Week 16 CSA Newsletter ~ October 6-12

Week 16  |  October 6-12, 2019    |    “B” Week

We are on week 16 of 18 this week. Final week is Oct. 20-26

Early Bird Sign up begins THIS coming Sunday, October 13, at 8 AM and runs through 11:59 PM October 26. You have 2 weeks to renew your membership at the discount and get the bonus.

IN YOUR VEGGIE BOX THIS WEEK:

SWEET ITALIAN FRYING PEPPER ~ Store these in the fridge in a plastic bag. Peppers can also be flash frozen. Just throw them in a Ziploc bag (whole or chopped) and freeze!

MINI SWEET SNACK SIZE PEPPERS – ORANGE (1 pint) ~ Store this in the fridge in a plastic bag. Peppers can also be flash frozen. Just throw them in a Ziploc bag (whole or chopped) and freeze! These are great snacking peppers for kid lunches.

SMALL ONIONS (1 quart) ~ store these on your counter or in a cool, dark place – preferably not next to the potatoes.

SWEET DUMPLING WINTER SQUASH ~ They look like acorn squash. Store these in a cool dark place like your cupboard. Roast them in halves. Try cooking them whole in the microwave. Or cut the skin off and chop into chunks and boil. Try them with stuffed rice/pepper/sausage

CHERRY TOMATOES (2 pints) ~ store these in your fridge to keep them lasting longer. Before use, I like to bring them to room temperature.

CAULIFLOWER GREENS ~ Remember broccoli leaves? This is basically the same thing — but it’s from the cauliflower plant instead. Store this green in a Debbie Meyer green bag in your fridge and use within a week. Wilt these down in sauces or soups. Treat similar to kale.

CUT LETTUCE ~ Store inside a Green bag in the fridge. Use within 5 days. You may notice a bit of chickweed mixed in — no worries! This is also edible!

BLUSH ONION – store in a cupboard — somewhere dark and cool.

RED RADISHES ~ Take the tops off the radishes (or the root will get soft). Store the radish greens in a green bag. Use them in scrambled eggs or sauces. Store the roots in a bag in the fridge separately. Try pickling radishes — SUPER good.

ROMA TOMATOES (Extras) ~ store these on your counter top for best flavor.

GLOBE TOMATOES (extras) ~ store these on your counter top for best flavor.

HEIRLOOM TOMATOES (extras) ~ store these on your counter top for best flavor.

CARAFLEX CABBAGE (extras) ~ Store in your fridge in the back — no need to even put it in plastic. This will keep for at least 4 weeks. You may need to remove the limp leaves before cooking.

PARSLEY (extras) ~ Store like a flower in a Mason jar of water. Or put it in a plastic bag and place in your fridge. Will last for a good week.

POBLANO PEPPERS (extras) ~ These have a mild/medium heat like a jalapeno. Store this in the fridge in a plastic bag. Peppers can also be flash frozen. Just throw them in a Ziploc bag (whole or chopped) and freeze!

Danielle Kuhl showed off the ginormous kohlrabi.

 FRUIT SHARE

This is the final week for the fruit share.

APPLE CIDER ~  from Quarry Hill, half gallon, pressed by Ben’s dad with his own unique formula of apples

AMBROSIA APPLES ~ a red apple that has quite the reputation at Quarry Hill. We’ve also thrown in a few Golden Delicious apples to finish up the fruit share.

ASIAN PEARS ~ These have a darker brown skin. From Quarry Hill Orchard. If you get them and they’re still hard as a rock, leave them on your counter until they soften a bit. Then store this in the fridge.

MADDIE & BELLA COFFEE: “Espresso” – check out the cover design, from a local artist

WEBER RANCH EGGS FINAL WEEK FOR SOME OF YOU: It’s “B” week! Remember, because we doubled up on eggs a few weeks ago to catch up on our over-supply — we will be ending the egg share earlier than the rest of the CSA season. “B” members — THIS IS YOUR LAST WEEK OF EGGS.  Weekly egg share members get their final egg on Week 17.

How to Sign Up for Next Year’s Season

It’s time for EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION!

Renew between Oct.13-26 and get the early bird discount PLUS a pretty sweet bonus: a voucher for a free half-gallon milk OR pint ice cream from Knueven

So many of you have been asking, “How do we sign up for next year?! When does this happen?…”

Well… it’s time!

Every fall, we try to get as  many of our members and Samplers as possible to make their CSA commitment early. This helps us plan for the future, and gives us a sense of financial security through the winter. It also helps me see how many new members we can invite into our CSA.

For TWO WEEKS (October 13-26), we give our 425 current members and Sampler members FIRST DIBS on the spots for next year. After that, we open our CSA up to our email interest list. Then we open it to the public.

We have 400 veggie spots available.

The Early Bird offer is the BEST offer we make of the year. It’s only around for 2 weeks. So if you know you want to renew, THIS is the time to do it.

Current CSA members and Sampler members will be able to sign up for 2020, beginning October 13, at 8 AM.  If you renew your membership between October 13-26, you will receive an early bird discount and a special BONUS. See below.

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When does the early bird offer/sign-up officially open?

We open the doors to sign up on Sunday, October 13, at 8 AM sharp. And we close the early bird offer on Saturday, October 26, at 11:59 PM.

Some of our share types (aka eggs) are very popular, so if you really want to grab one of those, I recommend you be ready to place your order on Sunday.

We’ll probably still have spots open after our deadline, but if you sign up AFTER then, you won’t get the early bird price AND the special bonus gift will disappear (see below — it’s a pretty cool bonus).

You’ll sign up at this link. www.sharedlegacyfarms.com/shop (Don’t try going there yet… I’ve deactivated it until October 13).

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 The Vegetable Share — details: no major changes

• 18 weekly boxes of certified organic veggies (mid-June through mid-October), plus all the goodies on the extras table each week.
• Access to the private SLF Facebook group and all its awesome-ness. If you do not renew your membership, your access to the Facebook group ends December 1st.
• Weekly Recipes prepared by our CSA Coach each week
• Access to the CSA Membership Academy to help you learn how to use your food — valued at $10/month, but you get it free
• Access to farm events and workshops so you can keep sharpening your foodie ninja skills

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Egg shares usually sell out within the first 48 hours. If you want one of these, renew on the first day.

2020 Early Bird Membership Prices:

• Standard VegBox (formerly called a “half” share) cost $430. Early Bird Price: $420 — 400 available
• Large VegBox, double portion (formerly known as the full share) cost $835. Early Bird Price: $810

ADD-ON SHARES:

• Weber Ranch Egg share ~ Weekly Dozen $108; Bi-Weekly Dozen $54 — ONLY 100 AVAILABLE – THESE SELL OUT FAST!
• Fruit Bag (not organic) ~ for a 16 week season: Weekly $360 or Bi-Weekly $180 — ONLY 125 AVAILABLE
• Cheese Share Combo – 9 times (3 cheese varieties every two weeks): $200 ~ sourced from Turkeyfoot Creek Creamery and Canal Junction Farmstead
• Goat Cheese Only Sampler – 9 times – (1 log of goat cheese) – $66
• Hard Cheese Only Sampler – 9 times – (2 one-pound portions of hard cheese) – $135
• Maddie & Bella Coffee Share (18 weeks): Weekly $252 or Bi-weekly $126
• NEW!! 18 Week Whole Milk Share – 1/2 gallon — from Knueven Creamery (18 weeks): You can sign up for a half-gallon of whole milk. Get as many half-gallon shares as you need for the week. Knueven will be present at your pick up each week to pass out your milk order to ensure its cold temperature and freshness. NOT AVAILABLE FOR PORT CLINTON

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Early Bird Signing Bonus — FREE MILK OR PINT OF ICE CREAM:

Current CSA members and Sampler members can purchase their 2020 membership between Oct. 13-26 at the Early Bird rate and get a free half gallon of Knueven milk OR pint of ice cream. See details about our Early Bird offer below.

Renew a CSA membership by October 26, at 11:59 PM, and you’ll receive a VOUCHER from Knueven Creamery for your choice of a half gallon of whole milk OR a pint of their ice cream. You MUST order before midnight on October 26 to get this bonus — NO EXCEPTIONS WILL BE GIVEN.

You’ll get this voucher EVEN IF you don’t order a milk share. (And even if your site is Port Clinton!)

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John Madison picks up his CSA share at the Sutton Center in Port Clinton.

2020 CSA Pick-Up Site Times: (no changes)

• Elmore, Tuesday evening 5:30-6:30 PM
• Sylvania, Tuesday 5:30-6:30 PM
• Perrysburg Grace UMC, Thursday 5-6:30 PM
• Port Clinton, Thursday 6-6:30 PM — no milk share available
• Toledo Market, Saturday 9-10 AM — no fruit share available

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How to Get the Discount & Bonus 

You’ll get the early bird discount of $10 off automatically when you order in the store between Oct 13 and 26. (It’s showing as a ‘sale price’ in the store). After that the sale price goes away.

No coupon code needed.

Sign up before October 26th, and you’ll get a voucher for a free half-gallon of Knueven milk OR pint of ice cream. If you order before October 19, we’ll even hand you your voucher on the last week of CSA. Offers received after the 19th (and before the 26th) will get your voucher mailed to you.

Get a pint of Knueven ice cream or half-gallon milk as our thank you for renewing your veggie membership during the early bird period. (October 13-26 only)

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How and when do I pay?  

• No payment occurs online when you place your order. You’ll just place your order. You’ll receive a confirmation receipt within 5 hours of your order. (Check your spam folder if you don’t see it). Then you send in your half-payment via check (or cash or ACH bank payment).
• We ask you to pay 50% down. If that’s too much right now, then pay us what you can as a good faith gesture.
• IMPORTANT: YOU MUST POST-DATE YOUR CHECK FOR JANUARY 1, 2020. We do not want to accept any more big income for this year (or we’ll get hit with a TON of income tax). This is also the reason that we don’t accept credit card payments. They would show as income for this tax year, AND we’d be charged a percentage in fees. (That adds up to thousands of dollars in credit card fees!
• We ask that you mail in that first check for 50% of the balance in the next 2 weeks. We’ll store it safely here until January. We live off this income starting January 2, 2020, for the first 5 months of the year, so please help us out by mailing in that payment. If you need to break up the payments into more checks and just mail them together, that’s fine too. The balance is due by June 1, 2020.

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How Do I Sign Up? Where’s the link?!

We’ll open up the CSA store on Sunday, Oct. 13 at 8 AM sharp. Go to THIS LINK to be ready to sign up.

For now, you can peruse the offerings and pricing at our sales/pricing page at www.sharedlegacyfarms.com/box.

PS: Your homework: figure out what type of shares you want to order for next year. Because when the store opens on SUNDAY Oct 13, at 8 am, you’ll want to be ready to grab those limited-supply share types. Some of them (like the egg share) will FLY off the shelf!

KURT’S FIELD NOTES ~ WEEK 16

Hey everyone!

Thanks to everyone who came out to the Pumpkin Hunt this weekend. It actually turned into a Butternut Squash hunt since we didn’t have pie pumpkins this year. LOL. I ended up with a LOOOT of extra donuts at the end of the night too. (Thank you!) That event is always a “sign” for me that our CSA is coming to an end.

Speaking of the end… Corinna has been working hard the last 2 weeks getting everything ready for “early bird registration” for next year. We’ll be giving YOU (our current members and our Sampler customers) first dibs on our spots for next year, beginning October 13. We were able to negotiate a VERY generous arrangement with our new CSA partners at Knueven Creamery, who have agreed to provide a voucher for a free pint of their ice cream or half gallon whole milk for ANYONE who renews in our CSA as a vegetable customer. But that bonus is only good for these 2 weeks with current returning members (or Samplers). So be sure to check out the details for how to place that order in this newsletter or at www.sharedlegacyfarms.com/box

This week I processed (aka washed) a big winter squash order for a wholesale account — using my cousin Steve Turnow’s squash. I’ve found myself struggling to figure out how to incorporate wholesale into my schedule.

I seeded some cover crops this week in our garden beds. I also planted some spinach and lettuce with the help of my boys, and washed a BUNCH of winter squash (which actually belongs to my cousin Steve Turnow who is a part of my wholesale co-op). I spent most of my week in a truck, doing wholesale deliveries. That’s actually the reason why I wasn’t at the Perrysburg site this week. My thanks go to Aunt Linda and Jahnine who stepped in to work with the usual crew (aka Esther the Great) and compensate for my absence. This wholesale gig has been a tough transition for us this year — trying to figure out how to get me out of a truck and back in the field where I belong. We’ll be re-visiting our strategy this winter for sure on this one.

Our second Element 112 private chef’s table dinner took place in the greenhouse.

This weekend was the second of 2 private Chef Tastings on the farm by Chef Nixon from Element 112. It got a little windy that day, so I decided to clean out the greenhouse and set up the tables in there instead. It ended up being really cozy. Chef Nixon pulled up a chair at the end of the night and started talking about his restaurant, what it’s like being an owner of a thriving business, the up’s and down’s of his career, and how he’s managed through them. I felt like I was in a leadership seminar! It was so great getting to really talk with our customers at the table and find some common bonds (like how we all like whiskey).

We foraged for paw-paws in the woods next door.

The weekend finishes off today with our U-Pick Tomato event. Hopefully we’ll have a few folks come out and take some of these tomatoes off my hands. I spent the morning with Jed and Josiah, foraging for paw-paws in my cousin’s woods. This is an annual tradition that my boys look forward to. Corinna was telling me today, “I wonder how much longer they’ll want to do this? They’re getting older you know.” We are learning to treasure every second we have with our kids.

And finally, we found out this Saturday that a long-time chef partner and friend of our farm — Chef Sam formerly chef at the Toledo Zoo)– passed away unexpectedly last week. The news hit us in the gut, and made us stop and be grateful for our many blessings.

Time is short. Live it with all you got.

1. SYLVANIA PICK UP LOCATION CHANGE THIS WEEK: Due to a conflict with a Jewish high holiday this Tues, October 8 ONLY, we will be moving the pick up site to McCord Road Christian Church, 4765 McCord Road, Sylvania, 43560. The time will stay the same. Look for us in their parking lot. This is less than a mile from the temple site. The other Jewish holidays will not affect our pickup. Please make a note of it.
2. Early Bird Sign up for next year’s CSA will begin NEXT SUNDAY, October 13th at 8 AM. You’ll be receiving promotional emails ALL week educating you about the special Early Bird offer. Be ready to place your order NEXT SUNDAY, after 8 AM, especially if you want eggs.
3. NEW! WHOLE MILK SHARE  from Knueven Creamery TO BE ADDED TO NEXT YEAR’S CSA PRODUCT SUITE. See details in the week 15 newsletter.
4. NOW TAKING ORDERS FOR FALL BOOSTER VEGGIE BOXES $30 — This will be taking the place of our “Thanksgiving Share” concept and will likely include many staples like onions, sweet potatoes, winter squash, and fall storage crops. Read the week 11 newsletter for details on what this product is, when you get one, and how you can reserve one. We have a limited supply so don’t delay!
5. HAMPERS OF PEPPERS now for sale ~ Order your bulk items in our online store.

Crispy Roasted Cauliflower Leaves

Adapted from One Green Planet (www.onegreenplanet.org)

Try this recipe if you’re stuck, but remember you can sub in those greens for kale in other recipes.

Ingredients: 

Cauliflower leaves

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 392°F.

Trim off the woodiest parts of the stalks (or don’t, but just don’t bother eating them).

Wash the leaves. Pat dry and arrange on a baking tray.

Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Roast for 5-10 minutes or until the leaves are crispy.

Cauliflower Noodle Stir Fry

Adapted from Nest and Glow (www.nestandglow.com)

Total Time  ~20 minutes

Serves 2

This recipe would work with cauliflower greens or kale!

Ingredients: 

3 ounces dry noodles

1 bunch of green leaves

1 onions

4 carrots

4 celery stalks

2 cloves garlic

1” ginger

1 Tbs Miso paste

1 tsp Tamari or soy sauce

Directions:

Cook the noodles as as per the directions on the pack, then drain and put to one side.

Finely chop the cauliflower leaves.

Dice the carrot, onion and celery.

Finely chop the pealed ginger and garlic.

Add all to a wok with 3-4 Tbs of water and water fry on a high heat for a few minutes.

I prefer the veggies al dente as it has more vitamins and crunch. If you prefer softer, continue to cook a little longer.

Stir in the noodles, tamari sauce and miso. Enjoy!

Crockpot Tomato Sauce 

Adapted from Grow A Good Life (www.growagoodlife.com)

Prep time 15 minutes, Crockpot time 8 hours

Yields 8 cups

If you’re overwhelmed with tomatoes and have a little time to prep, make this sauce and freeze it for the winter! It was a huge hit last year!

Ingredients: 

5-6 pounds paste tomatoes

¼ cup red cooking wine optional

3 cloves garlic crushed

1 medium onion roughly chopped

1 medium carrot roughly chopped

2 T EVOO

1 dried bay leaf

1 tsp dried parsley or 3 T fresh, chopped

1 tsp dried basil or 1 T fresh, chopped

½ tsp dried oregano or 1 tsp fresh, chopped

¼ tsp dried thyme or 1 tsp fresh, chopped

¼ tsp dried rosemary or 1 tsp fresh, chopped

1 pinch red pepper flakes

½ tsp kosher salt

¼ tsp pepper

honey to sweeten if needed

Directions:

Prepare your tomatoes by washing in plain water. Cut them in half or quarters and add to the crockpot. Add the garlic, onion, carrot, and herbs. Drizzle the wine and olive oil. Cover and turn crockpot to low and cook for 2-4 hours stirring occasionally.

After the sauce has simmered for a while and tomatoes have released their juices and the vegetables are soft, turn off crockpot and allow the sauce to cool.

Run the cooled tomato sauce through a Food Strainer or Food Mill to remove skins, seeds, and to smooth out the sauce. If you are crunched for time, you can pop the cooled sauce into the refrigerator and begin again the following day.

Return the strained tomato sauce to the crockpot to cook down further to thicken the sauce. Turn the crockpot to low and vent the cover so excess moisture evaporates. Cook until your desired thickness, 4-6 hours or longer, stirring occasionally.

Once the tomato sauce is nice and thick, taste it. Add salt and pepper and stir to mix in. Taste again. Adjust seasoning if needed. If the flavor is sharp and acidic, add a little honey and taste again.

If you are including additional ingredients such as mushrooms, green peppers, sausage, or meatballs, precook these and add to the crockpot and cook on low for an additional 1-2 hours.

 Sweet Dumpling Squash Stuffed with Lemon Herb Rice

Adapted from Fat Free Vegan (www.blog.fatfreevegan.com)

Total Time  ~120 minutes

Serves 10

Ingredients: 

3 Sweet Dumpling or other small winter squash

1 onion chopped

3 cloves garlic minced

3 cups cooked brown rice

¼ cup water

juice of 1/2 large lemon (such as Meyer)

½ tsp lemon zest

1 Tbs soy sauce or coconut aminos

1/8 cup minced fresh parsley1/8 cup minced fresh sage

1 tsp minced fresh rosemary

½ tsp dried thyme or 1 tablespoon fresh, minced

2 Tbs pine nuts lightly toasted

salt and pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400F. Cut the squash in half and remove seeds and strings. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and place face-down on an oiled baking sheet (I used a silicone sheet liner). Bake for 30 minutes, or until tender. (Different types of squash will take different lengths of time. Test by piercing with a fork in thickest areas.) Remove from oven but keep oven turned on.

While the squash are cooking, prepare the lemon-herbed rice. Heat a non-stick pan and sauté the onion until it begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the rice, ¼ cup water, lemon juice and zest, soy sauce, and herbs. Stir well, cover, and cook on low heat just until warm. Add the toasted pine nuts and salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Stuff the rice into the cavities of the squash. Place them upright in a baking dish and drizzle about a teaspoon of water over each. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for about 20 minutes, until hot throughout. Serve warm, garnished with additional fresh herbs, if desired.

Roasted Dumping Squash 

Adapted from Canapes and Soirees (www.canapesandcoirees.com)

Total Time  ~40 minutes

Serves 2

Love this squash roasted! So simple and so easy!

Ingredients: 

1 whole dumpling squash

1 Tbs coconut oil

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Cook orzo according to package directions; drain.

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Slice the top off the squash. Scoop out the seeds and stringy pulp with a spoon. Discard seeds and pulp.

*See separate instructions for sliced squash or halved squash below.

Sliced Roasted Dumpling Squash-

With a sharp knife, slice the squash into thin 1/4″ slices. Cut along the ribs or ridges of the squash.

Toss the slices with olive oil, and salt & pepper to taste. Line slices in a single layer on a baking sheet, and cook for 7 to 9 minutes. Flip the slices with a fork or small spatula. Return to the oven, and cook for an additional 7 to 9 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

Halved Roasted Dumpling Squash-

With a sharp knife, cut the squash into halves along the ribs or ridges of the squash. Rub each quarter with a thin layer of coconut oil, and season with salt and pepper.

Roast the quarters pulp side up for 12 minutes. Remove from oven and flip to be pulp side down

Roast an additional 8 minutes. Remove from oven. Carefully turn squash over, and serve immediately.

Pickled Scallions 

Adapted from Bon Appetit (www.bonappetit.com)

Makes 1 pint

Great exit strategy for these gems! Can be made ahead!

Ingredients: 

1 bunch scallions

2 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp coriander seeds

½ tsp cumin seeds

1 cup white wine vinegar

½ cup sugar

1 Tbs kosher salt

Directions:

Trim both ends of scallions and cut in half crosswise. Pack into a 1-pint heatproof jar.

Toast mustard, coriander, and cumin seeds in a dry small saucepan over medium-low heat, tossing often, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add to jar.

Bring vinegar, sugar, and salt to a simmer in same saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar and salt. Pour brine over scallions and seal jar. Chill at least 1 day before using.

Oregano Marinated Tomato Salad 

Adapted from Epicurious (www.epicurious.com)

Total time 45 minutes, active time 15 minutes

Serves 4-6

An easy and delicious way to use some of those beautiful tomatoes! Use a variety for some color!

Ingredients: 

3 lb. mixed heirloom tomatoes (preferably various colors and sizes), cut into wedges or halved if small

2 T EVOO

2 T oregano leaves (from about 4 sprigs)

2 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Toss tomatoes, oil, oregano, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl.

Let sit, tossing occasionally, until juicy and deeply flavored, at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.

Slow Cooked Stuffed Pepper Stew

Adapted from Taste of Home (www.tasteofhome.com)

Serves 8

This is filled with flavor and can be frozen! Use those frying peppers or bells!

Ingredients: 

1-1/2 pounds bulk Italian sausage

1 large onion, chopped

2 medium green peppers, chopped

2 to 4 Tbs brown sugar

2 tsp beef base

½ tsp salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

2 cans (15 ounces each) tomato sauce

1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained

2 cups tomato juice

¾ cup uncooked instant rice

Directions:

In a large skillet, cook sausage and onion over medium heat until sausage is no longer pink, breaking up sausage into crumbles, 8-10 minutes; drain.

In a 6-qt. slow cooker, combine sausage mixture, green peppers, brown sugar, beef base, salt, pepper, tomato sauce, tomatoes and tomato juice. Cook, covered, on low until vegetables are tender, 4-5 hours.

Stir in rice. Cook, covered, until rice is tender, 15-20 minutes longer.

Big Beans and Tomato Vinaigrette 

Adapted from Bon Appetit (www.bonappetit.com)

Serves 4

Ingredients: 

Beans:

Handful of oregano sprigs

Handful of thyme sprigs

2 bay leaves

8 oz. dried butter beans, rinsed, soaked overnight if possible

1 medium onion, halved

1 large carrot, scrubbed, coarsely chopped

Kosher salt

¼ cup EVOO

Vinaigrette and Assembly:

10 oz. cherry tomatoes or 1½ cups chopped heirloom or beefsteak tomatoes

1 garlic clove, smashed

3 Tbs red wine vinegar

⅓ cup EVOO, plus more for drizzling

Kosher salt

2 lb assorted heirloom, beefsteak, and/or cherry tomatoes

Freshly ground black pepper

Handful of basil leaves

Mild red pepper flakes (such as Aleppo-style or Maras)

Directions:

Beans: Tie together oregano, thyme, and bay leaves with kitchen twine. Combine beans, onion, carrot, and herbs in a medium pot. Pour in water to cover beans by about 4″ and bring to a very gentle simmer over medium-high heat. Immediately reduce heat and cook at the barest of simmers, stirring hardly at all, until beans are creamy and tender at the center but not falling apart or mushy, about 1½ hours (this could take longer, depending on the beans). The key is to not agitate, which will help the beans maintain their shape. Remove pot from heat; season beans aggressively with salt. Gently stir in oil. Let cool. Drain beans; discard onion, carrot, and herbs.

Do Ahead: Beans can be made 2 days ahead. Keep in liquid; cover and chill.

Vinaigrette and Assembly: Purée cherry tomatoes in a blender. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in garlic, vinegar, and ⅓ cup oil; season with salt. Let sit 15–20 minutes, then pluck out garlic.

Transfer drained beans to a medium bowl and add vinaigrette; toss gently to coat. Taste and add more salt if needed.

Slice, halve, or quarter heirloom tomatoes and arrange on a platter or divide among individual plates. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with oil. Spoon beans along with plenty of vinaigrette over; top with basil and a few pinches of red pepper flakes.

Garlic Roasted Radishes

Adapted from The Real Food RDs (www.therealfoodrds.com)

Total time ~25 minutes

Serves 4

Roasted radishes are amazing! They become more “potato like” when cooked!

Ingredients: 

4 cups radishes, trimmed and halved (~3 cups halved)

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 T butter or ghee, melted (sub coconut oil for vegan-friendly)

½ tsp sea salt

¼ tsp pepper

Optional fresh parsley, dill or chives

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line baking sheet with foil and set aside.

In a bowl combine all of the ingredients and toss until radishes are evenly coated with the melted butter or ghee.

Place radishes cut side down on baking sheet.

Bake for 14-16 minutes or until slightly golden brown.

Garnish with parsley, dill or chives and serve.

Roasted Radishes with Brown Butter, Lemon and Radish Tops  

Adapted from Epicurious (www.epicurious.com)

Total Time ~35 minutes

Serves 4

If your’re nervous about radishes, roast them! This is a great recipe that also incorporates the GREENS!

Ingredients: 

1-2 bunches radishes

1 ½ Tb EVOO

Coarse Salt

2 Tbs unsalted butter

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Brush large heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet with olive oil.

Cut off all but 1/2 inch of green radish tops; reserve trimmed tops and rinse them well, checking for grit.

Coarsely chop radish tops and set aside. Cut radishes lengthwise in half and place in medium bowl. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil and toss thoroughly to coat.

Place radishes, cut side down, on prepared baking sheet; sprinkle lightly with coarse salt. Roast until radishes are crisp-tender, stirring occasionally, about 18 minutes.

Season to taste with more coarse kosher salt, if desired.

Melt butter in heavy small skillet over medium-high heat. Add pinch of coarse kosher salt to skillet and cook until butter browns, swirling skillet frequently to keep butter solids from burning, about 3 minutes.

Remove skillet from heat and stir in fresh lemon juice.

Transfer roasted radishes to warmed shallow serving bowl and drizzle brown butter over. Sprinkle with chopped radish tops and serve.

Roasted Red Peppers and Cherry Tomatoes with Ricotta 

Adapted from Bon Appetit (www.bonappetit.com)

Serves 8

Use your bell or Italian frying peppers for this tasty dish!

Ingredients: 

4 red bell peppers, halved, seeds and ribs removed

6 oil-packed anchovy fillets, finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 cup basil leaves, divided

Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

2 Tbs plus ⅓ cup EVOO

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

⅓ cup fresh ricotta

¼ cup pitted small black and/or green olives

Flaky sea salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°. Place bell peppers, skin side down, in a shallow baking dish and top with anchovies and garlic. Tear ¼ cup basil leaves over top, season with kosher salt and black pepper, and drizzle with 2 Tbsp. oil. Bake until peppers are tender but still hold their shape and are slightly charred around edges, 35–45 minutes. Let cool.

Meanwhile, blend remaining ¾ cup basil and remaining ⅓ cup oil in a blender until smooth; season basil oil with kosher salt and black pepper.

Arrange bell peppers on a platter. Top with tomatoes, ricotta, olives, and more basil, then drizzle with basil oil and season with sea salt and black pepper.

Southwest Stuffed Poblano Peppers

Adapted from Le Crème De La Crumb (www.lecremedelacrumb.com)

Serves 8

Try stuffing these for a more filling pepper!

Ingredients: 

4 poblano peppers halved and seeds/membranes removed

1 pound lean ground beef or chorizo

1 tsp each ground cumin, chili powder, garlic powder

1 cup cooked long grain white rice see note 1

½ cup canned black beans, drained

½ cup frozen or canned corn (drained)

1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained

1 4-ounce can diced green chiles

½ 1 cup grated mozzarella or Mexican-blend cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a large baking sheet. Arrange halved poblano peppers in a single layer on the baking sheet so that they aren’t overlapping. Bake for 10-15 minutes while you move on to the next step.

Add ground beef (or preferred meat choice, see Note 2) and rice to a large skillet, and season with the cumin, chili powder, and garlic powder. Saute over medium heat for 5-8 minutes until meat is browned and cooked through.

Stir in the black beans, corn, diced tomatoes, and green chiles. Cook another 1-2 minutes. Spoon mixture into the peppers, sprinkle with cheese, and return to oven for another 10 minutes or so until peppers are tender and cheese is melted. Allow to cool slightly before serving.