November 28, 2009

pumpkin soup

Its the day after the Feast. One of the best leftovers is the pumpkin soup. Its good plain, with creme fraiche, or even with a dollop of stuffing in it. Its a wonderful combination of ginger, leeks and pumpkin. Delicious. Yesterday, we served the pumpkin soup as a first course with an exquisite champagne, grilled local kielbasa, creme fraiche and a garnish of cilantro. I did not hear any complaints. The Jarrahdale pumpkin is the best tasting pumpkin I’ve grown so far. Bright orange color flesh with mild sweet pumpkin…

November 25, 2009

baked butternut squash and sweet potatoes

Bake 5 sweet potatoes at 400*F til slightly soft (about 15 min).Peel 2 butternut squashes. Cut into 1 inch cubes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake in a large casserole dish 30 min at 400*.Peel sweet potatoes, cube, add to squash and mix. Sprinkle with brown sugar and dot with butter. Bake covered 30-45 min at about 375*.

November 25, 2009

I’m in the Newspaper today!!

In praise of pumpkins’ promise of abundance: Here’s the link! Here’s the recipe.

November 14, 2009

celeriac recipes

Someone asked a while back what to do with celeriac. I thought I start a recipe list.Here is a nice post from Winter Green Community Farm. As they describe: Celeriac is descended from wild celery and has a crisp, clean flavor. It can be used in turkey stuffing instead of regular celery and has a good amount of Vitamin C. Try celeriac raw grated into salads or in any recipe that calls for celery. Celeriac can also be boiled or steamed. Peel, slice, and boil for 5-10 minutes or boil…

November 14, 2009

white Detroit beets with carrots

I wasn’t real sure of these when I ordered the seed last year. White Detroit beets. But the description at Sand Hill Preservation Center sounded interesting: White Detroit: 65 days. Relatively new introduction where the beets are white, less bleeding and staining but same earthy flavor. And the good news is my teenager liked them! And they didn’t stain the carrots. Or my hands. They were very tasty. I think this will be a variety to grow again next year. My dad has questioned the nutritiousness of white vegetables. I…

November 2, 2009

beets and squash for dinner

I started with the first recipe contributed on my beet post: borscht. Never having made borscht before, I was surprised by the combination beets, celery, garlic, carrots and dill. I even found a last sprig of dill in the garden. It was easy to make. And tasted great. While I was cooking, I made my favorite squash recipe from the first garden Butternut I’ve used this season. Carys’ Boscht Recipe: “I make borscht with cubed beets, carrots, sliced celery, garlic, lots of dill (seed and weed), salt, pepper. You can…

October 24, 2009

please tell me your beet recipes

I have 12 pounds of beets to eat! Do you have any great recipes? Please add them or a link below. I usually bake beets in foil at 400*F for 40 min or so – until they’re tender. Then cool, peel and slice. The other day I mixed them with other roasted winter root vegetables (potatoes, carrots, celeriac, fennel and parsnips) with lots of fresh thyme and sage. They were delicious. I made a lot for leftovers, which I chopped fine and fried well the next day to make hash.…

October 11, 2009

how to make popcorn

how to make popcorn… Plant seeds in the spring when the ground is warm. Pick the ears when silks are very dry. Pull back husks and let the kernels dry. Test kernels. When they pop well, share them. Remove kernels by pushing them off the cob with your thumb, starting at tip. Put about 1/2 cup of kernels in a big pot with cover. Add a bit of oil. Heat on high, shaking constantly ’til popped. Add melted butter. My niece and nephew had a lot of fun with this.…

October 11, 2009

pumpkin bread

Recipe: 1 cup spelt flour 2 cups white flour 1 tsp each baking powder, baking soda, salt 1/2 tsp each nutmeg, ginger dash each ground cloves, allspice 2 tsp cinnamon 4 eggs 1 3/4 cups sugar 1 cup vegetable oil 2 tsp vanilla 4 cups grated fresh pumpkin (peeled) 1 cup raisins 1 cup walnuts Combine dry ingredients and set aside. Combine eggs, sugar, oil and vanilla and mix. Add dry ingredients to egg mixture. Add grated pumpkin, raisins, and nuts. Stir well. Pour into 2 generously buttered loaf pans.…

September 23, 2009

garden red sauce

I just made my 17 year old son his late night snack: meatballs with red sauce and pasta. (Its exhausting keeping a teenage boy fed!) And, thrill-of-thrills, he complimented the sauce!!! So, this reminded me I forgot to note my red sauce here (made September 4). Being a non-tomato year, this year’s version includes all sorts of garden vegetables and only a few tomatoes. It wasn’t really a recipe: I threw what I grew in the pot and cooked it down. A bit more detail: I put all the vegetables…

weeks and counting until my last spring frost