Wednesday, August 22, 2007Stuffed Tomatoes Two Ways
Tomatoes are one of those ingredients that people either love or hate. Or sometimes a person loves cooked tomatoes and hates raw; while someone else is exactly the opposite. The great thing about tomatoes is that they’re so versatile. So whether you love them straight from the garden or slow roasted, there’s a recipe here for you.The Stuffed Tomatoes with Goat Cheese, Olives and Oregano is a warm, comforting side dish with bold flavors. On the flip side, the Stuffed Tomatoes with Chilled Corn and Crab Salad is refreshing and cool with bright, clean flavors of summer.Click here to download and print pdfs of these recipes:Stuffed Tomatoes Two Ways:with Goat Cheese, Olives and Oreganowith Chilled Corn and Crab Salad
Posted by J.Noelle at 1:00 PM 17 comments Links to this post
Labels: recipes, stuffed tomatoes
Saturday, August 18, 2007
box no. 10 contents
Celery
Fennel
Sweet Peppers
Hot Pepper
Tomatoes
Sweet Corn
Eggplant
Cucumbers
Melon
Garlic
Red Onions
Lettuce
Swiss Chard
ParsleyEnergy Efficient Box TransportWhen we’re at the height of vegetable season and our boxes are brimming with corn, tomatoes, and melons, the boxes can get pretty heavy. And if you subscribe to the fruit share, then you’ve got double the load every two weeks. When I first lived in the city, I didn’t have a car and I relied on the standard folding, metal cart for grocery transportation. It occurred to me a few weeks ago that the vegetable box would probably fit in that old cart, so I dug it out from storage and resurrected it as the CSA Transport System (CSATS). I no longer need a second person to help haul the box home and I’m never tempted to drive.If you’re within walking distance of your drop site, consider investing in a grocery cart. It not only saves fossil fuel energy if you normally drive to pick up your box, but it also saves physical energy if you’re used to walking it home the old-fashioned way. And, it keeps that waxy box coating off your favorite t-shirt!Click here to download a pdf of the Angelic Organics Farm News for box no. 10.
Posted by J.Noelle at 10:00 AM 19 comments Links to this post
Labels: box 10, grocery cart
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Asian Steak Wraps
I tackled the sweet recipe for Anise Hyssop, and now on to the savory: Asian Steak Wraps. I built this recipe from the “ground up” – I had an idea in mind and did my best to execute it. I started with the anise hyssop. I felt that the flavor would lend itself well to a marinade to contrast with a stronger flavor like steak. I started brainstorming ideas and developed a plan to create a marinade with an Asian flair that used the anise hyssop (leaves only), Chinese 5-spice powder and ginger. Since the anise hyssop has a slightly licorice taste, I decided to caramelize both onions and fennel, since fennel also has a licorice flavor. Next, I wanted a bright, fresh salsa or slaw to put in the wrap, so I put together carrots, red pepper, cabbage and cilantro and tossed it with a sweet & sour vinaigrette. The results were great – slightly sweet from the caramelized onion and fennel mixture as well as the natural caramelization that occurs when you grill meat. Pair that with a sweet & sour slaw to carry through the sweetness, but add a kick of acidity, and you’ve got yourself a really flavorful wrap.I have to admit, it’s still a struggle to find uses for the anise hyssop, but I feel pretty good about what I’ve accomplished this week. At least it didn’t end up in the trash!Note: if you’re carb-conscious, you could forgo the flour tortilla and wrap the ingredients in 2 to 3 layers of large lettuce leaves instead.Click here to download and print a pdf of this recipe:Asian Steak Wraps
Posted by J.Noelle at 8:00 PM 14 comments Links to this post
Labels: anise hyssop, Asian Steak Wraps, recipe
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Buttery Shortbread with Anise Hyssop
When searching for recipes to use my Anise Hyssop, most of the results were for sweet treats rather than savory. I decided to take a traditional shortbread recipe and add the anise hyssop for flavor. I added 2 tablespoons of the small, purple florets (the tiny ones that get all over your counter whenever you move the bunch) along with the flour, sugar and salt. The anise hyssop added a mild, licorice- and mint-like flavor – faintly herbal and flowery. If you wanted a more intense flavor, you could add as much as 3 to 4 tablespoons, depending on how strong you prefer the taste.The shortbread recipe that I used was downloaded from CooksIllustrated.com. The website requires a membership in order to access all of the content ($24.95 per year or $19.95 per year for magazine subscribers). Your membership allows you to access 14+ years of Cook’s Illustrated recipes, kitchen equipment ratings, food tasting results, kitchen tips and step-by-step instructions for basic cooking techniques. They also have an entire section of menus ranging from Holiday & Events to Weeknight or Grilling. The menus include all of the recipes, shopping lists, techniques and tips. If you cook a lot – and are a fan of Cook’s Illustrated – I think this is a great investment. I have quite a few back issues of the magazine, but when I’m looking for a specific recipe, it’s much easier and faster to locate it online. It is so convenient to have all of this information at your fingertips. And, better yet, it’s 100% advertising free.Click here to download and print a pdf of this recipe:Buttery Shortbread
Posted by J.Noelle at 4:00 PM 1 comments Links to this post
Labels: anise hyssop, Cook’s Illustrated, recipe
Saturday, August 11, 2007
BLT Sandwiches with Homemade Basil Mayonnaise
As many of you already know, I love bacon. Most people I know love bacon*. When my friend Diana was in town visiting from San Francisco, we decided to make t-shirts that declared our love for bacon. Here’s a picture of Diana wearing one of our awesome t-shirts:And now that we’ve reached the time of year when tomatoes actually taste like tomatoes, BLT sandwiches are at their peak. With the addition of homemade basil mayonnaise – which is really simple and easy to make if you have a food processor – your standard BLT gets kicked up a notch, as Emeril would say.*Even vegetarians can enjoy bacon and BLTs by substituting “facon” (fake, soy-based bacon) for the real deal.Click here to download and print a pdf of this recipe:Homemade Basil MayonnaiseAdapted fromMartha Stewart’s Hors d’Oeuvres Handbookby Martha Stewart
Posted by J.Noelle at 12:00 PM 3 comments Links to this post
Labels: bacon, basil aoli, photo credit: Diana Kowalsky
box no. 09 contents
Fennel
Sweet Peppers
Tomatoes
Sweet Corn
Eggplant
Summer Squash
Cucumbers
Honeydew
Sweet Onions
Lettuce
Carrots
Kale
Anise HyssopI have a confession to make: I have never used my Anise Hyssop. I don’t know how other shareholders feel, but I put pressure on myself to use everything from the box, every week. So I always feel guilty when I open the box and see the bunch of anise hyssop, knowing that it will sit in the refrigerator, unused, until I have the guts to shamefully throw it away.Once or twice, I’ve consoled myself by putting the pretty bunch of herbs in a Ball jar with some water and making use of it as a nice arrangement on the kitchen counter. But it ultimately meets the same fate: in the garbage at the end of the week.This week I am bound and determined to use it. In fact, I’m so determined that I took an extra bunch from the swap box. I’ll keep you posted on my progress and hopefully share some recipes for using anise hyssop.Click here to download a pdf of the Angelic Organics Farm News for box no. 09.
Posted by J.Noelle at 11:00 AM 2 comments Links to this post
Labels: anise hyssop, box 09
Thursday, August 9, 2007
Book ’n Cook Fresh Every Day
This week I tested a Summer Sweet Corn Soup recipe from Sara Foster’s Fresh Every Day: More Great Recipes from Foster’s Market. First off, let’s start with the book. Fresh Every Day has eight chapters:Breakfast for Anytime; Simple Soups; Seasonal Salads and Salad Meals; Seasonal Sides; Quick and Tasty Meat Main Dishes; Fast and Fresh Fish, Pasta, and Risotto Meals; Meals That Cook Themselves; A Little Something SweetThe recipes are easy to follow and use upscale but accessible ingredients. Throughout the book, there are call-out boxes explaining basic techniques such as roasting garlic or peeling butternut squash. There are also a number of sidebars called “Tricks of My Trade” with helpful hints for making your recipes turn out better and easier.The Summer Sweet Corn Soup is sweet, light and has a bright, fresh flavor from the addition of the basil. All in all, I recommend this book for it’s tempting recipes, beautiful photography and easy, clean design. And if you have some corn left, this recipe is definitely worth trying.Click here to download and print a pdf of this recipe:Summer Sweet Corn SoupAdapted fromFresh Every Day by Sara Foster
Posted by J.Noelle at 9:00 PM 3 comments Links to this post
Labels: book ’n cook, Fresh Every Day, recipe, Summer Sweet Corn Soup
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About J.Noelle and 24 boxes
24 boxes is a weblog devoted to seasonal cooking with fresh, local vegetables from Angelic Organics, a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farm in Rockford, Illinois. This is my second year as a shareholder and I’m still figuring out how to work my way through 24 boxes of vegetables a year.
A few facts about me that are relevant to this blog:
I am not a trained chef (but if I won the lottery tomorrow, I would quit my day job and go to culinary school)
Speaking of my day job, I own a Chicago-based graphic design firm with my fiancee.
I love cookbooks. I collect them. I covet them. And I especially love well-designed ones. *see “day job” above
I am not a vegetarian, but I like vegetables. And I love bacon.
I hate caraway seeds and I don’t like dill. Other than those two things, I will eat pretty much anything – at least once.
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Blog Archive
▼ 2007 (41)
▼ August (10)
Stuffed Tomatoes Two Ways
box no. 10 contents
Asian Steak Wraps
Buttery Shortbread with Anise Hyssop
BLT Sandwiches with Homemade Basil Mayonnaise
box no. 09 contents
Book ’n Cook Fresh Every Day
White Bean, Kale and Chorizo Soup
box no. 08 contents
Fun Facts Watermelon
► July (15)
The Real Dirt on Farmer John
Eggplant Caviar
Mexican Grilled Corn
Farm Dinner to Benefit Angelic Organics Learning C...
box no. 07 contents
Zucchini Bread with a Twist
Mediterranean Menu
box no. 06 contents
Cauliflower Gratin with Rosemary, Grey Poupon and ...
box no. 05 contents
Book ’n Cook Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook
box no. 04 contents
Cool Cucumbers
Viva La Local
Zucchini, Summer Squash & Fennel Salad
► June (14)
box no. 03 contents
Book ’n Cook Chickpea & Basil Purée
Eat Green Foods Goat Cheese Sandwich
Drink Your Greens
box no. 02 contents
box no. 01 wrap-up
Zucchini Fritters
Garlic Scapes
Lasagna with Chard, Ricotta & Walnuts
box no. 01 contents
Perfect Pasta for Peas
Peas and Rhubarb
First Delivery: June 16
Strawberries from the Market
► May (1)
Five Cookbook Recommendations
► April (1)
Coming Soon!
