Pepper Poppers Take 2

So, the CSA had jalapeño peppers a few weeks back....and since the lipstick pepper poppers were so delicious, I had to replicate the recipe using jalapeños. They turned out really great! Not much else to say that hasn't been already said in the previous post. I think these ones turned out even better than their not-so-spicy cousin! Who needs a bar when you can make your own jalapeño poppers?

And let this be a testament to how delicious they were: I didn't get any pictures of them :(

Meh.

That's my underwhelming reaction to celeriac/celery root. Maybe it could have been prepared better? I just roasted it, along with some sweet potatoes, with olive oil, salt, and pepper. It tasted kind of like bitter nothingness. Did I do something wrong? I think it might be better if it had a supporting role in a dish, such as a soup, a gratin (everything is better with some cheese!), or some type of casserole. Oh well, maybe next time. Well, probably not, since I won't be picking this root up again anytime soon. And the farmer at the market told me it was the best thing they had in that week!

CSA Week #13

Lucky 13! Here's what came in this week:

Cantaloupe, raspberries, green peppers, and eggplant. 

The raspberries are all gone, though, and the cantaloupe will quickly follow! There is nothing quite as good as fresh, sweet fruit!

CSA Week #12

Wow - it's been 3 months already? We're almost halfway through the CSA, and every week there are new vegetables to enjoy. It's always a nice surprise to see what's new at the farmer's market. Here's what I picked up this week - notice any theme?

Green onions, jalapeños, Italian green beans, lettuce.

Yesterday was my two-year wedding anniversary, and today we head off to Philadelphia for a long weekend to celebrate (and eat). I am so far behind in updating posts, but as soon as we get back, I'll start up again! Have a great weekend!

Pepper Poppers

Are lipstick peppers a real thing? They sound like some kind of weird beauty product, at least to this non-pepper eater. Believe it or not, they are an actual variety of pepper - who knew? Lipstick peppers are similar in size and shape to jalapeño peppers, but without any heat and a bit of sweetness. Because of their small size, they are perfect to make into Pepper Poppers! These are a delicious appetizer (or meal...) and are very simple and easy to make. They could probably freeze well, but if you are like me and my husband, they won't last more than 1 day in the fridge. You have been warned!

Pepper Poppers

Ingredients:

• 1 pint lipstick peppers (or other small peppers)
• 6 oz cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
• Breadcrumbs, for topping
• Optional: hot sauce, for an extra kick

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with tin foil.

2. Wash peppers. Slice in half, vertically, and remove seeds and membranes. Set aside.

3. Mix cheeses and hot sauce, if using, in a small bowl. 

4.  Fill pepper halves with generous amounts of cheese mixture. Coat with breadcrumbs, to prevent cheese from burning. Place on baking sheet and bake in preheated oven for 20 - 30 minutes, or until crust is golden and cheese is melted.

5. Allow to cool (this part is really difficult!!!!) for 5 minutes. Enjoy! Hide any leftovers from your friends or family, you have my permission.

CSA Week #11

Here's what came from this week's farmer's market. I think they are starting to recognize me at the booth :)

The cantaloupe was a welcome surprise - on the CSA's website, it lists the various produce they grow, and unfortunately, there is very little fruit on the list - only strawberries and watermelon. Strawberry season has come and gone, so I have been waiting patiently on watermelon...but instead, there was cantaloupe! YAY!

PS - any thoughts on the change of location where the produce is shot? do you prefer the dining room table or the kitchen counter as a backdrop for the CSA produce?

It's Greek To Me

I've never been to Greece, but Greek food is one of my favorite cuisines. This meal was inspired by this Mediterranean country...and the excessive amount of pattypan squash and cucumbers that came from the farmer's market!  Pattypan squash are a type of summer squash, which means they have soft skin that is edible (think zucchini). They taste similar to other summer squashes - I sautéed it with onion and some salt and pepper. Very simple, very tasty. The sautéed squash was served with lamb meatballs (one of my husband's specialties!) and homemade tzatziki sauce, using one of the two giant cucumbers that came from our share.

Lamb meatballs are always a hit with us, and they are very easy to make. We usually serve them with orzo or rice, but the squash and tzatziki sauce was a nice compliment. Pattypan squash is not something that is stocked at our local grocery store, but if I ever see if in the future, I would definitely get it again!

Best Thing I Ever Made: CSA Edition

Have you ever seen the show "The Best Thing I Ever Made" on Food Network? It is a neat concept - chefs and hosts of various shows on the Food Network share their favorite thing that they make. It's usually easy and it's always fun to see what chefs like to make when they don't have to cook for others. Anyway, this post is all about the BEST THING I EVER MADE. Not to toot my own horn, but this is definitely my favorite thing that has come from our CSA. It would be more impressive if the recipe itself was also my own creation, but I can't take credit for it.

Without further ado, here's what you've all been waiting to see: Eggplant Caponata Sandwiches!

Eggplant Caponata is a Sicilian recipe - it can be eaten as a spread, on sandwiches, or even on meat. This sandwich was kind of like a "healthy" sloppy Joe - it was full of veggies (eggplant, peppers, and mushrooms). It was really hearty and filling, but it didn't leave you feeling like all you could do for the next few hours was sit on the couch. It was really easy to make, and in the future, it would be a great dish to make to serve on crostini as an appetizer.  

Here's a link to the recipe: Eggplant Caponata Sandwiches - use with caution! You may never want to cook anything besides this ever again :)

CSA Week #10

Week #10 was a rainy day at the farmer's market. There's been a lot of repeat veggies, so if you have any recipes to share, they are more than welcome since I'm running out of ideas! Feel free to email me via the Contact Me! page.

Ole!

There's not a whole lot to write about these next two meals. However, they have 2 main things in common: they include peppers and are both Mexican recipes! I LOVE Mexican food - who doesn't? We're actually going out for Mexican food tonight...and I've already been thinking about what to get! Fajitas? Enchiladas? Quesadillas? I guess I know what I'll be doing all day at work...planning my dinner.

Anyway, here's what came of the green peppers. Did you know that green peppers are just unripened red peppers? They first turn green, then yellow, then orange, and then red. The longer the pepper stays on the vine, the more red they turn. Dish #1 was fajitas - nothing fancy here, though. This came straight from the Old El Paso Fajita spice packet. 

Chicken Fajitas with Onions and Peppers

And Dish #2 - vegan burritos! This recipe is adapted from Oh She Glows, a vegan blog. One of my friends is vegan, and I had her and her boyfriend, along with some other friends, over a few months ago for a dinner party. I made this recipe and it was a huge hit, even for the meat-eaters at dinner.  The recipe calls for butternut squash, but I substituted with sweet potatoes. Every now and then, I crave this meal...yummmm.

Black Bean, Sweet Potato, Green Pepper, and Brown Rice Burritos

I Swear I'm Not Lying...

I do really hate tomatoes! Well, just raw ones. Considering this is my second post dedicated to tomatoes, it may seem like I like them...but I promise that I don't. I just really like homemade tomato sauce with my pasta. The last time I made homemade tomato sauce from scratch was in 10th grade, in my high school cooking class. Yes, we had cooking as an elective in high school. It was amazing. I've made tomato sauce many times since, but I've always used cans of whole peeled tomatoes.

Homemade Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:

• extra virgin olive oil
• at least 2 pints tomatoes
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• salt and pepper, to taste
• basil

Directions:

1. Boil 2 quarts of water in a medium pot. Score the bottom of the tomatoes with an "X". Blanche the tomatoes in the water for 20-30 seconds. It is easier to do 2 or 3 tomatoes at a time, so do not try to get them all in the pot at once. Allow to cool, and peel the skin. Chop the tomatoes into large chunks.

2. Add 1 Tbl olive oil to a sauce pan and heat over medium. Saute onions and garlic until soft, 5 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low and bring to a simmer. Cook for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Add basil and serve.

Disclaimer: The tomatoes cook down A LOT. When I made this, there was barely enough sauce for two bowls of spaghetti. I only used 1 pint of tomatoes...and it did not make very much sauce, even though it was delicious. The more tomatoes the better...and you can always increase the onion and garlic, to your own taste.

The Adventures of Finocchio

Have you ever studied a foreign language? In college, I studied Italian, and even though I haven't used it in almost seven years, there are still some words that just stick in my mind. Finocchio, which is Italian for fennel, is one of those words! So is "bicicletta" (bicycle) and the phrase "che cose hai fatto ieri sera" (what did you do last night?). 

It was hard to think of things to do with fennel - 3 bulbs were included in our share of the CSA, and fennel is not really a main ingredient. Fennel, in case you were wondering, has a very faint licorice taste. Both the fronds and the bulb are edible, so both parts are featured in these dishes. Here's what we made - 3 different meals!

Meal 1: Fennel Risotto

Have I mentioned before I studied abroad in Italy? Well, risotto was one of my favorite things to eat when I was abroad, and it continues to be one of my favorite meals to make...in the winter. Risotto is very thick and comforting, so it's probably not the best meal for a hot and humid summer day, but oh well! This fennel risotto tasted very fresh - definitely something I would make again if I am given fennel.

Meal 2: Salmon with Fennel

Not only did this salmon require the use of an ingredient with which I was unfamiliar (fennel), it also used a cooking technique I had never used before - cooking in parchment paper. As you can see, we were all of out parchment paper, so aluminum foil was substituted. This salmon was easy to make, and clean up was even easier. Served with a side of rice...YUM. Here's the recipe I used, straight from one of my favorite blogs, Simply Recipes: Salmon with Fennel.

Meal 3: Arancini

Another Italian word that sticks in my brain! Arancini means little oranges, but it is also the name for these fried risotto balls. These little fried risotto balls are another of my favorite foods from Italy, and whenever I see them on a menu, which is rarely, I always order them.  This preparation is also a great way to use up extra risotto. 

Ingredients:

• leftover risotto
• 1 egg, beaten (more, if needed)
• breadcrumbs

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Roll risotto into small balls, about the size of a golfball. Coat with breadcrumbs. Dip in the beaten egg, then add a second coat of breadcrumbs. Place on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Repeat until all risotto is used up.

3. Bake 20-30 minutes, until golden brown. Serve immediately, or freeze.

Arancini not only are a great way to use leftovers, but they are also a really easy appetizer. If they are frozen, just pop them into a preheated oven and cook until warmed through. Some people serve them with tomato sauce, but I think they are great just the way they are :)