CSA Summer Challege: Pizza Bianca

CSA's, or Community Supported Agriculture Programs, are popping up all over the area.  Some require you to spend a specified amount of time on the farm helping to weed, water, and take care of the vegetables that you will get in your "share" each week.  Others allow you to simply write a check at the beginning of the year and then collect a weekly share from the farm.

We chose the later option (my own gardens keep me busy enough with the weeding!) and went in on a share with two other families in the neighborhood.  At $550 for the year it's definitely not cheap.  But split three ways, it comes down to about $7 a week.  So far we've definitely received enough fresh veggies each week to keep all three families happy.

This is what we got in week 1:
Swiss Chard
Spinach
Rocket (lettuce)
Oregano
Dill
Arugula

What on earth to do with all that green?  I adapted two of the ingredients to the pizza we already had on our schedule.  The oregano was an obvious addition.  Oregano simply belongs on pizza- even if this particular recipe was sauce-free.

Spinach is an easy addition to most recipes because it doesn't overpower the flavor of the dish.  So I shredded up a few of the leaves and tossed it on.

The original recipe is below:

INGREDIENTS

• 1 prepared pizza crust (like Pillsbury)
• 1 1/2 cups fat free ricotta, see notes for a trick
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1/4 cup parsley, chopped finely
• 1/4 cup grated cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 cups fat free or low fat mozzarella cheese, shredded.
• Olive oil to drizzle

DIRECTIONS

Roll your ricotta as in the notes section. 

Unroll dough on sheet and pull to the edges of a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated oven at 400 for 7 minutes. Dough will be slightly cooked. Remove from oven, set aside. 

In a bowl mix ricotta, garlic, parsley salt and pepper. Mix well. Sprinkle mozzarella over pizza dough evenly. Drizzle the olive oil over the mozzarella. Add ricotta a dollop at a time around the pizza.   

Bake an additional 10-15 minutes or until the crust is deeply golden on the edges.

Note:

Place ricotta on a plate covered with 5 paper towels. Spread out the ricotta till it covers the entire towel surface. Cover with another 5 towels and roll like a cigar. Let it sit while you get everything else ready, or about 10 minutes. It will soak up a lot of the water leaving you with a firmer consistency. It will stick to the paper towel a lot, so scrape it into your bowl with a big chopping knife, it's worth the effort. If you have the time and can leave it longer, it will roll off and really look like old fashioned basket cheese, very firm and beautiful. I usually like to leave mine for a few hours or overnight.

 

VERDICT

As I mentioned, the spinach doesn't really take away the flavors of the dish.  But it does add a healthy kick.  As for the pizza itself... it was very cheesy.  I'm not sure I'd use that much ricotta again.  We were actually flicking little pieces of cheese off the slice and onto the plate because it was a bit overwhelming.

I guess the trick with the ricotta is helpful to note- although I'm not sure what would happen if you just tossed regular ricotta on top of the pizza without draining the water out of it.  Is that an Italian thing? 

But it was a delicious pizza and different than your average delivery.  Definitely a keeper recipe!

Maccaroni and Trees

File this recipe under "sneaky mommy... mommy and daddy like it better than the kids they were trying to entice to eat healthy."

We both devoured this dish that was intended to get the kids to eat their broccoli.

INGREDIENTS

1 box (16 oz) elbow pasta
1 head broccoli, chopped
1 cup milk
1/2 cup chicken broth (I used stock... because that was in the fridge at the time)
2 tsp flour
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup cubed American cheese (like the giant block of velveeta)

DIRECTIONS

Cook pasta according to directions (in a pan much larger than you think you need).  During last 2 minutes of cooking toss in broccoli.  Drain and return to pan, covering to keep warm.

Meanwhile whisk together the broth, milk & flour over medium heat.  When thickened a bit and the cheese, cooking and stirring constantly until melted.

Toss together.

VERDICT

Best.  Maccaroni and Cheese.  Ever.  Ever, Ever.  This is so creamy and rich... and the broccoli is so smothered by cheese you wouldn't even know you were getting a full serving of vegetables!

The kids weren't so impressed.  My daughter refused to eat it.  My son picked out the broccoli and only ate those (what???  he ate the broccoli but not the mac & cheese??  I kid you not!)

For my husband and I, this is one comfort recipe we'll be making again... without the pretension of trying to make it as a healthy kids dinner.

Fettuccine with Asparagus Ribbons

I've only had this recipe saved for... oh... three or four years?  It seems like every spring when it's asparagus season we're not in the mood for pasta any more.  But with the cool spring weather (and rain!) this week, this seemed like the perfect dinner.




INGREDIENTS

·                     Coarse salt

·                     1 Pound asparagus, trimmed

·                     1 Pound fettuccine

·                     1 Tablespoon olive oil

·                     3 Tablespoons finely chopped shallots, (about 2 shallots) 

           2 TBS Minced Garlic

·                     3/4 Cup heavy cream

·                     2 Teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest

·                     2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

·                     Freshly ground pepper 

           Shredded Parmesan cheese, to taste

DIRECTIONS

1.     Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add salt. Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Blanch asparagus until just tender, about 3 minutes. Immediately transfer with tongs to ice-water bath to stop the cooking (keep the water at a boil). Drain.

2.    Add pasta to pot; cook until just al dente. Reserve 1 cup cooking water; drain.

3.    Meanwhile, shave asparagus stalks (not including tips) into long ribbons with a vegetable peeler; transfer ribbons and tips to a medium bowl as you work.

4.    Heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add shallots and garlic; cook, stirring, until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add cream, 1/4 cup reserved cooking water, and asparagus.

5.    Bring to a boil; add pasta. Cook, tossing, until heated through, about 2 minutes. Add more cooking water if pasta seems dry. Stir in zest and lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper.

 

VERDICT

Martha Stewart doesn't think much of garlic.  But adding a few TBS of garlic (my addition) to the oil is a great flavor boost.  Ditto the parmesan cheese.

The recipe is a little fussy, but made easily in 30 minutes with relatively few ingredients.  Next time I'll probably use regular milk with a little cornstarch (buying heavy cream just for one recipe is silly to me) but otherwise we'll definitely make this again!  It's a great springtime recipe- a light pasta dish perfect for using up fresh asparagus!

Sesame Chicken and Noodles

We love Chinese-inspired fair- and Chinese take-out... but I hate the calories and fatty oil it seems to be made of!  Here's another make-over of one of my favorite dishes- sesame chicken.  

INGREDIENTS

For the noodles:

• 1 lb angel hair pasta or rice noodles
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup sesame oil (some reviewers have said that 1/2 cup of oil is too much and have halved the amount, so use your own)
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 3 TBS thinly sliced scallions (white and green parts)
• 1/4 cup sesame seed
• 2 cups veggies (thinly sliced peppers, broccoli, carrots, etc.)

For the chicken:

• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
• 2 TBS minced garlic
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger chopped (or 1/4 teaspoon dried)
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
• sesame oil, for sauteing (optional)

DIRECTIONS

First, the chicken: In a bowl mix the soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, garlic, brown sugar and the ginger.  Make sure the sugar has pretty much dissolved.

Add the chicken, making sure it's all coated with the sauce.  Cover and stick in the fridge for 2-3 hours.  Or, if you forgot this step in the morning before you left the house, letting it marinate on the counter for 30 minutes is just fine too.  Remove the chicken from the marinade, and toss out the marinade left at the bottom of the bowl.

Heat the sesame oil in a large non-stick pan (if you're using it- and you don't have to).  Add the chicken and saute for about 10 minutes, or until done.  The marinade off the chicken should be enough to keep the chicken from sticking to the pan, so you can skip the sesame oil if you're so inclined.

For the Noodles: Cook the spaghetti according to package directions.  Throw in your veggies when you have about 4 minutes cooking time left (for angel hair this is pretty much right from the start).

In a bowl combine the soy sauce, sesame oil and the sugar.  Stir until well blended and the sugar has dissolved.  Drain the pasta and return to the pan.  Pour the soy mixture over the pasta.  Toss with scallions and sprinkle with the sesame seeds.

Add the chicken when done and toss together.

VERDICT

I'm not sure this is that much healthier than the usual version, but it does have vegetables, and you can pretty much cut back the sesame oil as much as you like.  And it is delicious!  Even the kids ate both the chicken and the pasta with no arguments- and that is a rare thing in this house :)

Indonesian Pork Tenderloin

I'm on a Thai kick.  We grilled up this pork tenderloin with Thai Sesame Noodles and fresh steamed veggies for a healthy mid-week dinner.  We had over the kid's cousins for dinner and wished we had made two pork tenderloins for a quickly as it disappeared off their plates.

INGREDIENTS


1 pork tenderloin
1/4 cup appricot preserves
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp rice wine vinegar
2 TBS creamy peanut butter
1 lime, juiced
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
2 TBS vegetable oil
1 TBS fresh cilantro
  DIRECTIONS

Mix all but the orange juice in a gallon zip lock bag.  Smoosh together to combine ingredients.  Remove about 1/4 of marinade to use as a basting oil later.

Add the pork and marinate at least 1 hour- but 1/2 a day is better.

Add the orange juice to the reserved marinade.  Use this to baste the pork with while it is grilling.  Grill until cooked through, but slightly pink in the center.

VERDICT

When my husband brought the plate of cooked meat in off the grill I cut it up and slid it to the other side of the counter to form the buffet line.  His 12-year-old niece sat down in front of the platter with a knife and fork and dived in.  It was THAT good.

After we wrestled the plate away from her so we could all have some too we were in love.  But next time I'll cook two- with just a piece or two each we were definitely still craving more.

Thai Sesame Noodles

Something about peanut butter, lime juice & soy sauce is always a hit for me.  Whether it's on chicken, pork, or pasta, I haven't met a thai dish yet that I haven't loved.  This is a fun side dish that can be served warm or cold.

INGREDIENTS


12 ounces rice noodles, cooked according to directions (or thin spaghetti like angel hair)
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon chili pepper flakes
2 teaspoons peanut butter
 2 tablespoons canola oil
1 tsp sesame seeds
3 green onions, thinly sliced


DIRECTIONS


Cook rice noodles according to directions.  Drain and rinse.

In a large bowl, combine soy sauce, sugar, garlic, rice vinegar, sesame oil, canola oil, red pepper flakes and peanut butter. Whisk to combine.  Pour sauce over warm noodles and toss to coat. Add sesame seeds and green onions,  toss to combine. Refrigerate and let flavors meld for at least 1 hour before enjoying. 

VERDICT

Soo yummy!  I don't mind eating it cold as a pasta salad or warm as a side dish.  The flavors are great and I love the texture of the rice noodles.  This would be even better with thinly sliced peppers or other veggies too!

Texas Grilled Flounder

Another "pinned" recipe that I've been waiting to try.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb. Flounder filet
• !Spice Rub
• 1/4 teaspoon minced onions
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon lemon pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix all the spice rub ingredients together and remove the flounder from the refrigerator 30 minutes before you plan to put them on the grill.
2. Cover all surfaces of the steaks with a light to medium covering of the spice rub and gently rub into the flounder. Let this rest in a container outside of the refrigerator to allow it to reach room temperature before putting it on the grill.
3. Get your grill going and achieve a medium hot grill. Place the flounder filets in a grill basket or on a grill screen with smaller holes to keep the filet from falling apart and crumbling through the grill as it gets closer to done. Cook for approximately 5 to 6 minutes per side. You only need to flip it once on the grill.
4. Fish is done when flaky when prodded with a fork.

VERDICT

I'm a pretty limited fish person- it's always tilapia.  It was a stretch to try flounder, but it was great!  A little more fishy-tasting than tilapia, but still flaky and so healthy!

The spice rub itself was fine- nothing special- but a new way to prepare fish and we're always open to that.  As a side note- we grilled it on a cedar plank.  The plank keeps it all in one piece and prevents all the inevitable falling to pieces that results from other methods of grilling fish.  Plus, it gives the fish a great flavor.

Recipe Credit:  Smokedngrilled.com