A roundup of savory rhubarb recipes

Have you outgrown your childhood nickname? (Come on, Litto Witto, Sassy Pants, Silly Billy and Snuffy -- let's unite!)

Well, rhubarb needs to cast aside its nickname, too. Sure, "pie plant" aptly defines the plant to unimaginative gardeners and cooks, but rhubarb can be so much more. Instead of always designating rhubarb to dessert fare, where a healthy dose of sugar tempers its tartness, unleash rhubarb's pucker alongside meats, pasta and other savory dishes.

I cooked these three recipes for my family -- and we love them! Click on each name or photo to get the full recipe at the source.

Rhubarb chive flatbread.

Photo from bhg.com

Whole stalks of rhubarb are arranged on an easy-to-make yeast bread. The rhubarb delivers a creamy, tangy jolt when you eat the bread, with a texture almost like the filling in a danish. This is prettiest with the reddest stalks of rhubarb. I chopped purple chive flowers along with the green chives to go into the dough. I thought I'd be extra fancy and place whole chives and flowers with the stalks of rhubarb. These flowers burned to a crisp (certainly hastened by the oil oil I drizzled on top), although the chopped blossoms incorporated into the dough were just fine.


Linguine with rhubarb, garlic, black and pepper

Photo from bhg.com

Delicious! This dish also has parsley and parmesan cheese. I chopped the rhubarb extra fine to make this an easier sell to my family, but I won't bother with such disguising next time.  Plus, I think the bigger pieces will retain extra crunch. My husband wondered if there was chicken in there. Nope, all vegetarian. To refine the cooking instructions, I recommend sprinkling the parmesan in gradually. I should have known better than to add it to the pasta all at once; it formed a blob all at once. Imagine that.


Slow cooker pulled pork with rhubarb sauce

Throw a pork roast into a slow cooker with a mixture of rhubarb, spices, honey and worcestershire sauce on top, and walk away. The rhubarb breaks down almost completely. Shred meet and rhubarb together and serve on rolls for sandwiches. This won't have the vibrant color that a pulled pork sandwich made with commercial barbecue sauce will, but it is still nightly tasty. To the leftovers I adjusted the seasoning with chili powder and cumin and used in a Cafe Rio-type salad with greens, black beans and rice.

How have you used rhubarb beyond pies?

Eat the Seasons: Roasted tomato sauce and soup base

Small tomato varieties -- such as grape, cherry and yellow pear -- get typecast as salad fare. Harvest some greens, throw in these little tomatoes, BAM! Done.

Last year I had way more little tomatoes than salads in my future. I experimented with ways to cook and preserve the bounty.

My favorite was to roast the tomatoes with olive oil, salt and garlic, and then puree the mixture for pasta/pizza sauce or as the start to a delicious tomato soup. These are guidelines rather than specific quantities.

To make, spread tomatoes in a single layer in a pan or on a cookie sheet. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, then stir. You want enough oil to coat the tomatoes, but not so much that the tomatoes swim in the pan. If desired you may also add garlic cloves and herbs, although I like to throw the fresh herbs in at the end of cooking. Don't chop garlic, because the smaller the pieces, the more likely they will burn.

Cook in a 350 degree oven, checking after a half hour. You want the tomatoes to be wrinkled and release their juices, but only barely start to caramelize and show a bit of brown on the skin. Once they reach this point they can burn quickly. Behold, the pan of tomatoes that was almost there, and for which I decided to turn off the heat but leave in the oven when I picked up a child from school:

Oops! In the oven too long.

All the juice and olive oil cooked away, and the skins were papery. It was a mess! Not good.

In contrast, here's what you want the cooked tomatoes to look like:

Ah, perfect.

Roasting tomatoes will fill your home with the most tantalizing aroma. Puree in a blender or food processor to make the sauce. You may choose to run the sauce through a strainer to remove seeds and larger skins. I list this as an option, for if I plan to use the sauce on pizza I don't bother to do the straining step.

For sauce: Adjust seasonings, adding salt and pepper to taste. Some sauces made from larger tomato varieties benefit from the addition of sugar, but I have found that the grape tomatoes especially impart just the right amount of sweetness.

To make soup, add more liquid (water or broth) to desired consistency. Depending on how fine your strainer is, you may find it easier to strain the seeds AFTER adding more liquid instead of pushing the initial puree through a sieve.

When your soup start is nicely blended, season to taste with salt and pepper; place in sauce pan to warm. Add chopped fresh basil and a touch of cream (about a 1/4 cup per quart of tomato mixture) and serve as soon as cream is warmed through. OK, this makes a fine soup all by itself, but the cream sends it over the top on the yummy scale.

The roasted tomato puree freezes well.

Easy microwave summer squash recipe

This is one of my favorite ways to cook yellow summer squash. It takes longer to walk to the garden and harvest than it does to prepare.

In a 1-quart glass casserole or other microwave-safe dish mix:

1 squash, cut into 1/4-inch slices
About 3 Tablespoons chopped green pepper

Season with salt, pepper and paprika to taste.
Add pat of butter. (This is optional, but come on! It's butter, yum.)

No water is necessary. Cover with glass lid or plastic wrap. Microwave at high power, checking after 3 minutes. This is the amount of time to cook this in my 1100-watt appliance; adjust times accordingly for your microwave.



Be sure to check out Maple Hill's seed-to-table series today. This week's entry: Parsley.

Homemade ice cream basics

Making homemade ice cream is easier than ever with kitchen appliances that don't require ice or salt. It's an especially yummy way to enjoy homegrown berries and peaches.

There are many ice cream maker brands available with the premise of a bowl with cooling liquid inside an insulated wall. You freeze this ahead of time until the liquid is solid. It doesn't take much space -- so you can have this in your freezer ready at will for an ice cream craving. (Admittedly, if you don't have it frozen already that can be the hardest step to making a batch!) My maker rotates the bowl around the mixing arm to freeze the dessert in about 30 minutes.

Recipes are plentiful, but you can cobble your own fruit creations with a few guidelines. These tips are for a 2-quart maker. (Source: Cuisinart)

• Use 4 cups total of a milk/cream combination. For example 1 cup milk and 3 cups cream, or 2 cups each. Naturally a higher fat content will yield a richer and creamier dessert.

• Add 1 cup sugar (see note below)

• Add 1-2 teaspoons vanilla extract, to taste.

Use a hand mixer to combine liquid and sugar, making sure sugar is dissolved.

• Use 3 cups fruit.

This next step takes a bit of time, but the flavor impact is well worth it:

• Combine your fruit (stemmed berries, sliced peaches, etc.) with 1/2 cup sugar and 4 tablespoons lemon or lime juice. Stir and let the fruit macerate for 2 hours, which releases those tasty juices. This also makes the difference between white vanilla ice cream with raspberries floating in it, and pink ice cream flavored with the berries through and through. Strain, reserving the liquid, and mash half of the fruit. Add all to your milk/cream mixture.

• Note: Taste mixture before pouring into machine. Keep in mind that freezing can reduce the sweetness of fruit. If it tastes tart, add more sugar

That's it! What are your favorite ice cream creations?

Mom's Baked Squash with Applesauce

by Megan

I am a pretty big believer in eating in season and buying locally grown produce. I owe most of that to this guy and this lady. Not that I don't still buy ridiculous amounts of bananas every week but still I try and what I can. And I KNOW a little makes a difference. Anyhow, on to the point. Here is a GREAT food that can meet all of the important criteria. This recipe is something like the one from this book. I love to eat it on cold afternoons or in the evening with I'm trying to refrain from the amazing cookies my husband always bakes. It's like a great mix of apple & pumpkin pie - except really healthy!

Mom's Baked Squash with Applesauce

1 acorn squash
2 tablespoons of cider jelly, apple jelly, or currant jelly(I use apple butter)
salt
1 cup of applesauce
cinnamon & sugar

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Half the squash from top to bottom and scoop out the seeds. Cut a small slice from the bottom of each half so the squash will sit flat as it bakes and place them in a casserole or baking dish with a lid. Brush the jelly over the flesh of each half and then sprinkle with a little salt. Cover and bake for 50-55 minutes or until the flesh is just tender. If liquid has settled in the cavities spoon it out and then fill with applesauce. Bake for 10 more minutes or until the applesauce is warm. Sprinkle with copious amounts of cinnamon and sugar and enjoy!

Eat the Seasons - Rustic Potato-Leek Soup

With the changes in the air, nothing - and I mean NOTHING sounds better than a good hearty bowl of soup. So, this past week I made a healthy, simple, and yummy Potato & Leek soup. And here's the recipe(taken from The New Best Recipe):

Serves 6-8

4-5 pounds leeks(clean them well!)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
5 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1 3/4 pounds red potatoes(about 5 medium) - peeled and cut into 3/4 inch dice
salt & ground pepper

1. Cut off the roots and tough dark green portions of the leeks, leaving the white portions and about 3 inches of the light green portion. Slice the leeks in half lengthwise and chop into 1-inch pieces.
2. Heat the butter in a large stockpot or dutch oven over medium low heat until foaming. Stir in the leeks, increase the heat to medium, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are tender but not mushy, 15-20 minutes; do not brown the leeks. Sprinkle the flour over the leeks and stir to coat evenly. Cook until the flour dissolves, about 2 minutes.
3. Increase the heat to high; whisking constantly, gradually add the broth. Add the bay leaf and potatoes, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to med-low and simmer, covered, until the potatoes are tender and the flavors meld, 10-15 minutes. Discard the bay leaf and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately. (The soup can be refrigerated in an airtight container for a day or two. Warm over low heat until hot; do not boil.)

This made a good amount of soup so it was able to warm us up for a few days. I also added a sprinkle of cheese on top.

What's in season? Potatoes & Leeks

Eat the Season Friday

Thanks Kristi for guest writing our "Eat the Season" this week!


Dehydrated Apples


PREPARATION

Peel and core, cut into slices or rings one-eighth to one-quarter inch thick. Peelings may be left on, however they tend to toughen during dehydration.

Fruits that are to be dehydrated are pretreated to prevent discoloration by oxidation, to keep a fresher color, to have a more pliable texture, and to help retain vitamin A and C.

Each of the following pretreatments perform a useful part of the dehydrating process and each has merit. Personal preference should be your guide.

Sodium Bisulfite:
Dissolve 2 teaspoons of sodium bisulfite in one quart of water and add cut fruit. Slices of fruit should be soaked for no more than 10 minutes. Drain and dehydrate. (CAUTION: Sodium Bisulfite can affect anyone with asthma, allergies or other respiratory problems.)

Ascorbic Acid:
Dissolve one tablespoon of pure crystalline ascorbic acid in one quart of cold water. Add cut fruit and soak for a few minutes; remove with a slotted spoon; drain well and dehydrate.

Lemon Juice:
Use one cup lemon juice to one quart water. Soak the fruit for no more than ten minutes. Drain and dehydrate. (Lemon juice is only one-sixth as effective as ascorbic acid.)

NOTE: After pretreating, the apple slices may be sprinkled with cinnamon or flavored gelatin crystals.

DRYING METHODS

Sun Drying.
This method takes 3-4 hot days (98-100 degrees F). Be sure to cover fruit with screen or cheese cloth to keep away insects. Bring in or cover at night to keep moisture from collecting. To "pasteurize" sun dried fruit in order to prevent contamination from insects, freeze for 28-72 hours.

Oven Drying.
This is generally the fastest method. The temperature should be no higher than 140 degrees, leave the door ajar; place a fan so it blows across the opening and carries the moisture away.

Dehydrator Method. The temperature should be 150 degrees for 2-3 hours, then reduce to 130 degrees until dry.

Fruit is dry when it is soft and pliable with no moist area in the center when cut.

From: http://www.seasonalchef.com/appledehyd.htm








Beef & Sausage Pot Pie (You can also use chicken)


2 cans Cream of Mushroom or Cream of Chicken (10.5 oz)
1/4 cup Water
1 pound ground beef
1 pound sausage (or use 1-2 pounds diced chicken)
1-2 scallions or very small onions (optional)

Options for veggies
Corn
Green Beans
Carrots
Potatoes
Peas
Spinach (diced really small)
Lima Beans
Or anything else that sounds good to you
Salt and Pepper to taste

Topping
Mix 4 servings worth of Bisquick with 1/4 less cup water than the recipe calls for. (You could also use your favorite biscuit recipe instead. Buttermilk biscuits are also really good.

Brown meat that you are using (Beef & Sausage or Chicken). If you like onions and 1-2 scallions or small onions. Mix meat with Cream of mushroom or chicken.
When adding veggies, things like green beans, lima beans, carrots, and potatoes need to be precooked. Cook them until they are almost as soft as you would normally eat them. If you cook them until they are "done," they will be mush by the time you cook the whole pot pie. Mix veggies with meat mixture and put in the bottom of a pan or dish. Mix Topping and spread evenly over filling.

Cook for about 45 minutes (or until top is golden brown)

Hint* Most times I will only put on half the topping, cook it until that is done, and then add another layer of topping. This makes a thick crust and ensures that it is not still gooey in the middle.

Fruity Frozen Honey Yogurt Pops-Eat the Seasons Friday

To celebrate National Honey Month, make a yummy frozen treat.

Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh, ripe nectarines, pineapple, or strawberries, chopped
• 1-1/2 cups plain yogurt
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 8 paper cups (3 oz.) and popsicle sticks or plastic spoons

Directions:

In a blender, combine all ingredients; mix well. Pour into eight (3 oz.) paper cups; insert popsicle sticks or plastic spoon in center of each. Freeze 4 hours or until solidly frozen.

Recipe found on www.honey.com

~marisa

Zucchini Brownies-Eat the Seaons Friday

These brownies are to DIE FOR, and yes, they are made with zucchini. I have never in my life had success making brownies from scratch, but my 9 year old son made these by himself, so this recipe is a keeper. Recipe was found here

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups shredded zucchini
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Frosting

• 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup margarine
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the oil, sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla until well blended. Combine the flour, 1/2 cup cocoa, baking soda and salt; stir into the sugar mixture. Fold in the zucchini and walnuts. Spread evenly into the prepared pan.
3. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until brownies spring back when gently touched. To make the frosting, melt together the 6 tablespoons of cocoa and margarine; set aside to cool. In a medium bowl, blend together the confectioners' sugar, milk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Stir in the cocoa mixture. Spread over cooled brownies before cutting into squares.

~marisa

Post Apocalyptic Zucchini and Corn Fritters-Eat the Seasons Friday

If the end of the world ever comes, the first seed I will plant in my post apocalyptic vegetable garden is going to be a Zucchini. It’s not my favorite vegetable but I have never had problems growing this magical squash. Not only do the Zucchini plants I plant live they thrive and I always end up with too much of it. I ask you, what better plant to try to sustain myself with when the superbug has been unleashed, or the nuclear bombs have been launched, or the asteroid has hit the planet.

I found a great recipe for Zucchini Fritters on this link. http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2009/08/what-to-do-with-zucchini-and-corn-fritters-recipe.html

Here is the recipe from the article.

Zucchini and Corn Fritters

- serves 4 -

Ingredients

4 cups shredded zucchini
1 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
2 ears corn
1 small onion, diced small
3 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
1/4 cup cilantro, minced
3/4 cup flour
A few good grinds of black pepper
Canola, grapeseed or other neutral oil, for pan-frying
Sour cream or Greek yogurt, for serving

Procedure

1. Shred the zucchini on the large holes of a box grater or with the shredding disc of a food processor. Place the shredded zucchini in a colander in the sink or over a bowl and sprinkle with the salt. Toss to combine. Let drain while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

2. Crack the eggs into a large bowl and scramble lightly. Cut the kernels from the corn cobs and add the kernels to the bowl along with the diced onion, sliced scallions, chopped cilantro, flour and pepper.

3. Pick up the shredded zucchini in small handfuls and squeeze out and discard as much liquid as you can. Add the zucchini to the bowl. Mix well to combine.

4. Pour the oil into a large frying pan to a depth of about 1/4-inch. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Drop large, heaping spoonfuls of the zucchini mixture into the pan to form disc-shaped fritters. Cook in batches without crowding (about 3 or 4 at a time, depending on the size of your pan) until golden brown on the underside (about 2 minutes) and then flip and cook until golden brown on the second side. Remove to paper towels to drain. Add a bit more oil between batches if necessary.

5. Serve with a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt. The fritters should be crisp on the outside and slightly custardy on the inside.

I added some oregano and cut out the scallions. The result was amazing. I made two versions. The first was a smaller appetizer fritter that we served with some ranch (I hate ranch but I used it so the kids would eat it). It was wonderful. The outside was crisp and the inside was almost creamy. If I would have made more we would have ate more.

The second version was more of a dinner. I made larger fritters and covered them with some fresh overeasy eggs from our chickens. The yolk from the eggs and the fritters combined very well together. As you can see in the picture I added some hot sauce as well for some kick.

I know it’s not the healthiest recipe because of the oil but it didn’t seem like the fritters absorbed much oil so they weren’t too heavy. Besides, I won’t be worried about frying food when the world has ended. Sorry about the dark view of the future but I just finished reading The Canticle for Leibowitz which is a wonderful post apocolyptical book written in 1959 about what happens to the world after nuclear war. There weren’t any zucchini in the book but there should have been. They would have flourished.

--
Mike Johnson

Cool As A Cucumber-Eat the Seasons Friday

This year our garden has given us the best cucumber crop that we have ever had. One of our favorite cucumber recipes is so easy to make. I often ate a version of this when I lived in the Dominican Republic. It is very refreshing and tastes like summer to me. There are many ways to make it but here is how we do it,

Ingredients

3 Medium Cucumbers
½ cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Tablespoon salt
2-3 Tablespoons sugar( I like 2 as I prefer this dish more sour than sweet)
3 Tablespoons Fresh Dill or 3 Teaspoons Dried Dill

Mix all ingredients but cucumbers in a bowl. Cube or slice Cucumbers and add to mix. Refrigerate for at least a half hour to allow to marinate. Enjoy.

Variations
You can use other types of vinegar. The most common substitute would be white vinegar. I want to try it with Balsamic vinegar next. You can also add other vegetables like green beans, onions, or baby zucchini.

Michael

Eat the Seasons Friday- Tacos Sin Carne

Our family has an abundance of vegetables right now and so we look for a lot of vegetarian recipes in order to take advantage of our bounty. I decided that vegetarian tacos would be a good way to use a lot of vegetables at once.

To make our tacos we grilled zucchini and crookneck squash seasoned with seasoning salt on our charcoal barbecue. You could probably sauté them as well but I like the added flavor that the grill gives. We sautéed some onions, and cut up some fresh red roma tomatoes and avocado. Everything but the avocado was from our garden. In addition to the vegetables I went to the local Latino market and bought some Queso Blanco and tomatillo salsa to put on top for some extra flavor. If you really want a vegetarian meal make sure your corn tortillas don’t have any lard in them. The tacos were very refreshing and as a meat lover I didn’t even notice that these didn’t have any. The zucchini and squash were a great substitute.

You can get really creative with the veggies you add to your tacos. I think that some grilled eggplant or grilled corn would be a good addition. Do you have any other suggestions for meals that use a lot of vegetables?

~Michael

Eat the Seasons - Nuke the Zuke

When you grow zucchini, even a single plant, you get inundated with the stuff. A great way to use the bounty is in zucchini bread.

Maybe you're like me, though, and absolutely hate to fire up the oven on hot summer days. One option is to grate zucchini and freeze it in bags to use later like, say, winter. (Pick portion sizes that match the quantities in your recipes.)

Or, you can keep your cool with baked goods by using your microwave. Truly!

I used my favorite zucchini bread recipe, which makes two loaves. I have silicone loaf pans (which are great for the microwave and my preference for this recipe), but I also tested this in a glass loaf pan. Silicone pans do not need to be greased; glass should either be lined with wax paper or greased and floured.

The method for micrwave quick breads is as follows: Do one loaf at a time. If using a glass loaf dish, place on inverted microwave-safe saucer or small plate. Cook at medium power (50 percent) for nine minutes, rotating pan a quarter turn every three minutes if you don't have a turntable. Then cook at full power for 7-10 minutes. Check for any "wet" spots in the center after 7 minutes, and cook in minute increments if needed. You don't want any unbaked batter in the center. Watch closely, as the loaf can go from done to overdone quickly. (The glass pan cooked faster.) Let stand 5-10 minutes, and remove from pan.

Despite cooking the two loaves separately, this still was faster than the hour they would have spent in the conventional oven -- and the hours it would take for my house to cool back down.

Combine:

3 eggs
1 cup total of oil and applesauce -- I like to use 1/2 cup of each
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup sugar
2 cups grated zucchini
1 Tablespoon vanilla

Sift together:
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 Tablespoon cinnamon (yep, 1 whole Tablespoon)
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Add sifted dry ingredients to zucchini mixture and stir well.

If using microwave, follow directions above.

If using conventional oven, place in two greased and floured loaf pans, and bake at 325 degrees for one hour.

What's in season (from here until the end of summer!): zucchini

~ Jennifer

Eat the Seasons - Rhubarb Crisp

If you have yet to try rhubarb - why not do it this year? It's a real treat!

Rhubarb Crisp

Ingredients*

Serves 12

• 2 pounds rhubarb, sliced crosswise 3/4 inch thick
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Vanilla ice cream, for serving (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, combine the rhubarb, 1 cup sugar, and 1/4 cup flour; set aside.
2. In the bowl of a food processor, combine remaining 1/2 cup flour and the butter. Pulse until the butter pieces are pea-size. Add brown sugar, oats, and cinnamon. Pulse to combine. Sprinkle over rhubarb.
3. Bake until rhubarb is tender and topping is golden, 35 to 45 minutes. Serve warm with ice cream, if desired.

* recipe taken from marthastewart.com

Lettuce All Give Thanks-Eat the Seasons Friday

Lettuce All Give Thanks....

……. to the bounty of summer. The other day Marisa asked me to make a salad for dinner which gave me the opportunity to go out to the garden to forage. There is nothing better than a salad that was picked 15 minutes earlier. I was able to get some of our Green Oakleaf lettuce and our Forellenschuss Lettuce. We also had some sweet peas and strawberries to add to it. Here is a photo of the pickings.

I made sure to wash these as we had sprayed the vegetables with our homemade bug spray the week before. Then I mixed everything together and Marisa made a great salad dressing. She got the recipe from our sister-in-laws’ mother Irma. Here is the recipe.

Poppy Seed Salad Dressing

1/2 Cup Canola oil
1/2 Cup Sugar
1/4 Cup Red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. Poppy seed
2 Tbsps. Worcestershire sauce

Mix well until the sugar is dissolved.

Put them all together and you have a great salad, fresh from the garden with ingredients that you can pronounce. No preservatives, no additives, just a whole lot of tasty.
What's in Season?
Lettuce
Strawberries
Peas


~Michael

Eat the Season Friday - Basil Pesto

Today we were able to make our first batch of pesto. Pesto is one of the many gifts of summer - you can add it to pastas, sandwiches, chicken or fish for a perfect summer meal. Or you can do like we do around here and eat it with a spoon. We are admitted pesto addicts in our home and one of my favorite snacks is toasted whole wheat bread spread with a generous helping of pesto. And while we might all agree pesto tastes delicious - good pesto from the store is not only hard to find but it can be pretty spendy. Even if you try and make it on your own using basil leaves from the store it will be expensive. The best way to enjoy it is by growing your own basil - making this pesto cost only a couple dollars at most.

First let's talk about cutting the Basil. There is a right way and a wrong way. If you cut it the wrong way you will stunt it's growth and cause it to begin to flower. The trick to cutting it correctly is to cut about a third of the way down the stem right where some leaves are forming. In this image I had just cut the basil plant and you can see the new growth. If you cut the basil correctly you will actually encourage it's growth and you'll be able to harvest more and for a lot longer!

There are many recipes for pesto and they all have different variations - this one happens to be my favorite basic pesto:

2 1/2 cups packed fresh basil leaves

2 or 3 large cloves of garlic, peeled

2/3 cup good quality olive oil

1/4 cup walnuts or pine nuts(I used walnuts)

1/8 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

The first step is to wash the basil - the best method is to fill a bowl will cold water and immerse the basil giving it a few good swishes. Then combine all of the ingredients except the cheese in a food processor andpulse until it is well blended and becomes a sauce- about 10-20 seconds.

Scrape the mixture into a medium bowl with a rubber spatula and fold in the cheese. And viola - you've got pesto! Store it in the fridge in an air-tight container. If you don't plan on eating it within 3 or 4 days then throw it in the freezer where it will last for up to six months.

What's in season? basil & garlic

New Feature - Eat the Season Fridays

We are adding a new feature which we think will enable all of us to use the food out of our gardens and from our local farmers more easily - Eat the Season Fridays. Every Friday we will post a recipe with photos containing something that is in season. Why eat in season? Here's an answer from one of our favorite sites, eattheseasons.com:

There are a number of good reasons to eat more local, seasonal food:

• to reduce the energy (and associated CO2 emissions) needed to grow and transport the food we eat

• to avoid paying a premium for food that is scarcer or has travelled a long way

• to support the local economy

• to reconnect with nature's cycles and the passing of time

But, most importantly, because

• seasonal food is fresher and so tends to be tastier and more nutritious

• 
  

Not only do we think it's really important to add more locally grown seasonal foods to our diets, we're also really excited to try out new tasty recipes and foods! Check back Friday for our first installment!

Curious as to what is in season right now? Click here!