Greetings CSA Members.

What wonderful tips and recipes have come my way since last week’s newsletter – many thanks for sharing your “real food” family experiences with me. I think that I will slowly infuse the newsletter with your ideas. Let me start with this email:

“This is absolutely not true of my kids. They turn their noses at crappy food and much prefer real food, they love veggies and fruit. I think your strawberries are their top favorite. We love to mash sweet potatoes with some rosemary (finely chopped) with some plain whole milk yogurt and a hint of maple syrup and give it to kids who are not crazy about veggies... they all seem to like it.

Another way we love veggies is to chop them small and add them to pasta with cheese, or with vinaigrette. Carrots and peas and chopped green beans get gobbled up this way.

For picky kids, veggies can be pureed and added to tomato sauce and used as a base for pizza or over spaghetti.

Radishes marinated in Drew's Orange Ginger Dressing are also a big hit.

Steam any veggie: Broccoli, Carrots, Parsnips, Squash and make a yummy dipping sauce or a ranch like dressing and let them dip away. Yum!

These may be to general but they are ways to honor the veggie and not hide it too much with other flavors.”

I have also received requests from CSA members regarding how to store and freeze the vegetables coming to you each week. Rebeca is planning to enter techniques for preparation, storage, and freezing on the blog. Here are a few links to websites that also might be helpful.
www.gardenguides.com/how-to/tipstechniques/vegetables/freezing.asp

http://vegetablegardens.suite101.com/article.cfm/vegetable_food_preservation

http://www.growveggies.net/storing/freezing_vegetables_a_to_z/

And finally I will quote from Bottomline Health Magazine:

“Leave fruits and vegetables in their whole, unwashed state until shortly before eating them. Keep tomatoes and winter squash at room temperature on your counter – but refrigerate after cooking or cutting. To slow the ripening process, you can store most fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator. Crisper drawers are best for celery, carrots, radishes, peppers, ripe fruits, summer squash and leafy vegetables. You can leave strawberries in their boxes, but transfer blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries to shallow bowls lined with paper towels. Keeping berries dry can prevent them from getting moldy. Store dried beans, root vegetables and tubers (garlic, onions, potatoes, and rutabagas) in a dark pantry. Refrigerate them after they have been peeled, cut, or cooked.”

I hope that all or even just some of this information comes in handy.

This week in your share, you will most likely find: Strawberries, Lettuce, Beets, Turnips, Mesclun, Basil, and Cucumbers.

Enjoy your share - Justine

I can keep basil for a very long time on my kitchen counter in a vase after I have trimmed the bottom of the stems. Last summer I managed to keep one bunch of basil from August until October!

I think that turnips are best mashed - alone or with potatoes, sautéed with white wine and garlic in a little olive oil, or grated raw on top of a green salad – but with that said, I couldn’t resist giving you this recipe.

Mashed Potatoes and Turnips with Roasted Pear Purée
Makes 8 servings

* 1/4 cup honey
* 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
* 1 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted
* 4 Bosc pears, peeled, quartered, cored

* 2-3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, cut into 2-inch pieces
* 1-2 pounds white turnips, peeled, cut into 2-inch pieces
* 1 1/2 sticks butter, room temperature

Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine honey, lemon juice, and melted butter in large bowl. Add pears; toss to coat. Arrange pears in single layer on large rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast pears 30 minutes. Turn pears to coat with juices and roast until very tender, about 35 minutes longer. Transfer pears and caramelized liquids to food processor; blend until smooth. (Pear puree can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Cook potatoes and turnips in separate large pots of generously salted water until tender, about 25 minutes. Drain well. Transfer turnips to processor; puree until smooth. Mash potatoes with room-temperature butter in large bowl until smooth. Stir in pureed turnips. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 6 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm in microwave before continuing.)

Rewarm pear puree. Place potato-turnip mixture in large serving bowl. Swirl in pear puree and serve.

Beets in Orange Sauce
Serves 4

* 4 large beets, trimmed
* 1 cup orange juice
* 2 tablespoons sugar
* 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
* 1 tablespoon minced orange peel (orange part only)
* 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

Preheat oven to 400°F. Wrap 2 beets together in foil. Repeat with remaining beets. Place on baking sheet. Bake until tender, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Cool. Peel beets. Cut each into 8 wedges.

Combine beets and remaining ingredients in medium non-aluminum saucepan. Simmer over medium heat until sauce is syrupy, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

(Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill. Re-warm over low heat, stirring often.) Serve hot.