glorified grilled cheese

when is grilled cheese okay for breakfast? when it has an egg on it! (or all the time). in any case, a wonderfully crusty spelt loaf and aged cheddar were beckoning and i couldn't wait until lunch.

i topped my sandwich (instead of stuffing it) with an egg, heirloom tomato slice and a ginormous basil leaf, because i was really looking for a grilled cheese vehicle and wanted to keep my cheesy goodness purely intact as possible.

if you're gonna go this route (extra toppings or not), there are very few ingredients involved so quality is crucial. i mean it! do no skimp. save your wonder bread and american cheese for something else. and as we transition to the fall season, read up on your heirlooms, if you haven't already. i must say, they were absolutely out of control at the santa monica farmers market a couple of weekends ago.
glorified grilled cheese

• cheese: a nice aged cheddar made me happy
  
• bread: crusty, please!
  
• nice thick slice of tomato
• a couple of basil leaves
  
• fried egg: over easy, lots of yolk, please

• combine as desired. in my case, this involved buttering two slices of bread, frying them butter side down with cheese on top, cooking until the cheese melted , sticking them together and topping them with the rest of the ingredients.

baked honey figs

by now you probably realize that i develop food obsessions. i.e. i'll get an item in my head and can't shake it out until i accomplish global food domination! aka cook that food and eat it asap.

this week's (and last month's) obsession? figs! so when i saw a basket of these yummy morsels at the farmer's market last week in la, i NEEDED them. really, i was beyond want; i'm talking desperate need. and then i had them at home and wanted to do something with them. some quick internet research yielded a few baked honey fig ideas but i focused on a simple recipe from amateur gourmet as a jumping off point.

in a nutshell: cut open figs, drizzle with honey, citrus, vanilla mixture, and bake until bubbly. serve with a dairy item. (for specifics, see below)

as an accompaniment, i recommend my latest obsession: humboldt fog cheese. make sure to let it sit out to uh, mellow and do it's thing. you won't be sorry.

yummy figs
adapted from amateur gourmet

• figs
• honey
• splash of vanilla
• liiiiitle bit of citrus: original recipe calls for orange zest but all i had was lemonade, so in it went

• cut open figs
• mix together honey, vanilla and citrus and pour over figs
• bake at 375 until bubbly (about 15 minutes)
  

summer market pasta

aah, summer veggies. one of the best ways to use up all of my csa veggies (besides stir frying) is a giant batch of pasta. you can throw in almost anything, cook it down, serve with cheese, and it's sure to be a hit. also an easy way to feed a crowd. also much more fun if you take a walk around the market to select your veggies. be sure to supplement your walk with a market snack.

summer market pasta
serves 4 (we eat a lot)

• 1 lb brown rice pasta
• 3 shallots, chopped
  
• 2 squash (green and yellow), sliced
  
• 2 cobs worth of kernels of corn
  
• 1 large tomato, chopped
  
• 3 chicken sausage, sliced into pieces
  
• white wine
• parmesean cheese
  
• pesto
• salt and pepper
• arugula
  

• make the pasta
• while the pasta is cooking, start making the "sauce:" add olive oil, 1/2 the garlic and 1/2 the shallots to a large pan. sautee squash until it's almost cooked through and slightly golden. add corn and tomatoes. cook until tomatoes have softened. simmer for a few minutes. remove and place into bowl.
  
• add more olive oil, remaining garlic and shallots to pan, once the shallots and garlic have softened, add the sausage and cook until cooked through and golden brown. remove and add to veggies.
• deglaze pan with white wine: pour a small amount of white wine into the pan and use a wooden spoon to scrape all of the bits from the bottom. continue to stir and keep heating until it reduces and slightly thickens. add to bowl.
• stir in a few handfuls of arugula and stir to wilt. when the pasta is ready, add it to the bowl along with some pesto and parmesean cheese. if neccessary, sautee additional shallots and deglaze with more wine.
  

once upon a summer salad (summer peach salad)

3 cheers for summer and summer salads! hooray for the return of csa and having things in my fridge to throw together! and thanks to roommates who supply the missing ingredients! (in this case, half a tomato traded for a lime)

i had basil and peaches. i wanted lunch. although i had thoughts of a fresh tomato and basil salad, i wasn't quite prepared. instead i threw together a few things that i did have. the result was splendiferous, not too sweet but absolutely crisp and refreshing--perfect for a nice 90 degree day in my sweaty kitchen.

summer peach salad
serves 2

• 1 small peach (on the crunchier side seemed to be good here)
  
• 1/2 tomato
• smal handful of fresh basil
• 1/4 cup chopped red onion
• splash of champagne vinegar (i think any vinegar would do)
• salt
• pepper

• stir ingredients together. season with vinegar, salt and pepper to taste.
  

back in the kitchen: french toast with raspberry syrup

there's nothing like spending a week and a half without being able to cook that will inspire me to get back in the kitchen. a trip to the farmer's market for the first csa pickup of the season certainly also helps. as does being resolved to hang out at home on a saturday afternoon to watch some world cup soccer...

so, to whet my appetite for a day of cooking and futbol watching, I decided to start with some french toast. the catch was that i decided whatever i cooked needed to include at least one piece of csa bounty. for the french toast? raspberry syrup, of course!


french toast with raspberry syrup
serves 1

• 2 slices of your preferred bread (or more if it's small!)
  
• 1 egg
• some milk (or soymilk)
• dash of vanilla
• dash of cinnamon
• 1/2-1 cup raspberries
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• dash lemon juice
• about 1/2 cup water

• combine egg and some milk to create a slightly thick mixture. add vanilla and cinnamon, stir. dip bread in egg mixture and allow to soak.
• meanwhile, combine water and sugar in a saucepan. cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture thickens slightly.
  
• stir in the raspberries, and stir occasionally (the more you stir, the more the berries will break down). bring to a boil and continue cooking until mixture thickens slightly more about 5-10 minutes. add lemon juice towards the end of the cooking time and stir.
• cook toast in a buttered pan over medium high heat until golden brown on both sides.
  
• top with syrup!
  

winter csa: april

1. the bounty

• 1 bunch spinach
  
• 6 lbs potatoes
  
• 2 bunches kale
• 1 bunch leeks
  
• 1 bag pea shoots
  
• 1 bunch cilantro
• 2.5 lbs sweet potatoes
  
• 3 dozen eggs

2. cost analysis (comparison costs courtesy of freshdirect except where otherwise indicated):

veggies:

• 1 bunch spinach: $4.50 (csa estimate)
  
• 6 lbs potatoes: $12 (organic)
  
• 2 bunches kale: $7 (organic)
  
• 1 bunch leeks: $5 (organic)
  
• 1 bag pea shoots: $4.50 (csa estimate)
  
• 1 bunch cilantro: $2.50 (organic)
  
• 2.5 lbs sweet potatoes: $5 (organic)
  
• 3 dozen eggs: $15 (farm price)
  

= $55.50
actual csa cost per week = $45

and just when i couldn't see the light at the end of the tunnel, there was spinach.

weeknight dinner: apricot chili glazed tofu

this is another one of those things i've had in the back of my head since i first saw the recipe. the original recipe was for chicken lettuce cups but it was the apricot sesame sambal sauce to go with them that had me. i finally decide to use the sauce with a stir-fry. since i didn't quite have the exact ingredients that the original recipe called for, my version is slightly modified. i also adjusted quantities depending on flavors that i prefer. the result is a classic combination: sweet and spicy. don't be scared by the fruit and spicy combo. i'm not sure why but several people i've mentioned this to have had an awkward reaction. just think duck sauce. (often apricot based).

apricot chili glazed tofu
(adapted from guy fieri's apricot sesame sambal sauce from the food network)

• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons minced ginger
• whatever asian hot chili sauce you have adjusted to taste; i only had thai chili sauce, so i used a drizzle
  
• 2 tablespoons apricot preserves
• 1/4 cup mirin
• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
  
• 1 teaspoon minced cilantro
• 2 teaspoons sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• tofu, diced
  

• mix all ingredients together thoroughly
  
• use part of the sauce to marinate the tofu
• sautee tofu in a skillet over high heat, turning every so often until browned
• add remaining sauce and stir fry for another minute
• stir fried some vegetables to add to the mix (i used string beans and baby bok choy) and serve over rice
  

winter csa: march

1. the bounty

• 1 head red cabbage
• 5 lbs potatoes
  
• 2 black radish
• 2 white turnips
  
• 1 kohlrabi
  
• 3 lbs carrots
• 3 lbs sweet potatoes
  
• 1 bulb garlic
• 3 dozen eggs

2. cost analysis (comparison costs courtesy of freshdirect except where otherwise indicated):

veggies:

• red cabbage: $5 (organic)
  
• potatoes: $10 (organic)
  
• black radish: $2 (csa estimate)
  
• kohlrabi: $2 (csa estimate)
  
• carrots: $15 (csa estimate)
  
• sweet potatoes: $6 (organic)
  
• garlic: $1 (organic)
  
• eggs: $15 (farm price)
  

= $56
actual csa cost per week = $45

i'm so over root vegetables. there. i said it.

winter csa: february

1. the bounty

• 1 head red cabbage
• 5 lbs potatoes
  
• 2 daikon radish
• 2 kohlrabi
  
• 3 lbs carrots
• 3 lbs sweet potatoes
  
• 2 bulbs garlic
• 2 dozen eggs

2. cost analysis (comparison costs courtesy of freshdirect except where otherwise indicated):

veggies:

• red cabbage: $5 (organic)
  
• potatoes: $10 (organic)
  
• daikon: $3 (csa estimate)
  
• kohlrabi: $2 (csa estimate)
  
• carrots: $15 (csa estimate)
  
• sweet potatoes: $6 (organic)
  
• garlic: $1 (organic)
  
• eggs: $10 (farm price)
  

= $52
actual csa cost per week = $45

now if only they would throw in some celeriac.

root vegetable shepherd's pie (february csa)

this one was a weekend project. project meaning it took over 3 hours to make. save your groaning and moaning for later. this recipe was perfectly paced for some weekend meditative cooking, which was ideal since i planned my entire saturday around it. think multiple steps, lots of chopping, and nothing too fast paced: things won't start smoking if you turn your head for a moment too long.

this recipe came about as i was craving sheppard's pie and wanted to use a butternut squash topping. i stumbled across this one from the la times for a root vegetable shepherd's pie from rustic canyon in santa monica. i had been dying to try the restaurant, so it seemed like the perfect option.

the effort was worth it. the butternut squash shone in this dish. it was sweet and rich. the apples contributed a great deal. i used granny smith ones and would suggest doing the same as the tartness was welcome with the rest of the sweet root vegetables. i made a few more substitutions (tofutti cream cheese instead of crème fraîche) as is usually the case when i'm making something that calls for lots of dairy. i also took some liberties with the amounts of veggies (seriously, i need to separately cook 1/4 cup of potatoes?!)

also to note: celery root is extremely underrated. read: smells like CANDY when you cook it in milk.

root vegetable shepherd's pie

serves: 8-10

from the latimes (adapted from rustic canyon wine bar & seasonal kitchen)

• 1 large butternut squash
• salt
• 7 1/2 tablespoons butter, divided (i used half butter and half olive oil)
• sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 1/4 cup fingerling potatoes, diced (i used 1/2 cup)
  
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 sprig thyme plus 2 tablespoons chopped thyme, divided
• 1 sprig rosemary plus 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary, divided
• 1 celery root, peeled and diced
• 2 cups heavy cream (i used low fat milk)
• 2 tablespoons chopped sage
• 4 carrots, peeled and diced
• 3 parsnips, peeled and diced
• freshly ground black pepper
• 2 apples, cored and diced (peels left on) - i suggest granny smith
• 1 kohlrabi, peeled and sliced
• 1/4 cup sliced leeks
• 3 small turnips, peeled and diced
• 1 cup chopped shallots
• 1/4 pound spinach
• 1 cup diced fresh brioche or challah (i just used some spelt bread that i had)
• 1/2 cup crème fraîche (i used tofutti cream cheese)
  
• 1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs (i used packaged gluten-free ones)
  

• heat the oven to 400 degrees.
• halve the squash lengthwise, then scoop out and discard the seeds and fibers. place the halves on a baking sheet, cut side up, and season each half with one-fourth teaspoon salt. place one-half tablespoon butter in the hollow of each half, then cover the sheet with foil and bake until the squash are tender, about 1 hour. set aside to cool slightly, then scoop the flesh out of each half and discard the outer shell.
• brown the butter: place 2 tablespoons butter (or 1 butter, 1 olive oil) in a large, heavy-bottom sauté pan and cook over medium-high heat until the butter browns and has a nutty aroma, about 3 minutes. be careful not to burn. stir in the squash and sprinkle over the nutmeg. reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly to break the softened squash into a purée. watch carefully so the squash does not burn on the bottom of the pan. remove from heat and set aside to cool.
• while the squash cools, cook the potatoes. bring a small saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil. stir in the potatoes, garlic and 1 sprig each of thyme and rosemary. cook until the potatoes are just tender, about 8 minutes. drain the potatoes, discarding the garlic and herbs and set aside in a large bowl.
• in the same saucepan, combine the celery root with the cream and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the celery root is tender, about 10 minutes. strain out the celery root and place in the large bowl with the potatoes. reserve 1/4 cup of the cream in a separate container.
• place 1 tablespoon butter in a large sauté pan and brown over medium-high heat. stir in the sage, carrots and parsnips and season with one-fourth teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper. cook over high heat, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are tender, 4 to 5 minutes. remove the vegetables to the large bowl and set aside.
• clean the sauté pan and brown 3 tablespoons butter (or half butter, half olive oil) over medium-high heat. stir in the chopped thyme, apples, kohlrabi, leeks and turnips. season with one-half teaspoon salt and a pinch each sugar and pepper. increase the heat to high and cook, stirring frequently, until tender, 6 to 8 minutes. remove the vegetables to the large bowl.
• clean the sauté pan and melt the remaining 1/2 tablespoon butter over medium-high heat. stir in the shallots and brown slightly. stir in the spinach and cook just until wilted. season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper. remove from heat and add to the large bowl.
• add the diced brioche (spelt bread), chopped rosemary, reserved cream and crème fraîche (tofutti) to the vegetables and stir gently but thoroughly to combine. taste and adjust the seasoning as desired.
• place the mixture in a baking dish so the filling reaches approximately one-half inch from the top of the dish. using a rubber spatula, spread the butternut squash purée evenly over the top. sprinkle the breadcrumbs evenly over the top.
• place the baking dish on a baking pan (to catch any drippings) and bake until the breadcrumbs are lightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes. remove from heat and serve hot.

red wine poached pears

i've been craving poached pears lately. it must be my stomach's winter solution to a summer stone fruit dessert. i realize that many people might not exactly be excited by this idea but really, they're super easy and versatile. in this instance they were dessert but they just as easily could have been a snack or yummy breakfast paired with granola and yogurt (my original plan...)

the opportunity to actually make these guys presented itself as a celebratory brunch where a "warm" dessert was requested. perfect! i had never actually poached a pear myself, so there were some nerves involved in the group effort that came to be. we ended up slicing the pears in half and placing them face up in a baking dish. then we mixed together red wine, orange juice, brown sugar, cinnamon, fresh grated ginger and nutmeg, and poured it over the top. it may be argued that the pears were actually baked and not poached, since they weren't completely immersed in the cooking liquid. i'm going to claim that it was a combination of the two. since the stove was already too crowded during brunch preparation, the oven had to do.

it might also be argued that i should have started with the pears face down--at least these are the things i think about. when i decided to stop stressing about it, the pears were face up in the baking dish. you should probably flip the pears at some point, or at least cover them (neither of which we did) but they still tasted damn good. another one of those almost fool proof and impressive items.

closer to my original vision: poached pear with granola and yogurt at anella, before they changed chefs. don't even go trying to find this thing. sadly, it no longer exists.

the incredible edible egg (polenta and eggs)

subtitle: when i fell in love with the nytimes dining section

i still have the nytimes clipping of the article shoved into a binder with recipe tear outs. these days, i generally browse the nytimes online but there was a time when i had a job where the best part was the nytimes daily delivery. this was my first formal, regular introduction to the wednesday dining section.

you may have heard of such books as alone in the kitchen with an eggplant or what we eat when we eat alone, where the entire concept rests on some secretive meal that we each have to make when we're on our own. now, i have made this particular meal for others but i'm just not sure if it's appreciated as well in a group versus curling up alone in a couch corner after an exhausting day.

everyone's heard of putting a fried egg on top of almost anything as an added bonus to a dish. however, when i read this article, i never had. it sounded so good that i decided to go home and make it that very night. with that, i concocted my own comfort food. by that i mean that this is not something my parents ever made for me when i was younger (i have some of those too but that's a different story). this is something i independently discovered, and have made my own. granted, i did have to be of age enough so that i could appreciate an over easy egg and how the runny yolk seamlessly combines with just about any other flavor and adds a comforting richness to it. once i discovered this, there really was no stopping the endless combinations and possibilities. and each one tastes just as good as the last.

the recipe below is the first one i saw using this concept (polenta, eggs and dark leafy green) but now i put eggs over almost anything: various grains (rice, quinoa, pasta) and any vegetable (don't stop with dark leafy greens). it's the ultimate meal: quick, easy, affordable, tasty and comforting.


polenta, greens and eggs for 1 (adapted from melissa clark, nytimes)

• 1-2 eggs (depending on how hungry you are. sometimes i make 2 eggs just so that i can have the two yolks)
• polenta
• lots of grated parmesean cheese
• dark greens (my favorite is spinach but above you might be able to see that i used csa bok choy)
• garlic
• red pepper flakes
• salt and pepper
• chicken stock
• butter

• i usually make the greens first since they can sit for a little bit without any trouble. heat olive oil in a pan, add lots of minced garlic and greens. cook over high heat until wilted. stir in red pepper flakes.
  
• make the polenta: contrary to nytimes advice, i use quick cooking polenta (not quite instant but not the slow cook kind). bring 3 cups of chicken stock to a boil, reduce heat and add polenta, start whisking. once the polenta has started to thicken, stir in salt and pepper, parmesean cheese, and some butter. keep whisking until the polenta starts to pull away from the pot. cover to keep warm.
• fry eggs in some olive oil. the olive oil helps the whites get all crispy. the runny yolks are downright necessary, so sunny side up or over-easy are best.
• spoon polenta into a shallow bowl, top with greens and eggs. top with additional parmesean cheese.
  

winter csa: january

1. the bounty

• 1 head savoy cabbage
• 1 lb broccoli shoots
  
• 1 bunch kale
• 7 pounds potatoes
• 2 daikon radish
• 1 large butternut squash
• 2 lbs carrots
• 1 bulb garlic
• 2 dozen eggs

2. cost analysis (comparison costs courtesy of freshdirect except where otherwise indicated):

veggies:

• savoy cabbage: $4 (csa estimate)
• broccoli shoots: $4 (organic head of broccoli)
  
• kale: $3 (organic)
• potatoes: $14 (organic)
• daikon: $3 (organic not available)
• butternut squash: $4.50 (organic not available; csa estimate)
• carrots: $4 (organic)
  
• garlic: $2 (csa estimate)
• eggs: $10 (farm price)

= $48.50
actual csa cost per week = $45

i'm about to surrender to the potatoes.

faux roast chicken and veggies

subtitle: sunday supper in a pinch


sometimes you just need some comfort food. comfort food on a sunday? that's sunday supper! i honestly can't believe i haven't done this before because it's so darn easy and delicious. seriously, it really is AND it even gives lunch leftovers for the week (something i try to plan). so what is this wonder dinner? faux roast chicken. i'm only calling this faux because there isn't the need to roast an entire chicken. however, there's nothing actually faux about the results. simple concept really: choose some vegetables and grab some chicken parts (whole breasts in my case but you could use thighs or drumsticks as well) and basically throw it all in the oven. my veggies of choice were sweet potatoes, leeks and whole garlic cloves as well as a few mushrooms and a little bit of onion since i had it in the fridge. i washed, peeled and chopped my veggies, placed them in the bottom of a baking dish, splashed on some olive oil, salt and pepper and tossed around to coat. then i seasoned the chicken with olive oil, salt, pepper, thyme and paprika (all completely based on what i had on hand) and put it right on top of the veggies. i stuck the whole dish in the oven at 450 degrees until the chicken was done and the veggies were nice and roasted. this took about an hour but will totally depend on the chicken you use. if you use smaller chicken pieces, you might want to give the veggies a head start before adding the chicken. you could also use any combination of vegetables that you want (potatoes, turnips, parsnips, carrots, the list goes on and on).

literally within minutes of this entering the oven my roommates were ooing and aahing about the wonderful smell that had filled our apartment. and then i got to eat the results. 5 days in a row. sweet.

baked eggs with kale (december csa)

i had promised my csa pickup partner (you try carrying 15-20 pounds of goods by yourself in the freezing cold, it ain't fun) brunch as a thanks for helping out. as i was searching for a dish that would celebrate the fresh bounty, i came across baked eggs.

one of my favorite csa items that i get are eggs. although the eggs from my farm aren't not currently certified organic, they are pastured and from free-range chickens that are grass-fed without hormones or antibiotics. once you try them, you won't go back to your standard supermarket fare, i promise. however, if you are trying to buy a better quality egg at the store instead of a local farmer's market, there are a variety of label factors and some really don't quite matter. i could go on and on about this as it really gets rather complicated but this article sums up some key differences nicely. and if anyone has some information to shed here, please, fire away.

we sauteed some kale with olive oil and garlic until it got soft, then placed it in the bottom of a ramekin, topped it with an egg, parmesean cheese, salt and pepper and baked in the oven at 375 degrees until white of the egg set. the part that got me was making sure the whites of the eggs were cooked without overcooking the yolks. with these amazing farm fresh guys, the last thing you want is rubbery, overcooked eggs. you can really throw anything in here with the guarantee that it will be delicious!

dried goodies from the golden state

i gotta say, there is one big thing i miss about living in southern california: produce come winter time. now, the csa has really brought up my produce standards and made me generally a much happier veggie and fruit munching person but here we are again: january.

when i was in santa monica the other week, i made it to the wednesday farmer's market (really, it's not to be missed). i say wednesday because there are multiple farmer's markets in santa monica all week long but this one is really la crème de la crème. lucky for me, i was there during peak persimmon season. although i didn't bring fresh ones back with me to ny, thanks to a gift from a lovely friend and my mom's willingness to give up said lovely gift, i found myself with some amazing freshly dried persimmons to bring home, as well as some other dried goodies. we're talking seriously high-quality (aka seriously expensive) items here. in addition to the remarkably sweet and flavorful dried persimmons, i had dried heirloom tomatoes and dried strawberries. dried whole, without any added sugar, the strawberries were like a sweet summer explosion in your mouth. the truth is that all of these things were so delicious, it was hard to imagine not snacking on them plain. however, it was the tomatoes that were really hounding me. i'm not usually one for dried tomatoes but i really wanted to incorporate these into something. it was hard to believe that their sweet concentrated flavor wouldn't benefit whatever they were cooked/mixed into.


while at the market, in between her fights with people that "no, they could not taste a dried perssimon, they cost $3 a piece!" i talked to the "fruit lady" about what one actually does with these amazingly precious tomatoes. after all, i didn't want to ruin the things by cooking them if i shouldn't. she explained a simple recipe: slice zucchini very thin and let it sit with some salt and lemon juice. the squash will sort of "cook" itself while marinating. then top the squash with the tomatoes, basil, olive oil and some garlic.

i went with yellow squash (the store was out of zucchini), parsley (i had some from the csa at home in the freezer) and couldn't help topping the mix with some parmesan cheese. i also let the garlic slowly saute in some olive oil on the stove, then briefly added the squash to the pan to warm it through, before mixing everything together. i placed the mixture on top of a bed of quinoa. yum yum yum. it doesn't get better (not to mention healthier) than this!

butternut squash with frozen yogurt (december csa)

i had a butternut squash i had promised to cook. it was one of those situations where i just needed to get it done to have the thing on hand and ready to eat. however, given that the baking time for these things is about an hour, i wasn't planning on consuming the thing for dinner right after i finished cooking it. after getting home from work and having a somewhat unsatisfying makeshift dinner while the squash was in the oven (i have no clue what it was), i decided it would be a shame not to enjoy some of my freshly baked treat. i was also feeling eager since it was the first time i had ever actually cooked a butternut squash but since i had already technically eaten, my thoughts were on dessert. 9 times out of 10 this means frozen yogurt. why not? so i finished off some of the baking time by topping the squash off with brown sugar. then i sliced some of it over plain frozen yogurt and drizzled with some maple syrup. and it sure worked. think of a more mild, less sweet version of a pumpkin based dessert. it really isn't all that unusual. i'm not sure how using a sweet frozen yogurt would work here, the tartness of the plain one i used really let the sweetness of the squash and maple syrup come through.


baked butternut squash

• cut squash in half, place in baking dish flesh side down with a small amount of water and cook for about 60 minutes, or until soft. if you like, you can flip the squash when you have 15 minutes left and season as desired (in my case this was olive oil, salt and pepper on half and brown sugar on the other).
  

winter csa: december

winter csa, everyone! once a month pickups of veggies and eggs. the first pickup (january) consisted of the following:

1. the bounty

• 1 bunch bok choy
• 1 bunch arugula
• 1 head savoy cabbage
• 1 head broccoli
  
• 1 bunch kale
• 1 bunch cilantro
• 7 pounds potatoes
• 1 daikon radish
• 1 lb broccoli shoots
• 1 bulb garlic
• 1 dozen eggs
• 1 large butternut squash
  

2. cost analysis (comparison costs courtesy of freshdirect except where otherwise indicated):

veggies:

• bok choy: $2.50 (csa estimate)
• arugula: $2.50 (csa estimate)
• savoy cabbage: $4 (organic)
• broccoli: $4 (organic)
  
• kale: $3 (organic)
• cilantro: $2.50 (organic)
• potatoes: $14 (organic)
• daikon: $2.50 (organic not available)
• broccoli shoots: $3 (csa estimate)
• garlic: $2 (csa estimate)
• eggs: $5 (farm price)
• butternut squash: $7 (organic)

= $52.00
actual csa cost per week = $45

with 7 pounds of potatoes, how could i not come out ahead? (and they were all made into latkes, in case you were wondering)

sweet potato curry with kale and broccoli (csa week 12)

the plan was simple: a lovely day full of cooking and baking at friend number two's house. it was also an excuse for me to get someone to help use the abundance of csa veggie's i was not so excited about. i.e., kale, broccoli, and lots of potatoes. our brainstorm yielded a curry. my immediate curry thoughts went to thai, friend number two's went to indian. we ended up with what i think is fair to call a hybrid of the two. another consideration was the ingredients that we already had. neither of us were dying to invest in a kitchen full of curry staples.

after some internet research, we decided to wing it. things were going great until a blood curdling scream came from friend number 2 as she peeled the sweet potatoes. okay, it wasn't blood curdling but there was definite panic involved. "what's wrong with these?!" i looked over my shoulder. the inside of the potato was almost white. "they're not sweet potatoes..." i said. "are they all like this?!" friend number two gasped as she grabbed a second potato and flung the peeler across its flesh. "they're yams," i answered. "who knows the difference between a sweet potato and a yam?!" friend number two demanded.


so for those of you who care to be enlightened, there is a difference between the two. for those of you who do not care, skip down to the next paragraph. a sweet potato is that yummy orange thing that you probably call a yam. a yam is a bit drier and starchier and is known to have slightly lower nutritional benefits. the important thing to note here is not to freak out if you accidentally buy one instead of the other, although i do prefer the texture of the orange sweet potato. who knows, it might just be the color.

sweet potato curry with kale and broccoli

• 2 large sweet potatoes or yams, diced
  
• 1 large onion, diced
  
• 1 head broccoli, chopped
  
• 1 bunch kale, stems removed and chopped
  
• 1 apple, diced
  
• red curry paste
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
  
• 1-2 chilies, minced
  
• chicken stock
• pepper
• salt
• cilantro, chopped

• brown the sweet potatoes in the bottom of a large pot. since they will take the longest time to cook, start seasoning as they begin to soften.
• add the curry paste, garlic, chili, salt and pepper. allow to cook for a few minutes and reseason to taste.
• after the sweet potates are almost cooked, add the onions and apples. cook for a few minutes, taste again. adjust seasoning if necessary.
• add broccoli, kale and chicken stock. you will need enough chicken stock to rise part way up all of the veggies. stir and allow to simmer for at least 10 minutes.
  

csa week 12

1. the bounty

• 1/3 lb mesclun
• 1 head celery
• 2 bok choy
• 1 bunch parsley
• 1 bunch white radish
• 1 bunch toscano kale
• 4 lbs potatoes
• 1 head broccoli
• 9 apples (5 lbs)
  

2. cost analysis (comparison costs courtesy of freshdirect):

veggies:

• 1/3 lb mesclun: $4 (organic)
  
• 1 head celery: $3 (organic)
  
• 2 bok choy: $5 (csa estimate)
  
• 1 bunch parsley: $2 (organic)
  
• 1 bunch white radish: $1.50 (cas estimate)
  
• 1 bunch toscano kale: $3 (organic)
  
• 4 lbs potatoes: $8 (organic)
  
• 1 head broccoli: $3 (csa estimate)
  

= $29.50
actual csa cost per week = $22

fruit:

• apples: $10 (organic)
  

=$10
actual csa cost per week = $11.67


last pick up!

in a panic of not knowing what i would do with my life (or all of that free time) without csa, i have it marked on my calendar to sign up for WINTER SHARES! because if i don't think i have enough potatoes already, i want to welcome over a few more. currently, 8 pounds of those spuds are residing in my kitchen.