This week's Green Grocer CSA Bag has been fun to make dinners with—and I still love being surprised. I don't mind some items have repeated, because as I've searched for new recipes I've found more recipes than I had enough produce to make, so I'm glad to get "second" chances.
This week's bag included grits....the coarse cornmeal is perfect for my favorite pizza crust (which will follow the Green Grocer's list). We have homemade pizza every Friday night (well most) and you'll find it is so easy, you'll stop ordering take out and make these versions that are more delicious and much healthier! Once summer gets into full swing, we'll start making pizza on the charcoal grill.....more on this to come! But for this week, we are making pizza in the oven to get your started! We also had a really easy pasta dish for one of our busier nights....my version of a carbonara pasta but a bit lighter and a meatless option, and a great greek salad with the spinach! I plan to make mashed garlic cauliflower with the head of green cauliflower tomorrow!
Medium
from Stutzman Farm in Millersburg, OH
from Becky and Greg at Dangling Carrot Farm in Williamsport, OH
Grits ORG
French Breakfast Radishes PF
Half-Dozen Eggs PF
from Jenny at Manchester Hill Farm in Circleville, OH
from Farmer Tom in Chillicothe, OH
Asparagus
from Schacht Farm in Canal Winchester, OH
from the US
from the US
from Georgia
Rhubarb PF
Asparagus
from Schacht Farm in Canal Winchester, OH
Baby Spinach ORG
Yellow or Green Cauliflower
Peaches
Amy's Favorite Pizza Dough
(makes 2 approx 12 inch pizzas)
1 1/4 C warm water
2 T Olive Oil
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp salt
1/4 C cornmeal
3 T whole wheat flour
3 C unbleached white flour
1 T yeast
• Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water (about 105 to 110 degrees F), add the rest of the ingredients and beat using the dough hook of a stand mixer until a nice dough ball is formed. If it is still sticky place flour on the counter and turn out the dough and knead until smooth. Be careful not to knead in too much flour and make the dough too heavy. Let rise for 60-90 minutes, until doubled in size. Punch down and turn out and divide into two dough balls to roll out for pizzas.
• Option—Do you have a bread machine? Place the ingredients into your bread machine in the order the machine suggests, set for the dough cycle, when complete, turn out and divide into two balls which you will roll out for the pizzas.
--If you don't have one, you should look at investing in a Zojirushi bread machine...it is my second machine and I just love this machine. I make most of our bread and it is so nice to place ingredients in, go to work and come home to dough ready to go, or even a baked loaf! www.zojirushi.com They also make great rice cookers....this is a necessity in my kitchen too!
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Place pizza stones in the oven if you have them. If not place your pizza pans into the oven. When hot, roll out the dough into your circle to fit your pan (doesn't have to be perfect). Take stone/pan from the oven and place dough on stone/pan. Place back into the oven for approx. 4 minutes, then take it out of the oven, it's time to top it!
Amy's Quick Pizza Sauce
1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
1 8 oz can of tomato paste
1 T sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
optional pinch of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes
•Combine all ingredients well. Yep, no cooking needed!
Amy's Favorite Seasoned Olive Oil
(takes about 2 weeks)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
8-10 garlic cloves
2 T whole peppercorns (or mix of colored peppercorns)
1 T dried basil
1 T dried thyme
1/2 T dried oregano
1/2 tsp red pepper chili flakes
Quart Mason Jar
wooden skewer
•Place the dried ingredients in the jar, peel the garlic cloves and thread onto the wooden skewer, place in the jar...pour in extra virgin olive oil to cover (if you need to trim the skewer, use pruning shears or wire cutters and clip it so the lid can be placed on the jar. Set the jar aside and let it sit for 1-2 weeks, then remove the garlic and discard. The flavored oil is ready to use.
Some of Our Favorite Pizza Combinations--but I have more....probably will see them later, here is a good starting point to hopefully inspire your creativity for toppings.....remember, use your leftover meats and vegetables to make really interesting pizza topping combinations...pepperoni and sausage is always great, but try adding more vegetables and various combinations!
--Bake all of the following for another 13-15 minutes in a 450 degree F oven.
• Chicken & Peppers: Top with Amy's pizza sauce, shredded roasted chicken or leftover chicken breast chopped, thinly sliced red bell pepper and green bell pepper, thinly sliced red onion, shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese. Have red chili flakes to sprinkle on to taste.
• BBQ Chicken: Top pizza with your favorite BBQ sauce in a thin layer, top with shredded roasted chicken (rotisserie chickens are perfect from the grocery), thinly sliced red onion, thinly sliced red bell pepper, crumbled feta cheese, shredded part-skim mozzarella (or smoked mozzarella if you have it).
• Wild Mushroom: Wild dried mushrooms soaked in hot water for approx 20-30 minutes. Drain but reserve about 1/2 C of liquid. Rough chop mushrooms and saute in butter for a few minutes, add fresh chopped garlic 1-2 cloves, then add 1/2 cup of mushroom soaking liquid. Cook until evaporated. Remove from heat. Top pizza crust with olive oil or a flavored olive oil. Then add wild mushrooms, crumbled blue cheese, crumbled bacon, and shredded part-skim mozzarella.
• Asian Pizza: Top with Hoisin sauce (from the asian aisle of most grocery stores), then add shredded carrots, thinly sliced red bell pepper, Sliced green onion whites on the pizza and the green tops to sprinkle on right out of the oven (OR thinly sliced red onion), and if you have any leftover pork loin from earlier in the week, this is excellent, or shredded rotisserie chicken from the grocery is good. Top with shredded part-skim mozzarella. Optional, toss chopped cilantro on top when it comes out of the oven.
Amy's Easy Pasta "Carbonara"
3 eggs
1/2 C of grated parmesan
8 oz of dry pasta
asparagus or broccoli or both!
1/2 C of Italian seasoned bread crumbs
• Boil your favorite dry pasta shape (penne or any short shape) per the package directions. Steam asparagus (or broccoli) over the boiling pasta water while the pasta cooks-about 3-4 minutes.
• Beat 3 fresh eggs in a bowl and add about a 1/2 a cup of grated parmesan cheese, set aside.
• In a dry skillet toast about 1/2 C of Italian seasoned bread crumbs (or your own bread crumbs with Italian seasonings mixed in like garlic powder, basil, oregano, thyme). When toasted remove from heat.
• Add about a 1/2 of cup of the hot pasta water, while whisking, to the eggs and parmesan mixture. Then add the steamed vegetable, drained pasta and bread crumbs...toss and serve with a side salad.
• Optional: Add shredded left-over roasted chicken if you have any.
Amy's Greek Salad with Spinach and Asparagus
Spinach, fresh and cleaned and dried
Asparagus, fresh, uncooked, cut into 1 inch pieces
Red and Green Bell Peppers, 1 each, seeds removed and chopped
Red Onion (about 1/3 of a large onion) chopped
Radishes, sliced thinly (probably not Greek, but I used them!)
Feta cheese, a few Tablespoons of crumbles
Black Oil Cured Olives, a few Tablespoons, pitted, rough chop
• Combine in a large bowl...top with dressing that follows...
Creamy Greek Dressing
1/2 C Plain, non-fat yogurt
zest and juice of one to two lemons
1/4 to 1/3 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
2-3 T of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Combine the ingredients, whisk, and pour over salad and toss.
Mashed Cauliflower
Cut a head of cauliflower into manageable size pieces.
Steam cauliflower until fork tender.
Place in a food processor with 2 garlic cloves, salt and white pepper to taste. Pulse a few times, add in room temperature reduced fat cream cheese (8oz.), pulse again.....then add a little vegetable stock or chicken stock to think it a little. Puree to the texture you like.
So far so yummy this week! I am sure the rhubarb would have been great in a pie with peaches, but those peaches smelled so darn good, they just got eaten! So, I'll be making some kind of pie (or the crisp again) with the rhubarb!
I hope as you read this from time to time that you see how easy it is to use leftover meats, or vegetables (roasted or raw) in salads, in pastas, or on pizzas.....to use everything you buy each week without waste, and to put together quick, easy, and healthy meals--eliminating more of the take out!
Enjoy the beautiful weather this weekend!
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