Christmas Arrangements

Kelly and Kara are currently taking orders for Christmas arrangements. Email kara@wildwoodfamilyfarms.com by Monday, December 9th to reserve yours.

Prices:
5x5 glass cube with flowers (pictured above): $40.00
5x5 glass cube with just greens and berries:$25.00

handmade barnwood box (approx. 7x12) with flowers: 75.00
handmade barnwood box (approx. 7x12) with greens and berries: $50.00

We are also willing to create an arrangement according to your individual preferences (specific container, with a candle, circular...). Contact Kara for pricing.

Arrangements will be ready for pick up at the farm on Friday, December 20 just in time for your party or as a last minute gift.
 

CSA pick up - Oct 2

Next week will be our last CSA pick up for the season.
But today's share included some unusual produce including a stir fry mix. It consists of a bok choy-like leafy green, and a kale-like curly green. Both of these (as well as the tatsoi) can be sauteed and substituted in the BeBimBop recipe posted below. Wilt or saute these greens just prior to serving.
Happy eating,
Kara

Be Bim Bop

Be Bim Bop, meaning "mixed up rice": a traditional Korean dish (the Van Drie version)

This seems like a lot of work but once you get the hang of it, it comes together quickly. We eat this almost every week during the CSA season.

2 cups cooked white (or brown) rice (I use our rice steamer).

Marinade 1lb thinly sliced boneless chicken or beef while you prepare the vegetables. You can squish the meat and marinade together with your fingers for a few minutes to make the meat more tender.

Marinade:

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

2 green onions (chopped)

5 TBS soy sauce

2 TBS sugar

2 TBS vegetable oil

1 tsp toasted sesame seeds (optional)

1 TBS sesame oil (optional but I love it!)

1/8 tsp black pepper

Beat 4 eggs and pour egg mixture in small batches into an oiled pan over med/high heat making a thin egg pancake. Cook about 1 minute and then flip the pancake, cooking for another minute until firmly set. Flip pancake onto a cutting board and slice into thin strips or ribbons. Repeat 2-3X with remaining egg mixture. Place eggs in bowl and set aside.

Cut carrots into julienne strips and saute in a bit of oil until tender. Use those farm veggies! I have recently added sugar peas, turnips, and green beans to my carrots for a great use of our vegetables. You could certainly do a separate batch of sauteed zucchini, summer squash, and/or eggplant but I would cook these apart from the other vegetables listed above as they tend to get soggy if overcooked. Place cooked vegetables in bowls and set aside.

Saute chopped spinach (or kale, chard, or any dark leafy green) until wilted. Place in bowl and set aside.

Turn your pan up to high and dump the meat and all the marinade into the pan. Spread it around so it cooks evenly and saute for a few minutes until the meat is cooked through. Transfer to a large bowl.

Each diner gets a portion of rice in a bowl, then tops it with meat (be sure to spoon the meat sauce over it too), a variety of the vegetables, sauteed greens, and eggs. Then "be-bim" - mix everything together. It is ready to eat!

Traditionally this is also topped with kimchee (pickled spicy cabbage) that can be purchased at many grocery stores and Asian specialty markets (but we often skip the kimchee).

I usually make a hot sauce with equal parts fresh lime juice and nam pla (Asian fish sauce which is richer in flavor than soy sauce but you probably could substitute soy sauce too) and chopped hot peppers from the farm. Mix together and use sparingly depending on how much heat you can handle.

Salsa

I am canning salsa this week. Here is the recipe that I use for our mild salsa.

30 cups diced, peeled tomatoes
1 cup diced green pepper
2 cups diced red pepper
8 cups diced onion
1/4-1/2 cup jalapeno
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups vinegar
8 tsp pickling salt
2 tsp pepper
2 large cans tomato paste

Simmer for 1.5 hours stirring often. Jar and process: 35 minutes for pint jars, 45 minutes for quart jars.

CSA Pick up - Aug 28

 

Turkey and Zucchini Meatloaf

I tried a new recipe this week that is perfect for our zucchini (for those zucchini that get extra large, I scooped out the seeds and used half a zucchini). The best part was that my little ones, who generally do not eat zucchini unless it is in a sweet bread, gobbled it down unaware.

1/2 dry cup quinoa, cooked according to package directions and slightly cooled
1 zucchini, shredded (I peeled away the green skin to help disguise it in the meatloaf)
2 large egg whites
1/2 chili sauce (this called for chili sauce but you could use a natural/homemade ketchup if you avoid the high fructose corn syrup that most chili sauces contain)
1/2 onion, shredded or finely chopped
1/2 tsp sage
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 pound ground turkey breast
1 TBS spicy brown mustard

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray muffin pan with canola spray. Squeeze zucchini dry and place in large bowl with egg whites, 1/4 chili sauce (or substitute), onion, age, salt and pepper. Add turkey and quinoa and stir to mix well.

Place a large spoonful of mixture in each muffin cup (I make 10-11 "muffins"). Mix 1/4 cup chili sauce with mustard and top each cup.

Bake until each "muffin" reaches 165 degrees (30 minutes or so). Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

CSA pick up - August 21

Here is our share this week. Looks like sauteed onion and squash with peppers, tomato, basil and a sprinkle of Parmesan is on the menu this week!
Happy eating,
Kara

CSA Pick up - August 7

It has been unseasonably cool so the produce has slowed down dramatically. With some more sun and warmer weather, we should be back on track.

CSA members: Remember pick up is on THURSDAY next week.
Happy eating,
Kara

Zucchini Muffins

Zucchini Muffins

Mix together: ½ cup sugar, 1½ cup white flour, 1 cup whole wheat flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp cinnamon, healthy handful of chocolate chips and dried cranberries.

Mix separately and add to the dry ingredients: 3 tsp vanilla, ½ cup canola or vegetable oil, ½ cup smooth applesauce, 3 cups grated zucchini, ½ cup chopped nuts (optional).

Preheat oven to 425 degrees, makes 12 large muffins, bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

CSA pick up - July 24

 

Chard Salad

Chard Salad
I am attempting to make a varation of the salad that a friend shared with me and she purchased it at Meijer.

Finely chopped chard (the original salad had kale)
shelled edamame
cashews
grated carrot
sunflower seeds
dried cranberries
blueberries

dressed with pomegranate vinaigrette:

• 3 tablespoons pomegranate juice
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup olive oil or grapeseed oil , not extra virgin

CSA Pick Up - July 17

 

farm wedding

ceremony site by the pond

table centerpieces

head table

enjoying the barn wood bar

This wedding was particularly special for me as the bride was my dear cousin, Ahnna.

our family in wedding finery

One Pot Wonder Tomato Basil Pasta

for basil and tomato season!

ONE POT WONDER TOMATO BASIL PASTA
Serves 4 to 6 as an entree
12 ounces linguine pasta
1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes with liquid ( I used zesty red pepper flavor)
1 large sweet onion, cut in julienne strips
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
2 large sprigs basil, chopped
4 1/2 cups vegetable broth (regular broth and NOT low sodium)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Parmesan cheese for garnish
Place pasta, tomatoes, onion, garlic, basil, in a large stock pot. Pour in vegetable broth. Sprinkle on top the pepper flakes and oregano. Drizzle top with oil.
Cover pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a low simmer and keep covered and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes or so. Cook until almost all liquid has evaporated – I left about an inch of liquid in the bottom of the pot – but you can reduce as desired .
Season to taste with salt and pepper , stirring pasta several times to distribute the liquid in the bottom of the pot. Serve garnished with parmesan cheese.

Tried and enjoyed by Rebecca H.
From http://www.apronstringsblog.com/one-pot-wonder-tomato-basil-pasta-recipe/?fb_source=pubv1

CSA Pick up - July 10

 

Keep scrolling for my new and revisited recipes!

Happy eating,

Kara

Green Chopped Salad

This is the salad that I am trying tonight with our butter lettuce (the lighter colored variety of the lettuce choices today).

This is Jamie Oliver's Everyday Chopped salad

4 scallions
½ a cucumber
A handful of fresh basil leaves
head Boston or small red leaf lettuce (I used butter)
½ cup sprouted cress or alfalfa
avocado
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
½ teaspoon Dijon or English mustard (I added more)
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

• Get yourself a big chopping board and a large sharp knife. It’s best to start by chopping the harder, crunchier veggies first, so trim and chop your scallions and slice your cucumber. Slice your basil. Bring it all into the center of the board, and continue chopping and mixing together.
• Add the lettuce leaves, and cress or alfalfa to the board. Add the avocado. When everything is well chopped, you’ll have a big mound of salad on the board.
• Make a well in the middle and drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar. Add the mustard and the salt and pepper. Mix up so everything gets well coated and serve on the board or in a bowl.

Here are Jamie's tips for altering the salad:

• What I want to show you here is that the sky’s the limit when it comes to the different ingredients you can add to a chopped salad – you can use whatever’s available.
• The only rule I would give you is to always include a couple of handfuls of crunchy lettuce to give your salad a really good texture. Try out different things, and don’t feel obliged to use the same old stuff all the time. Bell peppers, tomatoes, herb sprigs . . . you can get any or all of these into a chopped salad.
• Basil works well in this salad, but so do lots of other soft fresh herbs, such as chives, chervil, or mint.
• For a bit of extra crunch, simply toast some nuts in a warm pan, but watch them as once they start to go brown they can burn very quickly.

Beets (repost from 2012)

I never thought I liked beets and now they are one of my favorite vegetables. If you cut off the greens, they will keep in your crisper drawer for quite a while. Here are some hints about using beets as well as my two favorite beet recipes.

Beets have a tendency to stain everything they touch so be forewarned. In order to reduce staining do not cut the root ends or peel the beets, keep the stems about 4-6 inches long and don't scrub them, just wash gently. When the beets are done cooking you just slide their skins right off or eat with skins on.

Beets can be grated raw in a salad and beet greens are also edible although they should be eaten soon as their integrity will diminish quickly. You can steam or saute beet greens or use them in any dish that calls for fresh spinach.

Roasted Beets:
I think beets are best roasted. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Toss clean, diced beets with olive oil, salt and pepper and place on baking sheet or in a glass dish. Cover loosely with foil and bake 20-30 minutes or until beets are fork tender. I usually remove the foil for the last 10 minutes so that they caramelize. Eat them as is or for an added treat, toss roasted beets with feta cheese. You can also experiment with adding some of our fresh herbs to the pan.

Pickled Beets (from the Asparagus to Zucchini cookbook):
2 lbs beets
1 med white onion, sliced
1 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups white vinegar
1 tsp whole allspice
2 whole cloves
1 stick cinnamon
Boil or steam beets until tender. Reserve 1 cup cooking liquid, then drain beets and let them cool. Peel, slice, and pack beets and raw onions into pint jars (about 3). Combine reserved liquid, sugar, vinegar, allspice, cloves, and cinnamon in a pot; bring to a simmer and cook 5 minutes. Strain and pour into your jars. Cool, cover, and refrigerate 24 hours.  

Secret Chocolate Cake

From Anja Mast of Trillium Haven CSA
" Delicious plain, frosted or served in bowls with applesauce.

They'll never know the secret ingredient unless you tell them."
Puree in blender/food processor until smooth and set aside:

2 cups beets (cooked, peeled and chopped)
1/2 cup applesauce.

Combine in a large mixing bowl and beat with electric mixer 2 minutes:
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup plain yogurt
3 eggs

Add along with pureed beets and beat another 90 seconds:
1/2 cup baking cocoa (sifted)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Gradually sift into the batter, mixing it in with a spoon but
stirring only until blended:

1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)

Stir in 1/2 cup chocolate chips and /or nuts (chopped).
Pour into greased 9 by 13-inch baking pan. Bake in
preheated oven at 350 degrees F until knife inserted in center comes
out clean, 40-50 minutes. To bake in a bundt pan, pour half of
batter into the greased pan, sprinkle chocolate chips evenly on top,
then add remaining batter.

Summer variations: Substitute 2-3 cups shredded raw zucchini or
summer squash for the cooked, pureed beets. Use the ground cinnamon
and add 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice.

CSA Pick up - July 3 (plus a Basil Pesto Recipe)

 

I know that Eli (my 8 year old) and I will be making pesto this weekend:

Basil Pesto
2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup pine nuts
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino (I use Parm) cheese

Directions:

Combine the basil, garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add 1/2 cup of the oil and process until fully incorporated and smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

If using immediately, add all the remaining oil and pulse until smooth. Transfer the pesto to a large serving bowl and mix in the cheese.

If freezing, transfer to an air-tight container and drizzle remaining oil over the top. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw and stir in cheese.

Have a safe and enjoyable holiday!
Happy eating!
Kara

CSA pick up - June 19

 

CSA pick up - June 12

If you are new to CSAs, it is likely that tat soi and lemon balm are a bit unfamiliar. So, here is a bit of info on them as well as swiss chard, another CSA staple.

tat soi: a dark green Asian salad green that has a spoon like shape, a pleasant and sweet aroma flavor like a mild mustard flavor, similar to bok choi. Tatsoi is generally eaten raw, but may be added to soups or stir frys at the end of the cooking period.

lemon balm: a perennial herb from the mint family. This leafy green herb has lemon-scented, mint-like leaves that are often used dried to brew an aromatic tea. Its slightly tart flavor is used to flavor salads as well as meats and poultry.

swiss chard: a beet family vegetable with crinkly green leaves and celery like stalks. Stalks can very from a light silvery to deep red color.

braise, saute, steam. Swiss chard is used much like spinach, except that it has an appealing beet-like flavor and a heavier texture, which requires longer cooking. Many cooks simply saute it in olive oil and serve it as a side dish.

Happy eating,
Kara

Salad Dressings

Here are my go to salad dressing recipes. I always have a batch sitting in the refrigerator during CSA time so my salad greens do not go to waste.

For those who follow me, you already know that this is my all time favorite dressing.

Honey Mustard Vinaigrette
3/4 c olive oil 
1/2 c apple cider vinegar
2 TBS honey
1 TBS whole grain mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
1 sprig of rosemary, minced
sea salt and pepper
Whisk to combine.

 

This one is currently in my refrigerator:

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup water
salt and pepper to taste
(I have been adding Rustic Tuscan Seasoning (from Costco) lately instead of s&p)
Whisk to combine.

Asian Dressing

(can be used as a marinade as well)

Whisk together:

½ cup canola oil

¼ cup rice vinegar

1 TBS soy sauce

1 TBS sugar or honey

A few drops sesame oil

Pepper to taste

Sesame seeds

  
Happy eating,
Kara

 

Grilled Kale

This is how I often serve our kale. Take off the ribs and tear the leaves into smaller pieces. Then, place the kale in the middle of a large piece of foil, drizzle on olive oil and add salt and pepper.
Seal the packet by rolling the edges of the foil. Place it on a hot grill for a few minutes on each side.

The kale will wilt and even char a bit. This past week I used it as a base for our grilled salmon.

Very quick and easy way to eat up all those greens. You can substitute any dark leafy green. Try your chard, arugula, or tat soi this week.
Happy eating,
Kara

Japanese Vegetable Pancakes (from smitten kitchen)

Pancakes
1/2 small head cabbage, very thinly sliced (1 pound or 5 to 6 cups shreds) which will be easiest on a mandoline if you have one
4 medium carrots, peeled into ribbons with a vegetable peeler
5 lacinato kale leaves, ribs removed, leaves cut into thin ribbons
4 scallions, thinly sliced on an angle
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
6 large eggs, lightly beaten
Canola, safflower or peanut oil for frying
Tangy Sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce (note: this is not vegetarian)
1/4 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon rice cooking wine or sake
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey (use 2 if you like a sweeter sauce)
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
Make the pancakes: Toss cabbage, carrot, kale, scallions and salt together in a large bowl. Toss mixture with flour so it coats all of the vegetables. Stir in the eggs. Heat a large heavy skillet on medium-high heat. Coat the bottom with oil and heat that too.
To make a large pancake, add 1/4 of the vegetable mixture to the skillet, pressing it out into a 1/2- to 3/4-inch pancake. Gently press the pancake down flat. Cook until the edges beging to brown, about 3 minutes. 30 seconds to 1 minute later, flip the pancake with a large spatula. (If this is terrifying, you can first slide the pancake onto a plate, and, using potholders, reverse it back into the hot skillet.) Cook on the other side until the edges brown, and then again up to a minute more (you can peek to make sure the color is right underneath).
To make small pancakes, you can use tongs but I seriously find using my fingers and grabbing little piles, letting a little batter drip back into the bowl, and depositing them in piles on the skillet easier, to form 3 to 4 pancakes. Press down gently with a spatula to they flatten slightly, but no need to spread them much. Cook for 3 minutes, or until the edges brown. Flip the pancakes and cook them again until brown underneath.
Regardless of pancake size, you can keep them warm on a tray in the oven at 200 to 250 degrees until needed.
If desired, make okonomiyaki sauce: Combine all sauce ingredients in a small saucepan and let simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, until smooth and thick.
Serve pancakes with sauce and any of the other fixings listed above, from Japanese mayo to scallions and toasted sesame seeds.
Do ahead: Extra pancakes will keep in the fridge for a couple days, or can be spread on a tray in the freezer until frozen, then combined in a freezer bag to be stored until needed. Reheat on a baking sheet in a hot oven until crisp again.

http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2013/05/japanese-cabbage-and-vegetable-pancakes/


This is a recipe from smitten kitchen that was tried and enjoyed by Rebecca H and passed onto me.
Happy eating,
Kara

Beet and Apple Salad

Julienne 3 beets and 1 large Granny Smith apple with a mandolin, then mix in about 1/4 cup pineapple juice and a sprinkle of salt. Chilled for about and hour and serve.

This recipe was tried and shared on the Wildwood facebook page by Shannon H.

Happy eating, 
Kara

Beet and Goat Cheese Salad

 

Here is our share for this week.

I love beets. My favorite ways to eat them are either roasted or pickled. Since it is chilly this evening, I am sharing a roasted beet salad. Beets pair very well with spicy greens, walnuts, and creamy cheeses like goat cheese.

Beet and Goat Cheese Salad
Ingredients

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons shallots, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon honey
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 medium beets, cooked and quartered
6 cups fresh greens (use your mesclun mix this week!)
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup dried cranberries or dried cherries
3 ounces soft fresh goat cheese, coarsely crumbled (if don't eat cheese, I would substitute diced avocado)

Directions
Line a baking sheet with foil. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Whisk the vinegar, shallots, and honey in a medium bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in the oil. Season the vinaigrette, to taste, with salt and pepper. Toss the beets in a small bowl with enough dressing to coat. Place the beets on the prepared baking sheet and roast until the beets are slightly caramelized, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes. Set aside and cool.

Toss the greens, walnuts, and cranberries in a large bowl with enough vinaigrette to coat. Season the salad, to taste, with salt and pepper. Mound the salad atop 4 plates. Arrange the beets around the salad. Sprinkle with the goat cheese, and serve.

(this is a recipe that originated from Giada De Laurentis, food network)

Happy eating,
Kara

Farm Wedding - June 1

Every wedding at the farm is special but last Saturday, we hosted one that was truly unique. Farmer Justin's brother got married so the entire Heyboer family was in the wedding.


Kelly took care of many of the details for the wedding including creating many stunning floral arrangements like this bouquet that Brooke is holding.

Their day was wonderful and the weather even cooperated enough to wait until after the ceremony to unleash the rain showers.

Congratulations Nate and Denise!

Kale Caesar Salad

Trillium Haven's restaurant creates one of the best caesar salads I have ever tried and they do so with kale! So when my favorite food blogger posted her variation, I had to try it.


I followed her recipe exactly and it calls for massaging the kale. I don't think I will do that next time as our farm kale is usually so tender. Maybe this is necessary for grocery store kale.

Creating an anchovy paste was a bit cumbersome. When I searched for easier ways to do so, I discovered that you can purchase anchovy paste already made (you all probably knew this but we are not big fans of anchovy over here). I think I will go with the paste next time which will probably create a smoother dressing.

This is an excellent salad. It is a bit more time consuming than I am used to (I usually throw some feta, leftover steamed or raw veggies, and some dressing that I make in large batches into the farm greens and toss) but it was a close second to Trillium's salad.

Happy eating,
Kara
-------------------------------------------------

Kale Caesar Salad

Yield: 2 full size or 4 side servings

Ingredients

For the dressing:
¼ cup olive oil
2 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ tsp. Worcestershire sauce
3-4 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed
3-4 anchovy fillets
2½ tbsp. mayonnaise
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 oz. Parmesan cheese, finely grated

For the salad:
1 bunch curly kale, about 8-12 oz.
1 tbsp. olive oil
 croutons
Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Directions

• To make the dressing, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, Worcestershire, and garlic in a small bowl or liquid measuring cup.  Blot any excess oil from the anchovies, then smash repeatedly with the tines of a fork until a paste has formed.  Add to the olive oil-lemon juice mixture.  Add in the mayonnaise and whisk briskly until a smooth emulsion has formed.  Season to taste with freshly ground black pepper.  Stir in the grated Parmesan.  Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.
• Rinse and towel dry the kale leaves.  Remove and discard the ribs from the leaves, and tear the curly green portions into bite size pieces.  Add the kale to a large salad bowl with the 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and toss briefly.  Massage the kale leaves for a few minutes until the leaves have become shiny and a deeper green color, about 2-3 minutes.  Add croutons to the salad as desired.  Drizzle about half of the dressing over the salad and toss lightly to coat.  Taste and add additional dressing as necessary, a little bit at a time.  Top with additional grated Parmesan and serve.

from Annie's Eats
www.annies-eats.com/2013/04/29/massaged-kale-caesar-salad/

Kale

Here is what was in our share this week.

Below I am including the kale section from my "Breaking Down Your Share" handout that will be available next week. The two varieties of kale this week are Beira (originates from Portugal and is similar to collard greens) and Toscano (dark leaf and more tender than typical curly green kale (my personal favorite!)).

Farmer Justin adds new vegetables or variety of vegetables every season so if there is something in today's share (or any future share) that you have a favorite recipe for, send it to me. I will forward it on to the rest of the CSA members so we can learn from each other.

Enjoy your greens this week!

Happy eating,
Kara

-----------
Kale is the one vegetable that most people struggle with when they first join a CSA. It is not part of most of our pre-CSA diets (unless you were a green smoothie junkie) but yet it is hearty and easy to grow. Most members learn to love it though, and as my farmers can attest to, I have even been known to request more.

When you have too much to eat in a week, blanch and freeze the extra for winter soups and pastas. You can use frozen kale in any recipe that calls for frozen spinach. Just thaw, squeeze out extra moisture, and chop. Add it to your stir fry, tomato sauce, or scrambled eggs. You get the picture; kale is so versital.

The following are a few of my favorite uses for kale. I have used both fresh and frozen kale in all of them except the kale chips.

Baked Kale Chips

kale1 TBS olive oil sea salt to coat

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or foil. Carefully remove the leaves from the thick stems and tear into bite size pieces. Wash and thoroughly dry kale with a salad spinner. Toss kale with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake until the edges brown but are not burnt, 10 to 15 minutes.

Zuppa Toscana

1 lb Italian sausage (I have omitted this for a vegetarian version)2 lg potatoes (I use about 5-6 sm/med size),cubed
1 lg onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups kale or swiss chard, chopped
2 cans chicken broth
1 qt water
1 cup heavy whipping cream (I use less to keep for a healthier version)

You could also add 1/3 cup of chopped, cooked bacon.

Cook and crumble sausage. Drain on paper towel. In a soup pot, lightly sauté onions and garlic, add potatoes, chicken broth and water. Cook on med heat until the potatoes are done. Add sausage (and bacon if using). Add salt and pepper to taste. Simmer another 10 minutes Turn on low and add kale and cream. Heat through.

Fried Potatoes with Kale

4 large potatoes and 8-10 stems of kale
butter and olive oil
season salt

(I am partial to Marie Catrib’s seasoning that you can buy at the restaurant)

Cube potatoes into 1/2 inch cubes. Heat a couple of tablespoons each
of butter and olive oil in a skillet. Add potatoes and a few
tablespoons of season salt and stir. Cover. Stir occasionally. Finely
chop kale and just before the potatoes are done, add kale to pan stir
and let sauté for a few minutes. It is done with the potatoes are
soft with some crispy edges. Serve hot.

Getting ready for the 2013 CSA season!

Things are starting to sprout at the farm and our first 2013 CSA email just went out.
It is beginning once again!

a healthy crop of onions:

Frozen!

Snow has finally arrived in Michigan. Everything outside is under snow and even the greens in the greenhouse are frozen. So, for all the winter CSA members, we have a week off and the hope that it will warm up a bit for next week.

snow covered kale

ice on the inside of the door to the greenhouse

frozen beauty
The pak choi still has a vibrant color but it is frozen solid. If it warms up a bit, all of the greens will take off again.

Farmer Justin's sprout experiment
The alfalfa sprouts are just starting to show a bit of white and green shoots.

We grabbed a handful of frozen kale to munch on the way home.
My kids ate the kale faster than I could pass it back to them which again shows how sweet kale becomes in the winter.

And not to stand on my soap box too long but I must mention how it warms my heart to raise kids who understand where their food comes from, who know and love their farmers, and who gobble up kale as if it is candy.

Stay warm and happy eating,
Kara