Ingredients:

About 3-4 medium lemon cucumbers
2 cups fresh Italian basil leaves and stems
1/2 cup olive oil
1 clove crushed garlic
1 teaspoon sea salt
fresh ground black pepper
3 Tablespoons fresh, grated parmesan cheese

1. Slice or chop cucumbers.

2. In food processor: combine basil leaves, olive oil, garlic, sea salt, black pepper and parmesan cheese. Blend ingredients till combined well.

3. Dress over cucumbers.

4. In Mortar, crush basil leaves and garlic till. Scoop up basil/garlic combo and place in bowl. Add salt, pepper, olive oil and cheese.

Ingredients

• 2 slices bacon
• 2 medium yellow squash, thinly sliced
• 1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 1 jalapeno pepper, chopped (optional)
• 1 dash soy sauce
• salt and pepper to taste

Ingredients

• 2 zucchini, halved lengthwise
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Hi folks!

    I hope everyone had a safe and enjoyable holiday weekend. We had a great time here on the farm! Chris and I cooked a pig in the ground…Tim dug the hole. Jenn, Dawn, Kelsi and the rest of the gang took care of the rest of the fixins’. It was Ricky’s birthday…he had to have help blowing out the candles. To top it off Tim set off more fireworks than I’ve ever seen from any one person’s backyard. We had a blast celebrating our nation’s independence day…hope you did as well. Here are a few pics of some of the newest produce received from our farmers this week.

Thanks

Tommy

(Green and Golden Zucchini)

(Brandywine)

(Cherokee Purple)

(German Pink)

(Green Zebra)

....also comes in red

(Lemon Cucumber)

(New Red Potatoes)

(Persimmon)

This is a recipe I stumbled upon one hot lazy afternoon.

Don't be scared by the ingredients,

they work together to make a very tasty and refreshing salad.

Go ahead and try it - be prepared for a pleasant surprise

Ingredients

• 1 banana, sliced
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
• 1 tablespoon raspberry vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup raspberries
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 cup seedless red grapes
• 1 cup cubed watermelon
• 1 cup halved fresh strawberries
• 1 cup cubed cantaloupe
• 1 cup blueberries
• 1 cup sliced plums

Directions

1. In a blender or food processor, combine banana, orange juice, lime juice, poppy seeds, raspberry vinegar, olive oil, raspberries, salt and cayenne pepper, and puree until smooth. Cover tightly and refrigerate until ready to use.
2. Combine grapes, watermelon, strawberries, cantaloupe, blueberries and plums in a large bowl. Pour dressing over fruit and toss to coat.

Summer is tomato and basil season, and there is nothing better than heirloom tomatoes with fresh basil from the garden and fresh mozzarella cheese. What are "heirloom tomatoes"? Heirloom tomatoes are what tomatoes used to be before all of the variety and flavor were bred out of them so they could be more easily transported in trucks to supermarkets. You can find them at farmers' markets and at Whole Foods, or you can grow your own. They come in many shades of red, yellow, orange, and green, and are somewhat oddly shaped compared to everyday beefsteak tomatoes.

Hi folks!

    We received the first tomatoes of the season yesterday. Not many but we'll have plenty soon enough. Some folks have asked me about worms on sweet corn. Earworms are commonly found on sweet corn...especially corn that has not been sprayed with pesticides. Our farmers told me that they would keep a close eye on the corn and a closer eye on the earworms. Commonly found on the tips of the ears...just cut the tips and they'll be good to go. I'm including pics of some of our newest veggies in this blog to help with identification. Have a great weekend folks!!

Thanks,

Tommy

(Blueberries)

(Sweet Corn)

(earworm)

...the ones I've noticed have been smaller

(lemon cucumber)

(New Red Potatoes)

Directions

Ingredients

Ingredients

• 12 small ears fresh corn
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons grated lime peel
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• Refrigerated butter-flavored spray

Directions

1. Place corn in a Dutch oven or kettle; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 3-5 minutes or until tender.
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the cilantro, chili powder, lime peel, salt, cumin and garlic powder. Drain the corn. Spritz with butter-flavored spray; brush or pat seasoning over corn.

2 to 3 pounds cube steak (tenderized round steak that’s been extra-tenderized
1 large onion OR 2 small/medium onions
4 French/Deli rolls
...Butter, man
Lawry’s Seasoned Salt
Worcestershire Sauce
Tabasco

Slice onions and cook in 1/4 stick butter until soft and light brown. Remove and set aside.
-Slice cube steak against the grain. Season with Lawry’s.
-Heat 2 TBSP butter over high heat (in same skillet) until melted and beginning to brown.
-Add meat in single layer. Cook one side until brown, then flip and cook until brown, about a minute on both sides.
-Add 1/2 (at least) Worcestershire sauce, 5 to 6 shakes Tabasco, and 2 TBSP butter. Add cooked onions. Stir to combine.
-Butter halved French rolls and brown on skillet.
-To assemble, lay bottom half of French roll on plate. Place meat mixture, followed by a spoonfull of juice from the pan. Top with other half of roll, cut in half, and devour!

Hi Folks!

This has been a great week for produce. Squash, cucumber and zucchini numbers are starting to climb and we're getting more tame blackberries from our farmers. And we've received the first sweet corn and new red potatoes of the season. Tomatoes are just around the corner...can't wait for those. Hope these pictures have been helpful with produce identification. Have a great week folks, hope you enjoy the produce!

Thanks,

Tommy

(New Red Potatoes)

(Sweet Corn)

(Tame Blackberries)

Try these muffins with any berry, fresh or frozen.  Well… hold back on the frozen strawberries.  They’re too big.  But blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, or any combination you think is festive and inviting.  Go nuts and show off your muffin stylings!

Black Raspberry Breakfast Muffins

Ingredients:

Ingredients

• 1 (8 ounce) package pork sausage

• 1 (8 1/2 ounce) package refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
• 1 cup frozen cubed hash brown potatoes, thawed
• 3 tablespoons red peppers, and yellow diced
• 1 small tomato, chopped
• 1 cup monterey jack cheese, shredded

• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped

Directions

1.  

   Preheat oven to 375°. In large skillet, cook sausage over medium to high heat, stirring frequently until no longer pink.

2.  

   Separate crescent rolls into eight triangles. Place in ungreased 12-inch rimmed pizza pan with points towards the center. Press together, seal perforations and form a circle 1-inch larger in diameter than pan bottom. Turn edges under to make a slight rim.

3.  

   Sprinkle cooked sausage over crust. Top with potato cubes. Add red and yellow peppers, and tomatoes if desired. Sprinkle with Monterey Jack cheese. Stir beaten eggs, milk, salt, and pepper in small bowl; pour evenly over pizza. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and cilantro.

4.  

   Bake 20 minutes or until eggs are set and crust is golden.