September is nearly upon us, and we can certainly tell that in the garden watching the different crops transition out and knowing that we have four more weeks after this week left with this year’s CSA. So the last delivery will be the last week of September which will bring us to 18 weeks. Enjoy the bounty this weekend and have a great Labor Day weekend!
BOXES OF PRODUCE
Thank you to all who provide us feedback as to what you enjoy, and how you are using it. It does provide us with renewed energy and motivation.
This list is prepared before we harvest your share. Some guesswork is involved! We do our best to predict which crops will be ready to harvest, but sometimes crops are on the list that are not in the share, and sometimes crops will be in the share even though they’re not on the list.
Remember food safety when preparing, always wash your produce before eating.
Lettuce Blend – Blend includes Prizehead, Red Oak Leaf and Simpson Elite.
Cucumbers – We hope you are enjoying this yummy vegetable which I think only has a week or two left.
Peppers – Green, orange and banana peppers. I like to cut them up to 1/4 inch pieces and freeze them for soups and other recipes this fall and winter.
- Green Beans – This is the last round of beans for a while. We have another round of green beans and dragon tongue beans growing in the garden that should provide us with plenty to enjoy in September.
- Summer Squash – Zucchini – Nearing the end of this crop.
Onions – In your boxes this week were yellow onions. They had all stopped growing and in order to prevent to many from rotting in the field we harvested them and are drying them and will continue to share with you throughout the remaining weeks.
Sam was having a great time harvesting potatoes. Like his mother, he finds this to be an awesome treasure hunt every time a potato plant is dug.
Off course when you are digging for anything in the garden, every boy also has collect worms.
Potatoes – This week we have Norland – great for mashed or boiled potatoes, Yukon Golds – great for baking or cooked and Kennebec – great for baking.
- Tomatoes – Tomatoes in your boxes this week to include Big Boys, Roma, Yellow Girl and cherry tomatoes.
Sweet Corn – Thank you to our neighbors FarGaze Farms – the Peterson families for this delicious vegetable! I believe this is the last week of this fantastic summer treat.
- Herbs – Peppermint, oregano, cilantro, and lemon thyme. Remember you can dry them or you can freeze. See how to freeze with olive oil to use later. Wondering what to do with the peppermint – try this refreshing summer tea recipe.
A beautiful bouquet of flowers is always in the eye of the beholder. So when Sam asked me to pick the pretty dandelions this week, I said of course. There is nothing more peaceful then picking flowers with your kids, and their excitement of what they just picked for their mom!
Fresh Flowers – Zinnias, Rudbeckia or sunflowers this week. Place a few hosta leaves in with them when placing in the vase. Also, remember to add about a teaspoon of bleach to help the flowers last longer.
Recipe of the Week
Potato Bread
This is one of my favorite bread recipes and was discovered after a summer of trying different recipes to bring to the fair for one of my 4-H projects which eventually earned a purple ribbon several year ago:)
I discovered last year that I could freeze the mashed potatoes in 1 cup quantities for a double batch. I also freeze the bread as buns or cinnamon rolls. After forming the bread into buns or cinnamon rolls, I let them rise the second time and then I freeze them. When I want to bake them, I simply place the frozen rolls in the oven, turn the oven on to preheat, and once the oven is preheated allow them to cook for the alloted time. Steve has commented several times that he is so glad I figured this out.
Potato Bread
1 package of active dry yeast
1/4 cup of war water
***
1/2 cup mashed potatoes
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup milk, scalded (link to how to scald milk)
1 egg
4 – 4 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Soften yeast in warm water (to speed up the yeast add about 1/2 teaspoon of sugar and stir in). Allow the yeast to begin to rise (fun science experiment with the kids). In a separate bowl combine hot potatoes, shortening, sugar, salt, and scalded milk. Cool to luke warm
Add softened yeast and egg. Stir. Stir in 2 cups of flour. Stir in remaining flour or enough to make a soft dough. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic (about 6 minutes). Here are two links one to show you how to knead by hand and the other with your stand mixer and dough hook.
Place in lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease both sides of your bread. Cover with Saran Wrap that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Let rise until double. About 1 hour. Punch the bread down. Shape in ball, Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Shape into rolls, place on greased baking sheet. Let rise until double (about 1 hour). Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Makes 2 dozen.
Note: I
Mix together your yeast, hot water and a dash of sugar. The sugar helps to activate the yeast more quickly.
Mix yeast and let set for a few minutes while you mix together the Crisco, sugar, potatoes, salt and scalded milk.
The yeast is ready. Wait until the milk mixture is lukewarm before adding.
After adding the scalded milk. (when milk is scalded it has a thin layer of “skin” on top of it), mix the Crisco and potatoes in. Let set until lukewarm.
Stir in eggs and yeast.
Mix in the flour until it becomes sticky and starts to form a ball.
Spray some cooking spray on your hand and beginning kneading in a ball.
Once a ball is formed, spray your bowl.
Spray Saran Wrap with cooking spray and set aside for one hour so it will rise until it is double in size.
Once it is double in side, form into rolls and let rise again. Then bake or freeze.
To make buns, cut the dough into golf ball sized pieces and gently wrap the dough around your finger, pull your finger out and work your way around the ball until it is smooth on the top and resemble a bun. Place in greased pan.
To make cinnamon rolls, use a pastry cloth and rolling-pin. Roll the dough out into a large triangle. Melt about 1 tablespoon of butter and spread over dough and then sprinkle with a cinnamon/granulated sugar mix. Roll the dough from the small end to the large end trying to keep the dough tight.
This is a great way to teach fractions to a child. When making cinnamon rolls, we divide the dough in half, then quarters and then cut the quarters into thirds. In the end, you have one dozen.
A happy and proud Keith that he figured out how to cut the dough into 12 equal pieces. He can’t wait to bake them!
Cinnamon Roll Frosting
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup butter softened
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 Tablespoons milk
Mix powdered sugar and butter. Stir in vanilla and milk. Beat until smooth and of spreading consistency.
cute cute cute kids!