6/4/2011 Basket - Ants on a Log

In case you're wondering what I did with all that celery, we've been eating a lot of these:

Let's just presume that unless I take credit, I stole the picture, okay?  This one is from AllRecipes again.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Ants-on-a-Log/Detail.aspx

Can't remember the last time I ate raisins.  I'm not much of a raisin girl. But WOW.  They really do add such a sweet taste, and you can hardly even detect them in your mouth.  I've eaten more ants on a log than my three kids have, put together!

6/4/2011 Basket - Old Fashioned Onion Rings

I have this uncanny ability of predicting just what I'm going to get in my basket each week.  If I buy a huge bunch of celery on Thursday, I will get two more huge bunches in my basket on Saturday.  Or, if I buy a bag of onions on Friday, I happen to get ten more the next day.   See? I'm quite remarkable.

So the question is, what do you do if you three huge bunches of celery?  I have no clue.  But if you happen to have 24 onions, I can help.  Word to the wise: even if you *love* onion rings, do not quadruple this recipe.  The regular recipe is enough.  Not that I know from personal experience or anything.

Old Fashioned Onion Rings
Uses: Onions

I stole this picture from Allrecipes.  You'll see that when you click on the link.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Old-Fashioned-Onion-Rings/Detail.aspx

6/4/2011 Basket

This morning we picked up our basket at the Provo Food & Care Coalition.

This week's bounty includes:

6 bananas

10 onions

3 apples

6 ears of corn

2 tomatoes

1 cantaloupe

3 lb. strawberries

2 heads of romaine

1 bunch of celery

5 lb. Yukon gold potatoes

1 bag 'o grapes

5/28/2011 Basket - Tomato Basil Soup

If you like to get Tomato Basil Soup at restaurants, this recipe is NOT for you.  Because after you eat it, you will never again be able to enjoy restaurant Tomato Basil.  It can never taste this good.  Also, you ought to know that I blame this soup for single-handedly adding on one pound to each of my hips this last month.  For the record, it was sooooooo worth it.

Tomato Basil Soup
Uses: Tomatoes

 

I stole this picture off the internet.  But it looks like my soup.  Minus the good photography skills.

6 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced

1 (11.5 oz) can tomato-vegetable juice cocktail

1 (14.5 oz) can chicken broth

20 fresh* basil leaves, chopped

1 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup butter or margarine

Combine tomatoes, vegetable juice, and chicken broth in a large sauce pan over med-high heat. Bring to a boil, then drop heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Add basil and puree soup in a blender. Return soup to pan over med-low, add cream and butter, and stir til butter is melted.

*or 1 t dry basil, but it won't be nearly as good

5/28/2011 Basket - Minty Pineapple

We have some dear friends who recently moved to the Seattle Washington area who introduced us to this recipe. We got three pineapples in our basket this week, so we've been thinking of interesting ways to use them. This one used one pineapple and some mint from our tropical pack. Try this one; it's amazing.

Minty Pineapple

Uses: Pineapple, mint

http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/fruit-recipes/pukka-pineapple-with-bashed-up-mint-suga

5/28/2011 Basket - Garden Chowder

So there's this lady down the street, right? You probably have one just like her. You know, the kind that makes gourmet food and has the best recipes, that you conveniently forget to invite to any baby/bridal shower you have because you're embarrassed to let her see how lame you are. (Hey, nothing is wrong with buying those brownie bites from Costco. And serving just that. With water.)

Well, I got this recipe from her. I probably should have had her take a picture of hers, too. I tried to make mine look cool by having plants in the background all faded out. Instead you can just tell how badly I need to weed. Ha.

Garden Chowder (aka mana from heaven)
Uses: potatoes, cauliflower, and broccoli

1/2 c green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 c onion, chopped
1/4 c butter
1 c potatoes, diced
1 c cauliflower, diced
1 c broccoli, diced
1 c carrots, diced
1 c celery, diced
3 c water
3 chicken bouillon cubes
1 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1/2 c flour
2 c milk
1 t parsley
3 c shredded cheddar cheese

In a large pot, saute pepper and onion in butter until tender. Add vegetables, water, bouillon, salt, and pepper, bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Combine flour and milk until smooth, stir into pan. Bring to a boil, cook and stir for two minutes. Add the parsley. Just before serving, stir in cheese until melted. Die and go to heaven.

5/28/2011 Basket - Fruit Pizza

You may need to sit down for this next revelation... I don't like fruit [gasp!]

No, seriously, I don't.  Not plain, at least.  I like just about any fruit in milkshake form, though.  Add enough milk, ice cream, and sugar, and anything can taste good.  Well, except for maybe brussel sprouts. I'm betting they would taste equally nasty with milk, ice cream, or sugar.

ANYWAY. One way that I love to make fruit palatable is in...

Fruit Pizza
Uses: Any fruit from your basket (I used apricots, bananas, and pineapple; plus kiwi from my tropical basket)

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Fruit-Pizza-I/Detail.aspx