November 17, 2022

Storage Share

Pickup is Thursday, November 17 from 10am to 6pm AND Friday, November 18 from 9am to 12noon.

Remember to bring bags and/or boxes (unless you ordered pre-bagged) — and guess the weight of the Blue Hubbard Squash!

If you have changed your mind and would like to order pre-bag, please email us by Wednesday noon. The extra $10 fee can be paid when you pick up.

Pre-bag storage shares are for pickup anytime we are open Thursday or Friday.

Winter Store dates are December 8, January 12, and February 9 from 10am to 6pm, all pre-ordered and pre-bagged. Mark your calendar, and see the Nuts and Bolts section below for details.

Farm News

Greetings Friends!

We’ve been busy since we last saw you! We finished harvesting most things a few weeks ago — the roots especially, before they got rained or snowed on, so we got to pick them out of dry soil again. After several muddy fall harvests, we know to love a dry harvest when we get it!

Carrot harvest took awhile, and used all of our repair skills. At 5 pm on a Friday afternoon, after several things going wonky over several days, we figured out our 1975 harvester needed a total gearbox rebuild. Our friend Noah Engel in Wisconsin is now the go-to source for parts for those machines — aka he bought out a bunch of the midwest’s carrot harvester junkyards when those guys retired — and he was extremely helpful in getting us the right parts on the next day. Alissa’s partner, Lee, felt like he owed us a favor (which is still debatable) so he drove the 7 hour round trip while Emily and Ben dismantled the old gearbox. Erin and Ben haven’t had a date night working together in a long time, but we worked til 10:30 pm cleaning and finishing the dismantle. Sunday we all reassembled – sledgehammer pounding included — and at 6:30 pm we went out and easily picked a couple wagon loads! Over the next week, after the occasional hydraulic hose breaking or similar easy repair, we brought in the rest of the beautiful carrot crop. It was after some hard cold but before rain, and fortunately they survived the cold well enough. When our carrot harvest goes easy, the picking is a 3-day job. This year was about 10 days. We’re so grateful the weather held during that time. We’ll remember this one for awhile!

After some big meals and walks in the woods, we came back and kept washing veggies for schools and stores. Then we got back out in the fields and took down tomato trellises, picked up all the last irrigation, planted the last fields to cover crops, cleaned the garlic to eat this year and popped apart the garlic for planting, picked the herbs, spinach and kale — and are now back inside washing, answering emails and starting to plan for ordering seeds, wrapping up the year’s bookkeeping, and making some firewood to keep all the farm buildings warm for the winter.

We continue to be fortunate to work with a fantastic crew, who keep smiling and laughing and inspiring us, while working hard, fast and smart. This week they are busy finishing the washing of squash and sweet potatoes, and prepping leeks, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and kale for you.

Once again, THANK YOU SO, SO MUCH for your support this year!!

Other than washing veggies, we’re expecting a full but quiet winter. Lots of office work getting ready for next planting season, plus firewood, building a couple doors, cleaning and organizing the many messes from last spring and summer, and hopefully getting through the list of fixes and maintenance on all the machines by March — well before they’re due to report for duty again. And replacing hail-damaged roofs, from last April’s hail storm — which damaged all our roofs but fortunately was too early in spring to damage any crops.

We hope you find it satisfying and rewarding to cook and eat these hearty foods, and continue to support the farm. Although the regular season share is the mainstay of the farm’s financial stability, and for many of you, the mainstay of your summer produce supply, we hope the storage share is a valuable part of our role in providing food for the community — and will continue to be for years to come. We love eating and providing the same quality and flavor — and COLOR! — of local organic veggies all throughout the fall and winter. Not everybody gets as excited about the sweet heartiness of fall food as they do about the juicy fruits of summer, so we appreciate your passion for good farm food extending into the frozen months.

As usual we’ll be happy to answer any questions, concerns or feedback you may have about all this produce. We hope this week’s farm goodies warm your houses, tables and tummies with their health-giving nourishment!

And we hope you have a great winter, eating and being well. The first winter store will be Thursday, December 8th from 10-6 pm, and all pre-ordered and pre-bagged like last year. We’ll have spinach and kale in December and maybe longer! More details below. If you can’t make it during those hours, no problem, we can set things aside for later pickup, see below for more details on that too.

For details about picking up your customizable order, see further below.

Carrots — 20 lbs — Sweet and juicy, definitely the best carrots of the year. They’ll be in two separate, ten-pound bags. The bags are perforated with holes and work great for long-term storage– and even say our farm name on them! Easy Storage Tip : Fridge. We can store some of them for you, see “nuts and bolts” for details.

Potatoes — 10 lbs — Our friends at Driftless Organics – the same ones who bailed us out with carrot harvester parts — near Viroqua, WI do a great job growing potatoes, so we buy them in from them. This year you can again choose from their Yellows and Reds, in their paper bags which work well for storage. Easy Storage Tip: Dark, cooler than room temp, but not in fridge.

Mixed Roots — 10 lbs — You get to mix and match a bag of beets, golden beets, parsnips, celeriac, watermelon radishes, purple daikons, and maybe another surprise or two. We’ll have those same perforated bags you can put the roots in for long-term storage. Easy Storage Tip: Fridge. We can store some of these for you too –see “nuts and bolts” for details.

Winter Squash — 5 — Butternut, plus a smattering of carnival, buttercup, tetsukabuto, black futsu and wintersweet. All are good. If you try the newer (to us) varieties please lettuce know what you think! Easy Storage Tip: Countertop or tabletop, but for longest storage put a few in the basement or cool closet. (best stored between 50 and 60 degrees). Check them periodically, so you catch any soft spot before it turns the whole squash rotten. If you catch the soft spot early enough, it is easy to cut out and still use the rest of the squash. The flesh freezes well too, once roasted or cubed and boiled.

Brussels Sprouts — 2 — We leave them on the stalk since it takes so much labor to cut them off (and maybe it’s interesting for you to see how they grow)–thank you for dealing with the stalk! Easy Storage Tip: Fridge. They do well in a plastic bag on or off the stalk in the fridge, for 1-2 weeks.

Cabbage — 2 heads — Green, small heads. As usual these had to be picked a while ago and had a few leaves peeled this week, but still have plenty of life left in them. Easy Storage Tip: Fridge.

Onions — 5 lbs —Easy Storage Tip: Basement or hanging basket.

Leeks — 5 stalks — They are small this year, due to the poor potting soil. Leeks are like mild, glamorous onions. Our favorite use is in quiche, with red peppers and spinach or kale (fresh or frozen.) Leeks also freeze well, chopped raw in a bag, they can keep a month or two but then may start losing flavor. Easy Storage Tip: Fridge.

Garlic — 5 heads– These should store until January or even February. Easy Storage Tip: Countertop or hanging basket.

Kale — 1 clear bag — It is mild and yummy. Easy Storage Tip: Fridge.

Sweet Potatoes — 3 pounds — We’ll have them clean and dirty, your choice. The clean ones are reliably good for two to three weeks. The dirty ones will store longer, maybe 1-2 months. Easy Storage Tip: Basement, 60°, if it’s not 60 then eat within one month.

Dried Herbs — 2 Bunches Total— Oregano, Thyme, and Sage.

Easy Storage Tip for entire share: Keep about half of everything in your fridge for eating all winter and then have a soup-making day with the rest of the share and freeze soup to enjoy all winter. There are a lot of soup recipes in recipes section below, along with copies of more detailed storage info available. And you can leave some of the roots with us to pick up at our winter store in December or later.

Customizable Orders

We have a printed order sheet for everyone with your order, and you can “shop” from that list. This year we are pre-bagging all carrot orders of 10 pounds or more — otherwise you will weigh the items that need to be weighed and we will have scales available.

Don’t follow the signs, which are for the regular full storage share — just follow your own list of items you ordered and paid for.

Please pay while you are here, if you haven’t paid yet.

If you haven’t paid yet your total will be at the top of your order sheet.

Thanks and let us know how it goes!

What’s for U-Pick?

For herbs, there is plenty of thyme, oregano, and Sage. There are plenty under the snow — they should be in fine shape, so you can brush aside some snow and helpee selfee.

Kale — There is still some out there! It has and will be frozen all week, but it is still pickable. The leaves will be a little limp, but will still hold a week or so in your fridge, and should be good for use cooked, and maybe raw. You can, literally, take every single last leaf — we mow the stalks for disease prevention before the snow gets too deep.

Spinach –we were not able to open it up before this cold snap since we were still picking it for wholesale. It shouldn’t be picked while frozen, this week. If it warms up again and it’s still alive, we will email everyone and let you know that it is open.

U-pick will be open until after Thanksgiving. Then we’ll turn the remainder into the soil for the microbes to decompose, and plant winter rye as a cover crop, which will (usually) germinate and grow in the spring.

Nuts and Bolts

If you can’t make it on Thursday or Friday please email, and we’ll make arrangements to get you your share at a later date.

Pre-bags Pickup – can pickup anytime we’re open Thursday or Friday. If you haven’t yet and would like to order a pre-bagged share, please email us by noon this Wednesday. The $10 extra fee can be paid when you pick up.

WINTER STORE– Second THURSDAYS — December 8, January 12, February 9, 10am – 6 pm. All pre-ordered and pre-bagged, and on THURSDAYS. It worked well last year so we are doing it the same way. Ordering will be on a google form, and we’ll set your pre-bagged order on a table in the barn for you to come in and get. You’ll get the link to the form in a reminder email the week before.

For the December Store, we expect a good selection –Kale, spinach, carrots, beets, parsnips, radishes, celeriac and cabbage. We will send out a reminder email. If you got this in an email you will get that reminder. The winter store is open to anyone — If you have family or friends who might be interested, you can forward them the order form link or have them email us and we’ll get them on the reminder/pre-order list. If you can’t make it on those days, you can pre-order and we’ll set it aside for you to pickup when you can.

For the Storage Share, if you’d like us to store carrots for you we can. Give one of us your bag or partial bag, and we’ll put your name on it to store in the root cellar for you. For example and most likely, you give us one of your two 10-pound carrot bags, and maybe put a few of the mixed roots in the bag. Remember that our root cellar is too cold for potatoes, squash, sweet potatoes and onions — this will just work for carrots, beets, parsnips, radishes etc (most crops on the “mixed root” table.) You can then pick up your bag at one of the Thursday winter stores —to pick up your bag, please email us by noon on the Wednesday before (ie Dec 7 or Jan 11.) That way we can set it out with pre-orders and you can come anytime from 10-6 on Dec 8th or Jan 12th.

Guess the Blue Hubbard! We’ve saved out the biggest one of the year and it will go to the closest guess. We have no poker face, so we won’t be weighing it until after everyone guesses! It will be on the sign-in table, a bumpy blue-grey dinosaur-looking-squash, and we’ll provide a few recipes to go with it. It makes an awesome harvest feast.

Bring a Sturdy Box — If you like, a box or tote or two may be the best way to carry this share to your car. It’s a lot of food, and heavy. Much of it is already bagged for you, but it is several bags, plus the loose crops. We’ll have a few paper bags but if you have some please bring those too. We can help you carry or roll it to your car if you like, feel free to ask.

Storage Details are below.

Storage Share Pickup Hours — THIS THURSDAY AND FRIDAY, November 17, 10:00-6:00pm AND Friday November 18 9-12 Noon. Email if you can’t make it and we’ll make arrangements with you.

Please Drive Carefully — Children can be anywhere.

Thank you!
Your farmers,
Erin and Ben, with Allia, Alissa, Emily, Alexandra, Maddie, and Timur

Storing the Harvest

General Tips:

Sort as you eat, and check on things at least every couple of weeks. One bad “apple” can spoil the lot, so remove the ones that are going soft and use them first.
Remove bad spots with a knife (including green spots on potatoes.)
None of these crops like to freeze, so if you have anything on a porch or unheated place, remember to monitor with a thermometer and protect them!
Many of them can, however, be prepped, cooked, and frozen. If you have something going bad, but can’t eat it all right away, see the recipes and freezing tips.
If you’re having trouble storing any of the veggies, we’re happy to troubleshoot with you, so feel free to call or email at any point. We want this to be a satisfying eating arrangement!

Storage Needs at a Glance

We don’t usually use charts like this because the vegetable world isn’t that simple, but it’s a start.

	In the Fridge?	Bag?
Roots — Carrots, Beets Parsnips, Radishes	yes	yes plastic
Cabbage & Kale	yes	yes plastic
Leeks	yes	yes plastic
Brussels sprouts	yes	yes plastic
Potatoes	no	yes paper
Winter Squash	no	no
Onions	no	no
Garlic	no	no bag, or yes paper
Sweet Potatoes	no	no
Dried Herbs	no	no

Storage Details

Roots – Carrots, Beets, Celeriac, etc

Best to store in a bag in the fridge, with just a little moisture, but not too much. If too moist they will sprout or mold. If kept out of the bag, they will begin to go flacid and lose flavor. You’ll notice the bags for the roots have vent holes—these should keep the moisture level just right. The roots should keep into January in these conditions.

Carrots like to be at a steady 34°. If you know the coldest part of your fridge, put them there. The peels will start to dry out a little, but as long as there is some moisture in the bag they should be fine. If the carrots taste at all bitter, try peeling them—the bitterness is usually just in the peel and can increase with storage time.

Remember that apples can make carrots bitter, so either store one of them in a crisper drawer, or outside the fridge.

The other roots—beets, celeriac, radishes, parsnips–are happy in the fridge, or anyplace below 40° and above freezing.

Cabbage & Kale — Cabbage can keep a couple months in the fridge, in a plastic bag. We find a loosely closed plastic bag keeps the right amount of moisture in. It likes to breathe a little bit. Peel off any outer leaves that go soft or moldy, and the inside will usually still be great. The kale will last a couple weeks if kept tight in a plastic bag or box.

Leeks — Can keep a month in the fridge. Best kept loosely in a plastic bag. When you want to use part but not all of a leek, simply chop off the part you want, and return the rest to the bag.

Brussels sprouts — The flavor is best in the first week or two, but they will probably keep 3-4 weeks. You can throw the whole stalk in the fridge in a bag or pop the sprouts off and put in a bag.

Potatoes — Potatoes need darkness. Ideal storage is around 50° and mildly humid. A pantry or cool spot in the basement should work. If you’ll eat them within a few weeks, a kitchen cupboard will be fine. The bag they’re in is vented and they can stay in it for a long time. Cover with a blanket or cloth to keep light out but allow ventilation.

Winter Squash — Ideal storage is 50-55°, dry, and ventilated. We like to pile them up on the kitchen counter because they’re so pretty. They keep well there for a few weeks, but they keep better in a cooler part of the house, such as the basement or cool corner upstairs (as long as it isn’t humid.) The best butternut squash with no soft spots can store into February. Most of ours will keep until New Year’s, but start eating them now, watch them closely and eat them before they go bad. If you find a brown or soft spot, you can usually cut around it and use the rest of the squash.

Onions & Garlic — These should keep well into January, or longer. Room temp. or cooler, dry air, well-ventilated. For longest storage, darkness helps too.

Sweet Potatoes — Just in case you don’t use them right away, they can last through January if kept around 55° or a little higher. Do not put in fridge.

Dried Herbs — Two common ways are to hang the bunches from a string or in a hanging basket in the kitchen, or put the usable part in jars. Either way, keep out of direct sunlight and enjoy!

Alternatives to your refrigerator:

The crops that need fridge space will take up about one tall shelf, and the other crops can be kept in various places around the kitchen or house, depending on their needs. If the cold-needing items won’t fit in your fridge, there are a few options.

First, refer to the freezing section in the CSA Handbook. This other storage method will require a little more thinking and monitoring to work well. Unheated garages, porches, mudrooms, etc are possible alternatives if you pay regular attention to them during changes in weather. For any of these:

Get the veggies very cool—fridge temp—by leaving them uncovered on a cold night.
Pile them tightly together and wrap tightly in blankets or an insulating material.
Place a thermometer next to the veggies and check it in the early morning.
Touch them with your hand to gauge their actual temperature. Cold enough? Too warm?
The vegetables’ thermal mass will hold a temperature pretty well. In warm weather, covering them can help keep them cool. If they warm up during the day, uncover them, and maybe open a window to let them cool off during the night. Then re-wrap to keep them cool the next day.
In deep, long freezes it will probably be time to excavate a part of the fridge to find a home for the remaining veggies, or process and put them in the freezer.

Above all, EAT and BE MERRY!!

Recipes

Here are a bunch of recipes for happy eating all winter long!

Autumn Dinner with Sausage, Pasta, Brussels Sprouts, and Butternut Squash

by http://www.juliasalbum.com

Here is a very detailed recipe on how to peel, seed, cube, and roast butternut squash.

3 cups butternut squash (peeled, seeded, cubed)
12 ounces Brussels sprouts
8 ounces bow tie pasta
12 ounces cooked smoked sausage
5 cloves garlic minced
4 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika to taste
Fresh thyme to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Make sure the butternut squash is peeled, seeded, and cubed.
In a large bowl, toss cubed butternut squash with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Spread the squash on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet in one layer, without overcrowding.
Roast on the middle rack in the preheated oven at 400 F for about 30 minutes. Remove from oven.
You can roast Brussels sprouts on the same baking sheet (if large enough) and at the same time as butternut squash.
Trim ends of Brussels sprouts and remove yellow leaves.
Slice all Brussels sprouts in half.
In a medium bowl, toss Brussels sprouts with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Spread the Brussels sprouts on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet in one layer, without overcrowding.
Roast on the middle rack in the preheated oven at 400 F for 20 or 30 minutes.
You can roast them at the same time you roast butternut squash. Remove from oven.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Add pasta and cook according to package instructions. Drain.
Proceed with the rest of the recipe while the pasta cooks.
While you roast the veggies and cook the pasta, proceed with the rest of the recipe.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large, high-sided cast-iron skillet (or stainless steel) on medium heat.
Slice cooked sausage into coins and add to the skillet.
Cook on medium heat in a cast-iron skillet for 5 minutes on one side, then flip over and cook for about 3 minutes on the other side.
Remove the sausage from the skillet.
To the same, now empty, cast-iron skillet, add minced garlic.
Cook on low-medium heat for about 1 or 2 minutes or until the garlic softens.
Add butter.
Add cooked pasta and coat thoroughly with the garlic butter sauce on low-medium heat.
Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika to taste.
Add roasted butternut squash, roasted Brussels sprouts, cooked sausage, and fresh snipped thyme to the skillet with pasta.
Mix everything to coat the veggies with juices from the sausage and the garlic butter sauce.
Season with more salt and pepper, and a small amount of smoked paprika (you don’t need to use much), if desired.
If you used a large skillet, everything should fit. If not, work in batches.

Stuffed Butternut Squash

by http://www.juliasalbum.com

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Slice each butternut squash in half lengthwise.
Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and fleshy strands tangled with the seeds.
Place butternut squash cut sides up on a baking sheet.
Drizzle the cut sides of butternut squashes with olive oil and rub the oil into the squash.
Season generously with salt and pepper.
Turn the squash over, and place it cut sides down on a baking sheet.
Tip: you can line the baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean-up.
Roast in the preheated oven at 400 degrees F for 40 minutes.
While the butternut squash is roasted, prepare the cheese mixture.
In a medium skillet, heat olive oil on medium heat and add fresh spinach.
Cook for about 5 minutes until the spinach wilts. If there is any liquid in the pan, drain it.
Add cream cheese to a microwave-safe large-sized bowl.
Soften cream cheese briefly in the microwave oven. Make sure the cheese does not actually melt, just softens.
Add shredded Parmesan, cooked spinach, and half of the chopped cooked bacon to the same bowl.
Mix everything well.
Tip: save the remaining half of the bacon pieces to arrange on top of the cheese mixture.
By this time, you have roasted the butternut squash for 40 minutes. Remove it from the oven and turn cooked squash halves cut sides up.
Let it cool slightly.
Using a spoon, scoop out the flesh leaving about a 1-inch border along the sides.
Divide the spinach, bacon, and cheese mixture among the 4 halves and stuff the squash until the mixture is leveled.
Top with the remaining chopped cooked bacon.
Roast the stuffed butternut squash in the preheated oven at 400 F for 15 more minutes until the cheese mixture melts.
Optionally, broil for 3 or 5 minutes to get golden crust over cheese. Watch closely and be very careful not to burn the squash and the cheese mixture.
Tip: Broil on the second oven rack from the top – not on the very top rack so that it doesn’t burn. Do watch carefully because all ovens are different. My squashes were fine broiled for 5 minutes on the second oven rack from the top.
Top with freshly ground black pepper and fresh thyme.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Apples

from http://www.askchefdennis.com

4 large sweet potatoes – peeled and sliced
3 large apples – peeled and sliced
1 small onion – large chop
Sea Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Olive oil

Peel and cut sweet potatoes into medium-sized chunks; coat with olive oil and season with salt and pepper; add onion chunks and place on a cookie sheet in a 350-degree oven for 15 minutes before adding apples.
Peel and cut apples into medium-sized chunks; coat with brown sugar and cinnamon and place on a cookie sheet with sweet potatoes after they have cooked 15 minutes, and cook for an additional 15 minutes.
Remove from oven and mix both together, place on a serving platter and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Apple Beet Compote

from http://www.askchefdennis.com

3 red beets
3 golden beets
1 fennel bulb
2 large apples
1/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Clean and peel beets then cut into small chunks
Mix each color separately with olive oil, sea salt and pepper, and place into roasting pan.
Cut fennel bulb into the same size pieces and coat with olive oil, salt and pepper, then place in roasting pan with beets.
Place the roasting pan into the preheated oven and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until beets are soft*
While beets are roasting, peel and cut the apples into bite-size pieces and place them in a sauté pan with 2 tbsp of butter and 2 tbsp of brown sugar, and cinnamon.
Sauté apples for 5 minutes just to soften them up some, set aside.
In another sauté pan add one tbsp of butter and 2 tbsp of brown sugar and mix well.
Add the walnuts and over medium heat. coat the walnuts with the brown sugar mixture* tossing to get them completely coated.
Remove the walnuts from the pan and place them on parchment or a plate to allow the sugar to set.
When the beets are done, gently mix your compote together and serve warm.

Cabbage Slaw with Miso-Honey Vinaigrette

from Food52

Ingredients

1/4 purple cabbage
1/4 green cabbage
1 medium carrot, peeled
1- 2 small daikon radishes, peeled
4 green onions

Dressing 1 tablespoon white miso paste 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger 1 clove garlic 1 tablespoon peanut oil tablespoon toasted sesame oil 1 teaspoon sweet mirin vinegar 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar 1 teaspoon honey 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds 1 lime, juiced

Directions

Cut peeled carrot and daikon into 3”-4” long matchsticks pieces, set aside.

Remove outer layer of green onions, discard. Cut off darkest green at the top of the onion (just about 1”) and the root and discard both. Cut into 3-4” strips.

Cut cabbage into thin strips, keep purple and green cabbage separate.

Toast sesame seeds in a small pan on stovetop until they start to brown if using white sesame, or for about 2 minutes if using black. Remove from pan and reserve in small bowl.

In a mixing bowl, combine all dressing ingredients, grating the ginger with a micro-grater and mincing the garlic with a knife. Mix well to completely dissolve the miso, making sure there are no small chunks are left behind. Add sesame seeds, reserving a small amount for garnish.

Dress purple cabbage lightly and put in one half of your serving bowl. Do the same with green cabbage and add to other half of the bowl.

Dress carrots, daikon and green onion and arrange on top of the cabbage. Top with slices of avocado and sprinkle with extra sesame seeds and a handful of cilantro leaves. Serve.

Celery Root and Carrot Soup

from Bon Appetit

½ large celery root (celeriac), peeled, chopped
½ pound carrots, peeled, chopped
¼ cup plain whole-milk yogurt
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon finely grated peeled ginger
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
Celery leaves and chopped Granny Smith apple (for serving)

Place celery root and carrots in a large pot.
Add 6 cups water.
Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
Cook until tender, 30–35 minutes.
Let cool slightly.
Purée in a blender with yogurt, honey, coriander, and ginger until smooth.
Season with salt and pepper.
Serve soup topped with celery leaves and apple

Carrot Ginger Soup

from Lynne Reeck (Northfield News)

4 pounds carrots, washed and chopped coarsely
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ gallon water or vegetable stock
2 onions, diced
1 cayenne pepper, de-veined, deseeded, minced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
3 tablespoons ginger, minced
2-3 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
½ cup cilantro, minced
1-2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 cans coconut milk
2-3 tablespoons lime juice

Sauté onion, garlic, ginger, and cayenne pepper in olive oil until translucent.
Add remaining ingredients except coconut milk and lime juice and bring to boil.
Cook 15 minutes or until sweet potatoes are tender.
Remove from heat and cool for 10 minutes.
Add coconut milk and lime juice, and puree.
Add salt and pepper to taste.

Curried Winter Squash Soup

from Angelic Organics Kitchen (adapted from Greene on Greens)

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup chopped scallions (about 6 scallions)
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded, finely chopped (about 1 tablespoon)
2 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
2 pounds butternut squash (about 1/2 large squash), peeled, seeded, cubed
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 can (14 ounces) whole tomatoes, chopped, or 2 cups peeled, chopped fresh tomatoes
12 whole fresh curry leaves (optional)
½ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon ground mace
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
2 teaspoons curry powder
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.
Add the scallions; sauté until soft and wilted, about 3 minutes.
Stir in the parsley, jalapeño, and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
Add the squash and toss to coat it with the scallion mixture.
Add the stock, tomatoes, curry leaves, allspice, mace, and nutmeg.
Bring to a boil; reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the squash is very tender, about 45 minutes. Let cool slightly.
Transfer the soup in batches to a blender or food processor; purée.
Transfer the soup back to the pot.
Stir in the curry powder and add salt and pepper to taste.
Return the soup to a simmer to heat through.
Garnish with parsley just before serving.
Serves 6 to 8.

Gingered Carrot Soup

from the Moosewood Cookbook

2 pounds carrots
4 cups water
1 tablespoons butter or oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon of each:
cumin, ground fennel, cinnamon, allspice, dried mint
3 to 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 cup lightly toasted cashews
optional: buttermilk to drizzle on the top

Cut carrots into 1 inch chunks.
Place in a medium-large saucepan with the water, cover, and bring to a boil.
Lower the heat, and simmer until very tender (about 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the size of the carrots pieces).
Meanwhile heat the butter or oil in a small skillet.
Add onions, and sauté over medium heat for about 5 minutes.
Add garlic, ginger, salt, and spices.
Turn heat to low, and continue to sauté for another 8 to 10 minutes, or until everything is well mingled and the onions are very soft.
Stir in lemon juice.
Use a food processor or blender to puree everything together (including the toasted cashews). You will need to do this in several batches.
Transfer the puree to a kettle, and heat gently just before serving.
If desired, pass a small pitcher of buttermilk, for individual drizzlings.

Three Sisters Soup

from Renee Russell, Hanover Co-op Food Store

4 pounds of winter squash (Butternut, Acorn, Ambercup, etc)
4 quarts vegetable stock or water
2 small yellow onions, diced
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup fresh garlic, chopped
2 teaspoons thyme leaf, dried
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pound fresh or frozen corn kernels
1 can (15 ounces) of cooked cannellini beans
1 bunch green onions, sliced
½ cup white wine
1 large bay leaf

Halve the squash and scoop out the seeds.
Roast the squash in a 350° oven until soft, about 40 minutes.
Remove from the oven, cool and scoop the flesh into a large bowl.
Puree the cooled squash (add a little liquid, if needed.)
In a large stock pot, add the oil and sauté the onions over medium heat until they begin to brown, then add garlic, thyme and black pepper and cook (stirring often) until the garlic turns light brown in color.
Add the stock, bay leaf, wine and squash to the pot and bring to a simmer.
Add the remaining ingredients and salt and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
Taste and adjust as needed.
Serves 8.

Roasted Winter Vegetables

from Simply in Season Cookbook

6-8 cups winter vegetables (potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, turnips, parsnips, rutabagas, beets, onions, winter squash) peeled and cut in 1 inch thick pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon dried or 3 tablespoons fresh herbs such as rosemary, thyme, parsley, oregano

Toss ingredients together (keep onions separate, as they will roast faster; add them to the pan 10
minutes into the baking time).
Spread in a single layer on greased baking pans.
Roast in a preheated oven at 425 degrees F until tender, 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Season with salt and pepper.
Serve with roasted garlic sauce (optional).
Roasted Garlic: Remove loose papery layers from outside of a whole garlic bulb but do not peel.
Slice off the top of the bulb, exposing the tip of each clove. Place on a square of aluminum foil
and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil or just season with salt and pepper. Wrap tightly and bake
alongside the vegetables until tender.
Roasted Garlic Sauce: Bake one head of garlic as directed. Squeeze soft roasted cloves into a
small bowl, mash with fork, and stir in ¾ cup plain yogurt. (Also try this sauce as a raw
vegetable dip).
Serves 8

Winter Squash, Leek, and Saffron Risotto from Asparagus to Zucchini

5-6 cups chicken stock (we cook half a celeriac, cubed, in with the rice instead)
½ teaspoon saffron threads, pulverized (optional)
3 tablespoons olive oil
½-1 cup finely chopped leeks (white and pale green sections only)
1 ½ cups arborio rice (or any white rice)
2/3 cup dry white wine
2-3 cups cooked, pureed winter squash
¾-1 cup grated Parmesan, Romano, or Asiago cheese
Salt and pepper

Bring stock and saffron to a simmer in saucepan. Heat olive oil in large, heavy saucepan. Add leeks; cook over medium-low heat until softened, several minutes. Raise heat to medium-high and stir in rice. Keep stirring rice 1-2 minutes, then add wine. Stir and cook until nearly all the wine has evaporated, about 2 minutes. Add two ladlefuls hot stock (enough to barely cover the rice); stir frequently until most is absorbed. Continue to add stock a ladleful at a time and stir very frequently until nearly absorbed. Risotto is done when rice is barely tender and mixture is creamy; this should take 25-35 minutes. (Adjust heat if rice is absorbing liquid too quickly.) Stir in squash during last 10 minutes. Fold in most of the grated cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately, with a little more cheese on top of each serving. Makes 6-8 servings.

Curried Vegetable Bisque from Simply in Season Cookbook

5 cups tart apples (peeled and chopped)
2 cups onion (chopped)
2 cups sweet red pepper (chopped)
1 ½ cups carrots (chopped)
¾ cup celery (diced)

In large soup pot sauté vegetables in 2 tsp oil until vegetables are soft, 7-10 minutes.

3 ½ cups chicken or vegetable broth
3 cups potatoes (chopped)
½ cup raisins
3 Tbsp Curry Powder
¾ tsp ground cardamom
½ tsp ground allspice
½ tsp dried thyme

Add, stir and bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer, stirring as needed, until potatoes are soft, 12-15 minutes. Puree in batches in blender or food processor. Add some broth if mixture is too thick. For a chunkier soup do not puree about 2 cups. Return everything to soup pot.

3 ½ cups beef or vegetable broth
3 cups milk
1 ¼ cups dry milk powder
1/3 cup tomato sauce

Add. (The soup can be made ahead up to this point and refrigerated up to 24 hrs.) Reheat soup over medium heat until hot but do not boil, about 10 minutes.

2 cups cooked shrimp or chicken (chopped; optional)
salt to taste

Stir in. Just before serving, add 3-4 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro or serve with chutney.

Butternut Harvest Stew

from Simply in Season Cookbook

2 tablespoons butter
1 ½ pounds boneless pork (cut in ¾ inch cubes)
1 medium onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
3 cups chicken broth
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon dried rosemary
¼ teaspoon rubbed or ground sage
1 bay leaf
1 medium butternut squash (peeled and chopped)
2 medium apples (peeled if desired and chopped)

Melt butter in a large saucepan.
Add pork, onion, and cloves and sauté until meat is no longer pink; drain off fat.
Add chicken broth, salt, rosemary, sage, and bay leaf.
Cover and simmer 20 minutes.
Add butternut squash and apples.
Simmer uncovered until squash and apples are tender, 20 minutes.
Discard bay leaf.
Serves 4-6.

Glazed Carrot Soup

How to Cook Everything Vegetarian Cookbook

2 tablespoons butter or 1 tablespoon neutral oil (like grape seed or corn oil)
1 ½ pounds carrots, sliced (app. 6-10 carrots)
1 teaspoon sugar, maple syrup, honey
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 cups vegetable stock or water
2 tablespoons minced fresh chervil or parsley for garnish

Put carrots, butter, ¾ cup water, and the sugar in a large skillet or saucepan and turn the heat to high. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then bring the mixture to boil.
Cover, turn the heat to medium-low, and cook for about 5 minutes.
Uncover and raise the heat a bit.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated and the carrots are cooking in the butter.
Lower the heat and continue to heat, stirring occasionally, until the carrots are very tender, about 10 minutes more. If they start to stick or brown, add a tablespoon or so of stock.
Add the stock and turn the heat to high.
Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the syrup at the bottom of the pan.
Lower the heat so that the stock gently bubbles and cook, stirring occasionally, until it thickens slightly, about 10 minutes more.
Use an immersion blender to puree the soup in the pan or cool the mixture slightly, pour into a blender container, and carefully puree.
Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
Serves 4.

Variations:
Glazed carrots with orange and ginger:
In Step 1, add 1 Tbsp minced ginger and 1 Tbsp grated orange zest to the carrot mixture and use the orange juice instead of water

Glazed Carrots with Garlic, Tequila, and Lime:
In Step 1, add 1 Tbsp minced garlic and 1 tsp grated lime zest to the carrot mixture.
Instead of water, use a mixture of ¼ cup fresh lime juice, ¼ cup tequila, and ¼ cup water.
Instead of chervil or parsley, garnish with chopped cilantro.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Maple-Mustard Vinaigrette

from Farmer John’s Cookbook

1 pound Brussels Sprouts (about 4 cups)
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 clove minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/4 cup water

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Soak the Brussels sprouts in a large bowl of water for 10 minutes; drain.
Spread the Brussels sprouts in a large baking dish and drizzle them with olive oil.
In a large bowl combine the balsamic vinegar, garlic, and mustard; mix well.
Pour the vinaigrette over the sprouts.
Add the water to the bottom of the baking dish.
Bake until the Brussels Sprouts are tender-firm, 30 to 45 minutes.

Butternut Squash Lasagna

by Roger Doiron from Mother Earth News

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 Butternut squash (1 ½ pound to 2 pounds), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1 inch cubes
Salt and freshly ground pepper
½ cup water
¼ cup butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups whole milk
Pinch of nutmeg
12 lasagna noodles, cooked
2 ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
(We learned from a friend to also add one onion, caramelized and 1 bunch of kale, steamed)

Heat oil in a heavy 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. (You can also roast and scoop out the squash.)
Transfer the squash to a mixing bowl or food processor to mash.
Season the squash puree to taste with 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 F.
Lightly butter a 13 x 9 x 2 inch glass baking dish.
Spread ¾ cup of the sauce over the prepared baking dish.
Cover the bottom of the pan with one layer of lasagna noodles.
Spread half of the squash puree over the noodles.
Sprinkle with ½ cup mozzarella cheese.
Drizzle ½ cup of the sauce over the cheese.
Add onions and kale to the layers, if desired.
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 cheese 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.

Golden Celebration Pie of Winter Vegetables

All the orphans of the vegetable world turn into stars in this party pie. Rutabaga, celeriac, parsnip, Brussels sprouts and turnips could each or all go into the pan, just remember to balance earthy tastes with sweet and rich ones like onion, potato, yam, or carrot. Cut harder vegetables into smaller pieces for even cooking. Roast the vegetables a day or two ahead. Warm them before baking with the crust. The pie is good hot from the oven, or just warm.

The Vegetables:
3 medium onions, cut into six chunks each
4 small unpeeled red-skin potatoes, halved
1 medium rutabaga or large turnip, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch thick pieces
1 pound Brussels sprouts, halved
1/2 small cabbage, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch thick pieces
4 branches fresh thyme
20 fresh sage leaves
20 fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar (optional)
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
10 cloves garlic, halved

Set one oven rack high up and a second toward the bottom of the oven.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
In a large bowl, toss together the vegetables, herbs, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil (enough to lightly coat them) with salt and pepper.
Spread the vegetables on two large, shallow roasting pans.
Roast about an hour, turning several times during cooking for even browning.
Switch pans’ positions and add garlic to pan halfway through cooking.
Vegetables are done when they are browned and easily pierced with a knife.
Cool them down, wrap and refrigerate until ready to do the pie.

The Crust:
1-1/2 cups (7.5 ounces) all-purpose unbleached flour
Generous 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 stick (4 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1 large egg, beaten
2 to 3 tablespoons cold water

For Assembling:
1/2 cup vegetable broth or water
2 egg yolks, beaten in a small bowl

Combine dry ingredients in a food processor or large bowl.
Cut in butter with rapid pulse in processor, or rub between your fingertips until butter is the size of peas. Add the first egg and 2 tablespoons of water.
Pulse just until dough gathers into clumps, or toss with a fork until moistened.
If dry, work in another 1/2 to 1 tablespoon water.
Turn dough out on a floured board and let rest a few minutes.
Select a shallow baking dish large enough to hold the vegetables in a mound.
Measure the dish then roll out the dough so it is no more than 1/8-inch thick and at least 5 inches larger than the dish.
Put it on a foil-covered pizza pan or cookie sheet and refrigerate 30 minutes to 24 hours.
About 50 minutes before serving, preheat oven to 400°. Butter the inside and rim of the baking dish.
Warm the vegetables in the oven.
Pour the broth or water into the baking dish then pile in the vegetables.
Turn the chilled dough over onto the vegetables, gently peeling back its foil.
Fold up and crimp the overhang of pastry to make a raised border atop the rim of the baking dish (extra pastry could be cut into decorative pieces and applied to the crust with beaten egg).
Brush crust with beaten egg, cut a few vent holes, and bake 30 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp.
Serve hot or warm.
Serves 8.

Mom’s Carrot Cake

from my mom (Kirsten Johnson)

1 ½ cup corn oil
2 teaspoons cinnamon
4 eggs
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups flour
3 cups raw carrots, grated

Beat together oil, eggs, vanilla, and sugar.
In a separate bowl, mix flour, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
Add carrots to creamed ingredients.
Add dry ingredients.
Grease and flour a 9×13” pan.
Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes.
Remember to save time for cake to cool before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting
½ cup butter
8 oz cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla
When beating, add sugar until sweet enough.
Spread on cake when it is cooled.

Chocolate Beet Brownies

from http://www.plantea.com/chocolatebeetbrownies.htm

1/2 cup butter (or 1/4 cup butter and 1/4 cup applesauce)
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
4 eggs
1 cup brown sugar (packed)
1 cup applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-1/2 cup unbleached white flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup cooked beets or 15 oz. can beets packed in water, drained and mashed;
1/2 cup finely chopped almonds
1/2 cup wheat germ

Melt butter and chocolate over low heat. Set aside to cool.
In a separate bowl, beat eggs until light in color and foamy.
Add sugar and vanilla and continue beating until well creamed.
Stir in chocolate mixture, followed by applesauce and beets.
Sift together flour, salt, spices and baking powder and stir into creamed mixture.
Fold in wheat germ and almonds.
Turn into greased 9×13-inch pan and bake at 350° for 30 to 40 minutes.
Cool before cutting into squares.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Pomegranate Dressing, Dried Cherries & Toasted Walnuts

from Fresh from the Farm by Susie Middleton

1¼ pounds Brussel sprouts, trimmed and cut into halves lengthwise
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
3 tablespoons pomegranate juice
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon honey
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice, plus 4 small lime wedges for serving
¼ cups coarsely chopped dried cherries
1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
¼ cup toasted walnuts
2 tablespoons very roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus a few sprigs for garnish
2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint

Heat the oven to 475 degrees F.
In a mixing bowl, toss the Brussels sprouts with the oil and ¾ teaspoon salt.
Arrange the sprouts in a 9”x13” baking dish (they will be very snug).
Roast, stirring once or twice during cooking, until nicely browned and tender, 25 to 27 minutes.
Transfer to a mixing bowl.
Combine the pomegranate juice, balsamic vinegar, honey, and lime juice in a small saucepan.
Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat and simmer gently for 2-3 minutes, or until the mixture is reduced by about one third. (It will be a bit more vicious but still loose).
Remove the pan from the heat, add the dried cherries and the butter, and stir until the butter is just melted and creamy. (Don’t reheat the mixture).
Pour the sauce over the roasted sprouts and stir gently but thoroughly.
Add most of the walnuts and herbs and stir well again.
Transfer to a serving dish.
Garnish with the remaining nuts and herbs (and the herb sprigs).
Serve immediately with lime wedges for seasoning at the table.
Serves 4.