R ecipes

Peel and boil potatoes, then mash some of the them to turn the water white. Saute onions and garlic in olive oil or butter and add to the soup. Salt and pepper to taste, use oregano and parsley to season. Squash, corn or green beans are good in potato soup too.

Long Hungry Creek Farm Red Boiling Springs

Use organic products

Serves 4

• 2/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 c Yellow Onion Knife chopped medium.
• 1 lb Cremini Mushrooms aka Baby Portobello. Knife chop or food processor medium to fine. Beware of over-processing or mincing.
• 1 lb Tofu-extra firm, water packed. Drain, pat dry, food processor or hand crumble coarse; about the size of peas.
• 1/2 lb Fresh Spinach, washed, stemmed, salad spun dried and torn into manageable pieces.
• 1 c Chopped Leeks cut lengthwise to wash well of sand. Pat dry of excess water. Knife chop medium including some the dark green tops.
• 1 c Sliced Fennel Bulb and/or Celery
• 1/3 c Pastry flour
• 2 c Soy Milk
• 2 Garlic Cloves, thin sliced rounds
• 1 T Sea Salt
• 1 1/2 c Red Sauce
• 1/2 lb Lasagna Noodles

Main Filling:

In a pre-heated 12" Skillet or Sauté Pan add 1/3 cup of olive oil then immediately add the prepped onions, mushrooms and tofu. Using two wood spoons get this moving around the pan fast for a couple of minutes then lower the heat to maintain a steady simmer. You don't have to stand there once it settles in to its simmer, yet keep an eye out so it doesn't cook too fast. Stir fairly often. You want the onions golden, the mushrooms darkened and the tofu not sticking to the pan. It will take about 20 minutes for all the liquid to cook down thoroughly. At that time mix in 2 teaspoons of sea salt then the spinach. Cook 10 minutes or until the spinach is wilted and the liquid from it cooked down. Place the mixture in a bowl and set aside.

White Sauce:

In a pre-heated heavy 2 quart sauce pan: 1/3 cup olive oil, lower the heat to medium and add the leeks, fennel and/or celery. Cook over a medium to low heat for about 15 minutes. Stir in the flour, coating the vegetables evenly. Using a wire whisk slowly stir in the soy milk. Whisk gently while the mixture thickens. This mixture can scorch fast so be mindful of the heat. When it comes to a boil remove from heat and whisk in the sliced fresh garlic and 1 ½ teaspoon of sea salt. Use a rubber spatula to scrape out the contents into a bowl.

Red Sauce:

A Simple marinara will do. Use you own recipe or a jarred brand that uses few ingredients, listing organic tomatoes first.

Preparing the noodles:

1/2 Pound Lasagna noodles cooked according to the package instruction yet on the al dente side as the noodles will absorb more liquid in the oven. Drain and lay the noodles out flat. They will need trimming to fit.

Assemble-Bake-Garnish

In an oven-safe dish: 8.5" x 6.5" x 2"

• Layer 1 1/3 c Red Sauce
• Layer 2 2 Noodles
• Layer 3 1 c Main Filling
• Layer 4 ½ c White Sauce

Repeat 3 times ending with a noodle layer topped with Red Sauce. Lay a piece of parchment paper on top and bake for 40 minutes in a 350 degree oven or until bubbling and the edges turn crisp. Take out of the oven and let rest 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with Fennel leaf or a chiffonade (long thin slices) of fresh basil and arugula.

Local chef Joyce Symans prepares a meatless lasagna sure to please even the heartiest eater. Joyce's first cookbook, /Popcorn Soup/, will be an adventureous collection of meatless recipes for both the vegetarian palate and for those folks that swear they can't eat meat free.

Cook 1 box of your favorite pasta to al dente, and either rinse with cold water or sprinkle with a drizzle of olive oil to prevent sticking together, refrigerate.

Combine in a large bowl:
6 large ripe tomatoes, seed and chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
1 cup chopped fresh basil
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons black pepper

Let the tomato basil mixture `meld together' for a few hours before tossing with pasta to serve. Serves 12 or more

Note: as you finish chopping each tomato, place in colaner to drain before placing it in the bowl.

Variations: Toss 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese with the pasta and the tomato basil dressing. For a hot entree, toss pasta with tomato basil mixture, top with 1 cup grated mozzarella, and heat in oven for 30 minutes.

Long Hungry Creek Farm Red Boiling Springs

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch Kale
2 teaspoons sesame seed oil
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
Salt and pepper, if desired

1. Mince the garlic cloves. Wash the kale, remove and discard the stems from the kale and tear it into bite-size pieces. Save the stems for another use, such as vegetable stock.

2. Heat the sesame seed oil in the skillet over medium-low heat. Add the minced garlic to the hot oil and sauté for about 20 seconds. Add the kale and water to the garlic and oil, and cover the skillet.

3. After 1 minute, stir the kale, then re-cover. After 1-2 more minutes, when the kale is wilted, stir in the soy sauce and sesame seeds. If desired, add salt and/or pepper to taste.

Delvin Farms College Grove

1 bunch collard greens
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 lg. onion, chopped
1 tomato, diced
Salt and pepper to taste
Pinch nutmeg

Slice leaves into bite-size pieces by rolling several leaves together and cutting into 1/4 inch strips. Blanch greens in boiling water for 30 minutes; drain well. Heat olive oil in large skillet; add onion and cook until tender. Stir in tomato and cook until just tender. Add greens to onion mixture and stir until well coated. Cook until tender. Stir in a pinch of nutmeg.

Delvin Farms College Grove

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups cooked butternut or acorn squash
1 egg -- beaten
1/2 cup coarsely chopped cranberries
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 dash pepper
1 tablespoon margarine -- melted
1 dash nutmeg

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400 F. Combine cooked winter squash (acorn or butternut) with egg. Stir in cranberries, salt and pepper. Turn into 1 1/2 quart casserole. Drizzle melted margarine over top. Sprinkle with nutmeg. Bake 35 to 40 min. Serves: 4

Delvin Farms College Grove

If members of your household look at okra suspiciously because of the slime issue, you should try either sautéing them or roasting them whole, with just the tops trimmed off.

To roast: trim the tops and toss the okra in a little olive oil in an ovenproof dish and bake about 30 minutes at 400 F. Turn them about halfway through cooking. They are amazing this way.

Sylvanus Farms Burkesville, KY

1/2 cup French (small) green lentils
2 cups water
3/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped (2 cups)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 Bunch Tuscan kale
1 lb dried pasta, a short type
grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Simmer lentils in water (2 cups) with 1/4 teaspoon salt in a 1- to 1 1/2-quart saucepan, uncovered, adding more water if necessary to keep lentils barely covered, until tender but not falling apart, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from heat and season with salt.

While lentils simmer, heat 1/4 cup oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté onion with pepper and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, stirring, 1 minute. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and golden (stir more frequently toward end of cooking), about 20 minutes. Remove lid and increase heat to moderate, then cook, stirring frequently, until onion is golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes more.

Cook kale in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until just tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer kale with tongs to a colander to drain, pressing lightly. Keep pot of water at a boil, covered. Coarsely chop kale and add to onion along with lentils (including lentil-cooking liquid), then simmer, stirring, 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper.

Sylvanus Farms Burkesville, KY

Trim stems off of Sylvanus Farm beets and slice the beets into 1/2" slices (don't bother peeling them).

Pour olive oil into a roasting pan and toss in beet slices, coating them with the olive oil.

Sprinkle slices with salt, cumin and ground coriander. Roast until tender at 400 degrees.

Sprinkle with balsamic vinegar.

Eat them by themselves (yum!) or in a salad.

Simple, but delicious. Adapted from the April edition of Gourmet Magazine.

Sylvanus Farms Burkesville, KY

(For best results, brine the duck/goose before cooking.) - Preheat oven to 450°.

Place the bird breast side DOWN in pan and rub the exterior with butter or olive oil. In the cavity of the bird place:

1/2 stalk celery, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
1 carrot, broken into pieces
1 t dried sage
1/2 t minced garlic
or:
1/2 lemon
1 t dried rosemary

If you wish to make stock or gravy, pour into the pan: 1 pint water or 1 pint white wine

Place pan in the oven, close door and reset the temperature to 275°. After 1 ½ hours, using a cooking thermometer, check the temperature in the thickest part of the beast or thigh. The duck/goose is done when it reaches 160 degrees.

If the duck/goose should start to brown too fast, cover loosely with a tent of aluminum foil.

Peaceful Pastures Hickman