Our season is coming to an end, but some of the late items like butternut squash have a great shelf life. I love to roast a few of them, and then either freeze the puree or make casseroles and soups. This time I decided I wanted something sweet, so took our basic sweet potato pie recipe and subbed butternut squash puree. It turned out to be fabulous!

Butternut Squash Pie

2 cups butternut squash puree

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup white sugar

1/2 cup milk

2 eggs 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust

Directions:
1. Roast butternut squash and then mash to make 2 cups butternut squash puree.


2. Place squash puree in a bowl. Add butter, and mix well with mixer. Stir in sugar, milk, eggs, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until mixture is smooth. Pour filling into an unbaked pie crust.

3. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 60 to 70 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Pie will puff up like a souffle, and then will sink down as it cools.

Notes:
After an hour of baking, I turn the oven off, crack the door, and leave the pie in the oven to cool for another 30-60 minutes. This helps with cracking. I also place a crust shield over the pie to prevent the crust from getting too dark.

This is a great alternative to sweet potato or pumpkin pie. I love it cold the next day with a dollop of whipped cream.

Pickled Dill Green Beans

 

I just purchased a new canning cookbook. I have so little time in the kitchen right now, but none the less stay fascinated with recipes. Our green beans are in beautifully. We have Green, yellow, purple, and flat. I can plenty of green beans, but I want to pickle some.

Pickled Dill Green Beans
Canning by Better Homes and Gardens (Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest Publication)

Prep:45 minutes
Cook: 5 minutes
Process: 5 minutes

3 pounds fresh green beans

5 fresh Thai or red Serrano chile peppers (optional)

3 cups water

3 cups white wine vinegar (I may just use white vinegar)

3 T snipped fresh dill or 1 T dried dill

1 T pickling salt

1 T sugar

6 cloves garlic, minced

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper

5 small heads of fresh dill (optional)


1. Wash beans; drain. If desired, remove ends and strings. Leave beans whole. In an uncovered 8-quart pot, cook beans and 5 fresh chiles (if using) in enough boiling water to cover for 5 minutes; drain.

2. Pack hot beans lengthwise into five hot, sterilized pint canning jars, cutting beans to fit, if necessary, and leaving a ½ -inch headspace. Add one of the boiled chile peppers (if using) to each jar. Set aside.

3. In a large stainless-steel, enamel, or nonstick heavy saucepan, combine the 3 cups water, vinegar, snipped or dried dill, pickling salt, sugar, garlic, and crushed red pepper. Bring to boiling, stirring unitl sugar dissolves.

4.Pour hot liquid over beans in jars, leaving ½-inch headspace. If desired, add a head of fresh dill to each jar. Wipe rims; adjust lids.

5. Process filled jars in a boiling-water canner for 5 minutes (start timing when water returns to boiling). Remove jars from canner; cool on wire racks.

Makes 5 pints

Nutrition information
Per ½ cup: 42 calories, 0g fat, 0mg cholesterol, 357mg sodium, 7g carbs, 3g fiber, 2g protein

New Produce Stand

Chris and I decided to try a new venture this year. The farmers markets are wonderful, but are also hard on your body. There is so much set-up and breakdown to be done for the 3-4 hours markets. We did 5/week last year, and felt very run down at the end of the season. Chris has wanted to open a produce stand closer to home, and focus our energy on that for quite some time now.

One day driving down Route 360, we noticed a place that had been vacant for quite some time, and after some negotiations and quite a bit of permit filing, we have a new place! Deer Run Produce is now open 6 days a week. I stay at the stand most days, and Chris stays at the farm along with working 3 markets this year. It has been a learning process, and there have been frustrations along the way. We are used to showing up at a market and selling, and now we are waiting for the customers to come to us. Quite a difference that I am not use to. It gives me a new appreciation to all the hard work that goes into getting customers to a farmers market.

We are open Tuesdays through Saturday 9:00-7:00, and Sundays 2:00-6:00. We can be followed on Facebook under Deer Run Produce LLC. Right now we have a mix of produce, with more than 70% of it being produced right on our farm. We will even have our own tomatoes within a week or so. We hope you will help us spread the word and get this up and running. I miss being at the markets and seeing all of my market buddies. Any of our market followers reading this should definitely stop in and see me if you are in this neck of the woods.

Strawberry Marmalade

I really wanted to try to do a little something with some of the strawberries we are picking right now, and I think I have found a recipe that I can put together really quickly. The strawberry season is winding down, and I have processed all that I am going to for regular jam, but this marmalade looks yummy, and quick. I am going to make up a batch tomorrow and see how it goes. The girls would probably love this with biscuits in the morning.

FRESH STRAWBERRY MARMALADE

2 1-pint baskets fresh strawberries, hulled, quartered


1 1/2 tablespoons sugar


1/2 cup orange marmalade


1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice


2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar



Stir strawberries and sugar in large bowl. Let stand until


berries release juices, about 5 minutes. Stir in marmalade,


lemon juice and vinegar. Chill at least 30 minutes and up


to 4 hours.


Makes about 3 cups.


Bon Appetit June 1998

Garlic Scapes

I was able to try something new this week...garlic scapes. I grew elephant garlic last year, but this year have elephant garlic, hardneck, and softneck garlic. I have been watching the scapes emerge for the last week or so, and last night harvested some for dinner. Yummy! I made shrimp scampi, and made a compound butter with minced scapes.  I made sure to put some in the freezer for later use.

Chris has scapes with him at the market today for sale. We will see how that goes. They are rather strange in appearance, but such a great mild garlic flavor. With such a limited quantity and such a short season for them I am sure those that recognize them will snatch them up.

I was looking for ways to use them yesterday, and I think this will be my next try with the scapes.

Garlic Scape Carbonara

serves 4

This pasta is fantastic as a meal served with a big garden salad and some crusty bread. If desired, add a half-cup of fresh, lightly cooked peas to the mix for a little added nutrition (and sweetness).

1/2 lb campanella pasta, or shape of your choosing
4 slices bacon (about 3 1/4 ounces), chopped
1/4 cup garlic scapes, cut into 1/4 inch coins
2 large eggs
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 cup freshly grated Romano cheese

Set a pot of water to boiling on the stove and cook the campanella pasta (or desired shape).

While it’s cooking, cook the bacon over medium heat until browned. Remove the bacon pieces with a slotted spoon and add the garlic scapes. Cook until soft (2-3 minutes). Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon. (Drain both the bacon and the garlic scapes on a paper towel).

Whisk together the eggs, salt and red pepper flakes.

When the pasta is done, quickly remove it from the stove and set a different burner to low heat. Drain the pasta and add it back to the pot, on the burner set to low. Stir in the garlic scapes and bacon. Add the egg mixture and stir feverishly for 3-4 minutes until sauce is thick and creamy. Don’t let it overcook or it will be gloppy. Sprinkle the Romano cheese in, a little at a time, and stir to combine. Don’t add it all at once or it won’t mix through out the pasta as well (since it will clump).Serve immediately.
Source http://sarahscucinabella.com/