This Weeks Shares

Full Shares
Scallions*Garlic Scapes*Edible Snap Peas*Grape Tomatoes*Farm pick lettuce*Red Boston Lettuce*Radishes*Dino Kale*Pickling Cukes*Napa Cabbage*Sage*Oregano*Thyme

Half Shares
Scallions*Edible Snap Peas*Farm pick lettuce*Parsley*Red Kale*Pickling Cukes*Baby Bok Choi*Sage*Oregano*Thyme

Garlic Scapes
Scapes are the wild and curly shoots that spring from the tops of garlic plants. They're brilliantly green, can be thick or thin, curved or corkscrewed, and, depending on how they're cut, just long or very long. They've got a mild garlic fragrance and a mellow garlic flavor. Smell the cut end or snap one and the scent will be a cross between garlic and summer grass. It's got a freshness that garlic loses as it develops.
The scapes, which look as beautiful in the garden as they do at the market, are meant to be cut -- cutting them strengthens the garlic bulbs that are growing underground -- so it's a win-win for the garlic and us, the cooks. Although scapes needn't be cooked. In fact, if you do cook them, you should cook them lightly, maybe in a quick stir-fry.
You will get the most from garlic scapes by using them raw. They're terrific chopped or very thinly sliced added to a tuna or chicken salad, stirred into hot rice or scattered over a salad, the way you might scatter sliced scallions or an herb.

GARLIC SCAPE AND ALMOND PESTO
Makes about 1 cup
10 garlic scapes, finely chopped
1/3 to 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan (to taste and texture)
1/3 cup slivered almonds (you could toast them lightly, if you'd like)
About 1/2 cup olive oil
Sea salt
Put the scapes, 1/3 cup of the cheese, almonds and half the olive oil in the bowl of a food processor (or use a blender or a mortar and pestle). Whir to chop and blend all the ingredients and then add the remainder of the oil and, if you want, more cheese. If you like the texture, stop; if you'd like it a little thinner, add some more oil. Season with salt.
If you're not going to use the pesto immediately, press a piece of plastic against the surface to keep it from oxidizing. The pesto can be stored in the refrigerator for a couple of days or packed airtight and frozen for a couple of months, by which time tomatoes should be at their juciest.

White Bean and Garlic Scapes Dip
1/3 cup sliced garlic scapes (3 to 4)
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, more to taste
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt, more to taste
Ground black pepper to taste
1 can (15 ounces) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, more for drizzling.
1. In a food processor, process garlic scapes with lemon juice, salt and pepper until finely chopped. Add cannellini beans and process to a rough purée.
2. With motor running, slowly drizzle olive oil through feed tube and process until fairly smooth. Pulse in 2 or 3 tablespoons water, or more, until mixture is the consistency of a dip. Add more salt, pepper and/or lemon juice, if desired.
3. Spread out dip on a plate, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with more salt.
Yield: 1 1/2 cups.

Mashed Potatoes with Garlic Scapes
2 1/2 lbs. russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" pieces. 2 Tablespoons butter (can omit this if on a restricted fat diet/lifestyle)1-2 Tbsp, olive oil 1/4 cup finely chopped scapes1/4 cup hot milk (or more)
Cook potatoes until very tender. Drain and return to pot. Over medium high heat, melt butter with olive oil in a small skillet. Add scapes and saute about 5 minutes. Add to potatoes and mash. Gradually add milk while stirring. Season with salt and pepper.
Chicken With Garlic Scapes & Capers
2 whole skinless boneless chicken breasts, halved 2 Tbsp. Unsalted butter2 Tbsp. vegetable oil 4 Tbsp. dry white wine 2 Tbsp. lemon juice 4 chopped garlic scapes 1 Tbsp. drained capers
Between sheets of plastic wrap slightly flatten chicken. In a large heavy skillet heat 1Tbsp. of butter and the oil over medium high heat. Saute until cooked through. Season with salt & pepper. Transfer chicken to a platter and keep warm. Pour off fat from skillet and add the remaining butter, the wine, lemon juice, scapes and bring mixture to a boil. Stir in capers and salt & pepper to taste. Spoon sauce over chicken. Serves 4.

Crispy Kale Chips! (Shop Favorite)

Ingredients:

1 bunch kale
1-2 tablespoons good extra-virgin olive oil
salt to taste, preferably grey salt to keep all the nutritional values high
1 tsp paprika
zest of 1/2 a small lemon
1/2 tbs lemon juice
1 garlic clove pressed or thinly minced

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Use a stoneware ovenproof pan or line a sheet pan/cookie sheet with parchment paper.

2. Cut the leaves into bite sizes (not too small, it will shrink) and remove the stems and reserve (they're fibrous but delicious steamed, similar to asparagus). Rinse leaves in running cold water and dry thoroughly.

3. Place Kale in a zip lock bag or bowl and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil. Add lemon juice, lemon zest and garlic. Season with salt and paprika. Let sit in the refrigerator for 10 min.

4. Spread the kale out onto the oven proof dish with no overlapping.

5. Bake until the edges brown but are not burnt, 10 to 15 minutes.

[Photo courtesy of allrecipes.com]

Thyme

Thyme is a wonderful herb that will crackle in the frying pan with a little oil and work wonders on just about anything. If you sometimes crave a little savory touch to your breakfast, here's a delicious recipe for adults and kids alike!!

You do not need a special pan but a convection oven does help.

Thyme Popovers by Ina Garten (2004 all rights reserved)

Level: Easy Cook time: 30min Yield: 12 Popovers

Ingredients:

- 1 1/2 tbs unsalted butter, melted + some softened butter for greasing pans

- 3/4 tsp kosher salt or grey salt

- 1 1/2 tsp chopped fresh Thyme leaves

- 3 extra-large eggs, at room temp!

- 1 1/2 cups whole milk, at room temp

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Generously grease popover pan (or custard cups, muffin pan) with softened butter. Enough for 12 popovers. Place the pans in the oven for 2 min to preheat.

Meanwhile, whisk together the flour, salt, thyme, eggs, milk, and melted butter until smooth. The batter will be thin. Fill the popover pans LESS than half full and bake for exactly 30min. Do not peek. Serve hot!

You can enjoy them as is or with some thinned honey (h20+lemon juice).

Dandelions! (And the Farmer's Market)

It's CSA Thursday . . . AND it's the kickoff of the Salem Farmer's Market! What a great day for produce lovers!

So be sure to swing by CGB to pick up your organic veggies, and then stop by the farmers market (for the opening day schedule, visit here) to supplement your share!

And in case you forgot (or missed it in an earlier post), here's what to expect this week:

Full Shares: Kale, Green Peppers, Strawberries, Sweet Potatoes, Red Cabbage, Zucchini, Yellow Squash, Scallions, Dandelions, Green Leaf Lettuce, Red Boston, Edible Pod Peas, Thyme

Half Shares: Strawberries, Sweet Potatoes, Green Cabbage, Zucchini, Scallions, Cucumbers, Dandelions, Red Boston, Edible Pod Peas, Thyme

And if you're not sure what to do with dandelions, here are a few recipes from the farm:

Dandelion Egg Salad

4 hard-boiled eggs
2/3 cup dandelion greens, chopped and cooked
1 tsp horseradish
1 Tbsp fresh chives
½ cup mayonnaise

1. Chop eggs coarsely.
2. Add Dandelion greens, chives, and horseradish. Mix gently.
3. Add mayonnaise and mix just enough to coat ingredients.

Dandelion Pasta Salad

3 cups cooked pasta
1½ cups diced tomatoes, drained
1 cup dandelion greens, pre-cooked
2 wild leeks, minced, greens and all or 2 Tbsp minced onions
8 olives, sliced
2 Tbsp vinegar
1 Tbsp olive oil
½ tsp salt

Check out more dandelion recipes at www.heavensharvestfarm.com

For all Raw lovers and not!

This is a wonderful little kitchen gadget that can help you make extraordinary marinades, pestos, salsas, and many more condiments in seconds. It's fun to use, easy to clean and as you've guessed by now I love it. It's Jamie Oliver's Flavour Shaker!!

Garlic and herbs are fabulous in here, add a little EVOO and you have the perfect dressing for any crudites, fish, salad and more.

Zucchini Bread

Please Note: Several folks used 1/2 cup oil and 1/2 cup applesauce instead and added a brown sugar/buttery strudel on top.

Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 1 Hour 10 Minutes
Ready In: 1 Hour 25 Minutes
Yields: 24 servings

Ingredients:

- 3 eggs
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 2 cups white sugar
- 2 cups grated zucchini
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F ( 165 degrees C). Grease and flour two 8x4 inch loaf pans.
2. In a large bowl, beat eggs until light and frothy. Mix in oil and sugar. Stir in zucchini and vanilla. Combine flour, cinnamon, soda, baking powder, salt and nuts; stir into the egg mixture. Divide batter into prepared pans.
3. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until done.

Taken from Allrecipes.com

Raw Marinated Summer Squash

In an attempt to go "Raw", this was part of our dinner and it was very delicious, and very easy!
I would imagine you can do this with any veggie.

I used 2 summer squash
sliced them in rounds, thinly
about a tablespoonish of fresh oregano
even amounts of balsalmic vinegar and olive oil
salt and pepper

I marinated all day.
I am going to try a milder vinegar next time, Tommie wasn't into this and Tom was OK with it.
I loved it! Nice and crisp!

Whats Coming This Week!

We had a successful first week, only 4 shares left at the end of the night. (ARGH!)
Remember, call us if you can't make your pick up, we will arrange a new home for it. : )
I am planning on trying my salad turnips tomorrow. YUM!

Full Shares: Kale*Green Peppers*Strawberries*Sweet Potatoes*Red Cabbage*Zucchini*
Yellow Squash*Scallions*Dandelions*Green Leaf Lettuce*Red Boston*Edible Pod Peas*Thyme*

Half Shares:Strawberries*Sweet Potatoes*Green Cabbage* Zucchini*Scallions*Cucumbers*Dandelions*Red Boston*Edible Pod Peas*Thyme*

Don't forget to check out the Farms site too for great recipes!

Hakurei Turnips & Strawberrys!

Not sure if everyone saw the recipe comments that Paula and Licia posted, so we're going to post them again!

(Hope you're all enjoying wonderful Father's Day meals with your amazing produce! Thanks for a great first week!)

From Paula: The Hakurei, or Tokyo, turnip is a Japanese variety that’s crisp, juicy, and delicious raw, as anyone who’s recently cadged a sample at the Keith’s Farm stand can attest. They work wonderfully in salads or slaws, but cooking enhances their natural sweetness. 5 Ninth chef Daniel “Chino” Parilla likes their even-textured density, and plays up the Japanese motif by braising them in mirin and white soy sauce and serving them with hamachi, but he believes they’re versatile enough to go with just about anything. The greens-topped tubers are abundant now at several Greenmarket stands, including Keith’s, Yuno’s Farm, Hawthorne Valley Farm, and Windfall Farms.

Daniel “Chino” Parilla’s Braised Hakurei Turnips
6 Hakurei turnips, tops removed
2 cups cold water
3/4 cup mirin
1/4 cup white soy sauce

Trim turnips and peel with a vegetable peeler. (1) Cut the turnips into sixths and (2) place them in a saucepan with the remaining ingredients. (3) Cover and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat; cook very slowly for about 15 minutes, or until just tender. Let cool to room temperature in the braising liquid, then drain and serve with steamed or roasted fish.

(By Robin Raisfeld & Rob Patronite Published Nov 25, 2007 )

And Licia said: These strawberries are soo good I did not want to adulterate them in any way. I just hulled and quartered them. Put them in a non-reactive bowl and added a teeny bit of lemon juice, a twist of black pepper and a tsp of sugar mulled with that wonderful mint to release all its flavorful oils. Cover and let sit in fridge for 30min. mmmm really worth the wait. Buon appetito!

Yummy Produce - TODAY!

Today's the day!

CGB's CSA is arriving this afternoon and pickup is between 3 and 6:30. Follow CGB on Twitter for real-time updates about when the produce is ready to go!

And if you have any questions or concerns, don't hesitate to call Jennie or Amy at 978.741.0800.

See everyone this afternoon!

Summer Squash Casserole

Thanks to Cindy J. for this recipe! (And thanks to Heavens Harvest Farm for this great photo of their squash!)

Ingredients:

- Sliced summer squash
- Sliced white onion
- Cheddar cheese - shredded
- Cream of mushroom (or chicken) soup
- Crumbled Ritz crackers

Directions:

1. Boil squash and onion until soft. Layer it with soup, cheese and crackers - a couple times. I'm not sure about amounts but you will figure it out as you do it - whatever looks right.

2. Bake on 350 until crackers brown and cheese bubbles.

What's Coming this Week?!

Just got word that Heavens Harvest posted share produce on their site today.
Here is whats coming:

Full Shares:
Scallions*Hakurei Turnips*Summer Squash*Zucchini*Sweet Potatoes*Red Chard*Cucumbers*Romaine Lettuce*Red Boston Lettuce*Collards*Cabbage*Spearmint*Lemon Balm*Chives*Strawberries*

Half Shares:
Cucumbers*Hakurei Turnips*Summer Squash*Sweet Potatoes*Red Chard*Romaine Lettuce*Baby Bok Choi*Collards*Scallions*Lemon Balm*Chives*Strawberries*

Visit heavensharvestfarm.com to read this weeks newsletter and to get more information from the farm.

Any recipes?? Please post in the comment section! (we will "organize"them as they come in)

Can't wait!!

T-Minus 7 Days!

Guess what . . . CGB's CSA starts ONE WEEK FROM TODAY! Woohoo!

If you have any questions over the next week, don't hesitate to call Jennie or Amy at 978.741.0800 or shoot an email to crunchygranolababy@verizon.net.

And while we have your attention:

We need volunteers to help keep the CSA running smoothly! ('Cuz unloading all those boxes of produce pictured above ain't easy!)

Volunteer responsibilities are easy: Just show up at CGB around 1ish on Thursdays and watch the shop as we unload the produce. Just keep an eye on stuff! We're usually done around 2ish. And when we are done? Grab your produce and head home! Super easy, but super helpful to the CGB folks.

We need one volunteer every Thursday between now and September 24. We'll have a registration sheet available next Thursday, so check your calendars and sign up!

Questions? No worries, just let us know!

Curried Zucchini Soup Recipe

Chilly days like this are perfect for soup! This recipe comes courtesy of Sarah Murphy...thanks Sarah!

Ingredients:

2 cups diced onions
1 T canola oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 t grated fresh ginger root
2 t curry powder
2 1/2 cups water or vegetable broth
2 cups cubed potatoes
5 cups sliced zucchini (about 3 medium or 4 small zucchinis)
1 to 1 1/2 t salt
2 T chopped cilantro (optional)
1 cup milk
3/4 cup plain yogurt
1 T cider vinegar


Directions:

1.In a covered soup pot on medium hear, saute the onions in the oil until translucent , about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger root, and curry powder and saute for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the water or stock, potatoes, zucchini and salt. Cover the pot and bring to a boil; then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

2.Add the cilantro (if using) and continue to simmer until the vegetables are very tender, another 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in the milk and yogurt and remover from the heat; stir in the vinegar. Either using a mixing wand or in batches in a blender, puree the soup until smooth.

3.Reheat gently. Serve with a dollop of yogurt, cilantro, chives or scallions if desired.

It's Time for Produce!

The CGB / Heaven's Harvest Farm CSA kicks off on Thursday, June 18!

Details are noted below:

*Pick-up is on Thursdays from 3:00 - 6:30 pm. If you cannot make it during this time or are traveling, please find friends or neighbors who would be willing to pick up produce. If you cannot find anyone to pick up your share, please notify CGB in advance so we may donate it to a Salem charity.

*There are two pick-up checklists: full and half shares. When picking up your share, please check off your name. Additionally, there is a registration form that needs to be completed during the first CSA pickup.

*Please Note! When picking up your share, please take produce from the box with your name! Additionally, you will need your own tote bag to carry home your share since the farm re-uses the boxes each week.

*CGB tries to be as accommodating as possible, but please remember that we are still just retail shop that is not capable of storing produce.

*If you have any questions or concerns, don't hesitate to contact Jennie or Amy at 978.741.0800 or crunchygranolababy@verizon.net

And we're introducing two new concepts this time:

1. Want to know exactly when your produce has arrived at CGB?!

Follow Crunchy Granola Baby on Twitter to receive our real-time tweets!

2. Egg Share, Anyone?

A local company is now offering a certified organic egg share! The eggs would be delivered for 15 weeks, right alongside your regular produce share.

And did we mention the price is great? A 1/2 dozen organic eggs cost just $45 and a dozen cost $90.

If you are interested in participating in our new egg share, please contact Amy or Jennie by Sunday, June 7!

Kickin' off the Blog!

Welcome to the Crunchy Granola Baby CSA Blog! We've created this blog to help shareholders exchange recipes and ideas about all that wonderful organic produce we receive each week. This is a adventure for all of us, so please feel free to share any concerns, comments, or questions.