August 7, 2016
New this week - Fresh onions. Spaghetti squash and Edamame!!
By Linda Dansbury

Wow, it is hard to believe we are already into August - the veggie assortment tells us how late it already is in the season. Three new items arrive this week - all things that I really enjoy!

Fresh Onions - not a lot I have to say about these - they are to be used as you would "cured" onions in any recipe. The only difference is these need to be stored in the refrigerator.

Spaghetti Squash - is called this because of the way the flesh separates into spaghetti-like strands when cooked. Spaghetti squash is the first of the hard shelled or winter squashes we receive and although they do store well, these will not keep as long as some of the others that will come later in the season. Store them in a cool part of your house, but not too humid - I say this because some basements are great temperature wise, but might be too humid this time of year for good storage conditions. To cook them, I have tried several suggested methods over the years and have decided that the easiest, most reliable method is to preheat over to about 375 degrees. Cut the squash lengthwise in half and scoop out the seeds. Place the squash cut side down in a deep baking dish and put enough water in the dish to cover the bottom. Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until a knife goes easily through - time is dependent on size of the squash. Remove from oven and when cool enough to handle take a fork and scrape the strands out of the shells. We have several delicious recipes on this site so please use the search feature. This time of year I would say my favorite way is to prepare the Uncooked Tomato Sauce recipe and top the hot strands of the spaghetti squash with the sauce, adding whatever cheese component you like - simple and delicious!!

Edamame - is one of the treats most anticipated by long time members. Take the time to do your U Pick - I try to plan my weekends to do U-Pick when the weather is at the best it can be - sometimes heat, humidity and T-storms make it a bit of a challenge, but you definitely don't want to miss out. The most mature pods are typically at the bottom of the plants. Pick those that have well formed beans showing through the outer shell. Store in a plastic bag until ready to prepare - I have to say that my first picking each year gets eaten up immediately, and then later pickings I get to prepare and freeze for use all winter long. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add A LOT of salt - about 2 Tablespoons per 3 quarts of water. Add beans and be careful they don't boil over - that is the reason for mentioning a large pot - start checking for tenderness at about 9 minutes - sometimes they are ready at that point but can take up to 15 minutes. Drain and salt again - suck the pods and the beans will come right out - Yum!! I will highlight recipes in future weeks but you can search the site for delicious ways to use your edamame.