The Weekly Share

Last week, our CSA newsletter contained a recipe for Vegetable Chowder (adapted from the Simply in Season cookbook).  Tonight I fixed a pot of it to accompany our BLT’s.  I used lots of share vegetables and some herbs from our garden.  Here’s how I did it:

BLT & Garden Chowder

Garden Chowder

• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1 – 2 carrots, finely chopped
• 1-2 cups green beans, chopped
• 1-2 medium zucchini, chopped
• 2-3 green onions, chopped
• 3 Tbsp fresh herbs, chopped (basil & parsley in original recipe)
• 1/3 cup flour
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 3 cups water
• 3 bouillon cubes (chicken or vegetable)
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 2 cups tomatoes, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups evaporated milk (1 – 12oz. can)
• 2 cups corn
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• sugar to taste

In a big pot, melt the butter over medium heat.  Add and saute until tender: carrots, green beans, zucchini, green onions, fresh herbs.  Stir flour, salt, and pepper into vegetables.  Gradually stir in water to make a smooth stock.  Add bouillon and lemon juice.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes.  Add tomatoes, evaporated milk, and corn.  Return to boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes until corn is tender.

Just before serving, add cheddar and Parmesan cheeses.  Stir until melted.  Add a pinch of sugar to taste and garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

I made a few adjustments to the recipe based on what I had or didn’t have on hand.  I used  the following share vegetables: 2 carrots, 1 cup of green beans, 1 zucchini, 1 squash,  and 2 cups of tomatoes.  I added 1 share eggplant.   I used 3 store-bought green onions and 2 cups of frozen corn.  I used fresh basil, parsley and chives from our garden.  I only used 2 bouillon and 1 cup of cheddar cheese because that’s all I had.  Oh, and I topped it with crumbled bacon!  Mmmmm – bacon and cheddar – what could be better? 

Chowder ingredients

chopped tomatoes

The chowder was wonderful!  My kids were skeptical when I set it in front of them.  My youngest decided he didn’t like it just from looking at it!  But then they tasted it…  It got thumbs up from both boys!  What more could I ask for?

It took quite a bit of time to prep all of the ingredients.  I didn’t plan on it taking so long, so we had a late dinner tonight.  Now I know for next time!  And there will be a next time – this recipe’s a keeper!

That’s right – I used “cookie” and “vegetables” in the same sentence!  Last night I made Martian Cookies with the zucchini from last week’s share.  Guess what?  The cookies are good…really good!  And the kids love them!  Yay!  Yes, they ARE a dessert, with butter and chocolate and sugar.  But they also have shredded zucchini, oatmeal and walnuts – you know, good-for-you stuff!

Here is the recipe as I made it:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 3/4 cup sugar (I use Demerara sugar, also known as Turbinado sugar)
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups flour (I used 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose & 3/4 cup whole wheat)

Martian Cookie dough

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt (I use kosher)
• 1 cup quick cooking oats
• 1 cup grated zucchini (about 1 medium zucchini)
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips (I used mini chips because that’s what I had)

• 1/2 cup butterscotch chips (I used white chocolate chips because I did not have butterscotch)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).  In a large mixing bowl, beat butter until soft.  Add sugar and beat until fluffy.  Add egg and vanilla, beat well.  In a medium bowl, stir together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.  With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture.  Beat until well mixed.  With a wooden spoon, stir in oats, zucchini, walnuts, chocolate and butterscotch pieces.  Drop by rounded teaspoons about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.  Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool sheets and then cookies on a cooling rack.

My batch made 39 cookies.  We still have a few left…Mmmmmm!

Martian Cookie