In the bag…
- Fresh Herbs
- Cucumber Squash
- Beans Shallots or Garlic
- Peppers
- Farmer’s Choice
Ah, summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like it.
Russel Baker
This heat wave has been especially tough on the landscape. We just don’t have the ability to keep it all watered. We have to share our well with our animals and the vegetable gardens and hopefully have some water left over for the household. The well gave out once this season already (an electrical problem). Following Murphy’s law, which is squared for farmers, the well quit on a Friday afternoon when the temperature was in the low 90’s. Lovely! The first reaction is always please don’t let me be out of water! (A dry well is a tough disaster to remedy quickly).
But, our 100 year old well seems to be hanging in very faithfully. By any modern standard an 88 foot deep well would just not suffice, but luckily the water level seems to be hanging in down there. As with many Summers around here, it just might take a Hurricane or at least the remnants of a tropical storm to break the stranglehold of drought and heat.
This is a good week for recipe ideas from shareholders. Thanks!
These are from Kerry:
We do the Greek recipe for the cucumber— cut into bite sized pieces, with chunks of your onions, and ripe tomatoes (can’t wait for yours!). Add spices including the mint, oregano, dill. Cover with a generous helping of good feta (My favorite is Dodonis which Costco was carrying for a while). Whisk up olive oil, lemon juice and red vinegar, and pour over the salad. Serve with a crusty bread for dipping and you have dinner!
I finally found my chicken with mint recipe— use 1/2 a cup of mint and 6 nice leaves. Rinse chicken, pat dry. Coat inside (3-4# chicken) with some butter or oil, stuff 1/2 cup of leaves inside. Put leaves under skin of each side of the breast of chicken. Coat outside with Butter or oil. Use salt and pepper to taste inside and out! Cook for 1:45 at 375 and it is awesome.
The squash we have been slicing to about 1/2 inch, marinating in some soy mixed with water, sesame oil, ginger and garlic, and grilling. I also like it plain grilled!
And from Nancy…
So-Sweet Squash Pickles
- 3 small yellow summer squash, sliced ½ inch thick (about 3 cups)
- ½ cup chopped onion (1 medium)
- 1 large red sweet pepper, cut into ¼ in wide strips
- 1 Tablespoon salt
- 1 Cup sugar
- ¾ Cup white vinegar
- ¾ tsp mustard seed
- ¾ tsp celery seed
- ¼ tsp ground mustard.
In a large nonmetal bowl combine squash, onion and sweet pepper. Sprinkle salt over vegetables, stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Drain off liquid.
In a 3-quart saucepan combined sugar, vinegar, mustard seed, celery seed and ground mustard. Heat to boiling. Add squash mixture. Return to boiling and remove from heat. Ladle mixture into 2 clean pint jars. Cool 30 minutes. Cover and refrigerate at least 24 hour before serving. Store in refrigerator up to 1 month. Makes 2 pints.
My favorite way to prepare green beans.
Prep the beans and add to a two quart pot with enough water to boil. Add chopped onion, Italian herbs (oregano, parsley and basil) or black pepper and garlic. Add a tablespoon of olive oil and boil about 12 minutes. Voila!