Try many different grain/nut/herb combinations. This recipe is easily adaptable to what you have on hand.

Ingredients:

• A little oil
• 2-3 cloves garlic
• 2 cups chopped onions
• 3 cups raw brown rice
• 6 cups water, stock or tomato juice
• ½ teaspoon allspice
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes
• ½ cup grated hard cheese
• ½ cup chopped, toasted almonds
• 1 cup thinly sliced basil leaves
• Salt and Pepper
• 9 Bell peppers, tops cut off, seeds removed

The drill:

1. Heat oil in large skillet
2. Add and sauté garlic and onion.
3. Add rice and brown about 5 minutes.
4. Add desired liquid and allspice.
5. Cover and cook until rice is done, about 40 minutes.
6. Stir in tomatoes and cheese, almonds, basil, salt and pepper to taste.
7. Blanch peppers in boiling water one minute…this step can be skipped.
8. Stuff peppers with rice mixture.
9. Bake at 350 degrees 30 minutes.

(from Mariquita Farm)

Balsamic Dressed Roasted Beets

A simple sweet and sour dressing complements earth roasted beets.

Ingredients:

• 6 medium beets
• ½ cup fresh orange juice
• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 star anise
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

What to do:

1. Pre-heat oven to 400.
2. Leave root and 1 inch of stem on beets; scrub with a brush.
3. Wrap beets in foil.
4. Bake at 400 degrees for 1 hour or until tender.
5. Cool beets to room temperature.
6. Peel and cut each beet into 8 wedges.
7. Combine juice, vinegar, sugar, and star anise in a small saucepan; bring to a boil.
8. Cook until reduced to 1/3 cup…about 10 minutes.
9. Discard the star anise.
10. Combine beets, vinegar mixture, salt and pepper; toss well.

These pickled peppers are great as a pizza topping or served with bread and cheese. They will be on the menu at the restaurant Molly Wizenberg discusses opening in her Cooking Life column.

MAKES 1 QUART
Recipe by Molly Wizenberg

Photograph by Elinor Carucci

Ingredients
1 pound sweet or mild mini bell peppers, sliced crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick rounds, seeded
1 large onion, thinly sliced, separated into rings
2 cups white wine vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons water
5 fresh thyme sprigs
2 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
Pinch of coarse kosher salt

Preparation
Place peppers and onions in medium bowl.
Mix vinegar and next 6 ingredients in medium saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar and salt. Remove brine from heat; carefully pour over peppers and shallots. Cover bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Uncover; cool to room temperature. Transfer to quart-size jar, pressing peppers into brine. Cover; chill at least 4 hours and up to 10 days.

Photograph by William Meppem

Spiced Pumpkin, Lentil, and Goat Cheese Salad
Bon Appétit, October 2009
This fall salad balances earthy, tangy, sweet, and creamy flavors.
8 SERVINGS
Recipe by Ross Dobson
Photograph by William Meppem

Ingredients
3/4 cup French green lentils
6 cups 1-inch pieces peeled seeded sugar pumpkin or butternut squash (from about one 2-pound whole pumpkin)
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon hot smoked Spanish paprika
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
4 cups baby arugula
1 cup soft goat cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup thinly sliced mint leaves
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Preparation
Place lentils in small bowl. Cover with cold water and soak 10 minutes; drain.
Cook lentils in boiling salted water until tender but firm, about 30 minutes. Drain lentils. Rinse under cold water, then drain.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Place pumpkin in large bowl; toss with 2 tablespoons oil, cumin, paprika, and sea salt. Arrange pumpkin in single layer on baking sheet; roast 20 minutes. Turn pumpkin over. Roast until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Cool.
Combine lentils, pumpkin, and oil from baking sheet with arugula, half of goat cheese, mint, vinegar, and 1 tablespoon oil. Season with salt and pepper. Divide among plates; sprinkle remaining goat cheese over.

Sugar Pumpkin, Feta, and Cilantro Quesadillas
Bon Appétit, October 2009
A squeeze of lime unites all the flavors of these new-wave quesadillas.
6 servings
Recipe by Ross Dobson

Photograph by William Meppem

Ingredients
3 cups 1 1/2-inch cubes peeled seeded sugar pumpkin or butternut squash (from about half a 2-pound whole pumpkin)
1 finely chopped seeded jalapeño (about 2 tablespoons)
12 8-inch-diameter flour tortillas
10 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
2 limes, each cut into 6 wedges

Preparation
Cook pumpkin in large saucepan of boiling salted water until tender but not falling apart, about 10 minutes. Drain and cool 10 minutes. While pumpkin is still warm, transfer to processor; puree until smooth. Stir in jalapeño; season with salt and pepper.
Divide pumpkin mixture equally among 6 tortillas (about 1/4 cup per tortilla) and spread evenly. Sprinkle feta over each. Top each with 1/4 cup cilantro and sprinkle with black pepper. Top with second tortilla.
Heat heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook quesadillas until golden and dark char marks appear, about 1 minute per side. Serve with lime wedges.

Phtoograph from MarthaStewart.com

Pasta with Pesto, Green Beans, and Potatoes
Adapted from Martha Stewart
Serves 4-6

Ingredients
12 ounces potatoes
Coarse salt
1 pound pasta (penne or trofie)
4 oucnes green beans, trimmed
Pesto
Freshly ground pepper
Freshly grated parmesan cheese, to serve

Directions
Cut potatoes in 1/2″ chunks and cover with cold water by 2″ in medium saucepan
Add salt and bring to a boil
Reduce heat to medium and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes, and drain
Bring one large pot of water to a boil and add salt
Add pasta and cook until al dente
About 5 minutes before pasta is done, add green beans
Drain
Toss pasta, bean, and potatoes with pesto
Serve with parmesan

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In the Share this Week:
Lettuce
Turnips & Greens
Hot Peppers
Pie Pumpkins
Purple Carrots
German Butterball Potatoes
Red Long of Tropea Onions
Green Beans
Purple Pole Beans
Tomatoes

Today is the first day of Fall! We are kicking off the season with Pie Pumpkins! We had one cooked with butter for dinner last night and it was great. They are also good in soup or pie. Many more winter squash and root vegetables coming soon.

Many of you have asked about signing up for next season. We appreciate your support and will be accepting $50 deposits toward next year’s CSA now! The CSA share cost will remain $550 with a $25 early bird discount if you pay in full by January 31st. If you know you want to participate again next season, your deposit helps us know how many new members we can accept and how much marketing we will need to do over the winter. You may leave your deposit at the CSA distribution or mail to:
Zestful Gardens
5102 40th St. East
Tacoma, WA. 98443

Eat well,
Holly Foster

“Because it’s hard to imagine ever reforming the American way of eating, or for that matter, the American food system unless millions of Americans—women and men—are willing to make cooking a part of their daily life. The path to a diet of fresher, unprocessed food, not to mention to a revitalized local-food economy, passes straight through the home kitchen.”

And we have a recipe:

Garlic Stewed Tomatoes and Green Beans

• 1 ¼ lbs. (about 6 cups) fresh green beans, trimmed, halved, rinsed
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 medium onions, halved and thinly sliced
• 2-3 small garlic cloves, minced
• 3 medium ripe tomatoes, cored and coarsely chopped
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary

Here’s how:

1. Bring several quarts of salted water to boil in a large pot.
2. Add the beans and boil until almost tender. This may take as little as 5 minutes for small tender beans and up to 10 minutes for large ones.
3. Drain and set the beans aside.
4. Heat olive oil in a large non-reactive skillet.
5. Add the onions and sauté over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Stir in the garlic, sauté for 10 seconds, then stir in the tomatoes and salt them lightly.
7. Cover and cook the tomatoes for about 10 minutes, until soft. Add pepper to taste and the herbs.
8. Stir in the beans, cover, and gently simmer them for about 5-8 minutes.
9. Serve right away or let them sit in the covered pan for up to 30 minutes to absorb the flavor of the tomato broth. Reheat briefly and serve.

(from Feeding the Healthy Vegetarian Family by Ken Haedrich)

You may choose to add fennel, zucchini, or green beans to the list of ingredients. Creamy, rosemary-scented polenta offers the perfect pillow to cradle all of the glittering colors.

Ingredients:

• 2-4 heirloom tomatoes, enough for 2 cups chopped
• 1 medium eggplant
• 1 bell pepper, seeded and diced
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ½ cup chopped fresh basil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 4 cups of vegetable or chicken broth
• 1 cup polenta-style ground corn (coarsely ground)
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• ¼ cup feta or goat cheese, plus extra for garnish

The drill:

1. Preheat oven to 475.
2. Cut the tomatoes into 1-inch chunks. Cut the eggplant into 1-inch cubes as well. Seed the pepper and cut into 1-inch squares.
3. Toss the vegetables with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and the basil.  Spread them out on a sheet pan in a single layer.
4. Roast for 15-20 minutes or until the eggplant is golden and tender. The tomatoes will be quite soft. Season with salt and pepper.
5. While the veggies are roasting, bring the broth to a boil and add the ground corn, stirring with a wire whip. Cook over low heat, stirring frequently until the polenta is soft, about 15 minutes.
6. Stir in the rosemary, the rest of the olive oil and the cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Ladle the polenta onto plates or into bowls and scatter with the roasted vegetables. Garnish with additional cheese, lemons, and fresh herb sprigs.

(from PCC Natural Markets)

… a story of a boy who sets out to brighten his bit of the world through the magical transformative at of gardening. Beautiful and off beat, readers will certainly fall in love with the irresistibly curious corner of the world. Suggested for children 4 to 8

…Wanda

This soup is mostly tomatoes and features several of the tomato’s best friends, garlic, basil, parsley and dill. A touch of sugar cuts the acidity, so there is no need for any oil or dairy products. The soup can be made several days in advance and reheats nicely.

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds fresh and ripe tomatoes, cut into chunks
• 4 medium sized cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 full stalk fresh basil
• 1-2 tablespoons brown sugar or honey
• 1 teaspoon salt
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• optional garnishes; minced parsley and/or fresh dill

What to do:

1. Place tomatoes, garlic, and basil in a soup pot or large saucepan. Cover and cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, or until tomatoes are quite liquefied.
2. Remove from heat, and cool to the point at which you feel comfortable pureeing it. Fish out the basil, and puree the tomatoes and garlic in food processor or blender until quite smooth.
3. Strain through a medium fine strainer back into the soup pot, and season with brown sugar or honey, and freshly ground pepper.
4. Heat just before serving. If desired, sprinkle each bowlful with a light touch of finely minced parsley and/or dill.

(from Mollie Katzen’s Still Life with Menu Cookbook)

Chili-Roasted Carrots

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin’1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 pounds carrots cut into ¼ inch diagonal slices
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons lime juice

What to do:

1. Position rack in lower third of oven; preheat oven to 450.
2. Combine oil, chili powder, cumin and salt in a medium bowl.
3. Add carrots and toss to well coat.
4. Spread out on a rimmed baking sheet.
5. Roast the carrots, stirring once, until tender and golden, 20 to 25 minutes.
6. Toss the carrots with cilantro and lime juice, serve immediately.

(from Eating Well, September 2009)

Eggplant with Tomato-Basil Relish

Ingredients:

Tomato Basil Relish

• 2 large ripe tomatoes, cored, seeded (if desired) and diced
• 2 scallions, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon sherry or red wine vinegar
• salt and freshly ground pepper

Eggplant

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 large or 2 small eggplants, sliced into 3/8 inch thick rounds

What to do:

1. To make the relish, combine the tomatoes, scallions, basil, oil and sherry in a medium size bowl. Season generously with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed. Cover and set aside at room temperature.
2. Preheat the oven to 400. Lightly oil a large shallow roasting pan
3. To make the eggplant, combine the oil and garlic in a small bowl. Season generously with salt and pepper. Brush both sides of the eggplant slices with the seasoned oil. Arrange in a single layer in the pan.
4. Roast for 20-25 minutes, until the eggplant is well browned and tender, turning once.
5. To serve, divide the eggplant among 4-6 plates and spoon a couple tablespoons of relish on top. Pass any additional relish.

(from The Roasted Vegetable by Andrea Chesman)

Roasted Eggplant Dip with Tomato and Herbs

Trim a variety of seasonal veggies into different sizes and shapes for dipping … or spread this dip on toasted slices of day  old crusty bread rubbed with garlic.

Ingredients:

• 2 eggplants, halved lengthwise and scored
• ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ¼ cup finely chopped mixed fresh herbs, such as parsley, basil, thyme, oregano, marjoram, in any combination

What to do:

1. Preheat oven to 375. Place eggplants, cut sides up, in a roasting pan. Drizzle the ¼ cup oil over the tops and season with salt and pepper. Bake until soft and tender, 20-40 minutes depending on size of eggplant. Remove from oven and when cool enough to handle, use a large spoon to scoop out the cooked flesh. Finely chop the flesh.
2. In a bowl, combine the chopped eggplant, tomatoes onion, and garlic. Stir in the 2 tablespoons of oil and season with salt and pepper if needed. (The dip can be made up to 2 days in advance. Cover and refrigerate.)
3. Just before serving stir in the herbs, then taste and adjust the seasonings.

(from Beach House Cooking, Williams-Sonoma)

Skillet-Charred Cherry Tomatoes with Basil

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 2 ½ pints cherry tomatoes or other equivalent
• 24 squash blossoms (optional)
• ¼ cup basil leaves or chopped basil
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

What to do:

1. Heat a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over high heat until smoking, 5 minutes.
2. Add the olive oil, tomatoes and squash blossoms and cook until the tomatoes are slightly charred and about to burst…about 3 minutes.
3. Off the heat, stir in the basil. Season with salt and pepper and serve right away.

(from Food and Wine, August 2009)

David Masumto, a third generation farmer and author of Epitaph for a Peach will read from his latest book, Wisdom of the Last Farmer at King’s Books on August 24^th, 7:00p.m.

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• ½ cup onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp. garlic, minced
• 6 Roma tomatoes, diced
• ½ tsp. rosemary, chopped
• ¼ tsp. sage, chopped
• ¼ cup basil, chopped
• 2 zucchini, medium, cut into ¼ inch rounds
• 4 oz cream cheese
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
• Salt and Pepper to taste

The process:

1. In a large sauté pan, heat oil over medium heat and add onions garlic and tomatoes.
2. Cook until onions are translucent, then add rosemary, sage, basil, and cream cheese.
3. Stir until cream cheese is melted.
4. Remove from heat and add zucchini.
5. Layer 1/3 of the mixture in a 9x 9 ovenproof dish, top with 1/3 cup of the mozzarella, and repeat layers twice.
6. Cover with foil and bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes.
7. Remove foil and bake another 15 minutes or until cheese is golden and bubbly.
8. Casserole can be made ahead and refrigerated until ready to bake.

(from Marlene’s Sound Outlook, August 2009)

Questions for newsletter readers:

What is your favorite way to eat tomatoes?

Upon the first glimpse of your CSA share, what creative combinations and preparations ideas come to mind?