Quick Refrigerator Pickles

Recipe provided by Sheri Castle
www.sheri-inc.com

Makes about 4 cups

Ingredients: 
2 pounds small, firm, very fresh vegetables, such as beets, carrots, summer squash, cucumbers, radishes, and/or red spring onions
1 cup distilled white or cider vinegar (5% acidity)
1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
4 garlic cloves, quartered
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons pickling spice
2 teaspoons kosher or pickling salt

Directions:
Peel the vegetables if necessary. Using a vegetable slicer or very sharp knife, cut the vegetables into very thin rounds, slices, or ribbons.

Pack the vegetables into a 1-quart jar with a tight-fitting lid. If using more than one type of vegetable, keep them separate and use multiple smaller jars.

Bring the vinegar, water, sugar, garlic, pepper flakes, pickling spice, and salt to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Pour the hot liquid over the vegetables. Let stand until it cools to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, preferably overnight. Store covered and refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.
 

Maple Mustard Ginger Dressing by Susan Sink

By Susan Sink of tarheelfoodie.com
 

This dressing is great as a spread for sandwiches or as a dressing on a salad with beets, apple or pears. With a few adjustments it works well as a creamy dressing for cole slaw, potato salad or shrimp salad. This recipe makes a small amount for up to four people.

Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons whole grain mustard (most similar to a whole grain Dijon but not as strong)
3-4 teaspoons maple syrup, grade B or C if possible.
1 teaspoon fresh pink ginger, finely chopped or homemade maple candied ginger
(recipe on the Tarheel Foodie website)
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon Murray River Flake Salt or Himalayan salt
4 turns of a pepper mill using four peppercorn blend
Optional:  2-3 teaspoons Wallaby European style sour cream

Directions:
Using a small whisk, blend the vinegar, mustard, maple syrup and ginger. If you want to add olive oil, you can add a bit. If you want a creamy dressing to use with cole slaw, potatoes or shrimp, add a couple of teaspoons of Wallaby brand European style sour creme. Season at the end with salt and pepper as the oil or sour cream will dilute all of the flavors.
 

Peach Gazpacho by Chef Marshall Smith of Glasshalfull

Peach Gazpacho
By Chef Marshall Smith of Glasshalfull

Yields 1 gallon

Ingredients:
18 peaches
1 yellow onion, rough chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and rough chopped
2 jalapenos, seeded and rough chopped
2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and rough chopped
3 cloves garlic
1/4 cup basil leaves loosely packed
1 lemon juiced
1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup champagne vinegar
1 1/2 cups olive oil
Salt to taste
white pepper to taste

Directions:
Fill a large sauce pot half way with lightly salted water and bring to a boil. Cut a small "X" in the bottom of each peach. Working in batches, blanche the peaches for 1-2 minutes and transfer immediately to an ice bath. Once cooled completely, peel the skins off the peaches and discard and remove the flesh from the pits, discarding the pits. Then combine all the ingredients except the vinegar, oil and seasonings. Again, working in batches, blend the ingredients using a food processor or blender until desired consistency is achieved. Finally, whisk in the vinegar, oil and season to taste. This soup can be made a few days ahead of time as it will keep refrigerated for about 5 days.

Dilly Beans - Canned Dill Garlic Beans

by Georgette Ventura

Ingredients:
green or yellow snap beans, washed with stem ends cut off (
about 1 lb. per quart jar)
garlic cloves (1-2 per jar)
fresh dill (1 sprig per jar)
cherry or grape leaves (2 per jar)
red pepper flakes (1/8 to ¼ tsp per jar)
Brine ratio: 1/4 cup canning salt to 2 cups vinegar to 2 cups water

I tripled this for 7 densely-packed quart jars and had just enough.

Supplies Needed:
Basic canning equipment: mason jars with new lids (old rings are
fine), hot water bath canner, jar grabbing tongs

Directions:
Sanitize jars and lids. This can be done with the "sanitize" setting of your dishwasher or by heating them to boiling in a hot water bath.

Pack your jars. I like to start with the non-bean ingredients and then pack the jars with the beans. The beans will need to be submerged in the brine, and there needs to be ½ inch to 1 inch of air between the brine and the lid, so I like to cut my beans to the right height before packing them. The packing can take a little while, so you may want to start heating the brine and the hot water bath while you do this.

Mix the brine ingredients and bring to a boil. Pour the boiling mixture over the beans, covering them and leaving ½ inch to 1 inch of air between the brine and the lid.

Wipe jar edges and seal. Process jars in boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Let sit 12-24 hours until cool, then check for seal. Lids should "pop" down when they get out of the hot water bath; for any lids that haven’t popped after sitting for a few hours, you can either reprocess them in the hot water bath, or just put them in your fridge and eat them right away!
 

Melonberry Popsicles

By: Carrboro Farmers’ Market Staff
Erin Jobe and Margaret Krome-Lukens

Ingredients:
2.5 to 3 cups of de-seeded watermelon chunks
½ cup to 1 cup of raspberries or blueberries
½ Tbsp. lemon juice
(optional) sugar to taste

Directions:
Blend melon, lemon juice and berries until smooth OR blend just the melon and the lemon juice and add whole berries afterwards for a whole-fruit popsicle. Taste mixture; add sugar to taste if desired. Pour into popsicle molds and freeze (you can also use paper cups with popsicle sticks or spoons as handles if you do not have popsicle molds).

Enjoy!

 

Lemon Vinaigrette by Sheri Castle

by Sheri Castle, author of The New Southern Garden Cookbook
Makes about 1 1/4 cups

Combine Ingredients:
2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 large shallot, finely chopped (about 3 tablespoons)
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 large lemon (about 1/4 cup)
Generous pinch of kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3/4 cup fruity and fragrant extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
 

Kohlrabi Slaw by Emily Geizer

By Holistic Health and Parent Coach Emily Geizer
www.EmilyGeizer.com
 

Slaw ingredients:
1/2 medium kohlrabi julienned (4 cups loosely packed)
1 cup tightly packed grated carrots
8 baby radishes, sliced paper thin
chives for garnishing

Dressing:
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp honey
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 pinches of sea salt
a grind of fresh black pepper
1 tbsp fresh snipped chives

Directions:
Use a vegetableUse a vegetable peeler or knife to remove the outer layer of the kohlrabi. Slice into thin sheets, using a mandolin or knife and then julienne each slice into matchsticks. In a large bowl, add kohlrabi, grated carrots, and baby radishes and give a quick toss with your hands. (Or simply throw the roots into a food processor or high power blender to quickly chop. Super fast, but not as pretty). Make the dressing in a small bowl by whisking together: Dijon, white wine vinegar, lemon juice, and honey. Stream in olive oil and whisk until combined. Season with sea salt, black pepper and fresh snipped chives. Pour over slaw and give it a good tossing. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serves 4-6.

Jamaican Jerk Roasted Winter Vegetables

Local health coach, Emily Geizer, is sharing a chef-created recipe from her Janurary cleanse
Register for her Mind Body Thrive Cleanse here: www.emilygeizer.com/cleanse
 

Jerk Marinade:
6 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup fresh lime juice
4 scallions, coarsely chopped
1 habanero chili (more if you want it extra spicy)
3 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tablespoons dried thyme
1-inch piece of fresh ginger
1 to 2 pitted dates
2 teaspoons allspice
1 teaspoon sea salt
¼ cup apple cider vinegar

Roasted Vegetables:
2 large parsnips, peeled and chopped
2 small beets, peeled and chopped
½ pound butternut squash

Directions:
Make the jerk marinade. Place all the ingredients for the jerk marinade in a blender. Blend until the marinade is smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings to your preference. Marinate the vegetables. Add the raw vegetables to a bowl or large freezer bag. Add enough marinade to well coat the vegetables. Allow this mixture to marinate for at least 8 hours before roasting. Roast the vegetables. Preheat your oven to 425°F. When the vegetables are well marinated, place in a
roasting pan. When the oven is hot, place the vegetables in the oven and roast for 40 to 45 minutes.

Homemade Pumpkin Purée

Be sure to use a pumpkin made for eating, such as a pie pumpkin, sugar baby, or cheese pumpkin. Most winter squashes make good "pumpkin" purée as well. Pumpkins used for jack-o-lanterns are meant only for carving; they are flavorless and watery.

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut the pumpkin in half from top to bottom. If the pumpkin weighs more than 4 pounds, cut it into large wedges. Scoop out and discard the seeds. Place the pieces cut-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Roast until it is easily pierced with a knife, 45 to 90 minutes depending on the size and type of pumpkin. Let cool enough to handle and then scoop the flesh from the shells.

Purée the flesh by running it through a food mill or in a food processor. The purée must have the thick, firm consistency of canned pumpkin. If it is too watery, spoon it into a sieve lined with a couple of layers of white paper towels or a large coffee filter set over a bowl. Press a piece of plastic wrap onto the surface of the purée. Refrigerate overnight. Discard the collected liquid.
 

Herbed New Potatoes, Onions, and Peas

From Asparagus to Zucchini: A Guide to Cooking Farm Fresh Seasonal Produce
By Madison Area Community Supported Agriculture Coalition

Ingredients:
½pound of spring onions
1 pound of small new potatoes
2/3 pounds of sugar snap peas
1-3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint, dill or cilantro
Butter
Salt and pepper

Directions:
Trip stems from the onions, leave a little root on the end. Combine with potatoes in a pot with
water and cover. Bring to low boil; cook until nearly tender, 10-12 minutes. Add peas; boil until just tender. Drain and toss with herbs, butter, and salt and pepper to taste. Makes 4-6 servings.

 

Heirloom Apple Sauce

Recipes from the Farmer's Daughter, April McGregor, 2011

*Note: if your apples are tart, you may want to add ¼ to ½ cup of honey or sugar*
Makes about 5 half pints

Ingredients:
2 cups water
2 cups apple juice (or you can sub 1 cup of orange juice for 1 cup of the apple juice)
6 whole cloves
4 cardamom pods, cracked
2 cinnamon sticks
1/2 teaspoon of fennel seeds
About 10-12 medium apples, preferably sweet and soft fleshed varieties, peeled, cored, and quartered (if you have a food mill, you can skip the peeling and coring)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
In a medium saucepan, combine the water, apple juice, orange juice, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon and fennel. Bring to a boil and reduce liquid by half.
Strain the liquid to remove the spices.

In a large heavy bottomed saucepan, combine the apples with the spiced liquid. Simmer
for about 20 minutes until the apples are falling apart tender. Remove the apples from heat, add vanilla, and let cool. Process in a food processor or food mill to desired consistency. Ladle into sterilized jars and top with two-piece lids. Process in a water bath for 15 minutes.

Oven-Roasted Apple Butter: Makes about 4 half pints
To turn your applesauce into apple butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

To your applesauce mixture, add ½ cup brown sugar, 1 Tablespoon of ground cinnamon, and ½ teaspoon each ground cloves and ground ginger. Bake the
apple puree, stirring occasionally, for 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours, or until very thick and deeply browned.
Ladle the apple butter into sterilized jars, top with two piece lids and process in a water bath for 10 minutes.
 

Green Bean Cassarole

by Alton Brown on altonbrown.com
serves 4

Topping Ingredients:
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons Japanese bread crumbs (a.k.a panko)
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Filling Ingredients:
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 pound fresh green beans, rinsed, trimmed and halved
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 ounces button mushrooms
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly ground
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup half-and-half
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

Preparation:
Heat the oven to 475 degrees F.

Make the topping: Combine the onions, flour, panko and salt in a large mixing bowl and toss to combine. Coat a half sheet pan with non-stick spray and evenly spread the onions on the
pan. Place the pan on the middle rack of the oven and bake until golden brown, approximately 30 minutes. Toss the onions 2 or 3 times during cooking. Once done, remove from the oven and set aside until ready to use. Turn the oven down to 400 degrees F.

While the onions are cooking, make the beans and sauce. Bring one gallon of w
ater and 2 tablespoons of salt to a boil in an 8-quart saucepan. Add the beans and blanch for 5
minutes. Drain in a colander and immediately plunge the beans into a large bowl of ice
water to stop the cooking. Drain and set aside.

Melt the butter in a 12-inch cast iron skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the
mushrooms, salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms begin to
give up some of their liquid, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and nu
tmeg and continue to cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute. Add the broth and simmer for 1 minute. Decrease the heat to
medium-low and add the half-and-half. Cook until the mixture thickens, stirring occasionally, approximately 6 to 8 minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in one-quarter of the onions and all of the green beans. Top with the remaining onions. Bake until bubbly, approximately 15 minutes. Remove and
serve immediately.
 

Grilled Fingerling Potato Salad with Corn and Cherry Tomatoes

Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture
www.cuesa.org

Crisp potatoes and rings of red onions are tossed hot off the grill with tender kernels of corn, cherry tomatoes, and spicy Jalapeño-Lime Vinaigrette. We use Rosefirs and Russian Bananas here - fingerling potatoes grown for us at Green Gulch Farm - but any variety of potato will do. For added smoky flavor, we throw the jalapeños for the vinaigrette right on the grill. If you don’t have time to light up an outdoor grill, just roast the potatoes and grill the onions and jalapeños on a stovetop grill instead.

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:
1½ pounds Fingerling potatoes
Garlic Oil
Salt and pepper
1 ear corn, shaved, about 1 cup kernels
1 large red onion, peeled and sliced in ½-inch thick rings
2 or 3 jalapeno chilies (for the vinaigrette)
Jalapeño-Lime Vinaigrette (see below)
½ pint Sweet 100, sungold, or small cherry tomatoes, cut in half
¼ cup cilantro, chopped

Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 400º F. Prepare the grill. Toss the potatoes in a baking dish with 1½ tablespoons of Garlic Oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and a pinch of pepper. Cover and roast until tender, about 30 minutes. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, slice them in half on the
diagonal.

While the potatoes are roasting, heat ½ tablespoon garlic oil in a small sauté pan. Add the corn
and ¼ teaspoon salt and cook over medium heat for 1 minute. Add a little water, lower the heat, cover the pan, and cook until tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside.

Brush the potatoes, onions, and chilies lightly with garlic oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Grill the potatoes until they’re evenly marked, 4 to 5 minutes. Grill the onions until softened, and evenly marked, about 3 minutes on each side. Grill the chilies until the skin is charred and blistered, about 2 minutes. Place the chilies in a covered bowl to steam for about 5 minutes. Make the vinaigrette.

Coarsely chop the onion and place in a large bowl with the pot
atoes, corn, cherry tomatoes, and
cilantro. Toss with the vinaigrette and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Goat Cheese Stuffed Tomatoes

from allrecipes.com

Ingredients:
4 medium sized fresh4 medium sized fresh "slicer" tomatoes
4 ounces goat cheese
1 tablespoon chopped roasted red peppers (bottled or homemade)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons bread crumbs
1 tablespoon torn fresh basil leaves
kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste

optional:
chopped toasted pine nuts
roasted garlic

Directions:
Preheat the oven broiler.

Slice the tops off of the tomatoes and hollow out by removing the seeds.

In a bowl, mix the goat cheese and chopped red peppers together (optional: add pine nuts, garlic, or some of the basil to the mixture). Spoon an equal amount of the cheese mixture into each hollowed out tomato. Place stuffed tomatoes upright in a baking dish. Top each tomato evenly with the bread crumbs and torn basil. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Place under broiler for 5 to 10 minutes until bread crumbs are lightly browned.

Ginger Cookies

By Margery Krome

My grandmother Marge used to make these every year when she hosted my mother’s Holiday pottery show at her house. I looked forward to them all year! This recipe makes about 36 cookies.

Ingredients:
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
½ cup (1 stick) butter, room temp
½ cup (1 stick) margarine, room temp
1 large egg
1/3 cup molasses
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line 2-3 cookie sheets with wax paper and grease lightly.

With an electric mixer, cream ½ cup of the granulated sugar, the brown sugar, butter, and margarine until light and fluffy. Add the egg and continue beating to blend well. Add the molasses.

Sift the dry ingredients 3 times, then stir into the butter mixture. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Place the remaining sugar in a shallow dish. Roll tablespoonfuls of the dough into balls, then roll the balls in the sugar to coat.

Place the balls 2 inches apart on the prepared sheets and flatten slightly. Bake until
golden around the edges but soft in the middle, 12-15 minutes.

Let stand for 5 minutes before transferring to a rack to cool.
 

Garlicky Ranch Dressing

Recipe provided by Margaret Krome-Lukens

Make this dressing to add to mixed green salads, wraps, or pita.
Also great for dipping!

Mix in a blender:
1-2 cloves of mashed garlic to taste
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup minced parsley
1-2 Tbsp. dill
1 Tbsp. minced chives
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. white vinegar
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/8 tsp. cayenne (optional)
1/2 cup buttermilk (more or less depending on how thick you want it)

 

Gado Gado

Recipe by Certified Health Coach Emily Geizer
www.emilygeizer.com
 

Gado Gado is an Indonesian dish that will excite and inspire kids to explore.

Sauce Ingredients:
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves crushed garlic
1 cup nut butter (I use almond)
1 Tbs honey
juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp freshly grated ginger root
1 bay leaf
1 Tbs cider vinegar
3 cups water
1 tsp salt
dash of tamari or soy sauce
pat of butter

Directions:
In a saucepan, cook the onions, garlic, bay leaf, and ginger in butter until onion becomes
translucent. Add remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly. Simmer for 30 minutes (Optional - blend for a smooth sauce)

Pour sauce over an arrangement of combined cooked and raw seasonal vegetables and
protein.

Ideas - Use whatever is in season:
shredded cabbage
carrots
asparagus
celery slices
green beans
snap peas
broccoli
cauliflower
sweet potatoes
sprouts
hard-boiled egg
baked tofu chunks
chicken cubes

I recommend serving a large plateful of the vegetables and protein for your family to pick
and choose what they want on the plate. Then drizzle the sauce over each plate.

Emily Geizer
Holistic Health and Parent Coach

Let's connect: Facebook & Pinterest
www.EmilyGeizer.com
919.680.4818
 

Fresh Sungold and Peach Salsa

By: Carrboro Farmers’ Market Staff
Erin Jobe and Margaret Krome-Lukens

Ingredients:
4 ripe peaches
2 small cucumbers
2 cups sungold tomatoes
1-2 jalapeno peppers
Splash of lemon juice
(Optional cilantro, onion, sweet corn)

Directions:
Peel peaches. Dice peaches and cucumbers into small cubes. Wash Sungolds and cut each in half. Finely chop 1-2 jalapeño peppers, depending on how much spice you prefer. Add all ingredients to a bowl and mix together. Add a slash of lemon juice. Enjoy with chips (or possibly as a topping for fish)! The sweetness of peaches and Sungolds go very well mixed with fresh crunchy cucumbers and this salsa is a great refreshing snack for a summer day! You could also add onion, fresh sweet corn or cilantro to the mix!

 

Fresh Broccoli Salad

Serves 9

Ingredients:
2 heads fresh broccoli
½ to 1 whole red onion depending on taste
½ pound bacon
¾ cup raisins
¾ cup sliced almonds or other nuts
1 cup mayonnaise
½ cup white sugar
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

Directions:
Place bacon in a deep skillet and cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Cool and crumble.

Cut the broccoli into bite-size pieces and cut the onion into thin bite-size slices. Combine with the bacon, raisins, your favorite nuts and mix well.

To prepare the dressing, mix the mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar together
until smooth. Stir into the salad, let chill and serve.

From allrecipes.com

Fig Chutney

Rose Shepherd of Blessed Earth Farm
www.blessedearthfarm.com
 

Yield: 24 8oz. jars

Ingredients:
8 pounds quartered figs
1 large green pepper, chopped
1 orange, finely chopped
4 cayenne peppers, minced
¼ cup fresh ground ginger root
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup raisins
1 cup sugar
3 cups cider vinegar

Use hot fill & hold method
.
Combine all ingredients in a large stock pot. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until thickened. Ladle into hot, sterilized jars, being sure that the mixture is at least 180 degrees. This temperature must hold for 6+ seconds. Wipe rims, secure lids and flip upside down on a towel covered surface. Leave undisturbed overnight then flip right side up, label & store.

Notes:
When using whole baby figs, increase vinegar and sugar by 1 cup each.