GardenSpotlight

one of our hand-made wreaths We've been so busy making wreaths and kissing balls for the Christmas Season. It's been very cold and a bit snowy of late.  A couple days ago, I surprised my husband with a crock pot of minestrone for lunch down at the farm.   He said it really hit the spot with this cold weather and has requested more crock pot goodness!  Today I made Kale and Tomato Soup for him as I wanted to use up some left over kale, which is very sweet and tender this time of year due to the cold weather.  We've been growing kale in the greenhouses all year along with other greens.  This recipe is super easy and really only takes about 15 minutes on the stove, but I elected to saute and then add to the crock pot for obvious reasons already stated.  Of course...it's always great to come home to an already cooked meal in the evening, so our crock pot is always working.  As a matter of fact, I have two of them! Kale growing in our greenhouse ...

Romano Beans....Italian  Flat Beans....These beans are flat, broad and string-less and have a bit more flavor than regular green beans.  We grow them on the farm mostly for our family, but lately they've been a big hit at the farmers' markets we attend.  When giving customers a chance to sample, about 90% will pick the Romano bean to purchase over the other.  We've been harvesting them by hand for about two weeks now, and I finally had a chance to fix some for dinner tonight. You can steam or saute them with garlic, or add them to salads if you like.  They are tender and cook quickly when picked at the right stage.  If you are growing them in your own garden, you should harvest them regularly, at least every other day, at about 4 or 5" in length and when the bean seeds inside the pod are just starting to show some definition.  If you let them get too large where the seeds are really bulging, they can be tough. Tonight I sauteed them with garlic ...

Frisee (pronounced Free-ZAY), also called Chicory, is a salad green in the Endive family.   Unlike other endives, its leaves are long and curly rather than cylindrical shaped.   The leaves are skinny and light green, turning to a creamy white towards the center of the plant.   While slightly bitter, like Escarole, it is not as bitter as its cousins Radicchio (Italian Chicory) and Belgian endive and can be used fresh in salads or cooked.   Frisee is very high vitamins and minerals, including folate, vitamins A & K, and fiber.   Toss chopped frisee with orange segments and pomegranate seeds, or radicchio and pears for a winter salad. Top frisee with lardons (French term for small, matchstick cut pieces of pork lard… or bacon cut from the belly of the pig), vinaigrette and a poached egg. Sauté frisee until wilted and combine with chopped walnuts and goat cheese.   Frisee will keep, refrigerated in a produce bag, for one to two weeks.   Since we ...

My husband and I like to experiment with ingredients from our farm, especially over the summer when produce is abundant.  A bit more scarce now from the farm, our ingredients today came to us by way of the grocery store.  Last week Hubby made an omelet with sweet potatoes...it was great.  Today I took his lead and tweaked it a little.....

Just a quick post here.  So remember how I said I have more time for baking during the winter?  I decided to surprise Jenn with one of her favorite things this morning....Cinnamon Rolls.  Not sure how I like them though....they're yummy enough, but I think I would adjust the recipe based on the air in the house.  Since our air inside is drier with the wood stove on, I may add an extra egg or more oil to the recipe next time.  Jenn said hers was perfect, but I thought mine was dry.  This recipe was for my bread machine on the dough only cycle, so it could just as easily be done by hand, only you'd have to mix and knead by hand, allow to rise until doubled in bulk about an hour or so, then punch down and knead again for 1/2 a minute, let rest for 10 minutes (all rest/rising periods are covered with plastic wrap and kept away from drafts) and follow directions as below.

I was at the grocery store last night picking up a few staples...onions, potatoes, etc.  I wanted to get a few items to snack on at home and for school lunches.  I'm so tired of the same old things and there are so many preservatives in everything.  There are some things that you don't think are in there too, but the manufacturers disguise them under different names.  Take MSG for example....many of us know it's not good for us and try to avoid it.  It gives me headaches, as does Aspartame.  But did you know that something can say "MSG Free" and still have MSG in it?  It may be written as "Autolyzed Yeast" or "Autolyzed Protein" or some other name...there are lots of them.  Even processed organic foods can have these things in them!  For a great informational read, check out The Elephant Journal  . So back to my shopping....I got the great idea to make my own granola bars instead of buying them at the store. I figured it had to be rela...

So last year was very hectic for my family and I.  Meanwhile, my "Aunt" started a new blog after retiring from the TV industry.  I really wanted to read her new blog, especially after hearing about all the rewards and recognition she had received for it.  Finally today I got to sit down and check it out.  OMG  I love it and I didn't know she had such a sense of humor....we don't get to see each other often enough.  So check it out and feel free to drop a comment or two.  There's lots of great recipes and hilarious humor... http://MsToodyGooShoes.blogspot.com Love you Amy!

I just wanted to share a quick recipe; super simple and super delicious and back to an older, simpler way of life.  Greens and Beans: Here I used home grown rapini (broccoli rabe) that we are growing this winter in our greenhouse, but  you can use any green you like.  Kale, mustard greens, beet greens, turnip greens; they all work well here.  I just sort and wash the greens (about a pound) in cool water and shake any excess water from the leaves.  I toss them in a large saute pan and drizzle them with olive oil.  I add pressed and also chopped garlic and saute until greens are tender and then I add in my beans.  I used a can of chick peas here, but you can use cannellini beans, navy beans or something similar here.  And that is it!  Absolutely delicious and quite filling.  Hearty appetite!   Greens and Beans

Fresh from my kitchen....Crunchy Veggie Slaw Ingredients: 1 lb mixed shredded red and green cabbage 4 - 8 oz shredded carrots 3/4 Cup baby broccoli florets 1/4 Cup roasted sunflower seeds 1 Handful raisins 1/4 Cup Mayonnaise 2 TBSP Milk 2 TBSP Sugar 3 TBSP Vinegar, either white or cider 1 tsp Celery Seed Mix all veggies, sunflower seeds and raisins together in large bowl.  In separate small bowl, for the dressing, whisk together the mayonnaise, milk, sugar, vinegar and celery seed.  Pour the dressing over the veggie mixture; stir until dressing is evenly distributed and chill for one hour.  Serves 8.....unless you are my family, then it only serves 4. :-) Tip:  We always have Balsamic Vingar in our home, not so much of the others.  You can substitute with the Balsamic if you like.  Keep in mind the dressing will be brown and not white...still very yummy though.

We've been harvesting a light green Mediterranean squash out of our greenhouse for a while now, but this week we've started picking zucchini and yellow summer squash out of our field as well.  Customers have come to the greenhouse in the past to buy squash plants and always comment on how many squash they are overrun with.  So much so that their neighbors hide when they see them ;-) ....just kidding.  I've also recently written an article on growing squash for our local paper, and I will post that once the article has been published next week.  For now, let the recipes begin.  Da-ta-da....!!! My Mom’s Summer Squash with Rice              ……an old Sicilian recipe   8 medium summer squash, either zucchini, yellow or other, split in half lengthwise, then cut into ¾” slices 2 medium or 1 large yellow or sweet onions, roughly chopped 1 -28 oz can peeled plum tomatoes with juice or ...

So our Mango Roasted Chicken last night was delicious!  There was not enough left over for another full meal, so I took the rest and decided to make chicken salad and chicken stock.  I'm not sure what it is with me lately, but I've been concocting and trying out new recipes.  Maybe it's because I can't wait for the growing season here on the farm to start.  We've had such a mild winter and that 80 degree weather on and off between March and April...who knew?  Then the other night there were hard freeze warnings!  My poor hydrangeas are very confused.  I know Mother Nature is going to make us pay for our very mild winter!  Hopefully it will not be by the way of hail after the crops are planted and sprouting.  Last year's rain after the hurricane was bad enough.  We lost our crop of cauliflower and a field of beans and cucumbers too!  It's very scary at times living on the farm, but it's our way of life.  Tough at times for...

1 Fresh Roasting Chicken 3 Cloves Garlic, minced 2 TBSP Butter 1 TBSP Olive Oil 2 - 3 TBSP Mango Butter 1 Lemon, sliced, seeds removed Red Pepper Flakes, to taste, or about 1-2 tsp Dried or Fresh Rosemary, to taste, or about 1-1/2 to 2 tsp Wash chicken and pat dry with paper towel.  Set in roasting pan with a little olive oil.  Spread butter all over chicken, then do the same with the mango butter.  You can spread some of the butter and mango butter under the skin of the chicken as well.  Scatter a few slices of lemon on top of the chicken and sprinkle the chicken with the minced garlic, rosemary and red pepper flakes.  I also like to put some of the herbs and butters into the cavity along with one or two slices of lemon. Bake covered at 350 degrees F until done, calculating at 20 minutes per pound, basting about half-way through.  Serve with your favorite selection of roasted or steamed vegetables and either c...

Thanks so much to all who attended the Healthy Eating Festival at our local farmers' market! We all had a great time, farmers and customers alike. In addition to all the wonderful fresh produce, all-natural meat and flowers, several of the farmers cooked up some great recipes to share with everyone. I promised I would post a recipe I shared for our snap beans and plum tomatoes: 2 quarts green beans (or 1 quart each green and yellow beans) Plum Tomatoes - about 4 medium sized, chopped Olive Oil Italian Seasoning Garlic Powder Basil - fresh or dried, to taste Fresh Garlic - about 4 cloves, peeled, crushed and chopped Wash and trim beans. Coat bottom of large skillet with pure olive oil (it's so much healthier than canola and vegetable oil). Heat oil over medium heat and toss in crushed, chopped garlic and cook for about 45 seconds. Add beans, stir with the oil in the pan and cook, covered, over medium heat about 7 minutes. Stir again, add Italian seasoning and garlic po...

We had a very hard freeze here the other night, so everything on the farm is done now except for the cauliflower. We just started harvesting the cauliflower this week, so I wanted to provide you with some tasty recipes. Here are some great new recipes....I love Autumn roasted vegetables. You can do the same with root vegetables too...such as beets, potatoes, parsnips and carrots...roasting brings out so much flavor... Cauliflower with Bacon 1 head cauliflower, cut into flowerets 1 tsp dry mustard ¼ Cup butter or margarine ½ tsp salt (if desired) ¼ lb bacon, cooked and cut into 1” pieces 2 TBSP water 2 oz jar sliced pimiento, drained 1 TBSP chopped fresh parsley In 3 qt saucepan, melt butter. Stir in remaining ingredients except parsley. Cover and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until cauliflower is crisply tender, about 10-12 minutes. Season with parsle...

We had a great time at the Pumpkin Festival today at the Farmer's Market. It was very cold though, and the Cooperative Extension office made hot Butternut Squash Soup! Yum. I made up recipe flyers for Pumpkin Soup for today, and we ran out of them, so I will post the recipe here for those who missed out. Here it is...enjoy. Allow yourself to be creative too and serve the soup in hollowed out pumpkins! Pumpkin Soup 1 Large Red Onion, sliced thinly, about 2 Cups 1 stick (½ Cup) unsalted butter white pepper to taste 8 Cups coarsely chopped raw, peeled pie pumpkin pieces (2 lbs) 6 Cups chicken broth 2 TBSP Raw Rice 2 Cups heavy cream or to taste In a kettle, cook onion in butter over moderate heat, stirring occasionally until softened and add pumpkin, white pepper and salt to taste. Cook mixture, covered, over moderately low heat 20 minutes or until pumpkin is softened. Add broth and bring to a boil. Add rice, and cook covered, over moderately low heat, 20 - 25 minutes un...

Pasta Fagioli; or Pasta & Beans; this is one of our favorites, with one small change.... The recipe we were using called for Escarole, which I absolutely love. My husband said, "Why don't you try making it with our Swiss Chard?" So I did that tonight. Wow...out of this world. Even our daughter loved it and had seconds. (She will not normally eat Swiss Chard). Here's what I did: 1/2 Medium Sized Sweet Onion 2 Cloves Garlic 1 Bunch Golden Swiss Chard (Golden Chard tends to be sweeter than red or green) 10 cups Chicken Broth 4 - 6 oz Pasta, either small Shells, Penne, or something similar. 1 can Great Northern Beans (White Beans) Olive Oil Coat the bottom of a 6 Qt sauce pan with Olive Oil. Chop the onion, garlic and swiss chard stems and saute until tender. While that's cooking, chop the leaves of the Swiss Chard and rinse and drain the beans. Once the onion, garlic and stems are tender, add the chopped Swiss Chard leaves and continue cooking until the Chard ...

In the midst of freezing my beans, (I was able to get 18 quarts of beans done) another farming friend dropped off a couple of bushels of apples. They were great! I made applesauce...so easy! And since it's almost gone, I have to make more. I think I'll make a few pies and freeze them until the holidays. Quick Homemade Applesauce: Wash, peel and chop apples...I did about 20 apples so far, and it made about 1-1/2 - 2 quarts. Place them in a large saucepan with a little water on the bottom and cook them slowly on low-medium heat. You'll want to cook them until they are very soft. I also added Apple Pie Seasoning and just a touch of sugar. You can use plain Cinnamon as well if you don't have the Apple Pie Seasoning. Season to taste and you can either mash by hand and leave small chunks of apples in the sauce, or you can puree with a mixer. Allow to cool a bit and then ladle into plastic containers. Store in refrigerator for up to a week or freeze for longer ...

A customer from the farmer's market we attend was asking for a zucchini bread recipe...I couldn't find the one I was thinking of, but this one is great too! Zucchini & Cheese Bread 2 Cups all-purpose flour 2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda 3/4 tsp salt (if desired...I never use salt) 1/8 tsp red (cayenne) pepper, ground 1/4 tsp dried oregano, crushed to release flavor 1/4 tsp dried basil, crushed to release flavor 1/2 tsp dried, minced onion 1 TBSP sugar 3/4 Cup shredded Cheddar cheese (3 oz.) 3/4 Cup shredded, unpeeled zucchini, can us green or yellow or mixture 2 eggs 1/2 Cup pureed unpeeled zucchini 1/4 Cup vegetable oil..if using olive oil, use the lighter version...better for baking 1 TBSP lemon juice Grease and flour an 8"x4" loaf pan and set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, red pepper, oregano, basil, onion, sugar, cheese and 3/4 C shredded zucchini. Set aside. In medium bow...

Great news! The webmasters/legal department over at The Food Network said I can post some links for recipes....and boy have I found some good ones. You'll find the name of the recipes and the shopping list. Just click on the recipe title and you'll be taken over to that recipe at The Food Network. I'll start with Swiss Chard, since we sell so much of it at the Farmer's Market. Swiss Chard Tart: Pasticcio di Bietole al Forno Recipe courtesy Mario Batali Show: Molto Mario Episode: Trastevere On a Sunday 2 pounds Swiss chard, washed and spun dry (2 bunches..about 15 stems ea. bunch) 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 Spanish onion, thinly sliced 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 1/4 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped to yield 1/8 cup 3 large eggs Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano 1 cup bread crumbs Here's another recipe, but with a little more difficulty. Some p...

Swiss Chard is one of our favorites here on the farm. They come in different varieties, or colors if you wish. There is White Swiss Chard, Red Swiss Chard and Yellow Swiss Chard. Rainbow Swiss Chard is a mixture of the different colors together in one bunch. Swiss Chard is high in nutrients such as iron, (as many leafy greens are) and vitamin C. If you are growing your own at home, just snap the outer stems away from the base of the plant when harvesting, and leave the center to continue growing. You can leave Swiss Chard in the garden well into the fall as it is a fairly tough plant, withstanding some snow and colder temperatures. We generally like to chop or tear the leaves, like you would with spinach, and chop the stems too, into 1 - 2 inches pieces after rinsing well. Then we steam the Swiss Chard in a large saucepan until wilted and the stems have softened. Drain the water (there should only be a small amount, if any), and add olive oil and chopped garlic...saute a co...