped fresh parsley. Grated parmesan cheese over all and enjoyed with a loaf of crusty bread!
June 3, 2024
Yummy Strawberries
by Linda Dansbury
Yummy Strawberries
by Linda Dansbury
I was a part of a cooking demo at the Wrightstown Farmers Market on Saturday. My part was to do an Asian Stir Fry using veggies from the various produce vendors to help customers learn how to use the bounty of the current season. I was reminded by another member of both the market committee and Anchor Run that having all these veggies has taught us how to cook many things without a recipe. Stir fry is a perfect example of using whatever is available at the time. This week, we have chard (including stems), snow peas, garlic scapes, kohlrabi and komatsuna. Start by adding the more dense veggies such as kohlrabi and stir fry until just starting to soften. Add the chard stems and continue stirring. At this point add some of your favorite seasonings such as soy sauce or tamari, sesame oil, and maybe some hot chili paste or flakes. In this scenario I would add the snow peas, komatsuna, chard leaves and garlic scapes at the same time, along with more seasoning. Cook till desired tenderness, remove from heat and top with some roughly chopped cilantro.
Three quarts of strawberries is a delight! We are eating them every night with a drip of really good balsamic vinegar and/or nice dark chocolate. Below is something else fun I did with strawberries.
Strawberries, mint - made a simple strawberry lemonade courtesy of Smitten Kitchen. Four large lemons, remove skins, including white pith, which is bitter, and cut into chunks. Take a pound of strawberries and remove stems. Place in blender with about 1/3 cup of sugar and 2 cups of water to start. Blend till smooth then put through a strainer. Add more water if needed to be diluted more. Serve over ice either as is, with a splash of seltzer water, and/or with a bit of your favorite vodka, gin or white rum. Garnish with mint and strawberries.
Send how you enjoyed your harvest to me at lindadansbury@comcast.net to share with fellow members. Please put Anchor Run in the subject line.
May 27, 2024
June Salads!
by Linda Dansbury
June Salads!
by Linda Dansbury
Borage flowers, in the foreground, are a fun, cucumber-flavored addition to salads.
The pick up room is so full of deliciousness! Hope you are enjoying your harvests - if you have a method or recipe you would like to share with fellow members, please email me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please put Anchor Run in subject line so I can find your message. This past week has really felt like summer so I made salads and will include another one in this week's list that I plan on making today.
Arugula - just plain, delicious arugula dressed with lemon juice, olive oil salt and pepper - that's it! As an aside, if you have button or cremini mushrooms, slices of them are a great addition as are thinly sliced fennel and/or celery.
Mixed lettuces, hakurei turnips, radishes - made a Dijon vinaigrette. This was delicious and pretty with the colors of the turnips and radishes!
Bok choy, kale, hakurei turnips, green garlic, cilantro - will make the Asian Style Slaw (on this site) today to enjoy with grilled local pastured pork chops!
Radishes, mint, chives (scallions can be used) - enjoyed the Radishes with Goat Cheese Dip - so yummy and light as a warm evening snack.
Kale, hakurei turnips (for added crunch), green garlic, cilantro - for an easy weeknight dish, try the Kale Rice Bowl. I tend to change it up with veggies/greens I have on hand.
May 20, 2024
A Different kind of Cole Slaw
by Linda Dansbury
A Different kind of Cole Slaw
by Linda Dansbury
Dinner preparation using turnip tops and bottoms, bok choy, and green garlic.
It hasn't felt much like late spring recently, but the unofficial start of summer is next weekend! I love salads all year, and they vary by what we have in the fridge. There are A LOT of recipes on this site to help you enjoy your harvest. Simply click on For Members at the top of the page (you don't even have to log in). Recipes shows up in the pull down menu so click on that. Then, you can search on the ingredient in which you are needing inspiration. These recipes have been selected/developed with what is in season; at the same time so many of them include multiple veggies. There are also suggestions for alternative ingredients. Please try them out. Here are a couple things I made this past week:
Bok choy, radish, kale, green garlic, cilantro - you don't need cabbage to make a delicious cole slaw. My family loves the Asian Style Cole Slaw that is on this site.
Kale, green garlic, watermelon radish, komatsuna - made a delicious stir fry. I make these regularly with whatever I have on hand. The radish added wonderful crunch here. There are so many stir fry recipes on the internet - pick the seasoning blends you like. I normally go with some form of soy sauce and a bit of sesame oil.
Lettuce mix, arugula, radish - a simple lemony vinaigrette is so good on these spring greens. Rough recipe is: about 2 Tablespoons lemon juice plus a bit of the zest, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1-2 teaspoon honey, a bit of the green garlic and a bit of onion or shallot (to taste), a pinch or so of salt, a couple grinds of pepper, about a quarter cup of extra virgin olive oil. Place all in a container with a tight fitting lid and shake till it's blended. Dress salad right before enjoying - store leftovers in fridge.
Green garlic - made garlic bread - finely chop green garlic and place in some olive oil, allow to soak in there for a bit to meld the flavors. Spread on bread of your choice and bake in oven at about 425 until lightly browned. Enjoy.
May 12, 2024
Spring Ideas
by Linda Dansbury
Spring Ideas
by Linda Dansbury
Watering in freshly transplanted crops in the herb garden, including lavender, sage, oregano, thyme, lemon balm, catnip, cilantro, dill, nasturtium, borage, parsley, calendula, and mint.
Spring veggies are so welcomed after the dreary winter weather, which this year doesn't seem to go away. Here are a few of the things I enjoyed this past week.
Turnips and turnip tops - I made a delicious Japanese soup - it did have a few steps, but it was well worth it. Cooked cubed up turnips in a dashi broth until tender. Placed in blender and blended until smooth and put back in pot to keep warm. Chopped up turnip tops and boiled for 2 minutes. Placed in blender with a bit of the turnip soup and whirred up until smooth. Put turnip soup in bowls and topped with some of the greens puree and swirled it to make it look pretty. Serve warm. It was delicious for a cool night.
Lettuce, arugula - I love tender spring salads and no need to to dress heavily. Just a bit of salt and pepper, a squeeze of lemon juice and a drizzle of a mild olive oil. Slice watermelon radishes, salad radishes or turnips into the mix if you like. Enjoy!
Bok choy, komatzuna, green garlic - Yummy simple stir fry. Separated leaves from stalks and chopped all. Sautéed a bit of onion with chopped green garlic. After a minute added the bok choy stalks and komatsuna stem, mixed them around for a minute and added the greens. Added a bit of soy sauce and sesame oil at the end. Mixed well and enjoyed.
November 5, 2023
Fall Enjoyment!
by Linda Dansbury
Fall Enjoyment!
by Linda Dansbury
Jenny, one of Farmer Dana's pet sheep friends, smiles in appreciation of some nice cool fall weather.
I enjoy making large batches of things and having multiple meals out of 1 day of effort. Roasting, stewing, souping are all great ways to enjoy the fall harvests and have more than one meal to enjoy.
Sweet potato, potato, turnip - I enjoy making "mixed mash" - a blend of these 3 veggies makes for an enjoyable variation to the traditional mashed potatoes.
Turnips, beets, leek, garlic, sweet potato, potatoes, carrots, peppers - roast lots of different veggies for a delicious side dish - mix up the taste by adding different veggies, herbs and even seasoning salts. I have said this before, but the leftovers make an amazing frittata.
Fennel, celery, onion, carrot - used with lentils in making a delicious base for salmon. I turned the leftovers into a delicious salad.
Cabbage, leeks - made a delicious saute. I took several leaves off of the cabbage and cut them julienne - as you would do in making cole slaw. Used a combo of butter and olive oil to saute both veggies slowly. Added salt, pepper and thyme to the pan and cooked until the cabbage was tender and slightly browned around the edges. Served along with a pork roast - I thought later that this would have been delicious with sliced apples added.
Winter squash, kale, onion - made a dish in which I roasted the squash with some thyme. While squash was roasting, I sauteed onion and garlic and added chopped kale and sauteed until wilted and tender. Added the roasted squash pieces to the pan and mixed all together and squeezed a bit of lemon juice over all. Served over whole wheat pasta, with olive oil and grated parmesan cheese. Yummy.
October 22, 2023
Delicious Fall Cooking
by Linda Dansbury
Delicious Fall Cooking
by Linda Dansbury
The cool fall weather causes me to turn to roasting, stewing and "souping". I hope you are all enjoying cooking in season as much as I do. Here are a few things I have prepared recently.
Peppers, onions, garlic, tomatoes, herbs - made a large batch of stuffed peppers - they turned out delicious and the good news is that I have some in the freezer for enjoying down the road.
Potatoes, leeks, garlic, peppers, carrots, beets - I roasted a large sheet pan of mixed veggies. I roast them at about 400 degrees, although it can go higher or lower if you are cooking something else in your oven at the same time. Trick is to cut everything the same size so that they are all tender at the same time. I toss with olive oil, salt and pepper and then I add some sprigs of thyme or rosemary. I always make a lot of this because leftovers are delicious as a part of a grain salad, or in frittatas (yum!).
Winter squash, onion, arugula - made a delicious fall salad - I roasted the squash until tender and cut it into cubes. Made a salad dressing of apple cider, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, onion, salt and pepper. Placed arugula on a platter, drizzled with a bit of the dressing, mixed the squash cubes with dressing and placed on top of arugula. Topped with shredded parm cheese - really yummy and leftovers were great too.
Bok Choy, Swiss chard, turnips, carrots, cilantro, onion - made the Asian Style Cole Slaw that is on this site. Note the mix of veggies is somewhat different than the recipe.
October 1, 2023
Peppers Galore!
by Linda Dansbury
Peppers Galore!
by Linda Dansbury
I spy the critter on the brim.
Between the farm and what I grow on my own, I have been inundated with peppers the past few weeks. Fortunately, they store well. As I mentioned before, The Roasted Squash and Roasted Pepper Soup is delicious, and I have frozen 2 containers of it. Peppers also freeze well - just cut in half or quarters, removed seeds and white pith; place in single layer on a baking sheet and freeze. Once frozen, place in plastic bags and leave in freezer until ready to use - amazingly, peppers frozen this way are great even in stir fries! And of course chili, soups and stews. I made Sweet Pepper Relish this week too - I am not adding it to the website, because it was very time consuming, but it did turn out great - I added a hot pepper for more depth. If anybody wants the recipe, email me at lindadansbury@comcast.net.
I have been loving the return of the greens - arugula salads and adding the chard and kale to dishes. One delicious dish I made was a spaghetti squash stuffed with sausage, onion, garlic, chopped up tomatoes and chopped kale (dish called for spinach).
Tomatoes are waning, and almost finished at the farm, but the abundance of what I grew along with the farm's bounty inspired me to make tomato juice and even tomato paste - if you haven't tried these and have time, try them - they both are pretty simple to make, they freeze great and are much more tasty than store bought.
I just received an email that has a delicious looking lentil soup that is packed with veggies and greens - hmmm, think I will try that this coming week!
Enjoy the harvest.
September 17, 2023
Great Cooking Weather!
by Linda Dansbury
Great Cooking Weather!
by Linda Dansbury
This pupa of a tomato hornworm was found while transplanting spinach in the upper cat tunnel.
Hopefully the low humidity days are with us for good! It is so much nicer cooking in this weather. I made a couple of different dishes this week that I want to share - please send how you are enjoying the harvest by emailing me at lindadansbury@comcast.net.
Peppers, garlic, herbs - Prepared a really delicious side dish. Rub whole peppers with oil and sprinkle with salt. Grill peppers until charred all over (alternatively, this could be done under the broiler). Place in a paper bag until cool enough to handle. Peel off skins, cut into large chunks, and take out the stems and seeds. Place in large bowl. In a small skillet, put a couple tablespoons of olive oil. Thinly slice a garlic clove or 2 and when oil is hot, add garlic and cook until light brown. Remove from heat and throw in a handful of chopped herbs - I used thyme and rosemary. Pour the mixture over the peppers, add some salt and pepper. Drizzle a bit of balsamic vinegar and mix well. Place about 2/3 of the peppers in an oven proof baking pan. Add spoonfuls of goat cheese around the dish and top with remaining peppers. Bake at 400 degrees until peppers are bubbly and cheese is melted and a little browned. Remove from oven and enjoy!
Basil, garlic - The farm has an amazing crop of basil right now - both as a choice in the pick up room and in the herb garden. I took advantage of this and made a nice batch of pesto for the freezer.
September 10, 2023
Fall is (sort of) Here
by Linda Dansbury
Fall is (sort of) Here
by Linda Dansbury
Heavy with seed and no longer facing the sun.
This time of year is often strange - both in weather and the mix of veggies. We had a delightful couple of weeks with cooler nights, which makes one begin to think of more warming dishes, and then the abrupt and long switch to the longest, hottest streak of the summer, which makes you want to go back to simple, cooling meals. As is true with the veggie mix. We still have beautiful summer veggies, but now several fall ones, plus greens.
Here are a few things I have made recently:
Kale, garlic, cilantro, basil, onion, sweet and hot pepper - made the Kale Rice Bowl from this site. This has been a go to for my family as an easy meal. I have learned to change it up a bit based on what is available. One great addition is sweet peppers. Add them in the beginning with the ground pork. An onion doesn't hurt either - I had one left from grilling and it was great in this dish. Normally I top my bowl with a bit of Sriracha but this time I added a hot pepper when cooking the dish and it was great.
Pumpkin, peppers, garlic, onions - made the Roasted Butternut and Red Pepper Soup that I posted a couple of weeks ago. I tasted it and it was delicious, but I froze it for enjoyment later.
Tomatoes, peppers, onion, garlic, carrot, basil - prepared the Gazpacho Soup recipe from this site. Over the years, I have found this one to be my favorite. I have made it for friends and family and everyone really loves it. I think the addition of carrot and celery give it a really nice rounded flavor - not too tomatoey, if that makes sense.
Arugula, cherry tomatoes - I sometimes add arugula to lettuce for a mixed green salad, but other times I just like to keep it as mainly arugula. I simply put arugula and cherry tomatoes in a bowl, add some salt and pepper, squeeze lemon juice and a nice drizzle of good olive oil. Yum!
With the weather forecasted to turn cooler by the end of the week, I am looking to cook some "fallish" meals. Send how you are enjoying your harvest to me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and I will share with the rest of membership.
August 27, 2023
Love the Veggie Mix
by Linda Dansbury
Love the Veggie Mix
by Linda Dansbury
Farmer Abigail hard at work.
Unfortunately, life sometimes gets in the way of cooking the way I would like to. We had been splitting our time between 2 homes and have decided to downsize to one spot, so packing and all of the details that a move requires has been taking up much of my time. I hope to get back to some inventive cooking soon - in the meantime, please share how you are enjoying your farm harvest by emailing me at lindadansbury@comcast.net. Here are a few things we have recently enjoyed with very few details.
Tomato and Watermelon Salad - This is so yummy and I think that cantaloupe would work in place of the watermelon.
Edamame - Cook the way I have described in the past - I like to add some smoked sea salt at the end for a nice crunch and flavor.
Mixed veggie salads - Using lettuce, cucumber, tomato, sweet pepper and scallions and a yummy Italian vinaigrette - I like to top with crumbled feta and herbs.
We have been alternating between enjoying tomato bruschetta, tomato and mozzarella salad (caprese) and tomato salad made with scallions or onions, chopped sweet peppers, garlic, oregano, basil, olive oil and vinegar.
Eggplant, garlic - Baba Ganoush
August 13, 2023
So.Much.Food!
by Linda Dansbury
So.Much.Food!
by Linda Dansbury
Another shot of an eastern tiger swallowtail on some tithonia.
This is the time of year that you need muscles to carry your harvest home! Delicious watermelon, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, etc! Here are a few things I recently enjoyed:
Cucumbers, dill, hot pepper - I know the farm cucs are slowing down, but still want to share. I have a crop of cucs at my house too so made a few batches of pickles. If you don't want to go through the canning process, try the Narrow Bridge Farm Refrigerator Pickles. They are delicious and easy to make.
Cherry tomatoes, green beans, garlic, onion, herbs - Made a delicious salad in which the beans were slightly grilled and then added to a bowl of cherry tomatoes, onion and herbs with a vinaigrette. So yummy!
Tomatoes, garlic, basil - One of my favorite things to do with tomatoes is to make Uncooked Tomato Sauce. So easy to do and so, so delicious!
Eggplant, tomatoes, onion, garlic, herbs - Cut up eggplant and placed in preheated pan with olive oil. Added onions and garlic and cooked for a few minutes, then added chopped up tomatoes. Simmered until everything was tender. Topped with fresh herbs. Enjoyed with a nice loaf of bread and ate leftovers on some leftover rice.
Tomatoes, Tomatoes, Tomatoes...and basil! - Been alternating between Caprese Salad and Bruschetta. A lot of folks add Balsamic vinegar to their versions of these 2 dishes, but with tomatoes so delicious this time of year, I choose to not mask the flavor with vinegar.
Tomato, sweet pepper, onion, garlic - Another summer favorite is to use the tomatoes in a salad. Peel tomatoes, and cut into bite size pieces. Chop peppers to desired size. Slice onion and grate a tiny bit of garlic. Add all to bowl. Sprinkle pepper, salt and oregano over all then drizzle red wine vinegar and extra virgin olive oil and mix up. Be sure to have a good loaf of bread to sop up the dressing left in the bowl - so wonderful!
July 30, 2023
Wonderful Bounty of July
by Linda Dansbury
Wonderful Bounty of July
by Linda Dansbury
Attendees of this past week's herb garden class/tour mingling with the calendula.
Hard to believe it is the end of July - I hope this lower humidity and temps stay with us!
Been enjoying the delicious veggies the farm brings us - one of the things I do is make a mental note of what I have and what will stay fresh for the shortest amount of time - right now it is okra and eggplant. So, I plan to cook and use these within a few days of receiving them. Next is probably the scallions and cucumbers. Here are a few ways we enjoyed the harvest this week. Please share how you enjoyed your harvest by emailing me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please put Anchor Run in subject line.
Zucchini - baked up a delicious loaf of Zucchini and Blueberry Bread - since it is peak blueberry season, this is a good time to make it. I make a lot of variations of zucchini breads during the peak season and freeze them for enjoyment during the rest of the year.
Zucchini, garlic - made a dish called Zucchini Pizza Casserole. It was more like a zucchini lasagna than a pizza, but it was quite good. Basically, grate zucchini and mix it with eggs and parmesan and mozzarella cheeses. Place in casserole and bake for 20 min. While that's baking, brown ground meat with onions - I added garlic and Italian seasoning as well. When meat is browned, add tomato sauce. Spread this on top of the zucchini that has been baked, top with more cheese and bake again for about another 20 min. Simple, tasty and lighter than either pizza or lasagna.
Eggplant, zucchini, okra, peppers - once again, grilled up a lot of veggies and then enjoyed them for a few days. I even had grilled veggie sandwiches for lunch - added feta cheese to the sandwich and then had celery and cucumber on the side.
Green beans, scallions, peppers, basil, parsley, cherry tomatoes - made a salad out of this delicious group of veggies. I like to add chick peas because I like to eat the leftovers for lunch and it adds protein. I typically toss with a red wine vinaigrette and add some garlic and oregano, but this could also be slanted in a Southeast Asian way by using a bit of sesame oil, rice vinegar, lime juice, fish sauce and topped with cilantro.
Tomatoes, peppers, scallion, cilantro and local corn - made a black bean salsa - a fresh, delicious and healthy appetizer!
July 23, 2023
Summer Veggie Meals
by Linda Dansbury
Summer Veggie Meals
by Linda Dansbury
The veggies are so delicious! Hope everyone is enjoying the harvest as much as I am - please share by emailing me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please put Anchor Run in the subject line.
At this time of the year I grill and make salads out of a lot of the harvest. I find that having pasta on hand is great because it pairs so well with grilled veggies - add a vinaigrette, pesto, or olive oil, lemon juice and a bunch of fresh chopped herbs - all work great. Grilling extra while the grill is hot helps make meal prep easier the next day or two. The same hold true with salads - veggie salads hold up well and even may taste better the next day. Here are a few things I enjoyed this past week.
Cucumber, cilantro, scallion, garlic, mint, hot pepper (out of my freezer from last year) - enjoyed the Vietnamese Cucumber Salad - I came upon this recipe a couple of years ago and it has become a summer staple. If there is any leftover, it is delicious the next day.
Tomatillos, cilantro, garlic, hot pepper (from freezer) - made the Chicken Stew with Tomatillo Sauce. This is another go-to meal for enjoying tomatillos. I typically make a large batch of the sauce - tomatillos hold well in the fridge, so you can save a couple weeks worth of them and then make the sauce and freeze it in 2 cup containers for enjoying the stew at a later time. The sauce is also a good salsa. Instead of stewing the dish, I put it all in the pressure cooker - it is delicious! Serve it with rice as the recipe indicates or with fresh tortillas.
Eggplant, tomatoes, scallions - made the Eggplant Spread from this site. As much as I love Baba Ganoush, this is simpler to make and delicious.
Zucchini, garlic, basil - tried the Zucchini Ribbons with Pesto and White Beans that Farmer Dana sent me last week - Yum!
Green beans, cherry tomatoes, basil - found something slightly different to try called Summer Vegetable Pasta. This isn't a salad, but rather a warm dish with a bit of butter. It was simple to make and adaptable for whatever veggies you have on hand. I switched out the peas for green beans - can't wait to make this again!
July 16, 2023
Zucchini Days
by Linda Dansbury
Zucchini Days
by Linda Dansbury
Someone is enjoying a zinnia blossom.
We have A LOT of recipes on this site, all geared to help with enjoying the harvest. Many of the recipes include multiple veggies that are available at the same time. Even though there are already tons of them, I am always seeking out new ways to prepare the veggies. This past week I did 2 new things:
Cucumbers, snap beans, zucchini, carrots - I pickled a pile of veggies Italian style or Giardiniera. It called for making a flavored vinegar and then boiling each veggie separately until bright colored and barely soft. You can eat them at that point or conserve them; i.e. place in mason jars, covered with olive oil and then process the jars. I chose to eat them fresh - when I tasted them, they were a bit too vinegary for my taste, so I drizzled good quality olive oil on them - that did the trick. I still have some experimenting to do, but it was a fun and tasty try!
Zucchini, garlic, basil - I found a recipe for turning zucchini into an actual pasta sauce. It incorporates anchovies and onions that you saute up with the zucchini until all are soft but not brown. Blend or use immersion blender and finish with lemon juice. Toss with pasta and add chopped basil, toasted hazelnuts and parm cheese. We ended up not being home for dinner for a few nights, so I ended up freezing it for enjoyment later - if as good as I think it will be, I will post the recipe.
Snap Beans, cherry tomatoes, mixed herbs, scallions - I make salads with a lot of the veggies we receive - they are great for summer and using a vinaigrette preserves the veggie, and in this case the beans are even better the second day. I often incorporate chick peas and/or feta cheese to make it more of a meal.
Eggplant, garlic, herbs - I was using the grill anyway, so grilled eggplants up until really soft and almost black on the outside. When cool enough to handle I removed the skins, and chopped the flesh up really well - it was soft so it came out like a chunky dip. Added a bit of grated garlic, lots of chopped herbs and a good squeeze of lemon juice. Served it on grilled bread - yum!
How did you enjoy your harvest? Please email me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and I will share with the rest of membership.
July 9, 2023
Cook Once, Eat Multiple Times
by Linda Dansbury
Cook Once, Eat Multiple Times
by Linda Dansbury
Be sure to take some time to pick a flower bouquet! Remember to BYO scissors for flowers and herbs.
Grilling season can make dinners easier with some planning. Grill more than what you need for one meal and you can do countless things with the leftovers - that goes with both veggies and meats. I didn't make a lot of different things this past week, but the rainy day today provides a good opportunity to be creative with all the veggies! Please share how you enjoy your harvest by emailing me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please include Anchor Run in the Subject line so that I can find your email. Here are a couple of things we enjoyed this week.
Zucchini, eggplant, scallions, fresh herbs - grilled them up until nice and charred and cooked through (the scallions take only a couple of minutes). When finished, drizzled with some good olive oil, salt and pepper and some chopped fresh herbs.
Zucchini, eggplant, garlic scapes, a few peas I still had left - used the leftover grilled veggies and uncooked peas and cooked up some pasta. I had pesto in the freezer so I made a delicious pasta salad which was one night's side dish and a couple of lunches after that.
Lettuce, cucumber, scallion, kohlrabi - made a nice hardy salad and served it with leftover grilled chicken cut up and placed on top.
Beets - made a delicious beet salad - I like to use a basic Dijon vinaigrette with some chopped up tarragon. Serve with a bed of greens, a bit of goat or feta cheese and some chopped nuts, and it is delicious!
Zucchini, eggplant, scallions, fresh herbs - grilled them up until nice and charred and cooked through (the scallions take only a couple of minutes). When finished, drizzled with some good olive oil, salt and pepper and some chopped fresh herbs.
Zucchini, eggplant, garlic scapes, a few peas I still had left - used the leftover grilled veggies and uncooked peas and cooked up some pasta. I had pesto in the freezer so I made a delicious pasta salad which was one night's side dish and a couple of lunches after that.
Lettuce, cucumber, scallion, kohlrabi - made a nice hardy salad and served it with leftover grilled chicken cut up and placed on top.
Beets - made a delicious beet salad - I like to use a basic Dijon vinaigrette with some chopped up tarragon. Serve with a bed of greens, a bit of goat or feta cheese and some chopped nuts, and it is delicious!
July 2, 2023
Summer Veggies for Summer Weather
by Linda Dansbury
Summer Veggies for Summer Weather
by Linda Dansbury
Eastern Painted Turtle found on the farm last week. The week prior we spotted an Eastern Box Turtle.
I hope everyone is enjoying the fresh, wonderful veggies as much as I am. Please send me how you are preparing your harvest by emailing me at lindadansbury@comcast.net so I can share with the rest of membership - and please include Anchor Run in the Subject line so I can find your message. Here are a few ways we enjoyed our harvest this week:
Zucchini, garlic scapes, lettuce - if there is a perfect weeknight summer meal for when you don't feel like grilling, here it is: Warm Summer Squash and Sausage Salad. You only need one pan and a large bowl. It is simple to make and delicious. We enjoy this dish at least every couple of weeks during the summer months - once the cherry tomatoes come in it is even better!
Beets, turnips, herbs, garlic scapes - roasted a panful of veggies to snack on and add to salads during the week. Simple and delicious.
Snow and snap peas, scapes, kohlrabi, cilantro - made a batch of cole slaw to enjoy with grilled chicken.
Kale, garlic scapes - I was perusing the recipe site and came upon a recipe that has been around for awhile, but I hadn't made it in a long time: Wilted Kale Salad with Miso Vinaigrette - I didn't follow exactly, but used it as a base.
Cucumbers - so far, I have been just eating them as is or slicing into salads, but will start making salads featuring cucs soon. One thing I like to do for a quick, light lunch is take a slice of bread and spread with hummus. Top with sliced cucumber and enjoy. I really like the crunch of the cucumber.
June 25, 2023
Chilly to Warm
by Linda Dansbury
Chilly to Warm
by Linda Dansbury
A portion of the plants we grow are also extremely beneficial to pollinating insects. Borage is particularly loved.
This week has been a weather roller coaster! From absolutely chilly to ring in the Summer Solstice to humidity so high everything stays wet. My eating reflects this.
Swiss chard - I pulled a container of minestrone soup from the freezer that I had prepared last fall with all the great veggies of late summer. I sauteed the chopped stems and added to pot, then chopped up leaves and added to soup a few minutes before eating it. The chopped stems added a nice fresh texture to the soup, as did the addition of dark greens right before eating.
Scapes, bok choy, chard, turnips, zucchini, peas - made a large stir fry using all these delicious ingredients. Served over brown rice. As a side note, I also used peppers that I had frozen last fall - I will likely bring this up later in the year, but peppers freeze beautifully.
Radishes, kohlrabi, turnips, peas, cucumber - I have been eating these raw as a snack and cut up and added to salads.
Radicchio, escarole, garlic scape - enjoyed the Radicchio and Endive with Miso Dressing I added to this site last week.
Please share how you enjoyed your harvest by emailing me at lindadansbury@comcast.net - your suggestions will help fellow members!
June 18, 2023
Spring Meets Summer
by Linda Dansbury
Spring Meets Summer
by Linda Dansbury
The required annual sharing of a photo of a swallowtail larva.
I mentioned the transition of veggies last week and a couple of means that we prepared reflected the combination of seasons. Please share how you enjoyed your harvest by emailing me at Lindadansbury@comcast.net - and please put Anchor Run in Subject so I can find your email.
Snow peas, radishes, kohlrabi - once again we enjoyed the Radishes with Goat Cheese Dip - as I have said before, it is easy to make (I don't use the food processor as the recipe states - I normally make a half batch at a time and hand mixing is simple) and is delicious with all of the fresh veggies we are receiving.
Snow peas, zucchini, Swiss chard, garlic scapes - pasta is an easy, 2 pot meal! In this case, sauteed wild mushroom mix with onions and Swiss chard stems, added wine and reduced a bit. Then added peas, zucchini and scapes and simmered for about 2 minutes. Chopped chard leaves were then added. Cooked pasta was added to the pan along with parsley and a generous grating of cheese. Yummy!
Radicchio, endive, garlic scapes - I am always looking for new ways to enjoy salad greens. After all of these years of "playing" with my farm share, it is more difficult for me to find different preps, but this Radicchio and Endive Salad with Miso Dressing is easy and delicious. You can use any combo of salad greens for this dressing, but it really helps cut the bitterness of greens. Add nuts and/or thinly sliced fennel (coming to your share soon) for added deliciousness.
Romaine - love the large heads of romaine we sometimes get from the farm. I don't hesitate to enjoy them by quartering the head, leaving the core in tact. Brush with olive oil and then place cut side down on the cooler side of the grill - do not walk away, this doesn't take long. Barely char the lettuce, then turn and repeat on the other cut side. Remove from grill, chop and dress with your favorite Caesar or other dressing.
June 11, 2023
Yum!!
by Linda Dansbury
Yum!!
by Linda Dansbury
Hope everyone is enjoying your harvest as much as we are! Please share your dishes with membership by emailing me at lindadansbury@comcast.net. Please put Anchor Run in Subject line so I can find your email. Here are a few things I have recently made.
Green garlic, dill - made a white wine, garlic, butter sauce and drizzled it over grilled clams - so delicious we had it twice in a week!
Swiss chard, green garlic, turnip, cilantro - cooked up homemade eggrolls with leftover pulled pork. The veggie part of the dish used lots of farm veggies. Enjoyed with a dipping sauce that included cilantro.
Bok Choy - Grilled the bok choy (one of my favorite ways) and made an Asian dipping sauce to drizzle over it.
Kale - enjoyed a Kale Caesar Salad. There is something soothing about massaging the kale to make the leaves tender!
May 28, 2023
Greens, and More Greens
by Linda Dansbury
Greens, and More Greens
by Linda Dansbury
About a thousand watermelon plants went in last week. To be enjoyed in August.
I hope everyone is enjoying your harvests! Let members know how you are enjoying yours by emailing me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please put Anchor Run in subject line so I can find your message.
Green Garlic - I told Farmer Derek this week I forget year to year how much I like this product (FYI he's been enjoying it chopped in his salads). It is less strong than mature garlic, and it can be sautéed, baked or grilled without getting bitter. A few things I have done with mine: made garlic bread, mixing chopped green garlic, parsley and olive oil and brushed onto bread. Baked until slightly brown. The garlic, even though a few bits were brown, was delicious; chopped up and added to marinades for grilled chicken and added to guacamole (again, a wonderful garlic flavor without being overpowering).
Bok choy, salad radishes, green garlic, chard, cilantro - made the Asian Style Cole Slaw from this site. This is a go to recipe for me for this time of the year. Try it!!
Kale - I made a Kale Caesar Salad and I also added chopped up kale to a Minestrone Soup I had in the freezer.
May 21, 2023
Kale and Radishes
by Linda Dansbury
Kale and Radishes
by Linda Dansbury
Radishes getting washed and ready for pick up.
I hope you are enjoying your first harvest(s). I made a couple of yummy dishes this week to share with you - please share how you enjoy your harvest by emailing me at lindadansbury@comcast.net. Please put Anchor Run in subject line so I can find your email. I will share your dishes with the rest of membership.
Kale, green garlic - made a dish that has been one of my week night staples, although hadn't made it in awhile. Kale Rice Bowl is simple to make and delicious. In addition to the kale that is listed in the recipe, it is also great with bok choy and peppers - I list peppers here because I still have some in my freezer from last summer and they are great chopped up and added to this dish.
Radishes - I love Radish with Goat Cheese Dip. It is great with any veggies including bok choy, turnips, soon to be snap and snow peas and of course radishes. I may try to substitute or add dill if I make it again this coming week. Yummy!
May 14, 2023
Green Garlic and More
by Linda Dansbury
Green Garlic and More
by Linda Dansbury
The other patch of very early outdoor transplants (beets, chard, escarole, lettuce, romaine, cilantro, dill), ready for a drink of water.
The volume and/or variety of veggies can sometimes overwhelm members, especially new ones with how to use the sometimes huge harvest we receive. Sharing with members is a great way to learn new ways of using things - this is where I share what I did to enjoy my harvest. I encourage members to do the same by emailing me at Lindadansbury@comcast.net. You can email me recipes (if they are different enough from what is already on the site, I will add it the archived recipes), methods and even questions. It has only been a few days since I received my harvest, but here are a couple if things I made.
Green garlic, bok choy, chili pepper (frozen from last year's harvest) - I sauteed green garlic and onion and locally grown shitake mushrooms for a couple of minutes in oil. When getting a bit soft, I added the bok choy stems, chopped chili pepper, and sauteed for another minute. Finally added the chopped bok choy leaves and cooked till wilted. I added a bit of sesame oil along with salt and pepper at the end, but you can change it up by adding Italian seasoning or your favorite blend. Also, Swiss chard and spinach work equally well here - when using Swiss chard, chop the stems and saute them along with the onion and green garlic.
Lettuce mix, bok choy, arugula, radish - I love using multiple types of greens in salads - they provide colors, textures and flavors. I made a simple dressing of olive oil, red wine vinegar, dijon mustard, salt and pepper. I do about 3-4 parts oil to 1 part vinegar. Try recipes from this site to make your own dressing.
November 7, 2021
A Tasty End to the Main Season
By Linda Dansbury
A Tasty End to the Main Season
By Linda Dansbury
Sweet and hot peppers, last of the summer crops, could not withstand nighttime temperatures in the 20s. Expecting this, we harvested all the good fruit beforehand.
With my own yard work starting to be under control, I was able to to turn some of my time to cooking up delicious dishes! You will see I used a lot of winter squash - I typically don't cook it up until the weather starts to get cold because there are still so many other veggies to use.
Beets - I have mentioned the Chocolate Beet Cake in prior writings as suggestions for the beets, but haven't actually made the cake in awhile until this week - it is time consuming, but the end result is a moist, rich, delicious dessert, packed with beets. Yum...
Potatoes, sweet potatoes - one of my favorites of the fall is what I like to call "mixed mash". This time, we just did the 2 potatoes, but in the past I have added turnips, carrots and/or rutabaga. Made it for guests and they also loved the combination.
Potatoes, peppers, garlic, leeks, turnips, kohlrabi - roasted these delicious veggies and made a lot so the next night I had a delicious frittata. Due to the inclusion of sweet peppers, it almost seemed like a hash.
Bok Choy - made the Spicy Roasted Bok Choy - I just love this dish.
Bok choy, garlic, kale, peppers (sweet and hot), cauliflower - made a delicious stir fry. I tend to look these up on-line and find a sauce I want to make and then use whatever veggies and a protein.
Winter squash, hot pepper, onion and garlic - made a Vietnamese "pumpkin" soup - most of the rest of the world just uses pumpkin as the generic term for winter squash. For this very simple recipe, use ground pork (locally raised provides the best flavor), which you marinade in a bit of fish sauce, salt, pepper, and just a teaspoon of sugar. Saute onions and garlic and then add pork to brown. Add water and cook for a few minutes, add a good amount of cut up squash and simmer until the squash is tender. Top with chopped cilantro, basil and thinly sliced hot pepper.
Leeks, garlic, winter squash - made an Indian spiced soup. So good and warming.
October 31, 2021
Fall Cooking
By Linda Dansbury
Fall Cooking
By Linda Dansbury
Sassafras showing its true fall colors.
What are you cooking now that it is definitely fall weather themed? Please share with fellow members by emailing me at lindadansbury@comcast.net.
I have been enjoying both cooking with new veggies as well as using items I had frozen earlier - part of the fun of being a farm member is being able to have things from the farm almost year round. Here are a few things we enjoyed this week:
Swiss chard, garlic, thyme - made a risotto that was a little more time consuming than "normal" risotto, but worth it. Sauteed the stems of the chard and then added the greens until just wilted. Meanwhile, roasted chopped mushrooms in the oven with a bit of oil and butter. Once the rice was cooked, added the veggies in, along with a nice grating of cheese. Turned out really nice, and there were plenty of leftovers for another meal.
Pumpkin, leeks, herbs - made an Indian spiced pumpkin soup. Started by roasting the pumpkin, so the flavors were so rounded and delicious. Again, enough for a second meal.
Green beans, pesto, (both frozen during the summer), kale - I used a container of frozen minestrone soup that I had made in the summer. I like to have soups and stews in which I add greens at the end of cooking. Doing this brightens the reheated dish. In this case, I also used green beans that I had frozen as well as stirring in a bit of homemade pesto. Don't worry if you didn't make any basil pesto during the summer - you can make a batch of Kale Pesto now!
October 24, 2021
Time for Roasted Veggies!
By Linda Dansbury
Time for Roasted Veggies!
By Linda Dansbury
Lettuce mix awaiting transplanting.
One of the things I love to eat in the fall/winter are roasted veggies. They are easy, versatile, and most important - delicious! I always use several different veggies and always make a large amount - the leftovers are also delicious, either as another side dish, added to stews, and one of my favorites, made into a frittata for another meal. Yum... Here are a few things we enjoyed. Share how you enjoyed your harvest by emailing me at lindadansbury@comcast.net, and please put Anchor Run in the Subject line.
Sweet potatoes, leeks, winter squash, kohlrabi, beets - made a large cookie sheet of roasted veggies - roasted at 425 degrees, with olive oil drizzled over and mixed in and a large sprig of rosemary chopped up (thyme is equally good). Cut everything up in about the same size so they cook up tender at the same time - I do like that the leeks get crispy in spots, but if you don't like this, add them about 15 minutes after the rest of the vegetables.
Kale - broke out the Kale Chip method - I had completely forgotten about this! it is great for kids but one of the things I love about it is that I can quickly make a tray of it and while I am making dinner, I am treated to a delicious, healthy snack. Instead of plain salt, I used Togarashi for a twist. I have also used smoked sea salt, cumin and paprika - all are great.
Leeks, potato, celery, carrot, Swiss chard - made a chicken pot pie using leftover roasted chicken. I made a classic recipe, but incorporated some Swiss chard at the end of making the filling. It was a great chilly night dinner, actually 2 dinners for us, plus the recipe made 2 pies, so another one is in freezer to enjoy later.
October 10, 2021
A Fun New Meal!
By Linda Dansbury
A Fun New Meal!
By Linda Dansbury
The U-pick flower garden is still producing some nice blooms!
Our weather has been warm for October and the summer crops are still producing, but...my body wants soups and stews. We did grill veggies this week and I made a couple of soups/stews. What are you making with your harvest? Email me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please put Anchor Run in the subject line so I can find your message.
Sweet peppers, eggplant, shishitos, onions, potatoes (that were par boiled) - grilled them and then drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled smoked sea salt on them - it was delicious.
Leeks - made Melted Leeks. I have eaten these in restaurants, but never made them - they are so easy! I found the recipe I am adding this week after I made the leeks and served alongside a roasted chicken. I kept thinking that salmon would be great with them, and then found Slow Cooker Citrus Salmon with Melted Leeks - a 1 pot meal. If you want, you can just do the leeks this way and serve them with something else.
Arugula, tomatoes - made one of my favorite salads - simply toss arugula and chopped up tomatoes with olive oil, fresh lemon juice, sea salt and pepper. Delicious with anything.
Pumpkin, sweet peppers, hot pepper, Swiss chard - made a Slow Cooker Chicken and Pumpkin Curry. Most Asian grocery stores have ready made red curry paste. The one I had wasn't as flavorful as I would have liked so I doctored it up by adding a hot pepper, and more paste than it called for. But, served this to friends and they loved it. I have added the recipe.
October 3, 2021
Fall Deliciousness
By Linda Dansbury
Fall Deliciousness
By Linda Dansbury
Fall farm scene (photo credit CSA member Mary Penney).
This has certainly been an interesting year! Epic tomato harvests, both from the farm and my own garden. I have made creations from tomatoes I had never ventured to make before - I bagged and froze the tomatoes when the harvests were so high, and now that I can breathe a bit, I have taken them out and made puree, juice, pizza sauce, and even paste! All are straight forward to do, they just take some time. How have you been enjoying your harvest? Email me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please put Anchor Run in the Subject line so I can find your message. Below are a few things I have recently made.
Swiss chard - since it is now fall, and we are enjoying more soups and stews, I have added it to minestrone soup that I had made earlier and froze. I chopped the stems and added them early in the reheating process and then added the chopped leaves about 10 minutes before eating.
Swiss chard, tomatoes, sweet and hot peppers, onions, garlic - made a chicken recipe that was called a chili, but it was more a delicious stew. It called for making the veggie "base" - saute onions, add garlic and then a lot of chopped up peppers and whole canned tomatoes (mine were out of the freezer; I partially thawed them, removed the skins and core and rough chopped). Recipe said to bake chicken, de-bone it and then add it to stew, but I cooked chicken parts right in the stew and it turned out great. It did not call for chard, but I added that too. Yum.
Kale - I used most of my kale by making Kale Pesto and Kale Caesar Salad.
Okra, eggplant, onions, garlic, tomato, sweet and hot peppers - made a veggie stew. Sauteed onions, garlic and peppers until just barely soft. Added chopped eggplant, and okra cut into "coins". With this addition, added cumin, garam masala, a bit of cinnamon, salt and pepper and stirred everything up for a couple of minutes. Added chopped tomatoes and then simmered until everything was soft. Served it over basmati rice - it was delicious! Best part is that I have some in freezer for the future.
September 12, 2021
Still Loving all the Veggies
By Linda Dansbury
Still Loving all the Veggies
By Linda Dansbury
It sure was fun cooking with cooler weather! What have you been cooking? Please let me know by emailing me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and put Anchor Run in subject line to make sure I see your message. Here are a few things I made that were a little different from my norm. This time of year I tend to make things that can go in the freezer for use in the winter when fresh local veggies are not really available.
Tomatillos, garlic, poblano and jalapeno peppers, onion - made the Slow Cooker Chicken or Pork Chili Verde - I made it one day and enjoyed it the next - really delicious - the heat is just about perfect.
Okra, tomato, pepper, onion, eggplant, carrot, summer squash (end of my own crop, recipe also includes winter squash) - made the Mediterranean Stew that a fellow member submitted a couple of years back. This time of year it seems there are bits of so many different things and this uses a lot of different veggies, and it freezes well. Served it alongside locally made grilled sausages.
Kale, onions, tomatoes - made a kale salad using a balsamic dressing and topped with feta cheese I had in the fridge. Yum
August 29, 2021
Preserving the Harvest
By Linda Dansbury
Preserving the Harvest
By Linda Dansbury
A rainy day led me to cook up a storm! Let me know what you have recently made by emailing me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please put Anchor Run in subject line to I can find your email. I have a veggie garden of my own, so with both the farm and my garden being bountiful, I have had to really think about how to best use my harvests so they don't go bad.
Tomatoes - for the first time ever, I made my own tomato juice. It turned out great and was super easy to make. Remove cores and cut up tomatoes. Place in pot and cook, adding a good amount of salt to the pot. Cook until tomatoes are tender - about 45 minutes. Allow to cool slightly then run through a food mill. Place juice in a pot and add more salt if needed, black pepper and other spices and/or hot sauce if you want - paprika, cumin, cayenne, celery salt are a few choices. I just added a bit of celery salt.
Tomatoes, zucchini, carrots, onion, garlic - Made a classic Minestrone Soup. There are a couple of recipes on this site - I just made mine up. I made a double batch so will have plenty to freeze.
Tomatillos, onion, hot pepper, cilantro - made the Chicken Stew with Tomatillo Sauce. One of my long time favorites, I learned a few years ago that it comes out even better in a pressure cooker. Served over rice or on tortillas, and topped with feta cheese - so good.
Tomato, watermelon, hot pepper, basil, mint, onion - prepared the Watermelon, Heirloom Tomato and Goat Cheese Salad - all I can say is that it is summer on a plate!
Zucchini, peppers and onions - did one of my go-to's for this summer. Grilled a pile of veggies and then had the leftovers in a green salad with balsamic dressing.
Cherry tomatoes, rosemary, garlic - I had so many cherry tomatoes to use up that I made a cherry tomato compote. Placed tomatoes on a sheet pan, drizzled with olive oil and salted and added some crushed garlic. Cooked in a 235 degree oven for 2 hours, then added a sprig of chopped rosemary to the pan and mixed it all up. Roasted for another 2 hours and removed from oven - oh my gosh! Amazing!!
August 22, 2021
Summer Dishes
By Linda Dansbury
Summer Dishes
By Linda Dansbury
Monarch larva on a milkweed plant in the newly established moist soil native plant habitat.
Wow, the summer heat and humidity have come back with a vengeance! I think a lot of what we ate recently reflects this. Here are a few items we enjoyed - many of them are things I have posted in the past, but are so delicious for the summer.
Tomatoes, peppers, onion, garlic, basil, cilantro, cucumbers, carrots - made my favorite Gazpacho recipe. It is so simple and delicious - rough chop veggies and place in large bowl along with a bit of water, red wine vinegar and olive oil. Cover and let marinade overnight in fridge. I normally don't use the jarred piquilla peppers called for in the recipe. I just use a sweet red pepper and add just a bit more vinegar. The next day, either use immersion blender or blender and blend till smooth. Recipe tops with shrimp, but I typically cut up cherry tomatoes and top with a few of them, the chopped cilantro and a drizzle of delicious olive oil - I have also topped with jumbo lump crabmeat. This recipe makes enough for about 8 appetizer sized portions.
Tomatoes, onion, garlic, herbs - made the Simple Oven-Roasted Tomato Sauce recipe that member Mindy Bence sent a couple of weeks ago. It is delicious! At the same time I made a large pot of "traditional" sauce. The oven roasted is so simple and delicious and I will make it again - it will be particularly great when used in lasagna. The only drawback for me is that due to space limitations in the oven, I can't use a lot of tomatoes at once. Since I grow my own tomatoes as well, I need to go through a lot of tomatoes, so I will use both methods.
Tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic, basil - made the tomato salad I grew up with several times over the past few weeks. The only part of this that is kind of a pain is peeling the tomatoes, but it is so worth it. To make it, peel and chop the tomatoes and place in a bowl. Chop the peppers and onions small and add to bowl. Grate or mince just part of a garlic clove and add, along with some julienned basil. Add salt and pepper and a bit of dried oregano to the bowl. Add red wine vinegar and olive oil and mix well. Enjoy - the best part of this dish is having some crusty bread to dunk the juices at the bottom of the bowl. Yum...
August 8, 2021
Hooray for Okra
By Linda Dansbury
Hooray for Okra
By Linda Dansbury
This week, we enjoyed more of the same, simple preps, with a couple additions:
Okra, onion, pepper, garlic, herbs - made the delicious Louisiana Gumbo. It is much lighter than traditional gumbos, making it a nice summer treat (of course not so much during a heat wave).
Okra - made a tempura batter fried okra with an Asian style dipping sauce. It was good, but the batter needs a bit of work so we will try again.
Tomatoes, peppers, onion, basil - I grew up eating this delicious salad and to this day I find it addictive. Peel the tomatoes and cut into chunks (peeling can be a bit of a pain, but it is worth the effort). Chop peppers into thin strips, onions into thin slices and just a hint of garlic minced or grated. Julienne some basil. Place all in a bowl adding salt, pepper and dried oregano to taste. Drizzle a bit of red wine vinegar and good quality olive oil, mix and enjoy. Make sure you have some delicious crusty bread to soak up the dressing left in the bowl - it is delicious!
Send me how you are enjoying your harvest by emailing me at lindadansbury@comcast.net.
August 1, 2021
Summer's Bounty
By Linda Dansbury
Summer's Bounty
By Linda Dansbury
Hoop House full of fall transplants.
We continued enjoying this week's harvest with salads, although I also made a delicious zucchini soup, combining the squash from the farm and from my garden. Also with the large tomato harvest, most meals were all about the tomatoes! See below for a short list of what we enjoyed.
Tomato, zucchini, onion, peppers, lettuce - grilled all the veggies and used the leftovers in a salad the next night using a balsamic dressing. This time topped it with some feta cheese. We are loving this and do it at least once a week.
Tomato and basil - we have been enjoying caprese salads using locally made mozzarella cheese - so simple and delicious!
Tomato, pepper, onions, basil - made a yummy tomato salad that comes from my childhood. The tomatoes are best peeled, but if you don't feel like it, that's ok. Slice the onions, chop the peppers and tomatoes. Make a simple red wine vinaigrette - salt, pepper, dried oregano, red wine vinegar and olive oil. Mix all together and enjoy - make sure you have good crusty bread because one of the best parts of this salad is the juice left at the bottom of the bowl.
Zucchini, onions, garlic, parsley - made an easy, really delicious soup. Hard to believe that something so simple with so few ingredients can be so good - company loved it and asked for the recipe. Saute onions and garlic in a combo of butter and olive oil until soft. Add salt and pepper to taste. Slice 1.5 lbs zucchini thinly - I used a mandoline. No need to peel or de-seed. Add the sliced zucchini and stir frequently until starting to soften. Add about a cup of broth and a cup of water and allow to softly simmer until veggies are very soft. Puree either with blender or immersion blender until very smooth. Adjust seasonings and enjoy topped with chopped parsley.
July 25, 2021
Summer Deliciousness
By Linda Dansbury
Summer Deliciousness
By Linda Dansbury
Winter squash thriving at the bottom of a hill, appreciative of the extra soil and nutrients that have accumulated there over the years. ETA: mid-to-late August.
I have so much fun cooking this time of year - with the variety of crops, there is almost an endless amount of dishes you can prepare. Below is some of what we enjoyed this past week - a few dishes were inspired by friends that stayed with us - we had a fairly traditional Greek meal, Yum!
Lettuce, peppers, cucumber, cherry tomatoes and thyme - roughly chopped up the veggies and herb and placed in large bowl. Topped with a chunk of good quality feta cheese, good olive oil, a bit of vinegar, salt and pepper and mixed up - simple yet so flavorful.
Swiss chard - this was as simple as it gets - chop the chard and place in a pot of rapidly boiling salted water. Cook for 1-2 minutes, or just until wilted. Strain and push as much of the water out of it. Place in bowl and top with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper - very nice.
Zucchini - grilled it and topped with olive oil, salt, pepper a squeeze of lemon juice and a few thyme leaves.
Eggplant, zucchini, peppers, cherry tomatoes, herbs - grilled the veggies, and then put the leftovers into a pasta salad and had it for lunch for a few days.
Tomatoes, scallions, pepper, hot pepper, garlic and cilantro - made a very delicious salsa - so good I made it twice!
July 18, 2021
More Summer Salads
By Linda Dansbury
More Summer Salads
By Linda Dansbury
Thriving farm pollinator habitat in full bloom.
I think we are all thankful for the lower heat and humidity - I hope all of you and your loved ones came through the storms with no damage. The oppressive heat had me making large salads or grilling and then adding any leftovers to salads. Grill or roast more of whatever protein you want, and then you will have simple dinners with no need to sweat over a stove or grill for another day or two. Mix up the salads you make to keep from getting bored. Or make sandwiches with leftover protein and have a nice veggie side salad - another great strategy for beating the heat. Send me your summer inspirations for great meals during the heat by emailing me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please put Anchor Run in the subject line.
Cucumber, scallions, cilantro, mint, garlic, chili pepper (I know we haven't received these yet, I took one out of the freezer from last year - another way the harvest keeps giving through the year). Made a Vietnamese Cucumber Salad that is so yummy - actually have now made it 3 times so far this year! Even leftovers the next day are delicious.
Green beans, scallions, garlic, basil, parsley, cherry tomatoes - made a green bean salad - I have twice now used my entire share of green beans in 1 large salad. It keeps for days due to the red wine vinaigrette I use. To make it, cook the beans as you like - I cook them a bit longer than if I were eating them plain because the dressing is better absorbed. Chop the aromatics and halve the cherry tomatoes. Make your favorite red wine vinaigrette and mix all together. Delicious add-ins include chick peas and feta cheese.
Zucchini, eggplant, pepper, chard, scallions, basil and parsley - made a really simple pasta salad by grilling all the veggies until nicely charred and tender. Chopped everything up and tossed together in a large bowl with cooked pasta. Dressing was a vinaigrette I made combining red wine vinegar and balsamic vinegar. Enjoyed it as a delicious side dish, and then leftovers were lunch with some leftover chicken one day and some tuna another day. Additional add-ins for this dish can be white beans or chick peas, some type of cheese, including mozzarella, parmesan or feta, cherry tomatoes or other things your family likes.
Lettuce, tomato, scallion and basil - we had club sandwiches one night and I finely chopped scallion and basil and mixed into the mayo for a nice flavor boost to the sandwich.
Garlic scapes, scallion, lots of parsley and basil - used all these herbs to flavor a marinade for grilled chicken. Yum
July 4, 2021
Summer Salads
By Linda Dansbury
Summer Salads
By Linda Dansbury
A bigger than usual zucchini blossom pollinator.
Once again, the weather has been like a yoyo. Made a new favorite salad this week - will be making this over and over again this summer. See below for description. If you want to share something with fellow members or ask a question, please email me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please put Anchor Run in the subject line.
Fennel, scapes, chard, parsley - made a mussel and chorizo stew last night since it wasn't going to be a good grilling night. The recipe I used did not call for fennel, but any type of seafood goes well with fennel so added it early on with the onion. Used scapes instead of garlic and added them when there was only about 10 min left of cooking time. Also added a nice pile of chopped chard - again the recipe didn't call for it. Garnished with lots of chopped parsley.
Zucchini - made zoodles out of a couple small zucchini and enjoyed with some tomato sauce I had in freezer from last year's bounty. Topped with chopped basil.
Cucumbers - so far I have mostly just been eating them as a snack, except for the wonderful salad below.
Lettuce, cucumber, peas (I grew peas and used some but you can also use green beans, or neither since the recipe doesn't call for either), basil, cilantro, scapes, scallions, chili pepper that was frozen from last year - made a Thai Beef salad that was so delicious, it will become one of this years summer staples. We had made a large steak and had a lot leftover, but you can enjoy this salad with just about any protein of your choice - grilled chicken or shrimp would be particularly good. Please try it and let me know what you think.
June 27, 2021
Happy Eating!
By Linda Dansbury
Happy Eating!
By Linda Dansbury
The variety of veggies is really broadening, making cooking mostly from the farm a simpler thing to do. How are you enjoying your harvest? Please email me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please put Anchor Run in the subject line so I can easily find your message.
Snow peas, scapes, scallions, cilantro - made a very simple stir fry. Put peas and scapes in fry pan with a bit of sesame oil. Kept them moving in the pan until getting a bit soft, added the scallions, just to warm them a bit. Took it all out of the pan and topped with rough chopped cilantro.
Snow and snap peas, scallions - made a vey simple salad by blanching both peas (placed snap peas in boiling water for 1 min and added snow peas and boiled for another minute. Drained them all and immediately placed in a bowl of ice water). Placed in large bowl chopped scallions. Made a simple dressing with sesame oil, soy sauce and rice vinegar - served this for friends and they loved it.
Chard, scape, radicchio, parsley - on one of the cooler nights made "creamed spinach" to serve with a nice pastured raised beef steak.
Lettuces, radicchio, scallions - prepare salads nearly every night varying the combination and dressings with what we are eating as our main course. If it is Asian, I use rice vinegar; steak, normally a Caesar or balsamic dressing. Get creative with your dressings, it is so much fun.
Zucchini - one of the tastiest and easiest ways to enjoy zucchini is to grill it - just half or quarter and brush with a little olive oil. Place on grill and watch carefully so they don't burn. I like my zucchini fairly well cooked, so we do them on indirect heat. We ate them right away and then I added the rest to a pasta salad a couple days later.
June 13, 2021
More Spring Veggie Eats
By Linda Dansbury
More Spring Veggie Eats
By Linda Dansbury
Crazy up and down weather has us craving different foods, depending on heat/cold/rain/sun. Hope you are enjoying your harvest - please share what you are doing with yours by emailing me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please put Anchor Run in the subject line.
Swiss chard, (end of) green garlic, a little kale, fresh herbs - separated the chard stems from the leaves and chopped them, and rough chopped the leaves. Sauteed the stems with the garlic and a bit of red pepper flakes until starting to soften. Then added the chopped leaves and sauteed until wilted and slightly cooked. Topped with a bit of nice olive oil, grated Asiago cheese and chopped parsley.
Radicchio, turnips, bok choy, herbs - Thought I would try to do a pasta salad with these veggies. I roasted the radicchio and turnips separately. Coarsely chopped the charred radicchio, browned turnips and raw bok choy. Made a vinaigrette using a mix of red wine vinegar and a bit of orange juice for sweetness, and added oregano and parsley. Mixed the cooked pasta with chopped onion, veggies and vinaigrette - ended up tasting delicious and the radicchio didn't seem bitter at all!
Bok choy, kohlrabi, turnips, chard, snow peas - Who says cole slaw has to be made with cabbage? For years I have been making Asian Style Cole Slaw without using any cabbage at all. I just slice everything very thin - the processor can be used, but I find slicing and chopping soothing. When we get carrots, will add those to the mix as well.
Snow peas, turnips, cilantro, chard, bok choy, kohlrabi - made a stir fry for dinner using lots and lots of farm veggies. There are so many stir fry recipes on the internet or check out the Stir Fried Asian Greens with Sesame Seeds and Stir Fried Bok Choy and Mizuna with Tofu for some ideas and guidance.
May 30, 2021
July to March Temps!
By Linda Dansbury
July to March Temps!
By Linda Dansbury
No caption needed, but here is one.
The week started out quite warm, so we grilled. As I write this, the last couple of days have felt like very early spring, so we have taken stews out of our freezer! Here are a few of the things we enjoyed this past week. Share what you are enjoying - either in a recipe or a methods and/or ask a question. My part of the newsletter is to help you enhance the enjoyment of your farm share. Email me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please put Anchor Run in the subject line so I can find your email.
Bok choy - I love these little baby bok choy - you can do so many different things with them - add to salads, stir fries, saute, roast. This time, I used an Asian type dressing with sesame oil, soy sauce, a touch of rice vinegar and a bit of rice vinegar. Brushed the dressing on the veggie and placed on direct heat for about a minute per side - they will burn easily so don't walk away. When they came off the grill, we sprinkled toasted sesame seeds on them. A very nice accompaniment to grilled fish.
Swiss chard, green garlic - the small leaves are really fun to use in different ways: add to salads, saute with garlic and red pepper flakes, make into creamed "spinach" and more. This time I used it in a ravioli dish, in which I sautéed the garlic, added small tomatoes and cooked until tomatoes were browning and the juices were thickening up. Added a bunch of Swiss chard leaves, the cooked cheese ravioli and a large spoonful of pesto that was in the freezer from last year. Yum!
Kale - finished up my kale by adding it to a stew that was in the freezer (the stew included a lot of late fall share farm ingredients).
May 23, 2021
Hooray for Spring Veggies!
By Linda Dansbury
Hooray for Spring Veggies!
By Linda Dansbury
Pea plants are starting to flower which means tasty sweet pods aren't far away.
What a delicious start to the season! Here are a few things we enjoyed this week:
Green garlic, turnips, kale - made the Kale Rice Bowl - one of my staples for weeknight eating. A note on the ground pork that goes in it: the flavor of the dish is so much better when flavorful local pork is used. We added a new twist this time - we cut a few turnips into matchsticks and added them just as the meat was browned - resulted in a very nice crunch.
Radishes, turnips - made a dip I found a couple of years ago: Radishes with Goat Cheese Dip - it calls for a food processor, but you really don't need one and I use Greek Yogurt instead of the sour cream. This dip is great with all sorts of veggies, so try it for your Memorial Day cookout as a yummy appetizer.
December 14, 2020
Late Fall Deliciousness
By Linda Dansbury
Late Fall Deliciousness
By Linda Dansbury
Farm dog Finch.
Winter weather is about to descend on us, but our eating has already turned to hearty and warming dishes. Here are a few things we have enjoyed with our veggies recently:
Sweet potatoes, onion, potatoes, watermelon radish, carrots, turnip, rosemary - made a large sheet tray of roasted veggies. Cooked at 375 until they were pretty tender. If you cut things to similar sizes they will all be soft at the same time. I just toss in a bit of olive oil and add salt and pepper. I always make more than we can eat because they reheat nicely and they are also delicious in frittatas. They can also be done ahead if you will need the oven for another part of your meal. I just pop them back in the oven to reheat them for a few minutes before serving.
Daikon radishes, turnips, greens, carrots, onions - one of the (many) great things about making stews is that you can pretty much add whatever you want to them. Most stews call for carrots, potatoes, celery, but I added a couple daikons and turnips as well, and then added a bunch of chopped mixed greens at the end, adding flavor, color and nutrients to the meal.
Potato, onion, kale - made a potato soup, my own version of potato-leek soup and added a lot of kale in the last 20 minutes. Instead of pureeing the soup, I just used a potato masher, so it stayed very thick and rustic.
November 23, 2020
Thankful for the Abundant Veggies
By Linda Dansbury
Thankful for the Abundant Veggies
By Linda Dansbury
Yum!
We are so fortunate to be able to have the abundance of delicious veggies from Anchor Run! Here are a few things we enjoyed this week.
Beets, kale, sweet potatoes, onions, garlic, rosemary - wow - I got to use so many things with this new dish I found. Called Whiskey Cola Chicken with Beets and Sweets it turned out delicious. It does use a lot of pans, and several steps, but the chicken part could easily be skipped. Just make half of the sauce to drizzle on the veggies. This is made in a very Chinese style, in that the chicken does not get browned - it stays soft, so if you want a crispy texture, use chicken with skin on and brown it before placing in the oven. It does have really good flavor.
Bok choy (yes, I still had one left), carrots, onions - there was leftover chicken from the dish above, so I made it into a Chinese chicken noodle soup with bok choy, carrots and onions. It was so warming on a raw day.
Sweet potatoes, potatoes, onion, garlic, carrots, kale - it is roasted veggie season. This time I added kale for the last 12 minutes. It added crunch and color - I wish I had thought of this sooner. I just left a third of the cookie sheet open when I put the root veggies in, so there was a space to put the kale in a single layer.
November 16, 2020
Bountiful Harvest
By Linda Dansbury
Bountiful Harvest
By Linda Dansbury
Kale forest in the high tunnel.
As we get closer to Thanksgiving one of the things I am thankful for is the delicious, nutritious, beautiful and abundant harvests we are receiving, and for those of us with the late fall share, we will continue to receive for the next 6 weeks. Here is some of what we enjoyed this past week.
Kale, onion, turnips instead, carrots - made a new salad called Easy Kale Salad with Fresh Lemon Dressing, which I have added to this site, because it is a delicious fall dish! It calls for broccoli, but I used turnips instead. It can easily be made into a main course by topping with some type of protein such as tofu, grilled shrimp or chicken.
Sweet potatoes, onions, turnips, carrots - made mixed roasted veggies. Love to do this because it is easy and delicious. Cut veggies into similar sized chunks so they cook at about the same rate. Place in large bowl and add a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper. I also like to add rough chopped rosemary and/or thyme. Bake in a 375 or 400 degree oven until veggies are nice and brown and tender. I like to make extras so I can have leftovers to put in a frittata. Yum!!
Kale, onions - I made a Cuban Pork shoulder roast in the slow cooker - the recipe didn't call for it, but I added a bunch of chopped kale during the last hour of cooking.
Onions, peppers - I sauteed onions and peppers for a topping on steak - just pointing out that I pulled peppers out of the freezer, and they were delicious.
Bok choy, turnips, radishes, carrots - I made a snack with all of these and a couple of dips - I used the bok choy stems and then I put the leaves into salads.
November 8, 2020
Loving my Veggies!
By Linda Dansbury
Loving my Veggies!
By Linda Dansbury
Final harvest of what has been a slightly underwhelming cauliflower harvest mostly due to maturity of heads being so spread out that the yield per harvest day is too low to distribute to everyone. We have plans to change this for next year by trying to condense the harvest into two bountiful weeks.
We started the week fairly cool so heartier meals were enjoyed this past week. How did you enjoy your veggies? Please email me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please put Anchor Run in the subject line. Even our salads contained some heartiness.
Escarole, lettuce, kale, arugula, carrots, turnips - made a couple of large salads to top with leftover proteins (grilled steak and roasted chicken). For the steak, I made a balsamic vinaigrette and for the chicken, the salad was mixed with a lemony vinaigrette.
Beets, onions - made a large batch of Pickled Beets - there are many versions of how to do this, and there are recipes for them on this site. I boiled the beets until tender, peeled and thinly sliced them and thinly sliced a few onions and placed both in a large bowl. Meanwhile I boiled a bit of honey and salt with apple cider vinegar, but any vinegar will work. Covered the beets with the mixture and tasted - I added more vinegar and pepper and then packed the finished beets in containers.
Onion, bok choy, peppers (left from my garden), garlic, hot pepper (frozen) - made a simple stir fry, this one was Thai style, made so by using a mortar and pestle to make a paste of the garlic, hot pepper and some ginger. Both the marinade and stir fry sauce contained fish sauce as well.
Turnips, leeks (had a couple left), carrots - sauteed the veggies in a large skillet with a bit of fresh tarragon (thyme would also be great) until just starting to get soft. Placed a chicken on top and roasted all together - what a yummy fall dish.
Carrots - cut up and boiled a few carrots until just softening, drained water and added a bit of butter and olive oil and cooked until a bit browned, then topped with fresh chopped herbs.
Celery, carrots, kohlrabi, turnips - ate these up as snacks with favorite dips, including an eggplant dip I had made in the summer and froze.
November 1, 2020
Stew and Stir Fry
By Linda Dansbury
Stew and Stir Fry
By Linda Dansbury
Lettuce mix it up!
Up and down weather brings changes to the types of foods I desire to prepare and consume. My root crops, with the exception of potatoes, are starting to build up, so I need to figure out how to use them. If anybody has a good idea for the turnips or any other crops, I would love to hear from you - please email me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please put Anchor Run in the subject line.
Romaine, garlic - decided to make a classic Caesar Salad with that beautiful head of lettuce. I just took a recipe that looked good off of the internet.
Potatoes, onion, kale - made a Portugese Sausage, Kale and Potato Soup using a combination of linquisa and chorizo soup. It turned out delicious! There is a Portugese Kale Stew on this site that would give similar flavors. Yum...
Onions, celery, bok choy, garlic, greens - made a cashew chicken stir fry using several farm ingredients - we incorporated the celery leaves into the mix - love these fresh ingredients - so much flavor!
Greens, onions, garlic - made one of the most delicious lasagnas I have ever made - it took a long time, but was worth it. The addition I made to the recipe was to saute a bunch of chopped greens - mainly escarole and Swiss chard because I wanted it to be mild - put a layer of greens in the middle of the lasagna. It was so delicious!
Leeks (the rest of what I had), garlic and...more greens! - made a chicken stew that was flavored with oregano, apple cider vinegar, paprika, red pepper flakes and incorporated a bit of sausage. Another wonderful meal that provided leftovers.
October 25, 2020
Bright Colored Food to Nourish
By Linda Dansbury
Bright Colored Food to Nourish
By Linda Dansbury
Hauling carrots last weekend after Sunday's workshift.
I find the colors of the flowers and trees in fall to be so beautiful - the colors seem so much more vibrant than in the summer maybe because the air is clearer? Anyway, I have found the colors in the harvest seem to be so vivid - purple of the beets and kohlrabi, whites of bok choy and turnips - and so many shades and textures of greens! I am having fun getting foods ready for late fall/winter eating by making large batches of soups and stews - I add greens to every stew type dish I make, even if it doesn't call for them. Below is a bit of what we enjoyed this past week - send me how you are enjoying your harvests by emailing me at lindadansbury@comcast.net, and please put Anchor Run in the subject line.
Kale, garlic, basil and cilantro - made the Pork and Kale Rice Bowl I have mentioned so many times before - it is just such an easy and delicious fast 1 pot meal for busy weeknights.
Beets - made beet chips which turned out pretty well. Preheat oven to 325. Slice beets with a mandoline to 1/16" thick and place slices on paper towels - place more towels on top. Line large cookie sheets with parchment paper. Place beets in a bowl and drizzle just a little neutral oil in the bowl. Mix them well and then place beets on the trays in a single layer. Sprinkle with herb or herb blend(s) of your choice. Think of za'tar, curry, Italian seasoning, etc, or if you prefer just sea salt. Bake until crisp - this takes upwards of 45 min to an hour.
Escarole, onion, celery, carrot, garlic - made Italian Wedding Soup. A lot of people have their family recipes - I made it much different than what I grew up with because I start with a bit of pancetta (or ham or bacon) and I add white beans near the end and no pasta. Yum!!
Kale, cauliflower, garlic, parsley - made a large salad that I based on a recipe I saw. I lightly steamed the cauliflower and julienned the kale. Placed in a large bowl and made a vinaigrette with lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper, olive oil and herbs. Mixed it all together and grated some romano cheese over the top - it was delicious.
Mixed greens: arugula, lettuce, escarole, celery, carrot - made a large salad with an Italian vinaigrette and served with leftover local, grass fed steak.
October 18, 2020
Can't "Beet" it!
By Linda Dansbury
Can't "Beet" it!
By Linda Dansbury
A portion of the broccoli and cauliflower harvest from a couple weeks ago, plus Finch.
I haven't done many new things recently, with the exception of using beets in a different way (see below). I have made a few soups and stews and added kale/dandelion/turnip and/or radish greens to keep up with the bounty and boost the nutrition and taste of the final dish. Like others out there, I am starting to clean up and use up veggies I have been tending to in my own yard as well.
Peppers - decided to freeze them for use later in the year.
Spaghetti squash, garlic, basil - since the weather has been relatively warm, I used my cherry tomatoes to make the Spaghetti Squash with Sauteed Tomatoes and Basil.
Arugula, kale, garlic - made Arugula Pesto and froze it to use later in the year - it tasted really good, so looking forward to eating it,
Beets - prepared and enjoyed Roasted Beet Chips. It is not on this site, but is very simple to do. Preheat oven to 300. Slice beets with a mandoline to about 1/16th of an inch and press between towels to remove moisture. Line baking sheet(s) with parchment paper. Toss beet slices in olive oil, seasoning or seasoning blend of your choice and a little salt. Place on baking sheets in a single layer and roast for about 50 minutes, checking periodically and removing them as they get crisp. Note: I did one tray of kale chips and one of beet chips for a yummy fall snack.
Mix of greens, garlic, onion, hot pepper - made sauteed mixed greens - blend of bits of what I had, which was dandelion, chard, kale and radish tops. I had frozen the hot pepper a few weeks ago.
October 4, 2020
"Rooted" in Happiness
By Linda Dansbury
"Rooted" in Happiness
By Linda Dansbury
Watering in new arugula, greens mix, and lettuce mix transplants in the hoop house. Rosemary bush in the foreground.
Isn't it delightful cooking when it doesn't make the kitchen uncomfortably warm? I made a few nice dishes this past week. Please send me how you are enjoying your harvest at lindadansbury@comcast.net.
Potatoes, leeks, onion, carrot, turnip tops, garlic, thyme, parsley, chives - made the Potato, Kale, Leek Soup on this Site. I sauteed a few strips of bacon to start and sauteed the veggies in a combo of local butter and bacon fat. Then garnished the dish with crumbled bacon as well as parsley and chives. I also simmered it all with a couple of bay leaves and thyme sprigs. I also replaced most of the kale with turnip tops.
Beets, carrots (yes, I still had some left in my fridge from the farm), dandelion, red onion, garlic - made a new salad this past week - Roasted Beets and Carrots with Goat Cheese Dressing. It took a bit of prep, but used one large skillet and one large bowl, so clean up was easy. I used dandelion greens rather than the beet greens the recipe called for. Chard would have been a more direct substitution, but I didn't have any and the dandelion worked out fine. I would have made it better by adding some type of crunchy nuts as a garnish.
Kohlrabi - been eating these just cut up as a snack and adding to salads.
Lettuce, arugula, escarole, kohlrabi, carrots, turnips - made a large veggie salad with a sherry vinaigrette. Served topped with leftover sliced steak.
Radishes, turnips, kohlrabi - made a dip using half goat cheese and half yogurt, with lemon zest, chives and mint mixed in. Delicious snack!
September 27, 2020
Back to Summer?
By Linda Dansbury
Back to Summer?
By Linda Dansbury
Wonderful juxtaposition of early fall colors in the pollinator habitat.
After a few delightfully brisk days, we are back to warm and high humidity weather, so back to wanting to cook summery foods. Here is a few things I made this past week.
Eggplant, peppers, onions - went back to the grill with these last night - simply drizzled with olive oil and grilled till soft and tasty. I added a couple hot peppers and froze them to add to a chili later, which will give it a slight smoked flavor. I did 2 weeks of peppers, onions and eggplant. I will eat leftover eggplant for lunch and the extra peppers and onions I chopped up and froze to add to something down the road. I have never done this before but am sure the grilled veggies will add a wonderful flavor to something during the long winter months.
Onions, garlic, sweet peppers, hot pepper, tomatoes, okra and kale - made a sort of fish gumbo last week when it was cold. Started with a light rue, added celery, peppers and onions and sauteed till translucent. Added cajun spices, tomatoes (I did a mix of canned and fresh, all diced) and okra and cooked till okra was getting soft. Added finely chopped kale and when it was cooked, added cod and shrimp and cooked until done. Topped with chopped cilantro. Yum!
Napa cabbage, radish, turnips, red onion, cilantro - made the Napa Cole Slaw recipe that was submitted by a fellow member.
How did you enjoy your harvest? Please email me at lindadansbury@comcast.net so I can share with the rest of the members.
September 20, 2020
Fall...or Winter?
By Linda Dansbury
Fall...or Winter?
By Linda Dansbury
Just a cool mushroom colony.
The cooler weather of this week definitely had me thinking of warming, hearty meals. Please send me how you are enjoying your harvest by emailing me at lindadansbury@comcast.net. Here are a few things we enjoyed this past week:
Onions, garlic, carrots, potatoes, kale, green beans (frozen in the summer), parsley - made a beef soup/stew that was a blend of several recipes, with so many delicious farm veggies - marinaded the meat overnight in wine, garlic and rosemary. Browned the meat well, removed from pan, added finely diced carrots, onions and carrots and sauteed until getting soft. Added the wine back into pot, a large can of diced tomatoes and bay leaf. Added potatoes, gave it a good stir and gently simmered for about an hour. Added green beans and kale and simmered for another 30 minutes. Yum....
Eggplant, peppers, garlic - made the Eggplant Dip with Roasted Peppers - turned out delicious. I froze it for a delicious appetizer for later in the year.
Peppers, onions, garlic, herbs - made a clam dish that I made a couple of weeks ago again because it was so delicious and a great way to enjoy peppers which are slowly braised with the onions and garlic. Chorizo sausage was browned, creating yummy smokiness and heat - the recipe actually calls for a mild breakfast sausage, but I love the heat and depth of flavor the chorizo gives the dish. Warm crusty bread is a must for sopping up the juices.
Carrots, edamame, onion, garlic and cilantro - liked the Edamame and Carrot Salad with Rice Vinegar so much, we had it again.
September 13, 2020
Hearty Salads
By Linda Dansbury
Hearty Salads
By Linda Dansbury
Guardian of the New England aster.
As I said last week, the up and down weather makes it difficult for me to figure out what to cook each night, but one of the 'themes' in our meals this past week has been salads that use veggies other than lettuce since the lettuce is limited right now. Vegetables stand up to more robust dressings which are a nice change from the simple vinaigrettes that are my normal go-tos. So try a few of them. Below is some of what I did this past week:
Eggplant, peppers, onions - grilled them all - I figure the eggplants and peppers won't be around much longer so I should enjoy the tasty summer veggies while I can. I made an Asian style dressing for the leftovers and added to brown rice for a tasty side dish salad.
Carrots, edamame, onion, garlic, cilantro - made the Edamame and Carrot Salad with Rice Vinegar recipe on this site. It was a nice change of pace since most of what we had been eating as salads lately were tomato based.
Eggplant, hot pepper, onion, garlic, basil, mint - made the Thai-Style Grilled Eggplant Salad recipe from this site. Since we have the hot peppers, I used them instead of the red pepper flakes.
Arugula - we LOVE arugula! The simplest way to make it into a salad is to rough chop or tear it, cut some cherry tomatoes in half and place both into a bowl. Put a little salt and pepper into the bowl, squeeze fresh lemon juice to taste and drizzle a good quality olive oil into the bowl - it doesn't need much. Mix well, but gently because arugula bruises easily and enjoy!
Kale - made Kale Caesar Salad and served sliced, leftover steak on top of it. Yum!
Please share how you enjoyed your harvest by emailing me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please put Anchor Run in the subject line.
September 6, 2020
Fall Meets Summer
By Linda Dansbury
Fall Meets Summer
By Linda Dansbury
Okra, that is one nice flower you produce to attract your insect friends.
I don't know about anyone else, but this time of year seems a little trickier to figure out how to best enjoy the harvest. Fall crops mix in with summer, and it is very warm one day and chilly the next. So, what to eat? Below is some of what I did this past week.
Okra, eggplant, onion, garlic, tomatoes, peppers - made a large batch of Caponata (1 & 2) to freeze for later use. There are 2 recipes on this site, so check out which sounds best for you. Okra is not on the list of ingredients, but that's okay. I added them because I didn't want them to go bad.
Shishito peppers - not much to say about these except yum! Heat a little neutral oil in a large pan and add peppers. Fry, turning frequently until they begin to brown. Remove from pan, drain, salt and enjoy! Alternatively, put them on the grill at medium/high heat - don't walk away, because they cook fast.
Kale - it was so nice to see kale back in the share last week. I used some of it for a small Kale Salad and I made Kale Chips with the rest. I skipped the dried fruit in the Kale Salad.
Spaghetti squash, tomatoes, basil - this is where summer meets fall. I made the Spaghetti Squash with Sauteed Tomatoes and Basil. Delicious, fast and easy.
Peppers - a few years ago a fellow member sent me the recipe for Pepper Puree - I had often made roasted peppers and used them as additions to sandwiches, as a topping for bruschetta, over eggs, etc., but I have found this version even more flexible and it even freezes well.
August 30, 2020
Time to Preserve for Winter
By Linda Dansbury
Time to Preserve for Winter
By Linda Dansbury
Okra forest, now more than 6' tall.
As I am writing this, the weather has broken and it is a gorgeous morning outside. I find that my mind and body start to crave different foods when the days start to get even slightly shorter – longer cooked, more warming foods. Although I am still eating a lot of “summery” foods, I have started to transition somewhat. Let me know how you are enjoying your harvest at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please put Anchor Run in subject line so I can find your email.
Onions, Peppers, Garlic, herbs – the peppers from the farm were accumulating, and I also have a lot of them coming along in my own garden, so I had to do something with a good number of them – I made chili and it is a large batch!
Watermelon, tomato, herbs – made the Heirloom Tomato, Watermelon and Feta Cheese recipe on this site – Yum!
Okra, sweet pepper, onion – I did a new dish with okra. Quickly fried whole okra. Meanwhile, sautéed pepper and onion till soft and added Sambal Oelek – quite a bit of it to the pan and moved it all around until combined – really a yummy snack.
Okra, onion, pepper, hot pepper, garlic, eggplant, dandelion greens – made a veggie stew. Started with the onion and pepper and sautéed till starting to soften. Added chopped up eggplant and cooked until it was carmelizing a bit, then added chopped up okra. When that was almost cooked, I added corn from a leftover ear and the chopped dandelion greens. Added a bunch of herbs at the end.
Edamame – I mostly cooked and ate as snacks right away, but the latest batch I froze. After cooking, lay out on a kitchen towel to drain well. Place on cookie sheet and put in freezer until frozen and then place in resealable plastic bag to use later in the year.
Lemongrass, garlic, mint, lettuce, cilantro, parsley, scallion – we did lamb kebabs – recipes are all over the internet, but instead of putting them on wooden skewers, we used the stalks of lemon grass – it imparted such a nice taste! The version of kebabs included a yogurt sauce that had minced garlic and mint. Served alongside a salad of greens and lots of herbs. A really nice, light delicious summer dish that I would serve to anybody.
August 16, 2020
New things to Eat
By Linda Dansbury
New things to Eat
By Linda Dansbury
Collecting sunset sunflowers.
I was pretty adventurous and motivated to cook this past week, trying some new recipes. I would love to hear from you and share with the rest of our members how you enjoyed your harvest too, so please email me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and put Anchor Run in the subject line.
Tomatoes, lettuce, garlic, zucchini - made the Warm Sausage Salad with Zucchini that is on this site. This is a simple and delicious dinner salad. I normally make it a few times during the season, but forgot about the recipe until this week.
Okra - tried a new dish in which you quick fry the okra in neutral oil, just till it turns bright green, about 1 minute. Drain the okra. The pods were bigger this week, so I sliced them on the bias into about 1 1/2 to 2" pieces. While the okra was frying, in a wok I put a little oil, and a tablespoon or 2 of Sambaal Oelek and stir fried it till aromatic. Added a bit of sugar to it, then added the okra which had been fried into the wok and stir fry. Add a tablespoon or so of oyster sauce and a little salt. Toss, place in bowl and top with one or more of thinly sliced chili peppers, fried onions or shallots and roasted peanuts.
Holy Basil, lemongrass, garlic - made a chicken wing dish that started with marinading the wings for a bit, and in a mortar and pestle making a seasoning mix consisting of lemongrass, hot peppers, garlic, onion, ginger. Chicken was browned, then boiled till the water evaporated. Seasoning mix was added and all was cooked together until wings were cooked. Removed from heat and added a few large handfuls of holy basil. Yum.
Green beans, cherry tomatoes, onion, herbs - saw a method for grilling the green beans - yes, you need to be careful about it - that turned out amazing. Grilled the beans and then made it into a salad with the tomatoes, some onion, herbs and a sherry vinegar vinaigrette.
Watermelon, cucumber, mint - made a very simple salad which also used lime juice and pepper and a bit of feta added on the top. Served with spicy bar-b-que ribs and the counter balance was delicious.
August 9, 2020
"Fruitful" Time of the Year!
By Linda Dansbury
"Fruitful" Time of the Year!
By Linda Dansbury
Eggplant and okra blowin' in the wind as Isaias departs.
I am loving the fruit part of our share! The watermelon is so, so sweet, the blackberries sweet and tart at the same time - I just received my cantaloupe yesterday so haven't cut into it yet but the fragrance is amazing. Check out Member Ideas and Suggestions for a simple blackberry recipe.
We continue to enjoy having Caprese Salads and Bruschetta, alternating days, as I have previously written. I am making different versions of Zucchini Bread and freezing it for simple desserts later in the year. See below for a few other things I did this week - and please send me how you are enjoying the harvest at lindadansbury@comcast.net - and please put Anchor Run in the subject line.
Onion, garlic, zucchini, basil - we are enjoying our zucchini by doing variations on simply sauteing them. Dice up some onion; mince or grate garlic; saute until lightly browned. Add zucchini cut into matchstick sized pieces, into zoodles, or just sliced - how large the pieces are defines how long the zucchini needs to cook. I am loving the zoodles, because they basically just get warmed up. Add toasted nuts and chopped fresh herbs to "dress it up".
Okra - slice into coins, heat olive oil and drop Okra pieces in. Brown on one side, then turn over and brown on the other side. Drain on paper towels and immediately salt and eat - be careful, these are an addictive snack!!
Peppers, Onions, herbs - had breakfast for dinner - sauteed peppers and onions until nice and soft and slightly browned. Added beaten eggs and cooked until cooked but not completely firm. Topped with some grated cheese and had a nice local sausage with it.
Watermelon, tomato, basil, mint, hot pepper, onion - made the Watermelon, Heirloom Tomato and Goat Cheese Salad from this site. Refreshing and delicious!
August 2, 2020
Tomato Days!
By Linda Dansbury
Tomato Days!
By Linda Dansbury
One of many truck loads of melons coming out of the field!
Tomato days are here and that is so, so exciting! They are so delicious that I don't do too much with them. I know a lot of people do their Caprese (aka tomato and mozzarella) salads with either balsamic vinegar or even a balsamic glaze, but I simply dress the tomatoes with a drizzle of good olive oil, salt, pepper and basil - the flavors are just perfect! We alternate this with bruschetta - again, keeping it simple so the tomatoes are what shines. Here is a bit of how we enjoyed the harvest - please share what you are doing with your harvest by emailing me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and put Anchor Run in the subject line so that I see your email.
Tomatoes, garlic, onion or scallion, basil, peppers - I love making the tomato salad I grew up eating when garden tomatoes were in season. Peel the tomatoes and cut into bite sized chunks, chop peppers into small bites, slice onion or scallion thinly, tear or chiffonade basil, and grate a bit of garlic - grating makes the garlic a bit milder than chopping or mincing and you don't want an over-powering flavor. Place everything in a bowl and salt and pepper to taste, add a bit of oregano, then drizzle a little red wine vinegar and olive oil and mix well, but gently because the tomatoes are delicate without their skins. Enjoy - an added treat is to dunk bread into the dressing - oh my! What a delicious treat.
Tomatillos, garlic, hot pepper, papalo (substitute for cilantro; it's in the herb garden) - made the Tomatillo sauce for the Chicken Stew with Tomatillo Sauce with 2 weeks worth of my tomatillos and placed in freezer for use later. I really like having things to pull out of the freezer in the middle of the winter.
Zucchini, cherry tomatoes, basil, garlic - made an uncooked tomato sauce and put over warmed Zoodles - we have 2 recipes on this site - just type tomato sauce into the search bar on the recipe section of this site.
Eggplant, zucchini, onion, greens, garlic, peppers - a blend of hot and sweet - I made the Veggie Fritters recipe sent by fellow member Ashmali Patel. It was a fun and delicious way to use the veggies!
Cucumbers - made Narrow Bridge Farm Refrigerator Pickles - these keep for a couple of weeks in the fridge and require no canning.
July 26, 2020
Continual Veggie Delights
By Linda Dansbury
Continual Veggie Delights
By Linda Dansbury
Hot and heavy watermelon haul.
I am always looking for new ways to use the harvest and so I am happy to say that I found a couple new things to try and enjoy over the past couple of weeks. I frequently go through the fridge to make sure I am rotating the produce and using the oldest veggies first. Checking on things every couple of days enables me to determine if anything is starting to look a bit ragged, so I use it before it spoils. I use 2 different large plastic containers to store the greens, with one always storing the oldest, and when empty, I refill it from the container that has the newer greens - this includes lettuce, dandelion and chard greens. I have written about salads and how well veggie salads keep, but don't think I have ever said that I enjoy the leftovers for lunches topped with some tuna, leftover meat, or cheese, such as feta or parmesan. Send me how you are enjoying your harvests by emailing me at lindadansbury@comcast.net. And please put Anchor Run in the subject line.
Here is a bit of what we enjoyed this past week:
Zucchini, peppers, eggplant, scallions - simplest and one of the tastiest ways to enjoy these summer treats! Cut everything longways into wedges, and brush with a bit of olive oil. Place on hot grill and keep watching. Turn the wedges when they start to brown, and keep grilling until browned on all sides and nice and soft - less done if you prefer, but I like these to be nice and carmelized and soft. When removed from the grill, sprinkle with sea salt, and if desired some good quality olive oil and fresh chopped herbs. I often make extras and chop them up and turn into a simple pasta salad for the next day.
Snap Beans, garlic, scallions, herbs - did a stir fry of beans. There are a lot of recipes that are easy to find. I do stir fries a lot. I make sure I always have ginger, garlic, onion/scallion, tamari/soy sauce, fish sauce, sesame oil, hoisin, and ingredients to add heat, including Sambal, hot peppers, sriracha sauce. With all these ingredients, the flavor combinations are almost countless.
Zucchini, thyme - made another batch of the Lemon Zucchini Bread with Olive Oil and Thyme. I have skipped the glaze topping each time I have made it.
Eggplant, scallions, garlic, cilantro or other herb of choice such as papalo, hot pepper - I found a new way to enjoy eggplant, called Tamari-Ginger Meatball & Eggplant Casserole. It is delicious, not very difficult, and doesn't create too many dishes. I hope you like it as much as I do!
Cucumbers, scallions, herbs - made a few different salad combinations - typically, I make more than can be eaten in one dinner, so there are leftovers for another meal.
July 19, 2020
Veggie Meals
By Linda Dansbury
Veggie Meals
By Linda Dansbury
An eastern tiger swallowtail lapping up some nectar from wild bergamot, bee balm.
In the heat of the summer, we often find ourselves grazing on easy-to-make veggie centric meals. Instead of having a large main dish, we will have a few smaller dishes that are simple to prepare and often don't involve much cooking. I usually do things that require roasting in the oven on a weekend morning when the weather is not that hot. Here are a few things we did with our harvest - please share how you are enjoying your harvest by emailing me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and use Anchor Run in your subject line.
Eggplant, peppers, scallions, zucchini, basil - grilled all the veggies and when they came off the grill we drizzled with olive oil, salt and pepper, basil and sprinkled some crumbled local feta cheese - a great summer meal. Had a salad on the side.
Zucchini - found a new, really simple recipe - the hardest part of it is cutting them up; you could use your zoodle maker too. It is called Quick Zucchini Saute.
Tomato, basil, (garlic) - summer tomatoes are so delicious and the season always seems too short, so nearly every evening we trade off between making bruschetta and a Caprese Salad, which is just a fancy way of saying tomatoes with mozzarella cheese. The key to both of these is a good quality olive oil and creamy mozzarella cheese. I also use a locally made bread for the bruschetta.
Cucumber, scallion - made an Indian street food dish called Spiced Cucumber Sticks. Simple, once you have the Chaat spice - available at Middle Eastern markets and on Amazon - it is simple to make. It calls for red onion, which would add a nice color balance, but I used scallions since it is what we have.
July 12, 2020
Mostly Salads
By Linda Dansbury
Mostly Salads
By Linda Dansbury
Farmer Dana celebrating the successful 2020 garlic harvest.
Last week, I posted an abundant amount of information about what I had done with my harvest. I made so much that we were eating all the salads for several days. I don't know about you, but when I find a recipe we like, especially a new one, I keep making it. Along those lines, I made the Vietnamese Cucumber Salad again last night. And plan to make the Refreshing Summer Squash Salad today. Salads are a great way to incorporate the delicious, nutritious herbs we are receiving. Since I had so many large salads, I don't have new things to share this week, but would love for you to share with your fellow members how you are enjoying your harvest so email me at lindadansbury@comcast.net. And, please put Anchor Run in the subject line so I can find your message.
Squash, thyme - found a new zucchini bread recipe, which I am posting this week called Lemon Zucchini Bread with Thyme and Olive oil. Not very sweet, and it incorporates a lot of zucchini, so even the pickiest eaters will eat their veggies.
July 5, 2020
Cooling Veggie Salads
By Linda Dansbury
Cooling Veggie Salads
By Linda Dansbury
Looks like some happy interdependence!
This time of year, I take a lot of the produce we receive and turn it into salads - squash/zucchini, cucumbers, beets, even green beans make delicious salads. July 4th weekend is generally quite hot and humid, so to have some type of grilled meat (last night was ribs) accompanied by room temp or chilled veggie salad, is so satisfying. I often make the salads early in the day on weekends - when I make several of the salads, we end up having them to eat for several days, so weeknight dinners are very simple.
Here is some of what we enjoyed this week, and if you have something to share, I would love to hear from you - please email me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please put Anchor Run in the subject line to make sure I see your message.
Squash, mint - made a new dish called Refreshing Summer Squash Salad - I am adding this as a new recipe this week. This dish is so fast, simple to make that it will now be one of my go to dishes. Simply "zoodles" with lemon, mint, olive oil, salt, pepper and feta. The recipe also calls for proscuitto - we have bacon, but I didn't feel like cooking it, so we just used a little locally made feta on top and it was delicious - we didn't miss the pork addition at all and we are pork lovers. Had it with seared scallops and leftover salad with ribs the next day.
Cucumbers, mint, cilantro, garlic, scallions - another new dish! Vietnamese Cucumber Salad. The mix of flavors in this is so good! It calls for a hot pepper, but since they are not yet in season, I added a bit of Sambal Oelek to add some heat
Green beans, scallions, garlic scape, basil, parsley, oregano - made my version of a green bean salad. I cook the beans until tender - I cook them a bit longer than if we were eating them plain. Stop the cooking by plunging in an ice water bath, and drain well. Place in large bowl, chop everything else up and add. I also like to add a can of chick peas, both for the great taste and the color contrast. Make a simple red wine vinaigrette, stir well and let sit for a few hours to allow flavors to blend in - it is actually better the 2nd and 3rd day, and will last at least a week in the fridge. I sometimes top with some crumbled feta cheese and once we have cherry tomatoes, I cut them in half and add - these add beautiful color and taste.
Beets, scallions, tarragon and/or parsley - made a beet salad. Roasted beets in oven as described in previous newsletter - 425 degrees in a covered pot, such as a la Crueset. Roasting took about 1.5 hours for the large beets. Peeled when cool enough to handle. Made a vinaigrette with red wine vinegar, olive oil, a bit of Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, scallions (I also use shallots I grow if there aren't scallions), fresh or dried tarragon. Pour over beets and again, allow to sit for awhile so flavors go through. Serve with mixed greens, a bit of goat cheese and some type of candied nuts if you like.
Fennel, parsley - used our fennel in the broth for making steamed clams - we sliced it real thin with a mandoline so it would get "melty" soft in the broth. Topped the clams with a lot of chopped up parsley.
June 28, 2020
Summer Eating
By Linda Dansbury
Summer Eating
By Linda Dansbury
A hot Finch under a zucchini canopy next a bin of beautiful fruit.
With the heat coming on, I think we all want to minimize heating up the kitchen - cool salads, grilled meats and fish are what is mostly filling our table these days.
Snow peas, snap peas, cilantro, parsley, garlic scapes, scallions - I am starting to venture into a new cuisine for me to make - Indian food! I made a dish called Spring Pea Chaat with Lemon Raita. It is a fairly complicated recipe - not difficult, but does have 3 different components and a couple of unusual ingredients, so I am not going to post it to this site. All the prep can be done ahead and then mixed together to serve and it keeps for days. If you are interested, search Food and Wine and the title of the recipe and it pops right up. We will be making this all summer, and use it with other veggies, including green beans and squash.
Peas, squash, kohlrabi (the last for the spring - don't forget to rummage through your fridge regularly to see the goodies you had forgotten about) - simply washed and trimmed and use them as a snack with dip. Cool, crunchy, delicious and even healthy!
Escarole, radicchio, garlic scapes, a lot of herbs - chopped and sauteed the greens along with garlic scapes. Added a partial can of white beans and a little chicken stock so it was a bit "saucy". We had it alongside grilled chicken one night and leftovers with fish. It was really good! Making extra and then just reheating made it very simple.
Lettuces, scallions - made a very large salad with a balsamic dressing. We had some leftover grilled steak, so we sliced it thin and topped the salad with the meat. It made for a light and satisfying summer night meal.
June 21, 2020
Healthy Eating
By Linda Dansbury
Healthy Eating
By Linda Dansbury
Carrot patch solstice sunset.
I love all these farm veggies! Knowing we are eating such healthy food is so comforting. Share how you are enjoying your harvest by emailing me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please put Anchor Run in the subject line. Here is a bit of what we ate this week. And, a very Happy Father's Day to all the Dad's out there.
Peas, kohlrabi - ate on their own as a snack and with a homemade yogurt and goat cheese dip.
Peas, scallions, garlic scapes, herbs - made a cous cous and pea salad, but have to say it wasn't my favorite, ok but not worthy of sharing. I should note that others at the table thought it was good!
Escarole, radicchio, scallion, garlic scape, herbs - briefly grilled the escarole and radicchio, until barely wilted. Sauteed garlic and scallion with a can of white beans and a bit of broth. Roughly chopped the greens and poured the bean mixture over. Drizzled with good quality olive oil, a good amount of freshly ground black pepper and a bunch of fresh chopped herbs. Had it alongside one of our Wild For Salmon fillets. A very satisfying meal.
Greens, garlic scape, herbs - several years ago a fellow member shared a wonderful skillet dinner idea and I make it when I am trying to figure out a delicious way to use my greens (you can freeze greens, but I have found that I am not very good about getting them out of the freezer and using them so it is better if I use them up). Saute garlic and scallion/onion in a large, non-stick skillet. Add chopped greens - pretty much anything you have on hand - chard, kale, dandelion, escarole, radicchio, etc. If you use kale, place that in the skillet first, since it takes longer to turn tender. Once the greens are nearly desired tenderness, make wells in the skillet, push the greens to sides of the pan. Carefully break eggs into the wells and allow the whites to start to set. Cover the pan and steam for a few minutes - keep checking as you want the whites to cook, but the yolks to stay runny. Once you get to that stage, serve giving each person 1-2 eggs and a good portion of the greens. Salt and pepper to taste and add fresh herbs if desired. Serve with a nice piece of crusty toasted bread.
June 14, 2020
Pea-licious!
By Linda Dansbury
Pea-licious!
By Linda Dansbury
Carolina lupine blooming in the Half Moon garden.
It is perfect U-Pick weather, and you won't receive the delicious strawberries and peas if you don't get out to the fields. Saturday the parking lot was crowded but the field is so large that it never felt like we were too close to each other.
The field peas are so tender and sweet that you can just eat them raw. Or add them to your nightly salad for extra crunch. Use with other veggies in dips (White Bean and Garlic Scape Dip anyone?). We have several pea recipes on this site so just select "Peas" in the pull down bar and you will find them.
Here are a few things we enjoyed this past week. I guess by now you see that I prepare a lot of Asian food - and I do. To me at least, Asian flavors enhance the fresh taste of the ingredients, rather than cover them up. In the salads, the unique flavor of each veggie comes through, and I really like that.
Variety of greens, green garlic, herbs - made the Tortellini, Greens, White Beans and Pine Nuts recipe. It comes together fast, and basically in one pot - who could ask for more?
Scallions, fresh garlic, kohlrabi, cilantro, peas, broccoli, hot pepper (from my freezer that was from last year's harvest) - made an Asian inspired salad using rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, a touch of honey and lime juice - really yummy. I didn't cook the veggies so I cut them up small and shredded the kohlrabi. We had enough for 2 nights.
Lettuces, scallion - made several large salads using either a lemon or red wine vinegar vinaigrette - these are both light dressings which are best for the delicate salad mix and mini head lettuces we are receiving now.
If you have a method or recipe to share with the rest of membership, please email me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please put Anchor Run in the subject line to make sure I see your message.
June 7, 2020
Salad Days
By Linda Dansbury
Salad Days
By Linda Dansbury
Potato salad with sugar snap peas, dill, homemade mayo, and last year's potatoes.
This time of year we always receive a lot of greens, which is fine with me because we eat a large salad almost every night. There are a lot of salad dressing recipes on this site; select the Salad Dressing category for several suggestions. Homemade dressings are delicious, and if you place them in a sealed container, they will keep in the refrigerator for about a week. Change up the dressing to keep from getting bored. The recipe section's Mixed Greens category has salad ideas as well as cooked ideas for using these wonderful greens.
If you are wondering how best to store all the lettuces (and other greens), I have found the best is to place in large, good quality plastic containers. I place a folded up towel in the bottom of the container to absorb excess moisture. The worst thing for greens is to sit in a puddle of water - it causes rotting within a few days. Greens will easily keep this way for over a week.
Romaine lettuce, fresh garlic - made a grilled romaine Caesar Salad. Cut the head of romaine in half or quarters, depending on the size. Brush with olive oil. Place on the grill and leave for about 30 seconds - less if the grill is really hot. You want to get the head slightly charred, but not wilted. Turn the lettuce over and let grill for about 10-15 seconds. Place on cutting board, chop up and dress - I actually used the Creamy Basil Dressing this time. My basil plants needed to be snipped, so it was a great use of the cuttings.
Mixed lettuce, turnips - made a mixed salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette. Was delicious with pizza.
Mini head lettuce - this time I made a Lemon Vinaigrette - served with a grilled chicken.
May 31, 2020
Welcome/Welcome Back to Delicious Local Eating!
By Linda Dansbury
Welcome/Welcome Back to Delicious Local Eating!
By Linda Dansbury
Sunset strawberry check.
Several years ago, I began this article in the hope of helping and inspiring members on how to enjoy the weekly harvest, which at times can be overwhelming, especially for new members. I do add or recommend recipes, but in addition, I like to provide ideas without specific recipes. The Farm is a community, so as such, I invite fellow members to send me the ways they like to use the harvest - be it a recipe or method. I will then post to the next newsletter for all members to see. Please email me at lindadansbury@comcast.net. Questions are welcomed too - if you have a question, it is likely that other members are wrestling with the same thing.
I was so excited to start the harvest and used much of it up pretty quickly.
Bok choy, radicchio (picked out of the salad mix), green garlic, radishes - made Asian Style Cole Slaw. The recipe is flexible and you can use many different ingredients, including cabbage, turnips, spinach, etc. It comes together quickly and you can prep the veggies ahead of time and then dress it shortly before serving. I have served this dish to family and friends for years and everyone has enjoyed it.
Radishes, mint, chives - made a dip that is so delicious when we have such fresh radishes. It is 4 ounces plain goat cheese, 4 ounces plain yogurt, about 2 Tablespoons chopped chives, a Tablespoon of chopped mint, some lemon zest. Original recipe calls for using a food processor, but I just mix it up in a small bowl and save on dirty dishes. Place the bowl in the middle of a serving platter with whole radishes with their greens still intact around the bowl. You can use other/additional veggies as you like.
Kale - made a Caesar salad - there is a complete recipe on this site if you want to make it from scratch, but I use a bottled dressing (rare for me) by Litehouse - it is Greek yogurt based and is nice and light. I julienned the kale, placed in large bowl and massaged kale to soften it - you can actually feel the texture of the kale change to be softer and silkier. Add as much dressing as you like, mix well and enjoy.
Fresh Garlic and Rosemary - been using both in different ways - use the entire garlic; it is more mild than garlic cloves and delicious. Used garlic and rosemary as seasoning for fish grilled in foil packets - season fish with salt and pepper; place chopped garlic on bottom of sheets of foil along with cherry tomatoes; place fish on top; drizzle a little olive oil and white wine (or broth), then place rosemary sprig on top. Wrap up and place on grill and cook until fish is cooked and tomatoes burst - about 5 minutes, depending on fish thickness.
October 27, 2019
Fall Delights
By Linda Dansbury
Fall Delights
By Linda Dansbury
The current harvest is a nice mix of greens, roots, and other veggies, giving us so many options for cooking and eating. I have been sauteing, roasting, stewing and "salading". Below is a sampling of what I have been cooking.
Fennel, onions, garlic, parsley, tomatoes - I always think of fish soup when I have fennel, and last night was no exception. I never use the same recipe twice and last night's was really yummy and perfect for a cool, rainy fall night.
Onions, fennel, garlic, herbs - made warm lentils as part of a salmon dinner. Fennel and lentils go together so well. I made the leftover lentils into a salad by adding shaved raw fennel, thinly sliced carrots, parsley, lemon juice and olive oil.
Sweet potatoes, cauliflower, sweet peppers, onions, rosemary - once again, I roasted veggies at 425 for about 35 minutes. Easy and delicious.
Bok choy - I have found that for these large heads of bok choy, cutting the green part of each stalk makes for better cooking. Either leave the stalks whole or cut into bite sized pieces. Put a little oil into a large saute pan or wok and add a few red pepper flakes or a hot pepper. When hot, put stalks in and stir fry/saute until almost desired tenderness. Add greens, turn off heat and mix until greens are just wilted - add a drizzle of sesame oil and/or soy sauce and enjoy.
Salads - been mixing the lettuce, endive, escarole, arugula together for beautiful salads. I also sometimes chop bok choy or shave some fennel into my salads. Adds crunch and another flavor profile. Add thinly sliced apples to your salads for healthy sweetness. Yum!
October 20, 2019
How Sweet It Is!
By Linda Dansbury
How Sweet It Is!
By Linda Dansbury
There is an almost complete transition to fall crops now, and with that, a big transition in what we are eating. Here are a few things I did this past week:
Sweet potatoes - My pick up day is Thursday. This past Thursday was the first of the sweet potatoes for me. I went right home and put one in the oven to bake. When it was nice and soft I enjoyed it with a bit of salt and pepper - so, so sweet and delicious! Can't wait to have another one this simply cooked!
Cauliflower, leeks/onion, thyme - the large amount of cauliflower and cool temps had me making soup. Simply saute the onion and leek in olive oil until soft. While this is working, cut the cauliflower up into small pieces - stems, little green leaves, core and all. When the onions were translucent, added all of the cauliflower and covered it with veggie stock (you can use chicken stock or water), added salt and pepper, a couple thyme sprigs and a bay leaf and let it gently simmer until the cauliflower is soft. Removed bay leave and thyme stems and used the immersion blender and whirred it up until smooth. No need for cream or milk - this simple soup is delicious as is!
Cauliflower, leek, butternut squash (I still had 2), potatoes, sweet peppers, beets, rosemary sprig - it is veggie roasting time! Just rough chop everything and put in bowl. Mix with a bit of olive oil - not too much or the veggies won't brown - salt and pepper. Spread the veggies in a single layer on a large cookie sheet and add some roughly chopped rosemary. Roast in a 425 degree oven for 30 or so minutes, turning midway through. Cook until desired tenderness. Yum!
Lettuce, endive, fennel, parsley - made a large salad. Broke up the lettuce and endive and placed in a bowl. Shaved fennel with a mandoline into the bowl and chopped some parsley into the bowl as well. Made a dressing of olive oil, red wine vinegar, a bit of honey, salt and pepper. Mixed well and enjoyed!
October 13, 2019
Eating into Fall
By Linda Dansbury
Eating into Fall
By Linda Dansbury
Fall growing practices for the fast and furiously growing lettuce mix will be modified for next season. It's simply impossible to keep up with and sections of a couple plantings will act as a cover crop as they attempt to flower. More numerous and later smaller plantings will be the replacement.
The cooler, crisper mornings and evenings have me searching for recipes. I have been traveling a lot lately though, so sadly I haven't been able to create new dishes as much as I would like. Here are a few things that we enjoyed recently:
Broccoli, Swiss chard, sweet and hot pepper, garlic, Hershberger steak - made a simple stir fry. Even though the broccoli is finished, it can be substituted with cauliflower, carrots, all greens, etc. Note also that the chard and peppers were not part of the recipe, but I like to add whatever I have on hand. Thinly slice the steak across the grain and marinade in a combo of garlic, ginger, soy sauce, dry sherry, cornstarch and pepper for about an hour. Blanch the broccoli (or cauliflower) for 2 minutes. Put peanut oil in a large skillet or wok and heat until almost smoking. Add meat in 1 layer and allow to sit for 30 seconds and then stir fry for about 2 minutes. Add peppers and stir fry for a minute. Add broccoli and greens and stir together. Add a couple teaspoons of Hoisin sauce and a bit of water or broth if needed. When heated through remove from heat, serve over brown rice and drizzle a bit of sesame oil over each bowl.
Cauliflower, peppers, onions - it is roasting time! Cut everything into bite sized pieces, mixed with a bit of olive oil and a couple teaspoons of zahtar spice and then roasted veggies at 425 for about 30 min, stirring in the middle of the time - this was so easy and yummy! Can't wait to make it again!
Cabbage, onions - pan fried thinly sliced cabbage and onions in a combination of butter and olive oil stirring frequently until tender and slightly browned. Added salt and pepper and chopped parsley near the end. Served it with a grilled pork roast and mashed potatoes - what a comforting fall meal!!
Peppers - made the Pepper Puree from this site with the bright red and orange peppers - will freeze and use in the future as a topping for fish, eggs and/or veggies.
September 29, 2019
Fall Goodness
By Linda Dansbury
Fall Goodness
By Linda Dansbury
The pick up room is really starting to look like fall now that the beautiful cabbage and broccoli have arrived. I have been enjoying the potatoes - the recent cool nights inspired mashed potatoes - they were especially yummy! Steamed broccoli was a nice treat last night. It is almost time to start roasting the combo of veggies we are receiving, but I haven't done so yet. Below is a few things we enjoyed this past week.
Kale, butternut squash - made the Northern Spy Kale Salad as a side dish. It is really good - make a large batch, because it is great the second day too.
Cabbage, Swiss chard - made cole slaw. I like mixing different ingredients into cole slaws. I usually do add Swiss chard if we have it - I remove the thick stems (save them as an ingredient to make veggie broth), stack the leaves and julienne them. It adds a nice dark green color to the slaw. I make a dressing of equal amounts of canola oil, mayonnaise and white wine or cider vinegar. A bit of cayenne, fresh ground pepper, and ground mustard rounds out the dressing. Allow to sit in fridge for about 30 minutes for the flavors to blend before enjoying.
Leeks, herbs - made the Braised Salmon with Leeks again - really nice dish and simple to make.
Tomato, lettuce - one night we had a roasted chicken and the next we made the BLT Salad (the dressing is simply about a pint of chopped tomatoes and a 1/4 cup good quality mayonnaise, salt and pepper; I whir it all up in the smoothie cup that came with the immersion blender.) and topped it with left over chicken. It was an easy and delicious weeknight meal!
Okra, kale, tomato, onions, garlic, herbs, sweet and hot peppers - made another veggie stew. So easy and delicious - no recipe needed. Just add to large saute pan in order of cooking times. Once this is made you have a delicious side dish and/or the base for a frittata.
September 22, 2019
Using up Summer Produce
By Linda Dansbury
Using up Summer Produce
By Linda Dansbury
Well, it feels like summer, but tomorrow marks the official end of summer and with the shorter days and cool nights, the summer crops are coming to a close. I am still enjoying some of them, and mixing in some fall greens as well.
Sweet peppers, onions, Swiss chard, herbs, tomatoes - I made a large frittata - which is one of my go-to meals. I make a large one and then can have it for a few days, eating leftovers for lunch or even breakfast. Saute chopped onions and peppers until soft. I also had green beans from my garden so I steamed some of those and added them to the pan. Once cooked, I added in some chopped Swiss chard, salt and pepper, and then added the beaten eggs. Topped with cheese and sliced tomatoes and placed it in a 375 degree oven for about 15 minutes or until set. Sprinkled with fresh herbs and enjoyed.
Onions, hot pepper, a bit of Swiss chard, cilantro - Made a broth for mussels and even added a bit of slivered Swiss chard to that. It added a nice flavor and crunch.
Onions, garlic, kale, butternut squash - the sweetness of butternut squash is a nice counter to the kale and onions. I had used half of a baked squash just as a side dish and had the other half left so I added it to a saute of the rest of the ingredients along with salt and pepper and a few bits of chevre cheese and toasted pine nuts added at the end. It was really delicious.
September 15, 2019
Farm Deliciousness
By Linda Dansbury
Farm Deliciousness
By Linda Dansbury
Checking on the early variety of broccoli, which should start arriving in shares perhaps in a week or two.
Fall cooking is so enjoyable (I think I say cooking is enjoyable in every season). The kitchen is cooler and the veggies start to shift to things that lend themselves to warming meals. Here are a couple of things I prepared this past week. If there is anything you would like to share with membership, please email me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please put Anchor Run in the subject line.
Okra - I continue to take okra as one of my choices each week. I slice it into "coins" and then saute in a little olive oil. I add salt and pepper while it is cooking and cook until it is nicely browned on both sides. It turns out almost nutty in flavor - with no slime! A very, very simple and delicious side dish.
Peppers, onions, eggplant, okra, tomatoes, greens, garlic - Recently I have been making veggie stews almost every week. Saute onions, peppers and eggplant until getting soft. Add garlic, okra and tomatoes and cook for about 10-15 minutes until the veggies are blending together. I normally add the greens only to the portion that will be eaten in the next couple of days. Add If using fresh herbs, add toward the end of cooking. If adding dried herbs, add earlier in the process and of course season to taste with salt and pepper. Adding some type of protein - sausage or chicken, or beans, makes it a complete meal, or as is it is a delicious side dish. I freeze the rest to enjoy in the middle of winter when dreaming of warm days and summer veggies!
Peppers, garlic, parsley - Roasted peppers, peeled the skins off, removed stems and seeds then sliced. Placed in a bowl, adding a bit of minced garlic, chopped parsley, salt and pepper and a nice olive oil. These are delicious when eaten in a sandwich or just place a few slices on your plate along with dinner. I often add 1 hot pepper to the mix for a bit of "zing".
Kale - Made a large kale Caeser salad one night - placed a can of tuna over it and had a couple of slices of hearty local bread along with it.
Leeks, parsley, garlic - Made Braised Salmon with Leeks for dinner one night - this is another recipe I had forgotten about until I searched this site. A light, simple and most importantly a delicious meal!
September 8, 2019
Cooking with Farm Goodies
By Linda Dansbury
Cooking with Farm Goodies
By Linda Dansbury
Chopped okra, red onion, tomatillos, and sweet peppers tossed with salt, pepper, olive oil, and a sprinkle of rice wine vinegar to be roasted at 400 for an hour will yield an easy and tasty dish enjoyed over rice.
I love to cook, and it is made extra special when the quality and quantity of such amazing produce is a large part of what is available to me to use. Share how you enjoy your harvest by emailing me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please put Anchor Run in the subject line.
Doing this newsletter both helps me find new ways to use the bounty and reminds me of favorite methods and recipes that are forgotten in the "off" season for a particular crop. I hope it also helps you!
Kale, butternut squash - made the Northern Spy's Kale Salad that I added last week - I made a lot and it really does keep until the next day. I only used grated Parmesan cheese (not the cheddar that is listed) and used pistachios.
Tomatoes, Hershberger bacon, parsley, scallion - found a new salad this week called BLT Salad. Cook bacon, and then for croutons, use bread you like cut into cubes and "toast" the bread in the bacon fat (I skipped this step). Put lettuces in a large bowl, along with cut up tomatoes or cherry tomatoes. I added a chopped scallion and parsley to the bowl as well, but this could be skipped. Then take about a 1/2 pint worth of tomato and a 1/4 cup of good quality mayonaise and process until smooth - for this I used my immersion blender in the smoothie cup that comes with it so I didn't have to get the big processor out. Add salt and pepper to taste, drizzle over salad and it is finished. Yum...
Kale, tomatoes, onion, hot pepper - made the Kenyan-style Kale and Tomatoes. This is a recipe I had completely forgotten about. As the description says, it is eaten as is with flatbread. I think adding a can of chickpeas, white beans or cooked sausage or chicken would be delicious. I ate it as a side dish with grilled chicken, and then had leftovers for lunch.
Potatoes, onions, parsley - made German-style potato salad. Love making it this way because it keeps for days afterward, so I make large batches and then can eat it for a few days.
Tomatillos, cilantro, hot pepper - made Salsa Verde with the last of my tomatillos.
September 1, 2019
Enjoying the Transition
By Linda Dansbury
Enjoying the Transition
By Linda Dansbury
We simply need a picture of a heart shaped potato at least once per year.
I, like you, am enjoying the cooler, drier weather pattern we have been having. It is pleasant to spend time outside. I didn't realize how much I missed the greens until they came back again! I was away most of the week, so didn't cook much, but here are a few ideas I am planning to do today and tomorrow.
Kale - so school is or has started - need a delicious, healthy, easy after school snack? Make the Kale Chips recipe on this site. I have a couple notes - make sure the kale is dry when you bake it or it won't properly crisp up. Dry on kitchen towels or in a salad spinner. Also, you can top with herbs to add flavoring your family likes - dried oregano, ground cumin, smoked paprika, a bit of chili pepper are a couple of ideas.
Kale Salads - are a nice way to change up your routine - I love Kale Caesar Salad, but I am also adding a new salad called Northern Spy's Kale Salad - switch out any of the ingredients to make it what your family will like best.
Peppers - the sweet peppers have been really bountiful this year and I have been cutting them into a lot of dishes - pastas, salads, and slicing and eating them as snacks dipped into hummus or Edamame Hummus
When we have a lot of peppers, I tend to make Pepper Puree and/or Romesco Sauce. Both freeze well, and I love to pull out a container and use on grilled or roasted meats, veggies or fish later in the year.
August 18, 2019
Salsas and More!
By Linda Dansbury
Salsas and More!
By Linda Dansbury
Winter squash curing in the greenhouse.
It was a busy week of cooking and eating farm fresh goodness. Please share how you enjoyed your harvest by emailing me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please put Anchor Run in the subject line.
Ground cherries, tomatoes, sweet and hot peppers, scallions, cilantro - made the Ground Cherry Salsa recipe from this site. As I have said before, time consuming to make, but well worth it.
Tomatoes, red onions, sweet and hot peppers, herbs, local peaches, local sweet corn - made a Peach and Tomato salsa and used it over Wild for Salmon fish and then with tortilla chips. Very delicious.
Tomatoes, garlic, basil - made the Uncooked Tomato Sauce recipe on this site - so easy and delicious.
Eggplant, basil - made Eggplant Lasagna on this site. I like this version because you just bake the sliced eggplant rather than frying it. You make little stacks, so serving it is also easy.
Okra - one of the simplest ways to enjoy okra is to slice it and then cook it in a non stick skillet with a little olive oil added. Place the slices so the cut sides are down in the pan. Turn over when the first side turns brown and cook till second side is brown. Add a little salt and enjoy - they taste a bit nutty when cooked this way and are not slimy at all.
August 11, 2019
Fun, Healthy Veggies
By Linda Dansbury
Fun, Healthy Veggies
By Linda Dansbury
Okra flower.
I had a lot of fun preparing and eating all of the delicious veggies this past week. Eggplant, zucchini, and more. Please send me how you are enjoying your harvest by emailing me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please put Anchor Run in subject line so I can find your email.
Zucchini, scallions, herbs, Hershberger Farm bacon - made a quiche, using shredded zucchini as the crust. Just shred about 3 cups of zucchini and place in bowl. Add a beaten egg, salt and pepper and press the mixture evenly into a pie pan - deep dish works best. Bake the "crust" at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes. When it is set and browned around the edges, remove from oven. Reduce oven temp to 350, and proceed with your favorite quiche recipe. This makes a great dinner hot, and is good the next day at room temperature.
Cucumbers - it is a banner year for cucs. I have been enjoying them as a snack at lunchtime and while I am making dinner. Also made cucumber salads a few times. If you want to know what to do with all of the cucumbers and like pickles but are not into canning, try the Narrow Bridge Farm Refrigerator Pickles on this site. They are easy and delicious.
Eggplant, scallions, mint, basil, garlic, hot pepper, dandelion greens - made a nice sized batch of the Thai-style Grilled Eggplant salad (on this site). The first use was as a side dish with some grilled chicken. I then had plenty left to make it into a main course. Browned some ground pork from Hershberger Farm with garlic and ginger, then added chopped up dandelion greens, and finally added the eggplant salad. Topped with a bunch of chopped cilantro - it was delicious.
Tomatoes, garlic, scallions, ground cherries, hot peppers, basil, parsley - made the Ground Cherry Salsa - all I can say is Yum!
Zucchini, sweet pepper, scallions - made a batch of burgers called Garden Veggie Burgers - basically use a pound of whatever meat you want (it calls for ground turkey but works for whatever you want); add a cup of oats, 1/4 cup ketchup, 3/4 cup shredded zucchini, and chopped onion (I used scallions since we have them), 1/2 cup finely chopped sweet pepper - you can add a hot pepper if you want. Add salt and pepper to taste, mix well, form into burgers, grill and enjoy.
August 4, 2019
An Eggplant Kind of Summer
By Linda Dansbury
An Eggplant Kind of Summer
By Linda Dansbury
A newly discovered treat in the riparian habitat above the upper pond: swamp rose mallow.
Farmer Derek told me the eggplants are abundant this summer, so you have to prepare to cook and enjoy them each week. Grilling your entire take each week all at once can make it easier and relaxing to enjoy them. See below for what I did to enjoy my harvest - if you have something you love to do with eggplant or other farm veggies, please share by sending to me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please put Anchor Run in the subject line.
Eggplant, sweet peppers, hot peppers, tomato, basil - made the Grilled Eggplant and Pepper Salad. I grilled 2 weeks worth of eggplants at the same time and used the remainder to make Eggplant Spread. The Eggplant Spread and traditional tomato bruschetta made a delicious summer CSA dinner!
Husk cherries, peppers, tomatoes, hot peppers, scallions - made the Ground Cherry Salsa. Yum!!
Cherry tomatoes, basil - if you have never done "burst tomatoes" before, try it - it works with store bought tomatoes because it helps concentrate the sugars, but it tastes unbelievable when using locally grown cherry tomatoes. Simply heat a bit of olive oil in a pan, and add just a couple slivers of garlic. Add the tomatoes and cook over medium or medium-low heat until the tomatoes start to break down a bit - about 10 minutes. Add a bit of salt and pepper and basil or parsley (if desired). Recipes for these often call for adding balsamic vinegar at the end, but these are so sweet, I love them the way they are. Serve along your desired protein or even over pasta.
Zucchini, tomatoes, garlic, pesto - made zoodles with tomatoes and pesto as a side dish. We are loving this dish right now.
July 21, 2019
Summer Bounty
By Linda Dansbury
Summer Bounty
By Linda Dansbury
Swallowtail butterfly on wild bergamot aka bee balm.
Cooking this time of year is easy and rewarding because everything is so delicious! There are so many options and variations of using our harvest. Please share how you are using your harvest by emailing me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please put Anchor Run in the title so I can find your email. Here is some of how I enjoyed my harvest.
Zucchini, cherry tomatoes, pesto - time to get the zoodle maker out! I already had pesto in my freezer so this was so simple. Zoodled some green and yellow zucchini, halved cherry tomatoes. It can be left completely cool or cold, but I put the zoodles in a warm pan and heated till just warmed through - you don't want to really cook it because the zucchini will get mushy. Put zoodles in a bowl, add tomatoes and a good amount of pesto, mix well, add a bit of fresh basil or parsley and enjoy.
Green beans, sweet pepper, scallions, cherry tomatoes, parsley, basil - made a large green bean salad - I have some beans from my garden as well and this is a great way to enjoy the beans. Using a red wine vinegar based dressing allows the beans to stay fresh for a long period of time.
Eggplant, onion, garlic, basil - made a new dish this week, called Spicy Eggplant Pasta. Pretty simple to make and very delicious. You can keep it vegetarian, but I cooked shrimp slightly in pan and removed before doing the onions and it was delicious. Sausage or chicken would also work well.
July 14, 2019
Yummy Stir Fry
By Linda Dansbury
Yummy Stir Fry
By Linda Dansbury
How have you been enjoying your harvest? Please share with members by emailing me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please put Anchor Run in the subject line so I can easily find your email.
I am constantly thinking about what needs to be used first out of each week's harvest so I concentrate on consuming the items that are the most perishable. Right now that are the greens, zucchini, cucumbers, eggplant, tomatoes, celery and scallions. Carrots, beets, cabbage, tomatillos can wait awhile, so I don't worry about them. Every couple of weeks on a Sunday, I will spend time preparing dishes with things like beets and tomatillos and cabbage.
Celery, cucumbers - I eat "bunny food" with my lunch every day so right now are my go-to things, along with cherry tomatoes, and a carrot and/or little turnip thrown in.
Green beans, scallions, cilantro, turnips, zucchini, greens - made a huge stir fry this past week, which fed me for a couple of nights. There are countless recipes on the internet, so choose one that sounds good to you but adjust the veggies to what we have now. They often don't include the mix of what we are receiving so you have to be flexible. Just remember to add things in the order that they take to cook.
Zucchini, garlic scapes, lettuces - made the Warm Sausage and Summer Squash Salad on this site. I love this meal (as I have said countless times) because it uses one pan and 1 large bowl and comes together in 30 minutes, including chopping, so it is a great busy weeknight meal.
July 7, 2019
Zoodles and Salads and More!
By Linda Dansbury
Zoodles and Salads and More!
By Linda Dansbury
A combination of plentiful moisture and the most fertile soil on the farm pushed these field tomato plants to the largest and healthiest we've seen by early July. Their fruits are now starting to ripen.
It is really fun eating all of the great veggies we are receiving! Let me know how you are enjoying your harvest by emailing me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please put Anchor Run in the subject line.
Zucchini, garlic scapes, scallions, basil - Zoodles are just fun to make! I normally mostly grill summer squash but it was so hot and humid I didn't feel like standing over a grill, so I got my spiralizer out and made zoodles out of a yellow and green squash - no peeling needed! I briefly sauteed garlic scapes and scallions in a bit of nice olive oil. Removed from heat, and added the zoodles and stirred, Salted and peppered and sprinkled on some julienned basil and fresh grated parm cheese. Yum.
Green beans, basil, scallions, scapes, parsley - when it is this hot out, I make salads out of a lot of our veggies. For green beans, I boil them a little longer than I do if eating plain so they absorb dressing. Immediately after cooking, I put them in ice cold water to stop the cooking. Allow to drain well and place in bowl. Add chopped scallions, very thinly sliced scapes, and chopped basil and parsley - in a couple weeks I will also add cherry tomatoes and chopped peppers. Make a simple vinaigrette of olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper. Add to green bean/veggie mix, toss and enjoy. I often add chick peas and/or goat or feta cheese. This tastes even better the next day and keeps for at least a week.
Cucumbers, scallions, parsley - another salad, my grandmother's version is one of my other favorites of summer. Slice cukes using a mandolin and place in bowl. Add thinly sliced scallions, chopped parsley and mix. Make a vinaigrette of red wine vinegar, neutral oil, a bit of salt, celery salt and pepper. Mix well and add to cucumbers. Mix well and enjoy.
June 23, 2019
Summer Salads
By Linda Dansbury
Summer Salads
By Linda Dansbury
Freshly harvested cilantro from the herb garden.
The fresh harvest from the farm provides an opportunity to easily add extra servings of veggies to our daily diet. One of the things I do is to put together a serving of cut up veggies to have with my lunch each day. Recently, I have been using the turnips, kohlrabi, peas (gone, unfortunately), cucumbers. When I come home in the evening and am hungry, instead of a bag of chips, I get the veggies out - making or keeping a tub of hummus or Garlic Scapes with White Bean Dip adds flavor and protein to your snack. Please share how you are enjoying your harvest by emailing me at lindadansbury@comcast.net. And please put Anchor Run in the subject line.
Swiss chard, garlic scapes, scallions - I sauteed local mixed mushrooms with chard stems and once-chopped garlic scape. When browned, added the chopped up chard leaves and cooked just until wilted. Topped with chopped scallions. This turned out to be a really delicious combo - I only added a little salt and pepper.
Summer squash, garlic scapes, romaine lettuce, parsley - made the Warm Sausage and Summer Squash Salad. As I said last week, this is an easy and delicious 1 pan meal. I used Italian sausage from Hershberger Farm.
Summer squash, garlic scapes, romaine lettuce, parsley - made the Warm Sausage and Summer Squash Salad. As I said last week, this is an easy and delicious 1 pan meal. I used Italian sausage from Hershberger Farm.
Beets, beet greens, scapes, scallions, parsley - made the Roasted Beet and Beet Green Risotto. One evening when I was already using the oven I roasted 2 weeks worth of beets, saving the tops. When cooked and cooled, I peeled them and placed in plastic container. Last night, we had the risotto.
Roasted beets, scallions, herbs - made Pickled Beets using some of the roasted beets beets from above. I like adding some herbs to my mix. Pickled beets keep in the fridge for several weeks - if you don't eat them before then!
Turnips, garlic scapes, greens, including, Swiss chard and Italian dandelion, herbs - sliced up the larger turnips and left the tiny ones whole. Sauteed in olive oil until getting browned and tender. During the process, added Swiss chard stems and chopped garlic scape. When the turnips were browned and getting tender, added slivered chard and dandelion. When wilted, added a bit of sesame oil and topped with chopped cilantro.
June 16, 2019
Great Cooking Weather
By Linda Dansbury
Great Cooking Weather
By Linda Dansbury
This past week was perfect for cooking indoors and outside and then sitting outside for dinner. Share with the rest of membership how you used your harvest by emailing me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please put Anchor Run in the subject line.
Summer squash, basil, parsley, scallions - grilled all my summer squash, ate a few one night and then the next day I cut the rest up into bite sized pieces, and added to pasta. Chopped up the rest of the listed items, and then drizzled a bit of balsamic vinegar and good quality olive oil. Topped with some crumbled local feta cheese.
Garlic scapes, peas, cilantro. scallions - made stir fried rice with leftover rice. Blanched peas for 1 min. To a pan put oil and scapes for 30 seconds, then added the peas and eggs and stirred the eggs around. When eggs nearly cooked, added rice and broke that up, sprinkled some soy sauce and sesame oil and mixed well. Served with thinly sliced scallions and chopped cilantro.
Kohlrabi, turnips, chard, bok choy, scallions, garlic scapes, cilantro - made the Asian Cole Slaw that is on this site. Yum!
June 9, 2019
The Freshest Food
By Linda Dansbury
The Freshest Food
By Linda Dansbury
Flowering arugula, greens mix, and broccoli raab contribute additional benefits to the farmscape: food for pollinators and eye candy for creatures that visually appreciate flowering plants.
This week was pretty crazy so I wasn't able to cook a lot of different things but I certainly ate well. How did you enjoy your harvest? Please share with membership by emailing me at lindadansbury@comcast.net. And please put Anchor Run in subject line so I can find your message. Here are a few ways I enjoyed my harvest.
Spring garlic, chard, kale, escarole - made a simple but yummy dish by slightly cooking chopped garlic with chopped chard stems, then added a large pile of mixed, chopped greens. Added salt and pepper to taste - a bit of red pepper flakes is delicious too. Let the greens partially wilt, then made "wells" in the pan and cracked eggs into each of the wells. Put a lid on the pan for about a minute and then check. You want the whites of the eggs to cook, but the yolk to stay runny. Lift greens and eggs onto a plate, break the eggs and mix the runny yolk into greens, forming a sauce! Top with more pepper, chopped parsley and scallions. I also love a toasted slice of local bread to go with it.
Summer squash, scallions - as you read my article through the season, you will notice that I often do squash on the grill, as I got to do for the first time last night. It is so simple and delicious! Cut squash into halves or quarters depending on the size, brush scallions and squash with olive oil. Place on hot grill and don't go too far away. Turn as each side of squash get grill marks and cook until desired done-ness. We like it with some bite left in them. Just barely char the scallions. Remove from grill, add a bit of salt and sliver of basil or chopped parsley and you are ready to eat. Leftovers are amazing in a pasta salad.
Spring garlic, turnips, escarole - I made a Moroccan dish of ground lamb and veggies over quinoa. The recipe called for carrots, but I used our little turnips instead and it did not call for greens but I added some chopped greens at the end of cooking. The dish was so delicious, with enough for leftovers - I will add even more greens when we eat it again. Maybe some chard this time!
June 2, 2019
Enjoying the Fresh Deliciousness
By Linda Dansbury
Enjoying the Fresh Deliciousness
By Linda Dansbury
Wow, the weeks are speeding by and I am busy like the rest of you trying to figure out how to keep up with the amazing food we are receiving. Here are a few things we enjoyed eating this week. I would love to hear from you on how you enjoyed your harvest - I love to get new ideas from fellow members and even better, to share with the entire Anchor Run Community. Email me at lindadansbury@comcast.net. And please put Anchor Run in the subject line so I can find your emails.
Romaine - Enjoyed a charred romaine salad. Sliced the head into quarters, leaving the core intact so it stayed together. Drizzled with bit of olive oil and placed on a hot grill. Barely charred it on all sides, removed from grill and cut into bite-sized pieces. Place in a bowl lightly dressed with Caesar dressing. Added some fresh ground pepper. Yum.
Cilantro, mint, spring garlic - herbs help create delicious marinades for meats. The one I used this week leaned toward Middle East flavors and turned out delicious on chicken - just google marinades using herbs and you will find a lot of recipes. Use these recipes to create simple marinades (and salad dressings) rather than purchasing bottled ones.
Kale, spring garlic, cilantro - made one of my favorite go-to dishes for week night dinners - Kale Rice Bowl. I love this dish - one pan (plus another for rice), cooks in under 15 minutes. It is best made using local pastured ground pork, as opposed to a lot of what is in the grocery stores - you can really taste the difference.
Bok Choy, Swiss chard - as part of our Memorial Day celebration, I prepared Asian Cole Slaw. This is a very delicious recipe. You don't need cabbage to make it and the combo of bok choy and Swiss chard is delicious. I also added a bit of chopped parsley and cilantro for an additional burst of flavor.
May 26, 2019
Beautiful Greens
By Linda Dansbury
Beautiful Greens
By Linda Dansbury
The harvest of snow peas begins this week. We're sad to report that our peas acquired a soil born disease this spring so the harvest will not be as prolific as last year.
I spent a couple of hours helping out in the pick up room the past 2 Thursdays and had the pleasure of speaking with members I have met over my years of being an Anchor Run member and met some brand new members. I consider this space in the newsletter a sharing column, so I would love for you to share your recipes, methods, and questions - please email me at lindadansbury@comcast.net. And please put Anchor Run in the subject line so I can find your email. So, how do I manage my greens? See how I used some of them below.
Turnips, green garlic, custom greens mix, kale, Swiss chard - as I have said many times, I love roasting veggies, so you can roast the turnips, or cut them up small (some of them are quite small anyway) and cook them in a pan until browned and starting to soften. Add some green garlic, salt and pepper. Add a bunch of chopped greens - any combo you want to use is fine. Keep moving them around in the pan until just wilted. Zest a bit of lemon over them, taste for seasoning and enjoy - this is a great side dish for any main dish protein.
Spinach - my husband loves spinach salad, so when we receive it, we always have at least one Spinach Salad with Hot Bacon Dressing. With such a rich tasting salad, the rest of our meal is simple and light.
Bok choy, green garlic - sauted a bit of the chopped garlic in neutral oil, then added the entire baby bok choys and just cooked till they started to wilt and brown a bit. Added a splash of fish sauce and sesame oil and sprinkled with chive blossoms. A very simple, yummy side dish.
Kale - this past week, I made a couple of smoothies. You can use any greens you want and any combo of other ingredients - just look on the internet to find your favorites!
Arugula, endive, lettuce mix, head lettuces, spinach, custom greens mix, green garlic - salads, salads, salads! As I wrote last week, I love this vast combination of greens because of the variety of tastes and textures. I minced a bit of the green garlic and added to the salad dressing.
Endive - my German grandmother used to make a salad using nothing but endive, radishes and onions. I know a lot of you dislike endive, but I happen to love it. The dressing consists of a neutral oil, along with a mild vinegar - I like Solebury Orchards apple cider vinegar. A tiny bit of salt, pepper and celery salt. Instead of onions, I used chive blossoms. Brings me back to my childhood.
May 19, 2019
Yummy Salads!
By Linda Dansbury
Yummy Salads!
By Linda Dansbury
Snow pea flower, a sign of things to come.
Happy Anchor Run pick ups! When I walked into the barn and saw the variety and quantity of all of the greens/veggies, I got so excited and that feeling has stayed while getting to eat the fresh veggies. This is the spot where I try to provide weekly inspiration on how to use your harvest. I like to think of the newsletter as part of the Anchor Run community, so invite you to send me "How you enjoyed your harvest". It can be a recipe, a method, and/or you can ask a question about a veggie you are not familiar with. If sending a recipe that is not your own, please provide the source. Please email me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please put Anchor Run in the subject line so I can find your email. I look forward to hearing from you during the season. My pick up day is Thursday, so I have only had a couple days to enjoy the harvest this week.
Broccolini, spring garlic - I love roasting veggies, so I tried the broccolini. Pre heated oven to 350 degrees. Put broccolini on cookie sheet in a single layer and added a few pieces of spring garlic. I cooked these on a fairly low temperature so I didn't burn the garlic. Tossed with a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper and then cooked for about 12 minutes until the stalks were getting tender and the tops had just a bit of browning on them. Really delicious.
Lettuce, spinach, greens mix, endive, arugula, radish - we eat salads almost every night and my favorite is when there is a broad mix of greens, each giving their own flavor and texture. I make a fairly light dressing and never use bottled on these gorgeous tasting greens. My go-to dressing is a blend of good quality olive oil and red wine vinegar used at about a 3:1 or even 4:1 ratio. I usually add some herbs - dried are fine in salad dressings, and I normally use a sprinkle of garlic powder, basil and oregano, in addition to salt and freshly ground pepper. Sometimes I add just a bit of Dijon vinegar, but haven't this week with these greens. If you are struggling with all the greens, remember that it is easy to turn a salad into a main course - add shrimp, or leftover chicken or steak and maybe a nice loaf of bread and you are good to go with an easy, healthy, delicious meal!
December 16, 2018
Healthy Greens
By Linda Dansbury
Healthy Greens
By Linda Dansbury
Uncovering lettuce mix and spinach in the hoop tunnel.
I grew up eating salads almost every night, so for me I feel better and healthier if I consistently eat them. We take the Italian approach to salad eating and enjoy it at the end of the meal - the reasoning behind this is it aids in digestion but another thought process is if you eat a salad at the start of the meal you will eat less of the main course.
Either way, enjoying salads, especially at this time of year helps you get the nutrients you need to stay healthy. Add ingredients such as honey roasted almonds or pecans; dried cranberries; fresh figs and pears; or roasted beets. Also consider using a nut oil such as walnut. All of these additions change an every day salad into a special holiday dish!
We have been enjoying the spinach immensely! The Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing has become a weekly enjoyment - we have a simple piece of fish to keep the meal lighter. I also decided to make Creamed Spinach with our pastured, grass fed rib eye. Made with fresh spinach and just a bit of cream make this a delicious side dish - and when I didn't have quite enough spinach for the dish, I added in some of the greens mix - I wasn't sure how it would be, but I really enjoyed the added flavor.
November 25, 2018
Thanksgiving Bounty
By Linda Dansbury
Thanksgiving Bounty
By Linda Dansbury
I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving - one of the things I am thankful for every year is the bounty of delicious, healthy local food from Anchor Run. This year it is especially true. I am involved in additional local food organizations and know that all of our local farmers have struggled through this record breaking rain year, all of them losing a significant amount of their harvests and therefore, their incomes. As I have spoken to Derek through the year, the crop losses suffered at Anchor Run have been significant; however, we have still had enough high quality produce to provide plenty of beautiful, delicious shares for us.
Here are a few things I did with my share this past week:
Kale, garlic - made the Kale Rice Bowl. This is especially easy and yummy with the small young kale leaves we receive this time of year. Made it on Wednesday night before Thanksgiving as a light, easy meal prior to the big day.
Sweet potatoes, potatoes, celeriac - made a "mixed mash" for Thanksgiving - the added flavor from the sweets and celeriac make a special treat for the day.
Celeriac, Carrots, Onions - have you heard of the French term mirepoix? It is a mixture of celery, carrots and onions used a a base for many soups and stews. So, what do you do when you don't have celery? Use celeriac! The version of turkey we made this year had us put a base of mirepoix in the bottom of the roasting pan to provide yummy flavors for the gravy. Since we didn't have farm celery this year, I chopped up a celeriac - since it is in the same family, it provided that taste element.
Fennel - Thanksgiving is is such a heavy meal that I have trouble convincing my family to eat a salad - so I made something light: I have arugula in my garden but any green would work. I shaved one of the fennel bulbs from the farm into arugula and then made a very simple, light lemon vinaigrette - everyone loved it, saying it really cut through the heaviness of the turkey and all the trimmings - keep it in mind for any big meal, such as a stew.
Enjoy the upcoming delicious greens from the high tunnels and please continue to support Anchor Run Farm by signing up for your 2019 share!
November 4, 2018
Using up the Bounty
By Linda Dansbury
Using up the Bounty
By Linda Dansbury
At least it's been a very colorful fall.
This week proved to be a week of going through the fridge/pantry and using things up - my hubby had a bad cold, so it was all about comfort food.
Onions/leek, parsley, carrots, turnips, chicken - One cool thing I learned on the first day of him feeling bad is that you can make truly delicious chicken soup in 1 hour in the pressure cooker. I used breasts, which is rare for me because under pressure they don't get dried out. We had a couple delicious dinners and my hubby a lunch from this hour of prep time - a really good investment!
Beets, onions - I roasted all the beets I had in my fridge - 2 weeks worth - peeled them and broke them into 2 bowls. One bowl I did into pickled beets - much more sour for me than sweet. The other I made a Dijon vinaigrette, adding tarragon because I like that flavor combination with beets. I grow a plant called Mexican tarragon. I never had luck getting French tarragon to over winter. It definitely tastes like French tarragon but it is grown as an annual. I currently have a sprig on my counter in a glass of water, hoping to root it.
Carrots, onions, parsley, garlic, butternut squash (last one), tomatoes (frozen) - made long cooked beef shanks - very easy to do and tastes like it took hours of prep - it takes hours to cook, but the prep is about 30 minutes at most - season the shanks and brown well in a large dutch oven. Remove and add celery, onions, carrots to pan and saute until slightly soft. Add squash (optional) and garlic and cook until fragrant, about a minute. Add some red wine and deglaze for a couple of minutes. Add tomatoes and bring to a slow simmer. Add the shanks back to the pot and add enough of your favorite broth to cover the shanks. Cover and place pot into a 305 degree oven for about 3 hours or until meat is tender. Serve over your favorite starch or just a nice crusty loaf of bread for sopping up the deliciousness!
Greens - several large salads, mixing bits of all the greens along with some of the beets I cooked up - yum!
How did you enjoy the harvest? Email me at lindadansbury@comcast.net
October 28, 2018
Roots!
By Linda Dansbury
Roots!
By Linda Dansbury
Well, it seems we have transitioned right into winter - it is supposed to warm up this week to more normal temperatures but for now, I am welcoming it in warming dishes. Send me how you are enjoying your harvest at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please put Anchor Run in the Subject Line.
As I mentioned last week, roasted veggies are key to my cooking at this time of the year. I basically take everything out of the fridge (except for the greens) and storage, chop them up into similar sized chunks, drizzle with olive oil, salt, pepper and rosemary, and roast at somewhere between 380 and 400. Turning every 15 minutes is important so that everything cooks evenly and so nothing sticks to the pan.
Sweet peppers, potatoes, leeks, watermelon radish, celeriac - this week's roasted bounty - again, I made a lot and ate one night alongside a meat dish and then used another night for a frittata.
Kale - made Kale Chips for a yummy, healthy snack. Recipe is on this site but it is simple: preheat oven to 375. Remove tough stems, tear into pieces - not too small because they shrink significantly in the oven. Toss with a little olive oil and salt - if you want, add another spice - cumin or cayenne are nice. Place on cookie sheet in single layer - if they overlap, they won't crisp up. Bake for 10 min, checking at 5 min or so. Remove from oven and enjoy!! I often make these and snack while I am preparing dinner.
Onions, garlic, Hershberger beef bones, cilantro - Made Vietnamese Beef Pho - my first time for it (had made Chicken Pho in pressure cooker several times). It came out great and really wasn't as labor intensive as I expected. I researched several recipes before I chose the one I did, and we were very happy with the results. Email me if you are interested and I will send you the recipe.
Some other cooking from this week included parsley and onions in my grandmother's recipe for meatloaf, carrots and onions in gravy for a sauerbraten.
October 21, 2018
Lovin' the Greens...And More!
By Linda Dansbury
Lovin' the Greens...And More!
By Linda Dansbury
Fall cooking is so enjoyable! The house is cooler and our bellies desire slow cooked, hearty dishes. I haven't written an article in awhile, so if you have ideas on how you enjoy the bounty of what we are receiving now, please email me at lindadansbury@comcast.net. Please put Anchor Run in the Subject Line so I can find your message.
Onions, potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, garlic, herbs, Hershberger short ribs - made a slow braise adding the carrots and potatoes the last hour of cooking. The house smelled so good all day we couldn't wait to eat.
Butternut squash, celeriac, watermelon radish, potatoes, onions, garlic, leeks, herbs - roasted the veggies that were lightly coated in olive oil and salt and pepper at about 400 degrees for about 45 minutes. Stirred every 15 min or so for even cooking. This is such a colorful and delicious dish, and is great with most meats and fish. I normally make a large batch so I have some left to add to a frittata.
Peppers, tomatoes, onions, a lot of greens - made a frittata for dinner. Love this weeknight meal when paired with a toasted piece of locally made whole grain bread.
Broccoli, turnips, carrots - I eat these as snacks with my lunch most days.
Dandelion, small Swiss chard leaves, small kale leaves, radicchio, head lettuce - I really like to use a mix of greens in salads. Nut oils and a bit of cheese help to soften the stronger greens, but I have to say that the radicchio we are receiving is the most mild and tender of any I have had.
October 7, 2018
Eat Your Squash
By Linda Dansbury
Eat Your Squash
By Linda Dansbury
I have been away a lot recently, as you have probably gathered from the lack of my writings. When I am home, I find myself making a lot of veggie stews to use things before they go bad. I basically take the Caponata technique and gradually add whatever I want to use and adjust the seasonings to mix up the flavors - so one week it might be slanted toward Italian or Spanish and the next week it leans toward Middle Eastern.
The delicious greens are back so large salads are welcome - use a blend of greens - endive, escarole, dandelion and mixed greens added to the mini lettuce adds texture and flavor to salads.
Potatoes, onions, carrots, garlic, Hershberger short ribs - the cooler weather had us making a long braised dish. Yum!
Tomatoes, onions, basil - made tomato sauce, very simple and basic. I had frozen some tomatoes when I had more than I could use, and used a combination of fresh and frozen ones to make sauce.
Carrots, onions, leeks, garlic, herbs, chicken - I came down with a bad cold this week, so I made chicken soup! Made me feel better almost instantly.
Butternut squash, kale, onion, garlic - Tried a new dish and it was delicious. Roasted Butternut Squash and Kale Salad with Lemony Tahini Dressing. I didn't have quite enough kale so I mixed in some endive and it worked great.
If you have an idea you would like to share with fellow members, please email me at lindansbury@comcast.net and please put Anchor Run in the subject line.
September 16, 2018
Preserving the Harvest
By Linda Dansbury
Preserving the Harvest
By Linda Dansbury
Dana and Derek's current favorite food: oven roasted okra!
This time of year, I find myself in the kitchen for longer periods to get the harvest cooked and put away for use later in the year. Usually, the weather is much cooler and less humid, but I guess the shorter day length is still driving me to do my "work". Below are a few of the things I made this past week. If you have anything you want to share with fellow members, please send to me at lindadansbury@comcast.net
Eggplant, peppers, onions, garlic, tomatoes - made a nice batch of Caponata (1 2). We have 2 recipes on this site. I kind of do a blended version. The one recipe says to roast whole eggplants; the other says to cut them up before roasting - which is the route I take because it saves time. I ate some for dinner that night and froze the rest. The recipe recommends using it as a topping for bruschetta and to eat it at room temperature, but I typically cook up some sausage and sometimes a whole grain pasta and use it as a sauce - yum!!
Okra, tomatoes, onions, peppers, hot pepper - made the Okra with Tomatoes and Corn, again, eating some as I made it and freezing some for later enjoyment.
Tomatoes, peppers, onions, hot pepper - made Salsa using a recipe from my Ball canning book. There is also a recipe on this site I forgot about - Oven Roasted Tomato Salsa - I think I will make it this week, but will probably add some sweet peppers as well.
Spaghetti squash - topped cooked spaghetti squash with one of the Uncooked Tomato Sauce recipes from this site. Delicious!
Peppers - these are so sweet I have been cutting them up and eating as a snack - yum!
September 9, 2018
Enjoying the variety
By Linda Dansbury
Enjoying the variety
By Linda Dansbury
I was away for several days, so took some time off from cooking. I was glad to get back into the kitchen to enjoy my veggies. Please send me how you enjoyed your harvest at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please put Anchor Run in the subject line.
Hot pepper, onion and herbs - made ceviche with fresh halibut using a bit of hot pepper and onion from farm. Yum!!
Peppers, parsley, garlic - made Romesco Sauce using the beautiful red and orange peppers - I made it last year too, froze it and enjoyed it all year with fish, chicken, pork and veggies.
Tomatoes, green beans, onion, garlic - made a very simple roasted dish with halibut. Cut tomatoes into bite sized pieces (or use cherry tomatoes), thinly slice an onion, clean beans, but leave whole. Make a sauce by combining olive oil, minced garlic, dried oregano and coriander, salt and pepper, lemon zest and lemon juice. Dip the veggies in the sauce, remove them and place on baking sheet in a single layer. Cut the fish into 1-1/2" strips and dip into the sauce, drain and place on baking sheet, separate from the veggies. Roast in a 450 degree oven. The recipe I used said 15 minutes. The veggies were perfect after 15 minutes, but I took the fish out at 9 minutes and it was great.
August 26, 2018
Fall to Summer
By Linda Dansbury
Fall to Summer
By Linda Dansbury
Farmer Dana's Bean Fermentaria - a sour, salty, crunchy snack in the making - lacto-fermented to keep our gut flora humming this winter. Yellow snap beans, garlic, oregano, and sea salt (2 Tablespoons per quart of water). Put the solid ingredients in a jar then pour the brine solution in, submerging everything. Around twice a day for a few days loosen the lids to allow CO2 to escape. Quite easy and delicious!
Well, we had a few nice cool days and the hours of daylight are decreasing significantly now, so thoughts start to move toward fall and warming dishes, but this coming week we are going back to summer weather again. I only made a few new dishes this past week. I did make another batch of Tomatillo Sauce and got that into the freezer for use later in the year. I happily snacked on edamame and got a lot of them put away into the freezer, half of which I took out of the shells prior to freezing, and the other half I left in the shells. I made another batch of Gazpacho and the summery taste as always was a treat. I made the riff on eggplant parm I described a few weeks ago - it freezes really well and my husband and I decided we like it better than lasagna - eggplant basically takes the place of the noodles. It is made into stacks so that it is easily served and frozen in individual portions. Do you have a dish you would like to share with fellow members? Please email me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please put Anchor Run in the subject line so I can find your email.
Two dishes I made that I haven't talked about in previous newsletters are below:
Watermelon, tomatoes, chili pepper, basil, mint - I made Watermelon, Heirloom Tomato and Goat Cheese Salad. This is delicious - it doesn't sound like the flavors will come together as they do, but it is great - I made it for a farmer's market demo and so many people asked for the recipe and said how flavorful it is. The recipe has been on this site for a couple of years.
Zucchini, basil, garlic - used the last of my summer squash in a new, very simple recipe: Spiralized Summer Squash Casserole. It is simple and delicious. Simply make a "filling" using ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, basil and garlic. Make squash noodles and form into nests on a sprayed cookie sheet. Top each nest with some of the filling. Broil until slightly browned. Top with more basil and enjoy. I have added the recipe to the website.
August 19, 2018
So Much Bounty
By Linda Dansbury
So Much Bounty
By Linda Dansbury
I prepared quite a few delicious dishes this week including a couple of new ones that turned out great. Please share how you enjoyed your harvest by emailing me at lindadansbury@comcast.net. Here is a sampling:
Edamame - I know I provided the low down on what to do with these in a prior newsletter. I tried something slightly different this week. We prepared sashimi this week and had the edamame as a side dish but instead of topped with plain salt, we used smoked sea salt and it was delicious. I then thought about it and using other flavored salts, cumin or paprika would also be delicious.
Tomatillos, onions, poblano peppers, okra, cilantro and pork shoulder (from Hershberger) - found a recipe in my pressure cooker cookbook for a lamb shoulder, which I changed out with pork. The recipe did not call for okra but I added it anyway. It turned out delicious - and made plenty to freeze for later. If anyone is interested in the detailed recipe, let me know at lindadansbury@comcast.net.
Okra and onions - made the Easy Indian-style Stewed Okra. It really is easy and it is tasty!
Tomatoes, garlic, chicken - a few of my tomatoes were starting to get bad spots so I wanted to use them quickly and in a delicious way and found a recipe called Garlic Butter Tomato Baked Chicken with Mozzarella. It was very simple to prepare and was made all in 1 pan. Recipe says it is good with rice, crusty bread or steamed veggies. I made noodles from my summer squash I still had that I simply heated in olive oil but it would also be great with spaghetti squash. It calls for cherry tomatoes but I just cut up the tomatoes I wanted to use into the size of halved cherry tomatoes. I have added the recipe to this site.
August 12, 2018
Pressure Cooker Delights
By Linda Dansbury
Pressure Cooker Delights
By Linda Dansbury
The husk cherry and tomatillo patch looking neat and tidy thanks to the 12.5' wide landscape fabric.
I tend to go through trends in my cooking - I will use a cooking technique and keep using it for a few days, or more. This past week I used the pressure cooker a couple of times and plan to do so again today. I don't have the famous Insta Pot, but a different brand that also sautes, pressure cooks and can be used as a slow cooker. I got it a few years ago - these things are pretty expensive, but I have found it well worth it and in this rainy weather where we don't feel like standing outside with the grill, I love using it because the food is awesome and it doesn't heat up or make a mess of the kitchen. Share how you enjoyed your harvest by emailing me at lindadansbury@comcast.net. Please put Anchor Run in the subject line so I can find your email. Now that we are in the height of the harvest season, how are you enjoying the huge bounty we are currently receiving?
Tomatillos, hot peppers, cilantro, garlic, scallions - I made the Tomatillo Sauce from the Stewed Chicken in Tomatillo Sauce recipe. But, instead of following the exact recipe, I put it into the pressure cooker. Instead of rice, I made corn tortillas - filled the tortillas and rolled them, topped with more of the sauce and topped with cilantro and some local feta - YUM! Note that if you do this, use less chicken stock than the recipe calls for.
Stewing meat, carrots, okra, onions, garlic, herbs - again, used the pressure cooker to make a delicious meal using some of the bounty of the farm. I simply found a recipe with a blend of flavors I liked - that night I felt like Moroccan/Middle Eastern flavors and then added the veggies I wanted to used. It turned out tender and delicious!
Tomatoes, basil, local mozzarella - last night made a Caprese salad. Many of these call for balsamic vinegar, but with the tomatoes this delicious, I only add a touch of sea salt, and a drizzle of good quality olive oil.
Green beans, garlic, cilantro and Thai basil - I grow Asian long beans at home so I found this recipe for ground pork and long beans - it is actually a lot like the Kale Rice Bowl recipe on this site, so I blended the 2 recipes. I am sure it would be good with our beans from the farm as well. I blanched the beans for 1 minute (in boiling water I was going to use for corn). Half the garlic and ginger was mixed into the meat. The meat was browned and then the beans and rest of garlic and ginger were added. I added a bit of fish sauce near the end and topped with fresh herbs. A tasty, quick, weeknight meal.
Ground cherries, cucumber, basil (or cilantro), scallions, hot pepper - made the Grilled Corn, Basil and Ground Cherry Salad that Dawn Wright sent to me last week. I purposely made extra corn one night so I had leftovers for the salad. It was really delicious.
July 29, 2018
An Abundance of Salads
By Linda Dansbury
An Abundance of Salads
By Linda Dansbury
This week, I was out a couple of times, and even had leftovers from a restaurant, so I didn't cook very much - I hope to spend a few hours today cooking.
I did have what I like to refer to as Summer Salads:
I use a combination of whatever greens I have on hand and a mixture of veggies from the farm. Try a combination of tomatoes, cucumbers, greens, basil and/or parsley. Add salt and pepper and good quality olive oil and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar - other optional add-ins include feta cheese and chick peas.
I also like using leftovers from grilling, including eggplant, squash and scallions plus sausage. Add a combination of robust greens and mix everything together. Make a simple lemon Dijon Vinaigrette and mix all together with fresh herbs. Yum!
How did you enjoy your harvest? Please email me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please put Anchor Run in the subject line.
July 22, 2018
A Summer Bounty!
By Linda Dansbury
A Summer Bounty!
By Linda Dansbury
Okra!
The variety and abundance right now makes me so happy! I love that for a lot of the veggies we are offered choices of rather than having to take everything. For me, I grow a lot of things in my own gardens so this system enables me to take more of what I don't grow and less or none of what I grow myself. I love most veggies, so I don't avoid anything due to taste. I do realize however, that many members, especially recent ones, may be shying away from ingredients not familiar to them - if you are among this group, you are missing out. Until recent years, there was not much choice in the pick up room. At some point in the season, we received everything that was grown on the farm. I am greatful for this experience - even though I am an adventurous eater, without Anchor Run, I would not have tried many of the veggies that are grown. Please don't skip trying veggies such as okra and tomatillos (u pick). We have so many recipes on this site, tried and true by me, the farmers, interns and fellow members - all have contributed recipes to help you enjoy your membership. This is your opportunity to try something new at its peak flavor. If you don't like it, it is okay. My guess is that like me, you will find new favorite veggies and recipes!
Garlic scapes (the last of them, so sad), tomatoes, basil - made bruschetta - our go-to for sitting out on the deck. We grill or bake the bread which has olive oil drizzled on it and then lightly salted when it comes out of the oven. Bruschetta is nothing more than chopped up tomatoes, garlic, basil and good olive oil. No salt added, or the tomatoes will become watery.
Tomatoes, garlic - made pan con tomate - literal translation is Tomato Bread. This is a staple in Spain, in particular, the Catelonia region, where Barcelona is located. There are many recipes for it, but with the delicious local tomatoes I keep it very simple: do the bread as I do for bruschetta, but rub the slices with a split garlic clove when it comes out of the oven. Place a box grater over a bowl. Cut the top off tomato and then using your palm, grate the tomato on the large holes - it is easy, grate until there is nothing left but the skin. Add a little olive oil to the tomato and a bit of salt and serve - Yum! I made this for a friend last year and she single-handedly ate almost an entire loaf of bread - she still talks about it!
Basil, garlic - made the Pistou recipe I posted last week. I even used the mortar and pestle rather than the processor.
Eggplant, garlic, Thai basil - made the Taiwanese Braised Eggplant I posted last week. It was really delicious. I realized I did not have the black bean chili paste called for in the recipe - I did have black bean paste, so I used that and a squirt of Sriracha - it worked great. Served this with grilled Asian marinated chicken drums and thighs.
Eggplant, squash, fennel, pepper, scallions - grilled veggies and had as an antipasti platter along with the tomato bread - this was a wonderful meal sitting out on the deck.
July 15, 2018
Wonderful Bounty
By Linda Dansbury
Wonderful Bounty
By Linda Dansbury
This time of year, the weight of the harvest really starts to increase, so bring your strong bags and muscles to the pick up room! The sheer variety and amount of produce makes it pretty easy to figure out what to eat each day. Please share how you enjoyed your harvest by emailing me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please put Anchor Run in the subject line. Here is some of how I enjoyed my harvest this week.
Summer squash, eggplant, scallions - grilled veggies along with our protein for the night, which kept the kitchen cool and clean up to a minimum. Cut the veggies up, drizzled with a bit of olive oil and grill, being careful to turn them so they don't burn. Removed from grill and sprinkled a bit of salt - we like to use a sea salt for finishing plus chopped herbs. This is one of my favorite ways to enjoy these. Any leftovers can be made into or added to a salad.
Lettuce, summer squash, garlic scapes - made the Warm Sausage with Summer Squash Salad. Again, this is a go-to dish for my house on a warm, summer night.
Summer squash, garlic scapes, basil, scallions, green beans, tomatoes - a couple of weeks ago, I added a new recipe to this site called Summer Squash Noodles with Early Summer Veggies and Basil Vinaigrette. It was originally a recipe calling for asparagus and frozen peas. We like it so much that I changed it up last night. I started by sauteing scallions and locally raised mushrooms and a few cut up green beans. When they were to desired texture, I added a few cut up cherry tomatoes and moved them around until the juices started to be released. I then added the summer squash noodles and stirred them until warm, removed pan from heat and added some of the Basil Vinaigrette - it was delicious! And...I am thinking of renaming the dish to say Summer Squash Noodles with Whatever Else you want to put in the Dish...!
Cilantro, Thai Basil, pepper - for anyone that has read my articles for years, you know I like southeast Asian food. Last night we grilled a whole fish and I made a Thai sauce for topping it - combined cilantro, Thai basil, hot chili pepper (frozen from last year), fish sauce, tamarind paste, brown sugar, water, thinly sliced galangal (can use ginger) and water in food processor. Then put in small saucepan and added a chopped up sweet pepper. Simmered for a few minutes while fish grilled. Removed fish fillets from bones, topped with the sauce and grated some fresh lime zest over.
Scallions, garlic scapes, green beans, summer squash, greens, herbs - made a large stir fry - there are so many recipes on line that I have only posted a few of them on this site. I do some type of stir fry just about every week. Once you do them a few times, they become pretty easy and fun to make. Chop up whatever you want to use - don't worry about what veggies a recipe lists - I always incorporate an onion flavor and garlic flavor and I also love ginger, but if you don't that's okay. I also make sure I have a good combination of veggies so the final dish ends up having both soft and crunchy elements in it. And, I always finish the dish with a bright flavor - chopped fresh herbs and/or a squeeze of lime.
July 8, 2018
Light, Flavorful Dishes
By Linda Dansbury
Light, Flavorful Dishes
By Linda Dansbury
We just got out from under a wicked heatwave. Even the dogs didn't want to be outside running around! I focused on using veggies in ways that were light and flavorful. Below are a few of my dishes from this week. Please send your ideas to me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please put Anchor Run in the subject line so I can find your email.
kohlrabi, peas, celery, cucumbers - ate with my lunches - veggies this fresh and delicious do not need anything with them to enjoy.
Summer squash, garlic scapes, lettuce, parsley - made the Warm Summer Squash and Sausage Salad. (click on recipes, type in summer squash and you will find the recipe, along with many others that are delicious). This is another go-to dish for the summer. Simple, fast, healthy and one pan/one bowl dinner. As with other dishes I have described, since I used the scapes, I added them late in the process.
Summer squash, peas, basil, scapes - I made a new dish originally called Zucchini Noodles with Asparagus, Peas and Basil Vinaigrette. For this site, I have renamed it Summer Squash Noodles, Early Summer Veggies and Basil Vinaigrette. I state the original name of the dish to show you again how to be versatile in thinking through recipes. Asparagus and squash are not available at the same time, but the other ingredients are. The recipe also called for frozen peas. I used my snap peas and cut them up. I will make this dish again, but will replace peas/asparagus with green beans, allowing a bit of additional cooking time for the beans. The recipe states the vinaigrette is great with chicken, shrimp, pork and as a salad dressing. It is a bit thinner and more vinegary than pesto, but can be used similarly. It keeps for a week in fridge and is yummy!
Cabbage, turnips, radicchio, scallions - made the Asian Cole Slaw, again, being versatile by using greens we have in addition to the cabbage we have. I also added scallions, which are not part of this particular recipe.
July 1, 2018
Transition into Summer
By Linda Dansbury
Transition into Summer
By Linda Dansbury
We are now quickly moving from spring veggies into summer with the arrival of zucchini and the first of the green beans. This week was a busy week, so cooking was pretty simple - beautiful mixed green salads with scallions, turnips, cucumbers and herbs. The weather was aboslutely perfect for being outside grilling and eating so I took advantage of it before the blistering heat arrived. Here are a few things that I cooked this past week - please send me how you enjoyed your harvest to lindadansbury@comcast.net and please put Anchor Run in the subject line so I can find your email.
Scapes, scallions, sumer squash, herbs - grilled the 3 veggies. When they were cooked as we like them, I chopped them up and placed in a bowl with chopped fresh herbs, olive oil, a very small splash of balsamic vinegar and some grated parm cheese. It was a very delicious summer salad.
Herbs, scapes - used in a marinade for lamb chops, then grilled the lamb chops.
Peas, scapes, mint - I just quick sauteed the peas and scapes in a bit of olive oil. When they were slightly browned and barely tender, I topped with fresh chopped mint.
Kale, chard, dandelion, scapes, cilantro, basil - made the Kale Rice Bowl. This is a go-to for weeknight meals - easy and delicious. The recipe calls for cooking garlic, ginger and pork all together, but because I was using scapes, I added them along with the greens toward the end of cooking so we could taste the garlic. If you haven't made this dish, try it. Use Hershberger ground pork rather than grocery store pork - the added flavor makes a huge difference.
Peas, squash, scapes, scallions, greens, cilantro - made a large stir fry - I always make sure I have pantry ingredients - sesame oil, tamari, fish sauce, hoisin, chili sauces (in different types) because stir fries are delicious, healthy, fast and easy once you have the method down.
June 24, 2018
Fennel, Peas and other Delights!
By Linda Dansbury
Fennel, Peas and other Delights!
By Linda Dansbury
The diversity of crops is increasing exponentially week-to-week. Here is a snapshot of how I enjoyed my harvest. Please share how you enjoyed your harvest at lindadansbury@comcast.net. and please put Anchor Run in the subject line.
Summer squash, scapes, scallions - grilling is often my cooking method of choice. There are so many ways to prepare summer squash but my go to and favorite way to enjoy it is to grill it. I normally slice it into what looks like pickle spears. Drizzle with olive oil and then place on a grill allowing it to turn brown, but cooking slowly enough that it can soften a bit. Once done, it can be used in so many ways - plain and eaten with another drizzle of olive oil (or not), salt and pepper and/or chopped fresh herbs; added to a pasta dish, either in a hot pasta dish or cold one. This time, I chopped up the list from above and made a room temperature salad, adding a vinaigrette made of a bit of balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, olive oil and salt and pepper. One mixed, I added a generous amount of chopped basil and a small grating of Parm cheese. So yummy my mouth is watering just thinking about it!
Beets, greens, scapes, scallions -no, you didn't miss the beets in the pick up room. I had not used mine up yet (although the greens were long eaten in a dish). I roasted my 2 weeks worth at one time, peeled them and placed in fridge. Once roasted, there is so much you can do with them. I made the Roasted Beet and Beet Green Risotto, but instead of beet greens, I used dandelion and Radicchio. For the rest of my beets, I made a vinaigrette and added scallion, scapes and sliced roasted beets. This preparation keeps for a couple weeks and I will either use with the beets as the focus or add a couple slices to green salads.
Fennel, parsley - made the Shaved Fennel and Parmesan Salad. Year-to-year, I forget about recipes on this site. So, as we receive crops I search again and am always happy to find great ways to use our veggies. This salad is so simple and delicious - I am not always a fan of eating fennel raw, but the combination of parsley, thyme and lemon juice and the addition of Parm cheese is such a delicious combination - try it!
Peas - I have to say that this week, I didn't cook any of the peas. Instead, I snacked on them raw. So sweet, these peas need nothing added. I ate some along with lunches and when I came home from work really hungry I grabbed a handful and dipped them in hummus (if I had thought ahead, I would have defrosted one of the few containers of baba ganoush I still have in my freezer from last year's eggplant crop - but more about that at a later date)!
June 17, 2018
Scallions, Scapes and Peas
By Linda Dansbury
Scallions, Scapes and Peas
By Linda Dansbury
Snow peas very ready for picking.
Greens are being intermingled with other tasty farm treats, including peas, scallions and garlic scapes. Here are a few things I did this week with my harvest - please share how you are using your harvest by emailing me at lindadansbury@comcast.net. Please put Anchor Run in subject line so I can find your email.
Scallions, green garlic, herbs, Hershberger flat iron steak - flat iron steak is a delicious cut but requires some attention. I found a recipe for marinating it for about 24 hours using chopped onions and garlic, so I used scallions and green garlic. The process was to coat meat with olive oil and salt and pepper both sides of meat. Thinly slice lemons and place a layer of lemon slices in bottom of a nonreactive baking dish. Place meat on top then top the meat with chopped scallions and scapes, ginger, and cilantro (you can use whatever herbs you like). Place a layer of thinly sliced lemons on top. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours - mine went about 12 hours. Grill till medium rare - it was delicious.
Peas, scallions, garlic scapes, mint and basil - made a pasta dish incorporating all of these ingredients. I often search for recipes and then improvise based on what I have on hand. In this case the recipe called for leeks and frozen english peas. So, I used scallions, garlic scapes and snow peas. I just adjusted cooking times for the veggies we have. As a note for all pasta dishes that include greens or veggies, I have found my taste is to prefer a much higher ratio of veggie to pasta than most recipes call for, so I typically add twice as many veggies as recipe indicates.
Beets - I roasted all my beets the other night - it is simple to do. Placed a few of same sized beets on foil, drizzle with a bit of olive oil and salt and closed up foil packet. Placed in 425 degree oven until beets are tender - time varies based on size of beets, but start checking at 45 minutes. Peel when cool enough to handle for easiest skin removal - I learned this is the hard way when I was too lazy to peel when they came out of oven. Now I have a pile of beets I will add to salads, or make into Beet Risotto with Beet Greens (using other greens we have).
June 10, 2018
Peas and Greens
By Linda Dansbury
Peas and Greens
By Linda Dansbury
Radicchio - good for digestion and good-looking.
When I first joined Anchor Run (many years ago), I was overwhelmed this time of year with all the greens. I couldn't figure out how to use them all. Now, I get them all out and throw a little of each in salads nearly every night; the variety boosts flavor, texture and nutrients. We add greens to soups and stews that don't even call for them. We use lettuce leaves and tender chard leaves for Asian chicken, pork and shrimp wraps. How do you use your harvest? Please let me know at lindadansbury@comcast.net
Peas, scallions, parsley - made a very simple saute to go with grilled chicken. Just melted a combo of butter and olive oil, tossed in a roughly chopped scallion and sauteed until a little tender. Added peas and sauteed for just 2 minutes - you want the peas to be crunchy. Removed from heat and squeezed a bit of lemon juice and added salt, pepper and chopped parsley. It was fast, simple and delicious.
Turnips, kohlrabi, green garlic, peas - Made the Radishes with Goat Cheese Dip I described in last week's newsletter but instead of chives, I used a bit of green garlic. We had it as a nutritious and delicious appetizer.
Beets, romaine lettuce, green garlic - Roasted beets, grilled romaine, and made a Citrus Caesar Vinaigrette. Typically we have a salad of either one or the other, but decided to add some sliced beets in as well and it was really yummy.
I hope you are enjoying the bountiful harvest.
June 3, 2018
Great Greens!
By Linda Dansbury
Great Greens!
By Linda Dansbury
by Linda Dansbury
Salads taste so much brighter with farm fresh greens, so we have eaten large salads usually adding a little bit of most of the greens. Derek tells me the next couple of weeks of harvests will include a lot of lettuces, chicories, and other greens so here are a couple of ideas for you. I welcome emails from members sharing how you enjoy your harvest - please email me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please use Anchor Run in the subject line.
Salads taste so much brighter with farm fresh greens, so we have eaten large salads usually adding a little bit of most of the greens. Derek tells me the next couple of weeks of harvests will include a lot of lettuces, chicories, and other greens so here are a couple of ideas for you. I welcome emails from members sharing how you enjoy your harvest - please email me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please use Anchor Run in the subject line.
Romaine lettuce - the head of romaine we received was epic! A really delicious way to enjoy it is to put it on the grill briefly and then make it into a Caesar salad. Cut the head into quarters, leaving the core intact. Brush lightly with olive oil and place on grill on indirect heat. Do not walk away or it will burn. You just want to char it slightly. Remove from grill, chop into bite-sized pieces and dress with your favorite Caesar dressing.
Kohlrabi, turnips, green garlic, cilantro - made a saute/stir fry. Thinly sliced the kohlrabi and turnips and sauteed them, leaving them alone enough to create browned spots. I added the green garlic when I thought the veggies were about half cooked. When they were almost tender, I added the chopped greens to the pan and allowed them to wilt. I then drizzled a bit of sesame oil and salt and pepper. Removed from heat and put a generous amount of chopped cilantro on top.
Radishes, turnips, kohlrabi - added them to salads for added crunch. Also cut up and ate some along with my lunch each day.
May 27, 2018
Tender Greens
By Linda Dansbury
Tender Greens
By Linda Dansbury
Last week I wrote that this article would begin this week; however, my pick up day is Thursday, so that only gives me a couple days to enjoy the yummy veggies prior to my Sunday posting.
Mini head lettuce, spinach, pea shoots, radicchio, chives (including blossoms), radishes - made really yummy salads - the more flavors and textures, the tastier the salad. Homemade salad dressings are as simple to make as they are delicious to eat. For a simple vinaigrette, just remember a vinegar to oil ratio of 1:3 or 1:4 so it is nicely balanced. From there, add whatever herbs and/or spices you like - I tend to slant the dressing toward the flavorings of the main course - I use rice wine vinegar, a neutral oil, a drop of sesame oil or tamari for Asian meals. For European, I tend to add garlic, basil and oregano (dried is fine) to my dressing. Homemade dressings keep for at least a week in the fridge.
Lettuce, chives, green garlic, pea shoots, radishes, ground lamb - made lettuce wraps - the small, cupped lettuce leaves were perfect to hold small amounts of lamb that had been sautéed with sliced onions and green garlic, bulghur and Middle Eastern spices. Used pea shoots, julienned radishes and chives for toppings before rolling the lettuce wraps up.
If you have a tasty way you enjoy your harvest, or a request or question, email me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please put Anchor Run in your subject line.
January 28, 2018
One Pot Meals...continued
By Linda Dansbury
One Pot Meals...continued
By Linda Dansbury
Sampling claytonia, harvested from the greenhouse. Abigail describes the flavor as subtle, a balance of bitter and sweet, with a juicy texture.
With all the illness going around right now - my hubby included - I wanted to make something easy, delicious, warming and healing. Chicken soup is my usual go-to, but I wanted something a little different and simpler since when I make chicken soup it always starts by making my own broth.
I found a recipe for Star Anise-Ginger Braised Whole Chicken. It was so easy to pull together. You do need a bit of time, as it takes 1 and a half hours, but only 15 minutes is active time. The recipe calls for celery as part of the veggies, but I used celeriac and daikon instead. Celeriac adds a flavor profile very similar to celery since they are in the same family. The recipe on-line says to servce with crusty bread, but I made brown rice since in China, braised chicken in stock is always served with rice. I love using star anise in recipes because it makes the house smell so delicious!
I hope you're enjoying the harvest - I sure am!!
January 21, 2018
One Pot Meals
By Linda Dansbury
One Pot Meals
By Linda Dansbury
An eastern redcedar/juniper was an unfortunate casualty from a felled dying ash tree but it at least provided a glimpse of its beautiful red heartwood and growth rings.
Everyone is rushed these days, and who wants to spend a lot of time in the kitchen doing dishes? Here are a few ideas for delicious dinners with easy clean up:
If you don't already have a slow cooker, it really is a worthwhile investment. It is a fine tool in both the winter and the summer - in the summer it is a great way to cook without heating up the house and it also saves a lot of time in doing dishes! If you are able to, purchase a pressure cooker that is also a slow cooker. I received one for Christmas a couple of years ago, and I love it. It sears, pressure cooks, slow cooks and even makes deserts and rice. And...it is one pot clean up! This week, I slow cooked pulled pork - so simple and delicious!
Cabbage, spinach, celeriac - I made a large batch of cole slaw to go with the pulled pork - many of the root veggies we are receiving are delicious in cole slaw - kohlrabi, celeriac, turnips, daikon - I added a little spinach for a dark green contrast and a nutritional boost. Use your favorite recipe - I typically use equal parts of neutral oil, white wine or apple cider vinegar and mayo. Add a bit of cayenne, dried mustard, salt and pepper to taste - whisk it up, mix with the veggies and let sit in fridge for taste to go through. This keeps for several days.
Beets, sweet potatoes, onions, potatoes, kohlrabi, turnips, daikon, rosemary, garlic - to continue on my one pot plan, in a large baking dish, cut up all the veggies you want to include - add much more than you can eat in one meal. Toss with some olive oil, salt and pepper and rosemary leaves. Put some type of meat on the top and roast all in a 375 degree oven until the meat is a desired doneness. If you use a small cut of meat such as chicken parts, roast the veggies for a little while on their own so they will be nice and tender when the meat is cooked through.
I like to use the leftover roasted veggies in a frittata - heat up the veggies in a skillet - I had a few leaves of kale, so I chopped those and added - then add eggs, allow to set on bottom for a couple minutes and then put in a 375 degree oven until the entire pan of eggs is set up - it depends how much you are making, but approximately 15-20 minutes for 8 eggs.
I also reaped some of the rewards of cooking back in September - I had made a batch of minestrone soup with the last of several veggies - beans, okra, tomatoes and greens and labeled and froze. This past week I thawed it out, browned some sausage and added to the soup, along with pasta and some fresh spinach. Topped with grated cheese - yum - a really satisfying winter dinner with very little clean up.
Enjoy the harvest!
January 7, 2018
Healing Soup and Warming Stew
By Linda Dansbury
Healing Soup and Warming Stew
By Linda Dansbury
Farm animals Sugar Snap and Borchie warming by the fire. Barn cats Monday and Grrrl Cat have been brought into warmer climes as well and have settled into a hibernation-like state.
Record breaking temperatures, and yet we are still going to receive delicious greens this week and beyond. I am so happy that D&D decided to take this challenge on, starting a few years ago. Thank you for the amazing produce!
Onions, carrots, kale, garlic and local chicken - This week a family member came down with a cold, so I quickly cooked up chicken soup - studies show that it isn't just an old wive's tale that chicken soup helps heal the body. Since I still had kale from a couple weeks ago, I added kale in at the end to add additional nutrients to the pot - yum!
Onions, carrots, sweet potatoes, potatoes, daikon radish, kohlrabi, turnip, celeriac, garlic, kale and local beef - this cold weather had us craving comfort foods - rich, warm, yummy stew is what did the trick. I had both stewing meat and short ribs so first I browned the meat and removed from pot. Added onions and carrots to pot and got them going for a bit. When they were starting to get a bit soft, added garlic and after a minute sprinkled in a couple tablespoons of flour and mixed it all up with the veggies and kept the mixture moving in the pot (doing this "cooks" the flour so it will thicken the stew but not give it a raw flour taste). Next I added about half a bottle of red wine and de-glazed the pot. Added some tomato paste and tomatoes that had been frozen during the summer. Added beef stock, added meat back in and let that simmer for about an hour. Meanwhile, I chopped up all the other veggies and added them to the pot and simmered it all for about another hour and a half. It was delicious and made enough for a few meals.
Sweet potatoes, potatoes, celeriac - made "mixed mash" - cut everything up - I don't even peel the potatoes or sweet potatoes - boiled until all were tender and then mashed as normal. Depending on what it is going with, garlic and/or thyme/rosemary can be added to the pot too.
December 17, 2017
Farmer Food - Easy and Tasty Ideas for You
by Dana Hunting
Farmer Food - Easy and Tasty Ideas for You
by Dana Hunting
Spinach ready for harvest!
Here are some ways we enjoyed our produce this past week:
- Salad radishes, hakurei turnips, daikon radishes: Cut into chunks and roasted in the oven with a small chicken* for about 75 minutes at 375. Sprinkled with salt of course.
- Potatoes and sweet potatoes: Cut into fry shape and roasted at 375 for about 75 minutes, until crispy. Used organic coconut oil this time (purchased in bulk 5 gallon jug from Jedwards). If you use organic coconut or olive oils you should consider buying in bulk from them. Very, very cost efficient.
- Kale: Sauteed with leeks in olive oil, seasoned with salt and pepper, and put between two tortillas with cheddar cheese* for an easy quesadilla.
- Lettuce/greens mix: salads and smoothies.
- Kohlrabi: Sliced and ate with cheddar cheese*.
* meat from Ledamete Grass Farm and Hershberger Heritage Farm, eggs from our hens, cheese from Birchwood Farm and Dairy.
December 10, 2017
Ode to Wintry Roasted Vegetables
By Linda Dansbury
Ode to Wintry Roasted Vegetables
By Linda Dansbury
Farm dog Borchie relaxes on his back in the winter sun and snow (i.e. found something to roll in).
I love grilling veggies in the summer months, but have to admit that when the cooler days come and the pick up room is filled with potatoes, beets, leeks, garlic, turnips, celeriac, etc, I can't wait to "fire up" the oven for roasted veggies! The combinations are virtually endless, the colors are beautiful, and the flavors are scrumptious. We recently had European house guests (this guest has a food blog of her own that is pretty impressive). When they arrived, I had 2 cookie sheets filled with cut up veggies and they were very impressed with the beauty and the variety of veggies. I had intended that some of these veggies would be leftover for use in a frittata during the week, but when they came out of the oven and we were waiting for the meat to rest, we all picked at the tasty veggies so much that 4 of us finished off 2 full cookie sheets! Yes, they were that delicious!
Here are some quick and easy guidelines: cut up all veggies into the same size, so they cook at the same rate. In addition to what is listed above, include fennel, sweet potatoes, turnips, kohlrabi, daikon radish and onions. I also add cauliflower, broccoli, romanesco and/or Brussels sprouts if I have them. The temperature you cook at is somewhat flexible, but I find 375 to yield the best results - the vegetables become tender and nicely browned. I used to sliver the garlic, but found I always ended up with garlic "chips" so I now mince or grate it and mix it into the olive oil - if I am thinking ahead I let it sit for a bit. Toss the veggies with olive oil, salt and pepper and then bake until nicely browned and tender, about 45 minutes, less if you cut the veggies up small, more if the pieces are larger. Check on them every 10-15 minutes and shake or mix them up so they cook evenly.
As I said, the mixtures are almost endless. Try these additional add-ins to vary the flavor:
- sprinkle fresh parsley and parmesan, gruyere, or other cheese when just out of the oven
- cook with fresh thyme, rosemary or sage
- after cooking, add dried cranberries or fresh pomegranate seeds
- a bit of sesame oil and soy sauce/tamari mixed in when cooking or when out of the oven
- add fresh, chopped cilantro after cooking
- cook with fresh thyme, rosemary or sage
- after cooking, add dried cranberries or fresh pomegranate seeds
- a bit of sesame oil and soy sauce/tamari mixed in when cooking or when out of the oven
- add fresh, chopped cilantro after cooking
I made romesco sauce in the late summer when we had a lot of red peppers and that served alongside the veggies is delicious too. As I said, the combos are almost endless - enjoy!
December 10, 2017
Farmer Food - Easy and Tasty Ideas for You
by Dana Hunting
Farmer Food - Easy and Tasty Ideas for You
by Dana Hunting
Red mizunas and lettuce mix - all fall and winter long!
Here are some ways we enjoyed our produce this past week:
- Cabbage, leeks, potatoes, sausage: into a 4-quart cast iron dutch oven pot went bacon fat*, leeks, cabbage, potatoes, and sausage*; cooked until soft/done. Prep time was about a 1/2-hour, cook time was about 45-minutes.
- Soup using cabbage and miscellaneous roots: used a 12-quart stock pot so we would have leftovers for several days; while 3 quarts of chicken stock thawed and melted in the pot Derek chopped and threw right in: sweet potatoes, daikon radishes, celeriac, garlic, kohlrabi, leeks, turnips, cabbage, and a frozen habenero; also added a 2.5 pound beef roast* that we thawed in warm water and cubed; filled pot almost to the brim, brought to a boil, then simmered on low heat until soft and cooked. Prep time was about 1/2-hour, cook time was about 45-minutes.
- Lettuce/greens mix: salads and smoothies.
- Kale, onions, frozen sweet peppers, and frozen tomatoes: Chopped and cooked and had over pasta.
* meat from Ledamete Grass Farm and Hershberger Heritage Farm, eggs from our hens, cheese from Birchwood Farm and Dairy.
December 3, 2017
Farmer Food
by Dana Hunting
Farmer Food
by Dana Hunting
That's a cover crop daikon radish, probably 4 months old and 18 inches long by 6 inches wide. These huge roots scavenge for nutrients, loosen soil, add organic matter, and are impressive and intriguing specimens to behold. Daikons in the pick up room won't be this big.
Here are some ways we've been enjoying our share produce:
- Sweet potatoes: chopped into french fry shape, covered with coconut oil and salt, roasted in the oven at 375 for about an hour while simultaneously roasting a chicken*.
- Frittata: leeks, kale, sweet potato, cheese*, eggs*, bacon*.
- Soup using miscellaneous roots: made a huge pot of chicken stock which then required soup making; chopped sweet potatoes, garlic, onions, kohlrabi, celeriac, radishes, and turnips and cooked until soft; also added a smoked ham hock*, salt, and rosemary.
- Lettuce mix: salads and smoothies.
- Kale: breakfast smoothies with fennel, frozen strawberries, and dairy kefir; also quesadillas with onions, sausage*, and cheese*.
- Cabbage: cut in half, cut out core/stem, put in a baking dish with coconut oil, sprinkled with salt and pepper, baked at 375 for about an hour or until soft.
* meat from Ledamete Grass Farm and Hershberger Heritage Farm, eggs from our hens, cheese from Birchwood Farm and Dairy.
November 27, 2017
Farmer Food
by Dana Hunting
Farmer Food
by Dana Hunting
Here are some ways we've been enjoying our share produce:
- Cabbage: cut in half or quarter, cut out core/stem, put in a baking pan/dish with butter or coconut oil or olive oil, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and any other spice of your choosing, bake at 375 for about an hour or until soft.
- Miscellaneous roots/radicchio: grate a variety of roots including radishes, turnips, kohlrabi, celeriac, beets onto a plate and into separate piles and add to a mixed greens salad; chicken stock soup.
- Potatoes/Sweet Potatoes: chop into french fries; lather with olive oil, coconut oil, or lard; spread on cookie sheet; sprinkle with salt, pepper, or another spice; and roast at 375 for about an hour or until crispy. Broiling at the end will help crisp. A good coating of oil/lard will keep them from sticking to sheet.
- Kale: breakfast smoothies with fennel, frozen strawberries, and dairy kefir.
- Leeks: chicken stock soup with miscellaneous roots and greens.
- Carrots: pure snacking!
- Radicchio: breakfast smoothies with fennel, frozen strawberries, and dairy kefir; salad.
November 13, 2017
Eat Your Fall Veggies!
By Linda Dansbury
Eat Your Fall Veggies!
By Linda Dansbury
Normally I take a hiatus from the newsletter once the Main Season is finished. Derek and I agreed that if I found something that I wanted to share, I would, so the first week out I made a dish I found about a month ago: Braised Coconut Greens & Chickpeas with Lemon.
The recipe calls for spinach but I used a mix of dandelion greens, broccoli raab, Swiss chard (including the stems) and a little kale. The recipe calls for putting the mixture on top of a baked sweet potato, which I did. I LOVED the dish and hope you do too.
If you want to share a recipe or idea for using all these wonderful greens and veggies, please email it to me at lindadansbury@comcast.net
November 5, 2017
Delicious Dinners
By Linda Dansbury
Delicious Dinners
By Linda Dansbury
I am so happy with all the delicious veggies we are receiving and look forward to figuring out what to cook. At least a few mornings (or the evening before) I either go through a cookbook or search the internet to decide on what I can make for dinner that is reasonably easy/fast if it is a week night and of course it has to be delicious. Here are a couple of things we ate this past week.
Leeks, garlic, cilantro, hot pepper - I have a chef Ming Tsai cookbook that was given to me. The theme is one-pot meals and has sections focusing on different cooking methods. The recipes are generally healthy, incorporate a lot of the veggies we receive, and all that I have tried have been delicious. This one called for using a pork tenderloin, slicing it very thin and marinating the meat for 30 min in a mix of garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, worcestershire sauce and thinly sliced hot pepper. Slice leeks lengthwise into thin ribbons. Stir fry the meat over high heat until nearly cooked, 4-5 minutes. Remove from wok. Add thinly sliced ginger and leeks and stir fry until leeks are nicely wilted, about 3 minutes. Add meat back into wok and mix everything up and heat the meat. Serve over whatever grain you like - we used farro and it was delicious with it. Topped with some cilantro.
Spinach, onion, rockfish (from Wild for Salmon), dill - placed a nice bed of spinach in the bottom of an oven proof dish large enough to hold the fish filets. Placed fish on top of spinach, then added dill, seasonings (people have given me various spice blends and I took this opportunity to use one of them), some veggie stock, slices of lemon and thin slices of onions, halved cherry tomatoes. Cover all with foil and place in a 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes. Served over whatever grain you like - we had quinoa.
October 29, 2017
Balance of Fresh and Storage Veggies
By Linda Dansbury
Balance of Fresh and Storage Veggies
By Linda Dansbury
We are in that time of year when there is a nice balance of fresh veggies needing to be eaten fairly quickly and veggies that can be stored for weeks or even months. I find this an easy time - if we end up going out a couple of nights I don't worry about things going bad, and I don't have to scramble to use up all the greens. Shares will be similar to these through the Late Fall and Winter seasons. Below are a few things I made this past week. If you have anything to share, please send to me at lindadansbury@comcast.net
Spaghetti squash, Swiss chard, dandelion - this is so simple to do - perfect for a busy week night - and delicious too! Roast the spaghetti squash - I prefer this to microwaving as it results in even cooking of the squash and it is inactive cooking time, so you can do other things while it roasts. Cut in half, scoop out seeds and place cut side down in a baking dish. Add water to a half inch and place in a 425 degree oven for 35-55 min, depending on size of squash. When fork goes through skin fairly easily, it is done. Saute sausage (remove from casing) in pan until pink is gone. Add greens and chopped up hot pepper (mine was in freezer) or red pepper flakes to taste. Cook till wilted. Scrape the spaghetti squash into strands and split into bowls - shave parmesan cheese, olive oil, salt and pepper. Top with sausage mixture and top with more cheese, if desired.
Leeks, garlic, sweet potatoes, celeriac, cauliflower - roasted the veggies as described in my other article. Mixed roast goes with just about everything!
Spinach, leek - made the Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing. It calls for using a shallot, but I substitute with leeks right now.
Onion/leek, garlic, greens - made a large batch of chili and added a few greens at the end.
Cauliflower, leek, parsley - made a very simple version of cauliflower rice. Just pulse in food processor until it resembles cous cous. Saute leek in large pan. When leek is soft, add the cauliflower and salt and pepper, continue to cook, stirring frequently until soft, 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and sprinkle with parsley and lemon juice. We had it with roasted chicken.
Leek, edamame (frozen from my U pick), greens, parsley - made risotto, once again adding some greens at the end - I chopped the greens fairly fine, so they "melted" into the rice.
October 22, 2017
Enjoying Healthy Greens
By Linda Dansbury
Enjoying Healthy Greens
By Linda Dansbury
Some weeks fly by so fast that I have trouble remembering on Sundays what I made in the past week - this is one of those weeks! Because we were away for 3 nights, I concentrated on consuming our greens, broccoli and cauliflower in the nights we had. If you have any ideas to share on how you enjoyed your harvest, please email me at lindadansbury@comcast.net
- Broccoli, cauliflower - cooked up a lot of it for dinner one night and then made the leftovers into a salad with brown rice that I also had leftover.
- Kale, garlic, cilantro - made the Kale Rice Bowl on this site. We use local ground pork, which makes all the difference in this dish.
- Mixed greens (Swiss chard, dandelion, greens mix), garlic, leek, scallion - sauteed leek and garlic in a large pan, then added the Swiss chard stems and cooked until tender. Added the mixed greens that I had chopped. When almost tender I made holes in the greens and cracked an egg into each well. Covered the pan and cooked until the egg whites were cooked but yolk was still runny, about 2-3 minutes. Carefully plated the servings, keeping the yolks in tact until we could break them and make a sauce in the pile of greens.
- Leeks, potatoes, carrots, a little garlic, thyme, greens - made a stewed chicken dish like my grandmother used to do. Brown the chicken parts and remove from pan. Add leeks and saute, then add a bit of garlic and saute until you can smell it. Add a little white wine to deglaze, scraping up all the little brown bits. Add chicken stock and thyme and bring to a boil. Place chicken back in pan, turn down the heat and cover and let simmer for about 15 minutes. Add carrots, little potatoes to pan, cover, and let cook until carrots and potatoes are tender and the meat is falling off the bone - about 45 minutes. You can stop here and enjoy, or I added a little bit of chopped spinach and mizuna and just let wilt for a couple minutes. Yum!
October 15, 2017
Oh Glorious Greens!
By Linda Dansbury
Oh Glorious Greens!
By Linda Dansbury
I love the abundance of greens in the fall (and also in the spring)! Do I feel overwhelmed by the volume and variety? No - see how I enjoyed them below. Let me know how you enjoy your harvest by e-mailing me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please put Anchor Run in the subject line.
Kale - I had almost forgotten about Kale Chips until I saw an expensive bag of them in the grocery store. I like sprinkling them with smoked paprika - it gives them a nice flavor.
Spinach, mizuna, lettuce, arugula, scallions - I really like a salad that combines several greens together - the variety of flavors and textures keeps it from getting boring and makes a great side dish for any entree. Experiment with different vinegars and oils and vary the herbs to make a new creation with every meal. A squeeze of lemon juice brightens greens that are raw or cooked and adding grated raw beets or cut up roasted beets is also delicious.
Broccoli, cauliflower, garlic, scallions, Swiss chard, parsley - made a large pasta dish. Started by roasting broccoli and cauliflower along with some garlic. Removed from oven when almost tender and nicely browned. Meanwhile, sauteed scallions, more garlic and the stems of Swiss chard. When tender, I added the chopped Swiss chard leaves and turned the heat off so the chard would barely wilt. Cooked the pasta and after drained, I immediately added all the veggies, parsley, pepper, good olive oil and grated cheese. Ate it with dinner and as a couple of lunches.
Butternut squash - a couple of my squash had spots that would have caused the entire squash to go bad, so when I already had the oven on to roast beets I roasted the butternut squash. Scooped the flesh out and then put into freezer bag so when I want to make something using cooked squash, more than half the prep time is already done.
Eggplant, onions, tomatoes - made the Eggplant Spread that is on this site. It was given to me by a summer intern a few years ago, and was a delicious way to use the last of the farm eggplant.
October 8, 2017
Using Up Summer Bounty
By Linda Dansbury
Using Up Summer Bounty
By Linda Dansbury
I recently have looked for ways to use the end of the summer bounty, plus new ways to enjoy all these beautiful greens - lettuce has been spotty in the pick up room (it will pick up now), so wanted to make things that would make me not miss my greens salads.
Beets, scallions, greens - roasted and made beets into a salad. The nice thing about this is you can roast a lot of beets at one time. Once the beets are in a vinaigrette, they keep for over a week, so make once and enjoy 2-3 times.
Kale - made the Kale Caesar Salad that is on this site. I find the act of massaging the kale to be relaxing and fun - so get your hands in there!
Peppers, tomatoes, garlic and parsley - prepared a large batch of Romesco Sauce. I haven't added this one to the website at this point - there are multiple variations of it and at this point, the peppers at the farm are finished. I am letting you know about it in case you still have peppers in your garden or fridge. It is best prepared with red peppers, so the color of my batch isn't as pretty because of the various colors of the peppers. I froze a nice amount in small containers to use later over fish and veggies.
Eggplant, Thai basil, mint, garlic, scallions - again, in order to use up my eggplants, I made the Thai-style Eggplant Salad that is on this site.
Mixed Greens, garlic, onion - made the Coconut Honey Miso Greens that Carolyn Diana sent in a few weeks ago. Yum!
If you have any recipes or methods of enjoying your harvest that you would like to share, please send to me at lindadansbury@comcast.net.
September 24, 2017
A Very Large Variety
By Linda Dansbury
A Very Large Variety
By Linda Dansbury
The fall provides us with a large variety of veggies that combine well with greens - find a couple recipes that are your favorites and then vary the ingredients based on what you have on hand. It is fun to experiment and find new flavor combinations.
This week I did quite a bit of cooking. I love hanging out in the kitchen and do so when the opportunity presents itself. Here are a few of the things I prepared:
Swiss chard, onion, garlic - this might be my new "go to" method for cooking greens. Heat olive oil/butter combo in a large saute pan. Add thinly sliced onion, cover and saute over low until tender. Add finely chopped garlic - a good amount - and continue sauteing until tender - add a little salt and pepper. Meanwhile, remove stems from chard leaves and chop - add them to the onion/garlic mix and cook until tender. Chop chard leaves and add to the pan and keep moving them around until wilted and tender. Add salt and pepper to taste and a squeeze of lemon if desired.
Eggplant, rosemary - I cut the eggplants in half longway and sliced through the flesh to make a cross hatch pattern. Brushed with olive oil, a little salt and pepper and a sprig of rosemary on each half. Then roasted in a 450 degree oven until the flesh was nicely charred and very soft under the char. Drizzled with some tahini that I had: crushed a little garlic into lemon juice, added to tahini and then added water until it was thin enough to pour. Yum!
Onion, hot pepper, tomatillo sauce from freezer, cilantro - made the Chicken Stew with Tomatillo Sauce from a batch in the freezer. I made mine in the pressure cooker and served rolled up in corn tortillas, with the sauce poured over and a crumble of local feta cheese and chopped cilantro.
Kale, garlic, cilantro - made the Kale Rice Bowl (a newly added recipe) that is one of our "go to" weeknight dishes. I discovered it a couple of years ago when we had a lot of baby kale during the late fall share and we have been eating it ever since.
Share with me how you enjoy your harvest by emailing me at lindadansbury@comcast.net.
September 17, 2017
Cooking Day!
By Linda Dansbury
Cooking Day!
By Linda Dansbury
Last Sunday I was home alone and took to the kitchen (in between watching the Eagles' first game) to cook for the week. Here are some of the things I prepared:
Potatoes, yellow wax beans, scallions, pesto from earlier harvests - I made a green bean and potato salad in which I loosely followed a recipe on this site, but instead of using the dressing in the recipe I used pesto thinned with a little olive oil and lemon juice. It is really good. I have been eating it for lunch on top of a bed of greens and tomatoes and some good quality canned tuna. It will also be a side dish for our smoked ribs today.
Potatoes, yellow wax beans, scallions, pesto from earlier harvests - I made a green bean and potato salad in which I loosely followed a recipe on this site, but instead of using the dressing in the recipe I used pesto thinned with a little olive oil and lemon juice. It is really good. I have been eating it for lunch on top of a bed of greens and tomatoes and some good quality canned tuna. It will also be a side dish for our smoked ribs today.
Onions, peppers, greens - sauteed the onions and peppers with a but of garlic until they were nice and tender. Put them in the fridge until next day when I heated them back up, added some chopped greens and then made a frittata out of it.
Onions, tomatoes, green beans, garlic, A LOT of greens - made Minestrone Soup. Instead of using the summer squash that most recipes call for, I used green beans - I have a garden that is producing beans too, which is why there is more than one dish for a crop.
It felt good to use up all the greens, for a few days at least! Please tell me how you enjoyed your harvest and/or what you plan to do with all your greens. Email me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please put Anchor Run in the subject line.
September 10, 2017
Fall Deliciousness and Member Idea
By Linda Dansbury
Fall Deliciousness and Member Idea
By Linda Dansbury
This adult swallowtail was an eater of dill, fennel, and parsley leaves in its larvae stage that we graciously tolerated due to it's inherent beauty (and because the defoliation doesn't amount to much).
Nancy Wasch, a long time farm member and frequent contributor of recipes and ideas sent me the following email this week. "Missy and I made jam on Saturday. Even saving all of our ground cherries, there's never enough for a batch of ground cherry jam, so we mixed it with (local) peaches for a micro batch. The ground cherry flavor really came through nicely, and the high pectin in the ground cherries yielded a firmer gel than the straight peaches." This is an awesome idea. I have made peach jam and it is always too liquidy - having a higher pectin item to mix in will solve that problem. Thanks so much Nancy and Missy!
These chilly nights have me thinking about soups and stews, but I haven't gotten into that - yet. I did try a couple of new things this week:
Potatoes - I had seen a recipe a little while ago while reading a website and decided to try it. Boil potatoes in salted water until cooked through but not falling apart. Drain on a towel. When cool enough to touch press down on potato with the palm of your hand until flattened to around a third of an inch. If it falls apart a little, that is ok. Allow to cool completely. Place on a cookie sheet that has been covered with foil and parchment paper. Drizzle a little olive oil on them, making sure to get a little oil on the bottoms. Bake in a 450 degree oven for 30-40 minutes, depending on how big the potatoes are. Remove when nicely browned. Sprinkle with a little flaked salt and enjoy. These are really great - a combo of mashed, home fry potatoes!
Tomatoes - I had a lot of small tomatoes - not quite enough to make sauce with, but didn't want to go bad. I cut them in half, placed on cookie sheet, brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with a little salt and ground coriander. Baked them for about 6 hours in a 200 degree oven. The intense tomato flavor that is left after much of the water evaporates out is amazing! They aren't completely dried like sundried. We ate them on little crostini with a bit of mozzarella and a tiny amount of pesto and they are delicious.
Peppers, onions, garlic, carrots, okra, Swiss chard and dandelion greens, herbs - roasted a big pile of veggies until nice and carmelized. While they were roasting, I sauteed the greens with more garlic. Added it to a bowl of hot pasta, mixed it all up and then added fresh chopped herbs. It was really tasty!
September 3, 2017
Summer and fall meals
By Linda Dansbury
Summer and fall meals
By Linda Dansbury
This past week's weather had us all scratching our heads about what we wanted to eat - warm and humid, to sunny and cool to downright damp and chilly!
I have found the best way for me to keep my thoughts organized is to make lists. Each week when I get home with my harvest I arrange and rearrange the veggies I have, putting the older and more perishable ones in the front of the fridge and make a list of what I have. Then, as I think of things I want to make or have for dinner, I write that list. This simple method helps me remember what is in the fridge and also aids in deciding what to have for dinner. Below are some of the thing I did this past week.
Tomato, onion, parsley - made tomato sauce. My method is pretty simple: Saute onions in olive oil under low heat until soft and translucent. Add tomatoes that have been roughly chopped and start to cook them down. Add a can of tomato paste, salt and pepper and any herbs you desire. When thickened, run it through a food mill and use or freeze.
Peppers, onions, garlic, herbs - we have received a lot of fresh onions and peppers recently and I was trying to figure out what to do with all of them. I made a big batch of sauteed peppers and onions. Just cut them all up and cooked on top of the stove until browned and tender. I then had them to use for a variety of dishes: I made a frittata for dinner one night using the peppers and onions as part of the add-ins. We will be having sausage sandwiches with them. I also did a side dish in which I cooked up the greens, mixed in some peppers and onions, and grated parmasan cheese over the top of it.
Eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, onions, garlic - finally made Caponata - so glad I got to it before my eggplants went south! I froze it in small containers to be eaten through the winter. It can be used as bruschetta, or it can be a side dish for meats. I often eat it with a nice sausage over pasta.
August 27, 2017
It can't get more delicious!
By Linda Dansbury
It can't get more delicious!
By Linda Dansbury
The amazing food goes so well with the gorgeous weather we are having. I made a few delicious dishes this week that I would like to share with you. Please send how you are enjoying your harvest to lindadansbury@comcast.net and put Anchor Run in the subject line.
Husk cherries, cherry tomatoes, scallions, chilies, garlic, sweet peppers, cilantro - I finally made the Fresh Husk Cherry Salsa that Julianne sent to me. It is a bit time consuming because of husking and chopping the husk cherries and all the other veggies, but it was well worth it - this salsa is delicious. We ate half of it with tortilla chips and used the rest as a topping on fish. Yum!
Watermelon, tomato, scallions, chilies, mint, Thai basil - prepared the Watermelon and Tomato Salad from this site - I made a large batch for a potluck dinner I went to and it was a huge hit. As a note, others brought salads using tomatoes and other fresh, local veggies, but this one was far more flavorful and delicious than any of the others.
Edamame - I haven't prepared anything yet, but did cook up the first batch and have been happily snacking on them. The next batch will likely get cooked and placed in freezer for future use.
Tomatoes, lettuce, scallions, garlic, herbs - I have been making salads that are about half lettuce and half tomatoes - don't think that just because we aren't getting a lot of lettuce right now that you can't have salads. Search this site to get some ideas.
Carrots, scallions, dill - made the Lemony Carrot Salad with Dill from this site. It was a refreshing change from the other dishes we have been eating.
Sweet peppers, chili pepper, onions, garlic, tomato, Swiss chard/dandelion greens, herbs - made a frittata for dinner one night and had leftovers for a couple of lunches. One of the easiest dinners! Add or subtract what your family likes and add cheese if you desire. Dice and saute the veggies until fairly tender, adding the greens at the end. Meanwhile, preheat oven to about 400 degrees. Whisk 8-12 eggs and add milk, 1/2 n 1/2, or cream and whisk again. Add salt and pepper to taste. When veggies are ready, pour the egg mixture in and stir to evenly distribute the veggies in the egg mixture. Then, stop mixing. Let the eggs set on the bottom and then slide into the oven to allow the rest of the eggs to set up - at the end you can turn on the broiler to get the top nicely browned. Remove from oven and top with fresh chopped herbs and/or grated cheese.
August 20, 2017
So much great food to eat!
By Linda Dansbury
So much great food to eat!
By Linda Dansbury
"Best of Show" and 1st Place at the 2017 Middletown Grange Fair!
Last Sunday I wrote what I planned to do with my veggies - you know how that sometimes goes, but in this case I did get a lot accomplished!
Eggplant, parsley, garlic - I made Baba Ganoush. There is a real good version on this site, but I now make the one that is in the Zahav cookbook. Light the grill and when hot cut the eggplant(s) in half long way. Drizzle with olive oil. Place egplant on grill cut side up and roast until the skin is black and crinkly and the flesh is very soft and pudding-like. When cool enough to handle, dig the flesh out and place in a bowl. Mash up the eggplant, add a couple minced cloves of garlic and olive oil and vigorously stir till smooth. Add tahini, salt, lemon juice and parsley and stir again, adding cold water to get to the desired thickness.
Peppers, garlic, summer squash - I roasted all the peppers and summer squash I had on the grill; some of the peppers I roasted till the skins were black, removed from grill, peeled the skins off, removed seeds and cut up. Placed in a small bowl with salt, pepper, a bit of garlic, drizzle of olive oil and a small splash of balsamic vinegar. These can now be add to sandwiches, eaten on bread or crackers, eaten alone - whatever your imagination comes up with. The squash I had as a side dish for a couple dinners.
Tomatillos, garlic - made the Tomatillo Sauce from the Stewed Chicken with Tomatillo Sauce recipe. I used 3 weeks worth of tomatillo's and I froze the large batch in increments the recipe calls for.
Tomato, garlic - we ate delicious tomatoes all week: bruschetta, caprese salad and also made tomato sauce for homemade pizza - it is so easy. Use a fairly firm tomato - the field ones are best so there isn't so much liquid. Slice the stem end of the tomato off - don't waste it! I eat around the stem. Using a box grater, put the palm of your hand on the tomato placing the cut side of the tomato on the grater. Flatten your hand and run the tomato over the grate - you will end up with just skin in your hand - really neat method I just learned this year. Add a bit of minced garlic, a tiny bit of salt and a slight drizzle of olive oil. This can now be used in any way you would use any tomato sauce.
This week I plan to made caponata and will add the Swiss chard and dandelion greens from these last couple weeks to it.
If you have an idea for how to enjoy the harvest, please send to me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and put Anchor Run in subject line.
August 13, 2017
Preserving the Harvest
By Linda Dansbury
Preserving the Harvest
By Linda Dansbury
How have you been enjoying your harvests? Please email me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please put Anchor Run in the subject line.
This time of year I always feel a little overwhelmed by the sheer quantity and variety of the produce in my fridge. I think it's because when the tomatoes arrive we fill our bellies with them in a variety of ways - brushetta, caprese salad (aka tomato and mozzarella salad), and tomato bread and are then too stuffed to eat anything else but a simple meat and salad. In addition, my 3 dogs, flower and veggie gardens consume my evenings, so things start getting pushed into the back of the fridge. Sound familiar?
Today, I am going to clean out my fridge - I am going to make Tomatillo Sauce from the Stewed Chicken in Tomatillo Sauce. I love this recipe because it freezes well and the sauce is also good as a salsa to eat as a snack with tortilla chips and/or veggies.
I am also going to use up 2 weeks worth of eggplant - probably will make Baba Ganoush. Again, it freezes well for use during the fall and winter months. While I have the grill going to cook the eggplant, I will add the rest of summer squash and a few peppers to the grill - they will be a side dish for tonight and some will make a pasta salad for lunches during the week. When I get all of this completed I will definitely feel a sense of accomplishment and happiness that all this yummy food is awaiting my consumption!
August 6, 2017
Delicious Tomatoes
By Linda Dansbury
Delicious Tomatoes
By Linda Dansbury
Kids having a great time at the potluck!
The time we all eagerly wait for is finally here - the height of the tomato season! No other part of the country anticipates this season like we do - and Anchor Run farmers do it as well as anyone. Delicious, juicy, colorful heirloom tomatoes, field grown hybrids and yummy cherry tomatoes. I didn't cook much this past week due to a death in my family, but I did eat a lot of tomatoes. Here are a few things I did prepare.
Tomatoes, garlic, herbs - made one of the Uncooked Tomato Sauce recipes from this site. This is so colorful, simple and delicious. The heat from fresh cooked pasta barely cooks the tomatoes. Make the sauce at least an hour ahead for best flavor.
Green beans, garlic, scallions, hot pepper - made a string bean stir fry. Mince garlic and finely chop hot pepper to taste. Heat a wok or large skillet with a little peanut or other neutral oil. Add garlic and hot pepper and stir fry until just barely turning brown. Add beans and keep moving them around, letting them char in the wok a little. Add a bit of water and cover, allowing beans to steam for a few minutes. Remove lid, add chopped scallions, stir in soy sauce and sesame oil. Plate and top with sliced Thai basil and a squeeze of lime.
Eggplant, summer squash, peppers - as usual I grilled them and ate one night. The new thing here is that I had a lot leftover and I put them in the fridge for a few days. The next time I cooked I put the leftovers back on the grill to heat them up and they were as delicious as they had been the first night.
Please share how you enjoyed your harvest by emailing me at lindadansbury@comcast.net.
July 30, 2017
Ground/Husk Cherry Recommendation
By Linda Dansbury
Ground/Husk Cherry Recommendation
By Linda Dansbury
Fellow member Julianne immediately responded to the newsletter last week with a recipe for husk cherries that her family loves. It sounds delicious and incorporates so many of the veggies we are receiving right now - very important to me when choosing recipes to keep on this site. I can't wait to try it! It is simply called Fresh Ground Cherry Salsa. Thank you Julianne - if you have something you would like to share with membership, please send it to me at lindadansbury@comcast.net. Please put Anchor Run in the subject line so I can find your email.
Again this week, I kept up with my harvest by making a lot of salads with vinaigrettes so we could have them alongside grilled meats and leftovers for lunch.
Eggplant, squash, garlic, mint, scallions - I made the Thai-style Grilled Eggplant Salad. I don't believe I have made this in a couple of years and it is delicious and keeps very well. Try it, as I say in the recipe description, even people who aren't crazy about eggplant like this dish.
Tomato, garlic scape, basil - yes, I found a bag with garlic scapes in the bottom of my crisper drawer and they were still good. I like using them in bruschetta as I did a couple of times this past week because they are more mild than garlic cloves so the flavor of the delicious tomatoes comes through.
Eggplant, basil - Eggplant Parmigiana is a great way to use eggplant. For me, though, traditional recipes for the dish are very time consuming and make a mess of the kitchen. I found a recipe a few years ago by Mario Batali. You simply roast thick eggplant slices until nice and brown and somewhat soft. Allow to cool, then make eggplant "stacks", alternating eggplant, mozzarella cheese, sauce and basil. Then bake again. It is lighter than the usual versions too, which is nice in the summer - pair with a large salad for a complete meal.
Fennel, fresh onions, garlic, herbs - made the pork and fennel dish I described last week again - it was that delicious!
Tomato, garlic - I had the wonderful experience of being in Barcelona last year, and one of the most famous Tapas in the Catalan region is Tomato Bread. There are many, many versions, each bar and restaurant has its own recipe. I chose one that is very simple because I didn't want to hide the flavor of the tomato. I was making dinner for a friend that night and she loved it so much, she ate a half loaf herself! Start with a loaf of good quality bread, one that can absorb liquid. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with a little salt and either grill or bake in oven until just nicely browned (you don't want to get it too brown or it will be too dried out to absorb the liquid). To prepare the tomatoes, cut them in half and with a box grater set over a bowl, grate the tomato halves - this method is great - flatten your hand out while you do it and you will be left with just the skin of the tomato. A puree is in the bowl, which would also be wonderful for a simple tomato sauce. Add a little salt to the tomato. When bread comes off the grill, take a garlic clove and rub the bread. Then spoon the tomato on the bread and allow it to soak in. That's it! This description makes it sound more complex than it is.
July 23, 2017
Cooling Foods?
By Linda Dansbury
Cooling Foods?
By Linda Dansbury
Heat and humidity made us not want to turn the oven on any more than we had to this week. Even grilling was not as much fun as it usually is, so we grilled a lot at a time and then made the most of it for a couple of days.
I had mentioned making a large beet salad a couple of weeks ago - we had them this past week, and they were as delicious as ever. They will keep for at least a month when in a vinaigrette - I just open up the container and stir it every few days to make sure the beets stay covered in the dressing. What have you done with your harvest? Please share by emailing me at lindadansbury@comcast.net. Please put Anchor Run in the subject line so I can find your email.
Here are a few things we ate this week:
Lettuce, turnips, scallions, cherry tomatoes, herbs - we had grilled a large steak and ate half of it one night and the next night made a huge salad and had the steak with it.
Eggplant, garlic, parsley - made a batch of Baba Ganoush - I make a lot of it when we have these beautiful large eggplants and freeze it for use throughout the year. Delicious!!
Peppers, scallions, summer squash, fennel - grilled along with the steak. When they were finished, grated parm cheese, chopped herbs, olive oil and a splash of balsamic vinegar. Leftovers were eaten the next day as a salad for lunch.
Celery, cucumbers - mostly ate as snacks with lunch and while making dinner - sometimes I am really hungry while starting to prep food and rather than noshing on something that will fill me up so I can't enjoy my dinner I will take out celery and cucs, and the crunch of these and high water content are satisfying.
July 16, 2017
Member Idea
By Linda Dansbury
Member Idea
By Linda Dansbury
Nancy Wasch sent me a note reminding me of something she sent me last year during cucumber season. "I am addicted to cucumbers for breakfast. Similar to your tzatziki recipe, I simply mix cut cucumber, yogurt (a nice tangy variety with some fat in it), salt, pepper, and dill (or parsley and basil if no dill is available). I find I can eat all the cucumbers in no time this way, since they are the main course." Thank you Nancy for reminding me! Nancy's version or tzatziki can be used in other ways besides on its own. Top grilled meats and/or veggies with it, or if the cucumbers are chopped finely it can be used as a dip for raw veggies or crackers.
Here are a few things I did with my harvest this week:
Fennel, garlic, herbs - made a dish with pork chops - pork and fennel were made to be together! The pork chops were seasoned and browned then removed to a plate. To the same pan went onion, fennel and garlic and they were sauteed until slightly browned and just beginning to soften. Deglaze with vermouth or wine, add chicken stock and place chops back into pan and set them into the mixture. Cover and cook on low until veggies are soft and pork chops are cooked - about 12 minutes. Yum! Going to do this again.
Cucumbers, dill - made the Narrow Bridge Refrigerator Pickles. Even though I do can, I didn't have the time and the quanity wasn't quite enough to drag out the canner and heat up the kitchen.
July 9, 2017
Beets and Squash Favorites
By Linda Dansbury
Beets and Squash Favorites
By Linda Dansbury
Saturday evening's potluck crowd enjoyed a wonderful meal, kefir making education, and kid entertainment.
We cooked so much for guests over the 4th of July holiday weekend that we spent much of the week finishing up our leftovers that included green bean salad, potato salad, cucumber salad to name a few.
A few things from this week are below, but other members would like to hear how you are enjoying your harvest, so please email me at lindadansbury@comcast.net with your ideas - please put Anchor Run in the Subject line of the email.
Beets, tarragon, scallions - I had 2 bunches of beets (the greens were used long ago) and wanted to use them so I roasted them all at the same time. I made a beet salad with half of them. My method is to slice scallions nice and thin, chop a mix of parsley and tarragon. Put into a small bowl. Add a bit of Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper and mix well. Add olive oil in a thin stream and whisk into the red wine vinegar mix. I then pore some of the dressing into a separate bowl, chop the beets and add to the dressing and let them sit for a bit - they can actually stay in this dressing for at least a week. It can be eaten like this, but I like to put a layer of lettuce on plates and drizzle with some of the dressing, then top with the chopped beets and a nice grind of pepper and then add little bits of gresh goat cheese.
Summer squash, eggplant, radicchio, scallions - I purposely grilled extra amounts so I had leftovers which I used in sandwiches and in a pasta salad - so my lunches were absolutely delicious! The grilled veggies can also be chopped up and then put onto grilled bread with a drizzle of olive oil and/or cheese - think bruschetta.
July 2, 2017
Member recipe
By Linda Dansbury
Member recipe
By Linda Dansbury
I had been thinking of writing something on how to use the herbs we are receiving and must have had some mental telepathy with fellow member Tina Nightlinger because she sent me the following email:
"With all the herbs that I got today, I thought this would be a good time to share my chimichurri recipe. I made mine tonight with mostly cilantro, but you can use whatever you have as long as it isn't too overpowering (like rosemary).
Blend
1/4 cup red wine vinegar with
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes,
4 cloves garlic (scapes work well too), and
3/4 cup herbs (I usually use cilantro, basil, oregano, & parsley, but use whatever you like)
Transfer to a bowl and whisk in 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil. Don't do this in the blender. It will make the oil bitter. Add salt & pepper to taste.
1/4 cup red wine vinegar with
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes,
4 cloves garlic (scapes work well too), and
3/4 cup herbs (I usually use cilantro, basil, oregano, & parsley, but use whatever you like)
Transfer to a bowl and whisk in 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil. Don't do this in the blender. It will make the oil bitter. Add salt & pepper to taste.
Use it as a marinade and/or sauce for steak. It's also good as a salad dressing or mixed in a salsa. Put it on everything if you want. It's delicious. But it's probably only good for a week, so freeze excess or use it up".
Thank you Tina - it is a great way to use the herbs. I will also post this recipe to our site so it will be available for future searches. If anyone has an idea or question, please email me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please put Anchor Run in the subject line.
Here are a few things that I made this past week:
Beets, garlic scapes, parsley - made the Roasted Beet and Beet Greens Risotto.
Beets, scallions, tarragon, lettuces - made a beet salad. I roasted the beets and made a vinaigrette with Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, olive oil, scallions, salt and pepper and tarragon. I peeled and sliced the beets and poured some of the vinaigrette over the beets and let the flavors go through. Then I placed some lettuces on plates and placed beets on top, added some fresh ground pepper, drizzled a little more of the dressing, and topped with bits of goat cheese and pecans. This is one of my husband's favorite salads and the beets keep in the vinaigrette for at least a week.
Summer squash, radicchio - grilled them and they were delicious! Brushed with olive oil, and when they were done, we sprinkled a little sea salt and pepper, a drizzle of olive oil and a few crumbles of local feta cheese - yum!
Green beans, scallions, basil - made a green bean salad - cooked beans until just tender and placed in large bowl. Added sliced scallions, chopped basil, some chickpeas, salt pepper, olive oil, red wine vinegar. Again, yum! And, we have enough for a couple days.
Assorted greens, garlic scape - made a dish that a member had sent me a few years ago. In large skillet, place some chopped onions and saute until tender. Add chopped greens, and saute until tender. Make little "wells" in the greens and then carefully crack an egg into each well. Place a lid over the skillet, and let the eggs steam in the pan just until the whites are set but the yolk is still runny. Serve with some added pepper and a nice piece of toasted bread,
June 25, 2017
Transition into Summer
By Linda Dansbury
Transition into Summer
By Linda Dansbury
Once again, I didn't have much opportunity to cook this past week, but did kind of keep up with my share. Here are a couple things that we ate:
Beets, garlic scapes - made the Roasted Beet and Beet Green Risotto as part of our Father's Day feast. As I said last week the color and taste never fail to impress!
Peas, turnips, summer squash, garlic scapes, mixed greens, pesto (from my freezer) - made a delicious pasta dish with all these veggies. I added leftover sausage but it would be delicious as is, or with white beans added. I simply sauteed the veggies, starting with the veggies that take the longest to cook and adding the greens last - the pesto went in after everything was cooked to my liking, added a little of the pasta cooking liquid and then added the pasta and mixed well. I topped it with grated parmesan cheese and chopped fresh parsley. I made so much I had enough for a couple of nights.
Romaine - grilled the head of romaine as I decribed last week and made into a Caesar salad. Yum!
If you have an idea or recipe you would like to share, please send it to me at lindadansbury@comcast.net. Please put Anchor Run in the subject line so I can easily find your email.
Blackberries! We're expanding fruit on the farm. Last spring we planted 300 blackberry plants; this spring we planted 500 additional raspberry plants. This week we're planting 7,000 strawberry plants for next season's crop. Over the past three seasons 60 fruit trees have gone in on the farm. Below is a blackberry fruit cluster which should be ripe in a month or so.
June 18, 2017
Greens and peas
By Linda Dansbury
Greens and peas
By Linda Dansbury
It begins: cucumbers and summer squash have begun and amounts distributed will steadily grow until you're receiving a very ample supply. If you don't see any in your share this week be patient - they'll be there very soon!
This past week was pretty busy with not a huge amount of cooking going on, but I did enjoy my harvest. For your information, I am a medium share - I was a full share member for years and I also grow a lot of my own veggies. Due to a shrinking household and my parents now living in a place where they go to a dining room for dinner means that I couldn't keep up. I tell you this in case I am not talking enough about items that you are interested in. Please email me at lindadansbury@comcast.net with recipes to share to fellow members or questions you have about any of the veggies we receive. Please put Anchor Run in the subject line so I can find your email.
Turnips, kohlrabi - every day I take my lunch and alongside my sandwich I take what I call bunny food. Turnips and kohlrabi are yummy as part of my bunny food bag! In full disclosure, last week I found 2 watermelon radishes in my crisper drawer from last fall and I thinly sliced them and added to my bunny food - they were still delicious!
Peas - I made a quick and easy stir fry. First I stir fried minced ginger in peanut oil until fragrant - about a minute. I added the peas and kept them moving in the wok (you can use a large non-stick pan). I then quickly added a chopped hot pepper from last year's harvest that was in my freezer, but red pepper flakes would be good too. I then added chopped garlic scapes, followed by a bit of sesame oil and soy sauce. I served it alongside fish that I steamed with ginger, scallions and garlic chives from my garden. Topped all with chopped cilantro.
Mixed greens - dandelion, Anchor Run custom mix, mizuna - sauteed a pile of greens with a little onion, garlic scapes and red pepper flakes - think method for broccoli raab. I topped it with grilled sausages from Ledamete Grass.
Kale and other greens - made a couple of smoothies with yogurt and frozen fruit.
June 11, 2017
So many good things to Eat!
By Linda Dansbury
So many good things to Eat!
By Linda Dansbury
This past week I did cook/prepare a few things that I want to share - I also received a recipe from a member - I love hearing from you and sharing your recipes with the other members. Email me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please put Anchor Run in the subject line of the email so I can find it.
Ann Morton sent me a recipe for Creamed Forest Kale over Wild Rice - here are her comments:
Thanks for all the great recipes and ideas in the newsletter! I've been meaning to send you this kale recipe for a while. It's my favorite and for me is an entire meal but my husband prefers it as a side dish. It's from Eat For Health (Joel Fuhrman, M.D.). Yummy!
I haven't tried it yet, but plan to - thanks Ann!
I make a greens saute/stir fry at least once per week - it's easy and I adjust flavorings to what else we are eating it with. Garlic, onion, red pepper flakes, chopped mushrooms might be one combo, or garlic, soy sauce, fish sauce, cilantro might be another combo. Sometimes I add a couple of eggs to the pan toward the end, cover the pan and let the egg cook till the whites are cooked but the yolk is still runny - an easy, healthy and delicious dinner!
Kale, green garlic, cilantro - Cook up a pot of your favorite rice (we like brown jasmine). In a large skillet or wok saute garlic, ginger and a pound of ground pork - from Ledemete Grass. Once the pork is cooked, start adding kale in which thick stems are removed and it is roughly chopped - use an entire bunch for this recipe. Once the kale is wilted, turn the heat off and stir in 2 cups of chopped fresh herbs - cilantro and basil work best I think - and a tablespoon or 2 of fish sauce. Serve over rice with your favorite hot sauce alongside (Sriracha).
Radishes, turnips, chives, mint - I made the Radish with Goat Cheese Dip for a delicious appetizer. This is so yummy!
Lettuce, arugula - I made a beautiful salad when we had company that I can't wait to make again when more of the ingredients are in season. The dressing was made ahead and consisted of buttermilk, basil lemon and a little garlic. Place greens on a large platter and then in pretty patterns place lots of different veggies, nuts and dried fruits. Top with dressing. I'll post the recipe when the basil and cherry tomatoes are available at the farm.
Enjoy the harvest!
June 4, 2017
Green, greens, and more greens!
By Linda Dansbury
Green, greens, and more greens!
By Linda Dansbury
Look at all those ripe red strawberries!
Returning members are familiar with this article that I put together pretty much every week - it's kind of the weekly version of the "Now What" Workshops that many of you will hopefully attend. Not only do I share some of the ways I enjoy my harvest, but I also post things that you, the members, send to me about how you are enjoying your harvests.
A couple of you sent me a couple of things already - due to being quite sick last week, I haven't dug through my mail yet but will get to your emails. If you have a suggestion, recipe or just a question, please email me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please put Anchor Run in the subject line so I can find your email.
Green garlic, greens - Chinese pepper steak - I know that this dish normally doesn't incorporate greens into it, but I added the bok choy in toward the end and it was really good this way!
Spinach - made the Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing. It made a simple, delicious meal when paired with a nice piece of salmon.
Broccoli raab, mizuna, green garlic - did simple sauteed greens with red pepper flakes - they were admittedly lovingly bitter but we ate them alongside steak and mashed potatoes, so they were really perfect as a combination.
Various Greens - we have been enjoying a variety of salads with many of the greens including arugula, lettuce, mizuna, Swiss chard.
Kale - made Kale Chips a couple of times and added some kale into a soup that I had in the freezer
May 21, 2017
Beautiful First Harvest
By Linda Dansbury
Beautiful First Harvest
By Linda Dansbury
I was as excited as all of you with the announcement of the first harvest week, and even more excited when I walked into the updated pick up room! I love looking at all the veggies and then figuring out how to prepare them each week.
My pick up day is Thursday, so at this writing I have had only a couple of days to enjoy my harvest at this point, but below is a couple of dishes I made:
Bok choy, green garlic, mizuna - I made a stir fry: heated a bit of oil and when hot added a hot pepper from last year that I had frozen, but you can use red pepper flakes; added sliced scallions and a sliced green garlic and kept them moving in the pan for a few minutes then added a nice amount of minced ginger. After about 30 seconds I added rough chopped bok choy (added the chopped stems and leaves at same time because these were baby bok choy and putting them both in pan at same time created different textures). I kept stirring them until they looked almost finished, I added some of the mizua and then added a little sesame oil and soy sauce to the pan. Served it over brown jasmine rice alongside a salmon fillet from Wild for Salmon.
Spinach, mizuna, arugula - added some of each of them to a salad where I used lettuce from my garden. I virtually always make my own vinaigrette so that I can adjust the flavorings to how mild or strong the greens I am using in the salad are.
I will be making a spinach salad in the next couple days - check out the Spinach Salad with Hot Bacon Dresssing.
If you would like to share how you enjoy your harvest with other farm members, please send your ideas, recipes and/or questions to me at lindadansbury@comcast.net
November 20, 2016
Extreme temperatures
By Linda Dansbury
Extreme temperatures
By Linda Dansbury
The crazy temperatures make it somewhat of a challenge in planning meals: for a few days windows are wide open and it is ideal for grilling. Now, a dramatic and sudden change to windy, cool weather will drive us back to the oven. I did make a few delicious dishes this week:
Leek, onion, garlic, a lot of greens - made a soup called Sausage and Greens soup. There are a lot of versions on the internet but the one I made is in the Simply in Season cookbook. I sauteed up some sausage(Ledemete Grass), then added chopped leeks and onions and then the garlic and let them all get soft. Added chicken stock(you can use veggie stock too) and then a lot of slivered up greens. Then added some evaporated milk - I haven't done this before, but a friend told me about this recipe.
Beets, onion, carrot, potato, cabbage, kale, dill, parsley - again, using the Simply in Season cookbook, I made the Winter Borscht recipe that was in there. If I made it again, and I probably will, I will use a stock rather than the water it calls for - other than that, it was a great way to incorporate a lot of our wonderful harvests!
Cauliflower, sweet potato, onion, garlic, rosemary - roasted in the oven until all were soft and browned - YUM!
November 13, 2016
Super food - Super Moon
By Linda Dansbury
Super food - Super Moon
By Linda Dansbury
This week we had beautiful fall weather and the moon the past couple of evenings has been so pretty - tonight at sunset begins the arrival of the Super Moon - a full moon that appears larger and brighter than normal because the moon is closer to the Earth. We won't see a moon like this again until 2034, so get outside tonight and enjoy the show!
Here are a few yummy things I made this past week.
Baby arugula and baby kale and a baby hand.
Kale, onions, garlic, cilantro, Ledemete Grass ground pork - made a delicious and healthy soup roughly using a recipe from Eatingwell.com. The recipe called for using a pork tenderloin but I used the ground pork instead. It also incorporated a can of white beans and we also added a can of black beans and used a lot of the beautiful cilantro from the farm. Simple to make and it provided 2 nights of delicious, healthy dinner.
Potatoes, sweet potatoes, celeriac - made a "mixed mash" - my term for a delicious variation - if you haven't already tried it, you should - you and your family won't be sorry.
Spaghetti squash, parsley - we received this delicious parsley so I incorporated a good amount of it in this dish - cut the squash in half and dug out seeds and membranes. Drizzled a little olive oil and salt and pepper and baked cut side down until cooked through. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mixed together some ricotta cheese, chopped toasted hazelnuts(some other nut would work, but this was delicious), toasted breadcrumbs and a healthy amount of chopped parsley. When squash was finished, "forked" the squash strands and put them in the bowl and mixed everything together. Drizzled a bit of good olive oil over the top. It was delicious. Sadly, this was the last of my spaghetti squash from the farm.
If you would like to share something you are making with the rest of the membership, please email me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please put Anchor Run in the subject line.
November 6, 2016
Salads and Stews
By Linda Dansbury
Salads and Stews
By Linda Dansbury
This week I used the pressure cooker again to make dishes that we could get at least a couple of meals out of. It makes meals for the week nights easier, faster, and delicious!
Local pork, onions, garlic, tomatoes I had frozen, a hot pepper from freezer, greens - pressure-cooked this concoction - it came out tender and delicious - once the pressure was down, and I opened the cooker, I added chopped greens and just let them wilt. All we had to do was make pasta to go with it. Topped with a lot of the delicious cilantro we have been receiving.
Local lamb shanks - basically did the same thing, only this one had dried porcini mushrooms and no hot peppers so the taste was very different even though the process was virtually the same- topped with parsley.
Beets - come to think of it, I could have put these into the pressure cooker too, but I roasted all that I had, peeled and sliced them and tossed them in a nice vinaigrette because they will keep for quite awhile this way. I made a few salads incorporating a few different greens, the beets and various toppings that are seasonal - apples, pears, goat and feta cheese and nuts. Salads such as this with beets, which are a bit sweet, work really well with some endive or escarole.
Squash, herbs, garlic - made a stuff winter squash recipe that was literally a "stuffing" - day old bread, garlic, onion component, several herbs, cheese and milk to hold it together. Then it was baked for a long time - it was delicious!
October 30, 2016
Catching up on harvests
By Linda Dansbury
Catching up on harvests
By Linda Dansbury
Last week I mentioned being away and falling behind on using/enjoying my share so I got busy making soups to freeze for easy meals later in the year. I have found that I am much better at eating my greens if I put them into something rather than just freezing the greens and adding them to a dish later. The good thing about soups is you can add A LOT of greens to them - it is almost impossible to over do it, so I felt really good being able to use everything in healthy, delicious ways. This week I began using my pressure cooker in earnest too. I received it last Christmas and made some things in it but now I am starting to make my own recipes, just using the cookbook as a guide for setting the pressure and cooking times. If you have one, dig it out of your closet! Amazing food is ready in an hour or less! And clean up is easy too.
Leeks, greens(mizuna, cabbage, Swiss chard, spinach), potatoes, carrots, parsley, garlic- made a beef veggie with lots of greens soup. Ate it for a night and froze the rest in meal sized portions.
Onions, cabbage, kale, carrots, potato, garlic - made a traditional Italian soup called Ribollita. It does take some time to make, but it is worth it. I had seen the recipe in the Food section of the Phila Inquirer, but found a version on line that is essentially the same. The version I used topped the dish of soup with a poached egg, making it even more hearty but certainly not necessary.
Onion, cilantro, mint - made Vietnamese Chicken Pho in the pressure cooker thursday night - I was so happy to receive the beautiful cilantro in my pick up!
Onion, garlic - prepared country spare ribs in pressure cooker - meat only needed to cook for 30 minutes and came out fall apart tender. And...there are plenty of leftovers for later in the week.
Spinach, onion, bacon(from Ledemete Grass) - made Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing. This is such amazing spinach and we are enjoying it tremendously!
October 23, 2016
Amazing Fall Crops
By Linda Dansbury
Amazing Fall Crops
By Linda Dansbury
I was out of town, so haven't written this column in awhile and am having trouble remembering all that I have cooked over the past couple of weeks. Obviously, when you go away, if you maintain your pick ups, you have A LOT to eat when you come back home. Fortunately, much of the harvest at this time of year can either be stored for awhile or is very flexible in its uses. Here are a few things that I have made:
Spinach, parsley, onions, bacon(from Ledamete) - the spinach has been awesome this year - sweet, tender and so delicious! So, I hate to cook it, especially when there has also been chard that is a great spinach substitute in cooked dishes. So, we have been enjoying Spinach Salad.
Butternut squash, leeks, onion, carrot, garlic - made the Indian Roasted Pumpkin Soup with squash that had a couple of bruises. As often happens, I had forgotten about this recipe so doing a search every couple weeks helps me come up with wonderful ways to use the harvest.
Kale, potatoes, onions - there is a really simple 1 dish meal I make for a yummy week night meal. Remove thick stems from kale and roughly chop. Cut up potatoes into bite sized pieces and thinly slice onions. Combine them in the baking dish you will use and drizle olive oil and add salt and pepper to taste - I like to add some thyme or other herb as well. Mix well and even out in baking dish. On top of bed of veggies, place chicken legs and thighs, sprinkly with salt and pepper and paprika. Cover with foil and bake at 375 for about 20 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking until chicken is cooked through and the skin is nice and browned.
Greens, onion, leeks, garlic, hot pepper, ginger, herbs, canned beans - week nights are hectic for many of us. Sauteing or stir frying greens with a couple of the "add-ons" makes getting a deliicous healthy side dish to the table really simple. Start with the onion, leeks and/or garlic/hot pepper in a bit of olive oil. When cooked to desired tenderness(don't burn the garlic), add the greens - they will cook down dramatically, so use way more than you think you will need. When greens are starting to wilt, add other flavorings such as soy and/or fish sauce, fresh herbs, canned or fresh tomatoes, white beans or chick peas - the only limit is your imagination! Serve with some type of grain and/or meat.
Thanks again to Mary Liz for a great photo. Does it need a caption? These are swallowtail butterfly larvae dining on dew covered dill. It's difficult for us to define these as pests since they're so attractive.
October 9, 2016
Fall cooking
By Linda Dansbury
Fall cooking
By Linda Dansbury
I found myself in the kitchen more this past week than I have in a long time. Is it a nesting instinct since the days are getting very short now and the nights and mornings have a distinctive chill? I don't know, but I had a lot of fun and the result is a lot of delicious food. Here is some of what I made this week. Please let me know what you made by emailing me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please put Anchor Run in the subject line so I can find your message.
Leeks, onions, potatoes, thyme, chives - made the Potato Leek Soup recipe on this site. I like this one because it does not have cream so the flavor of the fresh ingredients really comes through.
Tomatoes, onions, basil, garlic - tomatoes this time of year don't keep very well and they aren't as tasty as they were even a month ago, but roasting them at a high temperature brings out their sweetness. Try the Roasted Tomato Soup with Croutons. It is delicious - and you don't even need the croutons.
Eggplant, garlic, parsley - used the last of my eggplants to make Baba Ganoush
Peppers - prepared a batch of Pepper Puree that a member sent me the recipe for last year. It is delicious and the uses for it are as limitless as your imagination. I plan to make another batch as soon as time allows.
Beet greens, kale, garlic - made an Asian style fish dinner in which I used the Wild For Salmon Pacific Black Cod with a Hoisin/Chili Paste"rub" on the fish to cook it and a sauce of Asian ingredients around it. Sauteed up the greens with ginger and garlic - they were all great with the Asian sauce.
Beets, onions - roasted a big batch of beets last Sunday and took half of them and made Pickled Beets.
Beets, salad greens - used the rest of the roasted beets in a beet and greens salad using a sherry vinegar/Dijon vinaigrette. Yum!
October 2, 2016
Fall Deliciousness
By Linda Dansbury
Fall Deliciousness
By Linda Dansbury
I did start to cook more this past week using both summer crops and newer fall items. Here is a sample of what I prepared:
Peppers, garlic - made the Pepper Puree recipe that is on this site. I made 2 batches - one of which I added a hot pepper and the other without. I made it with hot peppers last year and it made a wonderful spread for sandwiches. This year I decided I wanted some that is mild also. It freezes great, but I did run out quickly because it is so delicious.
Tomatoes, onion, garlic, okra - I made the Charred Okra and Tomato recipe that Derek's family had sent in. Rather than a side dish, I made it into a meal by adding shrimp and making rice. It was really tasty.
Tomatoes, onions, carrots, garlic, parsley, butternut squash - I finally made the Fall Stew that Tina Nightlinger sent in. We loved it! This recipe has a north African taste profile and is delicious and different from anything I have made. It is filling as is, and would also be great over some brown rice or other whole grain.
Today I plan to roast beets so I can make salads and pickle some beets too.
Send me how you enjoy your harvest at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please put Anchor Run in the subject line so I can find your email.
This direct seeded arugula appreciated the rainfall and it appears that the weed seeds did also. Whenever the sun comes out again it will be time to cultivate.
September 25, 2016
Cooling temps
By Linda Dansbury
Cooling temps
By Linda Dansbury
We are finally seeing true fall weather - yay! Time to pull out the stew and soup pots and roasting trays. Dana and Derek posted some of what they do for simple dinners this week - proving again that it takes very little effort to get a meal of delicious, nutritious food on the table.
This past week, I had intended to make the Fall Stew, but I ran out of time, so hope to do it today. I did make use of some of our veggies in yummy ways. If you have ideas to share, please email me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please put Anchor Run in the subject line so I can find your email.
Peppers, onion, garlic, Swiss chard, basil - made stuffed peppers - I stuffed them with a veggie/grain mixture of quinoa cooked in vegetable stock with cumin added. When cooked, added chopped Swiss chard, sauteed onion and garlic, raisins, feta. Baked them for about 45 minutes (the recipe called for an hour, but I had used a lot of smaller peppers so cooked them less so they didn't fall apart). Made a sauce of yogurt, basil, garlic and lemon to top the baked peppers - delicious. The "sauce" was especially delicious and would make a great salad dressing or dip.
Onion, kale, garlic, tomatoes - made a sort of lasagna meets casserole with sausage from Ledamete. Sauteed the sausage and when browned, removed it to drain and added onion and garlic and let that go for a few minutes. Added enough finely chopped tomatoes to equal what a 28 ounce can would be and let cook till thickened. Separately put together the cheese mix - ricotta, mozz, and parmesan. Added an entire bunch of chopped kale and probably could have added more greens than that. Cooked the pasta and then mixed all together in the pot in which the pasta was cooked. Spread into a lasagna pan and baked at 375 for about 45 min. It was tasty.
Two established patches of buckwheat and daikon radish cover crops sown about a month apart. The buckwheat on the left is beginning to decline allowing the daikon radish to fully grow and take over whereas the buckwheat on the right is in full flowering stage and will eventually decline as well.
September 18, 2016
Summer, Fall, Which Season is it?
By Linda Dansbury
Summer, Fall, Which Season is it?
By Linda Dansbury
Once again, the weather this past week has been confusing in terms of going back and forth from hot to downright chilly!
Here is a bit of what we ate this past week:
Tomatoes, garlic, onion - Using a combination of Anchor Run and my own tomatoes, I made a pretty nice sized batch of tomato sauce.
Eggplant, peppers, onions - grilled and had alongside hamburgers
Butternut squash, kale, garlic - I wanted to do something other than freezing my "seconds" butternut squash so I found a very simple stir fry recipe that used both the squash and kale - it was very good. It was seasoned with salt, pepper and a little chile powder.
Potatoes - I have a very easy way of roasting potatoes that is also delicious. Simply cut them in half and place the potatoes on a cookie sheet, cut side down - place a little bit of butter under each potato and bake in a 375 degree oven until the potatoes are tender and browned on the cut side - that's it!
How did you enjoy your harvest? Please email me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and put Anchor Run in the subject line so I can find your note.
Even though it enjoys eating some of our crops, we tolerate swallowtail caterpillars because they're pretty low in number and don't do too much damage. Plus, they're beautiful in this life stage as well as the flying one. This particular caterpillar munches on some flowering bronze fennel in the herb garden.
September 11, 2016
Difficult Transition
By Linda Dansbury
Difficult Transition
By Linda Dansbury
Normally by this time of the year, even if we have warm days, the nights start to cool down significantly so that I am excited about cooking "fall-ish" dishes - that is, things that incorporate winter squash, kale, etc. The extreme hot and humid weather is creating difficulties for me in trying to figure out how to best use my harvest - I would love your suggestions, so please email me at lindadansbury@comcast.net.
We also traveled for a few days, but here is some of what we enjoyed:
Swiss chard, garlic - I typically use my chard as a replacement for cooked spinach - I actually prefer it to cooked spinach. Heat olive oil, add some minced garlic and let it go for a few seconds, then add the roughly chopped chard leaves - you can use the stems also, just start with those in the pan and cook until fairly tender - the garlic and leaves go really fast. Cook the chard leaves until just wilted - they will continue cooking for a few minutes after it is removed from the heat. I like to add a squeeze of lemon juice salt and pepper and mix it up - when you plate it, drizzle a bit of olive oil over each serving.
Okra, tomatoes, onion, garlic, hot pepper - made the Charred Okra and Tomato recipe sent in by Derek's mom - check it out in member's suggestion.
Tomato, onion, basil - made a batch of tomato sauce to freeze - didn't have enough to make it worth bringing out the canner and using all that heat to bring it to boiling, so I froze it in containers that will be a good size to have a meal.
Tomatoes, scallions, parsley, chives - Made the Southern Tomato Pie that was featured a few weeks ago. I paired it with a salad for a nice summer meal - it was delicious!
Butternut squash - we had a choice in the pick up room of a bunch of chives or a butternut squash with a blemish that would prevent it from being stored, so I roasted it, scooped out the flesh, placed into a plastic bag and froze it for use later.
Thanks to drip tape irrigation (which has been temporarily removed to cultivate), lush fall crops of kale and kohlrabi, as well as newly seeded greens, are seen in the foreground with a buckwheat cover crop behind. The color green seems amplified this time of year when young and in their prime crops are healthy compared to perennial plants in other parts of the landscape whose tops and leaves are beginning to senesce as fall and winter approach. Browns and yellows may also be exacerbated this season due to the dry weather.
September 4, 2016
Veggie Salad Days
By Linda Dansbury
Veggie Salad Days
By Linda Dansbury
As I described in the other article I wrote for this week, I did have a few veggie salads this week. Because they are so flavorful, simply prepared meats go best with them.
Edamame, carrot, scallion and cilantro - made the Edamame and Carrot Salad with Rice Vinegar. I hadn't made this in a few years and it was a nice change!
Tomato, scallion, basil, sweet peppers - made the tomato salad I described in the other article - made it twice
Sweet peppers and onions - used them as the veggies in making kabobs - yum
Swiss chard, onion, cilantro, edamame and hot pepper - made a stir fry using ground pork from Ledamete Grass - what an easy and delicious weeknight meal.
Sweet pepper, onion, edamame - we liked the edamame and corn succutash we had last week so much that I made it again.
If you have something to share with the rest of the membership, please email me at lindadansbury@comcast.net and please put Anchor Run in the subject line so that I can find it.
August 28, 2016
Preserving
By Linda Dansbury
Preserving
By Linda Dansbury
Well, not really in the traditional sense, but saving things none-the-less. I prepared my edamame for freezing, made another large batch of Caponata and will most likely make more Tomatillo Sauce today. Here is a bit of other food I made this week. Please send your ideas to me at lindadansbury@comcast.net
Sweet peppers, onion, edamame, herbs - I had a couple of ears of sweet corn that I wanted to use up, so I removed it from the cobs. I sauteed onion, garlic and chopped sweet peppers and when they were soft I added the cooked edamame and corn and heated them up for a few minutes. Topped with chopped mixed herbs right before serving. It was delicious.
Green beans, garlic, scallion, herbs - made a green bean salad that I enjoyed for a few days for lunches.
Sweet peppers - grilled(roasted) several of them. When charred all over, placed them in a plastic bag - the skins come off much easier when you do this. When cooled, I removed the skin, stem and seeds and cut into strips. Added a little bit of garlic, salt and pepper and a drop of balsamic vinegar and a bit of olive oil. I love to put these on sandwiches, but they are great on eggs, served alongside grilled meats, etc, etc.
Lettuce, tomatoes, garlic, parsley, the last of summer squash - made the Warm Summer Squash and Sausage Salad
Loving the heat, okra is beginning to yield prolifically and the plants are now 6 feet tall.
August 21, 2016
Some to eat, some to store
By Linda Dansbury
Some to eat, some to store
By Linda Dansbury
Derek's weekly post talks about the changing of the seasons and late summer is the time when I tend to work the most on "storing" food for the winter months ahead. I don't do a lot of canning - pickles, tomato sauce and sometimes relish, dilly beans and a hot pepper spread are my main canned goods. However I do prep and freeze things for enjoyment later. If you have ideas on how you enjoyed your harvest, please send to me at lindadansbury@comcast.net.
Tomatillos, hot pepper, garlic - made a large batch (from a couple of weeks of U-pick) of Tomatillo Sauce and froze it in the size batches needed to make complete recipes later.
Edamame - cooked as explained in prior emails. I took half of my U-pick and drained them well, placed on cookie sheet and froze, then when frozen I placed in plastic bag. The other half I shelled while watching Olympic event and used the same method for freezing - this helps expedite prep for dishes that use shelled edamame.
Eggplant, tomatoes, peppers, onion, garlic - made a large batch of Caponata 1 and 2. I really love this dish because it is so flexible: it can be eaten at room temperature as a topping for bruschetta, a pizza topping, as a side dish, added to pasta - if you add white beans or some type of meat, it is a complete meal. Caponata freezes very well, so I do so in containers that are enough for a meal.
Cherry and heirloom tomatoes, garlic, basil - Uncooked Tomato Sauce over pasta.
Snap Beans, scallions, garlic, tomatoes, edamame - made a delicious stir fry using our ground pork from Ledemete Grass.
Tomatoes, garlic, basil - made bruschetta and Caprese Salad a few times as we do every year when the tomatoes are at their peak.
August 14, 2016
Summer heat continues
By Linda Dansbury
Summer heat continues
By Linda Dansbury
Life got in the way of cooking much this past week, but here are few highlights of things we enjoyed:
Tomato, cucumber, carrot, celery, scallion, garlic, basil - Made Gazpacho, the recipe I love is on this site. The veggies are roughly chopped and then "marinate" overnight. Right before serving, it goes into a blender and is blended to desired consistency - refreshing and delicious!
Scallions, carrots, cucumber, beans - made Vietnamese spring rolls - we used shrimp. Again, simple, refreshing weeknight dinner.
Eggplant, summer squash, scallions, peppers - grilled a lot at one time, ate them with our protein and then made the leftovers into pasta salad the next day.
August 7, 2016
Endings and Beginnings
By Linda Dansbury
Endings and Beginnings
By Linda Dansbury
This time of year even though it is the heat of the summer, we begin to see changes in the harvest: the delicious and abundant summer squash and cucumbers have succumbed to diseases which spread like wild fire when humidity is high as we have seen in the past couple of weeks (our farmers have tried sequential planting later in the season so we can enjoy these crops through the month of August, but it is a "fruitless" endeavor because the plants succumb before even bearing a crop). But, we are receiving the first of the onion, winter squash and edamame so our meals will shift. For this past week, here is a bit of what we enjoyed:
Tomato, garlic, scallion, basil - we have been enjoying some version of tomato salad on most nights - sometimes with little pieces of fresh mozzarella, sometimes with goat feta or sometimes no cheese at all. On nights when I add a touch of balsamic vinegar in addition to the good quality olive oil, we will have a nice hunk of bread to soak up the juices at the end - I learned this as a kid and we would all fight for the juices at the bottom of the bowl - one of the most delicious things about local summer tomatoes!
Tomato, garlic - we spent a week in Barcelona in late spring and one of the iconic dishes there is called Tomato Bread. In eating that week we found every restaurant has their version of it, but one of the best and easiest ones is this: using a rustic loaf of bread, slice it into about 1/2-inch thick slices, and bake bread in a 450 degree oven until lightly toasted. When cool enough to handle, take a garlic clove and slice in half and rub one side of each slice of bread with the garlic. Then, take a nice meaty tomato, and do the same thing - you should have a light coating of tomato on each slice. Next, drizzle a good quality olive oil over each piece and top with a sprinkle of a nice flake sea salt. The bread is delicious eaten as is, or can be served alongside cured meats (Jamon in Spanish), cheeses and olives.
Eggplant, summer squash, tomatoes - grilled and made a big platter to have alongside grilled fish. For the tomatoes, we cut in half and just gently grilled and topped with a very light sprinkle of sea salt.
Eggplant - I have tried several baba ganoush recipes over the years and decided to try yet another one in which the eggplant is cut in half and grilled until the skin is blackened and the flesh is soft like pudding. Allow to cool and then proceed with your favorite recipe. You are left with blackened bits in the baba ganoush and that little bit of char is delicious. We had a guest tell me it was the best baba ganoush he had ever had- Yay! I do use a recipe from the Zahav cookbook, which has the cook take a prepared tahini and boost its flavor with garlic, lemon juice and cumin - if anyone wants the detailed recipe let me know - we find it is worth the extra time and I make from scratch hummus at the same time.
Tomatillos, scallions, garlic - I have told you about using the tomatillo sauce that I freeze over the year and then roast chicken with it. I had an idea last week of wanting to make some type of taco using the tomatillo sauce. The idea came from thinking about how to cook delicious recipes that come together quickly without heating up the house. I have a wonderful pressure cooker that was a Christmas present that I used all winter long, but had not used in months. This time, I seared chicken thighs in the pressure cooker then placed them all in and poured the tomatillo sauce over the top and mixed it all together. I set the pressure cooker for cooking chicken and let it go. I can't say how amazing this came out!! The chicken pulled apart, making it perfect for a taco-like preparation. We used soft corn tortillas that we had warmed up, spread some of the mixture on and topped with a few scallions and rolled them up. We then spooned more of the tomatillo sauce over the top, sprinkled with cilantro, chopped tomato and a little feta cheese - this meal was an 'aha!' moment!
July 31, 2016
Trying to stay cool
By Linda Dansbury
Trying to stay cool
By Linda Dansbury
This hot weather has us all trying to figure out how to eat well without heating up the kitchen. One of my obvious answers is to light up the grill, which we do at least a few times each week. This can also be a challenge due to the amount of thunderstorms we are dealing with recently. One thing we have been doing is when we grill, we grill extra. That gives us extra to have for a couple of days after - so as we are watching the heavy rain, we are still eating deliciously grilled foods! We were away most of last weekend and so didn't have time to do the longer term preserving I often do on Sundays, but here is some things we enjoyed. Click on the bolded recipe titles to get to the full recipe.
Eggplant, scallions, summer squash, parsley- grilled as I have described before. The next night or so I make a large pasta salad and cut up the grilled veggies, add a bit of balsamic vinegar and fresh herbs, a nice olive oil and some sort of cheese - feta or grated pecorino are nice choices. Chopped tomatoes or a squeeze of lemon juice brighten the flavors. Added grilled chicken or fish (all leftover) are also great. This makes for a delicious, nutritious and easy meal for busy families and is as flexible as your imagination and refrigerator.
Tomatoes, garlic scapes, basil - heirloom and cherry tomato season is one of the favorite and shortest seasons. In addition to the tomato salads we have been enjoying, this past week we had pasta with Uncooked Tomato Sauce. There are 2 recipes on this site - both are delicious. We had leftovers, so had another dinner in which I added additional cut up tomatoes and shrimp. Yum!!
Snap Beans, tomatoes, peppers, garlic, basil - made a huge salad, that will be eaten for days!
Cucumbers - made the Narrow Bridge Farm Refrigerator Pickles
Cucumbers, mint - I have been making my breakfast as described in member ideas a couple of weeks ago: yogurt, cucumbers, splash of cider vinegar, salt and pepper - our member suggested dill, but I used parsley and mint instead. Very good!
July 24, 2016
Still a lot of Squash and Cucumbers!
By Linda Dansbury
Still a lot of Squash and Cucumbers!
By Linda Dansbury
The member ideas are truly reflective of what we are receiving a lot of - and it is so great sharing ideas and recipes! Here is some of what we enjoyed this week.
Summer squash, scallions, garlic scapes - summer squash fritters - the recipes I have checked out are all similar. They have eggs, baking powder, flour, some type of allium(onion), and a cheese component - some add garlic to the mix. Some have a dipping sauce, or just a drizzle of lemon. Mix and match to find what your family likes the best.
Summer squash, garlic scapes, tomatoes, lettuce - made the Warm Sausage Salad with Sumer Squash also using sausage that I got with my pork share from Ledemete Grass. I really like this recipe in part because it uses only 1 pan, so on these hot summer nights it minimizes the amount of heat added to the house. It also tastes great!
Eggplant, parsley - made Twice-Cooked Eggplant Salad from the Zahav cookbook. It was very good with pita chips and would also be good as a side dish with grilled meats, but it was fairly time consuming and required constant watching - I try to keep things pretty simple for things posted on this site, so I am not going to post this one.
Green beans - sometimes things are yummy simply steamed with a little salt and pepper!
July 17, 2016
Time for Veggie Salads
By Linda Dansbury
Time for Veggie Salads
By Linda Dansbury
It is too hot for long cooked foods, but I did prepare quite a few dishes this past week and hope to do a couple of things today in prep for the coming week.
Cucumbers, scallions, parsley - I make my cucumber salad like my grandmother used to. I slice cucumbers on a mandoline (I have a very simple one with a single blade that I purchased mainly for this purpose, a veggie peeler works, but the mandoline makes it go SO much faster!). I add sliced scallions and chopped parsley. The dressing is composed of a little salt, pepper, celery salt, red wine or apple cider vinegar and a neutral oil. This salad keeps for only about a day - the cucs wilt quickly, so I tend to only make enough for one meal.
Snap beans, scallions, garlic scapes, basil - I prepared a large salad. The dressing is red wine vinegar (sometimes I add a splash of balsamic), olive oil, salt and pepper, oregano and a bit of Dijon mustard. I also added chick peas. When I had it for lunch the next day, I added a few crumbles of feta cheese. Really tasty, healthy and it keeps for at least a week!
Summer squash, eggplant - grilled them - I brush with olive oil and sprinkle a bit of salt and pepper - is all it takes. Any leftovers can be incorporated into a pasta salad.
Cheroke, dandelion, endive, cherry tomatoes, scallions - oops! I found a head of endive that had been pushed to the back of the fridge. The outer leaves had gone bad, but the inner ones were fine. I made a hearty green salad with the mix of greens, tomatoes and scallions. I used a stronger flavored sherry vinegar in the dressing and topped with toasted pine nuts.
Summer squash, cilantro - we had a really simple dinner one night - I am sharing the recipe for Sauteed Summer Squash with Chorizo, Cilantro and Lime. Simply cook the chorizo, when browned and cook, remove from pan and add the cubed up summer squash, cook until browned and desired tenderness then add the chorizo back into pan to heat back up, at end add lime zest and the juice from a lime and a nice amount of roughly chopped cilantro. One pan and easy - I had feta cheese so I topped with a little of that.
Cabbage, Swiss chard, scallions, garlic scapes - Made cole slaw roughly to the Asian Style Slaw recipe on this site. It was even good the next day as a topping for a thinly sliced pork sandwich.
July 10, 2016
Holiday Weekend Dishes Galore!
By Linda Dansbury
Holiday Weekend Dishes Galore!
By Linda Dansbury
Last week I talked about the several dishes we prepared for our guests on Saturday. Below includes some of what we made for our Sunday guests as well as during the week. Please send your ideas/suggestions to me at lindadansbury@comcast.net, and please include Anchor Run in the subject line.
Eggplant, zucchini, scallions and radicchio - cut into different shapes for visual appeal, drizzled with olive oil and grilled until nicely browned and softened but not falling apart. Arranged on a platter, drizzled with olive oil, a bit of balsamic vinegar and sea salt. I had leftovers, so I chopped everything up and made a pasta salad, adding more balsamic vinegar and olive oil, fresh basil, and a sprinkle of grated parmesan cheese.
Carrots, garlic scapes, basil - made a roasted carrot and carrot top pesto salad, which was very well received. Made the pesto, then roasted carrots. Made a separate small "salad" with shaved carrots, a few carrot tops and basil leaves. Plated everything, placed a bit of burrata cheese in the middle of each plate and finished with generous drizzles of the pesto.
Zucchini, garlic scapes - made zucchini fritters
Green Beans, scallions, garlic scapes - green bean salad
Cucumbers, scallion, parsley - I made a couple of cucumber salads the way my grandmother always did - slice the cucs with a mandoline (I have a very basic one that is so much faster and easy clean-up), then add chopped scallions and parsley. A simple vinaigrette with a mild vinegar and oil, celery salt, a bit of salt and pepper - that's it!
July 3, 2016
How I enjoyed my harvest this week
By Linda Dansbury
How I enjoyed my harvest this week
By Linda Dansbury
Below is some of what we ate this past week. Please send your ideas, recipes to me at lindadansbury@comcast.net
Green beans, scallions, garlic scapes, basil and parsley - made a green bean salad (with a red wine vinaigrette) and ate it alongside grilled meat - wonderful for a summer evening and can be made a couple of days ahead and is actually better the 2nd and 3rd day. I often add a can of chick peas to my green bean salad and have it for lunch. Feta or parmesan cheese are also great additions.
Carrots - since we have a lot of carrots right now, plus I have some in my own garden, we shredded some and made into carrot fritters. It was simple - a bit of flour, panko, eggs, pecorino romano cheese, salt and pepper. Fried in oil and then topped with feta and a squeeze of lemon. Very tasty!!
Carrot tops, basil and garlic scapes - took both of my bunches of tops and made a double batch of carrot top pesto, one of which I put in the freezer, the other will be used today.....
Beets, scallions and greens - I roasted 3 weeks worth of beets at the same time, peeled them and placed into a container for use during the week. We made a nice salad the one night - I love beet salad with a dijon and tarragon vinaigrette and topped with fresh, creamy goat cheese and toasted pecans.
Beets, beet greens, garlic scapes, parsley - used more of the roasted beets for Roasted Beet and Beet Greens Risotto. It comes out delicious and pretty too!
Escarole, endive, scallions and garlic scapes - used the recipe for Asian Cole Slaw, but went very light with the dressing so the greens didn't become too wilted - it was delicious served with Thai style grilled chicken.
Summer squash, garlic scapes, scallions, Swiss chard - made a saute of all, and ended with a bunch of fresh herbs - I had a leftover piece of grilled chicken to eat with the mostly veggie dinner.
Cucumbers and carrots - I have been cutting them up and eating with my lunch - delicious and healthy.
June 26, 2016
How I enjoyed my harvest this week
By Linda Dansbury
How I enjoyed my harvest this week
By Linda Dansbury
Another very busy week limited my cooking exciting dishes, but I did do some cooking, actually taking some things from my freezer from last year! Send me how you enjoyed your harvest at lindadansbury@comcast.net
Cilantro - had made batches of a tomatillo sauce last year and froze it so I made the chicken with tomatillo sauce and used my bunch of cilantro to add the fresh flavor at the end.
Scallions, squash - grilled them and served alongside grilled meat- one of our favorite things to do.
Peas, basil - grilled sausage from Ledemete Grass. While that was going, we prepared pasta and added Arugula Pesto that was in the freezer. Cooked pasta and added peas to pasta for the last minute. Mixed everything together and topped with a bit of olive oil and fresh basil leaves.
June 19, 2016
How I enjoyed my harvest this week
By Linda Dansbury
How I enjoyed my harvest this week
By Linda Dansbury
This week I did have the chance to do some cooking and I hope you did as well. Please send me how you enjoyed your harvest at lindadansbury@comcast.net.
Romaine - we grilled last night so we did a grilled Caesar Salad - cut the Romaine into quarters, place on grill for only about 30 seconds, then turn and do another 30 seconds, do this until all sides are lightly charred. Chop up the lettuce into bite-size pieces and then top with your favorite Caesar Dressing recipe - I used to make it myself, but I found OPA dressing which is Greek yogurt based. We really like it so it saves on work and it is good for you!
Peas, garlic scapes, turnips, Swiss chard, cilantro - made a large stir fry which fed us for 2 nights
Lettuces, dill - prepared the dressing that Emily Mahoney had sent to me. It was delicious - it will be even better when the watermelon is local!
Swiss chard, kale, scapes - had one of my favorite weeknight meals. Chopped up an onion and sauteed in olive oil. Meanwhile, prepared the greens, removing tough stems and roughly chopping them. When onions were the way I like them, I tossed in the scapes and greens and when the greens were wilted I made "wells" in the pan, and then cracked an egg into each well. Cover with a lid and keep checking - cook only until the whites are barely set, so the yolk stays liquid. Carefully remove each egg and greens to plates, top with salt and pepper and herbs if you like and serve - the yolk makes a rich-tasting delicious sauce for the greens. Yum!
June 5, 2016
How I enjoyed my harvest this week
By Linda Dansbury
How I enjoyed my harvest this week
By Linda Dansbury
I missed a week's harvest due to travel and just picked up on Thursday so I haven't done a lot with my share yet. But here are a couple of things.
Swiss chard - I often use chard in place of spinach and saute it with garlic, salt and pepper, and a squeeze of lemon juice at the end. I often add a few red pepper flakes in the beginning with the garlic for a little "zing".
Romaine lettuce - We were grilling so we gave the entire head of romaine a light char on all sides and made it into a Caesar salad.
Kale - some of the kale I put into a smoothie, and the rest I made into Kale Chips - this is a very, very popular recipe on this site - just make sure the kale is perfectly dry before you bake it because it won't crisp up if it is wet.
How do you enjoy your harvest? Please email me at lindadansbury@comcast.net.
May 29, 2016
How I enjoyed my harvest this week
By Linda Dansbury
How I enjoyed my harvest this week
By Linda Dansbury
How I enjoyed my harvest is on vacation this week, but will return shortly. Please send how you enjoy your harvest to me at lindadansbury@comcast.net.
May 22, 2016
How I enjoyed my harvest this week
By Linda Dansbury
How I enjoyed my harvest this week
By Linda Dansbury
How I enjoyed my harvest is a column I started a few years ago and in doing our annual survey members rated it very positively. My pick up day is Thursday, so this week there isn't a lot to talk about. I am leaving for vacation tomorrow, so the column won't appear in next week's newsletter.
We want the farm to be an interactive community and I know there are many wonderful cooks, and even a few chefs among our members so I invite you to share with other members by emailing me at lindadansbury@comcast.net with how you enjoy your harvests. It can be recipes, methods, ideas or even questions.
Here is how I enjoyed my harvest:
Kale, garlic (last year's) - made a ground pork from Ledemete Grass Farm (their products are amazing) and kale stir fry which is very simple. Heat a bit of canola oil in a large pan or wok. Add sliced garlic, julienned ginger and the pork and keep it moving until the pork is almost browned. Add the kale and keep moving around until cooked to desired tenderness. Add about a tablespoon of Thai fish sauce and stir. Remove from heat and add a heaping cup of fresh chopped herbs - I have a lot of cilantro that comes up in my herb garden on its own, but you can use a combination of basil and cilantro or add parsley. Serve with brown rice and Siracha. There is a very similar recipe on this site
Pea shoots - made mushroom, pea and pea shoot risotto, which was delicious and added pea shoots to salads. A light dressing using a bit of fresh lemon juice is perfect.
Spinach - will make a large spinach salad tonight using the recipe for Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing that is on this site.
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Anchor Run CSA
| 2578 Second Street Pike
, Wrightstown, PA 18940
215-598-7040 |
anchorruncsa@gmail.com
Anchor Run CSA
| 2578 Second Street Pike
, Wrightstown, PA 18940
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