It’s Week Four

Welcome! We are hope that you had a fantastic third week and that you were able to use everything in your bag. Did you discover a new recipe? Try something that will be added to your rotation of meals? Try a new to you vegetable that you liked? Let us know and I will share it here with our other members. If you loved it, others will too! I know I did hear from SEVERAL of you regarding the delicata squash from last week. For many of you it was new and everyone that reached out really enjoyed them, which makes us HAPPY! It is always fun to try something new and enjoy it.

In Your Box This Week and How to Store Them

HERB - Parsley, trim a little off of the bottoms of the stems so that they can take in more water. Fill a jar or glass partially with water and set the parsley inside. An inch or two of the stems should be submerged. Cover the jar of herbs loosely with a plastic bag. Store in the refrigerator. Change the water when it becomes cloudy. $2.50

CARROTS - Store carrots in the refrigerator in a plastic bag or container. Cut tops off prior to storage. They can store for several weeks and sometimes even months $5

PATTY PAN - Storing patty pan in the fridge is a quick and simple way to keep it fresh. Keep the patty pan whole until you're prepared to use it, avoid washing patty pan prior to storage. $2.50

FAIRY TALE EGGPLANT -store away from direct sunlight and use it as soon as possible after harvesting or buying. You can place it in a vented bowl, but avoid sealing it in a plastic bag, which can increase decay. Eggplant is not a cold loving vegetable but, if you want to keep it in the refrigerator do so in the warmest place in the refrigerator and keep lightly covered. Eggplant will remain fresh for 2-4 days. $5

KALE - Kale loves the crisper drawer. Does well in a loose bag in your refrigerator. Wash prior to use. Stores normally for UP to two weeks. $5

RED DELICOUS APPLES - I prefer to pick this variety a little early, they are still mildly tart but also sweet, which is perfect. You can display on your countertop, but they'll only last between 1 and 2 weeks, depending on the variety and room temperature. Apples in the fridge last from 2 weeks to several months. $6

SPAGHETTI SQUASH - Winter Squash is best stored between 55-65 degrees, however, Delicata squash does not store quite as well as heartier varieties like Acorn and Butternut. Place in a cool dry room in your house (do not refrigerate) and it should last 2 months. (2lbs) $6

Veggie of the Week

Spaghetti Squash

Spaghetti squash… another favorite! In fact, I just ate spaghetti squash for lunch today. This year we grew a variety of squash that is smaller and is more of a single size. Although, some of the squash didn’t get the memo and still turned out quite large. Regardless of the size of squash you receive in your bag they are all ready to eat!

Spaghetti squash is a type of winter squash that, when cooked, has a unique texture compared to other winter squash that resembles spaghetti noodles. It is typically oval or oblong in shape and has a hard, yellow skin. When you cook spaghetti squash—whether by baking, boiling, or microwaving—the flesh becomes tender and can be easily scraped into strands with a fork.

This vegetable is low in calories and carbohydrates, making it a very popular alternative (thanks keto diet trend) to traditional pasta. It is also rich in vitamins A and C, as well as fiber. Spaghetti squash can be served with a variety of sauces and toppings, but my favorite is homemade spaghetti sauce!

Roasted Spaghetti Squash

1 spaghetti squash (or two, dependent on your appetite and size of squash)
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line large, rimmed baking pan with parchment paper.
Trim stem end from squash, then cut each squash in half lengthwise and scoop out and discard seeds and pulp.
Place squash on baking sheet with parchment paper and equally divide olive oil, salt and pepper between the two halves.
Place squash halves on prepared pan with skin side down. Transfer to oven and roast 30 to 45 minutes or until tender, and the center scrapes away from the skin.
When squash is tender, spoon sauce over squash or you could add a little salted butter and eat without sauce. Serve immediately.

A few notes:

You can scoop the flesh out and place in a separate bowl, or my favorite is to use the skin as a bowl and place the sauce right in.
I prefer to roast with olive oil, salt and pepper. That’s it. I find no reason to add a “sweetener” of any kind. It adds calories that I don’t need, and I find the squash to be delicious as is.
MY FAVORITE way to eat this squash is to load it with a fresh spaghetti sauce. Using San Marzano tomatoes, you can get them canned at Wal-Mart, fresh carrots, onions, garlic, celery and a blend of seasonings makes it a perfect fall dish. We make a large pot of sauce at a time and eat it over several days. I will also use the sauce for lasagna subbing noodles with zucchini or doing a zucchini roll up. If anyone is interested in a sauce recipe send me a message or email and I can get one together for you.
ENJOY!

This recipe is something I am going to try this fall as it looks quick and easy. It also could fit a vegetarian dish or Meatless Monday. It does call for kale, which is in your bag this week. Spaghetti Squash w/ Chickpeas & Kale Recipe - Love and Lemons

I know Patty Pan squash is likely a new one for many of you this week. It is very similar to zucchini in taste.

The quickest and easiest way to prepare it is to sauté it in olive oil. This recipe calls for parsley and basil. I’m sorry to say I don’t have any basil this year but, I have included parsley in your bag this week. This is a quick and nutricious side for dinner this week!

Sautéed Patty Pan Squash Recipe - Love and Lemons

Additional Recipes

I know not everyone loves Kale but, its fall and there are so many good recipes to use it in! My favorite is a copycat soup, Zuppa Toscana from Olive Garden.

Zuppa Toscana Recipe (a la Olive Garden) (gimmesomeoven.com)

Sausage & Kale Stuffed Acorn Squash - Hungry by Nature (if you have any acorn squash left this is a good one to try!)

Roasted Carrots Recipe - Love and Lemons

Crispy Air Fryer Eggplant - Foodess

Roasted Fairytale Eggplant - Life's Little Sweets (lifeslittlesweets.com)

What’s Been Happening Here

Well rain has been happening here since Sunday. Big, fat drops of rain in generous amounts! While it has slowed us down, which is hard as we always seem to be behind, we also desperately needed the rain. We were definitely square back into drought territory for the last 3-4 weeks. Hopefully the couple of inches we received as well as the cooler weather the rain brought will bring us back too little to no drought. On Saturday after the farmers market, we quickly sprang into action harvesting the remaining winter squash and all of the pumpkins before the rains came. We don’t normally force the kids into child “labor” but, Saturday it was all hands-on deck, even the baby. Thankfully under tractor headlights we were able to have everything in the wash/pack shed tucked away and curing for future markets. This week we are harvesting the rest of the apples and getting them tucked away for storage, although at the rate they’re selling they likely won’t store long!

Note: we will not be placing pumpkins into CSA bags as the few small pumpkin varieties we grew this year are decorative. If you would like pumpkins feel free to reach out. I can send you information on the varieties and pricing.

If All Else Fails

If your week has been crazy and you haven’t had time to do a thing with items in your bag, focus on these tasks:

Kale will store for at least 7 days. Keep in mind moisture leads to spoilage. You can wait to wash your greens until you plan to consumer them. Place greens in an airtight container such as a bag or Tupperware
Parsley wash and dry thoroughly. You want to make sure no excess water is present as that can cause freezer burn. Cut the lower part of the stems. Place cleaned and dried parsley in a large freezer bag and push it down to the bottom
Apples can store in your crisper for weeks without problem.
Winter squash will also store for weeks if not months if kept in a cool, dry space away from direct sunlight.
Carrots will store well in your crisper drawer with their tops off.
Patty pan can be shredded and frozen if you are unable to use it this week. It can be used as a substitute for zucchini in muffins or bread
Keep eggplant out at room temperature and try to use them soon after, as eggplants don’t do well in the cold. If you do need to store them for longer, place in an unsealed bag or container, and then keep in the crisper drawer

Next Week’s Possibility’s

Your bag next week will include 6-7 of the following depending on availability and if it’s ready to harvest.

apples
onions
carrots
lettuce
okra
sweet potatoes
patty pan squash
bell peppers
Other peppers (poblano, jalapeño, anaheim, banana, etc.)
Fairy Tale Eggplant
zucchini (green or yellow)
herbs (rosemary, sage, oregano, parsley)
celery (maybe, they are sizing up well)
kale

Wishing you a fantastic week ahead, see you next week!

Fall CSA Newsletter: Week 4