Week 18

This week's box is exciting.  Spinach!!!  Delicata Squash!!!  Leeks!!!  I don't like to get too enthusiastic about delicata because there are so many delicious squashes out there and sometimes I feel like people only want delicatas.  But, to be fair, they are pretty darn good and easy to cut and cook.  One of our neighbors, who once told me that delicata squash changed her life, was chomping at the bit for one this year.  She had eaten a grilled cheese sandwich with butternut squash and quince compote at a restaurant and wanted to make her own version with delicata.  She used roasted rings of delicata, hot pepper jelly and gruyere cheese.  Sounds delicious.  I think some grilled onions (I love onions and gruyere together) or maybe some arugula or spinach would be good on it too.  I look forward to making my own version soon.  Last year when we visited Omaha I had an open faced sandwich with roasted squash, gravy and sharp cheddar.  Although I haven't tried to replicate it, it was great.

Kelly is in Omaha this weekend tossing the football with his nephews and taking afternoon naps.  After enjoying my trip last week, I am so happy he gets a chance to get away and relax as well.  Besides, it is fun to have the house and farm to myself for a few days.  Hopefully all of you who pick up on Monday show up tomorrow but not at the same time!

I had originally planned to give you some sort of root vegetable (turnip, rutabaga, diakon radish) but I think we will hold off until next week for a root veggie extravaganza!  Now that is exciting, right?  I know, root veggies don't elicit the same excitement as that first cucumber or first cherry tomato but they have their place in fall soups, mashes and stews.

Carrots 
Spinach
Leeks - You could use your leeks with potatoes or cauliflower in a soup, roast with your squash or bake with chicken.  They are easy to use and have a mellow onion flavor.  I have not tried the recipe below but I like chick pea pancakes and thought they looked interesting.  They also call for winter squash.
Delicata Squash-  You could roast your squash with the leeks and poblanos for a delicious enchilada or quesadilla filling.  They are good baked, roasted or steamed.
Poblano Peppers - These spicy peppers can be roasted and used with steak in tacos, chopped up and used in chili or in the classic Mexican dish chile rellenos.
Potatoes
Broccoli 
Lettuce - Large Only
Cauliflower - I know, you were begining to wonder if we grew any this year.  We lost a lot of our spring transplants during one of the heat spells earlier in the year but that planting has come and gone.  I really don't understand why we aren't knee deep in the stuff at this point.  Last year there was more cauliflower than we could fit in our walk-in and we planted a little extra this year.  Over the next two or three weeks everyone will get a head.  We had been holding off until we had a harvest large enough to get everyone in the same week but at this point it seems best to get the ball rolling.


Chickpea Pancakes with Leeks and Squash