IG Fresh Haul Week 11
The Mother Load
Those fridges are filling up fast. I am sure some of you are running out of space to store these vegetables.
The work still continues at the garden. It’s funny I am in a hurry at the beginning of the season to get veg in and this time of year its’ a sprint to get vegetables out.
This years MVP award goes to one thing that has absolutely made my life easier this year. Any guesses?
*Walk in Cooler *The Half HaulSlow Down, Enjoy Life
Now that we are transitioning to fall, so many vegetables are coming out of the garden. Almost at a rapid pace, it seems hard to even keep up. I know I still have vegetables from 2 weeks ago sitting in my fridge. So what is the solution.
Well things like winter squash, potatoes, onions and garlic will last a long time at room temp in the pantry. Other vegetables like tomatoes and peppers not as long of a shelf life. In the storage tips for each vegetable comes a method to freeze anything that isn’t going to get consumed right away.
In the beginning, I was in a mad dash to get plants into the field that it almost felt chaotic. Fast forward to now I am in a hurry to get as many ripe vegetables out of the garden as I can. It’s funny what a difference 3 months makes. In all of the chaos, I am visited by a kitten or two that gives me the reminder that I need to take time to slow down and enjoy life and the garden.
Drum roll, for this years garden MVP. The walk in cooler, I don’t know what I would do without the cooler this year. Friday and Saturdays would be pure madness for me. The cooler has allowed me to start harvesting vegetables on Wednesday, and wash and pack in the evening, when I get home from my day job.
What’s In The Haul
HALF
Peppers
Lettuce
Swiss chard
Carrots
Beets
Leeks
Garlic
Jalapenos
FULL
Patty Pan
Cucumber
Lettuce
Tomatoes
Peppers
Leeks
Carrots
Potatoes
Beets
Garlic
Onion
Jalapenos
Cabbage or Cauliflower
Butter Cup Squash
Week 11 Recipes
Zucchini
Zucchini and Onion Scrapple
Summer Squash and Olive Oil Pasta
Zucchini Relish
Zucchini Storage Tips:
Store zucchini, in a resealable bag in the fridge, with a piece of paper towel inside the bag to wick away any moisture. Zucchini will stay good this way for up to 2 weeks in the fridge.
These little yellow sun looking things.
Zucchini and Onion Scrapple
2 zucchini, thinly sliced
3 shallots, thinly sliced
1 tbsp salt
3/4 cup of flour or gluten free flour
1/4 cup corn meal
1 egg
Thinly slice the zucchini and shallots. Mix together in a bowl with the salt and let stand for 1 hour.
Once the hour is up squeeze the liquid from the zucchini and onion. (Save the water)
In the bowl of save zucchini water add the flour, corn meal, egg and baking powder. Mix together to form a batter. Add the zucchini and onion to the batter and mix until everything is combined. Pour out onto a oiled baking sheet and baking in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Enjoy.
Summer Squash Olive Oil Pasta
1 zucchini
1 cup olives
1/2 cup olive oil
Green onions
3 cloves of garlic, sliced
1 tsp chili flakes
1/2 cup shredded parmesan
Salt and Pepper
16oz box of cooked pasta
In a saute pan over medium high heat, add the oil, chilli flakes, and sliced garlic. While the oil is heating roughly chop the zucchini into bite size pieces and add it to the pan. Saute all the ingredients in the pan for a couple minutes (until the zucchini is tender). Add in the olives and chopped green onions to the zucchini. Cook pasta to a desired doneness, strain and add to the saute pan. Season with salt, pepper, and garnish with parmesan cheese.
Zucchini Relish
4 cups shredded zucchini
1 cup chopped onions
1 1/2 tbsp salt
1 1/2 cups white vinegar
1 red pepper, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 1/2 tsp celery seed
3/4 tsp ground nutmeg
3/4 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp pepper
In a bowl add the zucchini, onion and salt. Mix everything together and let sit for 1 hour. After the hour is up rinse the zucchini in water and squeeze out all the moisture. In a medium pot over medium heat, add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a simmer. Add in the zucchini and onion mixture. Bring everything to a boil and then reduce to medium low and simmer everything for 30 minutes.
From here you can pack the relish to can it or you can put in containers and store it in the fridge or freezer.
Cucumber
Tzatziki
Cucumber and Melon Slushy
Korean Cucumber Salad
Cucumber Storage Tips:
Storing cucumbers is easy as wrapping them in dry paper towel and placing them in an open plastic bag. Make sure the bag is left open to allow air flow. Cucumbers will store in the fridge like this for a 10 days.
The alternative method is to just store the cucumbers on the counter. They will delicious and crisp like this for 7 days.
Tzatziki
1 cucumber, peeled, de-seeded
1 bundle of green onions, chopped (optional)
1 cup plain greek yogurt
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp fresh or dried Dill
1 tsp salt
Using a cheese grater, grate the cucumber and combine the salt. Let the salt and grated cucumber sit for a couple minutes until the cucumber starts releasing its water. Next place the cucumber in a clean dish towel and squeeze the cucumber pulp, releasing the water from the cucumber. In a separate bowl combine the yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, dill, green onions. Add cucumber to the yogurt and mix well.
Cucumber and Melon Slushy
1 cucumber
1 melon
Mint
1 cup of ice
In a blender, blend the cucumber, melon, ice, and mint. Blend until everything is combined.
Korean Cucumber Salad
1 Cucumber
1 tbsp soya sauce
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
1/4 tsp sesame seeds
2 green onions
Slice the cucumbers. In a bowl mix the together the soya sauce, rice wine vinegar and sugar. Pour the sauce over the cucumbers and mix well. Add in the green onions and chilli powdered. Mix everything together and serve.
Carrots
Roasted Garlic Carrots
Turmeric Carrot Fries
Carrot Storage Tips:
When you get your carrots, cut the tops off. The carrot tops will literally suck the life out of the carrot. Place the carrots into a zip lock bag with a dry piece of paper towel. The paper towel will soak up any extra moisture the carrot gives off. The Carrots will stay crisp in the fridge up to 7 days.
Freezing carrots, cut into uniform pieces and blanch in boiling water for 3 minutes. This will slightly cook the carrot, but not completely through. With a slotted spoon remove the carrots, or strain with a colander. Dump out the carrots on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Put into the freezer for 2 hours. Remove the tray and put the frozen carrots into a zip lock bag, and store it in the freezer.
Roasted Garlic Carrots
1 bulb of garlic
3 tbsp Olive oil
1 bundle of carrots
Salt and Pepper
Cut the top off the garlic exposing the cloves inside. Put the garlic in a piece of aluminum foil, drizzle 1 tbsp olive oil over to and salt and pepper the top. Wrap the garlic bulb in the foil and roast in the oven for 1 hour at 350 degrees . While the garlic roasts, cut the tops and bottoms off the carrots and cut the carrots into desired sizes. Toss the carrots in oil, salt and pepper. Once the garlic is cooked and cooled enough to handle. Squeeze the cloves out of the bulb and mix into the carrots. Put the carrots in the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Turmeric Carrot Fries
TURMERIC CARROT FRIES
1 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
10 medium carrots cut in half length wise, tops cut off
2 tbsp olive oil
Dip
1/4 cup tahini
1/4 cup mayo
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tbsp dill
4 green onions
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp salt and pepper
Preheat the oven to 400 Degrees F. In a roasting pan mix together all the ingredients and roast in the oven for 25 minutes.
In a food processor add all the dip ingredients and blend together.
Potatoes
Potato Pancakes
Gnocchi
Parmesan Roasted Potatoes
Potato Storage Tips:
Store potatoes in a cool, dry, dark and well ventilated place. Typically in a cardboard box in the pantry or garage. Do not store them in the fridge. The humidity in the fridge will make them sprout over time and the cold air will make the potato convert its starch to sugar. Making the potato sweet.
Potato Pancakes
5-6 medium potatoes, shredded
1 onion, sliced
1 tsp salt
4 sprigs of thyme, stem removed
1 large egg
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1/4 cup flour or gluten free flour
Shred the potatoes and add the salt and mix thoroughly, let sit for 10 minutes. Drain off the liquid in the bowl. Squeeze the potatoes removing any extra water from the potatoes. In a bowl combine all the ingredients to the potatoes and mix until everything is incorporated. In a frying pan over medium high heat add 4 tbsp of cooking oil or fat of your choice. Wait till the oil is hot. Form the potato pancakes into little patties and place into the pan to fry for 3 minutes each side. Serve with sour cream and chopped chives.
Gnocchi
1 cup potatoes, boiled and mashed
2 cups flour
1 egg
Boil and mash the potatoes. In a large bowl add the mashed potatoes, flour and egg, mix together until the dough forms a ball. Divide the dough into 1/4’s and form into a little ball. Take each small ball of dough and roll out into long snakes. On a floured surface cut the snakes into half inch pieces.
In a large pot of lightly salted water cook the gnocchi for 3-5 minutes. Drain and serve with sauce of your choice.
Or try this sauce to go with your gnocchi, you can find most of the ingredients in your IGFresh hauls.
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
6 leaves of sage
2 cloves of garlic
1/4 cup cooked peas
Salt and Pepper
In a saute pan over medium heat, warm up the olive oil. Once the olive oil is warm add the sage leaves and let them fry for 1 minute. Next add in the chopped garlic and cooked peas. Let everything gently fry for another minute. Add cooked gnocchi to the pan and toss everything together. Add salt and pepper together to taste.
Parmesan Roasted Potatoes
1 lbs of baby potatoes
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup shredded Parmesan
Salt and Pepper
Preheat the oven to 400F. On a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Drizzle 2 tbsp olive oil. Evenly sprinkle the 1 cup of cheese in a circle on top of the oil. Season the top of the cheese with salt and pepper.
Cut potatoes in half length wise. Place potatoes on top of the cheese cut side down.
Cook in the oven for 30-40 minutes. Cheese will melt and start to form a crust.
Swiss chard
Swiss chard and Cheddar Quiche
Swiss chard Storage Tips
In a resealable bag or container. Place the Swiss chard and on one side put a piece of paper towel and seal the bag or container. The container works great cause it prevents the chard from getting bruised in the fridge. This will last in your fridge up to 10 days.
Freezing Swiss chard, blanch the chard in boiling water. Let it cook for 30 second and strain the water from the greens. Next let the chard cool slightly and then squeeze the water from the greens. Put the Swiss chard in an air tight bag and freeze. It will stay good in the freezer up to 3 months.
Swiss chard & Cheddar Quiche
1 frozen pie crust
6 large eggs
1 medium onion
3/4 cup milk or cream
1/3 cup cheddar cheese
3 tbsp chives
3-4 leaves of Swiss chard
1 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp salt and pepper
Preheat the oven to 375 degree oven. In a sauté pan over medium high heat add the oil, onion, Swiss chard. Cook until the chard has wilted down. In a bowl whisk together the cream, eggs, cheese, herbs, Swiss chard, salt and pepper. Poor egg mixture into the pie shell and bake for 35-40 minutes.
Peppers
Sheet Pan Roasted Veggies
Stuffed Pepper Soup
Pepper Storage Tips:
Peppers will last in your fridge crisper drawer for up to 2 weeks.
To freeze peppers, slice or dice the pepper to the desired size. Next evenly space out the peppers on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze for 2 hours. After 2 hours remove the peppers from the freezer and place in zip lock freezer bags and put back into the freezer. Peppers will store like this for up to 6 months.
Sheet Pan Roasted Veggies
1-2 peppers cut into 1/2 inch pieces
10 mushrooms cut into 1/4’s
2 onions, diced
1 zucchini, diced
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp garlic powder
Salt and Pepper
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl toss together all the vegetables, oil and seasoning. Evenly spread out the veggies on a sheet tray and roast for 15-20 minutes.
This is a great stand by veggies after a long day at work. Throw it into a pasta and tomato sauce for a quick tasty meal.
Stuffed Pepper Soup
2 large bell peppers, diced
2 onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 stalks of celery, diced
2 small carrots, chopped
1 lbs of ground beef or turkey (optional)
2 tbsp olive oil
4 cups of chicken broth
1 can of crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup rice
2 tbsp Italian herd seasoning
Salt and Pepper, to taste
In a large pan over medium heat add the ground meat and cook all the way through. Once the meat is cooked remove from the pan and add the olive oil. Once the olive oil is heated, add the chopped onion, celery, peppers, carrots and garlic to the pan. Letting the vegetables cook for about 4-5 minutes. Deglaze the pan with a 1/2 cup of white wine. Let the wine reduce by half. Next add the ground meat back into the pot. Add the dried herbs, broth, rice and crushed tomatoes to the pan and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and cover with a lid. Let the rice fully cook for 10-15 minutes. Lastly season with salt and pepper to taste.
Cauliflower Storage Tips
Store cauliflower in a loose fitting container or partially open bag, air flow and circulation is needed keep fresh. It also likes to be kept colder so store at the back of your fridge. It will typically last like this for up to 10 days.
To freeze Cauliflower, pre cutting to desired size, then blanch in boiling water for 2 minutes. Strain the cauliflower and shock it in cold water to stop the cooking process. Once cooled enough to handle transfer the cauliflower to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place in the freezer for 2 hours. Remove from the pan, and put the cauliflower in a zip lock freezer bag and place back in the freezer. The will stay good like this for up to 6 months.
Cream of Cauliflower Soup
1 head of cauliflower, roughly chopped
2 small onions, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
4 cups of chicken broth
1/4 cup olive oil + 2 tbsp
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 cup cheddar Cheese, shredded
Salt and Pepper
Start with a large pot over medium high heat and add in the 2 tbsp of olive oil. To the pot add the onion, garlic and cauliflower. Let the vegetables cooke for 3-4 minutes. Add in the chicken broth and let it come to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and let it simmer covered with a lid for 10-15 minutes. Combine the 1/4 cup of olive oil and 1/4 cup of flour mix until combined in a smooth paste. Slowly whisk the roux into the soup. Stir until soup starts to thicken. Add in the heavy cream and salt and pepper.
Using a hand blender or a stand blender, blend the soup until smooth. Add the cheddar cheese into the soup to finish. Enjoy.
Purple Cabbage Salad with Tahini Dressing
Purple cabbage, half head shredded
8 carrots, shredded
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 cucumber cut into match sticks
Tahini Dressing
1/2 cup tahini
1/4 cup olive oil
Juice from 1 lemon
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
Salt and Pepper
Shred the cabbage, carrots, onion and cucumber and mix together in a bowl. Mix all the ingredients for the dressing together and pour over salad.
Leeks
Leek, Potato and Sausage Soup
Fire Roasted Tomato and Pepper Soup
Leek Storage Tips:
Whole onions can be stored in a cool, dry, dark and well ventilated place. This would be a basement, cellar, or garage. Already peeled and cut onions can be stored in the fridge in a air tight container to prevent the onion odour corrupting other foods. They will store in the fridge for 7-10 days.
Green onions can be stored in the fridge in a zip lock bag with a paper towel for up to a week.
Leek, Potato, Sausage Soup
2 Leeks, cleaned and chopped
3 medium potatoes, cut into 1 inch cubes
Sausage coil, cut into 1 inch pieces
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 cups chicken broth
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp garlic powder
2 tbsp sage, chopped
3 tbsp flour
3 tbsp olive oil
Salt and Pepper
In a large pot over medium high heat add in the butter, leeks, garlic, mushrooms and sausage. Let everything cook together for 3 minutes. Remember to stir to prevent the leeks from burning to the bottom. Next add in the potatoes and chicken broth. Let the soup come to a boil and reduce heat to medium and let the soup simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender.
Mix together the oil and flour in a bowl and then slowly whisk it into the soup. Allow a couple minutes for the soup to thicken. Once the soup has thickened add in the onion powder, garlic powder, sage and the heavy cream. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper and serve.
Fire Roasted Tomato and Pepper Soup
3-4 large beef steak tomatoes
2 bell peppers
1 jalapeno (optional)
1 large onion
4 cloves of garlic
4 tbsp olive oil
4 cups of chicken broth
2 tbsp fresh oregano
2 tbsp fresh basil
1/4 cup heavy cream
Salt and Pepper
Preheat your BBQ on high heat. Place the tomatoes, peppers, jalapeños and onion directly on the hot grill or open flame. You want to char and blister the skin of the vegetables. Put the tomatoes and peppers in a bowl with plastic wrap over top to seal everything in. (You will notice lots of steam and condensation forming in the bowl, that’s exactly what you want). After sitting for 5 minutes remove the tomatoes and peppers from the bowl and peel the skins off, this should happen easily. Remove the seeds from the peppers. Add the tomatoes, peppers, onion, garlic and live oil to a large pot and cook on medium for 5 minutes. Add in the chicken or vegetable broth and let the soup simmer for 10 minutes.
Add in the herbs, heavy cream, salt and pepper. Blend in the blender or using a stick blender until the soup is smooth. Pour into bowls and garnish with some fresh basil.
Jalapenos
Jalapeno Street Corn Dip
Jalapeno Storage Tips:
Peppers will last in your fridge crisper drawer for up to 2 weeks.
To freeze peppers, slice or dice the pepper to the desired size. Next evenly space out the peppers on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze for 2 hours. After 2 hours remove the peppers from the freezer and place in zip lock freezer bags and put back into the freezer. Peppers will store like this for up to 6 months.
Jalapeño Street Corn Dip
3 Jalapenos, roughly chopped
1 cup fresh or frozen corn
1 onion, roughly chopped
3 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
1/4 feta cheese
1 tbsp cumin
1/2 cup of cream cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded cheddar
Salt and Pepper
In a skillet a bit of oil and place over medium heat. Add in the onion, garlic and chopped jalapeños. Let it cook for about 3-4 minutes. Next add in the corn and cumin and stir to evenly combine. Remove from the heat and add in the sour cream, cream cheese, and feta. Mix together until combined. Season with salt and pepper. Top the dip off with the 1 cup of cheddar cheese. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes until the dip becomes bubbly. Serve with tortilla chips.
Tomatoes
Caprese Salad
Tomato Pie
Tomato Storage Tips:
Store your tomatoes, upside down (stem side down) on a tray left out on the counter. Ripened tomatoes will store like this for up to 6 days. If they last that long.
Freezing tomatoes has never been simpler, start by coring the tomato. Next place the tomatoes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze for 5 hours. Once frozen solid, remove the tomato from the freezer and put into freezer bags. Put back into the freezer, the tomatoes will last like this for up to a year.
Caprese Salad
3 ripe tomatoes of cherry tomatoes
Fresh Mozzarella or bocconcini
Fresh Basil
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
Salt and Pepper
In a sauce pan over medium heat, bring the balsamic vinegar to a boil and reduce until the vinegar coats the back of a spoon. Let it cool.
Slice the tomatoes and mozzarella into 1 inch thick slices and lay out in a layering over lapping fashion. Drizzle the balsamic reduction and olive oil over the tomatoes and mozzarella. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and garnish with fresh basil leaves.
Tomato Pie
3 large beef steak tomatoes, cut into slices
2 small onions, sliced
1/4 fresh basil
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 cup mayo
1 tbsp garlic powder
Salt and Pepper
Take the sliced tomatoes and lay them out on a baking sheet. Next sprinkle salt on both sides of the tomatoes. You want the tomatoes to release some of the water. After 5 minutes of sitting remove the tomatoes from the tray and pat with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture.
In a baking dish add a layer of slice tomatoes, one of the sliced onions and half of the basil. Repeat the step one more time. In a bowl mix together the mayo, cheese, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Dump the mayo mixture on top and spread out evenly. Bake in a preheat 350F oven for 15-20 minutes.
Beets
Beet Brownies
Pickled Beets
Beets Storage Tips:
Take the tops off the beets, putting them into a resealable bag and put in the fridge. Beets will last like this for up to 3 weeks. To prolong the life of the beets poke holes in the bag to allow moisture to escape.
Freezing beets, fill a pot with water. Add the beets and bring the pot to a boil. Cook small beets for 25-30 minutes and larger beets 45-50 minutes. The beets are done when they can be poked with a knife or fork. Put the cooked beets in a bowl of ice water, to cool them down quicker. When the beets are cooled down enough to be handled, peel off the skins. This should come off easily. Next slice or dice the beets and spread out on a baking sheet to flash freeze. Once the beets are fully frozen, package them in a resealable bag and place back into the freezer for later use.
Beet Brownies
Beet puree:
1 large Beet, cooked
1/4 milk
In a blender combine the milk and beet into a smooth paste. You will only need a cup of this puree.
Brownie mix:
3/4 cup flour or gluten free flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup of sugar
1 cup of the beet puree
2 large eggs
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees farenhiet In a bowl combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt. In a separate bowl mix together the eggs, butter, sugar, beet puree and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and then mix in the chocolate chips. Grease a 9 by 9 pan and pour the batter into the pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes.
Pickled Beets
1 lbs of cooked beets
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/8 cup sugar
1/2 tsp kosher salt
Pinch of whole cloves
First start by cooking the beets in simmering water until fork tender. Strain, peel and cut into slices and place into a jar.
To a pot over medium heat add in the vinegar, sugar and salt. Let simmer until the salt and sugar are dissolved. Let the brine cool slightly and then pour into the jar with the beets add in a pinch of whole cloves. Cover with a lid and sit out for 10 minutes, transition over to the fridge and let it marinate for 3 days.
Onions
French Onion Soup
Caramelized Onion and Bacon Jam
Onion Storage Tips
Whole onions can be stored in a cool, dry, dark and well ventilated place. This would be a basement, cellar, or garage. Already peeled and cut onions can be stored in the fridge in a air tight container to prevent the onion odour corrupting other foods. They will store in the fridge for 7-10 days.
Green onions can be stored in the fridge in a zip lock bag with a paper towel for up to a week.
French Onion Soup
2 Leeks
2 Onions
4 cloves of crushed garlic
3 tbsp Olive Oil
2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup white wine
2 Liters of chicken broth
2 bay leaves
1 bundle of thyme
Salt and Pepper
French bread
1 cup Gruyere cheese, cheddar, or swiss; shredded
In a large pot over medium heat, add the oil and butter. Roughly chop the onions and leeks (remember clean the dirt between the leeks). Add them to the pot and cook the onions and leeks for 5 minutes and add in the garlic. Add the white wine to the onions and reduce the wine until it is nearly dissolved. Pour in the broth, and add in the bay leaves and thyme. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for an hour. Remember to stir every 10 minutes to prevent sticking to the bottom.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Slice the bread in 1 inch thick pieces and toast in the oven for 7 minutes. Remove from the oven and drizzle with olive oil and put the cheese on top and put back into the oven for 5 minutes. Remove the croutons from the oven.
Ladle the soup into a bowl and top with warm croutons.
Caramelized Onion and Bacon Jam
4 Onions, sliced
6 strips of bacon
2 cloves of garlic, sliced
1/2 cup strong coffee
1/2 cup sugar or honey
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp water
1 tsp cornstarch
Salt and Pepper
In a pan over medium heat cook the bacon until crispy and remove from the pan. Turn the heat down to low and add the sliced onions and garlic to the pan of bacon fat and cook for 8-10 minutes. Remember to stir every couple of minutes to prevent the onions from burning. Once the onions have changed to a caramelized colour increase the temperature to medium and add in the apple cider vinegar, coffee and sugar or honey reduce by half. When the the jam is reduced mix together the water and cornstarch and add to the onions to thicken. Add in the chopped bacon and stir. Place in a container and store in the fridge. This jam is great on burgers and sandwiches.
Garlic
Roasted Garlic Cheese Toast
Garlic Storage Tips
Store garlic in a cardboard box or paper bag in a cool dark area. The paper bag or box still creates air flow and ventilation allowing the garlic to breath. Avoid storing the garlic in a plastic bag. This will create moisture build up and make the garlic spoil faster.
Roasted Garlic Cheese Toast
1 garlic bulb
1 tbsp Olive oil
1 loaf of French bread or crusty bread of your choice
1/2 cup butter
1 cup of cheddar and mozzarella blend (or any cheese you like)
1/4 chopped parsley
Salt and Pepper
Cut the top off the garlic exposing the cloves inside. Put the garlic in a piece of aluminum foil, drizzle 1 tbsp olive oil over to and salt and pepper the top. Wrap the garlic bulb in the foil and roast in the oven for 1 hour at 350 degrees. Once cooled you can squeeze the garlic from the cloves.
Add the roasted cloves to the room temp butter, add in the parsley and salt and pepper and mix well. Add a thick layer of the butter to the cut half of bread. Add cheese to the top and bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes.
Butter Crunch Lettuce
Caesar salad
Bacon Ranch Salad
Lettuce Storage Tips:
In a resealable container or bag, line the bottom with a paper towel. Place the lid back on or reseal the bag and store in your fridge for up to 7 days. A container works great because it prevents the lettuce from getting bruised.
CAESAR SALAD
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup mayo
1 clove of garlic, crushed
1/8 tsp anchovy paste
Salt and Pepper
-Mix the ingredients in a bowl and pour over your Caesar salad.
*anchovy paste in the tube stores well in the fridge and is way more convenient than a tin of anchovies.
1 large head or 2 medium heads of Romaine
1 cup of croutons
1/4 cup parmesan
Roughly chop Romaine into bite size pieces. Add croutons, parmesan cheese, and Caesar salad dressing. Mix together and enjoy.
BACON RANCH SALAD
1 head of romaine
1/2 cup bacon, cook and roughly chopped
4 hard boiled eggs, cut into 1/4’s
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 bundle chopped green onions
Ranch Dressing
1/2 cup mayo
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp green onion or chives
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp dill
Salt and Pepper
-Mix together all the ingredients in a bowl and pour over your salad.
OR
Greek Yoghurt Ranch Dressing
1/2 greek yoghurt
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp green onions
1 tsp dill
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
Salt and Pepper
-Mix together all the ingredients in a bowl and pour over your salad.
Butter Cup Squash
Stuffed Butter Cup Squash
Winter Squash Spice Cake
Winter Squash Storage Tips:
Squash store great in a dark 10 degree room. Typically a basement or closet. They can be stored like this for up to 4 months.
Stuffed Buttercup Squash
1 butter cup squash, seeds removed
1/4 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
1 cup cooked grains (rice, quinoa, barley)
1/2 lbs ground meat of your choice
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 tsp fresh thyme
2 tbsp olive oil
In a saute pan over medium high heat, add in the oil. Once the oil is hot, cook the ground meat, or skip the step and put in the onions, mushrooms, thyme and garlic to cook for 5 minutes. Next add in the cooked grains and toasted walnuts and heat through. Put the stuffing to the side to cool down.
Cut the top of the squash off and take out the seeds like you would with a jack-o-lantern. Add the stuffing into the squash and place the lid back on. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve.
Winter Squash Spice Cake
3 1/2 cups flour or Gluten free flour
2 cups sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/3 cup melted butter
3 eggs
3 cups cooked buttercup squash
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped walnuts
Bake a buttercup squash for 1 hour at 350 degrees. Once cooked let cool and reserve 3 cups of cook squash. In a bowl mix together all the dry ingredients. Create a well in the dry ingredients add in the eggs, butter, vanilla and squash. Mix together well and add in the chopped walnuts. Pour the batter into a greased loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
