Bamboo Spoon Awards: Scones

Thank you to all of you for tasting and voting all the delicious Scones made by our CSA members. The "Corn, Scallion & Cheddar" Scone was your favourite by a few votes but they were all so delicious that we want to share all 3 recipes with you. Here they are:

Remember next month is Muffins! Make your own batch using one of our CSA ingredients and deliver them to CGB by 3pm on Aug 20th.

CORN, SCALLION AND CHEDDAR SCONES

(recipe courtesy & made by Licia Bester) makes 8

Ingredients

1/3 cup scallions chopped thinly

1/3 cup corn cooked or frozen

1 teaspoon cayenne

1/4 cup coarse cornmeal

1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, more for rolling out scones + 1 tbs for corn mix

1 tablespoon baking powder

2 teaspoons salt divided

12 tablespoons cold unsalted butter (2 1/2 sticks), + 1/2 tbs for cooking scallions

2 extra-large eggs, + 1 more as an eggwash for brushing the tops

1/2 cup cold heavy cream

1 1/2 cups grated extra-sharp aged cheddar

1/2 cup grated parmiggiano cheese, more to sprinkle the tops

Method

Preheat oven to 400°F.

In a small saucepan sautée the scallions with a little butter just until the butter is absorbed. Add the cayenne, corn and 1 tsp of the salt. Stir together and set aside. Let cool completely.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the K paddle stir together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder and salt. Add the cold butter and mix on low speed until mixture resembles coarse meal. Gently whisk the eggs into the heavy cream and quickly pour it into the flour mixture until just combined, no more.

Add a tablespoon of flour to the cooled scallion corn mix and combine with the grated cheeses. Then fold it into the scone mixture without over-mixing.

Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and shape it into a rectangle 3/4 inch thick with your floured hands (like a meatloaf). Dip knife in flour before each cut and cut dough into squares and then diagonally to make triangles. Place each triangle on a sheet pan covered with a silicon mat or parchment paper. Brush tops with egg wash and sprinkle with a little parmiggiano. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until cooked through. Buon appetito!

Blueberry Streusel Scones

(made by Megan Breaker, recipe courtesy of Stephanie Jaworski, Joyofbaking.com) makes 8

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup granulated white sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons chilled, unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 cup fresh blueberries

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup milk or cream and a little more to brush the tops of scones

Streusel Topping

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Method

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and place rack in middle of oven. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

For the Scones: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut the butter into small pieces and blend into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or two knives. The mixture should look like coarse crumbs. Gently fold in the blueberries. In a small measuring cup combine the cream, beaten egg and vanilla. Add this mixture to the flour mixture and stir just until the dough comes together. Do not over mix the dough or the scones will be tough.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead dough gently four or five times and then pat the dough into a circle that is about 7 inches (18 cm) round and about 11/2 inches (4 cm) thick. Cut this circle in half, then cut each half into four pie-shaped wedges (triangles). Place the scones on the baking sheet. Brush the tops of the scones with a little cream or milk.

For the Streusel Topping: In a small bowl whisk together the sugar, flour, and cinnamon. With a pastry blender or two knives, cut in the butter until crumbly. Top each scone with a teaspoon or two of the streusel mixture. Cover and refrigerate any leftover streusel mixture.

Bake the scones until nicely browned, about 18 - 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a scone comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly. These are best eaten the day they are made but can be covered and stored for a few days.

CHEDDAR AND CHIVE SCONES

(made by Megan Breaker, recipe courtesy of Whole Foods) makes 12

Ingredients

1/2 cup milk (plus 2 tablespoons for brushing over scones)

2 large eggs

2 tablespoons finely chopped chives

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, more for rolling out biscuits

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) cold unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups grated sharp or aged cheddar, divided

Method

Preheat oven to 425°F.

In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup milk and eggs until blended. Stir in chives and set aside. Blend flour, baking powder, salt, and black pepper in a food processor or large bowl. Add cold butter and pulse, or quickly blend with your fingertips, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Do not over-mix. Add 1 cup of the grated cheese and pulse just to combine. Add milk mixture and process just until moist clumps begin to form.

Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a ball. Cut dough ball in half, then flatten each half into an 8-inch round circle, about 1/2-inch thick. Cut each circle into 6 wedges, as you would cut a pie. Brush tops with milk and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup of cheese. Place on a nonstick baking sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Nutrition

Per serving (1 scone/321g-wt.): 210 calories (110 from fat), 12g total fat, 7g saturated fat, 9g protein, 19g total carbohydrate (1g dietary fiber, 1g sugar), 65mg cholesterol, 440mg sodium

Received an email from a shareholder w/ this recipe! YUM!

Watermelon and Cucumber Gazpacho
Makes 4 large servings

1 3 pound seedless watermelon (diced about 5 cups) divided
1 small cucumber, peeled seeded and diced (about 1 cup)
1 medium sized red bell pepper, diced (about 1 cup)
1 medium sized yellow bell pepper, diced (aobut 1 cup)
1 small jalepeno, seeded, diced
3 pale green inner celery stalks, diced (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 small red onion (about 1 cup)
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh mint
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)

Puree 4 cups watermelon in blender until smooth. Transfer puree to large bowl. Add remaining cup of diced watermelon and next 10 ingredients; stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate until cold; at least one hour and up to 4 hours.

A few other options:

I added mango to mine...yummy
Or a freshly picked granny smith or honey crisp diced apple would be good too!

Enjoy!!!

Fall CSA Share Opportunity!

We're At It Again . . . MORE Produce!

Our friends at Heaven's Harvest Farm have started a Fall CSA Share!

If you're not familiar with this great idea, a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) is a way for people to build a relationship with a farm. By making a financial commitment to a farm, the people become “shareholders” of the CSA and receive weekly baskets of produce. It’s a perfect (and affordable) way to eat healthy and support a local farm.

Shareholders will receive produce for 8 weeks,, and pickup will be Thursday afternoons 3-6:30pm. Prices are as follows: Full Share $320 and Half Share $200.

Please Note: Shareholders must register for the Fall CSA by Friday, July 31. Payment is due by Friday, August 14. To register (or if you have questions), please call 978.741.0800 or crunchygranolababy@verizon.net.

Expected produce includes: Arugula, Beans, Beets (Red, Golden), Bok Choi, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage (Green, Red, Savoy, Napa), Carrots, Caulifower, Collards, Corn (Butter/Sugar, Gold, White, Indian), Cucumbers (Pickling, Slicers), Eggplant, Endive, Escarole, Kale (Dino, Green, Red), Lettuce (6-8 varieties), Onions (Red, Storage, Fresh white varieties), Peas, Peppers (many varieties- Purple, Red, Yellow, Orange, Chocolate, Hot), Potatoes, Pumpkins, Radiccio, Radishes, Spinach, Summer Squash, Tatsoi, Winter Squash (Acorn, Buttercup, Butternut, Carnivale, Hubbard, Sweet dumpling) and fruit like Apples, Late berries, Pears, and Plums.

What About Meat?

Interested in a local, grass-fed, organic, meat share?

Lucky for you, Houde Family Farm in Vermont is offering a deliver-based meat CSA. The farmer drops the meat right at your doorstep each month and, according to our meat-eating friends, is reasonably priced in comparison to other meat CSA's.

To learn more, please visit HoudeFamilyFarm.com.

What to Expect!

Full Shares

Boston lettuce red/green

Farm Pick Lettuce

Carrots

Beans – green

Beans – yellow

Corn

Scallions

Red Kale

Cucumbers

Cabbage

Basil

Arugula

Blueberries

Farm Pick – Broccoli, Summer Squash, Zucchini – when available

Half Shares

Boston Lettuce red/green

Carrots

Beans – green

Beans – yellow

Corn

Scallions

Red Kale

Cucumbers

Swiss Chard

Chives

Farm Pick – Broccoli, Summer Squash, Zucchini – when available

SCONES!

Hey everyone don't forget to make your scone recipes for this Thursday!

Our second Bamboo Spoon Awards will feature scones made with one of our delicious CSA ingredients this week. Remember all entries must be brought to CGB by 3pm Thursday July 30th.

Fruit, herb or vegetable scones are a yummy treat especially in the afternoon with a lovely cup of tea.

See you all Thursday!

ciao

What's Coming this Week?!

Full Shares: Corn, Beet Greens, Dandelions, Cucumbers, Bok Choi, Lettuce red or green, Farm Pick Lettuce, Green Beans, Yellow Beans, Zucchini, Lemon Balm, Mint

Half Shares: Corn, Beet Greens, Dandelions, Cucumbers, Cabbage, Lettuce red or green, Green Beans, Zucchini, Lemon Balm

Arugula, Mint & Watermelon Salad

Last week's CSA had some wonderful 'rucola'. If you have yet to enjoy it here's a refreshing, fast and easy summer salad.

Serves 4-6.

Ingredients

• 1 head arugula washed and dried
• 1 small red onion, sliced thin
• 1 small seedless watermelon, cut into 1-inch cubes or into 1-inch spheres with a melon baller
• 3 ounces feta cheese, cubed (or more if you love it)
• 3 or 4 sprigs of fresh mint leaves left whole or torn in half
• champagne vinegar
• good extra-virgin olive oil
• salt & pepper

Directions

Whisk 1 part vinegar with 3 parts olive oil, and salt and pepper. Toss with arugula, red onion slices, watermelon, feta and fresh mint leaves. Serve chilled!

Just add some shrimp and you have a wholesome meal.

For the shrimp just place them in a ziplock bag with a clove of garlic, some salt&pepper and a couple of tbs of EVOO. Let sit in refrigerator for 30min and grill.

Buon appetito!

Roasted Cabbage Rolls

"We've revived a nearly forgotten comfort food--cabbage rolls. These are made in the Finnish style, with a corn syrup-bacon glaze that caramelizes during baking. Cooking the cabbage in the microwave makes easy work of removing the leaves for the rolls." - Recipe by Finnish-American Jim Fobel, a Cooking Light Contributor and the author of Jim Fobel's Casseroles and Jim Fobel's Old-Fashioned Baking Book

Ingredients:

- 1 (3-pound) head cabbage
- 2 tablespoons water
- Cooking spray
- 1 onion, slivered
- 1 cup water
- 1/3 cup uncooked long-grain rice
- 1 cup diced Granny Smith apple
- 2/3 cup chopped green onions
- 1/2 cup 2% reduced-fat milk
- 1 1/4 teaspoons garlic salt
- 3/4 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 large egg
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1/4 cup water

Basting Glaze Ingredients:
- 4 bacon slices, chopped
- 1/3 cup dark corn syrup
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 1/2 tablespoons water
- 3/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. To prepare cabbage rolls, core cabbage using a serrated knife.
2. Place cabbage in an 8-inch square baking dish or 2-quart casserole; add 2 tablespoons water.
3. Loosely cover with heavy-duty plastic wrap.
4. Microwave at high 9 minutes, rotating baking dish a half-turn after 5 minutes.
5. Cover dish and let stand 15 minutes.
6. Discard any tough dark green leaves.
7. Remove 8 light-colored cabbage leaves.
8. Cut off raised portion of the main vein of each leaf, and set leaves aside.
9. Finely chop enough remaining cabbage to measure 1/2 cup, and set aside.
10. Coarsely chop enough remaining cabbage to measure 2 cups; arrange in bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.
11. Top with slivered onion.

12. Bring 1 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan.
13. Add rice; reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 8 minutes. Drain well.

14. Preheat oven to 350°.

15. Combine 1/2 cup finely chopped cabbage, rice, apple, and the next 7 ingredients (apple through egg).
16. Crumble turkey over mixture; stir just until blended.
17. Place about 1/2 cup turkey mixture in center of each cabbage leaf.
18. Fold in edges of leaves, and roll up; place cabbage rolls on top of coarsely chopped cabbage.
19. Cut several 1/4-inch-deep slits across top of each roll.
20. Pour 1/4 cup water over rolls.
21. Cover with foil, and bake at 350° for 30 minutes.

22. To prepare basting glaze, cook the bacon in a small saucepan over medium heat for 3 minutes or until lightly browned.
23. Remove from heat. Remove bacon from pan; discard bacon drippings.
24. Return bacon to pan; stir in corn syrup and remaining ingredients.
25. Uncover cabbage rolls; spoon one-third basting glaze over cabbage rolls.
26. Bake, uncovered, 1 hour, basting with basting glaze every 20 minutes.
27. Spoon about 1/4 cup remaining cabbage on each of 8 plates; top each with 1 cabbage roll.

Yield: 8 servings

CALORIES 223 (20% from fat); FAT 4.9g (sat 1.7g,mono 1.6g,poly 1g); IRON 2.4mg; CHOLESTEROL 69mg; CALCIUM 107mg; CARBOHYDRATE 28.7g; SODIUM 707mg; PROTEIN 17.4g; FIBER 4.2g

Cooking Light, JANUARY 2000

Bamboo Spoon Award: Breads

Here are the recipes of the two breads of our last Bamboo Spoon Award.

Winner first:

Meg's Strawberry Bread

Adapted from Martha Stewart's recipe

Ingredients

About 2/3 cup whole strawberries

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, sifted

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

1/4 cup whole milk, room temp

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temp (plus more to butter pan)

1 cup sugar

1 large egg, room temp

2 large egg whites, room temp

Directions

Preheat oven to 350. Butter pan.

Place strawberries in food processor and process until pureed. It will be about 1/3 cup of puree. If you want, feel free to add a few more strawberries! Set aside. In a medium bowl whisk flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In a small bowl, mix milk, vanilla and strawberry puree, set aside. In a large bowl with an electric mixer cream the butter on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar and continue to beat until well combined and fluffy. Reduce the mixer speed to medium and slowly add egg and egg whites until just blended. With the mixer on low, slowly add half the flour mixture and mix until just blended. Add the milk mixture and mix until just blended. Slowly add the remaining flour mixture, scraping down sides of the bowl with a spatula, as necessary, until just blended. Pour batter into pan evenly and cook for about 25 minutes or until when pierced with a fork the fork comes out clean.

Li's Sweet Potato Bread with Pecans & Vanilla Icing

Adapted from Bill kelly's original recipe

Ingredients

2 cups sugar

2/3 cups water

1/3 cup oil

1/2 cup applesauce

4 eggs

2 cups mashed sweet potatoes (3-4 large ones)

3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup coarsely chopped pecans

Vanilla Icing

1 cup sifted powdered sugar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

water as needed

Place ingredients in a bowl and mix well with a spatula. Slowly add water by the tablespoon until you get a yogurt like consistency. Spread on cooled breads.

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine sugar, water, oil, eggs, and sweet potatoes, applesauce and mix thoroughly. Sift all dry ingredients in a separate bowl and add to wet gradually. Mix gently to combine. Do not over stir. Fold in pecans. Divide between 2 greased loaf pans and bake for 50-65 minutes, or until tester comes out dry. Cool in pan to room temperature for 15 min then on a cooling rack for another 20 min. Brush icing on bread and let set. Repeat as many times as desired. Buon Appetito!.

What's Coming this Week?!

Full Shares: Farm Pick Lettuce, Slicing Cukes, Green Swiss Chard, Carrots, Green Cabbage, Peas –Edible Pod, Scallions, Collards, Basil, Arugula, Blueberries, Napa Cabbage

Half Shares: Slicing Cukes, Green Swiss Chard, Carrots, Green Cabbage, Peas –Edible Pod, Scallions, Collards, Basil, Blueberries, Napa Cabbage

Other Notes:

- If anyone has horses or goats and would like certified organic hay, please call Heaven's Harvest Farm to inquire. They have 250 available fresh cut bales and need to deliver (not to CGB!) a minimum of 75-100 to be cost-efficient.

- They are also offering firewood for sale this year. Their cut and split cordwood will be offered in ½ cord, full cord and multiple cord deliveries. Prices will reflect the volume of the order. Please call or email heavensharvestfarm@yahoo.com to discuss your cordwood needs.

Basic Scones

If you've never made scones do not worry! I hadn't either before last night. My first attempt went so smooth and the results were so scrumptious that I'm still looking for them...hubby and friends ate every little crumb!

I heard a lot of concerns about making scones for the first time. So let me start by saying it's not half as hard as everyone makes it seem. Just to see if I could, I made my first ever scones totally by hand in a bowl! and I do not go to the gym so my arm power was pretty weak. It took no time to make and my arm doesn't even hurt!

My professional baker friend gave me this essential advice: what really matters is using very cold butter (chilling your work bowl in the fridge also helps) and do not to worry about mixing too well, you're supposed to have lumps of butter in your dough! Roll it out onto a floured surface to 3/4-1inch thick and cut into rounds (use a cookie cutter, can, glass, whatever you have).

As always there are hundreds of fantastic recipes out there that you may prefer but here's the one I tried and enjoyed. I used frozen cranberries soaked in limoncello :)

Scones

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown

Serves: 1 dozen

Ingredients

2 cups flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup sugar

4 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons shortening

3/4 cup cream

1 egg

Handful dried currants or dried cranberries

Directions

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Mix well. Cut in butter and shortening.

In a separate bowl, combine cream with beaten egg then add to dry ingredients.

Stir in fruit. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Roll dough out and cut into biscuit size rounds. Bake for 15 minutes or until brown.

Best Bread: Strawberry!!

Congratulations to Megan for baking a delicious 'Strawberry bread' that won you our first Bamboo Spoon award!

We all had a wonderful time tasting the breads (that were all very good) and picking our favourite. It's so much fun to pick up your CSA, browse all the new things in the store and get a bite too! Snack, shopping and groceries all in one :)

We are collecting recipes from all entries in the Bamboo Spoon awards, as well as any other recipe that features one (or more) items from of our wonderful CSA bounty. We'll post many here and at the end of the season, we're going to compile all of the recipes and pictures we receive into a book .

If you'd like your recipe printed up, please email them to us with a picture of the final product if you have one. Thanks!

Don't forget to make your CSA Scones for the Bamboo Spoon award on Thursday July 30th. As usual all entries must be delivered to CGB by 3pm that day.

Thanks and happy baking to all of you!

Cook Off / Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes

Don't forget! Today is the Bamboo Spoon Cook Off! Bake your delicious bread featuring one of our amazing CSA items and bring it to CGB by 3pm today.

So bake away and come taste all the wonderful breads our CSA members are preparing. Yum! And if you're looking for a little treat, check out this recipe for Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes. Double yum!


Ingredients:

2 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate, melted
3 eggs
1 3/4 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups grated zucchini
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 (16 ounce) package chocolate frosting
1/2 cup walnut halves

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. In a large bowl, beat eggs with sugar for about 10 minutes or until thickened and pale. Blend oil and cooled chocolate into the beaten egg mixture.

3. In a small bowl stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; stir flour mixture into egg mixture until just blended. Stir in zucchini and chopped nuts. Using an ice-cream scoop, spoon batter into 24 paper-lined or greased muffin cups, filling the cups 2/3 full.

4. Bake for 20 minutes or until fork or toothpick inserted in a cupcake's center comes out clean. Let cool in pans on rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pans; let cool completely. Spread with chocolate frosting and garnish with walnut or pecan halves.

(Photo courtesy of the wonderful cooks at allrecipes.com)

What's Coming this Week?!

Full Shares: Edible pods sugar snap peas, Pickling Cukes, Flat Leaf Parsley, Red Oakleaf lettuce, Farm Pick Lettuce, Chives, Scallions, Fennel, Red Chard, Red Cabbage, Zucchini, Dandelion

Half Shares: Edible pods sugar snap peas, Pickling Cukes, Flat Leaf Parsley, Red Oakleaf Lettuce, Chives, Scallions, Red Chard, Baby Bok Choi, Farm Pick Greens

The Bamboo Spoon Cook Off is almost here!!!

Remember to bake your delicious breads featuring one of our amazing CSA items and bring it to CGB by 3pm on Thursday July 9th. That's this week!

If you've never baked a bread before don't sweat. It's super easy and always delicious. The internet is filled with yummy recipes (ie. epicurious.com). Breads are great both savory and sweet so it's really up to you. Strawberry bread or Kale bread. Scallions, thyme, radishes, cabbage, yams, garlic scapes, summer squash, zucchini, etc these are just some of the great CSA items we received up to now and that would work wonders in a bread.

So bake away and come on in and taste all the wonderful breads our CSA members are preparing. I know I'm eager to!

see you Thursday

ciao

Strawberry Shortcake

Strawberries are all around us, Blueberries are making an appearance and Raspberries and Blackberries will be here very soon. We have to take advantage. Here's a simple marinade my nonna used to make all summer long. Any berry will work. Use your favorite.

As for the shortcake, Mary Nolan's (all rights reserved) is by far the easiest, fastest and most delicious shortcake recipe ever. It's amazing and will impress families and guests alike.

Buon Appetito!

Ingredients

For the strawberries:

• 1 1/2 pounds strawberries, stemmed and quartered
• 2- 3 tablespoons sugar (to taste)
• juices of half a lemon
• a shot of port or sherry if you want
• a couple of fresh mint leaves
• For the shortcake:
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream very cold
• Whipped Cream, recipe follows

Directions

Wash, dry and cut the strawberries. Place in a non-reactive bowl and mix in all the other ingredients, cover with saran and refrigerate so juices develop, min 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Add the cold heavy cream and mix until just combined. Do NOT over mix! Place mixture in an ungreased 8-inch square pan and bake until golden and cooked through, 18 to 22 minutes.

Remove shortcake from pan and place on a rack to cool slightly. Cut into 6 pieces and split each piece in half horizontally.

Spoon some of the strawberries with their juice onto each shortcake bottom. Top with a generous dollop of whipped cream and then the shortcake top. Spoon more strawberries over the top and serve.

Whipped Cream:

• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, chilled
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest

Using a mixer, beat the heavy cream, sugar, vanilla, and lemon zest until soft peaks form, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.

Rustic Red Kale and White Bean Soup

* Thanks to Marnie Memmolo for passing this along!

You can substitute any other leafy green for the kale, but if you're using quick-cooking greens such as spinach, allow the soup to cook for 25 minutes before adding the greens; then add the greens and cook just until they're done.

1 bunch red kale (or use any other green available)
1 large onion, chopped
3 ribs celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil (or about 5 "ice cubes" of frozen basil)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 15-ounce cans diced tomatoes
1 15-ounce can cannellini or other white beans
4 cups water
pinch red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste

Optional serving suggestions:
Balsamic vinegar and soy parmesan

Prepare the kale by removing the thick parts of the center rib and discarding them. Slice the leaves thinly. Measure out 4 cups of kale for the soup; save the rest for another use.

Mist a large, non-stick pot lightly with olive oil. Sauté the onion and celery until the onion begins to brown. Add the garlic, and sauté for another minute. Add all the remaining ingredients, and allow the soup to simmer, adding extra water as needed, until the kale is tender, about 30-60 minutes, depending on the kale. Taste the soup and add more basil, if necessary.

Serve the soup, stirring a few drops of balsamic vinegar and a sprinkling of vegan parmesan into each bowl, if desired. Makes about 6 servings.

Each serving contains: 152 Calories (kcal); 1 g Total Fat; (5% calories from fat); 9 g Protein; 30 g Carbohydrate; 0 mg Cholesterol; 258 mg Sodium; 7 g Fiber

Meat CSA

Thanks to Michael Madden for passing this along:

The Houde Family Farm in Vermont is hosting a Meat CSA, which features USDA certified local, grass-fed, organic meat. The price is approximately $7 LB, which is a reasonable price.

Currently the farmer does drop offs in Reading, Wakefield, Andover, etc. Not Salem. BUT if the farmer can register at least 4-5 people, he'll make Salem a stop and literally drop off you meat at your doorstep each month. Pretty good service!

To learn more about this opportunity, visit their website at www.houdefamilyfarm.com.