Pear Tart

Getting fresh fruit in our CSA was one of the most exciting things of the holiday season. We joined the Utah Farms CSA in late November. They deliver to our door step every Friday and so far, we have been really surprised and excited about what we have received.  I used both asian pears and bartlett pears in this recipe. The aisan pears are the ones in the picture with the darker color. Asian pears, as their name suggests, are grown in China, Japan, and Korea.  These pears have a high water content and a crisp, grainy texture.  They look much like apples and are usually very fragrant and can last for several weeks in a cold, dry place. I ate these fruits from my neighbors backyard before they arrived in our CSA.  They are delicious plain, but this pastry is great with them.  This dessert is delicious warm and with vanilla ice cream (either homemade or store bought).  Hopefully you like this recipe and enjoy this fruit. 

Ingredients:

1 12 x 8 rectangle puff pastry, defrosted
2 ripe but firm pears (Utah Farms CSA)
1/8 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon

1. Defrost puff pastry on the counter for about 1-2 hours (you can make whole wheat, homemade puff pastry but it is really too much work for my busy schedule!).
2. Slice pears and half and then core. Slice pear halves into 1/8-1/4 inch slices.
3. Combine sugars and cinnamon.
4. Unroll puff pastry and place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Place pear slices on unrolled pastry in a shingle pattern leaving a one inch border all around the sides. Lay the slices as close together as possible.
5. Sprinkle sugar mixture over the pears. Chill tart for 20 minutes.
6. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
7. Bake tart at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Turn oven temperature down to 350F and bake another 10-20 minutes or until pastry is a golden brown, fruit is soft and all the sugar has melted. Serve warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

French Onion Soup

Hi, this is Bianca's Mom and I am posting a recipe that was one of my husbands favorite, French Onion Soup. Of course, I don't bother with the low-fat cheese that the original recipe called for but used the Unusually Lovely Aged Swiss Cheese from Beehive Cheese that we had received in our weekly CSA share. How anyone can use low-fat cheese is beyond me since all low-fat varieties I have tried are basically tasteless. I would rather do an extra 30 minutes on my exercise bike to allow me a portion of a full-fat, deliciously smooth cheese like the one below. I also went ahead and bought some soup bones from Christensen Farms and made some homemade beef broth and then fed the marrow from the bones to our dogs. I also used some of the beef broth to make our homemade dog biscuits which our dogs, Maggie and Leah Sophia just love!


Ingredients:

2 tsp. olive oil
8 cups Walla Walla onion, thinly sliced vertically (Jacob's Cove)
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. Redmond Sea Salt
1/4 cup dry white wine
8 cups homemade beef broth (Christensen Family Farms soup bones)
1/2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
sourdough bread, cut into 1-inch slices (Harmon's bakery), toasted
8 oz. Unusually Lovely Aged Swiss cheese (Beehive Cheese)

1. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions to pan and saute for 5 minutes or until tender.
2. Stir in sugar, pepper and salt. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until onions sweat.
3. Turn heat up to medium-high and saute for 5 minutes or until onions are a golden brown.
4. Stir in wine and cook for 1 minute.
5. Add broth and thyme and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours.
6. Ladle one cup soup into 8 oven-broth bowls. Place one toasted bread slice on top of soup and then top each serving with 1 ounce of sliced cheese. Broil 2-3 minutes or until cheese begins to brown.
7. Serve immediately.
adapted from Cooking Light 2005

Pumpkin Gnocchi with Browned Sage Butter

This is another delicious recipe using pumpkin.  I love gnocchi at baseline and if you just want to try gnocchi first before making these, look at my gnocchi recipes I posted earlier this year. It is difficult as we enter the winter season to keep our meals local and this recipe takes advantage of those ingredients you can still buy locally or that you put in winter storage.  If you don't have a sage bush planted in your yard, you need to plant one next year since you can use the leaves for seasoning all year round and the bush itself is a perennial and can survive our cold winters. The pumpkin is a delicious addition to the gnocchi and the browned sage butter just adds a savory touch to the dish. Hope you enjoy these gnocchi!

Finished gnocchi with wilted fresh spinach and shaved parmesan cheese

Ingredients:

1 cup homemade ricotta cheese (see earlier post)
1 cup pureed pumpkin (last bought at the Farmers Market)
1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (Gold Creek Cheese)
2 large egg yolks (Clifford Family Farm)
2 tsp. lemon zest
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
2 tsp. Redmond Sea Salt
2 cups flour (we use freshly milled)
3 tbls. butter, divided (Winder Farms)
3 tbls. olive oil, divided
12-15 sage leaves (Our herb garden)
optional: fresh spinach (Utah Farms CSA)

1. Combine ricotta, pumpkin, parmesan cheese, egg yolk, lemon zest, nutmeg and salt in a large bowl. Mix well. Sprinkle 1 cup of the flour on the pumpkin mixture and gently mix with a spatula a few times to incorporate the flour.  Add additional flour in small amounts and incorporate gently. Don't knead too much or you will end up with a fairly dense, instead of light and fluffy, gnocchi.  Place dough on a clean, lightly floured surface and gently knead with your fingertips. The dough is ready when you press your finger into the dough and it is tacky but clean.
2. Prepare large cookie sheet with parchment paper that is lightly floured.
3. Divide dough into 8 parts. Take one part and roll out with your hands into a 1" diameter log. Using a knife that has been dipped in flour, cut gnocchi into 1" pieces. Place pieces on prepared cookie sheet until all 8 pieces have been cut into gnocchi.
4. Heat a large frying pain with 3 tbl. each of butter and olive oil. When hot, add the fresh sage and cook until the sage is sizzling and brown. Remove the sage and reduce heat to medium. Add a few gnocchi at at time to cover the surface of the pan. Gnocchi should not touch each other. Fry on medium heat for 1-2 minutes, turn and cook an additional 1-2 minutes or until browned. Remove gnocchi and garnish with additional grated parmesan cheese. Keep warm in 250 F oven until all batches are fried.
Options:
---add 2 tbls. of good quality balsamic vinegar to the pan after frying all the gnocchi and whisk over low heat.  Pour over the gnocchi.

Cinnamon-Honey Roasted Pecans

Have you ever been to a football and/or basketball game where, as you are walking, you suddenly smell cinnamon and sugar? As you get closer, you smell that slight hint of a nut mixed in? Then you see it: that booth that sells those deliciously roasted cinnamon nuts. Well now you can make them! I love those honey-roasted cinnamon nuts so much that when we got our pecans in October, the first thing I told my mom was "Let's make those nuts!"  At first she had no clue what nuts I was talking about, but finally she figured it out.  Two months later, we passed one of the booths and once again I was reminded of those delicious, mouth watering nuts. So, we tried a bunch of different recipes and this is the one we think works best. Not to sweet, not too sticky, not too crunchy but just right.  These nuts are as delicious as those fanfare ones you get at the stadiums, only they are LOCAL!! These make perfect gifts to anyone who loves nuts and/or cinnamon! Save some for yourself and enjoy them!

Ingredients:
2 cups pecans (Thompson Family Farms)
1/2 tsp salt (Redmond Sea Salt)
2 tbl. honey (Knight Family Farms)
2 tbl. water
2 tsp. canola oil
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 350 F

1. Place pecans on cookie sheet in one layer and roast for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, in 350 degree oven. Watch them closely so that they don't burn. Remove from oven.
2.  Heat honey, salt, water, and canola oil in saucepan over low heat. Add pecans and stir, cooking over low heat, until all liquid is absorbed.
3. Mix together sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar over cooked pecans and stir until well combined.
4. Place pecans in single layer on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and let cool.

Pumpkin-Snickerdoodle Gelato Sandwiches

Pumpkin.  When you hear this one word what is the first thing you thing of? Well jack'o lanterns would be one but pumpkin pie is another. We think of this often especially around this holiday season, but for those who want another delicious pumpkin dessert, try these.  It might be a little chilly out side but these treats are still perfect for a little sweet at the end of the day, or in the middle! The cookie on the outside are snickerdoodles, which are basically sugar cookies rolled in cinnamon sugar. They perfectly accent the sweet and naturally pumpkin flavor of the gelato.  Creamy and crunchy, this is a perfect combo that should be enjoyed during this holiday season.  As always, feel free to just make the cookies and eat them or vise versa with the gelato.  I hope you have a great Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa and enjoy many great meals. 

Pumpkin Gelato:

1 small sweet pumpkin, halved and seeded
5 large egg yolks (Clifford Family Farm)
1 1/2 cups 2% milk (Winder Farms)
1 cup heavy cream (Winder Farms)
1/3 cup unrefined sugar
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 cinnamon stick
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. Redmond Sea Salt
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place pumpkin halves in oven-proof casserole with approximately one inch of water, cut sides down. Bake for approx. 45-60 or until tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from oven, let cool, the scoop out pulp and mash with a fork or puree in a blender. Reserve 3/4 cup of the puree for this recipe and freeze the remainder (or make pumpkin gnocchi).
2.  Meanwhile, warm the milk, cream, spices, brown sugar and salt in a medium saucepan until the edges begin to boil. Cover and let stand for 30 minutes. Return to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and remove cinnamon stick.
2. Prepare an ice bath; set aside. In a medium size bowl, beat the egg yolks with the unrefined sugar on medium speed of an electric mixer until pale and thick, about 4 minutes.
3. With mixer still running, add hot milk mixture in a slow, steady stream until well mixed. Add 3/4 cup of the pureed pumpkin and the vanilla extract. Pour mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl set in the ice bath. At this point, you can refrigerate overnight and then process in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions or process immediately if the mixture is cool enough.
4. Freeze for approximately one hour before putting together your sandwiches.

Snickerdoodle Cookies:

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1 egg (Clifford Family Farms)
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour (freshly milled)
2 tbls sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

1. Beat the butter with electric mixer for 30 seconds. Add the 1 cup sugar, baking soda, and cream of tartar and beat until creamy, scraping the sides of the bowl. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the electric mixer then stir in the remaining by hand. Refrigerate dough for at least one hour.
2. Combine the 2 tbls. sugar and the cinnamon in a small, shallow bowl. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll balls in sugar-cinnamon mixture to coat. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in 375 degree oven for 10-11 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool.
Options:
-you can make fairly small cookies and then bit-size gelato sandwiches so everyone can have just a little dessert without feeling like they are over-indulging!
-this recipe also tastes create with gingerbread cookies!
-go out and buy a bunch of pumpkins NOW, cook and then freeze the pulp to make this gelato later in the season or freeze any left over pumpkin puree from this recipe.

Homemade Dog Biscuits

Now don't get too excited, these aren't for you but for your pets (beloved in my Mom's and my case)! This recipe is truly loved by my dogs as well as our neighbors dogs.  In fact, our dog Maggie just waits by the oven when these are baking and somehow knows that they are her "cookies".

 For this recipe, you can use those soon to come turkey drippings or just any drippings you end up getting.  If you don't have time to make these biscuits, don't be afraid to freeze the drippings until you are ready to make them.  We recently got our drippings from a cooking class we went to sponsored by Slow Food Utah.  These biscuits are cheaper to make then buy at the store and even healthier for your furry family members and friends! They make great gifts for the holidays so I hope every dog in your life enjoys them!

Getting the biscuits ready to sell at the Holiday Boutique in some decorated, recycled cans!

Ingredients:
3/4 cup hot water or meat juices*
1/3 cup margarine
1/3 cup powdered milk
1 egg, beaten
3 cups whole wheat flour (we use freshly milled)

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
2. In large bowl, pour the hot water or meat juices over margarine.
3. Stir in powdered milk and egg.
4. Add flour and mix well. Knead for 3-4 minutes, adding more flour to make a very stiff dough.
5. Roll out to 1/4-1/2 inch thickness and cut out with desired cookie cutters (we use dog-bone cookie cutters).
6. Place on prepared cookie sheet and bake for 50 minutes or until hard to the touch and brown around the edges.

Makes approximately 1 1/4 pounds at cost of less than 25 cents!!

*Or just use some beef, pork, or chicken bouillon.

Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

Anyone else getting cold! Wow! Winter is really coming fast as summer and the farmer's market start to fade off into the distance. But don't fear, we can still make it through the winter with delicious and nutritious food! For those who have froze your food you might be even better off.  As Jack Frost starts to nip at our nose, ears, and even my toes, a warm dish is never a bad idea.  This recipe is one of the delicious recipes that will warm you right back up.  I personally didn't like bell peppers even a couple of years of ago, but now I will eat them plain.  They are sweet and have just the right taste to compliment our local quinoa and cabbage.  I have taken these to school a couple times and every time my friends laugh and say I have a "luxury lunch." Hopefully, you will get this feeling too after you eat these delicious stuffed peppers!

Ingredients:
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 tbl. olive oil
1 tbl. ground cumin
2 gloves garlic, minced (Sandhill Farms)
1 small head green cabbage, chopped (Jacob's Cove)
2 cups diced fresh tomatoes or approx. one 28 oz. can prepared tomatoes
(reserve any liquid)
3/4 cup quinoa
3 large carrots, grated (Jacob's Cove)
1 cup grated cumin spiced cheddar cheese (Gold Creek Cheese)
4 large bell peppers, halved lengthwise, seeded and ribs removed

1. Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook 5 minutes or until soft. Add cumin and garlic and saute for one minute. Stir in cabbage and tomatoes and add about 1/4 cup water. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until most of liquid has evaporated.
2. Stir in cabbage, carrots and quinoa, and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, then cover. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until quinoa is tender. Stir in 3/4 cup of the cheese. Season with ground pepper, if desired.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare baking dish by adding reserved tomato juice.
4. Fill each half pepper with quinoa mixture and place in baking dish. Cover and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle each pepper with remaining cheese. Bake 10 minutes more or until cheese has melted. Let stand for 5 minutes, then serve.
adapted from Weight Watchers recipes
Options:
--can't believe that peppers and tomatoes came in so late this year that we could still make this recipe. I did use some bell peppers that I had halved, blanched and then frozen to see if they would work in this recipe. You couldn't tell which ones were made from fresh peppers and which ones were made with the frozen ones.
--You could use any cheese on this recipe and weight-watchers called for low-fat cheese which my Mother NEVER buys! She thinks if you are going to eat cheese, eat the GOOD stuff! The cumin spiced cheddar cheese is really delicious and we just cut slices and eat it plain.
--Remember, we just use whatever we have in the house so for this recipe the cabbage replaced black beans in the original recipe and we still had fresh tomatoes so it replaced canned tomatoes.

Butternut Squash and Blue Cheese Galette

Wow, can't believe the Farmer's Market is over! Time really does fly by and now we are back to the snow and bitter chill of winter, but don't fear; good recipes don't stop with the warm weather.  Winter does end the growth of many vegetables and fruits that we love, but winter squash does begin to come in around this time.  This recipe uses one of these delicious squashes to make a warm and tasty recipe.  This recipe with the yeasty, pizza like dough, the squash and the blue cheese makes for a delicious mix of textures and tastes. The amount of blue cheese you put on is your choice, so put on as much or as little as you want (not too much for me). This recipe is great and I hope you enjoy it.  Try not to get to cold out there and get ready to enjoy the winter season!

Ingredients:

Yeast Dough-

1/3 cup lukewarm water (105-115 degrees F)
1 tsp. active dry yeast
1/2 tsp. honey
1 1/2 cups flour (we use freshly milled)
1/2 tsp. Redmond Sea Salt
1 large egg, at room temperature (Clifford Family Farms)
3 tbl softened butter (Winder Farms)

1. In a bowl, stir together the water, yeast and sugar. Let stand in a warm place until bubbly, about 10 minutes.
2. In another bowl, mix the flour and salt and make a well. Add the egg, butter and yeast mixture to the well and, using a wooden spoon,  incorporate the flour into the liquid ingredients to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface and knead briefly until smooth.
3. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a towel and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes. Punch down the dough and let it rest briefly before rolling out.

Filling-

2 1/2 lbs. butternut squash or other winter squash
Olive oil
1 small head garlic, cloves separated but not peeled
1 small onion, finely chopped
10 fresh sage leaves, coarsely chopped (or 1 1/2 tsp. dried sage)
l/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2/3 crumbled Delano Peak Blue Cheese (Snowy Mountain Creamery)
1 large egg, beaten

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Halve the squash using a sharp knive, scrape out the sees and fibers. Lightly brush each cut side with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Please the garlic cloves in the cavities and turn the squash cut sides down on a baking sheet. Bake for about 1 hour, or until the squash is tender when pierced with a knife or fork.  Garlic should also be soft and, if not, return to the oven a bake a little longer.  Scoop out the squash flesh into a bowl and squeeze the garlic out of it's skin into the same bowl. Mash with a fork until fairly smooth.
2. In a skillet, warm teaspoonfuls of olive oil over low heat. Add the oinion and sage and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and beginning to color, about 5-7 minutes.  Add to the squash and garlic along with the Parmesan cheese and mix well. Fold in 1/3 cup of the Blue Cheese.
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a lightly floured baking sheet (we use a pizza peel), roll out the dough into a 14 inch round. Spread the squash filling over the dough leaving a 2-inch border. Sprinkle remaining blue cheese on top. Fold up and pleat the border of the dough. Brush with the beaten egg.
4. Bake until the crust in nicely browned, about 25 minutes. Serve hot or warm. Leftovers are great for lunch cold!
adapted from The Savory Way by Deborah Madison

Green Tomato Pie

When we picked up our last CSA of the season from Bell Organics he gave us these lovely green tomatoes and told us to check out his green tomato pie recipe.  In both of our minds we were thinking that sounds odd.  We then both assumed that it was savory like our previous heirloom tomato pie, but it was not. In all honesty this is probably the best way to use all those green tomatoes you have left. This pie is much like the apple pies you make around this time of year, but with tomatoes. The texture of the tomatoes isn't odd at all and it surprisingly delicious.  It is sweet and has just the right amount of cinnamon.  You should try this recipe just for the fun of it and enjoy some of the last vegetables of the season, even if they are green!

Filling:

4 cups peeled, cored, and sliced green tomatoes
3 tbl. butter (Winder Farms)
4 tbl. lemon juice
1 tsp. lemon zest
1 & 1/4 cup sugar
3 tbl. flour (freshly milled)
dash of salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cloves


Crust:

2 cups flour (freshly milled)
1/4 tsp. salt (Redmond Sea Salt)
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
3/4 cup butter or butter flavored shortening (Winder Farms)
1/2 cup cold water

For the crust:
1. Mix together the flour, salt, sugar and baking powder in the bowl. Cut butter/shortening into the flour mixture with a fork until it resembles cornmeal. Stir in water one tablespoonful at a time and mix until combined. Cover dough and let it rest in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
2. Divide dough in half.  On a lightly floured surface, pat each section into a small round then roll out each to fit a 9-inch pie pan. Place one round in pie pan and trim off excess dough and save second piece for top.
3. Saute the tomatoes in the butter and lemon juice until tender.  Combine tomatoes with sugar, flour, salt and spices. Pour filling into prepared pie crust and dot with butter. Cover with top crust. Pinch around sides and pierce top with a fork.
4. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes then reduce to 350 degrees and bake until crust is brown or about 35-40 more minutes.
5. Let rest 30-45 minutes to let it set before eating.
Options:
--some recipes call for 3 tbl. tapioca flour or quick tapioca. To keep it more local, we just used our freshly milled flour but it was a bit runny when hot out of the oven.

Eggplant and Tomato Sauce

My mom loves eggplant and I don't mind it because I like it too.  So when they told us we needed to bring a kind of sauce to share at the Eat Local Challenge Pasta Party we instantly thought of a eggplant and tomato spaghetti sauce.  We started to look for one and found one in Lidia's Family Table.  This recipe has the best of both vegetables and is really delicious.  It is perfect on Nu Nooz pasta or on your own homemade pasta, add a little cheese, and eat.  This recipe makes a lot of sauce so be prepared to use it!

Ingredients:
5 pounds ripe plum tomatoes (blanched, seeded and peeled)
3 & 1/2 pounds firm eggplants
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 cups chopped onions
2 tsp. Redmond Sea Salt
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 tsp dried red hot pepper flakes
4 branches fresh basil with leaves

1. Process tomatoes through a food mill or sieve to remove the skin and seeds in a large bowl. Set aside.
2. Trim and peel the eggplants. Cut them into 3/4 inch chunks.
3. Put the oil in a large saucepan, add the onions and 1 teaspoonful of salt. Set over medium heat, stir well and cook until the onions are softened, about 7-10 minutes. Only cook until the onions are soft, stirring frequently and adjusting the heat to avoid browning.
4. When the onions are softened, push them to the sides of the pan and clear a space in the middle of the pan. Place the chopped garlic in the middle of the pan, stir within this middle to caramelize for about 1 minute. Stir the onions into the garlic and then add 2 tablespoonfuls of water into the pan and stir everything together. Cook until liquid has evaporated.
5. Add the eggplant chunks to the pan and add additional 1 teaspoonful of salt. Stir together with the onions and garlic until all chunks are coated. Cook over medium-low heat for 12 to 15 minutes or until the eggplant is soft but still retains it shape. Add more water only if the pan gets dry and the eggplant begins to brown.
6. Pour in the tomatoes and their juice into the pan. Rinse the tomato bowl with 2-3 cups of water and add to the pan.  Sprinkle with the red hot pepper flakes and additional salt and pepper to taste.  Sink the basil branches into the liquid. Raise heat to medium and allow to come to a boil.
7. Lower heat to keep at a low simmer. Cover and cook for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
8. Uncover the pan and continue to cook at a low simmer until sauce is reduced. Stir occasionally to keep eggplant from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Cook uncovered for additional 1-2 hours or until at desired consistency (we like our sauce VERY reduced). Remove the basil branches and serve with your favorite pasta or ravioli.
adapted from Lidia's Family Table
options:
--add meatballs in step #5
--saute sausage along with the onions in step #3

Swiss Chard and Sausage Strata

Ingredients:

1 pound sausage (Red Wine from Colosimo)
2 shallots, finely chopped (Downtown Farmers Market)
1 bunch Swiss Chard (Bell Organic)
1/4 cup homemade chicken broth (or water if you don't have broth)
1 day old baguette, cut into 1/2-inch chunks (Crumb Brothers)
2 & 1/2 cups 2% milk (Winder Farms)
7 large eggs, lightly beaten (Clifford Family Farms)
1 cup shredded cheese (take your pick from all our local purveyors)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add sausage and break up meat with wooden spoon as it cooks. Transfer to a small bowl once cooked through.
3. Add 1 tsp. additional oil, if needed, to skillet. Add shallots and chard stems and cook, stirring frequently until shallots are translucent. Add chicken broth to pan, and cook, stirring up any browned bits from the skillet. Add chard leaves and cook, stirring frequently, until wilted. Add sausage back to the pan and season with salt and pepper if needed.
4. Sprinkle half the sausage and chard mixture in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Top with the bread, overlapping the pieces (save a few pieces of bread for the final layer). Top with remaining sausage and chard mixture. In large bowl, whisk together the milk and eggs, season with salt and pepper and pour over the top. Add additional slices of bread and press down firmly to make sure all the bread is submerged and the milk and egg mixture is distributed evenly. Cover dish tightly with foil and let sit at least 10 minutes or overnight (stratas are always better if they sit overnight and let the flavors blend together).
5. Bake, covered, for 45 minutes.
6. Uncover and sprinkle with shredded cheese and bake until the cheese melts or about 7-10 minutes.
7. Let cool for 10 minutes to allow the strata to set.
serves 6-8 as main meal
About $2/serving

Peppered Pear and Goat Cheese Scones

Hi, this is Bianca's Mom. We just want to thank all our friends and family for all their support over the past two weeks. It has been great for both of us to know how much love and support we have. One thing that has amused both Bianca and I is how concerned our friends are about bringing over "local" food to feed us. Although local is important to us, we are just thankful to have so many people so willing to help us. Many of our friends have been bringing over their own homegrown pears and one of our Italian friends (the real deal from Northern Italy) even brought us some homemade pear jam. Then one of our friends forwarded us this scone recipe. Since we also had a bunch of goat cheese that people had brought over and we love scones (how can you ever go wrong making something with an entire stick of butter), we decided to try this recipe. Bianca and I both loved this recipe but if you can't eat them all, make sure to refrigerate them since they seem to go bad fairly quickly. As Bianca would say, Enjoy!

2 C all-purpose flour (we used freshly milled whole wheat)

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

2 T honey (Knight Family Farms)

1 1/4 tsp salt (Redmond Sea Salt)

1 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

1/2 C (1 stick) unsalted butter (cold, cut into 1/2 inch slices) Winder Farms

1 medium pear, peeled, cored and roughly chopped (I used 2 pears since they were fairly small)

4 ounces goat cheese, broken into walnut-sized pieces (Shepard's Farm herbed)

1/2 C whole milk/low fat yogurt (we used our homemade yogurt)

2 T whole milk or buttermilk (Winder Farms)

1. Preheat oven to 375˚F, line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2.Combine four, baking powder, sugar, salt, and pepper, stir well.

add butter, blend into the four mix with your fingers - till there are pea-sized butter chunks.

Sprinkle pear chunks and goat cheese over the flour/butter mix, gently toss (try to not mash the pear or cheese).

3.Soften yogurt by mixing with the milk.  Pour over the flour mix, and fold together gently with a spatula (try to not break up the cheese pieces).

4.Divide dough into 8 pieces (I separated into 12, for 12 scones instead).  Place mounds of dough on the baking sheet about 1 inch apart.
5. Bake for 25 minutes, move to cooling rack, and enjoy.

adapted from Savory Baking by Mary Cech

Smoked Mozzarella Little Ravioli in Chicken Broth

My Mom had made these little ravioli's flavored with lemon zest and nutmeg from The Italian Farmer's Table by Matthew Scialabba and Melissa Pellegrino and they were absolutely delicious served in our homemade chicken broth. If you want to learn how to make some really authentic Northern Italian food, my Mom suggests buying this book. You won't be disappointed. She said that these little ravioli tasted very similar to the capelletti that her Nonni used to make when she was a kid except that capelletti have meat in them and...these were easier to make. So, in the spirit of the Eat Local Challenge, we changed the recipe a bit since lemons definitely don't grow in Salt Lake City. Since we love all our local cheeses, we thought that using smoked mozzarella from www.goldcreekfarms.com would give these ravioli a great flavor. We actually ate them with our Eggplant and Tomato Sauce for a totally local meal! 

Make sure you only put a thin layer on the dough so that each ravioli will seal when cut.

If they don't seal, don't worry. The flavor just comes out in the broth!

Ready for the freezer

Ingredients:

6 ounces ricotta cheese (homemade using Winder Farms 2% milk and buttermilk)
2 ounces smoked mozzarella (Gold Creek Farms)
2 ounces grated parmesan cheese (Gold Creek Farms)
1 large egg (Clifford Family Farm)
pinch of Redmond Sea Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 recipe basic pasta dough (see earlier post)
1 quart homemade chicken broth (see earlier post)

1. In a large bowl, mix together the ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, salt, pepper and egg until thoroughly combined.
2. On a clean surface that is lightly dusted with flour, roll out the pasta into an 18-inch circle. Spread a thin layer of the cheese mixture over the top half of the dough. Fold over the top half of the dough over the filling to create a semi-circle. Lightly press to remove any air. With a handheld pasta cutter, cut the dough into long vertical strips, about 1/2 inch wide. Then cut horizontally every 1/2 inch to create small squares.
3. Place the stuffed ravioli on a lightly floured cookie sheet. Place in the freezer for at least one hour. Once frozen, you can place the ravioli into a plastic bag or container and store in your freezer for later use.
4. In a medium-large pot, bring the chicken broth to a boil. Add a little salt. Drop the ravioli into the broth and gently simmer until tender. Ladle the soup into shallow bowls and serve with grated parmesan cheese.
Adapted from The Italian Farmer's Table
go to www.finecooking.com for more instructions via video
options:
-The original recipe calls for stracchino cheese which we could not find in Salt Lake City so we just substituted mozzarella. I think you can add any semi-soft cheese in it's place.
- Use regular mozzarella cheese and then add one tablespoonful lemon zest and pinch of freshly grated nutmeg. My Mom told me that her Nonni, who was from the Emilia-Romagna area of Italy, used lemon zest and nutmeg in a lot of her stuffed pasta recipes.-Serve with our homemade Eggplant Pasta Sauce instead of serving in chicken broth.

Peach and Blackberry Cobbler with Buttermilk Biscuits

When I saw peaches I instantly knew what recipe I wanted to make, peach cobbler! Peach cobbler has been something I have always loved to cook and eat! My dad makes it a lot and I love to help him, so I knew cobbler was the right recipe to do. When paired with ice cream it is extremely good! This cobbler has a biscuit crust, some cobblers have different crusts/toppings, but this one is great.  The blackberries add a little extra and make a great cobbler. Cobblers are great for cold weather so if the weather continues like this, this would make the perfect desert! Enjoy!

For the biscuits:

2 tbls. granulated sugar (optional)

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1/3 cup granulated sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

5 tbls. cold butter, cut into pieces

1/3 cup ground cornmeal

1/2 cup buttermilk

The filling:
2 tbls. butter (Winder Farms)
1/2 cup honey (or sugar)
1 tbl. flour (or cornstarch)
1/2 tsp ground cardamon
1/4 cup fresh apple juice (or orange juice)
2 lbs. ripe peaches, pitted and cut into 1-inch slices
2 cups fresh blackberries

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In food processor, mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt by pulsing briefly. Add butter pieces and pulse until they are the size of small peas. Transfer to a medium sized bowl and add in the cornmeal until blended. Add the buttermilk and mix only until evenly moistened but clumpy. Do not overmix. Place in the refrigerator to rest.
3. Melt the butter over medium heat. Add in the honey, flour, cardamon and salt. Cook until blended together. Whisking constantly add in the apple juice and bring to a boil.
4. Add the peaches and cook until just tender, stirring constantly so that it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. Add blackberries and gently mix together until the berries are hot, about one minute.
5. Spread the fruit into 8 x 8 oven safe dish. Drop the biscuits in about 6-8 mounds on the fruit filling. Sprinkle additional 2 tablespoonfuls of sugar on top (optional).
6. Bake until the filling in bubbling and toothpick inserted in the center of a biscuit comes out clean or about 25-30 minutes. Let cool for about 5 minutes to allow filling to set.
adapted from Fine Cooking
Options:
--we substituted the honey for sugar, flour for cornstarch, apple juice for orange juice to make this recipe more local. You could add lemon or orange juice in place of the apple juice and maybe some citrus zest (lemon, orange or lime) to the sugar add the end that you sprinkle on top although NO citrus fruit is local here in Salt Lake. We really find that things taste better with a little addition of citrus as does this recipe.

Nuts in Utah

Last year, we were able to buy pecans at the Farmers Market but we haven't seen any this year at all. My mother bought about 5-6 pounds of these pecans last fall but I went through them before we even got through the winter. Well, we called Thompson Farm in Hurricane and they said they aren't coming to the market this year but would be willing to ship some out to us. So, my Mom bought 3-46 ounce bags that will be sent through the regular mail. I am really excited since I had some pecan recipes ready to go for the Market this year but then...no pecans. So, get ready for information on how to order these pecans and some yummy recipes.

Local Food Challenge 2011, All Veggies in a Pot (with a little cheese)

This week is the kick-off to a month long Eat Local Food Challenge. This challenge is a personal choice to challenge yourself to learn more about our local food sources and then change your diet in either small or big ways over the next month.  My mother and I are really trying to eat all local foods but there are a few things that we can't live without. My mother gave up coffee and tea but she made her own tea with fresh mint and Comprey from our garden. She said it was pretty good. So far this week, we have been doing pretty well except when I forgot about the challenge and accidentally ate an Otter Pop today! We also find that we really can't do without using Olive Oil in our recipes. Mostly, I have been eating a lot of raw fruits and vegetables with some fresh bread from Crumb Brothers, Vosen and Volkers bakeries. I also have included fresh cheese, eggs and honey from our local producers. We haven't eaten a lot of meat but that doesn't mean that you can't. 

To make the recipe in the photo:  Just saute the onions and garlic in a little olive oil then add cut up fresh tomatoes, green beans, zucchini and whatever other vegetable you have on hand.  Season with salt and pepper and simmer for about 30 minutes.

A veggie stew when my Mom just threw everything a pot!.It has
tomatoes, zucchini, green beans, onions and garlic and then we
serve it with a nice sprinkling of Gold Creek Parmesan Cheese and a Slice
of Fresh Crumb Brothers Bread

Fresh veggies from the market including some artichokes

More fresh veggies with Gold Creek cheeses and Cremenilli Salami

A full meal with no cooking involved! Tomato salad with bread from Crumb
Brothers, cheese from Gold Creek Farms and Cremenilli Salami!

Beautiful Heirloom Tomatoes. They are almost too pretty to eat!

Rigatoni with Eggplant and Pistachios Crunch

Eggplants are another delicious and purple vegetable. Eggplants grow from August to October on vines, much like tomatoes. These purple vegetables are full of dietary fiber and potassium as well as manganese.  With a spongy texture, these vegetables are a brain food that are rich in antioxidant.  Most eggplants are tear dropped shape but some can be long and skinny. This recipe uses this great vegetable to make a delicious pasta dish.  Despite the name of this dish,  it is not entirely crunchy. The baking of the dish makes the top lightly crunchy but the inside is totally soft and delicate.  This is another great dish that you can play with and taste. Hope you like it!

Rigatoni with Eggplant and Pistachio Nut Crunch
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 un-peeled large eggplant (1 1/2 to 1 3/4 pound), cut into 1/2-inch cubes (Blue Spring Farms)
2 medium peppers (we used some semi-hot green ones), cut into 1/2-inch cubes (Bell Organic)
2 cups grape tomatoes (Jacob's Cove)
3 large garlic cloves, divided (Sandhill Farms)
1/3 cup olive oil
2 cups (firmly packed) fresh basil leaves, divided (Bell Organic, Jacob's Cove and our own)
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided (Gold Creek Farms)
1/4 cup pistachios (or pecans or whatever nuts you have)
1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes in juice (or about 2 pounds fresh tomatoes, blanched with skin removed, see note below)
1 cup 2% milk (Winder Dairy)
1 pound rigatoni (Nu-Nooz)
1/2-1 pound whole-milk mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (Gold Creek Farms)

1. Preheat oven to 425˚F. Spray large rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray; add eggplant and peppers.  Cut tomatoes in half lengthwise; add to sheet.  Using garlic press, squeeze 1 garlic clove onto vegetables. Drizzle vegetables with oil; toss. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast vegetables until tender, stirring often, 35 to 45 minutes. 
2. Combine 2/3 cup basil, 1/2 cup Parmesan, pistachios, and 1 garlic clove in mini processor. Blend until crumbly. Season topping with salt. 
3. Blend tomatoes with juice, milk, 1 1/3 cup basil, and 1 garlic clove in processor until smooth. Season sauce with salt and pepper. 
4. Cook pasta in pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally; drain. Return to pot. Toss with vegetables, sauce, and 1/2 cup Parmesan. Transfer to 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with mozzarella and pistachio topping. 
5. Bake pasta until heated through, 25 to 35 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes and serve.

Option:

--if using fresh tomatoes for the sauce, use plum tomatoes if possible. Cut X in top of each tomato, place in boiling water for 10 seconds then in ice bath. Peel skin, remove skin and mash tomatoes to express juices.

--add in some chopped onion and zucchini to the eggplant and roast them all together. We did this only because we have SO MUCH zucchini that we are adding it to almost any dish we make!
adapted from BonAppetit March 2011

Quinoa Tabbouleh

This recipe is another one using the fabulous grain, called quinoa.  Tabbouleh is a dish from the Middle East and has recently become very popular. It is a dish made of corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, parsley, and green onions.  It is often seasoned with lemon juice, salt, and olive oil.  This dish is great cold and hot. This delicious is a great one to make! Enjoy!

Quinoa Tabbouleh
2 cups water
1 cup quinoa
1 pinch salt
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 tomatoes, diced
1 cucumber, diced
2 bunches green onions, diced
1 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1. In a saucepan bring water to a boil. Add quinoa and a pinch of salt. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature; fluff with a fork.
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine olive oil, sea salt, lemon juice, tomatoes, cucumber, green onions,  and parsley. Stir in cooled quinoa. 

Zucchini-Feta Pancakes

This recipe is one recommended by a local farmer!! For all of you who buy from Rockhill Creamery Farmstead Cheese, this recipe is from Jennifer Hines, the maker of Rockhill Creameries farmstead cheese.  Not only is this recipe delicious but it also brings to life her delicious cheeses! As of this summer, my girl scout troop along with my mom and I went up to visit Rockhill Cremery and all of their cows.  While up there, we saw a calf and some goats.  It was a wonderful trip and we had tons of delicious food! On another note, this recipe is a little altered from Jennifer Hines original recipe she sent us. First, we made it the way Jennifer suggested then we decided to alter it a bit. We had some old sun-dried tomato bread that we bought from Volkers Bakery so we decided to make this into bread crumbs and add it to this recipe for a little extra flavor.  Of course, we liked our altered version better so, experiment a little yourself with different herbs and seasoning and see if you can make it even better.


Ingredients:

Zucchini-Feta Pancake with Tabbouleh and Fresh Corn

4 eggs, separated (Clifford Family Farms)
4 packed cups coarsely grated zucchini
1 cup finely crumbled feta cheese (Rockhill Creamery)
1/2 cup finely chopped green onions
3 tablespoonfuls chopped basil
1/4 cup chopped dried tomatoes, soaked in water
1 cup flavored bread crumbs (we used Sun-dried Tomato bread from Volkers)
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
Canola Oil for frying (we actually used butter to keep it 100% local)
Yogurt for topping (used our homemade yogurt)

1. Beat the egg whites until stiff.
2. Squeeze all the excess moisture out of the grated zucchini by pressing in a colander or by wrapping up in a linen dishtowel and squeezing until most of the liquid is gone.
3. In a medium-sized bowl, combine zucchini, egg yolks, feta cheese, green onions, basil, bread crumbs, and flour.
4. Fold the egg whites into the zucchini mixture.
5. Heat a little oil or butter in a heavy skillet over medium-low heat. Add spoonfuls of batter and fry on both sides until golden and crisp.
6. Serve immediately topped with yogurt if desired.
source: The New Moosewood Cookbook by Mollie Katzen but given to us by Jennifer Hines from Rockhill Creamery.

Pork Pot Stickers with Chinese Kale

The last time we went to the Downtown Farmers Market two weeks ago, Tankinz Noodles had a new booth down the middle with the Food Vendors. They were serving Pork Pot Stickers with Chinese Kale that were delicious. My stepmother, Vivian, is chinese and I have helped her make Pot Stickers so I decided to post this recipe. They are really easy to make and it is fun to set up your own production line with someone you enjoy cooking with. My stepmother makes a big patch of them and then freezes them so that is exactly what I did. I even took some to lunch the next day in my Thermos! Now, I have almost 3/4 of a batch of pot stickers in the freezer, ready to be cooked and eaten. They are really delicious and you can get every ingredient you need at the Downtown Farmers Market except for the gyoza wrappers and sesame oil.  Try out the other sauces at Tankinz (on the East side of the market). They have this OMG sauce that is really OMG good! We didn't use any on these pot stickers but I am sure you could.

Ingredients:

1 bunch Chinese Kale
4 cups Napa cabbage, finely chopped
2/3 pound ground pork
2 small carrots, shredded
4 green onions, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoonful ground ginger (or 1 tablespoonful minced fresh ginger)
2 tablespoonfuls Tankinz Ferry sauce (or soy sauce)
1 tablespoonful toasted sesame oil
1 egg, beaten
60 gyoza wrappers
1/2 cup canola oil
Dried garlic.

1. In medium bowl, toss cabbage with 1 and 1/2 teaspoonfuls salt. Let rest for 30 minutes. Place cabbage in cheesecloth or clean dishcloth and squeeze out as much water as possible.
2. Return cabbage to bowl and add pork, carrots, scallions, ginger, and garlic. Stir to combine.
3. Whisk together Ferry sauce, sesame oil, and egg then stir into cabbage-pork mixture. Stir in pepper and additional salt if desired.
4. On dry surface, lay one gyoza wrapper while keeping the remaining wrappers covered with a damp cloth or towel. Spoon about 1 1/2 teaspoonful filling into center of the wrapper. Moisten halfway around the edge of the wrapper with water, then fold over into a half moon shape and seal. Using thumb and forefinger of one hand, make 6 tiny pleats along unmoistened edge of wrapper, pressing pleats against moistened border to enclose filling. Place dumpling, seam-side up, on baking sheet and gently press to flatten bottom. Cover loosely with dampened cloth and form remaining dumplings.
5. In a non-stick skillet, heat oil over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Remove from heat and arrange pot stickers, standing up, in tight circle. Cook, uncovered, until bottoms are pale golden or about 2-3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water, cover tightly with lid and cook until liquid has evaporated and bottom of dumplings are a deep, golden brown, about 7-10 minutes. Add more water if liquid has evaporated before the bottoms are browned. Remove lid and cook and until steam dissipates, about 1-2 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, heat a large pot of water to boiling. Add the cleaned and trimmed chinese kale and blanch for about 2 minutes. Drain.
7. Serve pot stickers over a bed of cooked chinese kale. Sprinkle with dried garlic and additional soy sauce or Tankinz Ferry Sauce.

Roasted Beets with Goat Cheese (or Feta Cheese)

This is Bianca's Mom again. A friend of mine at work, Kim Engelby, gave me this recipe she found for roasted beets. Since Bianca is not a beet lover, as I am, this recipe was left for me to test. Bianca did help with the final tasting and decided that she liked it better with goat cheese rather than feta but I think that is a personal choice.  The beets can also be roasted on your grill outside which may be a good idea this time a year when heating up your oven to 400 degrees F for an hour can really heat up your house! Roasting beets in your oven is relatively easy. Just trim off the greens as soon as you bring them home (remember, you can rinse the greens in use them in a salad, cook them up or even make beet green ravioli), clean off the bulbs, then place in foil, fold them up and place in the oven until tender when poked with a fork. I have also frozen cooked beets and they stay well for at least 4-5 months. We still do not know how to can at our house but I think about it every year since I just love pickled beets. Maybe, this will be the year we take the dive and start canning!

Ingredients:

4 beets, leaves trimmed leaving one inch stem
1/4 cup minced shallot
2 tablespoonfuls minced fresh parsley
2 tablespoonfuls olive oil
1 tablespoonful balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoonful red wine vinegar
1/4 cup crumbled mild goat cheese (Drake Family Farms)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Wrap beets in aluminum foil and place on cooking sheet. Bake beets until easily pierced with a fork, anywhere from 45 minutes to 1 hour.  Remove from oven and let cool. Using paper towels (so your hands don't turn a pretty shade of red), peel the beets by rubbing them with the paper towel. Cut into 1/4 inch slices.
2. Whisk together the shallots, parsley, olive oil and vinegars. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Place the warmed, sliced beets onto a serving dish, pour vinaigrette over the beets and sprinkle with goat cheese prior to serving.

Options:
1. Use honey wine vinegar from Slide Ridge Honey instead of the red wine vinegar.
2. Use 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (Gold Creek or Farmstead Cheese) in place of the goat cheese.
adapted from allrecipes.com

Grilled Zucchini Roulades with Goat Cheese

The Eat Local Challenge starts on September 10! For all of you who don't know, this is the second annual food challenge and it will be totally fun! The challenge is to eat food within either a one hundred mile radius or a two hundred mile radius of your home. To do this, you can get a map and mark it out or just look it up on the internet. Buying food at the farmers market is the simplest way but you can also try the grocery store. You can do this challenge for two weeks or just one, it is your choice. I will be doing the challenge and posting recipes to help you along. Over the next few weeks, I will try to post some sample menus that you can follow.  Simple and delicious meals are probably what you will be seeing.  You can learn more about it from localfoodbee.com. You should all take this challenge, if only for one week! I hope you enjoy this challenge and have fun doing it!

Ingredients:

3 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise into 1/4 inch thick slices (Bell Organic, Jacob's Cove)
4 tablespoonfuls olive oil
3 plum tomatoes (our own Garden)
5 dried tomatoes, soaked in warm water (Cali's)
1 small onion (Bell Organic)
1 garlic clove (Sandhill)
2 tablespoonfuls finely chopped herb (we used basil but you can use mint, parsley or tarragon)
2 tablespoonfuls chopped nuts (we used pistachio)
1/4 cup crumbled soft mild goat cheese, about 2 ounces (Drake Family Farm or Shepards)
2 tablespoonfuls grated Parmesan cheese (Gold Creek Cheese)

1. Preheat grill or grill pan over medium heat. Discard the outermost slice of zucchini and brush with about 3 tablespoonfuls of olive oil on both sides. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill until tender, about 4 minutes on each side. You can broil this in your oven if you don't have a grill.  You can make the grilled zucchini the day ahead and store in layers on wax paper in an airtight container overnight in your refrigerator.
2. Boil water in a small saucepan and prepare a bowl of ice water. Cut a X in the blossom end of each tomato and blanch tomatoes for about 10 seconds in the boiling water and then place directly in the ice water to stop cooking.  Peel and seed the tomatoes. Chop both the fresh and dried tomatoes and mince the onion and garlic.
3. Heat 1 tablespoonful of olive oil in 10-12 inch skillet until hot but not smoking. Saute onion, garlic and nuts, stirring constantly, until the onions are golden. Add all tomatoes and herbs. Continue to saute, stirring until all the liquid has evaporated off, about 3-5 minutes.  Add the goat and parmesan cheeses and cook until just melted. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper.
4. Put a generous teaspoonful at widest end of each zucchini strip and roll up slice toward narrow end. Arrange on a warm platter.
This is great as an appetizer or serve with pasta (always a favorite in our house). We ate these with Red Pepper and Basil Linguine (Z-pasta) with homemade alfredo sauce. It was wonderful!

Options:
1.  Use eggplant instead of zucchini. If you do this, cut eggplant and place in a colander with 1/2 teaspoonful salt. Let rest for 30 minutes then rinse with cold water and pat dry. Grill the same as the zucchini.

The Local Artists at the Farmers Market

I have talked about the farmers at the Downtown Farmers Market but there are also artisans, painters, and designers! My mom and I often talk to the farmers and buy our food before heading to the arts and crafts side of the market. In the spirit of being local, I have decided to post pictures about the products we have bought from the artisans.

First off there is Made in the Shade:

Multiple Bracelets

Made in the Shade first appeared last year with tons of cool bracelets and belts.  From there, they just got better. Soon, Made in the Shade started to make their own amazing belt buckles.  I was the first to grab one of the paint splattered buckles and I still enjoy it! Everything is genuine leather and it is all made by hand.  Each one is different so you can be sure no one else will have your bracelet, bag, or belt.  They are very comfortable and I have gotten many compliments over the two years that I have been wearing them! The belts and bracelets can be adjusted to your size so don't be afraid to ask the vendor to size something for you! Have fun choosing because there are millions of choices!

My two belts

Sorry Clementine:

My Octopus

Sorry Clementine just joined the Downtown Arts and Crafts market and they should receive a warm welcome! All the clothes are individually designed and sewed by Suzanne Holifield, who is the owner of Sorry Clementine, so none of them are the same.  The clothes are cute and fun. Check her out on the west side of the park!

Elizabeth Plumb Jewelry:

Three Pairs of my Moms Earrings

I personally do not wear any of Elizabeth Plumb's jewelry, but my mom loves her stuff. All her jewelry is originally designed and has been handcrafted using semi-precious stones and metals such as sterling silver, gold, brass, turquoise, and garnet. Her pieces are simply elegant and stylish! Very beautiful!

Milne Pottery:

A Milne Bowl

 My mom has meant to buy more of the pottery from Milne Pottery but that has not yet happened.  All the pottery can be used as dinnerware and can be washed in your dishwasher on the top shelf. They are very colorful and I use them for pictures  on this blog.  Go check out her colorful collection!









Revoluccia:

 Revoluccia was new to the market this year but they, much like Sorry Clementine are amazing! Natalie Wall and Kellie Murphy are the great women who make all of the handmade leather items. Both me and my mom love their designs! I bought my schoolbag from them and my Mom bought multiple purses from them, one was for my aunt.  Their bracelets are also beautiful. We have bought four of their bracelets, one of which is supposed to go to my cousin (she is supposed to check out this blog and pick which one she wants!).  This is a great booth to visit so make sure to check it

One of the Purses

Victoria E. Acoba Teapots:

Our Teapot

These teapots are incredible silly and amazing as well as useful! All of the teapots from Victoria Acoba are definitely usable for making tea.  My mom loves them and so does all of her friends. I think they are incredibly cute and each one is different.  You will find no two teapots alike! They are great conversation starters and just fun to look at! Go check  out all of the different things that she makes!













Kings Maille

A Chain Maille Bracelet

The first time we walked past this booth last year we were instantly drawn to it! The artisans of Kings Maille were very friendly and introduced us to this new kind of jewelry.  There are earrings, bracelets, and necklaces that are simply elegant.  Although the jewelry is made of metal, it is not chunky, but light and comfortable. Hopefully you will go check out this booth and see how great their stuff really is!!








Spirit and Soul of the Tree:

Beautiful with a little turquoise in it!

All of the stuff made by the Spirit and Soul of the Tree is made of local wood with a couple little decorations! All the bowls are soft and smooth to the touch and undyingly beautiful.  Some bowls have designs in them, like the horse in the bowl below.  Some bowls are carved, like the bowl above, but all are great! Go check out their work and buy yourself a beautiful bowl!

Bowl with inlaid horse

Ambre Industries

All of the items we bought.

The market is full of surprises! Just this past Saturday we found Ambre Industries! Obviously, we have walked past them a couple times but just this past day we finally stopped and bought a fair amount of items! Their jewelry is made of recycled materials, wood, fabric, and leaves.  It is all designed and made individually. All their  stuff is light and stylish! Check them out on the west side of the market!

Simple Blue Ring

The Double White Ring

Black Dog Art:

Romy Brett is the owner of Black Dog Art and she makes not only bottle cap jewelry and magnets but also cute stuffed animals. Some of her bottle cap art is just cute, while others can be just plain funny.  All of her stuff is handmade and high quality! I have bought many of her things for gifts and all my friends love them! You will always find something for yourself so visit her booth!

Kevin Frazier- Clay Artist

Kevin Frazier's work is amazing and beautiful.  From functional work to wall hangings and pottery, all of his stuff is impeccably made. He makes wheel thrown and hand built pieces, which are often non-functional. He not only uses clay but also uses wood, metal, leather, and glass.  We own many of his works and have given many away as gifts for friends and family.  Check out his booth and find some of his pieces that fit you and your friends!!