The "In my CSA box this week" thread

[diablita]

I thought it might be fun to have a thread going that could include fresh veg ideas, whether from a subscription box or a farmer's market find, since both tend to feature what's in season at the time in your area.

We're sharing our subscription with some friends this year, so we pick up the half share every other week.  This week is our turn:

large patty pan squash (not the mini ones)
kohlrabi
some broccoli
napa cabbage
fennel
2 red beets
sweet peas
fennel
12 fresh eggs

I made this pattypan squash with eggs recipe last year so plan to make it again for Shabbat.
We eat the kohlrabi raw, sliced thin, sprinkled with salt
I'll make a stir fry with the napa cabbage and broccoli, probably on Sunday
The red beets will definitely go into a salad, roasted, with some goat cheese (I bought a 'scape goat' flavor at the farmer's market that is soft goat cheese blended with scapes and a hint of wasabi) and probably pistachios with a splash of fig creme vinegar (inspired by the fig thread; I love this vinegar)
The sweet peas will be gobbled up by my DD
And I doubt we will keep the fennel.  Neither of us like it so I'll probably give it away.

[radial]

I didn't do a CSA this year, but I've got some generous coworkers and a weekly mini-farmers market in the lobby of the building where I work, so I'll play.  This is greens week.  Three different kinds of kale and beet greens from coworkers.  Best and freshest spinach I've ever seen from the market.  Also a bunch of asparagus and some weird cucumber that other people at the stand urged me to try. 

[redkitty]

I just got patty pan squash this week. I might have to try that recipe for my daughter (I am not a huge fan of eggs.)  I will have to use scrambled eggs as she will not eat fried eggs. 

i got cabbage, boston lettuce, radishes, garlic scapes and a few other things I can't remember at the moment.  My Dh said we have more lettuce than the store does now (I got two bags this week and 4 bags last week...I get only half a share.) I wasn't home this week, I was away for work, so I have not eaten last week's lettuce yet. I did give away two bags.

The recipe I got last week was for the garlic scapes.  Essentially make a pasta with sausage and 6 garlic scapes, sliced into pieces.  You add tomato and summer squash (we got zucchini and yellow squash last week.)  It looks pretty good and really easy. As I said, i haven't been home all week so haven't had a chance to make the yet. 

I will be giving away the cabbage as I do not like it.

[radial]

The kale lady at work smiled on me again.  I sauteed up a batch last night for dinner.  Some chopped chorizo for flavor, carmelized onions left over from a slow cooker experiment, a sprinkle of balsamic vinegar, shaved Parmesan on top.  So good I could have eaten the whole thing myself.  So I did

[The Turtle Whisperer]

Are you guys happy with the value of your CSA boxes? 

[merigayle]

Are you guys happy with the value of your CSA boxes?

there is a CSA here that you can buy weekly, no commitment and I was never happy with it. There was always a lot of something I would never use and things did not last all week and half ended up in the compost I guess YMMV depending on where you live and the farm and what they grow, but it was not for us.

[The Turtle Whisperer]

there is a CSA here that you can buy weekly, no commitment and I was never happy with it. There was always a lot of something I would never use and things did not last all week and half ended up in the compost I guess YMMV depending on where you live and the farm and what they grow, but it was not for us.

We're seeing the same thing here, but, we don't have many options just yet. 

We tried one and it was laughable.  $35 for for maybe $20 worth of stuff.. and I'm talking like a Whole Foods $20.00. 

I was not impressed. 

I'm lucky, though... I can shop for two days at a time if I want, so for now, I think I do way better on my own. 

[Lintu]

there is a CSA here that you can buy weekly, no commitment and I was never happy with it. There was always a lot of something I would never use and things did not last all week and half ended up in the compost I guess YMMV depending on where you live and the farm and what they grow, but it was not for us.

This was also my experience, though I'm glad I did it because I learned to love some new veggies and ways to cook things I'd already had before.  Now I just go to the farmers' markets.

[diablita]

We usually eat the majority of what's provided.  Sharing the half share with our friends this year (we each pick up every other week) for $200 a piece over the whole summer is great!  Because of the extended growing season we'll pay about $20 a box.

Having my DD come home from school and ask me to open the box so she can munch her way through half of the raw, leafy greens: priceless.

[nadra24]

I've never done a CSA before, but when I lived in the Bay Area I did an organic produce delivery a few times.  I really liked that, because I got to try a variety of new produce, but you could also go online beforehand and fill out a preference form to exclude stuff you knew you didn't want.  I miss that.  Now I just do Bountiful Baskets every now and then.

[merigayle]

This was also my experience, though I'm glad I did it because I learned to love some new veggies and ways to cook things I'd already had before.  Now I just go to the farmers' markets.

I spent a year trying every vegetable in Wegmans, which has a very extensive produce selection. I think I tried pretty much everything they had at the time. It was fun

I got a free trial of an organic home delivery service and half the stuff was rotten. I did not complain only because i got it for free.

[caribougrrl]

We're seeing the same thing here, but, we don't have many options just yet. 

We tried one and it was laughable.  $35 for for maybe $20 worth of stuff.. and I'm talking like a Whole Foods $20.00. 

through the whole season, or did you give up?  CSA boxes will come in under value at the beginning and end of the season but over-value during the peak of productivity, typically.

[The Turtle Whisperer]

through the whole season, or did you give up?  CSA boxes will come in under value at the beginning and end of the season but over-value during the peak of productivity, typically.

It was the "trial" box you get if you accept one of their existing clients trial offer... 

We felt like they'd at least try to hit a home run on that one, but who knows.... As I said, it was woefully overpriced... I could have bought double of everything in the box at Whole Foods and still been at the same dollar amount.

We'll keep watching for more competition to start up out here.  We have lots of roadside stands, so that might make it tougher on the CSA's...

[Ice Cream]

I spent a year trying every vegetable in Wegmans, which has a very extensive produce selection. I think I tried pretty much everything they had at the time. It was fun

I got a free trial of an organic home delivery service and half the stuff was rotten. I did not complain only because i got it for free.

I will be in Ithaca where there is a wegman's next week!  Can't wait to get there!

[merigayle]

I will be in Ithaca where there is a wegman's next week!  Can't wait to get there!

Enjoy! Is it a newer one? I have a love/hate relationship with Wegmans. If you will be in Hector, our cousins own an amazing restaurant.

[redkitty]

Not sure if I get a CSA box this week or not. My pick up day is Thursdays, so that means it will be the 4th. I think the store where I pick it up is closed tomorrow.  Maybe it means I get one on Friday instead (or maybe they are open, but I think they typically close on the 4th.) 

[diablita]

Our CSA announced an alternate pick-up spot for the Thursday people.

[redkitty]

I got my veggies this week. Apparently the store was NOT closed today and from what I could tell, they aren't even closing early.  I was surprised by that. 

I got a bunch of stuff I am not keeping. Kale (yuck) Bok choy (yuck), romaine lettuce (my GI system thinks yuck, my taste buds like it.)

I got a lot more squash and zucchini today. a TON of it.  I get Eating Well magazine and there are a few recipes I might try to modify so I can use the squash.  I also got two gigantic tomatoes. Seriously, they are HUGE.  And sweet tart cherries.  I was confused by the sweet tart name until I tried them, they really are sweet tart.  They taste more like grapes to me than cherries, but whatever. 

But here is a recipe I am going to try for the squash.


Zucchini Gratin
2 cloves garlic minced (I will be using onion since I have some from the CSA box from weeks ago.)
3 medium zucchini thinly slice
1/2 cup corase dry breadcrumbs
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Combine garlicm 3 tbls of olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon of thyme.  add zucchini and toss in oil/herb mix.  Roast the zucchini at 450 degrees in a coated pan.  ROast until zucchini until softened and starting to wilt in spots (about 15 min.)  Combine cheese and breadcrumbs and some oil and spreadh over the zucchini and continue to bake until the topping is crisp. About 15 min more.

I will be using summer squash and zucchini since I have so much of both.

[merigayle]

Kale chips??? yum.

I believe you can grate and freeze zucchini for future purposes, but i am not positive. I usually make zucchini patties (like latkes, but zucchini), zucchini noodles, zucchini bread, chocolate zucchini bread. ARGH! my zucchini is not in yet, the very first one is about an inch big

[redkitty]

So I need the recipe for that zucchini chocolate bread.  THat sounds delicious.  and so do the zucchini patties.  Yum. 

I really do not like kale at all. not even kale chips.

[merigayle]

here is the plain zucchini bread one
http://hellyeahitsvegan.com/vegan-zucchini-bread/

i do not see the chocolate one, it may have been from a cookbook, will look, but maybe i made this recipe into a loaf? i have made these
http://happyherbivore.com/recipe/chocolate-zucchini-muffins/


http://fatfreevegan.com/blog/2012/04/18/faux-fried-zucchini-fritters/

this is on my to make list http://hellyeahitsvegan.com/vegan-crab-cakes/

on my to bake list http://www.hezzi-dsbooksandcooks.com/2012/08/gooey-chocolatey-zucchini-brownies.html?m=1


check out this
http://www.sparkpeople.com/blog/blog.asp?post=10_new_uses_for_zucchini

[Clementine]

i do not see the chocolate one, it may have been from a cookbook, will look, but maybe i made this recipe into a loaf? i have made these
http://happyherbivore.com/recipe/chocolate-zucchini-muffins/

I've made these ones and thought they were awful (bad texture, tasted too much like cocoa powder not enough like chocolate). The muffin recipes I've veganized myself were much, much better.

[merigayle]

huh, i thought those were the ones i made, but maybe not. I do not remember anything tasting like raw cocoa powder or anything. yeah, one of my favorite pumpkin bread recipes is my veganized paula deen version.

[Ice Cream]

Enjoy! Is it a newer one? I have a love/hate relationship with Wegmans. If you will be in Hector, our cousins own an amazing restaurant.

I think it's fairly new.  No, I won't be in Hector, but in Newfield; not that far from Hector.  I did a 50k in Hector years ago; I remember the town to be quite small.

[merigayle]

Very small. Stonefish cafe

[redkitty]

So I made the zucchini gratin that I think I posted.  It was gross. I am not sure what was wrong, but the zucchini tasted BAD.  It was just plain gross.  and I really like zucchini.

[merigayle]

Weird. Was the oil rancid? Maybe just a bad zucchini?

[gebuh]

I'd recommend the fennel bulbs in shrimp risotto -  I got the recipe from MotW and CRB, it doesn't taste like fennel at all.
http://chrunners.net/forum/index.php?topic=54451.msg1117421#msg1117421

[redkitty]

Weird. Was the oil rancid? Maybe just a bad zucchini?

I think the zucchini may have been bad.  It didn't look spoiled or rotten or smell weird.  The oil seemed fine as well.  I am chalking it up to cooking fail.  I will stick with my sauteeing in oil and garlic for tonight's dinner.

[rocketgirl]

I've never done a CSA.  In fact, I don't go to the  Farmer's Market either.  Or sometimes, even the grocery store.  There's no point in me having much produce.  I won't eat it before it goes bad.  But I do like yellow squash.

Not at all healthy, but this is really good for yellow squash:

This one was inspired by a friend's Macaroni and Cheese recipe.

Ideally, you might double all this stuff if you're feeding a lot of people or want leftovers, but I had 4 squash (parts of which were too dry/seedy to use) so I went with what I had.

3 yellow squash (summer, crookneck, whatever)
1/4 - 1/3 of  large yellow or vidalia onion, chopped/diced
salt & pepper
stick of butter
milk (I'd guess somewhere between a cup and a half and 2 cups)
1 TBSP cornstarch (or flour - I went with what I had)
5 oz package finely shredded parmesan cheese blend
Some fresh basil leaves, cut in strips.

 Saute the squash in a large skillet with 1/2 stick of butter and however much olive oil you need.  You can cover for part of the time to "hurry" it along.  Maybe you can skip this; I don't know, so I did it.

Melt 1/2 stick of butter in a pot. (I used my dutch oven).
Saute the onion in the butter.
Add salt and pepper whenever you want.
Slowly add the milk, stirring near-constantly.
Add the cornstarch to thicken.
(This will look a lot like thick white gravy).

Stir in most of the cheese.
Stir in the squash so it is coated with creamy cheesey goodness.
Stir in the basil.
Sprinkle the remaining cheese and panko bread crumbs on top.

Bake at 450 until bubbly and bread crumbs are browning.  Remove and let stand before serving.

[redkitty]

RG--that recipe looks good. 

Here is the recipe that is included in this week's box.  (btw lots of crap I won't eat this week...mustard and collard greens ) but we get potatoes and tomatoes this week as well.

Squash and Tomato Tart
Make
S
8
S
erving
S
2 large potatoes (about 12 oz), peeled
1 zucchini (about 8 oz)
1 yellow squash (about 8 oz)
2 large ripe tomatoes (about 1 lb)
1/4 cup sweet onion, chopped
3 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cup Fair Oaks Sweet Swiss, shredded (about 8 oz), divided
1 tsp DLM Italian seasoning
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
2 large Morning Sun Farm Organic Eggs, lightly beaten
Preheat oven to 400°F. Butter a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate or a shallow 7x11-inch casserole. Cut potatoes, zucchini, and squash in half lengthwise; thinly slice crosswise (about 2mm thick). Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add potato slices and cook 4 to 5 minutes. Drain well in a colander (when ready to use, pat dry with a paper towel if still wet). Remove stem ends from tomatoes; cut in half through stem ends; thinly slice crosswise. Line casserole with 1/2 of the potato slices. In a large bowl combine remaining potato, zucchini, squash, onion, basil, garlic, 1 cup of the cheese, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and eggs until well mixed. Arrange half of the tomato slices on top of the potatoes in the casserole. Evenly spoon the vegetable mixture over tomatoes, pressing slightly to flatten. Arrange remaining tomato slices on top; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup of cheese. Bake 40 minutes or until vegetables are tender and cheese is golden brown. Allow to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before
serving.

[radial]

<squash recipe that Paula Dean would surely endorse>

I bet a few bites of that would taste mighty fine.  But holy moly, I felt my arteries clogging just reading about it.  You must have one hella fat burning metabolism.  Lucky girl.   

[rocketgirl]

I bet a few bites of that would taste mighty fine.  But holy moly, I felt my arteries clogging just reading about it.  You must have one hella fat burning metabolism.  Lucky girl.   

Well, I brought it to a cookout.  So just a few bites is all anybody had of it. 

I bet a few bites of that would taste mighty fine.  But holy moly, I felt my arteries clogging just reading about it.  You must have one hella fat burning metabolism.  Lucky girl.   

If you thought that was bad, you should see that macaroni and cheese recipe that I used as inspiration...

[redkitty]

You can often cut the amount of butter by ALOT without sacrificing taste.  For instance, I am betting your mac and cheese recipe calls for a stick or so of butter (I have seen homemade recipes that call for a lb.)  I make a very tasty homemade mac and cheese and I use 4 tablespoons (half a stick I guess, I actually use Country Crock) and it tastes damn good. Last time I made mac and cheese I, for some reason, thought the recipe only called for 2 tablespoons, so that is all I used.  Better with 4, but still good with 2.  I just use that part to make the roux anyway.

So I got my CSA box.  I got 6 giant tomatoes.  I get a small box.  How many effing tomatoes would I get if I had ordered the large? Holy moly.  But then I only got one cucumber.  Weird.

[diablita]

I picked up mine yesterday and had to unpack and bag it late last night, so I don't remember all of its contents.  But I do remember:

2 purple kohlrabis (stunning and delicious sliced raw. already gone)
green onions
kale
Russian kale
zucchini (have to remember to eat these tomorrow)
small cabbage
sugar beets

[rocketgirl]

Meh.  I love butter.  And compared to 2.5 pounds of cheese in my Mac and cheese recipe, saving a half stick of butter seems irrelevant.

These are pretty much specialty foods I bring to cookouts anyway.

Not that I don't love to cook my spinach in butter too though...and that's frequent. 

[redkitty]

Meh.  I love butter.  And compared to 2.5 pounds of cheese in my Mac and cheese recipe, saving a half stick of butter seems irrelevant.

These are pretty much specialty foods I bring to cookouts anyway.

Not that I don't love to cook my spinach in butter too though...and that's frequent. 

I am not a huge fan of butter. I mean I like butter, but "too much" butter for me seems to be a pretty low threshold.  But you need fat when you eat veggies anyway bcz the nutrients are absorbed better.  and butter does make a lot of things taste better. I tend to use a lot of oil bcz it pours and therefore, in my mind, is easier/more convenient to use.