6/30/2012 Basket

This week's basket was from the Provo Ripple's Drive-In location.

We got:

• 1 head romaine lettuce
• 1 bunch celery
• 1 butternut squash
• 2 onions
• 5 green bell peppers
• 1 pint grape tomatoes
• 1 canteloupe
• 3 mangoes
• 2 bags grapes
• 1 bag cherries
• 5 bananas

6/23/2012 Basket - Cheesy Potato Soup

Cheesy Potato Soup
Uses from this basket: Potatoes, onion, celery
Other produce: Garlic

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
• 1 1/2 cups chopped celery
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 8 potatoes, cubed
• 12 slices American cheese, broken into pieces
• 2 cups shredded cheese (mozzarella, cheddar, colby jack, etc.)
• 2 1/3 cups milk
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 Tbsp dried parsley

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat.  Saute the onion, celery, and garlic in the butter for 5 to 10 minutes, until tender.

Stir in the chicken broth, water, and potatoes.  Bring to boil.  Reduce heat but keep on a low boil.  Cook for 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are tender.  Use immersion blender to partially blend potatoes, leaving some chunks.  Stir in the cheeses until melted.

Mix milk and flour until flour is dissolved.  Stir into soup, cooking another 5-10 minutes until soup thickens. Stir in salt, pepper, and parsley.  Top with caramelized onions and grated cheese, if desired.

6/23/2012 - Breakfast Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette

Breakfast Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette
Uses from this basket: Potatoes, Lettuce

• 2 pounds potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch thick fries
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• dash cayenne pepper
• 2/3 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• Romaine or leaf lettuce, washed and chopped
• eggs (1 per person)
• bacon (2 strips per person)
• grated mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly grease a baking sheet.  In a large bowl or Ziploc bag, toss potatoes, 3 Tbsp oil, 1 Tbsp sugar, onion powder, kosher salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, and cayenne pepper. Arrange potatoes on baking sheet so they do not overlap.  Bake for 30-40 minutes, turning halfway through.

Mix 2/3 cup olive oil, vinegar, mustard, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, and 1 Tbsp sugar until well blended.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Cook bacon until crisp, then crumble.

Fry eggs in bacon grease, adding salt and pepper to taste.

Fill individual salad bowls with lettuce.  Top with potatoes wedges, 1 fried egg, crumbled bacon, and mozzarella cheese.  Serve with dijon vinaigrette.

6/23/2012 Basket - Green Salad with Yogurt Curry Dressing

Green Salad with Yogurt Curry Dressing
Uses from this basket: Lettuce, tomato, onion
Other produce: Lime, garlic

• 1 generous cup Greek yogurt
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp finely grated ginger
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic
• 1 1/2 tsp curry powder
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 2 tsp lime juice
• 1 head Romaine, leaf, or butter lettuce
• 4 hard cooked eggs, sliced
• 1 medium tomato, diced
• 1 cup garbanzo beans

Combine yogurt, oil, ginger, onoin, garlic, curry powder, salt, sugar, and lime in a food processor and blend until mostly smooth.

Wash and chop lettuce.  Place in salad bowl and top with egg slice, tomato, and garbanzo beans.  Drizzle with salad dressing.


Recipe based on: http://soupbelly.com/2010/01/05/yogurt-curry-dressing/

6/23/2012 Basket - Curried Spaghetti Squash

Curried Spaghetti Squash
Uses from this basket: Spaghetti squash
Other produce: Lemon, cilantro

Sorry, we spaced taking a picture this time!

• 1 medium spaghetti squash
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp finely grated ginger
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 4 tsp honey
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro leaves

Cut the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Place the cut-side down in a microwave-safe baking dish (the halves can overlap one another a bit) and add 1 cup water. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave until very tender and a knife easily pierces the skin of the squash, 15 to 18 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes. Carefully uncover and let stand until cool enough to handle but still warm.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a small nonstick skillet. Add the ginger and garam masala until fragrant. Stir in the lemon juice and honey. Season with the salt. The sauce should be sweet and sour.
Scrape the flesh of the squash into a bowl, using a fork, to make long noodle-like strands. Toss with the sauce and cilantro. Season with additional salt.

Recipe from:  http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/healthy-curried-spaghetti-squash-recipe/index.html

Some thoughts on this recipe: The idea of this recipe had real potential for us, but didn't end up quite as good as we hoped.  The spice was pretty strong so I would recommend reducing the garam masala to 1/2 tsp or 3/4 tsp.  Also, the combination of lemon and honey tasted a little medicinal to me.  Next time I make this, I will try lime juice and sugar instead.

6/23/2012 Basket - Scalloped Potatoes

Scalloped Potatoes
Uses from this basket: Potatoes

• 4 potatoes, thinly sliced (about 4 cups)
• 3 Tbsp butter
• 3 Tbsp flour
• 1/2 tsp ground mustard
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 dash cayenne pepper
• 1 1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese, divided
• paprika

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish.

In a small saucepan, melt butter then stir in flour until smooth and bubbly.  Stir in ground mustard and garlic powder.

Whisk in milk.  Season with salt and cayenne.

Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.  Reduce heat and stir in 1 cup cheese.

Layer half the potatoes in the bottom of the casserole dish (making sure none of the slices are stuck together).  Pour half the cheese sauce over the potatoes.  Repeat with remaining potatoes and sauce.

Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup cheese on top and garnish with paprika.  Bake uncovered for about 1 hour, until potatoes are tender (if needed, cover for last 15 minutes to prevent over-browning).

6/23/2012 Basket - Blueberry Pancakes

Blueberry Pancakes
Uses from this basket: Blueberries

• 2 eggs
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 2 Tbsp packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 Tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup blueberries

Beat egg in medium bowl until fluffy.  Beat in flours, milk, brown sugar, oil, baking powder, and salt just until smooth.  Stir in blueberries.

Heat griddle or skillet over medium heat or 375 degrees.   Pour about 1/4 cup batter onto hot griddle and cook until bubbly on top.  Turn and cook other side until golden.

6/23/2012 Basket - Cherry Frozen Yogurt

Cherry Frozen Yogurt
Uses from this basket: Cherries

• 1 cup cherries, pitted and chopped
• 3 cups Greek yogurt
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 1 cup whole milk

Mix all ingredients together, stirring until sugar is dissolved.  Chill in a metal bowl in the fridge for about 1 hour.  Freeze in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions.

*Note: If you don't like chunks in your ice cream/frozen yogurt, you can blend up the cherries in a food processor before mixing them with the rest of the ingredients.

6/23/2012 Basket - Stuffed Potato Pancakes

Stuffed Potato Pancakes
Produce from this basket: Onion, potato
Other produce: Green pepper

Mix 3/4 lb. raw ground beef with one egg, 1/4 cup breadcrumbs, 1/3 cup chopped onion, 1/3 cup chopped green pepper, 2 cloves minced garlic, and 3 T. soy sauce.

Peel and shred/grate 8 potatoes. Squeeze as much water out of said potatoes as possible. Mix potatoes with 1/4 cup flour, 1/2 t. baking powder, 3 eggs, and salt and pepper to taste.

Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a skillet. Once the oil is hot, drop a spoonful of potato mix in the oil, spreading out out as thinly as possible. Then top that with a tablespoon of raw ground beef mix and a tablespoon of grated/shredded cheese. Spread the meat out thin and top with another spoonful of thin potato mix. Cook in oil until bottom browns up, then flip over. Total cooking time is 4-8 minutes depending on size and heat of oil. The meat will cook through.

Serve with sour cream and ketchup.

6/23/2012 Basket

This week's basket was from the Ripple's Drive-In location.

We got:

• 2 heads Romaine lettuce
• 1 bunch celery
• 1 spaghetti squash
• 2 (5 lb) bags Russet potatoes
• 2 onions
• 4 tomatoes
• 1 (6 oz) package blueberries
• 6 white nectarines
• 5 bananas
• 1 bag cherries

6/16/2012 Basket - Meat Pie

Meat Pie
Uses from this basket: Potato
Other produce: Bell pepper, celery, garlic, carrots

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 1/2 large onions, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 4 stalks celery, finely diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 carrots, finely chopped
• 3 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 Tbsp dried parsley
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• seasoning salt to taste
• pepper to taste
• 3 beef bouillon cubes
• 1 cup water
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 Tbsp water

1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a 9x13-inch dish with cooking spray.
2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and stir in the ground beef. Cook and stir until the meat is crumbly, evenly browned, and no longer pink. Drain and discard any excess grease. Stir in the onion, bell pepper, and celery. Cover and reduce the heat to medium; cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables have softened and the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
3. Make a well in the center of the skillet and put the minced garlic directly on the bottom of the pan. Cook for 30 to 60 seconds or until fragrant, and then blend the garlic with the meat mixture. Add the carrot, potato, bay leaf, thyme, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, seasoning salt and pepper.
4. Dissolve the bouillon cubes in the hot water in a bowl, and pour it into the meat mixture; mix well. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the carrots are soft, 10 to 15 minutes.
5. Lay one sheet of puff pastry in the prepared baking dish. Gently press the pastry into the corners and up the sides of the dish. With a slotted spoon, transfer the meat into the crust and spread evenly. Avoid adding liquid to the pie. Top with Cheddar cheese.
6. Whisk together the egg yolk and 1 tablespoon water. Brush the edges of the bottom puff pastry sheet. Lay the second sheet of puff pastry over the baking dish, pressing with a fork to seal the edges. Brush the surface with egg wash and pierce with a fork several times to vent the crust.
7. Bake in the preheated oven until the pastry is golden brown and the filling is bubbling, about 50 minutes. Check after 15 minutes to prevent over-browning (tent with aluminum foil, if necessary). Remove the pie from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

6/16/2012 Basket - Spaghetti Squash and Chicken Meatballs

Spaghetti Squash and Chicken Meatballs
Uses from this basket: Spaghetti squash
Other produce: Garlic, onion

• 1 spaghetti squash
• 3 T olive oil
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 36 ounces prepared pasta sauce
• 2 pounds ground chicken
• 1 loaf Italian bread, chopped
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup grated Parmesan
• 1-2 T dried basil
• 1-2 T dried parsley
• vegetable oil, for frying

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Halve the squash lengthwise and remove the seeds. Place on a baking sheet, cut-side up. Roast the squash until softened, 30 to 40 minutes depending on size.


Heat a large, deep skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. Saute the garlic and onions until translucent. Add the pasta sauce and simmer on low heat, about 45 minutes.


In a large bowl, combine the chicken, bread, milk, Parmesan, basil and parsley and mix well. Form into 2-inch meatballs.


Heat a few tablespoons of vegetable oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat. Pan-fry the meatballs until browned on all sides. Cook in batches if needed. Transfer the meatballs to the sauce and simmer until cooked through.


Using a fork, remove the squash flesh from the skin and stir the squash into the tomato sauce. Serve the squash topped with meatballs.


Modified from http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/turkey-meatballs-with-spaghetti-squash-in-tomato-sauce-recipe/index.html

6/16/2012 Basket - Zesty Potato Salad

Zesty Potato Salad
Uses from this basket: Potato
Other produce: Celery, red onion, carrot

• 2 pounds Russet potatoes, quartered
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 4 tsp sweet pickle relish
• 4 tsp white sugar
• 3 tsp chopped red onion
• 1 tsp white wine vinegar
• 2 Tbsp minced celery
• 2 tsp finely chopped carrot
• 1/4 tsp dried parsley
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• salt to taste

 Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.  Add potatoes and cook for 15 minutes, until tender.  Drain, cool, and chop.

In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients.  Stir in potatoes, tossing to coat.  Chill and serve.

6/16/2012 Basket

This week's basket was from the Ripple's Drive-In location.

We got:

• 1 head Romaine lettuce
• 1 spaghetti squash
• 3 cucumbers
• 1 (8 oz) package mushrooms
• 1 (5 lb) bag potatoes
• 1 pineapple
• 1 watermelon
• 1 bag grapes
• 11 apricots
• 6 plums

6/9/2012 Basket - Tropical Tuna Salad

Tropical Tuna Salad
Produce from this basket: Mango, celery
Other produce: Onion, bell peppers

Mix two cans of your favorite tuna (I prefer chunk white) with mayonnaise to taste; I use about 3 T. Kraft Olive Oil Mayo per can. Add 1/2 C. diced white onion, 3/4 C. diced mango, 1/2 C. diced celery, and 1/2 C. diced bell pepper to the tuna. Stir to incorporate fully and refrigerate 15-20 minutes before serving.

Spread tuna salad on Bountiful Baskets 9-Grain Bread for the ultimate tuna sandwich experience!

6/9/2012 Basket - Chorizo and Kale Soup

Chorizo and Kale Soup
Produce from this basket: Kale, tomato
Other produce: Potato, garlic, onion

This recipe originally calls for Portuguese chourico, which is a fermented, cured, and smoked sausage that is added to the soup right before serving.

Since chourico is hard to find in Utah, I used Mexican chorizo, a raw sausage that I cook at the beginning of the recipe.

- 1 lb. chorizo (casing removed and chopped)
- 2 T. olive oil
- 2 medium onions, chopped
- 3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
- 4 to 6 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 pound kale, coarsely chopped
- 1 (15 oz.) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
- 1-2 diced tomatoes, about one can's worth
- 1 quart chicken broth

Heat olive oil in a deep pot over medium high heat. Add chorizo and cook until sausage is cooked through. Add potatoes and onions, cover and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add garlic, bay leaves, and kale to the pot. Cover pot and wilt greens 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add beans, tomatoes, and broth to the pot and bring soup to a full boil. Reduce heat back to medium and cook 5 to 10 minutes longer or until potatoes are tender.


Modified from http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/portuguese-chourico-and-kale-soup-recipe/index.html

6/9/2012 Basket - Mango BBQ Chicken Pizza

Mango BBQ Chicken Pizza
Produce from this basket: Mango
Other produce: Red onion

Preheat oven to 450 with pizza stone inside.

Mix cooked chicken, diced mango, and BBQ sauce. Thinly slice red onion.

Use the crust recipe here: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/jays-signature-pizza-crust/detail.aspx

We prefer our crust really thin, so I roll it pretty thin.

Top the crust with a little garlic olive oil. Then top with the BBQ chicken/mango mix, red onion, and mozzarella cheese. Slide on a scorching hot pizza stone in the oven and cook until crust browns and cheese bubbles.

6/11/2012 Basket - Roasted Acorn Squash and Garlic Mash

Roasted Acorn Squash and Garlic Mash
Produce from this basket: Acorn squash, apple
Other produce: Garlic, leeks (Mexican onion, green onion)

Ingredients:
- 2 acorn squash
- 1 head garlic
- 6 T. butter
- 1 leek, diced (we used Mexican onion, you could also use green onion)
- 1 Gala apple, cored and diced into 1/2 inch pieces (we used one small Granny Smith and one small Fuji)
- Salt & pepper
- 1/4 to 1/2 t. dried thyme
- 1 T. olive oil


Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Cut acorn squash in half, and scoop out the seeds. Place in a glass baking dish and fill with water until the squash are halfway covered. Remove the peel from 1 head of garlic without breaking off the cloves. Then wrap the garlic head in aluminum foil. Cook the squash and foil in the same oven for one hour.

Heat olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the leek (Mexican/green onion) and apple and saute until crisp tender, about 6 minutes. Season with salt, to taste.

Once the squash and garlic have cooled, scoop the squash flesh into a large bowl. Squeeze the garlic flesh in to the same bowl. Add the butter to the squash and garlic and beat with an egg beater until smooth. Stir in the thyme and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Place the squash/garlic/butter mixture in serving bowl and top with apple and leek (onion) saute.


Modified from: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/marcela-valladolid/roasted-acorn-squash-and-garlic-mash-recipe/index.html

6/9/2012 Basket - Apple and Goat Cheese Tart

Apple and Goat Cheese Tart
Uses from this basket: Apple
Other produce: Lemon

I used the half of the pastry crust dough leftover after our mulligatawny pot pie.

Mix 3/4 cup softened goat cheese with 2 t. lemon juice and 1/4 t. salt.

Peel and thinly slice three apples

Mix 1/4 cup honey with 2 T. melted butter.

Line 6 small tart/quiche tins with pastry crust. Spread goat cheese mixture in each tin. Layer apple slices in a circular pattern on the goat cheese. Drizzle each tart with the honey/butter glaze. Sprinkle each tart with ground allspice.

Cook in a 425 degree oven for 20-30 minutes until crust is cooked, apples are tender, and goat cheese is bubbly.

5/26/2012 Basket - Coconut Part II

Last time we got a coconut, I was responsible for cracking it, draining it, and harvesting the meat.

This time, after I did all that, I was asked by the wife to "make it like the stuff in the bag."

"Make it Like the Stuff in the Bag" Coconut
Uses: Coconut

First crack, drain, and harvest the meat from the coconut. Those directions can be found here.

Then, use a box grater to grate the coconut meat. Then make a simple syrup on the stove. A simple syrup is one part water, one part sugar. Dissolve the sugar in water. Then heat until it bubbles, and reduce to desired consistency. Soak the coconut in the simple syrup overnight.

Then drain the coconut and spread it out on a parchment papered baking sheet to dry. You can also dry it out in the oven at 200 degrees. Voila, coconut like you find it in the bag at the grocery store.

6/9/2012 Basket - Mulligatawny Pot Pie

Mulligatawny Pot Pie
Uses from this basket: Celery, apple
Other produce: Carrots, onion

Crust:

• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup cold water

Mix shortening, flour, and salt together with a pastry blender until crumbly.  Slowly add water, mixing with a fork, until it holds together.  Refrigerate while you prepare the filling.

Filling:
Use Mulligatawny recipe here, but use 1 less cup of chicken broth.

Divide filling evenly between 6 (8 oz.) ramekins.  Roll pastry dough out until about 1/8" thick.  Cut 6 circles, about the size of the ramekins and place on top of the filling. (This will only use about half the pastry dough.)

Bake at 425 degrees for about 25 minutes, until crust is golden.

6/9/2012 Basket

This week's basket was from the Ripple's Drive-In location.

We got:

• 1 head Romaine lettuce
• 2 heads kale
• 1 bunch celery
• 2 acorn squash
• 4 tomatoes
• 2 cucumber
• 1 honeydew melon
• 7 apples
• 6 bananas
• 1 pineapple
• 4 mangoes
• 8 apricots
• 7 plums

5/26/2012 Basket - Tropical Shrimp Spinach Salad

Tropical Shrimp Spinach Salad
Uses from this basket: Mango, pineapple, orange, banana, coconut
Other produce: Spinach

Whisk together 6 T. orange juice, 3 T. pineapple juice, 1/4 cup. extra virgin olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste to make your salad dressing.

Line a salad bowl with spinach leaves and top with one diced mango, 1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts, and 1/2 cup dried banana chips (recipe here).

Cook (or warm) 1 lb. of large peeled and deveined shrimp in a frying pan with oil. Add the shrimp to the spinach bowl. Top with four ounces of crumbled goat cheese and 3/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut.

Dress and serve.

Adapted  from: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/tropical-shrimp-spinach-salad/detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=tropical%20shrimp%20salad&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Recipe

5/26/12 Basket - Hawaiian Haystacks

Hawaiian Haystacks
Uses from this basket: Carrots, pineapple, coconut, bell pepper
Other produce: Celery

In case this is a new concept for you, the idea behind Hawaiian haystacks is rice, topped with a chicken gravy, and then pretty much whatever else you want to put on it.

 I do my chicken gravy the easy way: 1 cup shredded chicken, 1 can cream of chicken soup, 1/2-1 cup of milk (depending how thick you want it).  We'll often buy large boxes of chicken breasts or tenders when they are on sale, then cook them up, shred them, and freeze them so they are really easy to pull out and use for something like this.

This is what we had for toppings:

• Carrots
• Celery
• Bell pepper
• Cheese
• Pineapple
• Coconut (post to come on how to make your own sweetened coconut--it is delicious!)
• Maraschino cherries
• Macadamia nuts

5/26/2012 Basket - Pasta with Sausage, Artichoke, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Pasta with Sausage, Artichoke, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Uses from this basket: Artichoke, tomato
Other produce: Garlic

Cook 1 lb. sausage over medium-high heat, breaking it up as it browns. Transfer cooked sausage to a bowl. Add a little olive oil to the remaining sausage fat in the frying pan. Add artichoke hearts (we used hearts from two artichokes) and 4 cloves chopped garlic to the frying pan and cook until garlic is tender, about two minutes.

Add 1 3/4 cups chicken broth, 1/2 cup dry white wine*, and 3/4 cup sliced sun-dried tomatoes and boil over medium-high heat until the sauce reduces slightly, stirring occasionally, about eight minutes. We used our tomatoes from our basket and oven-dried them, a process I will document in a later post.

While the broth/wine mixture is reducing, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add a pound of your favorite pasta, (Giada recommends fusilli), and cook until tender but still firm, about eight minutes. Drain the pasta. Add the pasta, sausage, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, 1/3 cup chopped basil leaves, and 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley to the artichoke mixture. Toss until sauce is well mixed with pasta. Stir in 8 oz. mozzarella; season to taste with salt and pepper.

*When I made the recipe we didn't have any white wine, so I increased the chicken broth amount to 2 cups and added 2 Tb. of lemon juice.

Recipe adapted from: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/fusilli-with-sausage-artichokes-and-sun-dried-tomatoes-recipe/index.html

5/26/2012 Basket - Corn Salad with Cumin Vinaigrette

Corn Salad with Cumin Vinaigrette
Uses from this basket: Romaine lettuce, corn
Other produce: Spinach, arugula, sweet onion

• 4 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 3 tsp sugar
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 2 ears corn
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 head Romaine lettuce, washed and chopped
• 1 large handful arugula
• 1 large handful spinach
• 1/4 cup sliced sweet onion
• 1 cup kidney beans
• 1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese

Whisk together vinegar, mustard, cumin, and sugar.  Slowly drizzle in 1/2 cup olive oil, whisking until the mixture is emulsified.  Add salt and pepper to taste, set aside.

Boil corn in salted water for 3-4 minutes.  Cut kernels off cob.

Heat 2  Tbsp olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat.  Add corn kernels and salt & pepper to taste.  Saute until corn begins to brown.

Toss Romaine, arugula, and spinach together.  Divide evenly between 5-6 salad plates. Top with corn, onion, beans, and cheese.  Serve with cumin vinaigrette.

5/26/2012 Basket - Roasted Corn and Arugula Salad

Roasted Corn and Arugula Salad

Uses from this basket: Corn, mint

Other produce: Arugula

-3 ears corn
-handful chopped mint
-handful chopped basil (or 1 T. dried basil)
-1/4 cup honey
-1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
-3 T. orange juice
-3 T. orange zest
-3 T. water
-arugula
-olive oil
-salt and pepper

Remove the kernels from the ears of corn. Roast kernels on a baking sheet on the top rack of the oven by broiling until they start to brown. Mix corn around on baking sheet as it broils. Mix roasted corn with mint and basil, set aside.

In a saucepan, heat honey, balsamic vinegar, orange juice, orange zest, and water over medium heat until it bubbles in the center. Turn to medium low and reduce until thickened to a syrup-like consistency. Pour this syrup into the corn/herb bowl and toss to coat the corn. 

Pile arugula on salad plates, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Top the arugula pile with 1/4 cup corn/herb/syrup mixture. Enjoy.

Recipe adapted from: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/wild-rocket-and-grilled-corn-salad-recipe/index.html

5/26/2012 Basket - Orange Pineapple Marmalade

Orange Pineapple Marmalade
Uses from this basket: Orange, pineapple
Other produce: Lemon

- 1 medium orange
- 8 oz. pineapple
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 T. lemon juice

Zest or peel the orange so that only the rind (not the white pith) is removed. Then use a sharp knife to remove the pith from the orange. Cut the orange in half and remove any seeds or white membranes. Place the remaining orange halves (just the good stuff, no pith, no membranes, no seeds) in a blender with the rind. Add approximately 8 ounces of chopped, sliced, crushed, diced, or tidbitted pineapple to the blender. Add 1 cup sugar and 2 T. lemon juice. Blend until completely smooth (we used the "Whole Juice" setting on our BlendTec).

Pour fruit into sauce pan and heat until the middle bubbles. Reduce to your desired thickness, remembering that it will continue to thicken when removed from the heat and placed in the fridge. Marmalade will be good refrigerated for a week or frozen up to a year.

Recipe adapted from: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/orange-pineapple-marmalade/detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=orange%20pineapple%20marmalade&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Home%20Page

5/26/2012 Basket - Chicken Tortilla Soup

Chicken Tortilla Soup
Uses from this basket: Carrots, tomato, ginger, coconut
Other produce: Garlic, cilantro

• 3 chicken breasts, diced
• 2 cups coconut milk, divided  (follow instructions here to make your own coconut milk)
• 8 cups chicken broth
• 2 carrots, sliced
• scant 1/2 tsp ground allspice
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme
• 1/8 tsp cinnamon
• 1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic
• 1 medium tomato, diced
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• salt & pepper

Place the chicken in a large saute pan over medium heat.  Sprinkle with sald and pepper and add 1/2 to 3/4 cup of coconut milk.  Cook until liquid is gone and chicken begins to brown.

In a large pot, combine chicken broth, carrots, allspice, thyme, cinnamon, ginger, and garlic.  Bring to a boil and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until carrots are tender.  Add remaining coconut milk, tomato, chicken, and cilantro.  Heat through until cheese is melted but do not boil.    Add salt and pepper to taste. 

Serve with sour cream, tortilla chips, lime wedges, or other desired toppings.

5/26/2012 Basket - Orange Lychee Salad

Orange Lychee Salad
Uses from this basket: Orange, lychee, lettuce
Other produce: Red onion

• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1 1/2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 Tbsp oil
• 4 Tbsp chicken broth
• 1-2 Tbsp sugar
• 1 head Romaine, butter or leaf lettuce, washed and torn into bite-size pieces
• 2 oranges, peeled and diced
• 1/2 red onion, sliced
• 8-10 lychees, peeled, pitted and chopped

Mix orange juice, vinegar, oil, chicken broth, and sugar.  Refrigerate while preparing the rest of the salad.  Mix lettuce with oranges, red onion, and lychees.   Toss with dressing to coat.