The Great Utah CSA Experiment - Week 13!

Week 13 came with the first tomatoes of the season! I received tomatoes from both CSAs - Romas from the East Farms and slicing tomatoes from the Borski. They were orangey, mottled, and showed slight signs of scuff and/or bug damage. They were definitely not the gems I get from my father's plants, but I know this season has not been a good one for tomatoes so I can be forgiving.

The rest is all produce I've seen before over the last few weeks. Here's the scoop:

CSA SHARE		Price(Organic)				Price ('Normal')	Value
0.12 lb Green Pepper (1)		1.99/lb				1.29/lb	$0.24
0.32 lb Jalapeno Peppers						1.99/lb	$0.64
4.03 lb Green Cabbage		1.49/lb				0.69/lb	$6.00
1.45 lb Onion		1.99/lb				0.99/lb	$2.89
0.68 lb Eggplant		1.99/lb				1.59/lb	$1.35
3.90 lb Cantaloupe		2.99 ea				0.89/lb	$2.99
0.92 lb Roma Tomatoes		1.99/lb				1.99/lb	$1.83

The cabbage is going in potstickers I am making for an upcoming china-themed party for the volunteers I went to China with through International Language Programs. Of course, I had to do a couple test runs to make sure I was doing it right. Below is my recipe for simple vegetarian potstickers.

The peppers and eggplant were stashed in the refrigerator, and the cantaloupe eaten (sooo good). The onion went, like all the other onions, into my pantry. I'm collecting quite a stash of them, which is great. Hopefully they will last until I eat them well into the winter. This particular onion was quite a monster - at 1.45 lb it was just shy of an oz. lighter than the biggest one I received this year during week 10. But since I neglected to record the larger one, here's a picture of the new one on a small plate next to one of my peaches. I hope it conveys just how massive these onions are.

Speaking of peaches, when I stopped by my mother's house this week I thought I'd go check out the forbidden tree. I know my mother has been busy, and I wanted to see if she'd gotten around to her own peaches. What did I behold but a slew of peaches on the ground! This poor tree never had the peach crop culled, so the branches are loaded with heavy fruit and as a result are bent ~ 6" from the ground, which is mulched quite heavily with soft bark. The weight, combined with the ripeness meant that at every gust of wind, a few would fall gently down onto the bed of mulch. Well, I thought. . . I'm forbidden to pick the peaches, but surely she didn't mean I should let good fruit spoil! I hauled home 2.5 dozen perfect peaches, and I didn't pick a one. I did later tell her though that she needed to be sure not to let any drop. She quickly ensured that her spoils were well protected (i.e. she had my father bring the remaining peaches inside in a box) for canning that week, and I suppose that's the end of the peach train for me. At least I can still count on the Borski share to supply a few!

CSA SHARE		Price(Organic)				Price ('Normal')	Value
1.15 lb Tomatoes (Slicing)						1.99/lb	$2.29
1.25 lb Peaches						1.99/lb	$2.49
1.39 lb Zucchini (2)		2.99/lb				1.29/lb	$4.16
0.54 lb Onion		1.99/lb				0.99/lb	$1.07
0.45 lb Red Onions (2)		1.99/lb				0.99/lb	$0.90
1.97 lb Blue Potatoes		1.99/lb (Red)				0.69/lb (Red)	$3.92

This share came with a variety of potatoes I've heard about, but never seen before - blue potatoes! They are actually more purple potatoes than blue, but both names are correct. And yes, the color goes all the way through. It's the same beneficial compound (antioxidant) that colors blueberries as well.

In addition to the blue potatoes, I received a newsletter from the farm with a recipe for a potato casserole. I made it (with golden potatoes - haven't yet decided how to best cook the blue ones), and have included the recipe here. Craig specifically asked if I could send him leftovers the next day for lunch, so I know he liked it!

The newsletter also promised a lot of winter squash coming in, starting next week. Hurray for squash!

Recipes for Week 13:

-----Borski CSA Casserole-----

1 large onion, sliced
2-3 potatoes, cut into 1/4" slices
2 chicken breasts, sliced into strips
2 tomatoes, sliced
2 T. olive oil
1/4 c. italian bread crumbs
salt and pepper
Parmesan cheese (opt.)

In a casserole dish, cover the bottom with the sliced onions. Then layer on potatoes, chicken, and tomatoes in that order. Drizzle with olive oil, add salt and pepper to taste, then sprinkle the bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese on top. Cover with foil and bake at 325 F for 1 hour. Remove foil for the last 20 minutes of baking.

-----Simple Vegetarian Potstickers-----

1 1/2 c. shredded cabbage
1/2 c. shredded carrots
1/2 c. minced scallions
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 t. ginger
1 T. soy sauce
1 pkg potsticker rounds
cold water

To make filling, combine in a bowl the cabbage, carrots, scallions, garlic, ginger, and soy sauce, and mix thoroughly. Place ~ 1 Tbsp filling in the middle of a potsticker wrap, then dip your finger into the cold water and spread it around the edges. Fold both sides together to create a half-circle, then press the edges together to seal.*

To cook, heat 2 T. oil in a non-stick skillet, then add just as many potstickers as can cover the bottom of the pan (they will stick together if you layer them on top of one another.) Cook 2-3 minutes until the undersides are lightly brown. Add 1/2 cup water, then cover and let cook until all the water is absorbed. Remove when potstickers are again crispy and golden brown on the bottom.

*To make a more attractive (read: complicated) seal, you can accordion fold one side before you fold them together. Alternatively, for these potstickers I folded the pastry in half, pressed and sealed together the middle, then pushed in the edges to make a triangle and folded them up, making a three-way fold. Then I folded the extra flap down onto the body of the pastry.

The Great Utah CSA Experiment - Week 8!

Coming into week 8 I was anxious for my next CSA share, as I'd missed out on the regular vegetable ritual for the past two weeks. Included in the East Farms share was a healthy supply of midsummer vegetables:

	CSA SHARE		Price(Organic)				Price ('Normal')	Value
	0.98 lb Radishes (1 bunch)						1.10/lb	$1.08
	1.09 lb Onions (3 large)						1.99/lb	$2.17
	0.99 lb Green Beans						5.32/lb	$5.27
	0.98 lb Zucchini (2 small)						1.49/lb	$1.46
	3.76 lb Corn (6 ears)						3/1.00	$2.00

As you can see, my local grocer doesn't carry any of these in 'organic' varieties - I'd have to make an extra trip to a more exclusive grocer to find those. Even so, the value still holds when compared to local supermarket fare.

I was happy to find more onions as I've been low and I use them a lot in my cooking. They tend to store well in my pantry so even if I get more I can be happy about using them for the next few months. Corn is a wonderful midsummer treat for us, grilled with the husks on or peeled and boiled before being served on the cobb with plenty of butter, salt, and pepper. Radishes again became my personal refrigerator snack, and the green beans succumbed to the glazed green beans recipe featured in week 5 (more on that below). And that covers everything but the zucchini.

Ah, zucchini. Craig spied it and immediately said "zucchini bread?!" with such excitement that I almost had to shush him. Where I'm from you can't get excited about zucchini. It's delicious, it's nutritious: it's ubiquitous. Even if you show no desire for zucchini, during this season you're liable to be handed a box that contains more than you'll ever be able to prepare or eat. But if you get excited about it. . . I'm afraid to see the results. So far the season is early, the zucchini is small and tender, and Craig is excited about this vegetable. We'll see how he feels in a month!

This particular zucchini was young enough to make great vegetable stir-fry with the onions and garlic also received from CSA offerings, which is what I did. See: vegetable hash recipe from week 4, but substitute zucchini for the potatoes and add a little of your own favorite seasoning instead of using the packet. Our two small zucchini were enough to fill our whole frying pan, sliced. That's another thing about it - I swear the vegetable multiplies when you chop or grate it because the cut amount is always larger in volume than the pre-cut amount. You Have Been Warned.

Borski's share for the week gave me more onions, which store well, and beans, which can be frozen if necessary, as well as a few more new vegetables for the season:

	CSA SHARE		Price(Organic)				Price ('Normal')	Value
	0.44 lb Apricots						1.99/lb	$0.88
	0.47 lb Lemon Cucumbers						1.88/lb (green)	$0.88
	1.06 lb Wax Beans						5.32/lb (green)	$5.64
	3.34 lb Yukon Gold Potatoes						1.49/lb	$4.97
	1.5 lb Yellow Onions (2)						1.99/lb	$2.98

Wax beans are just like green beans, only they are whitish or yellowish in color. My sister has a variety that are purple, but they turn green when cooking (She calls them 'Magic Beans' and this is a great way to get the kids excited about them). Lots of varieites of beans can be grown in Utah! Craig very nearly offered to cook these beans himself so long as we used the Glazed Green Beans with Tomatoes recipe (see picture at right for Glazed 'White' Beans with Tomatoes). Clearly, this recipe is a keeper!

I almost didn't know what the cukes were, I'd never seen a lemon cucumber, despite having once sold lemon cucumber plants at a garden center some years ago. For those of you who haven't seen one either, here you are:


I soaked them in raspberry balsamic vinegar for an hour then ate them. They taste just like normal cucumbers to me!

There weren't many apricots, those were gone in one 'snacking', but I was surprised by the number of potatoes: it's a good thing they will last for weeks in the refrigerator! In the meantime I dug around for potato recipes. My own experience has been either to mash them, bake them, or put them in stew; but looking at these golden orbs all those methods seem too mundane, reserved for grocery-store russet clones. (Let's not even approach the layered-with-cheese option here). In fact, a quick Google search tells me that those grocery store russets I've been using all my life aren't even good for all those cooking methods. What can I say, I'm a potato newb.

Finally I settled on a simple recipe that I hoped would let me get a taste for the potato flavor: Oven roasted potatoes. I tried it twice, once with paprika and the second time with rosemary. They tasted a little sweeter than the russets I'm used to cooking with, but they also had a great texture that was a little less mealy too. I thought they were great, both times I made them Craig cleaned his plate and asked me for more, so that's clearly a thumbs up. Add the fact that the recipe was a good deal simpler than mashing baking or stewing them, and I think we have a new family favorite!

Recipe for Week 8:

-----Oven-Roasted Potatoes-----

3 Yukon Gold potatoes
2 T. butter or oil
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1 T. seasoning (optional)

Wash the potatoes and cut them into chunks. Mix the butter, salt, pepper, and seasoning, and melt together in the microwave. Toss the potatoes with the butter mixture until thoroughly coated. Bake uncovered @ 350 F for 25 minutes, then remove, turn the potatoes, and return to bake for another 20-40 minutes as necessary. (Larger potato chunks will take longer to bake).

I've done this recipe with 1 T. paprika and again with 1 T. dry rosemary, both were delicious. Be creative!

The Great Utah CSA Experiment - Week 5!

Week 5 was a little worrisome! I was preparing to attend a week-long conference and knew that anything that wasn't eaten or stored would most likely not be touched while I was gone (I knew my husband well enough to stock the freezer with quick and easy 'bachelor' foods). In addition, I needed to make arrangements for the food I would not be available to pick up.

As you might imagine, having a share of fresh produce every week all summer long might conflict with things like conferences, family vacations, and even day-long outings to places like Lagoon. Sometimes, arranging for a neighbor or a family member to pick up the share for you is not a big issue, but other times it might be nice to defer it and pick up a double share during a different week (so long as this is not done on a regular basis). That's exactly what both these CSAs do, so I contacted them both and asked if I could have my double share moved to mid-August. I'll be honest - I picked August because I hope to get a lot of tomatoes!

So here's my haul for the 4th week of July, East Farms share:

	CSA SHARE		Price(Organic)				Price ('Normal')	Value
	0.43 lb Rainbow Chard						3.54/lb (Red)	$1.52
	1.07 lb Green Beans						5.32/lb	$5.69
	1.18 lb Mixed Lettuce		5.31/lb				3.54/lb	$6.26
	1.06 lb Zucchini						1.49/lb	$1.58
	0.46 lb Beets						1.99/lb	$0.91

I knew what to do with the chard and lettuce, and I had suspicions about the beans and the zucchini, but the only dish I know of with beets is Borscht and I know it's not a family favorite. I parked my car and pulled out the box of goodies when I saw my neighbor sitting on his front porch. I asked him if he liked beets with my winningest smile, and to my surprise his face became very solemn. "Are you kidding me?" he asked. "I LOVE beets!" I put down the box, pulled them out, and asked him how many he would like. (He took the lot).

Then, because he seemed so genuinely excited about the prospect of fresh beets I ventured to see if he'd like some of zucchini, beans, and greens, to which he also responded with delight. This man is more excited about fresh locally grown produce than I am! Of the whole I kept only a portion of the lettuce, with which I made Caesar Salad (pictured at right). I think I had more fun giving the food away than getting it. I told him about the program and he asked me to set him up with the information. I feel like a CSA missionary!

The Borski share came several days later with more beans, zucchini, and squash; so I didn't feel terribly bad about having given away the first zucchini of the season.

	CSA SHARE		Price(Organic)				Price 'Normal')	Value
	1.0 lb Green Beans						5.32/lb	$5.32
	0.91 lb Summer Squash						1.99/lb	$1.81
	0.75 lb Cucumber (1)						0.79/ea	$0.79
	1.19 lb Apricots						1.99/lb	$2.37
	2.0 lb Corn (3 ears)						0.50/ea	$1.50
	1.0 lb Zucchini						1.49/lb	$1.49

I'd tried the green beans just steamed with butter, salt, and pepper a week ago and Craig wasn't impressed. This time I pulled out a recipe for glazed green beans and tomatoes given to me by my sister - they were fast to make, fabulously tasty, and received a thumbs up for 'will eat again'. Bonus: the recipe gave me a chance to use fresh basil and garlic I received in week 3!

The apricots became midday snacks and what I couldn't finish by snacking before the trip I tossed into apple-carrot-bran muffins which made great snacks for the plane. The (very) sweet corn was eaten on the cobb with butter and salt and pepper. The zucchini and squash just weren't going to be eaten before the trip so I took them upstairs to my neighbor, who was just as excited to get another stash of fresh veggies as he was a few days beforehand.

Frozen greens update: I made spicy sausages on wheat hot dog buns the other day with saurkraut and spicy mustard, and couldn't help myself but to put some cooked arugula on top (a la Peppery Pastrami Sandwiches from week 3). It just didn't taste the same without the greens. I've come to the conclusion that. . . I'm an ADDICT! No, really. I don't have greens coming any more with my shares, but I still have a delicious compulsion to put them on everything. What will I do when my stash in the freezer runs out?!

Recipe for Week 5:

-----Glazed Green Beans and Tomatoes-----

1 lb fresh green beans, trimmed
2 T. butter
2 T. sugar
1 t. garlic powder
3/4 t. salt
1/2 t. black pepper
1 1/2 t. dried basil
6 oz. cherry tomatoes, halved

Cook green beans to desired firmness; dreain and place in a serving bowl. Return pan to heat, add butter and stir in the next 6 ingredients. After butter is melted and mixture is heated through, add the tomatoes and stir until they are seared off and some of the juice has made the sugar and butter into a glaze. (1-2 minutes on medium-high heat). Pour over beans in the serving bowl and toss until the beans are coated and tomatoes are mixed throughout. (Serves 3-4).

The Great Utah CSA Experiment - Week 4!

Here we go again! Without further ado or introduction, here is the share I received from the first CSA:

	CSA SHARE		Price(Organic)				Price ('Normal')	Value
	1.19 lb Red/Green Lettuce		5.31/lb					$6.50
	0.81 lb Romaine Lettuce		3.53/lb					$2.86
	0.74 lb Rainbow Chard						3.54/lb (Red)	$2.62
	1.55 lb English Peas						2.99/lb	$4.63
	0.26 lb Yellow Summer Squash						1.99/lb	$0.52

This week began with a surprise vegetable in my CSA share that wasn’t green. My very first summer squash – does that mean it’s really summer? There was just one, and weighing in at 4.20 oz I thought I might have preferred the 3 lbs I mentioned in my opening blog. Apparently it makes a great dish sliced and sautéed with caramelized onions – but there wasn’t nearly enough for that! At bottom is a recipe for Vegetable Hash I put together to stretch this small squash into a full meal.

I also found that though I still prefer sugar snap peas, I’m getting really fast at shelling the English peas, so that’s okay. They make great healthy midday snacks, easy additions to salads and soups, and they freeze well for later use too.

I gave the lettuce to my mother and two friends of mine (still feeling a little queasy, I was trying to limit my wanton salad making ways), but I kept the Rainbow Chard (pictured at right) – this was a treat I’d read about and I was very excited to try it out. The stalks of the chard varied from bright yellow to white to red (see picture, at left). I chopped it up with the remaining spinach from last week, added some Zesty Italian flavored cashews and mild cheese, and served it as a big salad for a family occasion – everybody loved it.

The Borski CSA share came several days later, right on time. Again, it contained a great variety of items which complemented the 1^st share nicely.

	CSA SHARE		Price(Organic)				Price ('Normal')	Value
	0.34 lb Garlic						2.99/lb	$1.01
	0.75 lb English Peas						2.99/lb	$2.24
	0.69 lb Broccoli		1.89/lb					$1.30
	0.5 lb Handcrafted Cheese		15.99/lb					$8.00

By this time I was feeling a little overwhelmed by peas, but at least they freeze well! Craig LOVES broccoli so that was easy to prepare – I served one head chopped and steamed with melted cheddar on top, and he ate the entire thing without leaving any for me. The garlic again went into my pantry for use as I cook – it smelled wonderful.

The real surprise in this share was the cheese. It’s not a fruit or a vegetable, and I didn’t know Borski Farms had a partnership with Beehive Cheese Company. But I was super excited to find a product from another locally owned company in the bag, and very curious to try the cheese - 8 oz. of their ‘Full Moon’ variety which is made from raw (unpasteurized) milk. The website claims this cheese has an ‘earthy’ flavor which reflects the season and weather at the time it is made – I thought it had a delicious sharp, strong flavor: but I’m no cheese-tasting professional.

Included was a small brochure on the Beehive Cheese Co. and a small insert from the farm – Predicting that next week's share will include summer squash and including preemptive cooking instructions (steam or sauté 3-4 minutes). Also, apparently the garlic will last twice as long if the tops are left on and they are stored in a dry place (not the freezer or refrigerator), which I did. That was laziness on my part - not knowledge - but hey, sometimes procrastination pays off!

That was it for our CSA offerings for this week, but I still have greens in the freezer. I have found that I compulsively crave greens in everything now, and I toss them in while cooking to satisfy that craving. Craig thinks I’m crazy, but they just make everything better. Below is a recipe for Breakfast Burritos: complete with blanched mizuna greens.

Recipes for Week 4:

-----Vegetable Hash-----

1 pkg. skillet potatoes, with seasoning
1 small onion
3-4 small peppers (or 1 large pepper)
1 clove garlic
1 small summer squash
1 large sausage (3-4 oz)
pepper, to taste

Prepare the package of skillet potatoes as directed (homemade skillet potatoes from scratch may be substituted). While the potatoes are cooking, dice the onion, garlic, and sausage, and sauté in a separate skillet. Slice the summer squash and peppers. When the potatoes are nearly done and seasoned, combine the onion mixture, potatoes, sliced summer squash, and peppers. Add seasoning to taste. Serves 3-4.

-----Breakfast Burritos-----

2 eggs
1/2 pepper, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 c. mizuna greens: chopped, blanched, and drained
grated pepperjack cheese
salsa
4 12-inch flour tortillas
Salt

Mix the eggs in a bowl with 1 t. and water and scramble. Heat a small skillet on medium and add 1 T butter, then cook the scrambled eggs inside, adding salt and pepper to taste. When the eggs are nearly done, add the chopped pepper, onion, and garlic. Cook until all are heated through, then divide between four 12-inch tortillas. Layer on grated pepperjack cheese, salsa, and mizuna greens, then fold the tortillas into burritos. Serve hot! (Serves 2)

The Great Utah CSA Experiment - Week 3!

This week announced the opening of a new grocery store by the Fashion Place Mall called the 'Sunflower Farmer’s Market’. It is misleading in that the name makes it sound as though it’s a true farmer’s market, where farmers come to sell their goods. Unfortunately, most of the produce sold was California grown – not surprising since the growing season is early here, but don’t be fooled into thinking that just because the name says Farmer's Market that you’re supporting local growers. Even the greens (which are in season here) were Californian. I suppose I should be happy I know where they’re from - nearly every sign was clearly labeled with both price and source. Some of the meat appeared to be local, though.

However, they did have some better organic prices than my local grocer, and confirmed other prices. They too had the organic arugula, baby spinach, and spring mixes in the 5 oz prepackaged varieties for $3.99. That was the only source of arugula they sold, confirming the price from the last few weeks; but they also sold organic spinach in bulk for $4.99/lb. Today, the prices given for each item are the best value between both stores.

	CSA SHARE		Price(Organic)				Price ('Normal')	Value
	0.67 lb Red/Green Lettuce		1.32/lb					$0.88
	0.51 lb Spinach		4.99/lb					$2.54
	0.83 lb Chard						3.18/lb	$2.64
	0.63 lb Romaine		1.32/b					$0.83
	0.94 lb English Peas						2.99/lb	$2.81

Either way, it’s still looking to be a good value, especially since I’m not likely to be driving 5 miles out of my way just to shave a dollar off the cost of my lettuce when I can give business to a truly locally owned store just a block away. (The Sunflower Farmer's Market is a small chain serving western states).

The romaine and red/green lettuce went with us to a friend’s house for a dinner salad. We also took the peas (pictured at right, shelled) for snacking – it was all very good. The chard I split with my mother, then blanched the rest and put it into lunch pockets – Craig was fooled into thinking it was spinach, which he likes, instead of chard, which he doesn’t: so that went well =)! The spinach sat in our fridge and was slowly whittled away in small salads and on sandwiches.

This week was rough on me and Craig. We went into it with room in our fridge and confidence in our ability to use anything sent our way, but we both got sick early in the week and weren't interested in adding more fibrous vegetables to our diet. Hence, the salads became smaller and we tried to share everything we could. As a result I was really excited to get our 2^nd CSA share for the week and find that again, it was full of diversity.

CSA SHARE		Price(Organic)	Price ('Normal')	Value
1.43 lb English Peas			2.99/lb	$4.23
0.34 lb Red/Green Lettuce		1.32/lb		$0.45
1.0 lb Bing Cherries			1.99/lb	$1.99
0.25 lb Garlic			2.99/lb	$0.75
2" pot Parsley		3.99/4" pot	2.49/2" pot*	$2.49
2" pot Basil		3.99/4" pot	2.49/2" pot*	$2.49

*2” herb start prices obtained from Millcreek Gardens

The first thing I noticed when I opened the bag was an overwhelming potency of garlic. It was as over the top as the peppery flavor in the radishes from the last two weeks. I call it an overabundance of flavor, but it’s likely more correct to say that the store-bought varieties I’m used to just have a lack of it. The garlic went into my pantry, and though I haven’t used it yet, I’m VERY excited to do so.

The peas were shelled and frozen, and I must say I’m longing for young sugar snaps I can eat whole without the bother of shelling them. The lettuce was given to a friend; the cherries again made delicious midday snacks. I was most excited about the herb starts (pictured at left).

I’ve always loved gardening; it is unfortunate that our little apartment complex doesn’t have a room for it. Though I have a green outdoor thumb, it turns black the moment I come indoors. No indoor plants survive long in my house – it might be the black curtains hung to keep the light out =P. So I gave the two to my mother, and I know where she planted them. Every week when I go to visit I’ll be sure to clip a little of each for myself. =)

Recipe for Week 3:

-----Peppery Pastrami Sandwiches-----

2 large wheat ciabatta rolls, toasted
6 oz peppered pastrami, sliced
2/3 c. sauerkraut*
1/2 c. tat soy, chopped and blanched
2 oz pepper jack cheese
Spicy mustard

Spread the spicy mustard on the ciabatta rolls. Heat the pastrami, sauerkraut, and tat soy in the microwave until steaming. Layer the sauerkraut, pastrami, cheese, and tat soy between the ciabatta. Serve hot! (Serves 2)

*I made this initially without the sauerkraut and the sandwiches were good, but tasted as though they were really missing something. Don’t leave anything out!