Zucchini Processing

I bought a bushel of zucchini from Cedar Circle Farm in Thetford, VT for $15. I sliced into coins and blanched 6 pints for pasta and risotto dishes. I "planked" two cookie trays worth for broiling and lasagnas. Annie (the rockstar!) shredded zucchinis for over and hour and we bagged it into 26 two cup bags, which is exactly the amount needed for our zucchini bread recipe. We may also use the shredded squash for fritters or in place of pasta.

I still have ~12 zucchini in my crisper which I have been incorporating into our meals. I may put a few of them in the freezer which, I KNOW, is in total violation of the correct processing rules, but I think it will be fine :)

Project Broccoli

Purchased bushel of broccoli from Hurricane Flats farm for $27. In one hour Scott and I trimmed, washed and blanched all 18 pounds. It is currently flash-freezing.

Basil into Pest

Purchased 12 bunches from Hurricane Flats Farm (Royalton, VT) at Norwich Farmers Market.

Cost: $10

Used 1 1/2 cups pine nuts.

Cost: $20

We had everything else and will add the Parmesan or Romano cheese when we defrost and prepare to serve.

Recipe/instructions: http://www.pickyourown.org/pesto.php

Yield: 30 1/2 cup portions flash frozen in muffin tins which will feed the four of us over pasta for one meal.

Zucchini Bread Recipe

1 C. Oil

2 C. Brown Sugar

3 Eggs

2 C. shredded zucchini

1 t. Vanilla

3 C. Whole Wheat Flour

1/2 t. Baking powder

1 t. Baking soda

1 t. Salt

3 t. Cinnamon

1 Generous Handful Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease two standard loaf pans. Combine oil and sugar in mixer. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add vanilla, cranberries, applesauce, chocolate chips. Mix in dry ingredients. Bake for one hour or until top puffs up and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

It's in the oven right now. I have no idea if it will be any good! UPDATE: It is delicious! The applesauce helped to lighten it up.

August Lunch Menu

For a visit with family in our new Upper Valley home we had a feast of local vegetables and homemade treats:

Oven Fried Chicken

Corn on the Cob

Broiled Zucchini and Onions with fresh tomatoes and balsamic vinegar

Coleslaw

Our homemade Bread and Butter and New Pickles

Zucchini Bread

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Making Pickles

This summer we have been working on pickles. We started with an experimental 6 pints of dilly beans using a basic dill recipe plus red pepper flakes for kick. Once we got going we made and put by 24 pints of sweet bread and butter pickles using a recipe from simplyrecipes.com.

We put by 19 quarts of dill pickles using this recipe from allrecipes.com.

We also made a few quarts "new pickles" or "half sours" by using the dill recipe, doubling the garlic and leaving out the dill. I did not can these, but put them directly into the refrigerator and started eating them after 8 hours. I have made them in advance for lunch guests.

We bought a bushel and a half of cucumbers and about half a peck of green beans in addition to onions, garlic and dill at our local farm stands and will be looking forward to crunch (I hope!) cukes through the winter!

Blueberry Grunt

According to Bon Appetit magazine, "grunts get their quirky name from the fact that the fruit, which is topped with dumplings and cooked on the stove in a covered skillet, can make a grunting sound as the dessert steams."

Spiced Blueberry Grunt

Filling

4 cups fresh blueberries (from four 1/2-pint containers)
1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1/4 cup mild-flavored (light) molasses
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Dumplings

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
3 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
3/4 cup whole milk

Whipped cream, chilled whipping cream, or vanilla ice cream

For filling:

Mix all ingredients in 12-inch-diameter skillet or sturdy pot. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until berries soften and mixture thickens slightly, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare dumplings:

Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Add butter and rub in with fingertips until mixture resembles fine meal. Add milk; stir just until blended and sticky dough forms.

Drop batter by tablespoonfuls onto simmering berry mixture, placing close together. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover skillet and simmer until dumplings are firm and tester inserted into dumplings comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Scoop warm dessert into bowls.

Top with whipped cream, whipping cream, or ice cream [recipe from www.epicurious.com].