Technicolor Cropshare

Photo via Simply Recipes

Beets and carrots, carrots and beets!  Yahoo!  Many, such as Dr. Sanjay Gupta on CNN, say that you should eat five different colors every day to make sure you get a broad array of vitamins in your diet.  This week's box sure helps with that approach: orange carrots, purple beets, blue blueberries, red strawberries, green chard and cabbage... There you go!

Let's see how we can mix and match colors.

Photo via Healthy Happy Life

• If you're looking for a straight-up color explosion, try this side dish, which uses almost everything in the box.  If you like pickled veggies (oh, me me me!), then this mix is a great one to try.
• Beets and carrots make a great basis for a salad, or use the chard and/or cabbage for this salad.
• If you like the Moroccan spice palate, then try this sauté for the chard and beet leaves.  This salad uses grated carrots and beets, and is delicious!
• Last year we had a discussion on cole slaw, and my favorite pickled cole slaw is quite colorful.  So is this one with beets.
• Don't forget dessert!

Photo via Epicurious

A Foretaste of Spring

Who has strawberries left from this week's box? I'd bet that several of those boxes never even made it into the house from the car. I know that I ate a few on my way home. Especially with the meteorological nastiness over the last week or so, we're all craving something to remind us of spring. In case you haven't eaten them all already, I'll share two ideas for your remaining strawberries.

Carrots are usually plentiful in winter, and if you have some, try this bundt cake. It wasn't my first thought to add strawberries to a carrot-spice cake, but this works. Don't skip that frosting either, trust me.

Photo via MyRecipes

We used to make something very similar to this cake way back in Scouts. It's a really, really simple recipe, and is a perfect one to get the kids involved in the kitchen. Yes, it calls for 3 pounds of strawberries, but it scales back well.

Up next:  A recipe for roasted groundhog. Look out, Punxsutawney Phil. I'm coming for you.

Past posts

As it now stands, this is the 448th article for Nall's Kitchen.  There are lots and lots and lots of goodies in our archive.  Let's take a look back at what the top 3 posts are for each of the items in this week's box.  Maybe we'll find some goodies!

Broccoli

3. Pattypan Pasta has quite a bit of broccoli, too.

2. Beef With Broccoli

1. Broccoli Blitz was a listing of top broccoli recipes.  The Spicy Chicken With Broccoli looks very promising!

Oranges

3. This year's New Years post has that wonderful Brandy Orange Cake!

2. Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp uses this week's strawberries too!

1. Pomegranate and Citrus Salad (mmm... pomegranates!)

Baking Potatoes

3. Potato Skins -- because, after all, the Superbowl will be here shortly!

2. Curried Chickpeas, Potatoes & Collards

1. Veggie & Chicken Stuffed Potatoes

Strawberries

3. Strawberry Baby Cakes would be really good about now, wouldn't they?

2. Strawberry Cheesecake Trifle sounds quite amazing too.

1.  Fresh Strawberry Cake is one of the most popular posts of all time!

Parsley

3. Baked Spaghetti Squash With Garlic & Butter in case you haven't used your spaghetti squash yet.

2. Bacheofe is a classic Alsatian dish.  Alsatian cuisine is a perfect blend of French and southern German influences.  If you've never tried Alsatian cooking, Lyon Hall in Arlington is a wonderful place to start!

1. Mushrooms Sautéed With Sherry Vinegar  The Store has some wonderful mushrooms right now!

I'm Not Ready to Have Fall Yet!

There are apples in the store now.  And not just a few.  Nooooo!

Yes, I do like apples.  As a matter of fact, I had a Honeycrisp at the store this afternoon.  And it was delicious.  The problem is, when the first apples start coming in, it's a harbinger of the end of summer fruits.  Soon the berries will end.  And the peaches.  And plums.  And my favorite, nectarines.  Waaaaah!!!

Well, I'm just not ready yet.  As I've said before, I'm not a baker but I'm trying to learn.  And I've got a long checklist of things to make before the fruit is gone.  Let me give you a peek at my list.

Photo via Epicurious

Cobblers
This is something I've been comfortable baking since, well, Cooking Merit Badge from eons ago.  Cobbler is essentially pie filling with biscuits on top.  There are options as to what kinds of biscuits, though.  This one most closely resembles what we used to do at Scout Camp back in the day.  This one has a sweeter biscuit that's really divine.  Of course, any cobbler is much better when made in a cast iron Dutch oven with decades of seasoning on it, and baked in the embers of your campfire.

Photo via Oprah.com

Simple Tarts
I think what makes me shy from baking is the detailed decorating involved.  And when some intricate design is required on a couple of dozen cupcakes or something, well, I guess I don't have the patience for it.  But one level more difficult than cobbler would be rustic tarts, no fancy-pants decorating involved.  Here's a simple fruit tart.  It's just a simple pastry dough, formed into a rough circle-ish shape, with fruit piled on and the edges rolled up.  Right up my alley.  Here's another one with a slightly different crust.

Photo via Smitten Kitchen

It's All in the Bundt
Now we have to go up to the level of a real cake.  Uh-oh.  I think bundt cakes are probably the easiest, as there's little to no decorating, or lining up layers straight.  It's the one-pot stew of the cake world.  Just remember to let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes or so prior to trying to invert it onto the plate.  This one I've made before and it's really amazing.  The buttermilk gives it such a rich flavor.  This one is way yummy too.  I know, you normally don't think of strawberries and carrots in the same, well, in the same anything.  But trust me, you won't be able to argue with the results.

For-Real Cakes
Before we get super-serious, this pound cake sorta straddles the line between a bundt cake and a real layer cake.  The lemon really highlights the blueberries, and the ricotta makes it SO rich.  Speaking of ricotta, have you looked in the dairy case lately?  You'll find local ricotta there now!

And lastly, that brings us to a layer cake.  I haven't worked up the courage to try yet, but I've sworn to myself I'm going to try before the blueberries are gone.  I'm thinking that the lemon-blueberry combo should be fantastic once again.

Photo via Sally's Baking Addiction

So, what are you planning to bake before the berries are gone?

Strawberry Fields Forever

Strawberry Fields Forever

There is no surer sign of spring turning to summer than when the red tidal wave of strawberries hits.  This week we’re getting strawberries!  Can you tell I’m a little excited?  Every year, I buy ridiculously more than I’ll ever need or use.  Why?  Do I really need to answer that?  We all (my wife, 5-year-old son, and I) eat them until we’re pretty much sick.  Let’s just say, during strawberry season, vitamin C intake isn’t a problem for us.

But when you do have more than you can use, or in my case way more than you can use, what are your options?  Preserves!  I know, I know, everyone’s intimidated about preserving.  I was at first, too.  Causing my family a slow, agonizing death by food poisoning isn’t high on my list of things to do, either.  With a little care, and follow the rules, your jars will fill with deliciousness and not disease.  For some basic reading, Ball’s website (they make jars) is very helpful.  There are a number of fantastic canning blogs around, too.  My favorite is Food In Jars.  Lots and lots of good recipes.

First, you need some jars and lids.  They’re easier to come by than you think.  You can get them from Amazon, or two really good local sources are the Ace Hardware in Old Town and the Shoppers right near Nalls.  For fruit preserves, you will mostly want half-pint jars, but pint jars work as well.  I don’t know about your house, but to eat a quart jar of preserves would take the three of us forever.  I also like using the Weck jars, which are popular in Europe.  World Market has a good selection.

Remember that everything needs to be sterilized before putting food in it, preferably as close to the time you fill them as possible.  To do this, the jars need to be completely submerged in water at a rolling boil for at least 10 minutes.  After filling, the jars are sealed by again immersing them in boiling water.  For most fruit preserves, 10 minutes is enough to seal the jar, but follow the instructions in the recipe.

My favorite way to make strawberry preserves is a just plain old-fashioned strawberry jam, with a little vanilla added to it.  Here’s the recipe.  (By the way, I bought the tall pot mentioned in the article and it’s one of the most useful things in my kitchen!)  I always make way more than we’ll eat, but they make great gifts.  My coworkers really appreciate a little flavor of summer as a Christmas present.

There’s an old saw that says, “Bakers can’t cook and cooks can’t bake.”  In my experience, there are very, very few who are both talented in and passionate about both.  I definitely fall on the cooking side, but I keep trying and trying.  Maybe one decade I’ll get the hang of baking.  But my strawberries went to make a “strawberry galette,” which is basically a free-form strawberry tart.  It was pretty easy and fantastically delicious.  I guess I just need more practice in rolling out dough and making it even and circular…

So what are you doing with your strawberries?

Strawberry Baby-Cakes

Happy Valentine's Day!

Since this is the day o' love, I wanted to give you all a strawberry-tacular recipe that's sure to please any Valentine.  And to really show them you care about them, these Strawberry Baby-Cakes are made from scratch and frosted with a pink icing that takes it's hue from strawberries.  No artificial food dyes in this one!

Strawberry Baby-Cakes

Yields 6 "baby cakes"

For cakes:
6 ramekins, greased
2 Tbsp vanilla
1 package of your favorite vanilla cake mix (I use Pamela's Classic Vanilla Cake Mix for gluten free and do the 3 egg equivalent of Ener-G Egg Replacer to keep these egg free, but they will turn out more like a sponge cake if you do that, still delicious)

For frosting:
1 cup chopped strawberries
1/2 cup water
1 Tbsp honey
16 oz cream cheese (I use Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese for dairy free)
1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
Splash of vanilla
6 reserved strawberries, sliced into a fan, for garnish, optional

Into a small saucepan, heat your strawberries, water and honey over medium high heat.  Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium and allow strawberries to cook down until you have a soupy consistency.  Remove from heat and allow to cool for a minute or two, then using a blender or an immersion blender, puree the strawberry compote until completely smooth.  This will yield you just shy of 1 cup of puree.  Place it into the fridge to chill completely, at least 1 hour or more.

Prepare cake batter according to package directions, but if it doesn't already call for vanilla, add 2 Tbsp more.  Divide batter among 6 prepared ramekins and bake according to package directions.  Check with a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake to make sure they are done through and through.  You'll want to use the cupcake recommended bake time on the package, and then may have to add a minute or two.  Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.  Once fully cooled, with just a slight twist, you should be able to easily pull each baby cake out of it's ramekin.

While cakes are baking, prepare your frosting.  In a medium sized bowl, whisk together your cream cheese, powdered sugar, strawberry puree and splash of vanilla.  Blend until completely smooth and is a beautiful light pink color.  Pour into a pastry bag if you want to get fancy, or just plan to drizzle over the cakes (I tried both, but my piping skills are abysmal so I just said screw it and grabbed a spoon).  Either way, pour into bag or leave in the bowl and allow to set up in the fridge until your cakes are completely cooled and ready to frost.  Because of the low powdered sugar but high liquid content in this frosting, don't expect a super firm frosting, it will be more of a ganache or thick yogurt consistency, but it's delicious and refreshing.

Divide strawberry cream cheese frosting evenly between all cake and if you're drizzling the way I did, it looks like you tried to do something cool if you let it run down the sides a bit.  Then garnish each baby cake with a fanned strawberry and prepare yourself because the cook is about to be kissed!

A Love Story In Dessert - Whiskey Chocolate Mousse with Strawberries

As we head into the week o' love, we all know that oftentimes love can be bittersweet.  I'm keenly reminded of that tonight as the Mister and I prepare to head back to Youngstown next weekend to say goodbye to one friend and comfort the friend, his wife, who remains.  It's an odd feeling to be in my early 30s and already have a friend not much older than myself who tonight is now a widow.  Their love story was always bittersweet, as he suffered from juvenile diabetes and, by the time they were married, it had really ravaged his body so much so that several years ago, on Valentine's Day even, she donated a kidney to him.  Years and two kidney transplants later, the disease finally took him in his sleep this afternoon.  I'd had grand plans for additional posts for what to do with the beautiful Swiss chard, but that will have to wait for another day as in between posts tonight I've been soaking up time just sitting with my husband, because I still can.  So this week, hug those close to you extra tight, make new memories around the table and in the kitchen, and -- since I can't leave you without one last recipe -- pay an homage to the bittersweetness of love when you whip up this Whiskey Chocolate Mousse with Strawberries.

Whiskey Chocolate Mousse with Strawberries

Strawberry, Spinach & Almond Salad with a Poppy Seed Dressing

And you thought you were getting rid of me that easy?  Muahahahaha, surprise!  I'll (Tara) still be manning things over here in Nalls' Kitchen, because really, how can I pull myself away?  So gird your loins for continued random musings of Crop Share cooking adventures.  And guest posts are still welcome, encouraged and greatly enjoyed!  You'll still be able to send recipes and guest posts to tara@nallsproduce.com or send them to cropshare@nallsproduce.com and Valerie will forward them my way.

Now...let's get cookin'!

So yesterday, the Mister and I discovered something glorious...Winesday.  We'd heard about Whole Foods wine tastings, but never seriously looked into it until this week.  When I learned that $5 per person got you 5 wines to taste (they say it works out to about a glass and a half by the end - but there were some generous pour-ers last night!), food pairings at each station, and a glass to keep.  Plus, if you bring your glass back, you get a $1 off future Winesdays.  Drinking in the grocery on the cheap, and at a place like Whole Paycheck nonetheless?  To that I say...Namaste!  Side note: If you've yet to read, Surviving Whole Foods, it's a must, especially if you've also taken your life into your own hands in the parking garage at the one in Old Town.  

So what was the very first food pairing we encountered?  A spinach salad with strawberries!  And what are we getting this week in the Crop Share?  STRAWBERRIES!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!  So skip the Whole Paycheck prices and whip up this delectable salad, complete with your own homemade poppy seed dressing.  Toss in some chicken, shrimp or tofu to make it a meal.  And of course, if anyone wants to come drink with me in the grocery, you will henceforth be able to find me celebrating Winesdays at the Whole Foods in Old Town between 5-7 PM.  Completely for recipe research of course!

Strawberry, Spinach & Almond Salad

For salad:

1/2 lb fresh spinach

1/2 pint strawberries, halved

2 Tbsp slivered almonds, toasted and unsalted (to toast your own, brown in a skillet over medium heat, the natural oils in the almonds will be sufficient)

For Poppy Seed Dressing:

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1 1/2 tsp sweet onion, minced

1/4 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce (for gluten-free stick with original Lea & Perinns as it's safe, huzzah!)

1/2 cup vegetable or olive oil

1 Tbsp poppy seeds

In a blender, add your first 5 dressing ingredients and blend for about 30 seconds until smooth.  Then with the blender running, slowly pour in oil in a steady stream to make an emulsion.  Once fully blended, stir in poppy seeds and set aside.  You can either serve it at room temp or if you're wanting a warm dressing, put it in a microwave safe container and nuke it for 30 seconds to maybe at most a minute.  You want it warm, not hot.

For salad, use our handy dandy tips for no gritty spinach, and then trim stems.  Toss with strawberries and toasted almonds, and then right before serving gently toss with the Poppy Seed Dressing.

Yields 2 servings.

Go Green Smoothie

If it's green and in liquid form, I want to drink it.  Go figure.  Doesn't matter that it looks like gnarly baby food, I want to consume it all.  One big problem with most commercially available smoothies though...they put wheat grass in them.  And for me and my gluten-hating system, that's a big no-no.  So if I want a green smoothie, I've got to make it myself.  Who wants grass in their smoothie anyway?!  Leave that for the cows!  So when I saw the massive bundles of spinach this week, I knew exactly what needed to happen first thing Saturday morning.  GREEN SMOOTHIE TIME!  Woot!  Trust me, even with 2-3 cups of spinach you cannot detect the spinach flavor.  I even forced a mason jar full of green goodness on the Mister.  He looked at me suspiciously, gave it a swig and declared it was delicious.  He then proceeded to drink two mason jars full and asked if there was more.  So if you're on a post-holiday smoothie kick, this is the perfect drink to give your body a jolt of wonderfulness and get fueled up for the day ahead.  I still have more spinach left even after this recipe and throwing two handfuls into some Homemade Take-Away Beef with Broccoli, so look for yet another green smoothie recipe to follow in the days to come.

Go Green Smoothie

Ingredients:
16 ice cubes, divided
1 pint strawberries, tops trimmed and quartered
1 1/2 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk (I use Almond Breeze, you can use any milk of your choice, but the almond milk gives you a nice added protein boost)
2 Bartlett pears, cored and cubed
Juice of 1 navel orange
1 tsp local honey (you can also use agave or maple syrup)
2-3 cups spinach, well rinsed and stems trimmed

Into your blender, add 8 of the ice cubes, the strawberries and almond milk.  Blend on high until ice is fully crushed and strawberries are blended.  Add in pears, navel orange juice and honey, and blend those down as well.  Next add your spinach, and you'll likely have to blend these down in batches to make sure you have enough room in the blender.  Blend until completely smooth.  You'll likely have some noticeable green bits no matter how long you try to blend it, and that's okay, you won't be able to taste them.  Then add in your remaining 8 ice cubes and blend until ice is fully crushed.

Serve immediately.  Made 4 mason jars full.

Gluten-Free Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble

Until now I'd never actually cooked with rhubarb before, and the only time I've ever eaten it was on my very first visit to meet the Mister's grandparents in Indiana.  Grandma Jackson definitely won me over to the strange looking fruit...er vegetable, er what the heck is this thing, a tree?  While we know rhubarb is tasty, we all wonder, what exactly is this thing that looks more like a means of self defense than something to be used in dessert?  Well let's just say the jury is still out, or more accurately the jury ruled and confused things further.  While rhubarb is indeed a vegetable, a U.S. Customs Court ruled in 1947 that it was a fruit and thus, here in the States, it's been considered a fruit ever since.  Either way, it is delicious and I was excited for its maiden voyage in my kitchen.  Inspired by the Barefoot Contessa recipe I shared the other evening, I decided to use what I had on hand to whip up a gluten-free and dairy-free version, plus reduce some of the sugar content.  The only downside was burning the roof off my mouth because I couldn't wait to dig in!

Gluten-Free Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh rhubarb, ends trimmed and diced

2 cups fresh strawberries, tops removed and quartered (or triple berry it with 1 cup strawberries, 1/2 cup blueberries and 1/2 cup blackberries)

¼ cup local honey

¼ cup brown sugar

½ cup water

1 Tbsp cornstarch

2 tsp vanilla extract (Note: most imitation extract contain gluten, so check labels or make your own)

½ cup Bob’s Red Mill Shortbread Cookie Mix**

½ cup ground almond meal

¼ cup sugar

3 Tbsp Earth Balance Margarine (for dairy-free, or use any butter of your choosing)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a bowl, combine rhubarb, strawberries, honey and brown sugar.  Dissolve cornstarch in water and then add to fruit mixture.  Add vanilla extract, plus another dash for good measure.  Mix to fully combine all ingredients and then pour into baking dish.

For crumble topping, in a separate bowl, combine Bob's Red Mill Shortbread Cookie Mix, almond meal and sugar.  Then by hand, rub margarine into the mixture until it's crumbly.  Use more or less butter if needed.  Sprinkle over top of fruit and dot the top with small pieces of butter.

Bake at 350 for 1 hour.  Allow to cool for a few minutes (seriously, the roof of your mouth will thank you) and serve with vanilla bean ice cream, if desired.  We recommend So Delicious Vanilla Bean, made with coconut milk!

**Easily enjoy this gluten-full (ha!) with 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour and a pinch of salt!**

Guest Posts from Crop Share Members: Janet Dwire & Natasha Scott

We LOVE knowing what's cookin' in your kitchens, so I'm super excited to bring you two guest posts today from Crop Share members Janet Dwire and Natasha Scott.  I know several of you have started your own food blogs, and many more of you are coming up with delicious recipes of your own each week, so send those guest posts our way as we'd love for this blog to be a shared collective from our Crop Share family.  E-mail me any recipes or helpful tips you'd love to share at tara@nallsproduce.com.

Corn in Husk in Microwave

1. Check silks end of ear for worms.


2. Use a heavy knife to cut off stalk end, about 3/4 of an inch up the cob.


3. Leave husks on and lay 2 ears in microwave.  Two ears take 5 minutes -- on a rotating tray -- with no turning.


4. Grasp husks at silk end using and oven mitt.  Gently sake the corn from side to side, or in a circle until the cob starts to slip out of the husks.


5.  Grasp the corn cob carefully (it's hot!) and pull hands apart to separate the cob from the silks and husks.

6.  Compost the husks and enjoy this summer's corn!


Cheers,
Janet Dwire

Strawberry Rhubarb Overnight Oatmeal

Pop on over to Tash's Noshes to view Natasha Scott's healthy take on strawberry-rhubarb deliciousness!

Barefoot Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

Break out the "good olive oil" and don your custom made shirt because I'm bringing you a recipe from the Barefoot Contessa herself, Ina Garten.  While I often feel like Ina is silently judging me with her commentary, I have a friend who's obsession with the Barefoot has often bordered on the unhealthy.  Take for instance the time she was frantically calling, texting, e-mailing and Facebooking me during the work day about how we just had to run up to NYC for a Barefoot book signing.  Did I mention this was like a week or two before her wedding and she was up to her bridal ears in final preparations?  Like I said, it can sometimes border on the unhealthy.  But I can't argue with her assertion that there really is no better way to slip into a coma of relaxation than putting on Barefoot Contessa and allowing Ina's voice to lull you into a foodie stupor.  Plus, Ina's ability to make the most daunting recipes seem simple and accessible is right up my alley.  She really is a next-generation Julia Child (just not as cool, because no one, no one, is as cool as Julia).  So when I stumbled upon her recipe for a Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp, I knew this was just the ticket to put the strawberries and rhubarb in this week's share to perfect Memorial Day picnic use!  As Ina would say..."How easy is that?"

Barefoot Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

Ingredients: 

2 cups fresh rhubarb, diced to 1 inch

2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and halved

1 1/8 cups granulated sugar

1 1/4 tsp grated orange zest

1/2 Tbsp cornstarch

1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

1/4 tsp Kosher salt

1/2 cup quick-cooking (not instant) oatmeal

6 Tbsp cold, unsalted butter, cubed

Vanilla ice cream, for serving

I halved the original recipe to work with the amount of strawberries & rhubarb we're all receiving, so be sure to snag 2 more stalks of rhubarb and another quart of strawberries if you want to make the full 6 serving recipe.

Click through to view the rest of Ina's recipe on the Food Network...

See What's New At Nalls!

As you're gearing up for Memorial Day weekend, so are we, with lots of new items in our Produce & Garden Centers to help make your weekend a success.  Whether you'll be relaxing at a picnic or using the long weekend to get all of your planting finished, we'll be here all weekend for whatever you may need.

New in our Produce Center this week is our huge collection of jams, jellies, salsas and pie fillings made especially for Nalls Produce by Troyer Cheese.  We've been waiting with eager anticipation for this shipment for the past two weeks, and when it finally arrived yesterday it was like Christmas at Nalls.  Naturally, some quality control had to be done, I mean we had to make sure these delicious items were indeed delicious.  The first jar we popped open was the Tropical Salsa, and oh my mangos, it is goooooood!!!

Made with mango, papaya, pineapple, tomato and jalepeno, this is a sweeter salsa, almost like a chutney, and you barely get any heat from the jalepeno, just the wonderful flavor.  We may just be putting this on everything, but it would be perfect with grilled fish or chicken.

Another big hit was the ironically named...Traffic Jam!  Hey if you've got to get stuck in a DC area traffic jam, might as well make it a good one.

Peaches, red raspberries, strawberries, cherries and cranberries are all crammed in like rush hour on the Beltway...delicious, delicious rush hour.  Use this in your homemade jelly rolls or tarts, or heat it up to make it melty and drizzle that awesomeness on some pancakes!  Or you know, just eat spoonfulls of it right out of the jar.  What?  No.  Of course, I'd never do something like that.  No, that's not jam on my chin, it's um a rejuvenating face cream.

If you'll excuse me, I should get back to my "beauty regimen."  Now where'd I put my spoon?

Strawberry Banana Smoothie

This week we're getting a taste of some first-of-the-season strawberries from South Carolina.  If you can somehow restrain yourself from eating them all within the first 5 minutes of arriving home with your Crop Share, then why not kick-start a weekend morning with a refreshing and healthy strawberry banana smoothie!  The banana makes it creamy without having to rely on ice cream or frozen yogurt, and by using natural sweeteners like honey or maple syrup, you can skip the spoonful of sugar.  Plus, it's a great way to ingest your daily dose of local honey to help keep allergies at bay.

Strawberry Banana Smoothie

Ingredients:

1 large ripe banana (for thicker and creamier, add another half a banana)

1 heaping cup of fresh strawberries

1 cup milk of your choice (I used lite vanilla soy)

1 tsp honey or maple syrup (use the local honey we have in store for an added allergy fighting boost)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

3 ice cubes

Place all ingredients into a blender, press the magic button, do the smoothie dance (admit it, you know you shake it in the kitchen), pour blended goodness into glasses and serve immediately.

Chocolate & Strawberries: A Match Made in Food Heaven

It seems that most people I've encountered the past few days have all had "a week."  You know, when you have a case of the Mondays that just seems to last all...week...long.  So the first of the season strawberries from South Carolina in this week's Crop Share will go a long way to brighten any crummy week you may have had.  But in case strawberries just aren't enough...add chocolate and whiskey!

I found this recipe several months ago as an adaptation to Hervé This' infamous chocolate mousse.  Think of This as sort of the original mad scientist of the culinary world, in fact, he began his career as a chemist.  So this dairy-free chocolate mousse is one product of that wonderful scientific brain of his, proving that it is absolutely possible to make chocolate mousse with only 2 or 3 ingredients.  And since the strawberries this week are more delicate, and thus best eaten sooner rather than later, it's the perfect excuse to literally whip up this mousse to reclaim whatever sanity you may have lost this week!

Three-ish Ingredient Whiskey Chocolate Mousse with Strawberries

Ingredients:

9-10 oz bittersweet chocolate (I used Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate chips as they are dairy-free)

Just less than 1 cup water

4 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp whiskey, or other liquor of your choice (optional)

Sliced, fresh strawberries

Melt your chocolate, sugar, water and whiskey together in a double boiler.  Fill a large bowl with ice cubes and then place a smaller bowl on top.  Once your chocolate is melted, empty it into the bowl on top of the ice.  Then use an electric hand-held mixer to beat the mixture until it thickens.  As the chocolate cools, it will begin to thicken.  This always takes me about 7-10 minutes, but some people swear it comes together for them in 3-5.  Once the chocolate begins to thicken it will harden very quickly, so take care not to over-beat.  If your chocolate gets too grainy, you can melt it down and begin again.  Serve immediately topped with sliced, fresh strawberries.

Adapted from Drizzle & Dip

Strawberry Smoothie

Strawberry Smoothie

We know that strawberry smoothies are a dime a dozen. Smoothies have become fairly commonplace for most people around town. I wanted to give you this good go-to recipe that you can use as a base for almost any type of smoothie. Throw in some frozen pineapple, spinach, peanut butter, oatmeal, you name it. This recipe is the perfect base for almost any combination. And, come on, the NY Times knows what they are doing. This is also a good way to eat your local honey for your allergy therapy. Remember, you need to injest raw, unfiltered, local honey on a daily basis, even when it's not allergy season.

1 medium-size or large, ripe banana
1 heaped cup fresh or frozen strawberries
1 cup milk, soy milk, or almond milk. Yogurt can also be substituted.
1 teaspoon honey use local for allergy therapy
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 to 3 ice cubes

Place all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Serve right away.

(Adapted from NY Times,
Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/19/health/nutrition/19recipehealth.html?_r=0 )

Strawberry-Grapefruit Smoothie

I know it feels like it's too cold to have smoothies, but they're still very good for you! It will make for an energizing breakfast and you will feel so refreshed after.

Ingredients:

1 grapefruit, peeled, seeded, and chopped
2 cups hulled fresh or frozen strawberries
1 sweet apple (such as Honeycrisp or Pink Lady), cored and chopped
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

Click through to view the rest of the recipe at: http://www.wholeliving.com/176594/strawberry-grapefruit-smoothie)

Strawberry Cheesecake Cake

This week you are getting first of the season strawberries in your crop share boxes. They are not only beautiful, they taste wonderful and will instantly remind you of summer. I don't know about you all, but I am planning on taking full advantage of the great weather they are calling for this weekend. Why not have some people over for cake on the deck?

For a delicious strawberry cheesecake cake recipe visit: http://www.recipegirl.com/2012/08/27/strawberry-cheesecake-cake/

Strawberry Cheesecake Trifle

This great-looking dessert requires no baking at all. You can also divide it up and serve it in individual glasses or mason jars! 

Ingredients:

2 pints fresh strawberries, sliced

1 cup sugar (divided)

2 packages cream cheese, softened (8 ounces each)

3 tablespoons orange juice

3 cups whipping cream, whipped

1 loaf (10-3/4 ounces) pound cake, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

3 squares (1 ounce each) semisweet chocolate, grated

Chocolate curls and additional strawberries (optional)

To view the rest of this recipe, please visit: http://beautyandbedlam.com/tasty-tuesday-strawberry-cheesecake-trifle/

Freezer Jam

freezer jam is a good intro to preserving for suburbanites! You can use freezer baggies to store flat or airtight glass containers to stack. You can use this recipe for just about any fruit.
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Yield: Makes 7 cups
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Ingredients:

• 5 cups crushed strawberries
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 lemons)
•  2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup (1.75 oz) powdered, no-sugar-needed pectin

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To view the rest of this recipe, please visit: http://www.marthastewart.com/851871/freezer-jam