We didn't get to celebrate together on Saturday due to the cold and rain but the weather did make it a great weekend for cooking! Lise and I had a nice day in the farm store catching up with many of you as you stocked up on supplies. In the last few weeks of the CSA we are looking forward to sharing with you many fall vegetables that aren't available other times of the season. This week we are particularly excited to have butternut squash, Brussels sprouts, and broccoli! This is our favorite time of year to cook so if you are wondering what to do with a fall veggie don't hesitate to ask! We also have lots of recipes available in the farm store. For those interested in purchasing storage crops in bulk after the CSA has closed for the season we will have a list of what is available in the farm store (and online) next week. Happy Fall!
In the CSA this week:
- Broccoli
- Brussels sprouts- My favorite way to prepare them is to simply take the sprouts off the stem, wash and cut in half then bake with olive oil, salt and pepper.
- Butternut squash- A storage squash that is featured in many tasty recipes including our favorite, butternut squash risotto.
- Golden Nugget squash- This squash tastes very similar to the hubba hubba squash but has a round shape and small size that makes it great for stuffing.
- Fennel
- Celery
- Lettuce
- Buttercup squash
- Peter Wilcox potatoes- Purple skin with yellow flesh.
- Hubba Hubba squash (Red kuri)
- Colored Peppers
- Leeks
- Garlic
- Carrots
- Beets
- Cabbage- Tendersweet and savoy
- Kale
- Chard
CSA PYO:
- Sunflowers- Our last planting is now in bloom!
- Parsley and sage
All the fruiting PYO crops were damaged by the frost, but many of them survived. We could get another frost this week which would do them in entirely but as of Monday there are still:
- Cherry tomatoes
- Husk Cherries - careful picking is required
- Hot peppers - the plants are mostly dead, but Monday many of the peppers seemed salvageable.
- Tomatillos - a small amount are left.
- Parsley and sage
In the store:
In addition to the crops listed above, we'll have Delicata squash, spinach, happy rich, salanova, collards, pie pumpkins, arugula, scallions and jack-o-lanterns from Kenney Farm in Concord!
Stuffed Gold Nugget Squash
Sabrina Bone, Cooking Light November 2011 MyRecipes.com
- 4 (1-pound) golden nugget squashes
- Cooking spray
- 2 (4-ounce) links hot turkey Italian sausage, casings removed
- 1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
- 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 cups cooked quinoa
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded 2% reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese, divided
Preparation
1. Cut the top quarter off each squash; reserve tops. Discard seeds. Arrange squashes, cut sides down, in 2 (11 x 7-inch) baking dishes. Fill each dish with 1-inch of water; microwave 1 dish at HIGH 15 minutes. Remove dish; repeat with remaining dish. Cool.
2. Preheat oven to 350°.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add sausage; sauté 5 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Remove sausage with a slotted spoon. Add carrot, onion, and garlic to drippings in pan; sauté 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in 1/2 cup water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook 8 minutes or until carrot is tender.
4. Combine sausage, carrot mixture, quinoa, parsley, thyme, salt, and pepper; stir in 1/2 cup cheese. Stuff about 1 cup quinoa mixture in each squash, and top each serving with 1 tablespoon cheese. Arrange stuffed squashes in a broiler-safe baking dish, and place tops in dish. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Remove from oven.
5. Preheat broiler to high.
6. Broil squashes 4 minutes or until cheese is golden.