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.