Hi everybody
April 18th 2014
Well as planned we have put together another wonderful spring basket! Thanks goodness for the greenhouse, it helps us anxious farmers get things going and let's us be where we want to be outdoors! Things outside aren't just wet they are soupy, and sometimes the mud gets a hold of my boot so badly that it takes me quite a pull to get my foot back intact with my boot. One of the stressful aspects of farming, trying to keep things on schedule. I really hope that we can, please make sure to read emails or newsletters in case we need to post pone anything as I would hate for anybody to come pick up when there is no basket. It's really not something i would want to do since we are aiming to finish the winter CSA before Christmas this year. Nevertheless, don't worry everyone get their promised 12 weeks!
Also, I have been dealing with major computer problems...we may have lost all files which means that i do not have my labels. Our labels need to be approved by Ecocert so I am going to wait until I remake proper ones and have them approved before they go back onto the bags.
This weeks basket contents:
1 bag of Chez Nous Salad Mix ( has an S on it)
1 bag of Asian Greens ( looks like salad mix but no S)
1 bag of Kale
1 bag of Mustard Greens
1 bag of Sunflower Shoots ( great in salads, tuna sandwich or wraps...mostly eaten raw but can be slightly wilted and flavored)
1 small herb- sage and rosemary
(Juicing upgrade) 1 large bag layered spinach/ pea shoots/ parsley/ swiss chard and wheatgrass for those who responded that they were interested
Here are some mustard greens that have flowered. The tips are removed by breaking off before it gets stringy. Then all small leaves are put aside for salad mix. If you taste the leaf raw-whew it's hot! However, when it's in a salad the spiciness goes away!
I thought i'd share some a recipe for using mustard greens. It's quick and easy and all kinds of substitutions can be made. I find it hard to eat a pasta dish in a restaurant that isn't better than what you can make at home. This dish used mustard greens and the taste just like kale after being blanched.
Creamy Mustard greens Alfredo Pasta
Ingredients:
2 or more tablespoons of butter
1/2 8 oz stick of parmesan grated
1 4oz pak of wild smoked salmon ( any meat of your choice or no meat)
2-3 cups of chopped blanched (pre-cooked in boiling water) mustard greens or more! I only used leaves for this dish and used the same water to blanch greens (1-2 min) than i did to boil the noodles.
1/2 large onion chopped
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 1/2 - 2 cups of half and half cream
garlic powder
1/4 cup of flour
Herbs- Sage, thyme etc...
Salt and Pepper
cooked noodle of your choice
Start by caramelizing onions- melt butter, add onions and cook low stirring often this makes them nice and sweet. As you can see, above i used this opportunity to crisp my sage leaves but i needed to turn up the heat for this you might be better to do it separately (Crispy Sage leaves... BEST THING EVER!) The onions are done when they are light brown. Add your herbs, peas, meat ( if using a raw meat i would probably pre-cook separately before adding it at this point) Cook a little then add more butter of oil if dry since you will need some moisture to absorb the 1/4 of flour you add now. Have your cream and cheese ready. Stir to soak up all butter with flour then slowly add milk in followed by cheese. Add blanched chopped greens. Flavor with garlic salt and salt and pepper. Add to pasta and top with crsipy sage leaves.
Wishing you all a wonderful long weekend! Now i'm off to pot up some tomatoes!
Shirley and Rick
Chez Nous Farms
April 18th 2014
Well as planned we have put together another wonderful spring basket! Thanks goodness for the greenhouse, it helps us anxious farmers get things going and let's us be where we want to be outdoors! Things outside aren't just wet they are soupy, and sometimes the mud gets a hold of my boot so badly that it takes me quite a pull to get my foot back intact with my boot. One of the stressful aspects of farming, trying to keep things on schedule. I really hope that we can, please make sure to read emails or newsletters in case we need to post pone anything as I would hate for anybody to come pick up when there is no basket. It's really not something i would want to do since we are aiming to finish the winter CSA before Christmas this year. Nevertheless, don't worry everyone get their promised 12 weeks!
Also, I have been dealing with major computer problems...we may have lost all files which means that i do not have my labels. Our labels need to be approved by Ecocert so I am going to wait until I remake proper ones and have them approved before they go back onto the bags.
This weeks basket contents:
1 bag of Chez Nous Salad Mix ( has an S on it)
1 bag of Asian Greens ( looks like salad mix but no S)
1 bag of Kale
1 bag of Mustard Greens
1 bag of Sunflower Shoots ( great in salads, tuna sandwich or wraps...mostly eaten raw but can be slightly wilted and flavored)
1 small herb- sage and rosemary
(Juicing upgrade) 1 large bag layered spinach/ pea shoots/ parsley/ swiss chard and wheatgrass for those who responded that they were interested
 |
| Talk about using every inch! Harvested last of the overwinter kale- which has turnip and carrot growing around it. and potted up seedlings on top! It's getting crowded! |
 |
| Now to wait for the new Kales... |
 |
| Asian Greens grew like crazy! These can be used anyway you would use spinach...salad, lightly cooked-delicous! |
Here are some mustard greens that have flowered. The tips are removed by breaking off before it gets stringy. Then all small leaves are put aside for salad mix. If you taste the leaf raw-whew it's hot! However, when it's in a salad the spiciness goes away!
 |
| Greens ready |
 |
| Gorgeous escarole also in salad |
 |
| More salad ingredients. |
 |
| My usual mix of plants. Here is cucumber in middle with kale/ lettuce on top and spinach radish on bottom. When it get too hot all cold crops will be removed and cukes will be growing up a trellis. |
I thought i'd share some a recipe for using mustard greens. It's quick and easy and all kinds of substitutions can be made. I find it hard to eat a pasta dish in a restaurant that isn't better than what you can make at home. This dish used mustard greens and the taste just like kale after being blanched.
Creamy Mustard greens Alfredo Pasta
Ingredients:
2 or more tablespoons of butter
1/2 8 oz stick of parmesan grated
1 4oz pak of wild smoked salmon ( any meat of your choice or no meat)
2-3 cups of chopped blanched (pre-cooked in boiling water) mustard greens or more! I only used leaves for this dish and used the same water to blanch greens (1-2 min) than i did to boil the noodles.
1/2 large onion chopped
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 1/2 - 2 cups of half and half cream
garlic powder
1/4 cup of flour
Herbs- Sage, thyme etc...
Salt and Pepper
cooked noodle of your choice
Start by caramelizing onions- melt butter, add onions and cook low stirring often this makes them nice and sweet. As you can see, above i used this opportunity to crisp my sage leaves but i needed to turn up the heat for this you might be better to do it separately (Crispy Sage leaves... BEST THING EVER!) The onions are done when they are light brown. Add your herbs, peas, meat ( if using a raw meat i would probably pre-cook separately before adding it at this point) Cook a little then add more butter of oil if dry since you will need some moisture to absorb the 1/4 of flour you add now. Have your cream and cheese ready. Stir to soak up all butter with flour then slowly add milk in followed by cheese. Add blanched chopped greens. Flavor with garlic salt and salt and pepper. Add to pasta and top with crsipy sage leaves.
Wishing you all a wonderful long weekend! Now i'm off to pot up some tomatoes!
Shirley and Rick
Chez Nous Farms
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