The Happy Box CSA Program

Autumn Butternut Bisque

Adapted from www.allrecipes.com

1 T unsalted butter

1/2 C diced onion      

3/4 C diced carrots

3 C vegetable stock      

Salt & pepper, to taste

4 C peeled and cubed butternut squash

Ground nutmeg, to taste

1/2 C heavy cream (optional)

Heat the oil and melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Cook and stir the onion in the butter and oil under tender.  Mix the carrots and squash into the pot. Pour in vegetable stock, and season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until vegetables are tender.

In a blender or food processor, puree the soup mixture until smooth. Return to the pot, and stir in the heavy cream if you’d like. Heat through, but do not boil. Serve warm with a dash of nutmeg. 

Butternut Squash Pasta

Courtesy of Karen Olson, The Fun Club

Makes 4 servings

1 large butternut squash, peeled and cubed

1 clove garlic, minced

2 medium shallots, minced

A few handfuls of kale, washed and roughly chopped

Parmesan cheese, to taste

Salt & pepper to taste

Olive oil

Fettuccini pasta for four

Sautée squash in a large saucepan (preferably with a lid) until soft enough to mash.  Season with salt and pepper.

Add shallots, then garlic.  Cook, stirring occasionally until shallots and garlic are soft and flavorful.  Add kale at the end.  When it wilts, mash everything together with a fork.  Stir in with cooked pasta and add additional cheese if desired

Red Cabbage Cole Slaw

Courtesy of Joyce Hill, adapted from www.rachelrayshow.com

1 T Dijon mustard

2 T cider vinegar

½ c mayonnaise

2 T sugar

½ parsley, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ large head red cabbage, thinly sliced

1 green bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced

1 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced

3 stalks celery from the heart, thinly sliced lengthwise

4 scallions, thinly sliced lengthwise

Salt and pepper, to taste

Massage sliced cabbage 1-2 minutes to release moisture and increase tenderness.  Combine with all other ingredients.  Serves 6-8.

GREEN ONION

Savory Cheese & Onion Scones

Adapted from www.foodiefarmgirl.blogspot.com

2 ½ c all-purpose flour 

1 T + 2 t baking powder

1 t salt                     

4 oz. feta cheese, crumbled

4 onions, chopped      

1 c whole milk

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Combine flour, 1 T baking powder, and salt in large bowl.  Add cheeses and toss gently with fork until combined.  Toss in onions and combine.  Beat milk with egg and fold into dry ingredients, mixing until a soft dough forms.  Add more flour if necessary. 

On a floured surface, pat scones into a circle approximately 1-inch thick.  Handle the dough as little as possible.  Cut the circle into 8 wedges with a sharp knife and place them on a greased baking sheet.

  Quick Korean Scallion Pancakes

Adapted from www.bitten.blogs.nytimes.com

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 bunches scallions or spring onions, about 1 lb.

1 egg                       

1 t soy sauce

½ flour         

Peanut oil as needed

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil and trim the scallions/onions.  Roughly chop three bunches and mince the fourth.  Add the chopped scallions to the water and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.  Drain, reserving ½ of cooking liquid.  Puree the cooked scallions/onions in a blender, adding cooking liquid as necessary.

Mix the puree with the egg and soy, then gently stir in the flour until blended.  Add salt and pepper to taste, then reserved minced scallions/onions.

Oil a nonstick skillet and heat to medium high.  Drop the batter into the pan by the tablespoon and cook each side until lightly browned.  Dip in soy sauce or ginger dipping sauce.

Tabouli (Parsley Salad)

Adapted from www.vegetarian-recipes.suite101.com

1 bunch fresh parsley

3 green onions

2 medium fresh tomatoes

2 cloves garlic

Juice from 1 large lemon

3 T olive oil, to taste

Salt & pepper to taste

1 c cooked wheat berries, quinoa, or couscous

Chop parsley finely with knife or in food processor and place in large bowl.  Mince green onion, tomato and garlic and combine.  Integrate lemon juice and olive oil and stir well. 

Add wheat berries/quinoa/couscous and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve cold.

You can also vary this recipe by adding cucumber, mint, olives, or sunflower seeds.  I like it in a spread with hummus, pita bread, and olives.

Chimichurri (Argentine Grilling Sauce)

Adapted from www.simplyrecipes.com

1 c firmly packed fresh parsley, trimmed of thick stems

4 cloves garlic

2 T fresh oregano leaves

½ c olive oil

2 T red or white wine vinegar

1 t sea salt

¼ t fresh ground black pepper

¼ t red pepper flakes

Finely chop the parsley, oregano, and garlic by hand or in food processor.  Place in small bowl.

Stir in the olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.  Adjust seasonings to taste.

Serve immediately with pasta, vegetables, soup, grilled meats, or whatever you desire.

Barb’s Pumpkin Butter

Courtesy of Barb Lurie, Troy

2 ½ c baked pumpkin pulp

4 c sugar

½ vanilla bean, split, or 1 t finely grated orange peel

½ t ground cinnamon

Place the pumpkin pulp in a pan and add the sugar and vanilla bean or orange peel.  Stir mixture over low heat for about 10 minutes, or until the sugar is dissolved.  Increase the heat and boil, stirring with a long-handled wooden spatula, until the mixture turns a rich orange brown, and the spatula leaves a clean path on the bottom of the pan, about 30 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in the cinnamon if desired; discard vanilla bean.  Pack into hot jars and process in boiling water bath 15 minutes.  Keeps for years!

Thai Peanut-Pumpkin Soup

Adapted from SparkRecipes.com

Makes 4 servings

1 T olive oil             

1/2 onion, finely chopped

Bunch celery, chopped      

Bunch scallions, chopped

3 c vegetable stock      

2 c pureed pumpkin

4 T natural peanut butter Ginger, finely chopped

Red pepper and salt to taste

Sauté onions, celery, and scallions with olive oil in a soup pot.  Add vegetable stock and bring to a boil.  Add pumpkin and stir well to incorporate.  Remove from heat and process mixture in a blender or food processor until smooth.  Return soup to the stove and stir in peanut butter, ginger, and pepper until mixture is thick and smooth.  Serve with sour cream or greek yogurt with a dash of paprika on top. 

SPINACH

Spinach Banitsa

Adapted by Tanya Pajev

Makes 6 servings

1/2 lb. fresh spinach      

1 bunch spring onions, chopped

1½ c feta cheese, crumbled      

4 eggs, slightly beaten      

1 lb. phyllo dough, available at specialty groceries

½ c butter, melted

Prepare the spinach by thoroughly rinsing, draining, and squeezing out as much water as possible.  Cut off stems and chop into ½ inch pieces.  In a medium bowl, mix together spinach, onions, feta, and eggs.

Oil a 9 X 13 baking dish.  Cover the bottom with 4-5 sheets of folded phyllo.  Spread over half of spinach mixture.  Add another layer of phyllo, rest of spinach, and top with phyllo dough.  Brush top with butter.  Bake in oven preheated to 400 degrees for 40 minutes, or until filling is set and top is lightly browned.  

Savory Spinach Risotto

Adapted from www.spinachrecipes.org

1/2 lb. fresh spinach, washed and chopped

3 c vegetable broth

1 c water

1 c onion, finely chopped

2 T olive oil

1 c long grain rice

1/3 c dry white wine

Salt and black pepper, to taste

½ c freshly-grated Parmesan cheese

Cook the spinach in a large saucepan, drain well, and squeeze dry.
 Set aside.  In a smaller saucepan, begin to simmer the broth and water.

In the large saucepan, cook the onion in the olive oil over moderately low heat, stirring until softened.

Add the rice and stir until each grain is coated with oil.

Add the wine and cook, covered, over moderately high heat, stirring, until it has been absorbed.



Add about ¾ c of broth and cook over moderately high heat, stirring constantly, until the broth is absorbed. Continue adding broth, about ¾ c at a time, letting each addition be absorbed, until about half the broth has been added. Reduce the heat to moderate. Keep adding broth until the rice is tender and creamy looking (about 20 minutes).

Stir in the spinach, add salt & pepper.

Remove the pan from heat and stir in half of the grated Parmesan.

Serve risotto with the remaining cheese.