Wednesday, February 12, 2014

February photos

Merlin & I are still alive and well here on (occasionally) Sunny Slope Farm! We saw the sun for a few minutes today after the morning flurry passed and a mostly cloudy day. Here's what has been happening lately:

Rita has been busy finishing needlework projects--fingerless gloves and a wall hanging:


Merlin rewired a portion of the kitchen to provide better lighting:


And, TA DA!!!! The first seedlings are up! Eggplants have germinated after 2 weeks in a warm, dark location and will begin the slow process of growth toward transplantation in May.


2014 CSA shares available for purchase now: Large $500, Small $300

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

List of Spring recipe blogs

Here is a list of links to earlier posts (many with pictures), for some of our Spring CSA items:

Rhubarb
Rhubarb sauce (to put on ice cream!)
-- http://sunnyslopefarm.blogspot.com/2009/06/strawberry-fields-forever.html

Rhubarb salad dressing -- http://sunnyslopefarm.blogspot.com/2012_05_01_archive.html
and of course everyone's favorite, strawberry rhubarb pie.

Asparagus
Hmmm... I think we always use all our asparagus lightly cooked or steamed -- one of Spring's fine pleasures!
Any other creative suggestions out there?

Spinach
Zuppa Tuscana -- http://sunnyslopefarm.blogspot.com/2011/06/two-kale-ideas.html
Mashed potato spinach casserole - http://sunnyslopefarm.blogspot.com/2011/06/two-kale-ideas.html

Green onions
Does anyone have a favorite for these, besides munching them raw, or using them in general cooking?

Radishes
Marinated Radish Salad -- http://sunnyslopefarm.blogspot.com/2010/05/radical-radishes-marinated-radish-salad.html

Lettuce
Who has a favorite way of doing "wilted lettuce"?

Strawberries (!!)
Strawberry Vinaigrette dressing -- http://sunnyslopefarm.blogspot.com/2010/06/strawberry-vinaigrette-dressing.html
Strawberry Bread, Pie, Dacquiris, Strawberry Mabrooshee
-- http://sunnyslopefarm.blogspot.com/2009/06/strawberry-fields-forever.html
TNTC ("too numerous to count" the ways!)
-- http://sunnyslopefarm.blogspot.com/2011/06/strawberry-fields-forever-reprise.html

Mint
Orange Mint Tea -- http://sunnyslopefarm.blogspot.com/2010/06/orange-mint-tea.html

Herbs
Herbal Salad Dressing -- http://sunnyslopefarm.blogspot.com/2010/05/herbal-salad-dressing.html
Chive-tipped Focaccia -- http://sunnyslopefarm.blogspot.com/2010/05/rhubarb-sauce-chive-topped-focaccia.html

Eggs
Deviled Eggs -- http://sunnyslopefarm.blogspot.com/2009/05/early-summer-recipes.html
Clafuti (Egg custard) -- http://sunnyslopefarm.blogspot.com/2009/05/early-summer-recipes.html

We're always happy to receive ideas for your favorite ways to use vegetables, of course! Just drop us an email at sunnyslope@diodecom.net.

Merlin

Saturday, September 1, 2012

Still More Zucchini Recipes!

Yet another zucchini recipe, from The Splendid Table (NPR broadcast) -- August 18, 2012

Sweet and Hot Curried Zucchini Pickles
· 3 pounds zucchini, ends trimmed, cut into very thin rounds, 1/8-inch thick
· 2 red onions about the size of baseballs, peeled and cut into thin slices
· 3 to 4 colorful chile peppers of your choice, cut into thin rounds
· 1/4 cup kosher or other coarse salt
· 1 cup seedless golden raisins (optional)
· 2 3/4 cups distilled white vinegar
· 3/4 cup sherry
· 1 1/2 cups orange juice
· 2 cups sugar
· 2 tablespoons prepared curry powder
· 1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
· 1 teaspoon whole allspice berries
· 1 teaspoon whole cloves
· 3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
· 1 piece of ginger, size of your thumb, peeled and sliced into very thin coins

· 1. In a large nonreactive bowl, combine the zucchini, onions, chilies, and salt, and let them stand for 1 hour. Drain and rinse twice to remove the salt, then add the grapes and set aside.
· 2. In a medium nonreactive saucepan, bring all the remaining ingredients except the ginger to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 3 minutes, stirring once or twice to dissolve the sugar. Pour the hot liquid over the squash mixture; the squash should be amply covered or slightly afloat. Add the ginger to the squash mixture, allow to cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate.
· 3. These pickles develop great flavor within a couple hour of refrigeration and will keep well, covered and refrigerated, for 3 to 4 weeks.

AND....... Summer Stir Fry
http://mostlyfoodstuffs.blogspot.com/2011/07/summer-stir-fry.html
by deena from portland, Oregon
Monday, July 25, 2011



A few years back I was discussing the television show The Wire with a friend, talking about its gritty depiction of drugs, police and poverty in Baltimore. My friend observed that it was this amazing, compelling window into a world that she just never, ever, ever wanted to visit. To a limited extent, I feel that way when I read certain blogs.

Like many blog readers, I have a mild obsession with The Pioneer Woman. I linger dreamily over her descriptions of life on a ranch, of storybook romance, of the grown-up fantasy of Little House on the Prairie meets a Viking range and high speed internet (and without the smallpox and scarlet fever). But the recipes? I generally am not going to go there.

Summer Stir Fry

inspired by The Pioneer Woman
serves ~3-4

1-2 Tbsp butter or olive oil
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
3/4 lb shrimp
2 zucchinis, thinly sliced
3 ears of corn, kernels sliced off (if you have a bundt pan, jamming the ear into the center ring and slicing so that kernels fall into the pan works brilliantly)
juice of 1/2 lime
1 handful basil, thinly sliced
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 avocado, cubed

Heat a large skillet over a medium-high flame. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter or oil, and then the garlic and saute until just beginning to turn golden. Add the shrimp, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are just barely cooked through. Pour the shrimp and garlic out into a large bowl, and set aside.

Add the zucchini to the pan, with additional butter or oil if needed. Sautee until softened and beginning to color. Remove from the pan (you can just add it to the same bowl as the shrimp and garlic).

Add the corn to the skillet, and cook just a minute or two until it turns a darker color but is still crisp. Turn off the flame, and add the corn to the shrimp and zucchini. Season the mixture with the lime juice, basil, and salt and pepper. Mix well, and adjust seasonings as needed. Add the cubed avocado, and stir gently to mix. This is great warm from the skillet, or cold from the fridge.


Thursday, May 3, 2012

AN EARLY SPRING

What can I say? We thought we were getting an early start on seeding vegetable flats and suddenly, spring arrived early! After 3 years, we thought that our CSA shares would begin in mid-May and suddenly, spring arrived early! To prepare for our daughter's wedding I asked advice of seasoned flower growers, who told me I probably couldn't have things blooming by mid-June, but I planted seeds in mid-January and suddenly, spring arrived early!

Life has been hectic the past 2 months trying to do 3-4 months of work, but we've had some real successes to celebrate! I had flowers (marigolds and pot-marigolds and zinnias) by the end of March, so my flower beds and planters are now prepared and hopefully the plantings will be fully developed by the time of the wedding. Thanks to a neighbor's gift, I had a nearly limitless supply of 4" pots to re-pot my seedlings as they grew and I waited through several temperature swings (into the 80s and 90s) for frost to become less likely. Three varieties of tomatoes and two varieties of eggplant are now transplanted into the main garden. I've never had such large, healthy plants the first week of May. Twelve rows of potatoes went in around Easter; 6 types of onions are in the ground along with most of our broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage starts. The fall spinach planting once again forced our hand on share delivery with the first boxes being packed during Easter week and the second boxes packed April 24 & 28 (featuring wonderful lettuce and asparagus). I had just begun to try some new recipes for rhubarb and we're rapidly entering Strawberry Season!

Here is a new favorite for rhubarb which you can enjoy with spring greens, once again from Simply in Season:

Rhubarb Dressing

2 C rhubarb, chopped
½ c sugar
¼ c vinegar
3/4 c oil
2-3 T onion, grated
1½ t Worcestershire sauce
¼ t salt

Cook rhubarb, sugar, and vinegar over medium heat until soft.
Drain in sieve. Discard pulp. To 6 tablespoons of this juice, add remaining ingredients. Shake in jar or whisk together. Chill at least 1 hour before serving.
NOTE: My batch made 13-14 tablespoons of juice and I used it all in one batch of dressing.

Monday, June 27, 2011

Too Many Onions???

Do you have a large quantity of onions that you need or want to use quickly? Here's a recipe Rachel found and made with her best friend several years ago. We enjoyed it again the other night after harvesting a complete row of Texas Super Sweet onions and separating out a large quantity of "seconds" for home use.

Onion Pasta Serves 4-6

5 onions, thinly sliced
1/2 c olive oil
4 T butter
1 c water
1 t dried basil
1 T chicken bouillon
1 pinch black pepper
1 lb. uncooked pasta
Parmesan cheese

Sauté onions in oil and butter until golden brown. Add basil, pepper, water, and bouillon. Cook on low 10 minutes. Boil pasta in separate pan. Add onion mixture to cooked pasta, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, toss, & serve.
NOTE: Good with chicken pieces added.

Sunday, June 26, 2011

Two Kale ideas

Kale is useful for more than a garnish that will look crisp in hot weather! Really!

Many people tell us they've tried to use kale, but haven't cared for it. These are two recipes that we've enjoyed...the first one given to us by former CSA customers who moved to another state and the second by a former intern. Oh, look, both recipes call for potatoes and one uses some of the mid-summer onion supply!

Restaurant-style Zuppa Tuscana 6 servings

1 lb. smoked sausage, cooked and cut into 1/2" slices
2 potatoes, cut into 1/4" slices
3/4 c chopped onion
6 slices bacon
1 1/2 t minced garlic
2 c kale, washed, dried, and shredded
2 T chicken soup base
1 quart water
1/3 c heavy whipping cream

Fry onions and bacon together. Remove bacon pieces and crumble. Add garlic to onions and continue to fry for 1 minute. Add soup base, water, and potatoes and simmer 15 minutes. Add bacon, sausage, kale, and cream and simmer 4 minutes longer. Serve hot.

Mashed Potato Spinach Casserole

5 lbs potatoes
2 or 3 10 oz-pkgs chopped spinach--or substitute washed & shredded kale.
1 t salt
Dash of pepper
1/4 c butter
Dill weed
1 c sour cream
1/2 c grated cheddar cheese

Peel, wash, and cut potatoes in smaller chunks. Put in large cooking pan with lid. Add water up to half the potatoes. Cook until potatoes are very soft. Drain, reserving "juice." Add butter, sour cream, salt, pepper, and dill weed to potatoes. Beat with mixer until fairly smooth. If too dry add some of the potato "juice" or milk.

In second pan, cook spinach or kale until soft. Drain off liquid until dry. Add cooked, drained spinach or kale to mashed potatoes and mix well. Put mixture into a greased oven dish. Sprinkle grated cheese over top evenly. Bake at 375ºF for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and dish is heated through. This is good served with cooked sausage.

Saturday, June 4, 2011

"Strawberry Fields Forever" -- Reprise

OK, so I know this is cheating, but the best new list of strawberry recipes I've found is at www.about.com. Paste the link below into your browser to see the likes of....
Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie with Almond-Filled Crust
Strawberry Chiffon Cake
Strawberry Mousse
Strawberry Cordial
Strawberry Rhubarb Tart

http://easteuropeanfood.about.com/od/fruits/tp/strawberries.htm?nl=1

Or, go back to our archive entry in this blog from June 2009 titled "Strawberry Fields Forever" for another nice list featuring a number of recipes from our favorite seasonal resource, "Simply in Season" (pub. Herald Press)
Includes:
Strawberry Bread
Strawberry Vinaigrette Salad Dressing
Strawberry Pie
Strawberry Daiquiris

An equally important thing to do, in my opinion, is to squirrel away some berries for the rest of the year. (You may need to get some more from us!). It's simple to do: Just wash and trim, then spread out on a tray and freeze, then pack into freezer bags for storage. Let us know if you need more! All our varieties have a very short shelf life, even on a shelf in your frig! So use promptly.

"Strawberry Fields Forever!"