In the share this week: 1 lb red slicer tomatoes 1 lb orange slicer tomatoes 1 bag edamame 2 sweet red frying peppers 2 eggplant (asian or italian) 1 head red leaf lettuce 1 pie pumpkin Thoughts from Farmer Anna: While we still have plenty to do here, work on the farm feels easy and joyful these days. The weather is getting to that sweet spot. It's not so humid and it looks like we'll have highs in the low 80s or upper 70s this weekend. Gorgeous! These are the days that make me feel so lucky to have a job working outdoors. The moderate temperatures of the fall are even more sweet having just come out of the summer heat. Steve and I talk often about how it's easier to appreciate the simple joys of life when you have experienced some minor hardship (i.e., super hot and humid weather). It's true for all sorts of experiences and I think it's one of the major reasons that farming has brought us some serious joy and contentment. Sure, it's hard work, but it is so gratifying. And sitting down to eat a nice meal and have a beer after a day of physical labor is a wonderful feeling! We are picking a lot of really nice red and orange slicing tomatoes right now, so you are getting 1 lb of each of these this week. While we should continue to pick tomatoes into mid-October, these will be the last couple of weeks of tomato abundance. We do have a good amount available for swapping or adding onto shares if you are interested in doing so. We also have tomato seconds available for half price. These have some slight to moderate defects and are great for sauce or any cooked application. They probably need to be used the day you receive them, so keep that in mind if you add some to your share. New in the share this week are eggplant, sweet red frying peppers, and pie pumpkin. Most of you will get asian eggplant because those plants have been more productive that our italian eggplants. We do have some italian available for swapping if you like though. I have grown fond of the long asian eggplant because they have a thin skin and are easy to prepare by simply cutting into rounds. You can use these eggplant in any recipe that calls for them and they add a wonderful creamy texture to lots of dishes. I'm excited to try them in the quesadilla recipe Maria has below. If you have never prepared pumpkin puree from a pie pumpkin before, Maria has some nice instructions for doing so below, and then some great recipes to use it in. These pumpkins should stay good on your counter top for a month or more if you'd like to use yours as decoration before you cook it up. The red frying peppers are a very sweet italian type pepper. Use them in any recipe that calls for a red pepper (or just eat them raw with hummus!). The walls are slightly thinner than a bell pepper and they have the most wonderful flavor. This is our first year growing this particular variety and I'm really happy with how beautiful these peppers are. Let us know what you think of them! Recipes from Maria: Homemade Pumpkin Puree Preheat oven to 375 degrees Wash a small pie pumpkin, and cut in half Scrape pulp and seeds from the center of the pumpkin and set aside Lightly brush pumpkin halves with butter Place prepared pumpkin face down on a baking sheet and bake for 40 minutes at 375 degrees or until the skin starts to wrinkle Cool 10 minutes and then remove the pulp with a large spoon Place pulp in a blender and puree Use the puree in your favorite recipe! Pumpkin Pie Ingredients 2 cups fresh pumpkin puree 1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk 3 eggs 3⁄4 cup sugar 1⁄2 teaspoon salt 1 1⁄2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1⁄2 teaspoon nutmeg, if desired 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cloves, if desired 1 (9 inch) deep dish pie shell Instructions Combine the sugar, salt, spices and eggs in a large bowl Add puree and milk, then combine thoroughly Pour into pie shell Place foil around the edges of the crust Place pie on foil-lined, cookie sheet Bake 350°F for 50-60 minutes. Give knife clean test. If not clean, bake a bit longer. Pumpkin Bread Ingredients 2 cups fresh pumpkin puree 3 cups sugar ½ cup canola or vegetable oil ½ cup applesauce ⅔ cup water 4 large eggs 3⅓ cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking soda 1.5 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg Instructions Preheat oven to 350 degrees for nonstick loaf pans Mix pumpkin, sugar, oil, applesauce, water, and eggs in a large mixing bowl until well combined. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir well, then gradually pour into large bowl of pumpkin mixture. Stir well to combine completely. Spray bottom and interior sides of TWO 9×5 {or 1.5 quart} loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray. Pour mixture evenly into loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 – 65 minutes, or until done and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool inside loaf pans before removing. Slice and ENJOY!! Spinach and Eggplant Quesadillas Ingredients 4-6 tortillas 1 medium-sized onion, chopped 3 cloves of garlic, minced 1 large eggplant chopped into small cubes (max. 1 inch) 6 oz fresh spinach, roughly chopped 1/2 tbsp oil 4-5 tbsp red wine (or vegetable broth) 1 tbsp soy sauce 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar Spice mix: 2 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp cumin powder, 1/2 tsp oregano, 1/4 tsp smoked paprika, ground chipotle chili powder to taste) Sea salt + pepper to taste Your favorite melting cheese, white cheddar/mozzarella Instructions Heat the oil in a skillet, add onion and fry over medium heat for about 3 minutes. Add the eggplant, garlic, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, red wine, all spices and cook over medium heat with a lid on for 12-15 minutes. Stir frequently. Make sure the eggplant is thoroughly cooked. Add spinach, stir, and cook for a further 30-60 seconds. Turn off the heat. Put one tortilla into a lightly greased pan/skillet (you can use cooking spray), add some of the eggplant filling and the cheese. Place another tortilla on top. Fry for about 2-3 minutes, flip and cook from the other side until both sides are nicely browned and toasty. Repeat steps for the remaining tortillas. Cut into 4 pieces and enjoy hot!
