Beets & Bowties

It's Friday!  And boy am I glad!  The week seemed to fly by, but it definitely had it's ups and downs.  But now that it's Friday, I'm looking forward to getting my 8-hour shift at work over with and on to my weekend off! 

I plan on hitting up the Farmer's Market, getting some sushi with friends, and possibly kicking Andy's butt in a round or two of tennis.  Full of myself much?  Yeah, maybe just a little. 

Anyway, on to today's post.

Andy doesn't like beets.  We kept getting beets in our CSA for a few weeks, and while I didn't mind, Andy was getting a little perturbed.  But what's a good fiancee to do in moments like these?  Well, I force-feed.  I couldn't let the beets go to waste just because he claims not to like them!  I honestly think deep down, he actually adores them - but just doesn't want to admit it.  Why?  Because I'm pretty sure he ate this pasta without any complaints - and it's chock full of beets.

Ingredients:
Adapted from Jeanette's Healthy Living's recipe

5-7 small to medium-sized beets, cleaned (I used a combo of golden and red)
1 cup water
1/4 cup roastes peanuts
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
8 oz. farfalle pasta
1 cup shredded mozzarella
salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 425 F.

Place beets in a medium sized baking dish and add cup of water.  Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake for about 45 minutes, or until beets have softened and can cut easily.

Let cool until safe enough to handle.  Peel away skin with a paring knife or your hands (don't be afraid to get messy).

Cut beats into 1/2 inch cubes.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.  Cook pasta until al dente.  Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water and drain.

In a large skillet, heat olive oil until shimmering.  Saute onions on medium heat for about 15-18 minutes.  Add garlic and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute or so.

Stir in balsamic vinegar and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.

Add pasta to the pan and mix well.  Add mozzarella and stir until melted.  Stir in additional pasta water if desired.

Season with salt and pepper.  Garnish with roasted peanuts.

This was definitely one of my better beet dishes.  And don't worry - I'm not through with beets yet.  I've got something special coming up next week... you won't be sorry =)  And you may think I'm evil, but that's nothing new!  I'll keep you in suspense until then.

Have a safe weekend everybody!

CSA Week #14

Our CSA box was jam-packed full of goodies this week!  It was almost too heavy to lift to my car - good thing I've been working out lately, right?

Let's check out what we got...

• Purple and white peppers
• Sweet Corn
• Eggplant
• Watermelon
• Cucumbers
• Heirloom Tomatoes
• Pears
• Okra
• Blackberries

I'm loving the fruits!

And we've got one other blogger that's sharing their CSA haul, and that's Sam from Cooking My Way Through My CSA:

1 bunch of beets, 1 cabbage, 1 lb. of cucumbers, 1 bunch of dill, 1 bunch of chard, 1/2 lb. of salad mix, 1 lb. of squash/zucchini, 1 bunch of leeks, 2 lb of peaches, 1 lb sugar plums

Looks like Sam was loaded down too!

Thanks Sam for participating this week, and hope to see more of you sharing next week!

I've got to get ready for our softball tournament tonight, gonna be a double header (hopefully), for a chance at the city tournament! 

***If you guys received a CSA this week, what did you end up getting?  I'd love to have a weekly round-up of your CSA goodies (if you participate in one), or even if you made a weekly visit to your Farmer's market (or even just picked from your own garden!) - I'd love to see the local produce everyone gets!  So feel free to e-mail a snapshot of your goods (as well as your name and blog title (and don't worry if you don't have a blog, your name will be just fine!) as well as a link to your blog) at mtlabor85 (at) yahoo (dot) com and I'll post them in next Thursday's CSA post!

CSA Week #13

It's CSA Thursday guys!  This week we got our first ears of sweet corn of the season - I definitely know I'll be heading to the Farmer's Market this weekend to find some more because I love it so much!

•  Peaches
• Nectarines
• Eggplant 
• Purple Peppers
• Tomatoes
• Sweet Corn
• Cucumbers
• Basil
• Cantaloupe 
• Okra

I'm definitely looking forward to using up this week's share!  Possibly some ice cream in the works with those peaches?  Yeah, sounds like a good idea to me!

Now let's check out some other blogger's goodies!

Mindy over at The World In My Kitchen:

Fingerling potatoes, Hothouse Tomatoes, Heirloom Tomatoes, Cherry Tomatoes, Okra, Sweet Onions, Basil, Shallots

It definitely looks like Mindy was loaded down with delicious tomatoes!  And her Okra Succotash recipe looks like the perfect way to use up our own okra, as well!

And Kristy over at Gastronomical Sovereignty:

red chard, some beautifully fragile and amazing red lettuce, cucumber, golden beets (my fav!!), green onions, fresh blueberries, curly parsley (not my favorite), snap peas, spicy arugula, and new garlic

It looks like Kristy and I share a love for golden beets!  Can't wait to see what she ends up doing with them!

So thanks to Kristy and Mindy for joining in on the CSA sharing today!  Want to join next week?  I'd love for you to!

***If you guys received a CSA this week, what did you end up getting?  I'd love to have a weekly round-up of your CSA goodies (if you participate in one), or even if you made a weekly visit to your Farmer's market (or even just picked from your own garden!) - I'd love to see the local produce everyone gets!  So feel free to e-mail a snapshot of your goods (as well as your name and blog title (and don't worry if you don't have a blog, your name will be just fine!) as well as a link to your blog) at mtlabor85 (at) yahoo (dot) com and I'll post them in next Thursday's CSA post!

See you all tomorrow (it's Friday - yay!)... we're ending on a sweet note - so don't miss out!

CSA Week #12

It's CSA Thursday!  We were loaded down with fruit this week and I couldn't be happier!  There's nothing I like better during the summer than snacking on fresh fruit!  Let's check out what we got this week:

• Beets
• Green Bell Peppers
• Potatoes
• Jalapenos
• Peaches
• Nectarines
• Blackberries
• Green Beans
• Watermelon

Check out these blackberries!  They are sooooo good - I practically ate most of them today during lunch!

Now let's see some goods from other bloggers - we've got two today!

Mindy over at The World In My Kitchen:

Carrots, Haricots verts, Green cabbage, Bell pepper, Okra, Cherry tomatoes, Tomatoes, Potatoes, Raspberries!

I'm jealous of all the okra Mindy keeps getting!

And Sam from Cooking My Way Through My CSA is back this week with her goods:

lettuce, cucumbers, Red Norland potatoes, garlic, Italian parsley, zucchini, beets, Japanese turnips, Swiss chard, gooseberries, raspberries and red currants

 And I've been seeing gooseberries all over the place - and Sam does not disappoint because she made this awesome jam out of hers!

It's a hot one today, so our softball game got cancelled (so that's why this post is not being done right before I go to bed!).  Glad that Mindy and Sam could join in on the fun - be sure to check out their blogs to see what they do with their goodies!

See you tomorrow guys!  Remember, it's Friday!  Woohoo!

***If you guys received a CSA this week, what did you end up getting?  I'd love to have a weekly round-up of your CSA goodies (if you participate in one), or even if you made a weekly visit to your Farmer's market (or even just picked from your own garden!) - I'd love to see the local produce everyone gets!  So feel free to e-mail a snapshot of your goods (as well as your name and blog title (and don't worry if you don't have a blog, your name will be just fine!) as well as a link to your blog) at mtlabor85 (at) yahoo (dot) com and I'll post them in next Thursday's CSA post!

Sausage & Broccoli Pasta

It's late, so I won't keep you up too long.  I'm pretty darn exhausted.  We had our spring/summer volleyball tournament tonight and well - we lost.  It was double elimination and we won 1 of our 3 matches, so it just wasn't meant to be.  The summer/fall season starts next week, so we'll be ready to rock it out.

Anyway, I thought I'd post this simple sausage and broccoli pasta because it's one of my favorite weeknight dinners.  It's one of those meals that I combine the veggies I have on hand and just make a meal of it!




Ingredients:

1/2 lb. ziti
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 chicken sausages, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 thai chiles, chopped
1 medium sized broccoli head, chopped
14 oz can crushed San Marzano tomatoes
small handful of basil leaves, chopped
1/3 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, shredded, plus more for topping
2 ears of corn, cut off of the cob

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add ziti and cook according to the package directions for al dente.  Drain.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium high heat, add olive oil.  Add sausage and cook until browned, about 4-5 minutes.

Add more olive oil, if needed, and add garlic and chiles.  Stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add broccoli pieces and corn and saute for about 2-3 minutes.

Stir in crushed tomatoes, salt, and pepper.  Simmer for about 10 minutes. 

Stir in ziti and toss to combine.  Remove from heat and stir in basil and Pecorino Romano cheese.  Top with additional Pecorino Romano, if desired.

This was just one of those simple pasta dishes that whips together in no time!  Packed full of veggies and flavor - it's definitely worth keeping in the weeknight dinner rotation.

Don't forget that tomorrow is CSA Thursday, so if you've got a CSA/Farmer's Market find/Garden goodies to share - e-mail me with a picture and/or link to your blog post @ mtlabor85@yahoo.com and I'll post it in the roundup tomorrow evening!

CSA Week #11

Both Andy and I want to thank everyone for their kind comments on his post from this morning!  And if you haven't read it, check it out here!

And now let's check out this week's CSA!

• Carrots
• Sweet Onions
• Green Beans
• Beets
• Basil
• Cucumbers
• Zucchini & Summer Squash
• Mizuna Greens
• Broccoli

Just look at those beautiful orange carrots!  I've been dying to get some pickling done this year, so I know they'd be perfect for it!  Might have to make some banh mi sandwiches later on!

We've got 4 other bloggers to check out this week!  So exciting that we're growing bit by bit!

First up is Kristy from Gastronomical Sovereignty.  Kristy's blog is new to me, so I'm so glad she found me and joined up this week!  After perusing her blog, I know I'll definitely be a regular because she's got awesome recipes (wine poached pears, anyone?) for anything you can think of!  And check out the awesome box her CSA comes in!

blueberries, arugula, beets, dandelion greens, lettuce, italian parsley, snap peas, summer squash, turnips, and a ton of beets

And Lyn from Life Lyn Style is back with both of her CSAs for the week! 

raspberries, green leaf lettuce, red leaf lettuce, onion, yellow squash, zucchini, tomatoes, broccoli, cucumbers, beets, green onions, kohlrabi, potatoes, and sugar snap peas

Next up is Sam from Cooking My Way Through My CSA!  I mean, her blog is about all things CSA, so I am so glad she joined in for all the fun too!  Check out Sam's blog to see how she makes her way through her CSA - she's got an awesome Zucchini Pasta that I'm dying to try!  And those purple carrots are gorgeous!

Japanese turnips, Collard greens, Lettuce, Green beans, Zucchini & Yellow Squash, Purple carrots, Basil, Raspberries, Blueberries

And last, but certainly not least, is my fellow Kentuckian, Mindy from The World In My Kitchen!

Carrots, Rainbow Chard, Red Potatoes, Cucumbers, Cabbage, Tomatoes, Okra

So thanks to everyone that participated this week!  And sorry it's so late - but tomorrow is Friday and we're celebrating with Bourbon!  So be back tomorrow to see what I've got in store for ya =)

***If you guys received a CSA this week, what did you end up getting?  I'd love to have a weekly round-up of your CSA goodies (if you participate in one), or even if you made a weekly visit to your Farmer's market (or even just picked from your own garden!) - I'd love to see the local produce everyone gets!  So feel free to e-mail a snapshot of your goods (as well as your name and blog title (and don't worry if you don't have a blog, your name will be just fine!) as well as a link to your blog) at mtlabor85 (at) yahoo (dot) com and I'll post them in next Thursday's CSA post!

CSA Week #10

Hey guys!  I know it's a tad late, but it's Thursday which means it's CSA day!  So check out what we got!

• Potatoes
• Red Cabbage
• Beets
• Turnips
• Apples
• Tomatoes
• Carrots
• Kale
• Basil

Definitely excited about the apples and those beautiful carrots!

Now let's check out what others got this week:

Lyn from Life Lyn Style sent in these beauties...

Onions, radishes, green onions, cherry tomatoes, tomatoes, yellow squash, zucchini, rhubarb, kohlrabi, collard greens, lettuce, & snow peas

She even made a trip to her local farmer's market also: Whole wheat pastry flour, sausage, bison hot dogs, grass-fed cheese, honey, kale, apples

Mindy from The World In My Kitchen is back from her 2 week European vacation (I'm definitely jealous!) with her CSA:

kale, carrots, onions, beets, fingerling potatoes. tomatoes, basil, okra, beans

And finally, Lori over at Fake Food Free sent over her Farmer's Market goodies (check out that watermelon!) - and you definitely want to check out her post for the Filipino-style pork kebabs - being Filipino, I definitely know I'll be trying this very soon!

kolhrabi, candy onions, cherry tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes, watermelon and potatoes from the Boyle Co Farmer's Market

 

 

We had a record of 3 submissions for this week's CSA round-up!  Thanks for Lyn, Mindy, and Lori for taking part in this - you guys are awesome!  Let's strive for 4 next week, maybe? 

***If you guys received a CSA this week, what did you end up getting?  I'd love to have a weekly round-up of your CSA goodies (if you participate in one), or even if you made a weekly visit to your Farmer's market (or even just picked from your own garden!) - I'd love to see the local produce everyone gets!  So feel free to e-mail a snapshot of your goods (as well as your name and blog title (and don't worry if you don't have a blog, your name will be just fine!) as well as a link to your blog) at mtlabor85 (at) yahoo (dot) com and I'll post them in next Thursday's CSA post!  
See you all tomorrow - I'm off to roast some chicken with some root veggies!

CSA Week #9

It's that time of the week again.  CSA Thursday!  Let's check out what we got this week...

• Emiko Cabbage (similar to Napa Cabbage)
• Sweet Onions
• Blueberries
• Romaine Lettuce
• Cucumbers
• Kale
• Garlic
• Fennel 
• Tomatoes

First tomatoes of the season!  They're plump and juicy - and I'm sure they're absolutely delicious!

Now let's check out some of our fellow bloggers' stash...

Lori from Fake Food Free sent in her garden haul.  She got all these beautiful goodies from her father's garden in Newburgh, Indiana!  Her dad has one serious green thumb - I just wish one of these years my garden produce would be as beautiful as all of this!  Be sure to check out Lori's blog for an awesome grilled green bean recipe!

Blackberries, raspberries, gooseberries, green beans, yellow squash, potatoes and kale.

And Lyn from Life Lyn Style is back with 2 CSAs!

Lyn's Tuesday share included: tomatoes, strawberries, green onions, cherry tomatoes, romaine lettuce, red leaf lettuce, yellow squash, zucchini, kohlrabi, carrots, and radishes!  Whoa that's a ton!

And Lyn's Thursday pickup from Fresh Fork CSA

  Thanks again Lori and Lyn for joining in the CSA round-up this week!  Everybody got some great stuff and I can't wait to see what you all come up with for your goodies! 

I know I'll be experimenting with unique slaws - I've been in a slaw mood lately!  So be sure to check back to see if I come up with anything crazy.

Anyway, I'm off for a run (I'm still at it - yay! I've got a consistent 9:13 mile, so I've shaved off 20 seconds from last week already - score!)  Be back tomorrow with something tasty - and a treat poll! 

***If you guys received a CSA this week, what did you end up getting?  I'd love to have a weekly round-up of your CSA goodies (if you participate in one), or even if you made a weekly visit to your Farmer's market (or even just picked from your own garden!) - I'd love to see the local produce everyone gets!  So feel free to e-mail a snapshot of your goods (as well as your name and blog title (and don't worry if you don't have a blog, your name will be just fine!) as well as a link to your blog) at mtlabor85 (at) yahoo (dot) com and I'll post them in next Thursday's CSA post!  

CSA Week #7

I know, another late post.  I've been pretty crazy busy the past couple of nights!  Anyway, check out what we got in our CSA this week...

• Fresh garlic
• Sweet Red Onions
• Radishes
• Salad Mix
• Head Lettuce
• Shell Peas
• Fennel
• Broccoli
• Collards
• Blueberries

Can't wait to use those blueberries - I'm thinking muffins are in order!

Currently in the process of roasting this bad boy to infuse some olive oil with it's goodness!

And check it out - we've got 2 blogger CSAs to look at this week!  Both from Kentucky!  I know the rest of you out there want to join in too - let's make this nationwide =)  Maybe next week!

Mindy from The World In My Kitchen looks like she's got a great haul this week!

Mindy got some broccoli, carrots, lettuce, cucumber, baby beets, shell peas, and parsley!

And here's Kate from produce from Dove's Landing - p.s. if you haven't checked out Kate's blog A Healthy Passion - please do, because she always has great healthy recipes posted and tons of nutritious tips!

Looks like Kate got a green tomato, broccoli, carrots, summer squash, zucchini, lettuce, kale, and potatoes!

***If you guys received a CSA this week, what did you end up getting?  I'd love to have a weekly round-up of your CSA goodies (if you participate in one), or even if you made a weekly visit to your Farmer's market (or even just picked from your own garden!) - I'd love to see the local produce everyone gets!  So feel free to e-mail a snapshot of your goods (as well as your name and blog title (and don't worry if you don't have a blog, your name will be just fine!) as well as a link to your blog) at mtlabor85 (at) yahoo (dot) com and I'll post them in next Thursday's CSA post!  

CSA Week #6

Check out what we got in our CSA this week!

•  Fennel
• Broccoli
• Garlic Scapes
• Kale
• Head Lettuce
• Chard
• Turnips
• Cabbage
• Collards
• Cauliflower

 They definitely loaded us up this week! 

I just love fennel!  I used to dislike it... but then I had it the right way =)

Can't wait to roast these turnips!

And Mindy over at The World In My Kitchen was the only person to turn in her CSA this week - thanks again Mindy!

Mindy got Salad Greens, Carrots, Red Leaf Lettuce, Red Butterhead Lettuce, a Jade Cucumber, Hakauri Salad Turnips, Oregano, & Snow Peas - Looks great Mindy!

There's got to be more of you with CSAs that want to share!  Maybe next week =)

***If you guys received a CSA this week, what did you end up getting?  I'd love to have a weekly round-up of your CSA goodies (if you participate in one), or even if you made a weekly visit to your Farmer's market (or even just picked from your own garden!) - I'd love to see the local produce everyone gets!  So feel free to e-mail a snapshot of your goods (as well as your name and blog title (and don't worry if you don't have a blog, your name will be just fine!) as well as a link to your blog) at mtlabor85 (at) yahoo (dot) com and I'll post them in next Thursday's CSA post!  

CSA Week #5

Let's check out what we got in our CSA this week!

• Summer Squash & Zucchini - they're getting bigger!!
• Broccoli
• Mixed Salad Greens
• Green Onions
• Pea Pods
• Dill
• Head Lettuce
• Garlic Scapes - so so so excited about these!
• Strawberries
• Bibb Lettuce

Tons of new stuff this week!  I'm especially excited about these scapes!  I've never used them before, and I remember last year around this time, everybody was just all scape-crazy!  And now I can join in on that fun =)  I'll probably be stir frying them up with some shrimp and pasta... so look forward to my adventures with scapes!

Looks like a giant green squid coming atcha!

Doesn't look like we've got any other CSA pictures to add this week (Mindy's on vacation).  So hopefully some of you shy folks can send some pics in next week!  And don't forget to come back tomorrow to vote in the new dessert poll!  I'm heading up to Indianapolis this Saturday for a graduation party and I need something to bring with me!

***If you guys received a CSA this week, what did you end up getting?  I'd love to have a weekly round-up of your CSA goodies (if you participate in one), or even if you made a weekly visit to your Farmer's market (or even just picked from your own garden!) - I'd love to see the local produce everyone gets!  So feel free to e-mail a snapshot of your goods (as well as your name and blog title (and don't worry if you don't have a blog, your name will be just fine!) as well as a link to your blog) at mtlabor85 (at) yahoo (dot) com and I'll post them in next Thursday's CSA post!  
 

CSA Week #4

Hey guys!  It's CSA Thursday!  Lots of greenery this week, check it out:

Look at those gorgeous colors!

Aren't these little guys too cute??

• Summer Squash & Zucchini Teaser (can't wait for the big hauls later on in the season!)
• Green Onions
• Head Lettuce
• Basil
• Chinese Cabbage (I sense a kimchi recipe in my near future!)
• Mixed Salad Greens
• Rainbow Chard
• Radishes

Lots of goodies, obviously!

And Mindy from The World In My Kitchen sent me her 2nd week of her CSA!  Thanks for joining in again Mindy!

Looks like Mindy got some kale, beet greens, collard greens, spinach, mesclun, & cilantro!

 I'd love to see what you guys are getting in your CSAs, Farmer's Markets, or even your own garden!   

***If you guys received a CSA this week, what did you end up getting?  I'd love to have a weekly round-up of your CSA goodies (if you participate in one), or even if you made a weekly visit to your Farmer's market (or even just picked from your own garden!) - I'd love to see the local produce everyone gets!  So feel free to e-mail a snapshot of your goods (as well as your name and blog title (and don't worry if you don't have a blog, your name will be just fine!) as well as a link to your blog) at mtlabor85 (at) yahoo (dot) com and I'll post them in next Thursday's CSA post!  

Pretzel-Crusted Chicken Breasts

Happy Wednesday guys!  How's everyone's week going so far?  So far so good with us!

Picked up our CSA box this afternoon and it was LOADED with goodies!  Can't wait to share all of our goods with you tomorrow!

And on to today's recipe...

When I think of pretzels, I don't usually immediately think to use them as a coating/breading - although it's quite common these days!  But the salty snack is a great breading for chicken and fish!  This recipe proves it!


Ingredients:

Adapted from Savour Fare's recipe

1 & 1/2 cups pretzel sticks
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup spicy brown mustard
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon water
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 & 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
salt and pepper, to taste
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Tabasco, optional

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Place a rack over a baking sheet.

Place pretzels into a plastic bag and seal.  Run a rolling pin over the pretzels until they reach a desired consistency.  I liked them somewhat pulverized, but still with small chunks of pretzel still visible. 

Transfer crush pretzels to a shallow dish and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine spicy brown mustard, Dijon mustard, water, and vinegar.  Whisk to combine.  Slowly whisk in the olive oil until fully incorporated and homogenous.  Add in cayenne pepper and season with salt, if needed.

Dip chicken breasts in mustard mixture and coat well.  Then dip in dish with pretzels and coat well.  Place chicken breasts on top of rack on baking sheet. 

Bake chicken until cooked through, about 30-40 minutes, depending on the size of your chicken breasts (ours were quite large).  Slice and serve with some buttered pasta and Tabasco sauce (couldn't resist the added heat!).

This was such a quick and easy weeknight meal, I'm really thinking about keeping it in my rotation for a while!  I loved the added crunch of the pretzels and the mustardy/Tabasco kick!  Loved it - and I hope if you try this, that you will too!

Have a great Wednesday guys and hope you're back tomorrow to see our CSA goodies!  And Friday, I'll be posting the Derby Pie fudge recipe, so you know you can't miss that!  I'm off to play some volleyball (we've just got to do better than last week's 0-3 showing!)