Minestrone Soup

This is a family favorite. The veggie amounts are an estimate, and I just usually add what looks good. Hope you like it!

1-2 lbs. ground beef- cooked

1 small onion- diced

1 quart stewed tomatoes

2 cups chopped cabbage

3 medium carrots (or a couple handfuls of baby carrots)- diced

3 stalks celery- diced

1 can beans (recipe calls for kidney, but I use black or northern)

1 small zucchini- sliced

1 c. frozen corn (or 1 can)

4-5 cups water

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

2-3 tsp. beef bouillon

1/2 tsp. each salt, basil, marjoram, and oregano 

optional... add 1 cup uncooked macaroni or 1/3 cup barley

Combine all ingredients in a large stock pot and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer 15-20 minutes  or until veggies are tender. Serve with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.

Cabbage Salsa

I love this salsa!  It is really different and so fresh tasting.  I got if from the Jones Design Company blog a little over a year ago and have made it half a dozen times. I will be ordering cilantro again next week if you want to save your cabbage and make this then.

1 small head of cabbage
1 bunch of cilantro
3-4 Roma tomatos
1 small onion
1 lime
Lawry's or Johnny's seasoning salt

Finely chop cabbage, onion, and tomatoes and add to large bowl.  Strip cilantro leaves from stems and finely chop, then add to bowl.  Add the juice of one lime and generously season with seasoning salt.  Best eaten within 24 hours.

Chow Mein (similar to Panda Express)

I just tried this new chow mein (like Panda Express -- so really lo mein?) tonight.  I really liked it, though I would have doubled the vegetables for my tastes (the kids liked it as it was).  It used the bean sprouts, celery, cabbage, and green onions.  I also ate some persimmon on top.  And steamed snow peas to eat on the side.  The recipe is here.

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

1 1/4 lb. ground beef (can make some of this ground pork if you wish)
2 t. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
3/4 cup cooked rice
1 small onion, grated
2 8-oz cans tomato sauce
12 large cabbage leaves
2 T shortening
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice

Combine meat, salt, pepper, rice, onion, and one can tomato sauce.  Blanch cabbage leaves in boiling water for 3-4 minutes.  Drain.  Place equal portions of meat mixture in center of each cabbage leaf.  Roll up, tuck in ends.  Brown in hot shortening in heavy skillet.  Mix remaining can of tomato sauce with brown sugar and lemon juice.  Pour over rolls.  Simmer, covered, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Stir-fried Basil Chicken

The fresh basil really makes this dish, but I've made it with the seasoning when I don't have it fresh.  

2 T water

2 T soy sauce

4 tsp. sugar

1 3/4 lbs.  boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips

3 green onions, sliced

4 tsp. canola oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (or to taste)

1/2 lb. snow peas

1/2-3/4 c loosely packed fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced

Cooked white rice

1. In a large resealable bag, combine the water, soy sauce and sugar; add chicken.  Seal bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate for 30+ minutes.

2. In a wok or skillet, stir-fry the onions in 1 tsp. oil until crisp-tender. Stir in the garlic and pepper flakes; cook and stir for 1 minute. Remove and keep warm.

3. Drain and discard any marinade from chicken.  In the same wok, stir-fry the chicken in 3 tsp. oil for 4-5 minutes, or until juices run clear.  Meanwhile, in another pan, steam the snow peas to desired tenderness (doesn't take long).  Add onion mixture to chicken. Stir in basil; heat through.

4. Serve chicken over steamed snow peas and rice.

Persimmons

The tomato-shaped orange fruits in your bags today are Fuyu Persimmons.  They can be eaten hard as they are now, or allowed to ripen/soften on your counter, in which case they'll become more sweet.

I've never had them before - I tried one today and I thought it tasted a little bit like an apple-banana-pear-nectarine mix, only very mild.  I think I'd like to see how they taste after ripening a bit.      Sounds like they would be good for jam or smoothies.  I diced some and ate it atop my Chow Mein tonight, and I liked that better than eating it alone. Let me know what you try!

Beets

To prepare your beets, shave off the rougher sections of the outside, and then either...

1. Cut in 1/4-1/2 inch slices and boil or steam until fork tender. (My kids like this way best - tastes like canned beets.)

2. Cut in 1-inch square pieces, toss with olive oil and roast in 350 oven for about an hour, or until edges start to turn black.  Sprinkle on some sea salt and serve.

Grandma Kobiashi's Boiled Chicken

This is a family favorite.  

2 cups water (or slightly less to make it more rich)

1 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup sugar

Fresh grated ginger (about 2-3 T)

Chicken thighs (boneless, skinless)

Mix together ingredients in a large pot, doubling or tripling the sauce as needed to cover the thighs.  Bake in 400 degree oven for 40-50 minutes, or until done.  Serve with white sticky rice.  Also good with lettuce (wraps) and cashews. 

Meatballs with Cucumber Sauce on Flatbreads

I just tried Meatballs with Cucumber Sauce on Flatbreads last week (from BHG).  It is a nice mix of spicy and cool. I used lime wedges as a garnish (instead of lemon) and cut way back on the crushed red pepper (maybe 1/8 tsp?).  The best part was that my husband and I could enjoy this unique recipe without having to cook something else for the kids.  Their version of the meal was plain meatballs, plain cucumbers, and warm flatbreads with honey butter.

Spinach Salad 3

We always serve this one at Christmas - it is pretty with the pomegranates on top.

SALAD
1 head of lettuce
Spinach
1/2-3/4 lb. swiss cheese (grated)
1/2-3/4 lb. bacon, fried crisp and broken up
1 pomegranate (seeds)

DRESSING
2 tsp. poppyseeds
3/4 cup white vinegar
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup oil
3/4 T dry mustard
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup red onions (sliced thin)

1. Mix all dressing ingredients except onion in blender.  Then add onion and marinate overnight.
2. Assemble individual servings on salad plates.  Drizzle with dressing and top with pomegranate seeds.

Spinach Salad 2

SALAD
Spinach
Red onions
Cucumber, peeled, sliced, and quartered
Mushrooms, sliced
Bacon bits
Asiago cheese
Feta cheese
Glazed pecans (3 T butter, 1/2-3/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup pecans)
Seasoned croutons

DRESSING
1 cup oil
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1 T dry mustard
1 tsp. salt
1 T + 1 tsp dry minced onion
1 T poppyseed

1. Combine dressing ingredients and chill.
2. To make the pecans, combine pecans, brown sugar, and butter in a small skillet.  Heat over low-medium heat just until the butter melts and combines with the brown sugar and begins to adhere to the nuts - use a spoon to scrape the butter/sugar mixture onto the pecans.  Remove to a plate and let cool.  The sugar will stay crumbly.
3. Assemble salad and add dressing just before serving (you won't need even half of the dressing).

Spinach Salad 1

This is my go-to spinach salad.  I make the dressing and it keeps in my fridge for at least a month.

SALAD
Spinach
Diced Avacado
Diced Fruit (Any combination of the following:  Berries, Pears, Grapes, Nectarines, Mango)
Crumbled Cheese (Feta or Blue Cheese)
Candied Walnuts (sugar + walnuts)

DRESSING
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/3 cup jam or jelly (I like orange marmalade or plum)
1 T poppyseeds

1. Combine dressing ingredients and chill.
2. To make the candied walnuts, place chopped walnuts (1/2 cup) and sugar (2 T) in a skillet and turn heat to medium-high.  When sugar begins to melt, start to stir and continue stirring until the sugar is carmelized and the walnuts are nicely browned.  Let cool on a plate or piece of foil.  Once cooled, break into pieces.
3. Assemble the salad and drizzle with dressing just before serving.  Caution: A little of this dressing goes a long way - only use a little bit and add more if needed.

Roasted Potatoes (so easy, delicious, and even pretty)

2 Sweet potatoes or yams
10 Red potatoes
Olive Oil
Seasoned salt

Wash both kinds of potatoes, peel sweet potatoes, then cut into bite size pieces and toss in a bowl with olive oil and seasoned salt.  Spread onto jelly roll pan and bake at 350 for about 35-45 minutes, test with a fork.

Awesome Sweet Potato Casserole

So sweet, definitely more of a dessert.  Find it here.

Hot Pepper Jelly

Find this recipe here.

I'm going to use this recipe with some modifications - I'll just use jalepenos and red peppers since that's what we have, and leave in some of the jalepeno seeds to give it some kick.  Probably also will follow some of the advice in the comments.  

Celery Casserole

Okay, this is probably for the adventurous eater, but I love it!  Rich’s grandma served this to us outdoors on a brisk autumn day with warm blueberry muffins and fresh fruit – best lunch ever!!

1 to 1 ½ heads celery, chopped thin (think 1/3-1/2 inch pieces)

½ onion, chopped fine (I like using green onion, but Valencia, yellow, or red would also work)

1 can chicken (or chopped boiled chicken)

½ mayonnaise (or more if you wish)

1 T lemon juice

Chopped cashews (optional)

1 cup crushed potato chips

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Mix first six ingredients and spread in a 9X13 pan.  Top with chips and cheese.  Casserole should be thin.  Bake in 450 oven for 10 minutes.  

Spanish Rice

2 T vegetable oil

1 cup uncooked long grain white rice

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic

½ green or red bell pepper, chopped

2 cups water or chicken broth

1 (10 oz) can diced tomatoes

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon cumin

Fresh or dried parsley to taste

Jalepeno, chopped, to taste (with or without seeds)

Heat oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onion, garlic, and pepper for a couple minutes.  Add rice and sauté until rice is nicely browned and onions are tender.  Stir in all other ingredients.  Bring to a boil, then lower heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, or until rice is cooked and liquid is absorbed.

Stew Meat Fajitas (crock pot)

1 lb. stew meat (or any cut of beef – I get whatever is on sale!)

1 cup salsa

1 small jar mild chilies (or use some seeded jalepenos)

1 tsp cumin

1/8 tsp chili powder

½ tsp salt

Juice of one lime

Red onion, sliced thin (or yellow onion)

Red or green pepper, seeded and cut in strips

Cook all ingredients except red onion and pepper in crock pot on low for at least 6 hours.  Then take meat out, shred it, and return to pot. Saute red onion and red or green pepper strips in a little olive oil until onions start to carmelize and pepper is tender.  Sprinkle with sea salt.  Serve with fajita meat, along with cheese, sour cream, avocado/guacamole, extra salsa, tortillas, etc.

Creamy Tomatillo Dressing

1 cup mayo (I substitute ¼ cup of this with plain yogurt)

½ cup buttermilk

1 Ranch Dressing mix (dry)

2 cloves garlic

1 cup cilantro

3 tomatillos (husk and wash)

Cayenne pepper to taste (I only use about 1/16 tsp)

Mix all ingredients in a blender, then chill.

Cilantro Cream (Great on Fajitas)

2-3 TB fresh cilantro, chopped

½ cup sour cream

1 T red onion, finely chopped

1 T fresh jalepeno pepper, seeded, finely chopped

1 T fresh lime juice

¼ tsp. salt

Whisk together all ingredients and chill.

Banana Squash

Cut the squash into 2" squares, leaving the skin on.  Place skin side down on baking dish.  Put a pat of butter and salt/pepper on each piece.  Bake at 350 for approximately one hour, or until squash is tender.  

Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Croissants

Canned chicken breast, drained (or chopped boiled chicken)

Red grapes, sliced in half or quartered

Cashews

Celery, chopped into ¼-½ inch pieces

Lettuce

Mayonnaise

Garlic Salt

Place the chicken, grapes, cashews, and celery in a large bowl.  Add celery salt and mayonnaise to taste. Spread chicken mixture on sliced croissants with lettuce and serve.  

Chicken Bake

1 envelope onion soup mix (or cut up some onions and use less of this)

1/4 vegetable OR olive oil

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

2 lbs. chicken breasts, cut in one-inch cubes

1 lb. potatoes cut in small chunks

1/2 lb. baby carrots, cut in half

Mix together and put in a 9x13 baking dish.  Bake uncovered at 450 degrees for 45 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Stir one time halfway through cooking.

Sharing our Recipes

Hello all!  A couple of you have sent me some great recipes to make with ingredients from the weekly co-op delivery.  I thought it was time to set this up so everyone can share their recipes with each other!  Also, I'd prefer not to send out the weekly "ideas" emails to everyone because I know how annoying it is to receive emails you don't need/want sometimes!  

So from here on out, I'll just post recipes here.  Please feel free to do the same!  And if you can, LABEL your recipe with the produce ingredients it uses so people can find it easily later down the road.  Thanks so much!