Bamboo Spoon Award: Cookies

Ivy Connelly not only made the best cookies: Red Velvet Oatmeal Cookies stuffed with Pecan Cream Cheese! but she also had the greenest idea. She made her cookies using our very own CSA red beets instead of food coloring. Great job Ivy and thanks for sharing.

Red Velvet (beet) Oatmeal Stuffed Cookies

(made by Ivy Connelly adapted from Greg Johnson of 'oatmealcookie.typepad.com')

Red velvet cake is a Southern specialty. It seems red velvet cake got its color as a result of sugar rationing during World War II. Because of it, bakers started using boiled beets as a sugar substitute in their cakes. Along with the beets' sweetness came the beets' blood-red color. An American classic was born.

Makes 2 dozen cookies.

Filling	6 ounces room-temperature cream cheese 1/3 heaping cup toasted, chopped pecans 1/4 cup confectioner's sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla
Creamables	1 stick butter 1/2 cup white sugar
Wet Ingredients	1 egg 1 red beet boiled & pureed 2 teaspoons vanilla 1 teaspoon milk 1/2 teaspoon white vinegar
Dry Ingredients	1 1/2 cups finely ground oatmeal 1 1/4 cups flour 1/2 cup cocoa powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Toast the pecans then roughly chop them.
2. Add all the filling ingredients to a small bowl and mix with a spatula until well blended. Let the mixture cool and solidify in the freezer until step 8.
3. Preheat oven to 350º.
4. In your Kitchen Aid or a large mixing bowl, cream together the creamables.
5. In a small bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients and then add to the creamables. Mix together until smooth.
6. In another large mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients. Using a spatula, fold together until evenly distributed. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the creamables and wet ingredients. Mix until evenly combined.
7. Shape dough into balls—about 2 tablespoons each.
8. Remove the filling mixture from the freezer and stuff each dough ball with 1 teaspoon of the mixture. Put the stuffed dough balls in the freezer for 5 minutes to firm up.
9. Place chilled dough balls about 2 inches apart on Silpat- or parchment paper-lined cookie sheets.
10. Bake at 350º for 10-12 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are firm. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let stand for 2 minutes. Then place cookies on wire racks to cool.

CGB’s CSA Bamboo Spoon Cook Off

CGB is spicin’ it up! Our monthly cook-off for shareholders featuring CSA produce is drawing to a close.

Next week is the LAST opportunity for shareholders to bring in a homemade item, featuring at least one ingredient from our CSA. Then as other shareholders wander in to pick up their produce, they can taste all the treats and vote their favorite. The dish with the most votes wins the Bamboo Spoon!

And the absolute best part?

The homemade item for Thursday, September 17 is . . . COOKIES! So be sure to make cookies using any CSA ingredient and celebrate all the award-winners at a Bamboo Spoon Party!

If you have questions, contact Amy at crunchygranolababy@verizon.net.

Bamboo Spoon Award: Zucchini Muffins!

Congratulations to Ivy Connelly, the winner of our Bamboo Spoon Award on Thursday! She baked insanely yummy zucchini muffins with oat-graham-brown sugar topping (pictured above). And she was kind enough to email the recipe so we can all copy her! Thanks Ivy!

Zucchini Muffins (or bread)

3 eggs, beaten
1 cup oil
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour (can use white or whole wheat or a combination)
2 cups zucchini grated (can substitute summer squash or use a combination)
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
3 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup raisins or nuts (optional)
Mix ingredients thoroughly.
Pour into muffin tins or loaf pan.
Bake at 350 degrees, 25-30 minutes for muffins, 1 hour for bread.

Oat-Graham-Brown Sugar Topping

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup rolled oats
2 sheets of graham crackers, crushed
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
6 tablespoons cold butter, cut in pieces
Mix the first four ingredients together.
Cut the butter in with a pastry knife.
Spoon on top of the muffins.
Bake as directed.

Bamboo Spoon Awards: Muffins!

Here's a fast and very simple muffin recipe to which you can add your favourite CSA ingredient and enter it in our Bamboo Spoon award this Thursday!

Sour Cream Muffins

(Recipe Courtesy Paula Deen)

yields: 24 small muffins or 12 large muffins

Ingredients

• 2 cups self-rising flour*
• 2 sticks butter, melted
• 1/2 pint sour cream
• any CSA ingredient such as: blueberries, tomatoes, chards, carrots, dandelion greens, parsley, basil, chives, onions etc

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine all ingredients and spoon into small, un-greased muffin tins. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes.

*If you don't have self-rising flour do not panic, making your own is super easy!

For each cup of all-purpose flour, add 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of salt and mix to combine. That's it :)

Buon Appetito!

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!.