Summer Share Nine July 16th 2018

Important information:

• Don’t forget to bring both your produce and your fruit share boxes with you to distribution.
• Biweekly members please do not forget your fruit shares this week!
• Park School members: Please remember that day camp dismissal is from 3:15-3:45.

Farm News from Jane
There are certainly no complaints about having enough heat this summer; today was another stellar sizzler. Our crew was at their best picking and grinning… We have green beans this week to follow last week’s yellows. If you are lucky enough to have some yellows left over than perhaps you can make a batch of the three-bean salad recipe. It’s a nutritious treat, especially on a hot summer day. Then of course there are another of summer’s treats green peppers. The first thing some people think of are stuffed peppers. I’m not a fan unless of course you are stuffing a colored sweet pepper with breakfast sausage and cornbread! You can be so creative with your fillings; mushrooms and cornbread, quinoa or couscous. The variations are endless. And then there is our family favorite; fried peppers and onions. A steak “on the side “is nice too! This week we will continue to harvest onions and blueberries. The blueberry crop is light again this year. Two years ago, we had so many to share that we had four weeks of shares and one week a quart’s worth! This year we will have two or three weeks of one pint per share. But they are so very sweet and tasty that whatever we have to share will be a treat! I did include a few recipes, if they make it home….
We still hope to have a U pick Saturday; we’ll see how they hold up to the heat and the birds. Last week’s cherries were picked in the previous week’s heat and were quite soft. Our grower assures us that this week’s crop will be crisper.
This week marks one third of the summer share harvested and two thirds to go. It time to start contemplating winter shares as we begin to seed, plant, and transplant veggies in anticipation of that possibility. We hope that the dry spell breaks soon so that we can begin to seed salad greens, carrots and parsnips. They need to have good moist soil before we can put those seeds in the ground. And the early planted pumpkins are already turning orange but the deer seem to be enjoying them as a summer treat. The harvest helpers are not so cute when they try and eat your harvest sampling every vegetable!!! Sometimes 8-foot fences sound good… But all God’s creatures need to eat and because they “eat” their fluids I guess that they need more… So long until next week; get your corn boiling pots a ready and while you’re waiting for sweet corn enjoy listening to the song of the cicadas! Blessings, Jane

Produce:   Blueberries    Green Beans   Walla Walla onions   Zucchini

Yellow squash   Swiss chard   Garlic scapes   Green peppers   Cucumber

Next week:   Sweet Corn

Fruit Share:   Apricots   Sweet cherries

Produce tips:
– Green peppers are the sweet bell variety; great for fresh eating or grilling especially yummy with the onions!
– This is really the last week of garlic scapes; then we’ll be waiting on the mature garlic bulbs to dry.
– The green beans have suffered in the heat but the flavors and nutrition are super concentrated though they are a mite dry.
– Please bag the Swiss chard to keep it fresh until use.

Recipes
THREE BEAN SALAD
1# green beans, 1# yellow beans, 1# kidney beans, drained and rinsed, 1 onions sliced into thin rings, ¾ sugar, 2/3 C distilled white vinegar, 1/3 C oil, ½ tsp. salt, ½ tsp. black pepper, ½ tsp. celery seed
Prep beans by “snapping ends off and breaking or cutting into 1-2 inch pieces. Mix together green & yellow beans and steam lightly. Rinse under cold water and drain. Add, kidney beans, onion, sugar, vinegar, vegetable oil, salt, pepper, and celery seed. Let set in refrigerator for at least 12 hours.

GREEN BEANS WITH PECANS AND MAPLE VINAIGRETTE
3/4 c pecans,  kosher salt and black pepper, 2 lbs. green beans, trimmed, 1/4 c. olive oil, 2 T red wine vinegar, 2 T Dijon mustard, 1 T pure maple syrup
Heat oven or toaster oven to 400º F. Spread the pecans on a rimmed baking sheet and bake, tossing once, until toasted, 6 to 8 minutes. Let cool, then roughly chop. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 1 tablespoon salt. Add the green beans and cook until just tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain and run under cold water to cool. In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, mustard, maple syrup, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Add the green beans and pecans and toss to combine. Serves 8. Hands-On time: 15m; total time: 20min.

MIXED BEANS PARMESAN
1 lb. green beans; l lb. wax beans; 2 tbsps. Butter or margarine; 1/2 c. sliced pitted ripe olives 1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
Cook beans and drain. Combine drained beans with 1/4 c. water and butter in saucepan; heat. To serve, toss gently with olives and sprinkle with cheese. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

PESTO- TOPPED GRILLED SUMMER SQUASH
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil; 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts; 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil; 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese; 1 clove garlic, minced; 2 teaspoons lemon juice; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 2 medium summer squash (about 1 pound), sliced diagonally 1/4-inch-thick; Canola or olive oil cooking spray
Preheat grill to medium-high. Combine basil, pine nuts, oil, Parmesan, garlic, lemon juice and salt in a small bowl. Coat both sides of squash slices with cooking spray. Grill the squash until browned and tender, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Serve topped with the pesto. Makes 4 servings.

ROASTED SQUASH
2 small summer squash; 1 ½ cups onion, sliced; 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary plus more to garnish; 11/4 tsp salt; 11/4 tsp freshly ground pepper; 11/4 cup thinly sliced garlic
Preheat oven to 450°F. Quarter squash lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces. Combine the squash with sliced onion, oil, rosemary, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Spread the mixture evenly on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Roast for 10 minutes. Stir in garlic and roast until the vegetables are tender and the fennel is beginning to brown, about 5 minutes more. Stir in extra rosemary and serve. Makes 4 servings, about 2/3 cup each. Adapted from Eating Well magazine.

GARDEN FRESH CUCUMBERS
2 tbsp vinegar; 1/2 tbsp lemon juice; 1/2 tsp celery seeds; 1 tbsp sugar; 3/4 tsp salt; 1/8 tsp pepper; 1 tbsp chopped onion; 1 ½ cup sliced peeled cucumbers (1 medium); Chopped parsley (optional)
Combine vinegar, lemon juice, celery seeds, sugar, salt, pepper and onion. Pour over cucumbers. Chill thoroughly. Serve topped with chopped parsley, if desired. Makes1 1/2 cups.

CUCUMBERS IN SOUR CREAM
1 large cucumber; 1/2 cup thick sour cream; 1-1/2 tbsp cider vinegar; 1 tbsp chopped chives; 3/4 tsp salt; 1/8 tsp. white pepper; hard-cooked egg yolk
Rinse and pare cucumber. Score 1/8-inch-deep by drawing tines of a fork lengthwise over entire surface. Cut into thin slices. Combine sour cream, vinegar, chives, salt and pepper. Pour over cucumber slices. Toss lightly to coat evenly. Chill thoroughly. Garnish with finely grated, hard-cooked egg yolk. Makes 4 servings.

CASCADILLA
1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded and minced; 1 scallion, finely minced; 1 small clove of garlic, crushed; ½ tsp dill; 4 cups tomato juice; 1 cup yogurt; 1 small bell pepper, minced; 3-4 mushrooms, thinly sliced; salt and pepper
Combine all ingredients and chill well before serving. 4-6 servings. Recipe from The Moosewood Cookbook.

ROASTED CHEESE-STUFFED GREEN PEPPERS
Bell peppers; low-fat cheese Using tongs or long-handled fork, hold whole pepper over open flame, turning occasionally, until skin blisters all around. Cool and peel off skin. Open pepper from top carefully; remove seeds and core. Fill with low-fat cheese, and pop in low oven until cheese melts and conforms to shape of pepper. Chill overnight. Slice pepper; serve with other vegetables or use in a sandwich. Makes any number of servings.

ROASTED PEPPER RISOTTO
2 large bell peppers; 1 medium onion, finely diced; 3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill; juice of 2 small lemons; 8-9 cups vegetable stock; 3 tablespoons olive oil; about 2 1/2 cups Arborio rice; 1/2 cup dry white wine
Heat oven to broiling temperature. Place peppers on baking sheet. Broil close to heating element, using tongs-to turn peppers to char skin evenly on all sides. Remove from oven, place in paper bag, and close bag. Let peppers stand while you chop onion and dill and juice lemons. Remove peppers from bag; peel off charred skin, remove stem and seeds (don’t rinse them, as this will weaken the flavor), and cut into small strips. Heat stock in saucepan over medium-low flame. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium flame. Add onions; cook until soft. Stir in rice with wooden spoon until all grains are evenly coated. Add dill, stir 1 minute, then add wine and stir until wine is absorbed. Add 1 cup stock; stir until stock is absorbed. Continue cooking, stirring, and adding 1 cup of stock at a time until the rice is al dente and suspended in a smooth sauce, 15-25 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in lemon juice and red peppers. Makes 6-8 servings.
Recipe from Amy Simonson

STUFFED GREEN PEPPERS
2 large green peppers; 1/2 loaf (1 lb.) firm white bread; milk; 2/3 cups cooked chicken breast, ground; 2 tbsp cup pine nuts; 2 tbsp cup light raisins; 1/2 large egg, well beaten; salt and white pepper
Wash peppers. Slice off tops and remove seeds. Rinse insides and drain. Remove crusts from bread slices. Reduce to crumbs using blender or fingers. Add enough milk to crumbs to thoroughly moisten. Add remaining ingredients. Mix well and pack into peppers. Replace tops. Stand peppers in shallow baking dish with about 1 inch of stock or water. Bake in 350°F oven about 30 minutes or until peppers are thoroughly cooked. Cool and serve at room temperature. Makes 2 servings. Recipe from Gallia Palace

ASIAN-STYLE CHARD
1 bunch Swiss chard, cleaned; 1 tablespoon peanut oil; 1 tablespoon minced garlic scapes; 1 tablespoon soy sauce; freshly ground black pepper
Cut off and discard thick stem ends of chard. Cut out ribs; chop ribs into 2-inch pieces; set aside in a pile. Stack the leaves in small piles; coarsely chop them. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high flame. Add ribs; toss and cook 1 1/2 minutes. Add leaves and garlic; continue to cook, tossing often, until chard begins to wilt, 2-3 minutes. Stir in soy sauce; cook until chard is tender, 1-3 minutes longer. Add pepper to taste. Serve immediately. Makes 2-4 servings.
Recipe from MACSAC

SWISS CHARD NOODLE BAKE
1-pound fresh Swiss chard, cooked just until wilted, drained and chopped; 1/2-pound penne or ziti noodles, freshly cooked and drained; 1/2-pound ricotta cheese; 1 15-ounce jars marinara sauce; 2 eggs, lightly beaten; 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese; 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley; 1 tsp salt; 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter 3-quart casserole or baking dish. Combine all ingredients in large mixing bowl and blend thoroughly. Turn into prepared dish and bake until top is golden brown and sauce is bubbly, 25 to 30 minutes.

SWISS CHARD SOUP
1/4 lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced (approximately 1 ½ cups); 1 tablespoon butter; 1 tablespoon oil; 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour; 1 1/2 cups chicken stock; salt; pepper to taste; 2 cups milk; 4 to 5 cups fresh Swiss chard, leaves and ribs
Sauté mushrooms in butter and oil for 5 minutes. Add flour and stir until flour is evenly distributed, then add chicken stock, salt and pepper, and milk. Cook slowly, stirring constantly, until mixture is slightly thickened. Add Swiss chard and simmer for 15 minutes. Yield: approximately 4 cups

SWISS CHARD WITH RAISINS
1-pound fresh Swiss chard, rinsed, stems removed, and leaves chopped (10 cups); 1/4 cup water; l/4 cup apple juice; 2-4 T golden raisins
In large, deep skillet, combine the chard and water (if the greens don’t all fit, let some cook down then add the rest). Cover and cook, stirring and turning occasionally with 2 spoons, until the leaves are just wilted and most of the liquid is evaporated, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the apple juice and raisins. Cook, uncovered, stirring often, until the apple juice is almost evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve hot. Serves 4. Recipe from The Big Book of Vegetarian.

PICKLED RAINBOW CHARD
2 bunches rainbow Swiss chard, 1 small onion, halved and sliced, 2 teaspoons mixed pickling spices, 1/2 teaspoon celery seed, 1/2 teaspoon mustard seed, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup cider vinegar, 1/3 cup water
Trim leaves from Swiss chard; save for another use. Cut stems into 2-in. pieces; place in a large heatproof nonreactive bowl. Add onion, pickling spices, celery seed and mustard seed.
In a small saucepan, combine sugar, vinegar and water; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute, stirring to dissolve sugar; pour carefully over chard mixture. Cool completely. Refrigerate, covered, overnight, stirring occasionally.
Recipe form Tatseofhome.com

PICKLED SWISS CHARD STEMS
1 -pound chard stems (from about 4 bunches), cut into 4-inch lengths, 1 small shallot, thinly sliced, 1/4 cup kosher salt, 2 tablespoons brown mustard seeds, 1 tablespoon caraway seeds,
Brine:1 cup unseasoned rice vinegar, 1/2 cup sugar
Toss chard stems, shallot, and salt in a colander set in the sink. Let stand 1 hour. Rinse and drain well.
Meanwhile, toast mustard and caraway seeds in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until mustard seeds begin to pop, about 2 minutes. Let seeds cool. Pack chard stems, shallot, and toasted seeds into two 16-oz. jars.
Brine: Bring vinegar, sugar, and 1 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan; let cool slightly. Pour brine into jars. Let cool slightly, then cover and chill.
DO AHEAD: Pickles can be made 2 weeks ahead. Keep chilled.
Variations: Use the same salting method and brine, but instead of chard stems and shallot, use 1 sliced seeded peeled green papaya (about 1 pound). Omit mustard and caraway seeds and use 2 red or green Thai chiles and one 1-inch-piece peeled turmeric or ginger, thinly sliced.
Use the same salting method and brine, but instead of chard stems and shallot, use 1-pound fresh banana chiles (cut a long slit in each pepper to allow brine to penetrate) and 1 sliced peeled carrot. Omit mustard and caraway seeds and use 1 garlic clove. Recipe from Bonappetit.com

BLUEBERRY CHEESECAKE
40 vanilla wafers, crushed; 1 cup finely chopped pecans; 1/3 cup butter, melted
FILLING: 2 cups 4% cottage cheese; 2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened; 1/2 cup butter, softened; 1-1/2 cups sugar; 2 cups (16 ounces) sour cream ;6 tablespoons cornstarch; 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour; 4 eggs, lightly beaten; 4-1/2 teaspoons lemon juice; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Blueberry glaze: 3-1/2 cups fresh blueberries, divided; 1 cup sugar; 2 tablespoons cornstarch; Edible pansies or violas and fresh mint leaves, optional
In a bowl, combine the wafer crumbs, pecans and butter. Press onto the bottom and 2 in. up the sides of a greased 10-in. spring form pan. Place on a baking sheet. Bake at 375° for 8 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Reduce heat to 325°.Process cottage cheese in a blender until smooth; pour into a large mixing bowl. Add cream cheese, butter and sugar; beat until smooth. Add sour cream, cornstarch and flour; beat well. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Stir in lemon juice and vanilla just until combined. Pour over crust. Return pan to baking sheet. Bake for 7080 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight. For glaze, puree 2-112 cups blueberries in a food processor; press through a fine mesh sieve, reserving I cup juice. Discard pulp and seeds. In a small saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch and reserved blueberry juice until smooth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Refrigerate until completely cooled. Remove sides of pan. Spread glaze over cheesecake. Sprinkle with remaining blueberries; garnish with pansies and mint if desired. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 14-16 servings.

BLUEBERRY MUFFINS
1 c fresh blueberries; 1 3/4 c plus 1 Tbsp flour, divided; 1/2 c sugar;’ 1 tsp baking powder; 1/2 tsp baking soda; 1 tsp nutmeg; 3/4 tsp salt; 1 egg; 1 c sour cream; 1/3 c milk
Toss blueberries with 1 Tbsp flour. In separate bowl, combine remaining 1 3/4 c flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg and salt; set aside. Beat egg, sour cream and milk; stir into flour mixture until just combined (batter will be lumpy). Stir in blueberries until evenly distributed. Fill greased muffin cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake at 400 degrees about 20 minutes until golden. Makes 1 dozen.

BLUEBERRY BUCKLE
1/4 cup butter; 1/4 cup honey; 1 egg; dash of salt; 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour; 1 teaspoon soda; 1/3 cup buttermilk or yogurt; 1-pint blueberries (2 cups fresh or frozen); 1/4 cup butter; 2 tablespoons honey; 1/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour; 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350 F and grease an 8 x 8-inch pan. Cream together butter, honey, egg, and salt. Add flour, soda, and buttermilk or yogurt. Mix well. Spread in prepared pan and cover with berries. Mix butter, honey, flour, and cinnamon into crumbs. Spread over blueberries. Bake in preheated oven for about 40 minutes. Cut into squares. Yield: 6 to 8 servings. Recipe from Naturally Delicious Desserts and Snacks.