cherry muffins.

Each weekend we preserve from our garden, bake, and try to make at least one meal that will also work for a few lunches throughout the week. My husband likes taking things to work to snack on and for lunch, and it is easiest for him if everything is ready and available. This weekend we continued our tomato preservation madness (they never stop coming!), but also made a few things for the week.

I have been looking for a good recipe for cherry muffins, and baked a batch of these today (click for recipe). We used the cherries we froze a few weeks back for this recipe, and since they are tart, I whizzed them a bit in the food processor first so that the chunks were smaller and spread evenly throughout. I also put a crumb topping on half of them -- using oats, butter, and brown sugar. They are moist, tender, not too sweet, and as I used organic whole wheat flour and coconut oil, extra good!

salsa fresca.

I love tomato season. There is something about the work. The constant barrage of ripening, one day at a time. We have had some tomatoes. Made into sauces, stewed, sliced, whole, cooked, raw, in eggs at breakfast, as a sandwich at lunch, and a salad at dinner.

Today was salsa day. We have been making tomato basil salsa for the past week in addition to the non-stop pots making sauce on the stove top. But today? Cilantro. Jalapeno. Tomatoes. Onions. Garlic. Limes. Salt. Good spicy fragrant salsa. Yum. I don't like the pureed don't know what is in it mosh of a salsa. I like the chunky brightly colored salsa fresca. It is great with chips, spooned over many dishes, or just by the spoonful.

::salsa fresca::

1 jalapeno, finely minced
1 red onion, finely chopped
3 small garlic cloves, finely minced
8 or so med/lg tomatoes, roughly chopped
bunch of cilantro, chopped (to taste)
juice of 1 lime
sea salt to taste
1/4 tsp agave (to cut acid)

Chop and mix, let sit...the longer the tastier it is. Store in fridge for up to a week or so. It won't last that long.

CSA Box This Week

In our box this week: 2 types of lettuce, peppers, fennel, eggplant, cabbage, tomatoes.



What was in our box this week last year.

preserving the harvest--the list.

I have been trying to keep a rough count of everything I am making and freezing to preserve the harvest as we go. I am trying to go slow so I don't get overwhelmed and do it all right, and each year I add more, learn more, and preserve more. Because I don't have time with two small boys, I tend to do everything in small batches rather than whole day extravaganzas. When I do get more quantity of something such as a fruit or tomatoes, I spread it out over a few days so I stay happy. For those of you who are canning warriors, this might not seem like much, but for us, this seems great considering how small our yard it, and we hope to expand a LOT each year as we gain experience!

Here is a rough estimate - I'm sure I am forgetting something, but in general, a good idea of what we have so far, and what is remaining!


*list updated 10/7

fridge/canning::
-3 quarts lacto fermented cucumbers
-9 quarts traditional dill pickles
-2 pints lacto fermented garlic (more to come)
-2 quarts strawberry dessert topping
-3 quarts + 5 pints cherry pie filling
-1 quart drunken cherry sauce
-6 pints sauerkraut ... lacto fermented
-3 pints pesto
-5 quarts tomato basil salsa
-1 quart cherry syrup
-3 quarts raspberry pear jam
-8 quarts applesauce (more coming)
-1 quart apple butter
-4 quarts chicken stock
-2 gallons roasted root veggies


freezer::
-10 bags frozen strawberries
-4 quarts + 10 pints freezer strawberry jam
-5 1-gallon bags frozen cherries
-6 1-gallon bags beans (mixed)
-2 1-gallon bags corn
-4 1-gallon bags asparagus
-29 1-gallon bags stewed tomatoes/sauces
-3 quarts caponata


basement/cold storage::
-potatoes (more to come)
-garlic
-early apples
-pumpkins

dried::

-parsley

-basil

-dill

-thyme

-peppers

-cherry tomatoes

-rosemary

-lemon verbena

-pinapple sage, regular sage
-apples

to come::
-apples (u-pick)
-fall raspberries (garden plus u-pick)
-squash/pumpkins in garden, u-pick
-brussel sprouts
-more cucumbers
-fall greens
-onions
-more beans


What are you preserving this summer?

homemade marshmallows.

We had family over last night and wanted to sit outside with a fire. The boys of course wanted to make s'mores, but I am not thrilled with regular marshmallows. So, we made our own! They are easy to make, this makes a big batch, and they have a really nice flavor. The boys helped with just about everything, and were so proud to share their creation with all of the kids on our block last night as they joined us to roast marshmallows over the fire!

::homemade marshmallows::

.75-oz unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup cold water
2 cups turbinado sugar
2/3 cups organic light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
organic confectioners' sugar

Line a 9" x 9" pan with plastic wrap and lightly brush it with oil (I used coconut oil).

In your mixer/kitchen aid with the whisk attachment, put the gelatin in the bowl and add 1/2 cup cold water - stir a bit, let soak for about 10 minutes.

In a small pan, combine the corn syrup, sugar and 1/4 cup water - bring to a boil, and boil for 1 minute.

Pour the boiling mixture into your gelatin bowl and turn on the mixer to high. Add the salt and let it beat for 12 minutes on high. When the 12 minutes is up, add the vanilla and beat together. Add any color you would like too - we added some blue.


Using an oiled spatula, scoop the marshmallow into the pan (quickly!!) and smooth. Put another piece of oiled plastic wrap over the top and smooth out.

Let it sit for a few hours until set. We put ours in the fridge to speed it up a bit.

Once it is firm...put confectioners' sugar in a bowl. Take the marshmallow from the pan and remove plastic wrap. Cut into small blocks using a knife or scissors. Lightly roll each piece into the sugar (so it won't stick to everything). Store and eat!



This recipe is adapted from the Martha Stewart marshmallow recipe - we just used all organic ingredients, added color, and tweaked it a bit.



ingredients tip:
Look for a good quality gelatin, or try Agar-Agar, a plant based thickener similar to gelatin for cooking uses. If you use Agar, you will need to boil the water/agar mixture before using (while gelatin uses cold water soak).

CSA Box This Week

It is Thursday again, which means a drive out to the farm to pick up our CSA box. We are at peak right now, so have so much summer in one box, it seems. We also take the rural route home (well, they are all rural, but the most direct is 11 miles and all farm roads) so that we can stop at our favorite farms along the way and see what they have out on their farm stand tables.

Our first stop was new for us - we saw a sign for organic heirloom produce and had to stop. As we looked at the amazing and ripe selection of gorgeous heirloom tomatoes and squash, the farmer and his son walked down to greet us. This is one of my favorite things about on-farm farm stands and rural Wisconsin. The farmer introduced himself, shook hands, asked our names, and chatted a bit. I always know what is coming next and I enjoy the banter - "Where you folks from?". We give a major crossroads, we get the acknowledgement that we do indeed live close by and are locals. We talk about what we are going to make with what we are buying and what should be ready by next week. We wave goodbye, and you bet that farmer remembers our names when we return. Each time we stop at a farm stand it is the same. It is like we are participating in a ritual that has been going on as long as there have been cars to widen the circle, and bring more people from towns to the farms.


Our next stop was to pick up a few dozen ears of sweet corn - pulled from a wheelbarrow in the barn, put the money in the box. This bounty of summer fills our car and I love the calm of washing and bagging and prepping each thing when we get home. I know I will think of these days when I am pulling jars from the basement or bags from the freezer in January as the snow blows outside!



Our CSA box this week: broccoli, brusselini, onions, peppers, tomatoes, 2 types of lettuce, basil, fennel, green beans, cabbage.


See what was in our box this week last year.

creamy potato kale soup.

It is still hot this time of year, but I have been in the mood for soups as the cooler evenings and rain pass through. I like kale - but my husband has the same comment every time I make it, no matter what the recipe. Uh, kale? So I decided to use kale in a soup so that it imparts its flavor and goodness without that thick chewy texture. Kale and potatoes are a good match and we recently got 20 pounds of organic potatoes from a local farmer, so we were set! The flavor of this soup is awesome. Rich, creamy, and the green chili paste gives it a little bite. I have amounts listed, but as with all soup feel free to improvise and make it your own. Makes cooking more fun.

::creamy potato kale soup::

ingredients::
1 onion, chopped
6 cloves of garlic, chopped
4 cups stock (I used beef)
1 Tbsp coconut oil
2 tsp sea salt
1 sheet kombu
1 Tbsp green curry paste
pepper to taste
2 cups fresh milk or cream
5 medium potatoes chopped (boiling or less starchy potato is best)
4 cups chopped kale

directions::
In a large pot sauté the onion and garlic in the coconut oil. When tender add the stock, potatoes, salt, and kombu. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, cover and let simmer for 30 minutes or so until potatoes are soft. Reduce heat again to simmer/low. Add the curry paste and kale, stirring kale into liquid. Cover again and let simmer for an additional 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit a few minutes. Remove the kombu sheet. Add the milk and a few cranks of fresh pepper. Use an immersion blender and blend until creamy and smooth (you can also ladle into a food processor and smooth a batch at a time until all is creamy). Serve warm. I grated some fresh Parmesan cheese over the top.



ingredient tip::

"Kale is an excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin C and manganese. It is also a very good source of dietary fiber, copper, calcium, vitamin B6 and potassium."