A Fall Favorite!

If you still have your butternut squash or want to get one, this recipe has become a fall favorite. With the flavors that is everything that eminates FALL, this recipe just reminds me of brisk nights, soothing brown & red colors on the tress & a nice warm dessert filled with cinnamon to warm your soul. OOOHHH I loved it.

Butternut Squash Casserole (its a Dessert!)

from my favorite recipe site: allrecipes.com

Ingredients

• 3 cups mashed, cooked butternut squash
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup margarine, melted
• 1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple with juice
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease one 2 quart casserole dish and set aside.
2. Combine the butternut squash, white sugar, brown sugar, margarine, pineapple, cinnamon, vanilla and nutmeg. Mix well and pour into casserole dish.
3. Sprinkle with chopped nuts and bake for 40 to 45 minutes.

TRY IT, you will lick the whole bowl!

Recipes for your BOX

Your box had: romaine lettuce, broccoli, tomatoes, butternut squash, apples, bananas, honeydew, korean pears, and red plums.

Here are a few recipes for your veggies:

Crunchy Romaine Toss

Grilled Orange Vinaigrette Salad

Surprise Veggie is BUTTERNUT!!

Here are some fabulous ideas on what to do with your butternut:

Butternut Squash Casserole




Roasted & Curried Butternut Squash soup


WHAT DID YOU MAKE WITH YOUR BOX?

Butternut Lasagna

Butter Nut Squash Lasagna

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil
1 (11⁄2- to 2-pound) butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups whole milk
Pinch of nutmeg
12 no-boil lasagna noodles
21⁄2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Instructions:

Heat oil in a heavy, large skillet over medium heat. Add the cubed squash and toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour the water into the skillet, cover and simmer over medium heat until the squash is tender, about 20 minutes. Transfer the squash to a mixing bowl or food processor and mash. Season the squash purée to taste with more salt and pepper.

Melt the butter in a medium-size saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and whisk for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk. Bring to a low boil over medium- high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, whisking often, about 5 minutes. Add the nutmeg. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly butter a 13-by-9-by-2- inch glass baking dish. Spread 3/4 cup of the sauce over the prepared baking dish. Cover the bottom of pan with one layer of lasagna noodles. Spread half of the squash purée over the noodles. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese. Drizzle 1/2 cup of sauce over the cheese. Repeat layering once more, finishing with a layer of noodles covered only by white sauce.

Tightly cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove cover, sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses over the lasagna and continue baking until the sauce bubbles and the top is golden, about 15 minutes longer. Let the lasagna stand for 15 minutes before serving. Serves 8.

--posted by Amy Gold

Tomatillos

Learn all about Tomatillos from: What's Cooking America.com

Use the Famous Cafe Rio Dressing from: Better in Bulk

What will you do with your Tomatillos?

Recipes for your BOX

For Broccoli, Potatoes & Green Onions

Broccoli Chowder

For Lettuce, Broccoli and Green Onions:

Crunchy Romaine Toss

For Broccoli:

Broccoli Salad

For Fruit:

Nectarine Blush

FruitY Fun Skewers

For Tomatillos:

Tomatillo Salsa Verde

Tomatillo Chicken Stew

Share your favorite recipes of the week

New Food Blog to follow!

From Paige Nemrow:

Last night we tried a great new recipe! It was a salad that used ingredients from last weeks box that I was trying to use up: Spinach, Apples, Grilled Chicken and I substituted feta cheese for the gouda. My husband is not a big salad eater and he loved it! It can be found on this blog of a friend of mine in Utah.

http://www.abountifulkitchen.com/

Menu Planning

I know a few blog posts ago I said Menu Plan to keep your food lasting longer. I know we all Menu plan somehow. I go through many phases of menu planning, I have done monthly, weekly according to what's in my box. But since I've gotten back from my trip, all menu planning went out the door. SO I am determined to do it...DO IT!! so.....

I have gone through various different types of Menu Planning.
Here are some great links for Menu Plan Printouts:

Better Budgeting.com

Homeschool Curriculum for Life

Image above from - Project Girl

Or this cute one from - TangarangBlog

& My Favorite:
Organized Home.com
She has some great printouts & they are colorful & fun!!


How do you Menu Plan?

Recipes for your BOX

RECIPES for your BOX

*For your mushrooms, bell pepper & Onions :

MUSHROOM SAUCE

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups fresh sliced mushrooms
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1/3 cup milk

Directions

1. In a sauce pan over medium heat cook the onions, green pepper, red pepper, mushrooms and butter until mushrooms are tender. Stir in the cream of chicken sup and milk. Cook until smooth.

*More recipes for Mushroom, onions & bell peppers:

Veggie Fajitas

Jay's Hearty Breakfast Skillet

Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore

*For Your Sweet Potato:

FRIED WHITE SWEET POTATO

1 white sweet potato, peeled and sliced thin

Canola oil for frying

Salt, optional

1. In a large skillet, pour about ½” of oil… heat it at medium-high heat.
2. While the oil heats up, prep the sweet potato… I peel it using a vegetable peeler because I am not too good peeling using a knife. The sweet potato will start to get dark after being exposed to the air a few seconds. Don’t worry, it’s normal and it will not change the texture or taste of the sweet potato.
3. After you’ve peeled and sliced the sweet potato and the oil is hot enough… start frying. The sweet potato will take a while to fry because of its moisture content… but with patience, it will cook on the inside and get crispy on the outside. The thinner you slice the potato, the faster they will cook and the crispier it will be. They should be golden brown, without any burned spots.
4. Drain them onto a plate with paper towel and sprinkle with some salt if you want… I usually do not salt them.

White and Sweet Potato Gratin

Nov 16, 2006 Stephanie Gallagher

• 3/4 cup crushed croutons
• 2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1-1/4 lbs. Yukon gold potatoes (approximately 3 medium potatoes)
• 1/2 lb. sweet potato (approximately 1 large sweet potato)
• 1 Tbsp. melted butter
• 1 cup nonfat milk
• 1/4 cup half and half
• kosher salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Use a food processor to crush the croutons. Spray a 1.5 quart baking dish with nonstick spray. Pour 1/2 Tbsp olive oil over bottom of dish. Peel and slice potatoes into 1/8-inch thick slices.Read more at Suite101:

*Recipes for your granny smith apples:

Apples by the Fire

Super Duper Easy Apple Cake

Spiced Apples

What will you do with your box?

Recipes for your BOX

Here are some ideas for what came in your box. Click on the title & it will link to the recipe. MOST come from Allrecipes.com, its a GREAT site!

Peppercorn Ranch Pasta Recipe

Rustic Fall Philly Fruit Tart

Carrot Broccoli Casserole

Penne Primavera Recipe

Broccoli Slaw

Roasted Kabocha Pumpkin

TIPS for minimizing Waste of produce

Ok, so some of the past emails received has made me think about wasting food....so hence this BLOG POST!

I have done a bunch a research & some are things that we have been doing, to help minimize waste of produce:


#1 - SORT when you bring it home.
Choose items that may VERY ripe to eat FIRST. So they don't go bad in the fridge & then wasted. Remember to bring out the produce already in the fridge forward or out on the counter so you can remember to use it.


#2 - USE Green Bags to preserve produce, they are reusable & my fruits & veggies last almost 2-3 weeks at times. Use lunch brown sacks for Mushrooms.
Keep Potatoes & Onions in a cool area of the kitchen, cupboard or pantry.

#3 - MENU PLAN
Especially for veggies that you may not use everyday, set a day & meal that you will use them in.
SEARCH recipe sites for ideas to use for specific ingredients: allrecipes.com has a good one.
I will be posting a new blog post with recipe ideas for what was received in the box each week.

#4 Preserve Excess
If you find that you are using veggies, but have too many of certain veggies...preserve them!
FREEZING:
Bell Peppers & Onions - Chop & Freeze in ziplocs (great to pull them out from the freezer & pop them into your chili)
Mushrooms - Saute 1/2 as long as normal & freeze
Tomatoes - some prep work see: DEEP SOUTH DISHES
Corn on Cob: Husk, Blanch Corn, Cool, Bag & Freeze

#5 Keep a Food Waste Diary
Every time you throw away food, whether it's a banana peel or 3/4 of a lasagna, you write down what it was and why you tossed it. The diary helps you be mindful - do I really need to toss this, or can I take it for lunch tomorrow? But also, after a while you can see what you're wasting the most and try to curb your shopping habits. see: thekitchn.com for details.

NOW that I say all these things, hopefully I can stay on top of NOT wasting food.
Any PERSONAL tips, PLEASE post it!

Recipes for your F&V box of veggies 9/1/10

WHAT CAN YOU MAKE
with what's in your BOX?

WHAT CAN YOU MAKE WITH: Zucchini

Grilled Zucchini II

Ingredients

• 1 large zucchini
• 1/4 cup Italian-style salad dressing

DIRECTIONS

1. Slice zucchini into 1/4 inch slices. Toss in a bowl with Italian dressing.
2. Place on a hot grill and grill about 4 to 5 minutes or until nice grill marks appear and the zucchini is slightly limp. Serve and enjoy.

WHAT YOU CAN MAKE WITH : zucchini, potatoes, tomatoes

Crescent Beef Casserole

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 cup diced zucchini
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup chopped green pepper
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 cup tomato puree
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1 1/2 cups mashed potatoes
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1 (8 ounce) package refrigerated crescent rolls

Directions

1. In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain and set aside. In the same skillet, saute the zucchini, onion and green pepper in oil until crisp-tender. Stir in the beef, tomato puree, oregano, salt and pepper; heat through.
2. Spread mashed potatoes in an 11-in. x 7-in. x 2-in. baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray. Top with beef mixture; sprinkle with feta cheese.
3. Unroll crescent dough. Separate into four rectangles; arrange three rectangles over the casserole. Bake at 375 degrees F for 12-15 minutes or until top is browned. Roll remaining dough into two crescent rolls; bake for another use.

MAKE WITH: Nectarines, Peaches, Plums, Apples
*I change the fruit depending upon what I have, but the KIDS love this*

Fruit Salsa & Cinnamon Chips

Ingredients

• 2 kiwis, peeled and diced
• 2 Golden Delicious apples - peeled, cored and diced
• 1 Nectarine peeled & diced
  
• 1 pound strawberries
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 
  
• 3 tablespoons fruit preserves, any flavor
• 10 (10 inch) flour tortillas
• butter flavored cooking spray
• 2 cups cinnamon sugar

Directions

1. In a large bowl, thoroughly mix kiwis, Golden Delicious apples, raspberries, strawberries, white sugar, brown sugar and fruit preserves. Cover and chill in the refrigerator at least 15 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
3. Coat one side of each flour tortilla with butter flavored cooking spray. Cut into wedges and arrange in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Sprinkle wedges with desired amount of cinnamon sugar. Spray again with cooking spray.
4. Bake in the preheated oven 8 to 10 minutes. Repeat with any remaining tortilla wedges. Allow to cool approximately 15 minutes. Serve with chilled fruit mixture.

WHAT RECIPES WILL YOU MAKE WITH
WHAT'S IN YOUR BOX?

Yummy Zucchini Recipe

Zucchini Casserole from Allrecipes.com

(I cubed bread & baked it & used that instead of stuffing, which I did not have)

I found this recipe to be great for emptying some items in my fridge I had not yet used. Because of my GREEN bags, my zucchini's last 2 weeks...but I try to use them up & this recipe got 4 stars out of 5 mouths in our family!!

Try it out, your fam might like it!

WHAT's YOUR FAVORITE ZUCCHINI RECIPE?

Great Deals & Finds

Have you checked out Linds's site. She posts great deals on shopping / couponing & great food finds. Get stocked up on your food storage by using her fabulous finds.

(Click on the picture to link, if not HERE)

St. Patricks Day Recipes

Recipes for the Green Day HERE

Fun Kid Recipes for St. Patty's Day HERE

Desserts for a Lucky Day HERE

WHAT St. Patricks Day recipe did you use your produce for?

Green Bags

How long does your produce last?

For 1 1/2 years I have been using the GREEN BAGS from Debbie Meyer. I love them. My produce will ast 2 weeks & even longer. I resuse the bags & only have to buy new once maybe twice a year. SUCH a good deal.

Find it at Walmart in the "as seen on TV" section (by the checkout stands)

WHAT ELSE do you do to preserve your produce?

Sweet Potato ROLLS - Okinawan RECIPE

*makes 16 medium sized rolls

INGREDIENTS
3/4 lb (1 large) sweet potato, peeled & cut into chunks
1 t dry yeast
1/2 c packed light brown sugar
3 1/2 to 4 1/2 C all purpose flour
2 T unsalted butter, softened
1 T salt
2 large eggs
1 egg - whisked for egg wash

INSTRUCTIONS
1) Put sweet potatoe in pan w/2 c water, bring to boil. Cook for 15 minutes, until tender. Drain, reserving the cooking water. Mash or puree potatoe & place in large bowl. Let potatoe & water cool to lukewarm.

2) Measure 1 C of cooking water & stir in yeast to dissolve. Add yeast misture to potatoe, stir in brown sugar & 1 C flour. Add butter & salt and stir, then add 2 eggs & mis well. Add 2 more cups of flour, a cup at a time.

3)Dust a work surface with flour & turn out the dough. Knead for 5 minutes till soft, & somewhat elastic. Place in clean bowl, cover w/plastic wrap & let rise until doubled - 4 hours.

4) Pull dough away from sides of bowl and turn out onto a floured surface. Lightly grease a backing sheet w/butter.

5) Use sharp knife to divide dough into 16 pieces. Using your palm press the dough lightly into your work surface. roll 1 piece into a round roll. Place shaped roll on baking sheet. Place rolls 1/2 inch apart on baking sheet. Cover w/plastic wrap & rise another 30-40 minutes.

6) Brush tops of rolls with egg wash. Place rack in center of oven & Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Rolls should be a deep brown on top & golden orange at sides. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

YUM!

*I tried these a few days ago...and did not estimate enough time for rising...so I finished baking the day after. LOVE them, very yummy to just munch on.

Happy Friday Fruit and Veggie Friends

What did the green grape say to the purple grape?

Fresh Tomato Soup w/ Basil recipe

from Paige Nemrow:

3 Tbsp. butter or marg.

1 large onion, sliced

1 large carrot, shredded

4-6 large tomatoes, peeled (by dipping into boiling water), seeded, and coarsely chopped (4-5 cups)

1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves or 4-5 tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. salt

3/4 tsp. white sugar

1/8 tsp. white pepper (or black)

2 cups chicken broth

1 Tbsp. tiny soup pasta (pastina or I have used little salad sea shells)

In a 3 qt. saucepan cook onion and carrot in butter for about 10 min. Stir in tomatoes, basil, salt, sugar and pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 min.

Whirl tomato mixture, a portion at a time, in a food processor or blender until smooth; set aside.

Pour broth into pan and bring to a boil. Add pasta and simmer about 7 min. Stir in tomato mixture and heat through.