Sprout City Farms Executive Director Job Description final

Come on out to the Denver Green School on Sunday, April 22nd, 10am-5pm, to celebrate Earth Day with day-long events for the whole family!

The 2nd annual Earth Day/Community Day will begin with activities in the farm and garden (10-12), the afternoon will include a Health & Wellness Expo chock full o’ food, vendors, exhibits, student displays, bike giveaways, and more (11-3), and the day will culminate with a 1K-FunK race for all ages (1.30-3.30).

If you haven’t checked out the Green School or the farm yet, this would be a great day to see all the great projects going on, engage with the community, and join in the fun–hope to see you there!

Crowd gathers at the inaugural Earth Day/Community Day 2011 at DGS

The wintry weather has us firing up the oven for some nice, steamy-hot comfort food to warm you from the inside out.  Here are a few ideas to share:

Grammy Smith’s Rutabega (or Turnip) Casserole- (from Meg’s grandmother)

Ingredients:
3 medium turnips
1 cup applesauce (can be made from Ela apples!)
6 tbsp butter
4 tsp sugar (or honey)
3 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups soft bread crumbs tossed with 2 tbsp melted butter (I cut the bread into 1/2 inch cubes)

Cook (boil whole or in chunks for ~30 mins or until soft), drain, and mash turnips.  Add all ingredients except buttered bread crumbs.  Put in 2 qt cassarole dish and top with bread crumbs.  Bake at 350 for one hour.  Makes 12 servings.

Butternut or Heart of Gold Squash Soup- (Heart of Gold are the green and white striped ones)

(There are countless variations on squash soup; here are some general guidelines.)

Cut squash in half, and put a small chunk of butter (1/2 tbsp) in each half.  Place on greased cookie sheet and bake in oven for ~30-40 minutes at 350.  When soft, remove from oven.  Use a spoon to scoop out the flesh or cut the skin from the flesh with a knife.  Place squash in a bowl and puree with an immersion blender (or in a regular blender, but we love immersion blenders!).  Remove to a soup pot on the stove.  Add water, milk, cream, or broth for desired consistency (more cream = thicker; more water = thinner).  Add spices you like –allspice, clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, sage, savory, thyme, salt, pepper– to taste, and simmer for a bit to meld all the flavors together.  Serve hot with a dollop of sour cream or yogurt on top and enjoy!

Roasted Roots

Not a week goes by in fall and winter when we don’t roast a pan of root veggies at our house.

Cut into 1-inch chunks: any combination of Carrots, Beets, Turnips, Potatoes, Squash, Onions, Garlic (whole cloves)

Combine in greased baking pan and toss with olive oil, rosemary, oregano, thyme, sage, any herb–you name it!

Bake at 350 for ~45 minutes.  Stir after 20 minutes to ensure even browning on all sides.  That’s it–enjoy!

Other ideas for turnips-

Mash along with potatoes

Sautee in thick slices

Add raw to salads in paper-thin slices

If you’re Farmer Chad, dress up as one for Halloween ;)

Panzanella Salad:

This is a hearty and perfect summer salad.  Anytime you can add garlic bread into a salad it’s a good thing!

1)  Tear a loaf of French bread into cubes ( imagine big crouton size)

2)  Coat with EVOO, salt and pepper, and garlic and bake in the oven at 350 until crunchy on the outside, but still soft in the middle.  Watch it carefully because it can burn quickly.

3)  Chop up cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, olives, basil, and red onion and mix with lettuce.  Feel free to get creative here.  I also like to add goat cheese, feta, or mozzarella!

4) Make a dressing of red wine vinegar, evoo, salt and pepper and mix with salad mixture.

5)  Mix in croutons and voila!  So easy and tasty!

Cauliflower Au Gratin:

This is Ina Garten’s recipe.  Basically recipe I have tried of hers is perfectly delicious.  This Au Gratin is no different.  Great for Sunday night dinners or to bring to a party.

Ingredients

• 1 (3-pound) head cauliflower, cut into large florets
• Kosher salt
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, divided
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups hot milk
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 3/4 cup freshly grated Gruyere, divided
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Cook the cauliflower florets in a large pot of boiling salted water for 5 to 6 minutes, until tender but still firm. Drain.

Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the flour, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes. Pour the hot milk into the butter-flour mixture and stir until it comes to a boil. Boil, whisking constantly, for 1 minute, or until thickened. Off the heat, add 1 teaspoon of salt, the pepper, nutmeg, 1/2 cup of the Gruyere, and the Parmesan.

Pour 1/3 of the sauce on the bottom of an 8 by 11 by 2-inch baking dish. Place the drained cauliflower on top and then spread the rest of the sauce evenly on top. Combine the bread crumbs with the remaining 1/4 cup of Gruyere and sprinkle on top. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and drizzle over the gratin. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top is browned. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Have a great week!

A big THANK YOU to our friends at:

Fancy Tiger

Beatrice & Woodsley

Novo Coffee

Mercury Cafe

Stella’s Coffee Haus

Nonna’s Chicago Bistro & Bela Vino Wine Bar

The Truffle Cheese Shop

The Queen Anne Bed & Breakfast

Five Points Fermentation Company

Nectarine and Basil Salad

A refreshing summer salad that combines the freshness of basil with the sweetness of nectarine.

Whisk together

• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• a generous pinch of sea salt
• and black pepper to taste

In a large bowl, combine

• 4 cups mixed baby greens
• 1–2 nectarines, cubed
• 1 avocado, cubed
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts; and
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn

Drizzle with dressing to taste and toss. Serves 4.

Dilly Beans w/ Garlic

Who doesn’t love dilly beans?? Eat right out of the jar or in a bloody mary!

Ingredients:

2lbs. trimmed green beans

1/4 cup of salt

4 heads of dill

4 cloves of garlic

1 tsp. cayenne pepper (added a little extra)

2 1/2 cups vinegar

2 1/2 cups water

Directions:

Pack beans, lengthwise, into hot jars, leaving 1/2 inch head space. To each pint, add 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, 1 clove garlic, and one head of dill. Combine remaining ingredients and bring to boiling. Pour hot mixture over beans, leaving 1/4 inch head space. Remove air bubbles. Adjust caps. Process pints and quarts 10 minutes in boiling bath. (Double recipe-makes 7 pints. I used 3-4 cloves of garlic per quart.)

Jalapeno Corn Bread 

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups cornmeal
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 6 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped

Directions

1. In a bowl, combine the first six ingredients. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, buttermilk and oil. Add to the dry ingredients and stir just until moistened. Stir in jalapenos. Pour into a greased 9-in. square baking pan.
2. Bake at 400 degrees F for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cut into squares or wedges. Serve warm.

Footnotes

• When cutting or seeding hot peppers, use rubber or plastic gloves to protect your hands. Avoid touching your face.

I don’t know if it was the heat this week or my looming week long vacation but this week’s CSA inspired me to also include some refreshing summer cocktails into this week’s blog post.  These are some of my favorites…enjoy!

Basil Mojito

A new summery twist on the mint mojito!  If you drink it out of a mason jar it will taste that much better :)

• 2 ounces Bacardi Limon
• 6 fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 lime, wedged and juiced
• 1/2 lemon, wedged and juiced
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• carbonated lemon-lime beverage

Directions:

1. Place Limon, 5 basil leaves, lime juice, lemon juice and sugar in glass and muddle.
2. Add crushed ice and add soda to your taste.
3. Garnish with basil leaf.

Cucumber Martini

Ingredients

2 oz. Vodka (Grey Goose)

1/4 oz. Lemon Juice

2 slices Cucumber

3 pieces Mint

1/2 oz. Sugar Syrup

Mixing Instructions

Muddle mint and a cucumber slice in a cocktail shaker. Add other ingredients and ice. Shake and strain into a chilled martini glass, and garnish with a slice of cucumber and a fresh mint sprig.

Stuffed Zucchini with Vegetable Rice and Cheese

Ingredients:

2 zucchini

1 onion

1 cup mix of carrots, red pepper, corn

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp black pepper

Evoo

½ cup rice

1 ¾ cup vegetable broth

1 cup grated cheese (your preference)

fried sunflower seeds

Method:

1. First, wash the zucchinis and cut them in half lengthwise.

2. Then, using a spoon, scoop out the flesh and set it aside.

3. Place the zucchinis into a baking pan and sprinkle them with salt and drizzle with some evoo.

4.  Pop the baking pan into the oven which you have preheated to 350 F (175  C) and bake for about 10 minutes only.

5. In the meantime, chop the flesh you have removed from the zucchinis into little pieces.

6. Peel and chop the onion.

7. Drizzle a frying pan with a little oil.

8. Add the onion, the zucchini flesh, season it with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4  teaspoon ground black pepper and fry, stirring constantly, for about 10 minutes.

9. Then add the vegetables and fry for another 10 minutes (or until soft).

10. Cook the rice in the vegetable broth.

11. Grate the cheese.

12. Now combine the vegetable mixture from the frying pan with the rice and 1/2 cup of the grated cheese.

13. Stuff the zucchini halves with the rice mixture and cover the top with the rest of the grated cheese.

14. Sprinkle the whole thing with yummy sunflower seeds (or pumpkin seeds if you prefer those).

15. Put the stuffed zucchinis back into the oven and bake them at the same temperature (350 F – 175 C) for 20-25 minutes.

Enjoy!

Scallion Pancakes

 A delicious scallion flatbread to accompany any meal!  Great with Asian dishes but also would be yummy with Thai or Indian curry dishes!

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups white flour
1 cup warm water
Canola or vegetable oil
Kosher salt
1 bunch scallions

Equipment
Spray oil or cooking spray
Rolling pin
Large metal baking sheet
One 10-inch heavy skillet or sauté pan
Thin spatula
Kitchen scissors

Instructions

1. Mix 2 1/2 cups flour with 1 cup water until it forms a smooth dough. Knead by doubling the dough over and pressing it down repeatedly, until the dough is even more smooth and very elastic. Coat this ball of dough lightly in oil and put it back in the bowl. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and let the dough rest for about 30 minutes.

2. Cut the dough into 4 equal parts. Lightly oil the back of a large metal baking sheet. Roll out one part of the dough on the back of the baking sheet. Roll until it is a thin rectangle at least 12 x 9 inches.

3. Finely chop the bunch of scallions and have them ready, along with a small bowl of kosher salt.

4. Lightly brush the top of the dough with oil, then sprinkle it evenly with chopped scallions and kosher salt.

5. Starting from the long end, roll the dough up tightly, creating one long snake of rolled-up dough.

6. Cut the dough snake in two equal parts.

7. Take one of these halves and coil into a round dough bundle.

8. Roll out the coiled dough bundle again into a flat, smooth, round pancake.

9. Heat a 10-inch heavy skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat, and oil it with a drizzle of canola of vegetable oil. When the oil shimmers, pick up the pancake dough and lay it gently in the pan. It should sizzle, but not burn. Cook for 2 minutes on one side.

10. Flip the pancake over with a spatula and cook for an additional 2 minutes on the other side, or until golden brown.

11. Cut the pancake into wedges with a pair of kitchen scissors, and serve immediately with soy sauce or another dipping sauce.

Grilling Onions:

You don’t have to work hard to make these delicious!  Throw peeled and quartered onions in a foil pouch with evoo or butter, salt and pepper, lemon and rosemary (or your favorite fresh herb) and cook on the bbq or in the oven.

Also great combined with your squash as veggie kabobs on the grill.  Simply marinate largely chopped onion quarters and squash in evoo, balsamic, lemon, herbs, and salt and pepper for an hour or so and throw on the grill.  Delicious accompaniment to any summer meal!

Zucchini Bisque

This recipe comes from a NY Times summer squash recipe contest.  A quick and easy summer soup that won’t disappoint.  Enjoy!

Yield About 8 cups

Ingredients

• 6 large zucchini (about 2 1/2 pounds total)
• 4 garlic cloves
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 3/4 cups water
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/3 cup heavy cream

Method

1. Cut zucchini into half-inch cubes and finely chop garlic.

2. In a six-quart, heavy pot heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and sauté zucchini, stirring until golden, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to moderate, and stir in garlic. Cook mixture, stirring, until zucchini is softened, about 15 minutes. Add water and simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes.

3. Purée 2/3 of the zucchini mixture (including liquid) until smooth. Add puree to remaining zucchini mixture in the pot and stir in cream and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer mixture one minute. Serve soup sprinkled with Parmesan.

Happy cooking!