CSA and Summer Produce!

Comments are closed Posted by


 

It’s the Fourth of July already!  This is a big deal at our house—almost like Christmas.  We have four family birthdays in a one week period around the Fourth, so it’s a HUGE celebration.  We get together with family and friends and make a weekend of the celebration!  Everyone always brings such great dishes to share.  I like to bring things that are in season, because they taste their best now! 

 

I picked up our CSA bag this week from Wenninghoff’s Farm.  It was full of beautiful varieties of lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers.  With so much lettuce, I brought a salad to share with my co-workers, with all of the fixings.  In our office, many of us bring treats for our birthday.  A lettuce salad was not chocolate or ice cream—but just as yummy.  It was enjoyed by all!

With summer gatherings, it is always exciting for me to try new recipes and share.  I have included one of my favorite recipes for Black Eyed Pea and Corn Salad, and a new recipe using blueberries.  Give them a try, and see if they are your new favorites too!

 Black Eyed Pea and Corn Salad

Recipe from Cooking Matters    Serving Size: 10, 3/4 cup per serving

Ingredients:2014-06-25 14.26.12

  • 1 medium bell pepper
  • 1 small red onion
  • 2 (15½ ounce) cans black-eyed peas
  • 1 (15¼ ounce) can corn kernels, no salt added
  • 3 Tablespoons canola oil
  • 2 Tablespoons vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves or 2 Tablespoons dried cilantro

Instructions

1. Rinse and dice bell pepper, removing core and seeds. Peel, rinse, and dice onion.

2. If using, rinse and chop cilantro leaves.

3. In a colander, drain and rinse black-eyed peas and corn.

4. In a large bowl, add pepper, onion, peas, corn, oil, vinegar, cumin, salt, black pepper and cilantro. Mix well.

Chef’s Notes

– Dried black-eyed peas may be cheaper than canned. If using dried, cook according to package directions until peas are soft but not mushy. Drain, rinse, and add 3 cups cooked peas to salad. Use leftovers in other recipes later in the week.
– Chill the salad and serve it over cooked spinach or kale.
– Use any type of vinegar you have. Try balsamic, cider, or red or white wine vinegar.
– Optional, use black beans in place of black-eyed peas.
– When corn is in season, use fresh corn in place of canned. 
2014-06-25 14.09.56

Blueberry Cheese Streusel Coffee Cake
Yield: 12 servings

Recipe from Bread World       

Dough:

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 envelope Fleischmann’s® RapidRise Yeast
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/3 cup butter OR margarine
  • 1 egg

 Fillings:

  • 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup ricotta cheese
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Spice Islands® Pure Vanilla Extract
  • 2 cups frozen OR fresh blueberries
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons Argo® Corn Starch

Streusel Topping:

  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon Spice Islands® Ground Saigon Cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon Spice Islands® Ground Nutmeg
  • 1/4 cup butter OR margarine, softened

 Dough:

Mix flour, undissolved yeast, sugar and salt in a large mixer bowl. Heat milk and butter until very warm (120° to 130°F) and add to bowl with egg. Beat on medium-high speed of mixer for 5 minutes, scraping sides occasionally. Let dough rest for 10 minutes and then spread dough evenly to edges of a foil-lined and greased 15 x 10-inch jelly roll pan. Cover with plastic wrap that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Let rise in warm draft-free area for 1 hour.

Fillings:

Combine cream cheese, ricotta cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla in a small bowl and beat until smooth.  Combine blueberries, sugar and corn starch in a small saucepan and heat on medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes or until mixture comes to a boil. Boil for 1 minute, stirring occasionally. (If using fresh berries, add 1 tablespoon water.)  Set aside both fillings.

Streusel Topping:

Whisk together sugars, flour and spices in a small bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or two forks until crumbly.

 Assembly:

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spread the cheese filling evenly on the dough, making sure to spread it to the edges of the pan. Add spoonfuls of the blueberry filling on top and gently spread over the cheese filling. Sprinkle evenly with streusel topping.  Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the edges become golden brown.   Copyright © 2009 – ACH Food Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 

 

Comments are closed.