Summer Share Seventeen September 17th/19th 2019
Important information:
- This is an odd biweekly share distribution; there are four more distributions for odd biweekly shares after this week.
Farm News from Jane
I hope that everyone had a glimpse of the full moon this past weekend. It was big and orange-red with a beautiful haze around it. I enjoy the moon phases but it seems as if they come and go so quickly these last few years… I had the opportunity to preserve some peaches this past weekend. How beautiful they are in the glass jars. We actually prefer them frozen; eating them in their still slightly frozen state is a winter and spring breakfast treat. But such beauty in a jar and one always needs to have a jar of peaches on hand for little “friends” that stay for lunch. And don’t forget the necessity to be prepared for peach pie! The peaches were not too far behind schedule this year but the weather has allowed them to pick for an extended time so we are still in peach heaven. It’s like sweet corn in that it’s hard to say good-bye until next year. If you don’t receive a fruit share, I would surely make a special trip to your local farmer’s market to get some before they’re gone (kind of like the Cadbury cream eggs).
We have a hardy fare of crucifers and still some summer beans in the share this week. The last planting of green beans is just blossoming so we may have one more “share” of beans in October. As always, it depends on the weather. If the temperatures stay warm, they may mature. It’s predicted to be a warmer than normal week and none of us will complain about that. We all like working in shirt sleeve weather! The pumpkins are turning orange quickly and I’ve seen quite a few out for sale when I’m out and about. We Americans certainly do like to decorate for the holiday, whichever one it is…
We began the squash harvest last week with the acorn variety because their leaves were already browning off. We usually have spaghetti squash as the first variety to share but it is still green. It seems that the last few years it has been slower to ripen. We have even “turned” them all over in the field to help the sun complete the ripening process. The heavy harvest is upon us. We hope to have leeks next week so get your favorite recipes around. Soup weather is almost here… Until next week, Jane
Produce: Collards Cone cabbage Adirondack Blue potatoes Garlic
Onions Yellow beans Golden beets Tomatoes
Fruit: Champagne peaches Blue plums Bartlett pears
Produce tips:
– Blue potatoes are great for roasting and French frying.
– Collards are a heavier more fibrous green which needs to be cooked longer than most other greens. Store in wrapped in plastic to keep them hydrated. Remove stems before slicing/chopping. Smaller slices (chiffonade) will reduce cooking time also. These greens freeze well but need to be blanched prior to freezing.
Recipes
WILL’S COLLARD GREENS
1 bunch collard greens, stems cut out and discarded, ¼ cup olive oil, ½ t. salt, ¼ t. pepper, 1t. sugar, 1 t. minced garlic, optional
Wash the collard leaves and stack them (5-10 leaves at a time). Roll them up tightly, and then slice thinly so you have a chiffonade of greens. Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat with salt, pepper, sugar, and garlic. When the oil is hot, add collards and stir often for 15-20 minutes, until collards are tender, taking care not to burn the greens. Add more oil if necessary. Makes 4 servings.
LENTIL AND GREEN COLLARD SOUP
1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 bunch collard greens – rinsed, stemmed and thinly sliced, 1 large onion, chopped, 1 tablespoon salt, 1 cup dry red lentils, rinsed and drained, 6 cups water, 2 tablespoons minced garlic, 1 tablespoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, stir in onion and salt; cook until softened and translucent, about 4 minutes. Stir in lentils, and cook for 1 minute. Pour in water, then bring to a boil over high heat, then turn heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the lentils are tender, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add collard greens, and cook until wilted, about 10 minutes. When the lentils are tender, stir in the collard greens and season with cumin, cinnamon, and garlic; allow to simmer 10 more minutes. Stir in lemon juice before serving. Prep 15 min; Cook 30 min; Ready in 45 min
COLLARD GREENS
2 tablespoons canola oil, 1/2 medium onion, coarsely chopped, 1 bunch collard greens, rinsed, stems removed, and finely chopped, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 cup Reduced Sodium Chicken Broth or Vegetable Broth, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, freshly ground black pepper
Heat oil over medium heat in a 12-inch skillet. Add onions, collards, salt, broth, and Worcestershire sauce; mix well. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally for 15-20 minutes, or until tender. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper as desired. Goes with Pulled BBQ Chicken Sandwiches
Source: Quick & Kosher Meals in Minutes; 15 min cook time; 10min prep time; 4 servings
BAKED EGGS WITH COLLARDS AND CHEDDAR GRITS
1 large bunch collards (3/4-1 lb.), 1 T balsamic vinegar, salt & pepper, 1 garlic, cut, cut into slivers, 1 C quick cooking grits, 1-1 ½ C grated sharp cheddar cheese, 4-6 eggs
Oil individual baking dishes. Heat oven to 4000. Wash collards; cut out the stems. Chop greens. Steam or Sautee greens until just wilted. Sprinkle with vinegar and season with salt & pepper. Set greens aside. Place 3 ¼ C water and garlic in saucepan and bring to boil. Stir in quick grits; lower heat, cover, and cook gently, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Stir in cheese and half the cooked greens. Portion into baking dishes. Make a well in the center, nestle the remaining greens into the indentations, and crack an egg over the top of each. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until eggs are set, 10-15 minutes. Makes 4-6 servings.
Recipe from MACSAC
YELLOW BEANS WITH LEMON VINAIGRETTE
2 tsp minced fresh parsley; 2 Tbsp lemon juice; 1 Tbsp plain, unsweetened yogurt; 2 tsp chopped chives or green onion with green top; Salt and black pepper, to taste; 1/3 c canola oil; 1 lb. fresh yellow beans, trimmed
Combine parsley, juice, yogurt, chives, salt, pepper, and oil in jar with tight-fitting lid. Shake vigorously. Chill. Blanch green beans 4 minutes; plunge in ice water to stop cooking. Drain. Toss green beans with vinaigrette. Makes 6 servings
WARM YELLOW WAX BEANS IN BACON VINAIGRETTE
2 lb. yellow wax beans, 3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, 4 oz. thickly sliced bacon, 2 tbsp. sherry vinegar, 10 oz. cherry tomatoes, 1 small shallot, 2 clove garlic, c. chopped basil, kosher salt, Freshly ground pepper
Cook the beans in a large pot of salted boiling water until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Drain the beans and cool them under cold, running water. Once cooled, drain the beans well and pat them dry. Transfer the beans to a large bowl. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the bacon and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until golden, 7 to 8 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the vinegar, tomatoes, shallot, garlic, and basil. Scrape the bacon vinaigrette over the beans, season with salt and pepper, and toss to evenly coat. Serve warm. Recipe from delish.com
HERBED GREEN BEANS
1/2-pound fresh green beans, cooked; 2 tbsp butter or margarine; 1/4 cup minced onion; 1/2 clove garlic, minced; 2 tbsp finely chopped celery; 1/4 cup minced fresh celery leaves; 2 tbsp dried rosemary, crushed; 1/4 tsp dried basil, crushed; 1/8 tsp salt; Freshly ground pepper to taste
Drain cooked beans. Melt butter or margarine in saucepan; add onion, garlic, and celery. Sauté for 4 minutes. Add celery leaves, rosemary, basil, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer 5 minutes. Add beans and toss; cover and heat through. Toss again before serving. Serves 3 to 4
YELLOW BEANS IN LEMON CHIFFON SAUCE
1-pound fresh yellow beans, french sliced and cooked;
Lemon Chiffon Sauce: 2 egg yolks 1 1/2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese; 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice; 3 tbsp butter; 1/2 cup hot chicken broth; 1 tsp minced fresh parsley; 1 tsp minced chives
Prepare beans and set aside. To make sauce, combine egg yolks, Parmesan cheese, and lemon juice in blender or food processor. Blend at high speed for 1 minute. Add 2 tablespoons butter broken into bits, still blending at top speed; blend in chicken broth pouring into bowl in steady stream. Sauce should become smooth and creamy. Add parsley and chives or green onions. Set sauce aside. Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in large heavy skillet; toss in drained beans and heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat and add sauce. Blend mixture and cook until sauce becomes very thick. Take care not to let it come to boil or sauce will separate. Serve immediately. Serves 6
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.
YELLOW BEETS AND BEAN SALAD
1/2-pound crisp beans with the ends snipped; 3 medium-size yellow beets, diced; 1 teaspoon minced fresh tarragon; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley; 5 ounces plain low-fat yogurt; 1 tablespoon tahini (sesame seed paste); 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice; 1 garlic clove, crushed; Salt and freshly ground pepper
In a saucepan, cook the green beans in rapidly boiling water for 7 minutes or until they are tender but crisp. In a separate saucepan, cook the beets until they are tender. (You may cook both in the microwave according to your oven’s instructions if you prefer.) Cool rapidly under cold running water and peel the beets. Combine the beans with the beets, the tarragon, and half the parsley in a medium-size serving bowl. Mix well but gently. In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well. Stir the yogurt mixture into the green bean mixture and garnish with the remaining parsley. Serve immediately. 4 SERVINGS Recipe from Herbal Soups, Salads, Breads and Sweets.
BEETS, PEACHES, AND RASPBERRY SAUCE
1-pound beets, scrubbed; 2 tablespoons raspberry vinegar; 1-2 peaches; 3 tablespoons olive oil; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 teaspoon grated gingerroot (optional); 1/2 teaspoon salt
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place beets (in their skins) in a baking dish and cover with foil. Roast beets until tender, about 35-55 minutes, depending on their size. When cool, peel, slice thinly, and place them in a bowl. Peel the peaches and cut in half. Place flat sides down on cutting board and slice each into about 4 wedges. Make vinaigrette out of the remaining ingredients: mash garlic with the salt, add vinegar, and whisk in olive oil. Stir in grated gingerroot, if using. Toss with beets and peaches. You can serve this immediately, but it’s best if allowed to chill and mellow. This dish was inspired by recipes in Mollie Katzen’s Vegetable Heaven and Renee Shepherd’s Recipes from a Kitchen Garden. Makes 4-6 servings.
ORANGE BORSCHT
4 medium-size beets peeled and coarsely grated; 5 cups beef stock; salt; freshly ground black pepper to taste; 2 cups tomato juice; 2 1/2 cups orange juice; yogurt; chopped chives
Bring grated beets to a boil in beef stock which has been seasoned to taste with salt and pepper. Turn down heat and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Add tomato juice. Puree mixture in electric blender, then add orange juice, mixing well to combine. Refrigerate for several hours. Serve with a dollop of yogurt and chopped chives. Yield: approximately 10 cups
HONEYED BEETS
¼ cup honey; 1 tbsp vinegar; 1 lb. cooked, sliced beets; 1 tbsp butter; 1/2 medium onion, sliced and separated into rings
In a saucepan blend honey, vinegar and 1 tbsp water. Add butter, beets and onion rings. Simmer until heated through, stirring occasionally. Do not overcook as onion rings should remain crisp. Serves 4.
WARM GOLDEN BEET SALAD WITH GREENS AND ALMONDS 1 bunch beets, both tops and roots, olive oil, Salt and freshly ground black pepper, 4 cloves garlic, minced, 4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled, 2/3 cup toasted almond slivers.
Heat the oven to 425°F. Line a 9-inch square baking pan or cake tin with a big square of foil, large enough to complete enclose the beet roots. Lightly rinse the beet roots to remove any really clumpy dirt and pat them dry. Place them in the foil square and lightly drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Fold up the foil and crease to seal. Bake the beets for 60 minutes or until they can be just pierced with a fork. Set aside to cool. Meanwhile, chop the beet greens into bite-size ribbons. Discard the stalks between the roots and where the leaves start, but chop the leaf ribs along with the leaves. Rinse thoroughly to remove all traces of dirt and grit. In a large skillet, heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat and add the garlic. Cook on low for about 5 minutes or until the garlic is golden and fragrant. Add the chopped leaves and stir to coat with the garlic. Cook on medium-low for about 10 minutes or until the leaves are soft and tender. Remove from the heat. When the beets are cool, rub them with a paper towel to remove the skin. Then chop into bite sized pieces and toss with the cooked greens, goat cheese, and almonds. Taste and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm or cold. (This also makes an excellent pressed sandwich filling, especially with some extra goat cheese.)
GOLDEN BEET AND SUNFLOWER SEED SALAD
2 1/2 lb. medium golden beets, 1/2 cup raw (not roasted) sunflower seeds (2 1/4 oz), 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot, 2 1/2 tablespoons cider vinegar, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon sugar, 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 6 oz sunflower sprouts or baby mesclun (6 cups)
Put oven racks in lower third and middle of oven and preheat oven to 425°F. Trim beet greens, leaving 1 inch of stems attached. Tightly wrap beets together in double layers of foil to make packages (2 or 3 per package) and roast in middle of oven until tender, 40 to 45 minutes. Unwrap beets and cool slightly.
While beets roast, toast sunflower seeds in a pie plate or a small baking pan in lower third of oven, shaking occasionally, until seeds are golden, about 10 minutes. Whisk together shallot, vinegar, salt, pepper, and sugar in a small bowl, then add oil in a stream, whisking. When beets are cool enough to handle, slip off and discard skins. Cut beets lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices and gently toss with 3 tablespoons vinaigrette in a bowl. Toss sunflower sprouts and half of sunflower seeds with remaining vinaigrette in another bowl. Arrange beets on 6 salad plates and top with dressed sprouts. Sprinkle salads with remaining sunflower seeds. Cooks’ note: Beets can be roasted, sliced, and dressed 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Recipe from Epicurious.com
CABBAGE-BEET SLAW WITH GINGER VINAIGRETTE
1 small head red cabbage, 1 medium-sized beet, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 4 tablespoons oil (vegetable or canola), 1 1/2 tablespoon honey, 1-inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated, Salt & pepper to taste
Chop the cabbage into 4 wedges. Trip away any of the tougher core. Cut the remaining cabbage into thin strips. Place in a bowl. Peel the beet using a vegetable peeler. Using a hand-held grater or box grater, shred the beet into the bowl with the cabbage, being careful to not stain clothes with beet juice.
Make the vinaigrette. Combine vinegar, honey, and ginger in a small bowl. Add oil and whisk to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste. Toss vinaigrette with cabbage-beet mixture. Allow the slaw to stand 20-30 minutes before serving, tossing regularly. Add salt and pepper if needed, and serve. Recipe from TheBittenWord.com
GOLDEN BEET SLAW
3 small/medium golden beets, peeled and spiralized (you could use a grater to shred if you don’t have a spiralizer), ½ small head of cabbage, sliced thin, 1 bunch green onions, chopped, ½ lb. (10 oz) cherry tomatoes, halved, ½ cup avocado oil or olive oil, ½ cup whole sour cream, yogurt, or coconut milk yogurt (I think coconut cream would work too), Juice from ½ lemon, 1-2 T raw honey, 1 T garlic powder, 1 tsp mild paprika, 1 tsp sea salt, ¼ tsp pepper, ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
Put all of the veggies in a large mixing bowl. You may want to cut the spiralized beets a little so they aren’t so long – it makes them easier for kids to handle that way.
Put the rest of the ingredients into a pint mason jar and use an immersion blender to make the dressing. The immersion blender emulsifies the oil so if you do not have an immersion blender, you can use a food processor and add the oil into the other ingredients slowly using the oil drip top on your food processor to emulsify. You could also use a whisk and bowl and drizzle the oil in slowly so it emulsifies. The dressing should be nice and creamy. Add the dressing to the veggies and combine. You can eat the slaw right away or store it in the fridge up to 5 days. The salt in the dressing will pull some water out of the veggies and it will get a little liquidy at the bottom – simply toss the slaw to mix it all in – it is even more delicious after marrying all those flavors over a day or two! Recipe from Raising Generation Nourished * Fresh and mildly sweet golden beets tossed in a delicious creamy dressing make for a cool, crisp kid pleasing side!
ROSEMARY ROASTED PURPLE POTATOES
5-6 medium-sized purple or other potatoes, 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 1 clove garlic, crushed, 1 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary, crushed, Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Scrub the potatoes well. Dry and quarter them as shown above. Place potatoes in baking pan to form a single layer. Drizzle olive oil over potatoes, sprinkle with crushed garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper. Toss potatoes to coat with oil and spices. Cover pan with foil and slide into oven. Bake potatoes for 15 minutes. Slide pan from oven and remove foil. Using a spatula, turn potatoes over. Return pan to oven without foil and roast potatoes another 15 minutes. Slide potatoes from oven, turn them one more time and continue roasting another 10-15 minutes. Remove from oven and serve immediately. Serves 6
BLUE POTATOES MASHED WITH GARLIC
3 lbs. blue potatoes, 2 1/2 oz. roasted garlic, 2 z. sour cream, 1/2 oz. butter, 1 oz. Parmesan, grated, Salt and pepper
Peel and cut the potatoes into cubes. Boil them in salted water for approximately 15 minutes or fork tender. Once potatoes have cooked, drain the water. In a large bowl add the garlic, sour cream, butter, and Parmesan to the potatoes, and mash until desired consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste.
PURPLE POTATOES WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS AND SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS
3 Slices of thick style bacon, 1/2 pound new purple potatoes sliced in half and then in small wedges, 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced lengthwise, 4 medium sized shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced, Olive oil, Kosher Salt
Freshly cracked pepper, 1 pinch red pepper flakes, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon, 1 tablespoon chopped capers, 1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter
Start caramelizing the onions: In a small sauté pan heat one tablespoon of olive oil over a low heat. Add the sliced onions in one even layer, after five minutes add 1/2 tablespoon of butter, stir and add a pinch of kosher salt. While rendering your bacon and cooking your mushrooms in the next steps, make sure to stir the onions every few minutes and remove once they are evenly browned. This should take around 30 minutes, remove from heat when finished and reserve. Cook the bacon: While the onions are slowly cooking slice the bacon in small batonettes (1/8-inch crosswise strips) on your cutting board. Heat up a larger sauté pan on medium and when your pan is hot add the sliced bacon. Slowly sauté the bacon until slightly crispy and remove from the pan onto a paper towel-lined plate, reserve for later. Cook mushrooms in rendered bacon fat: Julienne the shiitake mushrooms and then add them to the pan which now has the rendered bacon fat. Add a pinch of salt and fresh cracked pepper to the Shiitake mushrooms, don’t shake the pan but let the mushrooms brown evenly on one side. Once browned, flip the mushrooms delicately and remove from pan onto a smaller plate, reserve. Brown the purple potatoes: Add 2 Tablespoons of olive oil in the pan and add the evenly sliced potatoes to the hot pan in a single layer; make sure not to crowd the pan. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes and a good pinch of salt to the potatoes. Don’t move the pan, this is very important so that the potatoes can evenly brown. After 3-5 minutes, when they are browned flip potatoes and brown the other side, turn down the heat to medium low to evenly cook the potatoes. 5 Add capers, onions, mushrooms, bacon: Once the potatoes are thoroughly cooked, add the capers and let crisp up for a minute. Then combine the caramelized onions, mushrooms, and bacon to the large sauté pan with the browned potatoes. Re-warm over low heat. When hot, turn the heat off and garnish with a sprinkle of fresh picked tarragon. Recipe from simplyrecipes.com
MEDITERRANEAN PURPLE POTATO FRITTATA
1 T. extra-virgin olive oil, 1 large onion, cut into ¼-inch slices, 1 lb. purple potatoes, peeled and cut crosswise into ¼-inch slices, ½ tsp curry powder (optional), ¾ tsp sea salt, divided, 2 T. minced fresh thyme, 8 whole eggs, ½ tsp freshly ground pepper
Heat a 10-inch, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Add oil and arrange onion slices in skillet. Cook, turning occasionally, until lightly browned and just tender, about 20 minutes. Arrange potato slices over onion and sprinkle 2 tablespoons of water over vegetables, then sprinkle with curry (optional) and ¼ teaspoon salt, turning to coat. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook until potatoes are just fork-tender, about 10 minutes.
Preheat the broiler. Whisk eggs just to blend, and stir in ½ teaspoon salt and pepper. Pour into skillet, sprinkle with thyme and arrange potato mixture in a single layer. Cook over medium heat, until set on bottom, about 10 minutes. Transfer skillet to oven and broil 6 inches from heat source until browned at edges and set all the way through, 5 to 8 minutes. Recipe from Debby Maugans, food writer based in Asheville, North Carolina
INDONESIAN CURRIED CABBAGE
1 large cabbage; 1 large bay leaf; 3 whole cloves; 1 clove garlic; 2 cups beef broth; 3 tbs. grated onion; 4 tbs. butter; 1 tbs. curry powder; 6 tbs. flour; salt and cayenne pepper; 2 cups milk; 1/2 cup grated Gouda cheese
Shred cabbage. Rinse in a colander with lukewarm water. Make a bouquet garni of bay leaf, whole cloves and garlic. Place cabbage, broth and bouquet garni (in a spice bag if available) in a large kettle. Bring to boil. Cook gently 10 minutes, or until cabbage is tender. Melt butter in another saucepan. Add curry powder and cook gently 1 minute. Remove pan from heat. Stir in flour and season to taste with salt and cayenne. Carefully blend in milk. Return to heat and stir constantly until sauce boils. Drain cabbage well and discard spices. Combine cabbage and sauce. Pour into buttered casserole. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake in 475°F oven 15 minutes or until top bubbles and is nicely browned. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
IRISH CABBAGE AND BACON
12 strips bacon or other pork equivalent, 1 medium head of cabbage, chopped, 6 cloves garlic; chopped, 2 carrots; chopped, 1-pound potatoes; chopped, Dijon mustard
Add bacon to a pan that will hold all ingredients and cover with salted water. Bring to a boil and add cabbage, potatoes, and garlic; cook until vegetables are tender. Drain most of liquid except about a cup and set into serving dish. While vegetables are boiling, sauté onions in butter or oil on medium heat until browned and caramelized. Set atop cabbage mix and serve with hot, spicy mustard. Serves 4 – 6
Recipe from Red Fire Farm
LAZY GOLUMPKI (GOŁĄBKI), STUFFED CABBAGE CASSEROLE
Medium size head of cabbage, 2 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef, 1/2 lbs. cooked bacon coarsely chopped, 1 med white onion, 1/2 cup Italian flavored bread crumbs, 1/2 -3/4 cup white rice; cooked, 1-2 eggs, 1 family sized and 1 10 oz can of tomato soup, salt and pepper to taste, Preheat oven 375 degrees. Coarsely shred the cabbage it thick long pieces and set aside. Cook bacon in the oven, allow to cool, coarsely chop and set aside. Dice onion and set aside. Cook rice and allow to cool and set aside. For convenience, I used a boil in the bag type of rice. In a large bowl, add meat, bread crumbs, onion, bacon, rice, egg and salt and pepper. Start by only using one egg. If the mixture seems too dry, then add the second egg. In a 9X9 pan, place a layer of the shredded cabbage so that the bottom of the pan is completely covered. Add the meat mixture on top of the cabbage and press into the shape of the pan. Add another layer of cabbage to cover the meat mixture. Pour the family sized can of tomato soup over the top of the cabbage to cover completely. Reserve the smaller can to add additional soup while baking in the oven. Add salt and pepper over the top. Cover with aluminum foil. Place pan on top of a cookie sheet and put in a 375 preheated oven. Cook for approximately 1 hour 45 minutes – 2 hours. Recipe from plattertalk.com
CAPRESE SKEWERS
15 small fresh mozzarella balls; 1-pint cherry or grape tomatoes; 3 tablespoons basil-flavored olive oil; salt and pepper; 1 bunch of basil; 30 short bamboo skewers or toothpicks
Halve the mozzarella balls and the tomatoes. Toss with basil oil; add salt and pepper to taste. Tear the basil into bite size leaves. Skewer a piece of mozzarella, a piece of basil, and a tomato half onto a skewer or toothpick; repeat with remaining ingredients and skewers. Arrange skewers in concentric circles on a platter. Or forget the skewers and just make a salad with said ingredients. Makes 6 appetizer serving