The Great Utah CSA Experiment - Week 12!

Week 12 arrived with lots more of everything, and all of it looked fabulous! East Farms brought the following:

CSA SHARE		Price(Organic)				Price ('Normal')	Value
0.85 lb Green Peppers (2)		1.99/lb				1.29/lb	$1.69
1.04 lb Mixed Peppers (5)						1.99/lb	$2.07
3.44 lb Green Cabbage		1.49/lb				0.69/lb	$5.13
0.68 lb Onion		1.99/lb				0.99/lb	$1.36
1.25 lb Eggplant		1.99/lb				1.59/lb	$2.49
3.06 lb Corn (4)						3/1.00	$1.33

This was the second cabbage in 4 days, and that's a lot for us: my household has never eaten one whole cabbage in a month, much less two in one week, so I passed this head on to my mother who was happy to use it in her Asian Salad, pictured at right. (My other cabbage remains parked in the back of my refrigerator, awaiting a reunion with my pot sticker wraps).

I made more Eggplant Parmesan, but the peppers were piling up, so I donated them to a neighbor cause. Also, I am sad to report that all the extra dark greens I stored in the freezer this spring are now gone, and I used the last bit of arugula for an awful pasta salad that also consumed an entire 4 oz. container of crumbled tomato and basil feta. Not all of my culinary experiments work out - I was very disappointed in this one to say the least.

I split the corn with my mother and cooked the rest in my oven in an attempt to semi-recreate the flavor of grilled corn-on-the-cob-in-the-husk that is offered at Lagoon. I just stuck the corn, husk and all, into the oven at 325 F for 10-20 minutes, then checked one by peeling back the husk and checking the consistency of the kernels. The flavor wasn't as good as the grilled kind (surprise surprise) but it was pretty good. In fact, when I asked Craig, he said he preferred this method to my usual (boiling shucked corn) and requested that I make them this way again in the future.

The Borski share arrived a few days later, with again, more of the same. Not a lot of variety in the late summer offerings, I suppose. And curiously, halfway through September and still no tomatoes. It's rather odd - I don't know what to do with peppers without tomatoes. Maybe that's why I keep having to give them away.

CSA SHARE		Price(Organic)				Price ('Normal')	Value
2.5 lb Red Potatoes		1.99/lb				0.69/lb	$4.98
1.06 lb Mixed Peppers						1.99/lb	$2.11
1.63 lb Peaches						1.99/lb	$3.25
0.94 lb Green Beans						5.32/lb	$5.00

You might think I've had enough of peaches after 4 weeks of them. If so, you are wrong! After all, I only ever receive 3-4 peaches each week. Well this week when I visited my mother to weigh in my shares, she offered me my pick of Utah peaches from a box dad purchased at a local food stand (these ones came from Utah, yes - not Oregon). After picking up a good dozen peaches there, I discovered their peach tree in the backyard had ripe fruit on it too, and snitched another dozen. (She has since forbidden me to pick anymore peaches from her tree - something about canning her special peaches).

Elated, I stopped by the local grocer on the way home and purchased a pint of heavy cream. Oh, yes. Peaches and Cream. In the first 24 hours afterward I ate 4 servings of peaches and cream, each using ~ 2 peaches. I caught myself feeling extraordinarily happy that day - I wonder why? Craig also enjoyed the peaches and cream, but I think he was a little confused as to why I behaved as though I grudged him every peach he chose to eat when we had dozens on hand. Well, maybe I did begrudge him for eating my peaches. Just a little.

I've included the recipe for my mother's Asian Salad, which I also made recently (Craig happily ate leftovers for lunch, so it's good!) Stay tuned next week to see if the last week of summer finally gets her tomatoes!

Recipe for week 12:

-----Asian Salad-----

2 T. sugar	1/2 head cabbage
3 T. raspberry balsamic vinaigrette	4 green onions, sliced
1/4 c. vegetable oil	1 pkg ramen noodles, dry
oriental flavor ramen spice packet	2 T. sesame seeds
2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded	1/2 c. honey sesame cashews

Mix together the first 5 ingredients (sugar through chicken). If possible, refrigerate for 1 hour (longer is better.) Chop the cabbage coarsely. Toss with the green onions, crushed noodles (uncooked), sesame seeds, and cashews. When ready to serve, combine the dressing with the tossed salad. This recipe is even better the second day! Serves 4.

-----Peaches and Cream-----

2 fresh peaches
2 T. sugar (optional)
1/4 c. cream (not optional - though if cream is impossible then milk may be substituted for a lesser product.)

Rinse peaches thoroughly. Cut each peach into bite-sized pieces and place in a bowl. Sprinkle sugar over the top, then distribute cream evenly over the surface. Eat and enjoy! (Serves 1 - me. It might serve 2 if you feel like sharing.)