Winter Squash Tips

NO MORE FIGHTING with a sharp knife and winter squash. Here is a Short cut to bake all winter squash and pumpkin. Remove stem and Wash & dry. Rub hands with olive oil & rub onto squash. Place squash on a foil covered cookie sheet in a 350-400° preheated oven. Do Not poke or cut. Cook one hour plus, depending on size of squash. Remove when slightly brown, the house smells great and it will dent (thickest part) slightly with a wooden spoon. Slice in half remove seeds and stringy pulp. Remove squash from roasted skin, put squash into food processor and add a pat of butter and a drizzle of maple syrup when serving. Or freeze in Ziploc type bags for later. I love to eat Squash all year long or try making pies and breads all winter long.

Storage Tips

• Beets & Carrots &Turnip – plastic bag in crisper. 
• Brussels Sprouts & Cabbage – plastic bag in crisper, remove outer leave(s) if wilted or spotted when ready to use. 
• Lettuce & Spinach– plastic bag in crisper 
• Onions, Garlic, Squash and Sweet Potatoes – keep in a warmer place, (50- 60° Fahrenheit) dry dark place. Must be above 50 (not in refrigerator). 
• Potatoes – Cool and dark, or if you have an extra frig they can be refrigerated in a bag with ventilation holes. Many folks keep them in a cool basement.

Gold Turnip & Onion Casserole

Gold Turnip & Onion Casserole 

adapted from Pete’s Greens

2 lbs. Gold turnips, scrubbed and thinly sliced
1 lb. Onions, thinly sliced
2 tbsp. Vermont organic white flour
1 cup apple cider
1 tbsp. fresh oregano, chopped roughly (or 1 ½ teas dried)
1 cup milk
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock
2 cups Vermont cheddar cheese, shredded
Salt and pepper, sprinkle through each layer gently

Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Put oven rack in center position. Grease a 8 x 10 rectangular baking dish. Place flour in a medium heavy saucepan; gradually add milk, whisking until smooth. Whisk in cider & stock. Bring mixture to a boil over high heat, whisking constantly. Cook one minute more, remove from heat and set aside. Mix cheese with oregano.

Arrange half of the sliced turnips (slightly overlapping) in prepared baking dish. Spread onions atop the turnips Sprinkle the cheese on half of the turnips and onions. Arrange another layer of turnip and onions on top of cheese. Pour cider mixture over turnips. Continue to do so until all onions and turnips are layered. Season with salt and pepper as you go along. Reserve 1/2 cup of cheese for finishing.

Bake 25 minutes. Remove baking dish from oven. Using a metal spatula, press down on the turnips. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and return to oven. Bake until turnips are fork-tender and the top is crusted and lightly browned to about 20 minutes more. Let stand 20 minutes before serving.

Shredded Beets and Cabbage

Shredded Beets and Cabbage

The City Gardener's Cook Book by the P-Patch Advisory Council. Sasquatch Books; Seattle. 1995.

2 tablespoons oil
6 cups shredded cabbage
1 ½ cups peeled, shredded beets
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
1 large apple, grated
1/3 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
salt to taste
freshly ground pepper to taste

In a large skillet, heat the oil and stir-fry the cabbage, beets, and onion over high heat, until the cabbage begins to wilt. Add the apple, vinegar, brown sugar, and allspice, cooking until the apples are hot, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot. Serves 4.

Sweet Potato Corn Bread

Sweet Potato Corn Bread
Bon Appétit | November 1998

Ingredients:

1 1/4 pounds red-skinned sweet potatoes (yams)
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
2 1/3 cups yellow cornmeal
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter 9 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan. Pierce sweet potatoes in several places. Microwave on high until tender, turning once, about 12 minutes. Cut open and cool. Mash enough potatoes to yield 1 cup packed (reserve remaining potatoes for another use). Place 1 cup mashed potatoes in large bowl. Whisk in eggs and buttermilk.

Blend cornmeal and next 6 ingredients in processor. Add butter and blend until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add to egg mixture. Stir just until blended. Transfer to prepared pan.

Bake corn bread until deep golden on top and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool in pan on rack. (Can be made ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature up to 2 days or freeze up to 2 weeks. Thaw at room temperature.)

Brussels Sprouts and Apple Tofu Salad

Brussels Sprouts and Apple Tofu Salad

adapted from www.101cookbooks.com

Serves 2 - 3 as a main dish, 4 as a side.

Feel free to leave out the tofu if you like - It was added to make this a one skillet meal for a vegetarian. The Wildwood Organics baked savory tofu was used for this recipe, it browns up nicely and holds its shape - though any extra-firm tofu will work. If you don't feel like shredding the brussels sprouts, you could do a version of this recipes cutting them into quarters instead - a bit quicker as far as prepping the ingredients goes. 

Ingredients:

1 large, crisp apple, cut into bite-sized wedges
1 lemon, juice only

4 ounces extra-firm tofu cut into tiny-inch cubes (see photo)
a couple pinches of fine-grain sea salt
a couple splashes of olive oil
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
a scant tablespoon of maple syrup
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted and chopped

12 ounces (3/4 pound). brussels sprouts, washed and cut into 1/8-inch wide ribbons

Directions:

Soak the apples in a bowl filled with water and the juice of one lemon.

Cook the tofu in large hot skillet with a bit of salt and a splash of oil. Sauté until golden, about 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic, wait a few seconds, now stir in the maple syrup, and cook another 30 seconds or so. Drain the apples, and add them to the skillet, cooking for another minute. Scrape the apple and tofu mixture out onto a plate and set aside while you cook the Brussels sprouts.

In the same pan (no need to wash), add a touch more oil, another pinch of salt, and dial the heat up to medium-high. When the pan is nice and hot stir in the shredded brussels sprouts. Cook for 2 - 3 minutes, stirring a couple times (but not too often) until you get some golden bits, and the rest of the sprouts are bright green and delicious. Stir the apple mixture back into the skillet alongside the brussels sprouts, 1/2 of the pine nuts - gently stir to combine. Remove from heat and enjoy immediately sprinkled with the remaining pine nuts. This isn't a dish you want sitting around, the flavors change dramatically even after ten minutes.

Pumpkin Lovers Lasagna

Pumpkin Lovers Lasagna

Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray

Prep Time:30 min Cook Time:1 hr 0 min Serves: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

Kosher salt 

1 head escarole, coarse chop(I used spinach)
1 head garlic, cloves separated but not peeled 6 tablespoons butter
10 fresh sage leaves, torn 

1 butternut squash, peeled cut into bite-sizes
Freshly ground pepper 

1 1/2 cups chicken (or veggie) stock
3 tablespoons flour 

3 cups milk
Freshly grated nutmeg 

3 eggs
2- cans pumpkin puree 15oz (or roasted fresh and pureed) 

2 cups fresh ricotta 

2 cups freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 box no-boil flat lasagna
12 ounces Italian Fontina, Fontina Val D'Aosta or Gouda cheese, shredded

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Bring a few inches water to a boil in a large pot and add salt. Cook the escarole for 5 minutes, then drain. Soak the lasagna sheets in water for 5 minutes.

Cover the garlic cloves with water in a saucepan and simmer for 20 minutes. Drain and let cool. Squish the garlic pulp from the jackets into a bowl and mash with a fork.

Meanwhile, melt 3 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the sage and stir. Add the squash, stir and season with salt and pepper. Add the chicken stock and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. All the stock should be absorbed and the squash should be lightly browned and tender. Remove from the heat.

In a different medium saucepan, Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk for 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and mashed garlic and season with salt, pepper and a little nutmeg. Cook until slightly thickened (the sauce should just coat the back of the spoon evenly without breaking up on the spoon's surface).

Whisk together the pumpkin puree, 2 eggs and some salt and pepper in a small bowl.

In a different bowl, whisk together the ricotta, half the Parmigiano-Reggiano and the remaining egg.

Pour about half the garlic sauce into the bottom of a 9 by 11-inch baking dish. Add a layer of lasagna sheets and then half the pumpkin mixture. Make another layer of lasagna sheets and spread with all of the ricotta mixture, followed by the squash and then escarole. Top with half the cheese-Fontina, another layer of lasagna sheets, the remaining pumpkin and another layer of lasagna sheets. Finish with the remaining garlic sauce and sprinkle with the remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano and Fontina (I did not have Fontina but used cheddar and it was delicious too).

Bake the lasagna, covered, for 45 minutes. Raise the oven temperature to 400 degrees F and continue to bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes more. Let rest for 15 minutes, then cut and serve. The extra can be wrapped tightly and frozen.

Storm Soup

STORM SOUP 

by Anne Tisbert

I cooked a large package of boneless skinless chicken thighs at 350 degrees sprinkled with garlic salt and pepper. 

While they are cooking I diced 2 large onions and put in bottom of largest stock pan. Add 1/2 head of chopped celery with the leaves. Drizzled pan heavily with olive oil and stir constantly over med/high heat until onions turn clear (3-5 minutes). 

Cut up into bite sizes and add all the following veggies - 12 carrots (scrubbed but not peeled), 2 purple top turnips and 6 gold turnips (peeled), also add 2 cloves of garlic pressed. Stir often until all very, very hot and slightly cooked about 20 minutes. 

Add four quarts of veggie or chicken stock. When the chicken was done, I cut it up into large bites and threw it into the soup including the pan drippings for extra flavor as it had very little fat. After cooking on the stove top for an hour I added 1 quart of fingerlings (also cut into bite sizes). I let it simmer for an hour and then shut it off. 

At dinner time a quick reheating of an extra hearty vegetable and chicken soup made for a great meal. Only wish I had picked up fresh bread as it would have been perfect for sopping up the tasty broth (but alas, it was not on the diet this week! I really cheated on too many things over the weekend and had to get myself back on track).

Sweet Potato with peach cilantro salsa

2 cups fresh or frozen peaches, diced
1/2 cup chopped sweet or mild onion
3 tablespoons tequila or rum
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 serrano chile peppers, seeded and finely minced (2 tablespoons)
2 teaspoons grated lime peel
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin (optional)
4 medium sweet potatoes

In a small bowl, combine peaches, onion, tequila or rum, lime juice, cilantro, peppers, lime and cumin; mix well. Refrigerate several hours or overnight to allow flavors to blend. 

Wash sweet potatoes and place in microwave. Cook on high 3 minutes. Turn and cook on high for 8 more minutes, if large cook longer. -- OR -- Bake in oven 40 minutes. -- OR -- Grill:  Rub outside of skins with butter or vegetable oil. Grill over medium hot coals until fork tender, about 8-10 minutes, turning frequently so skins won’t burn. 

Make an incision into middle of potato, generously spoon Peach Cilantro Salsa into center.

Fried Green Tomato BLT sandwiches

Fried Green Tomato BLT sandwiches

adapted from 2003 August / Bon Apetit

Makes 4 servings.

Herb Mayo (optional) :

• 2 cups loosely packed fresh herb leaves (basil, celery or cilantro leaves) 
• 1 1/4 cups mayonnaise 
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 

Puree herbs, 1/4 cup mayonnaise, lemon juice, and mustard in processor until smooth. Transfer to small bowl; mix in remaining 1 cup mayonnaise and season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Sandwiches:

• 12 1/8-inch-thick slices bacon or Pancetta* 
• 12 1/4-inch-thick slices green tomatoes (about 3 med-large tomatoes) 
• 1 cup all-purpose flour 
• 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal 
• 3 large eggs, beaten to blend 
• 1 cup olive oil 
• 8 slices of Whole wheat bread or your favorite bread toasted 

Preheat oven to 350°F. Arrange pancetta or bacon in single layer on rimmed baking sheet. Cook until just crisp, about 15 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Reduce oven temperature to 200°F.

Sprinkle all green tomato slices with salt and pepper. Place 1/2 cup flour in shallow bowl. Mix remaining 1/2 cup flour with cornmeal in another shallow bowl to blend. Working with 1 green tomato slice at a time, coat with flour, then egg, then flour-cornmeal mixture. Transfer to first baking sheet. Line second baking sheet with paper towels. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, fry green tomatoes until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Using slotted spoon, transfer to second prepared baking sheet; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Keep warm in oven. When ready assemble sandwiches using warm toast spread with herb flavored mayo and add a layer of fried green tomatoes and pancetta or bacon, cover with another layer of toast and get ready to serve and enjoy.

*Pancetta, Italian bacon cured in salt, is available at Italian markets and some specialty food stores and supermarkets. 

Golden Crusted Brussels Sprouts

Golden Crusted Brussels Sprouts

from www.101cookbooks.com

Ingredients :

24 small brussels sprouts
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for rubbing
fine-grain sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup grated cheese of your choice

Preparation :

Wash the brussels sprouts well. Trim the stem ends and remove any raggy outer leaves. Cut in half from stem to top and toss them in a bowl with a glug of olive oil). Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Don't overheat the skillet, or the outsides of the brussels sprouts will cook too quickly. Place the brussels sprouts in the pan flat side down (single-layer), sprinkle with a couple pinches of salt, cover, and cook for roughly 5 minutes; the bottoms of the sprouts should only show a hint of browning. Cut into or taste one of the sprouts to gauge whether they're tender throughout. If not, cover and cook for a few more minutes.

Once just tender, uncover, turn up the heat, and cook until the flat sides are deep brown and caramelized. Use a metal spatula to toss them once or twice to get some browning on the rounded side. Season with more salt, a few grinds of pepper, and a dusting of grated cheese. While you might be able to get away with keeping a platter of these warm in the oven for a few minutes, they are exponentially tastier if popped in your mouth immediately.

Broccoli-Basil Mac and Cheese

Broccoli-Basil Mac and Cheese

from www.101cookbooks.com

Ingredients :

1 small winter squash, peeled, seeded and cut into tiny chunks
olive oil
1 bunch of basil, stems removed
2 slices good brown bread, stale or dried out in the oven
1/2 a small head of broccoli, roughly chopped
4 tablespoons creme fraiche or sour cream
1 3/4 cups grated white cheddar cheese
1 3/4 cups grated gruyere cheese
a large handful of cherry tomatoes
3 cups dried (whole wheat) macaroni elbows

Preparation :

Preheat your oven to 400F / 200C with a rack in the middle. Put a large pot of water on to boil. Place the squash on a large baking sheet, drizzle with a bit of olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until golden. In the meantime, pulse half the basil, all of the bread, the broccoli and a lug of olive oil in a food processor until you've got a fine crumb. It'll be a bit damp - that's o.k. Transfer to a small bowl and give the processor a rinse. In a separate bowl, combine the creme fraiche and grated cheeses. Place the cherry tomatoes in the food processor with the remaining basil. Pulse a couple times to break things up, then add to the creme fraiche mixture and stir well. Boil the pasta in well-salted water for a bit less time than the package suggests - you want it ever so slightly undercooked. Drain, reserving a big cup of the hot pasta water for later use. Return the hot pasta to the pan and add the cheese mixture to it. Add the squash and give it a good stir. Add pasta water to thin the sauce to the consistency of cream. It can be a bit runny as the pasta will soak it up in the oven. Transfer everything to a large baking dish or casserole. Sprinkle the green breadcrumbs evenly across the top and bake for 20 -25 minutes or until the topping is crunchy. Remove from the oven, and wait 10 minutes before serving.

Chicken, Grated Beets, and Beet Greens with Orange Butter

Chicken, Grated Beets, and Beet Greens with Orange Butter

 by Bon Appétit | November 2009
Makes 2 servings 

Your whole meal—both meat and side—is cooked in just one pan. Use the food processor grating disk to make quick work of shredding the beets.

Ingredients : 

1 1/2 tablespoons butter, room temperature, divided
1/4 teaspoon finely grated orange peel
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 skinless boneless chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons chopped shallots
2 medium red beets with greens, greens stemmed and coarsely chopped, beets peeled and coarsely grated
2 teaspoons Sherry wine vinegar, divided
1/3 cup water

Preparation :

Mix 1 tablespoon butter and 1/4 teaspoon orange peel in small bowl. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat 1/2 tablespoon oil in medium skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Add to skillet and sauté until cooked through and golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Place 1 chicken breast in center of each plate; tent with foil to keep warm.

Melt remaining 1/2 tablespoon butter with 1/2 tablespoon oil in same skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots; stir until tender and beginning to brown, about 1 minute. Add beet greens; toss until leaves are tender but still bright green, about 2 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon Sherry wine vinegar; stir 30 seconds. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Spoon greens alongside chicken; cover to keep warm. Add grated beets and 1/3 cup water to same skillet; cover and cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and continue cooking until beets are tender and water is almost evaporated, stirring often, about 1 minute. Add remaining 1 teaspoon vinegar; stir 30 seconds. Season to taste with salt and pepper

Roasted Beet Salad with Oranges and Beet Greens

Roasted Beet Salad with Oranges and Beet Greens
Bon Appétit | January 2004
Makes 6 servings

The delicate beet greens — which are an excellent source of potassium, folic acid, and magnesium — make this dish even more healthful.

Ingredients :

6 medium beets with greens attached
2 large oranges
1 small sweet onion, cut through root end into thin wedges
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel

Preparation : 

Preheat oven to 400°F. Trim greens from beets. Cut off and discard stems. Coarsely chop leaves and reserve. Wrap each beet in foil. Place beets directly on oven rack and roast until tender when pierced with fork, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Cool. Peel beets, then cut each into 8 wedges. Place beets in medium bowl.

Cook beet greens in large saucepan of boiling water just until tender, about 2 minutes. Drain. Cool. Squeeze greens to remove excess moisture. Add greens to bowl with beets. Cut peel and white pith from oranges. Working over another bowl and using small sharp knife, cut between membranes to release segments. Add orange segments and onion to bowl with beet mixture. Whisk vinegar, oil, garlic, and orange peel in small bowl to blend; add to beet mixture and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour. Serve.

Delicata Made Easy

Delicata made easy by Farmer Annie
Skin on delicata squash is edible (and a bit crunchy when baked, softer when boiled).

This recipe also works well with any variety of squashes.

Ingredients

• 1 Delicata Winter Squash
• Olive oil - 1 Teaspoon 
• 2 tablespoons of butter 
• pinch of salt and pepper 

Wash Squash until clean. Dry squash with a towel and set aside. Cover baking sheet with foil. Place 1 teaspoon of Olive oil in your hands (already washed, clean, and dry hands - please). Rub squash with oily hands until very lightly coated. Place squash on foil lined baking sheet. DO NOT Peel, Puncture or Poke your squash. Bake at 350° until squash is fragrant and dents with a wooden spoon handle, approximately 45 minutes to an hour (depending on the size of your squash). Squash will usually brown slightly. 

Remove from oven, cut squash in 1/2 lengthwise (watch out for steam). Scoop out seeds and goo from each side, discard goo (seeds are edible). Add 1 tablespoon of butter to each side and poke each inside of squash with a fork to absorb the butter. Wait 5 minutes. Cut squash into pieces and serve.

Smashed Golden Potatoes

SMASHED GOLDEN POTATOES by Farmer Joe

Ingredients

• 2 pounds scrubbed organic gold potatoes 
• 1 gallon of water (aprox.) 
• 1/8 - 1/4 Cup of salt 
• 1 large organic egg 
• 4 Tablespoons of organic butter 
• 1/2 Cup organic Whole Milk (may add more if needed) 
• pinch of salt and ground pepper 

Place potatoes in sink and scrub off all dirt with cold water and a brush or scrubby. Then place potatoes into your largest sauce pan cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces. Cover with cold water. Boil on high with a slightly tipped lid. When potatoes reach a strong boil, lower heat to med-low and begin time for 20 minutes. At 20 minutes check for doneness with a fork. (I also like to taste the largest piece to make sure it does not have that "raw potato" flavor.) When desired doneness is reached, drain all potatoes in a colander. Return potatoes to empty pan. Mash with hand potato masher. Add raw egg, 3 Tablespoons of butter, and milk. Add salt and pepper to taste. Continue to Mash 1 minute. Now get the electric hand mixer for a more whipped texture. Whip 2 minutes. Put into a large bowl, dot with the last Tablespoon of butter on top. Serve hot.

Roasted Turnips with Parmesan

ROASTED TURNIPS WITH PARMESAN by Kay Stephenson VDF's CSA-member/Stowe VT

Ingredients

• 2 pounds turnips peeled and cut into 1/2 inch wedges or slices 
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper 
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg 
• 2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 
• coarse salt and ground pepper 
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan 

Directions

Preheat oven to 475.

On a rimmed baking sheet, combine turnips, cayenne, nutmeg and oil. Season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Sprinkle with parmesan and toss gently to combine. Arrange turnips in a single layer and roast until golden on both sides, 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway through.

Turnip Greens by Gina (or radish greens too)

Turnip Greens by Gina (or radish greens too) Gina Neely www.foodnetwork.com

 Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil 
• 1 shallot, chopped 
• 1 clove garlic, chopped 
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes 
• 1 1/2 pounds turnip greens (washed, stemmed, and chopped) 
• Freshly ground black pepper 
• 2 tablespoons Dijon Mustard 
• 1 cup chicken stock 
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted 

 Directions

Heat olive oil in Dutch oven over medium heat. Add shallot, garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté until tender and fragrant. Add the washed and cleaned turnip greens. Mix together. Cook until they have wilted down, about 3 minutes. Add pepper to taste. In a small bowl, whisk the Dijon mustard with the chicken stock. Add to the wilted greens and cook until the liquid has all but evaporated. Add the toasted pecans and serve immediately.

Lasagna for a crowd

Lasagna for a crowd + (an extra for a friend) by Anne Tisbert 

This weekend I was craving Lasagna and thought to myself how can I make this using all the vegetables we have at the farm stand. A tastier combo. Everyone raved, so here it is. You can begin this several days ahead, in stages, or all at once. It seems I am always interrupted or should I say, I tend to under estimate the time it takes to do things. Although, It went together very well in several stages over a few days.

Ingredients:

• 1 package of Lasagna noodles (cooked. drained and cooled) 
• 1 lb of fresh ground pork or sausage (cooked til browned, scrambled and drained on paper towel) 
• 4 -QT jars favorite spaghetti sauce (I used Paul Newmans Organic w/spinach and cheese) 
• 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil 
• 4 small onions chopped 
• 2 large peppers chopped (I used 8 mini purple peppers) 
• 3 cloves of garlic minced 
• 1 Tablespoon of oregano 
• 3 medium - Zucchini (Italian Romanesco ) sliced 1/4-1/2" thick 
• 1 bunch of red Swiss Chard(leaves only) or Spinach leaves 
• 3/4 cup of cherry or 1/4" sliced 2 - tomatoes 

Filling - (Mix the following all together and set aside or refrigerate until ready to assemble)

• 2 - 32oz containers of Ricotta Cheese (some people like to use cottage cheese for lower calories) 
• 4 eggs (scrambled) 
• 1 1/2 - 8oz packages of shredded cheese (any kind you like, I had a mixed blend. Save last 1/2 for toppings) 
• 1/4 cup of dried parsley 
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 1 teaspoon black pepper 

Topping

• 4oz shredded cheese (Mozzarella makes a nice topping too!) 

 Preparation: 

Cook pasta (slightly under cooked or al dente), drain and set aside (or put in a baggie in fridge) until ready to assemble. 

Brown ground pork, into scrambled pieces and add 1 clove of minced garlic, drain on paper towel. Also can be put aside (or refrigerate) until later. 

In a large deep skillet warm olive oil, add peppers and onion, cook until onion is clear and peppers are limp, then add 1 cloves of garlic stir in just until fragrant. Add sliced zucchini and sauté until slightly cooked. Remove zucchini and set aside (or refrigerate until ready to assemble).  Turn off pepper, onions, garlic mix or set aside (or refrigerate until ready). 

Heat homemade or jar Spaghetti sauce, add pepper, onion, garlic mixture. Add cooked pork, and continue to heat on medium until it bubbles, even when stirred. Turn off heat and add oregano. Stir again. Set Aside. 

In a separate Large bowl, make filling by Mixing all the cheeses, eggs. Then rub the herbs in your hands as you add them to the filling until all ingredients are well blended. You are now finally ready to begin to assemble the lasagna. Get all your layers in order.

Assembly: 

I use an enameled roasting pan 8 1/2" by 15", 2 3/4"deep, and also a standard bread loaf pan and fill both at the same time, so I can freeze one for later. Laddle the meat sauce thinly to just cover bottom of pans. Next add a layer of lasagna noodles to cover all the sauce. Use the longest pieces first and then cut pieces to completely cover the sauce layer. Next Dollop Filling (rubber spatula) over all the noodles and then lightly spread filling into a 1/2 " thick layer. Then add another layer of noodles. Next add a thin layer of meat sauce covered with a layer of spinach or chard leaves. Next another layer of noodles. Next Dollop a thinner layer of cheese filling and spread only 1/4" thick. Another layer of noodles. Next a layer of meat sauce. Then a layer of zucchini slices and a layer of cherry tomatoes in between zukes or add another layer of large tomato slices on top. Then add a thin layer of meat sauce if more is still remaining. (If meat sauce is hot when layering, then, top with shredded cheese. If assembling cold, cook 40 minutes before adding cheese topping.) 

Bake at 375° for 30 minutes. Insert butter knife in center to test for hotness in lower cheese layers before removing from oven. Should be bubbling around sides too. Cut into large squares with a serrated knife and serve hot. Take uncooked lasagna pan of choice and cover with plastic wrap (xtra long so you will remember to remove plastic before baking) and also cover it with foil, FREEZE or deliver it to a friend. 

 Add a salad and crusty bread to complete your meal. Enjoy!

Blue Cheese-Walnut Green Beans

From Eating Well: May/June

Ingredients:

• 1 pound green beans, trimmed 
• 1/4 cup water 
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 
• 1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese 
• 1/3 cup toasted chopped walnuts 

Tip: To toast chopped or sliced nuts, stir constantly in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.

Preparation:

Bring green beans and water to a boil in a large skillet. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook until the beans are just tender, 3 minutes. Uncover and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the water has evaporated, 3 to 4 minutes more. Add oil, salt and pepper to the pan and cook, stirring, 1 minute more. Transfer the beans to a large bowl and toss with blue cheese until well coated. Sprinkle each serving with toasted chopped walnuts.

Zucchini Salad with Shaved Parmesan

From Eating Well Magazine July/August 2010
adapted from Taste of Home, Alberta McKay, Bartlesville , OK

Ingredients:

• 1 medium lemon 
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 2 pounds small zucchini, cut into lengthwise slices about 1/2 inch thick 
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted (see Tip below) 
• 1/3 cup thinly shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (see Tips) 

Preparation:

1. Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove the peel from lemon with a vegetable peeler, making sure not to include any white pith. (Reserve the lemon.) 

2. Cut the peel into thin slivers. Add to the boiling water and cook until soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool. 

3. Squeeze the juice from the lemon into a small bowl. Add oil, pepper and salt and whisk to combine. Set aside. 

4. Preheat grill to medium-high or place a grill pan over medium-high heat until hot. Oil the grill rack (see Tips) or the grill pan. Grill zucchini slices, turning once, until tender, 6 to 8 minutes. 

5. Arrange the zucchini on a platter and drizzle with the reserved lemon dressing. Serve sprinkled with almonds, cheese and the lemon peel.

Tips: 

Prepare through Step 4, cover and refrigerate the zucchini, lemon peel and dressing for up to 1 day. Bring to room temperature before serving cold.

To toast sliced or chopped nuts, place in a small dry skillet and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes. 

Use a vegetable peeler to shave thin curls or slivers off a block of hard cheese like Parmigiano-Reggiano. 

To oil a grill rack, oil a folded paper towel, hold it with tongs and rub it over the rack. (Do not use cooking spray on a hot grill.)