CHERRY BANANA BREAD

From CSA member Sarah McDowell

Yield: 1 loaf | Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 60 mins

Ingredients

2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup (1 stick or 115g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

3/4 cup (150g) packed brown sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1/3 cup (80g) plain yogurt or sour cream, at room temperature 

2 cups mashed bananas (about 4 large ripe bananas)

1 cup pitted cherries

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan and set aside.

2. Mix the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together in a large bowl.

3. Using a handheld or stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar together on high speed until smooth and creamy (approx. 2 minutes).

4. On medium speed, add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

5. Beat in the yogurt, mashed bananas, and vanilla extract on medium speed until combined.

6. With the mixer running on low speed, slowly beat the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until no flour pockets remain. Do not overmix.

7. Fold in the pitted cherries with a spoon.

8. Spoon the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 60-65 minutes. Loosely cover the bread with aluminum foil after 30 minutes to stop the top from getting too brown. A toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf will come out clean when the bread is done. Remove from the oven and allow the bread to cool completely before slicing (good luck waiting!).

9. Cover and store banana bread at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Grandma Binky’s Apple “Pita” (family recipe)

Recipe from CSA member Arielle Burlett

Ingredients:

3 cups sifted flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 cup and 2 tablespoons cold butter cut into cubes

1 cup sugar

½ cup milk

2 eggs (beaten)

4-5 cups of chopped CSA apples  (immediately sprinkle with lemon juice and toss in

 ½ cup sugar)

¾ cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Instructions:

Mix milk and egg together. Mix flour, baking powder together.  Cut the butter into flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.  Stir the egg mixture into flour mixture (dough will be slightly sticky).  Avoid adding too much flour – it will make it tough.  Pat out ½ of dough on a sheet pan.  Spread on apples, Pat on remaining dough in small globs.  This will fill out over the pan as it bakes.  Sprinkle with remaining ½ cup of sugar,  Sprinkle with nuts. 

Bake at 375°F for 30-35 minutes until golden.

The end result is more of a sheet pie or pastry and is an old family recipe that I turn to every fall!

Zucchini Noodles with Chicken and Mushrooms in Alfredo Sauce

Image and Recipe from CSA member Arielle Burlett

Ingredients:

1-2 medium chicken breasts (optional)

3-4 zucchinis from your CSA!, julienned or spiralized

¾ cup fresh white mushrooms, sliced

1-2 cloves garlic from your CSA

¼ cup unsalted butter

1 3/4 cups of freshly grated parmesan cheese (more or less to your liking)

1 ½ cups of heavy cream

Salt and pepper to taste

Pinch of oregano, basil, thyme (optional)

Olive oil

Instructions:

Slice chicken into strips and marinate in a mixture of olive oil, salt, black pepper, basil, oregano, and thyme for 30 minutes to 1 hour.  Saute chicken and when almost done, add in sliced mushrooms. 

Separately, start your alfredo sauce by melting butter and heavy cream to simmer.  Add in basil, oregano, thyme, salt and pepper to taste and let simmer for an extra minute. Slowly add in shredded parmesan about ½ cup at a time and stir continuously to avoid clumping. 

Drizzle spiralized zucchini noodles in a little olive oil and saute for 1-2 minutes in medium-hot heat.  Do not overcook them because they will become soggy (key is to slightly cook them to get them warm and bring out the flavor!)

Toss everything together and plate your dish!

One Sheet Pan Baked Carrot Fries + Tofu Sticks (2-3 servings)

Carrot Fries

1 pound medium carrots or the entire bunch that comes in your next CSA!

1 tablespoon oil

2 teaspoons cornstarch (recommended to make crispy)

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Chopped cilantro or parsley

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Cut carrots into thin sticks and combine in a large bowl with oil, cornstarch, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper.

If making Tofu Sticks with your carrot fries…

Extra firm tofu

1 tablespoon oil

1/2 teaspoon cumin

½ teaspoon turmeric

½ teaspoon chili powder (optional)

Salt and pepper

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Drain the tofu and pat it dry with a paper towel. Cut it into sticks.  In a large bowl, combine the tofu sticks, oil, cumin, turmeric, chili powder (optional), salt, and pepper. Lightly mix until well combined (be gentle with tofu so that the sticks do not break apart).

Place fries and sticks on parchment paper lined baking sheet (half of the pan with the tofu sticks and the other half with the carrot fries).  Each piece should have its own space on the sheet pan, so if it looks too crowded, split onto two baking sheets if possible.

Bake for about 25 minutes, or until browned and crispy.  It is helpful to flip each piece halfway through.

Once you remove from the oven, toss the carrot fries with chopped cilantro or parsley and more salt, if desired.

Potato Leek Soup – adapted from David Lebovitz’s blog (6-8 Servings)

Recipe and Image from our CSA member Arielle Burlett

Ingredients

2-3 tablespoons butter or olive oil, or a combination

2-4 leeks, washed and sliced (Leeks are always really dirty inside, so best to chop them up first and then run them under water in a strainer really well before putting in the pot).

1 teaspoon fresh or dried thyme; optional

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

6 cups water

1 1/4 pounds potatoes, peeled and cubed (I used a combination of what was provided in my last two Windflower Farm CSA boxes and really liked the variety in the soup)

¼ cup Buttermilk or sour cream (optional)

2 bay leaves

1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground pepper

Salt to taste at each step

Instructions

In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the butter or olive oil over medium heat. Add the slices of leeks and season with salt. Cook the leeks over moderate heat for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently, until they’re completely soft and slightly browned.

Add the thyme, if using, and chile powder, and stir for about 30 seconds, cooking them with the leeks to release their flavors.  Add salt to taste.

Pour in the water, and add the potatoes and bay leaves.  Cover and simmer until the potatoes are tender when poked with a sharp knife. Depending on which potatoes you used, it could take anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes.

Pluck out the bay leaves.  Puree the soup with the pepper, seasoning with more salt if necessary.  An immersion blender is ideal for this step if you have one.  Food processors or blenders may make the soup puree gummy. *If you are using buttermilk or sour cream, add in slowly while you puree the soup*. If the soup is too thick, add a bit more water slowly until you reach the desired consistency.

Suggestion:  Once cooled, split soup into Freezer Quart bags, label them, and put them in the freezer to pull out in small batches throughout the Fall!