Iceberg lettuce and tomatoes on such a cold day? Hope everyone got their box while temperatures will still above freezing.
I cannot remember getting iceberg lettuce before, although I guess we must have. I just never think of iceberg as being something our farmers can grow, so I was totally amazed to see that beautiful head in today’s box. Along with a huge bok choy, a whole bunch of tomatoes and a bag of grits! I’ve been wondering when grains would find their way into the box. So glad to see all these.
I came home from South Carolina with a jar of Clemson blue cheese dressing, so you can guess what’s going to happen to that iceberg – a wedge salad! I’ll crumble some Pine Street bacon in it and garnish with diced tomatoes. With a bowl of some sort of hot soup, that’s the perfect meal. I cannot wait. I’ve had a big pot of chicken stock simmering all day. Will strain out the chicken, then turn the stock into corn chowder or matzo ball soup (I’ve had a craving) or maybe just some vegetable soup. I’ll decide tomorrow.
We’ve been enjoying our bok choy just simmered with whatever other greens are in the box. With no companion greens today, I’ll probably hold onto this head for a few days. I cooked last week’s turnip greens and bok choy together and I’m turning the leftovers into spinach pies. Dice some onion and sauté it in olive oil, then finely chop the cooked greens, add them and season well with black pepper and lemon juice. Then roll out small circles of bread dough/pizza dough/whatever easy dough I’ve either got on hand or make, and fill the circles with the greens, then seal them up like turnovers and bake.. I grew up eating spinach pies made just that way, now I just make them with whatever greens are on hand. While a big pot of greens sometimes takes a few days to get through, these little pies are eaten up in no time.
For that butternut, we’ve got dozens of recipes on the butternut page at grassfedcow.com. The cold temperatures make me think Black Bean and Butternut Chili but then I’m reminded how good the Butternut and Date Salad is and I can’t decide which to make. Oh, for the days of multiple butternut squash in our boxes.
In case you can’t find anything you want to make from those dozens of butternut recipes, here’s one more to consider. Makes your kitchen smell wonderful.
Butternut Squash, Sausage and Pasta
1 12-ounce package whole wheat noodles
1 butternut squash, peeled, cut in half, seeds removed and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
6 ounces goat cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
3/4 pound pork or turkey sausage
2 tablespoons dry bread crumbs
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
Cook pasta according to package directions. Scoop out noodles and move to a large bowl. Add squash to boiling water. Cook until squash is tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and add to noodles.
While pasta and squash are cooking, in a medium saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook 1 minute. Whisk in milk and cook 1 minute. Add salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in goat cheese and sage. Pour over noodles and squash.
In the same skillet, cook sausage until done, about 4 minutes. Add to noodle mixture. Pour into prepared baking dish.
In the same skillet, toast bread crumbs until golden and sprinkle on top of casserole. Bake 20 minutes or until casserole is bubbling.