This week your basket contains: potatoes, leeks, Brussels sprouts, Tetsukabuto winter squash, and celeriac.

WE ARE STARTING TO SIGN UP NEW SUBSCRIBERS FOR THE 2023-24 YEAR THAT STARTS AT THE END OF MAY.  If you have friends, neighbors, or family members who might want to have a subscription of their own, please direct them to our web site (PumpkinRidgeGardens.com) for information on our program and instructions for signing up.

We would have liked to add a bag of cooking greens to your basket, but with the overnight lows the last few nights dipping into the teens they just aren’t available.  We’ve rolled out the frost protection fabric again and covered what we could and won’t be peeking under it until the lows are back to a more normal range.

We love risotto and this recipe is a good one.  It is a great way to use any of the sweet peppers you may have frozen in the summer/fall.

LEEK RISOTTO

4 c chicken broth

2 Tbs.. extra virgin olive oil

2 leeks, cleaned and sliced cross-wise

1 yellow bell pepper, diced

1 ½ c Arborio rice

½ c dry white wine, at room temp.

½ c sun-dried tomatoes, julienned

1 tbsp butter

salt & freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Keep your broth warm and nearby for ladling into the risotto.  In a large, heavy bottomed pot or large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Cook leeks and bell pepper until softened. Use a slotted spoon and transfer the veggies to a bowl and keep warm. Add the rice to the same pan and stir until each grain has some oil. If you need to add a bit more, go on ahead. Toast rice for a few minutes and add the wine. Stir until completely absorbed. Add the broth, one cup or ladleful at a time, stirring frequently after adding. Make sure the liquid is totally absorbed before adding the next bit of broth. Never let your rice become dry. After about 20 min, your rice should be tender and creamy. Add the leek mixture and sun-dried tomatoes. Heat through and remove from heat. Stir in the butter and season with salt and pepper to taste.  From TheJollyFox.com

Keeping with an Italian theme, this Brussels sprout recipe is very tasty.

FETTUCCINI WITH BRUSSELS SPROUTS AND PINE NUTS

1 stalk Brussels sprouts, trimmed
1/2 pound dried egg fettuccine
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons pine nuts

Slice Brussels sprouts in a food processor fitted with slicing disk.  Cook fettuccine in a pasta pot of boiling salted water (3 tablespoons salt for 6 quarts water) until al dente.  Meanwhile, heat butter and oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat until foam subsides, then cook pine nuts, stirring, until golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Add Brussels sprouts, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, then sauté over medium-high heat until tender and lightly browned, about 4 minutes.  Reserve 1/2 cup pasta-cooking water, then drain pasta and add to skillet, tossing with enough reserved water to moisten.

SQUASH CORNBREAD

¾ cup yellow cornmeal

¾ cup flour

4 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. cinnamon

¼ tsp. allspice

½ tsp. salt

½ cup soft butter

¼ cup brown sugar, packed

2 eggs

1 ½ tsp. lemon juice

1 cup pureed cooked winter squash

¼ cup milk

Combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, spices and salt.  Cream the butter, add sugar and beat until light.  Add eggs, lemon juice, squash and milk.  Beat together, then gradually add dry ingredients until well combined.  Pour batter into a buttered, medium-sized loaf pan.  Bake in a pre-heated 350⁰ oven for 50 minutes or until a skewer poked into the middle comes out clean.  Cool in pan for ten minutes, remove and cool on rack.  From The Victory Garden Cookbook by Marian Morash.