2/25/2012 Basket - Beef Gyros with Tzatziki

Beef Gyros with Tzatziki
Uses from this basket: Cucumber, lettuce
Other produce: Tomato, red onion, garlic, lemon

• 2 (7-ounce) containers plain Greek yogurt
• 1 cucumber (unpeeled)
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 T freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 T white wine vinegar
• 1/4 tsp dried dill
• 1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

• 1-2 pounds thinly sliced beef
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
• 3-4 T olive oil
• juice of 1/2 lemon

• pita bread
• thinly sliced tomato
• sliced red onion
  
• shredded lettuce
• crumbled feta cheese
• sun dried tomatoes
  

Grate the cucumber and squeeze grated cucumber to remove as much liquid as you can. Place it in a food processor along with the yogurt, sour cream, lemon juice, vinegar, dill, garlic, salt, and pepper and process until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to serve. (Note that the tzatziki will taste pretty tangy--it may seem too strong, but trust me, once you get it on the gyro it is perfect.)

Combine beef, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, and herbs. Toss to coat. Let marinate for about 30 minutes. Cook over medium high heat until browned.

Heat the pita bread in the microwave for about 15 seconds, until warm and pliable. On each piece of bread, lay a few pieces of meat and top with lettuce, onion, tomato, feta, etc. Drizzle with tzatziki sauce, fold, and enjoy!

2/25/2012 Basket - Japanese Curry

Japanese Curry
Uses from this basket: Potatoes
Other produce: Onion, carrots

• 3 chicken breasts or equivalent pork or beef (we did pork this time)
• 4 potatoes, cubed
• 1/2 - 1 pound carrots, cut the size of baby carrots
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 boxes of Golden Curry (looks like this: http://www.asianfoodgrocer.com/img/prods/aaa/29/01254_400.jpg)
• 4 cups water (approximately)

Combine meat and vegetables in a crock pot. Pour enough water to barely cover the vegetables. Break apart the curry cubes and place them throughout the mixture. Cook 6-8 hours on low. When there is about an hour left, shred the meat. Serve over rice.

2/25/2012 Basket

This week's basket is from the Provo Food & Care Coalition location.


We got:

• 1 head butter lettuce
• 1 head cauliflower
• 1 bunch broccoli
• 3 cucumbers
• 5 pound bag potatoes
• 3 pound bag D'Anjou pears (plus 3)
• 3 mangoes
• 7 bananas
• 7 kiwis
• 6 pink lady apples
  

2/11/2012 Basket - Chicken a l'Orange and Oven Roasted Broccoli

Chicken a l'Orange
Uses from this basket: Oranges

• 2 chicken breasts, cut into strips
• 1 beaten egg
• 1 T water
• ~1/2 cup cornstarch
• 2 T butter
• 1/2 c brown sugar
• 1/4 c soy sauce
• 1/2 c orange juice
• 1/4 c vinegar
• 1 T cornstarch in 2 T water

Dip chicken pieces in egg wash made of beaten egg and water, then coat with cornstarch. Brown in butter until golden brown and place in shallow baking pan. Combine remaining ingredients except cornstarch slurry and bring to a boil. Add cornstarch slurry as needed for a thin sauce. Pour over chicken pieces and bake, covered, at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove cover and bake an additional 10 minutes. Serve over rice.

Oven Roasted Broccoli
Uses from this basket: Broccoli
Other produce: Garlic

• 4 small bunches broccoli, cut into florets (somewhere between 1-1/2 and 2 pounds)
• 3 T olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt
• 3/8 tsp black pepper
• 1/3-1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1/2-1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place the broccoli in a mixing bowl and toss with olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper and set aside.

Spread the panko into a 9x13 metal cake pan and place into the oven for 2 minutes or until lightly toasted. Remove from the oven and add to the broccoli mixture. Toss to combine. Return the mixture to the cake pan, place in the oven and roast just until broccoli is tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle cheese on top.

2/11/2012 Basket - Italian Chicken Green Salad and Dutch Pear Pie

Italian Chicken Green Salad
Uses from this basket: Lettuce, mushrooms
Other produce: Red onion, grape tomato

• 1 head lettuce, washed and torn into bite-size pieces
  
• 2 chicken breasts, diced
  
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups zesty Italian dressing
• 1/2 small red onion, sliced
  
• 5 mushrooms, sliced
• 15 grape tomatoes, cut in half
• 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Cook chicken in Italian dressing over medium high heat until liquid is cooked off. Toss cooked chicken with remaining ingredients. Serve with your favorite Italian dressing or vinaigrette.

Dutch Pear Pie
Uses from this basket: Pears

• 1 pie crust
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 T flour
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3 cups coarsely chopped fresh pears (3-4 pears)
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Place pie crust in 9-inch glass pie plate; do not prick crust. Carefully line pastry with double thickness of foil, gently pressing foil to bottom and side of crust. Let foil extend over edge to prevent excessive browning. Bake 10 minutes. Carefully remove foil; bake 2 to 4 minutes longer or until crust just begins to brown and has become set. If crust bubbles, gently push bubbles down with back of spoon.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix sour cream, sugar, 1 T flour, vanilla, egg, and pears. Pour into warm baked pie shell. Mix 1 cup flour, brown sugar, and butter with pastry blender until mixture looks like fine crumbs; sprinkle over filling.

Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until top is light golden brown. After 30 minutes of baking, cover top of pie with foil to prevent excessive browning. Cool at least 30 minutes before serving. Cover and refrigerate any remaining pie.

2/11/2012 Basket - Pasta with Rose Sauce

Pasta with Rose Sauce
Uses from this basket: Mushroom
Other produce: Onion, garlic, tomato, grape tomato


Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a deep skillet. Cook 8 oz. mushrooms (sliced), half an onion (diced), and 5-6 cloves of garlic (minced). Once mushrooms begin to reduce and the onion is translucent, add 2 tomatoes (diced), and 20-30 cherry tomatoes (halved). Add 1/2 cup olive oil. Season with basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 30-45 minutes until it reaches the consistency of a chunky sauce. Add 1 cup cream and 2 cups grated Parmesan and stir to incorporate. Add pasta cooked al dente and 1/2 cup pasta water. Turn off the heat and let the pasta soak up the sauce before serving. Top with parsley and grated Parmesan.

2/11/2012 Basket - Creamy Ranch Succotash

Creamy Ranch Succotash

Uses from this basket: Corn

Other produce: Edamame, potato, onion, jalapeno, grape tomatoes

I followed Rachael Ray's recipe here, with the following modifications:

- I used the edamame instead of fava beans

- I used a jalapeno instead of a Fresno chile pepper

- I mixed 8 oz. cream cheese with a dry ranch dressing powder mix, rather than the herbs and seasonings listed in the recipe

I'd never had succotash before, so I was a bit skeptical, but it turned out really well. It's a hearty dish with nice flavor that's mostly healthy. Next time we'll use boneless skinless chicken thighs, as my wife hates bones.

2/11/2012 and 2/4/2012 Baskets - Eggplant Casserole

Eggplant Casserole

Uses: Eggplant, celery, onion, red pepper

Follow this recipe and grate fresh Parmesan on the top.

If you're not an eggplant lover, definitely try this recipe!

2/11/2012 and 2/4/2012 Baskets - Baked Mashed Potates and Roasted Asparagus

Baked Mashed Potatoes
Uses: Potatoes

• 6 medium potatoes, pared, cooked and drained
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 cup sour cream
• 3 oz cream cheese
• 3 T butter
• paprika

Mash potatoes until light and fluffy. Add salt, pepper, sour cream, and cream cheese and beat until well blended. Taste to check seasoning, adjust if necessary. Put in buttered 2 quart casserole dish. Dot with butter and sprinkle with paprika (no need to skimp here). Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Not great for you, but with sour cream AND cream cheese in this recipe, now I can hardly eat mashed potatoes any other way.

Roasted Asparagus
Uses: Asparagus

• 1 pound pencil-thin asparagus spears
• 2 T butter
• salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Rinse & drain asparagus and snap off ends. Arrange the spears in a 9x13 glass or ceramic baking dish. Melt butter and drizzle over asparagus. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake until tender, about 15 minutes (less for thinner spears, more for thicker spears). Serve immediately.

Simple but oh so delicious!

2/11/2012 Basket - Apple Dumplings

Apple Dumplings
Uses: Apples, oranges

• 1 (16 ounce) can refrigerated jumbo buttermilk biscuit dough
• 2 apples - peeled, cored, and quartered
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 2-3 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1/2 tsp cinnamon. Place prepared apples in bowl and add cinnamon sugar mixtures. Mix well.

Grease a 7x11 or 9x13 baking pan. Separate biscuit dough into 8 pieces. Flatten each piece of dough into a circle about 4 or 5 inches in diameter. Wrap one biscuit around each apple quarter and place, seam side down, in pan.

Cook for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine 1/2 cup white sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, orange juice, melted butter, vanilla, and cinnamon. When dumplings have cooked for ten minutes, pour orange juice mixture over them. Bake 30 more minutes until golden. Serve hot.

2/11/2012 Basket

Got this week's basket from the Provo Food & Care Coalition location again.

• 1 head Romaine lettuce
• 2 bunches asparagus
• 4 ears corn
• 2 eggplant
• 1 8-ounce package Baby Bella mushrooms
• 4 heads broccoli
• 7 bananas
• 4 pears
• 3 gala apples
• 12 Cara Cara oranges
• 2 lemons
  

2/4/2012 Basket - Red Pepper Alfredo and Caesar Salad

Red Pepper Alfredo
Uses: Onion, garlic, red bell pepper

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1-2 gloves garlic, minced
• 2-3 cups freshly grated Parmesan, Romano, or Grana Padano
• olive oil
• 1/4 cup diced onion
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 package angel hair pasta

Boil water for pasta.

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium low heat. Add cream and simmer for 5 minutes, then add garlic and cheese and stir until melted.

Saute onion and bell pepper in olive oil until tender. Stir into alfredo sauce.

Cook pasta, then drain and stir into alfredo sauce.

Caesar Salad
Uses: Lettuce

Wash lettuce and tear into bite-size pieces. Toss with grated Romano cheese, croutons, and Caesar dressing.

2/4/2012 Basket - Shrimp, Celery, and Cashew Stir-fry

Shrimp, Celery, and Cashew Stir-fry

Uses: Celery, red pepper, green onion

This meal cooks up really quickly, so it's important to have everything prepped beforehand.

Prep:

Mix 3 T. soy sauce, 3 T. sesame oil, and 3 T. honey and set aside.

Mix 6 cloves grated/minced garlic, 2" ginger root (grated), and 1 t. crushed red pepper flakes and set aside.

Finely chop 4 ribs celery, 1 red pepper, and 7 green onions. Combine in a bowl with 3/4 C. cashews and 1/2 lb. edamame (removed from pod).

Have ready 1 lb. raw shrimp, peeled and deveined.

Cook:

Heat a large nonstick skillet (or wok) over high heat with 1 T. vegetable oil. Add the cashew/vegetable bowl, season with 1/2 t. salt, and cook for 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Return skillet to high heat with 1 T. vegetable oil. Add the shrimp and 1/2 t. salt and stir-fry about 2 minutes until shrimp turn pink and curl up.

Add ginger/garlic/pepper flake mixture to skillet with shrimp and cook 1 minute. Add vegetable/cashew and the reserved soy sauce/sesame oil/honey sauce to the skillet. Cook for 1 minute, stirring to blend the flavors.

Serve over rice.

2/4/2012 Basket - Roasted Rosemary-Onion Potatoes and Pineapple Tarts

Roasted Rosemary-Onion Potatoes
Uses: Potato, onion

• 4 medium potatoes
• 1 small onion, finely chopped (1/4 cup)
• 2 T olive oil
• 2 t dried rosemary leaves
• 1/4 t dried thyme leaves
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• seasoning salt
  

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Grease bottom and sides of jelly roll pan.

Cut potatoes into 1 inch chunks. Mix remaining ingredients except seasoning salt in large bowl. Add potatoes and toss to coat. Spread potatoes in single layer in pan.

Bake uncovered about 35 minutes, turning occasionally until potatoes are crisp on the outside. Sprinkle with seasoning salt.

Pineapple Tarts
Uses: Pineapple

• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 pinch salt
• 10 T butter
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3-4 T cold water
• fresh pineapple, peeled, cored and pureed in food processor - about 3 cups
  
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/4 tsp cloves
• 1 egg, beaten

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center and pour in 1 beaten egg and water. Bind the ingredients together gently. Shape dough into a ball, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.

In a saucepan, combine pureed pineapple, sugar, and cloves. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently for about 30 minutes, until mixture thickens. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 thickness. Cut 6 four inch rounds and press into 4 inch tart pans, pushing dough about halfway up the sides. Fill with pineapple filling. Use rest of dough to create lattice top. Brush the top with beaten egg.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until pastry top is golden. Serve warm or cooled.

2/4/2012 Basket - Broccoli Cheese Soup and Dessert Trifle

Broccoli Cheese Soup
Uses: Broccoli, onion

Ingredients-
1 large bunch of broccoli chopped
4 cups chicken broth
1 small onion saute
1 can evaporated milk
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
3-4 cups of cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Roux: Mixture of flour and melted butter for thickening gravy or soup
Cook broccoli; mix liquid ingredients, thicken with roux. Add broccoli, fold in cheese.


Dessert Trifle
Uses: Strawberries

Ingredients-
One small container of Cool Whip
One large box of chocolate instant pudding
One container of strawberries

One box of brownies

Bottom Layer - Place cooked brownies cut in cubes
Next Layer - Chocolate pudding
Next Layer - Cool Whip
Next Layer - Sliced strawberries (you can use strawberries on the outside of the trifle dish for looks)
Repeat until ingredients are gone. Finish with strawberries and decorate.

2/4/2012 Basket - Red Pepper Hummus and Jalapeno Guacamole

Red Pepper Hummus
Uses: Red pepper, jalapeno, key lime, garlic

• 1 can (15 oz) garbanzo beans
• 1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped
• 2 T olive oil
• 1 T tahini
• 6 cloves garlic
• 1/2 jalapeno, roughly chopped
• juice of 2 key limes
• 1 1/2 T water
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.

Jalapeno Guacamole
Uses: Avocado, jalapeno, lemon, cilantro, onion, garlic

• 4 avocados
• 1/2 to 2 jalapenos (depending how spicy you want it), minced
  
• juice of 1 small lemon
• 1 to 2 T chopped cilantro
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
  
• 2 to 3 T minced onion
• salt & pepper

Mash avocados. Stir in jalapenos, lemon juice, cilantro, garlic, and onion. Add salt and pepper to taste.

2/4/2012 Basket - Cream of Celery Soup and Garden Salad

Cream of Celery Soup
Uses: Celery, onion

• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 bunch celery, chopped (including leaves)
• 4 carrots, sliced
• 3/4 cup diced onion
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
  
• 1/4 cup flour
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 3 cups hot milk
• 1/2 tsp dill
• 1/2 tsp sage

Pour the chicken broth into a large pot and bring to a boil. Add the celery, carrots, onion, and garlic to the pot and return to a boil.

Whisk together the flour, salt, pepper, and milk, then add it to the pot.

Simmer for about 20 minutes, then use a stick blender, blender, or food processor and blend to desired consistency (some people like it smooth, others like some chunks left in). Stir in dill and sage.

Garden Salad
Uses: Lettuce, radishes, avocado, tomato


Wash lettuce, tear into bite-size pieces and place in salad bowl. Top with diced avocado, diced tomato, julienned radish, and shaved carrot. Serve with your favorite dressing.

2/4/2012 Basket - Baked Potato with Cheesy Broccoli Sauce

Baked Potato with Cheesy Broccoli Sauce
Uses: Potato, broccoli


Bake potatoes in oven at 350 degrees for about an hour. While potatoes are baking, make sauce:

• Broccoli (about 2 cups of florets)
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp ground mustard
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 2 cups milk
• 1 1/2 to 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  

Steam broccoli and set aside.
In a medium saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Stir in flour, ground mustard, salt, and pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly; remove from heat.
Gradually stir in milk. Heat to boiling , stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Stir in cheese until melted. Stir in cooked broccoli and serve over baked potato.

2/4/2012 Basket - Nachos Dulces

Nachos Dulces

Uses: Tortilla chips

This recipe is a knock-off of the sweet nachos served at Javier's Mexican Restaurant in Ogden, UT.

Brush uncooked corn tortilla chips with butter and lay out on cookie sheet. Sprinkle with cinnamon & sugar. Bake at 350 for 7 minutes, rotate the cookie sheet in the oven, and bake for 3 more minutes. Arrange on a plate and top with vanilla ice cream, sweetened condensed milk, and more cinnamon & sugar.

Enjoy!

2/4/2012 Basket - Egg Salad Sandwiches

Egg Salad Salad Sandwiches
Uses: Celery, onion

• 6 hard-cooked eggs, chopped
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1/4 cup chopped onion

Mix all ingredients. Spread onto bread--makes 4-6 sandwiches. Absolutely delicious on the nine-grain bread we got last week!

1/28/2012 Basket - Coconut Water Smoothie

Coconut Water Smoothie

Uses: Coconut water, pear

My philosophy on fruits and vegetables is basically this: If you don't know what to do with a vegetable, blend it up, heat it up, and call it soup. If you don't know what to do with a fruit, freeze it, blend it, and call it a smoothie.

Smoothies can be made with basically anything. For this one I used coconut water, frozen raspberries, frozen strawberries, frozen mangoes, a pear, and pina colada mix. Blend it up and enjoy!

2/4/2012 Basket

This week's basket was from the Provo Food and Care Coalition location again. We also got the guacamole pack this week.

• 3 bunches celery
• 1 bunch broccoli
  
• 5 pounds russet potatoes
• 1 bunch asparagus
• 1 head Romaine lettuce
• 1 bunch radishes
• 5 red bell peppers
• 3 yellow onions
• 2 tomatoes
  
• 1 pineapple
• 1 pound strawberries
• 6 Junami apples
• 1 Asian pear

Guacamole pack:

• 10 avocados
• 4 lemons
• 5 jalapeno peppers
• 9 key limes
• 1 head garlic
• 3 yellow onions
• 1 bunch green onion
• 1 bunch cilantro
  

1/28/2012 Basket - Cobb Salad

Cobb Salad
Uses: Lettuce, avocado, tomato, green pepper


Wash lettuce and tear into bite-size pieces and place in individual salad bowl. Top with sliced avocado, diced tomato, diced green pepper, diced red onion, sliced hard boiled egg, and blue cheese. Serve with ranch dressing.

1/28/2012 Basket - Turkey Cabbage Salad and Soy Glazed Green Beans

Turkey Cabbage Salad
Uses: Cabbage

• 1 head cabbage
• 1 bunch chopped green onion
• 1-2 cups diced, cooked turkey
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1 (3 ounce) package ramen noodle, broken (seasoning packet removed)
• 1 cup slivered almonds
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce

Make the dressing: In a small saucepan, combine cider vinegar, oil, sugar, and soy sauce. Bring to a boil and let boil for one minute. Remove from heat and let cool.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, Melt the butter. Mix butter, ramen noodles, and almonds and spread on a baking sheet. Bake about 10 minutes until browned, stirring every few minutes to prevent burning.

Finely shred cabbage and combine with green onions in a large bowl. Add turkey (heated if desired) and ramen mixture, then toss with dressing. Serve immediately.

Soy Glazed Green Beans
Uses: Green beans

• Kosher salt
• 2 pounds green beans, ends trimmed
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup brown sugar

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season generously with salt. Add the green beans and blanch until crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Immediately transfer to an ice bath to stop the cooking, and then remove to a baking sheet lined with paper towels or a cooling rack to drain.

In a large saute pan over medium-high heat, add the canola oil and butter. When the butter is melted, add the garlic and stir until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the green beans, soy sauce, sesame seeds, black pepper, and brown sugar and saute until the sauce reduces slightly and thoroughly coats the green beans, being careful not to overcook beans.

1/28/2012 Basket - Turkey Asparagus Quiche, Pear & Blue Cheese Salad, and Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee

Turkey Asparagus Quiche
Uses: Asparagus, onion

Crust:

Make a pie crust using your favorite pie crust recipe, or use a store-bought pie crust like I did. Roll crust into pie plate and cook at 425 for 10 minutes. Set aside.

Filling:

• 4 strips of bacon
• 7 spears of asparagus
• 1 small onion (diced)
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup whole milk, cream, or half and half
• 1 cup diced cooked turkey
• 6 oz. Swiss cheese, grated
• 1 t. salt
• 1/2 t. pepper

Cut the bacon into small pieces and cook in frying pan. Remove bacon, reserve grease. Cook onion in bacon grease and set aside. Cut your asparagus so the spears are equal in length to the radius of the pie plate. Any excess asparagus can be diced and cooked with the onion in the bacon grease. Cook spears of asparagus in bacon grease; set aside. Warm turkey in remaining bacon grease, set aside. If you end up running out of grease, you can supplement with olive oil. Whisk the four eggs with the salt, pepper, and milk, cream or half and half, set aside.

Put the turkey, half the onion and half the cheese in the bottom of the pie crust. Pour half the egg mixture over that. Sprinkle with bacon, any extra asparagus, and the remaining onion. Top with asparagus spears radiating from center to edges. Sprinkle remaining cheese between spears, top with remaining egg mixture. Put foil on edge, or use pie shield. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until egg is set and knife comes out clean.

Pear & Blue Cheese Salad
Uses: Pear, lettuce


Wash lettuce and tear into bite-sized pieces. Top with diced red onion, craisins, blue cheese crumbles, pecans, and sliced pear. Serve with red wine vinaigrette (recipe below).

Red Wine Vinaigrette

• 2/3 cup oil
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 3 tsp sugar
• 2 tsp mustard
• 1 T finely minced shallot
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper

Combine all ingredients and shake in a mason jar to mix.

Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee
Uses: Vanilla bean

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup milk
• 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
• 6 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup sugar plus 6 Tablespoons

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat the cream, milk, and vanilla bean (including seeds) in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat for 10-15 minutes (do not boil).

Place the egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar in a heat resistant mixing bowl and beat until pale yellow in color and the sugar has dissolved.

Remove the bean bod from the cream mixture. Mix about half a cup of the cream mixture into the eggs and whisk to incorporate well. Slowly whisk in the rest of the cream mixture. Keep whisking until completely mixed.

Pour the custard into six (~8 oz.) ramekins and place the dishes in a roasting pan. Pour enough hot water in the pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Place the pan in the oven on the middle rack and bake for 30-35 minutes, turning the pan around halfway through to ensure even cooking. To test for doneness, jiggle the pan slightly to see if custard is set. Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature, then let cool completely in the fridge for about 2 hours.

Spread 1 Tablespoon sugar over each ramekin and use a kitchen torch to caramelize the sugar (you can also use your broiler--just don't let the sugar burn). Serve once the sugar has cooled and is hard.

1/28/2012 Basket - Carrot, Potato, and Cabbage Soup

Carrot, Potato, and Cabbage Soup
Uses: Potato, cabbage, onion

• 4-5 large carrots, sliced
• 2 large potatoes (or about 10 of the small potatoes from the basket), cut in chunks
  
• 1 large onion, chopped
  
• 1/4 medium head green cabbage, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 packet Italian dressing mix

Combine all ingredients in a stock pot over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.

This is a GREAT way to eat cabbage if you are not a cabbage lover--we couldn't even tell it was there. In fact, we probably could have added even more cabbage into and still been fine.