I forgot this existed

While avoiding lesson plans, I remembered there was some sort of blog floating around on my Google homepage. I found the site after a couple hundred clicks of the mouse and the previous page button.

I must say, y'all have done some work in the weeks that this thing has been running.

I share my bag with Margo and I always give her my half of the weird and/or gross vegetables. Also, I don't really do recipes or make actual dinners (I'm more of a side dish cook), but I have a fabulous collection of recipes.

I steam string beans, broccoli, and peas. I tried roasting broccoli last time and it was disgusting. I saute squash and zucchini. I make zucchini bread using my mom's low-fat/low-cal banana bread recipe. Any greens I get, I cook like collards. I do nothing with the cucumbers except eat them with hummus, but I did actually try a cucumber salad this week.

Cucumber Salad

• A random amount of cucumbers, depending on how much you like them, I used two
• 1/4 C rice vinegar or white wine vinegar
• Salt
• Pepper

Combine and let sit in the fridge for 30 minutes. I added parmesan the second night.

Vegetarian Collards

• 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1/2 large onion, chopped
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1 lb collard greens, chopped
• 3 C vegetable stock
• 2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped

In a large pot over medium heat, heat oil and butter. Saute onion til softened and then add the red pepper flakes and garlic. Cook for another minute. Add collard greens and cook another minute. Add vegetable stock, cover and bring to a simmer. Cook til greens are tender, about 40 minutes. Add tomatoes and season. 

Zucchini Bread (original recipe for banana bread)

• 1 1/2 C flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• Dash salt
• 2 egg whites, lightly beaten
• 1 1/2 C zucchini, finely shredded and wrung out (for banana bread, 2-3 mashed, ripe bananas)
• 1 tsp cinnamon (zucchini bread only)
• 3/4 C sugar (I use a little less)
• 3 Tbsp oil
• 1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk dry ingredients and set aside. Combine wet ingredients well and slowly mix in the dry ingredients. Spray loaf pan and pour in batter. Bake for 50 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan. 

Lazy Man's Peach Cobbler

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and melt one stick of butter in a casserole dish in the oven. 

Slice four peaches and set aside.

In a small bowl, mix:

• 1 C flour
• 1 C sugar
• 3/4 C milk
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda

Pour into butter - do not stir - and top with fruit. Bake for 55 minutes.

Turnip Fries (from Hungry Girl, so I'm sure they might be bitter, possibly soak in sugar water first)

• 2 medium-sized turnips
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/8 pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray baking sheet. Cut turnips into spears and lay in a single layer and season. Bake about 30 minutes, flipping halfway through.

Bow-Tie Pasta with Broccoli and Potatoes

• Salt and pepper
• 2 medium potatoes, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1 large bunch of broccoli
• 12 oz. bow-tie pasta
• 4 Tbsp butter
• 2 leeks, white and light green parts sliced into half-moons
• 1 head lettuce, torn into pieces
• 1 1/2 C fontina, grated (about 4 oz.)
• 1/2 C parmesan, grated (about 1 oz.)

Boil potatoes for 10 minutes. Add broccoli and pasta and cook as package directs. Melt butter in a skillet. Add leeks and 1 1/2 tsp salt and pepper. Cook til softened, 7 minutes. Reserve 1 C of cooking water. Drain pasta and broccoli over lettuce. Return to pot. Add leeks and moisten with cooking water. Stir in cheese and season.

Tomato and Cucumber Salad

• 1/4 lb multi-grain bread, cut roughly into 1 inch cubes
• 5 Tbsp basil-infused olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 1/3 C balsamic vinegar
• 2 lbs tomatoes
• 1 cucumber, peeled and seeded

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, toss the bread cubes with 2 Tbsp oil and season. Arrange on a baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes. Toss cubes and bake til golden, another 3-5 minutes. In a small saucepan, over low heat, add the vinegar and simmer until reduced by half. Cut the tomatoes and cucumber (length-wise, in half, and sliced into half moons). In a serving bowl, mix the tomatoes, cucumbers, and the remaining oil and season. Add the bread cubes and toss. Drizzle with the reduced vinegar.