John and Anna Do I Again

Did you know that the longest day of the summer has come and gone?  The weather in Hillsboro has been warm and humid.  And with all the rains we have all had recently there is plenty of moisture.  this kind of weather is needed to ripen produce, especially sweet corn (yum), melons (double yum), and tomatoes (oh, I can hardly wait).

 

onions, green pepper, yellow squash, zucchini, rainbow Swiss chard

 

 

'Smiles are contagious, so start an epidemic.'

 

 

Recipe Of The Week: Chicken Black Bean Enchilada Casserole

Chicken Black Bean Enchilada Casserole

1 chopped green bell pepper
1 chopped onion
3 minced garlic cloves
2 cups shredded, cooked chicken
4 cups cooked black beans, drained
2 cups of tomato sauce
2 cups of Mexican style stewed tomatoes, drained
1 cup of picante sauce
1 teaspoon of cumin
1/2 teaspoon of garlic salt
8 corn tortillas
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 cup chopped black olives
2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
sour cream
chopped fresh tomatoes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Saute peppers, onions, and garlic until soft.
Add the next seven ingredients.  Simmer 15 minutes.  Ladle enough mixture into a 9x13 in pan to coat the bottom of the pan.  Arrange 1/2 of the tortillas in the dish.  Top with 1/2 of the remaining chicken mixture.  Sprinkle with 1/2 of the red onion, 1/2 of the black olives, and half of the cheese.  Repeat with everything but the cheese.  Cover tightly with foil and bake for twenty minutes.  Remove foil, top with sour cream, tomatoes and remaining cheese.

Wish You Could Smell This

I love to smell onions!  They makes my mouth water.

onions, peppers, Chinese cabbage, green beans, yellow squash, zucchini, lettuce

 

From the newsletter is sounds like everyone in the area is getting rain.  The main job on the farm is trying to stay ahead of the weeds.  It is like that in our garden and flower beds too.  I think the weeds might be winning in some of the beds here.  Anna says that John was able to get some plowing done for the fall crops yesterday. 

 

There is cantaloupe, zucchini, summer squash, lettuce and tomato plants in the greenhouse that are ready to go out into the fields as soon as it dries up a bit.  And as soon as they are ready they will appear in the CSA boxes.

 

Just a reminder that those of you that have sent for extra orders, the billing comes at the end of the month.  She apologizes for not doing it at the end of May.

 

So Anna is off to watch the sunset.  Have you taken time to do that lately?

Recipe Of The Week: Zucchini Pizza Casserole

Zucchini Pizza Casserole

1 chopped onion
1 pound of ground beef
salt
pepper
basil
oregano
1 pint of pizza sauce
2 quarts of grated zucchini or more
1 cup of Mozzarella

Saute onion and brown the meat.  Season to your taste with the herbs and add pizza sauce.  Put zucchini in a casserole dish and then pour the pizza sauce over it.  Top with cheese and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Zucchini is an ideal vegetable.  Since it does not have a strong flavor of its own, it combines well with many other foods.  It is so versatile-it can be fried, sauteed, baked, fermented, and used in baked goods, casseroles, soups, sandwiches, or in the main dish.  Best of all, zucchini is good for you!  It is a very good food to feed the adrenals.  When you are sick or under stress, it is very important to feed these glands.

Zucchini can be frozen by grating it and then packing it in freezer bags or boxes, or it can be grated and heated through, cooled, and then packed.

A Whole Lot Of Good Eats

Hillsboro has been getting a little rain...a good rain...'a refreshing rain in the night and another shower in the afternoon.'  With all the warm weather we have been having I am sure the plants are loving the rain.  John, Anna, and their helpers are always busy on the farm planting, weeding, picking, and canning.  Strawberry season has come to an end.  But green beans, leeks and peppers are coming.  The first planting of broccoli didn't turn out to well.  With all the vegetables starting to ripen our boxes should be really filled.

All work and no play...last Wednesday John and Anna took the family fishing.  As Anna says, ' just hearing the water gushing and splashing against the rocks, or seeing the calm peaceful waves rippling across the lake is enough to renew anyone's spirits.

 

Please remember to return your boxes and any containers that you receive fruit and vegetables in...egg cartons also.  Also be sure to help the drop off person by breaking down the boxes and storing them neatly on the porch or wherever you pick up.  This also helps the driver when he comes to deliver your new box.  Greatly appreciated all around.

 

yellow squash, zucchini, green beans, onions, chard, rhubarb, Chinese cabbage, and green pepers

 

Recipe Of The Week: Fresh Rhubarb Cobbler

Fresh Rhubarb Cobbler

2-3 cups of chopped rhubarb
1 Tablespoons of sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/2 cup of milk
1 Tablespoon of corn starch
1 cup of shifted flour
1/2 teaspoon of salt
3 Tablespoons of shortening

Cook rhubarb in a saucepan with water to cover.  Thicken with corn starch and sweeten to taste.  Pour into a 9 inch round baking pan.  Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Cut in shortening, then stir in milk.  Drop by spoonfuls onto the hot fruit.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.  Serve warm with milk or ice cream.

Dinner Tonight

strawberries, zucchini, yellow squash, kale, broccoli, and lettuce

 

I am learning that the weather really does play a major part in what comes in our boxes.  I know what a few days without rain does for our little backyard garden.  I can not imagine a bigger garden.  Anna says that they are getting a much need rain and this should help pick up the amount of vegetables that we will be getting in our boxes.  When packing they always to keep things as equal as they can.  But sometimes they run out of things but they always try to make up for that with the new batch that is coming.

Recipe Of The Week:Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

8 cups of milk
4 eggs
3 cups of sugar
3 Tablespoons of flour (rounded)
pinch of salt
3 teaspoons of vanilla
2 (8oz) package of cream cheese
3 cups of cream
4 cups of strawberries (mashed)

Beat eggs.  Add to milk and heat to almost boiling.  Stir sugar, flour, salt, and add to almost boiling mixture.  Boil for one minute.  Remove from heat and add chunked cream cheese.  Stir until chunks become smaller and add vanilla.  Do not stir again until cool.  When cool, stir in strawberries and cream, then freeze.  Yield: 1 1/2 gallons

Summer Shares SOLD OUT

Got word from John and Anna that ALL the Summer Shares are SOLD OUT!

Oh My Word....Overflowing Boxes!

Anna has the sweetest way with words...she tells us that she can't believe that it is the end of May and the beginning of June already.  She does love summer!  She loves to breathe in the fresh morning air, to see he dew sparkling on the grass, and to hear the birds beginning to twitter as they wake up.  A plus is all the garden goodies.

They have been very busy on the farm the last few weeks.  They are still putting up the packing barn/workshop.  It is almost finished and ready to use.  They are looking to have more space to pack the boxes because they are still in the walkout basement of their house.

Lots of beautiful strawberries, radishes, peas, scapes, asparagus, lettuce onions, and zucchini.

 

Recipe Of The Week: Vegetable Pizza

Vegetable Pizza

4 cups of flour
2 teaspoons of salt
2 Tablespoons of baking powder1 1/2 cups of milk
2/3 cup of oil
1 package of Ranch Dressing Mix
2 cups of sour cream

Mix flour, salt, baking powder, oil, and milk.  Press into two large pans.  Bake. Cool.  Mix Ranch dressing mix into the sour cream.  Spread on top.  Chill.  Chop vegetables of your choice and put on top.  Add cooked crumbled bacon and shredded cheese.