Week 11 Delivery

Week 11

In the box:

Heirloom Tomatoes
Green Bell Peppers
Sweet Corn
Fresh Garlic
Orient Express and/or Rosa Bianca Eggplant
Onions
Jalapeño Peppers
Cucumbers
Yellow Zucchini
Zephyr Squash
Patty Pan Squash
Green Beans
Beets
Rainbow Chard
Collard Greens or Dino Kale (a mixed bunch, coming back from cabbage worm trauma)
Broccoli or Cauliflower or Cabbage
Herb bunch of: sweet basil, Thai basil, sage, rosemary, parsley, tarragon, thyme, and oregano

As we said last week, we are hoping to give one head of garlic each week. If you share a box, you may want to either alternate or pull off cloves to share. We have also pulled our onions and have them drying next to the garlic. You will get a steady supply of 2-3 onions each week for the rest of the season.

Heirloom tomatoes have begun. So far they are being cooperative and ripening at a slow but steady rate. Last year we had green tomatoes until late August and then they all ripened at once. We are hoping they will continue to work with us, providing weeks of fresh tomatoes for you.
The peppers are still teasing us, but we have decided to start sending green bells until the others turn as the plants are falling over from the weight of peppers; there should be no lack of them in the coming weeks.
Eggplant is coming full throttle now and we look forward to sharing. I know at least one of our shareholders avoids nightshade plants, so we are hoping to round out the boxes with many non-nightshades are well.

Sweet corn is back and you will see it for the next few weeks. Enjoy this true taste of MN. Additionally we believe we will be sending one melon per box starting next week. It will be a mixed supply of either sweet baby watermelon, regular watermelon, cantaloupe, or musk melon. You should see these for the next few weeks as well. If we don’t get your box this week, we will get you next week.

The potatoes are giving us a bit of trouble as we move across the rows digging them up. There seems to be a substantial amount of die-back. We are guessing this could be due to the crazy levels of rain we received this season. We will continue to dig and hope for the best. Our goal is to send them nearly every week for the rest of the season, so wish us plentiful digging.

If you have been getting eggs from us after the initial first weeks freebies, you will get a bill this week. You will get billed once more at the end of the season. Please mail us a check unless you see Molly at the co-op.

Eggplant Recipes:

Eggplant Fingers
2 eggplant
olive oil
1 ½ c. bread crumbs
1 c. parm cheese

Cut skin off eggplant and cut into ½ to ¾ inch rounds. Cut the rounds into sticks. Coat with olive oil. Mix cheese and bread crumbs in a bowl and roll eggplant in the mixture. Place on backing sheet and cook at 375 until golden brown.

Eggplant Parmesan (from allrecipes.com)

INGREDIENTS:
3 eggplant, peeled and thinly sliced
2 eggs, beaten
4 cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs
6 cups spaghetti sauce, divided 1 (16 ounce) package mozzarella cheese
, shredded and divided
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Dip eggplant slices in egg, then in bread crumbs. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 5 minutes on each side.
3. In a 9x13 inch baking dish spread spaghetti sauce to cover the bottom. Place a layer of eggplant slices in the sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Repeat with remaining ingredients, ending with the cheeses. Sprinkle basil on top.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes, or until golden brown.